# 8 week old lab



## Gregbalanoff (Nov 30, 2009)

I have a 8 week old lab and there are a few things i am unsure of can some one pls help

1 how often and at what times should i feed her 
2 is it ok to leave her in her crate for 6 hours a day while im at work
3 how often and when should i take her out to go "pee"


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## amdeblaey (Jun 27, 2009)

With both my labs, I started feeding both of them three times a day, and after a few months I moved them down to 2 times a day(I think when they turned 6 months, I moved them down to 2 times a day). I think it depends on your work schedule as to when you feed them. I feed both mine at 7:30am, 6:30pm. When they were puppies, I gave an extra dose in the middle of that. 
For a 8 week old puppy, 6 hours is a little long, if you can have a friend come let her out-that would be the best, otherwise you may risk UTI's and stuff. 
I always took my puppies out to pee shortly after they drank water. I let them drink freely-expect when they were still in potty training, I didn't let them drink a few hours before bed. But during the day-I let them drink, and just took them out about a minute after they drank.


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## Gregbalanoff (Nov 30, 2009)

thank you very much i do have some one who can come let her out around lunch time 
im putting her on a schedule 
6am potty n a short walk 
8am food followed by a short walk 
10 an hour long training n play time outside 
11am shes in her crate n i leave 
2pm potty n food followed by a 10 min potty break 
3 pm crate 
6 potty
8pm food followed by a hour training n play 
11pm potty 
should i put her back in her crate at night time or just leave her free in the spare room?


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## amdeblaey (Jun 27, 2009)

It's up to you if you want to leave her out of not. I would strongly suggest not, for the fact that she is 8 weeks old. Labs love to chew, so you never really know what they get into if they have free roam. I would wait until she gets older, and then test her. Let her have one room for an hour, and see what damage she does. If it's nothing, then you can give her more time and more room alone. Personally with my two dogs, I let my three year old lab have the house when i'm gone-but I've never taken away his kennel because he still crawls in there to sleep-but he never gets into anything. My one year old chocolate lab, I wouldn't trust him alone for 10 minutes!!!


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

The dog guide school we raise puppies for says 3 meals a day to 3 months and cut back to one after 6 weeks. 

If you can arrange for a mid day break, that would be good. We have had very little trouble living them 4-5 hours. don't leave any food or water in the crate. 

I try to follow the puppy's schedule, not try to make it follow mine. I seldom take a puppy out before I see signs it needs to go out. t needs to go out the first thing in the morning, after eating, drinking, and sleeping. If it quits playing, and starts running around sniffing, it is looking for a place to go. Take it out quickly.


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## DogsforMe (Mar 11, 2007)

Read these links.
http://www.openpaw.org/Pet_Basics/firstweeks_pup.html
http://www.openpaw.org/Pet_Basics/housetraining.html
You'll find more links on http://www.openpaw.org/Pet_Basics/basics.html
http://www.openpaw.org/PDFs/BEFORE_YouGetYourPuppy.pdf This one takes you to the first weeks at home with a new puppy.
And for puppy biting.
http://www.dogforums.com/19-first-time-dog-owner/8377-bite-stops-here.html
Also labs are a large breed & large breed puppies should be grown slowly to help prevent joint & bone problems in later life.


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

I take exception to several things in the open paws material. I have no doubt that the the dog guide school, that I have learned much of what I know, knows more about young Labs. They forbid stuffed toys. Lab puppies soon are able to shred them and may choke on the stuffing. A stuffed Kong in the crate is OK for short periods, but makes it harder for a puppy to go longer.

To quickly housebreak a puppy you need to watch it, not the clock. It needs to go out the first thing in the morning, after eating, drinking, and sleeping. If it quits playing, and starts running around sniffing, it is looking for a place to go. Take it out quickly. Once out, encourage it to run around. Exercise stimulates elimination. If you make it just stand there, you may be there quite a while. This time of year, it helps to have a coat where you can grab it on your way out the door.


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## Poly (Sep 19, 2007)

Good advice from labsnothers.

The only thing I disagree with is feeding an adult lab only once a day. Labs are somewhat subject to bloat - not nearly as much as some other breeds, but still more so than the norm. 

Feeding twice a day cuts down the incidence of bloat by half.


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

That is true. Apparently the dog guide school has bred around bloat because it doesn't seem to be a concern with their dogs. But is is with many lines of Labs and Shepherds.


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## emily445455 (Apr 8, 2008)

Gregbalanoff said:


> I have a 8 week old lab and there are a few things i am unsure of can some one pls help
> 
> 1 how often and at what times should i feed her
> 2 is it ok to leave her in her crate for 6 hours a day while im at work
> 3 how often and when should i take her out to go "pee"


Congrats on your new addition!! What's her name? What color is she? I love labs  esp puppies, they are the cutest.

I've always fed mine twice a day. With some treats and maybe a bone in between. Scheduled feeding times help with potty training as well.

6 hours seems resonable...although expect some messes. Be sure to let her out immediately before and after crating her.

I took mine out every hour while they were young, then as needed when they became more potty-trained.

Good luck!


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## NeoBodhi (Sep 23, 2009)

Gregbalanoff said:


> I have a 8 week old lab and there are a few things i am unsure of can some one pls help
> 
> 1 how often and at what times should i feed her


2 maybe three times a day based on your schedule and the puppies schedule. Try to get them synched up if you can. 



Gregbalanoff said:


> I
> 2 is it ok to leave her in her crate for 6 hours a day while im at work


To me that seems like a long time in a crate for such a young puppy. I would be surprised if she can hold her bladder that long.



Gregbalanoff said:


> 3 how often and when should i take her out to go "pee"


Take her out after play, after waking up, after eating. At 8 weeks, a puppy has a very small bladder, so expect that she will need to pee often. At 8 weeks my puppy could not hold his bladder for longer that 2 hours if he was not sleeping.


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