If you are lucky you can find a best friend in life, but, if you are us you have found more than one! We have found our newest best friend, thank to Don Haas & family from Champion Lab Kennels! Champion Labs Swamp Fox "Foxy" (Dam) a beautiful Fox Red Lab and Tyson (Sire) a handsome Yellow Lab gave birth to 11 surviving puppies on December 14, 2012. We have welcomed into our home at 12 weeks of age Champion Labs Baylee Star "Baylee". She is intelligent, gentle, loving, well behaved and the best little puppy we have had. It is amazing how much you invest into puppy proofing your house in the beginning stages of these little lives. We have learned quite a few things in only a couple days.
1.) Never ignore a sniffing puppy or suddenly whiny pup. In each case when Baylee has portrayed each of these things going to the bathroom was quickly followed! Fortunately, we have a puppy who has already been housebroken and the only struggle we have is the threshold of the door to outside. BUT with persistence she has found the strength in her mind to conquer that fear.
2.) Kids are great for pups because they can help the puppy exert any extra energy! Fortunately for Baylee she has two little children to run with, however, nap time is nap time and Baylee enjoys her sleep so the kids have to wait to play and let me tell you it's just unfair sometimes for my little kiddos. Fits can become really agitating so a promise to our kids to take her for a walk after quiet time works every time (plus it gets Baylee used to a leash and another form of exercise)
3.) Baylee is INTELLIGENT. I think I said that once but just know... Intelligent, Intelligent, INTELLIGENT! Get it! Ha ha! She will listen to commands at 12 weeks. Tell me how many puppies at 12 weeks understand commands OR understands commands to new (human) parents?! This little girl does and its a wonderful way to exert more energy (have you see the pattern yet)! My husband and I stand at separate areas in they yard and say "Baylee, here. She comes running straight to our side and as soon as she arrives our next command "Sit" and immediately it is prompted with a "good girl" and some love!
4.) Bedtime is important. We always send Baylee to bed at the times that she was resting before she was ours. Her schedule was 11-7 and she will Kennel at 11pm and sleep until 7am. Whining is not tolerated and when she was first introduced to us she decided that she would whine for a couple minutes and we gave in (MISTAKE) even though she needed some play time after a long car drive the next day we saw the same pattern of whining so we decided to let her be. After 5 minutes she gave up and since then we have had no whining! Don't give into whining and let your puppy get lots of rest. Also we have had no accidents in the kennel and let me tell you that is an accomplishment!
This little girl is going to be the next best thing, I tell ya, the NEXT BEST THING! Just you wait you will see!
More updates to come and pictures until then we will be working hard to accomplish each task!
Our next tasks-
1.) Sit transitioning to lay "down"
2.) "Stay"
Once again thank you to Champion Labs Kennels you breed the most amazing pups! For more information on Don Haas and his amazing dogs please visit: http://championlabs.com/
