Dog Walking

Question
hello, me and my girlfriend have recently purchased a black lab puppy, he has now reached 16 weeks, we normally walk him in the morning and, when one of us is off, we will take him to the beach around afternoon time. however, in the evening he tends to sleep alot, often waking up around 8.30-9.00 and being very excited again!!! my question is, are we walking the puppy too much or is this normal? , he is very big for his size and never seems to drag on the lead like he is tired etc.

also we are thinking about having his testicles removed when the time is right, could you outline the pros and cons?

thank you in advance

dom

Answer
Dominic -

You have described very normal "lab puppy" behavior.  The fact that he sleeps in the afternoon after a walk on the beach is not abnormal at all. Labs have a lot of energy and require a lot of attention.  

You  should consider neutering your pup unless you want to breed him.  In my opinion, there are too many unwanted pups in this world already.  Neutering him will prevent unwanted puppies and will help to prevent certain cancers that are associated with the testicles and the reproductive organs.  

The one major disadvantage to neutering is that most animals will gain weight once they are neutered.  This is especially common with Labs.  Continuing to provide exercise and plenty of playtime will help you to control any weight gain that he may experience.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM