Labrador Puppy Food and Housebreaking

Question
Yes but is it ok for him to be outside (in my yard) if I am with him I mean (other animals won't be around) or can he not be outdoors at all?

-------------------------

Followup To

Question -
I am picking up my new 9 week old puppy next week and am trying to figure out which food I should be giving him. He is currently living with a vet who is feeding him Science Diet Puppy for large breeds. I heave read all over the net that vets push and use certain foods because they get great deals and perks from the manufacturers while the food itself might not be the best. I did some looking and came across this chart http://www.ourpetfood.com/comparison.html. Is it accurate or biased? From the net I heard that among the best foods were California Natural, Flint River, and Nutro. Do you have any recommendations, and what is the reasoning behind them? Also, at what age should I switch to a regular formula vs. Puppy?

Second, I have a dog run on the side of the house that I want to train the puppy to use. Can the puppy be outside yet? Is there a certain age I must wait before bringing it outside to start training with the run? I know the puppy can't be around other animals until after it has had all its shots (3-4 months?) but I was wondering about being outside in general. I live in suburbs so rabbits, possums, squirrels and birds are really the only type of animals that would have wandered through my yard.

Answer -
Hello Byan and thank you for your questions,

Large breed puppy is best for labrador retivers, science diet is ok by still has by prodcuts in which I don't like, Nutro in my option is the very best but my dogs did not like it, Authoity from petsmart is what I feed my dogs, it is high quaility/by product free and moderitly priced. I like nutro because the foods are so palatable...and the dogs get alot of nutrance out of the food as evidenced by smaller and less stools. Puppy to adult foods should be 12/14 months of age. He shouldnt go outsdie the yard yet or be around other dogs or where other dogs have been until he has his four puppy shots one of which he should have when you bring him home, if you have raccons/possums and the like around your yard and you do let him out in the kennel be sure they can Not get to him...he isnt old enough for a rabies shot until he is 4 months old and if he gets bitten by a wild animal he may very well get rabies and have to be put down..rabies has no treatment. I hope this helps if you need help with anything else feel free to email me again anytime.

Answer
Hello again, He can go into your yard Only...I wouldnt take him out of a fenced area..if your yard isnt fenced be sure that you get something up so no other dog can get into the yard anyway. On another note my sisters friend got a Siberian Husky puppy from the person who breeds the dogs from snow dogs and she also had 'Max' in 8 below possibly another as well. She told her not to event ake her outside during her first four months until her shots were completed... I don't belive this I have my dogs outside in the yard from day one to get some fresh air and exercsie and enjoy there new home and explore...I however never walk a puppy with one or two vaccines or take them to a petstore and put them down(I have had my last puppy to the pet shops in a front pouch and in my arms but she never came in contact with the floor...not once). Enjoy your new puppy Labs are just great my "Haylie" is such a cuddle bug and is more then happy to sleep half ontop of my pillow everynight after me being gone to work for the day.... lovely dogs and they love children as well. If you need help with anything else feel free to ask it is after all what I'm here for, take care.