Yes there is a LOT you need to think and prep for.

First seriously consider why you are getting 3 puppies. That would be like adding 3 toddlers to your house. Would you allow each of your children to babysit a toddler? That is what you are getting into with 3 puppies.

Are you aware that when you raise littermate puppies they will bond with each other and not with people, unless you spend a lot of time training them individually.

Dogs are pack animals - they are not human, they do not treat each other as equals. One will be dominant and will beat up on the others. They may get along or you may end up with aggression or shyness issues as one is a bully and another one at the bottom of the pack. You can NOT make them equal. How will the kids feel if they have the bully or the shy pup?

Do you have time to spend 10 min 3x per day with each puppy alone? They need to be crated in separate rooms. And yes they will SCREAM. especially since your getting them at 10 weeks you have already missed several important weeks of socialization. What socialization will the breeder do for you? If the breeder is just keeping them all together cause its easier for them - that is going to become a big problem for you.

Have you sat down and made a list of all the costs for 3?

First call your vet and ask how much the puppy shot series will cost. Make sure they include the visit fee $30-50 (depending on your area of the country) the biodisposal fee, and the cost of the vaccines & worming. I just had one dog in and the cost was $78 for heartworm test, fecal, & one vaccination. So since the pups will be getting multiple vaccinations and at least one dose of wormer, at each visit - your looking at $300 for all three - and you get several series of shots, for each pup!

Then the spay/neuter cost. $200-$300 x 3 - ask your vet now what their price is as its different in each area of the country. Will you have $600 to $1000 in 6 months to get this done? That will be January right after the holidays.

Toys - getting labs means that they will chew on everything in your house for several years if not forever. Labs will also chew and EAT underwear, sox and anything your kids leave on the floor. Eating sox can be deadly, causing a blockage which will cost $2000+ for the surgery, if it does not kill the dog.

Pet Edge is a catalog that has good prices on toys, shampoo, etc. You have to purchase at least $50 - but that will be easy with 3 dogs. Sign up on their e mail list and they will send you specials and coupon codes. They just had a free shipping deal, and they frequently have 10% off if you purchase $100. And yes you will have to spend that much on toys if you want your house to survive. You can easily stock up on a shampoo that is on sale and toys as those will not go bad.

As someone else mentioned - get Kong toys. they are specially made rubber toys that will last for years if not forever. Get the large 4.5 inch kong $6.99 - minimum of 2 for each puppy. Smear a little peanut butter on the inside and stick in the freezer. Take out and give one to each puppy the frozen treat will help soothe their mouths while teething. Also get the Kong Spaceship and Kong bone. Both have holes in them that you can put pnut butter in or carrotts. No need for expensive dog treats.

Also get Nylabones - the largest size - Wolf size- 2 for each puppy about $10+ each - do NOT get the gummy bones - get the hard white nylabones. They will not chew on them a whole lot until their teeth are in at 5-6 months but then they will save your life - and your furnature. Oh speaking of that be sure to order a Big bottle of Bitter Apple. You will be spraying this on your furnature, your shoes & shoelaces and your kids hands, arms when the pups are teething they will bite you and your kids and everything else. Just make sure your kids don't stick their hands in their mouth - they will learn the taste of bitter apple real quick. Also get Elk Antlers - the biggest size they have - these are very expensive but worth it as a safe chew toy.

Do not get rawhides, greenies, pigs ears, cow hoofs or marrow bones - yes I'm sure you know people who give them to their dogs all the time with no problem BUT you will have 3 puppies competing for them, they will try to swallow large chunks of these to keep theirs away from the other puppy. This will cause a blockage - as I said - about a $2000 lesson. Also frequently these rawhides, pigs ears, cow hoofs have salmonella and you know where cow hoofs have been...... your kids will also be picking up these toys. Also all of the above will be consumed quickly meaning you will have to buy more. Save your money and get really good kongs and nylabones - will save you a lot in the long run.

If you have to get soft toys - Zanies Berber bones or boys are the best quality I have found. They will still get torn up and you will need to take them away before they eat the squeeker - (remember the blockage cost!)

All these toys can be purchased at the Pet edge catalog. Check them out and then check the prices at your Pets mart - you will see you save a lot by ordering online.

You can get dog crates at garage sales, ask around your neighborhood often people have them in their garage and are happy to get rid of them, check craigs list. You will need 3 large ones. The 400 size at least in the airline crate, or you can get wire crates. Make sure you take the puppy's collar off when you put them in a crate, many puppies have strangled and died when their collar gets caught on something in a crate.

Now you asked about treats - for young pups I use part of each meal as training treats. Teach them to sit, down, go to their crate, all with pieces of their dog food. Put their food in a kong mixed with some peanut butter and freeze it so they have something to keep them busy in their crates. I use hotdogs or cheese for training treats. My dogs also love lettuce, carrots, apples. I just don't see any reason to spend money on treats.

For food - have you calculated the cost to feed the 3 growing pups? Labs in a growing stage can easily eat 6 cups of food per day x3 pups - that is a lot!! Check with your local pet supply and see if they have a rewards program. I purchase 7 bags of food and get one free.

Labs tend to have allergies so I would not stock up on food in advance, you will have to find out what they can eat and do well on. Also when you purchase multiple bags of food, you have to store it in a cool dry place. Bugs will get into the food - or worse rats. If you keep it indoors you must make sure its in a locked area. The 3 labs will work as a pack to get things they want - and they will find the food and eat thru the bag. I have heard many stories of labs eating 10+ lbs of food, that causes bloat - at least a $1000 emergency.

Good quality dog food will cost you $1-$2 per lb. Shocking isnt it! Yes some people have dogs who can eat the cheap old roy and do fine their entire life - but you have chosen a breed that gets allergies, and orthopedic problems. You must give them a quality food. Also when you feed a good food you use much less of it. I have 3 adult retrievers who eat 1 cup of food 2x per day. My food cost is about $1000 per year.

Speaking of orthopedic problems - have you asked the breeder if they have xrayed and gotten OFA clearances on the sire and dam? You can not tell by how a dog looks if they have hip problems. Many people will say they have checked - but they have not. Should have hips, elbows, patellas and also have eye clearance and often a heart clearance is good too. You can check the dogs clearances on the OFA website. It lets you know you are dealing with a reputable breeder. Hip replacement surgery is about $6000
Better to look for a healthy dog than have arthritis or surgery in the dogs future. Arthritis meds are very expensive too.

Obviously you are doing a good thing to research in advance and get some good deals - but I hope you have really looked at the true cost of dog ownership and then multiplied by 3. So many dogs are being dumped at shelters right now because of the economy.

I hope I have helped you with some good deal ideas, but please also re consider 3 dogs. I have worked with dogs both professionally and as a hobby. I compete with my dogs in conformation, obedience and field work. I find it hard to give 3 adult dogs enough time and attention and I don't even have kids. I would never consider getting 3 puppies at once. Its just too hard and too expensive!