Hi and welcome! Congratulations on your new pup!! Hope you'll stick around and let us get to know him!! And pictures are required! We LOVE puppies!! As for the collar, your puppy can start right off with a collar appropriately fitted; but cloth only...NO training or slip ("choke") collars for several months and I'm a firm believer that even then, they (choke collars) should be worn for training/class only. My Lab Star began Puppy-K at appx. 9 weeks and all the puppies were required to wear a cloth buckle type collar to class. And I'm sure you'll want to begin introducing him to the dreaded......LEASH!. Might I suggest you jump over to "Dog's General" and re-post your question there and introduce yourself?? Many more will see your post and I know they'd love to welcome you! This thread is for congratulating our Dog of the Day! Again, Welcome to Pet Talk!