german shepherd puppies for sale in

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Prince: house trained, great with other dogs and loves kids; very friendly, happy, affectionate dog Prince is an unbelievably gorgeous 5 year old boy that has been surrendered to our kennels. He is house trained, great with other dogs and loves kids. He does not know cats. He can do with some more leash training. He is a very friendly, happy, affectionate and loving dog who loves to play and be with his human. He needs a good size garden, daily exercise and a warm bed inside the house at night. He must be a very special family member! He has the biggest smile and will always warm your heart and brighten your day with his beautiful temperament. He enjoys his toys and loves to play with his ball! He will make an unconditionally loving companion and such a special friend. He would love to join you on outdoor activities and fun adventures! Availability: Kindly understand that a dog's availability can change in seconds. They can ONLY leave for their new homes at 9 weeks of age. All healthy puppies and dogs will only be ready for adoption after they have had their 1st vaccinations, micro-chipped and sterilised. Procedure: If you are interested in adopting, we will email you an adoption application. Once completed we will arrange a home inspection. Their adorable curly fur and expressive faces make you want to cuddle them — and these little guys love nothing more than a good squish. All this and more makes our labradoodle puppies for sale one the most in-demand in our center. Activity-loving families adore these dogs for their propensity towards sports, and anyone who prefers low-shedding pooch benefits from their wooly or fleecy fur. Labradoodle puppies for sale are so cute and come in such a wide range of colors that it makes choosing your new best friend super-hard! While spearheading the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia breeding program, he conducted the crossbreeding of a standard poodle and Labrador retriever in view of it being a hypoallergenic guide dog for blind people. The first example of this type of dog, called Sultan, went to live with a lady in Hawaii, where other breeders saw him as an inspiration and this is how Australian Labradoodle puppies started. Both the International Australian Labradoodles Association and the Australian Labradoodles Association of America are working hard to incorporate more intergenerational breeding so these dog breeders can register this type of dog as a purebred dog. Its gentle, obedient and intelligent personality combined with a hypoallergenic coat make it ideal for family members with allergies, but it also makes an excellent service or therapy dog. Labradoodle Puppies Lifespan When properly taken care of, healthy dogs tend to live anywhere from 10 to 13 years. The lifespan of our Labradoodle puppies for sale is slightly above average at 12 to 14 years. Here are the life stages of multigenerational Australian Labradoodles: Puppyhood: First five months Adolescence: Between five months and two years Adulthood: Between two and three years Middle age: Between seven years and 10 years Senior: Over 10 years Labradoodles need the most attention and care in the first and last stages of their life. During puppyhood, their minds are highly impressionable, which is ideal for training. During their senior years, Labradoodles are more susceptible to health problems, which means owners need to keep a watchful eye. Labradoodle Size The size of labradoodle puppies for sale directly relates to the size of their parents and which generation of breed Labradoodle breeders chose. The larger the puppies, the larger the adult dog will be, and the faster their growth will be coming out of the puppy stage. A standard labradoodle puppy will weigh from pounds by the time it reaches two months of age. By a year old, it will have grown dramatically to up to 80 pounds, depending on the size of its parents. Medium Labradoodles occupy a spectrum of sizes between standard and mini Labradoodles, with the specifics depending heavily on the details of the breeding pair that birthed them and the breeding program they come from. Labradoodle Puppies Temperament While Labradoodle breeders originally bred the Australian Labradoodles as therapy dogs, their fun, friendly personalities made them popular pets. Now you can find these sociable dogs in homes across the globe. Here are some of the top personality traits of our Labradoodle puppies for sale. They tend to do best in active households where they can work off all that pent-up energy. You can fulfill their needs through the following activities: Walks or jogs: Labradoodles make great walking companions and can even keep up with you during a jog. Playing in the yard: Enjoy a game of fetch with your furry friend in the yard or just let it loose on its own. Dog sports: If you stay active through sports, consider making your labradoodle a part of your routine. Bring it on bike rides, go for a run together or kick a ball around in the yard. Obstacle courses: Set up an obstacle course for your dog using household items. Scavenger hunt: Creating a scavenger hunt for your canine is a great way to exercise its body and brain. In general, Labradoodles need anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day. You can also enroll them later at a Labradoodle puppy alumni school for proper training. Friendliness What makes Labradoodles the perfect puppy compare to other dog breeds is their ability to get along with just about anyone. They inherit this trait from their Labrador retriever parent, a breed also known for its outgoing nature. You can trust your labradoodle to form friendships with everyone, from children and older adults to strangers and other puppies. Thanks to their affectionate, sociable personalities, Labradoodles make great pets for first-time owners, families, or anyone looking for a companion. Intelligence Thanks to their poodle parent breeds, Labradoodles are incredibly intelligent dogs. Because Labradoodles are intelligent, they often crave mental stimulation. Labradoodle Puppies Grooming Our Labradoodle puppies for sale have a variety of coat textures that dog owners enjoy, but in general, their low shedding coat needs brushing at least twice a week. Not only does this keep them tangle-free but it also removes excess debris from their coat, keeping them fresh and hygienic. Regularly trim the hair around their eyes and in between their paws to prevent these problem areas from causing irritation. Pooches with fleece coats tend to have longer fur and benefit the most from going to a professional groomer — although every dog loves getting pampered once in a while. At Pride and Prejudoodles, we send a can and a bag of the foods we use for free with your hand-delivered bundle of joy. If you need to change it for any reason, it must be done gradually to avoid stomach upsets. Just bear in mind that a diet is such a crucial aspect of wellness that feeding them good quality food will add years to their lives compared to opting for low-quality feed. Pride and Prejudoodles is here to help. We hope you found our guide informative. Please contact us with any other questions you have about our Labradoodle puppies for adoption. The term first appeared in , but was not initially popular. The cheapest offer starts at R 3 .Check it out! Frequently Asked Questions Is a Labradoodle a good dog? High energy, these active dogs are best suited to families who can take them for long, interesting walks of up to an hour a day. Is a Labradoodle a good dog? What color Labradoodle is most rare? Red: The rarest color of Labradoodle coat shades, these pups have a black nose pigment. They are also the hardest to breed. Cream: When born, these Labradoodles are slightly darker. Later they turn to a warm cream color. What is the downside of Labradoodle? Labradoodle crossbreeds tend to be big dogs and need lots of space to exercise. Lab-Poodle mix dogs are high-energy and need frequent exercise. Lab Poodles are susceptible to several health issues you need to consider. Labradoodle dogs are expensive to buy. Can Labradoodle be left alone? When it comes down to it, fully grown Labradoodles are fine to be left alone occasionally for anywhere up to 8 hours. Labradoodles are however easily one of most people-friendly breeds. Do Labradoodles bark a lot? This basically means Labradoodles will bark deliberately to send you, their owner, specific types of information. Are Black Labradoodles rare? Black Labradoodles are a breed of chocolate-colored Labradors and black Poodle. To get this breed, both parents have to be of dark color. They are a rare breed of a recessive genetic trait. The breed is often pure black, including the paw cushions, noses, eyes, and other physical features. What is f2 Labradoodle? An f2 Labradoodle has two first generation Labradoodle parents, and a Lab and a Poodle grandparent on each side. There are pros and cons to buying or adopting an f2 Labradoodle puppy, but they have the potential to be great pets in the right homes. Are boy or girl Labradoodles better? Final Thoughts. In reality, the main difference between male and female Labradoodles is their hormone levels. Are Labradoodles smart? Labradoodles are some of the most intelligent hybrid dogs thanks to their parents, the Labrador and Poodle. Recent Posts. Puppies ' Please contact me for cost of puppies. We screen adopters and they need to agree to our puppy policy. About us ' Our dogs are a part of our family they live with us in our home and share our lives in full, our puppies are raised with love and care in our home. Golden doodles are an extraordinary friendly loyal breed created by crossing Golden Retrievers to poodles. Golden doodles are highly valued for its low shedding coat and fun loving personalities that makes it an ideal house mate and family pet. We occasionally have Golden doodle puppies for sale and if your choice for your next best friend is a Golden doodle the best place in South Africa to adopt a puppy is from GoldendoodlesZA where our dogs are fully health tested, ensuring you a healthy companion for life, have super friendly temperaments and are bred out of quality imported bloodlines. GoldendoodlesZA are expecting puppies available for adoption — please contact us for more information. F1 standard puppies Puppies expected August ready to go mid to end October Puppies have arrived!!!

According to Tufts Veterinary School , food aggression is when dogs become aggressive when someone approaches them around food. There are a range of fixes for this, including training a dog to stop showing this behavior, or just effectively managing it and minimizing the risks around it. How To Prevent Aggression In Golden Retrievers The best thing to do about aggression in golden retrievers is to stop it from happening in the first place. Since bad behaviors usually stem from a mix of environmental and genetic factors, here are three ways to try to prevent aggression in your golden: 1. Socialize your dog Dogs usually become aggressive when they feel threatened. Choose a good breeder Since genetics definitely play a role in whether or not golden retrievers can be aggressive, make sure to choose a good breeder than is breeding good-tempered dogs. Also, breeders are the first ones to socialize your puppy , and responsible breeders will know how to do that, as well as care enough to do it. Goldens are big dogs with big teeth, so if you have an aggressive golden, it could be dangerous. Conclusion Although it is not common, it is possible for golden retrievers to be aggressive. To prevent aggression in your dog, be sure to never physically punish them, choose a good breeder, and properly socialize them. Related articles:. Are Golden Retrievers Aggressive? The Honest Truth Posted on April 5, by Galen Kauffman Share: Golden Retriever owners will most times be highly indignant if you dare to suggest that their Goldens have even an iota of aggression in them. They will be quick to tell you that dog experts will even use this big golden, friendly dog as an example breed when looking to confirm what a calm, amicable dog is. And the puppies? Are golden Retrievers aggressive as puppies? Not at all. Alright, so as a puppy it is only natural that he will nip and bite your hand as he is teething. He has the cutest little growl too. However, not training your puppy and not taking him along to socialization classes can allow this puppy habit to develop into something serious. Is Aggression Common in Golden Retrievers? Are Golden Retrievers aggressive? Only very seldom. Calm and laid back as your Golden Retriever is, there are going to be times when your golden doggo may be aggressive. They are loving, playful, calm, friendly, smiling, amiable dogs. Are male Golden Retrievers aggressive more often than females? Not really. As mentioned, these dogs are rarely aggressive, but it is more likely that the male Golden Retriever will be more aggressive than the female. Aggression in Golden Retrievers nearly always comes from poor breeding, bad dog owners, inadequate training, and lack of socialization. You can also add in abuse, neglect, and cruelty. Golden Retrievers are known as control groups for aggression A control group is a standard to which comparisons are made in a dog aggression experiment. There is a control group and an experimental group. The inclusion of a control group helps the researcher to make conclusions from the study. It is only with a control group that a researcher can determine whether a treatment can have an effect on an experimental group. In the study, golden retrievers were tested and used as a control group. Seventy Golden Retrievers were tested in the temperament test. Levels of escalation in aggressive behavior were scored. A total of .Goldens are not typically aggressive Most Golden Retriever owners are familiar with the good-natured temperaments of their Goldens, and they would consider an aggressive Golden Retriever to be an unheard-of thing. Dogs are like kids and the Golden is just a big loving child wanting to please you. And rightly so. Nobody in their right mind would want an aggressive Golden Retriever around their small children. Nonetheless, even though the chances are almost nil that your Golden has any aggression in him, there are one or two factors that can cause aggression in Golden Retrievers, and with good reason, and we look at some of them below. Fear Fear causes any dog faced with a threat to defend itself by biting. Veterinary behavior specialists tell us that fear-related aggression is just that — it is used as self-defense. It may well be out of sheer desperation that a cornered dog bites when it anticipates a threat. A Golden Retriever that has been regularly smacked learns to generalize — believing that every human hand wants to strike him. He goes into self-protection mode by biting the hand that reaches out to him. Fear is also instilled in a dog such as the Golden Retriever when an owner uses harsh, cruel punishment-based training methods. Harsh behavior increases aggression but also anxiety. Danger Dogs act in unusual ways when they sense danger. Can Golden Retrievers be aggressive in the face of danger? This abuse can take different forms. Goldens who have suffered from emotional and physical abuse can respond to anyone with aggression. He will in all likelihood be scared, agitated, and aggressive. Socializing your Golden Retriever will prepare him for a broad range of situations so that he is able to interact with various animals, people, and situations. It teaches him to react to the world out there in a calm way without fear and aggression. Illness Aggression in a Golden Retriever can have a medical cause. Just like the human child gets whiney, cranky, and aggressive when ill and with a bad headache, our canine friends do as well. Medically-induced aggression in a Golden Retriever can result in warning signs of growling, baring teeth, and general aggression. Brain inflammation occurs in conditions such as rabies and encephalitis. The aggression in this instance is most times a neurological reaction to the effect of the inflammation on the brain. Low thyroid levels affect mood and thyroid therapy can relieve aggression in dogs with hypothyroidism. Dogs are like humans in some ways and if they have woken up feeling under the weather, they may respond by showing signs of aggression. Injury There are many causes of aggression in dogs and injury is a common cause of canine aggression. Your Golden Retriever is nearly always a well-behaved dog, so if he suddenly shows signs of aggression, you just know there is something unusual up with him. If you find him acting out of character and wanting to nip you, get him to the vet as soon as possible for a thorough examination. He could have chewed on something that has caused injury to the teeth or even lodged somewhere, causing injury and pain inside the mouth. Irresponsible Breeding Canine aggression always poses concerns. Aggression in dogs is researched by people wanting to understand breed differences. Research always reveals that the Golden Retriever is a calm, good-natured golden beauty with hardly an aggressive bone inside him. But what about irresponsible breeding? A dog can suffer from all kinds of complications in pregnancy and when ignored because of the costs it can be tragic and heartbreaking. A responsible Golden Retriever breeder is one who knows the breed well and who has health clearances to show that both parents are free of genetic disorders. They follow the AKC breed guidelines for health testing. The test includes hips, elbows, thyroid tests, hearing tests, DNA testing, and heart tests. Also before breeding, dog parents need additional tests for Brucellosis testing and both dogs need to be up to date with all their vaccinations. Their characteristics, their bad attitude, their lack of affection, their lack of concern, and their troublesome lifestyle all cause aggression in Golden Retrievers. Signs of Aggression in Golden Retrievers Golden Retrievers are sometimes like other dogs in showing their aggression and they will growl and bark while simultaneously becoming hyperactive. Their floppy ears are raised, the feathered tail is raised and stiff and their hackles are raised. If your Golden has turned into a bit of a biter, snapper, and growler, there has to be a good reason. So how does one stop aggression in Golden Retrievers? Socializing Ensure that your Golden Retriever puppy stays with his mother until he is 8 weeks of age. Just like young kids have to be disciplined in order for them to display appropriate behavior, your puppy Golden will need to be trained and socialized. Check out with your local vet where the best puppy socialization classes are. Choosing a Good Breeder By the time your Golden Retriever puppy is 8 weeks old, he is ready to go to his new home. The way he has developed so far will be dependent on how the breeder has raised him and his siblings. Puppies kept in an unloving, cold, hostile environment will have aggressive tendencies later on and not be able to function properly in your household. Choose a good breeder very carefully. Are you wanting to buy the cutest, most beautiful, friendliest, balanced, loving, non-aggressive Golden Retriever puppy? My Golden Retriever Puppies has just what you want, after all, they are the trusted source for responsibly-raised Golden Retriever Puppies in Ohio. Know your breeder and find yourself a healthy, lively, happy, amicable Golden who has been raised with love and care and dying to shower you with Golden Retriever kisses. Training Although it is difficult to find one iota of aggression in a Golden Retriever, any kind of aggressive behavior can be avoided with proper training. Apart from early socialization, you can train your dog firmly, fairly, and consistently. You could also allow a reputable professional dog behaviorist or trainer to train your Golden to mix with other people and dogs without showing aggressive tendencies. Positive reinforcement training is great when a tasty treat is given as a reward for the desired behavior. Never confuse your dog, and make sure that everyone in the family uses the same signs and commands that he is familiar with. Exercise If you want to avoid aggression in your Golden Retriever, exercise him. Dog aggression is a concern for any dog owner and even your mild, calm Golden can begin to feel the stirrings of aggression when he is never exercised. The Golden Retriever is a large dog and he is also a sporting breed. Your Golden will need a consistent workout every day for at least 20 minutes at a time. Hitting a ball for him with a tennis racquet can be an excellent running exercise for him. You have to be patient with him and show him kindness, gentleness, and fairness when training him. Conclusion Are Golden Retrievers aggressive? They can be, but only under certain circumstances. It is things such as improper breeding, abuse, and fear from humans that put aggression into any dog. Know your Golden and get him to the vet if you suspect uncharacteristic aggression which could be brought on by pain or illness. You can easily find one by checking out our puppies here! All our puppies are raised by our own group of small, independent breeders who lovingly care for and socialize with each of them daily so they grow up happy. We even take all the extra steps to provide the best healthcare for them. Galen has been connecting quality Golden Retriever breeders with loving families since and is the founder of My Golden Retriever Puppies. He and his wife have four children and love spending time together, traveling lived oversees for 4 years , enjoying the outdoors and connecting Golden families. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. Print Retrievers, for the most part, make great family dogs. They are also smart, so they learn quickly and their strong willingness to please often makes retrievers a great addition to the family. But some retriever puppies are a high-energy ball of fire, one that is difficult to train or even handle in daily life. And sometimes there will be signs of aggressive behavior that are concerning. However, there is a fine line between puppy play behavior and hyper and aggressive behavior. Some owners are reluctant to stop such behavior thinking that it is just puppy behavior and therefore the dog will outgrow it. If you have a retriever puppy that is hyper or aggressive you might wonder what can be done and why they are acting that way. Here is some guidance on this topic. What are normal puppy behaviors? It is normal for very young puppies to nip at your hands and your feet. It is also normal for them to chew on things, jump on you and walk all over you. An 8-week-old puppy nipping at your hand might at first seem cute and sweet. But one bite from those exceedingly sharp puppy teeth and you might decide its not so cute. Those teeth can puncture your skin in a second and draw blood just as quickly. So, while it may be normal for a puppy to nip at your hand or foot, it is not a behavior that you want to ignore. Puppy play is naturally aggressive When puppies playing with their litter mates, the play can be very aggressive. This is natural, as dogs, they are always figuring out their pack and where they fit into the pack. Recognizing puppy play You can recognize when a retriever puppy is playing by the stance they take. They also may run around in circles, growling, or barking in high pitched barks, but when they do this their ears will be up, their tail wagging and they do not look threatening. It is uncommon for puppies under 12 weeks of age to exhibit true aggression. True aggression involves a dog exhibiting prolonged growling with a stiff posture and baring of teeth. Their hackles the hair on their back will be raised and they will be poised in a threatening position with ears back. If you were to approach a dog in this position which I do not recommend they will often move toward you and try to bite or snap at you. This type of aggression is something to be fearful about and is not healthy. Isolate the dog as much as possible and consult a veterinary or other professional for help or advice. What are signs of aggression in puppies All puppies can act aggressively, but if you take steps to address the aggressive behaviors while your dog is a young puppy, you can make a huge difference on how or whether that aggression progresses. These are all forms of aggression and none of them should be tolerated, not as a puppy and certainly not as a dog. There are also dominance behaviors that puppies exhibit that are often mistaken as aggression. They include things like jumping on people, stepping on people, pushing you around, forcing you to pet them and others. While these behaviors can be done aggressively, and should still be corrected immediately, they are not the same as aggression. Definition of puppy Because we often get clients that bring out their dogs that are close to a year old and refer to them as puppies, I want to define what I consider a puppy. A puppy is a dog under six months of age. Most retrievers are a good size by around six months. They will often continue to grow up until about a year and a half, but they have the bulk of their size by the time they are six months. And by six months, you need to have a handle on any aggressive behaviors, or you are going to struggle with eliminating them. Is it normal for a puppy to be very aggressive? It is normal for a puppy to test you with aggressive behaviors. And to be clear, that place should be at the bottom of the pack, under all your family members. I understand that your dog is a part of your family but allowing your dog to be in a position above any or all your family members is just asking for trouble. Treating your dog as a human and attributing your dog with human thoughts and reasoning is not fair to your dog or to your family. Love your dog, but make sure your dog is the lowest member of your pack and you will have a much easier time with obedience and basic good behavior. How to stop puppy growling Growling is often the first step for dog aggression. Or, if you try and take a toy away from your dog. No matter how or when you see the aggression start, it is important to nip it in the bud right away. A sharp NO command sometimes is all that is needed, especially if it is well-timed with the first sign of the growl or nip. Other times you may need to grab your dogs muzzle and squeeze. If these corrections do not seem to be helping, I would immediately crate my dog if it growled at me. Be sure you do not let your dog out of the crate while he is exhibiting a growling behavior. Only let him out if he is behaving appropriately. How to stop puppy nipping or biting A dog that nips or bites you often started as a very young puppy. We teach our puppies at 8-weeks-old that biting and nipping people is not allowed. And at this very young age, they learn it very quickly. Your pup may cry out or squirm, but that is fine. In fact, you need to be quite stern to make an impression. If it continues, you are not being firm or consistent enough. How to stop puppy growling while tugging During play, it is not uncommon for retriever puppies to growl and tug at toys, blankets, even your pant leg. This behavior is usually just playful and natural. However, I would still try to end this behavior as soon as possible. While almost harmless at first, this behavior can escalate quickly as your dog grows bigger and stronger. You can end this behavior first by not participating in it. If you start tugging with a toy with your puppy, you are going to encourage the behavior. The second step is to discourage the behavior with a sharp NO command. It can help if you say GIVE when you take the item. This will start to teach him the GIVE command that will be helpful later if you are a hunter. How to stop puppy baring his teeth A puppy or dog that bares his teeth to you is threatening to bite you. Even if the puppy goes no further than to bare the teeth and growl, you need to end this behavior. This behavior is far more dangerous than the puppy that nips at your hand. The nips may be done in play, since that is how puppies play with one another, but baring of teeth and growling is different. And you must handle it differently. I am not talking about lifting your dog off the floor with the shake, but if your puppy is very young, that may indeed be a great correction. Have you ever witnessed a mama dog correct her puppies? This is not a violent thing, just a natural correction for a puppy. The puppies rarely cry out or whimper when given this correction, they just walk away and understand that the behavior they were exhibiting is not acceptable. If your dog continues to bare his teeth even after this correction, you may have a bigger problem on your hands, and I would proceed carefully. True dog aggression is no joking matter. Dogs with aggression problems can snap at any time and go from baring their teeth to full out attacks. Hyper behavior is different from aggression. A hyper dog has a lot of energy and may not know how to control or channel that energy. Often hyper behavior is a genetic trait. In this sense, it is not something that you can eliminate. But you can take steps to make it more manageable. Exercise more Dogs that are hyper need more exercise than dogs that are more docile in nature. If your dog is hyper and is not getting enough exercise, the hype behavior is going to drive the dog to other behaviors that you may not enjoy such as chewing up your dining room table leg or your favorite pair of shoes. For instance, if your dog is hyper and is jumping up and down all the time, and you not only allow the jumping but pet him or her and give praise while your dog is jumping, then you are unknowingly rewarding the jumping behavior. Give your puppy time to mature Retrievers are often full of energy while they are young, well some a bit longer, but tend to slow down as they mature. But as they mature they do usually slow down and become a bit less energetic. Training Highly energetic dogs can benefit greatly from structured training programs. Programs such as the ones we offer here at Otter Tail Kennels, can teach an energetic dog control and channel their energy into hunting or retrieving which can make home life more manageable. There are even some things you can do at home to get more control of your energetic dog. Practice sitting I know this sounds boring, and for you it is. But for an energetic dog that does not like sitting at all, having them sit for 30 seconds, or a minute or two can be very challenging. They will need many reminders at first, but over time they will learn to settle and sit calmly. You can slowly increase the amount of time. This simple obedience drill will help your dog learn control. Teach your dog the kennel command so that when you say Kennel, they run into their crate and stay there until you release them. This basically sends your dog on a time out and forces them to practice control and settle. Final thoughts on why my puppy is so hyper and aggressive For dogs under 6 months of age, much hyper and aggressive behavior is simply puppy play. You must teach your puppy boundaries and the earlier you teach them the better. Be consistent in your corrections and persistent, and over time you will reap the benefits. You can email me ottertailkennels gmail. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer. Until next time happy retrieving. Lunging Biting Dogs can display these behaviors toward adults or children, as well as other dogs or animals in the home. However, they can also act aggressively toward strangers or unfamiliar pets. What should you do if you see these signs of aggression in your dog? If you ignore this behavior, someone could get hurt. To address the underlying issue, seek professional help from a licensed dog trainer or animal behaviorist. If they do show signs of aggression, there is a reason. So, what causes this kind of dog aggression? Causes of Aggression in Golden Retrievers Are golden retrievers aggressive in most cases? But do golden retrievers have the propensity to act aggressively as a result of certain factors, just like any dog breed? Food aggression and resource guarding is relatively common among dogs, including the golden retriever. Dogs might also be possessive about their toys, bedding, a certain room in the house, or a certain family member. Dominance Because dogs are pack animals, they tend to look for hierarchy. Aa dog may try to assert their dominance over another pet or, in some very rare cases, a family member. We generally find golden retrievers are fantastic family dogs. Fear Another type of aggression is fear-based aggression. Fear aggression occurs when your dog is frightened of something or gets startled. A loud noise like thunder, a stranger in the house, or the prospect of a car ride could trigger this. They can be, just like any dog. A golden could snap when someone steps on their tail or massages a sore arthritic joint too hard. They can help alleviate joint pain, improve mobility, and help with long-term joint health. Abuse or neglect can result in a fear or distrust of humans and other animals, so a golden who has experienced this kind of mistreatment could be more likely to act out aggressively. However, like any other dog breed, they can display aggressive behavior under some circumstances. The question is, how can you avoid such circumstances and encourage more positive responses? Here are the best ways to avoid bad behavior, including canine aggression, when you own a golden retriever: Give Proper Training Dog owners can avoid many behavioral problems with good long-term training. Your dog should know the fundamental commands like sit, stay, come, heel, and lay down. They should also be crate and leash trained. If you need some help, consult a dog trainer for help or enroll your pet in obedience training classes. Kids need to know that your dog is not a toy and needs to be given the proper space and respect. Socialize Your Dog Proper socialization means exposing your dog to a wide variety of people, animals, situations, and environments at a young age. That way, your pooch grows up familiar with everything they may encounter as an adult, which helps to avoid unwanted behavior like aggression. You can socialize an older dog as well as a golden retriever puppy — it just might take a little more time and patience. Positive reinforcement is a much better tactic. This means rewarding your pet with treats and verbal praise when they exhibit good behavior and correcting them when they need it, rather than resorting to punishment. Choose a Reputable Breeder Are golden retrievers aggressive when they come from a breeder? Not necessarily, but poor breeding practices can certainly contribute to aggression. Dogs who come from backyard breeders or crowded settings may have had to compete for food, toys, or territory, increasing the likelihood of aggression later in life. Most shelters work with the dogs in their care to make sure they have basic training and socialization. Are Golden Retrievers Aggressive or Not? Are golden retrievers aggressive? No, not inherently. On the contrary, golden retrievers are extremely friendly dogs who are social, affectionate, gentle creatures. They tend to get along very well with adults, kids, and other pets, making the golden one of the best dogs for families. While golden retrievers are not aggressive by nature, there are several possible reasons why they might show aggression. Any dog can be possessive, try to assert dominance, be afraid or in pain, or come from a background of abuse or neglect. To avoid aggression in your golden retriever, commit to training them and socializing your pet. Last but not least, adopt your dog from a reputable breeder or shelter that has instilled some training and positive socialization already. Browse the Native Pet blog. Read more. While most people do not think that agressive golden retriever is a problem, it can be depending how the dog was raised. If a dog or puppy is abused from early on and then you adopt this dog, it can have some aggressive dog behavior that needs to be corrected as soon as possible. The kind, friendly, and confident manner of Golden Retrievers have made them so popular that many unscrupulous breeders were attracted towards them. As a result, careless breeding of Golden Retrievers have developed several health and temperament problems. Unprovoked Golden Retriever aggression is one such problem that has developed due to irresponsible breeding. Though aggression is an instinctive nature of Golden Retrievers, they were never unwanted. Golden Retrievers had shown aggression to hunt, to defend themselves from other creatures, to defend resources such as food, a place to sleep, and a mate. Golden Retriever aggression has been classified in several ways — dog aggression, food aggression, aggression towards strangers, and aggression towards family members are some of the common types. Aggressive Golden Retriever Dog : rare but it can happen. It is rare for a Golden Retriever dog to turn out to be aggressive, but it can happen. There are many causes for this type of behavioral issues. In some cases, poor propagation can result in an aggressive Golden Retriever. Dominance issues are one of the most common reasons for aggression. Most often times, Golden Retriever dog aggression issues will simply be acting out of fear. This is acknowledged as defensive aggression. For instance, if your golden was hurt by a big dog or young child when she was youthful, she may react aggressively when uncovered to these triggers later on in life. Dealing with defensive aggression can be scary and irritating at the same time. While you do not want to scare your dog or cause more emotional trauma, you naturally want to decrease the incidences of aggressive behavior. One of the most important things you can do when dealing with defensive aggression is to not disregard the problem. It is important to deal with the issues as soon as possible mainly because aggression can increase over time if not properly addressed. Aggressive behavior can begin with some Golden retriever dogs when they are as youthful as five or six weeks old! This is why it is very important to invest in your golden retriever from a reputable breeder. One good way to stop aggressive behavior is to make sure that your dog or puppy is properly socialized. A critical period for socialization is from the time a dog is 6 weeks old until he or she is 14 weeks old. Following your puppy is weaned and has received her first sequence of shots, you can take her out in public. Some people choose to socialize their dog in public before she has acquired shots. You can minimize the risk of your dog contracting a virus by holding her while out in public. Aggressive behavior in any dog is easy to spot, ears will be laid back, teeth showing and body more in a downward slant as if to attack its prey. In addition, you should be able to recognize the signs of dog aggression to learn how to deal with an aggressive golden retriever dog. This signs can include: Dominate aggression is typically the bully type of aggression, which can lead to food dominance or having problems with dogs or people. Fear aggression typically happens when the dog is so afraid that they go into a fight or flight mode. Typically their tail may be between their legs even when they are showing signs of aggression. Territorial aggression happens when there is typically more than one dog in the home and one is territorial over food or toys. Some dogs become very aggressive when they are possessive of their owners. This means that they may bite or growl if others approach their owner. Many dogs become aggressive with punishment which is the direct cause of humans. This means harsh punishment which is abuse can lead to the dog becoming aggressive to protect itself. Some dogs display aggression when they are in pain, especially a senior dog, therefore it is important not to lift a dog that is in pain. Maternal aggression, if your golden retriever dog just had a liter of puppies, you might not want to begin playing with the puppies straight away because this can cause the motherly instinct to kick in and make her aggressive toward you. It is important to recognize the type of golden retriever aggression that your dog is displaying because sometimes it is just situational, such as pain aggression. Dogs are like people and they deal with pain differently, which means that some dogs want you to comfort them when they are in pain and others want you to leave them alone. It is vital you know the cues your dog is giving you so that you understand if it is situational or if your dog needs obedience training. While golden retrievers are not know for their aggressiveness, any dog in certain situations can become aggressive. Half of all the dogs out there bite someone or another dog at least once in their life. Dog biting is not desired behavior, no matter whether it is aimed at humans or dogs you need to put a stop to it as early as possibly can. By stopping this behavior as early as you can you will be able to prevent the chance of your dog developing anti-social habits. If you can stop your dog from biting as early as you can then you will be able to have a nice friendly dog which will not be a risk to other dogs or other people. When stopping dog biting too many people don't stop to think about the actual reasons for it happening, actually Golden Retriever aggression and biting are two very natural things when they are in danger or feel threatened. Your dog might bite because he is scared or for a variety of other reasons. If your dog is stressed for example then he might bite, just think about what you do when you're in a foul mood. Some people may become aggressive when they are in a bad mood, and dogs are exactly the same. There are different ways that humans can relieve this pressure, however dogs don't have as many options. In order to stamp out Golden Retriever aggression and biting you need to show your dog that any such behavior is completely unacceptable to you. There are a number of different things that can cause dog biting and aggression, including fear, when they are with young, or when they feel threatened. If you are aware what causes dog aggression and biting then you may be able to avoid all of these things. The next important step that you want to look at is training your dog, you will be able to train your dog so that he doesn't show any aggression. It's possible to do this training yourself or with the help of a professional. If you train your dog properly then he will be able to know that it is wrong to bite. There are also a number of other options that you have when you want to find ways to stop your dog biting. If you notice that your dog is biting from a young age then you stand a better chance of getting the problem sorted out easily. You need to socialize your puppy with other people and dogs to make him feel comfortable around strangers. Try to get your dog used to other people touching and petting him, you can do this by allowing your dog to sniff each new person before they are allowed to pet him. Your dog will enjoy this as it is like a handshake! Make sure that you do not tease your Golden Retriever dog, teasing your dog might get some good reactions but it's not good for your puppy. Teasing games will only aggravate the puppy and make him annoyed. So if you have a puppy that is biting then now is the right time to start training him not to bite. A puppy's bites may not hurt at this stage, however they will do very soon! Make sure that you socialize your dog and get him completely used to strangers before he reaches adulthood. If you do all of these things then you should be able to stop your dog being one of the ones that bites other people! Nobody wants a Agressive Golden Retriever that bites, fortunately you don't have to put up with it any longer! You will learn how to deal with it. This means that you should never discipline your young puppy harshly, especially if she is between 8 to 10 weeks old. When you discipline your dog, do not hit her with your hand or another object, yell at her, or use other harsh discipline methods. This can actually backfire and cause more aggression, especially if your dog is defensive aggressive. In Golden Retrievers, the majority of the cases of dog aggression and food aggression have genetic components. According to one such study, breeding for calmness in Golden Retrievers have messed the fundamental brain chemistry of the dog resulting in unwanted aggression. Selective breeding against the nature of the dog has fastened the process. However, if a Golden Retriever has developed a dog aggression or food aggression we can at least control it through proper socialization and obedience training. Living conditions, excessive punishment, being attacked or frightened by an aggressive dog also influence aggression in Golden Retrievers. While genetics may play a role in raising aggressive behavior, environment can play a huge role. If your dog is abused or neglected, she will have a very good chance of starting to be aggressive. A dog that has poor living conditions, very harsh masters and no social expertise is very most likely to develop behavior issues. If your dog shows aggressive behavior immediately after one year of age, you will need to address the problem quickly. You may need to enlist the help of a trained professional to do this. Recall that it is important to not reward your dog for aggressive behavior. If you deal with your dog or pet your dog immediately immediately after aggressive behavior, you are in essence rewarding that behavior. If your dog becomes aggressive since it is fearful, you will need to take some time to work on social competencies and socialization. You should also seek the advice of a trained professional who has practical experience dealing with defensive aggressive behaviors. Aggression can be controlled. Nonetheless, it is very important to take the steps necessary to solve the problem as an alternative of ignoring behaviors and hoping that they will go away on their own. Here are some tips for Controling Agressive Golden Retrievers Aggressive Behavior : Firstly you need to work out why your dog is biting. Once you know the reasons then you will be able to isolate these and work on correcting them. We're going to take a look at a few tips which might be enough to make your life slightly easier. Social Life While your Golden Retriever puppy is young you should make sure that he socializes with as many other dogs as possible. This will help him to understand that the other dogs and people are not a threat, and in actual fact they can all get on like a house on fire! When your Golden Retriever puppy is young it might look cute when your puppy bites, however it's certainly not cute when your puppy gets older! Consistent In order for your Golden Retriever dog to learn anything you need to be consistent. Whenever your dog bites anybody, anything or any other dog then you need to show him that it's just not acceptable. Once he starts to learn that biting is not acceptable then he will slowly learn not to do it. Don't get too annoyed Dogs thrive on contact with other people and so you cannot just ignore him when he does something wrong. If your dog is agressive then tell him off, then for a few minutes do nothing, however after that stroke him and pet him. You need to show your Golden Retriever dog that you still love him, otherwise he will only get annoyed, just make sure you keep your hands a long way away from his mouth! Don't hit your dog When you are telling your dog off some people may tell you to strike your dog. However this is never a good idea. It isn't sensible to strike your dog because he is being disobedient, or aggressive. Just give him a warning. Physical punishment is a surefire way to lose your puppies trust forever. Trust is vital for any future relationship you have with your dog to be a success. Don't play too roughly If your Golden Retriever is aggressive then you shouldn't play roughly as this might encourage him to bite you. By playing roughing you are actually showing him that this behavior is ok. You need to show that it is not acceptable for your dog to do anything you don't like. By playing rough he will think that it's ok to play rough with you too. Some dogs are harder to stop biting or being agressive than others which may cause you a lot of frustration. However there are plenty of other methods to help you find ways how to get dog to stop biting. Water spray You could get one of those spray water bottles used to mist plants and put some water in it. Whenever your dog does anything you don't like then you can say no, and spray him with water. This should startle your dog, and as he doesn't like it he should associate it with being bad. Praise Another option is to reinforce everything good that he does. Whenever he does anything right then give him lots of praise. Positive reinforcement is thought to be much more effective than negative punishment. All dogs love treats and praise, so if you only give it to them when they deserve it then they will soon get the idea. Though Golden Retrievers are equally amiable with both strangers and those familiar to them, they sometime show aggression towards both of them. The reasons may vary for a Golden Retriever aggression towards strangers and towards family members. One reason why a Golden Retriever shows aggression towards strangers is that they might never have the chance to get used to them. Again proper socialization and lot of outings can solve the problem. Socializing Golden Retriever means that you start exposing them to a wide variety of new experiences, new people, and new animals from a young age. Aggression towards family members can be commonly because of two reasons— either your Golden Retriever is trying to defend himself from a perceived threat, which he sees in any of the family member or he is not comfortable with the treatment he is getting from you or other members of the family. Golden Retrievers have an overly-possessive behavior and when you try to take away his belongings or you approach it when it is eating, they develop aggression against you. This resource guarding nature of Golden Retrievers which gives rise to aggression actually boils down to the issue of dominance. Your Golden Retriever has a tendency to rank each member of the family, and has his own perception of where he ranks in that environment as well. And a higher-ranked Golden Retriever acts aggressively in defense of resources. The best way to treat Golden Retriever aggression is consistent and frequent obedience work with lot of socialization. In fact, the earlier you start the socialization process the lesser are the chances of aggression. Golden Retrievers also show aggression if they are not handled and groomed properly. Picking up his paws and touching them with the clipper and taking them into the bath definitely helps in reducing the chances of aggression. Conclusion about how to deal with an agressive golden retriever dog Agressive Golden Retriever can quickly become a serious problem which is often blamed entirely on the dog. However your dog doesn't know any better, and so it is actually your responsibility as the owner to get the problem sorted. It can be very frustrating when dogs bite, however it is possible to stop your dog biting and being agressive today. So, Keep in mind that golden retriever dogs are smart, therefore, if you recently adopted a full grown dog and it is showing signs of aggression, you should immediately get your golden retriever dog in an obedience training course. Pet Keen is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. How on earth does one of the most lovable and gentle dogs out there become aggressive? Unfortunately, it is not unheard of. Golden Retrievers are just as likely to show aggressive behavior as any other animal or human out there. We look at a few of the factors that can cause aggression in Golden Retrievers and a few of the common warning signs. We also look briefly at the methods that you can use to help prevent aggression in your Golden. Abuse This is an unfortunate truth. Neglect Neglect is absolutely a form of abuse. It can be withdrawing any kind of love or affection or even just attention from a dog, but it can also include not providing the dog with the basic necessities of life, such as food and water. When a Golden has been malnourished, they start to exhibit food-guarding behavior , which includes growling and biting at anyone or anything while they are eating. Image Credit: chendongshan, Shutterstock 3. This is considered one of the most common causes of aggression in most dogs. Illness or Pain Dogs that are in pain or are sick can react with aggression. They feel vulnerable, and if they are in pain or some form of discomfort, they can lash out in a protective or defensive reaction. Specific Illnesses This is different from a dog feeling sick. There are certain illnesses that can cause aggression. The most famous is rabies, but hormonal imbalances or metabolic and genetic disorders can also cause aggression, such as hypothyroidism, neoplasia, and psychomotor epilepsy, to name a few. Image Credit: Piqsels 6. Danger or Threat All dogs will react aggressively if they feel threatened or feel the need to protect their territory , including their families. This is particularly true for a mother dog protecting her puppies. A dog without the proper socialization will be nervous and fearful in new situations and around new people. Image Credit: pixels, Shutterstock 9. But they can also breed undesirable traits into their puppies. So, if the parents or grandparents had aggressive natures, this might be passed down to the next generations. The Warning Signs It is helpful to recognize the warning signs before a dog acts out from aggression. A few of these will be obvious, but most signs can be overlooked or misunderstood. Body language that your Golden might display, in order of the aggression ramping up, include: Squinting, turning head or body away from the situation, and avoidance of eye contact Licking of the lips or yawning Flattening of the ears tightly against the head Crouching down and tucking the tail under the body Freezing in place and stiffening of the body Growling Snapping Biting These are all signs that a bite might be imminent, so proceed with caution if your dog is exhibiting these signs. That said, many of these tips can be applied to almost any dog at any age. Image Credit: Piqsels 1. Socialization Just as improper socialization can lead to eventual aggression, the right socialization can prevent it. When your puppy or dog is introduced to as many environments, situations, people, and animals as possible, they gradually learn to not be afraid of new things. Using praise, pets, and treats when your dog does something right is the best method for training all breeds. Image Credit: Piqsels 3. Find a Good Breeder The genetics of the dog is important and so is how the breeder raises the puppies. Patience and Love This is important for every single dog out there but is particularly true for rescue dogs. Rescue dogs will gradually learn to trust again. Image Credit: Standret, Shutterstock 5. If you have a handle on what causes an aggressive reaction from your dog, try to fix it. But first take your dog to the vet to rule out any injury or illness. Exercise Ensure that your Golden is receiving plenty of exercise. They are energetic dogs that need to engage in many types of activities and training, which effectively reduces aggressive behavior. You should also look into enrolling your dog in obedience classes or even agility trials and dock diving. These dogs are hard-working, and if you give them a job to do, they are less likely to become aggressive. They are the fourth most intelligent dog breed behind the Border Collie , Poodle , and German Shepherd , and they are highly sensitive dogs. The first sign of any kind of aggression needs to be addressed, even if it means talking to an animal behaviorist or vet. Just spend time with your Golden and give them plenty of love and attention, and that dog will absolutely be devoted and confident and unquestionably, a happy and loving companion!

Things to do with your English Bulldog Rhode Island is a small state with a lot to offer, especially for dog lovers. With its beautiful beaches, charming towns, and mild climate, Rhode Island is the perfect place to take your English bulldog for a fun-filled adventure. Visit the Beaches Rhode Island has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Your English bulldog will love playing in the sand, swimming in the ocean, and exploring the tide pools. Hike the Trails Rhode Island has a number of beautiful hiking trails that are perfect for dogs. Your English bulldog will love exploring the woods and getting some exercise. Visit a Campground There are a number of dog-friendly campgrounds in Rhode Island. Your English bulldog will love spending time outdoors and making new friends. Visit the Towns Rhode Island is home to a number of charming towns that are perfect for exploring with your dog. Your English bulldog will love walking down the cobblestone streets, exploring the shops, and people-watching. Go Shopping Rhode Island has a number of dog-friendly stores that are perfect for browsing with your dog. Your English bulldog will love getting some attention from the shopkeepers and trying on new clothes. Go for a Walk Rhode Island has a number of beautiful parks and walking trails that are perfect for a leisurely stroll with your dog. Your English bulldog will love exploring the park and meeting new friends. Take a Day Trip Rhode Island is located close to a number of other great places to visit. Your English bulldog will love exploring new places and meeting new people. Rhode Island is a great place to live with an English bulldog. With its beautiful beaches, charming towns, and mild climate, Rhode Island is the perfect place to create lasting memories with your furry friend. How do you breed for a healthier English Bulldog? Like all things in life, breeding for health is simply a matter of priority. We are blind to many of the breed priorities that distract other breeders from improving the health of the English Bulldog. We focus on health and personality and very little else. We are not interested in winning a blue ribbon in the show ring. Rather, we test for things like elongated soft palates, narrow tracheas, stenotic nares, luxation in the patellar tendons, heart defects, cherry eye, optic cilia, entropion, ect. We focus and prioritize creating healthy bloodlines, therefore our bulldogs are typically much healthier than the breed as a whole. After breeding for health, what other priorities are you focused on? Our true desire is to create the perfect family bulldog. We also believe a bulldog bred for the correct personality is essential to the family unit as well. A Bruiser Bulldog is bred for intelligence and playfulness. We want our bulldogs to be full of personality and some quirk. We believe a full personality along with a little stubbornness is the true North star of the bulldog breed and is what makes the unique among other breeds. We look for these personality traits in our adult bulldogs and continue to create bloodlines that reflect these qualities. What are the steps of your adoption process if I am located in Rhode Island? Check out our available English Bulldog Puppies page. At times, we have available puppies but almost always have a waiting list as well. A quick look at our available puppies is the starting point to begin the process. Send us an email or give us call .If approved to adopt one of our puppies you are welcome to place a deposit to hold until your puppy is ready to go home. Greetings from the Wysongs! Northern Indiana based, Bruiser Bulldogs offers purebred English Bulldog Puppies for sale to loving adopters seeking to find a higher quality English Bulldog. As English Bulldog breeders , Mitch and Erica Wysong have dedicated themselves to a lifelong journey of changing the culture and societal pressures of poor breeding practices within the English Bulldog Community. Mitch and Erica believe in producing a healthy English Bulldog puppy first and foremost. Through years of research and development, Bruiser Bulldogs is leading a new movement away from the overdone, wrinkled bulldog that has been long plagued by health problems. By embracing a healthier, more athletic look they are able to ensure that each and every English Bulldog Puppy for sale by Bruiser Bulldogs is supported by a platform of health tested, clean genetics. Upon adoption, each family that takes on the responsibility of a Bruiser Bulldog enters into an active and vibrant communal family of bulldog owners. Mitch and Erica believe it is their responsibility to provide emotional and mental support for the lifetime of each and every English Bulldog puppy they produce. To ensure the success of every adoption, Bruiser Bulldogs will always be committed to helping Bruiser Bulldog adopters care for their English Bulldogs to the best of their ability. I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup! Leah H. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine Callie for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders. Emily R. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family. Elizabeth W. Lady L. They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully. Jonathan E. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs. We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy. We've had Penny formerly Blair for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup. When we are ready for bulldog 2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs. Mitch C. Bowser was born April and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile. Adam B. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us. In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with. With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough! Collyn C. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone. Christina S. We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs! Jim T. Remember that the cost of a Bulldog puppy varies depending on certain factors such as, 1. Coat If you need a particular coat type or the most popular one, the price will go up. Authentic Breeds Bulldogs are purely bred, but there are chances of mixed breeds. So when you find a pure breed from a good breeder, the pricing will be according to the puppy and its parents. When you do find one, the breeder will charge you more. Before selling the dog, they must pay for health checks, training, food, and other expenses. Overall, you may need to prepare a good amount in your pocket before buying. Finding reliable Bulldog breeders might be difficult due to scammers. You can also check their notable works and kennel details to validate their location. Check to see if they have an Instagram or Facebook page. Kennel Visit When you visit the kennel, you can observe the puppies and breeders. You can learn about their health and mental being by checking whether the dogs are active or lousy. You can also check if the breeder has all necessary kennel items and keeps their spot clean. You can ask them why they chose to become a breeder or any other questions that can show you how professional they are. If they answer clumsily, you know the answer. When you obtain a Bulldog puppy, what should you do? Here are some helpful hints to get you started. Fix a Pee Spot Every puppy needs a peeing place that, if trained, will be the place the dog immediately goes to. Some Bulldog Breeders in Rhode Island RI potty-train their puppies before selling them, so inquire about this and save time. Give Your Puppy a Home Tour Yes, you must show the puppy around your entire house for them to feel comfortable. Take the puppy for a walk around your house to help them relax. Ensure there is no sharp-edged furniture or other items in the house that could hurt them. Each family member should express their love for the dog one by one. It will take a long time, but its loyalty and companionship are unfathomable after the dog has adjusted to everyone! It will also dull their sharp teeth, making them safe when they bite someone without an intention. Because all dogs like chewing, chewing toys should never be an option; it should always be required. Maintain a Regular Schedule Maintain a schedule so that you know when to feed, bathe, and walk your dog, among other things. A well-behaved dog is far easier to handle than one neglected. As a result, it is critical to groom them consistently. You must show love to them while training them with a stern tone. Above all, be patient and wait for the training to take its course. Crate Training is Essential Bulldogs prefer napping for extended amounts of time. As a result, crate training is critical. Watch Over Them Puppies, mainly when they are young, require a lot of attention. Never allow them to roam freely without a leash if it is an open space, for they can hurt themselves or run away unintentionally. Here are the best three websites to check to see whether a Bulldog is available. One of their best features is their search engine with filters. Puppies for Sale Today Puppies for Sale Today is another website where you may see a variety of puppies, including Bulldogs. Bulldogs have short coats that require weekly brushing. Do bulldogs make good pets for families? Yes, they enjoy playing with family members, including kids. What is the lifespan of a Bulldog? Sadly, their lifespan is short. Though they are said to live up to 10 years, research has shown that mostly they live only between 6 to 8 years. Final Thoughts Bulldogs love to cuddle but are super clever at the same time. They are a fantastic choice for training to enter into shows and competitions. With this info, we now bid you farewell. Have a nice day! Find Bulldog Breeders in Other States. Questions about French Bulldog puppies for sale in Rhode Island? We have answers. How does French Bulldog puppies for sale in Rhode Island work? When you see your perfect pup, message their breeder to find out what you need to do to bring that pup home. What kind of dog is a French Bulldog? The French Bulldog puppies for sale Rhode Island on our site are full of sassiness, a little bit of goofiness, and a whole lot of love! Why are French Bulldogs so expensive? French Bulldog breeders in Rhode Island need to overcome a few challenges when it comes to breeding healthy puppies. Because these dogs have very narrow hip bones, the females usually need to be artificially inseminated and then give birth via C-section. This all adds up to additional costs for Rhode Island French Bulldog breeders, which is why their puppy prices are more than your average breed. We are completely pro-shelter, and believe that all dogs in shelters deserve to find their loving forever homes. Our mission is to help all dog owners make an informed decision to buy from an ethical business who truly cares about their dogs. How will I know my puppy will be healthy? We only work with ethical businesses who carry out thorough health checks for all their Rhode Island French Bulldog puppies for sale. Every pup will have a full medical check before they travel, and you can request a copy of their results. We always suggest booking your new pup in for a check up soon after they arrive with you, and taking their records with you for your vet to look over. Can I just walk my dog or do they need more exercise? Do you suggest a specific food for Frenchies? Before you welcome your French Bulldog puppies Rhode Island into their forever home, you can check which foods may suit them best by checking out some online reviews, chatting to your vet, and using your own experience to guide you. How does Uptown deal with transparency of puppy breeders? Can Frenchies make good apartment dogs? Rhode Island French Bulldogs for sale are possibly the ultimate apartment dog! There are loads of fun games you can play with them inside too. Their small size also means they take up hardly any space. What are French Bulldogs like to train? Positive reinforcement training works great with these little pups as they love plenty of praise. Many of our dogs end up around the world, including the great state of Rhode Island. With affordable shipping, we can get you happy, healthy, and socialized Olde English Bulldog puppies in Rhode Island. A premier breeder with unbeatable guarantees, customer service 2nd to none and of course our amazing quality bulldogges makes us the best spot for your Rhode Island Olde English Bulldogge puppies. If you are looking for a perfect bulldogge, give us a call .For avid facebookers you will also be able to interact with siblings of your pup and watch how they grow! Look no further! Happy, Healthy and Socialized Bulldogge puppies come from One of a Kind Bulldogs Truth is, we have an epidemic of puppy mills and backyard breeders. Our customers have done the hard work and inspected our facility for you out of state clients. I love to follow all of our friends and the adventures they have with their dawgs. Anyone else interested please do the same. Hes mellow, smart a huge :. We couldnt be happier with him and with Ary. Ary is always available to help answer questions of give advise and loves to keep up with his pups as they grow and beyond. In researching, we found Ary and the Olde English breed and could not be happier with the decision to get Bruce. Ary was incredible throughout the process, explaining everything we needed to know about the breed and the process of importing him into Hong Kong. He checked in with us several times before the flight and was in constant contact via text when we went to the airport to pick up Bruce, who arrived a little skeptical of his new surroundings but perfectly healthy and happy. The extent to which Ary cares about every one of the amazing dogs he sells is clear through his attention to detail and willingness to put in any extra effort to make sure his puppies get to, and stay in, good homes. He took to his kennel training and potty training so fast! In searching for our puppy, we did our due diligence researching online and then visiting your property in person. I was impressed with how happy and healthy all of your dogs are. I also enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet the parents of our puppy; they both seemed to have great termperments. Thanks for a wonderful puppy! Lauren W. I recently adopted her from Ary, and it was great! Ary is so devoted to all of his dogs, he even knows them by their bark! His property is a dog haven, dog runs, kiddie pools, and toys for days! He truly loves what he does. When I heard that Ary had rescued a litter of puppies i had to take a look! I fell in love with them all, as i do with all of his litters! He knows the background of each and every one of his dogs, he is so knowledgeable about the breed and is always there to answer any questions i have about Pepper. I will definitely be getting another bulldogge from Ary in the years to come. Thanks Ary! Jenna S. Iowa Hey Ary We just want to say thank for are boy Kane. He one of the best we gotten. He is are first bulldogge and wont be the last. Im just glad you made my day by letting take Kane home to live with use. S im looking forward to the day we get are girl from you. He is pounds and a real joy to have around! Ary is so helpful and we are grateful for him introducing us to this wonderful breed. There really is no better breed of dog! If you are looking for a bulldog and you should be! Shane S. Cares deeply about the health and well being of his dogs. A quality breeder with amazing dogs!! Cinda G. Brea, CA Just want to start off by saying: Ari, isnt just a Breeder hes a good guy and now a friend of mine!!!! I bought a puppy from him last feb !!! Since that time he taught me a lot about the breed to the point where i want to start breeding oldies!!!! So if you looking for a quality olde you have came to the right spot…. One of a Kind is now actively helping save shelter Bulldogges in high risk of euthanization, this is our way of giving back! Check our rescue site www. We are helping the olde English Bulldogges that were relinquished to shelters and ironically clening up a lot of the mess irresponsible backyard breeders are making. We always have olde English Bulldogges needing a home, if you dont wanna buy a puppy, help save a shelter dog. Follow Us on Social Media! Paypal Secured Payments. You will be able to find all their current contact information, as well as a link to their website, so you can see what puppies they currently have available for sale. We provide you with all this information so that you can research each breeder individually and find the one that has your perfect puppy available! If you are considering getting an English Bulldog, you'll want to check out the incredible book "The Complete Guide to English Bulldogs". It's written in an easy-to-understand way but still has the expert knowledge to help any new owner successfully raise their Bulldog from puppy to old-age. It's widely available, so pick up a copy if you see one, here is the link to grab one on Amazon, or you can download the audiobook version here. If you can't find the perfect Bulldog puppy in your state, try checking at your local animal shelter or rescue organization. Many English Bulldogs young and old need a loving home and adopting one can be a great way to save a life. We are so happy that you have chosen Local Puppy Breeders to help you find the puppy of your dreams. In addition to visiting us often here, you can check us out on Facebook , Twitter , and Pinterest for more information, pictures, and videos!

Diamond Naturals Dog Food Review An additional reason for there being specific food for puppies is the pieces are smaller which not only prevents them from choking, it also makes the food easier to digest. The pieces are richer, denser and the ideal size for smaller mouths. These ingredients are where your pup gets the nutrients they need to grow and live, nutrients that are sadly lacking in the cheaper dog foods. With foods that are a bit more expensive, your pooch can eat a more well-balanced meal and enjoy it. They eat more, they poop more, and this means house training becomes much harder for you. What you feed your puppy is a major factor in the success of your house training process. Firstly, dry food tends to be more complete and balanced with the correct amount of vital nutrients in it. The ingredients tend to be of better quality as long as you pick the right brand. Plus, dry food helps to keep teeth strong due to being a solid food, and the slightly abrasive nature of the solid food has a natural teeth cleaning effect. It also lasts far longer than cans as you need to feed less of it. Recommended Best Puppy Food For Labs And Large Breeds In this next section we give you 4 of the best foods on the market made from high quality ingredients but still available at a reasonable price. These foods will provide your puppy with all the nutrients they need in just the right mix and quantities, not just so they survive, but so they can truly thrive. Deboned chicken is high quality chicken protein, whereas the chicken and turkey meal is a concentrate. It is nutrient rich with vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin E, vitamin C and vitamin A as well as containing minerals like zinc, iron and calcium. It even has some fruit content like apples and blueberries. The Lactobacillus acidophilus, green tea extract and rosemary extract are all known to help prevent infections. This is a very high-quality food your puppy will truly thrive on and is our top recommendation as the best puppy food for labs. However, if price is no object, K9 is certainly one of the best foods available! K9 Natural Grain-Free Puppy Freeze-Dried Dog Food gives your puppy all the benefits of raw food, aiming for optimum levels of growth and development — not too fast nor stunted — and for lean muscle mass and peak conditioning. Its main ingredient is grass-fed New Zealand beef. And this is rounded out by whole food ingredients like flaxseed, kelp, New Zealand mussel, fruits and veggies, and hoki oil which provides DHA for EPA for healthy brain and eye development. It gets a big thumbs up from us. The first ingredient is bison and is a high quality meat product. The next ingredient is lamb meal, which has a large amount of protein in it being a meat concentrate, percent more than fresh lamb meat. The third highest ingredient is sweet potatoes, which are an excellent source of complex carbs. They contain fiber and beta carotene. In fact, this food consists of approx. This provides your puppy with a source of energy ideal for his busy puppy lifestyle. Overall, this food is highly recommended and your puppy should thrive on it. They also allow regular independent inspections of their manufacturing process and source ingredients the US, EU and NZ. So quality control is well taken care of. The large breed puppy formula contains a scientifically formulated balance of proteins, fats, phosphorous and calcium in just the right amounts and proportions to promote a healthy rate of bone and muscle development, highly important for large breed puppies where excessive nutrients can be just as harmful as malnutrition. The food also contains glucosamine and chondroitin for the health of connective soft tissues which is reassuring for large breeds, and especially Labradors, who can suffer from many joint problems in life. It also contains omega oils for healthy brain development, as well as other fatty acids known to promote healthy skin and coat. So Eukanuba large breed puppy food comes recommended. The fiber in it will help with digestion while it has antioxidants that are known to help keep your dog healthy for many years to come. Royal Canin Breed Specific Labrador Puppy Royal Canin is a very well-known brand with lots of positive reviews from past and present dog owners on Amazon. It has an above average protein content than the minimum recommended for your dog, coming in at 31 percent protein at dry weight. The protein it has comes mostly from chicken by-product meal which is considered somewhat low quality and consists of whatever is left after chickens are slaughtered. However, it does NOT — as you might read elsewhere — consist of anything from feet to beaks. According to dogfoodadvisor. After chicken by-product meal, the second ingredient in this food is brewers rice. The fourth ingredient is corn gluten meal which is a residue left over once most of the useful, starchy carbohydrates have been washed out of it. With such popularity, high ratings and reviews with so many people saying their dogs thrive on this, there must be some truth to it. The third to 5th ingredients are wholesome whole grains that provide high energy from complex carbohydrates that are easy to digest. These are far better than corn and most other sources of carbs found in cheaper foods that are hard for a puppy to get any nutrition from. Out of everything in this product, 40 percent of it is protein, which is higher than average. About 14 percent of it is fat, and of the remainder, 38 percent is carbs. And the omega oils may help reduce risk of developing arthritis. Not only this, but Labradors are a large breed and are more sensitive to nutritional imbalances than smaller breeds. You really do need to get their diet right to do the best for them. Luckily, many brands of food specifically aimed at large breeds and Labradors have been created that provide everything they need in just the right amounts, that are easy for an owner to feed by simply following instructions on the packet. I know there is a lot of conflicting advice out there when it comes to dog food and it can be a nightmare to wade through if trying to find the best puppy food for Labs. So hopefully this article has been of some use to you. A very good resource that does good work for dog food quality awareness. Check them out! Please be aware this page contains affiliate links and Labrador Training HQ receives a small commission if you make a purchase through any such links. This has no effect on the eventual price you pay and we are very grateful for your support. Disclaimer All content on this site is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be nor can it be considered actionable professional advice. It must not be used as an alternative for seeking professional advice from a veterinarian or other certified professional. Please consult a professional before taking any course of action with any medical, health or behavioral related issue. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links. Once they reach eight weeks, changing to dry kibble food is best. We recommend feeding a Labrador puppy dry kibble for the first months before changing to an adult food type. But to remain healthy, owners should know what to feed them. Dog owners should feed a Labrador puppy dry food kibble , wet food, or fresh human food, depending on their budget and lifestyle. There are many options for food for dogs, and it can become challenging to determine which one is the best option for the dog. We have found the best options and listed them below. They help us with our daily tasks, are always there when we need them, and bring great joy to our lives. But, it is essential to ensure that our dog gets the best nutrition possible. They have a lot of energy and need to be fed accordingly. This includes the number of calories, food type, and the number of meals per day. We will explain all of these factors to help understand what to feed these precious animals. A Labrador puppy needs high-quality protein in their diet, so they should not be fed just any type of food. This is why we recommend three food options: dry food or kibble, fresh food or human food, or wet food. We prefer using dry food or kibble in most cases, but it is beneficial to start with wet food for young puppies and transition to dry food after a few weeks. Feeding a puppy human food is possible, but it can be more expensive and requires extra work to stick to a cleaner diet at this age. We have found it to be a healthier and more convenient option for our pets. It is also a good alternative to wet food which can be difficult to store and prepare. The benefits of dry dog food are that it offers the pup a balanced diet that doesn't need refrigeration. It also offers convenience because we can buy it in bulk and store it in the pantry or freezer until needed. Dry dog food is also less expensive than wet food, which is another benefit for pet owners. Fresh Food Human Food Feeding a Labrador puppy a diet of fresh, real human food is one of the best things to do for their health and well-being. It will not only make them happy and content, but it will also keep them healthy. This eliminates the guessing game; they are only fed real, natural foods with no unknown ingredients. However, it will become expensive and require regular cooking and preparation. Wet Food Wet food is recommended for Labrador puppies when they are first born and for the first weeks while they grow. It can be either raw or cooked. Wet food is a good source of water and minerals, which are important in the early days of their life to help them grow strong bones and teeth. It should be given to a puppy as soon as it comes out of its mother's womb, but it must not be given before it starts eating solid foods because it will cause diarrhea. Once they get more mature, moving to kibbles is best. It is known for its low level of grain and carbohydrate content and high protein content. Once they reach the week mark, there are better options to help the puppy continue to develop and grow. This food also helps with digestion and weight management. It also promotes proper bone growth with antioxidants and necessary nutrients like vitamin E. The kibble is also shaped strategically to help puppies who chew fast while helping with jaw growth. Overall, this is the best food option for a Labrador puppy. It is designed for all life stages, from puppies to seniors, and we love the benefits it provides to younger labs. The product features a blend of highly digestible proteins, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, taurine, and glucosamine. This ensures the dog gets the nutrition they need while also reducing the risk of digestive tract problems such as bloat or pancreatitis. It also has a low glycemic index and no corn, wheat, or soy in the recipe. Dog owners can also expect an excellent protein ratio when using this food. Both veterinarians and nutritionists have recognized it for its high-quality ingredients for young puppies. The Acana High Protein formula is made with a blend of chicken, turkey, and fish meals, whole eggs, and natural beef or lamb meal. The product has a limited ingredient list with no corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives. It also has no added sugar and a low glycemic index. This food also contains probiotics and prebiotics to help the pet maintain a healthy immune system. This is the perfect dry dog food for puppies after eight weeks old. This brand is also very affordable for those who want to feed their dog a healthy diet without breaking the bank. It features a patented recipe that helps to promote healthy digestion, strong teeth and gums, healthy skin and shiny coat, a strong immune system, healthy joints and muscles, and a healthy heart. This is a high-protein food option for Labradors too. It promotes lean muscle growth and improved body health with omega fatty acids, antioxidants, glucosamine, probiotics 5. It is made with high-quality ingredients and has a great taste and texture for labs to enjoy. This food is to help with puppy development and is suitable for all Labradors under one-year-old. This wet food provides the perfect balance of healthy proteins to support a dog's growth while providing the energy they need to maintain its fitness levels. This can be fed as a meal or as an occasional snack between meals. It has no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or added sugar. It also contains omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, which are important for healthy skin and the dog's coat. They are large, strong, intelligent dogs that need a lot of attention, exercise, and food. These dogs can be picky eaters and usually need a lot of calories because of their size. This is especially true for puppies so they can grow properly and remain healthy due to their increased risk of health issues. Food Type Labrador puppies' most popular dog foods are kibbles and canned wet food. Kibbles are the best option for a puppy because they are easy to chew and digest. Canned food is a good option for pups who have difficulty chewing or digesting dry food and would benefit from a little moisture in their diet. The food type also depends on the owner. Dry food or kibbles are faster to prepare, while serving human food to a lab puppy requires extensive prep time. Nutritional Value When it comes to nutritional value, we want dog food that has high-quality protein and carbohydrates. This will help the puppy grow strong and healthy. This is why we need to take into account the nutritional value, quality of ingredients, and taste. It should be made with all-natural ingredients that are sourced from human-grade materials such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. A brand should have all the essential nutrients for a pup but still, be low in toxic elements and preservatives too. Dietary Restrictions Lastly, consider the dietary restrictions of the Labrador puppy before choosing a dog food option. This includes any allergies or health concerns for the dog and shopping for something that suits them best. For example, lab puppies must reach a certain carbohydrate and protein number daily. Labradors are also known to have allergies, especially young ones, so planning around this is crucial. A puppy should be fed at least three times a day, with a meal size that is appropriate for its body weight. They should also be given small daily snacks to keep them satisfied and happy, including treats to help with training. We feed our puppies the best that we can. We want to give them all the nutrients and vitamins they need. We also want to make sure that they are getting a balanced diet. The most important thing when feeding a Labrador puppy is that they get enough calories from their food every day. In the first weeks, the puppy should eat four smaller daily meals. Once the lab reaches three months, this can be changed to three meals per day. And after months, we recommend two meals per day. The key is not to change the calories much when the meals change but to simply modify the size of each meal to fit the total daily food amount. Feeding a Labrador puppy is not rocket science, but there are some things everybody should know about what to feed them and when to feed them. We have covered this basis, but changes need to be made as they age. This leads to a common question about changing food to fit the needs of a grown adult Labrador. The dog's age will determine how quickly they grow and how much energy they need. Lab puppies can stick with kibbles for up to 12 months. Remember, Labs do not have a natural food intake regulator so you will need to monitor them with portion control. Using a cheaper brand is a poor option at half the price. You will use twice as much and you will have to clean up larger amounts of waste in your yard. To allow for an accurate control of body weight and growth rate, this amount of food can be dispensed over 3 meals per day. After 5 months of age, the feeding regularity can be reduced to two meals per day with the commensurate increase in food quantity. The amount of food a Labrador puppy requires will increase then level out during first 14 months of their life. At months, their bone density is increasing and their growth plates are set. We do not recommend desexing you pup until at least 3 years of age. This allows for an appropriate development and supply of hormone which in turn produces proper bone, muscle and vital organ development. Table foods dispensed randomly to dogs are not nutritionally balanced. We do not offer our dogs table food at all. There will be no problems if you are feeding a puppy with a homemade diet but it should be prepared from prescribed recipes that are nutritionally complete and balanced. Diets consisting of an unplanned and indiscriminate mixture of human foods particularly including carbohydrates will likely result in obesity and even dietary-induced disease. When you Lab reaches 14months of age, it should be given an adult food that contains less energy and calcium. This will decrease the risk of obesity and orthopaedic conditions. And do not feed them coffee or tea as they can contain caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. These toxic substances can dangerously affect the heart and nervous system. Onions, garlic, raisins and grapes can be severely toxic in labradors. Raw meat is potential source of parasites and pathogenic bacteria for your puppy. Eggs yokes are an excellent source of protein. Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin a B vitamin. This can, in extreme cease, lead to skin and coat problems. Liver contains higher levels of protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. Raw liver can be a source of parasites and pathogenic bacteria. Excessive amounts of liver can cause Vitamin A toxicity. Raw bone chewing will control tartar buildup on a pups teeth. However, bone chewing can cause intestinal blockages and perforations. Never use cooked bones. Commercial Puppy Foods Most commercial puppy foods are designated for small, medium, large and giant breeds. This designation can be found on the label. Puppies of medium sized breeds are less than '25 kg fully grown adult body weight'. A full grown and lean Labrador will usually weigh between 25kg and 45kg. We feed our dogs at the 'lower' level of the recommended range. The 'Hills Body Fat Index' is a very helpful body shape indicator. The same food as the bitch You should feed your new puppy with the same brand of food as the bitch received during lactation. From 2 weeks into pregnancy, our expectant mothers are fed 'Royal Canin Labrador Puppy' food. Introducing a new brand of food If you are wanting to introduce a new brand of food to your puppy, then blend it gradually with the existing brand in increasing amounts over 3 days. This should prevent food rejection and any kind of gastric upset. It is best to choose a diet designed for large breed puppies. Selected commercial feeds should contain a limited percentage of filler compounds. Pawlinglabs uses Royal Canin Labrador as our preferred option. Growing labradors Labrador pups have a very steep growth curve, and their total daily energy needs do increase as they grow. Calculate the amount of puppy food that will satisfy that need. The feeding guidelines on the commercial pet food label provides an estimated quantity of feed for several different ranges in body size. These instructions will give you an estimated starting point for the particular brand. Medium or large? Medium breeds should be transitioned to an adult diet by 12 months of age, while large breeds between 14 — 18 months of age. Mature female labradors are medium and weight approx kg. Mature males are large and weight approx kg. Their calcium and energy content should not exceed that level recommended by a registered nutritionalist. Sound skeletal development Sound skeletal development in labradors is produced by the interaction of genetic, environmental, and nutritional factors. The phase prior to weaning and the growth phase, up to 14 months are integral to sound skeletal structure. Don't take your young pup on extended distance walks and certainly not 'running' until at least 18mths of age. You must avoid stairs and slippery floors for the same reasons. Their growth plates are set at about mths of age. Feeding and Overfeeding Large breeds like Labradors are the most susceptible to skeletal disease. Feed consumption, nutrients balance and feeding methods influence our ability to produce sound skeletal development and eliminate skeletal disease. Appropriate food consumption and nutrition plays a critical role in bone development. Overfeeding will not increase or benefit the growth rate of young and growing labrador puppies. And it does not correlate with optimal adult size. However, it does increase the risk of skeletal abnormalities. The vast majority of skeletal disorders occur in large breeds including labradors and they are associated with consumption of table food and an excessive intake of a commercial food and supplementation. The large breeds like labradors are limited in their ability to cope with an excess of minerals such as calcium. The result of this over consumption is abnormal bone development and skeletal disorders. Nutritional management will be critical in the to prevention of bone and joint diseases. In most cases, skeletal disease can prevented by appropriate quantities of feed in a regulated diet with optimal nutrient levels. A complete and balanced commercial diet is essential. Dietary deficiencies will be of little concern if your labrador pup is fed with a complete and balanced commercial diet. Brands like Eukanuba and Royal Canin are specifically formulated for young, growing labradors. There is real potential for harm by over feeding and giving additional supplementation. Housing safety and activity levels Housing safety and activity levels are under the your influence. Nutrition is also under your control and it is the single most important factor affecting the development of the musculoskeletal system. Energy, protein, and calcium are the critical nutritional components affecting skeletal development. However, if they are given in excess, they will be detrimental to normal bone and joint growth. Most pet owners feed commercial dog food. These prepared diets are balanced and complete. Pawling Chocolate and Black Labradors. How often and what time to feed I will show you the best puppy foods, whether dry, wet, or raw, and look at food safety, together with schedules, quantities and even a handy puppy diet chart. Best Puppy Food for Labs The best Labrador puppy food provides a diet that is nutritious, healthy, and tasty. So, what is the best puppy food for your Lab? Puppy kibble or dried food is the most popular option. Kibble is complete and can give a perfectly balanced diet. Puppy kibble and tinned dog meat combined is another common choice among puppy parents. Feeding your Labrador puppy on home cooked food or on a totally raw diet is also possible. Raw puppy food is growing in popularity, and there are pros and cons to raw feeding your puppy. People often feel very strongly that one way of feeding is better than another, and you can always find evidence to support your view. Dog breeders, veterinarians and even nutritionists have their own strong views. The dire consequences they list for not listening to them can have puppy owners very worried. The truth is that there is no good quality evidence showing that kibble is better for the long term health of your dog, or that raw feeding is better. There are risks and benefits to both, and the main thing is to ensure that your dog has good quality food to eat. Puppy kibble suits some better, and raw puppy food is better for others. Puppy Kibble for your Labrador Puppy food made into pellets is called kibble. An airtight plastic container or tin will do the job, although you should make sure it is food grade quality. Puppy kibble is the best way of feeding your Labrador according to most breeders and your veterinarian is most likely to support this method of feeding. Good puppy kibble will contain every nutrient your Labrador puppy needs in order to grow and remain healthy. The kibble pieces will be tasty, good for keeping teeth healthy, and free from additives that can provoke allergies or stomach problems. Labrador puppy kibble only needs to be fed next to water. Puppy kibble from a reputable manufacturer is intended to be a complete and balanced food. But some owners like to mix in canned dog food or even scraps of raw food with kibble. Your puppy is likely to get an upset stomach or to not have the right balance of nutrition when fed this way. Whether you decide to feed only with kibble or you want to mix it up, pick a good dried food manufacturer and stick with them. Feeding your Labrador puppy raw food has its benefits and drawbacks. One of the downsides is that there is a lot to learn. Here is a link to the articles you need to help you decide whether or not raw feeding is for you: Although I like the raw diet for my dogs, most puppies fed kibble go on to have long and healthy lives. Whatever puppy food you choose, the most important thing is portion control. How Much to Feed your Labrador Puppy? People often tell me how much their puppy weighs, and ask how much puppy food they should give him. Your Labrador is particularly at risk if they grow too quickly. The following diet chart is for kibble fed puppies and does not apply to raw fed pups. It gives you an idea of how much to feed your Labrador puppy Lab Puppy Feeding Chart The Lab puppy feeding chart below is only a very rough guide. The quantity of food you need for your puppy will vary depending on your puppy and on the brand of food you are feeding him. Labrador puppy food must be aimed at medium to large breed dogs. Check the pack carefully and look at the dietary charts. Ideally, you want the optimal protein content and the lowest amount of additives. Part of this always comes down to the cost. The healthiest puppy food is usually the most expensive and may not be affordable for some families. The Cost Of Puppy Food Some puppy food brands are more concentrated than and contain a higher proportion of proteins, essential oils, and other nutrients. The absence of these fillers means that you can often feed lower quantities of more costly food, making them less expensive than they first seem. You might also find that cheaper brands make your puppy poop more due to those extra fillers going straight through him. While some brands are beyond the budget of many families, it is usually good to buy a premium brand. High Quality Brands of Puppy Food Some brands of puppy food have developed a reputation for producing a high quality product and have many devoted supporters, including breeders that have fed them to generations of puppies. Labrador retrievers are fun-loving and affectionate breed of dogs with hearty appetites. This breed of dogs is prone to arthritis, weight issues, and allergy problems. Therefore, establishing a good diet plan, when they are puppies, is one of the keys for a long, healthy life of labs. Meat should be the preferred ingredient of the labs. Whole ground grains, like barley, oats, and rice and vegetables, such as potatoes and peas, also are nutritious and good for labs. Labrador puppies need fatty acids like Omega-3 and 6 that are found in herring oil. Prebiotics works with the good bacteria in the digestive tract of dogs and strengthen their immune systems. Being a large dog breed, lab puppies have rapid growth that can cause a strain on joints. You should look for those food products with sources of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine that help maintain healthy joints of dogs. You should also watch calories intake of your puppy to make sure your puppy is growing appropriately and not just getting fat, which also can add stress to the bones and joints. Some recommended Labrador food that comprises above-mentioned nutrients are given below: For Labrador puppies:. The best food for Labrador puppies to consume in their first two to four months of life is milk from their mother. This specialised care is usually left to trained breeders or veterinarians, who are knowledgeable in caring for pups with no mother to nurse from. If you have recently brought a Labrador puppy into your family, they are most likely older than 8 weeks, and so have started to eat solid foods. You can do this by mixing some dry food with specially formulated puppy milk to form a soft mixture. You can feed your puppy this mixture three to four times a day. Over time, you can reduce the amount of milk you include in this mixture, until they are at the point where they are happily eating dry foods. Read on to learn how much you should feed a Labrador puppy as they get older. In their four months living with you, and once they are weaned off milk, Labradors are likely to reach almost half their adult weight. They will reach their full adult weight by the time they are 6 to 7 months old. With this rapid growth can come some risks. Labradors can be susceptible to bone growth disorders, like hip dysplasia and joint abnormalities that can start in puppyhood. Once your Lab puppy hits 6 months, their growth begins to slow down. Once puppyhood is over, you can move to feeding your lab twice a day instead of 3 or 4 times. Labs are still very active in their adolescent years, and so should be fed with this in mind. The transition from puppy food to adult food should happen at around 15 months. This is because, being a breed who grows very quickly, you want to ensure that you are feeding them according to their large breed needs. You need to take special care when considering what you should feed your Labrador puppy, as they require different nutrients compared to their adult counterparts. It is also dangerous for a puppy to overeat. Labradors are large breeds, which means they need plenty of nutrients and calories as they grow to ensure they go from being active puppies to healthy adult dogs. Labrador puppies need to eat food that is high in proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are also essential for supporting your active pup. Aside from nutritionally complete dry puppy food, Labrador puppies can benefit from the extra protein that raw meat can provide them with, such as lean beef, turkey, chicken, or fish. The amount of food you give your Labrador is determined by their weight, energy levels, and age. For most adult Labradors, around 1, to 2, calories per day from high quality food sources is ideal. Female Labradors, who tend to be around 5 to 10 kilos lighter than males, may need less food, as will less active dogs. Dogs who need less food, whether they are less active or simply older, will usually still need around 1, to 1, calories per day. You may want to alter the amount of food you are feeding your Labrador based on how calorically dense their food is. Adult Labradors should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Their daily allotment of food should be split evenly between these two meals. For most dogs, it is recommended that you exercise your dog before meal times to assist with potty training. However, some dogs may benefit from exercise after eating: especially high energy Labs with a lot of energy to burn off. You should also try to give your Labrador a high quality food that is specially designed for large breeds, especially if they are very active. For example, less active senior dogs will need to eat less food as they will not be burning calories as quickly as a lively little puppy will. Senior dogs may benefit from a higher fibre and lower calorie diet. Your dog may also develop chronic or short term medical conditions that require specially formulated food. For example, Labradors can be particularly susceptible to obesity. As a breed, they tend to be one of the most commonly obese dogs in Australia. This is due to several factors, including a genetic predisposition to unhealthy weight gain and a famously large appetite. However, plenty of Labs suffering from obesity are simply overfed and not getting enough exercise. Choosing a low carb diet is crucial to preventing obesity in your Labrador. If you are unsure about what you should feed your Labrador, you should always consult your vet. They will be able to determine if your dog is suffering from any chronic health issues, and they will be able to create a nutritional plan to help keep your dog healthy and happy for many years to come. Wet food for Labradors is often high in protein and fat, and is better at keeping your dog hydrated than other food sources. Chewing on dry food can be especially good for teething Labrador puppies. A raw diet can be a good option for your Labrador as you have more control over the kinds of food and amount of nutrients your pup is consuming. For this reason, raw diets require a lot more work on your part as an owner. Whatever you decide to feed your Labrador, all dogs need a similar ratio of nutrients in their diets. Different dog breeds will need different kinds of nutrient support as they go through the various stages of their life. It can also be easy to overestimate the amount of food your Labrador needs to stay fit and healthy — especially if they are skilled at begging! You need to make sure that your dog is eating the right amount of food for their breed, their size, and activity level. You should also avoid foods that, while delicious for humans, can be harmful or toxic for dogs. Foods like onions, nuts, alcohol, cooked bones, and artificial sweeteners are commonly included in dinners meant for humans, but can cause serious health issues for your Labrador. No matter how old your Lab is, it is important to keep to a consistent feeding schedule. A feeding schedule can help you keep track of any changes in behaviour around food that might signal illness or physiological stress.

But in the early days, we recommend keeping them close to you at night. It will help them feel safe and cared for — leaving their litter is quite a big step, after all. Your puppy may be unsettled and will most likely need at least one bathroom break through the night. It will all be okay in a few weeks time, though. The crate should be a cozy warm den for your puppy. Soft blankets and a cuddly toy should do the trick to help them settle. It is also a good idea to cover over the sides but keep the front uncovered so your pup can still see out. Just before bed, take your pup out for one last potty stop. With that beautiful voice of yours, gently reassure them and rest your hand in the crate so they know you are there. When your puppy wakes up in the night they definitely will at some point , listen to see if they are settling back down. Expect to be out at or am to take them straight to the loo. They will be bursting! That just about covers the first steps of Labradoodle sleep training. Very tired. But early mornings, late nights and disturbed sleep are all part of owning a puppy. As they mature emotionally and settle into their new home they will be happy in other parts of the house, and even outside of their crate. Having them in your room does not cause separation anxiety later on. Stick to a routine! Consistency is everything. It will backfire on you. Check out our guide on how to get a puppy to sleep through the night for more tips. Alone Training Labradoodles are very sociable. That can mean two things — they will always be happy to see you and that being alone can be challenging for them. This will help them feel at ease without you and also help them love their crate a little bit more too. While they are eating, go and do something close by. No need to go completely out of sight, but try not to focus on your puppy either. Labradoodles love to eat, so use this time wisely to distract them away from you. Just a few seconds is good enough in the early stages. Repeat: Practice makes perfect! Do this exercise at least once a day to build up alone time, and check out our guide to puppy separation anxiety. We expand on our little secret in our puppy potty training article. Every 30 minutes, after eating, sleeping or playing. Socialization Exercises to do This Week Early socialization is important for all puppies. It gives them confidence and teaches them to view the world in an optimistic way. Here are some puppy socialization exercises to do with your Labradoodle. Let your Labradoodle Puppy Explore the Yard The yard is a great way to introduce your puppy to the great outdoors. They will also get used to walking on different types of surfaces such as your tiled, wet lawn or open flower beds. To get them there, here is a quick exercise you can run through: Exploring different surfaces exercise Have plenty of treats ready. Only use safe surfaces, nothing too slippery. Gather surfaces such as: A piece of carpet A large tray with a thin layer of water A large piece of tin foil or cardboard, something that makes a noise. Put the surfaces out on the floor and let your puppy investigate. Let them take their time and go at their own pace. In our experience Labradoodles are quite food motivated, and you can probably use a low or medium value treat for this. You can even try to use their kibble as many will be delighted to work for their food. For more info on what rewards to use check out our article on rewards and treats. Teach your puppy their name One of the first things your puppy will learn from you is their name. Fortunately, teaching a Labradoodle puppy their name is rather simple. Pretty easy, right? Practice this a few times everyday until they start flipping their head at you every time you call their name. Make sure everyone in the family uses the same name too! Teach your puppy to sit Labradoodle training is often started by teaching them how to sit. We call this a marker word. Keep using this word when they do the right thing, and then follow with a tasty treat. Bits of smelly sausage or cheese will definitely do the trick. If this happens, try to keep it simple at first and just use their own kibble if they are motivated to work for it. Save the big guns in treat terms for when you really need it! How to do it Always begin training at home. The outside world is far too exciting at the moment, and your puppy will probably not focus on you. Stand in front of your pup with a treat in your hand and place the treat on their nose, then bring it up to your waist. Recall — How to teach your Labradoodle puppy to come back when called Your puppy should have a good grasp of their name by now, which should make recall training pretty straightforward. Pun intended. How to do it You will need plenty of those high value treats and your best cheery voice. Call your puppy only once! This is super important as you want them to learn that their name only has to be called once for them to react to it. How to do it Get your puppy excited by showing them their favorite toy and making it come to life by waving it around. Once they are interested in the toy, throw it a short distance away from you. With that lovely singing voice of yours, encourage them to bring it back to you. When they do, swap the toy in their mouth for another identical toy. Repeat about 5 times and practice everyday. Get your puppy excited by showing them their favorite toy and making it come to life by waving it around. Prevention of Resource Guarding This part of Labradoodle training is important — it will prevent resource guarding by teaching your puppy how to give up items willingly. Resource guarding is this thing that happens when dogs are unwilling to give up items back, or when they get protective over something from humans or other dogs. From the training tips above, preventing resource guarding always comes down to a good swapping. Resource guarding starts when we force our dogs as puppies to give up items or snatch things out of their mouths. To avoid that, resist your temptation to reach deep inside their mouths to get whatever it is they have. Ultimately, we want our puppies to be willing to give things up when we need them to. What we really mean is care, handling, health and grooming. Start by just showing them the brush and running it over them with the apartment side so they get used to the sensation minus the bristles. Hand Touch and Handling If you handle your puppy too roughly or grab at them, not only are they going to have a bit of a fright, but it could make them feel scared about being touched in the future. Use plenty of treats, and remember to stop if they walk away. Touch should be a pleasant thing not forced. Week 2 — Training your Labradoodle puppy Week 2 already! Socialization exercises to do this week Training to do this week Husbandry Tasks to do this week — Fireworks — Watch the world go by outside your house — Play dress up. As long as the product does the intended job. Each puppy comes with a comprehensive health guarantee, so you can be sure that your new furry friend is healthy and happy. They also give back to the pet community by supporting animal-related charities and initiatives. Overall, PuppySpot is a convenient and ethical way to find your perfect Labradoodle puppy. So why not check them out and add a new furry family member to your home? Preparing Your House — The Basics Besides getting all of the necessary supplies a Labradoodle puppy will need, you will also have to ensure that your home itself is prepared for a puppy. What can they reach? Where will they sniff around? You have to address all manner of safety issues before your puppy arrives home. Designated House-Training Area House training, and many other kinds of training, should start as soon as your puppy moves in. Designated Sleeping Area For the first couple of weeks, it has been proven more successful when you have your puppy sleep in a crate beside your bed than in some other room in your home. Your puppy will be able to feel asleep a lot easier if they know they are close to you. So unless you enjoy having to move a single crate around your home every single day, it could be a good idea to have one for your bedroom and one for whatever other room you have planned to be their future sleeping spot. You could equip the crates with nothing more than just a waterproof mat and something to comfort them such as an old t-shirt or rag from the breeder. Baby Gates Puppy gates or baby gates, getting a few of these around your house before bringing your puppy home is a good idea. Not only are they important for training purposes, but for their own safety, they are absolutely vital. Electric Cables This is something a lot of people overlook, but it can potentially be life-threatening if not taken care of. Designated Daily Area It can be challenging enough to look after a puppy, so having a sectioned-off room or area for them can help you significantly. Before you bring your puppy home, consider having a designated area for them set up and ready for use. In this area, there should be their crate, water, food bowls, assorted toys, treats, and some cleaning products ready to use. Final Check of the Home As I mentioned above, your new Labradoodle puppy will probably surprise you with their never-ending curiosity. Having Several of the Right Kinds of Toys With new puppies, a lot of the questions I hear typically have something to do with their mouths. Their teeth, chewing, biting,… the list goes on. So this is something that we have to take a look at. And you should also remember that when bringing a new puppy home, it might not have received any worthwhile training at all. This is why having a lot of the right kinds of toys will be very beneficial and helpful to both you and the puppy. The Best Toys for a Doodle puppy include: Hard, tough chew toys. These are usually toys made from hard rubber or plastic with small recesses and massagers. Dog bones. Known for their durability and ability to last for a long time. They often have a slight flavor to keep your puppy attracted to them and they are generally a great all-round option. Interactive toys. Soft training toys. You should only use these toys for training. If you do that. Doing it like this makes the toy an efficient object for training and having a handful of these toys ready would be a great idea. But allow me to also cover some general tips and tricks on how to care for your puppy and what you should do in specific situations. Have a look at the tips below to hopefully help you understand how you should act in everyday situations that puppy owners can find themselves in. Knowing just a few of these can help you prepare better for a new life filled with puppy love. A Labradoodle puppy is very intelligent and can quickly build an association between the command and toilet time. When your puppy manages to do its business in the designated area, even if you had to carry him all the way there, give him a lot of love and praise him massively. The key to a successful life with dogs is positive reinforcement training. Talk with the breeder about what their current meal times are, and then continue following that. This will make it a lot easier for the puppy to transition into this new life of theirs. Can Your Puppy Go in the Yard? Use Comforters When talking about comforters, I mean anything that your puppy can associate back to either your or their mother. This can be anything from a smell, shape, texture, or just how the item feels. These sensations remind the puppy of having their mother with them. When I first heard about these products, I brushed it off as a silly gimmick, but I got one from a friend of mine as a gift, as I was pleasantly surprised at just how great and cute, they actually are. And they are also highly recommended by other puppy owners. Final Words So that was our small Labradoodle puppy checklist, and if you follow just half the advice given, you are as prepared as you can be before welcoming your new Labradoodle puppy to your home. You now have a comprehensive list of products, how you prepare your home best, and just what you can expect from your new puppy. Taking in a puppy, training them, and just all about their general care and well-being is a very large subject. These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be challenging, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. Contact Prepare for Your Australian Labradoodle Puppy Bringing home your new puppy is one of the greatest joys, and planning ahead and having what your new puppy will need are keys to a successful beginning. While it is great fun to buy lots of toys and pet beds and cute collars for your new family member, the greatest gift that you can give this furry baby is to prepare yourself with the knowledge of raising a dog. It is very important to think about your puppies first week with you in the most quiet and peaceful manner you can imagine. The following tips will help establish a good foundation relationship between you and your new pet. Good idea. Your puppies first few days would be best suited to having as much of your attention as possible and as calm of a schedule as you can manage. Your puppy will adjust best if you keep company to a minimum for the first days. Establishing a routine for feeding your puppy three times a day and a designated "crate training" time each initial day will serve both your family and your puppy well. It is very scary for a puppy to come into a new home and be left alone for many hours at a time. While it is fine to leave the puppy for a little while each day, it needs to be done in a manner that will be conducive to helping your puppy adjust well. If you have children, be sure to read books and watch videos about children and dogs. The puppy is not a new toy, and the children need to be very respectful of the new puppies space and sleep schedule. The puppy is not a toy. Watch for signs that your puppy needs to use the restroom. Puppies have very little bladder control and will need to take frequent breaks to eliminate. The key times to be watchful and initiate potty breaks are: after eating, drinking, playing, or waking from sleep. Do not ever punish your pet for an accident. Just pick him up and redirect him. Then praise him each time he goes outside. Never ever take a puppy that has not been fully vaccinated to a retail pet store. Vaccinations will usually be completed by 16 weeks and your vet can inform you of the timeframe that your pet will have the full coverage of the vaccinations. Pet stores are frequently the culprits of a puppy being exposed to harmful diseases that are life threatening. Be sure you have read a few books to understand what typical "puppy behaviors" look like. A few normal puppy behaviors include: nipping, chasing, chewing, and barking. Good pet owners will have a plan in place to address these issues in a manner that is positive and will redirect the behavior. Like children, puppies respond best to repetition. Australian Labradoodles are particularly sensitive in nature and do not usually require harsh discipline. Additional supply list info that is more specific is on the Homecoming Prep link above. The first few days are important to show your puppy they can feel comfortable around you and their new home. You can even get started on some very basic training! Perhaps this describes you right now! If so, we imagine you are excited, a little nervous, and just a touch sleep-deprived from thinking about meeting your puppy all night. Starting off on the right foot with your puppy can encourage a strong bond and great puppy manners from the beginning! Potty training, socialization, and those first few trips to the vet can be stressful. But, raising a Labradoodle puppy can also be a lot of fun. And of course, Labradoodle cuteness can really sweeten those tougher moments. This involves choosing the right supplies, learning about training and socialization, and finding a good veterinarian. Finding and Choosing a Veterinarian The first thing new puppy owners must do is find a great canine veterinarian. From early on, vet visits will involve general check ups, vaccinations, pest treatments, and more. So, find out this information from the breeder and pass it along to your veterinarian. Puppy Supplies Checklist This checklist is a great guide for new puppy owners. Speak to your breeder too, as they may have suggestions or specific recommendations to add. Of course there are other things that can be useful, but not everyone will choose to get them. For instance, you may want a bed that your puppy can use other than the one in their crate. You may want to invest in a harness in preparation for taking your puppy outside at 12 weeks. And, you might like items like a puppy sling to make carrying your Labradoodle easier during socialization sessions. They may be able to recommend specific products that they have tried and tested before. Alternatively, they may be able to add on extra things that will be useful for your specific lifestyle and situation. Your new Labradoodle puppy will explore the world with their nose and mouth. They will lick and chew almost everything they come across, from chair legs and accessible valuables to clothing and fingers. But we will talk more about potty training a little later. This will keep destruction to a minimum. Doing so can make them stressed and anxious! Remove all toxic or poisonous greenergy from your home and yard, including houseplants Remove any heirlooms or irreplaceable items, including furnishings Reroute electrical wiring, or cover it with a chew-proof cord concealer Install child-proof latches on all cabinets, drawers, and doors Secure all cleaning products, pesticides, fertilizers, medication, and any unsafe or toxic foods Clear your kitchen counters — a puppy that jumps up and finds food will keep doing it! Puppy proof all indoor and outdoor water features, spas, and pools including the toilet! Properly puppy proofing your home before their arrival will save you a lot of stress, panic, and trips to the emergency vet. Basic Puppy First Aid Kit An important thing to note here is that you should always speak to your vet first before administering any type of medical help to your puppy. But, there are a few things that are useful to have at home. You vet may advise you to use these over the phone before you can bring your Labradoodle puppy in. Here are some useful products to keep in your puppy first aid kit: Weather vest in case of anxiety during storms, fireworks, etc. Gauze pads and tape Cotton tipped swabs and cotton balls Antiseptic wipes Hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol Styptic powder Saline solution and gel for eyes Blunt end scissors and nail file Tweezers. Food and Water dishes, or a water bottle to hang in the crate door. Brushes are great for surface brushing Doodles but you really need a good comb for getting the mats out and getting all the way down to the root of the hair. I love the Carlson Gates with the handles, I do not recommend the cheap accordion style wooden ones. Puppy Bed and Blankets, if puppy is peeing on their bed or blankets then replace them with a Stuffed Animals to cuddle Whelping Pads. Your puppy has been trained from birth using these so if you absolutely can not let them outside, I think these work better then the disposal potty pads they chew and drag around. Dewormer — I recommend using Safeguard dewormer, an over the counter dewormer that kills all 4 types of intestinal worms and also treats giardia which is a very common parasite transmitted via infected feces in water or soil and the 1 cause of diarrhea in young puppies. Dreamydoodles puppies are dewormed 4x before they go home and should be wormed again at home with Safe-guard at 12 wks and then every 6 months. Feed you puppy the same food at the same time every day. Puppies should be fed times a day on a strict set schedule. Growing too rabidly can cause hip, joint problems. Appetite changes. Do not worry too much just continue your feeding routine and pull up leftovers after mins and try again their next scheduled mealtime. Puppies should be drinking even when stressed. Let sleeping puppies lie. Growing Puppies need lots of sleep, so if your puppy is sleeping, just let them sleep. ALSO some puppies may sleep even more then normal the first few days home, as a coping mechanism to the stress of a new environment. Take this very short period of time to just let them settle in and start to feel at home with you and your family and THEN you can show them off to the world, in fact I encourage you too! Kids love to carry around their new puppies but most puppies. .Talk to young children about how important it is to stay calm, Not to fight over them with each other or get super loud or scare the puppy. BEFORE you know it your kids and your puppy will be the best of friends but try to take it slow especially the first week. You wouldnt leave your infant with your 3 year old right? You gotta be just as logical with your kids and your puppy. All the situations listed below should be observed at least a couple times without a negative reaction from your adult dog… before considering leaving them alone together. For example… How well does your adult dog handle the puppy jumping on them or invading their space, bugging them while their asleep? How do they react to puppy trying to eat out of their bowl, or sleeping or playing in their bed, playing with their toys etc? Introducing puppy to new people! After the first few days and once their settled in and adjusted then I recommend you start introducing them to LOTS of new people, every age, size and type of person you can find willing to meet them. You should also start introducing them to lots of new environments and new situations. Just stay away from high dog traffic areas until after 16 wks and their last set of vaccinations. MOST puppies will grow out of this, with early puppy socialization. Take some time out every day to have a short training session with your puppy. Prepare by getting out your treats, treat bag, a few toys and chews. Bonding with you puppy! The best way to bond with your puppy is through training, games and getting down to their eye level and playing with them. Throw a toy and see if you can get them bring it back to you for a treat, use their name! Remember to keep puppy training session short. Always end by asking them to perform a command or task that they know well so you can end with a big win and lots of praise. Zak George, has a ton of helpful and positive puppy training videos! Check out the rest of his videos on his channel! Take your puppy out after eating and sleeping. Supervise your puppy! Crate-training is essential! Designate a certain potty area and stick with it! Pick an area of your yard where you want them to go, preferably in a corner of the yard away from the door and where they will play the most, this not only makes your clean up area smaller then your whole yard but it also helps it click for them. .Correct accidents only when you catch them in the act. An Australian Labradoodle will bring lots of joy and love to your household for years to come. The following is a list of must-have items that will help you raise a healthy, well-behaved Labradoodle puppy. Kennel and Exercise Pen X-Pen A new puppy must be supervised or confined to a safe, puppy-proof area at all times. Proper confinement aids potty training and keeps your puppy from engaging in potentially dangerous activities, like chewing electrical cords or getting into the trash. A kennel provides a cozy, private place where your puppy can sleep at night and rest for short periods during the day. Kennels are typically metal or plastic and come in a variety of sizes. Most adult Labradoodles require a inch crate. X-pens are available in metal or plastic and can be easily configured to fit a variety of spaces. Bedding Bedding will keep your puppy comfortable and cozy while in the kennel or x-pen. Be sure to choose something that is comfortable, but easy to wash. Old towels or blankets will do, or you can purchase bedding made specifically for dogs. Collar with ID Tag and Leash When selecting a collar and leash, there are many colors and styles to choose from. Your puppy will grow fast, so select a collar that can be easily adjusted to different sizes. Be sure to attach ID tags with your address and phone number, in case your puppy gets lost. A 6-foot leash is usually the perfect length. Toys, Chews, and Treats Puppies love to play, explore, and chew on everything in site. Tennis balls, Frisbees, fleece toys, Nylabones, and Kongs are all great, inexpensive choices. A variety of treats can be used to reward your puppy for good behaviors. Food and Water Bowls Choose ceramic or stainless steel bowls for your new puppy. Purchase a good quality dry food from a pet supply store, as opposed to the cheaper brands sold in most grocery stores. Quality food has fewer preservatives and the essential nutrients your puppy needs to live a long, healthy life. By reducing or eliminating the scent, your puppy will not be tempted to return to the same area to repeat the offense. For yard cleanup, a pooper-scooper is the ideal tool to get the job done. Use a soft bristle brush on your new puppy, gradually introducing a soft slicker brush. Ideally, your puppy should visit the groomer every months. Love and Affection Enjoy your new puppy and have fun! There are bound to be mistakes along the way, but time really does fly. Remember to take plenty of pictures and videos as your puppy transitions into a well-behaved adult. Your new puppy is just as anxious about her new home as you are. You can make that transition as easy and safe as possible with just a little planning before her arrival. While some pet owners insist that their dog sleep with them, you may want to consider separate quarters for your little Fideaux. The first night in your home is not too soon to teach your puppy how to call a crate his own. You can begin crating your puppy the day you bring him home. While to you a crate may seem confining, to your puppy it will seem welcoming and safe. Keep in mind that your puppy does not live in crate; the kennel is more like a doghouse for inside your home. As your puppy gets older and becomes more acclimated to your household routines — and can hold his bladder longer — consider adding a bed for his comfort. By the time your puppy is eight to ten months old and has proven he is house-trained, you may want to consider adding a bed for his comfort. Some pet owners introduce a crate pad at this point, or they add a bed in the family living area or in a bedroom. You can easily find something that goes with the style of your furnishings, but make sure it has a heavy duty YKK zipper that will withstand puppy play. Look for a washable covering, too. Your puppy needs food that has been designed just for her needs, from the right amount of calories to every vitamin and mineral a growing girl must have to become strong and healthy. You do not have to purchase the most expensive food available, but you should make sure that you are purchasing a product with the right nutrition. Good puppy food should be free of grains like corn, wheat or soy. Purchase the best food within your budget, and follows the feeding guidelines on the bag or the directions of your vet. Dogs like to eat twice a day. One daily meal makes for a long and hungry day, and puppies cannot eat only once a day. A dog will stuff herself until all the food is gone. Other owners prefer to use a food bowl designated for their dog. You also will need a bowl for fresh water throughout the day. Everyone likes a treat now and then, and your Australian Labradoodle will, too. Grain free treats that help clean her teeth are a good supplement to a healthy diet, but allow snacking in moderation. All he knows is that it smells like you and it satisfies his urge to chew. Dog toys are often identified by their durability. Your demolition expert may need a power chewer toy. You do not have to buy your dog dozens of toys for him to be happy. Usually just a few are enough. Savvy pet owners often rotate the toys. Leash styles vary from cotton to leather, fixed and retractable, and plain or embellished. The leash you select should be strong enough to hold your dog and still fit comfortably in your hand. You probably chose a puppy collar for your dog so she can wear her identification tags, but that puppy collar will have to be replaced with an adult dog collar. Check her collar frequently by placing two fingers between the collar and her neck. A nylon collar is the perfect choice for dogs that will be in and out of water. Some pet owners also like to dress their dogs in canine couture clothing. There are raincoats, sweaters, hats and booties to bedeck your dog. All dogs need a good brushing, and your puppy will do fine with a slicker brush. This brush combs the fur and loosens dirt and debris from the coats. Your puppy will need to be brushed a couple of times a week. If the fur has gotten muddy or picked up leaves, consider a thorough combing with a wide-tooth comb. They will love bath time, especially if you use a shampoo that makes their coat feel good. Avoid the temptation to use your own shampoo and conditioner; use a shampoo designed for dogs. Dogs with ears that fold over are more prone to ear infections than their more wolf-like cousins. Using a canine ear wash regularly can help keep the ears clean and dry, possibly eliminating the need to visit the vet because of an earache. Get your puppy used to you touching his mouth, checking his teeth and even massaging his gums. As your puppy becomes an adult, taking care of his teeth is more important than ever. You can gently rub his teeth with sterile gauze to remove food particles, or use doggy toothpaste and a finger brush. This daily dental care may help stem other health issues as he gets older. Many pet owners have a pair of nail clippers for their dogs, but these clippers look nothing like yours. A good pair of nail clippers for a dog should have a nail guard that prevents you from cutting the nail too close to the quick. Cutting the quick is not only painful for your dog, but it bleeds a lot as well. There are styptic powders available to stop the bleeding, or in an emergency, you can apply a little cornstarch to the cut. In Conclusion Raising a puppy will be one of the most memorable and fun experiences you and your family may have. You earn her love and devotion with the time you invest in her training and companionship.

Be sure to share this information with your vet. Illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, hepatitis and inflammatory bowel disease may manifest as weight lost, [1] X Research source but require additional treatments and medications. Therefore, a pet with an undiagnosed condition will not improve with food alone. In fact, they will get much worse without proper treatment. Talk to your vet about using body conditioning scoring BCS to help objectively assess whether your pet is too thin, too heavy or just right. A sample chart can be seen here. If your dog seems underweight based on the BCS, you should talk to your vet about an approach to help your dog gain weight. In general, your dog is at a healthy weight if you can see their waist, you can feel their ribs when petting their sides without actually seeing the outline of the ribs and their belly curves upward to meet their hips. Some breeds, like Greyhounds, and some hunting and herding dogs Border Collies, Pointers tend to be leaner than other breeds like Mastiffs and Labrador Retrievers. It is best to have your vet do a fecal test for intestinal parasites, but if you are unable to do that, you can diagnose and treat your dog for worms from home. Make sure to consult your vet before embarking on a rigorous exercise plan. Gradually increasing controlled walks on leash is usually safe for most dogs and less likely to cause injury. Make sure the entry and exit from the water are set up to prevent injury getting in and out of the pool, lake, or river. Translation missing: en. While obese and overweight dogs are far too common, what if your dog has the opposite problem and actually needs to gain some healthy weight? Dogs can suddenly or gradually become underweight for many reasons. This article includes reasons that your dog could be underweight, signs that your dog is at their ideal weight, and lots of strategies and healthy food ideas to plump your dog up. Helping your dog maintain a healthy weight is extremely important. It lets them live a longer, happier life, and a study by Banfield Pet Hospital showed that it could increase their lifespan by up to 2. Losing and gaining a couple pounds or ounces is normal, but there are some clear signs that a dog is underweight: Visible ribs, hips, shoulders, or tail bones Lower energy levels Poor eating habits Dull, dry, or shedding coat If a dog is underweight, it can be a sign of a health problem because it may indicate malnourishment, digestive issues, dental problems, parasites, infections, or other underlying medical conditions that require attention and treatment. A healthy weight is essential for a dog's overall well-being, and owners should consult with a veterinarian if they suspect their dog is underweight. They may also be sensitive to taste, texture, meal times, and more. Stress or Anxiety A week of spooky thunderstorms, strangers visiting, a new dog in the house, going to the groomer — stress-induced weight loss is another possibility. Age Weight fluctuates naturally as your dog ages. Puppies have more fat, while adult dogs tend to lose weight the older they become due to changes in appetite, activity levels, sicknesses, and more. Remember that feeding guidelines are just suggestions and your dog may need bigger portions. How To Tell if Your Dog Is a Healthy Weight All breeds have a healthy weight range, and you can refer to a breed weight chart for a quick reference point. Follow these three steps and it may be helpful to take pictures : Rib check: Get your dog into a comfortable standing position and run both of your palms across their ribcage, one hand on either side. Notice how easily you can feel their ribs, spine, hips, and tail bones. Profile check: Crouch level with your dog and view them from the side. See if their abdomen is tucked up, visibly curving upward from their rib cage. You may have to feel their abdomen area if their coat is in the way. Overhead check: Look down at your dog from an overhead angle and check whether you can see their waist behind their ribs. Then, compare your dog to the chart below. If your dog is a healthy weight, their ribs should be barely visible or not at all, and you should be able to feel their ribs without too much of a fat covering. Their abdomen should be tucked up toward their pelvis and their waist should have an hourglass shape. Use the tips below. Remember, none of these are overnight fixes. Your veterinarian can also give you an appropriate goal weight for your dog so you can reach milestones safely and celebrate every pound. Keep a Health Journal One of the best pieces of weight gaining advice we can give is to create a detailed health journal for your dog. Keep track of their daily meals and treats including portion size and calorie count if possible , exercise routine, weight, and mood or behavior. With everything recorded in the journal, you can more easily connect cause with effect and understand which strategies are truly working. If their weight changes at the next weigh-in — gain or loss — simply flip back to your entries to see what happened. Land on a good change? Repeat it. Notice a worrying change? Document it and ask your vet. Weigh Your Dog Regularly Most weight loss programs for people recommend weekly weigh-ins, and the same applies to your canine. Weekly weigh-ins are an excellent tool because they allow you to clearly chart any gains, losses, or weight maintenance over time. Weekly weigh-ins are fine. Adding too many calories or fat too quickly could cause digestive problems like vomiting, diarrhea, or inflammation of the pancreas. Feed Them Small Meals Often Set up a feeding schedule so your dog eats three or four small meals each day rather than one or two large meals. This is a great weight-gaining tactic because small portions help your dog better digest their food and metabolize the nutrition throughout the day. To make this strategy work, try not to go more than six hours between meals. As you transition from larger meals to smaller ones, prepare one large, normal meal and then divide it into smaller meals to serve. Incorporate Exercise It may seem counterproductive to recommend exercise for a dog who needs to gain weight. After all, exercise burns calories, right? As an added bonus, the activity boost will increase their appetite. Sore muscles are no fun for anyone. They add novelty and variety to their diet so they keep eating consistently and jump up excitedly when you call them for meal time. These types of snacks are designed to be nutrient-dense, with ingredients that keep your dog feeling energized and reduce side effects of weight loss. Not only will this ease the transition for your dog, but it will help you change your schedule and habits as well. Steaming, boiling, or roasting keeps the fat content low. Sweet potatoes Sweet potatoes are the ultimate superfood for dogs and humans, with lots of Vitamin A for strong nerves, bones, and muscles. Start with small amounts of cooked, skinless sweet potatoes. Peanut butter Dogs love peanut butter! Just be sure to avoid peanut butters with sweeteners like xylitol , which is toxic to dogs. Pumpkin Pumpkins are hydrating, high in fiber, and also rich in Vitamin A and zinc. Plain, canned pumpkin is inexpensive and works well. Foods That The Honest Kitchen Recommends Take a look at these foods specially formulated to support the proper weight and diet for your canine. Here are some of the best human foods to help your dog bulk up: Eggs - Raw, scrambled, over easy. Just make sure they are plain. Cottage Cheese - Full fat. Lean meat - Raw or cooked to match their diet. Quinoa — It provides usable energy to fatten up your dog and is one of the only carbs that contains a full spectrum of essential amino acids needed for muscle building. Instead, you need to slowly increase portions over time. Tracking changes to your dog's meals and recording weekly weight check-ins can help you to learn what works and what doesn't. Smaller dogs will need smaller changes, and a larger dog may be able to handle more drastic increases. Increase Activity As you increase calories, you need to increase activity too. An extra 5 minutes on your walk, a few more ball tosses in the backyard, fattening up a dog or even some extra mental exercise like puzzles and indoor games can be helpful. To find out how much exercise your dog needs, check out our Ultimate Guide to Exercising your Dog. Frequently Asked Questions Is my dog too skinny? Determining if your dog is too skinny requires considering their breed, age, and overall health. Consult with your veterinarian to assess your dog's body condition score and discuss any concerns you may have. They can provide guidance on whether your dog is at a healthy weight or if there may be underlying medical issues that may need attention. How do I help my skinny dog gain weight? To help your skinny dog gain weight, it's important to first rule out any underlying medical conditions that may be causing the weight loss. If your dog is healthy, then start increasing your dog's portion sizes, feeding them high-quality, calorie-dense dog food, and adding healthy supplements like omega-3 fatty acids or digestive enzymes to their daily diet regime. How to make your dog fat? Making your dog fat is not a healthy goal. Instead, focus on helping your dog achieve a healthy weight through proper nutrition and exercise. If your dog is underweight, consult with a veterinarian to find the underlying cause and develop a safe and effective weight gain plan tailored to your dog's specific needs. What human food can I give my dog for healthy weight gain? While it's generally recommended to feed dogs a balanced diet formulated for their specific nutritional needs, certain human foods can be used to help your dog gain weight. These include cooked chicken, turkey, or lean beef, plain yogurt, eggs, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. Many of the top foods contain these healthy ingredients. What can I give my dog to gain weight? To help your dog gain weight, you can try a few things. First, choose a high-quality dog food that is calorie-dense and contains real meat, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. Increase the portion size and feeding frequency to provide more calories throughout the day. You can include calorie-dense treats or additions to their meals, such as cooked chicken or boiled eggs. Can stress or anxiety cause weight loss in dogs? Yes, stress or anxiety can potentially cause weight loss in dogs. Just like humans, dogs may experience appetite changes or have difficulty maintaining a healthy weight when stressed or anxious. If you suspect that your dog's weight loss is related to stress or anxiety, consult with a veterinarian to address the underlying causes and explore potential solutions. Are there any specific dog breeds that are naturally leaner? Yes, some dog breeds tend to have a naturally leaner body structure. Breeds like Greyhounds, Whippets, and some Terrier breeds, for example, have a lean and slender build even when at a healthy weight. It's important to understand the breed standards and consult with a veterinarian to determine if your dog's weight is appropriate for their specific breed. Are there any potential health concerns associated with rapid weight gain in dogs? Rapid weight gain in dogs can pose health risks, including an increased strain on joints and bones, exacerbation of existing health conditions, and an increased risk of obesity-related health issues. It's crucial to ensure that any weight gain plan is implemented gradually and under the guidance of a veterinarian to minimize the risk of health complications. How long does it typically take for a dog to gain weight? The time it takes for a dog to put on pounds can vary depending on many things, such as the dog's overall health, metabolism, and the desired amount of weight gain. Generally, it's important to take a gradual approach to weight gain to ensure it is done safely and in a way that promotes the dog's overall health. It's best to work with a veterinarian to develop a customized weight gain plan for your dog. She has worked in the pet industry for over a decade and loves to share her passion for animal welfare with others. She is currently working for one very rebellious cat, Jack, and hanging out with a goofy but loveable doggo named Roxy. Helping your dog to lose weight. Is My Labrador Fat? The best way to tell is by eye and touch. Have a look at your dog and compare him with the picture below of a healthy Labrador. Look at your dog from the side. Does his belly slope upwards towards his groin, or is it a level line from his front legs to his back, or even worse is it sagging down between his legs? Your Labrador should have an upward sloping line from the base of his chest, towards his back legs. Now look at the dog from above. You should be able to! Your dog should not be the same width all the way down his body. Look at your dog from the side again. Can you see any ribs? Run you hands along his rib cages firmly. Can you feel his ribs? If you can see ribs when he is standing still he is too thin. If you cannot feel his ribs at all with your hands he is too fat! As we have seen above, the best way to tell if you have a fat Labrador is by looking and feeling. The trouble with providing you with a number is that it can give a false impression. Depending upon whether your Lab is field or bench bred, short or tall, chunky or slight, male or female, will all make a big difference to their ideal weight for the individual. The average adult Labrador will weigh anywhere between 55 to 80 lbs! Male Labs usually being around 5 to 10 lbs heavier than their female counterparts. If you are still unsure whether your Lab is the right weight for his or her build having given her a thorough check yourself as described above, then the best thing to do is to pop down to your local veterinarian. They will be happy to let you know how much your individual Labrador should weigh. Why Is My Labrador Fat? So how did your slim little puppy end up as a fat adult Labrador? There are three common assumptions that people make when considering how their dogs came to be overweight. Does the dog need more exercise? Has he got some kind of medical problem? Or am I just feeding him too much at mealtimes or giving too many snacks? In general if your dog is overweight the real reason is simply that he has eaten too much. Or rather, been allowed to eat too much. Does my dog need more exercise? He may well need more exercise, but that is not why he is fat. He is overweight because when you take into account the amount he exercises along with a number of other factors, he has eaten too much. The exercise needs of your dog are an important but separate issue, which we look at in other articles. The important thing to remember is this: The less exercise you give the dog, the less you must feed him. Once put on, weight is hard to shift and it will simply go up and up over time. Medical causes of canine obesity Although most dogs who are overweight have simply had a few too many bites to eat, there are some medical causes for obesity which do crop up from time to time. Canine medical conditions that can affect your Labs weight include hypothyroidism, insulinoma and hyperadrenocorticism. If a medical condition is the reason then the weight gain will normally be sudden and unexpected. If you are concerned by sudden weight gain in your Lab when you have not been giving him more food, then a checkup at the vets is definitely in order. You may also find that your dog puts on weight after having been neutered. If this is the case you will need to adjust your feeding habits accordingly. However, for most dogs weight gain is a simple result of over feeding. My Labrador is always hungry People are often concerned because they worry that their dog is still hungry after eating his dinner. Here is an important truth: Most Labradors are always hungry. You cannot win this battle. These are greedy dogs and your Labrador will always want more food than you give him. No matter how much that may be. If your Labrador is overweight he really needs to eat less and he will get used to his new regime quite quickly. Are Fat Labs Less Healthy? If you have looked at your Labrador and decided he is overweight, you might be wondered whether that actually matters. Is it really worth the effort of ignoring those puppy dog eyes and whines for extra food? Slim dogs are healthier Being overweight predisposes you to an awful lot of unpleasant health problems. This is true regardless of whether you are a human or a dog. Carrying extra pounds can also make existing problems your dog may have worse. For example joint problems like arthritis and hip dysplasia can be exacerbated by having more weight to lug around. As well as joints and bones suffering from obesity related issues, increased body fat can also make your dog more likely to have problems with their organs including those needed for breathing and digestion. Just a bit of extra fat can have a host of unwanted consequences. Being a fat Lab puppy can potentially make your dog more likely to suffer from joint problems later in life. Slim dogs live longer Not only will a slim dog have a better level of fitness and a lower likelihood of becoming unwell, they will in all probability live longer too. Those Labs on the large food ration had a median lifespan of over 11 years old. Those on the smaller food ration lived to be over 13 years old. When you look at the difference which can be made in these terms, by helping your Lab to stay slim you could be giving him an incredible two more years with you! If he gets a lot of household scraps these may have to go too. If you use food as rewards in dog training, this should be deducted from his daily food allowance. It could also help to find healthier alternatives to your usual training treats. Bear in mind that if your dog is unwell, old or very young , it is sensible to consult your vet before tampering with his diet. It is also a good idea to have a chat with them beforehand if your dog is very overweight and has a lot to lose. Take a photo of him from above and from the side before you start. At the end of the three to four days, check the dog over as described above and ask yourself if he is still fat. If you think he has improved a little but needs to slim down a bit further, keep going for another three to four days then review the situation. Compare the photo you took a week ago and you should see some improvement. You may need to increase his food slightly in order to maintain his new slim figure and ensure he does not get thin. If the dog is not losing weight after a couple of weeks on two-thirds of his previous food allowance, you may need to cut his food down even further. Why might a dog be underweight or undernourished: Picky eater If your pup is a picky eater , it may be hard to get them to eat enough to maintain a healthy weight. If you are feeding your dog dry food you might want to try topping the kibble with wet or fresh food. Some pups prefer beef, while others like turkey or lamb. For sensitive stomachs, the chicken formula might work best. To enhance the flavor of whichever food you pick, you can always add some homemade bone broth to the mix. Stress Like in people who are chronically stressed, dogs who deal with chronic stressors may lose a lot of weight. To help correct this, you will want to help your pup manage their stress. This might be easier said than done. The first step is to figure out what is stressing out your pup. It could be a change in schedule, too many people around or even something outside that is bothering them like a squirrel, bird or construction they see and hear. If you are using punitive training methods like sharp corrections or an e-collar that could be another reason your pup is feeling stressed. Consider working with your vet or a trainer to help you help your pup with their stress. Illness Weight loss or loss of appetite can be symptoms or side effects of many illnesses including cancer. If your pup has a tumor in their esophagus, lungs or stomach, they may have trouble eating or keeping weight on. This is especially true if the lack of appetite and weight loss is accompanied by other symptoms like fever or vomiting. Old age Even if your pup is not sick, age-related issues could prevent your pup from putting on much-needed weight. If your pup is having trouble chewing due to oral pain or tooth decay it may be harder for them to eat enough to gain weight. You may wish to consider giving them food that is wet, fresh or specially formulated for older pups to help them maintain their weight and get adequate nutrition. Found as a stray or rescued from cruelty If you have recently rescued a pup through a shelter or rescue group and your new dog was found as a stray or removed from abuse or neglect, your dog may be severely underweight or malnourished. You will want to get as much information as you can from any doctors who worked with your pup before you adopted. Then you will want to work with your vet to set up a plan to get your pup back to good health. It may take time and patience. Freshly cooked, delivered to your door! Feed My Pup It is important that you get your dog to a healthy weight. Being overweight or underweight can cause health issues or even make your dog sick. A dog who enjoys a healthy diet will have the energy to run, play and bring joy to all around them. The Ollie blog is devoted to helping pet parents lead healthier lives with their pups. If you want to learn more about our fresh, human-grade food, check out MyOllie.

Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Deer Creek Comfort Dogs Shaping future companions for families and those in need of comfort Our family has been raising puppies for over 20 years. Our children have always had a passion for dogs which began our journey and now our grandchildren enjoy growing up with our wonderful dogs by their side. Deer Creek provides emotional support dogs, therapy dogs, service and therapy prospects, canine good citizen dogs as well as family pets. Deer Creek assists our families with puppy selection to help ensure the families get the puppy that will work well with their needs. Someone once said, "Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative" and we hope you choose one of ours. If you are interested in finding your new family member, fill out our puppy application and we will be thrilled to work with you. We recognize that our dogs have the capability of changing peoples' lives on a therapeutic level. Many of our Doodles have become therapy dogs at funeral homes, children's advocacy centers, hospitals and nursing homes, and others have found homes as anxiety, PTSD and emotional support dogs. Learn more about our nonprofit organization Deer Creek Paw Prints at www. Learn More Molly, Rhys, and Beau! Introducing the Perfect Family Pet! Read our About section to learn more about us and our program. We have puppies ready to go home NOW! Stud Service Transport if live coverage is needed for stud services. All transportation costs are subject to travel expenses unless otherwise specified. Please inquire directly for an estimate. Arrowhead Academy Advanced Training Program is around months. Advanced pups will be fully vaccinated as well. For cost and program details, please reach out. We are actively searching for guardian homes within 2 hours of Calhoun, LA. It is basically like a foster home but for dogs. Puppies will be going home at various times for this program! It is recommended that this pup participates in Arrowhead Academy to get a jumpstart on training and set you up for success! Males must live within 30 minutes. Arrowhead's puppies are making their way from coast to coast! Puppy buyers are you ready to bring one home? Whoever said diamonds are a girl's best friend.They are the most loving and compassionate dogs I have ever met. They really get in sync with their families and provide so much affection. You know how some people prefer a weighted blanket for comfort? I would compare our ALD's to a velcro weighted blanket. My life was completely shattered. We purchased a little girl in early and she became my Emotional Support Animal. She knows when I'm sad or down. She won't leave my side. She sleeps in my lap or on my pillow. If I'm crying, she will literally lick my tears away. She is literally glued to me like velcro and provides so much support and comfort. I was shipping a puppy to a customer, and was in line with a man who was shipping two pups together in a crate. His little pups were beautiful, and I was making baby noises at them and petting them through the crate door. At some point in our conversation, this man mentioned that he had hundreds just like them at home, and actually spun the puppy crate up over his head with the babies inside! It was utterly shocking to me!!! I almost made the evening news! My family, and other reputable breeders, fully support new laws protecting pets and families from the horrible puppy mills that are scattered all over the country. In an effort to raise sound, loving, family pets, as well as dogs used in therapy settings, we believe that all breeding dogs — both moms and dads -- must be raised in a family setting, with interaction within the home, room to roam, and activity of all kinds. The very first step in raising well-socialized and loving pups is to have well-socialized and loving parents. This is the reason we place most of our breeding doodles in guardian families. All our breeding dogs are beloved family pets. When whelping and raising a litter of puppies, either we or our guardian families bring our precious doodle babies into the world in the bedroom, laundry room, or even the kitchen in a secure whelping bed with their human mom or dad watching over them. For the first four weeks of age, doodle mama provides everything babies need while they are getting used to human interaction and activity. At four weeks of age, a more secure bed is provided for them with cedar chips and a tall pen to prevent escapes and accidents. Feeding is supplemented and puppies are being romped outdoors whenever possible to begin housebreaking and to become independent. By the time our pups are ready for their forever family 8 to 12 weeks of age , they have been wrapped in blankets, held like babies, pottied in the grass several times a day, and romped with other pets. J There are some who believe that it is wrong to purchase a pet from any breeder. They feel that rescuing is the only way to acquire a furry family member ethically. I firmly say that there is room for both! As the proud mother of 10 yes, ten children, we have experienced the joys of adding to our family in multiple ways. We have children who are biologically ours, adopted children, and children who were placed here as foster children and have continued to have a secure family bond with us. Rescuing a puppy or dog is a wonderful and fulfilling thing to do if you are able to put in extra time for assessing, training, rehabilitating, loving, and saving a rescued pet. There are some rescued pets that have wonderful temperaments, and some that have emotional pain and trauma. If you have allergies to dogs or asthma, have special-needs or young children, and want to have a furry kid who is trustworthy, know that we are preparing our pups from day-one for your family. The labradoodle is suspicious of strangers and prefers to meet them while outside, not in her lounge room. Key points: Blaze was one of 39 labradoodles found at a Bridgetown puppy farm Rehabilitating and retraining dogs from puppy farms is a long process The RSPCA is waiting on an appeals process before adopting the dogs out Despite the apparent anxiousness, Blaze has come leaps and bounds in the nine months since first coming into Ms Wall's care. ABC News: Ashleigh Davis As some of the rescue dogs were pregnant when they were seized, litters of labradoodles were also born in care, taking the total number to .The space between an abusive home and a new, loving one is an important time for a rescued dog. It takes time and patience to retrain, psychologically rehabilitate, and in some cases, physically care for animals that have been mistreated or neglected. Ms Wall, who has fostered more than 50 dogs since , said at first Blaze was not capable of walking on a lead or learning basic commands like sit or down. Madilyn Wall is hoping to adopt Blaze once the court process concludes. She would run and hide, she couldn't walk calmly through the house," she said. Ms Wall is not only a seasoned foster carer, but she is also a supervising inspector for Quarantine WA's detector dog unit. Supplied: Madilyn Wall While she never intended to keep Blaze, she is now hoping to adopt her once the court process is over. From there, they can get a warrant to remove the animal, and the rehabilitation process begins. Want more local WA news? Ms Beswick said rehabilitation looked different for each animal, depending on the situation it came from. Supplied: RSPCA Ms Beswick said animals from prosecution cases were unable to be adopted until the judicial process had concluded and they had been forfeited through the courts. The RSPCA is currently waiting out the day appeals process after sentencing before the Bridgetown labradoodles can be adopted. Ms Beswick said the Bridgetown case was a large-scale operation that highlighted the need for people to do their due diligence before buying a dog. Isn't puppy farming outlawed in WA? Despite a new shiny piece of legislation aimed at curbing puppy farms like the one found in Bridgetown — the Dog Amendment Stop Puppy Farming Act — most of the law's regulations are still not in place, leaving puppy breeding unchecked in WA. These regulations are hotly anticipated by the RSPCA, who were involved in a consultation group that helped inform the legislation. The organisation has long advocated for proper dog breeding regulations, including mandatory sterilisation and a streamlined breeder registration system. The government tender was put out for a provider to supply this service — that tender closed last month. ABC News: Ashleigh Davis While the WA government was unable to provide a timeline for when the regulations will be in place, in a statement, a spokesperson for the Minister for Local Government John Carey, described the state-wide register as a "significant undertaking. So many of these dogs have physical problems, and a lot of them are just crazy. He was fulfilling a request from a couple who needed a pooch that would serve as a guide dog for a blind woman but also be hypoallergenic for her husband. Once the magic canine was produced, word got out and everyone wanted one. Purebreds crossed with other purebreds — better known as designer dogs — have been capturing our affections for the last 20 years. Demand for these dogs has led to a corrupt underground economy that funnels animals through puppy mills, swap meets, Internet sales and retail stores that often buy from disreputable sources. The miniature Yorkies, Pomeranians and Chihuahuas — often seen hitching a ride in the purses of celebrities such as Paris Hilton — are created by breeding runts with runts. But runts are usually the unhealthiest dogs of the litter, and those health problems are passed down. Teacup mothers often die giving birth. Most legitimate breeders refuse to get into the teacup dog business at all, meaning that most are shipped in from South Korea. At the end of , he received a trio of genetically modified Belgian Malinois pups that had been created to be stronger and fitter than normal dogs, with state-of-the-art-sniffers for detecting drugs and explosives. Putin banished them to an unglamorous job guarding a prison. Purebred dogs, of course, have long suffered from health problems, with French bulldogs being one of the most prominent examples. Their increasingly flattened noses make breathing difficult, while their distorted body shapes mean natural mating is now impossible. Artificial insemination is used instead. In a bid to stop the madness, Bernstein predictably encourages people to adopt their pets from shelters. But what if you have your heart set on a labradoodle, a goldendoodle, a puggle or a maltipoo? First, Bernstein says, never buy a teacup dog. Then, find a reputable breeder. And you should be able to ask for references from past customers. Share this article:. I am sure someone will email me and tell me how wrong I am to write about these breeders and that it could happen to anyone but let me say that if you ever once were on the other end and got dogs from these filthy hell hole breeders that you would be as sickened and angry as I am. He looks clean, he smells better than he once did. He eats better now than he ever did. This is Sawyer. My dream dog. My once hopeful stud boy. When I took him home he was infested with worms, reeked like a New York City trash can and had hip dysplasia. It took months to rehabilitate and glue his broken shell back together. I remember standing at the door for 3 hours while he stood in my back yard not allowing me to get near him; he stood in the cold November rain and shivered. He wanted to come in so badly but was too afraid. I stood inside the kitchen soaking wet crying and begging him to come in. I finally had to get a bed sheet and with my husbands help cornered him and tossed the sheet over him. He was purchased from a well known breeder who offered a warranty and a guarantee on his health. We promptly started health testing him when he got home. Sadly he failed his OFA and was diagnosed with hip dysplasia. His breeder refuses even after receiving proof to honor her warranty. She herself admitted that she has never tested her dogs but yet sells them at a premium rate. Look for proof of testing. She never cried a day in her life for this dog. This is Sawyer, I cry when asked about him, he will always have a special place in my heart. I saw old rusted crates stacked along the drive, driving past a dog run out by some trees I saw a dog house and 4 small dogs, I parked next to a car port type structure that housed several cages stacked on top of one another in rows, inside the cages were chickens, rabbits, cats, ferrets and other small animals. There were several small shack like out buildings. I walked up to the door and knocked, no one answered but I had called 5 minutes prior so they knew I was there. I opened the door leaning inside to say Hello; looking around there were empty cages everywhere and bags of Purina stacked 10 or more bags high, empty bags and other trash scattered on the floor. Back out on the porch I called the breeder to alert them that I was there, looking up I was faced with 2 dobermans not looking very happy, I later learned that they were nice. I entered a room with a desk, sofa, 2 recliners, a TV, door covered with bed sheets and walls lined with dog crates stacked from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, filled with filthy dogs. I had arrived with enough cash to buy 4 dogs. In the cage above them I found Sawyer, then referred to as Prado. He was scared and my heart broke seeing him. I passed it up. I drove home with a pit in my stomach but vowed to take care of and do the right thing by those dogs. He has a dog brother who keeps him in line, he has been trained and know several tricks; can wave, high five, pray, dance, roll over… and many more. I get letters from Sawyer every few months and everyone of his letters makes me cry. He is doing great and is a good boy. I love you Sawyer. Another sad story starts with an Oregon breeder sending me a dog in whelp, the dog was due 2 weeks after she arrived. I took the fluffy white dog out of her crate at the airport holding her in the air to shine my smile upon her face and once again found myself looking into sad scared eyes. I took her to the vet to confirm her pregnancy and the vet told me what I already knew. I had her groomed to get her pee stained and matted coat into presentable shape; I was called by the groomer to tell me she had bit her. Took her home to have her a few days later bite my 11 year old daughter and to later have her bite a guest in my home and my vet the day I returned her to her breeder. Being told stories from clients about an Indiana breeder who is breeding a dog that was either hit by a car or stepped on, the story was told to me by multiple clients who claimed to visit the breeder and was told the dog had a funny limp and was skittish because of her accident, unfortunately the cause of the accident change based on who was visiting. Calls from other concerned customers who visited an Iowa breeder; was advised in order to visit she first had to pay for a puppy. Arriving to play with the puppies they found the adult dogs matted and dirty, so dirty even that to touch them or have the dogs brush up against them would soil their clothes and leave an awful stench. Hearing barking in a side room where they were able to gain a quick peek revealed dogs in crates stacked from floor to ceiling. Calls from a different client reported a visit to a neighboring Iowa breeder with a similar story. I will continue to report on stories from clients and my experiences with puppy mill breeders. Here are other dogs who were found in puppy mills across the United States. Please support ethical breeding and do not buy pets from pet stores or puppy mills. The Labradoodle is a companion dog and should not be raised in a kennel, they need human companionship and thrive on being loved. If you are unclear of what a puppymill is take a look at the pictures below. They are sickening and; REAL. This type of life for millions of poor unfortunate dogs are a reality everyday. For many dogs they are confined in conditions like this for their entire life until they are no longer able to breed to make their capturers money then they are killed. The dogs you see in these pictures are VERY lucky as they are being photographed because they were rescued. How can you help?

She fluctuates from 16 — 18 pounds depending on the season and the amount of exercise she is getting. She runs, plays, chases birds, rabbits and anything else that moves. She still acts as silly as ever. She still gets the zoomies, goes on regular walks and is living a happy and healthy life. Other than a little bit of incontinence and some cloudiness in the eyes, aging has been good to her. Every birthday that passes, we realize just how lucky we are to have her around! She is starting to show her age at this point and we are doing everything we can to make this journey last as long as possible. While she does have a few issues, she is still mostly healthy. Her main issue is kidney disease. She is currently in upper stage 2 and we are doing everything we can to slow the progression. She also has some other issues associated with aging including arthritis, cloudy eyes, and slight hearing loss. However, she still has lots of playful energy and still loves playing hide and seek with us in the house. She goes up and down the stairs as well as she always has and she still loves to chase rabbits and birds around the backyard, sometimes in an all-out sprint! We love taking in these moments when she has a burst of energy and plays in ways that are reminiscent of her younger years. However, what we love most is just seeing her happy and content while snuggling up against us. We think the world of her and are grateful for each day we get to spend with her! About Hi, I'm Dan and I am a proud Goldendoodle parent and love to write about and share my experiences of owning a Goldendoodle for 16 years. Learn more about me and this site. Search this website. The Miniature Goldendoodle A miniature goldendoodle is quite an amazing creature that has been bred for its unique yet impressive qualities. Starting with the standard goldendoodle breeding of a standard poodle and golden retriever cross, the intelligence, common sense, friendliness, and trainability of a goldendoodle has made this breed a favorite of many dog owners and dog lovers. On top of this the cross retains a good portion of the non-shedding quality of the poodle, while also keeping part of the attractive look of a golden retriever. Combining all these traits into one dog seems quite appealing, but we have one more trait to add to this list. A standard goldendoodle will range anywhere from pounds, which is quite large for a house pet. To achieve the goldendoodle attributes in a more compact package, a miniature poodle is crossed with a golden retriever. Our Miniature Goldendoodles Sandy Ridge miniature goldendoodles are being raised to be the best pets for a dog owner. We have had consistent breeding of the mini golden doodle having a low to non-shedding coat and wonderful temperament suitable for just about any type of family. We have also found our minis to range on average from 30 to 45 pounds at maturity. There is a little variety in Sandy Ridge minis. We get coat types from slightly wavy to moderately curly and coloring from completely blonde to golden red. We cannot guarantee a puppy will be in the expected size range due to the differing genetic sizes to the parents, but our average generally holds true. With all health concerns addressed and responsible breeding practices performed, there still is the possibility a health problem could arise. We offer a two year genetic guarantee against any genetic defect or health issue that hopefully will not, but possibly could arise. If you have any questions, please contact us. A happy customer is our priority. Here are some pictures of some of our past miniature goldendoodle puppies.

By Whitney on January 5, This page may include affiliate links. If you click and purchase, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Can she get groomed to help? However, you can actually start getting your puppy full-body groomed whenever your groomer believes the pup is ready. They recommend doing this to gradually introduce puppy to the grooming experience, so they can get used to the process without too much stress. Did you know? Poodles get their feet and face shaved for the first time before they leave their mom, usually somewhere between weeks of age. Your groomer will be the one to let you know when they are ready. Actually, private salons all have their own rules. The week thing is just a general observation, so be sure to call around to double-check. You might get lucky! Also, it is said that Petsmart does not require rabies shots in dogs under 4 months, and will take puppies as early as 8 weeks with the recommendation that they have at least rounds of puppy shots to help keep them safe while in the salon with other dogs. This reduces the risk of your puppy contracting diseases from other dogs. This is great for helping to introduce grooming to your puppy as young as possible. The nail trimming is especially important so your puppy can get used to people handling his feet, as well as to stay on top of ideal nail length. Related Content. Conclusions I asked the experts — when to start grooming a Goldendoodle? While I had a fair idea of when I would first start grooming a Goldendoodle puppy — I decided to ask the experts! I sent the following short survey to four Poodle Mix breed groomers, two Goldendoodle breeders, and 8 actual Goldendoodle owners. I then ran a poll on a Goldendoodle owner Facebook group and verified the results were consistent. There were four simple questions that we asked to find out when to start grooming a Goldendoodle Puppy. How old should a Goldendoodle be for first grooming What age should a Goldendoodle start being shampooed? What age to start cleaning Goldendoodle ears? How often Does a Goldendoodle need to be trimmed in its first year? I then asked for any special comments, some of which you can see in the results below, supporting what we found. As always thank you to our experts — we are thrilled our panel was willing to answer our surveys and help us out. Here are the results! The experts mostly agreed that a Goldendoodle should be first groomed around 5 months of age. A pie chart of the expert survey results showing how the experts recommend when to start grooming a goldendoodle puppy. The breeders trended a little higher, recommending first grooming around 7 months of age. The owners and groomers settled at 5 months. Everyone mostly agreed around 5 months of age is the first time to groom a Goldendoodle. The primary reason for this is that around this time most Goldendoodle will be shedding their puppy coats. It is also around this time that you will get a clearer picture of what type of coat your Goldendoodle actually has. This will influence the frequency and cost of grooming over the lifespan of your Goldendoodle. Straight coats shed a lot more but are lower maintenance. Wavy and curly coats are low to no shedding but require more frequent grooming. There are lots of sounds, sights, smells and touching that a Goldendoodle needs to get used to. The earlier the better they feel about grooming when older. This is great because Goldendoodles can get stinky. There were four options to select from. Many owners use puppy shampoo for the first year or two. This is especially true if they have a super cute teacup or toy miniature Goldendoodle. It varies dog to dog! Any Poodle Mix Breed needs to be acutely aware of the issues that our awesome mixbreed dogs inherit from the Poodle. The shape of the ear canal and hair that grows can lead to troubles and ear odours. Cleaning a Poodle Mix ear canal is something that can easily be done at home. Goldendoodles will require regular grooming and upkeep. You can trim your Goldendoodle at home! If you feel up to it — it is a worthy challenge! Even if it is not going to be a regular thing — I recommend everyone learns how to do a Goldendoodle puppy cut. With that said — our awesome Groomers do an amazing job — and are usually worth the money if you can spare it! They can be magnificent at keeping your Goldendoodle calm and enjoyable. Depending on the generation and coat type of your Goldendoodle , this can be subtle. For others, it is a very noticeable change. Our experts recommended 5 months and older for grooming because Goldendoodle tend to be in the start of the puppy coat transition at this point. This only refers to a whole body trim, as a hygienic and comfort trim of the paws, eyes, and around the butt are safe and common. The change is so minor in some wavy coated Goldendoodle that you will not even notice it. For straight hair or curly, it can be a significant difference in softness. Cutting the Goldendoodle puppy hair at the right time around 5 months plus gives the easiest foundation for soft fur and easy maintenance. An exception is if your Goldendoodle just ends up too dang shaggy before they hit 5 months. Some Groodles just have fast growing hair! It is unavoidable for such dogs to have a full body trim earlier. Conclusions You should start grooming your Goldendoodle early to get them used to the procedure. The first full groom will come around 5 months of age. This is an ideal time as the Goldendoodle puppy coat will be shedding. A Goldendoodle puppy cut and coat trim will keep your puppy looking and feeling fresh. It is very possible to figure out the type of Goldendoodle coat early using these tricks. You can wash a Goldendoodle puppy with shampoo and conditioner from a very early age. You should only wash when indicated till the dog is older. For puppies only wash when there is dirt or bacteria. Choose the best shampoo for Goldendoodle puppies based on reviews and testing. You can safely groom a Goldendoodle at home, from cleaning their Poodle Mix ears , right through to full haircuts and groom following online guides. For more information about Goldendoodles, consider reading our comprehensive Goldendoodle Vs Labradoodle breed guide. If you enjoyed this article, consider checking out our extensively researched article about what do do if your Goldendoodle barks all the time. We figure out the causes, and find ways to minimise and eliminate problem barking behaviour. All from home, all for free. A Pinterest friendly image for this article. My wife and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be healthy and happy, have lots of fun and be part of the family. Load More. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Every dog loses their puppy fur to grow in their adult coat. For Goldendoodle puppies, this poses a challenge. A quick solution to this is using a slick brush a few times a week. Here is one of our favorites. All of our Doodles of NC puppies are brushed from just a few weeks old so they grow fond of the one-on-one bonding time. Bath time! In addition to brushing, our puppies learn to love bath time. Using a tear-free or mild dog shampoo allows you to bathe your doodle as frequently as every week without drying out their fur. Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo is our all-time top pick. Dogs, in general, have sensitive ears. If their ears start emitting a strong odor, or your dog scratches their ears and whines, we recommend a trip to the vet to check for an infection. Mini goldendoodles can easily be bathed in the kitchen sink. For larger Goldendoodles a walk-in shower or bath tub with a shower wand works beautifully. Lather twice and rinse thoroughly! Then towel dry and brush the coat. To speed up the drying process, a hair dryer on a low, cool setting, can speed up the process. Trips to the Groomers A goldendoodle's fur grows quite rapidly. We encourage a few trips to the groomers a year to help trim up their coat especially around their eyes to help minimize madding of the fur and healthy coat growth. And, one last tip! It is gentle enough for their delicate skin, but also smells super clean and fresh. And, feel free to reach out to us with any other questions you have on providing the proper care for your Goldendoodle. Adding some conditioner can help remove tough mats. Daily brushing is the best way to prevent painful mats from forming. It also helps your Goldendoodle if they see the same person every time they go in for grooming. That makes it feel like going in to see a friend for a familiar experience. You see, every professional groomer, even at the same grooming salon, has their own routine and way of doing things. If your dog likes how a groomer does their nails, might as well stick with them. If you can find a good groomer and stick with them, that groomer will get to see your Goldendoodle grow into an adult and can report physical or behavioral changes. There are so many reasons to try to stay with the same groomer. It really is the best thing for your Goldendoodle. Before we talk about the different haircut styles and variations in lengths available for Goldendoodles, we need to talk about their different hair types. Goldendoodle Hair Types Since Goldendoodles are hybrids, they can have one of three different coat types depending on their genetic lottery. Most people opt for lengths between half an inch and an inch. Talk to your groomer about what length you think you can manage. These kinds of hairstyle that leave a mane and a tight clip on the rest of the body are a fun hairstyle, ideal for hot summer months. Kennel Clip for Goldendoodles If you or your dog hate the brushing process, or your Goldendoodle just loves to spend time in the woods, in a lake, in the mud, or anywhere except indoors, a kennel clip may be your best bet. This is a great summer cut because the short hair keeps your Goldendoodle cool. You can add a poof to the end to give them a flag tail, give them clean feet, round feet, or add pom poms. It all comes down to your personal preference and whether those areas are matted when you take your pet to the groomer. Make sure you discuss these areas in detail with the groomer at drop-off. Final Thoughts The best thing you can do for your Goldendoodle puppy is to start brushing them as soon as you bring them home and take them to the groomer early and often so they can get used to the process. Goldendoodle puppies should have their face, feet, and potty area trimmed as soon as possible to get used to the grooming process. Goldendoodle puppies will likely have their first full haircut between 6 months and 1 year old. Introduce your Goldendoodle puppy to daily brushing as soon as you bring them home. Use a metal comb to run through every inch of your dog after brushing to avoid missing tangles and mats. Make brushing part of your daily routine to prevent painful mats from forming. Find a groomer early and stick with them to ensure a lifetime of success with grooming. Puppy Grooming: First Haircut When should a goldendoodle puppy go to the groomer? What do you do? The first trip to the groomer Your puppy has hopefully! She should have already had her initial introduction to her lifetime of being groomed. Your goldendoodle puppy should visit a professional groomer for the first time after her week immunizations. Since she will need regular grooming throughout her life, both she and her groomer will benefit if she is accustomed to being groomed from a young age. The first big girl or big boy haircut The wavy, curly adult coat will start replacing the soft, fluffy puppy coat around months of age. Waiting to cut the hair until the adult coat makes its debut beneath the layers of puppy fur helps ensure that the adult coat remains soft. Poodle groomers and poodle fanciers claim that shaving a poodle or goldendoodle down before her adult coat starts coming in could damage the adult coat, affecting the texture. Take your goldendoodle puppy for her first full big girl haircut at months of age, once her adult coat has started coming in. As aforementioned, take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her week immunizations. Before your first big trip to the groomer for that full haircut, spend time looking through pictures of goldendoodle haircuts. You can also read about what to expect when you take her to the groomer and how to avoid a poodle-style haircut. You should regularly groom your puppy: brushing her hair, cleaning her ears, brushing her teeth, clipping her toenails , and checking her for any anomalies i. You want your puppy to become accustomed to being brushed from a young age. Do the brief bonding exercise with your puppy each night before bed to ensure she is used to being touched and handled. Your groomer with thank you. Trust me. Still have questions about goldendoodle puppy grooming? Learn more about what shampoos and brushes to purchase for grooming your goldendoodle from a professional goldendoodle groomer. Share this:. How you want her hair styled is completely up to you! The good news is, hair grows back! Round feet are more commonly seen on goldendoodles but clean feet track less dirt into the house. An all over clip can be done at any length. You can also try lamb cut, where the body is one length blended into longer legs. Unless you already know your preferences, try short clipped ears rather than shaved or fluffy ears and round feet. We recommend waiting 6 months before taking your goldendoodle puppy her first full clip down grooming. The wavy, curly adult coat will start replacing the soft, fluffy puppy coat around months of age. Waiting to cut the hair until the adult coat makes its debut beneath the layers of puppy fur helps ensure that the adult coat remains soft. Shaving a goldendoodle down before her adult coat starts coming in could damage the adult coat, affecting the texture. You should regularly groom your puppy: brushing her hair, cleaning her ears, brushing her teeth, clipping her toenails, and checking her for any anomalies i. What tools do you need for this regular maintenance grooming? A metal comb works best for curly coated goldendoodles while a grooming rake may work well for wavier coated goldendoodles. Either a cordless dremel or nail clippers can be used for this, whichever you prefer. Since goldendoodles have ears that hang down, they are prone to ear infections if water is left in their ears or if their ears are not cleaned regularly. You can even pull this page up on your phone to reference when you drop your goldendoodle off. Once your goldendoodle is all groomed, be sure to post a picture to our Facebook group for other people to use as a reference! Share this:. If you have any tips that we could share with our Rainfield Goldendoodle family, please contacct us through Rainfield Facebook page or at my email at laurie rainfieldgoldendoodles. Goldendoodle Puppies at weeks old. Their coats are fluffy and getting thicker. The pup in the middle will be the first to need the hair around his eyes trimmed. We are not being paid or compensated to advertise these. These are just items we have research and added to our grooming set up. Here at Rainfield, we have puppies whose coats range from quite curly our F1bb or some F1b puppies to shaggy wavy coats our F1s and some F1bs. Goldendoodles take a couple years to get their full and final coats, so their coats will change and transition during those first two years. They usually start off pretty fluffy with baby fuzz underneath. Gradually the curlier doodles get more of a curly, poodle-like coat, although usually with looser curls that a poodle. The shaggy wavy coated doodles, get a longer, fuller, straighter coat, often with a little curl in it. In our experience, curlier goldendoodles need their first actual grooming experience a little earlier monhs old than the shaggy wavy doodles months. Two different coat types. Marcus the Great is an F1 doodle and has a shaggy, wavy coat. Princess Neely is an F1b Mini Goldendoodle puppy. She has a beautiful curly coat. Get Your Puppy Started with Weekly Grooming Maintenance Regardless of the coat type, before you start full-on grooming a goldendoodle puppy,they need to get used to regular brushings and the sounds of the grooming table blowers, clippers, etc. Go ahead and blow dry them a little bit after each bath. If you have clippers or beard trimmers, turn on the clippers and let your goldendoodle get used to the sound. Bring the clippers close to their fur in different places, their head, legs, feet. Give your doodles dog treats while the blower or clippers are going so your doodle develops a positive association with those sounds. Brushing your goldendoodle puppy at least once a week is very important. The earliest grooming a goldendoodle puppy needs is often an eye, ear and sanitary trim. When their hair starts getting in their eyes, or fuzzing out their ears, and when poop residue starts clinging to their fur near their butt, your doodle is ready for their first light grooming. Amber is a 5 month old F1 Goldendoodle Puppy. With our puppies that often happens at about weeks of age. You can either take them to the groomer to get this done, or, if you are more of a DIYer like we are, you can do this at home. A little trim around the eyes, a light buzz on the inside of the ears with a small trimmer like this one and some scissor clipping around their potty areas might be enough to tide you over until their coat is thick enough for their first official grooming. Just be careful because doodles can be bouncy. We use safety tip grooming scissors that have rounded ends for the areas around their face. A scissor clip will even her coat out a bit. With that nice coat, we want her to be used to regular grooming and the grooming table as well. Our doodles seem to need their first grooming at about 5 months old, but puppies with an especially thick, full coat, may need it sooner. Puppies with thinner coats, may be able to go longer than that. We do most of our own grooming, when possible. We prefer the longer, shaggier look on our goldendoodles, so we prefer to start with scissor clipping when grooming a goldendoodle puppy. Scissor clipping is all Amber needs for now. A grooming table makes all the difference. We use the large Flying Pig Brand. Grooming a goldendoodle puppy takes skill, but Violet 16 has learned her grooming techniques by watching Youtube videos. Amber feels good and looks so much cleaner and neater after getting all that puppy fuzz off. Dogs with long ears can have more ear trouble as the hair grows and gets trapped in their ears. Once this happens, moisture is retained and yeast and other bacteria can become a problem. Part of your weekly grooming maintenance should be checking their ears and using an ear wash. We use Zymox Otic and use that for 3 or 4 days. Brownie has those long, floppy doodle ears that need regular cleanings to keep yeast growth at bay. Submit a Comment Your email address will not be published. Again, this depends on their parents. But most commonly, they have wavy hair. Those with curly hair resemble their Poodle ancestry. Those with a straight look appear more like Golden Retrievers. The latter is far easier to groom. Speaking of grooming… Length After your dogs latest trip to the groomer, how long should you wait before scheduling their next visit? Mark it on your calendar, every six weeks about does the trick. Most Goldendoodles will have regrown everything in about three to four months. Both Poodles and Golden Retrievers have longer coats. While Labradoodles could have a shorter coat, this is uncommon in Goldendoodles, if even present. All in all, a Goldendoodle is a great pet for owners with allergies. While there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog, Doodle breeds shed far less than most and are quite allergy friendly. Many Goldendoodle parents may note that their puppy's coat quickly fills with fluffy clumps as a result of this. This is a definite indication that the shift has begun for your dog! Your Goldendoodle puppy's fur is thickest at three months old. It's possible that your puppy's coat has grown to its full potential and is very well-colored at this time. Your Goldendoodle could start to lose its puppy fur and develop an adult coat between the ages of 4 and 8 months. Depending on the exact kind of fur, this process may be slow and scarcely perceptible, rapid and evident, or protracted and difficult. The color and texture of their pelt can also vary. Don't get too depressed if your puppy's fur lasts past the age of 12 months; some Doodles may continue to shed puppy fur. We mentioned earlier about grooming. While most breeds you can take to the groomer at about 12 weeks, you probably want to wait until this six-month mark to shuffle them to the stylist. This will allow most of their puppy fur to be shed. When a puppy is 6 to 10 months old, the silky puppy coat often begins to shed gradually. Your Goldendoodle will continue its gradual transformation from puppy to adult coat by the age of one. Any shedding should be minimized, and if a suitable grooming routine isn't put in place at this time, you can have issues with knots. First, the adult coat becomes stiffer and more curly. Over time, you will notice that the coat is not as soft as it used to be. Most of the time, the color will usually lighten as the dog ages. They will grey just like we will. There are a handful of reasons for changes at this age or, sometimes, younger. If your dog is one that loves daytime romps, the sun could bleach its fur over time. This is natural. Diet and nutrition can affect their coats as well. A lack of vitamins could cause them to shed and matt. You might be allergic to dogs, but your dog could also be allergic to you. Or other things too. If they do have allergies this can affect the color, texture and volume of your puppy's coat. See your vet for best practices about how to assist your dog in these instances. Inherited or communicated diseases can also affect your dog's coat. Again, your trusted vet is best suited to formulate a plan of action for managing the situation. The same goes for grooming your senior pup. Older dogs need to be treated with a bit of finesse. Have that same respect for your dog. Especially those over the age of about ten years or so. If they have arthritis, for example, be aware of those areas on their body. But what happens during the time in between hair care visits? You can even take things step by step and demonstrate how easy it can be. Keep things light. Keep things fun. Shampoo and conditioner of high quality are viable options for special treatment. There are other, less expensive options as well. When they are true puppies, you want to only wash them when they start to smell. What will really help is brushing your puppy on a regular basis. Popping out the brush once a day or every other day is recommended. Brushing their hair less than once a week will almost definitely spell disaster. You can trim things up here and there as well. Where are some trouble spots that will need to be considered when grooming your pup? These might be found at the base of their tail, beneath their ears, and in the area just above their armpits. Don't forget about the back of their haunches and elbows. The best way to learn is with hands-on experience. Ready to get your Goldendoodle today? Have more questions about anything and everything Goldendoodle related? We have the answers , and for all things Doodles, stay tuned to our exciting and educational blog.

german shepherd puppies for sale in - Train your Frenchie here! You should start training your French Bulldog puppy as soon as you get them home. Puppy brains are a lot bigger than we think — they soak up so much good information despite their young age. French Bulldogs can be a rather independent breed of dog. In fact, we sometimes might feel like we need them more than they need us! What age can I start to train my French Bulldog puppy? You can start training your French Bulldog puppy as soon as you get them home. Build positive training experiences with Zigzag! We can start you off with a personalised training programme straight away in the Zigzag puppy training app , in fact, you can even use it before you bring your Frenchie puppy home as we have a pre-puppy section. Before bringing your French Bulldog puppy home, you can also get in touch with our Zigzag puppy experts with any of the many questions you may have! While blingy collars and outfits might be top of the list, there are some more sensible things you need to get your French Bulldog puppy that will help with your training. Here are my top picks for getting prepared for training your Frenchie. My favourite all-rounder is the Rapid Rewards treat pouch , it comes in many colours and looks stylish when on. The Mikki treat pouch is also good and a bit cheaper. You can go to town and choose pretty colours and designs for Frenchies! A lead — Around 2m is a good length for a lead. A training lead is a good idea as you can change the lengths of them to suit. A comfortable mat or a piece of non-slip vet bed. Treats The more smelly, the better. Have a look at the best puppy treats here. Chews and chew toys — lots of them! Our faves for Frenchies are West Paw Toppl and hollow buffalo horns for stuffing food into, and cow ears and pizzles for edible chews. Two identical toys : Excellent for swaps — your French Bulldog puppy will be super playful and enjoy the retrieving games in the Zigzag app. Originally, French Bulldogs were bred from English Bulldogs, who had a shady past as bull-baiting dogs. People enjoyed their cheerful nature and kept them as companion dogs after these awful blood sports were prohibited. When the need for these workers declined in England, their skills were still required in France, so the workers relocated, bringing their dogs with them. Relocate your training to Zigzag! When they arrived in France, they were adored by shopkeepers, butchers, and, most infamously, Les Belles de Nuit — the ladies of the night! What does this have to do with how I train my French Bulldog? Knowing the characteristics of the breed will help you better train your Frenchie puppy and understand why they behave the way they do. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Frenchies are incredibly loving and enjoy being in the spotlight. They can have a lot of energy possibly even more than a lot of energy and enjoy an active home life. Lack of stimulation WILL foster self-employment; provide them with items to rip up and pull apart to keep them out of trouble. By the way, if you leave them to it, they WILL go into your recycling and have a field day. Frenchies often think they are big dogs, thus they often do well playing with dogs larger than them. They look dashing in them too! Please assume all such links are affiliate links which may result in my earning commissions and fees. This will not incur additional cost to you. Keeping French bulldogs is becoming common nowadays, as they are docile, intelligent, well-behaved, and easy to train. You and your dog can easily spend quality time playing and performing different activities. It strengthens your bond with your dog, keeps him motivated, and develops focusing skills. So, yes! You can have a lot of fun time with your Frenchies because they like to play. Also, their smiling face provides mutual pleasure while playing. The well-trained dogs are usually obedient, joyful, well-behaved, and provide an impression of playfulness due to their affectionate and friendly nature. So, you can play any game with them to have a joyful time. How do you know when a dog wants to play? Many French Bulldogs have several habits to show their urge for fun and play. They might hop on the ground, bring things, or rollover. It is a kind of signal to entertain them or play any game. The head is touching the ground while the backside is a bit up in that scenario. They can perform this activity in front of you or other dogs. Bouncing The French bulldogs start bouncing on their feet while making different noises sometimes. It is a gesture to give them a bit of attention and play them a good game like fetch or tug of war. The hoping movement refers to playtime. Bringing Things While having an urge to play, your Frenchie might bring different things like toys and other soft stuff. Handing them over to you also refers to the demand of playing and taking attention. Just spend some quality time during his cute mood. These are some commonly adopted gestures by the French bulldogs. Your dog might behave differently. Just try to understand his requirements behind a move. Basic Rules Of Play French bulldogs are usually easy to train. While teaching him playing, here are some rules to keep in mind to enhance your experience. Start by the easiest and proceed gradually. For example, you can start with fetch play, then after some time, you can train him for puzzles and treasure hunt. After being an expert in these games, you can move towards tug of war and other games. Instead, he may freak out. Decide The Rules at the start While playing, communicate with your dogs in the form of gestures or your specific words and convey to him the rules. Obviously, a new puppy will take some time to understand them. But a trained Frenchie will become used to with them along with time. In the beginning, repeat the rules before every game. Never Hit Your Dog Never ever hit your dog in rage or fury. Becoming furious and hitting will scare him from playing and learning new things. You can slightly pat him on the back and try to communicate your method. Several training techniques differ depending on the type of game. Analyze them properly and train your Frenchie accordingly. They are susceptible to sunlight for a long time range. Indoor games, even more, excite the French bulldogs because of a safer environment. But be careful with hard ends as well to prevent him from any injury. Other than joy, these games will help your dog in improving the focus and quickly analyzing the scenario. Hence it will be a great deal to get multiple benefits from playing. Yes, you can play hide and seek with them differently. On success, reward your Frenchie with some treats. You can also hide and before disappearing, ask your dog to find you. You can also involve any peer for a better experience. What About Treasure Hunt? Then ask him to find the hidden treats. You can get special stylish boxes from any local or online store. The finding moments will be exciting ones. Fetch is the most famous game among the French bulldogs because it involves their primary instinct of chasing. In the beginning, train your dog to chase the ball while throwing at a shorter distance. Make him learn through your gestures. With time, increase the area and praise him on bringing the ball back. You can also get notable toys for enhancing the experience during playing fetch. You can hold a rope from one side, allowing your dog to grasp it from the other side properly. If they want, supervise them to avoid any safety issues. This game will help your Frenchie to understand different directions and continuous moving while playing. Are Puzzles good for Frenchies? Puzzles are a great way to enhance the creativity of your dog. Also, the brain-storming and energy required will serve the purpose of a healthy brain. Another kind includes kibble puzzles, which is a kind of swirling food bowls and will decrease the eating time. You can also create a custom puzzle yourself by using simple hardboard or plastic bottles. If you are interested in purchasing puzzles game for your frenchie, then there is an excellent selection on Amazon with thousands of customer reviews. French bulldogs do like to play with water. But remember that they are unable to swim. For playing purposes, you can provide them with a small tub of water to make some fun. Yes, French bulldogs can play with themselves while alone. Also, they can add other dogs to their games if available. So, that was a bit short description of some games that French bulldogs love to play. You can also search for others to enhance the experience during playtime. The proper safety measures on the appropriate location and time are necessary for spending a joyful time. Here are some pro-tips in this regard. But you need to ensure the following measures during or before playing. The reason is that your dog will consider it acceptable to use teeth while playing. So, be careful. Stop and place anything else in front of him. Your dog may misinterpret in excitement and can bite you. The dog may get confused, and the action turns to be super-exciting that you may not like. It may upset the stomach of your bulldog. Try to choose some soft rubbery toy that your dog is easily chewable, but it should be tough enough to withstand his teeth. You might try to swallow and hurt his trachea. For the location, check the following list before deciding. For outdoors, check for the sharp edges, hard objects, and broken things present in the surroundings and analyze their danger level. Be sure to remove if any hurting element is present. Take special care of water presence because French bulldogs are unable to swim. For indoors, take care of breakable objects and notice the things in the surrounding. Also, take into account that the floor should be slippery to prevent the chance of injury. For a time, you can take into account the mood of your dog. Here are some noticing points in this regard. They start growling, and their famous smile is missing from their face. The ears of your Frenchie may go back, and he may curl his lips, indicating the back-off. Behavior changes and the interest in the game diminish. Wrapping Up Overall, the French bulldogs are very exciting about playing as they love socializing. You can play several games depending on their stamina and mood. Playing fetch and tug of war is the most interesting in this regard because of the curiosity involved. Have an exciting experience while playing with your French bulldog. Disclaimer : FrenchieBuddy. Email 4 Forming a stronger bond with your Frenchie We saved the best and most important reason for last. Playtime with your pup will take your bond and relationship to a whole new level that nothing can replace! If you play with your Frenchie on a daily basis, they will have a strong affection for you. How should you play with your Frenchie? So, if your puppy is bringing the ball or is jumping at you with the clear intention to play, you should simply ignore them and only start playing when they have calmed down. By determining when playtime starts and ends, you secure your status as the leader of the pack, read our article about why that is important. Run away from your pup and let them catch you, you can even let them wrestle you. You could also try the opposite, run after them playfully and try to catch them, they will love it! Using a rope to play tug of war is a good idea too: let them try taking it away from you by pulling it. There are two important rules that you should follow when playing; if you notice any of these signs you should end playtime immediately. One is when your Frenchie is growling at you, and the other is when they bite on your hand so much it hurts. Final thoughts Hopefully it has by now become clear why playtime is essential in the life of your puppy and yours as well. Considering all that, we cannot emphasize enough how important it is to never skip a day playing with your Frenchie! The article is based on the expert knowledge of the TomKings Puppies team who have been breeding French Bulldogs for 10 years on their farm. All the pictures in the post belong to them and their customers, and show puppies from their breed. Check their available French Bulldog puppies , or if you have any questions or comments let us know below the article. Home » Blog » Fun games to train your Frenchie Fun games to train your Frenchie Your Frenchie obviously needs you to feed him and give him shelter, but much more than that. Your Frenchie needs your love, attention, entertainment, and he or she can also give you back much more if you are both involved. Training your French Bulldog is important as well as playing with him or her, but these two can go hand in hand with some of the below games. Subscribe to our weekly blog newsletter: Subscribe to our blog newsletter! Find some paper cups, boxes, bags and hide treats under some of them. Ask your puppy to find the treats, and you will see how much fun you will both have. You can also buy these toys from online and local stores. These usually include a few compartments or boxes and you can hide treats in some of them. Or there is a ball in a maze and your Frenchie has to chase the ball out of the maze and as a reward he or she can have the treat from the box. Train your Frenchie: Hide and seek A golden oldie that has several versions. Move a bit farther and farther while your Frenchie still stays sitting. Then repeat it. You can combine it with involving one more person and ask your Frenchie to find your friend or an other family member. First, the person can stay within the sight of the dog, but as the dog is more used to it, the person should hide in the house, or behind a tree. This is huge fun and also a very good way of teaching them several important and everyday commands. Ultimate Guide. Pin1 1 Shares Owning a Frenchie is a whole lot of fun. If you have kids, then they will become their playmate. Do French Bulldogs like to play? Yes, they do, and a lot! Frenchies love to play and will be content with a chew toy, playfighting with a human, fetching sticks and balls, or with other dogs. In fact, Frenchies love form of play as their personality desires constant attention and stimulation. You can also see a section near the bottom which explains what signs to look out for that could signal rough or aggressive play and when to be worried. Watch the video below to see various examples of how they play. Do French Bulldogs like to play rough? However, as a generalisation, Frenchies are non-aggressive and playful. When our Claude was a puppy, I would play rough with him, particularly with my hands. This was great fun for both of us but created issues as he got older. He used to see hands as being fair game, so I had re-train him not to play rough. You can see the full instructions on how to stop biting in this training guide in your French Bulldog is playing too rough. Frenchie puppies are particularly playful and can make a game out of just about anything. Do French Bulldogs play fetch? He will play this game until he is completely worn out. I would say this though; Claude never gives us the ball or stick back. He will run after it, pick it up, and then run towards us. Did You Know? When we tested how fast a Frenchie could run, we used a stick throw to get him up to his top speed of 17 miles per hour. You can our experiment in the video below. Do French Bulldogs like playfighting? Frenchies love to playfight with their owners, kids, and other dogs; at least in our experience they do. Claude loves nothing more than to roll around on the floor playfighting and wrestling with us. He can get over-excited though, so we will often need to bring the Frenchie playfighting game to a quick stop if he gets too boisterous or out of breath. This can be quite risky in the summer time and in hot climates. Read our guide to how to cope with overheating. Do French Bulldogs play with themselves? Our French Bulldog plays by himself a lot of the time, being entertained with a ball or toy. You can see which Frenchie toys we have for Claude in our recommended gear section. Whilst Frenchies can play with themselves, they much prefer to play with a buddy or human. Frenchies love playing with the whole family French Bulldogs like to play with everyone; kids, adults, other dogs, adults, and even inanimate objects such as toys, flowerpots, and anything else they can get their paws on! Claude has become a playmate and companion for our 6-year-old son and provides hours of entertainment each and every day. How do French Bulldogs play with each other? We sometimes have another Frenchie come over for playdates. Her and Claude will play with each other all day. She is still a puppy so has far more energy than Claude, so we will have to separate them after a while as he can get too tired and a bit irritable. Frenchies can play very well together but they will soon get tired out and may need separating. That might not be the case with your Frenchie though, as some can be territorial as I will discuss in the next section. How well do French Bulldogs play with other dogs? French Bulldogs can play very well with other dogs, but it is completely down to individual temperament. Frenchies are not an aggressive breed but some can be territorial towards other dogs. We personally have no issues in this department. Claude loves playing with other dogs and gets really excited when we go to the local dog park. Can French Bulldogs play dead? What do French Bulldogs like to play with? Frenchies like to play with virtually anything. For one weekend, a flowerpot in our garden was his most favorite thing in the world. If you would like to see some actual toys that French Bulldogs like to play with, please check out our recommended toys and fun things section. One of our top recommendations in there is a bomber ball to play with. We bought this for Claude after one summer where he was going through a soccer ball every week. Signs your Frenchie wants to play nice Frenchies are affable little creatures who love to play. Here are some signs that your Frenchie wants to play with another dog or human being. You will see them doing this with you and other dogs. Growling and bouncing: Frenchies will make exaggerated growling sounds whilst hopping and bouncing from foot to foot — this means game on and playtime! Rolling on their backs: this is another submissive gesture Frenchies will make in front of other dogs and people. By making themselves completely vulnerable it shows they want to play and offer no threat. Frenchies love to play with their toys and will often bring one to you and push it up against your legs to initiate a playfight, fetch, or tug of war game. If you know of any more please comment on one of our YouTube videos to tell us more! Signs that play has become aggressive and too rough There are some signs that will warn you that the game is over, and play has become aggressive. Mouth closed with a low warning growl: the growl is like a low rumble and is combined with a lack of smile that Frenchies are so famous for. Ears go back and lips curled: when combined with snarling this is a sure-fire sign that your Frenchie no longer wants to play and is warning others to back off. However, owning a dog is a huge commitment and there are other aspects to this breed you should be aware of before you take the plunge. Here are some guides that will help you with the decision-making process. They are known for their affection and love. This is at your discretion, but again, an owner playing with a French Bulldog will likely not turn into an aggressive experience. When playing, avoid lying down on the ground with your pup. This can confuse your Frenchie as it makes you seem small, and he may think he is now the alpha dog. In addition, your face is within reach of his teeth, and if your dog gets too excited, things could go wrong. Make sure you stay taller than your Frenchie while playing. Pay attention to stress indicators in your Frenchie when playing. This could mean that they are uncomfortable for one of several reasons uncertainty of the game, of what you are doing, etc. Stop playing immediately if your Frenchie uses his teeth, and provide it with a toy so your dog is aware that teeth play is for toys only. It also never hurts to discuss key points from this article with your small child to ensure their safety too. For French bulldogs who cannot run off-leash, or if you have no area to do this, playtime inside or leash walks are best. Even if you have a long leash, your dog can easily injure itself when playing on the leash. For example, if their leash is connected to a collar, their neck can be seriously injured if they are jerking their neck around trying to play with a toy or ball. Where to Play With Your French Bulldog Rather indoors or outside, the environment in which you play should be carefully considered. A smart move would be to observe possible play areas before having your pup join you. When looking for a play area outside, there are several things to take notice of. Do realize you may need to play farther than you think you should from roads and other traffic. Danger can happen quicker than you may realize. A spot that appears safe may have some hard-to-spot issues so do check them out prior to playtime, if possible. Choose activities and locations carefully if you play with your French bulldog indoors. Playing with a French Bulldog on slippery, hard surfaces can go wrong. Do not let your pup get too wild during throwing or pulling games while on a hard surface, such as laminate. There is a high chance that your pup will slide and slip around, causing joint damage. Of course, be aware of fragile items like windows, hard objects, and sharp edges when playing indoors. Be sure to avoid playing near open fire and hot water. Overall, indoor play is safe when aware of the environment. When to Play The most important thing when it comes to when to play is not to let your Frenchie participate in intensive play one hour before or two hours after eating. Doing this can sustain a stomach torsion stomach tilt in your dog, which can be life-threatening. Another rule of thumb is to avoid much activity right before bed. Physical Play Activities Physically playing with a French Bulldog provides an opportunity for them to release energy. Games with ample activity are good for stamina, too. Physical play can also lead to good coordination. Be sure to take into account any limitations of your French Bulldog, such as age, physique, and illnesses, to avoid injury and other issues. If you are unsure of how much physical play is best for your Frenchie, consult your vet. Fetch As we know, fetch is a fan favorite! In this game, your Frenchie can indulge in its natural behavior, chasing after prey. It is also a form of cooperation. If you want to teach this game to your French bulldog, having treats handy always helps. Then, teach it to bring the ball to you that you lie or throw down nearby. This way, the dog learns what the end goal of the game is. Always praise and give treats immediately when your dog cooperates. Over time, throw the ball further and further. If your Frenchie gives you the ball, throw it again without waiting. If your dog does come but does not want to let go of the toy, you can initially use two toys keeping one on you. As soon as your dog with the first toy is near you, show the second toy with the goal of having them drop the one they have. As soon as the dog lets go of his toy, you immediately throw the second toy. Never try to pull the toy out of his mouth. If he refuses to let it go, not to worry. Practice makes perfect. Playing fetch is always fun and allows your dog to get energy out and connect with you. A ball bounces in all directions, so your dog must run, brake, and turn quickly. Continuous braking and turning can cause the joint parts to collide, which can cause damage to the joint and cause scar tissue and osteoarthritis. It can cause or worsen conditions such as hip dysplasia. You can play a mini version of fetch with your puppy where you throw a smaller toy close by instead of having them chase a ball and run it back to you. When playing fetch, make sure that you keep control. Your French bulldog must learn that he no longer has to insist for example, by barking at you if you say that the game is over. This is how you determine the end of the game. Tug of War Playing tug of war with a rope, an old rag, or other toys is another popular physical activity to play with your pup. While holding one end of the rope, or another toy, indicate to your pup that they can grab the other end. You want them to learn to play properly so that they do not attempt to pull it out of your hand at any given time when you are carrying it somewhere. It must be clear to the dog that it is a game. As soon as you start teaching the game, make sure you are always using toys that are long enough that where they bite down is not close to the other end where your hand is. Praise and give treats when they comply. While playing tug of war, occasionally ask the dog to let go of the object using a dedicated command, and if he does it properly, provide praise or reward and continue to play. This is also a good exercise for your Frenchie to continue to pay attention to your directions, despite the excitement of the game. While your human children will likely want to play, too, playing tug of war is not suitable for children. Do not move the toy up and down in a wild manner but rather only back and forth so as not to damage your Frenchies spine. Do not play tug of war if your dog has neck or back problems. Use a sturdy toy made of soft material dog rope, a rag, or sturdy rubber that is large enough to hold both your hand and their teeth securely. Do not use toys with hard edges or toys that break quickly. Again, do your research when choosing toys. Make sure the game remains fun and do not make a competition of it. Dog Sports Playing with a French Bulldog can also entail participating in sports. A couple of mentionable dog sports for Frenchies are: Obedience: This includes commands like sit, stand, come, jump, and shake. You can use treats and a specific word to teach these. Agility: Another form of obedience is agility. This is where your dog will participate in a fast-paced sport that works their minds and bodies. Healthy minds and bodies equal healthy pups! An agility course consists of varying obstacles. Again, dog sports can have excellent outcomes for your pup but do know that more playing with a French Bulldog and fewer sports training allows them to play freely as they deserve. Breathing problems in Frenchies can be read more about here. Brain Games Puzzles, search games, and detective games can create quite an entertaining time for you and your Frenchie. Dogs are so intelligent, so they truly need to be given ample opportunity to think and use their brains. Like with other activities, brain work allows your dog to let go of energy because their concentration to solve puzzles and search games requires a lot of energy. An advantage to brain games is that brain work is able to be done by any dog: no matter their age, disabilities, etc. It is also feasible for every owner to do brain games with their dog because, in many cases, it does not physically demand that much from you. Puzzles There are all kinds of interactive puzzles with varying challenges and ability levels for dogs. The opportunities are actually quite endless. There are also options for treat puzzles and mealtime puzzles to take up extra time, do more work, and have extra fun. Below are a couple of puzzle options for your furry friend. Non-Treat Puzzle.


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german shepherd puppies for sale in - Dog domestic dog The Labrador Retriever, or simply Labrador, is a British breed of retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from fishing dogs imported from the colony of Newfoundland now a province of Canada , and was named after the Labrador region of that colony. It is among the most commonly kept dogs in several countries, particularly in the European world. The Labrador is friendly, energetic, and playful. It may also be trained as a guide or assistance dog , or for rescue or therapy work. Another early advocate of these Newfoundland fishing dogs was the 2nd Earl of Malmesbury , who bred them for their expertise in waterfowling. The dogs Buccleuch Avon and Buccleuch Ned, given by Malmesbury to Buccleuch, were mated with bitches carrying blood from those originally imported by the 5th Duke and the 10th Earl of Home. The offspring are the ancestors of all modern Labradors. John's water dogs bred by European settlers in Newfoundland were first introduced to Britain from ships trading between Canada and Poole in Dorset. These were then bred with British hunting dogs to create what became known as the Labrador Retriever. Early writers have confused the Labrador with the much larger Newfoundland and the Lesser Newfoundland , with Charles St. John even referring to the Lesser Newfoundland as the Newfoundland. Colonel Peter Hawker describes the first Labrador as being not larger than an English Pointer , more often black than other colours, long in its head and nose with a deep chest, fine legs, and short and smooth coat, and did not carry its tail as highly as the Newfoundland. John's breed of these dogs [6] [7] in the fifth edition of his book Introductions to Young Sportsman, published in .Black Chocolate There is a great deal of variety among Labradors. The following characteristics are typical of the conformation show bred bench-bred lines of this breed in the United States and are based on the American Kennel Club standard. Size: Labradors are a medium-large breed. They should be as long from the withers to the base of the tail as they are from the floor to the withers. The AKC standard includes an ideal weight for dogs of 25—36 kg 55—80 lb and for bitches as 25—32 kg 55—70 lb. The coat is water-resistant, so the dog does not get cold when taking to the water in the winter. That means that the dog naturally has a slightly dry, oily coat. Acceptable colours are black, yellow, and chocolate. The eyes should be kind and expressive. Appropriate eye colours are brown and hazel. The lining around the eyes should be black. The ears should hang close to the head and be set slightly above the eyes. Jaws: The jaws should be strong and powerful. The muzzle should be of medium length and should not be too tapered. The jaws should hang slightly and curve gracefully back. Body: The body should have a powerful and muscular build. The tail and coat are designated "distinctive [or distinguishing] features" of the Labrador by both the Kennel Club and AKC. If a dog carried wild type alleles at all three loci, the dog will have a yellow coat. If a dog has a loss-of-function mutation at MC1R, it will also have a yellow coat, regardless of their genotype at the other two loci. Within the breed, this trait is not visible. Show and field lines[ edit ] Head and muzzle appearance: field left , and show right , showing the shorter muzzle length, more solid appearance head, and "pronounced" stop of the latter As a result of specialised breeding, there are significant differences between field and trial-bred and show-bred lines of Labradors. In the United States, the former are sometimes mistakenly referred to as "American" and the latter as "English", in fact, both field and show types are bred in both countries and all Labrador Retrievers are descended from British lines. In this experiment, German Shepherds had the highest chance of not completing it. However, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers had a higher success rate after going through longer training than the training required for Labrador Retrievers. For retrieving the Labrador Retriever has a soft mouth , a trait that allows it to carry game and waterfowl without damaging it. It continues in that role today, along with the Leonberger , Newfoundland and Golden Retriever dogs; they are used at the Italian School of Canine Lifeguard. During the Vietnam War they were used as scout dogs to track down dead or wounded soldiers or enemy positions. Notable issues related to health and well-being include inherited disorders and obesity most are missing all or parts of the appetite-regulating POMC gene. As of , it was widely considered the most popular breed in the world. Both parents come from a 5-generation pedigree. Mother is IKC registered. Grandparents and great grandparents are field trial champions. Father is a strong, chunky Labrador with an excellent breeding background, he was never registered but both grandparents were IKC reg. Both mother and father are cherished family pets, live together and can be seen. Parents are gentle natured, excellent with kids and have great personalities. Owners are vets themselves. This is our first and last litter as we are not breeders. We wanted to keep a line from both parents which was the motivation to have a litter. Our beautiful puppies are happy, healthy, and very confident. They have a fantastic temperament. Pups have been raised in our family home ensuring they have been well socialised with kids and other animals such as cats. These confident puppies are extremely intelligent and will be easy to train! They are already semi-toilet trained and have great re-call. Puppies are very affectionate and loved by all the family hence we are only looking for suitable home as a family pet or loyal companion. All pups are - Vet health checked - Vaccinated - Microchipped - Wormed at 2,4,6 and 8 weeks - Treated for fleas and mites. Pups will be ready to go to their forever homes from September 17th. For more information or to arrange to view the puppies please call or email me on or megandoherty00 gmail. If I do not answer please leave a message and I will get back to you. Thank you! Labrador Retriever Gun Dog Group The goals and purposes of this breed standard include: to furnish guidelines for breeders who wish to maintain the quality of their breed and to improve it; to advance this breed to a state of similarity throughout the world; and to act as a guide for judges. Breeders and judges have the responsibility to avoid any conditions or exaggerations that are detrimental to the health, welfare, essence and soundness of this breed, and must take the responsibility to see that these are not perpetuated. History The ancestor of the Labrador Retriever was the St. These dogs were brought to England, probably on fishing boats. Originally black in color, the first recorded yellow Labrador appeared in a litter born in .Chocolates were also recorded at about the same time, but never achieved the same level of popularity as the blacks and yellows. Originally bred to retrieve from water, the modern Labrador Retriever has proven to be one of the most versatile breeds, excelling in hunt tests and field trials, in obedience and agility events, and also as service dogs. General Appearance The Labrador Retriever is a medium-sized, short-coupled, powerfully-built dog with a short, dense, water-resistant coat; small, drop ears; and a short, thick otter-like tail carried level with the back or with a slight upward curve. The length of body is equal to or only slightly longer than the height at the withers, and the distance from the elbows to the ground is equal to one-half the height at the withers. Balance, outline, intelligence, temperament and movement are of overriding importance. The Labrador Retriever is a breed of moderation, thoroughly sound, and willing and able to do its work. The Labrador Retriever is a dog without exaggeration, so light, weedy dogs; long, low-stationed dogs; and cloddy, lumbering dogs are to be equally penalized. Working dogs are not to be penalized under any conditions for scars or blemishes that are due to hunting injuries. Disqualifications: Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Characteristics The Labrador Retriever is an enthusiastic hunter with a good nose and a soft mouth. They excel in all performance activities. Another essential characteristic of the Labrador Retriever is the short, dense, double coat that protects the dog when retrieving from water. Labrador Retrievers are noted for their excellent temperaments. This breed is friendly, outgoing and eager to please. They are extremely intelligent and easily trained to perform a variety of complex tasks. Serious Fault: Any evidence of shyness in a mature dog. Disqualification: Viciousness or extreme shyness. Aggressiveness toward humans or other dogs. Head The head is proportionate to the size of the dog, clean-cut, and without exaggeration of any sort. When viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are approximately equal in length, and joined by a moderate stop that is defined, in part, by the moderately well-defined supraorbital arches over the eyes. Faults: Wedge-shaped head; long, narrow head; massive, cheeky head. There may be a slight median furrow between the eyes at the forehead, and the occipital bone is not conspicuous. Cheeks are clean. The bridge of the muzzle is straight and on a parallel plane with the top line of the skull. Viewed from the top or the side, the muzzle is slightly deeper and wider at the stop than at the tip. Lips fall away in a curve toward the throat, and are neither pendulous nor squared off. Removal of whiskers is permitted but not preferred. Faults: Snipey muzzle; muzzle too long and narrow or too short and stubby. Level bite is acceptable, but not preferred. Faults: Missing premolars. Serious Faults: Undershot or overshot bite, misaligned teeth, missing molars. NOSE The nose leather is black on black and yellow dogs, and liver on chocolate dogs. A slight fading of nose pigment is not a fault. Nostrils must be large and open. Disqualification: Nose completely unpigmented. EYES The eyes are medium sized and somewhat triangular in appearance, but never so much as to give a hard expression. Eye color is brown in black and yellow dogs, and brown or hazel in chocolates. Eyelids are close fitting, and eye rims match nose pigment. Expression is kindly and intelligent. Faults: Yellow eyes; eyes too dark; eyes too small or too round and prominent; eyes set too close together; eyes protruding or too deep set; any feature that detracts from the correct Labrador expression. Disqualification: Absence of pigmentation in eye rims. EARS The ears are drop, triangular in shape, and rather short, with the front edges attached well behind and just above the eyes. When pulled forward, the tip of the ear should just cover the eye. The ear leather is pliable. When alert, the ears are drawn up and forward, with the inner edges of the ears close to the cheeks. Faults: Large ears; heavy ear leather. Neck The neck is of sufficient length to allow the dog to carry retrieved game with ease, and powerful, but not throaty. The neck is clean and blends smoothly into well laid back shoulders. Faults: Neck too short and thick; ewe neck. Forequarters Shoulders are smoothly muscled. The shoulder blades are long and well laid back with the upper tips fairly close together at the withers. The upper arm appears to be equal in length to the shoulder blade and joins it at an apparent right angle. The elbows are close to the body and set directly under the withers. The forelegs are straight, strong and sturdy in bone, with strong, short, slightly sloping pasterns. Faults: Too much or too little bone. Serious Fault: Legs too short and heavy boned. Whether the dog is standing or moving, the line of the back is strong and level from the withers to the slightly sloping croup. The loin is short, muscular and deep, with little or no tuck-up in a mature dog. The ribs extend well back and are well sprung out from the spine, forming a broad, strong back, then curving down and inward to form a deep body. The brisket extends to the elbow. Viewed from the front, the chest between the forelegs is well filled and of moderate width to allow for efficient movement and stamina. Viewed from the side, the forechest is well developed but not exaggerated. Faults: Slab sided or barrel ribbed; chest too narrow or too wide. Hindquarters The hindquarters are broad and muscular. In profile, the croup slopes slightly. The angulation of the hindquarters is in balance with the angulation of the forequarters. The stifles are well bent, and the hocks are well let down. When the dog is standing, the rear toes are just slightly behind the point of buttocks. Viewed from the side, the short, strong rear pasterns are perpendicular to the ground and, viewed from the rear, parallel to one another. Faults: Cow hocks; spread hocks; sickle hocks; over-angulation causing a sloping topline. Feet Good feet are essential for a working retriever. The feet are of medium size, round and compact with well-arched toes and thick, elastic pads. Dewclaws may be removed, but is not mandatory. Faults: Splayed feet; hare feet; knuckling over; feet turning in or out. Tail The tail is a distinctive feature of the breed. It is a natural extension of the topline, very thick and muscular at the base and tapering to the tip. A tail of the correct length extends no longer than the hock. The tail is covered with the same thick, dense coat as the body, but never feathered. When the dog is relaxed, the tail hangs down naturally. When the dog is moving or alert, the tail may be carried level with the back or only slightly above level. The tail should never curl over the back or be carried between the legs. Dogs with docked or altered tails resulting from working injuries are not to be penalized. Serious faults: Tail extremely short or thin. Coat The Labrador Retriever has a short, dense, water-repellent double coat. The outer coat lies close to the body and is straight, although a slight wave down the back is permissible. The coat texture is firm and resilient, neither coarse nor silky. Undercoat is soft and dense. Serious faults: Woolly coat; soft, silky coat; sparse coat; absence of undercoat. Color Color may be solid black, any solid shade of yellow from red to pale cream, or any solid shade of chocolate. Yellow dogs may have variations in shading on the ears, back and underside of the dog. A small white spot on the chest is permissible but not preferred. White hairs from aging or scarring should not be penalized. Disqualifications: Any color or combination of colors other than described above; albinism. A correctly built Labrador Retriever male in working condition should weigh between 65 and 80 pounds and a female should weigh between 55 and 70 pounds. Fault: One-half inch or greater over or under the standard height at maturity. Gait When trotting, the gait is effortless, smooth, powerful and well coordinated, showing good but not exaggerated reach in front and drive behind. The topline remains level with only a slight flexing to indicate suppleness. Viewed from any position, legs turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross or interfere with each other. As speed increases, feet tend to converge toward center line of balance. It is recommended that dogs be shown on a loose lead and moved at a moderate speed to reflect true gait. Disqualifications A dog with a Disqualification must not be considered for placement in a conformation event, and must be reported to UKC. Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Nose completely unpigmented. Absence of pigmentation in eye rims. Nervous puppies or adult dogs Not all Labrador breeders will be equal, and in fact some will be far, far better than others. Breeding Labradors is a big responsibility, and anyone taking it on should be well equipped to bring up the healthiest, best tempered pups possible. Because good breeders go to great lengths to ensure that their puppies have healthy genes and a great start in life. Dog Breeders To Avoid There are some amazing Labrador breeders out there, but there are some pretty terrible ones too. A bad Labrador breeder might appear above board in a number of ways, but fall down on one or more of the above points. I highly recommend that you read this list before you visit, and again afterwards. I have on several occasions walked away from bad breeders based on gut instinct alone, only to realise what was bothering me when I reflected upon the situation at home later. Although this was very upsetting at the time, I am incredibly thankful now that I did walk away and take the time to find the right breeder for my new puppy. Signs Of A Bad Dog Breeder A bad dog breeder is not necessarily a bad person, a puppy farmer or lacking in good intensions. It can be tricky to spot a bad Labrador breeder, especially when you are excited about getting a new puppy and reluctant to wait. But finding the right breeder will set you off on a journey of joy with your new friend, and help you get away from some horrible avoidable problems. If you spot any of the following signs of a bad dog breeder, then you may want to consider politely moving on to the next on your list. They should show an interest in who you are, your experience with dogs and Labradors in particular. They should want to be reassured that you are going to be the best possible person to look after one of their puppies. A lack of interest in anything beyond whether you are able to pay is a bad sign. When they say they are unable to scan them in to the computer, then you may have to trust that they will be on site when you visit. They will either be worked, compete in agility, obedience or be shown in the ring. They should be a loved and valued member of the family, or sporting team. No dog should be kept for her breeding value alone. Some very good breeders will have a couple of litters a year from, but in general multiple sets of puppies should set alarm bells ringing. Good breeders will never sell their puppies to pet stores, they want to meet the potential owners. The Breeder Has Many Dogs Of Different Breeds Some good breeders will have dogs of different breeders, but they will always fall within a set and understandable category. Dog breeders to avoid are those with various breeds that have no relation to each other in terms of sporting interests. If your breeder has various female dogs from different breed categories, you need to ask yourself why. A bad breeder will not simply tell you that you cannot see her, they will concoct a viable lie. On rare occasions these excuses may be true, but as a buyer you simply cannot run the risk that the breeder is actually a puppy farmer who has never even met the mother, or that the mother has been kept away due to problems with poor health or aggression. The Puppies Are Unclean Dog breeders to avoid will often have mucky puppies. All puppies will get messy occasionally, but a puppy living in urine or faeces will smell strongly and look dirty. This is a sign that the breeder either does not understand puppies at all, or that they are negligent in their care. Either way, they are not the breeder for you. If your breeder is keeping the litter in a confined space where they cannot stretch their legs, if the puppies are cold or if they live in darkness, then the breeder is not taking proper care of them. The pups will be less likely to grow up to be well socialised, healthy and confident dogs. If they ask to meet you in a public place, then walk away as they have something to hide. Again they will give you excuses that could be believable, but it is simply not worth the risk of endorsing a puppy farm, which is the most likely reason for avoiding you visiting their premises. If you visit the puppies and they are living in a barren space, with no soft bedding, then this is a sign of a bad breeder who does not understand or does not care about their need for interaction, play and comfort. A good breeder knows how much food their puppies need. Underweight puppies could be suffering from an illness or simply not being given enough food. Overweight puppies are unhealthy too. They are more likely to suffer from joint problems and rapid growth, and a good breeder would be aware of this fact and not put the puppies in the position of becoming over weight. A bad breeder will avoid questions about the stud dog, what his purpose is and where he lives. You should have the option of going to visit the stud dog as well, if you choose to do so. This is a sign that the dog is lacking in training and in bond with the breeder, who may only be using her for her ability to produce puppies and not giving her a fulfilling active life. Vet care is a vital part of dog ownership, and a breeder should have a good relationship with their local veterinarian. They may well give you excuses such as, the mother is fed up with them or they are weaned, but these are not relevant factors. Puppies need their mothers and littermates for much more than feeding. The Breeder Encourages You To Take Two Puppies A good breeder understands that most people are not equipped or prepared to take on the responsibility of two Labrador puppies at once. A bad Labrador breeder who simply wants to make money and sell puppies will encourage you to bring home two dogs, because it is financially easier for them to make a double sale. You want a Labrador breeder who understands what makes the Labrador breed so great, and wants to reflect this in their puppies. Unusual dogs are of course interesting, but they might be lacking in the qualities that you are looking for. Health and temperament should be the primary considerations when making your decision. The mother of the puppies should be clearly bonded to her owner. She should want to be near her, listen when she is spoken to and seem relaxed and happy in her company. If she is not then she either is has either been lacking in attention and training, or she does not have the typical Labrador personality that you want to be passed on to her offspring. If they are not, then you have no way of telling whether this is true. Understanding their exercise, dietary, training and care requirements extensively. If the breeder seems unsure of any aspect of Labrador care or life with Labradors, then they may not be sufficiently knowledgable to produce healthy happy puppies and home them accordingly. A reluctance to do so suggests that they are keeping a disappointing element hidden, or that they are not interested in their puppies once they are homed. When you sit down amongst them they should pile into your lap, tug your clothes and lick your hands. If the puppies seem shy or reserved they may be unwell, or not have been properly socialised. The Breeder Lacks Knowledge Of The Dogs In The Pedigree A good breeder choses her dogs carefully, picks matings based on a wealth of knowledge of the breed and knows other dogs relevant to her own. They should be able to pick several names out of the pedigree and give you some background on the dogs that they relate to, and what you can expect in terms of temperament and breeding. Coefficient of Inbreeding or COI is a measure of how related a pair of dogs are. A bad breeder will mate two dogs with similar pedigrees, without having an interest for the impact this will have on future generations of the breed and their health. Labradors have lovely personalities in general, so there is no excuse for breeding from a nervous or grumpy dog. So it is in your interests to happy, friendly Labrador parents. A breeder who only remarks upon the convenience of the stud dog, is not taking the time to make the right decision for the puppies. A bad breeder is not interested in who homes her puppies, just that they hand over the cash and take them off her hands. If when you speak to the breeder they let you know that puppies will be sold on a first come first served basis, this is a real warning sign that all is not as it should be. Even a busy kennels who use their Labradors for working, will often have a couple of old dogs resting by the hearth in the house. A bad breeder will sell every single dog who either does not produce enough puppies or is past her prime, and will never keep a dog on for sentimental reasons. It enables you to see that they are all a similar size, and in great health. Dog breeders to avoid will hide the remainder of the litter if there is a problem with any of them, or if one or more of the puppies is displaying concerning signs. Allowing you to seeing the conditions that they are being raised in. A bad breeder could keep the puppies living conditions a secret for any number of reasons, including poor facilities or because there are numerous other litters in the same area also for sale. They should be happy for you to see everywhere that the puppy has been kept, and to make your own judgement on the conditions. A bad Labrador breeder, who says that they dogs are owned by another party who is unavailable at the moment, is one to be regarded with nothing but suspicion. Good breeders want to meet and get to know all of their potential puppy parents, and will not miss out on this opportunity by employing an agent to make the sale. They will have another role in their life, whether that is in a related field such as dog training or some other area of work. If the breeder clearly makes their living through puppies alone, then they are unlikely to be able to give the care and attention that raising each litter requires nor make sound decisions about the homes they send their puppies to. A bad breeder will only feed them the bare minimum quantity and quality required to keep them looking fit for sale. Ask the breeder what the puppies are fed on and why. It should be a good quality food, appropriate for Labradors and for puppies. Bad breeders will use the cheapest option and may given inappropriate food such as adult kibble to young dogs. Any downgrading of the importance of socialisation to a growing puppy is a real warning sign of a lack of canine knowledge. The Breeder Does Not Offer After Care A good breeder will let you know that you can contact them with any questions, and that they will be happy to take the puppy back at any point in their lifetime if your circumstances change. They should encourage you to get in touch if you have any worries. A bad breeder will see the exchanging of money and homing of the puppy as the end of your relationship. They will invite you to email them photos or friend them on Facebook.