goldendoodle puppies in iowa

Also called the Bernese Mountain Poo, Bernesepoo, Bernesedoodle, and Bernepoo, the Bernedoodle hybid mixes the happy-go-lucky temperament of the Bernese Mountain Dog with the intelligence of its Poodle parents. Mini Bernedoodles are happiest when they're spending time with their families, children included. They are willing participants in playtime and cuddle fests alike. Fans of the breed adore their friendliness, playfulness, intelligence, and affection. They are fairly adaptable and go with the flow. If you need a dog for the whole family, or if you're a single owner looking for a lovable, smart mixed-breed with good health that will put a smile on your face with their antics, you won't be able to find a much better choice than the Miniature Bernedoodle. They do well with children and other animals, and are happiest as part of a family. They love spending time with their human family and should not be left alone for long periods. They can be wary of strangers, but early training can help their socialization. Toy and mini Bernedoodles can be more energetic and stubborn than the standard version, but you will find them relatively easy to train because of that Poodle intelligence. Their skull is moderately round with flat cheekbones and a long, straight muzzle with a scissor bite. Their eyes are dark, oval, and set far enough apart to make their facial expressions appear alert and intelligent. Ears have wide and thick ear leather and hang close to the head, at or just below eye level. Coats can be curly, dense, and highly textured, or corded, hanging in tight even cords of varying lengths. The coat is tricolor with black as the base and markings in rich rust and clear white. The tail will vary in length, but it is bushy and carried high. Exercise Medium Activity Bernedoodles are moderately active and will love daily walks. They enjoy playing fetch and spending time with you. This breed tends to wander and hunt, so a fenced-in yard is important. They can adapt to urban or rural settings provided there is time and space for daily exercise. This breed requires a lot of human interaction, so leaving him alone outside for long periods will not work for the Bernedoodle. We recommend at least an hour of exercise every day. They will do well with time to fetch, run, and learn new tricks. Breed Title Mini Bernedoodle Temperament While Mini Bernedoodles are famous for their high energy and willingness to go on adventures with their owners, they make extremely versatile pets. If you adopt one of our Mini Bernedoodle puppies for sale, be prepared for a loyal companion — with moderate exercise needs — who will want to follow you around wherever you may go! Ideal for families, the Mini Bernedoodle develops particularly strong bonds with small children. Known for its loving and protective nature, our Mini Bernedoodle puppies for sale will quickly develop a lifelong bond with your child — filled with hours of play and adventures. Mini Bernedoodle Health Considerations When it comes to health, the Mini Bernedoodle breed is robust and enjoys relatively high longevity — with an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years. However, like all dog breeds, your Mini Bernedoodle puppy has its own unique health considerations to keep in mind prior to adoption. At Keystone Puppies , we take care to breed dogs with the highest standards of ethical integrity—free of common congenital defects. To learn more, read about the Keystone Puppies Health Guarantee! Dogs with straighter coats may trigger allergies. One of the most popular features of our Mini Bernedoodle puppies for sale is the curly coil they inherit from their Poodle parent. Hypoallergenic , these dogs are ideal for owners with allergies who may not be able to tolerate a purebred Bernese Mountain Dog. While you should brush your Mini Bernedoodle puppy at least two to three times a week—to ensure fur its coat stays healthy, shiny and unmatted— it is not recommended that you bathe your pup more than once a month, as the soap strips away vital natural oils that keep skin healthy and moisturized. All our Mini Bernedoodles for sale come in a variety of coat color combinations including black and brown, black and white, white and brown and all black. Meet Mini Bernedoodle Puppies for Sale. The miniature bernedoodle may also vary in color and coat with the mini or toy poodle daddy being credited with the majority of these specific conformations. Miniature Bernedoodle Size Depending on the breeder, there is a great size range in the mini-bernedoodles. Some breeders use miniature poodles, other toy poodles, to obtain the smaller body size. Mini bernedoodles can range anywhere from 15 pounds to 40 pounds depending on the dogs used for breeding. HC Bernedoodles specializes in these special mini-bernedoodle puppies. Though it's important to note, size of the puppy is often not known until after birth. We've had a 7 pound toy produce a 50 pound as an adult offspring. First, and possibly the most popular is the traditional black tri color which consists of black, white and tan or rust colors and will strongly resemble the Bernese mountain dog's colors. Then there,s the sable tri color which will consist of any sable color, tan and white markings and is considered to be more of a speciality color. Sable is a color that will generally carry a fading gene and will lighten in color as they age. We also have the bi colors which are most generally black with the white Bernese markings. You may encounter a solid color mini bernedoodle as well and they will generally consist of a solid black with a few small white markings that will generally disappear as they mature in size. At HC Bernedoodles we avoid breeding solid colors due to being the least appealing look in the Bernedoodle. We may see a more wavey coat in some vs. While the wavey coat may be more appealing in appearance, the curly coat is more suitable for allergy sufferers due to generally being less shedding than the wavey coat. It is difficult to predict these coats as young puppies due to observing a puppy coat vs. Miniature Bernedoodle Temperament The miniature bernedoodle may be more active than the larger Bernedoodle breeds due to the toy or miniature poodle being more of an active breed. They are a highly recommended family dog breed and are tremendous with children due to carrying the genes of the affectionate, loving Bernese mountain dog. While intelligence simplifies training in the mini bernedoodle it can work in a negative sense as well. If training is neglected you may see bad habits develop earlier than in breeds that may not be known to be as intelligent. Therefore it is highly recommended to start training at an early age and be consistent in training exercises. Health Health is possibly the greatest attribute in the F1 mini bernedoodle. Being a smaller size hybrid cross they are the least likely to inherit congenital health problems, with the likelihood of hip or elbow dysplasia being greatly reduced due to the much smaller size. Exercise The miniature bernedoodle requires a moderate amount of exercise. Daily exercise is generally sufficient. If you would like to be notified, please contact us and we will notify you when our Mini Bernedoodles become available. Mini Bernedoodles Past Litters. Life Span Did You Know? They tend to be affectionate and loving dogs that make great family pets. They are even known to make great therapy dogs! Although they are not recognized by the American Kennel Club, they are recognized by other canine registries. One of the facts about Bernedoodles is that they are true companion dogs. They are cuddly companions that love nothing more than being with their favorite humans. As long as they are well-socialized and trained, Mini Bernedoodles tend to get along well with children, other dogs, other pets, and even strangers. Miniature Bernedoodles are highly adaptable dogs. They do well in larger homes as well as apartments. They are sensitive to heat and extreme cold, but do well in most climates. Because they bond so closely with their families and thrive on attention, they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time and can develop separation anxiety if you do not work with them early on. Good breeding practices make a big difference in the health of puppies. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. You can ask about the health and genetic history of the parents and about any health tests or clearances that have been done. Mini Bernedoodles are intelligent dogs that pick up on things quickly and are eager to please. This makes them a highly trainable dog that is a good fit for owners of all experience levels. They can become stubborn if training is not consistent or clear. Although their coat tends to be low-shedding and will range from straight to wavy or curly, the Mini Bernedoodle coat requires some maintenance. Daily brushing is recommended to remove tangles and prevent mats. Professional grooming is recommended every weeks. Nail trims once or twice monthly keep them from growing too long and causing issues. Ear checks on a weekly basis with careful cleanings as needed help to prevent ear infections. As a small dog breed, Mini Bernedoodles are more prone to developing gum disease. Good dental care for dogs early and consistently throughout their life can help prevent painful dental diseases later in life. Daily tooth brushing, plus cleanings at the vet as needed, is ideal. Although Mini Bernedoodles will be playful and have bursts of energy while playing, they are not high-energy dogs. They tend to sit in a more moderate range. Daily walks plus some playtime throughout the day are usually enough for them. But, they love spending time with you and will likely be up for more activity if you are. They may be smaller dogs, but they also tend to be relatively athletic. When puppies finish growing , you can try higher-impact activities like running, hiking, training for dog sports, and more. Fully-grown Mini Bernedoodles usually stand inches tall. They can range from pounds. F1B and F2 Mini Bernedoodles usually weigh pounds and are on the shorter side of the range. Mini Bernedoodles generally live for years on average. Featured Mini Bernedoodle Article.

If you have a Toy Poodle, you want to make sure you are feeding it the best food possible. Toy Poodles are one of the most popular small dog breeds. They are known for their intelligence and their spunky personality. Knowing how important your dog's nutrition is, this article highlights some of the best food options for Toy Poodles that are vet-tested and owner-approved. What is the best food to give a Toy Poodle? What is the best food to feed my Toy Poodle? It is made with high-quality proteins and contains essential vitamins and minerals. Royal Canin dry food for Poodles helps to maintain healthy skin and coat. This grain-free food is made with real roasted meats and contains omega fatty acids to promote a healthy coat. It is also free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives, made with real chicken, turkey, and salmon. It is rich in omega fatty acids and contains probiotics 2. Freeze-dried dog food is considered to be a more natural and nutrient-rich option compared to some other types of processed dog food. It is also convenient to store and serve, as it does not require refrigeration. It is important to note that freeze-dried dog food should be rehydrated before serving, as it is not meant to be fed to dogs in its dry form. It is important to carefully read and follow the feeding guidelines on the packaging to ensure that your dog is receiving the appropriate amount of food based on its size and activity level. It's generally recommended to feed your Toy Poodle a high-quality, grain-inclusive dry dog food that is formulated specifically for small breed dogs. This is because small breed dogs have different nutritional needs than larger breeds, and a diet formulated for their needs can help support their overall health and well-being. Look for foods that contain real meat as the first ingredient and avoid any containing fillers, by-products, and artificial additives. Your veterinarian can help you determine the right diet for your Toy Poodle. It is important to consult with your veterinarian or a pet nutritionist to determine the best type of food for your dog, as each dog is unique and has specific nutritional needs. They will be able to consider your dog's age, size, breed, and any health conditions they may have when recommending a suitable type of food. It is also important to carefully read and follow the feeding guidelines on the packaging to ensure that your dog is receiving the appropriate amount of food based on its size and activity level. Some Final Words After you decide on a toy poodle and the gender, you still have to decide on the type of food you will feed him or her. Plus, you have to learn how much to feed your little puppy. Once you make all the decisions, the rest should be easy. To learn how to feed your toy poodle and what food you should use, just continue to read our article. It has the information you want to know about so that your little fell or gal will be healthy for years to come. Take a few minutes to see how important this information is. You do not want to feed too much to your little pet. It is easy for a dog to gain weight and become too fat. Then you have the difficult task of getting them to slim down. That may be harder than it is for you to stick to a diet. You can feed them a little less if you want to but not too much less. Their growing bodies need the nourishment of nutritious dog food. Many dogs may whine if they are only fed once a day and the reason for that is that they are probably hungry. However, you do not want to serve them large meals each time you feed them. Split the amount up over the number of times they eat so that they get the same amount of food. Also, you may give more food if your dog is a little more active than average. While you do not want to over-feed your pet, you also do not want to underfeed them either. For the most part, this will be up to you. Many people like to feed their dogs only once a day. But if their day is active, your pet may be hungry again in the evening or at night. It is not cruel to feed a dog once a day but if your pet is hungry, you should make allowances in the schedule to make sure they are getting their full nourishment share each day. To add a little variety to their diet, you can mix in some human food. The type of human food you give your toy poodle should be healthy and full of vitamins and minerals. For specific foods to share with him or her, talk to your vet. A lot of times, poodles and other dogs will decide which human food they like. While some people recommend up to three times a day, there is a risk of over-feeding your pet and giving them too much food. Of course, if your pet is very active, then you may give them some extra meals or snacks but not too much. The risk of over-feeding your poodle is great and your treasured friend may develop different diseases if you overdo the feeding portion of their day. There are some foods that your pet should not or cannot eat. Some of those food items are chocolate, xylitol, grapes, macadamia nuts, raisins, or drink alcohol. While these items may make your dog beg for some, resist their puppy dog eyes, and say no. Every dog owner and vet have their own personal favorites. You can choose any one of the top brands on the market today be wary of the cheap off-brand varieties. Those cheaper foods may fit your budget, but they are not as healthy as the top brands are. They do not have the very best or healthiest ingredients in them. Some Final Words Feeding your pet is a bit of trial and error. With every dog being different, you have to find the right amount of food and the right number of feeding times for your dog. Make food adjustments as you monitor their weight and their growth. Taking care of your pet means making sure they are getting the proper diet and exercise as well as the right amount of food. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Below are some of the frequently asked questions by Poodle lovers! What is the recommended amount of food for a Poodle? It depends on how active your Poodle is. A very busy poodle will require more food than a sedentary poodle. For example, puppies need more calories than adult dogs, and elderly dogs need fewer calories than adult dogs. The best way to determine how much food your dog needs is to feed them a diet based on their age, weight, and activity level. Consult with your veterinarian if you have any questions about how much food to feed your Poodle. Can my Poodle be fed dry dog food kibble instead of wet food? There is no definitive answer to this question. Some people believe that dry food is better for dogs because it helps keep their teeth clean, while others believe that wet food is better because it contains more nutrients. Ultimately, the best diet for your Poodle will depend on his individual needs and preferences. There are pros and cons to both dry dog food kibble and wet dog food. Ultimately, the best food for your Poodle depends on his specific dietary needs and preferences. It can also be easier to portion control because the kibble can be weighed or measured. Wet dog food is usually more nutritious than dry dog food since it contains more fresh ingredients, and it can be a good choice if your Poodle has difficulty chewing or swallowing. Can poodle puppies eat dry dog food? Yes, dry dog food is safe for poodle puppies. As long as the food is specifically meant for puppies, it will provide them with all the necessary nutrients to grow and develop properly. Make sure to choose a food high in protein and low in carbohydrates, as puppies are naturally carnivores and need more protein than adult dogs. The majority of puppies have little trouble chewing dry dog food. However, you can soften the kibble by adding a little water or wetting it if they do. Until then, continue providing whatever diet is appropriate for his age and weight. If my Poodle has difficulty chewing, what should I do? You can do a few things if your Poodle seems to have trouble chewing. One option is to feed your dog softer foods, like canned food or boiled chicken. You can also purchase a special diet for dogs with dental problems. Finally, you can ask your veterinarian about giving your dog prescription toothpaste or chew toys designed to help clean their teeth. Can my Poodle eat grains? Grains are a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, and fiber, but they also contain gluten which can be hard for some dogs to digest. In addition, dogs that are allergic to grains will often have skin problems, digestive issues, and excessive shedding. Can I feed leftovers to my Poodle? Leftovers can make a nutritious meal for your Poodle if they are not too fatty or high in salt. Be sure to avoid giving them any toxic food to dogs, such as chocolate, grapes, or onions. You can also give them cooked meat, rice, and vegetables. A balanced diet is essential for keeping your Poodle healthy and happy. Feeding your poodle leftovers can also be unhealthy, as they may not be getting the balanced diet they need. Instead, try to give your Poodle specifically-made dog food tailored to their nutritional needs. This will help keep them healthy and prevent any weight problems from developing. Do I have any options if my Poodle is a fussy eater? You can do a few things to get your Poodle to eat. One is to try different types of food. Sometimes, all it takes is a change in diet to get a dog to start eating again. You can also try mixing wet and dry food or warming up the food slightly before serving it. If your Poodle is particularly fussy, you may have to resort to hand-feeding her small meals several times a day until she starts eating on her own again. What foods are toxic to poodles? Yes, there are a few foods that are toxic to poodles. Chocolate, raisins, garlic, and the artificial sweetener xylitol pose a threat to poodles. Cavities and gum disease are common problems in dogs, and they can cause a lot of pain and discomfort for your pet. The vet will be able to diagnose the problem and recommend treatment. In many cases, cavities can be treated with antibiotics or surgery, and gum disease can be treated with a special diet or surgery. Your Poodle may be having trouble chewing because its teeth are not clean. You might also want to try giving your poodle rawhide bones or chew toys to help keep its teeth healthy and clean. What other foods should poodles never eat? Yes, there are other foods that poodles should never eat. Other dangerous foods for poodles include grapes, raisins, chocolate, and onions. Why not give my Poodle those treats that look like bacon, hot dogs, and pork chops? Poodles are prone to obesity, and these treats are high in fat and calories. Stick to crunchy treats that are low in fat and calories instead. My dog eats the grass in my yard and other plants. How can I prevent this? However, this has yet to be proven. Is fiber necessary for poodles? Yes, poodles need fiber. A high-fiber diet will help keep their bowels regular and help minimize the risk of constipation. Is a low-fat diet for my Poodle appropriate? Dogs have higher fat, and dietary requirements than humans and do not often suffer from the same obesity-related health issues that humans do. A low-fat diet would be dangerous for your Poodle and could lead to deficiencies in essential fatty acids. Feed your dog a balanced diet appropriate for their breed and age, and make sure they get plenty of exercise. Could I feed my Poodle raw foods? There are pros and cons to a raw foods diet for your Poodle. On the one hand, a raw foods diet can be healthier for your dog because it is more natural and closer to what they eat in the wild. However, on the other hand, it can be more expensive and time-consuming to prepare than a traditional kibble diet. If you consider switching your dog to a raw foods diet, it is important to consult with a veterinarian or animal nutritionist to ensure that your pup is getting all of the nutrients they need. A raw foods diet should always include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and high-quality protein sources like meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Is frozen raw food a good option for poodles? Yes, I do recommend frozen raw foods for poodles. I recommend all dogs eat a diet of at least some frozen raw food. Frozen raw food is the healthiest type of diet you can feed your dog. It contains all the nutrients and enzymes your dog needs to stay healthy and strong. Plus, feeding your dog frozen raw food can help protect them against many common health problems, including allergies, skin problems, weight gain, diabetes, and cancer. Is it okay to feed eggs to my Poodle? How about eggshells? You can feed eggs to your Poodle, but you should take care not to give them too many eggshells. Eggshells are a great source of calcium, but if your dog eats too many, they could end up with an eggshell calcium overdose. A safe dose for a healthy poodle is about 5 grams of eggshells per day. Poodles, do they need supplements? Yes, Poodles do need supplements, and there are a few are particularly beneficial for joint and bone growth. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are two of the most popular supplements for joint health, and they can help reduce inflammation and improve joint function. Omega-3 fatty acids are also important for joint health, as they can help reduce stiffness and pain. Vitamin D is another important supplement for Poodles, as it helps to maintain bone health and prevent osteoporosis. What man-made food can Poodles eat? Raw and cooked carrots are safe for your dog, as are cooked eggs, salmon, and blueberries. However, be sure to avoid grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and anything else that might be harmful to your pup. Conclusion — Final Verdict! Now that you know a little more about the best dog food for Poodles, we hope you feel confident in your ability to choose the right food for your pup. We wish you and your pup all the best in finding the perfect diet! Related Links. If you're looking for the best dog food for Poodles, chances are you're a Poodle parent! In that case—hey there. As a veterinarian, Poodle parents often ask me to recommend the best dog food brands for their furballs. Poodles are one of the most diverse dog breeds out there. However, they're also prone to obesity, especially as they grow older. And while there are many factors to Poodle obesity , giving them an improper amount of food definitely tops the bill. According to Dr. As a result, pet obesity has followed the human obesity trend. Unfortunately, pets are getting high-fat, high-calorie treats, human food, toppers, etc. It's essential to find the best dog food for Poodles to fit your dog's nutritional profile and feed them according to their needs. You should first consider your dog's current activity levels, health conditions, age and life stage, and other variables. You sure wouldn't want to feed your dog with foods that aren't beneficial to them, would you? Below, I will take a closer look at the Poodle breed across all sizes. We'll also discuss their general needs and nutritional requirements before we review some of the best dog foods for Poodles. Did you know that the Poodle was once a duck-retrieving dog? It's true! The Poodle has also been around for over a century and was developed in France and Germany. Over the past years, the breed has been molded into the variations we know today. Each type looks identical to the others except for the size. Toy Poodles tend to weigh under 10 pounds, miniatures fall between pounds, and the standard is large at pounds. They all possess a thick, densely curly coat, floppy ears, a long tail, and expressive dark eyes. The Toy Poodle lives the longest, up to 15 years, while the standard's lifespan is about years. Poodles are fun, energetic dogs that love to be around people. They tend to be very good with children and possess a natural athletic ability. Poodles have never forgotten their heritage. Most are great swimmers and expert retrievers. They are a breed to be considered by avid sportsmen as they make excellent, intelligent duck dogs. Nutritional Needs It's this dynamic nature that makes it challenging to feed a Poodle. No matter what size you own, you must find the best dog food for Poodles to meet the breed's nutritional requirements. And above that, your specific dog's needs. But Dr. Shores, should I feed my toy poodle less because she's small? And is puppy food okay? My advice is: Talk to your veterinarian about the best diet for your Poodle. Your vet is the best place to start. They'll make recommendations based on your Poodle's age, weight, activity level, and any health issues she may have. It will also help if you do your research which is where this article comes into play. I wrote this article based on my and my expert colleagues' recommended dog food brands for Poodles. We will discuss them based on their different life stages and body condition. If this is your purpose in reading this article, I suggest you bookmark this article, start the car, and go to the vet clinic. Continue reading when your vet gives you the advice you need on feeding your Poodle based on her nutritional needs. There are certain factors, even in the best food for poodles, that you must consider before buying one. Here are the important factors to keep you guided: Age The type of poodle dog food you'll buy will depend on her life stage. During the puppy stage and gestation period, too! In this case, you need to buy the best food for poodles that will give them all the vitamins and minerals that a growing puppy or pregnant dog, whichever is the case needs. Breed Size Yes, your poodle dog food will vary depending on your pooch's breed size. Every size of this breed has its respective metabolism. Smaller poodles tend to mature faster, which means they need nutrient-packed poodle dog food. Wet or Dry Feed Most dog owners prefer dry dog food or kibble because it's cost-effective. Nothing wrong with that. However, if your vet recommends having a mixed feed, you might need to combine wet and dry feed for your pooch. Nutrition The golden rule when buying the best food for poodles is to be balanced and complete. This means that the essential nutrients should be present in every serving. Providing a balanced meal for your pooch also means that the nutrients are in the right ratio and suitable for the poodles, depending on their age and breed size. What to Feed a Poodle Puppy Before switching your dog to any new diet, always consult with a veterinarian. Remember that no article on the internet can replace a consultation with a vet, including this one. I always recommend this to new owners of puppy Poodles. They've also done the legwork in developing the most digestible food for Poodle puppies. The unique flat, square kibble of Royal Canin makes it easier for their small mouths to pick up and chew. This food should be given to your dog for up to 10 months. Best Puppy Food for Standard Poodle Standard poodles are less likely to have developmental orthopedic diseases like hip dysplasia than other breeds. However, they are more at risk than their smaller poodle counterparts. While there is a genetic component to these diseases, significant nutritional risk factors play a part during puppyhood. These risk factors are rapid growth and excess dietary calcium intake. Of course, you don't want your Standard Poodle to develop these. This is why feeding your Poodle enough of the right balance of nutrients is crucial. Feeding a Poodle Overview Ensuring that your Poodle is on a well-balanced diet is one of the most important elements to keeping your canine family member healthy, both now and into the future. This section will cover all Poodle feeding guidelines including how often to feed a Poodle, serving sizes, dry vs wet, grain vs grain-free, and top recommended kibble. Don't need all of the details and just want to know which brands are recommended? New Puppies - The Importance of Gradually Switching Foods Before you even bring your Poodle home, it is very important to discuss with the breeder or shelter worker if you are adopting a rescue exactly which brand of food they have been feeding to your Poodle. A fast change in food can cause upset stomach and digestive problems. Breeders and shelters are buying food in bulk and have to feed many dogs which is a factor in which brand they choose; so there is a good chance that you will want to offer your Poodle something different. Have both the current food and the new food on hand and make a gradual switch over the course of 3 weeks. Though you will be leaving food out at all times, it is important that the food is fresh. Do not just top it off throughout the day, rinse and clean the bowl as necessary so that old food is not stuck at the bottom of the dish. Puppy: Starting at just about the 3 month mark, Poodles of all varieties should be eating 3 meals per day, plus snacks. Adult: When a pup matures into an adult, this does not necessarily mean that they should suddenly be given only one meal a day. Smaller dogs such as Toy Poodles and Miniatures often do best with 2 or even 3 meals per day. Standards have a bit more tolerance to a single dinnertime feeding, however many can also benefit from having food split up into two servings. Several snacks can be given in between meals and this is particularly helpful is a Poodle is a fast eater. How Much to Feed a Poodle Exact serving size varies quite a bit depending on the type of food. There is a big difference in calories between wet vs dry and low quality vs high quality. And, the amount of food that a Poodle should be eating depends on the dog's age, activity level, individual metabolism, and health status. Even the weather can play a role since dogs tend to eat a bit more in the winter and a bit less in the summer. In regard to calorie requirements, puppies need more calories per pound than their adult counterparts, approximately 40 to 55 calories per pound, daily, compared to adult dogs that need about 35 to 45 calories per pound, daily. S enior Poodles typically have slower metabolisms and reduced mobility and therefore usually require slightly fewer calories, in the 40 calorie per pound range. If you are feeding your Poodle a commercial food, follow the suggested feeding guidelines. These are usually pretty spot-on. Since these are based on both age and weight, do not estimate how much your Poodle weighs but rather know what this is within a pound or two. If you are feeding your Poodle homemade food, a rough guideline for serving size is 1 ounce of food for each 1 pound of body weight, daily. As you can imagine, this can vary quite a bit depending on the exact ingredients. Using the 1 to 1 rule as a starting point, what your Poodle consumes within 15 minutes is usually a good amount for each meal. Wet vs Dry If a Poodle had their way, most would opt for wet food. However, dry food is recommended since this is much better for the gums and teeth. In addition, dry kibble tends to be easier on the stomach and intestines and a diet of all wet canned food can lead to runny stools. Grain vs Grain-free Until relatively recently, there was not much debate on this subject; if a dog tended to have gastrointestinal or allergy issues when on a diet with grains, they were switched to a grain-free recipe. However, this changed when it was discovered that several dogs that were breeds not prone to dilated cardiomyopathy developed that particular heart disease and also happened to be fed grain-free kibble. Lots of pet parents immediately thought that they needed to change their dogs back to grains; however, many more studies need to be done. In fact, the most recent update from the Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University suggests that 'grain-free' alone may not be the issue at play. For now, it is theorized that a certain diet dubbed a BEG diet may be to blame. This stands for boutique small local brands with exotic meats non-traditional meats like alligator, bison, ostrich, venison, and kangaroo and grain-free along with peas, legumes, or potatoes as one of the top 5 ingredients. Currently there are no recalls of grain-free dog food brands and the FDA is still investigating any possible links including the BEG theory. If your Poodle does not do well with any grains at all, you may wish to stick to a brand that has traditional meats like chicken, turkey, or beef or a fish-based recipes. And, if you are not sure about which grains your Poodle may do okay with, you may wish to opt for wholesome non-wheat and non-gluten grains like rice brown or white , oatmeal, quinoa which is technically a seed. Exact recommendations for the best foods include both grain and grain-free options. Elements to Keep in Mind When Choosing Food for Your Poodle What to avoid: It's no wonder that pet parents have a difficult time navigating the many choices of dog foods in their quest to find the best brand to give their Poodle, there are a lot of ingredients to avoid: Artificial flavoring like MSG which can cause terrible allergic reactions. Artificial coloring. Some of the worst are Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 2, and Yellow 6 which are linked to very serious issues including neurological and behavioral issues like insomnia and hyperactivity and serious health issues including some cancers. Chemical preservatives. This can be tricky to avoid since these do not always need to be labeled; if these are added to protect 'protein meals' in low levels, you'll never see it listed as an ingredient. These are meats and animal parts deemed unfit for human consumption. Examples are lungs, spleen, spinal tissue, genitals, hooves, beaks, intestines, and more. Generic meats or oils. This can, by law, be any species of animal whatsoever and are usually 4-D animal parts: Sourced from dead, diseased, dying, or disabled zoo animals, farm animals, or even roadkill. These are very common in cheaper subpar brands and are inexpensive ingredients that are added only to plump up the food but offer little to no nutritional value. Examples of fillers include corn, soy, wheat middlings, peanut hulls, oat husks, and cereal grains. Ingestion of fillers is a contributing factor in coprophagia eating feces and is linked to malnutrition. High grain count. Though some wholesome grains may be desired next section , high levels of wheat or gluten can cause upset stomach issues and allergies. What to look for: Knowing what to avoid can help you identify some of the better brands though exact recommendations are below. This means zero artificial additives. Natural preservatives. Wholesome ingredients. For meats and proteins this includes chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, rabbit, beef, and many types of fish including whitefish, haddock, salmon, and cod. You'll also want your Poodle to have some vegetables and fruits which provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Zero fillers. Every ingredient should serve the purpose of providing nutrients and never added simply to bulk up the recipe. The right balance of healthy grains. Though some Poodles will need to avoid all grains, most do very well with select non-wheat, non-gluten options including oatmeal, quinoa, and rice. Added extras. Next, we'll cover exact recommendations that fit all of the above criteria. Best Food for Poodles: Recommended Brands Please note that if you have not yet read ' Grain vs Grain-free ' section, you may wish to do so before continuing. Top recommend food with grains: 1. Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry. For larger miniatures and standards, you'll want to opt for their regular Complete Health. There are also puppy, adult, and senior formulas. All of these have no wheat, corn or other fillers, artificial coloring or flavoring, soy, meat by-products, or chemical preservatives, so you can feel very confident that your filling your Poodle's bowl with truly wholesome, healthy food. These recipes also have excellent levels of omega-3 fatty acids. And, this is made in the USA. Halo Natural Holisitc Dog Food. This top brand has found its niche by offering a purely holistic, organic recipe with non-GMO veggies and fruits and meats with no antibiotics, no hormones, and no factory farming. The protein base is chicken and liver, the two grains in this are oats and barley, and vegetables and fruits include peas, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, and sweet potato. All other ingredients are to naturally preserve the kibble or are vitamins and minerals. This particular recipe is for small breeds, however there is also an original for larger dogs. Halo is made in the USA. Top recommended food without grains: 1. Merrick is a great brand which offers this recipe for small breeds, like toy Poodles and another option for larger dogs which would include miniatures and standards. Protein bases include Texas beef, lamb, chicken, and salmon. There is no corn or other fillers, wheat, gluten, artificial additives, or chemical preservatives. And, there are excellent levels of omega-3 and both pre and probiotics. Merrick is also made in the USA. The CORE formula from Wellness is, by far, one of the very best grain-free foods on the market today. It hits very single checkbox of what you are ideally looking for in a food for your Poodle and it has some superior extras. There are excellent levels of glucosamine and chondroitin, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants. There is both a small breed formula and an original formula for minis and standards as well as puppy recipes and a reduced fat option. Wellness is made in the USA. What to Feed Your Poodle if Home Cooking You will want to have a mix of protein, healthy grains, vegetables and fruits. Proteins can include beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, veal, and fish cod, flounder, salmon, whitefish. Vegetables can include sugar snap peas, green beans, lima beans, spinach, peas, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, and regular potato. Fruits can include blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, apple, and pear. Extras can include eggs, salmon oil, extra virgin olive oil, certain cheese with low levels of lactose Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, and cottage cheese and plain whole white yogurt. Note that if you home cook, you will want to include a daily vitamin and mineral since it is near impossible for any combination of foods to offer a dog every nutrient that they need. Snacks Snacks and treats are also an important part of a dog's diet. Dry treats often labeled as baked or crunchy are best to tide over the appetite in between meals. Moist or chewy treats are best when used as training rewards and to reinforce good behavior. Rapid ingestion of food can lead to gas, vomiting, or upset stomach and is linked to killer bloat. Types of Nuts that a Poodle Can Eat - If you are snacking away on some nuts and want to share them with your Poodle, see which ones are safe and which are not. Poodle Begging Behavior - Giving into begging for table scraps or extra snacks contributes to this bad habit. See how to react if your Poodle won't stop begging. Overly Picky Poodles - Read how to address finicky eaters to make mealtime less stressful for both of you. All rights reserved. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. Share Us. Ingredients Due to their size and predisposition to certain health conditions, Toy Poodles need high-quality ingredients and nutrient-dense foods without a lot of empty calories. You should look for foods with gentle protein sources as the first ingredients, such as chicken or turkey, or wild-caught fish. After that, the rest of the nutrition should come from complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes, fruits, and vegetables. Antioxidants are foods that limit oxidative stress , which can lead to health problems like diabetes. Finally, fatty acids are healthy fat sources that contribute to brain, skin, and coat health. Kibble is hard and can help remove tartar from teeth, supporting dental health. Dry food is also lower in moisture content and may not upset their digestive system as much. If you want the best of both worlds, use dry kibble, and top it with a little wet food or a high-quality food topper. Image Credit: bodnar. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe.Read more Advertisement. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese Grapes and raisins Sweets and desserts Avocados Dogs can have dried cranberries as a treat, as these berries are good for digestive and bladder health. However, raisins and grapes are toxic to dogs and can lead to significant kidney failure. If you fear your dog has eaten raisins or grapes, reach out to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Dry Food Vs. Wet Food Dogs should rely on dry food as opposed to wet food. However, wet food should be a consistent portion of their diet. Although most dogs would eat only wet food if they could, too much wet food can cause digestive problems and make dogs sick. Dry food offers fibrous content that dogs need for a healthy bowel movement. Wet food offers food rife with vitamins and minerals — alongside an appealing taste for most dogs. However, dry food can help with tooth health and fight gum disease. A healthy combination of dry and wet food can lead to a well-balanced meal and a happy dog. The best possible dog food varieties include those that offer your Poodle only the healthiest and high-quality ingredients available. Although some of these dog food choices may be expensive, they also offer lean proteins like duck and sweet potato, so you know your Poodle is getting only the best from their diet. Although the first ingredient is a chicken by-product, this dog food option is rife with protein, vitamins, and minerals that will help your Poodle feel at the top of its game. The kibbles included in this dog food choice are enriched with omega-3 fatty acids and contain vitamins that will assist in healthy coat formation and healthy gums. Not only is this brand recommended by vets around the world, but it also includes a flavor that dogs seem to love and ingredients that pet owners can feel good about. While the cost for this dog food option is a touch high, it offers the security of knowing that your dog will have all the nutrients and vitamins needed to live a long and healthy life. Each variety contains the exclusive Nutrivantage, and no filler or meat bi-product. Chicken meal and rice flavor. No Corn, no wheat, no soy, no meat bi-products. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. Alongside lean protein and quality sources of fat, this dog food option also offers tons of vitamins and minerals. Although this dog food choice is expensive, it is also ideal for dogs who are currently training or need a boost in their performance. Contains one 1 30 lb. Blue Buffalo is notorious for making only the best dog food with real meat as the first ingredient. This is rife with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants that will help your Poodle thrive. Additionally, this dog food is also enhanced with vitamins and minerals specifically for immune system support. ALL NATURAL: Created by nutritionists, veterinarians and animal lovers, our recipes provide an ideal balance of nature's finest ingredients, carefully selected to nourish and sustain your dog's.However, the calorie content of this food is a little high, which can cause weight gain. Additionally, this dog food brand is more expensive than the average, although it does have everything your Poodle will need to keep them healthy and happy. Larger Poodles may not get all the nutrients and vitamins they need from this dog food option, as it is meant for smaller breeds. This choice may be the least expensive choice for dog food while maintaining high-quality ingredients and food rife with minerals and vitamins. There are no artificial ingredients, and there is plenty of protein in this food option. This brand prides itself on not including any animal by-products or fillers. This product is rife with vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy gums and a full coat. Poodles Require Special Nutrients Poodles need more protein than other dogs because of their lean shape, meaning that Poodles may require a unique brand of dog food that can offer enhanced vitamins, minerals, and protein content. Whether you are looking for the best Poodle dog food available on the market or preparing for adoption, these top seven dog food options stand apart from other dog food options because they offer more essential nutrients for your Poodle. Although some options are expensive, these brands can help your Poodle avoid harsh and destructive ingredients like artificial dyes linked with cancer in animals, fillers, and empty calories. Instead, they boast quality and put healthy dog food ahead of profit. Small Poodles may be less than 40 pounds, meaning they may need even more nutrient-dense food to accommodate their small stature — something these dog food brands are passionate about providing. With the best dog food for Poodles on this list, you can be sure that your Poodle is getting everything they need from its diet. Similar Posts. Royal Canin Health Nutrition Poodle Dog Food We saved the best for the last, Royal Canin dog food for small breed dogs, especially Poodles because it is made with a large number of ingredients. It contains specific fibers and resistant starches to help promote digestive health. It contains specific fibers and resistant starches to help promote the digestive health of toy poodles. Promotes beautiful skin and coat health, as well as clear eyesight. Pros Includes antioxidants for an active immune system. Omega fatty acids for strong heart and joints. Prebiotics supports healthy intestinal flora. The shiny coats also mean that this breed needs more baths and tends to shed more. Here are some factors to consider while selecting the finest nutritious dinner for your adorable Toy Poodle. Ingredients You should look for these ingredients in your dog food if you have a Toy Poodle. Lean meat, with the first ingredient being real meat instead of by-products or plant proteins Whole grains instead of added sugars. Whole grains are more nutrient-dense than their processed counterparts and give your dog energy without harmful additives like sugar and corn syrup. You should never offer your poodle pups any of the following ingredients: -Artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives. Poodle Diet And Nutrition: Toy poodles are small breed dogs that need a healthy and balanced diet. Nutritional deficiencies are common with smaller dog breeds due to their fast metabolisms, so they must receive the right amount of nutrients. Nutritional stress not only influences growth but also affects behavior, which in return can hinder training. Toy poodles tend towards obesity because of their small body size and high metabolism traits. Purebred poodle puppies are prone to hip dysplasia. It is essential to provide them with a nutritious diet so they can gain the weight needed for their bones and muscles during developmental periods. Poodle pups are highly active physically, making them susceptible to exhaustion or even obesity due to the lack of exercise and overfeeding. Toy poodles should eat real meat instead of by-products or plant proteins. Serving your poodle premium food will ensure they are getting the necessary nutritional value without added sugars or corn syrup. Nutritional deficiency is the most common type of nutritional deficiency for toy poodles and can affect their growth and behavior. Calcium deficiencies may cause problems with bone development such as rickets, bowed legs, and soft bones. This condition makes it hard for them to stand or walk properly. Protein Toy poodles need a lot of protein in their diet. Lean meats and poultry are considered to be the best sources for this particular dog breed. Healthy protein comes from meat, eggs, fish, poultry, and dairy products. These are all necessary components of a balanced diet for toy poodles. Protein is required to develop muscles and bones in your dog. Muscle development requires amino acids which are obtained from protein intake into the body through food or supplements. Carbohydrates provide dogs with energy, and they also make up the majority of the diet for toy poodles. However, it is important to keep in mind that most toys will need reduced amounts of carbs compared to larger breeds. Poodle dog food should not have more carbs than protein. For the health of your Toy Poodle, it is important to be aware of their carbohydrate content as more carbs can cause weight gain. Like carbohydrates, these should only make up a few ingredients on your dog food list. Fats are responsible for keeping your dog warm and healthy. Fats also keep their skin and fur in good shape, which is why they need to eat high-quality fats every day. The best sources of healthy fats are things like fish oil or salmon oil. A healthy weight should be maintained. Dog food containing these two fatty acids is great for their overall wellbeing. A diet rich in fatty acids will provide your furry friend with healthy skin and a beautiful, shiny topcoat 7. The more antioxidants your dog consumes, the stronger his or her immune system will be, and the better its natural defenses will protect him or her from illnesses. Antioxidants fight the free radicals that are linked to age-related diseases, diabetes, arthritis, kidney disease, and other illnesses. Any prebiotic is beneficial since it encourages the digestive system to absorb as many vitamins and minerals as possible. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the best diet for toy poodles. Some people prefer to feed their dog wet food, while others think that dry food is better. Ultimately, it is up to the pet owner to decide what they think is best for their dog. Choosing different dog foods for toy poodles is similar to choosing human food—you want it to be high in protein with minimal fats and carbs. If you want to be more specific, look for brands that contain chicken or lamb as the main ingredient. This will ensure your toy poodles have all the necessary proteins it needs to remain healthy and strong! The average lifespan of a toy poodle is years. Some health concerns that toy poodles face in their lifetime are: Obesity.

We breed all colors of the Labrador Rainbow! All of our dogs are vet checked here to ensure their safety from contagious diseases. Puppies receive first set of shots worming schedule and will be Michrochipped and Health Checked prior to leaving us. We offer 30 free days of insurance with Trupanion on the day your puppy goes home also a bag of starter food along with sample vitamins, probiotics and AKC limited registration papers what does Limited mean? No Breeding Rights Deposits are good for 2 years and only refundable if i can not provide the puppy in that time frame. Am I the Breeder For You? Getting one of my puppies takes time and patience if you are in a rush i am not the breeder for you we are not a puppy mill we are a small kennel all of our girls are retired at the age of 5 so they can go on to live happy long lives. Which means we never breed dogs without health clearances. Puppies are born in our nursery inside our home , once they have transitioned onto food they go to the Kennels where they get lots of play time and exposure to objects We breed all colors of the Lab Rainbow! We never breed our Standard Labradors to our Dilute Labradors and we are careful as to who we breed to make sure we have tested for all genetics to ensure our puppies will have great coats. Fox Reds are DD non Dilute. Black Lab Chocolate Lab Black Lab One of the first colors in the Labrador world is the iconic Black Labrador some will have Bolo spots of white which goes back to Banchory Bolo many believe that the Bolo spots are the descendants of the first dual champion. We have seen Bolo spots in all colors. A fun, lovable pup is the perfect addition to a happy home. Whether you're looking for a hunting dog or a jogging companion, our puppies are perfect for you. Here at Dogwood Silver Labs, we produce quality, healthy labrador pups that are loved and handled every day. Every puppy comes home with genetic testing , a written 2-year health guarantee, pedigree, microchip, dewclaws removed and much more. If you're ready to bring home a loving fur baby, you came to the right place. I've been breeding quality labs for over ten years. I have all parents on my site here at Dogwood Silver Labs, they are all my pets. Puppies are wormed at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Dewclaws are removed before the 5th day. At six weeks of age, your puppy will get a physical examination by a licensed veterinarian, shots with shot record and a fecal testing is performed. All pups come to their new forever home parasite free, happy, healthy and well socialized from a family environment. My goal is to improve the Labrador breed and make a positive impact on families. It's my pleasure to introduce you to your new family member. Please visit our available littler tab for pictures and details of all Charcoal, Silver and Champagne labrador puppies for sale throughout the United States. For over 20 years, Silver and Charcoal Kennels has worked to establish itself as the highest-quality Labrador breeder around, including silver lab puppies! Today, as a household name throughout the Greenwood, MS area, they strive to uphold this reputation by providing you and your family with the Labrador puppy of your dreams. Whether you are interested in silver , charcoal , champagne , red or white lab puppies, you can rest easy knowing that the quality of our labs will not be compromised by color. At Silver and Charcoal Kennels, they bring only the finest lab litters into this world. They believe all their breeds, including silver Labrador retrievers , are the kindest, most intelligent breed of dog, which is why all of their puppies are treated with only the highest level of affection and care. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Silver and Charcoal Kennels today at .They look forward to speaking with you! Check out the current litters of silver and white labs for sale. These labs are the highest quality of labs that can be produced with fourth and fifth generation pups! They are located in Greenwood, Mississippi. If you are picking up your lab puppy from their location, your lab will come with some of the most sought after breed traits and health guarantees including: Sire has numerous Field Trial Championships and has a Senior Title When grown, their adult Labs are large in size and have great temperaments All pups come with AKC Registration month hip guarantee on pups free from genetic defects Puppies are current on all vaccinations If choosing to have your lab puppy shipped, Silver and Charcoal Kennels can arrange to have your puppy shipped once it is eight weeks old. Be sure to inquire about this service, as the time of year and shipping location may affect delivery. Deposits are nonrefundable and puppies will be sold with limited AKC registration unless otherwise discussed. Their Current Litters page allow interested buyers to see new arrivals and to learn about upcoming puppies! Contact As a breeder that lab lovers trust, Silver and Charcoal Kennels welcome your inquiries! Life Span Did You Know? Charcoal Labrador Retrievers, or Charcoal Labs, are playful little helpers that just want to explore. Their loyalty and independence make them a perfect pet for beginners. Interestingly enough, many breeders believe the gray tint appeared from outside labrador lineage. However, genetics has been able to provide more than enough evidence to support that these are indeed Labradors, albeit rare ones. Their genes contain a diluting factor in coat color dominance traits that are responsible for the gray hue — something that is also present in Silver and Champagne Labs as well. Quizzical and adventurous, Charcoal Labs have a penchant for chasing woodland critters. As a Retriever, they make great companions or service dogs and are perfect for hunters. Besides their working dog nature, Charcoal Labradors also exhibit a playful and patient attitude. This makes them perfect for families, even those with small children that may be too exuberant for other breeds. Highly adaptable, Labs are happy in almost any environment. While they definitely love to get attention, they are not a high maintenance breed and are content to spend time guarding over their family. They do tend to have natural retriever urges though, such as digging and minor barking, but exercise and some training will usually take care of this issue. These dogs are happiest when they are with their family, are well-exercised, and have plenty of mental stimulation. They can adapt to apartment living, but they must get enough exercise, attention, and mental stimulation in order to do so. Their double coat makes them a good fit for almost any climate. As with most dog breeds, they are sensitive to extreme heat or cold. Overall, Charcoal Labs tend to be a healthy and active dog breed. Regular visits to the vet will take care of most common issues, but owners should keep an eye out for overeating in their pup. Later on in life, Labs are likely to develop common age-related issues such as eye disorders and joint problems. Ideal for first-time owners, Labrador Retrievers are highly independent and adapt to almost any living situation. They are also highly trainable and are eager to please their owners. As companions, Labs can make the change from lap dog to guard dog and make a great fit for most owners. Grooming is fairly low maintenance for Charcoal Labs when compared to most breeds. Charcoal Labrador Retrievers will shed moderately year-round and will go through two heavier shedding cycles each year. A thorough brushing once per week, and the occasional bath will do just fine. If your pup likes to swim a lot or gets muddy on a hike or run, it may be necessary to bathe them more often. Bred to be working dogs, Labs are fairly active and need regular exercise as part of their routine. Daily walks and runs, trips to the park, or the occasional hike or swim will help them to stay active and healthy. They do tend to calm down a little once they get around 2 years old, but they will still be a high energy and active dog. Charcoal Labs grow up to be medium to large dogs. Typically, they get to be about 23 inches in height, weighing in at an average of 75 pounds. Males tend to range between 65 and 80 pounds while females range from 55 to 70 pounds. Labs enjoy a nice longevity, providing companionship for 10 to 14 years. Labrador Retrievers have a thick, tapering tail. Featured Charcoal Labrador Retriever Article.

My English Bulldogs are exclusively bred and comes from a very high quality line of English bulldogs. The father is championship sired. Up to date and on time vet visit as well. He is AKC registered, obedience trained, and full of love and affection. He is not spade so for breeder he is ready to go. If interested please send email to xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxx. There were 2 males and 3 females. We have 1 male and 2 females available still. They are raised around my two children as well as other animals so will do great with kids and other pets. Text or WhatsApp at.Utd on shots comes with health records and registration papers. Want a good home for View Detail English Bulldog - Lilac tri female I have a lilac female English bulldog puppy that is available for her forever home. She is currently up to date on deworming and vaccinations. She has been vet checked. She is now 12 weeks old. She'll come with her AKC registration and puppy packet, health certificate, shot and deworming records, purchase contract, and health guarantee. She is ready to be a part of your family! He is currently up to date on deworming and vaccinations. He has been vet checked. He'll come with his AKC registration and puppy packet, health certificate, shot and deworming records, purchase contract, and health guarantee. He is ready to be a part of your family! Our website is dedicated to connecting you with reputable English Bulldog breeders across the USA, ensuring that you bring home a healthy and happy furry companion without breaking the bank. Finding the perfect English Bulldog puppy at an affordable price can be a challenging task. However, our platform simplifies the process by curating a list of trusted English Bulldog breeders who offer these delightful companions at budget-friendly rates. We understand that everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and companionship that a lovable English Bulldog can bring to their lives. History of English bulldog puppies Cheap near you! The national dog of England, their strong heads, loose skin and short legs give them a very distinctive, amusing appearance. Bulldogs are generally gentle, affectionate dogs that love to be around their families. They are excellent with children and have a medium-low activity level that makes them great for apartment or city living. These loveable dogs are loyal to a fault and are sure to make you smile. English Bulldogs are calm, non-sporting dogs with a sourmug face that love to chew and play tug-of-war. British Bulldogs rarely bark but snore, snort, wheeze, grunt, and snuffle instead. Bulldogs are a people-oriented, loyal and devoted watchdogs that love to nap by your side. Temperament of english bulldogs Temperament is a crucial factor to consider when bringing a new furry friend into your life. English Bulldogs are known for their gentle, friendly, and affectionate nature. They make excellent companions and are particularly good with children, making them a fantastic choice for families. Despite their somewhat serious expression, they have a fun-loving and playful side that will bring joy to your everyday life. This Bulldog puppy is a very social and sweet baby girl who loves everyone she meets! She is raised with children that play with her daily. This gal will steal your heart the second you look into those puppy eyes and when she gives you one of her famous puppy kisses. She will make a fantastic addition to any family. This puppy is AKC registered, vet checked, vaccinated, wormed and comes with a 1 year genetic health guarantee. Her momma is Kayla. This puppy is anxious to meet her new family and begin her life of adventure with you! Call now!

Breeders VS. The sad truth is that many pet store purchased pups actually come from puppy mills. Basically, there is zero authenticity with pet stores. When it comes to adopting any animal from a pet store, there is an increased risk of unforeseen health or genetic problems. You also cultivate a life-long relationship with the breeder, meaning support is available to you anytime you may need it. With My Golden Retriever Puppies , you have the option to come and visit both the puppy and the breeder in person! Golden Retrievers are an adaptable breed, meaning they are better at adapting to seasonal changes and various types of climate than certain other breeds. Goldens sport a double-coat, which ensures that these sweet pups are able to tolerate slightly colder temperatures than their friends from other breeds. Your pup deserves better than that, which is why here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we ensure high-quality care is taken of your pet at all times. For more about the true price of a golden retriever puppy, you can read our full price breakdown here. Location Information for Massachusetts Customers Our home office is located in Ohio, but we understand that long-distance travel can be inconvenient. If you prefer to meet a breeder in person, they may be able to offer private visits at their home. Of course! Here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we value family and authenticity, which is why we always guarantee our pups through our 2-year genetic health guarantee. Like adopting a Golden Retriever from a pet store, there is an increased risk when adopting a pup from a rescue center or shelter as well. For example, pups purchased through a shelter or rescue center are far less likely to come with the kinds of health guarantees and reassurances that a breeder can provide. What type of Golden Retrievers are sold in Massachusetts? We have some good news! Ready to make your Golden Retriever dreams come true? Take a look at our convenient list of available puppies. How do I know which breeders to trust in Massachusetts? Our independent network of trusted breeders have already been pre-screened and verified, so that you can focus on what really matters: choosing your dream puppy. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. Aside from forcing you to get more active, having a canine friend can reduce stress for people of all ages. For starters, vaccinations start at weeks old and should be spaced out every two weeks. Golden retrievers have a reputation for being some of the best dog breeds for families. Are you looking to bring home a golden retriever puppy? Read on for an in-depth golden retriever guide to prepare you for your new best friend for life. Are Golden Retrievers Good Dogs? Of course, all dogs are the best boys and girls and deserve all the belly rubs in the world! However, when people ask if a golden retriever is a good dog, they want to know if the breed is a good fit for them. Some dogs also require extensive maintenance and can be too much for a beginner dog handler. For people wanting to make sure a golden is good for their lifestyle, the quick answer is yes. Golden retrievers are an all-around versatile breed for all kinds of people and are the best dogs you could ask for. Golden retrievers are amazing with kids and make for great family dogs. Goldens are a gentle bunch, and their intelligence and patience are often under-appreciated. They can handle household noise and curious toddlers with the patience of a saint. As a breed, they are well known for their loving, patient, gentle, and fun-loving nature. This is largely a result of upbringing and conditioning, as any dog can become aggressive if mistreated. If you want a friendly golden retriever, do your part and give them the love and care they need. Golden Retrievers Are Affectionate Goldens are affectionate and are sure to get along with any dog or person they meet. This is why you often see them excelling as therapy, comfort, and emotional support dogs. Golden Retrievers Have Wonderful Personalities There is nothing to not like about the personalities of this breed. They love to have fun, but they also like going with the flow. Given their history as hunting dogs, golden retrievers are curious and will go often go exploring if you let them. They also have plenty of courage and work ethic, making them great working dogs. Golden retrievers will always want to greet strangers and sneak a chance at some playtime. This makes them a poor choice to defend your home, as they might befriend the intruder instead. If you want a guard dog, a golden retriever may fall short of its responsibilities. They Can Be Mischievous This one should be obvious for anyone scrolling social media. Goldens have a penchant for tomfoolery and mischief, which can often be hilarious. Golden retriever puppies are particularly notorious for this. Part of this stems from their natural curiosity but also their relaxed and loving nature. While temperament is often a genetic arch-type and can differ from dog to dog, most of it is solid. This is a huge factor for families with multiple dogs or a cat. They May Have Trouble Behaving in Public Because goldens are so friendly, they sometimes have trouble behaving in public. Their temperament naturally pulls them toward new potential friends. You can work on these through socialization and by going slow. Take them to less crowded or busy places first, and work your way up until they get the hang of it. Keep an eye out for body language and physical contact. As we said, some of this comes built in, but you also have to work on it. There are two major things you need to do. If you want to ensure your golden has that loveable personality, start socializing them at a young age. Training is a must, and golden retrievers are usually eager to please. It also helps to get a puppy from a reputable breeder, not from any pet store or puppy mill. At My Golden Retriever Puppies , we breed and raise our puppies with the love and attention they deserve. Golden Retriever Traits Aside from personality and temperament, goldens have great traits. These include their trainability, intelligence, and energy levels. It also includes behaviors to watch out for, like chewing. For a quick dive, keep reading. Golden Retrievers Are Smart Golden retrievers are much more intelligent than people give them credit for. A great example is how the police love using them as sniffers and tracking dogs. As long as you put in the work, your golden will be able to flex its stuff. This has a lot to do with their intelligence and obedient and loving personality. Golden Retrievers Need Exercise Despite being pretty flexible with their energy levels, Goldens still need to exercise. Examples of this include frequent zoomies around the house or getting into messes. They Can Be Chewers Goldens can be chewers, and this stems from adolescence. Teething golden puppies will chew anything they can get their hands on. A great way to handle this is training and exercise. Goldens need stimulation. Playing tug of war or fetch is a great way to address that bad chewing habit. They are cute and smart, easy to train and grow up to be fantastic family dogs. Visit us today to bring the newest addition to your family home. A golden retriever is happy, loyal, affectionate, non-aggressive, and almost always friendly. They get along with almost everyone, including kids, strangers, and other animals. Do Golden Retrievers Bark a lot? For example, your puppy may boop things with their nose or use their paws to communicate. Are Golden Retrievers Well Behaved? Golden retrievers are some of the most well-behaved dogs out there. 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. Life Span Did You Know? The Golden Retriever has been an AKC-recognized breed since and was commonly used as a gun dog and for retrieving small game such as waterfowl, and for companionship. The Golden Retriever originated in the Scottish Highlands. The first Lord Tweedmouth, Dudley Majoribanks, is credited with developing the breed and keeping detailed records to create the ideal gun dog for the terrain. Great discipline and a gentle spirit make the Golden Retriever a perfect retrieval breed since the goal of this task is to bring the trophy back as undamaged as possible. Golden Retrievers first appeared in dog shows in at a British dog show. They also started appearing in the United States around the same time as they were brought across the Canadian border. They gained popularity with sport hunters and in general. Their popularity really took off in the s and they are consistently one of the most popular dog breeds. If you are not the sporting type, bringing a Golden Retriever into your family as a pet is just as rewarding because they are one of the most loyal and jovial breeds out there. One of the facts about Golden Retrievers is that they are the epitome of friendly and make fantastic family dogs. Golden Retrievers are considered one of the friendliest dog breeds. They tend to be good with kids, other dogs, other pets, and even strangers. Goldens love attention and they bond closely with their families. They are affectionate with them, and also just about everyone else. Although they do tend to get along with everyone, they love being around their favorite humans the most. They will bark to alert you and can end up barking a lot if you do not train your dog to stop barking early on. Golden Retrievers are highly adaptable dogs. They thrive in homes with yards where they can run. They can also adapt to apartment living as long as they get enough daily exercise, mental stimulation, and attention. These dogs do well in just about any climate, but are sensitive to heat. As one of the most affectionate dog breeds , they are not at all happy about being left alone for long periods of time. Although super-friendly and attention-loving, Goldens can also be sensitive to their surroundings; make sure they feel included, but have a quiet place to go if things get too noisy or overwhelming. Potential health concerns to be aware of in a Golden Retriever include progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, elbow dysplasia , and hip dysplasia. Good breeding practices make a big difference in the health of puppies. Reputable breeders screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. So, make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of the parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done. Goldens are considered one of the best dog breeds for first-time owners. They are highly trainable dogs that pick up on things quickly and are eager to please. These traits make them a good fit for owners of all experience levels. It also helps them excel at obedience competitions. As one of the smartest dog breeds , Golden Retrievers can get bored easily. Because they pick up things quickly, they can get bored with too much repetition in training. If your dog has mastered the command, move on to something more advanced or another activity. You can also enroll in puppy training classes for some variety in training and also some socialization. Golden Retrievers have a long double coat that will shed a little year-round and will be heavier twice a year as the seasons change. Brushing a few times a week and daily brushing during seasonal shedding along with a bath as needed is usually enough for at-home care. You will want to go to the dog groomer for a professional trim a few times a year, especially as the seasons change. Nail trims once or twice monthly keep nails from growing too long. Daily tooth brushing, along with cleanings at the vet when needed, is ideal. Golden Retrievers are one of the most active dog breeds. Daily walks plus some playtime, time to run, and other activities are usually enough to keep these dogs happy and healthy. But, they are high-energy dogs that will likely always be up for more activity if you are. Much like the Labrador , they also tend to have an extended puppyhood. They tend to start winding down a little around the age of 3 and settle into your lifestyle, but they will still be high-energy dogs that require a lot of daily activity. Goldens are known for being versatile and athletic dogs. They tend to love swimming. Once they are done growing and the vet clears them for higher-impact activities, you can try other things too. They are one of the dog breeds that make good running partners. You can also teach them how to play frisbee or play fetch. Training for dog sports is another good option. In addition to obedience, Golden Retrievers are well suited for agility, dock diving , rally, flyball, tracking, and more. Fully-grown Golden Retrievers usually stand inches tall and weigh pounds. Golden Retrievers generally live for years on average. With their intelligence, eagerness to please, and gentle disposition, Golden Retrievers are versatile working dogs. In addition to being one of the dog breeds that make the best service dogs , Goldens can be found working as emotional support dogs, certified therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, military dogs, police dogs, animal actors, and more. Featured Golden Retriever Article.

He is a medium to large puppy currently about 25 lbs, expected to be over 60 lbs when fully grown. Good with cats, other dogs, and strangers, he will fit into any family. Nick loves to be with his people, laying at their feet. He is very polite, rarely jumping on the furniture and will not chase the cat. His favorite activities include getting tummy and ear rubs, playing ball, eating, and learning to fetch. He has already learned some commands, come being his strongest. His brain has not quite caught up with his body yet, and he flops his feet when he walks, so adorable! Vaccinated, microchipped, neutered, does well on a leash, working on crate and potty training, sleeps most of the night, and can be left alone for up to 3 hours. At Path of Hope Rescue we strive to decrease the euthanasia rate of high-risk dogs in the southern United States by transporting pregnant dogs and puppies to the Pacific Northwest to find adoptive homes. We will choose the most suitable home for each dog, not the first application received. If the dog you are applying for is adopted, we have hella good matchmakers that will help you find your perfect new four-legged family member. Since the dogs that come up the Path of Hope are rescues, not much is known about them. Therefore breed and adult sizes are our best guesses and we cannot guarantee this information is accurate. Considering Nick Jonas for adoption? Email Just look at Sampson — who in was reported to maybe be the fattest lab in Australia. At pounds, he was heavier than the average human male, and suffered from high blood pressure according to vets, which makes it hard for him to go for walks. Previously, Brian was a reporter at Vox and at National Journal. We need to talk about Labrador retriever obesity, the world's cuddliest epidemic. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, around 54 percent of all dogs in the US are overweight or obese. But Labs top the scales. According to a survey of veterinarians, around 60 percent of Labs they see are obese. While some pet owners may argue there's just "more to love," these overweight dogs suffer health consequences. Heavy dogs have a lower life expectancy and higher risks for heart disease, bone problems, and cancer. All dogs love food. But it seems Labs love food more than most, and it may be linked to their genes. Labs' gluttony may be linked to a genetic mutation "Plodding along with its giant belly this obese dog is more than twice its ideal bodyweight. It is amazing. One of them is a gene that codes for a chemical called POMC proopiomelanocortin. Changes in this part of the brain affect individuals in subtle, powerful ways. It could be what's prompting the dogs to be extra motivated to scavenge for food. Scientists know that humans who have trouble producing POMC also tend to have weight issues starting very early in life. And when the genes for POMC are knocked out in mice, they become obese. So the genes for POMC in Labradors were a natural place for Raffan and her colleagues to look for a biological explanation for the dogs' prevalent obesity. They also searched for a few other known genetic links to appetite, but POMC quickly became the prime candidate. They recruited a group of labs in the UK. Some were pets; others were service dogs. Raffan and her colleagues found that a mutation in the POMC gene — specifically a deletion of 14 base pairs — was highly significantly associated with heavier dogs. The P-value was. Usually smaller than. The dogs with mutation also scored higher on tests of their motivation to eat food. How could you not feed this face? And dogs with multiple copies of the mutation were even more likely to be fat. It's an almost linear response. It's quite striking. Flat-coated retrievers with the trait were also huskier, and were similarly motivated to eat with gleeful abandon. Just one mutation can influence how much a dog scavenges for food, for instance. Lab owners concur with the Labs' strong scavenging instinct. Answers included:. Does your puppy seem to eat everything — grass, dirt, sticks, rocks? Original Post The original content for this post is below, followed by a major addition we made to update new research and learnings we have come across to help dog owners address this issue. A common complaint among those living with puppies is that they eat everything they can when outside. While some dogs can easily get sick from some of these things, others seem to be able to eat just about anything and seem just fine. However, some of this behavior with puppies and sometimes older dogs too is natural and not something to get too worried about. As with other areas of our lives, we have to learn to pick our battles. I see some clients who panic at their puppies chewing on a stick or a pine cone. I never made a big deal about it when Romeo was a puppy, but I did watch him carefully. As with anything, items put in mouths can become choking hazards. Sticks can get lodged in throats. But so can bones and toys. If some people knew how many sticks Romeo ate when he was a puppy and adolescent, they would be appalled! Yep, I did let him chew on sticks. Was it ideal? No, of course not, but he had a great desire to chew and on my income, I can only afford so many bully sticks! Many puppies eat grass and dirt. Is it harmful to them? In most cases, no. But you do need to think about where this grass and dirt is coming from. We do not use any pesticides on our property and Romeo eats grass pretty much every day on our walks. He throws up maybe once a year. Most puppies will outgrow their desire to eat everything. For others, the behavior will lessen but perhaps not go away entirely. However, if we make too big a deal out of it, then it can become a more obsessive behavior that turns into a more serious problem. Decide whether it really needs to be a battle between you and your puppy or if you can let some of it go. Updated Content The content below includes a significant addition to the original post above. Since we get a lot of traffic and comments to this post, we wanted to update it with research coupled with many things we have learned about dog health, and provide a roadmap for helping dog owners find and treat the root causes for why their dog may be engaging in this activity. In medical terminology, the two broad areas we want to consider for issues related to this article are: PICA, which is the persistent craving and compulsive eating of nonfood substances; Coprophagia, which is the eating and ingesting of feces. Coprophagia may actually be less of an issue than PICA, which we will explain later. We will start by saying that this may not be an easy issue to solve for many dog owners. As we recommend in our summary, it can take persistent trial and error by the dog owner to start, followed by working with a dog health care practitioner if the issue is still not resolved. It is not something relatively simple like your dog limping on a back leg, which is generally confined to an issues in the foot, leg or back. Dog Log If your dog engages on a persistent basis the behavior associated with PICA and coprophagia, then you will want to start a dog log to so you can identify where it is occurring, when it is occurring and what else is going on around the dog when it is happening. A dog log is critically important because you can record details that you would normally forget. Writing down or typing in the details will also help you become more aware of circumstances that might cause them so that you will be more proactive about keeping them from happening. The dog log will also help you, through trial and error, to see if and how the problem changes as you do things to help stop it. We keep our own health log for our dogs that varies in how often we post to it. For things like vet visits, tests performed, changes in diet, physical issues that might come up like limps, skin scratches or knicks, etc , we record. We might get more frequent and specific if there is a specific health issue we are trying to fix. But if not, then we keep it general and high level. Even general or high level helps us when we go to the vet for an annual checkup. This information is readily available for us to review with our vet. But for an issue like PICA, you will want to be very detailed. We keep ours in Google Docs because we can share it amongst the family members to maintain it and it works across mobile devices as well as notebooks and PC. The convenience of being able to use any device to add to it and that everyone can use at anytime makes it a no-brainer. We have a template dog log we created specifically around documenting the circumstances around PICA, here. You can save that to your own google account or download it for use in other applications, or you can print it out and use it that way. You can download it at the end of this article. After you have a dog log in place, let's give you a framework to think about possibly solving this issue for your dog. As a result, we need a framework to help solve this issue. Ed adapted this framework to fix his own chronic health issues. It is still relatively new but being used in human health by more progressive health care practitioners. It is something you can use not just for your dog but your own health and the health of your family members. We are using it to help identify any health issues with our own dogs and to help keep them healthy. It is a very powerful and useful framework. All health issues can manifest as a result of any one of these 5 areas: Consummables: what we eat is being recognized as the biggest effect on our health, and health conditions and diseases mostly come as a result of the consummables we put into our bodies. Environmental: the chemicals we breathe or put on our bodies through cosmetics, and the electromagnetic radiation we get exposed to through airplane travel, WIFI, mobile phone signals, microwaves for cooking, bluetooth, IoT devices, etc. Pathogens: any virus or bacteria that takes up residence in our bodies. It can include beneficial bacteria that overgrows to levels where it is no longer beneficial. The brain is its own area because effects from the previous three areas can affect the brain and diminish its function, and even if issues are fixed in the other three areas, the brain can remain in a compromised state. This area would also include psychological issues, which as we are learning in humans, is enormously affected by what goes on in the above three areas. The last area is physiology. Physical imperfections, like a defective heart valve, just plain wear and tear on the joints or colds, flues, or other seasonal sicknesses. Health issues that can be readily seen or identified are lumped into this category. And that is it. You can classify any condition or disease or health issue that manifests from any one of these five areas. It is not any more complicated than that. Next let's discuss the colored boxes, working from the bottom, up. Before that is a diagnosed disease or condition. And, before that is the pathology, or underlying mechanisms causing the disease or condition. This box is where testing is done, if possible, that would then lead to a disease or condition diagnosis. And before that is epigenetic factors that cause the pathology. Epigenetics is our lifestyle, what we do, how we live, what we put in, on and to which we subject our bodies. And finally, before that is genetic factors that predispose one to a specific pathology. In a nutshell, all you are doing is working backwards from what is seen or felt till you get to the root cause of the health issue or symptom so that you know how to properly treat it. Sounds easy and logical, but western medicine is not taught this way. In our experience, with all the human and veterinary doctors we have seen over the years, it does not go beyond pathology to treating health. Even alternative pet medical providers do not use this approach. They will throw supplements, prescription drugs, procedures or operations to treat the issues and symptoms, but they rarely ask what is the root cause of these issues or symptoms. Without finding out the root cause in epigenetic or genetics, you may never fix the issue, and it keeps reoccurring or manifests elsewhere as other conditions or diseases. Many times health issues have nothing to do with genetics, but epigenetics. If you are a smoker, then you are inflicting epigenetic effects on your lungs that increase the chances for the cancer genes to take hold. But if you are predisposed to lung cancer already due to a certain genetic makeup, then you will have increased chances to lung cancer if you smoke. But some people smoke all their lives and live to old age without lung cancer. It is possible these people have a genetic makeup that decreases their chances for contracting lung cancer. Getting to the root cause of health issues through epigenetic and genetic factors will help you understand and treat the underlying causes. Do as much as you can to understand your genetics and how they are influenced by epigenetics, and if you adjust your lifestyle accordingly, then you may have a dramatically improved chance for better health. Now, with all that said, medical research and knowledge is far more advanced in humans than it is in dogs. The study of epigenetics and genetics in humans is still very early but has already shown huge benefits. But genetic testing it is still very early in pets. There are some general rules of thumb for each breed that most veterinary doctors can help you with, but it gets fuzzy after that if you want to do specific testing for your dog. As we learn more in working with our pet health practitioners and what we read and learn about in the field of pet health, we will do our best to report here on our website and via our subscriber emails. We will discuss what you can do on your own and when you may need the help from a pet health practitioner. Consummables This area is proving to be the biggest determining factor in health. And fortunately, it is an area that we may be able to do on our own without the need for a pet health practitioner. We recommend you use the following scale, which ranks dog food in order from healthiest to least or unhealthy. Move your dog up levels as far as you can to the top level to improve their diet to see if that solves the issue. This scale is from our resource guide, How to Make Healthy Food Choices For Your Dog , a page document that we researched, wrote and keep updated about how to make healthy food choices for your dog. We also include the text directly from the resource guide adding some explanations about the items in this scale. We will provide additional explanation about these food categories after this list. However, this list is only as good as the ingredients used. For example, if you purchase canned dog food with corn or soy in it, but purchase a dry dog food product with neither, then the dry dog food might be a better choice. Homemade raw is the best diet for our dogs, but only if you are careful to give them the appropriate percentages of ingredients and supplements so that they eat balanced meals. Dogs that are sick or with compromised health may do better with cooked food. Irradiation is a process whereby food is subjected to ionizing radiation to attack bacteria by breaking chemical bonds in molecules that are vital for cell growth. It does not result in radioactive food, but it does increase the free radicals and has shown to reduce nutritional values of food in the same way that cooking does. HPP is a process whereby food is subjected to intense pressure, which kills pathogens. You will have to contact manufacturers to find out if they use HPP. If they do not use HPP, you should ask what they use to control pathogens. By law, dog food manufacturers are required to produce product free of pathogens, unlike human food. They are doing something to control pathogens, so you should ask and find out to be sure you are comfortable with their process. Another process that at least one manufacturer we know of uses is electrolyzed water, a relatively new process in the U. The ingredients are soaked in this water to eliminate pathogens. But raw meats, especially chicken, may naturally contain the salmonella pathogen. And that is normally not a problem for humans because we cook our meat, and it is also normally not a problem for healthy dogs because they can digest salmonella. So if you purchase raw dog food with chicken, then it has to be processed somehow to remove the salmonella, which means that whatever process the company uses, the end product is not as healthy. You need to find out what that company is doing. It is not recommended to feed kibble with raw in the same meal because raw digests faster than kibble. The end result will be kibble in the digestive track that is fermenting and could be causing gas. Try feeding kibble in one meal and raw in another. Studies show that fats can oxidize quickly, even if there are preservatives in the product. It requires a great deal of energy to produce, which increases costs and carbon footprint. But as solar energy becomes more widespread, those costs will go down and the carbon footprint will be much less. While freeze dried weighs a lot less to transport, with reduced shipping costs, if you buy locally produced dog food from small retailers, there really is not much, if any savings on logistics costs. Sure, if you are shipping freeze dried halfway across the country, then there are some savings in logistics costs, but does it outweigh the energy cost to produce? Regardless, just try to buy from local or regional dog food companies to reduce the carbon footprint to get food to you. Dry kibble is the predominant way people feed their dogs and is among the worst choices. Digestibility The term digestibility coefficient refers to the percentage of a dog food that the dog absorbs into his or her body during the process of digestion. Dog food companies are not required to obtain or report digestibility and may not disclose it even if asked. But you should ask anyway and if you do feed dry dog foods, try to feed ones with higher digestibility ratings. We know that you want the best for your dog but that may get too cost prohibitive when you are talking raw, especially when you look for quality ingredients like at the level that we do for our dogs and in our dog food products that we sell. Just do the best you can. If all you can afford is dry kibble, then try to get the highest quality you can find, which we show you how in our resource guide. If you want to incorporate some raw, fresh foods into your kibble diet, then check out this post on The Food Stack For Dogs, which is what we do. Pay close attention to adding in some home made or very high quality plain goats-milk yogurt to help their digestive systems, which we talk about in what we do for our dogs. And don't just throw supplements at the problem. As we mentioned, that is what conventional medicine does and that rarely solves the problem. Dogs were made to extract all the nutrients they need from food. There is testing you can do to determine which foods your dog has an immune response. This might help, but it can be misleading because in humans, the health of the gut greatly influences our immune response to foods. If you have a healthy gut with good levels of beneficial bacteria, you can tolerate a lot more than if you do not. The same may be true for dogs. That is why it is better to first get your dog on the healthiest diet you can, then work on individual food testing through trial and error. What if higher quality food does not help? If moving your dog up the quality scale does not help, then you may need to look specifically at which food ingredients cause an immune or allergic response. In this case, you are actually getting more at potential epigenetic and genetic causes for your pet's issues, but you can still do this on your own by elimination and substitution. Our read of research tells us that vegetable-based protein does not work for dogs. Many dogs have issues with poultry chicken, turkey, duck , so try eliminating them. Or, dogs could have issues with beef, or all red meat, or maybe it is fish. You won't know until you start eliminating and substituting. It could be dairy. While we see little dairy in dog food products, if you feed yogurt for probiotic supplementation, that could be an issue. Try goats-milk yogurt, which is what we feed. Substitute with more nutrient dense vegetables. Fats If you are eliminating and substituting meats, then make sure you do the same for fats. Environmental At the same time that you are working on foods, make sure you try and address environmental toxins that may be poisoning your dog. Dogs, just like humans, are designed to filter out a certain level of toxins. But when exposure increases beyond the body's ability to detoxify, then accumulation occurs, which can lead to health diseases and conditions. It is possible that if your dog is suffering from food issues, they could go away if you address toxicity from the environment. The obvious environmental hazards come from a dog being lower to the ground than humans and spending a lot of time sniffing, licking and sitting on the ground. If you can, try to go greener in your choice of materials used in construction projects in your house. For cleaning, we stick mostly with vinegar and use Nature's Miracle , an enzymatic cleaner. Look at how much access they have to synthetic materials via collars, water and food bowls, toys and sleeping beds. Try to limit the use of plastic, especially with food. While limiting the use of synthetics is almost impossible for toys, if you can at least do it for their eating and drinking bowls, then that is another way to reduce exposure. We use these bowls because they have rubber on the bottom to reduce slippage and reduce noise. Unlikely you will completely eliminate exposure to environmental toxins, but reducing exposure to them will allow your dog to hopefully keep up with detoxification on their own. Look at radio frequency radiation emitted from all the wireless devices we have. They are proving to be a problem for some humans and so they could be problematic for our pets. While it may be difficult to remove WIFI and mobile phones from our lives, try to at least shut off at night anything that emits or receives an RF signal. That includes WIFI, mobile phones, bluetooth devices, and any other internet enabled devices like light switches or security cams. That is what we do. Electromagnetic radiation can also get emitted from the electrical in our homes. We use this Steterizer meter to test each plug and if the level is above 50, then we plugin in these Greenwave Dirty Electricity Filters. And we retest our plugs every six months with the Steterizer filter and readjust the placement of the Greenwave filters. Retesting is necessary because what we plug in to our wall outlets changes with the addition or subtraction of appliances and electronics, which can change the dynamics of the electricity running through the house. It may be a good idea while you are working on the consummables and reducing toxicity in your dogs environment to have your health care practitioner perform some standard tests to rule these out. Pathogens can take hold if there are nutritional issues going on from food or an immune system that is under strain from environmental toxins. Brain Physical Activity Is your dog getting enough physical activity? They may be bored and picking up other things and eating them gives them something to do. We have an infographic and article on the benefits of dog sports for non-competitors. Mental Activity Is your dog getting enough mental activity? Mental stimulation is just as important as physical. Dogs that get plenty of physical activity but little mental may still be bored and looking for something to do. You can teach your dog the brain workouts listed in this infographic on your own or find dog training classes. Training your dog gives them mental stimulation. Many people go through one or two dog training classes and that is it for the remainder of their dog's life. But many trainers like us offer a wide variety of classes and we have many clients who consistently take classes not just to keep up with training, but to always be teaching their dogs something new. Consider giving your dog more jobs to do, as we profile in this post. Use interactive toys to feed your dog meals and treats, which makes them work for their food, both physically and mentally. We have a wide variety of toys that we have collected over the years, but here is a list of some of our favorites that we use all the time: Kong toys. There are many different versions that you can fill with food or treats to keep your dog occupied. We user ours constantly, especially with our Snack Stuffer product. This toy makes it easy to put treats in and adjust how difficult you want to make it for your dog to remove the treats. When you purchase, try to stick with toys in the range of yellows, blues, violets, and grays, which we explain in this post. This is our own book that we wrote that will help you with an adolescent or energetic dog. Other mental issues Other issues causing PICA or Coprophagia can include: Separation anxiety; Competition for resources from other dogs present in the household; Not getting enough attention from you; Inconsistency in daily routines, which can cause stress. Physiology Issues related to physiology are usually the easiest for health practitioners to find because they are physical differences that can be directly seen, either through physical inspection or medical scanning technology. If your efforts in changing foods, limiting environmental toxins, checking for pathogens and working on the various brain related issues we talked about above are not working, then deeper medical testing may be required. Again, if medical tests reveal something, you need to dig deeper to figure out why. If your dog has thyroid problems, for example, this issue can be caused by food, environmental or pathogen issues. Don't just settle for medication. Medication might be good to temporarily help out, but don't rely on it permanently unless you know what is causing the thyroid problems and you have no other way to fix them other than medication. The only study we could find with regards to PICA is that it is associated with low hemoglobin Hb , hematocrit Hct , or plasma zinc Zn concentrations. If that is the case with your dog, supplementation in the short-term to get these values back in line might really help, but you have to ask why they are off to begin with. Look at epigenetic and genetic factors, if you can. Might Coprophagia be normal for dogs? Coprophagia may actually be related to a dog's need to help balance the bacteria in its gut. We have no evidence or studies behind this, but have read anecdotally that this may be the case. We regularly see our dogs eating feces from deer, bunnies or other animals. They do not do it everyday and do not seem to be obsessed about it, so we do not worry too much about it. But think about solving them in a structured way using a dog log to record your observations and the Functional Medicine Framework to help guide. You may still have a lot of work ahead of you but at least you have some tools and a plan to help walk you through. Dog Log Template Download We have embedded it below so you can see it, but you can click this link to open it in a new tab. Our goal is to positively impact the lives of as many dogs and their families as we can, in part through our extensive library of video, infographics and text articles. If you like our work, please consider supporting us through a donation! Received Oct 14; Accepted Apr .Abstract Background The aim of this study was to describe the longevity and causes of mortality in 39 12 males, 27 females pedigree adult neutered Labrador retrievers with a median age of 6. Body condition score was maintained between two and four on a 5-point scale by varying food allowances quarterly. The impact of change in body weight BW and body composition on longevity was analysed using linear mixed models with random slopes and intercepts. Conclusions This study shows that life-long maintenance of lean body mass and attenuated accumulation of body fat were key factors in achieving a longer lifespan. The results suggest that a combination of a high quality plane of nutrition with appropriate husbandry and healthcare are important in obtaining a greater than expected proportion of Labrador retrievers living well beyond that of the expected breed lifespan: .Keywords: Ageing, Exceptional longevity, Healthspan, Body weight, Sarcopenia, Lean body mass, Body fat mass, Nutrition, Husbandry, Healthcare Background For the domesticated dog Canis lupus familiaris , changes observed through ageing can be seen as good e. Physiological changes that may be important biomarkers of ageing in dogs include increasing body fat, reducing lean body mass of which lean muscle mass is an important component , periodontal disease, osteoarthritis, reduced renal or cardiac function, changes to the endocrine system including insulin and glycaemic control , cognitive and behavioural changes and the development of neoplastic disease [ 1 — 4 ]. In the domestic dog, reported average longevity estimates for all breeds combined have varied between .Upon review of the body of evidence available from to , a consensus was reached that the typical lifespan of Labrador retrievers was 12 years of age Table 1. The domesticated dog represents an exceptional range of phenotypic morphology with breeds varying in weight by two-orders of magnitude [ 9 ]. It is not clear what effect neutering has on longevity as one study reported that neutering was associated with increased longevity for females but not males in the UK [ 6 ], whilst neutered males outlived entire males among US military dogs [ 13 ]. Another study has shown that neutering was strongly associated with an increase in lifespan as well as a decreased risk of death from some causes, such as infectious disease, but an increased risk of death from others, such as cancer [ 14 ]. The discrepancies might be related to the age of neutering, however, there is a lack of information on this.

Gap in birth The overall Labrador gestation period is from 58 to 64 days. You will notice when your Labrador is ready to give birth by watching for common signs such as a lack of appetite and a rigid abdomen. You might find them crying; it may be due to the labor pain. How many puppies does a Labrador have in their first litter? After their first litter, they will have on average between 6 to 10 puppies. Labrador Litter Size The average Lab litter size can range between 1 to 12 puppies depending on the health, age, and size of the dog. The size of a litter is different for different breeds; large breeds give birth to more puppies than small ones. Litter size depends on the size, diet, and age of the Labrador, the litter size may increase or decrease. You should also know about the Labrador heat cycle. The biggest litter recorded in the Labrador breed was the birth of 14 puppies. What factors affect the litter size in Labradors? Litter size is not a fixed thing, but it changes depending on different factors. The very first litter of the female Labrador is mostly tiny as compared to the other litter. If the female is under 7 years, there are chances of a small litter. While on the other hand, sometimes breeding Labrador before 5 years can result in a large litter size in puppies. Even labs that give birth between 2 to 5 years of age get large litters. Older Labradors produce less sperm than young male labs; this may affect the litter size in terms of puppies. However, the male Labrador that is 5 years old has an abundance of quality sperm, which contributes to a healthy and large litter. This is why it is highly recommended to allow breeding when both the male and female Labradors are 5 years old. The health of the Labradors Health plays an important role when it comes to litter size. In short, both of the Labradors should be healthy in order to maximize the overall number of puppies. As a dog parent, if you want your female lab to give birth to the maximum amount of puppies. Providing the best quality supplements to both male and female Labradors is really going to help in increasing litter size. Diet A female Labrador with a poor diet is never going to give birth to the required number of puppies. If you expect a large litter size from your Labrador, you should first provide her with the best quality food throughout the year, not just in the breeding season. Providing the best quality and suitable quantity of food is going to improve the fertility of your female Labrador. We are not talking about providing a bunch of supplements but a balanced diet to produce a large litter. Gene pool As mentioned above, it is not all about the female Labrador. Still, male Labradors somehow plays a role in litter size. Fertility is the only factor that is affected by the gene pool. Other than this, traits are primarily hereditary. Sometimes, the color, size, and eye colors are not affected by the gene pool, but all of these are hereditary. Gap in birth Last but not least, the gap between the birth seasons also affects the litter size of the female Labrador. You cannot expect the same large litter two years later. Consult a vet when you are planning to breed your Labrador. As such, they are recognized experts in facts and figures for many breeds of dogs. According to their data, most labrador litters contain between five and ten puppies, with the average being seven. In comparison to all dog breeds, Labradors are right in the middle. The average size of a litter of puppies, in general, is five or six dogs. The largest known litter of labradors ever recorded was 14 puppies , born to a black labrador in the United Kingdom in .Labradors are huge fans of babies as they age. Active families love a Lab! In short, probably not. Your vet can confirm pregnancy, give an estimate of how far along the pregnancy is, and give you an approximate due date. Humans and canines alike know the excitement of a first pregnancy. When it comes to labradors, this can also impact the size of the litter. Biological and evolutionary factors come into play and make first litters smaller. Expect one or two additional puppies from her first two. After the fourth pregnancy, the litter size tends to taper off. In addition to whether or not it is her first litter, the age of the mother labrador also affects the size of the litter. Generally speaking, the older the mother, the smaller the litter size. This fact is a little confusing, though, when you also consider that first litters are smaller. It means that a 3-year-old labrador will have larger litters than a 5- or 6-year-old labrador. So, if two female labradors have their third litter at ages four and six, the four-year-old labrador is likely to have the larger litter of the two. How Old is Dad? Believe it or not, the age of the father of the puppies can also impact the size of the litter. This is because of the viability of his sperm. When a female dog is in heat, her ovaries release several eggs that are ready for fertilization. However, if the male dog is older, his sperm tends to be less vigorous, meaning fewer will reach the eggs, and therefore fewer eggs will be fertilized, resulting in smaller litter size. A Labrador lounges on his dog bed Natural versus Artificial Insemination How did the mother dog become pregnant? Many labrador breeders and breeders for other types of dogs, as well prefer artificial insemination. It also takes the social interactions of the two dogs out of the equation. Some dog handlers and breeders hesitate to put their mama dogs in such a sensitive and potentially unpredictable situation. The bad news is that, while artificial insemination seems to be the more controlled and safe option, it usually yields fewer puppies. Of course, the breed of the dog is a significant factor in genetics. Does the Size of the Mom Matter? Not really. If you have a mom who is part labrador herself or is a purebred labrador but has puppies with another breed, some of these numbers and averages change. If your pregnant pooch is only part labrador, the size of her litter will also depend on what other breeds she contains. The general rule of thumb is that the larger the breed, the larger the litter. If your lab is a part German shepherd , expect a somewhat bigger litter. The breed of the father matters less, though. The breed of the father has more to do with the size of each individual puppy. Fun fact: the largest known litter of puppies ever recorded is a whopping .Unsurprisingly, the 15 male and nine female puppies were born to a Neopolitan Mastiff in , one of the most giant breeds around. Do Labs like water? Healthy dogs tend to produce larger litters. 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. In this article How to determine your Labrador's litter size As we've said, the number of puppies inside a Labrador's belly varies greatly. Your pet can have anywhere from one to over twelve puppies. The average litter size is five to ten, but it is heavily influenced by several factors more on that later. Your veterinarian can actually help you find out exactly how many puppies there are inside a Lab's uterus. They can take X-rays of the pregnant female and count the skeletons of pups in her belly. This is an acceptable way to determine litter size in dogs. You have to wait until six weeks of pregnancy for puppies' skeletal system to develop. Ultrasound scans and abdominal palpation are other ways to estimate litter size. What is the average litter size for Labs? In , a comprehensive study was performed to answer the question of litter size in dogs. The researchers analyzed breeds and more than 10, litters, and they calculated the average litter size to be 5. However, there was a clear difference between miniature and large breeds. The former only had 3. The above research is for all dog breeds. But the AKC analyzed over 85, Labrador litters to conclude that Labs have a typical range of five to ten puppies, with an average of 7. So we can safely say that Labradors, being a large breed, will likely have a larger litter size. Though cases of producing just a puppy or two are not unheard of. Overall, if you have a pregnant Lab mother, expect her to give birth to about half a dozen babies. The biggest Labrador litter on record Now you know how many puppies to expect when your Lab gets pregnant. And you're probably wondering, "But what's the maximum they can pop out? Back in , when a black Scottish Labrador named Anne was pregnant, the vet predicted that she would have three to six puppies. Little did they know, the proud mama kept popping out babies one after the other until there were 15 of them! A more recent case was reported a few months back in April .Here, A Labrador called Bella produced 14 fur babies, just one shy of the record set in .The labor lasted for seven hours, and Bella gave birth to eight black and six yellow Labs. Fun fact: Anne's 15 kids are a lot, but the Guinness World Record for most puppies is set by Tia, a Neapolitan mastiff. She gave birth to 24 puppies in November .Of course, she couldn't do it all by herself and had to take the help of a Cesarean section. Factors affecting Labrador litter size Many variables influence how many puppies Labradors have. In this section, we'll talk about some of the crucial ones. But several other factors such as breeding management, reproductive history, and season also play a role. Even the environment she lives in affects her well-being and, consequently, the health and number of her babies. Much of the information here is sourced from an article published by Dr. Bretaigne Jones for Royal Canin. Age Labradors usually remain fertile for their entire lives. However, as you might imagine, their litter size decreases as they get older. As a general rule, Labs are most fertile between the ages of two to five. However, regardless of her age, a dog's first litter is usually smaller than the future ones. After the first one, the number of puppies increases with every litter, through the fourth litter. Then, it starts declining steadily. A Labrador will have her first heat cycle anytime after she's six months old. But you should never breed a Lab during her first heat cycle, as she's relatively young at this point. Imposing the stress of pregnancy and lactation can have adverse effects on the mother's mental health. Just like very old females, too young mothers also produce smaller litters. This is why the AKC recommends waiting for the third heat cycle, which means not breeding until the female Lab is months old. Lastly, the male Lab's age also affects the litter size. But the influence is much less than the female's age. As a male Lab gets older, his sperm count and quality decrease. He will produce larger litters under the age of five. Breed Size We've already discussed that smaller breeds tend to produce fewer puppies, and larger breeds have a bigger litter size. This trend is seen even within the same breed. A Labrador weighing 45 pounds 20 kg may only produce five or six babies, while a pound 32 kg Lab may give birth to a litter of ten puppies or more. Again, these are only generalizations based on the data available about Labrador puppies, which means there will be exceptions. You can have a relatively small Lab giving birth to nine or ten pups every litter. Health and Nutrition This one is a no-brainer. If your Lab is happy and healthy, she'll give birth to more puppies, and the babies born will be healthier as well. The mother needs to be in perfect health so that she and her pups survive the birthing and whelping process. Not only the female but the male Lab should also be healthy if you want to avoid complications. Nutrition is crucial for your Labs throughout their entire lives. And when it comes to breeding, diet directly affects the litter size. Both male and female Labs will produce healthier and larger litters if they've been fed a high-quality diet. Check out my Recommended Products for foods that I recommend, including custom fresh food solutions. Gene Pool Diversity Breeding two dogs from diverse genetic backgrounds results in bigger litters. Similarly, the smaller the gene pool is, the fewer puppies your Lab will have. Gene pool is smaller when closely related dogs brothers and sisters, fathers and daughters, etc. The more dogs are bred from the same line, the smaller the litter will be. This process of mating such dogs is known as inbreeding. We can measure the gene pool diversity using the coefficient of inbreeding, a numerical value ranging from zero not inbred at all to one completely inbred. Other Factors to Consider Apart from the things we discussed, litter size is also affected by: Type of breeding: Natural breeding results in more puppies than artificial insemination AI. Using AI can decrease the litter size by as much as 15 percent. Season: Usually, if a Lab gives birth in spring, she produces more puppies. But if the breeding takes place in summer, the litter size is smaller. Mating frequency: Litter size is smaller if the female is bred only once. So it's recommended to mate the Labs every other day until the female refuses to mate. What can you do to increase litter size in Labradors? While litter size is mostly out of our control, optimal conditions can increase how many puppies Labradors have. The first thing you should do is feed your Labs a healthy diet throughout their lives. There's no reason to spend extra money on grain-free food because dogs' evolution has given them the ability to digest grains easily. Just make sure you're feeding them one of the high-quality kibbles available in the market. Apart from a healthy diet, you should also give her enough playtime and exercise to maintain her ideal body weight. For female Labradors, it's lbs. Pregnancy drains the mother's body of protein, vitamins, minerals, and energy. You need to satisfy her dietary needs with food rich in fats and carbohydrates. Feeding a low-carb diet during pregnancy leads to increased fetal death and stillbirths. Consult your vet and make sure her diet includes enough vitamins, amino acids, minerals, omega-3 acids, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. As the mother nears the last three weeks of pregnancy, her dietary needs will increase significantly. This is because the embryonic puppies gain 75 percent of their body weight during this period. Depending on the litter size, she may need one and a half to two times her typical requirement for these few weeks. Control inbreeding risk Another thing you control is the coefficient of inbreeding. We've seen that mating closely related Labs results in decreased litter size. So it's the breeder's responsibility to choose suitable Labradors to pair. It would be best if the male and female Lab's last three ancestors are unrelated. Lastly, you can give your Lab lots of love and attention. She's going through a challenging period, and it's up to you to support her. Doing this doesn't directly increase the litter size, but it keeps the mother happy and enhances her well-being. So go and scratch her behind the ears! The One-Half Rule This is a general rule that's usually followed by all mammals. It states that a mother will produce half as many babies as there are nipples on her. Sounds interesting, right? Statistics back this rule. Most female dogs have eight to ten nipples, and as we've seen, the average litter size is 5. Humans, of course, have two. Most mothers give birth to one child at a time, but they may also produce twins occasionally. While it does happen, having more than two babies is rare among humans because nature tries to ensure enough nutrition and nourishment for all the babies. Now don't start counting your Lab's nipples! This is simply a statistical correlation; it's not a method you can use to predict litter size. The best way to determine litter size is to take your Lab to the vet. How often do Labradors produce puppies? As we've discussed, female dogs can go into heat anytime after they're six months old. After the first heat cycle, they will typically go into heat twice a year, which means they can produce puppies every six months. However, many breeders and veterinarians advise against breeding continuously. They contend that it's hard on the mother's body and decreases the litter size. Accordingly, they allow their female Lab to breed every other heat cycle, which means the mother will give birth to one litter per year. Others, including one I spoke with on the issue, contend that breeding back to back has physiological benefits for mothers, citing commentary from Dr. Robert Van Hutchinson, a well renowned veterinarian and reproduction specialist. In an online reproduction seminar , Dr. Hutchinson explained that the female's progesterone levels remain elevated for 60 days during ovulation - regardless of pregnancy. This causes severe stress to the uterine lining, and can lead to long term health issues. Therefore, skipping seasons prolongs this activity as opposed to breeding season after season and retiring the mother early. How many puppies Labs have in their lifetime As we've discussed, a Lab goes into heat twice every year, which means she can give birth to a litter every six months. Suppose a female starts breeding when she's two years old and continues doing so until she's eight. In that case, she would produce 13 litters over her lifetime. We've also seen that the average number of pups a Labrador produces is 7. We know that litter size is affected by several factors and does not stay the same throughout the years. But for argument's sake, let's say our female Lab continues to give birth to seven kids during every heat cycle. So theoretically, a Labrador can give birth to over 90 puppies in her lifetime. How long are Labradors pregnant? When measured from the date of ovulation, gestation lasts for days. Since it's difficult to determine the date of ovulation, you cannot know precisely how long your Lab will be pregnant. This is because male sperm can live for 10 to 11 days in the uterine tubes of the female dog. However, for the most part, you should expect your Lab's gestation period to last for two months, or maybe slightly longer. Signs of pregnancy in a Labrador As we've discussed, Labs' gestation period is only about two months. So you don't have a lot of time to notice and interpret the signs. Many pet owners are shocked to find their Lab pregnant in the final days of her pregnancy. Below are some signs of pregnancy in Labradors. If you start to notice them in your female dog, it could be that she's about to give birth to little fur babies. Your dog becomes exhausted quickly or spends more time sleeping Loss of appetite early stages or increased appetite later stages She becomes more affectionate, seeking extra attention, and wanting to stay beside you Appearing lethargic or depressed and just want to be left alone all the time There's mucus discharge from her vulva occurs about a month after mating Her nipples' size or color changes happens about a month after mating Her abdomen size increases noticeable after 40 days She gains weight starts happening around day 35 Of course, the best way to determine whether your Lab is pregnant is to take her to a vet. They will perform one of several diagnostic tests to determine if she will become a mother. Abdominal palpation, ultrasound scan, witness relaxing test, and X-rays are the most common ways to check pregnancy. Final thoughts Breeding Labradors isn't an easy task. You have to invest time and effort to take care of the mother and her puppies properly. Labs usually have five to ten babies per litter, and the average litter size seems to be 7. Factors like the mother's age, health, diet, and the coefficient of inbreeding affect how many puppies Labradors have. We can also influence the litter size to some extent by making sure the female Lab is healthy and by selecting unrelated dogs for mating. Many breeders mate their Labradors every other heat cycle once a year ; others believe back-to-back breeding to be most effective. First things first, how many pups can you expect? The average litter size for a Labrador Retriever is typically between 5 and 10 puppies. The largest recorded lab litter is 15 pups, but anything above 10 is generally very rare. Still, even 10 is a lot. Many lab owners never see a pup litter, however, because the first litter of any dog tends to be on the smaller size. The first litter of any dog will be in the 1 to 5 range rather than 5 to .A larger first litter is still possible, of course, but it is unlikely. As for single-pup pregnancies — many are under the illusion that these are incredibly rare. They are not. Granted, pup first-time pregnancies are more common, but 1-pup births are certainly more common than pup ones. On the other hand, if you just want to have a couple of pups from your dog before you spay her, the fact that the first litters are smaller is perfect for that. Typically, no, but there may be some issues to watch out for. Especially for younger dogs read — just under one year , one-pup pregnancies can even be viewed as common. However, it is wise to consult with your vet before the pregnancy or in the early days. If this happens, a C-section will be necessary to get the pup out. Another common issue that also necessitates a C-section is that singleton puppies are often larger than normal. This is quite understandable given that a single pup tends to get more nutrients and more space to grow in the womb. Hence — the C-section. Your vet will brief you on everything you need to have prepared, of course. A 5 to 10 average litter size is on the bigger side of things in the canine world. This is normal for a large breed, however. Bigger dogs tend to have larger litters than smaller ones for obvious reasons. Of course, you should consult with your vet ahead of time to make sure that your dog is healthy. But, generally, your lab should go through the pregnancy without a hitch. The birth itself can be stressful, of course, so you need to be prepared for that. The gestation period for Labradors is on par with other breeds — anywhere between 57 and 65 days with an average of about 63 days. In other words — the gestation period should be 2 months, take or leave a few days. Do keep in mind that pregnancy can remain completely unnoticed for weeks, however. The sacs will start getting noticeably big between the 21st and the 35th day of the pregnancy, which is one of the main signs. A lab can typically get pregnant right after its first heat or around her 8th month. It is recommended to wait for one or two heat cycles to pass before you try breeding your dog, however. There are a few common pregnancy complications in all dog breeds, however:. Compared to other breeds of dogs, labs are somewhere in the middle. The size of a litter may vary based on factors such as medical condition, physical fitness, health, nutritional intake, and genetic variation. Incredible, huh? We will also discuss the 1st-ever large Labrador litter. Labrador puppies are generally born between 58 and 64 days after being conceived. There is an interesting relationship between pup count and the time to expect your labrador to be pregnant-free. One of the reasons for this is that there is not enough space and not enough sustenance to sustain the baby. In addition, it is not necessary for you to take your lady labrador to the veterinarian in order to deliver her since this can be adept without having to leave your home under the appropriate circumstances and precautions. It is simply a matter of offering some privacy and relief to the expectant mother. In any case, if you see the dog behaving strangely, it is a sign of the fact that the puppies are waiting to be born. Different breeds have different litter sizes, and dogs of large breeds have a tendency to breed more babies in comparison to dogs of small breeds. In addition to different breeds, there can also be differences between similar breeds of dogs. When it comes to Labradors, their first litter usually consists of 7 puppies. On the other hand, it is also important to note that other factors may come into play during this process, which may affect how many puppies your lab lady produces in her 1st litter. Even at the first litter, older labradors are capable of having up to 14 puppies. First pregnancies are always exciting both for humans and canines. However, in the case of labradors, the litter size affected as well. Interestingly enough, if this is the 1st litter of puppies for the female dog, chances are fewer puppies will be born. What is the reason? Because a newly pregnant mother has a smaller uterus, the body still has to adjust for pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Heredity and evolution play a role in the small size of the first litter. Generally, female labradors have the biggest pregnancies during their third and fourth pregnancies. From her first two pregnancies, two to three more puppies aexpected. However, as she reaches her fourth pregnancy, fewer puppies expected. In light of the above, it is important to note that the majority of vets advise against breeding dogs beyond the fourth time. Labrador parents and the dog centers should be happy to hear that there are a number of factors that contribute to the larger litters. To get the best labrador puppies, your best strategy involves paying close attention to the dietary needs, well-being, and physical activity of both DAM and SIRE. The Health Factor Litter size influenced by health in many ways, so health is the key factor here. Simply put, it is necessary for both female and male labradors to be in good health with the goal of producing the largest litter of puppies possible. When it comes to pet parents, to have the most puppies possible from your female lab, you should pay attention to her health. As no unhealthy labrador female can carry large litters. There is an important distinction to be made about the fact that health is what is being discussed, and this does not necessarily imply a labrador is obese. Before you breed your labradors, you should consider how slim or overweight they are. Supplementing the male as well as female Labrador with the best nutrition is key to increasing litter size. When compared to the litters of other breeds, the 1st litter of a female lab is usually small. The likelihood of a small litter is high if the bitch is under seven years old. However, it does not influence the size of a litter exclusively, in which case miracles can occur, such as the lab producing a larger litter at an early age. Young labradors must used for breeding because aged dogs will not release as much sperm and it will somehow affect the size of the litter. Labrador sperm count is high in the male of 5 years old, indicating that the litter will be healthy and large. It is therefore very important that breeding takes place at about the age of 5 years old for both male and female labradors. Genetic pool plays no role in litter size since only fertility affected. Aside from fertility, characteristics are primarily handed down from generation to generation. There are times when you will notice, such as with purebreds, that their eye color or size is not influenced by their genetic makeup, but these traits are inherited. Diet Matters Happiness can never achieved through a bad diet. Everyone knows this. Having a poor diet will prevent a female labrador from giving birth to as many puppies as she should. To ensure that your female labrador has a large litter size, it is essential that she is provided with a high-quality diet all year long and not just when breeding season arrives. Providing your female labrador with a high-quality and appropriate amount of nutrition will surely increase the furtiveness of your female labrador. Besides providing her with a nutritious diet, make sure she gets plenty of physical activity and proper exercise to stay in shape. When it comes to the female labs, they weigh between 55 and 70 pounds which is equivalent to 25 — 32 kilograms. Remember — Supplements is not the solution here and generally not recommended; a diet with a variety of nutrients is. Best Food For Pregnant Labradors In recent years, we have learned that pregnant labradors need high protein diets in order to be healthy. The nutritional needs of pregnant dogs are similar to those of pregnant women. In addition, they need certain vitamins and minerals in their diet. In light of this, we need to learn which is the most appropriate high-protein food for pregnant labradors. You can quickly become overwhelmed with all the choices you have when it comes to buying dog food for your lady labrador. The best dog foods for pregnant labradors compiled for your convenience. A litter from 2 years ago, for example, would not be the same size. Prior to pursuing a breeding session with your labradors, you should consult with a veterinarian. Keeping the proper gap between the two will not cause the litter size to decrease. However, having consecutive pregnancies will reduce the litter size. Other Considerations On top of the factors discussed previously, there are other factors that impact litter size: Mate Rate — According to the majority of the people, if a female only mates once, she will have a smaller litter. We recommend allowing them to mate every couple of days if they are necessary, but you must stop when the female refuses to mate. If you do not stop a female labrador when she refuses to mate, you will put him under a great deal of stress, prohibiting him from having successful breeding. Season — Most commonly, Spring is the most common seasonal time for a labrador to give birth, during which she gives birth to a large litter. However, when breeding occurs in the summer, smaller litters are born. Breeding type — It is generally acknowledged that naturally bred animals deliver more puppies than artificially bred ones. One-Half Rule All mammalian species tend to follow the same underlying rule. According to the rule, the number of babies a female gives birth to is equal to the number of nipples on her body. There is some evidence to support this rule. Typically, a female dog has between 8 to 10 nipples, which explains why litter size is typically 7. Two of them, of course, found in humans. It is common for mothers to have a single baby at a time, but twins can also be born. Although it is not unheard of, having three or more children in the same body is extremely rare as nature ensures sufficient care and nutrition for every child. These results are merely correlational. If you want to know the size of your litter, make an appointment with the veterinarian. Labradors belong to the large breed category, which means that they mature between 18 and 24 months. Which means that breeding should avoided up until her 3rd heat cycle and approximately two years of age. Pregnancy Symptoms In Labradors Labs only take about two months to gestate. The vast majority of pet parents are surprised when they discover their lab lady pregnant in the final days before the delivery. Your lady labrador may exhibit these signs as she prepares to give birth to a litter of puppies. In this case, your veterinarian can assist you. A pregnant female can be x-rayed to see how many pups are in her belly. Puppies with skeletons are seen during this process. Other methods to estimate the litter size include the following: Ultrasound scans Abdominal palpation. Mama Labrador Ready To Give Birth: How To Help Female Labrador giving birth is an incredible, exhilarating, and sometimes breathtaking experience you will surely remember for the rest of your life. Below are a few suggestions. Before you assist your labrador in giving birth, consult your veterinarian and gather the necessary supplies. It is important to make sure that your dog has an appropriate environment, preferably a litter box so that she has space to explore, but also to be aware of her needs. Some may be surprised to learn that labs are very capable of self-sustaining during the birthing process, as are many other breeds. Understanding when to provide assistance and when to let her handle things independently is an essential part of the process. The vet should be kept on hold for emergency purposes. Gather essential supplies such as cleaning towels, blankets, heating pads, gloves, and sterilized scissors. Maintain a clean and comfortable environment that is conducive enough to deliver puppies. She will need to be calmed because she will soon be in a lot of pain crying for help. Due to her heat cycle, labradors have heat cycles twice a year, allowing them to give birth every 6 months. If so, her lifetime litter count would be .Labrador puppies usually have six to seven pups on average. In fact, litter size changes throughout the year depending on a variety of factors. As a hypothetical case, assume the lab lady continuously delivers seven kids during every heat cycle. Consequently, female labradors are capable of bearing 90 puppies in their lifetime. No, the dates of their birth are the same, but the times are different. There is usually a minute interval between puppies. But it is possible for the mama dog to rest for as long as 4 hrs between puppies. Post navigation. But what if you have a Lab that has recently given birth to only 2 puppies? Is that normal for Labradors, or should it be a cause for concern? The larger the breed, the more likely the litter will be bigger, but a healthy Lab can also have a small litter. The rest of this article will go into Labrador litter sizes in greater detail. Keep reading to learn more about this exciting subject! The breed of the mother is another factor to consider. Make sure to keep your puppies warm during the first few weeks. If the mother has previously had larger litters, she may be confused or distressed due to having such a small litter this time around. You should also stay close to her if she seems highly distressed. Littermates Are Important for Puppy Development During the first few weeks of life, puppies learn basic social skills by playing and play-biting each other. The mother will scold puppies for being too aggressive and teach them manners. Feeding your Lab a healthy diet will also increase the chances of a big litter. After seven years old, having a small litter becomes more common in Labradors and all dogs. Although it may not seem like it, keeping your Labrador healthy and active will also increase its chances of having many puppies. A healthy Labrador will have a more muscular body, so carrying a big litter will be easier. Litter Size Occurs Naturally You can do certain things to make it more likely for your Labrador to have a bigger litter, but it may not always work. Or she may be too young or too old! Many small dog breeds are likely to have small litters, such as Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Dachshunds, and Yorkshire terriers. Typically, Labs will always have many more puppies than a Pomeranian. Jack Russels, for example, are a small breed, but their average litter size is six. Six is a big number, considering how tiny Jack Russels are! A healthy Labrador between 2 and 5 years old has the best chance of having a big litter. Smaller litters need extra help to stay warm due to the lack of warmth from littermates.

Many pug puppies claim the moniker of cutest pug in the world. With little funny pug faces and little funny pug butts, these puppies definitely have a chance of winning our annual cutest pug in the world contest! If popularity was the only determinant of cuteness in fact itsdougthepug would probably be the winner with some 2. Posing with food, pugs in costumes, pugs with other cute animals, all these "tricks" or cute puppy hacks definitely are good for upping your cute pug game but they will also disqualified from winning the title of "cutest pug in the world". Well, the critics have spoken and the votes for the cutest pug in the world are in! We have the hands down cutest pug puppy in the whole world! There are of course plenty of cute pug adults, and super cute senior pugs out there. There are cute one eyed pugs and amazingly cute fat pugs. There are even mega cute pug drawings, but thats not why you came here! You came here to find out hands down who the cutest pug is! And drum roll please! The winner of cutest pug in the world is.His cute little puppy paws probably smell like popcorn yes thats a thing! Updated August 1, .This photo gallery includes photos of the cutest Pug puppies as well as cute pictures of adult Pugs. Pugs are a short faced, wrinkled, small breed of dog. This breed has its origins in China, but was brought to Europe in the 16th century. Their coats are typically either black or fawn in color and they have a compact and very muscular body. Because of their short snouts, they often experience a lot of breathing problems, though those wrinkled faces are absolutely adorable. Vote up the cutest, sweetest Pug pictures below. Dogs are man's best friend and have a special ability to lift spirits. This is exactly what the sweet dogs on this list of the cutest Pug puppies do. This gallery of adorable pugs can perk you up no matter how sad you are feeling. Pugs are good companion dogs and great with children. They are very strong willed and have big personalities. These cute Pugs are known especially for their muscular bodies and vibrant personalities. For that reason, a pug puppy makes a great pet for the whole family. Big Eyes.

Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Kelly Hepworth, his wife, Sarah, and their daughter Emily. They breed and train male and female labrador dogs and puppies that are AKC registered and have a month genetic health guarantee. Raising, training, and hunting with Labradors are significant parts of our lives and have always been lifelong endeavors. In addition to our labs, Kelly owns and operates a Veterinary practice located next to the kennel. Each fall, Kelly hunts waterfowl and upland birds in several states. Our labs are derived from the finest pedigree lines available. They are carefully selected for temperament, conformation, and intelligence. We keep our breeding stock free from hereditary problems. Each lab at Bear Creek has certified hips, elbows, and eyes. Our puppies are sold with a month hip and eye guarantee. Puppy dog pile! Black, yellow and chocolate lab puppies Puppy dog pile! All puppies have their dewclaws removed, are wormed, and receive their first shot. Our puppies have become superb family companions, bird and hunt test competitors, gun dogs, obedience winners, and K9 narcotic dogs. You can purchase your Bear Creek puppy with confidence. We have been established since .We are experienced, proven and conscious breeders! We are Selective in our breeding pairs as we have searched worldwide! We will not compromise the rich heritage, pure quality of our Traditional and International breeding lines. We are Dilute Clear!! Official AKC Standard for the Labrador Retriever, General Appearance: The Labrador Retriever is a strongly built, medium-sized, short-coupled, dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced conformation that enables it to function as a retrieving gun dog; the substance and soundness to hunt waterfowl or upland game for long hours under difficult conditions; the character and quality to win in the show ring; and the temperament to be a family companion…… The most distinguishing characteristics of the Labrador Retriever are its short, dense, weather resistant coat; an "otter" tail; a clean-cut head with broad back skull and moderate stop; powerful jaws; and its "kind," friendly eyes, expressing character, intelligence and good temperament……The Labrador is bred primarily as a working gun dog; structure and soundness are of great importance. Some of our breeders come with hunting titles as well!! Over the years, our dogs have made great companions, hunters, and service dogs. Our pups and dogs have been featured in commercials and magazines! Please send in your Pictures!! Janice M. We could not ask for a better puppy than Robin for a family. She is everything we were looking for. She has the sweetest temperament and I cannot believe how smart she is. She has been such a joy to train. She is already great with off leash recall and as soon as we tell her to stop doing something which is not often she listens immediately. Potty training and crate training were a breeze with her. What we love most about Robin is she is completely devoted to our children. She is with them before they go to school and then is at the door a few minutes before they walk in. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. He was smart, well tempered, and just an amazing friend. He was an ultimate protector of Jenine. We have been so happy with everything about him! From Maggie X Manny Litter of 12 pups, ! Our Puppies are Veterinarian Examined! We send stool samples in to eliminate all parasites! Your Health Certificate will share the details! Upcoming Litter Information There are litters available now! What do I do Next? There are upcoming litters available. Please fill out the "Next Steps" form below if you are interested one of our wonderful puppies becoming a member of your family. Karen, owner of Heatherdowns Labradors will contact you IF there are pups or future pups available. How do I know what Puppy will be mine? Once you have decided on a litter, you will be placed on the website with your pick of the litter placement and deposit date. Heatherdowns Labradors may need to move a person into a litter who did not receive a pup on a previous litter who may have a deposit prior to you. At times, this 'right to reserve' may affect the pick position. What are Heatherdowns Labradors Policies? We understand that family situations and circumstances may change. Should that happen, and you are not able to take delivery of your puppy from a specific litter, your deposit may be applied to a future litter. Your Deposit is refundable within 1 year from your Deposit Date, if we have not be able to produce a pup for you based on color or gender. Your Deposit is also refundable within 1 year from your Deposit Date, if your circumstances have changed and can no longer take in a puppy. If you place a deposit with us, and in the meantime obtain a pup elsewhere, we are unable to refund your deposit. If, a deposit is determined to be refundable, an administrative fee will be deducted. Both registrations are AKC. A Limited Registration is for those families who have no intent to breed their dog in the future, and purchase their puppy as a family, hunting, or therapy companion. Limited Registrations do not allow for future litters to be registered with the AKC. Limited Registration does allow for a pup to participate and gain points in AKC events such as hunt tests, field trails, and dock events. A Conformation Event Dog Show is the only event a Limited Registered dog is unable to participate in, or gain points in that category. Litter owners Breeders generally offer Limited Registration in order to protect their breeding programs. Too many Labrador Lovers at once can be a little chaotic. We do visits on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from pm to pm by appointment only. Kvy is Polar White. Eddie is a Polar White Male. Dilute Clear. OFA Cardiac Normal. 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. We understand that there are many reasons for seeking a breeder, though, so we encourage it to be done the right way. We have not personally investigated all the breeders here; rather, we have gathered their details for you to get in touch and ask all the right questions before you decide. Learn more about our position and how to choose a breeder here. Labrador Retrievers are extremely popular. In fact, they are one of the most popular dogs in the United States. For this reason, finding them in Colorado is quite easy. Many different breeders specialize in this breed, enabling you to choose the best one for your budget and needs. Here are eight of the most active breeders in the state. Of course, be sure to do your own research before purchasing any puppy. They strive to raise dogs with sharp intelligence and high trainability. All their dogs receive health clearances before being bred, ensuring that their puppies are healthy and less prone to genetic conditions. They do not breed for the show ring, which makes their dogs a bit cheaper than others. However, they do focus on temperament and health, as these two factors are essential for companion animals. Their dogs do compete in field trials and other hunting tests. They also breed gun dogs. All their puppies are put through a complete socialization program so they are friendly and ready for their new homes. They also provide a guarantee on their puppies that is similar to that of many other breeders. Their foundational adults are free from hereditary problems, and their puppies have a health guarantee. Besides Labrador Retrievers, they also produce Goldendoodles and other similar family dogs. They only breed dogs that have several generations of healthy ancestors, helping ensure that their puppies are healthy. All their breeding dogs are tested for common genetic conditions. Their kennel is licensed by the Colorado State Department of Agriculture. They have been breeding dogs since , far longer than most kennels out there. They have produced championship dogs in both America and internationally. While they focus on showing dogs, they do strive to produce dogs that make good family pets too. They produce three lab colors: black, chocolate, and yellow. Their dogs actively compete in AKC shows, and they genetically test all their dogs before breeding. They have four children, so their dogs are well-socialized with children at the very least. Their breeding dogs have their OFA certifications and undergo yearly eye exams. While their Labradors are show dogs, they strive to produce pet-quality dogs too. Summary The Labrador Retriever is an incredibly popular breed. Dogs from these places can inherit various health problems and genetic conditions due to the disregard for proper breeding standards. Always seek out high-quality breeders who take care of their dogs, both before and after breeding. Featured Image Credit: Alexx60, Shutterstock Written by Kristin Hitchcock Author Kristin is passionate about helping pet parents create a fulfilling life with their pets by informing them on the latest scientific research and helping them choose the best products for their pets. She currently resides in Tennessee with four dogs, three cats, two fish, and a lizard, though she has dreams of owning chickens one day! The Labrador Retriever is also the most popular purebred dog in America for the 21st straight year. More than twice as many Labs were registered than any other breed making it a likely leader for many years to come. At Twin Lakes Kennel, we have been breeding and training world class Labrador retrievers for more than thirty-five years. Our second-to-none Puppy Guarantee makes buying a pure-bred Labrador retriever one of the wisest decisions you will ever make. Read the personal testimonials from prominent Labrador Retriever owners from around the country. And visit our Puppy Page or call Woody or Judi for up-to-the-minute puppy information at .Located near Laurel Hill, NC, we deliver our world class Labrador retriever puppies and adults to locations as far away as Alaska. We can easily deliver our guaranteed Labs to your location in or around Colorado Springs. For details, call Woody or Judi at .Labrador Retriever Puppies and Children In a recent article, a licensed professional counselor for more than twenty-five years, explained how owning a Labrador retriever can help produce healthier, happier, more well adjusted children. Here is an excerpt from her article: The ten reasons that I am giving for children to have a dog are not listed in order of importance. All of us have different characteristics which we find more important than others. Every reason I list, however, is important to the childhood of your son or daughter. Dogs are great stress relievers for children. Imagine the effects on family life when the stress levels of parents go down. Children who have a dog feel more secure about home safety and going to sleep in the dark. One of the greatest stresses on children is night fears. To have this overcome, or lessened, is a great benefit to relieving stress. For children who are having any sort of difficulties at school, but especially thoughts and concerns over being liked or accepted, having a dog as a companion that loves you unconditionally is positive and brings with it a good feeling and alleviates symptoms of depression. Be sure to read the rest of her article, Ten Reasons to Own a Dog. Our world class Labrador Retrievers puppies for sale! Our Latest Happy Clients! Become A Happy Client!