mini goldendoodle puppies for sale jacksonville fl

And, along with all the joys, you may have a few new puppy jitters too. I get it! In other words, I am over the moon for Doodle dogs. Now what? Choose your veterinarian and make a new puppy appointment. As your Goldendoodle becomes a senior, your vet may suggest twice yearly well check visits. Your veterinarian is an essential part of helping your puppy live the happiest, healthiest, and longest life possible. But how do you choose a veterinarian? For a veterinary clinic to become AAHA accredited, they are assessed on standards for veterinary care. Also, you can ask friends, family, and other dog parents for recommendations on vets, check out veterinary websites, and visit the veterinary offices. Schedule a new puppy vet visit. When we called our veterinary office, the care team asked for some basic information about the puppy so they could get her records set up. This way we could rest assured that our puppy was in good physical health, on track for vaccinations, and had the proper testing for parasites and worms. For example, our new puppy had hiccups. Finally, we could ask our vet about the proper nutrition for our puppy, how much to feed each day, and get expert answers on puppyhood — everything from tips on potty training to puppy socialization. The list of veterinary specialty services sounds much like the specialty services that we receive as humans. Why do I bring this up? With so many advanced veterinary resources available—much like humans use insurance to cover the healthcare costs—you may want to investigate pet insurance. Since there are so many insurance options to research, doing your homework ahead of time makes sense. Also, from my research, the younger your puppy is when you enroll, the lower your monthly payment will be. Alternatively, if you are unsure about insurance, you may want to consider putting money aside each month to cover unexpected emergencies or life-saving procedures that may be down the road. Start planning your new schedule. What will your schedule look like when your new puppy comes home? Who will be available to care for your puppy? Every family has different daily routines, so arranging a schedule looks different for everyone. If there is more than one family member in the household, perhaps you can flex your schedules. Prepare your home and start new habits. Dropping backpacks by the door or leaving socks on the floor is real life. Yes, many Goldendoodles—and other Doodle dogs—are notorious sock thieves. Scratch grapes and raisins off the shopping list because they are a hazard for dogs. Clear the coffee table a. Buy the lidded trash cans for the bathroom that are dog-proof. Make sure your kitchen trash cans are not where puppies can get them. In addition to preparing your home, you may want to puppy proof your car too. I know a lot of people put packs of sugarless gum in their car console. Order your new puppy supplies. Crates and puppy toys and water bowls and leashes and collars. The list of puppy supplies is long. For a complete list of new puppy supplies, please check out my new puppy check list. You can also visit our Goldendoodle Supplies store. Here you will find puppy supplies that we have used and recommend. Determine you puppy space—a designated puppy area. This one was big for us. When our new puppy first came home, we thought we had a puppy space the family room with puppy gates to block off the other rooms determined. So we MacGyvered a solution by sectioning off a smaller area of the family room using our new three-panel wooden dog gates and our L-shaped couch to make a play area. For example, we could easily observe when our puppy started to wander away from us, lost interest in toys, or started sniffing. These were all her signs that she was just about to go potty! Set up your puppy supplies. For example, if you bought a new crate, assembling it now will be easier than when you have a curious puppy helping you. Rest up! New puppies have tiny puppy bladders and need to go out at night to go potty. Choose a designated area outside for puppy potty training. Determine where your puppy will sleep. More than likely, your puppy is used to sleeping next to puppy siblings, listening to puppy sounds, and feeling the warmth of her mom and puppy brothers and sisters. Since dogs are so social, for our puppy, we wanted to provide reassurance that we were nearby. We decided that our new furry family member would be safest in a crate. But the crate would be placed next to the bed so that our puppy could feel close to us—her new pack. Plus, we could comfort her with the sound of our voices or a gentle touch. Also, we placed a Snuggle Puppy in the crate. I thought our puppy might see the Snuggle Puppy as a play toy rather than a calming toy, but no! Our puppy loved it! This is a day for heaps of love and time and attention. Here are some tips to help the day go smoothly. Before going into your home, allow your puppy the opportunity to go potty. Before you walk through the door with your new puppy in your arms, allow her a little time to explore her new puppy potty spot in your yard or green space. Even as a puppy, our week-old Goldendoodle was a little speedster, so we knew we had to keep her on leash. Start small. As mentioned earlier, rather than giving our puppy the ability to roam our home immediately, we started small. So on her first day home, we created an even smaller area using our couch and our dog gates. This allowed us to be able to sit with our new Goldendoodle puppy and also let her explore and sniff within a small space. Also, we could watch her like a hawk as well as enjoy spending time with her. We had a couple of puppy toys for her to play with and a small dog bowl of water in her improvised play area. Bond with your fur baby! Give your dog heaps of your love, attention, and time. If you take away just one tip from this article, this is the one! In fact, multiple research studies have shown that when you bond with your dog, your dog releases oxytocin—the love hormone. Our puppers are counting on us to protect them from canine diseases like parvovirus.Expect your puppy to need you. Your puppy is going to need you, want to be with you, and count on you. Puppies have years of biology telling them that being part of a pack is security. They want you. Before that big day, you can plan ahead by puppy-proofing your home, getting the puppy supplies bought, and more. I hope that even one or two of these tips will help make your day even happier. And, by being prepared, I hope any new puppy jitters quickly become new puppy joys. Make sure everyone knows the rules that your puppy will be expected to follow, and how to properly train your puppy. Doing this ahead of time will help you create a structured and consistent environment for both your family and puppy. Some examples of rules to set for children include: Small children should not pick up your puppy and carry him or her around. Allowing your children to hold the puppy while sitting is okay, but puppies like to squirm and jump out of your arms and it's possible to accidentally injure the puppy while trying to carry it around. Puppies should not be unattended on couches, chairs, and beds. They will jump off and potentially break a leg. Puppies need to feel that they can eat in peace without having to defend their food, making it important that children know to leave your new puppy alone while eating. Children bothering your puppy during a meal could lead to defensive behavior. Your puppy may be tired already as there have been lots of changes to its environment. However, a short little play session before bed never hurts. Two hours before bedtime, take away your puppies water so he or she will not have to get up to go to the bathroom during the night. Puppies should have access to water all day until this time. Your puppy will most likely whimper and cry the first few nights. This is normal. Follow the guide provided here and your puppy will be happily crate trained in no time. For night-time crate training, listen to the video I post on your Marco Polo litter group. Welcome to my first puppy blog! His expected weight as an adult is between 40 and 50 pounds. Before bringing Henry home I did months of research on puppies. I wanted to make sure I knew as much as possible. I grew-up with a shih-tzu and now my parents have a havenese. My parents used potty pads with both dogs and they were difficult to house train. I researched different breeds, breeders and also considered adoption. However, most of my research was focused on crate and house training. I am not a dog expert and have no education as a dog trainer, but I thought it would be helpful to share what has worked well for us. In our home we created a designated puppy room. For about his first two weeks home he rarely left this room. He has a tiny, weak bladder and is easily confused in his new home. You can create a puppy room or space anywhere in your home, I think it just helps to do-so close by to an exterior door. It is key that this area is very close to the puppy room. Fortunately, he went potty right away on that first day. We gave him lots of verbal praise then took him inside. Each time he comes inside we wipe his paws with a wipe because he does not have all of his vaccine boosters. I have spoke with a few veterinarians on this topic and suggest everyone do the same. Taking Henry outside to go potty was the right choice for us. When Henry entered his room his crate was setup with the door open. Inside we had a crate pad and the towel he sat on in the car during his ride home. I was a bit nervous about the crate situation because neither of my family dogs took a liking to their crate. We let him explore his new room for a bit and before we knew it, he walked into his crate on his own to lay down. From that moment on, he loved his crate! I originally planned to move his crate into our bedroom next to my side of the bed. Since Henry easily went in and out of his crate on his first day home we decided not to move his crate. I totally understand that this is not the case for every pup! When we took Henry home he was about 9lbs and he started with a 24 inch crate. As most sites suggest, he had enough room to turn around, but not enough room to play. Too much extra space in the crate may cause puppies to go potty on one side and sleep on the other. The crate should only be big enough for relaxing — not relaxing AND potty. Tip 4 Stick to a schedule. Day and night. We brought Henry home on a Sunday afternoon and I was able to stay home the following two days. Starting on the first night we set alarms to wake up every two hours to take Henry outside. I know that some sites suggest not waking your puppy up, but this is the method that we chose and it worked very well for Henry. We chose this method because we wanted him to understand that night time is for sleeping and going potty — not playing. By waking him up we felt were inconveniencing him, not the other way around. For the most part, he was always sleeping when we took him out until he woke up for good around 5am. We followed the 2 hour approach for about five days then increased to 3 hours. After about another five days we increased to 4 hours. He has never had an accident in his crate and can hold it for hours at night. Henry eventually started sleeping later util about 6 and am. For the first two weeks, we also wrote down every time Henry ate, drank and went potty. During the first two days, we peed 14 times before dinner. Patience is not my strongest venture. My husband on the other hand, has the patience of a saint. Brining home a puppy is without a doubt stressful and exhausting. The first few weeks are especially tough, but hang in there! I promise it gets better. Your little guy was taken from his mama and siblings then placed in whole new world. It is going to take some time for him to learn, but he will learn. During the first two weeks Henry went nuts for food and water. Here we are 5 weeks out and he plops his little butt down when we bring his food over. The calmer you are, the calmer he will be too. Our next goal is to tackle puppy biting — check back soon! Share this:. You have found the puppy of your dreams and you are probably feeling really excited and maybe a little nervous. One way to feel less nervous prior to bringing home a Goldendoodle puppy is to make sure your new Goldendoodle puppy has everything it will need. There are so many puppy items to choose from, you may feel completely overwhelmed. In order to help you, I have compiled this handy shopping list which includes all the essential items you will need when bringing home a new Goldendoodle puppy. The puppy items on this list will make sure you are well-prepared for the first few days or weeks. Hey there! Some links on this page are affiliate links which means that, if you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I greatly appreciate your support! Essential Goldendoodle Puppy Shopping List To learn more about any item on the must-have puppy shopping list, simply click on the photo or any underlined text to be directly linked to Amazon. Thank you. A lot of collars are adjustable, but you will probably end up buying several collars as time goes on. You want something that is light, but durable. Therefore, I like to start with a 6-foot leash like the one linked above, as this length is great for training and teaching loose leash walking. I also suggest investing in a foot leash for recall training. The longer leash allows the puppy to have some freedom, while still being under my control. Food Dish Your new Goldendoodle puppy is going to need a food dish. Some people like stainless steel food dishes because they are easy to clean. If your pup eats quickly, you may consider a slow-feeder bowl or even a muffin tin! Alternatively, your puppy may prefer ceramic, like this food and water bowl set that is weighted, food-grade, and lead-free. With my Goldendoodle, I use a ceramic bowl for her first meal, and then I am a big proponent of ditching the bowl and offering her second and third meals in a canine-enrichment feeder. Water Bowl Your new Goldendoodle puppy is going to need access to clean water throughout the day. If you research water bowls, it would seem that everyone has their favourite. The Neater Feeder is also a popular choice. As a puppy, my Goldendoodle enjoyed standing in her bowl and making a mess. Also, since she has a fuzzy muppet face, her beard would ultimately soak up the water from her bowl and she would drip water all over the house. After some trial and error, the best bowl I found for her was this one from LumoLeaf. It solved all of our problems and I highly recommend it. Food Your puppy should continue to eat the food it was eating before you brought it home. Goldendoodle Brush When bringing home a Goldendoodle puppy it is very important for it to become accustomed to being groomed from the start. To begin, use a soft slicker brush and provide treats while gently stroking your puppy to form a positive association with grooming. Goldendoodle Crate There are many crates to choose from and they can be very beneficial for housetraining and keeping your puppy safe when you ar e not there to monitor her. A wire crate usually comes with a divider, so you buy one for the size you think your puppy will eventually be and section it off with the divider as needed. You can also choose a plastic crate. These are great because they can also be used for travel in a car. There are also decorative crates that blend in to look like furniture. To start, the crate should be about two inches taller and longer than your puppy. Toothbrush and Toothpaste Dogs can have tartar and plaque build-up just like you. It is important to get your new Goldendoodle puppy used to dental hygiene. A finger toothbrush is usually the easiest to work with and most dogs enjoy the taste of liver-flavoured toothpaste. Puppy Playpen I found having a playpen to be absolutely essential with my Goldendoodle, so I am including it on this list. I used it for house training and when she was in the biting stage. It was also an excellent place for her when she was overstimulated and needed a quiet place to settle. The playpen was a positive space for her with her favourite stuffies and chews. In fact, I even served my Goldendoodle puppy her meals in her playpen so she could form a really positive association with her playpen. I never used it for discipline. Playpens come in all different sizes and shapes depending on your space. I have always used clippers for my dogs but recently purchased a Dremel. I am still getting used to the Dremel, but so far I really like it. I suggest watching some videos on puppy nail cutting prior to trying it yourself. If you are uncomfortable doing it yourself, then take your pup to a groomer that you trust for nail care. Benebones or Nylabones When bringing home a Goldendoodle puppy it is essential that you have some puppy-approved items for your puppy to chew on. Benebones and Nylabones are life-savers during the biting phase of puppyhood. When your Goldendoodle puppy is biting your fingers or a table leg, quickly stop the unwanted behaviour and give your Goldendoodle puppy this safe alternative to chew. Benebones and Nylabones come in different flavours and can help you to avoid ruined furniture or injured skin. Be sure to pick one that is made especially for puppy chewing. Soft and Hard Toys Undoubtedly, my Goldendoodle has no shortage of toys. Soft Training Treats You can never have enough training treats when bringing home a new Goldendoodle puppy, as training should start in the first few days. In fact, you will be amazed at how quickly they learn with direct training. Most importantly, soft training treats can be consumed quickly allowing you to practice training without having to stop and wait for chewing. I like to mix up higher-value and lower-value treats when training her to keep her guessing and motivated. Freeze Dried Meat Another training must-have is freeze-dried meat. My Goldendoodle has a chicken allergy which seems to be common in Goldendoodles so I like to use freeze-dried beef. The ones pictured above come in a variety of different meat types. Since freeze-dried meat is a high-value treat, it works great for potty training. In fact, some even come with a dispensing container that attaches to a leash. The Snuggle Puppy has a heartbeat that your new Goldendoodle puppy will find very comforting. Even though my Goldendoodle is now 1. Although it may seem a little pricey, I am so happy I had it for my Goldendoodle puppy. Final Thoughts In conclusion, the excitement and anticipation prior to bringing home a Goldendoodle puppy is something that all new Goldendoodle owners experience. Hence, why it is important to be prepared for the arrival of your Goldendoodle puppy ahead of time. By stocking up on the items on my Essential Goldendoodle Puppy Shopping List before bringing home a Goldendoodle puppy, you will have everything you need, and your time and energy can be dedicated to spending time with your new furry bundle of joy. Happy Tail Wags xo Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail. Kinky Friedman. Preparing for a Goldendoodle Puppy Preparing for a Goldendoodle Puppy Preparing for a new puppy is an exciting endeavor, but when the breed in question is a goldendoodle, the experience becomes an extraordinary one. However, as with any new furry addition, preparation is key. From learning more about this breed to choosing a vet and puppy-proofing your home, getting everything ready for your new goldendoodle addition can make the transition easier for you and your pup. What You Need To Know About Goldendoodles A fairly newer crossbreed that emerged in the late s, these pups are hybrids of golden retrievers and poodles. Likely inspired by the successful crossbreeding of Labrador retrievers and poodles resulting in the popular labradoodle, the goldendoodle mix has also proven a resounding success. Goldendoodles come in four size variations: petite, mini, medium and standard. This is a highly intelligent, nonaggressive breed that thrives on pleasing their humans. Goldendoodle puppies can have different coat curl patterns, from tight coils to looser waves. Doodles are quiet, typically only barking when they feel threatened. Goldendoodle puppies love to swim, a trait inherited from their parental breeds. Prepare Your Home for a Goldendoodle Puppy Anytime you bring home a new goldendoodle puppy, some preparation is needed to make the transition easier for you and your furry addition. From puppy-proofing to training tips, it might seem a little overwhelming at first. When you set up your doodle den, make it as comfortable as possible. Introduce it to the crate in as positive a manner as possible to get your puppy accustomed to the idea of sleeping there. Goldendoodle Puppy Housing Training Tips Getting your doodle accustomed to certain behaviors at home will help make the transition much smoother. The key to proper home training, even outside of what you learn in a more structured training environment, is consistency. If there are certain behaviors you plan to implement from the outset of bringing your goldendoodle puppy home, make sure that you — and your family members — remain as consistent as possible. It takes puppies time to learn, so keep in mind that like a small child, your puppy is bound to make mistakes. This is one of the reasons you should enforce anything you do with a structured training protocol with your new pet. Remember to always use positive reinforcement for your new pup and take the time to learn its body language. Tips for Puppy-Proofing Puppy-proofing is as important as baby-proofing, as your new doodle may let its curiosity lead it to investigate anything and everything. The best thing you can do to combat any unwanted shoe or furniture damage is puppy-proof before your new puppy arrives. Being proactive in puppy-proofing will save both you and your new family member a great deal of stress when you bring your puppy home. Use puppy gates to block off any dangerous areas of the home. Get Family Members Ready for a New Furry Friend In addition to preparing your home for a goldendoodle puppy, you may need to prepare your family members as well. It can be challenging to give any new puppy space to acclimate, especially one as cute as a baby doodle. Kids especially may have issues respecting boundaries where your new pup is concerned. A daily schedule and plenty of conversations about not overwhelming your new family member are key to getting everyone on the same page. A daily puppy schedule will help everyone get acclimated and will set expectations in terms of crate training, meal and playtimes and potty breaks. One of the biggest adjustments you may have to make is that goldendoodles need lots of time for play and exercise. Try to allot at least 30 minutes a day to spending time outdoors, playing with toys, running around and learning new tricks. These dogs enjoy the mental stimulation as much as they do the physical activity. House training may be a slow-going process in terms of potty training and breaks, so you may have to be patient here as well. A new goldendoodle puppy is going to have accidents — this is a fact of life. If you plan to be away from home for long periods, consider hiring a dog sitter for the first few weeks. So once you get your puppy established with a vet and integrated into your household, consider daycare if you spend a lot of time away from home each day. Shop for a Few New Puppy Essentials One of the most fun parts of bringing home a new puppy is shopping for the essentials. This is true of toys, treats and even some types of collars and leashes. This goes for toys, food and even more expensive bedding options. Similar to their human counterparts, puppies develop their own likes and dislikes over time. What To Know About Caring for Your New Doodle Caring for your doodle puppy requires consistency and attentiveness to everything from the food you choose to the vet you feel most comfortable with. Choose a Veterinarian With Goldendoodle Experience Preparing for a goldendoodle puppy also means finding a veterinarian to care for your new puppy. When you start the search for a veterinarian, look for one with experience with this breed. Doing so ensures your local vet is more likely to be proactive with any health or genetic issues that may crop up down the road. New Pup Food Facts Anytime you bring home a new puppy, choosing the right dog food can be a matter of trial and error. If you do opt to transition to another brand, discuss it with your vet first. It may take time — and lots of patience — to transition your puppy to another food, so keep that in mind before you make the switch. This also applies to puppy treats. Any food or treat changes should be implemented slowly and with care. Keep in mind that puppies have sensitive tummies and may not take to a new food brand or type very well. So be prepared to go back to the food they were eating before the switch if the new option causes them stomach issues. Brush your pup daily and schedule a grooming appointment every six weeks or so. Failure to properly groom your doodle can result in matting, which is both painful and unsightly. Keep the at-home grooming to daily brushing and find a professional you can trust for the more extensive process. Doodle Training Is Crucial Like any puppy, your new doodle addition will likely require dog training at first to stop bad habits from forming. Finding a professional dog trainer is as essential as settling on the right veterinarian. Once you find the right person for the job, create a consistent training schedule to cover the basics. Decide if you want to engage in training at home or at a training facility. This allows it to associate certain behaviors with specific areas of the home. For instance, if part of the training process deals with meals and food access, initiating it around its own bowl might be more beneficial than doing so at another location entirely. Goldendoodle puppies are lovable and ideal for dog lovers of all types. They make for an ideal choice for families with small children and individuals who just want a canine companion to make a family of two. If there is a behavior your puppy exhibits that you may think is cute while your puppy is small, you need to think ahead and determine if this behavior will be acceptable from an adult dog. Consistency is the most important tool for training a puppy in their first year and beyond. Each family member needs to use the same techniques and commands so as not to confuse your puppy. It is important to remember that a puppy associates a reward or a disciplinary action with its behavior in the past 3 seconds. Waiting longer than 3 seconds to reward or discipline is very confusing to a puppy. You cannot stop this behavior, but you can certainly direct your puppy to chew upon acceptable items until this phase passes at about a year of age. The only way puppies know how to play is the typical wrestling, biting, chasing, tackling, pulling, and nipping they do with littermates. In the absence of littermates, you and your family suddenly become the littermates. Repeat this same disciplinary action a total of three times in a row. Every now and then, a particularly feisty puppy will become more excited by this disciplinary action and need a more distinct disciplinary measure. This next action needs to be initiated quickly. This will be uncomfortable for your puppy. When behavior meets with uncomfortable consequences, the behavior will stop. With all this being said, the absolute best remedy is for you to arrange daily play dates with other puppies or young dogs. The bottom line is that your puppy needs to have active playtime each day. Jumping — Your puppy will jump on you to get your attention. This may seem innocent while your puppy is small, but Grandma may not appreciate being knocked over by the full grown untrained dog. Make sure you do not reward the puppy for the act of getting down as this will enforce the behavior of jumping up only to be told to get down for a reward. This is not a sign of aggression unless you allow this to go undisciplined over time. You need to actively discourage any and all growling directed at you. If your puppy growls at you when you get close to the food bowl, immediately remove the food bowl and feed the puppy out of your hand. Do not stop brushing until the puppy accepts this without growling. Each puppy needs to learn its place in the pecking order of a family. Obviously, they need to be the lowest on the totem pole. If allowed to be boss, growling is a normal thing for a puppy to exhibit when showing its dominance. Each family member must establish they are boss. This includes young children who are timid or fearful of the puppy. Remember that any behavior you allow as a puppy is then extremely difficult to curb later in life. If you do not wish to have your adult dog on the furniture, do not sit on the sofa holding your puppy. If you do not want your grown dog to grab your pant leg, etc. Leash Training — Training your Goldendoodle puppy to walk on a leash without pulling will take some time. Be patient and read our complete guide to leash training here. Buying a Trained Puppy — You can opt to have your puppy purchased at Fox Creek Farm trained by a professional trainer. Buying a trained puppy can save you a lot of time and benefit the entire family. Please visit our board and train services page for more information. Pet Insurance — We always recommend that any dog owner have a good quality pet insurance. Choosing the best pet insurance will take you a bit of time to learn about the coverages and fees associate with the brand and your particular dog. Spend some time with our blog articles on pet insurance linked above to determine what is right for you and your furry friend. This will be a place for them to sleep and relax. Make sure that this bed is big enough for your Goldendoodle to sleep on. As a puppy, your Goldendoodle may chew on their bed and blankets. Make sure to get a bed that is made of out tough material but is soft enough for them to want to sleep on. As your Goldendoodle gets older , you may want to transition them to an orthopedic dog bed. These beds would not be a bad choice for a puppy either. Most dogs love the plush sides to rest their head. This bed is waterproof, which is great for those puppies learning to potty train. This bed is very comfy and is made of memory foam, which is a plus for older Goldendoodles. Check Price Food and Water Bowls As soon as you get your Goldendoodle home, they will need to have food and water available. There are many different size and shape food bowls that you can get for your Goldendoodle puppy. There are even pet water fountains to keep your Goldendoodle entertained while drinking water. This is a very personal preference. When looking for a food and water bowl, also look at your new puppies eating style. Many people will let their Goldendoodle eat out of Tupperware for a few days until they know if they have a dog that is constantly moving the bowl around the house or one that eats very fast. If your dog is moving the bowl around the house, consider a bowl with a rubber bottom to help it stay in place more. Stainless steel bowls are great for cleaning but may be strange for your puppy to eat out of. If your pup is eating their food very fast, consider a puzzle bowl. This bowl is designed for them to have to eat around different parts until they finish their meal. If your dog eats very fast, they are prone to vomiting shortly after eating or even Bloat. In the first week you've probably already introduced your new little guy to the family, offered a tour around the new digs, made some key introductions with other housemates in their furrever home and maybe even said hello to a neighbor or two…but now what? Many new goldendoodle owners are often unprepared for what comes next and find that the honeymoon period is not always as glamorous as imagined. This is a HUGE transition both for you and for them! Many new owners will buy the best food money can buy or, more commonly, offer the same food the breeder has been using. It is very common for puppies to have a transitional period where eating is suppressed. Different factors can be at play here — homesickness, stress, or even intimidation by other household pets. We encourage you to be patient, supportive and just keep offering food — especially during those down times when things are quiet and pup is feeling settled. Eventually, your little guy will come around! This is the first night your pup has been away from littermates so he or she may spend a lot of time whining in the crate spare a tear for sibling bonding. This can last for several nights, but usually decreases with each passing night. At JLDD, we start all pups on crate training by the time they are just two weeks old. At JLDD we introduce a potty area at around three weeks old and encourage the pups to use puppy pads throughout their time with us. The smaller the area, the more likely your pup will be to use the puppy pad. In fact, confining them to just a room or two of your house at first is often a good idea in general to make things less overwhelming for them. Bonus points if your predesignated area is within direct eyeline to the outside door…that way your little guy can quickly get familiar with the way outside. Be prepared…young pups have to pee A LOT! This aspect of owning a new pup takes time and is sometimes a 2-steps forward, 1-step back process.At night, you can expect your pup to be able to go around hours at first without needing to potty…some of our bigger pups can go 8 hours from night one, but it just depends on the pup. Most will need a potty break at some point in the middle of the night for the first couple weeks—it can be tough, but fortunately they are usually able to stretch it out pretty quickly. To review, when raising a goldendoodle puppy, the best tools you can have in your belt are patience, a good sense of humor and consistency. Puppies thrive on schedules and predictable expectations, and lots of snuggles and chew toys! Doodles are very smart and learn fast, so you should see marked improved by the week, meaning that each progressive week is generally easier than the last. The transition in the first week with your goldendoodle is tough for them, but remember, they are learning that YOU are their new pack. This is a critical phase for bonding to humans and you are about to have a profoundly loyal best friend for life. You got this!

All dogs are unique and grow at their own rate. Pro Tip: Check out our complete guide to puppy care to ensure your Lab gets off to a great start. As a medium to large breed, Labrador Retrievers need at least one year to reach their full size. A general rule of thumb suggests your Lab should be at or close to its full size by their first birthday. However, bigger-boned Lab puppies can keep growing and filling out their chest up to 18 months old. How big should a 6-month-old Labrador Retriever be? The average Lab weight at six months old is about 40 to 55 pounds for males or 30 to 35 pounds for females. Please keep in mind that these numbers are averages, and every puppy will grow at a slightly different rate. How much bigger will my Labrador Retriever get? There are three ways to predict the size of a Labrador Retriever at maturity: Age. Labrador Retrievers typically reach their full height and weight around their first birthday. Larger Labs may need up to 18 months to fill out their chest, but any weight gain after 12 months should be minimal overall. If your Lab is less than a year old, they are likely still growing and putting on muscle to reach their adult size. Paw Size. If their paws look oversized next to their legs and body, then they are probably still growing, as this is a classic puppy feature. Lastly, if you purchased your Lab through a breeder, you can contact them for a more exact height and weight estimate. What is the size of a full-grown Labrador Retriever? A full-grown Labrador Retriever weighs between 65 and 80 pounds and stands about .The average weight of a full-grown female Labrador Retriever should be about 55 to 70 pounds, standing at .Make sure to consult with your veterinarian to ensure that your Lab is maintaining a healthy weight for its body size. The Labrador Retriever growth rate should be indicative of its athletic body and muscular build. Did you know. ? Their webbed paws made them strong swimmers, along with their otter tail, which acts like a powerful rudder when retrieving ducks. English nobles spotted the dogs and brought them home across the Atlantic, where breeders continued to refine the breed into its own variation. Between their friendly demeanor, adaptability, and outgoing disposition, they make ideal family members. As cherished members of our families, Labs deserve the best care. Unfortunately, like many other purebred dogs, Labrador Retrievers are more susceptible to various health issues. Some of the most common examples include:. Between 8 weeks and 10 months, your puppy has a ton of growing to do, and they change drastically from month to month. Each stage of growth requires specific attention, exercise, and diet, so there is much to learn and pay attention to these different growth stages. There may be behavioral challenges while your pup adjusts to their new life without their mother and siblings. This period of adjustment can sometimes lead to fearful and timid behavior, and your puppy will need as much attention and affection as possible. They should be eating 3—4 small meals a day at this stage. You can begin basic command, leash, and potty training at this point too. Although the schedule is not complete this is a critical period to begin socialization and making sure they are calm and friendly with other dogs, just make sure they are also vaccinated. We highly recommend making training a part of their daily activities at this age. Biting can be an issue at this stage too, as they will begin teething, and they will start exploring and chewing whatever they can find. Chew toys and consistent command reinforcement are both vital for avoiding this behavior. The good news is that your puppy will grow out of this habit at around 6 months old. Your lab should also be house-trained by this point, but there may still be the occasional accident. Remember to be gentle but firm when this happens, and your pooch will likely move through it swiftly. They will begin losing their baby teeth at this point, and biting and chewing may reach its peak. Firm but gentle commands, chew toys, and loads of patience are essential at this stage. Your puppy will be testing the limits and may start showing dominance, ignoring known commands, and asserting more independence. You can now drop their meals down to two meals per day, but be sure that they are not eating too quickly. Your puppy will start to closely resemble an adult at 6 months, but remember that mentally, they are still puppies and will need loads of direction and training. Females may enter their first heat at 6—7 months, so keep a careful watch for stray males. They will still display puppy tendencies and traits and have a ton of excitable energy, but they should be fairly obedient and well-trained by this stage. Be sure to give your Labrador plenty of exercise at this stage to help keep them from misbehavior. They will have reached their full height by now but may still gain weight and muscle mass in the coming months. Unless you intend on breeding, you should consider neutering and spaying your puppy to avoid wandering and unwanted pregnancies. While some breeders recommend that you wait until a year old, this is a perfectly suitable time to perform the procedure. They may still gain weight and muscle mass but much slower than during the past few months. They will still display puppy characteristics and even test boundaries, but all in all, they should be obedient and well-trained by now. They will have a ton of energy and still enjoy playtimes and loads of exercise. While they are at their full height at this age, some Labs may appear lanky and still have weight to fill out in the coming months. When Do Labradors Stop Growing? All dogs are unique, and the question of when they stop growing is largely dependent on the individual. Anecdotally, your Lab should have reached their full weight by 18 months and full height by 9—12 months. Most breeders agree that your Lab will stop growing at some point during their second year. Even so, any weight gain during their second year will be minimal, and they will have done the majority of their growth by their first birthday. Mentally, they are out of the puppyhood phase of testing boundaries and disobedience by their first year— if correctly trained. If you have been consistent in training thus far, your Lab should be friendly, obedient, and well-behaved from their first birthday and into adulthood. In males, neutering can sometimes result in a calmer, more relaxed dog, and this, in turn, will slow down his need for exercise and may result in weight gain. A study in showed that dogs neutered before 37 weeks may gain more weight, while dogs that had the procedure after 37 weeks had a slower growth trajectory. The difference was minimal, though, and there is no reason to assume that these procedures have much of an effect on growth rates in dogs. Dangers of Growing Too Quickly or Stunted Growth While some puppies may grow quicker or slower than the agreed-upon average, this is usually nothing to be concerned about due to the individual and unique nature of dogs. However, if your pooch is gaining weight rapidly or not gaining enough, there may be deeper issues to look into. If your dog is from working or hunting stock, they may be smaller than average Labs and are usually lighter for work in the field. Size may also be genetic, and if your Lab comes from small parents, they will be smaller than average. The same may be true of heavier-than-average Labs—if their parents are large, they will likely be similar in size. However, larger-than-average weights may also be due to overfeeding or a lack of exercise , or a combination of both, so be sure to keep their exercise and feeding habits consistent. Image Credit: rebeccaashworth, Shutterstock Growth Distinctions of Different Labradors Although they are designated under the same breed, there are two different types of common Labradors: English and American. English Labradors tend to be stockier and more muscular than their American counterparts and have a thick, waterproof coat , while American Labs have a slender build with a slightly finer coat. English Labs are slightly shorter, topping out at around 22 inches, but their stocky and muscular build often makes them heavier than American Labs. In fact, English Labs have been known to weigh up to 20 pounds more than American Labs without being considered overweight. American Labs are known to be slightly more active and energetic than English Labs, while English Labs tend to be less excitable and more laid back. English Labs are by no means lazy, though, and they still have plenty of energy and stamina to go around. Conclusion: Monthly Labrador Growth Pictures Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand the growth rate of your Labrador puppy and given you a better idea of what to expect during the different stages. See also:. I think it's going well, but this is our first time, and I was hoping you wise and welcoming dog people could help me with a couple of concerns. We use all her food to train her, and higher value treats for recall, hide and seek, and the only thing she's hesitant about so far--water. She settles well in her crate and naps about every two hours. If we try to settle her out with us, we end up with the thrashing-biting- zoomies. When we tell her "kennel", I feel like she's relieved, and she enters and sleeps we do close the door and cover with a towel. Am I interpreting her right? Can we keep crating her for naps for now working on preventing zoomies? Or will that mean she doesn't learn to relax with the family? She can't play in our yard anymore because she is attempting to eat her weight in soil. She will also chew up sticks, acorns, grass etc. We stop her, but is this normal and will she outgrow it? If she starts doing it outside our yard, I don't know what we'll do because she has to romp outside somewhere! My final question for now is the water thing. It's been 95 degrees here, she's black lab, and I'm totally mystified that she doesn't enjoy water. I've looked it up and tried a lot of things plastic wading pool in the backyard, and going in with her. We allow her to make all her own choices but do encourage and throw a treat party when she enters. Still, she'll only go up to her "knees" in the bay gentle sloping entrance, no waves, sandy bottom. Should we keep trying once a day, or back off? Other positive things we could try? I'm concerned that if she doesn't swim and love it before 16 weeks, the window of new experience will close and she'll never like water. Not a problem if her eventual family doesn't live near it or like it, but she might go to a child or parent with children who does want to take her to the water. Thanks so much for reading and for any thoughts you want to share! Puppy training development after 6 months It is very tempting to get carried away with puppy training. Your young do is so willing to please and such fun to be around. It is important to go at a happy pace for you both. Positive reinforcement training is the right choice for your puppy because there are no negative consequences to getting something wrong. But you can still both suffer from burnout and frustration if you try to reach the later puppy training stages without totally aceing the earlier developments. Your Puppy Training Schedule This may not be exactly the same for each puppy, especially with retrieving which is more Labrador specific. However, it gives you a rough idea. Constantly changing direction. Stopping frequently for cuddles and rewards. This means I blow the recall whistle whenever the puppy runs towards me, no compulsion, and no whistle unless the recall is already underway. Socialisation: Lots almost daily of outings to different places rural and urban carried Visits to family and friends. Bite inhibition: Discourage hard biting, allow mouthing. Working with food: Learning how to take food gently without snatching or grabbing at the treat pot. I still give the puppy lots of encouragement by running away as soon as I blow the whistle. Socialisation: More socialisation, at least twice a week to busy public places. Bite inhibition: Discourage hard biting, allow gentle mouthing. Retrieving: Encourage chase and pick up retrieve drive. Hand touch: I teach all new puppies to touch my hand with their noses. This is a great foundation for other skills. Recall: Puppy recall continues, reduce my run to a walk, avoid any distractions. Still frequently blow the recall whenever the pup runs towards me of her own free will. Socialisation: From ground level after vaccination. No other leash walking at all Bite inhibition: No biting, gentle mouthing allowed. Retrieving: Continue to build drive. Positions: I introduce three positions — sit, stand, down. What to expect from your 3 month old puppy Most three month old puppies will be sleeping through the night. And will be having less potty training accidents in the house. There are a few potty training problems that arise at this age, and they are all covered in 15 potty training problems solved. Biting is a big shock and a big problem for many new Lab puppy parents so do check out our complete guide to biting , and join the forum for help and support. Help encourage your puppy to stay in their bed while you are eating. I have a pot of dog treats on our kitchen table, and whenever we sit down to a meal, the puppy gets a treat each time she steps into her basket. Just a treat for stepping in there. What to expect from your 4 month old puppy Your 4 month old puppy will be pretty much potty trained, but accidents still happen if they are left alone too long. Biting is usually starting to subside now, and many four month old puppies will be able to mouth at your hand without hurting you. At this point I start to discourage all mouthing. I teach every puppy to let me touch her face or approach her with my hand, food, a leash etc while holding eye contact and not grabbing at me, or at what is in my hand. This is the age at which people often start to push forward with training. Your 4 month old puppy is capable of quite a lot. There is nothing wrong with teaching your puppy different cues and even some tricks. I recommend you still avoid long duration activities at this point as they are a common stumbling point with puppies young enough to have a short attention span. A ten second sit is ample. Add mild distractions Recall: Fade additional cues. Begin to whistle the pup and stand still. Add mild distractions. Clicker train to polish this in more mouthy puppies. No commands are needed for this. Gradual introduction of distractions. Advanced puppy training begins in earnest This is where I start a programme of sporting training with my Labs. You can begin raising your standards and expectations, asking for longer and more complex behaviors. Teaching your puppy to walk to heel nicely for longer distance and past all kinds of distractions and temptations. Or teaching your puppy to sit and stay for longer periods of time, and even while you go out of sight or while other dogs play nearby. What to expect from your six month old puppy Six months is a common time for people to have a lot of questions and to be struggling with a few challenges. This is now a very bouncy, quite powerful and rapidly maturing young dog. And you may need to patch up a few holes in his training or manners. We have a great article for owners of six month old Lab puppies. Print If you have a week-old Lab puppy, you probably have your hands full. They are growing quickly, both in size and knowledge, but they are also still a bit like toddlers, always getting into something. Here is the training for your week-old Labrador puppy. About this series of posts This is post seven of a step-by-step training and socialization program for Labrador puppies. If you read our first post , you know that this series follows our training of Bubba, a female chocolate lab puppy. Bubba is already sold as one of our Custom Trained Retrievers, so it is our responsibility to raise and train her until she has progressed to the level of training the owner has requested. In this case, Bubba will be with us for almost a year and a half. Bubba Training and socialization for week-old Labrador puppy Here are the things we worked on this week while training of Bubba. Working on control As Bubba matures, we need to work on more control. Bubba must learn to control herself in different situations. We continue to work on these control situations, but we are now adding more opportunities to exhibit control. This is challenging for a puppy her age, she wants to bolt out of the crate, but she must exhibit control and wait for the release command. Obedience training your week-old puppy We continue to work on obedience training using a chain collar and heeling stick. Bubba is learning to walk at our side, but it is far from perfect. She is also sitting on command, with occasional reminders from the heeling stick. I continue to work on strengthening her SIT. I can currently walk away from Bubba steps, and she will remain seated, but she makes lots of mistakes. I move my body while I stand a couple feet from her, and command SIT at the same time. It is very hard for puppies to understand that they must remain seated and still when someone else is moving. But it will all come. It just takes a lot of repetition and enforcement. I will slowly extend the distance between Bubba and myself. A stronger SIT will also take some maturity. As Bubba gets older the obedience will get easier for her to understand and to complete the necessary commands. But I will also make the training more difficult by adding distractions. It is not easy, and I did resort to treat training as I bid time to teach with the electronic collar. The treat training has helped a lot but has also resulted in some bad behaviors. Bubba is now jumping on me more because she anticipates a treat from my pocket. I have been firm and consistent in correcting the jumping, but it is most definitely a result of the treat training. In addition, Bubba thinks she should get a treat for doing things she has been doing for weeks without a treat. I will continue with the treats for the HERE command for the next few weeks, and then I will start weaning her off them. Introducing your Labrador puppy to hunting elements Bubba is almost done her introduction to hunting elements except for gunfire. Gunfire must be done slowly, with the noise getting incrementally closer to Bubba over time. We have already started this introduction, but it will be several months or more before we move the gunfire right next to her. Introducing your puppy decoys in water Swimming is something Bubba loves to do, so this week we added water marks with decoys in the water. We give her the time to check out the decoys with no correction and when she finally picks up the bumper, we praise her with a Good Dog. A few marks through decoys will be enough to teach Bubba that the decoys are not the thing she should be retrieving. I will continue this training for Bubba for the next couple weeks and then will stop since she will be teething, and I do not want to cause her any pain while doing this training. Increased distance for assistant marks Assistant marks are vital for teaching Bubba to mark watch where the bird fell so she can run to the correct area. We make sure she gets marks every day, but we limit the number of marks she gets to three. The reason we do this is because with young pups you want to build their retrieving desire. Desire is built not by giving your puppy unlimited retrieves. It is built by limiting the number of retrieves the puppy gets at any one time. My husband likes to compare it to a Thanksgiving dinner. If you sit down and eat a huge plate full of food, you are not going to be hungry a few hours later. But if you only get a little piece of turkey for your meal and then are told that is all there is, you will be very hungry the next time you are offered food. If you have a dog struggling with desire, you want to limit the retrieves. Sometimes to only one per day, or one every other day. Bubba is not struggling with desire at all, so we stick to three retrieves per day. Final thoughts on training for your week-old Labrador puppy Your puppy is probably advancing well in training at this point. You should see some marked improvement in her obedience and behavior. Set some reasonable boundaries and enforce them. Work on obedience on a regular basis, even if only for 5 minutes a day. If you do, you will see your dog grow in leaps and bounds. If you are struggling or need additional help with your new puppy, you can email me ottertailkennels gmail. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer. Until next time, happy retrieving. Training your week-old Labrador puppy? Save to Pinterest The Stages of Puppy Growth and Development Month by Month The following are the stages of puppy growth and development, starting at birth and ending when your dog reaches adulthood. The Neonatal Stage 0 to 2 weeks This is the newborn puppy growth stage that lasts until two weeks of age. At this developmental stage, puppies are blind and deaf. Expect puppies at this point to sleep almost constantly and their mother will take care of everything, keeping them warm, feeding them, and keeping them clean. The Transitional Stage 2 to 4 weeks At this puppy growth stage , they will start to open up their eyes and respond to sounds, light, and movement around them. You will also notice a puppy at this point starting to get more mobile, although they will still tend to crawl instead of walking. They do, however, have enough strength to stand up, but will stumble a lot. A puppy in this developmental stage will just be starting to recognize their siblings and mother. Lab puppies open their eyes at about two weeks old. By this time, Labrador puppies will have their eyes fully open and most will be at least partly open. Ears open at this point too and your puppy will begin to hear. Period of Awakening of Senses 3 to 4 weeks At this period , a puppy develops various senses rapidly. They start to get fully alert and aware of their environment and may recognize you and other humans that are frequently around. The Socialization Period 4 to 7 Weeks Once a puppy is around four weeks old, they start to learn the most important things in life-related to social development. They will learn to not bite all the time and how to interact with their siblings. Interactions with humans are especially important between five and seven weeks. This is also the time they will start to understand discipline thanks to their mother. She will start weaning her puppies and teaching them manners, like acknowledging she is in charge. As the owner, you can start introducing food to your puppy when they are around four weeks old. Start small and begin to give them more food as the mother continues to wean them. You should also continue handling the puppy every day. However, be sure not to separate them from their siblings or mother for over ten minutes each day, since this can lead to issues with training and socialization. Dogs who are separated too soon may also be nervous and more likely to bark and bite. During this period, let the mother dog take care of discipline; you should not correct the dog for mouthing or housebreaking mistakes until later in life. To help ease them through this process, avoid traumatic events, loud voices, or harsh discipline. You should also make sure your pooch has plenty of human contact during this stage. If you want, you can start leash training and even teach simple commands such as sit, down, stay and come. In terms of development, you will notice that your puppy can sleep through the whole night and starts to develop better control of its bowels and bladder. Most vets suggest that new outings should wait until they are fully vaccinated. We rub the Calmeroos Puppy Toy on littermates and mom to get their scent. When we get home the Calmeroos Puppy Toy helps our puppy feel comfortable and adjust more quickly to his new environment. Many puppies will go to their new homes at around 8 weeks old. We recently put together a blog post on our sister site detailing what you can expect from an 8-week-old puppy. The Juvenile Stage 3 to 4 Months At this point in development, a puppy can be compared to a juvenile. They will be more independent and may ignore the basic commands that they know very well. If this happens, firmly and gently reinforce the commands and other training. You may also notice your pup starting to test your authority by play biting or similar actions. You can also redirect your dog to a toy that they can bite. Either can end up teaching your pooch that it is okay to fight with you and challenge your authority. The Ranking Period 3 to 6 Months When your puppy is between four and six months old, you should expect them to be somewhat bratty, showing more willfulness and independence. They are more likely to test your limits and may try to show dominance over children or other family members. If they fail to listen to you or come when called, it can be dangerous as it puts them at risk of injury when in public. It can also hurt future responses to you, making them less likely to listen. This is also when your dog will be teething, so give them toys like frozen dog Kong toys to relieve pressure and pain. Chewing behaviors will also start growing at this point so look for some safe chew toys to keep your dog entertained. This is when hormonal changes start to occur and is the ideal time to spay or neuter your pup. UC Davis published a study comparing the long-term health effects of neutering in Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. Adolescence 6 to 18 Months After six months, your pup is already in the final stage of puppy development but is still young. This is a fun and exciting time for your pooch since they will be learning, full of energy, and exuberant. During this time, it is important to remember that even if your puppy now looks like a grown-up dog, they are still a puppy, at least in its mental capacity and emotional maturity. Work to slowly increase training and other activities. You can even work on advanced training such as agility or herding. Another option is to simply keep training them to ensure they interact in a non-aggressive and non-threatening way with other animals. It is also possible that your dog will go through another fearful period of time at some point after they reach six months. You can speed up the process with counter-conditioning and desensitization. It fits very well and is quite apt! Final Thoughts With the knowledge of how and when your new puppy will develop, you are better able to meet their needs. Provide socialization at the appropriate times and be sure to give your puppy plenty of social interactions with their siblings as well as humans and any other pets in your home. Your dog should reach maturity at some point between one and two years old with plenty of variation based on breed, Labradors are considered mature at between 2 and 2. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Colby Colby Morita has been raising and training guide and service dog puppies for over 13 years. Colby has been writing to the PuppyInTraining.

Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Premium breeder of Australian Labradoodle puppies Authentic, throughly health tested, and family raised Australian Labradoodles in Virginia Beach Health Tested We extensively test our parents through Paw Prints Genetics for a variety of genetic health conditions. In addition, eye screening is completed every 18 months, and we obtain hip, elbow, and patella ratings though the OFA. Echocardiograms are also performed on our parents to ensure healthy hearts. This will ensure your puppy has the coat qualities, temperament, and longevity Australian Labradoodles are known for. Holistic Approach We employ a holistic approach to the healthcare and nutrition of our mom and dad dogs to ensure optimal health while breeding. We feed a commercially prepared raw diet, minimally vaccinate, and omit any oral chemical pesticides. We also feed a highly nutritious raw diet to puppies as they transition from mothers milk to solids. We are a small in home breeder of Australian Labradoodles. Our mission is to raise allergy friendly and highly intelligent puppies which have the healthiest parents and sweetest temperaments who will then become your lifelong companions. Apply for your labradoodle puppy today! I want to see the puppies available! Welcome to Providence Hill Australian Labradoodles! We are an in home breeder in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The Australian Labradoodle originated down-under where a select few kennels set out to produce hypo-allergenic guide and therapy dogs. Like most labradors and poodles, Labradoodles are generally friendly, outgoing and good with children and families. Many have a strong affinity for water. Our healthy Australian Labradoodle puppies have naturally family-friendly temperaments. Our breeding adult labradoodles must pass a wide array of genetic health testing to give all of our puppies the best shot at a long healthy life see our health warranty. We strive to be one of the best labradoodle breeders on the east coast, and feel that we have well balanced labradoodles that will produce sound, loving, beautiful labradoodle puppies. Tom was awesome and super helpful with all our questions! Jenny I brought home my first fur baby Pharaoh last year in March and picked up my second one, Wise, this past Friday. Both are male, chocolate labradoodles. I love them both! And working with Tom was great! Thank you for your kindness and excellent customer service. Harris were very helpful in answering my questions especially as a first-time dog owner. The transition of bringing Koda home was smooth and our sweet Koda has been a dream!! Bevs A. Sadie is amazing. She is sweet smart and just loves to be held. We could not be happier, she is the most beautiful pup we have ever seen. We have had her for a month now and she is just about fully potty trained. She is going to a trainer and she said she's one of the smartest dogs she has seen and so stinking CUTE!!! You brought us happiness and joy into our lives. Our puppy Leopold is the most adorable boy who knows how to rock the party. We highly recommend Providence Hill. Place to be if you are looking for four-legged soul mates! She is an amazing, sweet, smart and beautiful puppy!! Our daughter Haley named her Comet for Haley's Comet. Everyone comments on how calm she is for a puppy. We could not be happier with our choice of puppy!!! Michael J.

Please contact us for puppy prices. But once your puppy is born and you have accepted an alphabet puppy litter and choose to back out, your deposit is subject to forfeit. Birth to weaning so if you change your mind after confirming, you are reducing the time the next family has to also prepare for their new puppy. No restrictions on AKC full registration and full breeding rights given on your haus von Wiese puppy. Final payment is due at time of puppy pick up or after delivery arrangements are scheduled, 2 days prior to flight. No additional Charge for puppy pick up in Huntersville NC. September Breeding We had a successful breeding between Lotte and Gringo. We expect our "B" litter to arrive in early November, with take home after 8 weeks of nursing taking us through New Years .The breeding took place but we need a month for the puppies to grow in utero before our vet can confirm the pregnancy. Any overflow will roll over to our Spring Cersei long coat dam litter. Paska is undoubtedly one of the most well known working dog Black German Shepherds of all time. Just as strategically as horses are bred to increase positive attributes, we are breeding in a similar style. Our goal is to save Paska's heritage and continue to produce puppies containing his well balanced temperament, drive and strong working ability. Bomber carries some of the same impressive attributes as Paska and is the product of highly accomplished and highly decorated shepherds in Germany. It is our goal to preserve both bloodlines while integrating fresh new lines from Germany to be sure of safe breeding outcome. Along with 7-week old personality and drive level testing on each puppy, we strive to match each puppy with it's family to achieve long-term fit and family harmony. Our breeding pairs are selected with great health, hips and elbows from multi generational excellence of their lineage. Scroll below to our breeding dogs and click on their Pedigeree Link to view their impressive German pedigree. Thank you to the families that are giving loving new homes to our precious black German Shepherd puppies! Please call or text to reserve your puppy. Nolan was a magnificent 4 time competitor of the German Bundesseiger. You don't want to miss this stunner! Winn-Dixie is a fabulous mix of both Unkas and Nolan. V Paska vom Salztalblick. We are hapy to include Aurora and her freshness to our breeding program. Basia is an incredible product of our exclusive breeding program from the flawless Paska bloodline. Lotte and her parents have all tested the highest for Hip and Elbow tests in Germany, A normal. Mazikeen joined us from German European Import parents. Mazikeen's coat is long, glossy and incredibly soft. Mazikeen has a sweet natured and pleasing personality who produces family companion pups. Cersei's coat is long, glossy and incredibly soft. We are proud and excited for her to join our home and our breeding program. Located on the East Coast of the United States, North Carolina is known for its scenic landscapes, bustling cities, and an abundance of dog-friendly activities. Our mission is to connect you with the most outstanding NC German Shepherd breeders and puppies for sale in the region, ensuring you find the perfect addition to your family. Our site features a wide variety of reputable breeders who specialize in raising healthy and happy puppies. Our North Carolina breeders are committed to raising the highest quality puppies. They provide their puppies with all the necessary vaccinations and veterinary checkups to ensure they are in the best of health before they go to their forever homes. They also provide ongoing support and advice to ensure a smooth transition for both you and your new furry friend. Explore the vibrant dog-friendly scene in North Carolina, featuring welcoming restaurants, expansive dog parks, and captivating dog shows. For those passionate about dog shows, events like the Tarheel Cluster Dog Show and the Carolina Kennel Club Dog Show offer an opportunity to appreciate the elegance and charm of German Shepherd canines while connecting with fellow enthusiasts. With an estimated 2. At TrustedPuppies. Most of our reputable German Shepherd breeders provide safe and affordable flight delivery, complete with a dedicated flight nanny who accompanies your new pup throughout their journey, ensuring their safety and comfort as they travel to their new home in North Carolina. Many breeders also offer affordable vehicle delivery, utilizing specialized pet delivery services. This option allows your German Shepherd puppy to be transported directly to your door by a professional who understands the unique requirements of pet transportation. Begin your search for the perfect German Shepherd puppy on TrustedPuppies. We have answers. Of course! What makes Uptown different from other places with German Shepherd puppies in Charlotte? One of our main priorities is to make your puppy search as stress-free as possible. To do this, we pre-screen every one of the Charlotte German Shepherd breeders within our network. They all have to sign our Breeder Pledge, which details our expectations in terms of breeding ethics, healthcare, and looking after those adorable pups! Are there any Charlotte German Shepherd puppies for sale right now? But be warned, these little pups are seriously in demand, so they can get reserved in a very short space of time. Once you see a pup you like, we recommend contacting their breeder as soon as you can. Do you have the cheapest German Shepherds for sale Charlotte? Setting out to buy the cheapest puppy can end up in heartbreak. Those cheap puppies that seem like a bargain are often poorly bred in puppy mills, and can suffer from both behavioral issues and ongoing health problems. When you buy a puppy, remember their price is a reflection of the time, dedication, and expertise it takes to breed them! Uptown is pro-shelter, and we think every single dog deserves to find a loving home. And only you can make that decision! How do I know that my German Shepherd for sale in Charlotte will be healthy? As well as having a robust breeding program, our partners will give each of their puppies the best healthcare too! Is it enough to walk German Shepherd puppies Charlotte, or do they need more exercise? German Shepherds are known for their high energy levels, so these dogs need regular, active walks. Just as important is to make sure your dog gets plenty of opportunities to use their brains as well. Training sessions, plenty of play time and learning new tricks and commands will keep your German Shepherd happy in body and mind. Will a German Shepherd for sale Charlotte make a good family dog? German Shepherds absolutely adore being part of a loving family. They will shower you all in affection as well as watching over you loyally. What will a Charlotte German Shepherd for sale be like to train? The German Shepherd is one of the best working breeds in the world. Signing up for puppy training classes will help you find the methods that suit your puppy best, as well as give you lots of opportunities to find out just how smart they are. We are a small family operated kennel located in the Northern Piedmont area of North Carolina. I only have dogs with excellent temperaments, good minds, strong character and nerves, nice structure and willing to please attitudes. Puppies will all have plenty of drive for training and working, but not over the top prey-monster types. Some will have more drive than others and will be very suited to sport, police K9, and other working endeavors. While other puppies will be a bit more laid back and fit in well with families as companion dogs. Over these years Janette has evaluated many hundreds of puppies and has become very adept at pegging what an individual puppy will be like as an adult. Robert Oglesby and Janette Oglesby have been involved with German Shepherd Dogs, puppy care, and training for many years. In her previous life Janette was a veterinary practice manager, veterinary technician, and kennel manager. During the past 15 years she has been evaluating, working, training, titling, and breeding these fabulous dogs. Robert, now retired, has been in veterinary practice for over 32 years and maintains the successful website www. He is responsible for the veterinary care of the dogs. A Little About the German Shepherds Our male and females are often purchased titled or started prospects from Europe after a thorough evaluation. We also use quality outside males for genetic and color diversity. More recently we are breeding, raising, training, then titling our own dogs. Occasionally some of these older puppies or young green dogs are available. Our goal is to be able to offer your family the opportunity to welcome into your home your new best friend and family protector. Coldwater German Shepherds.

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 Arkansas 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 Arkansas? 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 Arkansas? 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. We're located in the heart of the Arkansas mountains the Ozarks , and our pups grow up on a ten-acre farm. We are looking for dedicated families to adopt our fur babies and love them like we do. We are not a discount breeder; we take this job of placing each pup very seriously and their future and well-being is of utmost importance. Please contact Dogwood Farms if you're ready for this loving commitment. CALL The Dogwood Difference When you purchase a fur baby from Dogwood Farms, they come complete with a puppy care package which includes: a care package, AKC registration paperwork, immunizations completed by a licensed veterinarian along with immunization paperwork and food each pup is used to eating. We are dedicated to these dogs and our promise is to make sure you have the support and equipment you need to take wonderful care of your new fur baby. We also have in person delivery options for each of our puppies. Rates available to St. In Person Flight options are also available as well to most major airports across the nation for example to California, Florida, New York and even Alaska. If for any reason you need to re-home your fur baby, we are more than willing to help you with that process.

Helps with joint lubrication 4. NSAIDs Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Just like humans, dogs can benefit from taking certain pain medications to treat their hip dysplasia. In particular, NSAIDs can benefit your dog by reducing some of the pain and inflammation that hip dysplasia causes. There are some great charts available online that show you how much your German Shepherd should weigh at various stages of his life. Hard surfaces can be especially painful for your dog to walk on, so avoid walking on asphalt and sidewalks and instead take him for a walk in a grassy park. Repair and Prevent Cartilage Deterioration We mentioned cartilage a bit earlier. When your dog moves, cartilage helps cushion the joint. But it can become damaged when your dog has hip dysplasia. Over time, this cartilage deteriorates, causing pain and inflammation. Another word for this cartilage deterioration? Fortunately, certain active ingredients can help maintain joint health and reduce the likelihood that the secondary condition of arthritis will form as a result of German Shepherd hip dysplasia. In particular, the active ingredients of chondroitin and glucosamine for dogs help maintain cartilage health. These two naturally occurring substances work together to not only repair damaged cartilage but also prevent it from deteriorating in the first place. Lubricate Joints Hyaluronic acid is another key active ingredient that benefits dogs suffering from German Shepherd hip dysplasia by improving joint mobility and reducing discomfort. In particular, hyaluronic acid may help reduce the pain your dog experiences as a result of hip dysplasia. And how does it do that? Well, hyaluronic acid is an important component of synovial fluid. So it stands to reason that making sure your dog has enough hyaluronic acid is a great way to ensure his hip joints can move as smoothly as possible. But fortunately, MSM, a powerful antioxidant and building block for healthy joints, can help reduce the pain and inflammation your dog experiences from hip dysplasia. And the great news is that this ingredient is often found in joint supplements. Additionally, MSM may become even more effective when used alongside glucosamine, another common active ingredient. Yes, that is indeed our product. Reviewed by Petal Smart Petal Smart is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and has been an editor in the veterinary and medical sciences since .She has edited more than assignments, including research studies published in various academic journals, continuing medical education materials, and articles on pet health. Canine hip dysplasia is most often seen in large breeds like German Shepherd dogs , Saint Bernards , and Greater Swiss Mountain dogs , but a dog of any size and both male and female dogs may be affected. The cause of canine hip dysplasia isn't known. The condition is thought to have a genetic link, and dogs with hip dysplasia should not be bred. Puppies from parents that have hip dysplasia will be more likely to develop the condition than puppies born to parents with normal hips. However, even dogs with normal parents can develop hip dysplasia. What Is Canine Hip Dysplasia? The pelvis cradles the head of the femur thigh bone in a cup-like socket of bone that forms the hip. Puppies typically are born normal, but as the puppy matures, the hip joint alignment becomes progressively worse. This places abnormal stress and wear on the bones when they rub together, and causes further joint degeneration and pain. Bones respond to stress by growing thicker, which makes the fit even worse. As the dog matures, this damage predisposes to arthritic changes and painful joints. Signs and Symptoms Severe hip dysplasia may become noticeable as early as four months of age, but is more typically seen in pups aged 9 months to 1 year. The painful condition causes limping , favoring of limbs, and difficulty rising, running, or jumping. Dysplastic pups may exhibit an odd wobbly gait when walking and "bunny hop" when running or climbing stairs, which may help to ease joint stress. Stairs can prove a particular challenge for these dogs, and sore hips and pain may prompt aggression , causing the pup to snap or flinch when touched. However, there are degrees of severity. Some pups may show few to no signs at all, and mild cases may go undiagnosed until the dog reaches middle age or older. How quickly, or to what extent degeneration occurs is in part determined by the pup's activity level. While healthy, normal hips probably won't be adversely affected by hard work or exuberant play, the dog with mild to moderate hip dysplasia develops more noticeable signs more quickly when excessive stress is placed on these joints. Fortunately, only a relatively small percentage of pets suffer the severest, most crippling form of the condition. The condition may also be influenced by lifestyle, nutrition, body weight, and activity level. The puppy is placed on its back and the veterinarian looks for the typical arthritic changes and subluxation laxity of the joint. Some changes may not become evident until the pup reaches 2 years old, and experts say there may be considerable changes from 6 to 9 months up to 1 year. The OFA provides a consulting service for purebred dog owners and breeders, through which it reviews hip X-rays provided by an owner to evaluate the dog's conformation and, when normal, certifies that fact. The PennHip testing method, developed by Dr. Reputable breeders have dog parents tested prior to breeding to make sure they do not have hip dysplasia and reduce the chance of the condition in puppies. Dogs can be certified free of hip dysplasia by sending appropriate X-rays to either the OFA registry or the PennHip registry. This is evaluated by three radiologists who score the hips fair, good, or excellent. PennHip evaluation uses computer analysis to compare the X-rays to all the other dogs of that breed in the registry. Management of Hip Dysplasia There is no cure for hip dysplasia. Treatment is aimed at relieving pain and improving joint function. How well treatment works depends on the severity of the problem. Often, mild to moderate cases of hip dysplasia can be managed with gentle exercise, a healthy diet, and oral pain relievers like buffered aspirin or Rimadyl as prescribed by the veterinarian. Moderate exercise helps maintain and improve the puppy's muscle tone, which alleviates painful wear and tear on the joint. Encourage your dysplastic puppy to take short walks with you. Swimming is an ideal exercise, but jumping and prolonged running should be discouraged. Keep your puppy lean; obesity increases joint strain and can make the condition worse. Massage can also help the dog feel better. Severe cases of hip dysplasia may benefit from surgery that rebuilds or removes bone or alters the muscles and tendons to reduce pain. More from The Spruce Pets. His once-sprightly steps may now be slightly slower, and he may have difficulty getting up after lying down. These are common signs of hip dysplasia, a congenital, degenerative joint disease that can cause significant pain and discomfort as your fur friend ages. Our Misty Mae had horrible hip dysplasia, and at 17 years old, we said farewell to her. As a result, they rub against each other out of sync instead of sliding smoothly like they are supposed to. This abnormal wear and tear eventually leads to deterioration and loss of function of the hip bone structure. Your trusted veterinarian will physically examine your dog, which may include watching your dog walk if possible , manipulating the hips, doing blood work to rule out anything else , and taking X-Rays. Treatment of Hip Dysplasia: Treatment of hip dysplasia depends on the severity. Typically, mild cases may include lifestyle changes, such as losing and maintaining weight. But as the disease progresses, incorporating pain management tools such as NSAIDs, cortisone, and even therapy such as hydrotherapy will become part of the treatment plan. More severe cases may require surgery, if feasible. Prognosis For Older German Shepherds With Hip Dysplasia Like Elbow dysplasia, if diagnosed early, the outcome for our dogs with hip dysplasia certainly looks more optimistic. But unfortunately, the prognosis for hip dysplasia in older German Shepherds comes down to maintaining the disease. The signs of canine hip dysplasia can be evident in older German Shepherds. Here are some tools we use to help our older German Shepherd residents with hip dysplasia: Keep them at an ideal weight Short walks, if possible. If your dog qualifies for surgeries, you have even more options. Tips for Preventing Hip Dysplasia in German Shepherds Although not all cases of hip dysplasia can be prevented, a good majority can. Even if hip dysplasia is not preventable in your dog, you can use these tips to minimize pain caused by the condition. This can make a huge difference in whether your dog develops hip dysplasia. The best reputable breeders will even provide a screening for their puppies. After the screening, which can only be done after 16 weeks of age, you can know if a puppy is predisposed to hip dysplasia. From an early age, make sure to provide your dog with high-quality dog food specific for large breeds. For example, get a large-breed puppy-specific dog food when your dog is young, and switch to an adult dog food once the dog ages. Note that most senior dog foods are not generic, so your vet will be the best person to help you choose which product is best for your older German Shepherd. Only provide your dog as much food as they need, never under or over. Both malnutrition and obesity increase the risk for hip dysplasia development. If you are unsure how much to feed your dog, talk to your vet for recommendations. Right Exercise Exercise is another factor you need to consider carefully if you want to prevent hip dysplasia in your German Shepherd. Preventative Supplements Image Credit: ElenVik, Shutterstock You can begin giving preventative supplements to your dog to nourish their joints. One of the most popular is glucosamine. This supplement is prescribed to dogs with arthritis and hip dysplasia, but you can use it for preventative measures too. Of course, preventative supplements will have a lower glucosamine count than prescribed medications. Final Thoughts If you suspect that your German Shepherd is experiencing hip dysplasia, please visit the vet right away. Luckily, most German Shepherds with hip dysplasia live long and robust lives. If they get a great treatment, you can expect your dog to be happy and carefree. By starting a well-rounded prevention plan from an early age, you can help your dog grow with minimal issues. Featured Image Credit: makeitclear, Pixabay Contents. References 1. Clinical and pathological effects Hip dysplasia HD is a disease of the hip coxofemoral joints. Dysplasia means abnormal development. Both hips are usually affected Brass .It is a complex disease that results from a combination of genes that predispose a dog to developing hip dysplasia interacting with environmental factors that lead to its full development and expression Riser .It is characterized by hip joint instability which, if compounded by environmental factors, then results in secondary osteoarthritis and the clinical signs of hip dysplasia which include pain, lameness and disability Zhang et al .To fully understand hip dysplasia, it is necessary to understand the structure of the hip joint. The hip joint is the joint at the top of the hind leg, where it articulates forms a joint with the pelvis. It is described as a ball and socket joint, as in normal hips the ball-shaped head of the femur the thigh bone fits perfectly into a cup-shaped socket in the pelvis, the acetabulum. The head of the femur femoral head and the acetabulum are normally covered with cartilage which produces a smooth, low friction surface. Within the joint there is also a fine layer of synovial fluid that acts as a lubricant between these cartilaginous surfaces. This thin layer of synovial fluid, along with the round ligament a ligament that runs round the edge of the acetabulum — between the acetabulum and the femur , keeps the two cartilaginous surfaces together by creating a suction-like effect. The ligaments and the joint capsule also help to hold the ball and socket closely together. In newborn puppies, because the bones are soft and not fully ossified turned into bone as they need to grow and develop, they are still deformable if abnormal movements or stresses and strains occur in them. Riser suggests that, in a normal six month old individual, ossification of the bones and soft tissue strength the strength of the surrounding ligaments, joint capsule and muscles have developed enough to prevent hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is described as a biomechanical disease. The hips appear normal at birth. However, in affected individuals, the hips develop abnormally due, at first, to joint instability sometimes called joint laxity Riser .This means that the developing femoral head and acetabulum are not held constantly, closely together, and can move into abnormal positions relative to one another. This puts abnormal stresses and strains on the joint. Riser states this is due to the soft tissues, such as ligaments and muscle, not being strong enough to maintain congruity between the articular surfaces of the femoral head and the acetabulum ie the constant contact between the surfaces of the bones is not maintained. The pathological changes seen due to the joint instability are progressive inflammation and degeneration of the tissues that together form the joint. Brass details the following changes in the joint: The joint capsule can become thickened and the round ligament can become stretched or ruptured leading to additional, excessive movements. The synovial fluid increases in volume and changes in nature, due to inflammation, this pushes the joint surfaces apart. The cartilage on the bone surfaces gets worn away exposing subchondral bone the layer of bone beneath the surface cartilage. Unlike cartilage, bone contains nerve endings and such exposure will commonly cause pain. The rim of the acetabulum becomes damaged and flattened and later new bone starts to grow here as the body tries to stabilize the joint. The femoral head becomes deformed and flattened and also grows abnormal bone called exotoses or osteophytes. This changing of the shape of the joint with new bone growing in abnormal positions, and being lost in others, is called joint remodelling. The signs that are seen with hip dysplasia can vary hugely in their severity, the age at which they first appear and their progression. In mild cases dogs can be free from clinical signs for years; however, for more severely affected individuals, signs of pain can develop whilst they are still immature less than a year old Signs include acute pain, particularly after strenuous exercise or movement. This may show as lameness or reluctance to jump, to go for walks, climb steps or move at all if really severe. The pain may be worse in cold, wet conditions Brass .These signs may start intermittently, but over time can become constant. Muscle wastage is often seen in the hindlegs Brass .There appears to be little correlation between the severity of pain shown by the dog and physical abnormalities felt on examination by a vet or revealed on an x-ray Brass ie some dogs can be in severe pain but have few changes on x-rays and vice versa. This is typical of any joint disease. Controlling food intake during growth has been shown to decrease hip dysplasia in Labradors ie by reducing excessive energy intake and therefore excessive weight gain during growth Kealy et al .High calcium intake during growth has been shown to delay maturation of the skeleton and increase the risk of hip dysplasia in Great Danes Hazewinkel .It is thought that controlling the amount and form of exercise during development may also help Corr .Bennett and May suggest excessive exercise during development can lead to hip dysplasia. Treatment for hip dysplasia is complex; many surgical interventions have been developed to prevent signs appearing in young animals with high joint laxity and to treat dogs with severe osteoarthritis. All need specialist surgeons. Various medications to aid pain relief are also available, along with recommendations to reduce the effect of environmental factors. Return to top 2. Intensity of welfare impact Though some dogs may be mildly affected, for many German Shepherd dogs with hip dysplasia, the impact of the condition is major and life changing. These animals suffer pain that is severe and debilitating, leading them to be in pain even with small everyday movements such as standing up. Their quality of life is severely affected so that they are unable to enjoy normal canine behaviours such as walking and running. It is not uncommon for dogs to be euthanased due to the pain and disability of arthritis associated with hip dysplasia. Return to top 3. Duration of welfare impact Hip dysplasia is a progressive disease with signs seen from any age. For some dogs pain starts before a year of age. Signs may be intermittent to start with but often progress to be constant. Medical treatment and advice can help control pain and possibly slow progression, though a cure can only be obtained with major surgical intervention in dogs that are considered suitable candidates for such surgery. Return to top 4. Number of animals affected Hip dysplasia is the most common joint problem of large dogs Smith et al .UK VetCompass data for dogs overall, showed that 7. In this sample, diagnosis of conditions affecting the pelvis eg hip dysplasia did not significantly differ between purebred and crossbred dogs. Figures vary greatly for how frequently German Shepherds are affected by hip dysplasia, depending on the method by which they have been screened and the database reviewed. The frequency is likely to vary for geographically different populations of the same breed Brass .However, Paster et al suggested that the OFA population was biased, as it is not compulsory for radiographed dogs to have their x-rays submitted to the OFA scheme so some owners may have had dogs pre-screened and only submitted apparently non-dysplastic ones for consideration and scoring. In this study, German Shepherd dogs had a higher odds ratio of hip dysplasia occurrence than Dobermanns, Labradors and Rottweilers, indicating that the breed is at a significantly higher risk of hip dysplasia development. Return to top 5. Diagnosis For a young dog suspected of hip dysplasia, a diagnosis can be made on the clinical signs shown at home and on examination of the dog, including assessment of joint laxity and joint pain plus evaluation of radiographs x-ray pictures of the hip joints Corr .Assessment of the joint laxity and radiographs may need to be performed by a specialist vet who is used to checking for this condition. For a formal diagnosis, the radiographs are usually submitted to a panel for evaluation. There are three methods of assessing joint laxity. Radiographs and assessment of joint laxity need to be performed under heavy sedation or anaesthesia Corr .Return to top 6. Genetics Hip dysplasia in dogs is a polygenic disease; many genes are thought to play a role in its development. Most of these genes probably have small additive effects quantitative, polygenes and some probably have larger effects Zhang et al .Heritability estimates are used to demonstrate how much variation in a phenotypic trait is due to genetic variation among individuals in a population. Using hip scores published by the British Veterinary Association, heritability for hip scores of German Shepherd dogs was 0. Genes are not solely responsible for whether a dog with the genetic potential for hip dysplasia develops the condition. Environmental factors play an important part. They are discussed in the clinical and pathogenic effects section above. However, there are significant breed predispositions to this condition and the German Shepherd dog is one of the breeds affected. Return to top 7. How do you know if an animal is a carrier or likely to become affected? There are a number of breeding schemes around the world developed to decrease the incidence of hip dysplasia in dog breeds. These schemes assess potential breeding animals in somewhat different ways. All aim to give breeders and owners a strong indication of which dogs are likely to produce healthy offspring and which should not be bred. However, this is by no means straightforward for hip dysplasia as it is a polygenic condition in which the genetics are poorly understood and which is also affected by environmental factors in a major way. This lack of clarity has produced much debate over the best way to assess potential breeding dogs. A brief summary of the various schemes follows including some current evidence for their benefits. All dogs must be at least 12 months of age. There are nine radiographic features which are scored, including the Norberg angle NA - a measurement for hip laxity taken from the EHR and each dog is given a score out of 53 for each hip total of up to for both. A low score indicates healthy hip joints eg Greyhounds would score 0, as is not seen in this breed and a higher score indicates worse hip dysplasia. Breeders are recommended to only breed from animals with a score lower than the breed medianscore e. It is also based on an extended hip radiograph EHR , which is then graded by three independent experts to give an overall grade. All dogs must be over 2 years of age to be assessed. There are seven possible grades for the radiograph: excellent, good, fair, borderline, mild, moderate or severe hip dysplasia. Dogs must be between 1 and 2 years of age and the radiograph is graded by someone appointed by each breed club — they do not have to be an expert. Grades include: A- no signs of hip dysplasia, B — near normal hip joints, C — mild hip dysplasia, D — moderate hip dysplasia, E — severe hip dysplasia. Older dogs can be assessed but the likelihood of more secondary osteoarthritic changes is taken into account. Dogs from 4 months of age can be assessed. It involves the assessment of three different radiographic views of the hip joints called the distraction view, the compression view and the EHR. The radiograph must be taken by a vet who is registered with the scheme and the radiographs are assessed by vets at the PennHIP Analysis Center. Dogs with a DI lower than 0. Dogs with increasing DI values over 0. Advocates of the PennHIP method like it because it accurately identifies individuals who have hip laxity - the primary phenotypical abnormality that predisposes dogs to hip dysplasia. The other schemes only look at the EHR and though the NA can be measured from this, the NA has been shown to be an inaccurate method to assess hip laxity Culp et al .Much of what is assessed on the EHRs are secondary arthritic changes, these are not specific to hip dysplasia and are affected by many environmental factors. Recently, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have confirmed that the Distraction Index DI is a significant risk factor for the development of hip dysplasia. In other words, DI scores give a very good indication of the likelihood of osteoarthritic changes, due to hip dysplasia, developing in the future Smith and others , , , Smith , Runge et al .These and other researchers argue that the other schemes are not as good at detecting animals that have hip dysplasia as the PennHIP method and, despite older schemes existing for over 40 years, little improvement has been seen in hip dysplasia in the general pet population Corley , Kaneene et al , Leppanen et al , Paster et al .In fact, one recent study looking at a database of over 1,, dogs found an increase in the prevalence of hip dysplasia Witsberger et al .However EHR scores were found to have a much higher heritability 0. Heritability studies are difficult to compare between different populations with different environmental influences. To improve the gene pool, phenotypic traits that can be easily detected with strong links to the genotype genetic make-up of animals have to be found. Ideally, any potential pet would have had its hip joints assessed by one of the above schemes prior to purchase, although this is often unhelpful, as most pets are purchased as young puppies. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee all their offspring will be free from hip dysplasia. Certainly any potential breeding animal should be assessed prior to breeding using an appropriate scheme. Return to top 8. Methods and prospects for elimination of the problem Hip dysplasia is a complex trait which involves multiple unknown genes and environmental factors. Eradication schemes have been running in some countries for decades and still it is commonplace. Thus prospects for its quick elimination are low. In a recent study, Zhang et al suggested that using scores from four hip traits combined to create a breeding value for each animal would help speed up elimination of the condition. They felt that information on the single joint trait EHR eg the OFA scheme gave insufficient information to provide the basis for breeding decisions. The DLS is a measurement made from an x-ray taken in a weight-bearing position to measure the subluxation of the femoral head Farese et al .In this study on two populations of dogs where environmental factors were strictly controlled, heritabilities for all these traits were found to be relatively high eg heritabilities were 0. The researchers suggested these heritabilites were higher than expected due to the controlled environmental conditions. Zhang et al suggested an improved way for selectively breeding out hip dysplasia would be if breeders could be given breeding values derived from the four traits for each potential breeding animal, plus a measurement of the inbreeding of any potential mating eg the inbreeding coefficient. This way, they suggest, inbreeding can be avoided and only animals with phenotypes strongly indicative of healthy hip joint genes would be bred from. This scheme is a more organised form of others that have suggested using a combination of breeding values determined from pedigree information and phenotype score Ginja et al , Hou et al .As described by Bell , when breeders are prioritising raising dogs that have good hip dysplasia genotypes for future breeding the phenotype has to be used as a marker for the genotype. Although the diagnostic signs can be affected also by environmental factors such as feeding and exercise regimes. It is important that the puppies are raised in a standard and not excessively protective way. Otherwise, dogs that would normally have developed radiographic signs of hip dysplasia will have this masked and their genes will be perpetuated. Future development of genetic tests to help identify some of the hip dysplasia genes, along with more use of pedigree data that includes the health of ancestors and progeny for clinical signs of hip dysplasia and also for other inherited defects of German Shepherd dogs , may well help to improve methods used to eliminate this condition. Currently we have to continue to rely on choosing phenotypical traits which apparently indicate the presence of healthy genes. Return to top 9. Articles Sit. Heal German Shepherd Hip Dysplasia Signs and Treatments Muscular, intelligent, and loyal, German shepherds are steadfast guardians and all-purpose workers. Highly trainable and obedient, German shepherds provide a range of services—excelling as show dogs and household companions, as well as military and search and rescue animals. Exuding confidence, this breed is royalty of the dog family. They are susceptible, however, to challenging hip and joint issues like hip dysplasia any time from puppyhood all the way through maturation. As with many large breed dogs, German shepherds are prone to canine hip dysplasia CHD , a dog skeletal condition that can be inherited or caused by a traumatic fracture or other environmental factors. CHD occurs from malformation of the ball and joint socket of one or both hips the hip joint is called the coxofemoral joint. If so, it maybe be because of breeding. The exaggerated hind leg angulation is often bred into the dog because of standards that dictate rear legs upper and lower thighs should come as close to a degree angle as possible. Along these same lines, a sloping back causes hindquarters to become more angulate and, thus, prone to lower back pain. These bent legs could point toward one of many health problems, one of which is hip dysplasia. Although irreversible, canine hip dysplasia can be monitored and treated to reduce chronic pain. According to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals , .The progression of it and the treatment options available depend on a number of factors, including the degree of misalignment and age of the dog. CHD has a range of signs, depending on the severity of the disease and degree of looseness in the joint. The severity also ranges from mild to extreme pain—some German shepherds even have to use a wheelchair. CHD Treatment Options Dog hip dysplasia surgery for severe cases in medium to large dogs can be expensive. If invasive surgery is not the best choice for your dog, look into non-surgical, conservative management options, such as dog leg braces, physical therapy, weight control, acupuncture, anti-inflammatories, and massage therapy. Ortho Dog specializes in flexible, adjustable, and affordable dog leg braces. Additionally, leg braces for hip dysplasia may slow the progression of this chronic issue. Is a Hip Hound Brace right for your pup? Designed for dogs who suffer from arthritis and mild to moderate hip dysplasia. Below are four common disorders of the hip and joint commonly seen in this breed: Degenerative Myelopathy As a German shepherd owner, you have likely heard of the fatal, chronic, and progressive disease called degenerative myelopathy that is most prevalent in this breed. Typically apparent between the ages of , degenerative myelopathy is a neurological disorder that affects the spinal cord and muscle coordination, ultimately leading to paralysis of the back legs within months. CHD shares several symptoms with early stages of degenerative myelopathy, including difficulty rising and jumping, and progressive weakness of hind limbs. As with any signs that something may be off with your dog, contact your veterinarian for a full exam. Canine Myasthenia Gravis A rare neuromuscular disease, canine myasthenia gravis is a disorder of the signal transmission between nerves and muscles, resulting in progressive muscle weakness, and fatigue with mild exercise. This disease is not typically confused with CHD because the signs tend to show up on the face more than the hindquarters. This incorrect movement can put a strain on their hips, which causes them to walk with an irregular gait. Our Hock Holder brace offers stabilization and support to the hock to help relieve stress. Osteoarthritis Most often seen in senior dogs, osteoarthritis is the inflammation of the hip joints due to cartilage deterioration. You may notice your dog moving a bit more slowly and having trouble with stairs. With less cartilage, bones can grind against each other and cause inflammation. Much like a human wearing a wrist or hand brace for arthritis, the Ortho Dog Hip Hound brace limits the movement of the joint, which helps with the pain.

We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links. Chocolate Labs are the rarest of the primary three colors of Labradors yellow, black, and chocolate. Finding a reputable breeder that sells chocolate Labs can be difficult, especially if the Labs look different from your expectations. Many dogs have different fur colors when they're born, so do these rules apply to chocolate Labs? Chocolate Labs don't look black when they're born, but they can be such a dark shade of brown that they appear black. They often lighten as they age due to natural discoloration, sunlight exposure, and diet. Some of them have unique markings, but none that would make their coats black. In this article, I'll show you why your chocolate Lab might look dark brown or almost black, whether or not their coat color will change, and what color they are when they're born. In this article Chocolate Lab Puppies Are Chocolate, Not Black Before you go after the breeder asking why you have a different dog, I want to explain a handful of reasons why your Lab might look like it has a black coat. Young pups often have darker coats, regardless of their breed. Here's what you should know about a chocolate lab's dark fur: Chocolate Labs Are Never Born Black First and foremost, you should know your chocolate Lab shouldn't be born black. If a breeder tries to convince you that it's possible, they're either incorrect or explaining why their coat can be extremely dark. It's often difficult for our eyes to process the difference between dark brown and black, which could be the issue. They Can Look Black for Many Reasons Just like any other color, a chocolate Lab can be born a slightly different shade that will change over time. Puppies of all breeds usually have the darkest coat they'll get because they have all of the nutrition they need and haven't been affected by aging problems. If your chocolate Lab has a dark coat, it'll be even darker when they're born. I covered the popular Embark dog genetic test , which is more than worth reading. There's only one gene between a yellow and chocolate Lab, so why not get an official verification? This rare coat color often costs more than other Labradors. You should get what you paid for! Your chocolate Lab should never be solid black at any time in their life. However, it's easy to see why some people think they might be black when they're born. Their coat's darkness can be deceiving. The good news is you'll quickly be able to tell what color their coat will be as they get older. I'll cover the stages of a chocolate Lab's color below. You might've noticed many Labradors grow into their coat's shade as they get older. For example, a champagne Lab can look yellow or gray when they're born, but their shimmer becomes more noticeable when they're a few weeks or months old. The same process can happen with chocolate Labs, but they won't necessarily darken. So, how does aging affect a chocolate Labs coat? All dogs have lighter fur as they get older. Every animal has lighter fur when they get old because it turns white, gray, or a softer shade of their original color—a chocolate Lab experiences similar natural processes. Not only will their coat not darken, but it'll also do quite the opposite! Sunlight exposure can make your chocolate Lab's coat look light brown. UV rays are prone to lightening hair and fur. Your chocolate Lab could have a softer or lighter topcoat if they're always lying in the sun. This process typically takes many years to become evident, though. Their ancestors have a significant impact on how your chocolate Lab's hair looks when they age. If your dog comes from a family of dark black or chocolate Labs, they'll likely look might darker throughout their life. Their diet, exercise, stress, and many other factors influence the shade of their fur. If a dog isn't getting the proper nutrition or they're anxious, depressed, and experiencing other negative emotional issues for a long time, their fur color can change. They might develop dark or light spots, but it's not something you want to happen. It's highly unlikely that your chocolate Labrador's fur will get darker when they're older. All of these factors contribute to your chocolate Labrador's topcoat getting lighter, which is why you'll rarely see their fur darken over time. They might get darker for a couple of weeks or months after birth, but their coat will lighten eventually. Chocolate Labs typically don't get darker, but you still might believe they look black from time to time. How can a dog get darker or appear black if they're a purebred chocolate Labrador? For more information, read on. Your chocolate Lab might look black when they're born for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most common explanation is they have a darker coat than most chocolate Labs you're used to seeing. It'd be best to avoid adopting a chocolate Lab before they're born because they could come out black. Try this list of four reasons your chocolate Lab might look black: They might actually be a black Lab. Adopting a dog before they're born usually isn't an issue. This common practice can result in getting a shade you didn't expect, which might be a bummer if you're set on a specific color. Yellow, black, and chocolate Labs can all have puppies of any color, depending on genetic variables. Many chocolate Labs are incredibly dark when they're born. Jane Lefler , a professional dog trainer, explains some chocolate Labs can look black in different lighting. Take the pup on a walk or bring them outside to see their true color. It's important to check their coat color in all lighting conditions to know if they're chocolate or black. If your chocolate Lab has wet fur, it can appear black. Water makes every hair or fur color appear darker than it is. If your chocolate Lab has a dark coat, they might look black when they're swimming or running through the sprinklers. This issue isn't a cause for concern because they'll look like chocolate again once they dry off. Some chocolate Labs are much darker than others. At the end of the day, your chocolate Lab simply might be one of the dark variants of the same coat color. Some chocolate Labs are dark, some are light, and most are in between. As long as they're verified to be a purebred chocolate Labrador, you're good to go. Chocolate Labs might look black, but they'll never be darker than dark brown. Your Lab will likely lighten with age, but it'll always have the stunning sought-after chocolate color! If you're interested in learning more about chocolate Labs, I have a complete guide about them. Conclusion Chocolate Labs should never look completely black, but they can be quite dark. Since human eyes can only see a handful of colors, it's understandable that they might look black to some pet owners when they're young. Remember to get genetic confirmation when buying a purebred Lab to ensure you're getting what you paid for. It quickly became clear that this new dog, at the time called the St. Then, in the 19th century, visiting Englishmen took note of these incredible dogs, brought them home to England, and soon perfected and standardized the breed—which had now been dubbed the Labrador Retriever. When they began as the St. While this is still true today, the recessive colors of yellow and chocolate have become more and more coveted by those seeking Labs as pets. Thanks to years of breeding efforts, those recessive colors are not as difficult to find as they once were. Chocolate Labrador Retriever Puppies for Sale Chocolate Labs are a favorite among those looking to add a member of the breed to their family. Coat shades can range from a warm, light brown to a deeper chocolate color. Both parents must carry and pass on the recessive chocolate color gene in order for a puppy to be born with this coat. Just like their black and yellow counterparts, chocolate Labrador Retrievers are known as doting and capable dogs. You can put them to work as hunting or service dogs, but they make excellent cuddle buddies as well. Their beautiful coats and breed stature make them great show dogs too. The chocolate lab puppies we breed for sale at Hidden Pond Labradors come with their first round of shots, one-year written health guarantee, and a veterinarian health certificate. We are dedicated to breeding our puppies for premier health and pedigree, as well as raising them in our home so their personalities and happiness can blossom. Experience the love, joy, and comfort this amazing breed has to offer with a chocolate Labrador Retriever puppy of your own from Hidden Pond Labradors. Give us a call at or message us online to inquire about our available and upcoming Lab puppies! Old chocolate Labs I have been writing about Labradors for many years now, and there is no doubt in my mind that they are all wonderful dogs. But the chocolate Labrador is special. Meet Rachael, my Beautiful Brown Lab All Labradors are beautiful, of course, but brown Labradors will always hold a special place in my heart. In fact, I am unashamedly biased! You see, I am lucky enough to share my life with Rachael. A female chocolate retriever from a mixture of American and English Lab lines. This is Rachael as a puppy. This page is a celebration of what is for me, one of the most beautiful dogs in the world. Rachael has been a huge source of inspiration for this website, so this is a little tribute to her and a thank you for all she has taught me. Where do Chocolate Labs come from? But they had been around for some years before that. The Labrador breed was developed mainly by a couple of English aristocrats in the s, from dogs they had imported from North America. Although our early Labrador Retrievers were predominantly black, some of these original dogs carried the genetic information required to produce chocolate puppies. Just as some also carried the information required to produce yellow puppies. If mainly black dogs were bred from, you may wonder how a brown puppy was ever born! To understand that, we need to take a peep at the genes that carry the code for coat color in the Labrador retriever. How is the Chocolate Color Inherited in Labradors? The instructions that tell your dog what to look like, and what color to be, come packed in genes. And genes come in pairs. This is true for the gene that determines whether or not the Labrador will be brown this gene is called b or black B. Every Labrador has either two genes for a black coat BB or two genes for a brown coat bb or one of each Bb. The color black in Labradors is dominant. That means that if a Labrador has one gene for the color brown, and one gene for the color black, the dog will be black. This is because his black gene switches off the brown one. The brown gene just sits hidden inside him doing nothing in particular, while the black gene takes control of his coat. What about Chocolate Labs? So for a chocolate Lab puppy to be born, he needs to have those two chocolate genes, one is not enough. However, a black Labrador can sneakily carry a brown gene Bb and pass it along to his children. This is how the color brown can and did remain hidden in generation after generation of black Labradors. Shedding chocolate Labs can appear paler as the undercoat shows through more when deep in shed. In old age their coat can also fade, especially around their face. Why were Chocolate Labs not Wanted? So if there were always brown genes in our Labrador population, there have always been occasional brown puppies. All that was required to produce some chocolate Labrador Retriever puppies was for someone to mate a black dog carrying brown Bb with another black dog carrying brown. And hey presto, some of this litter of puppies are brown! And of course in the days long before DNA tests,, there was no way of knowing for sure that a black dog was carrying brown, until he had made some brown puppies. By which time it was too late! It seems bizarre to us now, in a world where chocolate is such a popular color in dogs. But in the early s only black would do. When did Chocolate Labs become Popular? By the s and 30s a few brown or liver Labradors as they were then called were making an appearance on the shooting field. But for some years more, brown was not widely acceptable to Labrador enthusiasts. Chocolate Labs are loving dogs, full of warmth and enthusiasm That preference continues today, and we still often name our brown Labs after favorite snack bars and chocolate flavored drinks! The s was a turning point in the popularity of the chocolate Lab, but interest grew slowly at first. Gradually, the public began to demand more chocolate Lab puppies, and gradually breeders began to produce them. Over the next few decades, Chocolate Labradors became increasingly popular both in the show ring and as pets. In the shooting community, where Labradors were expected to do a job of work, the preference for black continued. This continued throughout the late s, and into the present day, particularly in the UK. American Chocolate Lab American chocolate Labradors were bred to work, and are also known as field Labradors. The chocolate Lab has now become more established in the working community, but they are harder to find. There is a rumour going around that this is because brown Labradors are a bit stupid! But is it true? You might also have noticed that chocolate Labs are rarely seen as seeing eye dogs. Chocolate Lab Characteristics Just like you and me, every dog is a product of both his environment. As well as the genes he is born with. We have seen that many chocolate Labradors come from show Labrador lines, and these bloodlines tend to have certain characteristics in common. Characteristics that are passed along from parent to puppy. Chocolate Lab size varies quite a bit. Show Labradors English are often more heavily built, and somewhat slower and physically less agile than their field bred counterparts. Some English brown Labs may reach 80 or 90lbs without being fat or overweight. Whereas American chocolate Labs are often lighter. My Rachael, for example, weighs less than 60lbs. Most males of her build will weigh five or ten pounds more. English chocolate Labs are also more likely to have a chunky Labrador head and thick otter tail. And while some feel that the chunkiness of the skull has been taken too far in show lines, there is no denying the beauty of a classic Labrador head. A brown Labrador is more likely to be from these show types of bloodline and are therefore more likely to share these general characteristics. But there is more. Chocolate Lab Temperament American Labs may have a more intense retrieve drive, or urge to chase and retrieve things than their show bred cousins. In short, they are desperate to please. Over many generations this biddable quality has been bred into our working Labs alongside their retrieving and hunting prowess. This has given working dogs a rather different temperament from our show stock. Chocolate Lab Intelligence In show dogs you may see a more robust temperament. An English chocolate Lab is often less concerned over the little ups and downs of life. Nothing is taken too seriously. Many English chocolate Lab owners report that their dogs are especially playful. And I have certainly found that to be the case with Rachael. She adores soft toys and spends hours playing with her Flat Squirrel! However, they may less distractible, more focused and therefore easier to train. This can certainly give the impression of a dog that is pretty smart. These dogs may also be more likely to be black. English Labs are still highly intelligent, highly trainable dogs. The differences between field and show might give you the edge in competition. They are also becoming increasingly irrelevant as we switch to more modern methods of training which are much better at motivating dogs to engage in the training process. We mentioned earlier that the color black has long been favoured by the working retriever community. Experienced, working gundog enthusiasts are less likely to buy a puppy that is not from working lines, and when they do, they are more likely to choose a black dog. Unsurprisingly this means that most working lines of Labs are predominantly black. Black is also a great color for a hunting companion. A yellow dog really stands out in the countryside, even in poor light, so even when yellow dogs became more common, they were not so popular with the hunter. Brown dogs are better camouflaged but became more numerous much later and were embraced first by the pet and show communities. Are Chocolate Labs Stupid? To my knowledge, no study has ever been carried out on the differing intellectual abilities of Labrador of different colors. Everything you hear is based on personal anecdotal stories, often passed along in fun. At least to begin with! She has very intense retrieve drive, but is less naturally keen to share the outcome with anyone. She is also easily distracted and because of this she has taken me a little longer to train than my working line Labs. But it is most unlikely that there is any distinct difference in intelligence between dogs of the same breed that happen to be a different color. Being chocolate does not make a dog stupid Even if there were a difference in learning ability between different colored dogs, it does not mean that one caused the other. The answer lies in the behavior and temperament of dogs from different bloodlines. Types of chocolate Labs The difference in trainability is in short a feature of the difference between the field bred dog and the show bred dog. Not a feature of the color of the dog. It is a coincidence that many chocolate Labradors are English in type, and many black Labs are American in type. Because of this coincidence the characteristics of the show bred Lab tend to be attributed to our brown friends. While the characteristics of the field bred Lab tend to be attributed to our black dogs. So you can see how the myth got started. The fact is, that chocolate Labs from working lines are just as easy to train as black Labs from working lines. But you are less likely to meet a chocolate Lab from working lines at the moment. But rest assured, your chocolate friend is not stupid. With modern training methods you can easily teach him to be a well behaved and obedient dog. Chocolate Labrador Shades Unlike our yellow Labradors — which come in a wide range of shades, the color chocolate is pretty consistent in puppyhood. Most chocolate Labs are quite similar in color. As the old hair dies it starts to lose some of its color, and the dead hair is much paler than the glossy new coat that will soon appear. And though some chocolate Labs are darker than others, even when taking the stage of moult into account, variations between individuals are fairly small, with one very contentious exception. The Silver Labrador. Silver Labs Are Chocolate Labs Silver Labradors have a gene which dilutes the color chocolate and makes it a pale, silvery shade. Some people find this very attractive, while others regard it as an abomination. There is no doubt that a hundred years ago, there was no coat dilution gene in our Labrador Retrievers. We know for sure that this gene has appeared quite recently. The strongest theory is that the gene arrived through cross breeding a Labrador with a dog that carries the dilute coat color gene. A breed such as the Weimaraner for example. This seems rather less likely. Not as silver itself. A bright Future for the Chocolate Lab Throughout history, there have been a number of famous black Labradors, and we tend to associate yellow Labs with the all important role of working as assistance dogs. This is not because chocolate Lab dogs lack the qualities or abilities of black and yellow dogs, but simply because the popularity of the color is a relatively recent phenomenon. There are as we speak, plenty of chocolate Labradors serving in the military, working as assistance dogs and in the shooting field. Maybe you have a story to tell about your own chocolate friend, or maybe you are just starting out on your journey to finding a chocolate Lab to share your life. We have some tips for searching in the right places. The other way, is to buy a chocolate Lab puppy and raise him yourself. There are pros and cons to both rescuing an older dog and raising your own puppy, I go into these in some detail in The Labrador Handbook. It may well depend on what stage of life your family is at and on how experienced you are with dogs in general, and with Labradors in particular. You can buy both books from Amazon by following links above. If rescuing appeals to you, and you are ready for the challenges and the many benefits of giving a dog a new lease of life, there are plenty of rescue societies that specialise in Labradors. Rescuing can be a wonderful and fulfilling way of bringing a lovely brown retriever into your life, so do consider it thoroughly. You can find lots more information here: Is a rescue Labrador right for you and here The right dog for you- Puppy or Rescue? If now is not the right time for you to rescue an older dog. Or if you are getting a Labrador for a special purpose — as a hunting companion for example — you may be better off with a new puppy. If someone wants to sell you a puppy much younger than that, alarm bells should be ringing. You also need to make sure you buy your puppy from the right place. This means choosing the right breeder. And avoiding puppy mills and pet stores. If you want a puppy for hunting, you need to go to a breeder that specialises in field-bred dogs. If you want to get involved in the world of showing, you need to go to a breeder that breeds Labradors for the show ring. It is possible to train a show dog for work, though he or she is unlikely to get far in high level field competitions. It is not normally possible to succeed in the show ring with a field bred dog. Keep this in mind. Chocolate Labrador Puppy Health Labradors of all colors suffer from inherited disorders. Please, please make sure your puppy is from health tested parents — it may all end in tears if you omit this important step. Their parents should have good hip scores, good elbow scores, clear eye tests and be PRA clear too. But does picking a chocolate Lab puppy set you off on the wrong foot in terms of health from the start? Are Chocolate Labs Unhealthy? In a study hit the headlines hard, and had a lot of chocolate Lab owners in a panic. Their research suggested that there is a link between Lab color and not just health, but lifespan too. Over 33, Labs were studies, with .Giving a good sample size. Chocolate Labs in the study were more likely to have dermatitis, which matches with some colloquial findings of owners of silver Labs with skin problems. Ear problems are also more common, and this is in fact something Rachael has even suffered with in the past. Gastrointestinal issues were more common with chocolate Labradors too. Chocolate Labradors live on average for just .At least according to this study. Interestingly, they were least likely to have degenerative joint disease or dental problems. It reduces the chances of your pup becoming ill. But it is also important to look at the coefficient of inbreeding. Chocolate Labs get their color from a recessive gene. This means that to ensure you have a litter of chocolate puppies you need to breed from two chocolate parents. Reducing gene pools will always increase health problems. Finding a puppy with a very low coefficient of inbreeding will help you to avoid some of these problems. In addition to health testing, of course. It would also be sensible to avoid a chocolate Lab puppy with parents with a history of ear or skin problems. You can find out more about health issues in Labradors in this article: Health screening for Labrador Diseases. And there is lots of information on finding a good breeder here: Labrador breeders — how to find a good one Training and Exercising your Chocolate Labrador My advice for training and exercising your chocolate Labrador is to figure out what type of lines your dog is from and adjust your expectations accordingly. Then to follow a good positive reinforcement training programme. Make sure you exercise his mind as well as his body. Even if you never intend to take him hunting, he still needs a job to do, retrieves to complete, toys to find, streams to cross and so on. If your dog is from show lines, he too needs training and plenty of exercise, but he may also need plenty of play. Toys and games, and other dogs to interact with. Training my Chocolate Lab Even at seven years old, Rachael still loves to play with other dogs and with people. She is hugely enthusiastic about meeting people and dogs and prone to be over-friendly. And I have to make a special effort to ensure that she is not allowed to interact with visitors until she is sitting calmly. On the plus side, I have had to spend less time socialising Rachael than I would with a field bred lab. As she takes everything in her stride. Too friendly! You may find she is intensely friendly and rather distractible, so this aspect of his education is important. Above all, treat your chocolate labrador like an individual. He is far more than just a product of his breeding and environment. He is a unique character, there will never be another quite like him Caring for an old Chocolate Lab As the years pass by, we leave behind one set of challenges and they are replaced by new ones. Failing eyesight, stiff joints, and declining hearing. However, these senior years can still be happy and fun filled for many dogs, especially if you keep your dog slim. If your chocolate friend is quite heavily built as many chocolates are, you need to be extra careful to keep an eye on his weight as he ages. More body weight means more stress and strain on joints, this can aggravate problems like arthritis in older dogs. I personally think that elderly chocolate Labradors are particularly beautiful, with their greying muzzles and kind eyes. Of course, you will want to make your old friend as comfortable as you can. Tell us what is so special about your chocolate Labrador and why you think they are the best. Life Span Did You Know? Labrador Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds. The Chocolate Labrador Retriever is not a distinct dog breed from other Labs, but it is a separate coat color variation that is specifically bred for. Similar to the other standard coat colors of Labrador Retrievers, Chocolate Labs are energetic dogs that get along well in a family setting. As a Retriever, they also make great hunting dogs and have also been known to fill other working dog roles including service dogs, guide dogs, search-and-rescue dogs, and more. They are even one of the common dog breeds employed in K-9 units. A point of interest is that all modern Chocolate Labrador Retrievers can be traced to three specific Black Labradors that lived during the s. Chocolate Labs are industrious little pups. They were bred for retrieval and will often sniff about for something to get into. They are also one of the most affectionate dog breeds and absolutely love being with their favorite humans. Properly socialized and well-trained, Labs are one of the kid-friendly dog breeds. They get along well with children, other dogs, and other pets. They are famously even-tempered and playful. This makes them fantastic dogs for a growing family, as they tend to be gentle and patient with little ones. They can have a high prey drive. They usually do well with small pets within the family that they have been raised with or socialized around, but likely will still have the urge to chase other animals while out and about. They also tend to be open and friendly with strangers. After all, strangers are just more people to give them attention and play with them. Chocolate Labrador Retrievers may be high-energy dogs, but they are also highly adaptable. They will thrive in homes with fenced yards where they can run freely. They can adapt well to apartment living as well as long as they get plenty of daily exercise, attention, and mental stimulation. Their natural urge to dig and bark when they are bored or agitated can be quelled with a little training and exercise. Although they can handle some alone time, Labs love to be with their families and thrive on attention from them, so they do not like to spend long periods of time alone. Chocolate Labs also have a water-resistant double coat that makes them well-suited for most habitable climates. As with most dogs, they are sensitive to heat. Although they can handle some cold and will likely love to play in the snow, they are not a snow dog breed and may need to bundle up while out on walks in areas with harsher winters. Potential health concerns to be aware of in a Chocolate Labrador Retriever can include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia , progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, hereditary myopathy, and heart disease. There is also a condition with a genetic link called exercise-induced collapse EIC , which can occur in young adult Labradors. Carriers of this can be identified by DNA tests and it is advised that breeders test for this and avoid practices that would produce the disease. Good breeding practices make a big difference in the health of puppies and reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. Make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of both parents and about any health tests or clearances that have been done. As a large, deep-chested dog breed, Labrador Retrievers are at a higher risk for bloat. Bloat in dogs can be dangerous and can quickly become fatal if the stomach flips gastric torsion. Chocolate Labrador Retrievers are incredible companions and are also one of the best dog breeds for first-time owners. Their energy can make them a handful at times, but their intelligence, adaptability, patience with people, and eagerness to please make them easy to train. Labs are one of the smartest dog breeds , so they pick up on things easily. As long as training is consistent and focused on positive reward and praise, a Chocolate Lab will do their best to respond as expected and will often exceed expectations. Chocolate Labs have a short, water-resistant coat that will shed year-round. Brushing a few times a week, daily brushing during seasonal shedding, and the occasional bath are all that are needed to keep a Lab coat healthy and looking great. They may need baths more often if they are avid swimmers, go on a lot of outdoor adventures, and get dirty a lot. Floppy ears tend to trap dirt, moisture, and debris. Proper dental care for dogs is imperative to help prevent painful dental diseases like gum disease or tooth decay later in life. You can also supplement your dental care efforts with vet-approved dental hygiene chews. Labrador Retrievers are one of the most active dog breeds and need a lot of daily activity to be happy and healthy. Daily walks plus playtime, time to run, and other activities are usually enough, but your Chocolate Labrador will likely be up for more activity if you are. One of the facts about Labrador Retrievers is that they have an extended puppyhood and tend to maintain that puppy-like energy and maturity until they are years old. Swimming can be a great lower-impact activity and Labrador Retrievers are one of the dog breeds that tend to love water. Between that, their water-resistant coat, and webbed toes, you may have trouble getting your Chocolate Lab out of the water. Fully-grown Chocolate Labrador Retrievers usually stand inches tall and weigh pounds. Chocolate Labs generally live for years on average. Fourteen years later, the American Kennel Club did the same in .Featured Chocolate Labrador Retriever Article.

They are also popular choices for families with allergies, as they do not shed as much as other breeds. Poodle Mixes come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, making them one of the most popular hybrid dog breeds. While all Poodle Mixes share some common features, their individual personalities can vary widely. Some Poodle Mixes are confident and outgoing, while others are more reserved and shy. Some breeds tend to be independent thinkers, while others are more eager to please. The best way to determine what personality type is right for you is to meet with a local breeder or rescue organization that specializes in Poodle Mixes. Poodle Mix Puppy Health Considerations Though generally very happy and long-lived — with an average lifespan of around years — our Poodle Mixes for sale are not without their unique health concerns. Like every breed of dog, there are a few conditions you should be aware of before you consider purchasing one of our Poodle Mix puppies for sale. Understanding the risks allows you to know the signs and prevent small health concerns from turning into big ones. Of course, not all Poodle Mixes will develop these conditions, but it is important to be aware of them. Finding a Poodle Mix puppy for sale from a reputable breeder can also dramatically — although, not eliminate — the risk of your dog developing some of these conditions. Regardless of the type of Poodle Mix you have, there are a few things you need to know about coat care. First, regular brushing is essential to prevent mats and tangles. Finally, Poodle Mixes need to be groomed every weeks by a professional groomer. This includes a bath, brush out, trimming of the coat, and nail clipping. By following these simple coat care tips, you can help your Poodle Mix look and feel his best. Meet Poodle Mix Puppies for Sale. If a Mini Poodle Mix takes after their Mini Poodle parent, they will be a small dog that is affectionate, loving, and playful. Miniature Poodles are intelligent, sensitive dogs with cheerful dispositions. They tend to get along well with children, other pets, and other dogs. They even tend to be good with strangers as long as they have been properly socialized. They do tend to alert you of things, which can make them prone to barking. Working to train your dog to stop barking early on can keep this from becoming a nuisance behavior. If the other parent breed has similar traits, then you can expect a similar temperament from a Miniature Poodle Mix. You can also meet the mother in person to see what temperament she has and the behavior she is modeling for her puppies. The breeder should have started socialization and training. However, it is up to you to continue to train and socialize a puppy once you get them home to ensure they grow into a well-rounded dog. A Miniature Poodle is a highly adaptable dog that does well in apartments as well as larger homes and in most climates. Because they are so people-oriented, they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time. If the other parent breed is similar, then you can also expect a high adaptable Miniature Poodle Mix. The other breed in the mix is likely to have their own quirks, so you do still want to ask the breeder about them. Are mixed-breed dogs healthier than purebred dogs? Just as a mix can inherit none of the conditions common to their parent breeds, they could also inherit some combination of them or all of them. Make sure you ask about the health history of both of the parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances that have been done. Miniature Poodles tend to be intelligent dogs that are eager to please and easy to train. They tend to be a good fit for owners of all experience levels. As long as the other parent breed is also a good fit for all experience levels, then you can expect a Mini Poodle Mix to be highly trainable as well. If the other parent breed is more difficult to train, then you will want to prepare for that possibility in a Miniature Poodle Mix. A mixed-breed can inherit a coat similar to one of their parents or a coat that is some combination of them both. If a Miniature Poodle Mix inherits the Poodle coat, it will be low-shedding, require daily brushing, and require professional grooming every weeks. Once or twice monthly nail trims keeps them from growing too long. Weekly ear checks with careful cleanings as needed can help prevent ear infections. Brushing teeth daily or using an enzyme toothpaste every day in addition to cleanings at the vet as needed are ideal dental care for dogs. Although they are small, Miniature Poodles are high-energy dogs that require daily walks plus playtime and extra activity to be happy and healthy. If the other parent breed is also a high-energy breed, then you can expect a Mini Poodle Mix to also be a high-energy dog. If the other parent breed has a lower energy level, a Mini Poodle Mix could take after them, but you still want to be prepared for the potential of a high-energy dog. A Miniature Poodle is usually inches tall and weighs pounds. The other parent breed can have a big effect on this, especially if they are the mother, so you want to ask the breeder about them. Miniature Poodles generally live for years. Although the other parent breed may affect this slightly, you should be able to expect a similar life span in a Mini Poodle Mix. Featured Miniature Poodle Mix Article.

Featured Products Welcome to the Home of Legacy Farm Goldens The heart of our farm is raising healthy, structurally sound dogs, who are a true best friend and family companion. We are located 20 minutes outside of Richmond, Virginia in rural Goochland County. As a testament to that philosophy, socialization is something we actively engage in to ensure that each of our pups will become a loving part of their family. Although performance, health, and structural soundness of the parents do not guarantee the offspring. The probability of improving and maintaining positive traits in the breed through conscientious breeding is greater. Our dogs are carefully chosen from lines that have been researched for sound temperaments plus hereditary diseases and conditions. All of our parents must conform to the AKC standard for the breed. They have completed heart, eye, elbow, and hip exams. We are also completing DNA screening and working with other lines that have been DNA screened to help ensure pups are not affected by genetic conditions common to our breed. This allows our puppies' new families to be confident that their pup's health has been built upon continued high documented standards. Availability of puppies and conditions of sale are at the sole discretion of the individual breeder. You are not obligated to purchase a puppy from the breeders whose names you obtain from GRCA puppy referral. Our english golden retriever puppies are raised in our home with us, their parents, aunts, cousins and sisters. We are a small family breeder with all of our dogs and puppies living in our home with a lovely large one acre, fenced-in yard just 20 minutes southwest of downtown Richmond, VA. They are socialized with us and our other dogs in our home. Absolutely NO cages, puppy pens are used occasionally to keep order in the house, but never kennels, or runs or outdoor doghouses. Although we do not use crates as a general rule ourselves, many Shadymist puppy families and friends do with great success. We agree that crate use is highly recommended for at least the first few months as it aids in house-training, prevents boredom destruction, maintains a safe environment for the puppy from curiosity mishaps, as well as a peaceful place to nap with a toy and a blanket. Your English Cream Golden Retriever puppy is raised from birth to your home within our home with constant love, attention and interactive stimulation, all of which promote a healthy, stable people-loving personality with good basic manners!