PUPPY CARE NOTES

 

SLEEPING

How has my puppy been sleeping?

Your puppy's first night is a big transition step.  The first few nights are almost always difficult. Your puppy has been sleeping with lots of cushions, and rugs in a built-in garage attached to our house. He may feel comforted by an old towel or item of clothing to snuggle up with.  We offer options of purchasing blankets and/or toys from our Burrinjuck Boutique Store. That way your puppy can become familiar with a blanket and/or toy and then have that same item [with familiar smells] to take to his new home. Some people have tried using hot water bottles and even placing a ticking clock near the puppy.  You might like to consider purchasing a snuggle puppy. Snuggle Puppies come with a heat bag and their very own rhythmic heart beat. The beating heart in this plush snuggle pup is designed to sync to the heartbeat of Mum. Very adorable and the puppies love them! Snuggle Puppies can be purchased seperately or as a part of our "New Beginnings Start Up Pack. Packs include a snuggle puppy, blanket, teether and toy. Browse our shop at Burrinjuck Boutique for further information. Our online shop is located at https://burrinjuckboutique.ecwid.com/

If your puppy is still unsettled after the first few nights, you may like to consider the use of a diffuser. One family used a product recommended by their vet called an Adaptil Diffuser. They reported that this seemed to work quite well to calm a very unsettled puppy. I have included a link for families interested to learn more about this product. Adaptil Diffuser . We also stock a range of homeopathic blends for anxiety and stress relief. These items can be found in the "Nature's Pharmacy" section in our online store.

Decide right from the start where you would like your puppy to sleep. Start out as you wish to continue. There are many different dog beds on the market. Outside beds are best if raised off the ground.

 

CRATE TRAINING

Should I crate train my puppy?

A lot of information is available regarding crate training. Should you choose to use a crate, get one large enough to accommodate your dog when fully grown. I have found that the wire crates that puppies can see through are preferable to plastic travel crates. They actually enjoy spending time huddled up in these crates. Dogs like their den. If your puppy is not settling, try covering the crate with a towel to help your puppy feel safe and secure. Puppy Crate Covers are also available for purchase through our store. If you would like to begin crate training, we can get this started during the last few weeks for a small fee of $50. We can also provide a "crate package". Price depends on the size of the crate but it is approximately $260 for a medium size crate package. This includes a crate; an underlay; a blanket, a teether or heat cushion and a toy. Click here CRATE TRAINING for further information about crate training.

 

 

 

PUPPY CARE

How to carry your labradoodle puppy?

Place one hand under your puppy’s front legs and chest.  Put the other hand around his hind legs and bottom

 

What can we do to soothe our new puppy?

Young puppies learn from an early age that crying earns attention from their mother.  Considering all the changes they go through in the first few days, it’s no surprise that you will hear them whimpering. There are many different ways to handle your puppy's first few nights.  You can try to ignore it or get up occasionally, trying to remind him that he's not alone.  Perhaps there is really no right answer, but most experts agree that you should establish your routine right away.  You need to establish the boundaries and rules that you expect your puppy AND you to live by. Having said that, the first few nights will be the worst as your puppy will be anxious and missing his/her mum and siblings like crazy.

 

How do we teach our puppy to go outside?

 

If your puppy is going to be inside you will wish to get started on toilet training. Your puppy will be getting the hang of going outside to do his jobs. He has been negotiating a puppy port and making his own way out to a grassy area. Puppies will have a natural tendency to toilet on grass or even false grass. It may be an option to have a square of false grass where your puppy can go to do his toileting. Alternatively have plenty of newspapers near his bed (just in case). If it is too late to get him outside, you may have just enough time to sit him over a newspaper (if it is nearby). There are a few commercially available absorbant puppy pads and synthetic grass toilets that have been used with families with varying success. You could also try toilet timing.  Take him outside every hour (and take him to the same spot) then give a big cuddle and reward each time he does "jobs". Some people like to pair the toilet action with the same phrase, e.g. “good job”. This is thought to aid the learning process. Also remember that he is most likely to “need to go” just after waking up from a sleep or after eating or drinking, so be prepared to whisk him outside at these times. Often the most telling sign is a sniffing of the ground, prior to squatting but you do only have a few seconds to notice this behaviour. Avoid cleaning up accidents using products containing ammonia. Ammonia smells similar to urine and will encourage him to return to that place to toilet. Pet Supply Stores have several products on the market to help with cleaning up. I have found "urine off" to be effective.

 

 

MEAL TIMES

What should I feed my puppy?

Your puppy will have started to wean from mum from 4 weeks of age. Provide him/her with plenty of fresh water. Do not feed your puppy milk. We advocate feeding as much raw as possible however if you choose to feed a commerical dog food, we recommend that you buy the best quality dry kibble recommended by vets and sold from vet clinics or some pet stores and suppliers. This food is of a consistent high quality. Some brands of dog food that we suggest that are of high quality are "Ziwi Peak", "Ivory Coat", "Balanced Life Kibble", "Advance Puppy Growth Kibble" and "Meals for Mutts". We supplement the dry kibble with a raw diet. We feed raw beef mince with either Balanced Life Rehydratable or a muesli blend - "Phuds" (which the puppies adore). Phuds is available through our online store.

 

What has my puppy been eating?

Your puppy is used to a very varied diet. We have been feeding your puppy a combination of raw minced meat and we also mix in "Advance Puppy Growth" kibble or "Balanced Life" kibble and Balanced Life Rehydratable or Phuds. We generally work on ratio of 1/3 kibble + 1/3 Phuds or 1/3 Balanced Life + 1/3 minced meat. This means that when you get your puppy home, he/she will be accustomed to both a raw diet and also Advance Puppy Growth or Balanced Life dry dog kibble. Families wishing to continue with a raw diet can omit the dry kibble and similarly, families wishing to stick with a commercial dog food can feed the dry kibble on its own.

If you choose to continue to feed the Advance Puppy Growth Kibble, then we recommend the puppy growth "regular" or "small bites" to be suitable for a miniature to medium sized labradoodle puppy. I also feed the puppy growth "regular" to puppies that will grow to a large size as my labradoodles seem to prefer the smaller kibble size.

If you intend to change your puppy's diet to a different dog food, I recommend transitioning from our recommended dog food to the new dog food very slowly over a period of a week or more. This will avoid giving your puppy an upset tummy and minimise the risk of diarrohea.

In additon to the dietary foods recommended above, provide plenty of raw meat, grains and vegetables as an additional supplement to your puppy's diet. Raw meat and vegetables are a good source of nutrients for your puppy. Most vegetable can be fed to your puppy, provided they are raw and pulverised (put through a juicer or food processor). You can feed the pulp and juice of fresh vegetables [spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, beans, etc,]. Pumpkin, corn and potatoes must be cooked and do not need pulverising. DO NOT FEED ONION AS IT IS POISONOUS TO DOGS. Most fruits are also fine to feed to your dog but do not feed sultanas, currants or grapes as these are also poisonous to dogs. Chicken wings, chicken carcasses, mince, chopped beef, lamb necks, shanks and flaps, fish, eggs , bread, pasta, natural yoghurt, cottage cheese, and other forms of cheese are all recommended foods but always introduce new foods a little at a time.

Your puppy will initially need to be feed three times a day.  The amount of food he/she eats will depend on the size, and  build of your little treasure.  I often get phone calls from concerned families worrying that their new puppy does not seem to be eating enough.  As a rule, I have found that many of my labradoodle puppies are not big eaters but prefer to graze throughout the day, rather than have huge amounts at one sitting.   The number of feeds per day can be reduced to twice a day by around the age of  6 months.    A sample diet for your puppy might look like this:

Breakfast:  Small handful of dry kibble ( approx 1/4 cup) over half a cup of miced raw beef with balanced life or phuds. Fresh water

Lunch:  Some chicken necks or a raw bone.Appropriate vegetables/fruits, dairy, meat and carbohydrates as a treat.

Dinner:   Small handful of dry kibble ( approx 1/4 cup) over half a cup of miced raw beef with balanced life or phuds. Fresh water

Dont be too concerned if your puppy does not seem to eat very much.  Let your puppy's appetite guide you.  Weigh your puppy regularly and monitor the amount of exercise your puppy has. 

 

 

BONES AND TEETHING

Can I give my puppy any bones to chew?

Bones help to provide vital calcium. It also provides a vital form of exercise to develop strong musculature. Gnawing on bones help to exercise the jaw muscles, massages their gums and contributes to good dental care.  Ensure you only feed raw bones of medium size and with plenty of meat on the bones.  The puppies have a HUGE desire to chew when they are teething. Burrinjuck Boutique stock a range of appropriate teething aids for your new puppy. We stock Wag dog treats which are wholesome and made of 100% meat or bone. Wags Products provide long lasting and nutritious chewing material. Let me know if you would like some advice on the best choice of chew treats for your puppy. I have found the pigs ears and small bully sticks to be particularly effective.

 

 

WORMING

Do you recommend any particular brand?

Your puppy will be wormed at two, four, six and eight weeks of age.  Dogs pick up various gastro-intestinal worms. Round worm, hookworm and whipworms are the most common. Dogs need to be wormed every two weeks until 12 weeks of age then every month until 6 months of age then every three months for the rest of their lives. Your puppy will be due to be wormed again when you pick him up.  Then wormed again at 10 weeks of age. Consult your vet for a product that protects against intestinal worms. There are many different products on the market. Also talk to your vet about a suitable product for treating heartworm. Use the 12 week vaccination appointment with your vet as an opportunity to ask any questions about products. I am currently using "Milbemax" by Novartis Animal Health for our puppies.   Regular worming will help to keep your puppy healthy and reduce the risk of worms transferring to you and your family.

 

 

VACCINATIONS AND FLEAS

How often do I need to vaccinate my puppy?

Vaccinations will be administered when your puppy is 6 weeks of age.  He will be vaccinated against Parainfluenza Virus, Canine Distemper,  Canine Hepatitis Virus  and Canine Parvovirus.  Dogs that go into boarding kennels require an additional vaccination to protect them against kennel cough (C5).  Vaccinations will be necessary for your puppy again when he is 12 weeks old and at 16 weeks of age then annually for life. Until your puppy has had his puppy vaccinations do not take him to public places where less healthy (unvaccinated) dogs may have access. Remember your puppy is not fully vaccinated when he arrives at your home. **Avoid taking your puppy to public places until after he/she has completed the full vaccination schedule as advised by your vet.

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Do you recommend any particular brand of flea treatment?

I use a brand called "Activyl", which I purchase from my local vet. There are specific doses for different sizes so you can purchase a packet according to the weight of your puppy/dog.

 

 

 

 

 

GROOMING

What kind of grooming tools should I use?

It is important that Your puppy becomes used to the feeling of being groomed. This will become a regular part of his care.  Brush your puppy regularly using a slicker brush. After brushing, you may like to spray his coat with some water and conditioner mixed together.  Then scrunch the damp curls to take away the frizz. Routinely grooming in this way will prevent matts and knots from developing. Somewhere between 10 and 18 months of age, your puppy’s coat will change to its adult coat. At This time, extra brushing will be required to remove the moulting puppy coat. A slicker brush (below) is used to remove the fine tangles that emerge close to the skin. Use the comb for particularly knotty areas of coat. 

Labradoodle wool does have a lifespan. As the hair dies and more hair grows, if the dead hair is not brushed from the coat it will cause matting. Brush regularly (at least once a week) to remove dead hair to prevent knots and matts. Matts generally form at the base of the coat near the dog’s skin. Brush the coat in sections. I deal with matts by cutting the matt into strips and then combing it out.  You may also like to try one of the tools pictured below.  This instrument is very sharp and cuts through knots. There are a couple of areas that seem to be more prone to matting.  I usually trim these areas shorter. 1. Around the collar, 2. Behind the ears, 3. On the rump, in front of the tail, and 4. Around the flank, in front of the hind legs

    

 

To have the typical “doodle look. You will need to scissor cut or clip the coat three or four times a year. Think about timing the clips in Autumn and Spring, Summer and Winter. You can keep the coat a little longer in the Winter and shorter in the Summer. For best results, You could get a dog groomer to clip your dog and keep him/her looking well groomed with brushing every couple of days. I use a pair of horse clippers with a size 4 blade, but find I need to clip the coat back very short without regular brushing. I have found that clipping the hair over the feet and between the toes helps to prevent hayseeds and burs from becoming a problem during the summer.

 

 

 

BATHING

How often should I bathe my dog?

Generally once a month will keep the oils in the coat and not leave your puppy prone to dermatitis. I use an oatmeal shampoo called "Aloveen Dermcare" and the matching conditioner. This brand contains oatmeal and aloe vera so seems to be gentle on the skin and not strip the wool oflanolin. Alternatively I have found emu oil shampoo to be really effective.

 

 

EAR CARE

Why does my puppy keep scratching at her ears?

Labradoodle's ears hang down so moisture can become trapped.  Keep the hair, under the ear clipped and check the ear canal regularly to ensure it is not inflamed or smelly. If there are signs of infection and/or irritation your puppy will need vet treatment. You will need to dry the ears thoroyghly after bathing and swimming. I soak up any moisture using a tissue to dry the ear canal. Itis a bit of a bother, but your puppy will benefit from having the wool plucked from inside his ear canal.  Plucking prevents moisture becoming trapped in his ear and thus prevents infections. Go slowly and pluck a few hairs out at a time.  You can try using your fingers or a pair of tweezers.  There are ear powders on the market that can be used to dry the hair on the inside and make it easier to grip the wool.

 

 

TRAINING

Do I really need to enroll in puppy training?

Labradoodles, similar to their poodle and labrador ancestors are very intelligent and highly trainable. They thrive on stimulation. I strongly recommend obedience classes. Training teaches good behaviour. Your dog is made to feel like an important and valuable part of a relationship by obeying commands, They gain fulfillment by playing their part of the deal and then earning a reward. In return for your efforts with correct training, you will have a loyal, trustworthy and protective member of your family. It is highly advisable to enlist the help of puppy school or some form of dog obedience. Our daughter Bree has established a dog training business and may be able to assist with ongoing training. Her business is "blue ribbon dog training" and I have included a link to her website below:

https://www.blueribbondogtraining.com.au/

 

Mouthing/ Nipping

Your puppy will go through a teething stage. Sometimes they may nip or mouth. One suggestion is to give the sound “Ahah” in a sharp voice and then get a chew toy as a substitute mouthing toy. Reassure puppy with a gentle tone when he/she chews/plays with this toy instead. It would be helpful to get the same toy each time. Another idea is to use a spray bottle to deter chewing of items. I have heard suggestions such as "vinegar, chilli, and "eucalypus oil and tea tea oil". There are also commerical products available that can be used to deter chewing and nipping. Remember “consistency is the key. If this behaviour continues, you may like to get some specialised assistance from a qualified dog trainer.

If the behaviour continues or becomes problematic, I recommend getting some specific strategies from a qualified tog trainer.

The critical socialisation period in puppies is from 6 to 16 weeks. The experiences your puppy has during this period , whether good or bad, will have the greatest impact on them for life. Your puppy will have socialised with our dogs and will have had opportunities for supervised play with them. It is important that your puppy meet and learns to socialise with other dogs and be able to tolerate other dogs in his “space. He will also need lots of opportunities for play and exploration.  Have on hand, a variety of interesting objects with which your puppy can learn, explore and amuse himself (balls, squeaky toys, soft plush toys, rubber chewing toys, lengths of rope etc).  This will also help prevent boredom and minimise destructive play.

 

Most importantly, enjoy your gorgeous labradoodle and  HAVE  FUN ! 

This is what Labradoodles do best.