About Labradoodles

My favorite crate for training a labradoodle puppy is a wire crate, not a plastic crate. Your puppy will have a 360 degree view from the wire crate and will feel less isolated. I also like the fact that the wire crates fold down very easily and can be transported easily. The wire crates are more appealing to the eye, especially if you have one in your living room or bedroom, or both!

If you are planning to purchase a wire crate for your new puppy, buy the size that will fit him/her as an adult. Many of the crates come with a removable divider and two doors, which I highly recommend.

Keep your puppy’s crate area small at the beginning. If you leave too much room in the crate, your puppy will sleep on one side and potty on the other. As your puppy grows and is consistently keeping the crate free of accidents, you can slowly move the divider to give him/her more room.

To crate your new labradoodle puppy or not to crate… that is always a big question. I prefer crate training, especially for new puppies. Crate training seems to speed potty training and lessens the chance of accidents in your home. Let’s face it, puppies need to go a lot and there is not always a lot of warning. I like crate training because, like most people, I can get busy and distracted. When you take your eyes of the puppy for even a few minutes you can miss that subtle sign that they need to go out.The easiest way to potty training a puppy is to praise the puppy when they go where you want them to. Of course, this means constantly being on the look out for any warning signs that they need to go outside. Miss the sign and you will be cleaning a mess.

When I get busy cooking dinner, cleaning house, answering the phone, etc. I like to put the puppy in the crate until he/she has my full attention. You can expect accidents in the crate at the beginning, but a lot less accidents and a lot easier to clean than your carpet. You can expect whining, howling and barking as well, but trust me, your carpet will thank you.

Potty training tips: puppy eats then puppy potties, puppy wakes up then puppy potties, puppy runs madly through the house then puppy potties, puppy gets real quiet then puppy potties.

Be prepared by having shoes and a coat by the door with a leash and treats in the pocket. When you get up in the morning be ready to head right out the door. If you wait to take your puppy out until after you make your morning coffee or use the restroom yourself, your puppy will use the restroom too. And, not where you wanted him or her to! Praise, praise, praise for going in the right spot and patience, patience, patience when they don’t.

 Labradoodle puppies are cute, unique and generally great friends, but they are still puppies.  Whenever you get a dog, one of the issues that come up is vaccination.  Before leaving the breeder or pet adoption agency, ask them about the dog’s health and whether they recommend a vaccination; some people believe that not only is it unnecessary, but can so weaken a puppy’s immune system that serious health and bone problems can result. 

Up to twelve weeks of age, vaccinations are not reliable as they ‘fight’ with the receding antibodies your puppy has received from its mother.  One puppy may be fully protected yet another in the litter may not.

It is for this reason, that regardless of what vaccinations have been given prior to twelve weeks, it is necessary to vaccinate at or shortly after twelve weeks of age.

A Labradoodle is a crossbred or hybrid dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard or Miniature Poodle. The Labradoodle was first deliberately bred in 1989, when Australian breeder Wally Conron first crossed the Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle for Guide Dogs Victoria. His aim was to combine the low-shed coat of the Poodle with the gentleness and trainability of the Labrador. This provided a guide dog for the blind with less shedding, and hence more suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander.

Today, Labradoodles are often used as Guide dogs, Assistance dogs, and Therapy dogs.