About Labradoodles

Adopting a labradoodle puppy is not as simple as hearing some labradoodle puppies might be available and going to pick one up immediately.  It is best to do as much research as possible to make sure the labradoodle breed will be the best fit for your family.

Contact the breeder, fill out an application, and put down a deposit to hold the puppy.  Many breeders will want to observe the puppies for their first six to eight weeks of life, ensuring there are no health problems, and there will usually be an additional veterinary checkup immediately prior to travel to the new home.  Enjoy your new family member!

Since Labradoodles began as a hybrid of a miniature or standard poodle and a Labrador Retriever, there has been no universal push to have Labradoodles recognized as a breed.  Some breeders prefer to mate a poodle and a Labrador rather than two established Labradoodles. This method is thought to maximize the genetic diversity in the resulting offspring and avoid some of the inherited health problems that have been exacerbated by inbreeding in other dog breeds.

Other breeders combine Labradoodle with Labradoodle over successive generations in an attempt to establish a breed.  These dogs are usually referred to as Australian Labradoodles.  Australian Labradoodles differ from some other Labradoodle varieties because they may have other breeds in their ancestry such as cockapoos, two Irish Water Spaniels, soft-coated Wheaten Terriers, and a Curly-Coated Retriever.

There are some consistent traits when it comes to the labradoodle personality, despite the breed being a fairly recent invention with many discoveries still to be made regarding its parameters.   Labradoodles of any size make good watchdogs, but are not aggressive.  Like any other dog, they interact well with other animals if they are socialized as puppies.  Labradoodles are also beginning to prove successful as service animals.

There can be a marked difference in temperature between standard and miniature labradoodles.  Some show breeders have selected their breeding stock based on physical size and form rather than according to temperament and health.  Inbreeding techniques are also commonly employed by toy and miniature poodle breeders.   The choices of these breeders are the root cause of temperament differences between the standard and miniature labradoodles.    If bred for temperament and health rather than chiefly size and physical form, Australian miniature labradoodles are easygoing, fun-loving, and family-oriented dogs.

Unlike cats (well, some cats), children aren’t endangered by a labradoodle puppy. Are they good pets for kids? Yes, they make fabulous children’s dogs. But all puppies will mouth and bite when young, and as with all dogs, this should be corrected early on.

Children should never be given the responsibility of training a puppy, and should be supervised when playing, for the puppy’s sake as well as for the children’s.

Puppies need lots of time away from young kids, to chill out, and have their own space for sleeping where they will not be continually dragged around by the children when they need their ‘time out’ to rest their little minds and growing bodies.

The mature Labradoodle tends to gravitate towards the young members of the family and will usually be found wherever the children are. They are non aggressive, but seem to take on baby sitting roles by choice when allowed to grow and develop properly when young puppies.

Fall is slowly starting to creep and though labradoodles are a bit on the hairy side, they can feel the affects of the chilly weather, too.  I would recommend knitting a sweater for your dog.  It is pretty easy to buy a dog sweater from a store, or even giving them a discarded hooded sweatshirt.  But knitting will create a bond between you and your dog.

You can find several patterns online.  You can also utilize the local library for pattern books.  Some libraries also have knitting circles, as do some community centers.  Make use of the resources that surround you.

Some daily activity and exercise is essential, allowing freedom to move about in a natural manner. Lack of exercise leads to poor muscle tone, obesity, heart ailments, bone disorders and often results in emotional problems and dog behavior quirks. Labradoodles with no exercise subjected to overcrowding and confinement in cages for prolonged periods, often their entire lives, develop a great variety of physical and emotional disorders.

An exercised dog may rest more calmly at home and be less nervous when left alone. Exercise can improve dogs bone and joint health, heart, and lung function. Exercise makes show dogs look better and feel better to a judge’s exploring hands. (Because a happy dog looks more gorgeous).

You do not need to take up marathon running in order to adequately exercise your dog. Make your walks interesting. Let your dog carry a box, a basket, or a toy while walking. Let your dog jump or balance over a tree, hide their toys, hide yourself, and most important – let them play with other dogs!

The halcyon days of throwing table scraps to your labradoodle ended long ago.  Dogs, like people, are subject to nutrition requirements, which is paramount to a long, healthy life.  Treating your dog like a garbage disposal is contrary to the idea of raising a healthy dog.  Here are some tips to consider if you want to cut out the middleman and make your own dog food:

• There are plenty of recipes and meal plans available online, but beware. Really research what you’re doing. Consult with your veterinarian to make sure the diet is well-balanced.
• Books and other homemade foods are also available online.
• Every dog, like every human, has different nutritional requirements. It is very important you check with your veterinarian to determine what foods best meet your pet’s needs.

When you get a labradoodle puppy, there are many aspects of care that need to be considered, such as brushing his/her teeth, and how often. It is best to do it at least three times a week. You can do it daily if you like. Use a pediatric toothbrush and veterinary toothpaste (no fluoride). Lift the puppy’s lip and brush just the outside surfaces of the teeth starting at the gum line and sweeping away toward the tip of the tooth.

Your puppy will learn that this is part of his grooming routine just like nail trims and will make it a lot more manageable when he grows up. Brushing the teeth help keep the teeth in good shape, decreasing periodontal disease, and increasing the time between dental cleanings.

Obviously, part of good labradoodle care is to give your dog a bath. A clean and happy dog will translate to a house that doesn’t like the inside of a trash can. What you want to do, initially, is to gather your supplies (shampoo, supplies, a washcloth and a cup).

Once you have everything gathered up, it’s time to give that dog a bath! Before you start, close the door to the bathroom or whatever room you’re bathing him in to thwart any escape attempts.

• Brush your dog
• Add dog to bath tub
• Turn on the water and wet your dog
• Shampoo
• Rinse and repeat if necessary
• Wash the face last
• Prepare for the shake and then dry thoroughly

After you give a dog a bath he may go nuts, so expect a sudden burst of crazy running and rolling. Keep him inside and out of drafts until he’s completely dry.

Dogs, like people, need a comfortable place to sleep.  A well rested labradoodle puppy – for example – is a well-behaved one.  If you feel like simply placing discarded towels in a laundry basket, you may want to rethink this idea.

A rested puppy will not only behave well, but will be easier to train and will generally be a bit friendlier; after all, you would be much friendlier yourself with a full night’s sleep, as opposed to four to five hours.  Giving a dog a comfortable place to sleep is above and beyond tossing blankets on the stained end of a couch.  If you want to make your pup feel truly at home, a dog bed will be the way to go.