About Labradoodles

Miniature dogs are special in many ways—they’re cute, portable, and they usually live longer than their larger counterparts.  Some experts have pointed out that small dogs seem to be especially hard to housetrain.  That difficulty can be compounded by their humans, who don’t seem to expect as much of them as they would a Rottweiler or Golden Retriever.   Some owners allow small dogs to remain perpetual “babies”.  Since mini Australian Labradoodles don’t leave as much waste behind as one of the bigger dogs, that may be a factor as well—until company is coming, the house stinks, and there are land mines everywhere.  Consistency is the most important part of training any dog, but lack of consistency is not the only problem facing small dog owners.  Breeders that are less than reputable don’t always take the time to build the foundations of early training, and the pups they sell sometimes learn to do everything on the paper—eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom—without understanding different locations are appropriate for different functions. 

It is important to choose an outdoor spot for your mini’s elimination where she will not feel vulnerable to attack.  It is preferable if the lawn is short in the chosen spot so the dog can navigate easily through it.  No one likes to go out in the cold and cop a squat, so consider investing in a sweater for the little guy—it can actually help with housebreaking.  Feeding on a schedule helps, as does taking the puppy to the chosen potty spot after she plays or has any kind of excitement.  Crate training is also thought to aid in successful housetraining of a small dog. Every dog makes mistakes, so don’t punish her if she has an accident—run her to her spot and show her where she is supposed to go.  When your mini is successful, following consistently with praise and a treat should do the trick in the long run.

Since our mini Australian labradoodles are all microchipped, prospective owners never have to debate whether or not to microchip—but there are many good reasons to microchip a pet.  One of the first would be the ability some pets have to wiggle out of their collars.  Some pets just don’t like to wear collars all the time, despite the best efforts of their people.  If a pet becomes lost without her collar, the microchip that has been implanted increases exponentially the likelihood she will be returned to her rightful owner.  Be sure and keep the microchip company updated with your current address and phone numbers, as well as current contact information for a backup contact should your doodle become lost.

A microchip is only about the size of a grain of rice, and they do not need to be replaced once they have been implanted in your dog.  Until 2003, there were universal scanners for pet microchips, but as technology has developed, types of pet microchips were created that are incompatible with some scanners and vice versa.   As of this writing, development of a universal pet microchip scanner is pending, but even taking this into consideration, having your pet microchipped is an important safety measure.

Naming a puppy is one of the most fun things about getting one!  You can use a name book, surf the Web for pet name websites, name the dog after your favorite actor or musician, or just get to know the puppy and see what name comes to mind.  Of course, there is no rule how many middle names a dog can have (after all, he never has to get a passport!) and when it comes to nicknames, there are no rules, either.

If you want to nod to the Australian aspect of your mini Labradoodle’s heritage, here are some Australian words for your consideration:  Ace, Banger, Barbie, Barney, Battler, Billabong, Brekkie, Bizzo, Blotto, Boozer, Bushie, Buster, Cheerio, Chrissie, Clackers, Corker, Dag, Dero, Dingo, Fair Dinkum, Howzat, Humdinger, Jackaroo, Jillaroo, Joe Bloggs, Kaput, Kero, Kiwi, Matilda, Nipper, Outback, Ozzie, Pash, Plonk, Polly, Ridgy-Didge, Ripper, Rollie, Roo, Sanger, Sheila, Shonky, Smoko, Sooky, Squizz, Stickybeak, Tas, Troppo, Tucker, Wally, Woop Woop, Wowser, Yobbo or Zack?  You’ll have to look up the meanings, but they are all everyday words related to Australia or slang used there.  The possibilities are endless!

Freshwater ponds, creeks, lakes, rivers and streams can contain blue-green algae-borne toxins that are fatal to dogs.  If the water where your mini Australian Labradoodle swims looks cloudy with a green or blue-green tint, you should suspect an overabundance of blue-green algae and keep your dog out.  Blue-green algae have been documented as causing the deaths of several dogs as well as livestock and humans.

A very specific combination of environmental conditions that most commonly occurs in late summer or early fall can expediate rapid population growth of a blue-green algae family called cyanobacteria. This type of algae thrives in many aquatic environments year-round, but can reproduce out of control during sustained times of warm weather in shallow, nutrient-rich bodies of water.  This variety of blue-green algae produces a toxin that is one of the most potent natural poisons known.  The algae blooms may resemble foam, scum, or mats on the water’s surface, appearing to be blue, bright green, brown, or red.  The water may or may not smell bad, since algae usually do not produce a negative odor until they are breaking down and beginning to die out.   The only way to know for certain if water is contaminated by the bad algae is to have it tested by an expert, and to further muddy the issue, not all algae blooms are toxic.  When an algae bloom IS toxic, it can kill or sicken an animal within 15 or 20 minutes of ingestion, targeting the liver and nervous system.  Symptoms of toxic algae ingestion include skin irritation or lesions, vomiting, diarrhea, labored breathing, weakness, convulsions, and in severe cases, paralysis and respiratory failure.  If you suspect your pet has come in contact with toxic algae, wash his coat immediately and call a veterinarian as quickly as possible.