Puppy Care Notes & Information

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Anna & Shiloh     Litter Born 15^th May 2006

Welcome to the Tallai Labradoodle Family.

So you have just arrived home with your new puppy!  What next?

Please read the following general guide to find out what has happened to your puppy during its first 8 weeks of life and to get you thinking about what he or she will need in the near future.

I have included notes on the following;

Feeding

Sleeping

House Training

Grooming

Health

Things to do with your Doodle J

Of course if you have any other questions I would be only to happy to try and answer them, if I don’t know, I will try and point you in the right direction.

I am also always keen to know how your puppy is developing, and would welcome any feedback positive or otherwise on his or her progress.  In particular I would love an email and photograph or two from time to time, to assist me in planning future litters.

Once again may I remind you that our website is continually evolving, and our information and links pages are well worth revisiting from time to time.  As I find more information worth passing on, it will be incorporated onto the site.

www.tallai-australian-labradoodles.com

Finally I have included in the puppy pack, numerous brochures and the two-year health guarantee agreement.  Should you wish to participate in this agreement please sign and return it within 14 days of taking possession of your puppy, and I will copy the agreement and return for your records.

Good luck with puppy parenting J

Carla Simmons

Feeding

“Variety's the very spice of life” William Cowper, 1785

Breakfast     Dry Eukanuba Puppy, Medium Breed, mixed well with cooked  

Mince (lamb or chicken – one of them is usually on special at the   supermarket), or some Natures Gift Chicken,  Rice and Veg’s tin food which has no added extras and is 100% natural.

Lunch           As Above or raw chicken necks as pup gets older, eaten

whole (a great additional source of natural calcium)

Dinner         Same as breakfast, with the addition 2-3 times a week of

                    A little cheese or plain yoghurt.

Remember to weigh your puppy regularly and adjust the diet accordingly as per the instructions on the back of the food packet. This is a very basic diet, after a few weeks on this your puppy should be over the stress of moving to a new home and ready to experiment again.

Later alternatives include lamb flaps (good for teeth) and other meaty bones.  Boiled rice & pasta with cooked vegetables/mince meat.  NEVER EVER Cooked Bones, as they tend to splinter & can cause terrible damage inside your dog additionally DON’T feed chocolate, macadamia nuts or onion. Finally check your garden for poison plants

There are more theory’s on feeding than there are breeds of dogs, you can ‘Google’ or request a book from your local library.

My dogs eat everything from vegemite on toast, the children’s left over wheatbix, a raw egg and milk, to sausages off the BBQ. 

Remember every puppy is different, those receiving more exercise will need more food, please assess your puppy to keep him at a healthy weight.  You may need to increase or decrease meal portions accordingly.  As a rough guide decrease meal times to 2x feeds by 6 months of age & 1x main meal by 12 months.

Sleeping

I suggest from the outset you adopt the sleeping arrangements you plan on keeping.  Whether this be a basket, cardboard box, hessian bed, a crate in the laundry, or a kennel in the garage, your local pet store will offer a myriad of choices, and be only to happy to take your money.

I personally like the crate in the laundry at night (but then again I have cane toads to deal with) with napping in the house or yard during the day.  There are some very sound reasons for crate training your dog, so please don’t dismiss it with out doing some further research (see our website), dogs like their den, whether this be under the kitchen table, in a basket or a quiet corner of the room and a crate provides all this with a door!  Should you choose a crate, get one large enough to accommodate your dog when fully grown, in the short term it may be portioned off for house training purposes, or provide room for a bed and newspaper.

Your Puppy has come from a warm climate with warm siblings; so if you live in a different climate, please keep this in mind.  Your puppy will cry a lot less if not too hot or too cold. 

Try covering their crate with a towel to help him or her feel safe and well hidden from all the strange people, noises etc.  A portable radio playing quietly in the background can also assist during the first few weeks.  It will take your puppy a week or two to settle in and get to know its new surroundings.  If the puppy does cry, try not to go running to it all the time, (you will soon be able to distinguish between a cry and a I’m in pain yelp).  I know this will be hard, but they are more likely to settle in quickly if you can resist the urge, additionally they are an intelligent dog and it wont take long to work out that by crying or barking you will come running, which will become a difficult habit to break later.

House Training

I can’t emphasise enough the need to spend some time and get this right.  The onus is on you the owner and you must be patient, determined and reliable from the outset, don’t blame the puppy if you become lazy.  The pay off is a dog you will enjoy having in your home with the family.

·        Don’t expect too much from your puppy when he or she first comes home, they have very limited bladder control.

·        Dogs generally like to be clean and sleep in a clean area

·        House training will be a lot easier if you keep your puppy to a routine

·        Puppies have to go to the toilet when they wake up in the morning or after a nap, within 10 to 30 minutes after eating and before they go to sleep.

If your puppy is not allowed to relieve itself at those times, it will most likely have an accident.  Don’t rouse on the puppy should it make a mistake, as it is unlikely to make the connection between doggy doo on the antique persian rug & you yelling anyway unless you catch them in the act, a far more effective & quicker way of training is to instil a routine that prevents the mistakes in the first place.

I prefer to use the crate method to assist in house training my dogs, there is a link with more information about this on my website (I will convert you to crates yet!)

A cardboard box next to your bed at night or in the laundry can work as well, when the puppy wakes up at night (heavy sleepers can use a kittens bell attached to the puppy’s collar) & try’s to get out so they don’t make a mess of their sleeping quarters take them straight out to the lawn, the same general spot each time is suggested and say something like “Hurry up” and repeat it (try to pick something you don’t mind repeating within earshot of the neighbours) 

When the dog is done, give them lots of praise perhaps even a treat immediately after going and return them inside.  He will soon get the idea.  Your puppy is already used to the lawn & has had newspaper as a back up in their pen overnight

If you're observant, you'll see that a puppy that is looking for a place to relieve itself will suddenly circle about while sniffing the floor or grass. The sniffing is instinct — he's looking for a place that's already been used. If he can't find one, he'll start one! By preventing accidents in the house, you'll teach him that the only appropriate bathroom is the one outside!

A word of warning don’t use ammonia based cleaning products on your floors, it apparently smells like urine to the dog & they will think it is acceptable to go on our floor, as to them others obviously have been doing so before.

Grooming – Care of the Three Different Coat Types

Fleece & Wool coat types will lose hair but hopefully not on your couch, it stays trapped within the coat so you must groom it out before bathing especially when the puppy’s coat is changing to its adult coat at around 10-18 months of age.  Brush your puppy every other day at this time or you will need to give them a full clip (a friend failed to brush her dog during the puppy moult and after a trip to the beach the dogs coat turned to felt).  It is at this time I would give a fleece coat dog his first yearly scissor to make the length more manageable.

Fleece

The Fleece coat is unique and what most labradoodle breeders aspire to, it should be slow growing, low to non-shedding and silky soft to touch. You will need to buy a slicker brush, please brush your labradoodle BEFORE you bath them.  I use Aunt Martha’s Wool Mix - the eucalyptus one (yes from the laundry isle in your supermarket) it is mild on their coat & skin and will also kill any fleas (so far my labradoodles have not had a flea on them.  Some breeders feel it has something to do with the density of the coat but this has not been proven yet, additionally I have never experienced any skin disorders when using Aunt Martha’s on either our labradoodles or other dogs that we have owned previously).

Let your dog dry naturally where possible, don’t brush your dog after their bath, rather crunch their locks in your hand as you would curly hair.  If the weather is cold or the in-laws are visiting in half an hour a hairdryer on a low heat setting can be handy.  Should you decide to brush only use a spray bottle with water to dampen down the fluffed dry coat and crunch it to get back their spirals and curls.

To have the typical ‘doodle look’ with a fleece coat you should only need to scissor the coat a little shorter once or possibly twice a year depending on how much you trim off.  You could get a dog groomer to do it for you but please tell them NOT to trim them like a poodle unless you like the poodle look (I suggest taking a photo of your favourite labradoodle with you if you are concerned).  Some breeders say clipping a fleece is not good for their coat, I have clipped some of our fleece dogs and so far have not been unhappy with or had any change in the texture of the coat!  When Clipped they feel just like crushed velvet. 

Please refer to notes below if you want to give them a haircut yourself and some other breeders have more information about grooming on the web

Wool

The wool coat is the most like a poodle’s coat and needs trimming more often than a fleece coat as it will grow faster.  The good news is that this growth is not as fast as a poodle though each dog is a little different.  Scissor your dog as required approx 2-3 times a year.  For brushing and washing see the fleece coat notes previously, you will need to buy a slicker brush from your pet store.  Alternatively clip him all over once a year (summer is good and yes you can clip a wool) with maybe a scissor trim in winter.

You will probably have already trimmed your dog before it starts its puppy moult, but another trim to save you time brushing out this puppy coat is recommended.  Once they have their adult coat you really shouldn’t need to groom or bath them more than once a month as it plays havoc with the natural oils in their coat.  Remember dogs will be dogs and sometimes you will need to wash/groom them more or less often.

Hair

The hair coat is usually seen in the first cross F1 dog however it can also show up in any generation though usually it is less prevalent as the generations advance. Normal dog grooming is required with a medium strength bristle brush.  I still recommend Aunt Martha’s for bath time and a hair dryer should the Jones’s be coming for dinner.

Haircuts

When giving your Fleece/Wool coated dog a haircut yourself, first brush your dog all over with a slicker brush, wash them then dry. One dry brush and fluff up the coat so it is easier to get an even cut all over, you can cut it a little shorter under their tail /belly, around the collar, quite short under ears & at the points of the elbows (under arms). It took me a few times to get the look I was after over the course of a couple of days (poor Teddy Bear my first victim) so don’t be disheartened just keep at it and you will learn in no time!

Nails

If your dog is not walking on a rough surface (footpaths etc) you might need to trim his nails ask your vet to show you how, its not very hard and clippers can be bought from either the vet or pet store.

Ears

Training & Socialisation – Common Sense Really

Dogs are surrendered to shelters because often they have been inadequately trained & socialised, Most of them when they are in their teens 8-18 months of age.  Labradoodles like their Poodle & Labrador ancestors are very intelligent and highly trainable, they not only need but thrive upon stimulation.  Even if you have trained a dog before and are confident, please attend both puppy socialisation classes and later on obedience lessons with your dog as things are likely to have changed since you last owned a dog.  There is much reading material on the subject of training, and I strongly suggest you avail yourself of it and make your own informed decisions, I offer the following as a guide only.

In return for your efforts your dog will become a loyal, intuitive, trustworthy and protective member of your family.  Those one in a million dogs are a lot easier to come by than many people think.

ALL dogs are pack animals. If they are not taught from an early age that humans are the pack leaders, they will jockey to gain that position for themselves, not because they are necessarily bullies, but because nature abhors a vacuum. If you and your family don't fill that vacuum, your dog will; if you don't do what's necessary to hang on to the job, your dog will surely take over, inch by inch.  That over pampered, spoilt, domineering lap dog of your childless co-worker wasn’t born that way.

Your puppy needs socialisation particularly between two to four months of age.  Expose them to lots of new experiences or they are likely to grow up to be fearful, they have already interacted with their litter mates, our other dogs, our children.  They have been exposed to the TV, stereo, the lawnmower, a noisy leaf blower, a mop cleaning the floor, the car, bathing and hairdryers.  Finally they have had more visits from potential owners, new owners, family & friends than I care to recall.  But what really counts is the socialisation & training they get once you take them home at 8 weeks.  Just because they haven’t had their final vaccinations yet does not mean you can’t take them to visit family & friends.

Dogs & Children

Your dogs have been socialised with our children however do not leave young children alone with any dogs unsupervised for both their sakes and remember that what a dog may tolerate from the children in your family, may not apply to other people’s children.  Generally with children it is the labradoodle who ends up worse off, as they are very trusting and put up with far more than they should have too.

Whilst the following is not a definitive guide - there are a couple of basic things you and your children should know about dogs and I suggest you discuss or teach your children and young visitors some simple guidelines from the beginning;

Dogs chase things that run away, they just can’t help it, their brain is hardwired to respond in this way, so if scared by the dog children shouldn’t run away.

Play rough with a puppy & they will play rough back, often using their teeth as they did with their littermates. This behaviour can persist into adulthood, so just avoid it.

When a dog has had enough play it will often walk away to a quiet corner somewhere.  Children often follow and keep annoying them so it is best to put the dog out of harms way until it is ready to play again (wouldn’t that crate be good about now, you could teach the kids to leave the dog alone when the dog is in there), if you don’t then the next step could be a growl, which the child will likely also ignore, followed by a nip.  Parents often see the nip but fail to notice that the dog has given the both them and the child ample warning signals first.

Don’t feed the dog while people are eating, make the dog wait until you are finished.  Dogs have a strong pecking order and there is no equality in their language.  The pack leader eats first and the lowest member last.  You don’t want your dog thinking they are the boss over you or your child.  Food is the be all and end all with dogs, their equivalent of wealth, success and more!  They will do just about anything for a tiny morsel of food.  Use this knowledge to your advantage.

Don’t let a dog jump up on or lick either you or your children, this may be quite cute whilst the dog is a puppy, but by early adulthood can become very annoying to both your family as well as guests, (take a rainy day for instance, or a visiting small toddler)

Some people suggest that you do let your child add food to your dog’s food bowl under your supervision - the idea being that your child should be seen as a food giver not a threat.  Others say this is a No No, I will leave it to you to decide.  I do however believe adults should take away the puppy’s food, favourite toy etc, then reward the puppy with a treat before giving it back to them.  Always ensure your dog takes all food and treats gently from your hand, the labradoodle tends to have a very soft mouth, so this is easy to achieve.  As with all training it needs to be continually reinforced to overcome the dog’s natural instincts particularly during their teenage years when they will again begin to test the pecking order.

Whilst your puppy may well sleep for good portions of they day, it really enjoys activity with the family.  If it does not get this stimulation it will make up its own games such as every dogs favourite ‘gee doesn’t the backyard look better without all those plants’

Little things like who goes out the door first reinforce who is top dog.

Use your local library, buy a book, search the web or join a class, but DO train your dog.

Health

Vaccinations

The major infectious diseases of dogs are difficult and expensive to treat and can cause suffering and possibly death.  So rather than treat these diseases, it is far better to prevent them by a planned vaccination programme.

Accordingly your puppy has been vaccinated at 6 weeks of age.  Your puppy pack includes his or her vaccination certificate.  They will need to have a booster shot at 12 and 16 weeks of age and then every year there after to maintain immunity.  Take your certificate to your vets each time you go and discuss the need for additional vaccinations.  You will be required to show your vaccination certificate when; enrolling in puppy school or should you need to put your dog in a kennel or ‘doggy day care’ (yes it does exist but unfortunately there is no government subsidy).

Desexing

Your puppy unless you purchased it as a breeding dog, has also been desexed between 6 to 7 weeks of age, its stitches have been removed.  Your pack includes a certificate of sterilisation (most councils have a discounted dog registration fee so keep it safe).

I like dogs, and desexing helps them live longer by helping to avoid problems with unwanted litters, roaming (and the subsequent car accident when off after that bitch on heat down the road), fighting and breeding complications.  It also reduces the risk of prostate and testicular cancer in male dogs (there is also the whole marking their territory thing and that antisocial habit involving peoples legs).  In female dogs, desexing eliminates any dripping whilst in season, uterine infections as well as reducing the risk of tumour development of the uterus, cervix and mammary glands.

If you would like to know more on the benefits of early desexing and assist by promoting an informed opinion on this matter within your circle of influence please visit our website for more information.

Intestinal Worms, Fleas, Ticks & Heartworm

Your puppy has been wormed every fortnight with Drontal; this will need doing again at 10 & 12 weeks, then monthly until 6 months of age.  Alternatively you may wish to start your dog on ‘Sentinel Spectrum’ – it is an all in one product that is effective, safe, easy & convenient.  I have included a brochure from Novartis on this and recommend you give it serious consideration and discuss it with your vet who can also advise on the many different products available.

Check for ticks regularly, particularly after visiting tick prone areas & bush walks.

Hip Care

I have done what I can to ensure that your puppy came from parents who were health tested for hip & elbow disorders and that the puppies diet and early weeks were healthy and accident free.  Now its your turn, these problems are environmental as well as genetic, so please don’t overfeed your dog, being overweight places stress upon their joints.  Be careful with stairs and rough play, and don’t encourage jumping on and off the back of the ute until your dog has finished growing at around one year of age.

Things to do with your Doodle!

‘A tired dog is a quiet dog, a bored dog is a noisy destructive and hyperactive dog’

Australian Labradoodle Association (ALA)

Is a club trying to get the Australian Labradoodle recognised as a new Australian Breed. You can  help by just becoming a member or even playing an active role

Visit www.laa.org.au for more details.

Obedience Clubs

Most states now allow you to register all other desexed dogs with the various state canine controls in an affiliated registry, this allows the labradoodle to compete in Obedience, Jumping, Agility, and Field Trials along side the ‘purebred’ dogs.

Labradoodles are very clever and those already competing have done incredibly well.  Any of these sports can be very rewarding for both you and your dog giving him lots of tasks to complete for even more, praise, love, attention and treats

Visit www.ankc.aust.com for a list of affiliated clubs in your state.

Tricks and Movie Work

There are also places to go to learn tricks for fun or work and even dog dancing (yes you read right).  The labradoodle has even started to appear in print advertising (my grandmother cuts copies out for me from time to time) so get yourself and your dog an agent quick smart before all the good ones have gone.

Therapy dogs

Sharing our labradoodles is also rewarding and many already visit the sick & elderly as the background of their parent breeds and low to non-shed coats make them perfect for the Job.

Council

Contact your local council for information on dog laws, registration & a list of dog friendly parks, off leash areas can be fun for your family and your dog.