I am in the processes of DNA testing all my breeding dogs. This will tell me what if any genetic defects they have and help me to be sure that my pups are defect free.

From the beginning of her pregnancy, Mama dog is fed Puppy chow , beef liver, eggs and daily vitamins to keep her built up and the pups start strong. She’s also wormed early in the pregnancy and again mid way through.

On day 3 pups should go to the vet for an exam and have their dew claws removed. The claws left on are often snagged on things as the dog gets older and get ripped off, causing a lot of pain and major vet bills. Removing them does not interfere in any way with your dogs abilities, it simply eliminates the possibility of future problems. My vets office charges $7.50 per pup to do it… I consider it money well spent.

At 2 weeks, the pups should be wormed. They almost always have worms, even if their Mama has been wormed, so this helps to insure that all the food they’re eating goes into keeping them healthy rather than being sucked out of them by parasites. The worming should be repeated every 2 weeks until the pup goes into it’s new home. It costs me about $10 per pup for the 4 treatments. I figure it saves me in vet bills, and lost sales because it keeps my pups healthy, so it’s a win win situation and done routinely.

At around 3 weeks, the pups begin eating a gruel of puppy chow soaked in warm puppy formula. I decrease the amount of formula gradually until at about 5 weeks they’re eating the puppy chow soaked in warm water. From there I reduce the water in the food, and provide a dish of clear water and dry dog food so they leave me eating dry puppy chow at 8 weeks.

At 7 weeks I give the pups a 5 way vaccine that prevents diseases common to puppies. Now that they’re weaned, they’re no longer protected by their moms immunities, so need to develop their own. This shot is repeated in 3 weeks. Until they’ve had the second shot, it’s wise to be cautious about where you take them and any other dogs you have them around as they can actually die from preventable diseases if you get careless. They’re fun to show off, but be patient for their sake and be sure they’re well protected first. I pay $17.50 per pup per shot. It’s SO worth it!

Daily monitoring by a knowledgeable breeder can detect a lot of small things before they become big ones. For example, it’s not uncommon for pups when in the weaning process to develop a urinary tract infection. They’re going from a liquid to a solid diet and while most make the transition just fine, some might struggle a bit more with the change. Pups may also become constipated during this time. A smart breeder will have stayed around while the pups ate to be sure ALL have nice round tummies after. With in minutes they will all relieve themselves. A pup with a urinary tract infection will strain and cry and have blood tinged urine. A round of antibiotics will take care of it, but you need to catch it early for the pups sake. A constipated pup will also strain and make loud pathetic grunting noises. They need more water, maybe a bit of puppy formula, and a bit of extra help to get back on track. Some pups get diarreah while adjusting to the rich puppy chow. Vigilance is the best preventative again.

Often with Labradoodles you will find some have the Lab personality and others are more like Poodles. Some will be more aggressive in feeding and will naturally get the best and most. One that’s not able to compete can suffer and fail quickly if it’s not noted and dealt with. When this happens, I bring that pup in and give it a few meals all by itself for a while until it’s able to better take care of itself. This can make all the difference.

In summary, the best safeguard of your pups health is a breeder who takes the time to know and observe the pups and do the basic cares in a routine manner. We’re responsible for them being born, so we owe them that.

Labradoodles are a cross of 2 breeds; the Labrador Retriever and Poodle.

4.5 week old Labradoodle pup from our recent litter.

When people see a baby Labradoodle, they often think “Well that looks so much like a lab!” And yes, many do; and for good reason. LOL What they don’t get to see unless they’re familiar with Labradoodles is the progression from what they look like as a baby, to what they can look like as an adult dog.

Since a poodles coat, like human hair, just keeps on growing, what you see at a month or 2 months is often very different from what they will eventually look like. A wonderful lady named Diane has a gorgeous Labradoodle named Dakota and has agreed to let me use his pictures to illustrate the progression. The transformation is amazing and since Dakota as a baby looks very much like my pups, I really enjoy being able to see his different stages.

Dakota at 5 weeks

Dakota at about 2.5 months of age. He looks very much like several of my pups!

Dakota at 4 months

Dakota as a young adult

Dakota in his full glory!

An example from my own litter…
Snuggles at 11 days of age

Snuggles at 3 weeks of age

Snuggles 3 months

Snuggles at 5 months of age

Snuggles at 7 months of age; she’s still working on that long Labradoodle coat; she is true black but the flash dilutes her color.

At 10 months her coat’s noticeably fuller and longer.

When trying to decide which gender of pup to buy, some really over think it.
Assuming this is going to be a pet only, and will be de-sexed (for it’s health and your sanity), there really is little difference in the actual owning of the 2. Some believe a female is best because of it’s potential “motherly nature” which unless you’re one of it’s own pups and are a newborn, simply isn’t the case. Once those pregnancy hormones are used up, a female dog is no more or less affectionate than a male.
Some think a male dog is more aggressive or territorial than a female… again, if they’re neutered at a young age, this is false. Given that neither poodles nor Labs are aggressive breeds, your pup just doesn’t have it in their genes to be that way. Raised lovingly, both sexes are equally loving and safe to have around.
Some expect a female to be more gentle… not true! Some expect a male to be stronger… Nope, sorry wrong again! Some want a female so their wheels don’t get marked… neuter a male by 6 months and that problem is averted.

In my opinion, the biggest difference is that it’s less expensive to neuter a male (since it’s not as big a surgery) than it is to spay a female. The end result is the same.

So find a pup that suits you and your family, get it de-sexed, and enjoy!