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These are the three most common colors. However, if the Golden Retriever and the Poodle carry the black coat gene, a beautiful black Goldendoodle can be created. Some Goldendoodles are all black, and some have white markings. But these are rare. Black and white Goldendoodles are the results of a Golden Retriever bred with a part poodle. So, can a Goldendoodle be black and white? Yes, Goldendoodles can be black and white. Can a Goldendoodle be black and white? Yes, black and white Goldendoodles can be achieved. When Golden Retrievers and Poodles are bred together, the result is the intelligent, friendly, and family-friendly Goldendoodles. One of the main reasons people seek Goldendoodles is that they like their appearance. Goldendoodles have perfect coats, especially if the Poodle genes are more potent than that of the Golden Retriever. Goldendoodles can either have curly, wavy, or straight coats. Their curly coats are the most demanded in the market because of their hypoallergenic nature. So, how can one achieve a black and white Goldendoodle? In this case, breeders breed a Golden Retriever with a parti Poodle and hope that the genes pass through to the child. If the genes do pass through, the result is a rare and gorgeous-looking black and white Goldendoodle. How do you get black and white Goldendoodles? Of course, the breeding process must be calculated correctly. Normally, one has to breed a Golden Retriever with a regular Poodle to achieve a Goldendoodle. But, the color specifications need other calculations. For instance, breeders have resorted to breeding Golden Retrievers with parti Poodles. These colors can be any other color, sometimes black too. This is how this rare coat pattern is achieved. Parti Goldendoodles have been increasing in popularity and the demand for them is steadily growing in the United States. Pigmented patches are most typically found on the ears, around the eyes, back, and tail. Patches that contrast with the white coat are usually solid dark colors, like black in this case. By the way, I explain more about how these calculations work in my guide to the F1 Labradoodles here , so do check it out if you want to understand better how this whole thing works. It has graphs and visuals and everything… Do Breeders try to get black and white Goldendoodles? Yes, breeders immediately read the market and try to supply the demand. So, when Goldendoodles were first introduced to the world of hybrid dogs, people instantly fell in love. Rightfully so. Goldendoodles are loved for many reasons but right now I want to discuss one aspect; the variety in their appearance. The black and white coat pattern is among the most unique and rare Goldendoodle appearances. Breeders seek to breed white and black Goldendoodles to make sure they maximize their profit. That being said, reputable breeders get excited when they can breed a healthy black and white Goldendoodle. Of course, the health of the Goldendoodle is achieved when certain standards are met. So, what are the most common Goldendoodle colors? These are cream, apricot, red, and brown. Please note that these colors are not ranked by most common. Cream Cram Goldendoodle almost have white coats because of how light their coats are. Cream Goldendoodles are usually used for breeding multi-colored Goldendoodles like merle Goldendoodles or parti. They usually have light features. For example, a lighter shade of brown when it comes to their nose, lighter toenails, and lighter shades of eyes. I have a full guide on English cream Goldendoodles here that you should definitely check out to learn more about them. Apricot People love teddy bears; it is a fact that has been existent since the beginning of teddy bears. Their gorgeous coat can also get lighter with time. Red The red Goldendoodle, like the apricot Goldendoodle, is one of the most popular coat colors for Goldendoodles. Red Goldendoodles resemble teddy bears too. They are adorable. Goldendoodles are usually created by crossing a dark-colored poodle with a light-colored Golden Retriever. Brown Goldendoodles can result in multi-colored Goldendoodles when bred. That is because they contain the black recessive gene, which means they can be used to breed black and white Goldendoodles. Are Black and white Goldendoodles different from other doodles? Yes, black and white Goldendoodles are different when it comes to breeding and appearance. Goldendoodles are all unique in their own way. They can either have curly, wavy, or straight coats, which makes them all look different to some extent. So, as discussed, when a breeder is not trying to breed a specific size or color, they will breed a Golden Retriever with any Poodle. With Golden Retrievers, breeders also know what to expect because most Golden Retrievers look almost the same. Golden Retrievers can indeed have different colors, but all their colors are basically different shades of gold, and the look remains the same. However, with Poodles, one can get creative. Hence, they will look different since the black and white Goldendoodle is bred from a parti Goldendoodle. From a temperament point of view, all Goldendoodles are more or less the same. They are loving, friendly, gentle, affectionate, and laid-back. They are known for their good temperament and that is why they have been increasing in popularity. Goldendoodles are mostly healthy dogs. However, the genes behind some of the colorings of Goldendoodles can potentially be the reason behind some health issues. For example, some merle Goldendoodles are prone to deafness and blindness. How much is a black and white Goldendoodle? Goldendoodles are designer dogs. With every unique feature comes a price too. For instance, if you want mini Goldendoodles or black and white Goldendoodles, you should prepare yourself to pay more. Variances in pricing based on color is because of the great difficulty of reproducing and the lack of guarantee for the number of puppies to be born. Since black and white Goldendoodles are in high demand and are considered to be very rare, their prices can vary from USD. The rarer the Goldendoodle is, the higher the price will be. Please Note that we still advise you to adopt and not shop whenever possible. We believe all dogs are good dogs and that there really is no reason to pay thousands of dollars for a designer dog when you can get a perfectly good dog from your nearest shelter that will probably love you even more. Consider visiting your nearest shelter soon. What kind of doodle is black and white? Doodles are usually crossbreeds bred from two purebred dog breeds. Many doodles come in the black and white mix. Examples of doodles that have the black and white color variations are Doxiepioo Doodles, Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, Saint Berdoodles, and lastly, Sheepadoodles. All these doodles are extremely good-looking. Their temperament is also very good; they are great family dogs and are just elite. You have learned a bit about Goldendoodles, and you can get more informed about the other doodles too. If the coloring black and white is what you want, you can compare between the different doodles and choose the best doodle for you. Most doodles have curly and wavy coats, which is why they are so loved. They all look beautiful, and most of them are hypoallergenic. Thus, they are perfect for families with allergies. If being hypoallergenic matters to you, then you should definitely check out this guide to the hypoallergenic Goldendoodles here, where I compare how hypoallergenic each Goldendoodle generation is. Are Black and white Goldendoodles rare? Yes, black and white Goldendoodles are extremely rare. That is because the pattern is not achieved easily. To achieve this beautiful parti pattern, a parti Poodle needs to be bred with a Golden Retriever. If you want your Goldendoodle to have symmetrical black and white on their coat, your chance is even lower. It is not guaranteed that your Goldendoodle will have the exact amount of black and white in their coat. The reason that they are so rare is that the parti gene will not necessarily pass through. Only one of the two dogs needs to have the parti gene. Normally this is the Poodle. Consequently, breeders start breeding their parti poodle with the Golden Retriever and just hope for the best. Due to the fact that they are extremely rare, they are often more expensive and are demanded very highly. Related Questions Why is my Goldendoodle black? If your Goldendoodle is black, they might be from the second or third generation. Black Goldendoodles have been sought after lately because of their beautiful coats and appearance. Some people get confused between Black Labradoodles and Black Goldendoodles. Can Goldendoodles be black? Yes, black Goldendoodles exist. They are rare, but the demand for them is very high. The black Goldendoodle is not born enough for their demand. Goldendoodles with curly or wavy coats are also non-shedding. Check out the best and healthiest foods for golden retrievers at every age here — Dry, Wet, Homemade Recipes, and Treats! Taking a walk? These are the best leashes, collars, and harnesses for the buck that you can find. By Kern Campbell Curious about the existence of black and white Goldendoodles? Do they exist together in one Goldendoodle, and if so, in what variations or patterns? Are they a common color pattern or more expensive than the other colors? I bet you are curious about the colors and patterns of a Goldendoodle too. Check out what I discovered. Can a Goldendoodle be black and white? While there are many colors of a Goldendoodle, black and white is less common and even more rare if perfect symmetry is desired. Goldendoodles come in a wide range of colors from their hybrid background that consists of two distinct purebred dogs. The black and white Goldendoodle can be called a tuxedo Goldendoodle for the tuxedo Parti pattern their fur color has. It looks like the dog is wearing a tuxedo. This color can be harder to come by. This coloring can be hard to produce because it requires that one of the pure breed parents be bred with a Parti colored Poodle. They can also be known as abstract or mismarks to identify the irregularity of their coloring. There is no guarantee that the coloring will pass through to the puppies with the black and white color. Those individuals looking for a black and white Goldendoodle can rest assured it is possible. With a reputable breeder that is knowledgeable and skilled, the likelihood that a black and white doodle can be produced is favorable. Goldendoodles come in a wide variety of colors and patterns with black and white together being just one of them. The Goldendoodle is a crossbred dog that comes from two distinct purebred dog breeds. With that being said, they carry with them the possibility of many color variations from their parentage. With a wide range of colors to choose from, an incredible array of patterns can also be created. The black and white Goldendoodle being one of them. The black and white coloring of a Goldendoodle is less common than perhaps the other golden or cream colors. While it is possible to get a dog with this coloring, it is a bit harder to produce. The type of breeding that is required can make the coloring unpredictable. Due to this unpredictability, it can cause the litter to vary. If the coloring does come through, it can vary from dog to dog, having one black and white dog that only has a white paw. Another dog of that same litter might have a different pattern, and yet another may have white spots on a mostly black coat. When it comes to genetics and breeding, the more or less you want something in the next generation, the more prominent or weak it has to be in the parents. Do all Goldendoodle breeders attempt to achieve black and white coloring for their clients? Each breeder will be unique in what they will and will not breed. Any reputable breeder will follow a set of standards that protect the health of the Goldendoodle breed and the puppies themselves, regardless of color or pattern. In the end, the health of the puppies and the safety of breeding for each animal must be considered. That being said, many breeders will attempt to produce a black and white Goldendoodle. However, many hope that most clients will understand that there is the possibility of variances in coloring. Many breeders, like their clients, can believe it exciting to achieve a particular appearance on a Goldendoodle. In the end, however, they realize and hope their clients will understand that the black and white color of a Goldendoodle is secondary. While adopting a black and white Goldendoodle in a family may be hoped for, other qualities like temperament, shedding, and health are more important. What other colors are available besides the black and white Goldendoodle? There are numerous colors and patterns for a Goldendoodle besides black and white. One of the purebred parents produces a dog with a golden coloring, which can come in light, medium, or dark. The other purebred parent has the possibility of several different colors. Beyond that, there are also unique colorings in each of the two purebred dog parents that are possible, including the black and white and patterns, including the previously mentioned Parti patterns. With this large number of colors, a breeder can create a wide variety of color possibilities in the Goldendoodle dog breed. Not all breeders are the same so potential pet patents need to research well before choosing a breeder for the best outcome regardless of color. If the black and white Goldendoodle coloring is unpredictable and rare, are they also more expensive? Yes, a Goldendoodle of black and white or other patterns can be more expensive. Many factors however, determine the price of a Goldendoodle. The mixed colored dogs of Parti and other patterns will generally cost more. The location of the breeder and client can factor into pricing as well as the breeder. Their experience, years of breeding, and knowledge play a part in how costly their puppies will be. A good reputation as a breeder may warrant a pricier puppy, but health and character should have no limits. Most people looking at a Goldendoodle, regardless of their coloring, want their dog to be healthy, strong, pleasant, and happy. Other factors that determine to price for a Goldendoodle, regardless of whether they are black and white, include their size and the supply and demand. Smaller Goldendoodles may come with a smaller price. Larger Goldendoodles can come with a bigger price tag. Age, whether they are a rescue, adopted or purchased from a breeder, and health of the dog, litter size and timing can all factor into the price. Whether the dog is golden, brown, and black or black and white will play into the final price tag. Does the coloring of a black and white Goldendoodle affect their health due to their genetics? Yes, it is possible for coloring to potentially be related to health issues but not in a direct way. This is true of the Merle black and white color pattern of a Goldendoodle. The Merle color pattern, which is produced by a particular gene, can cause health issues. These issues can include an increased risk of blindness, deafness, and certain forms of cancer. Finding a skilled, knowledgeable, and the experienced breeder can prevent these issues from cropping up in Goldendoodle puppies. Knowledge of parental background and safe breeding practices must be used. Will the black and white coloring of the Goldendoodle affect personality and temperament? Yes and no. The black and white coloring of Goldendoodle should not affect their temperament. It can be a factor in their personality. Their breeding determines this unique part of the Goldendoodle. Who they are genetically, the character of their purebred parents will determine the outcome. Personality also is determined by genetics but is individual to the dog and can, of course, be affected by outside sources, including environment and lifestyle. This can be similar to how a person might feel wearing a suit and tie versus wearing a Hawaiian shirt and khakis. Is it possible to change the personality by the color they wear, yes? Does it always alter the personality, no. Does the generation affect how much black and white a Goldendoodle can have? Yes, the generation of the Goldendoodle can affect coloring as it does everything else about the dog. Certain qualities can be watered down, absent, or increased with each generation. Final Thoughts While a black and white Goldendoodle might be less common than other colors, all Goldendoodles share that adorable cuteness and wonderful companionable personality. When deciding to welcome a Goldendoodle into a family, choosing the color might seem like the most important part. Health, character, and connection, however, should be the final deciding factors! Goldendoodles typically reach their full size by the time they are one year old. However, their coat may continue to grow and change in color until they are two or three years old. Are Black and White Goldendoodles Rare? Black and white Goldendoodles are not particularly rare, but they are certainly unique. As with all hybrid breeds, the color of their coat is determined by a combination of genetic factors that cannot be known until they reach adulthood. Coat Fading: What Causes It? Goldendoodles often have their white fur fade to a cream or apricot color as they age. Coat fading occurs when the pigment-producing cells in the white coat die off over time, resulting in a lighter shade of fur. With proper care and nutrition, however, this fading process can be slowed down somewhat. Black is another common coat color for Goldendoodles. A black Goldendoodle full grown may look quite different than a white Goldendoodle, but can still be just as beautiful. Black and white Goldendoodles are also becoming increasingly popular for their unique look. Many reputable breeders offer these dogs, although they may be more difficult to find than other colors. You can also check your local animal shelters or look for adoption postings on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. In some cases, it may even be possible to meet a Black and White Goldendoodle in person! For instance, a white Goldendoodle full grown may require more grooming than one that is still a puppy since their white coats can be prone to matting and tangles. On the other hand, if you are interested in finding a black and white Goldendoodle instead, there are several things to keep in mind. Firstly, you should know that the white patches on black and white Goldendoodles typically appear as they mature into adulthood. Ultimately, whichever type of Goldendoodle you choose — white, black and white or otherwise — make sure you do your research first! Good luck! The cost of black and white Goldendoodles varies depending on the breeder and quality of the pup. While this may seem expensive at first glance, consider that these dogs are usually worth much more since they are hypoallergenic and low shedding — two features that many pet owners look for when choosing a new pet! You will have a loyal companion who is sure to bring you joy for many years to come. The Bottom Line In conclusion, yes a Goldendoodle can be black and white! These unique hybrids make for beautiful, loyal companions with an interesting blend of characteristics from both parent breeds. Yes, Goldendoodles can be black and white. Although many Goldendoodle colors exist, black and white can be rare if perfect symmetry is desired. Goldendoodles have become popular because of their easy temperament. These dogs are also known for their hypoallergenic and nonshedding nature. They are bred in different colors and sizes. The colors of these affectionate, playful, and friendly dogs range from white to apricot to dark black. Most breeders are getting fancier with the Goldendoodle colors , and you may come across some multi-color Goldendoodles, such as phantom Goldendoodles and parti Goldendoodles. With the advancement in DNA tests, breeders can create any color coat. This article will discuss everything you need to know about Goldendoodle colors. Keep reading to learn more. Therefore, mixing the Poodle and Golden Retriever colors leads to various coat colors. Besides, there are unique colored dogs like white-colored Poodles and black Golden Retrievers. The variation of coat colors is virtually infinite. Apricot Goldendoodle Apricot Goldendoodles are among the most sought-after Goldendoodles because of their sweet little teddy bear appearance. Apricot Goldendoodles tend to have black physical attributes throughout their bodies, including eye rims, toenails, noses, and eyes. In addition, their coats tend to lighten over time. They can often be confused with a cream Goldendoodle or a tan Goldendoodle. The apricot Poodle color was the last one accepted by the American Kennel Club in .Some breeders believe the color came about as a rare combination of brown, blue, and silver genes. Since the American Kennel Club accepts the Brown Poodle as an official breed, you can be sure of coming across many brown Goldendoodles at the dog park. The brown Goldendoodle coloring mostly comes from the Poodle dominant genes. However, it often carries a gene color of silver and black. Therefore, you can breed two different brown Goldendoodles and get different colored Goldendoodles since two recessive genes mask the black coloring. If you breed two brown Goldendoodles, you get a parti, sable, or phantom Goldendoodle, depending on the K, A, and S locus. Therefore, you may not get the same color when you breed two colors together. Red Goldendoodles The red Goldendoodles are also among the most sought-after coat colors. This is because their coat resembles that of a teddy bear. They have a red mahogany color that is the brightest of all the coat colors. However, it is regularly conceived by mixing a normal-colored Golden Retriever and a darker-colored poodle. Black Goldendoodles This is one of the unique Goldendoodle varieties. They are just as playful and intelligent as the other color varieties. A black Goldendoodle is a genetic diversity factor of a recessive gene that can be found in either the Poodle or Golden Retriever. To get a black Goldendoodle, both the Poodle and Golden Retriever will need to carry the recessive black gene. Therefore, black is rare compared to red Goldendoodles or apricot Goldendoodles. Cream Goldendoodle Some people confuse the cream Goldendoodle with a Labradoodle or white Goldendoodle because of the light-colored coat. The cream is an official color accepted by the American Kennel Club for Poodles. If you look at the phantom Goldendoodles, merle Goldendoodles, or parti Goldendoodles, you will notice that the cream color is commonly used for breeding a multi-color coat. They are usually unique because their physical attributes can vary from one dog to another. Some may have lighter toenails, lighter shades of eyes, and light brown noses. Many cream Goldendoodles usually have pinkish skin underneath their coat. The cream color has the largest variation of physical attributes. It is hard to spot two cream Goldendoodles with the same features. Their secondary color can be any color, although the common ones are tan and apricot. Recessive genes create these colors. It is extremely rare to get a parti Goldendoodle that is not a multi-generation Goldendoodle with more Poodle genetics. To create a parti-color Goldendoodle, you must breed rare recessive genes with other rare recessive ones. It is difficult to predict the color of a parti Goldendoodle without an extensive DNA test. They have specific features, such as a white nose, a white chest, and a streak of white on the head. They are sometimes referred to as the Tuxedo Goldendoodles because of their colorings. To get a black and white Goldendoodle, you need to breed a parti Poodle and a Golden Retriever and hope the genes pass through. Therefore, they are extremely rare. They can also occur from breeding a Goldendoodle with another Goldendoodle, although this is very rare. Their color is the opposite of the parti Goldendoodles. Merle combinations are dominant genes that override a solid color. If you want a merle Goldendoodle, one of the parents should be merle-colored and mask the recessive genes. You should never breed together two merle-colored Goldendoodles because of the dominant genes. If you breed them together, your merle Goldendoodle puppy can be deaf, blind, or have other deformities. They are born a dark brown or a solid black as a puppy. As they age, the solid color will fade as the coat grows. Eventually, they mature into a lighter cream or a tan Goldendoodle with black stripes. Phantom Goldendoodles Phantom is a rare color for Goldendoodles. Unlike parti Goldendoodles, phantom Goldendoodles have two colors in specific locations of the pet. The coloring location is similar to that of a Manchester or a Yorkie. Phantom Goldendoodles have a primary color that covers most parts of the body. These dogs are mostly black and tan, although the results may vary. There are several black, red, and silver mixtures for phantom Goldendoodles. Since puppies are often born with markings, it is easy to tell if your puppy will be a phantom Goldendoodle. While their coat is extremely rare, they have the same temperament and traits as other color varieties. Grey Goldendoodle The grey Goldendoodle is similar to a silver Poodle. They are initially dark black at birth but turn grey at 2 years when their hair clears. After two years, they will look like rustic silver and no longer black. You can also get a grey-colored doodle by creating an Aussiedoodle, a mixed designer breed between a Golden Retriever and an Australian Shephard. Tan Goldendoodle Tan Goldendoodles are a combination of the cream Goldendoodle and the apricot Goldendoodle. They usually have shades of white and apricot in their fur. Their attributes are from the standard Golden Retriever. Conclusion While black and white Goldendoodles are less common than other varieties, all Goldendoodles share that wonderful companionable personality and adorable cuteness. If you plan to add a Goldendoodle puppy to your family, purchase from a breeder that will offer your desired coat color. You will also need to consider other things like connection, character, and health. Sharing is caring! Can Goldendoodles be black and white, or can you get them only in golden shades? Quick Answer Goldendoodles could be black and white but are extremely rare for unexpected genetic combinations. As Goldendoodles are a mixed breed, they receive genes from both breeds, Golden Retrievers and Poodle, and the gene of black color is recessive in this breed. Thus, it can happen, but the possibility is quite low. But, it will be great to know that Goldendoodles have plenty of other colors in varying coat patterns. So, it is not over; this breed has many other qualities that make this dog special. Can Goldendoodles be Black and White? Goldendoodle could be black and white but are extremely rare. There are up to 32 Goldendoodle coat colors in a curly, wavy, or straight pattern. The reason for this extensive color variation is their origin, as Goldendoodle is a mixed breed. Golden Retriever and Poodle are both pure breed dogs, and their combination resulted in Golden doodle. So, they have the qualities of both dog parents. As per the American kennel club , the Golden Retriever has colors such as dark golden, light golden, or golden. At the same time, the Poodle has standard colors including apricot, brown, blue, cream, gray, and silver. So, the coat color and other characteristics are inherited and give Golden doodles in a huge variety of colors, including black and white. Similarly, the reason for the black coat in Goldendoodle is the involvement of genetics. Black Golden doodles are rare because of a recessive gene found in Golden Retrievers or Poodle. To get a black and white Goldendoodle, you need to breed Golden Retriever with Parti Poodle, hoping that desired genes pass through to give extremely rare black and white Goldendoodle. If you also love them and want to raise them, take a quick round of facts about Goldendoodle to understand the basic idea of their habits and characteristics. Little to No Allergy Problem Goldendoodle is known as a hypoallergenic dog breed. As allergy is related to dander that is shedding dead skin cells or flakes of skin on his fur, the Goldendoodles have thickly curled hair with little to no chance of shedding, so the chance of releasing dander in the air is low. When there is no danger in the air, you will be safe from allergies. So, if you cannot keep a dog due to an allergy, Goldendoodle could be your best partner. Family Dogs Normally, dog owners are concerned about kids at dog places as they can hurt them anytime. But the good news is Goldendoodles are perfect family dogs because they are extremely friendly and are naturally inclined to be careful with infants and toddlers. They also prove patient companions for children as they grow up. Plus, they become fast friends with children, cats, and other dog breeds, and there will be no aggressive fights among your pet family. Love Water One of the major issues of many dogs is they are afraid of water and cannot accompany them at pool parties. But Goldendoodles are exceptional. They have a special affiliation with water and love swimming, whether in the lake, at the beach, or in your backyard swimming pool. Take Goldendoodle on water rides and enjoy your summer! Goldendoodles vary in Size If you are looking for a dog for your kids or are not ready to own a big dog, Goldendoodle would be ideal for you. These are mini Doodles and the cutest of all. Easy to Train and Groom Dog training and grooming is one of the most important parts of pet parenting, as you cannot live comfortably with dogs without training them. Some dogs are quite aggressive, and they hardly follow your instructions. But on the contrary, Goldendoodles are easy to train and groom. They keep following your advice and become the best dogs. Similarly, they have less shedding and require less grooming. Just brush them every few days with a slicker to remove loose hair and bath when needed. When your pup gets shaggy, have them clipped every 8 weeks. Remember, Goldendoodles are susceptible to ear infections because of the thick fur around their ears. So, keep inspecting their ears or cleaning once a week will also reduce the chance of infections. Obedient and intelligent Golden Retriever and Poodle are two of the top five most intelligent dog breeds , and so are the Goldendoodles. They are very responsive, intelligent, and smart. This smartness and obedience also help in their training. But you should know obedient dogs become bored easily. Thus toys that provide mental stimulation or activities are necessary to keep them busy. Fun-loving and Playful Dog Breed Goldendoodles are companion dogs, and they are full fun-loving. Instead, they have fun with their pet family. They can only sit in the dog apartment with an enriched environment with toys and plenty of playful items. Similarly, you can engage them in parks with games like: Flyball. Black and White Goldendoodles do not shed much at all. They only drop a few strands of hairs here and there throughout the year. That is why they are classified as non to low shedders. Cross-back generations of Goldendoodle such as F1b, F1bb or F2b shed less than F1 Goldendoodles and most Black and White Goldendoodles come from cross-back generations. Are Black and White Goldendoodles Hypoallergenic? Black and White Goldendoodles are hypoallergenic as they are a low shedding breed and therefore do not release much allergy inducing dander into their surroundings. Black and White Goldendoodles that have a higher percentage of Poodle genes such as F1b Goldendoodles are even more hypoallergenic than F1 Goldendoodles. Black and White Goldendoodle via poppy. They love spending time around people and other animals alike and are so affectionate and gentle. Black and White Goldendoodles are keen to please which makes them pretty easy to train. They are also relatively easy to care for. The only real complaint of owners is the constant grooming requirements of Goldendoodles. You can read our full Goldendoodle size guide here. Teacup Black and White Goldendoodle Teacup Black and White Goldendoodles are one of the smallest Goldendoodle sizes with the exception of the Micro Goldendoodles that are an inch or two shorter. They are usually a multigenerational breed created by breeding two Toy Black and White Goldendoodle runts together. Teacup Black and White Goldendoodles get to 8 to 13 inches .They get to 10 to 16 inches .They reach their full adult size between 8 and 11 months of age. They reach their full adult size between 11 and 13 months of age. They get to a height of 17 to 20 inches .They reach their full adult size between 12 and 16 months of age. Black and White Standard Goldendoodles are the largest size of the breed. Black and White Goldendoodle via cash. It is extremely rare to find F1 Black and White Goldendoodles as most Black and White Goldendoodles come from generations with a higher percentage of Poodle genes. Breeders start seeing many more Black and White Goldendoodles in this generation. They are .It is quite common to find Black and White Goldendoodles in the F1bb generation. Black and White Goldendoodles are very expensive as they are a designer dog breed and a rare coat color. Black and White Goldendoodles are considered to be a hypoallergenic breed. Even though Black and White Goldendoodles are classified as hypoallergenic they can still shed. Black and White Goldendoodles are very friendly and sociable. Black and White Goldendoodles have to be groomed very regularly which can be expensive. Black and White Goldendoodles are very intelligent and easy to train. Black and White Goldendoodles are a very high energy dog and need lots of exercise each day. Further Reading.

I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup! Leah H. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine Callie for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders. Emily R. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family. Elizabeth W. Lady L. They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully. Jonathan E. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs. We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy. We've had Penny formerly Blair for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup. When we are ready for bulldog 2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs. Mitch C. Bowser was born April and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile. Adam B. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us. In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with. With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough! Collyn C. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone. Christina S. We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs! Jim T. Free Bulldog Puppy Starter Kit! At BigBullDogs. We offer the best service for purchasing the perfect bulldog puppies, and we have quality studs that have set us apart as the top breeders for bulldogs. Whatever it is that you need regarding these beautiful bullies, this is the right place for you. Here are the varieties we have; What You Need to Know About English Bulldogs English Bulldogs are very distinct from the other breeds of bulldogs and are the more prevalent breed. These sturdy, muscular dogs have a cute waddle walk that directly results from their short, stubby legs. The English bulldog also has a flat-looking face, dark and low set eyes, massive and broad jaws, and fleshy cheeks and lips that give it that signature pouty and droopy look. Its short neck, thick shoulders, and barrelled chest, slightly arched back make it one breed that you can easily identify anywhere. Our standard Male English bulldogs are inches and weigh an average of 50 pounds, while the Female English bulldogs weigh about 40 pounds. All our English bulldogs have the finest textured coats and healthiest skin with a variety of colour patterns. Whether you pick a male English bulldog or female English bulldog from us, you can be assured of their wonderful demeanor and gentle disposition. The AKC recognizes over dog breeds and rated the Bulldog as 2 for the best family dog breed. They are incredible family dogs but not the best watch dogs these days. The last nine decades of domestication has turned them into couch potatoes, considerably different from their original genetic breeding that made them perfect for Bull Baiting. Nevertheless they are fantastic at lying on the couch and giving you the stink eye when you disturb their rest. Quick Guide to French Bulldogs French bulldogs were named for their origin story, which says that they were a breed of English toy bulldogs and several unidentified dog breeds. They have distinct features that make them stand out against their English counterparts, such as their pointy, bat ears. French bulldogs are small, cute dogs that are very playful and perfect for being a home pet. Regardless of whether you pick the male french bulldogs or the female French bulldogs , you get a pet that is calm, attentive, attention-loving, and a partner to you and your kids. The male french bulldog is an estimated 12 inches in height and 25 pounds in weight. On the other hand, the female french bulldog is about 11 inches and 20 pounds. The male french bulldogs are usually a bit more muscular than females and have larger heads. However both are equally affectionate and super family oriented. Not to be outdone by their British Bulldog cousin, the female french bulldogs also made the Top 10 Best Family Dog breeds list in .Looking to Adopt Bulldogs?

So Many Options! Where To Get a Labrador? We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Except, you remember hearing you should only buy from professional breeders?! But that puppy in the pet store was so achingly cute! This article discusses the things you should consider before making that life changing decision. From dedicated experts who breed pedigree dogs to work or for show, to those who breed too many puppies, litter after litter purely for sale without love nor care for the health of the mother or quality of the litter. For how to recognize who the good breeders are, read our article: Labrador breeders — How to find the good ones! Buying from a good, responsible breeder is without doubt the best source for a quality, healthy Labrador puppy. They care about the overall welfare of the breed, as well as the health of the mother, quality of the litter and giving the puppies the best start in life. Responsible breeders: Guarantee a purebred and pedigree Labrador. Screen the parents for health problems before breeding , so puppies will be as free as possible from inherited diseases. Selectively breed aiming for conformance to the breed standard, so your lab has the most chance of looking like the perfect lab. Carefully socialize puppies from birth so they are well-adjusted and confident before sending them to a new home. Help buyers to select the right puppy from the litter to suit their personality, hopes and expectations. Helping you to get the puppy of your dreams. Provide expert help and advice on caring for the dog from puppyhood right through to adulthood. When you go to a good breeder you should expect lots of questions. They will also help to match you to the perfect puppy that suits your personality, preventing you from getting the wrong dog on impulse. You know the cute but feisty one that got your attention by barging through his litter mates to run up to you and be the first to say hello? Well, he may very likely become a dominant and strong-willed dog! You May Need Patience You should note that many breeders will have a long waiting list for their Labrador puppies. Then this may not be the right way for you. But this is a good thing! And nobody should buy a puppy on impulse, it must be a well thought out and reasoned decision. Maybe you would like to give a lucky Labrador a second chance at life and happiness? Adopting an Older Labrador From a Rescue Kennel Can Have Many Benefits: They will have been house trained already — No getting up in the middle of the night to relieve your puppy…or cleaning your floor after the inevitable mishaps. An adult Labrador will already show signs of any underlying problems so you can avoid this. Many will have received a decent amount of training already — Saving you lots of time and work. Having said all that… There are Some Obvious Risks! Or perhaps due to health problems that developed. Some may have faced abuse and neglect leaving them with psychological scars. Behavioral problems are sometimes well hidden, and aggression may only surface in very particular situations only. But if you are patient, understanding and can inject some routine and love into one of these dogs lives, they can become absolutely wonderful pets. There are also different types of rescue center and animal shelters. You will be able to get a feel for the level of the center when you visit and how professional they are and the staff to dog ratios. The Process When rescuing a lab, a good, well staffed shelter will ask you to visit and spend time with your potential pet. They will have assessed the dog and will tell you all they know about the dogs history and temperament. They will ask you lots of questions to find out whether you and your lifestyle are a good fit for a Labrador. They will want to meet you and your whole family. They will want to see how the people the Labrador is to live with interact with it and how the lab interacts with them. And that your choice of dog is well suited to you and interacts well with you on visits will they eventually allow you to adopt. Rescuing a Labrador can be a very good choice as long as due care is taken to pick the right one. And you will earn many karma points for doing a very good deed. It is a massive risk to take a puppy from a litter like this. These dogs have more than the average number of inherited diseases and behavioral problems. So although you will be saving a bit of money compared to paying out to a professional Labrador breeder. Or you might even be saving a dog from being given to a rescue center and possibly eventually being put down. You just might be letting yourself in for some expensive surprises in the way of vets bills or behavioral specialists later. But having said that, of course many of these puppies do become very good pets indeed. In fact a few places in the world have now banned the sale of puppies from pet stores. In these places, dogs are often bred in poor conditions, sometimes kept in small wire cages and given very little chance to socialize and little if any personal contact with humans. Have you had any good or bad experiences of getting a Labrador from any of the places listed above? Is there anything you would like to add about the pros and cons of the various places you can get yourself a Lab? Please let us know in the comments section below and you just might help people reading this article to make the right decision! Related Article:. They are also very high energy. Labs are intelligent and well-tempered for becoming service dogs. You may have seen a Lab working as a guide dog or alongside a police officer. Labradors come in three distinct colors: black, yellow, and chocolate. There is no real difference between these sub-breeds aside from color. However, chocolate Labs and yellow Labs do tend to be favored as show dogs, while a black Lab is more likely to be raised as a hunting dog than a chocolate or yellow one. Labrador Retrievers are famous for being friendly and companionable to both humans and other dogs. This makes the Labrador an ideal breed to keep as a family dog. There are factors, however, which need to be considered before choosing a Labrador puppy. Bringing home a beautiful black Lab puppy? Check out hundreds of great black dog names here! The amount of maternal care a pup receives prior to adoption influences the adult temperament of your Labrador. A responsible breeder will not remove your puppy from its mother before it is ready. In the study, Labs belonging to extroverted owners had better social skills than those belonging to introverted owners. You may also look through your local classifieds for unregistered litters, although we do not recommend it. Even though Labradors are a generally healthy breed, it is important that both parents get screened for any health issues prior to breeding. Adopting from unregistered litters will also significantly increase your chances of encountering a puppy mill. No matter where you adopt from, it is essential that you meet both parents and access a history of good health for each parent before adopting a puppy from the facility. In other parts of the world, use the puppy search tool on the website of your regional kennel club or equivalent authority. You may also ask a local veterinarian for a reference to a quality breeder. Another option is to keep an eye out for someone with a purebred Labrador and request information on where they adopted from. Registered breeders use only top-of-the-line animals as parents. Puppies from responsible and registered breeders are given the appropriate amount of maternal care and not released to a new home until they are physically and mentally mature enough to do so. This lays the foundation for an affectionate and even temperament in adulthood. The cons of adopting from a breeder are higher costs and often longer wait times. Responsible breeders require a pre-adoption home check to ensure that their puppies are appropriately homed. You may also need to travel some distance to find the right breeder. Registered breeders usually breed a maximum of only twice per year. This maintains parental health and allows sufficient time for the puppies to progress. These breeders often have waitlists for upcoming litters before they are born, sometimes before the parents are even bred. While these practices maintain value, they also mean the puppies will cost a little more and take longer to bring home. Private Ads Private ads for puppies can be found in online classifieds or in your local newspaper. You may also spot them on the bulletin boards of various local businesses. The benefits of sourcing a puppy from a private ad is that the breeder is likely be located nearby, and the puppies will be available relatively quickly, if not immediately. The cons of taking this route is that you do not have pedigree parents to your puppy, and the risk of health complications down the road is much higher. Puppy farms will often advertise through private ads. For these reasons, we do not recommend sourcing a puppy through a private ad. Pet Shops We do not endorse purchasing puppies from pet shops, because the credentials of both parents and breeder cannot be provided. Parents of pet shop puppies may have been overbred, mistreated, or in less than optimal health. It is impossible to know without verified records. The puppies themselves could have experienced conditions and trauma that will negatively impact their behavior in adulthood, such as being separated from their mothers too soon or physical abuse. Avoiding Puppy Farms Puppy farms are unregistered breeding establishments that mass produce puppies in order to generate the highest amount of revenue. These farms, or mills, severely mistreat their animals and often produce puppies with little socialization skills and significantly increased health risks. To steer clear of these facilities, avoid pet stores, which often source stock from puppy farms because of the low cost. Also avoid any online advertisements for puppies at a low cost. If you do source a puppy from an online ad, call the breeder in advance and ask questions about the puppies, parents, and establishment to screen for any inconsistencies with industry standards. When you visit the breeder, if it comes to that, ask to have a look around and meet both parents in person. Is the space open? Do the parents look healthy? How many other dogs and puppies are there on the premises? Health Tests While Labs are generally healthy overall, it is important to confirm the parental health prior to breeding. If the breeder cannot show you certificates of health for both parents, adopting a puppy from those parents poses a risk for complications later on. The American Kennel Club recommends Labrador Retrievers get screened for: any hip and elbow defects that could indicate dysplasia heart disorders out of ordinary muscle weakness degenerative eye conditions. Make sure that the breeder can demonstrate certified health in each of these areas for each parent. The initial cost of requiring this level of screening for your puppy may be higher, but it will save you on veterinary bills down the road. Choosing Your Puppy Labrador Retrievers are friendly by nature and tend to get along well with other dogs. This breed very rarely shows aggression and must be provoked to do so. When it comes to children and other pets, a Labrador puppy would be a valuable family addition. Labs are companionable and socialize well. The Labrador Retriever is a high-energy breed and will need enough time and space each day to receive sufficient exercise. These exercise needs will continue to grow as your puppy matures. A Labrador is not designed to be an inside-only dog. This breed needs lots of activity to stay mentally and physically fit. Consider that your fully grown Lab will be between .We recommend that you take your Lab out for daily outdoor activities such as swimming and fetch. A Labrador that does not receive enough exercise time may rebel by engaging in destructive behaviors within the household. However, remember that the best-quality Labradors come from responsible breeders that produce only one or two litters per year. These breeders often have waiting lists due to high quality puppies and infrequent production. If you want the best which you should! Labradors are wonderful family dogs with lots of love for humans and other dogs. They are one of the lowest risk for health complications when properly screened, making them ideal as a long-term energy-filled companion. Considerations before jumping into the adoption of a Labrador puppy are how big your puppy will be when it reaches adulthood and the daily rigorous outdoor exercise it will require to keep it in peak physical and mental condition. Read more about Labradors here in our guide to Labrador lifespan! References and Resources Bray, E. University of Pennsylvania .Graham, L. Temperament and Personality in Working Dogs. CRC Press .Kuroshima, H. Kyoto University .Are they good family dogs? Labrador Dog Price — The Costs Involved Buying a Labrador is not just a question of the purchase price of a Lab puppy, though of course that is important. There are other costs involved, both financial, emotional and in terms of time and effort. So we need to look at those too. You may be wondering whether you will have the time for a dog, and if you have the space and energy for a large and lively breed? But this page will take you back to the fundamental considerations, to help you to make the right choice for you and your family. Do you have time for a dog? Can you afford a dog? What about your lifestyle? Will a dog fit in with your family? Is a Labrador the right dog for you? These questions all apply regardless of the type of Labrador you are looking for. The needs of a black Lab, yellow Lab or chocolate Lab are all the same in these respects. The same goes for an English or American Labrador too. Dogs need space, both indoors and outside. Even small breeds need room to stretch their legs and run about. And Labradors as fairly large and lively dogs need quite a lot of space. This means you need a decent sized backyard if you plan on buying a Labrador puppy. Somewhere that your Lab dog can run around, play and enjoy training sessions with you. Labradors can be quite silly during adolescence, bouncing and cavorting in the home. Their tails are long and thick, easily knocking any fragile decorations you might have from shelves. If you have lots of ornaments then you will need to move them to higher shelves to avoid them getting damaged. You will also need to move anything that could be easily damaged by chewing. With small puppies this will be very often indeed. Perhaps every 15 to 20 minutes during their first few days with you. If you live in a flat, or do not have a garden, this will be difficult for you. These are helpful but do take up a lot of space. Although this will take up a lot of space indoors, it can work very well for larger apartments with no easy outside access. Ideally however you do need to have a garden, and a part of the garden which your dog can use as a bathroom, along with a good system for clearing up after him hygienically. Space is key for a Lab dog! The right space for a Labrador includes large clear rooms in the house, with no breakable or fragile objects within his grasp. And ideally access to a garden where they can easily be let out to the bathroom and have room to play. Keeping a single Labrador permanently outside however is not usually a good idea, even with adequate shelter and security. Labs are very sociable dogs and prone to separation anxiety if they lack company. This means your dog may be both sad and noisy. It is always sad to hear from new puppy owners that are struggling to juggle the needs of a puppy with their need to work. These articles will help you to deal with this common issue. Even with a visit at lunch time. An older dog may cope with being left for up to four hours in row on a regular basis, but puppies need more attention than this. Contented Labradors are fairly quiet dogs and unlikely to disturb your neighbors. Nor are they very good guard dogs. However, lonely dogs bark and wreck things. If you work all day, can you afford to pay someone to come in and let him out to stretch his legs and empty himself? Or do you have a relative or friend that would be prepared to do this on a regular basis. Bear in mind that this is quite a lot to ask of anyone in the long term. The biggest long term time commitment in owning a dog is in the form of training and exercise. Training Takes Time All dogs need training in order that they can rub along in human society without being a complete nuisance. This means a regular daily commitment of ten to twenty minutes from you, in addition to your regular interaction with the dog. Training cannot be saved up for the weekend, your dog will have forgotten most of what he learnt the weekend before, and he does not have the attention span to concentrate on you for an hour and a half. You can find out more about training your Labrador puppy here. Staying Fit Exercise is required on a regular basis, for some breeds of dog this means at least an hour a day of walking or jogging to keep your dog fit and healthy. You can find out more about the exercise requirements of a Labrador puppy here. Whilst your dog will not come to any harm if you miss a day occasionally, a daily routine is often the best way to ensure that you build this important habit. Can You Afford A Dog? Dogs can be quite expensive to run. You need to consider not only how much a Labrador will cost you to buy, but also how much it will cost you to keep. How much do Labradors cost from breeders? The price of a Labrador puppy will vary from breeder to breeder, and from place to place. Perhaps you know a friend that has a litter of puppies and they are going to let you have one for free. However, the purchase price of a dog is almost irrelevant. It is such a small part of the final cost. The cost of keeping a Labrador The reality is, you are also going to need to fork out a chunk of your wages each week on keeping your pooch happy and healthy. Obviously you will have taken the cost of a good brand of Labrador puppy food into consideration. It is a good idea to budget for veterinary insurance too. Not because it is unreasonably priced, but simply because it is now so advanced. You can fix a lot of problems these days. We can do open heart surgery, mend complex fractures, treat cancer with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Pretty much anything you can treat in a human, you can now treat in a dog. And the catch? It costs. The more comprehensive your insurance package the more it will cost. Watch out for very cheap deals, as they may not provide continuing cover for long term ailments. You will also need to vaccinate your dog against common canine illness , and this will probably need to be done each year too. Especially if you are wanting to occasionally leave them in boarding kennels when you go away, as they require up to date vaccination certificates. Labrador Puppy Costs There will be a few other one-off costs such as a puppy crate and puppy play pen for your home for when your dog is young, another for your car if you have one. Then there are bowls, bedding, collar, leash etc. But you may be able to borrow a crate or get one second hand. Here are some of the items you will need for your new Labrador puppy, and reviews on the best options for Labradors:. During this time, they have learned that good breeding is not seldom. This is why they conduct DNA genetic testing on the mating Labs, research pedigrees, and perform x-rays. At other times, they fly in semen from other states to guarantee the best quality future Labs. They have produced family dogs, show dogs, hunting dogs, and service dogs. If you want to reserve a puppy from Humehill, they will send you a questionnaire and a deposit contract. The puppies leave the facility after they are eight weeks old. Prior to this, the puppies are taken to the vet for a checkup, dewormed, microchipped, and receive their first vaccine. They consider themselves knowledgeable breeders because they have degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Engineering. They focus on producing and raising genetically quality dogs, a reason why the parents undergo Embark tests. In addition, they raise the puppies in an acre home with fenced-in yards instead of kennels. The dogs also have a large pond to swim or play in. All Hidden Pond puppies have veterinarian health certification, a one-year written health guarantee, have their first shots, and are microchipped. They also give a lifetime placement warranty and offer stud service. They aim to breed championship Labs that can go to the show program. The pups that do not qualify for show programs are trained for companionship, hunting, therapy, or response dogs. The breeder is dedicated to guaranteeing that future Labs have the best genetics to live a long, happy life. They also receive year-long preventative health care. Stoneleigh Labrador puppies are hand-raised with abundant affection then socialized before they leave the facility. Even though the breeder does not always have available puppies all year round, they will be happy to have you on a waiting list. Legacy puppies receive the same socialization programs as service and guide dogs. They are paper trained, crate trained, taken for car rides, and receive daily playtime. They are also microchipped and AKC registered. Unlike other Labrador breeders, Legacy accepts applications only when there is a litter available. This means you must be on the lookout since they do not keep a waiting list for potential buyers. Occasionally, they have older dogs available after they have finished their show careers. These dogs are suitable for children of all ages because they are socialized at a young age. All pups receive their first shots and worming before they leave. To purchase one, contact the breeder via email or the website. She has a passion for Labradors and loves their sweet temperament. This is proof that not only are the Labs well-bred, but they are healthy and with easy to live temperaments. To find and purchase a pup , visit the website, or contact the breeder via email. Ollie, originally from the USA, holds his master's degree in wildlife biology and moved to Australia to pursue his career and passion but has found a new love for working online and writing about animals of all types. When you click an affiliate link and make a purchase from the merchant we will earn a small commission. That commission is paid by the merchant and not the customer. This does not affect the price of the products you buy. You can read our full affiliate disclosure by clicking here. Want to know how to buy a labrador puppy? We have a deep dive for you today with all the details you need to know before you move ahead. Labs are typically very friendly, loyal, and trainable. Labs have been a popular choice for years among families with kids and singles alike. Although just about any Lab will be a fantastic go-with companion, selecting a puppy is always a tough thing to do…they are all so cute and they all want a loving, forever home. You have some options. There are options and you should check them all out: Reputable dog breeders Local rescues These three are usually good Lab purchase and adoption sources. Also, classified newspaper or magazine ads and local organizations sometimes prove to be good sources. But, be careful! Not all pet ads are placed by honest or knowledgeable sellers. How To Buy a Labrador Puppy Buying from Breeders Buying from a reputable breeder is very important—there are some bad apples out there so get references and do a background check. The breeder should only sell dogs he knows to have clean pedigrees and zero health issues. Finding a Reputable Breeder Do your research. Check with local dog breed clubs or breed organizations. These organizations may offer a breeder referral service that can give you good breeder leads in your area. Also, ask for good breeder recommendations from other Labrador owners or local veterinarians. Discount those with any obvious red flags like negative reviews or no clear explanation about their services. Ask the Breeder After refining your list of potential breeders then ask the following friendly questions: Can I visit your facility and see the puppies and their parents? Do you have health and pedigree papers? What are your dog breeding business core policies? What kind of socialization and training do you give the puppies? What are your health guarantees, if any? What is your refund policy? An honest breeder will answer these questions. And, they will give you all the documents, including health certificates, at or before the time of sale. Walk away if the breeder has no papers or makes excuses for not having them. Buying any puppy is a big deal—only buy a healthy and well-adjusted puppy from a reputable breeder. Preparing for Your Puppy Preparing for a new Labrador puppy is an exciting time—it can also be overwhelming. Following are some things to prepare for your new Lab pup. Puppy-Proofing Your Home Before you bring the Lab puppy home, first make sure your home is puppy-safe. Think about it carefully—puppy-proof your home like you would for any baby. Excited puppies will pee so protect your valuables and be ready to clean up accidents. Puppies, like little kids, are curious and excited when they come to a new home. For a handy guide on pet-proofing your home. Do not buy a retractable leash, they are dangerous. Food and water bowls Choose non-tip pet bowls that are the appropriate size for your puppy. As the puppy grows get bigger bowls. Never give your puppy table scraps, left-overs, alcoholic drinks, sugar, salt, spices, or chocolate. Crate or carrier Buy a pet crate or carrier that is the appropriate size for your puppy. Use it for training, traveling, and napping only. It is not a dog house! Avoid cheap, foreign made pet toys. Do not buy artificially flavored or salty treats. Here are some important things to keep in mind: Puppy Temperament The temperament or disposition of your newly acquired Labrador puppy needs to be watched closely for any unwanted behavior. Things like nervous barking, growling, biting, or fidgeting are indicators that something bothers or frightens the puppy. In fact, before you even bring the puppy home, first observe his or her demeanor around littermates and when being handled by people. Then, think about the temperament you really want in a dog. Some Lab puppies are more forceful, playful, and energetic, while others are quieter, laid back and less active. Look for a puppy with clear eyes and a shiny coat. These are obvious signs that the pup is well-fed and not sick. Then, check for any outward signs of injury, infection or parasites. Check the other littermates to be sure the whole litter looks healthy and well-fed. You should notice things like normal size, eyes and nose, body temp, coat type, and coat color. If there are one or more fur white spots, then the pup is not a purebred. Be mindful that some coat colors may be temporary due to diet factors, skin allergies, or other temporary health issues. But, ask questions and do your research before buying. Buying the right Labrador puppy for you takes your careful consideration of several factors. Take your time and do your research to ensure you find the perfect furry companion for you and your family. Bringing Your Puppy Home After picking out your beautiful Labrador puppy—the time has come to introduce the excited pup to its new home. Here are some tips to help make this as smooth as possible. No by-products, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors, or preservatives. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. The First Few Days Your new puppy may feel tense or even pensive about their new surroundings. After all, it is a big change from what the puppy knows. Expect the pup to mess on the floor once or more—oops accidents will happen, so be prepared for this—lots of towels, no anger. You have to give your Lab pup time to adjust and feel right in his or her new digs. Here are some things you can do: Make a quiet space for your puppy to rest and sleep. A crate is perfect for this. Have lots of toys and teething chews to keep your pup busy. Establish a routine for feeding, potty breaks, and playtime. Introduce your puppy to family members and other pets slowly and carefully. Be patient and understanding as your puppy gets used to their new home. Training Your Puppy Training your puppy is key to being a responsible pet owner. Here are some tips to help you train your pup: Start with basic obedience commands like sit, stay, come, and down. Use positive reinforcement like treats and praise, never use punishment. Always be consistent with your commands, praise, and discipline. Establish a potty training routine for you and the pup—stick to it. Socialize your puppy in a puppy training class and a safe dog park. Bringing your new Labrador puppy home is a very exciting time. But, you need to be prepared and patient. Good preparation and training will help your puppy quickly become used to his or her new home. As the founder of the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers, he has transformed the lives of over , dogs and their families. Final Thoughts So today we have walked through the answer to the question, how to buy a labrador puppy? Always check out prospective sellers or breeders carefully. Make sure your puppy is from a reputable source, not a puppy farm. Be prepared for the time, effort, and expense that comes with raising a puppy. Lab puppies are a pure joy, but they need a lot of attention and care. You need to think about your lifestyle and living situation to be sure that you are a good fit for a Lab. Puppies grow into adult dogs—be prepared for that. The shelters are full of Labs that were abandoned because of owner ignorance. However, If you really want a great dog and raise your pup right he or she will mature into a happy, healthy, and well-behaved companion for many years to come. Instant Download Add your name and email below and the planner will be sent direct to your inbox. 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If you click and purchase, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn More Goldendoodle is one of the most sought-after hybrid breeds and for many great reasons. So, how much does a Goldendoodle cost to adopt and what are the average costs of Goldendoodle ownership? The adorable Golden Retriever-Poodle mix is very in-demand and becoming increasingly popular. And as you might guess, Goldendoodle price is not for the faint-hearted. So, how much is a Goldendoodle going to cost you? Factors that Determine Goldendoodle Price Genetic Guarantees Genetic and health testing is probably one of the most important factors that influences the price of Goldendoodle puppies. Firstly, we always recommend you opt for breeders who do extensive health testing to rule out any genetic conditions. Most common health issues in Goldendoodles are often easily prevented by testing the parent dogs. Secondly, reputable breeders usually offer at least a two-year health guarantee for various genetic conditions. Some even offer health guarantees for up to six years! For instance, you might find that Goldendoodle cost in rural areas can be significantly lower than in highly populated cities. Additionally, Goldendoodle cost even between different states can greatly vary. Breeder Stock Another factor to keep in mind is breeding stock, as breeding different generations of Goldendoodles require a certain set of parent dogs. For instance, F1 Goldendoodles tend to be the least expensive option, whereas F1b, F2, and F2b Goldendoodles tend to be pricier. Some of the highest rated breeders have waiting lists filled for up to a year. Naturally, we can expect those breeders to also charge higher rates. In addition to that, we can expect Goldendoodles to cost more in areas where the demand is higher. As F1b and F2b Goldendoodles are often the most hypoallergenic generations, they usually cost more than the straight-haired pups. Minis and Medium Goldendoodles tend to cost more, as breeding them requires more time and effort. See Also: Click the image Breeder Reputation Of course, adopting a puppy from a reputable breeder will cost you some extra cash. Professional Goldendoodle Breeders We always recommend choosing reputable and responsible breeders whose top priority is the health and wellbeing of the parent dogs and the puppies. These are often professional breeders who have many years of experience in breeding new puppies and responsibly raising them until they go to their forever homes. Professional and reputable breeders have great experience and knowledge in breeding new litters. Professional breeders are dedicated to only breeding Goldendoodle puppies from healthy, genetically tested parents to prevent the risk of developing hereditary diseases later on in life. Professional Goldendoodle breeders are often certified by GANA or possess other certifications or affiliations with reputable organizations. When adopting a pup from a professional and reputable breeder, it will also reflect on the Goldendoodle price. After all, you want to make sure that you adopt a healthy puppy who has a long and fulfilled life ahead. Backyard Breeders Although some backyard breeders surely do their job with the best intentions in mind, they often lack the necessary skills and experience to produce healthy Goldendoodles. Often, they do not offer any health guarantees or even conduct any health and genetic testing on their parent pups. Of course, there are some backyard breeders who are committed to breeding healthy litters once in a while as a hobby. However, we recommend you do thorough research before picking a backyard breeder. Puppy mills produce new puppies on tight schedules while keeping their cost as low as possible. The parent pups are put under a lot of strain while both the parents and puppies are kept in cruel, filthy, and unsafe living conditions. Puppy mills also do not care for health or genetic testing, training, socialization, healthy diet, nor do they provide vet checkups for their parents and puppies. Beware of pet stores, as well, as they often source their puppies from puppy mills. How much does a goldendoodle cost when purchasing from a puppy mill? Here are the typical costs of owning a Goldendoodle: Food Like most other dogs, Goldendoodles can pretty much inhale the food in front of them, especially the larger-sized pups. Grooming Thanks to their high-maintenance coats, Goldendoodles can rack up the grooming bills rather quickly. Regardless if a Goldendoodle has straight, wavy, or curly hair, they will require regular haircuts. However, grooming is the one thing where you can, in fact, cut back on the costs. Namely, by grooming your Goldendoodle at home! Not only is it an easy way to save a lot of money every year, but you can also take it as a bonding experience for you and your furry little friend. Related Content. Adding a Goldendoodle puppy to your family is a big commitment…and it can come with an equally big price tag! Knowing what the average Goldendoodle price is and the factors that influence the cost can help you budget appropriately. It can also protect you from vastly overpaying or being the victim of a scam. So, how much does a Goldendoodle cost? What Determines the Price of a Goldendoodle Puppy? There are six main factors that will help us determine how much you should expect to spend on your future Goldendoodle. Size There are five sizes of Goldendoodles —standard, medium, mini, toy, and teacup. That rule is, the smaller the size, the higher the price. First and foremost, you want to pick the Goldendoodle size that will work best in your family. All else being equal, however, you may save significant money by choosing a larger dog. Generations are what describe the genetic makeup of Goldendoodles and how close in DNA they are to their Poodle and Golden Retriever ancestors. Some Goldendoodles may even be hypoallergenic , though this can never be guaranteed. More Poodle DNA frequently results in a curlier coat. When it comes to Goldendoodle price, the closer in DNA your potential dog is to a Poodle, the higher the cost will usually be. This is because the demand for allergy-friendly and low-shedding dogs is very high. Location As the cost of living increases, so does the cost of a puppy. For example. Sometimes it can be helpful to drive a few hours to a Goldendoodle breeder further away. While less convenient, it could save you a little bit of money if you are from an area with a high cost of living. How did they seemingly get such a bargain? The answer is where they got their dog from. These owners likely adopted their Goldendoodle from a shelter or rescue organization. Quality, reputable breeders typically charge a premium for their puppies. On the other hand, puppy mills and backyard breeders will sometimes charge very low prices because their expenses are so much lower. Be careful, sometimes you get what you pay for. A cheap, unhealthy puppy will cost you more in the long-term than a more expensive, healthy dog. Click here to get an instant, online pet insurance quote from Healthy Paws! These stores thrive off of emotional, impulse purchases and receive strong criticism for obtaining their puppies from questionable breeders. Color There are so many colors of Goldendoodles, it may be impossible to choose your favorite! There is a wide spectrum of solid color options like cream, apricot, chocolate, or black. On top of that, there are unique, multi-color patterns like parti, merle, phantom , and sable. Many breeders base their pricing partially on color. Usually, the rule of thumb is that multi-color Goldendoodles, particularly those with rare or desirable patterns , are going to be significantly more expensive than their solid-color counterparts. For more budget-minded folks, a solid color Goldendoodle puppy will be just as cute for a fraction of the price. Usually, black. Black Goldendoodles are adorable, but are often overlooked and you can sometimes find them at a bit of a discount depending on the demand. The moral of the story when it comes to choosing a Goldendoodle color is to keep your options open. When there are lots of prospective buyers and not a lot of available puppies, prices will go up. When there are plenty of available puppies but not a lot of buyers, prices will go down. The best example of this when it comes to buying a puppy is around the holiday season. Goldendoodles, along with many other breeds, are often given as Christmas presents to children or spouses. For this reason, many breeders charge more for puppies that will be available to go home around the holidays. Why Are Goldendoodles So Expensive? Why are Goldendoodles so expensive? The simple answer is supply and demand. Poodle mixes are extremely popular due to their adorable, teddy-bear looks and also their likelihood to be allergy-friendly and low-shedding. On the other hand, reputable breeders struggle to keep up with demand and often have waitlists that extend months, or even years, down the road. All Goldendoodle puppies should come with at least their first round of vaccinations, deworming, up-to-date flea and tick prevention, and a vet check. Most reputable Goldendoodle breeders also offer a health guarantee on their puppies. This can range anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Usually, breeders will send your new puppy home with a few basic items like a blanket, toy, collar, and a small bag of food. In almost all cases, you will be required by a breeder to place a deposit to secure your selection from a particular litter. Be extremely careful sending money to any breeder who you have not personally visited. Do your due diligence to make sure they are legitimate. Many scammers are out there luring eager Goldendoodle buyers in with adorable, fake or stolen puppy pictures only to take their deposits and never be heard from again. Lifetime Cost of Owning a Goldendoodle If you thought the price of a Goldendoodle puppy was expensive, you might want to sit down for this. Here is the average lifetime cost of owning a dog according to a few, reliable sources which utilized major research studies to arrive at their conclusions:. You will also get the satisfaction that you will be providing a dog with a much-needed new home. However, due to the popularity of this breed, it can be challenging to find one available for rehoming. Your best bet would be to look at doodle-specific rescue sites where you might be lucky enough to find an older dog needing a new home. Despite being crossbreeds, these dogs are very trendy, which has pushed up the price of these puppies. Various factors also influence how much you will pay for your puppy, including his size, lineage, and coat type, and color. However, within the Mini Goldendoodle category, you can also find toy and teacup pups. This price increases significantly every year as the demand for these cute doggos continues to grow. Mini: These puppies are rarer than standard ones and are thus more expensive. Toy: Micro Goldendoodles that weigh under 15 pounds are extremely difficult to breed and thus will be more expensive. Unfortunately, due to their small size, they can have many health problems. Teacup: These pups are the most expensive variety. The exact type of coat your dog will have is typically affected by his generation. Dogs with curly coats are more in demand due to their hypoallergenic qualities and will fetch more than dogs with straight coats. F1: These are created using a purebred Golden Retriever and a purebred Poodle. This is the cheapest type of Goldendoodle as their coat is unpredictable, and you could get the straight, shedding coat of the Golden Retriever parent. F1B Goldendoodles suitable for breeding are very expensive as they are the least likely to shed. F1BB: This is .While a rarer cross to find, F2 Goldendoodles are cheaper than F1B dogs. F2B: These are also a pricier variety. This is because they, too, are likely to be hypoallergenic, non-shedding dogs. F2BB: These dogs contain significantly more of the Poodle genetics and thus are likely to have a curly coat and be more expensive. F3: Breeding Goldendoodles beyond the second generation are known as F3 Goldendoodles. These are pretty rare as they are quite challenging to breed, and the result of the puppies is unpredictable. These dogs thus do not fetch as much as F1B Goldendoodles. Multigen: These are the same as F3 Goldendoodles. These dogs are pretty unpredictable and inconsistent. Coat color and markings There are various Goldendoodle coat colors and typically the rarer the coat color, the more expensive the puppy. The most expensive are multi-colored ones such as the Parti, Phantom, or Tuxedo Goldendoodle. On the other hand, standard apricot or solid gold Goldendoodles are the most common and will thus fetch the lowest prices. Reputable breeders who have been doing this for a long time will have spent a considerable amount of time and energy doing health and genetic tests on their dogs to ensure that they are getting the best puppy. Registration papers and pedigree As the Goldendoodle is a crossbreed, they are not recognized by the American Kennel Club AKC , and so you will not get registration papers for one of these puppies. That said, reputable breeders are likely to be registered with the Goldendoodle Association of North America GANA and charge more for this stamp of approval. Health screenings and medical expenses As per the GANA requirements, reputable breeders will check their puppies before sale to ensure that they are free of any genetic conditions. Reputable breeders will also regularly perform health checks on the parent dogs to ensure that they are of good quality. They are generally more expensive when young but beware of breeders who sell puppies under eight weeks. Puppies are dependent upon their mothers for warmth and food throughout the first two months of their lives and should only go to their new homes after this. Gender There is little difference in the cost of a puppy based on gender. Supply and demand: Goldendoodles are in high demand and thus are quite expensive. Rather than forcing their dogs to breed more puppies to meet this demand, reputable breeders will instead increase the cost of each individual dog. Breeding stock: As you can see, the different generations of Goldendoodle have different prices. Thus the breeding stock or parent dogs and their lineage will ultimately impact the price you will pay for your puppy. Location: The land price in a specific location will also affect the price. For instance, dogs from California will be more expensive than those from the Mid West. These include food, vet expenses, grooming, training, and more. Vet Bills If your Goldendoodle is exercised regularly and provided with high-quality food, he should lead a long and healthy life. However, you will need to visit the vet with any dog for regular check-ups and vaccinations. Common health issues and estimated costs to treat them One of the most common health problems associated with the Goldendoodle breed is hip dysplasia. Unfortunately, most dogs will need expensive surgery in order to rectify this ailment. Thankfully, this disease can be avoided through proper genetic testing. That is why it is essential to get your dog from a reputable breeder who will provide you with health certificates and warranties for your puppy. Food Consumption Source: kingtuckerdoodle The exact amount your Goldendoodle will eat will depend on his size and energy levels. Obviously, the bigger the size of your pup, the more food he will eat, and this is one breed that does particularly like its food. Dog Grooming Service When it comes to grooming, Goldendoodles need to be taken to the parlor regularly. These dogs do not shed and thus need regular brushing and haircuts to prevent painful mats and tangles from forming. Each visit should include bathing your pet, giving him a haircut, cleaning out his ears, and trimming his nails. Learn more about the different types of Goldendoodle haircuts here. This will enable you to have the means to pay for any large unanticipated medical expenses in the future. However, during potty training, you could spend more as you invest in puppy lessons, potty pads, carpet cleaners, disinfectants, and more. If he destroys the toys quickly, you may need to buy more, but it may be worth it to buy more expensive toys from the start since they are less likely to break or be chewed up. Goldendoodles will also love interactive puzzle-type toys that will stimulate their minds as they are very intelligent dogs. This includes their food, bowls, toys, lead, collar, bed, crate, medication, grooming essentials, and a dog license if required by your state. In addition, the first year of pet ownership is more expensive than any other year due to more frequent vet visits, the cost of setting up your home for a pet, and the expense of neutering or spaying your pup. Lifetime Expenses Goldendoodles have a life expectancy of between 10 and 15 years. As you can see, owning a pet is a big commitment and not one that should be entered into lightly. There is no hard and fast rule about what is included in the price of your Goldendoodle, and thus, it is necessary to chat to your specific breeder. Typically, puppies will come with their first set of shots and deworming. The breeder may also give you a puppy blanket, a starter pack of food, and even a toy. All reputable breeders should also give you health certificates for your pet, and some may provide a health warranty. Is a deposit required to purchase a Goldendoodle puppy? As Goldendoodles are in such high demand, most breeders will require you to put down a deposit to secure your puppy. Conclusion: Should You Buy a Goldendoodle? As you can see, there are various factors you need to consider when buying a Goldendoodle. Do you have a Goldendoodle at home? We would love to learn more about your furry friend in the comments below. With a background in animal science, dog training, and behavior consulting, her hands-on experience and extensive knowledge make her a trusted source for dog owners. When not writing or leading the K9 Web content team, Cess can be found volunteering at local shelters and participating in dog-related events. Leave a Comment. Before buying or adopting any dog, it pays to do your homework. Knowing where to search for your next dog, what to look for in a reputable breeder, and what you should expect to pay can improve your odds of bringing home a healthy dog at a reasonable cost. Purebred dogs have national breed clubs that provide information about the breed. Though the goldendoodle is a crossbreed, a national organization called the Goldendoodle Association of North America supports responsible breeding and pet ownership. Cost of Adopting a Goldendoodle Goldendoodles occasionally find themselves in need of rescue when people buy puppies from unscrupulous breeders who make unrealistic guarantees, or when new pup parents find themselves unprepared for caring for their goldendoodle. For instance, reputable goldendoodle breeders should never guarantee that a puppy will be 'hypoallergenic' or will not shed. When those adorable goldendoodle puppies start shedding, or when their human has an allergic reaction, the doodle may be in need of a new home. Rescuing an adult goldendoodle is not only a great way to save some money on the purchase price of the dog, but also provides other benefits. Goldendoodle puppies may also end up in rescue occasionally. This adoption fee generally includes the costs of updated vaccines and a spay or neuter surgery, and helps to ensure the organization can continue its lifesaving work. Cost of Buying a Goldendoodle Buying a goldendoodle puppy from a breeder is the most expensive way to acquire a goldendoodle. However, the cost of a puppy varies wildly. Breeders from different states may charge more, and the cost of a larger size goldendoodle may be different than a smaller goldendoodle. Some breeders also charge more for more desirable colors or coat types. Responsible goldendoodle breeders put a lot of money into their breeding programs, which is why their puppies cost a lot. Such breeders purchase or keep high-quality dogs for their breeding programs, perform genetic health screenings on the parents before breeding them, maintain pedigrees and pair dogs thoughtfully to better the breed. Reputable breeders also pursue thorough veterinary care for their adult dogs and puppies, feed high-quality diets, register their litters with the proper organization, and never overbreed their females or breed more puppies than they can responsibly care for. Due to the efforts they put in to produce healthy, high-quality dogs, good breeders usually offer a health guarantee on their puppies. Such breeders may simply breed together any male and female they happen to own and sell the resulting puppies. When a goldendoodle breeder tells you the price of buying a puppy, ask about their breeding program, genetic screening and health guarantees to find out what you are paying for. Additionally, be aware that some pets stores sell goldendoodle puppies along with many other breeds of puppies. It is very difficult to obtain accurate information on breeders who supply to pet stores, and in many cases, animal welfare experts worry about these puppies coming from puppy mills. A puppy mill is often described as a commercial dog breeding operation where the goal is to produce as many puppies as possible without regard for their health and the welfare of the breeding dogs. Both the adult dogs and puppies often have poor health, are exposed to more infectious diseases, and tend to have ongoing health problems in additional to coming from inhumane living conditions. For this reason, it is best to avoid purchasing a puppy if it has a questionable origin. One significant cost to consider for goldendoodles is the cost of professional grooming. Almost all goldendoodles need to have their hair trimmed by a groomer. Some goldendoodles may need grooming once a month; others can go about eight weeks in between haircuts. Article Sources The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. The cost to purchase a Goldendoodle varies from breeder to breeder and is very much dependent on a variety of factors. This price is up significantly on data we had from a few years ago. We asked owners in our survey rather than breeders who sometimes under report costs. Physical attributes, generation type, and breeder reputation are all aspects that will determine the Goldendoodle cost. Location: Prices can vary by region, depending on local demand and costs. Pedigree: Goldendoodles from champion bloodlines or with a traceable lineage may command higher prices. Each generation may have different desirable characteristics. Size: Miniature or toy Goldendoodles might be priced differently than standard-sized ones. Coat Type: Goldendoodles with a more desirable coat type e. Color and Markings: Some coat colors or unique markings can be rarer and thus more expensive. Health Screening: Puppies that come with health certifications, screenings, or guarantees might be priced higher. This includes checks for common genetic disorders. Vaccinations and Veterinary Care: Puppies that are up-to-date on vaccinations and have received thorough vet check-ups might be priced higher. Training: Puppies that have begun basic training or housebreaking might command a higher price. Breeding Rights: If the buyer is granted breeding rights for the dog, the price might be higher. Supply and Demand: The popularity of the breed and current demand can influence price fluctuations. Inclusions: Some breeders offer puppy packages that include starter items like food, toys, collars, etc. Rescue or Rehoming: Adopting a Goldendoodle from a rescue organization or an individual rehoming their pet might be less expensive than buying from a breeder. Age: Older Goldendoodles or those past the prime puppy age might be less expensive. Researching breeders, asking questions, and ensuring the Goldendoodle comes from a reputable source can lead to a happier, healthier pet and family member. What IS the best Goldendoodle haircut? Physical Attributes Goldendoodles are typically distinguishable by their coat. For many, their fur might be wavy, curly, or straight. Some coats can appear more attractive and shinier than others, which tends to indicate that the dog came from a champion bloodline and, as such, will likely be more expensive. Goldendoodles with curly and wavy hair tend to be slightly more expensive than straight-haired ones since they are virtually non-shedding and hypoallergenic. This cuddly breed also comes in a variety of colors. Most Goldendoodles are golden, apricot, black, grey, cream or red. Some may also have unique color patterns, a difficult outcome to achieve through the breeding process. For this reason, bicolor and tricolor Goldendoodles are typically quite pricey as well. Most breeders classify the different sizes of Goldendoodles as standard, medium, and miniature. Breeders may categorize their size under the terms toy, teacup, and miniature Goldendoodle. Each of these sizes will result in a varying price. The smaller the size of the dog , the higher the price will be. The price has largely to do with the increased demand for smaller dogs. Many breeders often classify their dogs differently and with their own criteria. Some breeders recognize 20 lb dogs as petit, while others may refer to them as miniature. In addition, micro and petit may also be used interchangeably by some breeders, while others refer to them independently. Typically, petit dogs are in the lb range, and micro dogs are under 10 lbs. This can be an indicator of what qualities they will pass on to the Goldendoodle. While this generation is rarer than the others, they are usually more cheaply priced. The most expensive generation of Goldendoodle would typically be a F1b Goldendoodle. This is because this doodle puppy is the least likely to shed. Lower shedding means a higher chance of being hypoallergenic. A Goldendoodle puppy looks up Location and Demand The Goldendoodle breed has been high in demand for quite some time, which as a result, has increased their value. Since it would be cruel and disreputable to force dogs to breed more puppies, the actually ethical breeders have had to increase their prices to keep up with demand. Dog breeders located in bigger cities will typically have an abundance of clientele, usually with higher earnings. As such, these breeders have a harder time keeping up with the demand than those from small, rural areas. That said, the desire for a hypoallergenic designer dog extends across all of the country — in areas of all sizes. While it would be cheaper to purchase a Goldendoodle in a less populated location, it may still end up beating your budget due to having to travel a further distance or paying fees to have the pup transported to you. Breeder Reputation Like anything in life, you get what you pay for. The quality and experience of a breeder will largely affect the price point of any dog breed. Reputable breeders will base their prices on their knowledge, credentials, breeding skills, investment, and good standing with past customers. There will typically be a puppy application to determine if you are a suitable owner for their dogs. A less reputable ot dangerous puppy mill will be less likely to have this requirement. The procedures involved with breeding may also be a factor in their costs. Breeders that take the necessary steps to ensure the adult dogs are in good health, such as testing and vaccines, will likely have higher costs. Vaccinations and deworming treatments are essential to ensure a good bill of health as animals age. However, this will also increase the overall cost. A Hybrid dog is typically healthy, and there are no crazy health concerns with Goldendoodles you need to know about. A multigenerational Goldendoodle will also have plenty of evidence of previous healthy litters to compare too. The overall health profile or the parent dogs is vitally important to know. This is often not available if adopting a Goldendoodle, but that is a worth tradeoff to give a rescue dog a forever home. Finding a Reputable Breeder So, how can you discern the difference between good breeders and bad ones? There are several red flags to watch out for to avoid the disreputable breeders and many positive characteristics to seek out in trustworthy ones. They keep adult dogs in small cages and harsh conditions. Puppies are not forthcoming and seem skittish or uncomfortable in the presence of people. Foul odors. Pressure to make a quick sale. No health screenings. Trustworthy Breeders Will: Encourage healthy bonding of puppies with their mother. Try to determine if you are a good fit to own a Goldendoodle. Have their dogs undergo frequent testing and openly discuss the results. Provide you with tips and knowledge on Goldendoodle puppy care. Provide you with a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian. If you follow these rules, a reputable breeder is relatively easy to find. However, if you still need assistance, The Goldendoodle Association of North America offers an extensive list of reputable breeders, organized by state. Adoption Alternatively, rather than going through a breeder, it would be considerably cheaper to adopt a Goldendoodle from a rescue shelter. While they might be more challenging to locate and may not always be puppies, taking in a rescue animal is always a rewarding experience for both you and the pup. Many pups, unfortunately, either find themselves in unkind situations or are left unwanted entirely. As a result, some do end up in shelters. You can look up rescue shelters in your area and see if any Goldendoodles have arrived. How much does a Goldendoodle cost Other Costs Associated with Goldendoodles The cost of owning a Goldendoodle is another aspect you might want to factor into your budget before purchasing one. Additional costs like shelter, food, accessories, grooming, and unforeseen healthcare can certainly add up over time. Grooming is expected simply due to the fact that many Goldendoodles do not shed. However, like any pet, Goldendoodles are prone to specific health issues, such as hip dysplasia. Additionally, some breeders and shelters might offer registration, microchip insertion, and spay or neuter, all within a specific time period and at an extra cost with health warranties. How much are Goldendoodles? Consider the size and generation you might want to help determine your budget. Be conscious of the breeders you buy from, and do your research! Try to seek out previous customers and their testimonials to give you a good sense of where your Goldendoodle is coming from. And if possible, check out some of your local shelters to see if a friendly Goldendoodle is in need of a good home. My wife and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be healthy and happy, have lots of fun and be part of the family. Load More.

Articles Sit. Heal German Shepherd Hip Dysplasia Signs and Treatments Muscular, intelligent, and loyal, German shepherds are steadfast guardians and all-purpose workers. Highly trainable and obedient, German shepherds provide a range of services—excelling as show dogs and household companions, as well as military and search and rescue animals. Exuding confidence, this breed is royalty of the dog family. They are susceptible, however, to challenging hip and joint issues like hip dysplasia any time from puppyhood all the way through maturation. As with many large breed dogs, German shepherds are prone to canine hip dysplasia CHD , a dog skeletal condition that can be inherited or caused by a traumatic fracture or other environmental factors. CHD occurs from malformation of the ball and joint socket of one or both hips the hip joint is called the coxofemoral joint. If so, it maybe be because of breeding. The exaggerated hind leg angulation is often bred into the dog because of standards that dictate rear legs upper and lower thighs should come as close to a degree angle as possible. Along these same lines, a sloping back causes hindquarters to become more angulate and, thus, prone to lower back pain. These bent legs could point toward one of many health problems, one of which is hip dysplasia. Although irreversible, canine hip dysplasia can be monitored and treated to reduce chronic pain. According to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals , .The progression of it and the treatment options available depend on a number of factors, including the degree of misalignment and age of the dog. CHD has a range of signs, depending on the severity of the disease and degree of looseness in the joint. The severity also ranges from mild to extreme pain—some German shepherds even have to use a wheelchair. CHD Treatment Options Dog hip dysplasia surgery for severe cases in medium to large dogs can be expensive. If invasive surgery is not the best choice for your dog, look into non-surgical, conservative management options, such as dog leg braces, physical therapy, weight control, acupuncture, anti-inflammatories, and massage therapy. Ortho Dog specializes in flexible, adjustable, and affordable dog leg braces. Additionally, leg braces for hip dysplasia may slow the progression of this chronic issue. Is a Hip Hound Brace right for your pup? Designed for dogs who suffer from arthritis and mild to moderate hip dysplasia. Below are four common disorders of the hip and joint commonly seen in this breed: Degenerative Myelopathy As a German shepherd owner, you have likely heard of the fatal, chronic, and progressive disease called degenerative myelopathy that is most prevalent in this breed. Typically apparent between the ages of , degenerative myelopathy is a neurological disorder that affects the spinal cord and muscle coordination, ultimately leading to paralysis of the back legs within months. CHD shares several symptoms with early stages of degenerative myelopathy, including difficulty rising and jumping, and progressive weakness of hind limbs. As with any signs that something may be off with your dog, contact your veterinarian for a full exam. Canine Myasthenia Gravis A rare neuromuscular disease, canine myasthenia gravis is a disorder of the signal transmission between nerves and muscles, resulting in progressive muscle weakness, and fatigue with mild exercise. This disease is not typically confused with CHD because the signs tend to show up on the face more than the hindquarters. This incorrect movement can put a strain on their hips, which causes them to walk with an irregular gait. Our Hock Holder brace offers stabilization and support to the hock to help relieve stress. Osteoarthritis Most often seen in senior dogs, osteoarthritis is the inflammation of the hip joints due to cartilage deterioration. You may notice your dog moving a bit more slowly and having trouble with stairs. With less cartilage, bones can grind against each other and cause inflammation. Much like a human wearing a wrist or hand brace for arthritis, the Ortho Dog Hip Hound brace limits the movement of the joint, which helps with the pain. Crash At what age do German Shepherds start having hip problems? There is no specific age for hip problems. The signs of hip issues can be seen as early as 4 months of age. Osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia are often seen. The inflammatory signs of hip displacement are visible depending on the size, nutrition, and management of your dog. Hip dysplasia German Shepherd signs There are different signs and symptoms which can tell that German Shepherds have bad hips. They are listed as follows: Reduced movement Challenge or refusal to walk , climb stairs, etc. Idiocy at the back Grip the joint while moving Deterioration of bone mass of lower leg The shoulder muscles are noticeably enlarged by compensating for the back end Distress Tips to Make German Shepherd Back Legs Stronger 1. Proper weight management German Shepherds who are overweight are more prone to hip dysplasia. Weight management is the key tool to help avoid hip dysplasia. Being overweight results in overburdening of the hind legs resulting in displacement. Proper exercise Use the appropriate exercises to strengthen the hind legs. It also results in proper contraction and relaxation of muscles attached to the bone. It also helps in the management of weight. Proper diet plan Always provide a proper diet for your German Shepherd. A proper diet is required for the proper growth of bones. Always consult a veterinarian, a dietitian, or a nutritionist for the formulation of a diet plan. Always provide a high-quality feed. Supplementation Supplements are always useful in maintaining issues related to hip dysplasia. The injured joints can be helped with supplements like omega-3 fatty acids, chondroitin sulfate, collagen, and glucosamine. Physiotherapy Regular massage Massaging leg muscles is very helpful. Seek the help of a physiotherapist for regular massage. It helps in the reduction of pain and displacement issues related to the hip. Muscle strengthening and stability Adopt the techniques that are helpful in the stability and strengthening of muscles. Reduce injury chances Always monitor your German Shepherd while exercising. Exercise may result in injury. Always monitor and rush to the nearest vet if your German Shepherd undergoes some injury. Hydrotherapy Hydrotherapy is a good strategy to fight the issues of hip dysplasia. It involves swimming. It is a safe method of exercise and the chances of injury are less. Distinct cushion A specific type of cushion is available for the support of hip joint and leg joints. It provides help against the stiffness and rigidity of muscles. It also helps against knee hygroma issues. Acupuncture Acupuncture is the latest technique in healing to avoid hip dysplasia and other joint issues. Different techniques are employed at different pressure points of the body. Surgical Intervention Always visit your veterinarian for surgical manipulation in case of displacement or any issue like that. Hip Dysplasia is an issue commonly occurring in most big-size dog breeds like GSD. Some lazy, small-size breeds that are not physically strong and agile may also suffer from it. The only way to prevent it is by paying attention to the nutrition and physical activity needs of dogs. A regular examination from the vet can also help. Degenerative Myelopathy Degenerative Myelopathy is an uncommon nerve disorder, but a reality in dogs. The disease progression of this disorder shows its origin from the spinal cord. When not treated or in an advanced stage, the disease covers the hind portion of the body and weakens it. Thus, the GSD suffering from degenerative myelopathy shows discomfort in walking and maintaining posture. Panosteitis Panosteitis is an inflammatory disease of the bone marrow. The disease can emanate from not feeding the dog correctly, which leads to the formation of fatty deposits in the bone marrow. Some researchers associate it with defective genes, but the researchers are yet to trace the complete genetic association. Is the regal fruit right for your dog royalty? And their concerns are real. Researchers attribute this deformity to the neuro- and musculo-degenerative disorder called Myasthenia Gravis. However, those who did not suffer too fatal symptoms, still struggled with issues like deformed limbs, bad posture and joint pain. The leg problems diagnosed in GSDs that suffered from Myasthenia Gravis were: Difficulty rising up on legs Inability to maintain posture Resistance to fetching games, exercising Slight limping Bent legs Sometimes, the disease is not the reason for bent legs though. This characteristic may arise due to breeding and can be considered as an identifying feature to spot pure breeds from mixed ones. It is the chronic counterpart of muscular degeneropathy and differs distinctly from the latter in cause and progression. Mostly, it is the sign of aging in this species and poses a problem when this furry angel shows the signs of premature degeneration of hind leg bones and joints. It is always better to talk, in detail, to an experienced pet veterinarian to learn about the plausible leg problems while picking the dog for making a family member Some of the vets share that the symptoms may comprise: wobbly legs difficulty climbing stairs or walking reluctance to exercising. It occurs when your dog cannot walk normally due to pain or weakness. Your dog may walk slowly or awkwardly, and he will generally favor one leg over the other. There are two types of limping that your German Shepherd may experience. Some forms occur gradually over time, whereas sudden lameness happens instantly, usually after an injury. Some cases are minor and can be managed at home, while others will necessitate the assistance of a medical professional. Too much of a good thing such as fetch, frisbee, intense running, or rough play with other dogs can leave your German Shepherd sore and hobbling with a muscle strain. Most dogs, though, will recover quickly after a few days of rest. Wounds on the footpads. Look out for your GSD incessantly licking his paw. Burns caused by hot sidewalks or frostbite can also cause your dog to limp. In extreme weather, hot or cold, get your GSD some booties or paw protectors. A thorn or stone stuck in the pads. Again carefully check the pads for a thorn or small stone that may have lodged between the paw pads. Remember to keep the fur around the pads and toes trim to enable you to examine the paws easier, especially as some dogs find this area quite sensitive. Toenail injuries. Examine your German Shepherd for ingrowing or overgrown toenails , as these can cause discomfort and pain if they dig into the skin. My GSD once had a dewclaw injury that required surgical removal, so make sure you also keep these trim. An insect sting or animal bite. Stings and bites can cause limping. Your GSD may raise his paw if stung by a wasp or bee. Bites from other animals can result in injury and infection. Fracture or dislocation. If the limping began suddenly, a fractured leg or a dislocated bone should be suspected. A shattered bone will prevent your dog from bearing any weight. A sprain occurs when a ligament or tendon is strained or torn. Something as simple as leaping off the couch and landing awkwardly can cause it. Your German Shepherd will be reluctant to put any weight on his leg or paw. Hip and elbow dysplasia. Dysplasia is a common hereditary condition in German Shepherds that causes hip and elbow joints to become loose and shift out of position. Sadly, .This persistent, painful condition is more common in older and larger canines. As a result of cartilage deterioration, it causes joint inflammation. Lameness, stiffness, or trouble getting up are all symptoms. Cruciate ligament injury or disease. This occurs when one or both of the cruciate ligaments that hold the knee together are damaged. Limping is the most common symptom of a cruciate injury, and it can be caused by turning awkwardly, jumping, or twisting. It can happen all of a sudden or gradually. Luxating patella dislocated knee. It is common in smaller breeds, but German Shepherds are one of the larger breeds prone to developing luxating patellas. Your dog may be in pain and reluctant to bear weight on the affected limb. An infection of the leg or paw can cause your dog to hobble. He may lick and chew the site and may need a course of antibiotics. Also, to prevent further inflammation, your GSD may be advised to wear the dreaded cone of shame Elizabethan collar. Lyme disease. This bacterial infection spread by ticks can result in intermittent lameness. Degenerative Myelopathy. This genetic condition affects the spinal cord, leading to eventual paralysis of the back end in older dogs. Weakness, lameness in the rear legs, and incontinence are all symptoms. Panosteitis Wandering Lameness or Growing Pains. Panosteitis is a condition affecting the long bones of the legs due to severe inflammation. It can affect growing large breed pups, aged months, including the GSD. It caused a shifting lameness from one bone to another and can occur over several weeks or months. Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy HOD. Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy is a bone disease occurring in quick-growing large dogs, usually between the 3 and 5 months stage. The German Shepherd is one of the breeds prone. Signs will be a slight limp and pain in the affected bone. Osteochondritis Dissecans OCD. OCD is a disease of the cartilage whereby inflammation causes it to separate from the bone. The shoulder is the most usually affected area; however, the elbow, hip, and knee can also be impacted. It occurs when large puppies develop too quickly. Symptoms include limping, lameness, and pain. German Shepherds are predisposed to OCD; however, the offending gene has not been identified. Hind limb weakness, paralysis, or urinary incontinence are symptoms of this spinal disease. It is caused by intervertebral disk degeneration and protrusion, which compresses the spinal cord. Dog breeds having a short, stout appearance are most commonly affected. Lumbosacral Foraminal Stenosis. A degenerative condition of the lower spine resembling sciatica or a slipped disc in humans. The subsequent narrowing can cause nerve compression resulting in lameness. It occurs in medium-large breeds of middle to old age. Unfortunately, German Shepherds and working dogs are susceptible to Lumbosacral Stenosis. Immune-Mediated Polyarthritis. This is an immune system condition that results in inflamed, swollen, and painful joints. Your German Shepherd will be reluctant to walk or will limp on one or more legs due to the pain. Diabetic neuropathy. If diabetes is uncontrolled, excessive glucose can cause gradual weakness or paralysis due to nerve damage. However, this condition is rare in canines. Congenital limb deformities. Abnormally developed limbs can cause your dog to limp. These are pretty rare, and a study of congenital deformities of the limbs highlighted that little is known about the causes. Osteosarcoma bone cancer. Bone tumors can grow quickly, causing limping and pain, especially in the legs. Large and giant breeds are more prone to it. Limping can range from mild to severe. However, she is doing really well with exercise modification techniques along with anti-inflammatory and pain relief medication. My vet recommended these, they get good reviews online, and they seem to be working for her. She sleeps on the Big Barker , which is the only dog bed clinically proven to reduce pain and joint stiffness. You can check out my comprehensive review here. For more severe cases such as broken bones, orthopedic surgery may be required. How to Treat a Limping German Shepherd at Home Knowing how to treat your limping German Shepherd at home by giving first aid is fundamental to help minimize any further injury or pain. Firstly, pinpoint the affected leg, evaluate its seriousness and whether your dog needs medical assistance. So, how do you treat a limping GSD at home? To treat a limping German Shepherd at home, gently examine your dog, starting at the paw. Check the pads and between the toes, and slowly work your way up, looking for cuts or foreign bodies. Gently maneuver the joints for stiffness, but do not examine if your GSD is in severe pain. Remove any foreign bodies between the toes. Clean the wound with anti-bacterial soap. Finally, apply antibiotic ointment. For cut or torn pads and broken nails. If you cannot stop the bleeding in minutes, take your pet to the vet. Apply a bandage and change daily. For burned paw pads. If the pad becomes discolored or if the tissue underneath becomes exposed, contact your veterinarian. Apply antibiotic ointment to the burned pad, bandage, and change the dressing daily. For abscesses. Apply warm compresses to the affected area or soak in a warm Epsom salts bath. If the abscess bursts, take your doggo to the vet to get the wound cleaned and some antibiotics. For swelling due to a sprain or bruising. Apply ice packs to the affected area for 15 minutes twice a day. Place your GSD in the bath, and swirl the water around his leg, or spray with a gentle hose for 15 minutes twice daily. Flowing water reduces swelling, improves circulation, and helps with healing. Confine lame dogs and restrict their activity. Your German Shepherd will have a far better chance of recovery if you provide first aid when appropriate and seek prompt veterinary care if needed. Are you looking to buy something for your dog? Make sure to check out my favorite dog gear below. German Shepherds are very intelligent, loyal, and obedient. Originally bred for herding, modern-day German Shepherds work with police and search and rescue units across the world because they are task-oriented, curious, and creative. Like all dog breeds, German Shepherds are uniquely vulnerable to certain diseases. German Shepherds are more likely than dogs of other breeds to suffer from degenerative myelopathy, hip dysplasia, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Over time, the weakness will get even worse. Your dog might struggle to get up, and, as the disease progresses, and your dog could lose bowel and urinary control. The dog might also struggle to get up because the disease causes muscles to atrophy. Dogs with degenerative myelopathy can become paralyzed by the disease. There is no cure for degenerative myelopathy. But if your dog has the disease, you can take a few steps to reduce their suffering. Kinesiology tape has been used successfully to help dogs with degenerative myelopathy. And, because your German Shepherd will be spending more time sitting and lying down, they are at greater risk for bedsores. Clean and trim them often. German Shepherds that become partially paralyzed by degenerative myelopathy are good candidates for wheelchairs. Custom made dog wheelchairs by K9 Carts can help your dog stay mobile and preserve their quality of life. If your German Shepherd suffers from hip dysplasia, they will eventually develop joint pain, damaged cartilage, and arthritis. Hip dysplasia starts when your dog is a puppy, but it might not be noticeable until the dog is well into maturity. Dogs with hip dysplasia will show a reluctance to exercise, move slowly, and might favor one leg over another. Take your dog to the vet if you notice any of these symptoms. Hip dysplasia in German Shepherds can be treated and managed. Your dog can experience better quality of life through physical therapy or anti-inflammatory drugs if their case is not severe. They could require surgery. In extreme cases, the dog may need a wheelchair. Dilated Cardiomyopathy in German Shepherds German Shepherds, like other large dog breeds, are vulnerable to dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart disease. A heart affected by dilated cardiomyopathy is inefficient at pumping blood, and oxygenated blood is not adequately distributed through the body. The heart becomes enlarged, and its ventricular walls get thinner. In some cases, changes in heart rhythm will also be a result of the thinned chamber walls. Also, dilated cardiomyopathy can cause fluid to build up in the lungs. If your dog has dilated cardiomyopathy, they might tire easily, have trouble breathing, cough often, struggle to exercise, or suffer fainting spells. If you notice any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with a veterinarian. Dilated cardiomyopathy can be fatal. It can be mitigated with certain drugs, like ACE inhibitors, but it is a chronic disease. However, if dilated cardiomyopathy is detected early, and the dog is medicated and managed property, it can still live for some time with a good quality of life. It does give you an idea of diseases you may not have heard of that could develop. And remember—if your dog has any of these diseases, they should be treated by a veterinarian. Why does a German Shepherd drag his back legs? The condition is quote common among this breed of dog. One of the first warning signs is a German Shepherd that stands with his back paws together. This explains exactly why the German Shepherd I recently witnessed was struggling to get up. Although his paws were not dragging, he was dragging and still probably in the very early stages of DM. Dogs with DM may exhibit symptoms such as limping, dragging, and a loss of control in their back legs. Understanding these challenges can help owners provide appropriate care and support for their beloved German Shepherds. Challenges 1. Limping and Dragging Back Leg: One of the primary challenges seen in German Shepherds with degenerative myelopathy is a noticeable limp in the back leg. As the disease progresses, the affected leg may drag while walking, causing difficulty in maintaining a normal gait. Loss of Mobility and Coordination: German Shepherds with degenerative myelopathy may experience a gradual loss of mobility and coordination in their back legs. This can make it challenging for them to stand, walk, or perform daily activities that were once effortless. Crossed Paws and Inability to Unlock Limbs: An observable behavior in German Shepherds with degenerative myelopathy is crossing their paws in the back when attempting to stand up. This occurs because they are unable to unlock their limbs properly, adding to the overall challenges they face. Development of Secondary Conditions: While degenerative myelopathy itself may not cause pain, it can lead to the development of secondary conditions such as arthritis. Arthritis can further contribute to discomfort, pain, and reduced mobility in the affected back leg of a German Shepherd. German Shepherds, being predisposed to degenerative myelopathy, are prone to experiencing various challenges related to their back legs. Owners may notice their German Shepherds limping or dragging one or both hind legs. This limping can be a clear indication of a problem in the affected leg, requiring attention and care. As degenerative myelopathy progresses, German Shepherds may suffer a loss of mobility and coordination in their back legs. Activities like walking, running, and climbing stairs may become increasingly difficult for them. In severe cases, complete paralysis of the back legs can occur. A distinctive behavior seen in German Shepherds with degenerative myelopathy is crossing their paws in the back when attempting to stand up. This is due to the impaired ability to unlock their limbs properly. The crossed paws further contribute to the challenges faced by these dogs, affecting their stability and balance. Additionally, the progression of degenerative myelopathy can lead to the development of secondary conditions, such as arthritis, in the affected back leg of a German Shepherd. Arthritis can cause pain, discomfort, and stiffness, exacerbating the challenges already posed by the degenerative myelopathy. Understanding and recognizing these challenges is crucial for owners of German Shepherds with back leg problems. Seeking veterinary care and guidance, providing appropriate pain management, and considering supportive devices like harnesses or carts can help alleviate some of the difficulties faced by these dogs. Ensuring a comfortable and fulfilling life for German Shepherds with back leg problems requires attentive care and a proactive approach to their overall well-being. Knuckling in German Shepherds can be caused due to a variety of different factors, such as genetics, injury, or a neurological disorder. This condition can occur in both puppies and adult German Shepherds, however it is more commonly seen in puppies. If a German Shepherd puppy is born with their back legs close together and their feet turning out, this can be an indication of a genetic predisposition to knuckling. Injuries can also cause knuckling, such as a trauma to the spinal cord or a severe strain on the leg muscles. Lastly, neurological disorders can also be the cause of knuckling in German Shepherds. The symptoms of German Shepherds that drag their hind legs include the dragging of the hind legs behind the body and difficulty walking or running. The feet of the German Shepherd may also turn outwards, and the back legs may be held close together. Additionally, the German Shepherd may show signs of discomfort and pain when walking. If the knuckling is due to an injury, then rest and rehabilitation can help to reduce the symptoms. For neurological disorders, medication and physical therapy may be needed in order to reduce the discomfort associated with knuckling. If the knuckling is due to genetics, then surgery may be an option to correct the physical deformity. In conclusion, German Shepherds that drag their hind legs can be caused by a variety of different factors. If you notice your German Shepherd dragging their hind legs, it is important to seek veterinary advice in order to determine the cause and appropriate treatment. With the correct diagnosis and treatment plan, knuckling can often be managed effectively. What is degenerative myelopathy? A disease found in dogs, especially German Shepherds, that is very similar to ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Basically, there is a breakdown of Myelin a protective coat around the spinal cord. The prognosis for progression of degenerative myelopathy is approximately 6 months to 3 years, with no cure at this time. I have no doubt, being the owner of a dog who gets this diagnosis is undoubtedly heart-breaking. The disease will slowly or quickly progress. What causes degenerative myelopathy? At this time, the exact cause of degenerative myelopathy is not known. A gene mutation seems to be consistent in most cases, and tends to be specific to German Shepherds. Other breeds are effected too, including the Cardigan Welsh corgi and the Chesapeake Bay retriever. According to Dr. There are several stages of degenerative myelopathy. Signs and symptoms can cross over each other through the different stages, but this table can be used as a general guide. This is because German Shepherds are intentionally bred to have a steeper angulation to the hind legs. The AKC breed standards for the breed, require German Shepherds to have as close to a degree bend as possible in their hind legs. Unfortunately, this steep angle in the back leg makes German Shepherds more susceptible to back pain and hind leg problems. After years of wear and tear, this makes them prone to serious leg problems as they age. For instance, studies have shown that German Shepherds are five times more likely to develop dysplasia as compared to Labradors, Rottweilers, and Golden Retrievers. A brief overview of these medical conditions: Degenerative Myelopathy Degenerative myelopathy DM is a neurological disease that makes German Shepherds slowly lose control of their hind legs. In the end, the dog may lose control of the urinary and bowel functions, and paralysis is a serious possibility. DM typically occurs in older dogs of about eight years or older, although it may also occur at a younger age. Unfortunately, there is no cure for DM. However, there are ways to reduce the suffering of your GSD because the condition progresses gradually. Therefore, treatment options for DM are geared towards ensuring a better quality of life rather than curing it. Most dogs with degenerative myelopathy will lose the function of their hind legs within six months to two years of diagnosis. Although there is no cure, regular exercise has been shown to improve the quality of life for dogs with DM. As a result, the ball of the hip joint causes pain as it glides roughly against the socket. Signs of hip dysplasia include a wobbly gait, lameness, limping, a decreased range of motion, and pain while walking. The most common causes of hip dysplasia include genetics, leg trauma, and environmental factors. In extreme cases of hip dysplasia, the dog may lose the function of their back legs and require a wheelchair. Arthritis may also occur due to the pressure exerted on the hip joint by hip dysplasia. Since GSDs are prone to hind leg weakness, they are at an increased risk for severe arthritis. Dogs with bad hips and arthritic joints may change their gait and walk lower to the ground, causing German Shepherd legs to appear even more bent. Signs of arthritis in German Shepherds include lethargy, loss of muscle mass in the hind limbs, reluctance to run, jump, or go up a flight of stairs, and stiffness in the hind legs. Prevention of osteoarthritis through proper dieting, exercising, and joint supplements helps to reduce the onset of osteoarthritis. Once osteoarthritis begins, the treatment is geared towards pain reduction, reducing inflammation, and improving the quality of life. Since osteoarthritis is difficult to detect in symptoms until the affected joints are badly affected, it is crucial to keep up with regular wellness visits with your vet. The best way to prevent these diseases is through genetic testing and following good breeding standards. This is possible by checking with your breeder for the hip score regarding hip dysplasia and proper parent matching to avoid degenerative myelopathy. Diet It works wonders for humans, and it will work for your best friend too. Since this breed is already a large-sized breed and the effects of breeding may be unpredictable, maintaining an optimal weight and observing a healthy, balanced diet is a wise precautionary measure. Some of the important dietary options to provide include ample proteins, vitamin D, vitamin K and magnesium, vitamin C, and vitamin E. You should also ensure that the dog food you buy for your German Shepherd is well-suited, with enough calcium and phosphorus for healthy bone development. Your vet may also prescribe bone and joint supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, green-lipped mussels, and collagen if they are required. An obese or overweight will experience increased mobility challenges. Second, regular exercise, especially walking and swimming, is important. Lastly, consult your vet on supplements or medications that may slow down the progression of DM. In any case, for these medical conditions , keep an eye out for changes in movement and contact your vet if there are any concerns. Some common symptoms that your German Shepherd may show include a wobbly walk, slipping on the floor, sitting crooked, hips giving way, swelling, lesser muscle mass in the back legs, and having a shorter stride on the hind legs. Remember that most dogs will not express pain or discomfort at first, so it is up to you to spot the symptoms if they do appear — This is especially important for degenerative conditions because when it comes to treatment, the earlier, the better! Regular exercise Regular exercising does two important things for your German Shepherd. One, it strengthens the hind and front leg muscles, and two, it helps you spot changes in the performance of the hind legs. This is the sit-to-stand routine. In this routine, you start with your dog sitting in front of you. Then, you move back a bit and call the dog to you. When he follows, give a treat to keep his interest and, once again, sit him down. Repeat as many times as needed. Taking your dog on daily walks up and down a hill especially or having swimming sessions will also strengthen the leg muscles and help in managing the weight. Hydrotherapy is especially beneficial for dogs dealing with mobility issues. Canine massage relieves fatigue and tension in the hind leg muscles and helps to spot any unrelated pain that may be a sign of something to watch out for. How to massage your dog: Compress the muscle against the bone with your flat hand using both your palms and fingers. Glide your hand along his spine, following the lay of the fur. Apply semi-circular strokes on the muscular areas of the back legs. Using a support harness Sometimes, it is crucial to moderate the pressure that your shepherd applies to the back legs when he moves about. This is where the support harness comes in. A harness helps to remove some of the stress that the dog may be feeling when taking walks, for instance, until the muscles of the back legs are strong enough to take it. The use of the harness reduces the pressure placed on the bad back legs and makes it easier for your dog to walk. Keep them at a healthy weight and ensure they get plenty of exercise. Even if your GSD is battling a degenerative illness affecting his mobility, you can explore treatment and supportive methods that will enable a good quality of life. German shepherds are known as a very resilient and strong breed. Your dog will match and appreciate any effort you put into ensuring his good quality of life. Related Articles:. Why is that? While your own GSD may not be a shining example of the breed, why does it seem as though the show dogs have such bent back legs? The simple answer is, of course, breeding. Sometimes it gets taken too far. The listing is fairly detailed, so we will just focus on the one portion that pertains to this article — the hindquarters. A typical kennel club breeding guideline for the modern-day German Shepherd Dog. Photo: Taiwan Kennel Association Health Problems There are other reasons for German Shepherds to have bent legs, and the health problems listed below may be contributing factors. Hip or Elbow Dysplasia Hip dysplasia is a genetic disease. While the actual leg length may not be affected, the gait of the dog is changed because it is difficult for him or her to climb stairs or perform much physical activity. Some warning signs of hip dysplasia include unwillingness to jump or stand on hind legs, not wanting to use stairs or steps, difficulty standing up or even seeming lame. This disease can present as early as 2 years old — so if you feel that something is not right, see your vet. Elbow dysplasia can be another contributing factor. Elbow dysplasia is a complex condition caused by abnormal bone growth of the elbow. While it does affect many places in the body, German Shepherds traditionally have hip weakness, and the hindquarters certainly are vulnerable to this disease. One of the biggest signs of myasthenia gravis is the rapid depletion of energy. Your pup will get up and start moving about but tire quickly. Arthritis Arthritis could cause inflammation in the hind legs as well. People get arthritis and so do pets, and just like in people the disease has varying degrees of impact on the body. Simple pain in the hips can cause your German Shepherd to change gait and walk lower, making the legs appear more bent. German Shepherds generally have a history of hip and hindquarter weakness and are susceptible to diseases prevalent to those areas. German Shepherds are highly resilient, wonderful dogs who can adapt to almost anything, so do remember that a diagnosis of disease is not often the tolling of the doom bell. As always, a little dedication and a lot of love go a long way. This pet health content was reviewed for accuracy by a veterinarian, Dr. It was last reviewed and updated Dec. If one breaks down the name of the disease it describes what happens with the disease. Degeneration refers to a breaking down or deterioration of something. In this case the spinal cord. Degenerative Myelopathy is a debilitating condition for which there is no cure but only the potential to slow down the progress. The occurs typically in older German Shepherd Dogs. The average age at which clinical signs start and progress is from 8 to 12 years of age. This is not a condition with rapid onset but instead is slowly progressive with clinical signs worsening with time. Degenerative myelopathy starts out as a very slowly progressive hind limb weakness and loss of function of the back legs called paresis. It is commonly confused with hip pain because the symptoms can mimic hip dysplasia, another debilitating condition with a high incidence in German Shepherds. The condition is the result of a demyelination loss of protective cover and nerve degeneration of the spinal cord in the region of the mid to hind back. This degeneration is something referred to as an ascending lesion meaning that it starts at the tail end of the spinal cord and works its way towards the head. The underlying cause of the disease is thought to be a genetic mutation change of the SOD1 gene. This gene is responsible for the protection of cells against certain particles that damage the DNA of cells. The name given to the damaging particles are free radicles. Under normal circumstances the SOD1 gene produces a free radicle scavenger i. The way in which the defect is inherited determines whether a particular dog is at a high risk of getting the disease or if they are a carrier of the genetic mutation without showing clinical signs. An individual dog has to carry 2 copies of the mutation in the genes of the cells of their bodies for it to cause the disease. There is no sex predilection, so male or female dogs may be affected equally. What is interesting about the disease is that even if an individual dog has both copies of the mutated gene and they are at very high risk of developing the disease, there are still other factors that influence whether or not they do contract the disease and to what extent they do. As mentioned previously this a slowly progressive condition that has a time frame of about 3 years before severe debilitating disease sets in. The clinical signs noticed in dogs include the following: After 6 to 12 months of contracting the disease, you will notice weakness and partial loss of function of the back legs. Your dog may seem weak and wobbly on the back legs and they may struggle to get up or be slower to get up that what they used to be. When they run, their back legs may sway abnormally. After 9 to 18 months on contracting the disease, the back legs start to get even weaker and collapse under the dog from time to time. If one assesses the reflexes in the back legs like the patella reflex, you will find that they are abnormal and weakened. After 12 to 24 months of contracting the disease, the front legs start to become affected and you may notice that your dog starts losing their normal co-ordination and function. By this point, the hind legs are very weak and your dog may struggle to stand and use their legs correctly. Unfortunately, the nerve degeneration also influences bladder and bowel control and they will start to urinate and defecate involuntarily. This is known as urine and faecal incontinence. After 24 to 36 month of contracting the disease, and if the dog was able to come this far and still cope with the disease, they develop tetraplegia or quadriplegia which is a paralysis that causes partial or total loss of use of all their limbs and body. The loss is usually sensory and motor, which means that both sensation and control are lost, or put a different way, the dog does not know where its legs are and even if they did, they do not have the ability to correct it. Clearly a very unhappy situation. The way in which this condition is diagnosed by the vet is through a number of tests as well as the typical clinical signs and also the breed of your dog. These, together with the thorough history of the condition, should provide the veterinarian with some very important clues to what is going on with your dog. The important diseases or differential diagnoses to rule out are spinal disc disease like a slipped disc and conditions affecting the lower part of the spine where the hips meet the spine, like hip dysplasia or joint disease. The biggest difference with degenerative myelopathy and the other conditions is that degenerative myelopathy is painless because it is the loss of sensation and function which underlies this disease. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment available. Certain supplements can be used in an attempt to slow down the condition, such as vitamin E and aminocaproic acid. The vitamin E is an essential vitamin which helps various systems in the body to protect it from these damaging free radicles. The aminocaproic acid is an agent used to prevent the breakdown of clots in the bloodstream. Antibodies in the bloodstream attach to the foreign material within the bloodstream forming complexes and these stimulate a response from the immune system. These complexes are usually removed by the liver and spleen. Sometimes they can stick to the walls of blood vessels, damage the walls and stimulate the formation of blood clots. The breakdown of these clots are associated with inflammation and this may result in damage to the surrounding tissues, so-called collateral damage. If this happens in the sensitive tissues of the spinal cord, the damage is devastating because the nervous tissue is not able to regenerate and repair itself. The thinking behind using aminocaproic acid is to inhibit clot breakdown in these delicate tissues. Lastly and most importantly, the most effective treatment for this condition and the only one proven to actually slow down the progress is the use of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy. Another key factor is, the sooner the dog is diagnosed and treatment started, the better the progress of the disease can be slowed, and the more time the vet can give you with your dog. Unfortunately, the sad truth is that eventually, the disease will lead to complete paralysis and eventually, in most cases, euthanasia. Genetic disorders like degenerative myelopathy can only be prevented by not breeding with animals where there is a family history of the disease. Make sure if you buy a puppy, that you get references on a breeder before you buy.

You've reached an American Bulldog website. John D. Johnson American Bulldogs, Summerville, GA The Johnson American Bulldog is a breed of dog unlike any other; their sheer strength and courage coupled with their undying loyalty and devotion make them the ultimate breed of dog for the general public and serious canine enthusiast alike. The modern American Bulldog is believed to have descended from the colossus breeds of ancient history similar to other mastiff breeds. The American Bulldogs earliest history is virtually unknown and little if any recorded records exist. The first documented history relating to the American Bulldog was during the late 19th century. These dogs were by no means pets, but rather utility dogs bred and raised for specific duties. These duties included baiting unruly cattle and swine along with guarding property against thievery. These tasks required a dog that feared no man or beast alive, but was still loyal and obedient to their master and keeper. These traits still exist with the Johnson American Bulldog. Since the early "butcher dogs" the American Bulldog had nearly gone extinct and until recently experienced an evolutionary rebirth. This rebirth is due in large part to two dedicated individuals; John D. Johnson and Mildred L. These bulldogs had grown scare in the Northwest region of Georgia, and John desired a dog with the same stamina and grit to protect his farm and livestock. Initially it was a small operation, but through the hard work of John and Mildred it grew into a life long commitment. He was also the first breeder to have his dogs officially registered. John and Mildred have literally supplied the world with their Georgia bred bulldogs. It was their female lines of Collettes, Sugar Dolls and Sugar Tuffies that when bred produced the big boned pups that mature into the lbs. The kennel has recently been trademarked and is now known as Johnson Kennels llc. A new partnership has also been established. This new partnership between two established dog breeders, Mr. John Johnson and Mr. Scott Weaver. All traditional bloodlines exist and new lines are being established. It contains heating and air conditioning for the dogs comfort. There is a separate whelping and nursery room for new litters and weaned pups. And a licensed vet makes regular on site visits. .We at Johnson Kennels llc. We continue to strive for only the best. Our focus is to produce a powerful, yet balanced American Bulldog with a very muscular body representing the standards created by John D. The Real American Bulldog is very stocky, athletic and imposing. For those interested in acquiring a truly magnificent animal for either companionship or protection. Visit our contact information page. We specialize in Bully-type, also sometimes referred to as Johnson American Bulldogs. However on occasion we do produce fantastic standard- and hybrid-type American Bulldogs. We breed for functional and balanced temperament allowing for the American Bulldog to be a family member and a companion while having the drive and intelligence to perform desired functions. At Grand Future, we typically produce large American Bulldogs. Males range in lbs and females range in lbs. We have always bred to a significantly stricter breed standard than the current American Bulldog breed standards under U. Dogs with the following characteristics are not shown at conformation shows nor bred in our kennel: 1. Full black mask — this genetic trait is usually a result of another breed having been infused into the gene pool. Usually a dog with a kinked tail itself is not at risk of health complications as a result of the kinked tail. Teeth — dogs missing more than 3 teeth. Dogs lacking full pigmentation are more susceptible to various health problems. Lack of pigment is also responsible for deafness in dogs. We have never produced a deaf dog. Interested in a puppy? We have many repeat buyers — over 30 families have purchased 2,3,4, and even 5 dogs. Our dogs generally love children and have balanced temperament. Having produced over dogs in 7 generations, we have history and data that allows us to make some conclusions that we believe are significant. The very common problem of hip dysplasia that afflicts this breed is nearly non-existent in our kennel. Our dogs tend to have normal locomotion — good movement due to anatomically sound physical structure. Our dogs have never torn ligaments such as the Canine Cruciate Ligament CCL , which leads us to conclude that such problems are likely hereditary in nature. Our dogs have never prematurely died from heart problems, which leads us to conclude that such problems are likely hereditary in nature. Our dogs have never been diagnosed with tracheal hypoplasia — a hereditary genetic defect common in bulldog breeds that leads to potential deadly obstruction of the airway. Our dogs tend to live long. Our foundation dog lived to the age of 15 years and 10 months old. Our dogs have never been afflicted with cancer at a young age. The earliest instance of cancer has been encountered at 8 years of age by one dog. The remainder of cases have been documented at over 10 years of age. The biggest tragedy for an owner is in having to care for a sick dog as a result of poor breeding, and be absolutely helpless as that dog passes in their arms. Exorbitant medical bills end up being paid to prolong the time together even by just a little with the beloved family member. As with any animal breeding program, our kennel is not immune from problems. This drives us to continually improve. We maintain contact and help our owners in any way we can; even at 4AM or during a vacation since we have owners all over the world in various timezones. Our breeding expertise enables us to deliver healthy, beautiful, strong, and intelligent American Bulldog puppies. We provide a contractual health guarantee against the following genetic health problems — hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, Canine Cruciate Ligament CCL ruptures, cataracts, entropion, ectropion, heart, kidneys, thyroid, ichthyosis, cryptorchidism, epilepsy, and any neurological disorders including NCL. Our conversation with a prospective owner always involves questions to understand the kind of dog the person would like — the more details the better. If so inclined, the prospective owner can request guidance in picking the puppy based on personality and activity level, temperament, phenotype, and more. We evaluate our puppies at 6 weeks of age on a variety of parameters. We provide lifetime unlimited advice and guidance by phone to owners concerning all subjects relating to dog ownership. You can be sure you will have the information you need to succeed even if this is going to be your first American Bulldog puppy. Because we stand by the quality of our work, we want our owners to participate in our breeding program and we are happy to provide the necessary guidance. Our dogs are also ideal candidates for service animal work. Training a service dog requires a significant investment of time and money, making the genetic health and temperament of the dog even more critical. A service dog needs to be healthy, hassle-free, intelligent and receptive to training, have stable temperament to handle any type of environment, and of course lead a long life disease-free. All of these selective requirements for service dog candidates make Grand Future American Bulldogs an ideal fit. Join us in our mission of producing the best American Bulldogs possible! Professional worry-free shipping worldwide Of course our preference is for you to come visit our home, get acquainted with us, and pick up your new American Bulldog puppy in person. However, we understand that it is not feasible for everyone. Even if you do not live anywhere near Nevada, do not be concerned — we are highly experienced at shipping our American Bulldog puppies worldwide, as even just the list of our Grand Champions and Champions spanning 9 nations attests. We can prepare all necessary export documentation. Search this website.

Contact We treat our dogs and puppies like family.As one of the top breeders of English Labrador Retrievers in Alabama, we take pride in making them feel loved with plenty of daily attention and ensuring they are happy and healthy. Located in St. Clair County, just east of Birmingham, it is important to us that all of our adult dogs are given extensive health testing and regular Veterinary visits to keep them current on vaccinations. Our puppies are well socialized and current on all necessary shots and worming before they come home to you. Inquire Now We treat our customers the way we would like to be treated.We are Rod and Nancy Hollis of Alabama Labs and we are big believers in living life by this golden rule Mark .We want you to be well pleased with your new puppy and offer a month health guarantee. We are available anytime for questions or concerns and will do our best to make this a great experience from our family to yours! Bringing Happiness to Your Homes, One Pup at a Time Exclusively Breeding English Labrador Retrievers Since opening our doors in , it has been our goal to breed healthy and beautiful puppies that will exceed your expectations. We remain committed to this by upholding the highest standards in the industry and conducting extensive health testing to ensure your newest family member arrives home as perfect as you had hoped for! Share 0 Shares Labrador Retrievers also make excellent family canine companions. They love their owners unconditionally and are wonderful with children. Before deciding on a breeder, be sure to speak with them yourselves, either through email, phone, or in-person visit if possible. Most breeders will have limited AKC registration, meaning that you can show the dog but not breed them. Some will do a full AKC registration, but that will come with a higher price tag. There are two lines of Labradors, American and British, with the British line having the stockier look with a broad chest and head. Rock Springs love this line for their intelligence, excellent hunting instincts, and loyalty. Many of their sires and dams come from champion bloodlines and have won awards. Each year, Rock Springs offers black, yellow, chocolate, fox red, or white puppies, depending on their sire and dam. Each puppy will come with a health guarantee and is replaceable if a serious health defect is found within the time frame of buying a puppy. With excellent customer reviews from customers and an active social media page, Rock Springs Labs is an excellent choice for your newest family member. Pet Keen is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. We understand there are many reasons for seeking a breeder, though, so we encourage it to be done the right way. We have not personally investigated all of the breeders below, rather, we have gathered their details for you to get in touch and ask all the right questions before you decide. Learn more about our position and how to choose a breeder here. When it comes to finding the perfect Labrador Retriever puppy, there are tons of options out there — one of which is purchasing from a breeder. Most are small, family-owned operations run by people who sincerely love Labrador Retrievers, meaning you should be getting happy, healthy pups. Look at our list to get started on your hunt for your new pet! The 9 Labrador Retriever Breeders in Alabama 1. Aggie Labs Visit Their Website Fairview, AL Aggie Labs runs a small, family-owned kennel featuring AKC approved Labrador Retrievers and has Labrador puppies in a range of colors, including black, chocolate, yellow, cream, and silver, with the lighter colors costing a bit more than the darker ones. They offer limited AKC registration, up-to-date vaccinations, a month health guarantee, plus all puppies are micro-chipped. One reviewer highly recommended this breeder saying the puppy they got was easily trainable. Puppies come with health guarantees of 1 year for eyes and 2 years for hips. Hickory Nut also offers nationwide personal delivery. Colors include black, chocolate, white, yellow, and fox red. Their health guarantee covers parasites, eye color changes, fertility issues, and communicable diseases. One customer commented on the extreme cleanliness of the kennel, as well as the high intelligence of the puppy they purchased. Ruffwood Labs encourages kennel tours so you can see their pups and get to know them. Dogs come to the buyer with up-to-date vaccinations and have been wormed, plus you can request to have an AKC Reunite Microchip placed. This breeder also offers a military and first responder discount! All puppies sold will have had their first round of shots and will be wormed. Prices vary according to the title and pedigree of the parent dogs. All pups sold will have been wormed at least twice and will have had their first shots. Parent dogs have all been cleared for any hip or eye issues.

Why Is My Dog Shaking? Dogs are known for their loyalty and companionship, but when they start shaking, it can be a cause for concern for pet owners. Shaking in dogs can be a sign of various issues, from dog anxiety and dog fear to dog medical conditions. In this blog post, we will explore the common causes of a dog shaking and what pet owners can do to identify and treat the problem. We will also offer tips for preventing dog shaking and ensuring.By doing regular grooming at home, you can help your dog look its best between visits to the groomer. You also get to bond more closely and build stronger trust with your dog. Routine grooming sessions will keep your dog clean and feeling fresh, but it will also.Their personality is lively, their nature fun-loving, and their disposition affectionate. As even-tempered, sweet, and playful dogs, Pugs make wonderful playmates for kids of all ages and lovely companion pets for couples, singles, and seniors. These little joy bringers love to cuddle and are generous with their Pug love. When it comes to their family, Pugs attach like magnets. They are known to happily shadow their humans in every activity and are just as happy lazing on the couch all day as they are going for a long evening stroll around the neighborhood. Transportation to Stockton, CA available. Why buy a puppy for sale if you can adopt and save a life? Chihuahua, California » Stockton. Our Pug puppies are raised in a family environment and interacted with daily to prepare them for a smooth transition to their new homes. Pugs for adoption in the Stockton, California area come with a year health guarantee. Pugs for adoption in the Stockton area come with a year health guarantee. At Premier Pups, we specialize in raising exclusive Pomsky puppies for adoption in the Stockton area. We have amazing Cocker Spaniel puppies here for sale. At Premier, our Pomeranian puppies come with a passion for cuddles, love, and a year health guarantee. Cuddly, sweet, and incredibly cute, our Shorkie puppies are made for the spotlight. Dog adoption in Stockton California is available for those who are in need of a pet and cannot. We would love. Holding true to our Premier Promise, we offer a year health guarantee for all our Shorkie puppies. Search local pets adoption and sale listings in your area. Stockton CA Labradoodle. Will come with up to date shots as well as paperwork from vet. Buy, Sell or Adopt Pets in Stockton. But this dog breed was also useful in guarding and driving livestock. CA domain extension in an Internet address represents that the website has connections to or is intended to cater to Canadian audiences. Look at pictures of puppies in Stockton who need a home. The compound calcium nitrate consists of a total of nine atoms, including one atom of calcium, two of nitrogen and six of oxygen. He was then imported to the United States in and was accepted by the American Kennel Club the following year. California Corgis in Paradise is a reputable corgi puppy breeder providing quality corgis throughout California. At Premier Pups, we align ourselves with the nation's top breeders to offer you happy and healthy Shih Tzu puppies for adoption near Stockton. Holding true to our Premier Promise, we offer a year health guarantee for. Join millions of people using Oodle to find puppies for adoption, dog and puppy listings, and other pets adoption. Chihuahua puppies for sale.Find a Shihpoo puppy from reputable breeders near you in Stockton, CA. Prices reflect the discount and is automatically applied during checkout. San Francisco, CA. Condition: Other see description. Search for dogs for adoption at shelters near Stockton, CA. Positive personalities, Very playful, Eating soft puppy chow. The American Boxer Club was established in .Cuddly, sweet, and incredibly. Boxer puppies for sale in Stockton CA. Beautiful pups with amazing coats. Browse thru our ID Verified puppy for sale listings to find your perfect puppy in your area. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to help you find the puppy your. Posted about 5 years ago in Stockton, CA. Vouchers Updated on October 29, .We have super gorgeous Pug puppies for sale. See our available Pomeranian puppies for sale near Stockton, California. The puppies and their parents receive the best care with regular grooming and health inspections. Reptiles can make great pets from the aquatic turtles to the sun-loving snakes. German shepherd puppies Stockton ca pic hide this posting restore restore this posting. Today is the best time ever to search for dog adoption near you in Stockton, California. German Shepherd Puppies For Sale! He is the father of Ellie who is at the s more. The extension is the official top-le. The normal range for tumor marker , also called cancer antigen , is less than or equal to 30 units per milliliter, states the University of Rochester Medical Center. Find your adorable Pomeranian puppy for sale in Stockton, California at Premier. His main purpose is for hunting large game Maku gets along great with other dogs, and absolutely loves people. The Alpha Paw dog rescue center provides both nearby animal shelters. Adopt, rescue or buy puppies, kittens and more in Stockton! Click here to learn more about our dogs! See available Mini Aussiedoodle puppies for sale in Stockton. We love doggies and have a pack of our own! Boxer puppies for sale Stockton, California Introduction of the Boxer The Boxer dog breed originated in Germany and has been around since the late 19th century. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to. The Boxer dog breed slowly gained popularity throughout Europe in the late s. Manteca, CA .This will be her second litter with Bosa who is a full standard parti poodle. Find and adopt a pet on Petfinder today. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we Shop your Stockton Petco store to find reptiles for sale to add to your family. Puppies for SALE! The puppies receive regular health checks and nose-to-tail inspections before they are ready to go to their new home. Our babies love to roam around and play in our backyard! Welcome to our mini puppy heaven sanctuary! Over 4 weeks ago on Americanlisted. Craigslist Puppies Stockton Mutts combine the best qualities of all the breeds in their lineage and are often the best behaved and most lovable pets to own. The listing agent for these homes has added a Coming Soon note to alert buyers in advance. Picture of DNA test included 3 boys still available along with Mom and female from a previous litter are also available. List of all international craigslist. You must enable JavaScript to use. Craigslist of adoption of animals Cat, Hamster, Tropical fish, Puppy, etc. I have 9 week old chocolate lab puppies ready for there forever home. They have had there first 2 sets oh shots and have been dewormed both times. Start with a new fur baby!!! Mutts combine the best qualities of all the breeds in their lineage and are often the best behaved and most lovable pets to own. Our rats are super sweet, and temperament tested at a young age. Pets near Stockton, NJ - craigslist. We have some beautiful baby pet rats available right now. We've detected that JavaScript is not enabled in your browser. The pups are 10 weeks old, have first shots and have been wormed. Must See!! I will be taking full fees and will be ready to go to his forever home. We are not a rescue organization; we are simply a reptile and tortoise educated family that has a special love for tortoises and other land turtles, and we can offer your baby a great home. All detail on that are on our website Many colors, and types available. Chocolate labs 4 weeks old. Mom and dad are our family pets. They are very loving, playful, and energetic puppies. Whether you call them Barrel Racer Supreme or. There is a total of 1 female left. Pictures of dogs and cats who need a home. If you have a tortoise, or a land turtle that is need of a home we would be happy to take it in. Best Dining in Vidnoye, Moscow Oblast: See Tripadvisor traveler reviews of 53 Vidnoye restaurants and search by cuisine, price, location, and more. We raise pet rats for genetics in color, type, and even personality. Here are some from nearby sorted by distance - change search area Jan 9 Female Rats pic 7. Dogs typically live within households and are owned by people as pets or as working dogs, which makes them domestic for the most part. Picture of DNA test included 3 boys still available along with. Pets in Stockton - Local Stockton Pets for sale or adoption and wanted ads for pets in your area. Pet Adoption - Search dogs or cats near you. Updated Elk Grove 5 bedroom 3 bath home is ready for you. Free Stockton Backpage classified site .Rehoming yorkie x border collie puppy. We are the best alternative of Craigslist Stockton and Yelp. We are offering scheduled viewings and pickups at this time. Dogs go into labor when it is time to have their puppies. All detail on that are on our website. Our Values Pug Knowledge. Our beautiful male and female pug puppies are now ready to meet their new loving family. Pug Puppies For Sale. Gorgeous Pug Puppies For Adoption. Pug Puppies for Sale Near Me. Pugs for Sale in Riverside, CA. Located in Ontario, Tesoro Pugs has been raising top-notch pugs in California. A good natured and family friendly pup, the Pug will win your heart. Brindle Pug Puppies for Sale. Pugs for adoption in the San Diego, California area come with a year health guarantee. Pugs for Sale in Los Angeles. Check out some of the recently sold Pug puppies in California. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to help. Pugs are true joy bringers from the moment they are born. Using a mild dog shampoo and a fresh-scented conditioner will make your pup look and feel great. What are the origins of Pugs? Ready to go to their forever homes Pug California pure bred male pug for sale -. Super adorable French bulldog Puppies. A very friendly and loyal breed know to be fun and loving. Micky and Emmy Pug Puppies for sale. Celebrating 26 years of showing quality, genetically health-tested champion pugs with wonderful temperaments. Although they are a petite breed, pugs are also stout little pooches, making them less fragile than other. Kennel trained and family raised with children kijiji. Fun loving and Brought up with small children. Find a puppies near me Category. Greet our Pug puppies available in California, CA. Pug Puppies for Sale in California. We provide the puppies with a loving family so that they are ready for their forever homes. They will be available to go to their new homes March .Photos and contact info on Advertigo website. Pug For Sale in California .They are current on all shots, potty trained, AKC registered, and. The small stature of San Jose CA Pugs for sale means that they're a terrific choice for smaller homes or apartments, and they have quite low exercise requirements. Hailing from China and popularized by European royalty, the modern Pug is a stocky, docile companion who just plain loves people. Mom is a brindle and Dad a silver. Both puppies are AKC registered with their chip, deworm, shots and vaccines all up to date. The small stature of San Jose CA Pugs for sale means that they're a terrific choice for smaller homes or apartments, and they have quite low exercise requirements too. Pug, California » Sacramento Premium. They are all black pugs pure bred and have their first set of shots. The first step is to check out all of our currently available litters, both in your local area and all across the US. Ready for thanksgiving!!! If you are unable to find your Pug puppy in our Puppy for Sale or Dog for Sale sections, please consider looking thru thousands of Pug Dogs for Adoption. Puggle for sale milanirodriguez Valentine was born around May 22, .Pug For Sale in Orange County .These gorgeous Puppies have been raised in our family home…. Overall, we believe this is a very reputable Pug breeder in California. Browse photos and descriptions of of California Pug puppies of many breeds available right now! Playful sweet and typical adorable Pug. Click to browse available Pug puppies from 5 Star Breeders. Super adorable and loving Pug Puppies Males and Female are available. View Pug for sale in Palm Springs. The Pug is a small breed, and Pugs never really get too tall. Since then, they have produced numerous pugs and show dogs. Despite their tiny size, they have the biggest hearts. California, Los Angeles, .Pug For Sale in Sacramento County .San Francisco, CA .They are current on all shots, potty trained, AKC registered, and 22 Months. Looking for a Pug for sale California? There are no fixed prices when it comes to Pug puppies for sale in Southern California or Pug puppies Northern California. They are very easy to train and eager 22 Months. Welcome to our Adoption Page! Introducing our beautiful pugs available for adoption. This is a great breed for families with children. Once the companions of Chinese royalty, their distinct faces are complemented by sweet demeanors. Puggle For Sale in California .In general, fully grown pugs measure up at about inches, and the males tend to be a little taller than the females. Find Pug puppies for saleNear California. For more info email us at melissastep7 gmail. Pug Puppies for sale in California. We treat your pets like the valued family members they are. Puppies Pugs! They grow from a cute little puppy to approximately ten to eleven inches tall and generally can weigh from fourteen to eighteen pounds once they are full grown. Owners are often surprised by the easygoing, easy-to-train nature of Pugs and they're always eager to please. Beautiful Pugs for Sale. Pugs for adoption in the Sacramento, California area come with a year health guarantee. Ready to go to their forever homes Pug. Tesoro Pugs California. Pug puppies and dogs in nearby cities. Pug puppies for sale in California from trusted breeders. Pug puppy for sale in California. Famous Pugs Southern California. Riverside Dogs for Sale and Adoption. French Bulldog Puppies for Sale in California. Pug puppies for sale Los Angeles are pretty small compared to most breeds. Vet check, first set of shots, deworm done today and they are ready for their loving homes. Browse these Pug rescues and shelters below. CA Find Pug puppies for sale Near California Smart and playful with a short muzzle and expressive eyes, the Pug's low-key lifestyle makes them perfect city dogs. Browse photos and descriptions of of California Pug puppies of many breeds available right now! AnimalsSale found Pug puppies for sale in California near you, which meet your criteria. When you find a pup that interests you, chat with the breeder to learn more and ask any questions you might have. Let us do the work! We can let you know when your search has new results. Pretty Pugs for Sale. This breed has been a favorite for generations. Mark and Lola Pug Puppy for sale. California Pugs for sale can, therefore, be a great choice for inexperienced or first-time owners. The kennel started breeding pugs in .Pug Puppies for Sale from California Breeders. Our Pug puppies are raised in a family environment and interacted with daily to prepare them for a smooth transition to their new homes. Pug puppies for sale in California with Price. He is 18 weeks old, has all his shots. Pug Breeders in California! Pugs for Sale in Stockton. For out-of-state customers, we have nationwide delivery options tailored to every need. They will be socialized around young kids, ensuring they are the perfect family pet for you! We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to help you find the puppy your whole family will love. These top quality Frenchies are bread at the highest level to ensure guaranteed maximum health. The cost of any pug depends on various factors like the coat color, eye color, general appearance, breeder experience, and more. She is chipped and has all her shots and paperwor. Find Pug puppies for sale. They are quite friendly, and nothing can stand in the. Also, be sure to check the Pug Dog Breeder listings in our Dog. Here are a few organizations closest to you: Shelter .Join millions of people using Oodle to find puppies for adoption, dog and puppy listings, and other pets adoption. Easy, transparent and safe: healthy and happy Pug puppies from the best breeders. Pugs can be pretty lazy, which is not a bad thing when you live in an apartment, condo, or other smaller living space. If you are unable to find your Pug puppy in. Looking for a Pug for sale California? There are no fixed prices when it comes to Pug puppies for sale in Southern California or Pug puppies Northern California. We put PuppySpot as the number one pug breeder on our list because we had a great 3. Located in Ontario, Tesoro Pugs has been raising top-notch pugs in California. Showing 1 - 21 of Pug puppy litters. Pugs are the most amazing dogs. Westminster Dog Show Best photos from Day 1 schedule. The breeders take great pride in their breeding line. Ibeza is currently being fostered in Moreno Valley, If you would like to meet her, please fill out an Adoption Application at www. If you want a pet that will definitely be a conversation starter when you have friends or family over, you may want to consider a California tarantula. We are a small family kennel located in the High Desert of Southern California. All of our puppies are bred, raised, and loved indoors to produce happy, healthy pets for those seeking the best family companion! When we got our first dog, we were instantly in love. We rescue and foster pugs, pug mixes and other needy dogs from high kill shelters in Southern California. Caravelle Pugs .Pug Puppies for Sale in NY. Pug puppies with OFA health-tested parents,…. What kind of dog is a Pug? The pug is a toy breed that was first bred in China, later being brought to Europe. Despite their tiny size, they have the biggest hearts. We encourage all prospective puppy owners to do their research and be prepared with questions to ask the breeder. Charlene from Posh Pugs is from California and breeds Pugs of standard and rare colors. Pugs that are pregnant for longer than 67 days need medical attention. The human with whom they share a name may have been the. Pugs are true joy bringers from the moment they are born. Caravelle Pugs can be your best stop if you want Pug puppies in California. She does well with other dogs and we believe she would be fine with older children. Call or text for current availability .Pug Puppies for Sale in California. Pug Nation Rescue of Los Angeles is a registered c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, care, and placement of abandoned, neglected, unwanted, displaced, and abused pugs. Location: Ontario, California. They do not have AKC registration. Because all breeding programs are different, you may find dogs for sale outside that price range. California contact Tesoro for the full address Phone: Email: thepugpalace aol. Lola - Pug short coat Dog For Adoption. This family has bred, raised, trained, and handled their Pugs to the championships and has become well respected in the Pug community. Using a mild dog shampoo and a fresh-scented conditioner will make your pup look and feel great. Pugs love to be loyal and love their owner. Our dogs are not a business but a very special part of our family. One of the safest places to find inexpensive pugs is an animal shelter or rescue group. My champion bred puppies are bred to the highest standards. The best photos of dogs from Westminster on Day 1 of the dog show. We sell our babies to approved homes. This breed has been a favorite for generations. Every year Pug Nation saves and adopts out hundreds of loving Pugs from the streets of Southern California — thanks to the support of individuals like you. High quality, healthy Fawn, Black, Silver and White. Pugs are pregnant for an average of 63 days, according to Pet Pug Dog; however, a normal pug pregnancy can last anywhere from 60 to 65 days. Our Values Pug Knowledge. Hailing from China and popularized by European royalty, the modern Pug is a stocky, docile companion who just plain loves people. My family and I are proud of our pug accomplishments! It's taken more than 2 decades to learn, breed, raise, train, handle our home bred pugs. Each pug has a very different personality. Pugs for adoption in the San Diego, California area come with a year health guarantee. Pug puppies for sale in Stockton, CA from trusted breeders. A good natured and family friendly pup, the Pug will win your heart. These pugs are our personal pets that occasionally have puppies. Japug Breed Information and Pictures. They acclimate to any life-style, and are always quite content. Caravelle Pugs can be your best stop if you want Pug. Their pugs are raised in their home alongside. A very friendly and loyal breed know to be fun and loving. The pug lover and cartoonist at Bah Humpug drew this complete, adorable pub alphabet. AKC proudly supports dedicated and responsible breeders. As preservation breeders, we only include pugs in our breeding program who are healthy, exemplary. This is because we have stringent screening requirements and processes in place to ensure we are only working with the highest rated and most ethical breeders out there, especially when it comes to San Diego Pug puppies for sale. Every puppy we breed is registered with the American Kennel Club paid for by Pickwick Pugs , and microchipped with AKC Reunite, and regularly examined and vaccinated by our amazing board certified veterinarians. Check out some of the recently sold Pug puppies in California. If you're looking for a special kind of Pug for sale California, you're in the right place, and you'll find a great range of options from trusted, vetted breeders here on Uptown. Matthew's Pugs in California. I'm the breeder behind Puggies Pugs located in California. The breeders take care of the pups like their children and love them dearly. Booboox is a light brown black face female pug. I'm the breeder behind Matthew's Pugs located in California. Designer Desire Labradoodles and Puggles Pug-and-Beagle hybrids may be all the rage today, but they'll have a long way to go before they can claim the staying power of the all-time champion designer dog the one that. Our physical home is located in Alabama, USA where we live with a grumble of delightful pugs young and old. Premier Pups is a platform that connects and matches top Pug. Our dogs are not a business. Celebrating 26 years of showing quality, genetically health-tested champion pugs with wonderful temperaments. Pug puppies for sale in Moreno Valley, CA from trusted …. Breed: Pug Location: San Bernardino, CA Pure bred home-raised beautiful female pug puppies, AKC, dewclaws removed, shots, nine weeks old, parents on site, for sale to responsible, loving hom… puggles puppies for sale .We only work with Pug breeders who pass our 47 breeder standards. With each wonderful picture and it's text, you will learn my commitment and love that it takes to breed and raise champion pugs. The American expat husband and wife team that own The Smoking Pug have quickly amassed a. Premier Pups is a platform that connects and matches top Pug breeders with dog lovers. Our puppies are excellent representations of their breed, and we are proud to offer our high-quality puppies to loving homes. Find Pug dogs and puppies from California breeders. Phyllis Henderson is the primary breeder behind the success of this kennel. Daug Breed Information and Pictures. Please call or email for further details. PetPAC: www. For out-of-state customers, we have nationwide delivery options tailored to every need. Also, be sure to check the Pug Dog Breeder listings in our Dog Breeder Directory, which feature upcoming dog litter announcements and current puppies for sale for that dog breeder. Learn care tips about your pug dog, including the pug life span and pug health problems. If you already have too many dogs, you might not want to look at these cute pug pictures, because you're definitely going to want to get one. As close to pug standard is what I aim and strive to achieve. More than 2 decades of careful and dedicated planning have gone into my breeding program. Cheap pugs also can be found in pet stores and through online classified ads, but this can be a risky way to find them. We keep a variety of factors in mind when choosing dogs to breed, including health, temperament, pedigree, and complementary traits, so. Numerous pets are legal in California unless a law or regulation specifically states that a species of animal is illegal to keep as a pet. Their pups are bred to carefully chosen AKC champion-line stud dogs. Frenchie Pug Breed Information and Pictures. But where should you go to find your perfect Pug breeders in California? Great question. Their breeding dogs come from great bloodlines and are cleared of any health defects. Welcome to the virtual home of Pickwick Pugs, dedicated to the pug breed since .My Dogs are members of our family and hunting partners. I'm not sure anymore! Designer Desire Labradoodles and Puggles Pug-and-Beagle hybrids may be all the rage today, but they'll have a long way to go before they can claim the staying power of the all-time champion designer dog the one that never claimed designer designation the Cockapoo. PJ's Precious Pugs is yet another kennel to check out if you're looking for Pug puppies for sale in California. It has lots of great reviews, and many consider it one of the best options for prospective pug owners. Once the companions of Chinese royalty, their distinct faces are complemented by sweet demeanors. All of the dogs we save are scheduled to killed due to illness or overcrowding before we save them! They're healthy and happy and ready to meet their forever family! Both parents are purebred Pugs, see pictures. The breeder's goal is to provide you with a healthy Pug that will brighten your life and be a great companion pet. And now you know our Aww-B-Cs! At Keystone Puppies, you will be working with professional, compassionate breeders who take great pride in producing happy healthy puppies for adoption that make the best fur-ever friends! No problem! Our Keystone Puppies Delivery Specialists can help! Don't let your dream puppy for sale slip through your fingers just because he lives so far away! Delivery Process Help Stop Puppy Mills We at Keystone Puppies have a zero tolerance toward puppy mills and any substandard or inhumane breeding practices. From the no-hassle health guarantees on all puppies for sale — to holding our accredited breeders to the highest standard — we put you and your new dog first. This doggie dedication starts at home, as every team member of our puppy adoption agency has at least one four-legged friend of their own. We know what dogs need to be able to fall in love with their fur-ever family right away and we understand what matters most to puppy parents. I named him Gunner. I was very impressed with all the puppies and with both the parents! All the dogs are clean and well kept and friendly and very good looking! I Love my Gunner so much!! Thank You!

The greatest danger to newborn puppies is getting chilled. Puppies cannot regulate their body temperature for the first two weeks of life and can die if they are not kept warm. If you need to separate them from the mother dog to move them, they can chill quickly, so moving them must be done with care. Picking Up the Puppy Wash your hands before picking up the puppies. Be sure the mother dog is comfortable letting you handle them. Prepare her by speaking quietly to her in a reassuring manner. Run your hand over each puppy gently, and slide your hand under one puppy at a time. If the puppies are large, place both hands under the puppy. Carefully pick up the puppy. Moving Puppies Have a box, dog crate or clean laundry basket large enough to hold the litter beside you. Place a clean towel inside. Heat a pet-safe disk according to the directions and place it under the towel. Make the sure disk has a cover and will not directly touch the puppies. Carefully place each puppy in the container. Cover the box or basket with a towel. She will want to follow you. Let her accompany you as you move the puppies, and show her the new location. When you relocate the puppies, place them one at a time in the new location and let the mother dog watch you. She likely will join her litter as you place them. A mother dog will not want to be separated from her puppies, and any separation should be as brief as possible. The puppies need to begin nursing as soon as they are born, and will nurse frequently for several weeks. Moving by Car If it's necessary for you to move a litter by car, place the puppies in a dog crate lined with towels that can be secured with a seat belt in your car. Use a heated disk to keep them warm while you travel. Put the mother dog in a separate crate so she does not lay on the pups while you travel. Maintain the temperature in the vehicle at a minimum of 70 degrees. If the outdoor temperature is cold, move the puppies as quickly as possible in a covered box. Whelping means the process where a female dog gives birth to puppies. And a whelping box is a container or box designed to keep the puppies safe and warm. Having a whelping box makes it convenient for the mother to give birth comfortably. Female dogs are very protective of their puppies. Hence the nesting box offers a sense of security. Female dogs need assistance and a safe place to give birth. Hence, a whelping pen would be of great help. If your dog is about to give birth, it would be better to get a box or make it yourself. For a small dog like Pomeranian, you can convert a large card box into a whelping pen. You can put your creativity into the process and make a nesting box for your dog. If your dog is big, she might probably give birth to a large number of puppies. Hence, the size of the box should be large enough to fit the puppies and the mother. Furthermore, you can get the box from a pet store if creativity and DIY are not your forte. Here are some of the factors that you need to consider: The sides of the pen should be high enough that can keep the puppies safe for three weeks. Also, make sure that the mother can move to and fro freely. The size of the pen should be spacious enough for your dog and puppies. It should have enough space where the mother can feed her pups comfortably. In addition, it should allow them to move freely. It will help to keep the pups warm when the mom is not around. These are the factors that you need to consider while getting a nesting box. It helps the mother and the pups in the long run. You would notice the growth within the first few weeks. They can move and stand up over the sides of the whelping pen. By three weeks, they become mobile and able to move towards the edge of the nesting box. However, before it reaches that stage, you should take care of it diligently. Some pups would go astray and get lost. Hence, getting a box with proper height is essential. Sometimes the mother has to go out of the box for a nature call or food. The box offers a sense of security both to the dog owner and the mother. When the puppies are born, they have no control over their body temperature. So, while the mom is out, the box will keep them warm. However, you have to make sure that the bottom of the box is covered with a soft blanket. By three weeks, they will start moving, and some puppies might even get out of the box. So, the real chaos begins when they reach three weeks. It would be best if you were more careful than ever. How to Keep the Nesting Box Clean? Taking care of puppies can be quite tiring. Once the puppies are born safely in the box, it would be better to change the sheet or the beddings. The mother will take care of it. However, from the second to the third week, the real work starts. It will help if you make sure that the box is clean. While cleaning the box, you can keep the pups temporarily in a warm blanket. You need to replace the sheet or newspaper at least twice or thrice per day. However, keeping the box clean prevents the puppies from possible bacterial infections. It also helps to keep the puppies clean. You should see that the nesting box is clean and dry. So, like a responsible dog owner , make sure that the box is clean and warm. Changing the Whelping Box to Other Areas Once the puppies have passed the first week, you place the box in other areas. It will help them to get used to the new smell and sounds. However, make sure that the place is quiet and warm. Some kids would like to hold the pups, which would be too early and maybe dangerous. During the first two weeks, puppies are pretty delicate. So, it would be best to keep far away from children. The first three weeks are a crucial moment for you and the pups. The puppies are in their developing stage, and they need a quiet and calm environment to grow. So, you should make sure that puppies are kept safe and warm. They would be too young to take the regular food and would cause indigestion. But you can keep water for the mother. They get very thirsty while taking care of the puppies. She requires good protein and energy to keep the pups fed through her milk. You can place the food in the water once they can move or walk. However, make sure that the food is easily digestible. Also, puppies tend to eat food without a limit. So, you should give the food moderately. Overeating can cause indigestion and vomiting. Hence, it would help if you were careful not to overfeed them. It offers a sense of security to the mother and the dog owners as well. Having a nesting box helps to keep the puppies from going astray. The first three weeks are crucial for the puppies to grow and develop healthily. Having the right size of the whelping box can help both the puppies and the mother move freely. It allows the mother to breastfeed the puppies comfortably. If your dog is about to give birth, it would be better to arrange a whelping box. It offers safety and assurance to both the mother and puppies. These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be challenging, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. A whelping box is an important item to have when puppies are about to be born. You can construct something yourself or buy a specifically designed boxes from pet stores. When can puppies leave the whelping box? Puppies can often leave the whelping box at 3 weeks old. At this age, puppies can move out of the whelping box as they become more mobile. Puppies can stand up and even climb out of the whelping box nest. At this age, puppies start to explore outside of their nest, to find out more about the wide and exciting world around them. Well, I can tell you that a whelping box will help you and the mother cope better with a horde of tiny puppies in their first few weeks. What is a whelping box? Also known as a nest or whelping pen, the whelping box is a container designed to keep the newborn litter in one safe and cozy place. The mother also likes to have a place where she can give birth to her puppies in comfort while having a sense of security. Whelping means to give birth hence the name of the box. It should be placed in a quiet part of the house and set up a couple of weeks before your dog gives birth. This gives her time to get familiar with the box. Image via Pixabay. What can I use as a whelping box? If your dog is a little girl, you could convert a large, sturdy cardboard box into a nesting box. You can make your own if carpentry is your hobby or you could go to the local pet store and buy a whelping box. What to look out for when picking a whelping box You need to make sure you pick a whelping box that takes into consideration the following factors: The sides are high enough to keep the puppies safely contained in their first 3 weeks but low enough for the mother to move in and out freely. The size is big enough to accommodate all the puppies being born. The bottom of the box may come with whelping pads or you can simply line it with newspapers and a soft blanket. Some breeders will use wood shavings to cover the floor of the box. Some whelping boxes come with an extension which is great for more active puppies who are still too young to leave the pen but are moving around quite a bit. Picking the right whelping box goes a long way to keeping mum and pups comfortable and secure. When is the right age for puppies to leave the whelping box? Puppies develop and mature very quickly in their first few weeks. A whelping box is designed to keep the newborn puppies safe, warm, and comfortable. Keeping the puppies in one place and even using a heat lamp will help keep them warm. And, when the mother needs time out, she can leave the box and get some space knowing her pups are all safe in one spot. A whelping box gives you peace of mind your puppies are well-protected, staying warm, and not disappearing once they start crawling. But be ready for the exodus once they reach 3 weeks old and might start walking! How do I keep the whelping box clean? If your dog gave birth to the puppies in the whelping box, you would need to change the bedding once all the puppies are safely delivered. Keep them warm with a blanket. Use a non-chemical cleaning detergent and warm water to wash out the box. Remove any dirty bedding and replace with clean blankets, newspapers or wood shavings. Some breeders do put in a litter box for puppies once they start crawling. This could be the first step to house training your pups. Do regular inspections throughout the day to make sure the whelping box is always dry and clean. Can I move the whelping box to other areas? Once your puppies have passed their first week, you could consider moving them to different areas in the house. But remember, you need to keep them warm so make sure there are no draughts and the puppies are not too intimidated by the new environment. Be careful also with handling newborn puppies when moving them. For the first 3 weeks, the puppies are small, developing, and can be easily disturbed by too much activity around them. Do I need to put food and water in the whelping box? The puppies will be drinking milk from their mother for the first 3 to 4 weeks, before moving onto water. For the first 3 weeks, you could keep a bowl of water in the box for the mother. She will be very thirsty while nurturing her puppies. However, once the puppies start becoming mobile keep both the water and food outside the box. Conclusion Get ready for a whole lot of fun, but also stress. She will take them no doubt but being able to help just a little with whelping boxes, nesting, and more will make it so much easier for you. You might also like…. Stages of Puppy Development Birth to 3 weeks The first 20 days of a pups life it is not capable of much learning. The mental capacity is about nil. The pup will react when it is in need of food, sleep, warmth and its mother. During the first 3 weeks it is VERY important to look after the dam as well. She will in turn, look after the puppies. Once or twice a day the puppies should be handled by a human and they should be weighed daily. During the first 3 weeks most dams like to be in a warm secluded area, not in the family living area. Pups remain contently in their whelping box for the first 20 days of their life. Newborn puppies sleep most of the day away. No matter what the breed, this is the time when the dormant senses wake up. From day 21 to 28 puppies are in need of their mom more than any other time as their brains and nervous systems begin to develop and they become aware of their surroundings. As mom jumps out of the box, they suddenly watch her wondering where she went. Pups may start climbing out of the whelping box at this age, so it is time to expand their home. At this stage we add a small potty area beside the whelp box. If a puppy were to loose his mom at this stage it would greatly affect his emotional wellbeing. Emotional growth is just blossoming as the puppy realizes it is alive. It is also at this age that characteristics can develop like shyness and fear. Any negative characteristics that develop at this stage in life are often permanent personality traits. The puppies sleep 20 or more hours a day. They will not go far, but they will begin to explore. At this time we expand their area to add a play and eating area in the daytime. This is the time to move them out to the kitchen and family room area, where life is happening in the home. This is not the age to be in the back bedroom, garage or barn. During this time, a puppy will learn to respond to voices, sounds and recognize different people. The puppies in their group will establish a 'pecking order', some will want to lead and some will want to follow. The dominant ones will eat first and the omega ones will wait. The dominant ones can become bullies and hog all the toys. This is an important stage to watch to learn the temperaments of each puppy and should be used for placing puppies into the proper homes. Some scientific studies prove that if there is a bully in a litter that is making others cower and be shy it can set in traits that are very hard to turn around, but it is also important to leave puppies in a social group long enough to be adventurous and for the puppy to acquire some social competitive skills. On the same note, a puppy should never be allowed to get too pushy. While shyer puppies have to learn to handle themselves in social groups, a dominant puppy needs to learn it is not acceptable to be a bully. Different breeds need to be separated at different ages. Often if the bully is adopted out first the remaining puppies will loose some of their shyness. Puppies at this age sleep 18 to 20 hours a day. By 7 weeks, a pup is considered emotionally developed and ready to learn, but the pup does not possess an adult brain yet. At 7 weeks old the breeder of the pups can start crate training for an hour or two a day with 2 pups in a crate. This helps with separation anxiety. By 8 weeks of age a puppy should be able to go in a crate alone for a nap, and it is almost ready for its new home. A puppy should never be taken away from it's mother before weeks of age. The mother dog teaches the puppies in the litter manners, respect, social skills, and proper etiquette, along with many other valuable lessons. When a puppy misses this stage it can cause the pup to have future behavior issues as most humans do not understand natural dog behavior enough to teach the pup these things. What a puppy learns now will be retained and become part of who the dog becomes and his personality. Most dams stop caring for their pups by 7 weeks, as they have teeth and she pushes them away. If a pup is left with the dam during this period it's emotional development can be altered, as it remains dependent on her. The same can happen if littermates are placed together. They rely on each other instead of the new owner and they often do not find adequate security in their mom or littermate. They need their new owner to take over the role and it is important that the humans understand natural dog behavior in order to fulfill the puppies instincts and needs. First shots should be done at 7. When a puppy stays with his litter after 8 to 9 weeks of age without adequate human contact it doesn't adjust as well to a human social life. The optimum time to take a new puppy is from 8 to 9 weeks of age. It is always best to have a pup do his learning from his new owner and in his new home. Puppies are often adopted out at 8, 9, 10 or 11 weeks. Older puppies can do just fine if the breeder has spent a lot of time socializing them away from their littermates. Ideally 9 weeks seems to be the perfect age for most breeds to go to new homes. What the dog learns from 8 to 12 weeks will be with him forever. At this time the puppy must be introduced to other people and go for walks on the pavement street avoiding dirt or grass until it has had its 2nd shots. If the first shots are done at 8 weeks and second are done at 12 weeks it is a good idea to enroll in puppy kindergarten that starts right at 12 weeks. At this age on up to several months old, puppies will sleep 16 to 20 hours a day, give or take depending on the puppies energy level and the activity around them. Sleeping more during rapid growth sprurts. The sleep is broken up between night time sleep and naps during the day. It is common for a puppy to play hard, running around with bounds of energy, then suddenly crashing into a deep sleep. It is important to keep in mind that all puppies by this time have formed a general personality. Some are natural born leaders, some are middle of the road and could go either way and some are very submissive and really prefer not to lead anything. All puppies have an instinct to have a leader who can provide structure, because in their minds without it the pack cannot survive. Therefore even the most naturally born submissive dog may feel the need to take over as an alpha should they feel everyone else around them is too weak to care for the pack. These dogs are often very stressed out about their role because they really do not want it, but feel the need to lead just the same. After all, to them it's a matter of life or death. One of the biggest questions new owners call about is that the pup is an angel for the first couple weeks and then it starts to nip in an attempt to control things around it. This happens when a puppy does not see the humans as natural born leaders to which it can respect and it attempts to get the pack in order. If this happens it does not necessarily mean you got a bad puppy, but often means you are not being a good canine owner. Owners must be calm but firm and follow through. Set the rules of the home and stick to them. Teach basic obedience and how to heel on a leash. Do not let the puppy bolt out the door. Stay calm and confident and remember that dogs can feel your emotions. If you have emotional problems your dog knows and will see you as a weak being. Always remember to a dog anger is a weakness, so take a deep breath and control yourself. Should the puppy feel it is stronger minded than the humans it will not want to be at the bottom. Puppy owners should be prepared that the pup may attempt to establish itself as the dominant one in the family. This is where you need to understand a dog's natural instincts and learn their language so you can read them. It may see whether it can physically strike out at his owner like some teens and could nip or growl. Should this happen be prepared to stop the behavior immediately. It is kind of like kids wanting dessert before dinner or to stay up later. You just have to say NO. Each dog is different, just as kids are, therefore you need to figure out what works for you and your situation. If it is being aggressive one method is to pin it on its back and hold him there with a firm NO. If a pup is allowed to get away with bad behavior it will lose respect for the owner and learn that rebelling gets him his own way. The key is for the humans to be calm, confident and firm all at the same time. If you find yourself yelling or angry you as the human are out of control and need to learn how to portray yourself as someone your dog can look up to and respect. Dogs do not listen to unstable humans and anything but calm, confident and firm, to them is unstable. There should be zero tolerance for aggressiveness. Heaps of love and understanding will not stop bad behavior. A pup must be shown fast and firmly that you are the one in charge. If you have a good breeder who understands the dog even returning him for a few days can help as the breeder gets the dog back under control and you assess your own behavior and understanding of this animal you are trying to live with. Sending a dog away to be trained without training yourself never works, as the way your dog is acting often has more to do with the humans it is living with. This goes for any dog of any age. Learn how to groom your dog. Teach it to lie still for grooming and nail trimming. If you are having trouble call the breeder or a behaviorist for help. It is best to have earned a dog's respect and trust in regards to grooming by 16 weeks of age. A pups natural instinct will be to periodically try to test the order in the pack. Especially if there are children. If the owner is submissive, quiet and week, thus making the dog feel the need to lead the home, its respect for its owner will weaken and the owner will become inferior in the dogs eyes. In these cases the owner is destined to be owned by the dog and you will surely see behavior problems emerge. A puppy should have a good start on crate training when it leaves a breeder's home. Help your puppy feel secure by giving it its own bed and crate in a place where it can be alone when it needs some quiet time. It should be crated for one or two naps per day, especially when making and eating dinner and crated at night. It should not ever have the run of the house till after 6 months of age or housebreaking and training can become very difficult. A puppy should start formal obedience by 6 months of age, preferably sooner. Remember when you choose to adopt a dog you are choosing to take an animal into your home. The animal is not a human baby and humans are not born with canine instincts. Take some time to learn about the canine and be prepared to change your way of life to accommodate the new member of the family. During that first three weeks we weigh the puppies daily, trim their toenails every days, and put new collars on them every days as their growth is so rapid. The standard puppies are weighed on a regular digital scale and should gain an ounce a day at first and then up to ounces daily, whereas miniature puppies gain in a tenth of an ounce to start with and then an ounce or two a day. Jenny with litter at birth in 4' x 4' whelping box with lots of absorbent padding. Tasy in her "birthing bed" with the first three pups of the TS5 litter "Tasy" moves into her "doll crib" after the puppies are born - shown here at 3 weeks of age. We find it essential that the dam have food and water inside her whelping box the first week, however once she is willing to leave the box for short periods of time it can be set just outside the box, otherwise she will not eat and drink enough to provide all the milk needed for the puppies well being, and if you are not supplementing with goats milk, your puppies can suffer from dehydration. The standard dam has to produce almost two gallons of milk a day by the time a litter of puppies is two weeks of age. That's twice the amount a good dairy goat gives, who is at least double the dam's body weight. We find that goat milk, canned or fresh, is a much better supplement than the commercial formulas, as we have better weight gains and hardly ever have diarrhea in our puppies. If you have more than 8 puppies it is also essential that the dam's tail area and vulva be washed each time she goes out to go, as since there are not enough teats to go around there will always be a puppy trying to latch onto the vulva. The puppies can pick up bacteria and worm eggs, and a one celled organism called coccidiosis in this way which can lead to diarrhea. Mandy with AM3 Litter x Sterling at 1 week old. We practice what we call "giving the puppies an opportunity to learn" as a puppy raising method. We whelp the puppies in one corner of the living room where we have easy access to the box. We have found that moving the whelping box or puppy pen set-up on a weekly basis exposes the puppies to new scents and air currents and increases their adaptability and development by about two weeks, especially compared to puppies who are raised in the same corner until they go to their new homes. This is the first stage of their house breaking. Within hours the smartest puppies of the litter, barely able to crawl, will crawl out to use the paper and then crawl back into the whelping box. Within a few days the entire litter will usually be using the paper. Supplementing the puppies these first weeks gives us a good chance to play with the puppies feet, and get them used to their faces being handled for grooming, however even when we don't supplement we take time daily to handle every puppy and get them used to different textures, smells, and having their feet, faces, ears and tails handled. At three weeks of age when the ears open we start their cereal feeding, and use a soft clap with a "come, babies" command each time they are fed. This leads to the next step in the transition of removing the second box and the addition of a paper lined exercise pen to the whelping box at four weeks of age. At this time we start walking the puppies outside about every two hours from AM to PM. During this time ,the 4th-5th week, we teach them some basic commands - "in", "out", "potty outside", "walk", "watch", and continuing with their "come" command. Once they have understanding of these basic commands we then take them out to an outside play yard, regardless of the weather. It's really important to have this set-up close to an outside door if possible, or to use sections of an exercise pen to make an aisleway directly outdoors. Puppies can be carried outdoors, however their "potty outside" is learned much faster if they walk out the door in tune to the "out" command and the "potty outside" command at the same time. Usually within two days my standard puppies have quit having messes on the paper and are actually asking to go "out" - often at AM at this stage, and I do get up to accommodate them as this speeds their training amazingly, and I have a lot less mess to deal with - and less dirty crates when that time comes along. You can see that I do sleep within hearing of the puppies - usually until those we are continuing training with for their new families are weeks old. TS5 Miniature Litter - 2nd day of cereal feeding and 1st trip outside to the "big" world. We also start the grooming training at 4 weeks of age - starting with a bath with a soft water spray in a utility tub, and using a soft flow warm air dryer and a slicker brush - brushing the coat up the body toward the head, and up the legs toward the back as it dries. We always groom on a table, or the washer or dryer, or a counter - this is essential in getting the puppies used to being groomed on a grooming table and getting over any tendency toward the fear of heights. We cuddle them in our arms on the table to help them feel loved and secure, and to build their confidence level. We try to take pictures at birth, day old individual pictures, then every week thereafter for their new families, and for our albums. We also try to take litter shots as well at the various stages. I find that special touches add a lot of enjoyment, both for us raising the puppies, and for our families who are kept in the "link" of their puppy growing from infancy to toddler weeks. A Tasy x Promise Puppy before his first grooming and after his first grooming. My, oh my, what a difference!! We also start the worming program at four weeks of age - and this is really essential if you occasionally have a puppy that coughs after feeding, or vomits back up milk or cereal. Round worms are the one type of worm that the puppies can get in utero, and they grow as fast as the puppies. A heavy case of worms can often mimic other serious conditions in young puppies. It is also essential to use a low dosage of wormer in cases of heavy infestation, and at times give the puppy a few drops of oil by mouth, and possibly even an enema with a few drops of oil to help pass the worms. We use pyrantel pamoate for our first series of wormings. It is essential to worm every days until no worms are seen - these worms look like spaghetti - and once you see a litter of puppies pass them you never forget them. The wormer works in about six hours and is very effective. We have a computer generated health record that we complete on each puppy, and note all the worming's on it and on the litter weight records as well. Once the worming has been done, and if the teeth are coming in on the entire litter we start adding softened and mashed with potato masher kibble to the puppies cereal mixture - gradually reducing the rice baby cereal. During the next two weeks we gradually start adding cooked rice, cooked oatmeal, scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, ground apple and carrot, and a supplement Green Vibrance which has microbials in it to their soft feed. As soon as the puppies are able to eat dry kibble well and not just play with it we gradually reduce the soft feedings to AM and PM. The puppies often prefer dry kibble during times of heavy teething, however dry kibble no matter how well promoted does not meet all of their nutritional needs. Also the more organically chemical, steroid, and low grade antibiotic free a puppy can be fed, the better for its health and longevity. We keep our puppies on microbials their whole life as this keeps their intestinal system in optimal health - they absorb more nutrients, they produce less fecal material, they are less prone to other bacterial infections, they don't have smelly gas, they are less prone to bloat typical in a number of large breeds , they have better pigmentation as a result of absorbing more nutrients. We have also found that since taking this approach to diet that puppy and show coats on adults are more luxurious. As you can see their fourth week involves a lot of changes for the puppies. At six weeks of age we start the weaning process - although most "mothers" have already started it. A poodle "mom" is the most devoted creature ever the first week or two, but after that usually reclaims part of her own life to be with her human family. She will return to the whelping box every few hours to take care of her puppies needs, but other than that spends her time on a blanket or pad outside the box. Using a higher powered water spray, a higher powered table dryer, and if the coat is still thin enough a palm pro clipper again to clip the face, feet, tummy and tail. At this time Mishelle also adds standing the puppy properly on the table and does the first scissoring around the tail head and up the rump - as much to get the puppy used to the sound and feel of the scissors as because there is that much coat to scissor off. This is also when we try to take the first pictures of the puppies in a nice stance to send to everyone. This also helps to train the puppy for standing on the table which benefits when we do the conformation evaluations at 8 weeks of age. Puppies fearful on the table are very difficult to assess. This is also essential for miniature puppies that are going to be shown. It's very sad when a miniature is put on a table in the show ring for the judges inspection, and is fearful. Just minutes a day on a table, being encouraged to stand and be touched, can make a remarkable difference in just a week. A Maddy x Calvin puppy at 6 weeks of age after her 2nd grooming Six weeks is also when we remove the whelping box, as the mother now just gets in with the puppies about 4 times a day and either sits or stands to nurse them. She also starts to regurgitate her feedings for the puppies at this stage. The teeth are starting to come all the way in at this time, and the puppies will start sparring, and at times will really yelp. They learn at this stage not to bite each other too hard, and this is the first step to them learning not to bite humans too hard. We often have families who want to get their poodle puppies at this age, especially if they are going to training in agility. We do not allow any puppies to go to their new homes until they are weeks of age, as we feel that they need the "sibling rivalry" stage to learn aggressive and defensive behavior - which is learned by their interplay with each other. Many of our poodles go to homes with runners, and I can't tell you how many times they have had to defend their owners from aggressive dogs of other breeds, and always successfully. You never know when your poodle may have to come to your defense, and the maneuvers they learn as puppies at this age are the foundation for their defensive techniques, increase their alertness, and the speed of their thinking and their reactivity time. I love watching the puppies develop their skills during playtime at this stage. It is their transition from infancy to toddlers. It is also at six weeks that we remove the whelping box replacing it with two small crates without the gates on. Our favorite crates are the Furrari's, as they just snap together, and the gates can be opened from either side and simply lifted off for this stage of training. The first night all the puppies will crowd into one small crate - then I will hear them in the middle of the night groaning and grumbling, and in the morning the puppies will be divided between the two crates. That day we add a third small crate, and go through the same process - which we repeat until there are two puppies per crate. We never put the gates on at this stage, just allow the puppies the freedom to sleep in or out of the crates, and to play with them. We estimate that a poodle puppy develops 21 years in it's first year. From infancy to toddler, to preschool, to kindergarten, to pre-adolescent, to adolescent, to pre-teen, to teenager, to post teen, and early twenties. Their intelligence is equivalent to that of many humans, and the learning of human vocabulary in a standard poodle is amazing. They are a joy to work with and to train, many almost training themselves. At this point we start giving the puppies rawhide chew bones to help with their teeth cutting, the cardboard rolls from toilet paper, paper towels, tape rolls, and small boxes that they can pack around, tear up and destroy. Much like a toddler builds a stack of bricks and then knocks it down destructive stage so also does a puppy need to go through this stage. So we give them things that don't cost anything, that are light weight, and the right size around for a puppy jaw to pick up. They love it. We also start giving the puppies soft and hard toys to play with, and also try to observe which puppies in the litter are water lovers - they play in the water and empty the container almost as fast as we can fill it. We often get asked for puppies that like water by families that boat, or live on rivers or lakes, or on house boats. We start watching closely for the different types of personalities that the puppies have, how they relate to each other, to new situations, to new people, to other animals they come in contact with. Those that are more adventuresome, more curious, more courageous, etc. We are also watching for activity levels and how they move. It is also at weeks that we take the puppies to the back yard to play - as they are then big enough to be taught to go up and down steps. We have closed back steps, and open backed steps like condos and the steps at the air cargo depots for them to learn on. This can be quite a challenge to some, and we usually have to delay this training with the miniatures for a couple of more weeks when they are a bit bigger. They are so proud of themselves when they achieve success in going up and down the steps, even though it is just three steps - and will run up and down just for the joy of it. In the back yard they also learn to drink from an automatic waterer, so that they don't fear the hissing sound as it refills. Having nice clean feet, faces, and tail head and rump helps us to evaluate the puppies much better, and they will score better when all can be seen and evaluated. We do not give the puppies any treats prior to testing, nor do we do any actual crate training in closed crates. At this age the puppies get their first bath in the grooming tub with a harder spray of water instead of in the utility tub. The Force dryer is used for the first time, and the Andis or Oster clippers. This is also the clipping that helps us to determine the color that the puppies might end up as - blues and silvers are born black, silver beige and cafe-au-lait can be born very dark brown, light apricots that are going to cream out - we study the nose, feet, heels, and under the tail and neck for signs of color change. Tasy x Promise Pup - Black - at 8 weeks! A Mandy x Sterling Pup - Silver - at 8 weeks. Silvers and blues are born black and change gradually - starting with the muzzle and feet We try to schedule temperament testing 16 tests and conformation evaluations a three page form using AKC breed requirements, International breed requirements, and Puppy Puzzle testing at 8 weeks minus or plus three days, as this is the most accurate time for assessing conformation before the puppy starts its rapid growth spurts. This is at times a little early for temperament testing, however as so many families want their puppies at 8 weeks of age, it is necessary to do this before the litter starts to go to new homes. Often our entire litters are reserved before they are even born, or at least by the time they are 6 weeks of age, and this helps us to match puppies and their capabilities and personalities and temperament to the homes they are going into, especially the puppies that are shipped across the United States. This also means asking our prospective families for lots of details about their home style, their activities, other pets or animals in or around their homes, and what they want to do with their puppy as an adult. We also help families at this point to decide the best age of puppy to suit their lifestyle, as many families in todays age have difficulty getting the time those first weeks to house train a young puppy. The weekly cost covers food, treats, training, vaccinations and wormings. Temperament testing is beneficial, although there are those that disagree. It is done in a strange place by a strange person. It's purpose is to note the natural instincts and adaptability of the young puppies, and our families have found our assessments to be pretty accurate as their puppies have developed. The disadvantage of testing at 8 weeks versus 12 weeks, is that puppies can be conceived over a ten day period. The gestation period is days, with all of the body development being in the first 50 days, and the weight gain being in the last days. If the bitch whelps according to the first puppy conceived, then the last puppy or puppies conceived may not have had much weight gain - however due to genetics it will not always be the smallest puppies. When we do temperament testing we also try to be aware of which puppies opened eyes first and last, which had teeth coming in first and last - as these can be indicative of which puppies in the litter are the oldest and the youngest - as the psychological development can also be different, with the thinking processes of the youngest not being quite as developed as the thinking processes of the gestationally oldest puppies. In temperament testing we are looking at social skills, inanimate object retrieving instincts, sensitivity testing, chase response, bird retrieving instincts, perseverance and motivation. These help to determine which puppies might be best suited as companions, service and therapy candidates, agility and obedience prospects, those with "bird" instincts, and very important today those with good search and rescue and tracking instincts. Conformation evaluations are where we literally take a puppies body structure apart and put it back together again - all on paper. We are looking for the few puppies in a litter that are the most correct by breed specifications in bone structure. As companions for runners, horse back riders, hikers, bikers, etc. Most of our standard puppies, after 10 years of breeding are quite structurally correct - however we try to match structural correctness, temperament and personality to the needs of a family. To be a pick of the litter puppy it must score high in all three areas. At times a structurally correct puppy may not have the best temperament for competitive events, and a senior family doesn't need a puppy with a high working drive. When we complete the testing we vaccinate each of the puppies and tattoo them with their individual identification number - that designates their dam, her litter number, and the number of puppy within the litter - in their left ear. This tattoo must be read and entered in the medical records of the puppy by the families veterinarian at the time of the "well puppy check" within 10 days of receiving the puppy for our 2 year from date of birth guarantee to go into effect. As soon as the testing is completed we start crate training the puppies. The first night two puppies are put into a crate with the gate on, and given 3 small treats. They are cuddled before being put into the crate, and we use the "in" command which they are used to. When they are taken out in the morning they are hugged and cuddled again, and given their "go potty outside" command as we take them "out" the front door. The second night they are crated individually, and are also crated during the day for short periods of time, to get them used to taking "naps" in their crates. They are always given three tiny biscuits when we want them in their crates, and usually within three days they compete to see who can get in the crates first and turn around for their treats. Usually at this age the puppies will crate from approximately PM to about AM without having accidents in their crates, however I do get up in the middle of the night and let them out if someone gets really fussy. In hot summer weather they at times need out during the night to get a drink just as much as they need out to go potty. We always make their last soft feeding of the day by PM, so that they have plenty of time to evacuate before bedtime. Remember poodle puppies are very smart, and if they get me up several nights in a row - I watch very carefully to see if they really needed to go - and if not they have just decided to get me out of bed for some extra attention and playtime - remember the pre-adolescent who wants another drink of water, etc. They will test their new families in the same way, and if they win they are ruling the family instead of the family ruling them. At this point the puppies are ready to go to their new homes to families living locally, or those driving from other states to get their puppies. If they are flying we keep them for two more weeks - and ship when they are approximately 10 - 12 weeks old. This allows us to start travel training and leash training of the puppies, and allow them to develop better holding capacity for daytime crating before shipping. Also it gives us time to receive family t-shirts worn until sweaty and placed in ziploc bags to give to the puppies in their crates three days before shipping. Having items of clothing which we tie into knots for a pillow or toy allows the puppy to get used to it's new families scents, and helps it to adapt and bond much more quickly. It also gives us time to ship their puppy pack to them, before the puppy is shipped. We follow up on our puppies for years, and encourage our families to keep in touch with us and contact us with any questions regarding nutrition, training problems or needs. We also board our own puppies back, which is wonderful as then we get to assess their development and personalities as adults. We have families now who purposefully plan their vacations for the Oregon Coast just so they can leave their much loved poodles with us - they come from as far away as Montana, Idaho, north eastern Washington, California, Utah, and of course the closer regions of Oregon and Washington. Unless we are expecting a litter imminently they get to come back and live in the house with us, and always enjoy playing with so many other poodles in our huge back yard, and side yard play areas. We also continue any training that is in progress on the younger puppies. A Mandy boy at 15 weeks! A Lucy daughter at 1 year - sent by her family in Idaho Many of our families also return with their puppies to take the one-on-one grooming classes with us - with Mishelle now being the primary instructor. Many of our families are now doing all of their own grooming, and even if they aren't have found the class very beneficial as they have learned what to expect from a good groomer. Many have returned for second and even third classes to learn advanced scissoring techniques, and several are now learning show grooming and handling from us as well. It's biblical that the older are to teach the younger - and we feel very strongly about this after not finding anyone willing to assist us when we first started out. We want those who have a true desire to become breeders of the poodles to start in the right way, learning to do the proper testing and research, taking part in genetic research projects, learn to groom their poodles properly, and to breed properly, caring for their whelping bitches and puppies correctly. Mishelle should have been in the picture with "Eve" but was in the Show Ring with her instead. She groomed 14 standards and 2 miniatures for this show. The poodle is a wonderful and unique breed - sharing life with it's family. The puppies have arrived. They have been weighed and identified; they have nursed and are now sleeping quietly except for the normal twitching. Now what? Your job is not over yet, in fact, it's really just beginning. Nutrition and Feeding The mother will be ready for some food and water. Bring the dishes to the whelping box, as she will not want to leave the newborn puppies. Do not leave the dishes on the floor in the whelping box, as the puppies could crawl into them. Hang the dishes from the side of the whelping box or offer her food and water at least every hours to start. She should be taken outside on a frequent and regular basis to relieve herself. Within days, the mother's appetite will dramatically increase to times her pre-pregnancy intake. She will need a near constant supply of a high quality puppy food do NOT use large breed puppy formulas, which are generally lower in protein, fat, and minerals and water to maintain her weight and health while feeding the puppies. She should not look gaunt or thin if her weight is maintained. Ideally, she should weigh the same at the time of weaning, as she did when she was bred. A healthy puppy is firm, plump, and vigorous. Puppies should nurse every 2 hours or so. If they nurse until their stomachs appear round and they sleep quietly, they are eating enough. If they are crying and moving a lot, they are not eating enough. They may be swallowing air, which makes the stomach appear larger. As they become weaker, they will lay still and not cry. Their weight should double in the first days. Before, during, and after nursing, the mother will lick the stomach and perineal area to stimulate urination and defecation. She will continue to do this for weeks. Weigh the puppy daily for the first 2 weeks, then weigh at least weekly. A food scale typically works well for weighing the puppies. Failure to gain weight is often the first sign of illness in puppies. At about 3 weeks of age, the puppies will begin to imitate the mother's eating and drinking. A secure shallow water dish should now be available at least part of the day. Prepare the puppy mush by placing 2 cups of high quality dry puppy food in a blender with .This should be blended until the consistency of human infant cereal. This feeds puppies of a medium-sized breed. The puppies should receive meals a day of this to start. Once the puppies have checked it out, walked in it, and have eaten some, the mother can be allowed to finish it and clean the puppies off. Each week, increase the amount of food, decrease the amount of the milk replacer and water that is added and the time of blending, so by 7 weeks of age, the puppies are eating dry food. Once they are on dry food, it may be left in with the puppies when the mother is out of the box or the meal times can continue. As the puppies eat more solid food, the mother may be let away from the puppies for an ever longer period of time. If the weaning is not rushed, she will naturally start decreasing milk production, as the puppies increase their intake of solid food. As the puppies begin eating the puppy mush at 4 weeks of age, start changing the mother's diet back to adult food to also help her decrease milk production. Keep increasing the adult food and decreasing the puppy food until by the 7th week postpartum she is eating only adult food. Hopefully she has been fed well during pregnancy and lactation so she weighs the same at weaning as she did before pregnancy. Want to learn how to save on your dog's veterinary care? Click here Sanitation and Housebreaking During and after whelping, the mother should be allowed to go outside to urinate and defecate. Take her out on a leash bring a flashlight if it is dark , and watch her closely, as she could have another puppy. The whelping box needs to be changed at least once a day at this stage, and times a day as the puppies begin eating solids and the mother is not cleaning up after them. A large heavy paper may be laid on the bottom, several layers of newspaper over that, and a tightly stretched blanket over the newspaper. The blanket should be large enough to fit under all 4 sides of the box. If the box was made so the sides set into the floor, the sides are picked up, the blanket stretched, and the sides set down to hold the blanket in place. Puppies can become lost under blankets or under wrinkles in blankets. When cleaning, check the consistency and color of the puppy stool. It should be brown and formed, but not overly firm. Any deviations and the veterinarian should be contacted. To facilitate housebreaking, the puppies should be given definite feeding, playing, sleeping, and elimination areas. Once the puppies are mobile, they will use one area for elimination. Cover this area with a layer of newspapers with cedar or pine shavings on top. The new owners then place a small amount of cedar or pine shavings in the preferred location of their yard to aid in housebreaking. Keep the elimination area clean and dry. Puppies head toward the heat source to nurse so do not have the heat source warmer than the mother. Hanging a household thermometer on the inside of the whelping box will help you know the temperature in the box. Puppies typically lay side by side or on top of each other to share warmth. If the puppies are scattered throughout the whelping box and away from the heat lamp, the temperature is too warm. If they are all piled on top of each other, it may be too cold. Puppies need the extra heat, as they are unable to regulate their body temperature until several weeks old. Health of the Mother Each mammary gland and nipple should be checked at least once a day for redness, hardness, discharge, or streaking color. If mastitis develops, the veterinarian should be notified immediately. If caught early, milking out the affected gland and applying hot compresses will help prevent a spread of the problem. Sometimes, antibiotics are necessary. If she gets multiple glands with mastitis, the puppies will need to be bottle fed. The puppies' nails should be trimmed weekly starting within days of birth. This will help prevent some of the scratches on the mother's mammary glands. The deciduous teeth start coming in around day .Check the mammary glands of the mother daily for bite marks. The mother will have a bloody discharge from her vulva which may be quite heavy for several days. It should decrease in amount and become darker and be almost gone within weeks. The mother's hair may have become very thick and luxurious during the pregnancy. Around the time of weaning, the mother starts to shed. This extreme loss of hair coat is natural and it should be back to normal in about another months. This shedding is more extreme than a normal shed cycle and some mothers become quite bald. This is often called 'blowing a coat. Click here Puppy Healthcare Puppies who are not thriving should be examined as soon as possible by a veterinarian to check for birth defects. Some defects, such as a cleft palate are not compatible with life. These puppies should be humanely euthanized. Dewclaws are removed and tails docked at days of age. Make an appointment with your veterinarian for these procedures to be done. Check your breed's standard, as some breeds need to have dewclaws left intact in order to show. Tail length changes, so again, the current breed standard should be consulted. When the puppies are at the clinic and having these procedures done, the mother should be taken for a walk around the block until the puppies are done. She should not be close enough to the clinic to hear the puppies crying. Once they are put back with the mother, the puppies normally nurse and then sleep. Vaccinations are started at weeks of age. Some breeders give a parvo virus vaccine at 5 weeks of age, if the puppies are at a high-risk. Ask your veterinarian if your puppies should be vaccinated early for parvo virus. They recommend puppy deworming for roundworms and hookworms start at 2 weeks of age and be repeated at 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Thereafter, use a heart worm preventive medication that is also effective against hookworms and roundworms. Foster and Smith suggest that owners of newly acquired puppies obtain the deworming history of their new pup and contact their veterinarian to determine if additional deworming is needed. The mother should be dewormed at the same time as the puppies. A health check done by a veterinarian at weeks of age before the puppies head for new homes should include checks for heart murmurs, hernias, cryptorchidism, demodectic mange, other parasites, eye disorders, etc. Normal puppy development The umbilical cord normally falls off within days of birth. Infections of the umbilicus are rare in clean, well-managed kennels. Puppies normally twitch and jerk while sleeping. This helps with the development of their nerves and muscles. The puppies crawl well by days, walk at 16 days, and have a normal gait at 21 days. They need to be on footing that offers traction. By 4 weeks of age, the puppies follow each other and carry toys in their mouths. They will play-fight with each other and learn how to inhibit their bites. If a puppy bites a littermate too hard, the littermate will yelp and stop playing with him. If the puppy is allowed to bite humans, he will not learn to inhibit his bite. It may be cute as a 7-week old, but it will not be as a 7-year old. Puppies are born without teeth. The deciduous baby teeth start to erupt at weeks of age. All of the deciduous teeth are usually present by 8 weeks of age. The puppies' eyes will open around days of age. The retina matures around 21 days of age. Puppies should see clearly by 4 weeks of age. Do not pry open the lids for any reason, as the immature eye is not yet ready to handle light. If the eyes appear swollen before they open, take the puppy to a veterinarian immediately as an eye infection may be present that needs to be treated to prevent loss of vision. Some puppies will take a day to open the eyes while others will take days. The eyes will have a bluish color to them at first and then change to their adult color over time. If the eyes appear white or solid blue, take the puppy to the veterinarian right away. The ears open at days of age. They should hear clearly by 4 weeks of age. Deafness may not be noticeable while the puppies are together and first noticed when the puppy is in her new home. Interactions Between the Mother and Puppies By the time the puppies are weeks old, the mother should have an area near the whelping box, but separate from the puppies to allow her time to rest. At about this time, the puppies will start trying to leave the box to explore. They should be well supervised and have safe toys available. The box at this point should be big enough to be divided between eating, sleeping, playing, and eliminating rooms. At this stage, a crate with the door removed and lined with sheepskin or a dog bed can be given to the puppies for sleeping quarters and to familiarize them with crates. Puppy Socialization Early socialization of the puppies will help them become confident and develop fewer behavior problems. The puppies should be exposed to everything possible from metal food dishes dropping, to vacuums, garage doors opening and closing, thunderstorms, sirens, garbage trucks going past, cats, and other pets, etc. Do not try to keep the area quiet during the day. The puppies need to get used to normal household noises. Children should be allowed to play outside the whelping box supervised so they do not enter the box or drop toys in , as children behave differently than adults. Everything the puppy is exposed to now, will help her become a well-socialized, unafraid adult. The puppies should be handled several times a day. They can be picked up, their teeth looked at, ears checked, toes played with nails will need a weekly trimming , and have anything that may be done as an adult started slowly now. Play helps to develop the puppy's mind, as he needs to find solutions to problems he encounters. If the puppies are not in new homes by 10 weeks of age, they should be separated from each other for a large part of the day and given one-on-one time with humans. They can have play times during the day, but they should eat, sleep, and be handled separately. Being in a kennel group situation beyond weeks of age decreases trainability. Ready to start saving money on pet wellness care? Then take a look at Mint Wellness, the pet wellness plan that provides fast reimbursement on routine pet care. Save on vaccinations, wellness exams, preventatives, dental, and more!