RESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERSHIP
Responsible Dog Ownership
We took an informal poll on the forum and asked owners what they felt was involved in Responsible Ownership. It was interesting to note that the vast majority of suggestions were for decisions that should be made before the pup even comes home.
Responsible dog ownership begins before the pup arrives, and is a lifetime commitment. We hope that this page provides you insight and acts as a guide to the responsibilities of doodle ownership.
OLLIE & LITTERMATES - SUNSHINE ACRES
BEFORE YOU CALL A BREEDER
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BEFORE YOUR PUP COMES HOME
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AFTER YOUR PUP COMES HOME
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BEFORE YOU CALL A BREEDER
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Is this the right time to bring home a new pup? It's important to have realistic expectations of the amount of time a pup will demand. Your current lifestyle will/must change and how will you deal with that? Choose a time in your life in which you will have adequate time to devote at first to training a new pup, and later to give the regular exercise that an adolescent dog requires. A well-exercised dog is a better-behaved dog.
Who will be the primary care taker for this puppy?
How will they housetrain the puppy?
Where will s/he do her business?
Who will be home to walk the dog during the day?
What's the "trick" to successful housetraining and what is reasonable to expect?
Where will the puppy eat, sleep, and be crated?
What kind of training method will they use?
Where will they go for training class?
When you go on vacation, who will watch your dog?
What will the new puppy's impact be on your current animals?
A Dood can live a healthy 15 years. Good food and proper Veterinary care are ongoing expenses and a commitment to the dog's better health.
Other ongoing expenses: grooming, treats, toys and equipment. Additional expenses include training classes, books, vacation kenneling, and even doggie daycare. Budgeting for the new family member is highly recommended.
If you've never brought home a pup before, you should be prepared to learn how to raise a dog. There are smart shortcuts to training and living with dogs available in books and videos. Spend time learning new methods - it'll likely help you in the long run.
Consider the breed and size of dog best suited to your family and home. What energy level are you looking for in a dog? What size?
A standard sized Dood usually starts at 50 pounds and large males are often around 80 pounds - that's a Texas sized dog. If your family situation is better suited to a dog that generally grows from 25- 45 pounds - then a miniature Goldendoodle or Labradoodle is a likely candidate. In hybrid breedings the size of the pups falls between the two parent sizes. Most will be around mid-sized, but some will remain small, and others grow to near standard proportions.
Another consideration would be a hybrid of two smaller dogs - such as Aussiedoodles, Cockapoos, Maltipoos or Schnoodles.
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Aussiedoodle pup
Australian Shephard x
Poodle
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Cockapoo (Spoodle) pup
Cocker Spaniel x
Poodle
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Schnoodle pup
Schnauzer x
Poodle
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Goldendoodle or Labradoodle - what are the differences? In temperament, intelligence and allergy friendliness, both Doods are about par. Both are half retriever and half poodle and are intelligent and moderately active dogs. Read the breed desciptions for each of these breeds, and believe the breed descriptions. Doods are not low energy lapdogs.
For an inciteful article on the differences between a Goldendoodle and a Labradoodle in training and temperament, please read the article by Gwendy Joysen, author of The Balanced Canine - link to article
Check out the FAQ pages on the site -
Their biggest difference is in their appearance. Goldendoodles tend to have longer fur, are more reliably non-shed and, accordingly, require more grooming. Labradoodles have shorter fur and are generally lower maintenance.
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Labradoodle
MULLIGAN
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Goldendoodle - groomed
TWINKLER
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Goldendoodle - au naturel
SUNNY
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As Goldendoodles require more grooming than Labradoodles, the cost of grooming is something that should also be a consideration.
Are allergies a concern? First generation Goldendoodles and Labradoodles have proven to live successfully with most families with mild dog allergies. For families with moderate to severe allergies or asthma, a backcross Goldendoodle or backcross Labradoodle is recommended. These are Dood x Poodle crosses, the pups are ¾ poodle.
What are the health issues affecting the breed of my choice? Goldendoodles and Labradoodles are hybrid dogs and as a hybrid cross they generally grow to be healthier and live longer than either parent line. But genetics can only work with the material given, so it is important to breed only with quality health-tested breeding dogs.
The genetic diseases they can be prone are those shared by both the Golden or Labrador Retriever and the Standard Poodle which are mainly;- Canine Hip Dysplasia, PRA, VonWillebrand's, and elbow and patella disorders.
Learn about the health issues affecting Doods from our easy-to-understand primers so that YOU know what to look for in a quality breeder and can understand the issues:
Hip Dysplasia - A Mini-Tutorial for the Puppy Buyer
What is CERF Eye Testing?
Eliminating Genetic Diseases in Dogs - A Buyer's Perspective
(an essay from the owner of a dog with vWD)
Each breeder runs a kennel by their own standards, and no two are exactly alike. First try to discover where you stand on some of the more common issues.
Kennel or Home Raised
Some breeders raise their dogs in kennels where they generally live in small groups, as is their nature. As licensed kennels they are under guidelines for health and safety standards. Waiting lists are generally shorter as they have more litters. Home breeders usually only have up to a few breeding dogs and both breeding dogs and pups live in the home.
DANDY
Rehome or Rescue dog
The best site on the net to scout for Rehome or Rescue Doods is
Their team of volunteers provide a website and forum which is continously being updated. It's the best place to look for Doods available. Ken hosts the site and offers this advice:
"Key to this for me is always why the current owner is looking to place their dog in a new home and try to assess if the new home is suitable.
Obviously, if the dog hasn't been trained properly and jumps up on people, a 70 lb dog and a 2 yr child is not the best place to start a new home.
I'm one that believes most behavioral issues can be corrected through good and consistent training."
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There is a questionnaire used by IDOG which can serve as a guideline for you as you search for a rehome or rescue dog to adopt. There is a shortened version of the questionnaire here
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GU
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Shipping a Pup
Most people would probably prefer to never ship a pup. Owners would rather visit the kennels and pick up the pup in person, and breeders prefer to meet the owners of their pups. Most people do it because they can't find a breeder nearby who meets their needs - either in breed, time constraints, testing or warranty expectations, etc.
Quality breeders ship their pups via airlines experienced in handling the shipping of live animals. To ensure their safety, all animals can only be shipped within tolerable temperature parameters. The pups take shipping in stride, sometimes requiring a bath to freshen them up.
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Early Spay/Neuter
Most people spay their female dogs or neuter their males to stop unwanted litters. Unless you are planning to breed your dog, and are willing to take responsibility for all of its offspring - then it is strongly suggested that you spay/neuter your pet dog.
For years the common practice has been to spay/neuter when the pup is about six months old. However, recently more breeders have chosen to spay/neuter the pups before they leave the kennel. Here's a recent article - New Views on Neutering
BEFORE YOUR PUP COMES HOME
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Training Techniques
If you have just found the Dood of your dreams, odds are you are on a waiting list and have time to read up.
It is important for young pups/dogs to socialize, to begin to deal with distractions, to interact with strangers and to be trained. There are some smart shortcuts to training and living with dogs that are available in books and videos. Each hour you spend in preparation, will save you ten in training. Check out the different methods used, to find the one that your pup best responds to.
Current Popular Favourites:
The Dog Listener by Jan Fennell
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With by Clarise Rutherford and David Neil
Childproofing Your Dog : A Complete Guide to Preparing Your Dog for the Children in Your Life by Sarah Wilson and Brian Kilcommons
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VEGAS
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Puppy Proofing
As with children, you will likely want to puppy proof your house. Part of it is to keep the pup safe, and the rest is to keep your stuff safe from the pup. Puppies chew things. Everything below four feet is fair game. Expect it and prepare for it. One of the best solutions is to offer a wide variety of puppy safe chew products all over each accessible floor in the house. If the pup is going to chew, you might as well control what he is chewing.
Use child proof locks to keep substances like pesticides, meds, cleaning products, plants, etc locked up in cabinets and away from your pup.
When pups are very young, even rawhide strips can be dangerous, and they should be using the rawhide sticks (made up of bits of rawhide pressed together).
Be aware that some foods and plants are toxic to dogs.
Avoid heat stroke and don't leave pups or dogs locked in cars.
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Dog Tags and House Vents - A Cautionary Tale
Ms. Sadie the Goldendoodle loves the coolness of the air conditioning vent. To the horror of the owner, she was found with the tags from her collar stuck in the vent, and she was so tight against the floor that she couldn't stand up. She had twisted herself to the point where she was almost choking. Ms. Sadie will not wear a collar inside the home again. Her collar has been attached it to her leash so when she is let out to potty, the collar & leash are clipped on at the same time.
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CHEWY
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Decisions on Food
As with most things, there are a wide variety of choices in dog food. Most major products are online and search engines can bring up sites that compare the different dog foods to one another.
Many opt for Bones And Raw Food or the BARF diet, which also has many websites discussing issues and offering recipes.
Breeders will often give a new puppy owner a small supply of the food they have been eating. If you plan to change foods, it is easiest on the pup to make it a gradual change.
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New Puppy (Shopping) Checklist
Having trouble trying to figure out what to pick up before the new arrival?
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"Your Doodle & You, A Little Guide to Breed Info, Basic Care & Training"
This fabulous booklet was created by Spring Creek to provide helpful information on doodles and training in one location. Copies of the booklet are $4.00 for individual purchase. Shipping is $1.50.
Order your booklet from Rochelle of Spring Creek here -
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Veterinary Care
Proper Veterinary care is a commitment to your dog's long-term health. Choose a Vet you are comfortable with and be sure that your dog gets the lifetime of care he deserves.
Be prepared for emergencies and know where your local emergency Vet clinic is.
Purchase a dog health care book like the Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook to keep on hand.
Take it upon yourself to learn about the drugs prescribed to your dog.
Don't leave anything to chance. Merely "google" the name of the drug your pet is being prescribed. Be well informed of potential serious or fatal side affects in case your pet exhibits any of those signs.
-from a dog owner who learned the hard way
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SEAMUS
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AFTER YOUR PUP COMES HOME
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Health Risks of Parvo
Your breeder will likely tell you that you should NOT be allowing your pup out in public places until after the Parvo vaccinations have been completed.
Parvo is a deadly silent killer, so please take heed of this warning. Some areas have more incidence of Parvo than others, so follow the advice of your Vet and don't allow your pup outside until they feel that the pups' immune system can handle it.
Once your pup is fully immunized, then they are ready to go out and meet the world.
Sleeping Crates
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Some pups come with their 'homes'...
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others just make themselves to home.
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Many families find the use of a crate makes housetraining easier, and that the pups use their crate as a quiet spot to nap. Remember that when pups first come home they are 'babies' and have very small bladders. For the first few weeks they should be allowed to relieve themselves every few hours at most. Then, as they grow, they will be able to hold it in comfortably for longer periods.
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Trained to the Bell
The object of training a pup to a bell is for them to communicate when they need to go outside. First they have to connect going outside with ringing the bell.
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Hang a large puppy-proof bell from a sturdy ribbon by the door, where you let out your pups. Everytime you take them out, say 'outside' and jingle the bell. At first you will take them out often. For the first week or two they should be let out:
- when they wake up
- after they eat
- after they drink
- if they start to sniff and circle
- every 20 minutes or so while they are awake
Thankfully puppies sleep a lot. But the trick is to let them understand that outside is for relieving themselves. It's a new concept for them - but if it's clear, then they will understand what they need to do. The less accidents they have, the faster they learn. It takes some dogs only a few days to learn to ring the bell to ask to go out. (And for a while there, you're trained to the bell, because they go often - but it's worth it in the long run.)
Teething & Chewing
Puppies go through a teething stage where they will need to chew. We can control what they chew.
Like kids, pups learn faster if you show them what they can do, as opposed to what they can't. Litter the house with rawhide chewsticks (the cylinder shaped ones that are made up of bits so pups can't choke) and soft toys. Each time you cuddle a pup, hold a soft toy near their mouth, because they naturally want to chew. They will chew the toy, not your hands.
If you see them about to chew the leg of a chair, say in a deep voice, 'NO', pull them away and then hand them a rawhide, or some toy they can chew. (Then it's a good idea to spray the chair leg with a sour apple spray). These pups are clever, they learn fast.
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Proper Exercise for your pup
The best advice in keeping a pup well behaved and healthy, is to give him plenty of exercise.
Puppies especially have LOTS of energy, and if they don't expend it through safe exercise -- then they are more likely to misbehave and be destructive at home.
Make a schedule for several daily walks, including one good run each day.
If you work all day - look into a local dog walker helping you out. Your dog will appreciate it. You will appreciate a more relaxed dog.
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Microchipping
Consider microchipping your Dood. It will help provide identification should your dog ever get loose. There are at least two companies that provide microchips, you might want to consider what shelters in your area use for convenience sake.
SANDY
If you have a pool
If you have a pool teach your dog to stay out or learn where the steps are. A dog will naturally swim to the point it fell in and will drown working to get out just feet from the steps. Take it in and out via the steps for the first few times in the pool. Next gently place the dog in the pool at another place other than the steps and guide it to the steps. Do not leave a dog alone anywhere near the pool until it can be placed in the pool at any location and naturally swim to the steps to get out.
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If there is a problem with your dog
The first thing any new dog owner should do is to take their pup to a Vet for a routine first checkup.
Most breeder warranties stipulate that a pup must be seen by a Vet within a short time period - usually up to 72 hours. This protects the breeder, pup and owner by guaranteeing that the pup is checked by a Vet who will verify the health of the pup and continue the innoculations initiated by the breeder within a reasonable timeframe.
Some States have mandatory laws which protect puppy buyers. Here is one good list on the net that has a list of Puppy Lemon Law States. Check to see if there are laws in place that deal specifically with your situation.
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If a problem occurs at any point in the dog's life, the responsible thing to do is to first notify the breeder about the problem.
Even a breeder with a warranty that doesn't cover the problem would be well served by getting feedback about unhealthy offspring. Otherwise valuable feedback is lost to the breeder, and the same breeding dogs can be used again. If the breeder doesn't know there is a problem, they can't fix it.
Advice from parents of young kids
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If they have children, they need to consider:
How will they handle normal puppy behaviors like nipping, stealing toys, chewing, and jumping?
How will they teach their children to be good and kind leaders?
Who will be responsible for teaching the children these things?
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Even if the dog is for the kids, the parents will be doing the lion's share of the work and should be prepared for it. Pups are not disposable pets.
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I think the age of the kids and the size of the Dood should be a big consideration. Whenever I see rehomes it is usually a standard sized dood and a family with young toddler that simply can't handle a big teenaged dog and very young children all at once.
I also think EVERYONE in the family needs to agree on the dog, it only one person wants it it doesn't work and its not fair to the dog.
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Your life/routine will change after you bring home your puppy.
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It's important to consider the puppy stage. I was pretty ignorant about the puppy biting and all the typical puppy behaviors.
Be prepared for this stage, but also be aware that it's temporary and in the long run they are behaviors the pup grows out of.
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The amount of work & frustration of first year is equal to having an infant.
Beware mixing pups and small kids if you are a dog beginner. Your allegiances will get sorely tested.
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We have four kids, so there were 'rules of play'. To play with the pup you need to get down to their level. Never let them get up on two legs. It's cute at 2 months, it can knock you over at 7. If you always kneel or sit, they never learn to jump up.
No running in the house, all active play outdoors. Never let the dogs chase, or play tug of war with you - it will lead to pulling on clothes.
When the doorbell rings, wait a second or two then calmly walk to the door. If you don't make a big deal of it, they won't learn to run to the door barking.
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The majority of rehomes I've seen are due to the doods being "too much dog" for toddlers (and even older kids).
There's a common myth out there that puppies and small children go together. I've learned that's not necessarily true.
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Never leave pups and young kids unsupervised.
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Don't expect a little cuddly, soft, lap pet at the beginning---when they are not sleeping, they are wired, biting, running little dervishes. Appearances can be deceiving in the case of a sweet, soft, tiny little puppy.
But have PATIENCE -- they DO grow out of the craziness!
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A big issue with us is that our child's only experience with a dog was a mature dog who would tolerate anything or would walk away when he was bothered. Now he has a puppy who will bite at him, sometime unprovoked just to get him to play!
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Great website teaching kids to handle dogs
The Safe And Sound Safety Factor Challenge is a fun online site for children which teaches them how to safely handle a dog in certain situations.
