Recommended puppy set-up while potty training

Our favorite healthy, natural treats for chewing, training and rewarding.  When just a low value treat is needed, such as for repetitive training commands, you can use pieces of their puppy food or even Cherrios to keep calorie intake low.  For much of our training and when our dogs need something to keep them busy we always use raw, meaty bones (NEVER use cooked or smoked bones regardless of what animal they are from) from our local butcher.  4" shank bones are the best but raw chicken wings, necks, duck feet, etc can also be given (smaller raw bones should always be given supervised).  We also LOVE to use fresh fruits and veggies! See the list of what fresh produce you should and should not feed your doodle here .  Whenever your dog is enjoying a chewing treat we always recommend supervision to prevent choking.

Grooming is incredibly important for your labradoodle.  This includes thorough brushing at least once a week (short coat) up to daily (long coat), weekly nail trimming, ear cleaning and teeth brushing and baths as needed.  When grooming pay particular attention to areas around the ears and legs that can mat easily.  Use the slicker brush to go over the entire body and then finishing with comb from the roots up to ensure there are no tangles or mats.  We also recommend purchasing an inexpensive electric toothbrush to continue our desensitization protocol as the vibrations mimic the feel of the clippers on a puppy's legs and face. A professional grooming visit will be needed every 4-6 week. Grooming can be done at home with a quality set of clippers and combs.  We highly recommend getting the hose attachment to connect these clippers to a shop vac.  This will not only make cutting easier with less mess but will keep the blades cool and prevent accidental burning.  A forced-air dryer can be used, or a human blow dryer.  A haircut should always be done on a clean, completely dry coat. 

Watch how to properly brush your labradoodle here 

Treats

Toys

New Puppy Shopping List​

The products that we use in our program are recommended from our veterinarians and colleagues. (click the picture to find where to purchase)

Around The House

Recommended Food

Grooming

This crate comes with a divider that you can use to make the crate the appropriate size, the 36" is the size we recommend for medium puppies and 42" for standard puppies. We also recommend a cooling mat so that the crate is an inviting place to sleep (make sure the bed size is correct for the crate size). You want the crate just big enough your pup can turn around easily but not so much room that they think there is an area to potty in.  A puppy that will be left alone for more than 2 hours will need to have a litterbox set up for a month or two until they are able to hold their bladders for longer. The litter is inexpensive and keeps odors to a minimum and any solids can be cleaned out with a cat litterbox scoop.   Once crate training is complete and they are doing well with potty training the exercise pen can be eliminated.  There are also some great options for non-spill water bowls, food dishes (do not use elevated food dishes due to the risk of bloat and GVD), leashes, and collars we recommend.  We DO NOT recommend flexi or retractable leashes. 

Recommended Reading and DVDs

Interactive toys are a great way to keep your puppy's mind engaged, especially while they are in the kennel.  We use different recipes to stuff our KONG toy and then put them in the freezer at night and give them to our dogs during the day. You can find some of our favorite recipes here 

Through research and consultation of many veterinarians and PhD nutritionists we recommend following a rotational feeding program with your Labradoodle.  This will allow them to enjoy a variety of diets and proteins and will ensure there are no nutritional deficiencies that can possibly arise from feeding the same food.  With rotational feeding one food is fed at a time.  Once there is approximately seven days of food left, transition to the next food variety slowly over seven days.

We recommend feeding a 30/20 or similar formula of the above diets to puppies younger until around 8 months to ensure they are receiving the proper amount of protein for balanced growth.  After that age we recommend switching to a 26/18 or similar protein to maintain ideal body condition.  Feed an amount to keep your dog at a lean body condition as obesity can leave to a wide variety of ailments that will shorten the lifespan of your dog.  We DO NOT recommend you feed any grain free or exotic protein diets due to their link with Taurine deficiency and Dilated Cardiomyopathy.  You can find more information on selecting a proper dog food here and please consult with your veterinarian before making any dietary changes. We also recommend keeping Fortiflora on hand.  These probiotics  are wonderful for helping with mild digestive upset.  We also feed an Omega supplement to our dogs, especially in the drier months to help keep their skin and coats hydrated and healthy.  The PUREE GORMET CAT TREAT pouches are incredible training treats and the only reward we use while the puppies are in our care.  They are high value for the puppies and easy for the trainer to treat as a reward quickly.