akc golden retriever puppies near me

The Cocker Spaniel may also experience hip and elbow dysplasia like the Golden Retriever. This breed has a life expectancy of 12 — 15 years. Keep in mind that the following information is based on its parent breeds. These are all predictions that vary from case to case depending on genetic makeup. In terms of physical appearance, the Cocker Spaniel comes in a variety of coat colors, so the forever puppy may not always be golden. It could be a mix of blue, black, brown, and white. The ideal attributes a Golden Cocker Retriever should have is a medium-length coat, floppy ears, and a smaller build than the Golden Retriever. We can predict the height of the Golden Retriever Cocker Spaniel mix will range from 20 to 24 inches 51 — 61 cm. As we mentioned above its weight will range from 30 to 45 pounds 13 — 20 kg. The health concerns of a Golden Cocker Retriever are also based on its parents. Both the Golden Retriever and Cocker Spaniel are capable of experiencing seizures associated with epilepsy and hip and elbow dysplasia. On the Cocker Spaniel side, however, you have more serious illnesses to worry about like glaucoma and cancerous tumors. On the bright side, both parent breeds have a good life expectancy, so your Golden Cocker Retriever will live a long and happy life of at least 10 years! Want to see how this mix grows up? For owners who really want a teacup-sized Golden Cocker Retriever, there are some toy ones on the market. And then you mix it once again with Cocker Spaniel to get an even smaller dog. A dog with dwarfism may look cute and small but it causes them a lot of pain throughout their entire lives. The height of a standard Goldendoodle reaches 20 inches 50 cm. The weight ranges from 50 — 90 pounds 22 — 40 kg. Additionally, the coat of a Goldendoodle will be much curlier than the Golden Cocker Retriever thanks to its Poodle parent breed. Before buying one, consider if a Golden Cocker Retriever is your best match in the long run. How will this dog fit into your daily schedule and hobbies? Does This Mix Shed? Both parent breeds have long-haired coats that invite moderate to heavy shedding throughout the year. Do I Need A Backyard? Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES. Purebred Golden Retrievers sometimes need two sessions. A fenced backyard or a playpen is also essential to keep your Golden Cocker Retriever from wandering off. Both parent breeds have a long history of being hunting dogs with a strong prey-drive. If your Golden Cocker Retriever sees or smells a small animal in the distance, it will run as quickly as it can to track it down. Dogs are just fine. For example, any sign of stubbornness or independence can lead to harder training. Start training as early as possible as puppies are easier to handle than adults. The temperament of a Golden Cocker Retriever should be: Happy. Although a playful pup sounds endearing, consider how many games of fetch or tag you want to play each day, and whether you have kids or other dogs who can stand in as playmates for the dog. They are not purebreds like their Golden Retriever or Cocker Spaniel parents. The mixed breed does shed, so aim to brush the coat daily if possible, being on the lookout for any potential mats. Golden Cocker Retrievers usually have no problems getting along with kids. This is a gentle and playful mixed breed that will happily become play buddies with your children This is not a dog who does well being left alone for long periods of the day. But digging into the background of their parent breeds can tell you a lot about where the dog comes from. Developed in Scotland, the Golden Retriever has always been renowned for their high intelligence and ability to take on agility and obedience-based tasks. When it comes to the Cocker Spaniel, this breed comes from Spain where they began as a hunting dog with a special expertise at tracking down and startling fowl. The Golden Cocker Retriever has become known as a designer dog breed, but many of them unfortunately end up in shelters. As is always the case with newer mixed dog breeds, exact size standards might vary. Most weigh in at 30 to 45 pounds and range in height from 20 to 24 inches. A total family dog, the mixed breed will quickly form loving bonds with the humans in their life—and will also very much want to be in on the act with any day-to-day tasks and activities. This is not a dog who does well being left alone for long periods of the day. Even better, at the end of a long day of healthy outdoor action, the dog will love to cuddle up together as you relax and recuperate on the couch. Golden Cocker Retrievers usually do great around children. Golden Cocker Retriever Health Golden Cocker Retrievers are generally considered to be healthy dogs; although, the breed can be predisposed to some of the same conditions that the Golden Retriever and Cocker Spaniel face. Your vet can help you develop a care routine that will keep your dog healthy. If you jog, bring the dog along! If you have access to a safe off-leash park, even better. If you have a safe fenced-in yard, add some interactive toys to the environment and let the breed explore and investigate. As with any dog who loves the outdoors, check that their nails are trimmed and in good shape, and examine the paw pads for any signs of damage. Doing this every two weeks should suffice. The coat is straight, medium in length, and usually described as being dense to the touch. The Golden Cocker Retriever does best in slightly warmer than usual weather. This is a gentle and playful mixed breed that will happily become play buddies with your children—just remember to make sure both parties are socialized correctly during the early days. In general, Golden Cocker Retrievers are fine around other household pets. But be sure the boundaries between the dog and existing household pets are laid down early. Ultimately, early socialization really pays off with this breed. Make sure to reward your Golden Cocker Retriever for good behavior and adhere to a proper training regimen when you bring them home to your family. However, you may want to try Golden Retriever or Cocker Spaniel breed-specific rescues, as they often care for mixes, as well. Here are some rescues you can try:. Not only will you learn the skills you need to be successful, but your puppy will learn incredible manners and behaviors as well! Each puppy that comes from our kennel comes home with a beautiful Registration Certificate. Continuing this daily regimen is the easiest and best way to keep your pet on the path to perfect health! NuVet Plus is a lifetime product to help support their immune system and provide assistance to their optimal health. A strong immune system will protect them from environmental and food toxins such as back yard pesticides, hormones, germs from public places, and even toxic formaldehyde in furniture and carpeting. NuVet Plus is a full spectrum, immune system support supplement that contains over 30 different nutrient dense ingredients that well better equip puppies to get and stay healthy. She is already so comfortable here and so attached. She gets so excited every time she sees us. And she has such a sweet disposition Everything goes for her. She just rolls with it. She loves to play and has lots of playful energy when she chases behind a toy or plays tug of war. But she loves to cuddle too, and she can busy herself well too without complaint. Yesterday we left her home when we went on a walk and she never barked or whined and was fast asleep when we returned. She accepted her crate as if she had never known any other place to rest. She just crawls in there and rests when she is tired. And when she wakes up, she quietly plays until we take her out of the playpen. Her potty training is going well. A couple of accidents here and there, but most of the time we catch her before anything happens, and she always does her business right away when we put her on the grass patch we have on the patio. She is getting a treat when she does her business. So, she actually figured out that if she spares some pee and squats several times, she will get several treats. Only One treat for the first time, everything after does not get rewarded any more. Wow, I have never seen a puppy learning that fast. And loving to learn. Being really food driven helps. I could not think of a better quarantine buddy to brighten up our day. I think she will be an amazing therapy dog who brightens up the day if many more people. Oh, and did I mention she is absolutely beautiful? Thank you again for that gift, Michele. I hope you are all doing well and are coping with the many new puppies. Some stressful days ahead of you, I am sure. And you are the best puppy mom I have ever encountered. Lots of love to your whole beautiful family! Fuzzy, playful, and affectionate, this hybrid has a silly and active disposition. As a mixed breed, this pup comes from Golden Retriever and Cocker Spaniel parents. Their origins are unknown, but it is believed they came into existence in the last two decades. This makes them a new designer breed, so the information on them is very limited. That being said, you can learn a lot about this breed through their mom and pop. For example, the Golden Retriever originated in Scotland and is known for their high intelligence and agility. The Cocker Spaniel hails from Spain, and they were bred as hunting dogs. Both breeds are smart, friendly, and make great companions. The Golden Cocker Retriever has traits from both sides. Also known as the Dakota Sport Retriever or Cogol, this puppy has cute antics in spades. Like most young dogs, they are full of mischief and curiosity about the world around them. As mentioned, this hybrid is a new designer breed only coming into the mainstream in the last 20 years. Designer breeds became popular around the s, so anything newer is considered very young in the canine community. They have startling ancestors. They became a popular breed among nobility and hunters alike for this reason. Some of their facial features are consistent even if their coloring is different. The Golden Cocker Retriever will have brown eyes and a black nose. They are also limited in their fur color. As it currently stands, they are either black or brown. They are very affectionate and love to be part of the family. They need more space to stretch their legs and play. They enjoy games, agility courses, and other tasks they can learn. The Golden Cocker Retriever is alert but also docile. They will sound an alarm if there is anything suspicious going on, but they are not aggressive and unlikely to bite. As they are easy-going without any bossiness, this is a great breed for first-time owners. As a family orientated pup, the Cogol does not appreciate being left alone. They want to be included in all family activities whether it be going for a jog, heading to the post office, watching TV, or taking a shower. They will be happy to hop right in there with you! This will require a considerable amount of your time. This pooch has a needy streak, and they need a lot of attention. Otherwise, they can become destructive out of fear and loneliness. Are These Dogs Good for Families? They are at home with large and boisterous people who are active and love having a four-legged friend around. They are also great for kids of all ages. They love the exuberance of children, and they will be ready to get down and dirty with them in the backyard. Games, tricks, and even wrestling matches are on the agenda. Due to their sensitive and sweet disposition, the Cogol is better at handling small kids than most canines. As they are devoted to their family, they will quickly take on the persona of a parent and follow behind the kids. This breed is also a good companion for a single-person home. Under these circumstances, it is better if you work from home or can take your pup with you. They are not going to tolerate long absences well. They are also likely to make friends at the local dog park. On the other hand, they have an alertness that simmers right below the radar. They are quick to recognize someone that is angry or a dog that is aggressive. Although they are not aggressive themselves, they can be protective of you. Something else to note is their hunting ancestors. The prey drive is not overly high, but they might engage in a small animal chase from time to time. This will usually be followed by a look that clearly states they were never going to hurt them…it was all in fun. As with most canines, socializing your Golden Cocker Retriever when they are puppies is essential to their well-rounded adult personality. This is typically not difficult as their friendly nature will take over. Before you hit the gas pedal, however, there are still a few other aspects of the Cogol you should be aware of before adopting this designer dog. Not to worry though, we have filled in the blanks on their general care requirements below. That being said, a canine that is on the high end of the energy scale should be fed a balanced diet that promotes their lifestyle. Meals should have plenty of protein to support their muscles , fat to keep their energy high, and fiber to help their digestion. They should also be given food that has antioxidants, probiotics, omega fatty acids, and other vitamins and minerals. You should aim for all-natural meals with low carbohydrates, sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients. Fillers and protein boosters are also not great. When picking out their snacks, you should go for products that are nutritious and healthy. Your Cogol should be given a few table scraps, but you can supplement their meals with good treats. Not only do they thoroughly enjoy them, but they help with training and will create a bond between the two of you, as well. They may recommend specific brands or formulas that will promote the overall well-being of your Golden Cocker Retriever. They will need at least 60 minutes of exercise daily that you can break up into two minute trips. The Cogol is a great companion if you are a walker, jogger, or runner. They also will follow you on bike rides , and they love to swim. Either way, they will need to get the excess energy out to be content. Besides the daily exercise, this pup also benefits from playtime, which they should also get plenty of each day. Games such as fetch, tug of war , and chase are great favorites. Tricks, training, and agility courses are also a great idea for this pet. As they are very intelligent, they do well with mental stimulation. One thing you should avoid, however, is leaving your pet alone in the backyard for a long time. They can become bored, sad, and destructive if they do not have the proper exercise. Lessons in obedience, behavior, and potty training are essential, plus socialization. Exposing your pup to different places, smells, and people is important. The Cogol is very sensitive and aware of their surroundings. They can easily become depressed or saddened if the atmosphere is constantly angry. That being said, this breed picks up on training lessons quickly. They are very intelligent and ready to please. Positive reinforcement is typically all that is needed to show them the way. You will also want to find a consistent schedule for lessons. This dog does well with repetition in conjunction with treats and praise. As part of their training, you also want to get your pet used to grooming activities. This pooch has a higher-than-average grooming schedule, so getting them used to these treatments will make things easier as they grow. This is due to its long, soft, and dense fur coat that will need to be consistently taken care of by brushing and bathing. They have a moderate amount of shed and a tendency to get tangles, so brushing them with a firm bristle brush daily is important. It is also recommended that they have a bath every six to eight weeks, although it is also recommended that they have professional grooming done every four to six weeks. Bathing a pup with this amount of fur can be difficult. It will keep them clean down to the skin, and because the fur is prone to damage, it helps protect the hair follicles. Beyond that, their care is pretty basic. You will need to clean their ears weekly checking for mites and wax. Their teeth should also be brushed daily , or as often as possible. Lastly, you will need to file their nails and check their paw pads for cracking and irritation. The Cogol can have some issues with their paws, so you should monitor them in order to catch an issue before it gets to a painful level. Filing their nails can be done on an as-needed basis. As a general rule, if you can hear them clicking on solid floors, the nails are too long. Below, we have outlined major and minor conditions your Golden Cocker Retriever could have throughout their lifetime. Minor Conditions The minor issues to be on the lookout for are weight gain, paw issues, and ear infections. Serious Conditions The serious issues this breed is prone to are Hip Dysplasia, Hypothyroidism, and Entropion Final Thoughts If you have an active family where someone is always ready for an outside adventure, the Golden Cocker Retriever is a good pet for you. They are sweet, playful, active, and loving. This pup is happy to just be part of the family, but they do need a lot of exercise and attention. If you are ready to devote the time to this breed, the Cogol will make a wonderful pet. As far as their care, this pooch is easy to train and has few diet restrictions. Their grooming takes some effort, but they are a dream to train and socialize. Overall, you will find an intelligent, happy, and affectionate pal that will be your fast friend forever if you adopt a Golden Cocker Retriever. See also:. Golden Cocker Retrievers borrow traits from both of their parents, normally with a medium length golden coat, floppy ears and a smaller stature than the Golden Retriever. Friendly, intelligent and energetic making a great family dog that will want to be involved in all your daily activities. They also go by the name Dakota Sport Retriever. Size: The Golden Cocker Retriever stands from 14 to 19 inches tall and can weigh anywhere between pounds, though the average weight is pounds. Coat: Considered a long haired breed but they do shed less than the average Golden Retriever. The most prominent colour is gold, but can come in all colours and patterns. Character: The Golden Cocker Retriever loves water and to play fetch. They are playful outdoors and calm while inside. This breed is very gentle and loving. Temperament: A soft-tempered breed, people-oriented and forms strong bonds with their owners. Care: Should be brushed on a weekly basis and bathed when needed. Their ears can be trimmed twice a year to avoid matting. Training: The Golden Cocker Retriever has a strong desire to please and is not difficult to train. Activity: Loves to play and should be exercised on a daily basis. This lovable and playful dog is the perfect family dog and brings joy to any home with their cute looks and adorable nature. Because the Golden Cocker Retriever is a crossbreed, it can be difficult to know exactly what kind of dog you are going to get — you never know what they will look like or what their temperament will really be. However, based on Golden Cocker Retrievers as we know them and taking a look at their parent breeds, we can make assumptions about this wonderful breed. Read on below to find out more about Golden Cocker Retrievers are whether they could be the right dog for you. Perfect for first time pet owners, the Golden Cocker Retriever is an active and intelligent dog, with both parents belonging to the sporting dog group classification. They are also known for being loyal and they love to play outside, too. Golden Retrievers originate from Scotland and were used as gun dogs to retrieve game that was shot down both on land and in water. Cocker Spaniels first came to the US on the Mayflower in the 17th century. They were registered in and the popularity of the Cocker Spaniel grew significantly during the s and s. The American Cocker Spaniel has a smaller prey-drive than the English Cocker Spaniel, which makes them better family pets. The origin of the Golden Cocker Retriever was not widely documented and it is thought that this breed could be a designer breed that was created in the later s and the early s. Characteristics Of The Golden Cocker Retriever As we mentioned above, because the Golden Cocker Retriever is a crossbreed, it can be difficult to know exactly what your pup might look like and what their temperament might be. However, we can guess based on past litters. Both of the parents — either a Golden Retriever or a Cocker Spaniel — can be the sire or the dam in this cross breed. This contributes to the varying size and appearance of many Golden Cocker Retrievers. Regardless of some of the finer details, this breed is known for being an intelligent and friendly breed. The litter size for a Golden Retriever mix can be anywhere between 4 to 12 puppies. This means that they are said to maintain the look of a puppy, even as they grow up. It can be difficult to know exactly when they reach their adult life, but it is estimated anywhere between months. Mental maturity can take up to three years. A Golden Cocker Retriever is normally smaller than a Golden Retriever and usually weighs around pounds and measures between inches. They are a medium sized breed and are broader than a Cocker Spaniel with a long, smooth coat, floppy ears and a head which is slightly bigger than a Spaniels. Coat The Golden Cocker Retriever coat is normally medium in length and is smooth. It will have some featured fringes around the legs, ears and stomach which will need to be brushed daily to prevent any matting. Some puppies inherit more genes from the Golden and therefore have a double coat, meaning the fur may be denser and require more thorough grooming. We will go into more detail about grooming your Golden Cocker Retriever dog later on. If the Cocker Spaniel parent is brown, black, white or merle, then this can be passed to the pup. Temperament The Golden Cocker Retriever is a loyal and loving dog and is the perfect companion. They have a natural playful instinct that makes them fun to be around, and they love to chase and run around. Both parents have a sporting background which means your Retriever will love to be outside playing with you. Because they are so friendly they can make the perfect playmate for older children, but know to gentle around younger children too. They will want to be with you at all times, so they are not the right pet to have if you are going to be out for hours at a time. They will do best in a busier household where they have people around for most of the day. Luckily, these dogs are easy to train and, most of the time, undesirable behaviors can be trained out of them. This can include barking as well as behaviors brought on by anxiety if they are left alone for too long. Lifespan The typical life expectancy of a Golden Cocker Retriever is normally between 11 to 14 years. Some dogs show pain and lameness on one or both rear legs, but you may not notice any signs of discomfort in a dog with hip dysplasia. Cataracts — you might suspect your dog has cataracts if they are constantly bumping into furniture. Cataracts can be cured with surgery. Hypothyroidism — this can be caused by a deficiency of the thyroid hormone and may produce signs that include infertility, obesity, mental dullness and lack of energy. It can be treated with medication. Progressive Retinal Atrophy PRA — this is an eye disorder that eventually causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eye. Regular vet checkups and keeping an eye on your dog will ensure you can catch any of these issues before they become untreatable. Daily Life We have covered what the temperament and the characteristics of the Golden Cocker Retriever are and how many of their traits depend on what they inherit from their parents. Now, we can take a look at what living with this dog is like. Luckily, no matter what features your Golden Retriever Cocker Spaniel hybrid inherits from their parents, daily life with them is pretty much the same. Of course, you should always check the back of the dog food packet to confirm how much you should be feeding them based on their exact weight. Try to feed your Golden Cocker Retriever high-quality dog food two times a day. If possible, you should try to put them on food that is formulated for medium to large dog breeds, again based on their weight. Hybrids When you take a golden retriever and mix it with a cocker spaniel, the outcome is a truly adorable golden cocker retriever, also known as a Dakota sport retriever or a cogol. These hybrid dogs are called forever puppies because they maintain a puppy-like look to them even when they are fully grown. The golden cocker retriever is a hybrid or designer dog intentionally created to combine the best qualities of the cocker spaniel and the golden retriever together. The golden cocker retriever maintains the look of the golden retriever in a smaller package with longer hair. The golden cocker retriever is an excellent family dog, provided you can meet its needs. Read on to find out if the golden cocker retriever is the dog for you. Parentage Of The Golden Cocker Retriever When mixing two breeds together, like the golden retriever and the cocker spaniel, there is no guarantee of exactly how each puppy will look and behave in every litter. Understanding the history and personality of both parent breeds will also give you an idea of how your golden cocker retriever will behave later on in life as it develops its personality as an adult. The Golden Retriever The golden retriever as we know it today, originated in Scotland in the mid to late s and early s. The golden retriever was bred to be a sporting dog with a soft mouth. Its job was to chase down prey, usually waterfowl, after the owner had shot one down. Once the dog located the prey, it would gently pick it up in its mouth and bring it back to the owner. The area in which they had to do the retrieving was often marshy, so the dogs were bred to have warm coats and be excellent swimmers. For a more detailed look at how the golden retriever came to be, check out our dedicated article on their history. Golden retrievers are highly loyal, dedicated, easily trainable, and loving dogs. It is important to note the golden retriever is also very high energy and requires a lot of mental and physical stimulation. The Cocker Spaniel Cocker spaniels originated in Europe as sporting and hunting dogs. They were used to flush out birds from bushes and low lying brush for the hunter to shoot them down. There are many different types of spaniels, but the cocker spaniel was so named because that specific breed specialized in hunting woodcocks. Cocker spaniels were popularized by the Disney movie Lady and the Tramp and U. The cocker spaniel is an easily trainable dog who loves spending time with the family in all activities. However, they are high energy pups who require a lot of time and effort from their owners in order to stay happy. The Golden Cocker Retriever The golden cocker retriever takes on the best of both breeds and looks a lot like a shrunken version of the golden retriever with the long floppy ears of the cocker spaniel. The golden cocker retriever is a very high energy dog and will require a lot of energy from you as well. The golden cocker retriever stands at 20 to 24 inches and weighs 30 to 45 pounds on average. This makes them a medium-sized dog. They are inquisitive dogs who love being involved with their humans and their environment. Golden cocker retrievers are great dogs to have if you have children. They love the company and energy small children bring to the home and will get along with them very well. The golden cocker retriever is an intelligent dog which will require mental as well as physical stimulation from you in order to be happy. Trainability Thanks to both of the parent dogs, the golden retriever and the cocker spaniel, the golden cocker retriever takes to training very well. They are intelligent dogs that enjoy the effort it takes to learn tricks and tasks. Training should be consistent and based on positive reinforcement as the golden cocker retriever takes harsh words and negative punishment to heart. Health Concerns Golden cocker retrievers are a mixed breed, which means they have a wider genetic pool to draw from. This means they are genetically healthier than either of their purebred parents. However, because the golden retriever and cocker spaniel share some common health concerns, they can appear in the golden cocker retriever too. Be on the lookout for: Hip dysplasia Entropion eyelid condition Hypothyroidism Taking your golden cocker retriever to the vet every year for a check up and their vaccines is incredibly important. Prevention is always better than treatment. Your vet can catch small issues developing in the early stages and provide preventative care before the problem becomes life threatening or painful for your dog. The golden cocker retriever seems like an ideal medium-sized dog for any family. However there are some care needs you need to consider to determine if this is the dog for you or not. The golden cocker retriever is an incredibly high-energy dog. They require a minimum of an hour of exercise a day, preferably split over two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Physical exercise can take the form of play sessions with you, walks, going to the dog park, swimming time, hikes, obedience training, and playing fetch. If you have trained your golden cocker retriever well, taking them to an off-leash dog park and allowing them to run around and explore all the different sights and smells is an excellent way to stimulate them. Golden cocker retrievers need mental stimulation during the day, which is separate from their physical exercise. Toys, slow feeders , lick mats , snuffle mats , and puzzle games are all excellent options to boost their mental stimulation. The golden cocker retriever has a beautiful coat that sheds a lot thanks to the golden retriever and cocker spaniel parents. They will need to be brushed every second or third day depending on the individual dog. If your golden cocker retriever loves swimming, their coat will need to be dried and brushed after every swim. There are two different kinds of cocker spaniel , the American and the English. Both kinds can be crossed with a golden retriever to make a golden cocker retriever. The biggest difference between the two cocker spaniels is their size. The American breeders focused on producing small, sleek companion cocker spaniels, while the English breeders focused on breeding larger cocker spaniels with longer legs. Therefore, the English cocker spaniel is taller and slightly broader than the American cocker spaniel. Parent Breed. Goldadors are very social, intelligent, easy to train and are an excellent family companion. Our Goldadors can be anywhere from lbs. Country Retrievers With the many requests for Country Retrievers also known as Comfort Retrievers or Golden Cockers , we spent time researching the cross over the past 2 years. This year, in , we are excited to introduce our first Country Retriever puppies! Country Retrievers are a smaller version of the Golden Retriever, with the combined friendliness, loyalty, and sweet temperaments of both breeds. Throw in a dash of the comical, playful spirit of the Cocker Spaniel, and the Comfort Retriever is lovingly referred to as the Forever Puppy. Golden Retriever The Golden Retriever is one of the most popular family pets. They are playful but gentle with children. They get along well with other pets, and are friendly to family and strangers alike. The intelligent Golden Retriever is very versatile. They excel in obedience training. Our Golden Retrievers can weigh between 55 — 75 pounds. Cocker Spaniel The Cocker Spaniel is a very gentle, easy-going, yet lively companion. Cocker Spaniels love their people families, love to snuggle, play together, and give a good laugh with their antics. They repay the loving they receive in multiples of loyalty and affection. Our Cocker Spaniels come in a variety of colours and can weigh from pounds. Genetics play an important role in the health and longevity of your puppy, but environmental factors play a greater role. Things like over and under stimulation, exercise, quality of food, home environment, etc… greatly affect the health and lifespan of your puppy. The quality of the nutrition your puppy receives directly affects his health, so we strongly recommend that your pup is fed top quality dog food. To protect each dog from negative breeding experiences and puppy mill conditions, the signing of a non-breeding contract is required. Our entire business is made to ensure that no dog is kept in unethical, inhumane conditions, and we are careful in screening potential puppy families to ensure each puppy goes to the best possible home. Follow Us. If you love the amazing personality of a Golden Retriever and the small size and loyalty of a Cocker Spaniel, you may love a Cocker Spaniel Golden Retriever mix. What do Golden Cocker Retrievers look like? These Golden Cocker Retrievers come in several sizes, colors and looks. They come in all the same coat colors as a normal Cocker Spaniel but commonly come in white, red, golden and tan. First generation cocker golden mix dogs have more floppy ears. When breeding a second and third generation, there is usually a higher percentage of Golden Retrievers in the mix. The golden retriever mixed with cocker spaniel puppies can often be referred to as "Miniature Golden Retrievers" or "Golden Minis". These puppies can look very much like a "Mini Golden Retriever" and have many of the same personality traits. When they are puppies you can see the Cocker Spaniel showing up in their eyes. They look almost angry, but it often fades with age. Here is a male Cocker Spaniel mix at 7 weeks old and again at 3 months old. The size depends on the parents of the puppies. In a first generation cocker spaniel golden retreiver mix you need to look at the size of the Golden Retriever used. The general rule of thumb is the puppies will be in between the sizes of both parents. However every now and again we see puppies that grow up to be bigger than both parents. To get a good idea of how much the puppies will weigh as a golden cocker retriever full grown we often use this weight chart predictor from thegoodypet. It has been the most accurate we have found to predict adult weight. Many people wonder if this mixed breed is a good family dog and easy to train. Yes, a Cocker Spaniel mix with Golden Retriever can make a great family pet. The Golden Cocker mix is a loyal and smart companion. They also are dogs that are easy to potty train. Cocker Spaniel Golden Retriever mix puppies tend to be food driven so we often train with kibble instead of treats. Issues with a Golden Cocker Retriever mix? The most common problem I see in the Cocker Spaniel Golden mix is some litters are more mouthy. They nip at anything moving which sometimes includes hands. Most are not, but it does happen every now and again. Remember that Cocker Spaniels were originally bred to be working dogs that kept livestock together by nipping at their heels. They also love to chase moving objects which is fantastic if you like playing fetch with your puppy but can scare children that don't know how to behave around a puppy. Two purebred parents will have more of a Cocker Spaniel look. Make sure to ask what they expect the full grown Golden Cocker Retriever to weigh. It will only be an estimate and there are no guarantees but it is good to get an idea. Also ask what kind of health testing was done on the parents of the litter. We normally have Cocker Golden Retriever mix puppies available or coming soon. Check out our puppies HERE or fill out the form below and we will get back to you. First Name.

Brindle 2. She needs plenty of exercise and lots of play! Given that both the Boxer and the Pitbull were bred for use as working dogs, these breeds are very energetic, so your Boxer Pitbull Mix requires a lot of exercise. This is what a well-exercised Boxer Pitbull Mix should look like: The Boxer Pitbull Mix is very playful and will need lots of toys at home. Careful, though! With her strong jaw and love of chewing, this dogs can destroy a chew toy within minutes. When you take her out, take a ball or a Frisbee to play fetch. She will love it! You should take her out for a brisk one-hour walktwice a day. If you are running, twenty minutes to half an hour should be enough. If your dog tires you will notice her slowing or beginning to pant excessively you should stop for a five-minute break and hydrate her. I recommend taking out a collapsible doggie bowl in which you can give her water. A note on exercising your Pitbull Boxer Mix puppy This advice on exercise applies to the adult dog only, as when large-breed puppies do too much running and ball-chasing this can cause long-term injuries. With your Pitbull Boxer Mix puppy, it is best to do lots of short walks and indoor play until she matures, at about 1 year — 16 months. Watch this 11 week old Pitbull Boxer Mix. She is curious, playful, active, and absolutely, jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Whatever the weather — not with this dog! In rainy weather, she will need a doggie coat to keep her warm. During summer months, it is best to take her out in the early morning or the evening when the sun is less intense. She may still need sunscreen, but make sure you purchase one without zinc oxide, as it is toxic for dogs. The Pitbull is also a very affectionate dog when well-socialized, who will lick you all over if you give her an inch. She was in fact bred for both work and companionship , and due to her gentle nature, is beginning to be used more and more as a therapy dog. Both Boxer and Pitbull are also great with children , which makes them excellent family dogs. The Boxer is very patient and protective, while the Pitbull is solid, a people-pleaser and highly trainable. So mix them together and what have you got? A companionable, affectionate dog who fits in perfectly with a family, wants a lot of attention and gives in return. It is, of course, worth noting that as puppies they are going to be more hyper, and so their contact with children must be supervised. Also, your dog must be well-exercised to be around children, as if not she will be incredibly excitable and could knock over a small child. Her guard dog instinct is strong, which can be useful if there is an intruder or attacker. These are courageous dogs who used to risk their lives baiting bulls, so have no doubt that she will defend you and yours if necessary. If this instinct gets out of hand, however, it can become a problem. You must make sure that you socialize your Boxer Pitbull Mix from a young age with as many people as you can. Invite friends and neighbors to your home and provide her with a positive association by having the person give her a treat when they arrive. As long as you train her well and stay consistent, this dog will be the friendliest dog around. She might be too hands-on for older pets Providing they are both socialized properly, both breeds can get on well with other animals, particularly Boxers. As for play style, Pitbulls can be rough and Boxers like to use their front paws when playing much like a boxer… oh, that makes sense! People are also beginning to look past the negative stigma around Pitbulls and realize their high intelligence and trainability, too. Director of Operations at Universal K9 claims that out of the hundreds of dogs he has trained for police work, the Pitbull, Kiah, is one of the top three he has ever placed. These dogs can be stubborn, though, meaning that you need to be firm and consistent with them. As long as you are in charge, your Boxer Pitbull Mix should pick up basic commands quickly. Make sure you do enough repetition and provide rewards and lots of praise. As puppies, they are boisterous and energetic little characters. You will need to be assertive in order to get their focus. She is a moderate shedder Though these dogs have a short coat, they are moderate shedders and will require a good grooming session once a week. They will probably lose more fur in the Spring, from April through May, so it may be a good idea to brush her twice a week during these periods. She will also need her ears checked monthly, either at the vet or with a reputable groomer. She is usually healthy but has some potential health concerns The Pitbull Boxer Mix is generally a healthy breed, as both pure breeds are as long as she gets sufficient exercise, of course and as I mentioned in the intro it can live for up to 13 years. Having said that, it is always worth being informed on any potential health issues this breed can develop, so here are the main ones your dog could be prone to: Cancer While the majority of Boxers are healthy , they are at risk of an aggressive form of cancer called hemangiosarcoma , which occurs in the blood vessel cells. It can be difficult to detect, but signs can include weakness, a distended abdomen, difficulty breathing and weight loss. If you notice any of these symptoms in your dog, talk to your veterinarian as soon as possible, as this cancer can spread rapidly. Hip dysplasia This condition consists of a malformation of the hip joint, where it is unstable or loose in the socket. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals shows that this condition occurs in both breeds , although Pitbulls are more susceptible. Severe cases can lead to arthritic joints and lameness. Signs can include walking or running with an altered gait and reluctance to fully extend their rear legs or jump. Weight control helps enormously with this condition; keep her slim, as any excess weight will put stress on her joints. Heart disease The Boxer is prone to a heart problem called aortic stenosis , which in most cases of the disease the dog is born with. This disease causes narrowing of the aortic valve, which puts pressure on the heart. Symptoms can include rapid breathing or difficulty breathing, sudden loss of consciousness, and congestive heart failure. If your vet picks up a heart murmur, the diagnosis can be confirmed with an X-ray and a cardiac ultrasound. Allergies Pitbulls can have various allergies , so your Pitbull Boxer Mix may be susceptible. They can be treated with antihistamines, and in the case of skin irritation, you should use shampoos specifically designed for sensitive skin. Conclusion Are you a family with children without any older pets? Are you ready to dedicate your days to plenty of exercise and play with your new lively companion? Can you give her the consistent training she needs? If the answer is yes to all of the above, you are more than ready to own a Pitbull Boxer Mix, and she will be more than happy to have you. Have you got a Pitbull Boxer Mix and a story to share? Comment below! About Alexandra Animalso I was raised to be a dog person. My first Shepherd grew up as I did and wanted to be where I was at all times. I got my second dog as a 16th birthday present, and her loyalty for me was just as strong as my first. I hope that my contribution to Animalso will help others find dogs who give them that same unconditional love. Had her posted on the local shelter site but no takers. We have a year-old Chihuahua and 8-year-old Yorkie so keeping the new dog inside is not possible. For a temporary measure we put a cardboard box with lots of pillows and blankets warmed in the dryer on the porch swing. It has since warmed up into the range. She appears to be happy running around outside and sleeping on the porch swing near the now chewed up box. We have ordered a dog house for her and are having her spayed tomorrow. We are a late middle-aged couple but I hope to be able to walk with her at least once a day. I hope you can wish us well for rescuing her. Although a playful pup sounds endearing, consider how many games of fetch or tag you want to play each day, and whether you have kids or other dogs who can stand in as playmates for the dog. Click here for more information on this characteristic Bullboxer Pit Highlights The Bullboxer Pit is a mixed breed dog. Bullboxer Pits may tend to overeat. Owners must be diligent about monitoring diet. Bullboxer Pits have often been used as farm or guard dogs, due mostly to their loyal nature and powerful strength. The most regularly seen coat colors are brown, tan, yellow, and black. Although their coats are easy to maintain, Bullboxer Pits do shed all year long. Brushing can help. Due to their exercise requirements, physical strength, and need for training, this breed might not be best for novice dog owners. Boxers came on the scene in Germany back in the s; the dogs were often used to transport supplies and ferry messages to troops during the first two World Wars. The American Pit Bull Terrier was first employed in blood sports and used in baiting bears and bulls. The first ever Bullboxer Pits can be traced back to a German dog breed called the Bullenbeisser, which is now extinct. Due to the care and attention Bullboxer Pits require from an owner, many of them can end up in shelters. Bullboxer Pit Size The Bullboxer Pit is often described as a medium-sized dog, although they are also stockier and sturdier than many other middle-sized canines. Most weigh in at 50 to 80 pounds and range in height from 16 to 20 inches. Female Bullboxer Pits can often be a little smaller than their male counterparts. Bullboxer Pit Personality Bullboxer Pits have often been used as farm or guard dogs, due mostly to their loyal nature and powerful strength. These dogs can be especially devoted to their families, and often become very protective of any children in the household. Very upbeat walks—or even jogs—are required, so the owner must also be able to maintain a healthy and regular exercise routine. Around two hours of exercise per day is required—adding agility training or even swimming to the daily sessions can help vary things up. Apartment dwellers may find that many buildings do not permit Bullboxer Pits to live with them. Some of the more common health problems Bullboxer Pits suffer from include: Obesity due to overeating. Pitoxer Description The Bullboxer Pit is not a purebred dog. The best way to determine the temperament of a mixed breed is to look up all breeds in the cross and know you can get any combination of any of the characteristics found in any of the breeds in the hybrid. It is very common for breeders to breed multi-generation crosses. He's 11 months old soon to be 1 and enjoys chew toys, meat sticks, long walks on the beach literally and generally giving everyone love. He was a bit shy at first, but once he got to know me he came around. He has a high dislike for other dogs from being attacked at a young age, but he is a good dog all around. He is a energetic little guy who is constantly pestering his mom to play with him. He loves his treats and is starting to learn basic commands very quickly. When the day is over and it's time to call it a night he's the first one to cuddle up with you and is off to dreaming most likely of chasing his mom around the yard within minutes. He has been a great addition to the family, and unlike his parents when they were his age he has been great at not chewing on things other than his chew toys. I've only lost one hat to his playfull chewing, which is considerably better than countless shoes, cords, hats etc that his parents had destroyed by the time they were 4 months old. I look forward to watching him grow up and turn into what I'm sure will be the most popular and handsome dog on the block. She is a great dog. She is very loving and has more Pit Bull characteristics than Boxer. She has the Boxer lips and lower jaw that sticks out a little further than the upper. He is very fast, hence his name. Rocket is a fast learner. He learned many tricks including high five, shake, sit and lie down at only 4 months old. Rocket loves to learn! He loves Meaty Bones. He is a loving dog like a Boxer but also strong and muscular like an American Pit Bull. I rescued Rocket from people who were feeding him raw meat and kicking him just when he was about a month old. He is the best dog I have ever had. His mother was a Pit Bull and his father a Boxer. He's very sweet and sleeps a lot. He's a climber! He's also very smart. He already knows sit, stay, lie down, come here, his name, go potty, as well as a variety of other words that indicate where to go crate, bedroom, outside. He is so gentle that he can attack a balloon playfully for 35 minutes before popping it.Everyone loves him and he's changing everyone's attitudes about Pit Bull type dogs or Pit Bull mixes. The recipe features real meat, garden veggies, and fruit plus whole grains and LifeSource Bits rich in antioxidants. It also features ingredients that support healthy growth and development for a growing pup. Natural sources of chondroitin and glucosamine are the building blocks of healthy joints and cartilages ideal for mobility. It is packed in vitamins and minerals with antioxidant benefits for lifelong health and happiness. This kibble made for large breed adult dogs also features Iams DHA Gold to promote mental sharpness and alertness and also to encourage healthy cognitive ability. It is crafted with prebiotics for healthy digestion and strong defenses. Puppies and adult pooches have diametrically different nutritional needs, and senior canines require kibble that is gentle on their aged teeth and stomachs. We suggest you pick one of our recommendations for the best puppy food brands and the best senior dry dog food and see how your pup responds. Who knows? Given that your Pitbull Boxer is neither big nor small, they may like the taste of the best dry dog food for small dogs and the best large breed dry dog food alike, so you might want to offer them both kinds! Pitbull Boxer Mix Exercise Requirements The general advice for most dogs would be to train them while they are young. But in the case of your Pitbull Boxer cross, you have to very cautious. Puppies of large-breed origin that exerts too much energy from running or playing can cause injuries that may last his lifetime. For puppies, activities may be limited to regular short walks or play until it has reached a certain maturity, around one year up to 16 months. As it gets old, the daily exercise requirement will also change. For an adult Pitbull boxer, minutes of exercise should be adequate to maintain good health. It is a very energetic hybrid so they will thrive in a lively environment. An ideal home would mean lots of space to move around, inside or in the backyard. Some states enforce restrictions with regards to Pitbull mixes like your pitbull boxer, so you have to keep it on a leash while out exercising. Using a leash will also prevent them from running into or jumping into everyone they encounter. They are most happy walking around in the city or the Dog Park or even trudging in the mountains. Another essential thing to consider is the weather. During the rainy season, your dog will need a raincoat to protect her from the rain and also to keep her warm. Sunscreen can be used but avoid products with zinc oxide, as it is a poisonous substance. The jacket provides full chest coverage, and the solid print is stylishly chic. The elastic leg straps and adjustable fastener guarantees a snug band comfortable fit. It also features reflectorized stitching so you can see your dog even at night. It is guaranteed durable — it features a galvanized cable and coated with crack-resistant vinyl. It should be able to withstand up to 7x the weight of your dog. My Dog Nose It! Pitbull Boxer Cross Training The combination of Pitbull and Boxer is explosively stubborn, so it is a suitable pet for someone with a firm and unyielding grip in training and socialization. And as always, your dog will react and respond best with positive reinforcement, rewards, and incentives. Punishment will never work, and more often than not, will only create or aggravate behavioral problems. It is essential to reward your pet to encourage positive behavior. Early socialization and training from puppyhood will form the foundation of a well-adjusted dog. Training your Pitbull Boxer should be a piece of cake because of their ability to pick up commands. To get their focus though, you would need to be tough and establish yourself as the master and make him obey you. We listed some training activities you can try out with your petpal: Behavior Training — How do you train him to stop barking mad? Constant practice will help you achieve the desired effect but never shout at him even if he continues to bark. Also, allow him to learn commands other than barking. Keep in mind that the goal is to reward your pup for being silent. Chores Training — Teach him to fetch your newspaper for you. Playing fetch with a toy or a ball should prep your dog for this activity. All you have to do is replace the toy with the newspaper and tech your Pitbull boxer how to get it, pick it up or bring it back to you. Fun Training — Rollover is one activity designed with your big Boxer Pitbull in mind. Start with getting your dog to lie down, and eventually how to roll over. Make sure you reward each action accordingly, and of course, practice makes perfect. Pitbull Boxer Combination And Families The Pitbull Boxer will become accustomed to any family dynamic most especially when trained well and socialized correctly. Their energetic and sometimes rowdy nature can knock off small bodies, so be extra careful if you have kids. There are specific training designed to help you manage this kind of behavior. Check with your local authorities with regards to the legal status of Pitbull mixes in your area. Find out if your Boxer pitbull mix is banned or restricted. Not only will they thrive in large spaces to allow lots of movement, but they will also want owners who will dedicate their time to train and socialize and to love and care for them. Reach out to your vet for more information on a proper Bullboxer Pit care. Pitbull Boxer Mix Grooming And Shedding The most important factor is that these dogs are low shedding and low maintenance. They seldom require many products and it means getting trims on a daily basis is not needed. The Bullboxer Pit sheds moderately. Unreasonable shedding indicates some sort of a health issue. Use a brush and comb their loose hair. Bathing is recommended once in a fortnight or when suggested by your vet. A soft bristle brush or a curry comb is enough. Medicated shampoos are needed if skin disorders are present. If your dog consists of the wrinkles and facial folds of the Boxer, then examine the muzzle and face area on a regular basis. Prevent the growth of bacterial infestations, fungal, and red yeast due to drooling problems. These dogs need safe moisturizer and need attention to stop cracking and drying. Start this habit early as some hybrids can be stubborn about getting their feet touched. Brush their teeth once daily and provide them with dental treats. This will keep their gums strong. Clip their nails and clean their ears regularly. Hire a professional groomer if you are unsure of anything. The most crucial thing is that you should follow and adopt consistent training. Experts suggest early training for this breed because of obesity issues. They have the potential to become abnormal chewers. This need not adhere only to cushions, shoes, or anything including food. The Bullboxer Pit is a kind and loving dog when they are left with their family members and the same does not work with other strangers or animals. A properly socialized Bullboxer Pit will offer unconditional support to other pets. A brilliant watchdog, this dog is always active and alert. When a Bullboxer Pit senses a stranger close by, it will bark loudly to alert the owner. Pitbull Boxer Mix Exercise A pretty strong dog with a brilliant and strong physique which requires a complete lot of exercise, Bullboxer Pits is here to stay. They need exercise to maintain their health and form. This dog appears very alert and agile and seems to behave hyper. It might move around without your permission. The Bullboxer Pits are suitable for families with kids because of their affection, friendliness, and energy. For those who already lead a physically active lifestyle, then this Pitbull Boxer Mix is the right choice. These dogs are developed to be a strong dog with gameness and tenacity. This dog needs its daily dose of exercise. They love activities including agility training , flyball, swimming, jogs, and brisk walks. Experts normally do not suggest this large dog breed for apartment living. They can become obese if left unsupervised. Sticking to the feeding schedule can help stop that. If not given proper medical care, these pets can turn critically ill. Hip Dysplasia — This refers to a condition wherein the socket and ball joint of the hip is malformed. Cardiomyopathy — Cardiomyopathy is a condition which affects the heart. Sudden heart failure or fainting can occur. Some dogs can also develop congestive heart failure. Aortic stenosis — Aortic Stenosis is a disorder where the aortic valve reduces in size and this valve manages the blood flow to the important aorta ventricular Some of the minor health issues include Allergies — If you notice signs of allergies in your pet , do these things- Try dietary changes and nutraceuticals Ear cleaning Topical treatments and bathing Contact your vet Demodectic mange — This condition is caused due to an itchy, red skin infection. Demodex Canis mite lives ideally on dogs. Degenerative Myelopathy — A progressive disorder of the spine mostly found in older dogs. This disorder can lead to progressive paralysis also. Pitbull Boxer Mix Food These are big dogs and you can easily expect them to eat large quantities. In order to keep them strong and healthy, Bullboxer Pits are fed with the best quality dry food. Check the label for any preservatives or artificial flavors. If you find these ingredients in the dog food, put it back- Wheat Gluten.

Learn more about our puppies When you bring home a Prairie Doodles puppy, your puppy has already received hours and hours of important socialization. We introduce each puppy to a wide variety of people, sounds, smells and scenarios, which helps to create balanced dogs who are inquisitive, adaptable and social. We begin introducing them to a crate at five weeks old, so by the time they join your home they are well on their way to being crate trained. In addition, all of our puppies are litter box trained to eliminate on wood pellets. We love raising balanced, happy dogs. They're hand-whelped and brought up inside our homes, alongside our children, because we believe dogs are an important part of the family. Meet us What people are saying about us "Gail at Prairie Doodles has been wonderful. She has always been available to answer questions, and now, even years after we brought our dogs home, I know that she really cares about the families who have her dogs. I recommend her to everyone who asks me where my dogs are from — and lots of people ask! He loves outdoor activities, and is often hiking or snowshoeing in the mountains on weekends. He has a gentle and loving temperament, and is so great around his little human brother, Aiden. We receive so many compliments and questions about Enzo. Thank you to Prairie Doodles for our beloved puppy! Gail is a wonderful match-maker; we couldn't have asked for a better puppy. He has the most easy-going, calm and goofy personality that charms everyone who meets him. Our friends and family fight over who gets to babysit him when we go away. Family raised with love and laughter for a happily ever after. We are not a kennel. Aside from being intelligent, smart, and loyal, this coat quality is often why they are so highly sought after. Many families will find success with this breed, where other breeds have failed. Puppy Selection I am proud to be a breeder that allows families to choose their own puppy. After raising puppies for more than 13 years, I have never felt the need to allocate puppies to families. On occasion, a family will ask me to pick their puppy for them and I always provide guidance as to personality differences between puppies within a litter. If I feel that a chosen puppy will not be a good fit for a family, I will tell them. Health Guarantee Davidson Doodles is proud to be able to offer a 3 year health guarantee on our Australian Labradoodles and a 2 year health guarantee on our Bernedoodles. Meet the Davidson Family! As a family, Australian Labradoodles were love at first sight for us. Labradoodles have proven to be the ideal family pet for us. I currently live in SW Edmonton. I am dedicated to raising healthy and sound Multigenerational Australian Labradoodles and Australian Bernedoodles. Dogs have always been a huge part of my life. Growing up our family had a maltese poodle, Sam. When I began living on my own, I got my first dog, Jamie. Bailey joined my small family shortly thereafter. My first experience with an Australian Labradoodle was as a guardian home. And the love was instant. Their non-shedding, allergy friendly coats make them ideal family pets. Their goofy personality, loyalty, intelligence, and gentle demeanor were traits that needed to be shared with dog lovers everywhere. But it had to be done right. She just celebrated her 4th birthday on February 1. She is smart and cuddly and loved by everyone who meets her. We absolutely love her and she makes us laugh every day. She weighs 25 lbs now and 19" at the shoulder. The picture was taken Christmas Day with our kitten, Tika — they are the best of friends. Thanks again for our wonderful puppy. He is my shadow all day while it's just us :. We have so much love for our goofy guy! His best days are when it has snowed. We sure love him, and he is growing so much, I look forward to the days when he has grown out of his puppy habits though, LOL. Anyways, all is well and he is doing wonderful. Take care. Ron Calgary, Alberta What a gentle and exceptional doodle Casta that we have enjoyed as part of our family every day! Tim Medicine Hat, Alberta Hello! My husband surprised me with one of your pups last May .He has blessed our life so much! Here's William! Judith Calgary, Alberta We bought our fabulous dog from you Farley and today is Farley's 8th birthday. He remains a healthy 31 pounds and is happy and healthy. The amount of love he accepts is astounding and our lives are so much richer because of him. Thank you for helping to bring him into our lives. There are two of us here at Puppy Love. This enables us to have several dogs in our breeding program and still ensure that each one gets the love and attention they deserve. We raise our dogs in our homes where they are part of our busy families. We both have five kids each who help to love and train our dogs and socialize the puppies. When we purchased our first Australian Labradoodle about 12 years ago, we were surprised to find that everything we had been told about this wonderful creature called the Labradoodle was true! They are friendly and fun loving, making them a wonderful family pet for children as well as adults. They are highly intelligent, easy to train and very intuitive, making them great for animal assisted therapy. We have sold many puppies over the years for therapy purposes to families who have kids or adults with special needs and also for therapy use in health care or educational settings. They truly are amazing animals and they will have you wrapped around their little paws before you know it. We breed only true Labradoodles or the Australian Multigenerational Labradoodles. We do not breed any early cross labradoodles or any labs to poodles as we have found that there is not enough consistency in temperament as well as coat. We like to be able to ensure that all of our puppies will have great personalities combined with fleece or silky soft coats that are allergy friendly. Not all Labradoodles are Created Equal! Our labradoodles are members of our families and have really enriched our lives. We want to bring them, a wonderful family pet and companion to your home. If you have allergies and have previously been unable to enjoy a dog for a pet, our puppies are the perfect choice for you. We only breed pure Australian Labradoodles. Because these are multi generational dogs, they have a much better, hypo allergenic, very little to non shedding coat. Most of the early crosses have a tendancy to shed. With multigenerational Labradoodles you get the benefit of may years of selective breeding by the breeders that started it all in Australia. In terms of Labradoodles, you really do get what you pay for! We are not a kennel. Our Australian Labradoodle puppies are hand whelped in our home and spend the first weeks of their lives in our Master Bedrooms where they and the moms feel the most safe and secure. At 3 weeks they move into the main living area of the house. From here they can see and hear just about everything that goes on in our homes on a day to day basis. Our children, who range in ages from toddler to young adult help to love and socialize the puppies until they are ready to be adopted and go home with you. Puppies raised in this environment make the best pets because they have been given the best possible start. They will enjoy running with you, swimming with you, they are great at fetch, highly intelligent and easily trained. When you are all done playing, what the Labradoodle enjoys the most is a nice, warm cuddle with you! Start your summer off in the best way possible by adding a new puppy to your family. Get out and enjoy the beautiful season with your new best friend! Contact us for details. Testimonials Our experience with Puppy Love Labradoodles has been a very good one. Right from our first call from Darice asking us all kinds of questions about our home life so that she could decide if we were the right people to purchase one of their puppies. We could not be happier with Darice and her family's professional and caring help. No questions have gone unanswered. We would not hesitate to buy another puppy from them. Contact Details. Showing 1 - 28 of 28 resultsPage 1 - 28 results Sort by Your listing deserves to be on top. Strathcona County Ready to go home this week!!! You can follow us on Instagram at thedoodlefamily57 or check out our website at thedoodlefamily. He is a cuddly lovable delightful , miniature Labradoodle-Cockapoo puppy! Mom's parents are both miniature.We also have a beautiful double doodle female ready to go now! She is an absolute sweetheart that loves people and other.Rosie has had her ultrasound and there are alot of puppies in her belly! This litter will due the second.Join our waitlist for future litters Ready October by completing a puppy.Calgary Born on June 10th and ready for their fur-ever homes Aug 5th. Dam is our Chocolate Labrador, weighing 60lbs. She has been DNA tested and cleared for health and prescreened for.Edmonton Born on June 10th and ready for their fur-ever homes Aug 5th. I was holding onto the last 2 pups from a litter of 10 for someone while they moved to Edmonton. Sadly they can no longer take the puppies. Both male, Edmonton Ready to go Sept 8 Males remaining Pic 1 has small umbilical hernia that will likely resolve on its own. Mother is our F1 Labradoodle whom we have raised since birth Father is our standard poodle. There are 2 girls and 5 boys! We are accepting reservations for these stunning.We have 4 handsome boys and 4 beautiful little girls. Dad is a purebred yellow english labrador retriever and comes from a.Labradoodle Puppies Clyde Two sweet pups left!!!! Both our doodles are girls; they're friendly, confident and socialized. They have met other people and children. We've raised them alongside our cats and horse. We've taken.Bird Dogs! Rocky View Exceptional Pedigree and top-quality puppies. We have high expectations for these litters! The moms comes from hunting lines has tones of natural instinct and is an excellent retriever. Bo a master.The puppies are here!!! Shade and Kacie Neilly's Felicity have blessed us with 3 beauties and we have space for one family that is interested in a boy. These babies are.Fairview We are excited to offer non shedding, family friendly, healthy and well-socialized puppies to families who want the very best! Shes so sweet and snuggly. She knows most of her tricks and is mainly housetrained. She is looking for a home that has the room and time for her. Lego is a 3 year old Labradoodle. He is fully housetrained and knows how to fetch, sit, paw, play dead and is.Two females and one male. Born August 9, .These cuties will be available to go early October. These are multigenerational and will be.High Park Doodles is proud to announce that Noah and.This is Buddy. He was born March .He has had 3 sets of.His name is Arlo. He is going to be a year old on July 17th. He has all his vaccinations, including his Rabies, and kennel.Must be loving family with large backyard. Lakeahore Labradoodles Instagram and Facebook pages. Breeder was hoping to keep him but due to.Browse other categories in Pets in Alberta. Showing 1 - 32 of 32 resultsPage 1 - 32 results Sort by Your listing deserves to be on top. He is a cuddly lovable delightful , miniature Labradoodle-Cockapoo puppy! Mom's parents are both miniature.Strathcona County Ready to go home this week!!! You can follow us on Instagram at thedoodlefamily57 or check out our website at thedoodlefamily. We also have a beautiful double doodle female ready to go now! She is an absolute sweetheart that loves people and other.Rosie has had her ultrasound and there are alot of puppies in her belly! This litter will due the second.Join our waitlist for future litters Ready October by completing a puppy.Pets for sale Lethbridge 6 month old Male labradoodle. Has shots and deworming. Awesome puppy, loves to play with everyone, cats and dogs and children. Free to good home. Hate to give him away, I just don't have the time to.Calgary Born on June 10th and ready for their fur-ever homes Aug 5th. Dam is our Chocolate Labrador, weighing 60lbs. She has been DNA tested and cleared for health and prescreened for.Edmonton Born on June 10th and ready for their fur-ever homes Aug 5th. I was holding onto the last 2 pups from a litter of 10 for someone while they moved to Edmonton. Sadly they can no longer take the puppies. Both male, Fully adjustable. No tools required. Will fit just about any SUV. Not suitable for 70 pound male labradoodles that want to sit in the front seat. We need to find.Edmonton Ready to go Sept 8 Males remaining Pic 1 has small umbilical hernia that will likely resolve on its own. Mother is our F1 Labradoodle whom we have raised since birth Father is our standard poodle. There are 2 girls and 5 boys! We are accepting reservations for these stunning.We have 4 handsome boys and 4 beautiful little girls. Dad is a purebred yellow english labrador retriever and comes from a.Is good with horses, cows and cats. Needs to grow up on a big yard and loves water. Only reason for.Labradoodle Puppies Clyde Two sweet pups left!!!! Both our doodles are girls; they're friendly, confident and socialized. They have met other people and children. We've raised them alongside our cats and horse. We've taken.Bird Dogs! Rocky View Exceptional Pedigree and top-quality puppies. We have high expectations for these litters! The moms comes from hunting lines has tones of natural instinct and is an excellent retriever. Bo a master.The puppies are here!!! Shade and Kacie Neilly's Felicity have blessed us with 3 beauties and we have space for one family that is interested in a boy. These babies are.Fairview We are excited to offer non shedding, family friendly, healthy and well-socialized puppies to families who want the very best! Shes so sweet and snuggly. She knows most of her tricks and is mainly housetrained. She is looking for a home that has the room and time for her. Lego is a 3 year old Labradoodle. He is fully housetrained and knows how to fetch, sit, paw, play dead and is.Two females and one male. Born August 9, .These cuties will be available to go early October. These are multigenerational and will be.High Park Doodles is proud to announce that Noah and.This is Buddy. He was born March .He has had 3 sets of.His name is Arlo. He is going to be a year old on July 17th. He has all his vaccinations, including his Rabies, and kennel.Must be loving family with large backyard. Lakeahore Labradoodles Instagram and Facebook pages. Breeder was hoping to keep him but due to.Purchased new, used once on our labradoodle and decided to use local pet grooming business instead. Contains both electric and battery-operated cutters. Browse other categories in All Categories in Alberta.

Should a French Bulldog Mix take after their Frenchie parent, they will be a small companion breed that bonds closely with their families. They tend to have an energetic, playful personality and love nothing more than being with their favorite humans. French Bulldogs tend to be friendly, playful, and affectionate dogs that get along with just about everyone. They tend to get along with children, other dogs, and other pets. They will even warm up quickly to strangers as long as they have been properly socialized. If the other parent breed has a similar temperament, then you should be able to expect the same from a French Bulldog Mix. You can also meet the mother in person to see what her temperament is like and the behavior she is modeling for the puppies. The breeder should have started some training and socialization, but it is up to you to continue to train and socialize a puppy once you get them home. Frenchies are highly adaptable dogs. They do well in apartments as well as larger homes. However, as a brachycephalic breed, they are extra sensitive to heat and also sensitive to the cold. They also do not like being left alone for long periods of time. If the other parent breed is similar, then you can expect a Frenchie Mix to also be a highly adaptable dog. The other parent will introduce their own traits and some potential quirks, so you do want to ask the breeder about them. They could inherit none of the conditions common to their parent breeds, or they could inherit some or all of them. They can also be prone to allergies, have sensitive skin, and also a sensitive stomach. Good breeding practices will make a huge difference. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing issues to puppies. So, make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of both of the parents. Although French Bulldogs can sometimes be stubborn, they are eager to please and tend to be easy to train. As long as training is consistent and focused on positive praise and reward, they can be a good fit for owners of all experience levels. If the other parent breed is also easy to train, then you can expect a French Bulldog Mix to be highly trainable as well. Regardless of owner experience, there are many benefits of puppy training classes. A mixed-breed dog can inherit a coat similar to one of their parents or a coat that is a mix of both. You will also need to clean their facial wrinkles. Weekly ear checks with cleanings as needed can help prevent ear infections. As a small dog breed, a Frenchie Mix is more prone to developing dental diseases later in life. This makes good, consistent dental care for dogs even more important for them. Daily brushing with a dog-friendly toothpaste or using an enzyme toothpaste paired with cleanings at the vet when needed is ideal. Frenchies are known couch potato dogs that are happy to lay back, relax, and cuddle with you. Daily walks plus some playtime are usually enough for this affectionate little dog. Even though they like to relax, they also like to play and will be energetic when they do. They can also be athletic and compete in dog sports. As a brachycephalic breed, you do need to be careful of overexertion and overheating. But, there are plenty of ways to safely exercise flat-faced dogs to make sure your French Bulldog Mix gets enough exercise. If the other parent breed is also a low-energy breed, then you can expect something similar from a Frenchie Mix. If the other parent breed requires more activity, then you will need to be prepared for the potential of a higher energy dog. Fully-grown Frenchies usually stand inches tall and weigh pounds. The other parent breed can have a big effect on this, especially if they are the mother, so make sure you ask the breeder about them. This can give you some idea of what size to expect in a fully-grown French Bulldog Mix. French Bulldogs generally live for years. Although the other parent breed may affect this slightly, you should be able to expect a similar average life span in a French Bulldog Mix. Featured French Bulldog Mix Article. Showing 1 - 28 of 28 resultsPage 1 - 28 results Sort by Your listing deserves to be on top. Pups have been vet checked at 2 and 4 weeks, and.Dewormed, first vaccinations and clear health check. These babies are desensitized to.Glamorous frenchies currently have.We had an accidental litter lf Frugs Pug x French Bulldog , they are incredibly adorable and will be vet checked and receive 1st vaccines and dewormer before leaving our care. Dad is Frenchie and Boston and mom is Shitzu mix. Healthy pups. Pick up Cedarbrae SW Calgary. Both boys. They have been raised in a family environment with kids as well as cats. They have started.One of their other names, the Shichon Teddy Bear refers to their.Puppies are 8 weeks old. They have had their first vaccinations, microchip, They will have their first vaccinations and health check. Dad is purebred French bulldog and mom is purebred pug. Parents are super smart, kind and are.They love hanging out with people, they do great with other dogs, and are full of energy. We have.There are 3 girls and 2 boys available. Puppies will be ready to go home on August 11th. They will come fully vet checked.Should mature no more than 20 lbs. Vet checked, first shots and dewormed. Please call or .Parents are family dogs with prefect demeanors and are great with children and chickens : even cats Pick up is an option in.We are pleased to introduce Baby Pepper! This cute bundle of energy is excited to start the search for her new family. Mother Ruby and Father Leo are family pets. Leo is a.For more pictures of the colors just message. They are all good to go. Willing to negotiate price. They come with vet papers.

Like many large breeds, a German Shepherd dog is not considered fully grown until they are about 18 months old. Female German Shepherds continue to fill out until they are around two years old, while the male German Shepherd growth rate continues until they reach two and a half years of age. Males are larger and require more time to fill out their chest and abdomen. As you can see by the German Shepherd weight chart, these dogs can continue to grow until they are three years old, but the majority of growth occurs within 24 months. If your GSD is older than 36 months and continues to put on weight, contact your veterinarian to ensure weight gain does not lead to obesity. How big should a 6-month-old German Shepherd be? A six-month-old German Shepherd puppy will be quite large, as many German Shepherds undergo massive growth spurts between two and five months old. By six months, a male German Shepherd will weigh 53 pounds on average, whereas a female will weigh about 46 pounds. How much bigger will my German Shepherd get? There are a few ways to gauge how much bigger a German Shepherd will get. First, check your puppy's age. If your GSD is younger than two years old, they definitely have room to keep growing! Another way to tell if your pup still has a lot of growing to do is their paw size. Do their paws look large compared to their legs and body? This is a classic adolescent feature of a dog and means your pup is likely still growing! Most of the time, a dog will not grow bigger than its larger parents. What is the size of a full-grown German shepherd? An adult male German Shepherd is typically 24 to 26 inches tall, while adult female German Shepherds are 22 to 24 inches tall, according to the American Kennel Club German Shepherd Standard. The estimated full-size varies significantly between sexes. In terms of weight, an adult male German Shepherd weighs anywhere from 75 to 90 pounds. A female German Shepherd weighs notably less at 55 to 70 pounds. Please keep in mind that these numbers are only estimates to give you an idea of how much bigger a German Shepherd puppy may get. Some dogs will be both smaller and larger than these weight ranges when fully grown due to a variety of genetic and environmental factors. Learn all about your puppy's physical characteristics, breed history, personality traits, and more in our comprehensive guide. Preventive care is key in helping your German Shepherd live a healthy and long life. Helping your dog maintain an optimal weight is one of the best things you can do for their health. Taking your German Shepherd to regular veterinary appointments is one of the best things you can do to ensure that they are healthy and feeling their best. Compare German Shepherd health insurance plans before they get sick or injured. They are also more susceptible to gastrointestinal tract and hip issues. A veterinarian should regularly assess your pet for these health problems and run tests for anything they may be more prone to due to their breed. Treatment for many conditions, including bloat and GI issues, can cost thousands of dollars. Dog insurance is a wise investment that can give you peace of mind by covering pet emergency expenses. Wellness plans are also available to help cover the cost of vaccinations, vet exams, microchips, and more. Some people can predict the future. For everyone else, there's pet insurance. Use Pawlicy Advisor to easily compare plans from top providers so you can find a great deal with great coverage. Get Peace of Mind Today Do you want to find the best pet insurance? Let's analyze your pet's breed, age, and location to find the right coverage and the best savings. Analyze My Pet About Pawlicy Advisor The pet insurance marketplace endorsed by veterinarians, at Pawlicy Advisor we make buying the best pet insurance easier. Final Thoughts 7 months is the time when your cute fluffy cub turns into a naughty and disobedient teenager. Here, we have collected some tips and explanations that will help you deal with a lot of challenges the first month of adolescence imposes on a Shepherd and its owner. We hope our advice will be useful. Your puppy starts getting the right appearance of an adult German Shepherd dog. German Shepherds usually have 42 adult teeth at this age, and their coats complete the two necessary layers. The overall growth, however, slows down. The ears are fully standing in most cases at this age. Nevertheless, some dogs may have floppy ears until they are one year old. You may even think about taping. Anyway, you need to talk to your vet to ensure your pup really needs it. The sexual maturity of your doggy started not long ago, probably, in the last month. The animal will be developing its sexual behavior during the following two or three months. Make dogs, led by their hormones, start looking for a mate. This is a very responsible time because you need to keep your pup away from other dogs, especially stray ones. Even if you are walking with your pet along the street or in the park, keep an eye on other animals in the neighborhood. The time is pretty rewarding for training and learning. Activity and Behavior Physically, your German Shepherd of 7 months is not a puppy anymore. However, mentally it is, you can face many behavioral problems you have never seen before in your pet. Something can be even risky and inconvenient. Your doggy can start barking unexpectedly without any reason. It can try some bossy and disobedient things. It will chew everything it can reach and cause numerous accidents around your household. Nevertheless, it is a natural behavior for a pup with high hormone levels that are constantly changing. Therefore, it is a pretty responsible time for serious work with your furry pet. If you continue to pay much attention to its behavior, by its one year of age, you will receive the doggy of your dream. There is one more issue you may encounter with your pet. It will growl or snarl at you, your friends, family, or other animals who may try to approach, touch, or take away its belongings. You must do your best to stop this behavior as soon as possible, or your dog will show aggression toward other people or animals in public places. So, try to keep your pup away from dog parks at this age and continue socializing. You have to be very patient, anyway, because your 7 month old German Shepherd is a very energetic dog, so it always needs to stay busy. Your pup is extremely intelligent at this age, too. It can remember up to words, so teaching commands now is very easy. Your doggy needs at least 35 minutes of intensive exercise every day. One long walk or two short ones per day will do a lot of good to it. However, do not overload your puppy with physical activities. Its skeletal system is developing, so it is easy to damage its bones and joints at this age. You can also add the daily playtime activities and obedience training for at least minutes per day to keep your pup engaged. Try to be patient, rewarding, and understanding. Buy some safe and interesting toys for your pet to distract its attention from stressful factors. They need to be durable, too. Such things as kong toys, nylabones, and rope toys are quite effective. Kong toys are made of rubber and can be filled with food or treats. They also distract doggies from chewing household belongings. Nylabones are not chewable. They are made of plastic, and they are interesting to play with. Rope toys are a good source of stimulation, and they teach doggy interaction. So, your puppy will always be kept busy and entertained. Your dog will also need around hours of sleep at night at this age. However, there is no exact time your pup may want to nap. It can sleep about hours on average per day, which is considered a norm. Though there are some variations, you do not need to worry if your pet sleeps less or more. All three necessary vaccinations should have been received by this age. The next DHPP and rabies vaccines are usually administered when a doggy is one year old. Practice measuring your pup once a month to know for sure that your pet is growing properly. Some veterinarians recommend spaying or neutering the dog at this age. However, most specialists have already agreed that it is too early and you need to wait until the animal is one year old. It can be challenging for females because they can go into heat at this age. Though, try to postpone this medical procedure for as long as possible. Early neutering or spaying may lead to the development of hip dysplasia because the dog continues growing, and hormones play a great role in it. Proper nutrition and exercise are the main things that should be your focus at this time. Such diseases as arthritis, myelopathy, allergies, cataracts, diabetes, and others can display after 5 years of age. Nevertheless, it is good if you take advantage of a DNA test to learn more about possible future problems and health conditions. For example, degenerative myelopathy is a genetic issue that can be detected by this test. However, you need to be careful about such possible symptoms as heavy breathing, coughing, sneezing, itching, skin redness, a running nose and eyes, loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of weight, hard or excessive urination, drinking too much water, swollen or red gums, irregular sleep, and behavioral or personality changes. These symptoms may not mean any serious disease. However, you need to show your pup to the vet immediately when you notice something like that. The other recommendations for taking care of your German Shepherd of 7 months are the following: regular deworming and getting rid of other parasites; regular hydration by providing a stable supply of fresh water; arranging a cozy place for sleeping, for example, a crate; fur brushing several times per week during the usual seasons and every day during high-shedding seasons in spring and autumn; nail trimming and teeth cleaning not more seldom than at least once a month; keeping your pet away from any dangerous neighborhood or stray dogs. You may get some other, more individual recommendations from your vet. They can refer to specific diet or care needs. Feeding Correct feeding patterns are very important for your German Shepherd 7 month old puppy. It continues gaining weight and growing, so a healthy diet plays a great role in its development. You need to ensure that you offer your pet a proper number of calories and enough protein to support the health of its growing bones, joints, and muscles. There are two ways to feed your young doggy — an all-natural diet and ready-made kibble of the highest quality. If applied properly, both methods have their advantages. The natural diet should have enough lean meats, like fish, turkey, or chicken, that are rich in protein. It can also include some vegetables and fruit, such as pumpkin, peas, carrots, bananas, apples, blueberries, and others. Some fruits and vegetables are not recommended because they can even be toxic to your puppy. You also have to avoid too many treats while training. The treats should also be lean and non-fatty. Too much fat and sugar can cause obesity. The latter leads to many health issues, such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and even cancer. The minus of the natural diet is that it can be rather expensive. Your doggy needs cups per day, with 2 meals — in the morning and in the evening. You have to be very accurate about the feeding times. You should feed your pet at set hours and remain consistent about it. It is also essential not to overfeed your German Shepherd. The consequences can be drastic — obesity, elbow-and-hip dysplasia, diabetes, heart issues, cancer, and many others. Training Obedience training is essential at this age. Reward your pup for its good behavior, and pat, and praise it whenever possible. You skip traits further on in the process of training and use only verbal stimuli as the main reinforcement. Train obedience in different environments. It will let your puppy make generalizations about the proper behavioral patterns in different situations. If you treat your pet positively while training, it will help establish closer bonds with your pup. However, remember that your German Shepherd has a short attention span at this age, so it can quickly become bored or inattentive. You must be patient and never use any sort of punishment if your doggy makes mistakes or cannot follow some commands. Use only positive reinforcement. However, you have to be strict and consistent enough. Stop the unwanted behavioral patterns at once. Training has to be fun for your pet, so regular lessons in the form of games will do a lot of good. Your doggy knows that biting is bad, has gone through potty and crate training, and was properly socialized. It should have been socialized by this time, or you may face a lot of challenges now. Your pet should know at least 5 basic obedience commands and 2 more complicated commands by this time. You can consider teaching it at least two more advanced commands every month since the present moment. Your German Shepherd may want to show up, be bossy, display aggression, or ignore what you order it to do because of hormonal changes. So, you need to be very consistent. The results can be pretty undesirable. The weight parameters may differ in various dogs at this age. Though, the average weight is pounds kg for males and about 50 pounds 23 kg for females. How much does a 7 month old German Shepherd sleep? A German Shepherd dog needs at least hours of sleep per night. Though, it can also sleep in the daytime. Therefore, the average sleeping time per day can be about hours. There may also be some variations, which are also considered normal. How much exercise should a 7 month old German Shepherd get? The best method to count how much time your GSD needs for exercise per day is to add 5 minutes to every next month. If you multiply 5 by 7, you get 35 minutes per day. The exercise has to include walking, running, playing, and obedience training. If the pup is exhausted, think about reducing the time, or you may get some health issues in your pet soon. Final Thoughts Your 7 month old German Shepherd can bring a lot of fun and joy to your life. However, you need to be sure that you can offer it a lot of care, exercise, and activities because such puppies are strong, energetic, and lively. They need to be busy all day long, or they can become bored or aggressive. This age in your dog can be rather stressful for you. It needs a lot of obedience training, too. Appropriate socialization is key to overcoming difficulties and bad habits caused by hormonal changes and disbalances at this age. You need to be very patient and consistent in teaching your doggy how to behave properly among other pets and people. Mental training is also necessary for your pet. Choose suitable toys for it to distract them from boredom and destructive chewing. Ask your vet if you see any undesirable features or symptoms in your doggy. Most of them are caused by hormones, and the behavior or physical condition will improve up to one year of age. Others may be signals of some health issues. So never ignore them if you want to spend a lot of enjoyable time with your healthy, clever, and obedient furry friend. David W. I admire German Shepherds. They are magnificent dogs! I have been dealing with dogs, namely German Shepherds, throughout my life. I have been working part-time as a dog trainer and instructor for about 5 years, dealing mainly with German Shepherds. So I know a bit about these animals. Therefore, I decided to share my knowledge and experience about this fantastic breed. If you need help with advice and care tips or want to know more about German Shepherd dogs, welcome to this blog. The adorable, cute, fuzzy little furball, puppy days are over and your GSD now carries a lot more weight around the house. Their hormones will be fluctuating and they may attempt to disobey or get a little aggressive as they try to assert their dominance. Overall Behavior: A 7 months old, they are still big puppies but things could start to get a little dicey. In fact, your cute, floppy eared pup could turn into quite the pain in the neck. He or she may even take part in some behaviors that you have never seen before. They may bark a lot more, become bossy, chew on things, disobey your commands, or start having more accidents around the house. These are all normal behavior for a dog with changing hormone levels. In Fact: This is a crucial time to buckle down and make it work with your dog. This Pet Finder study found that .Resource Guarding: At this stage in their development, teething should be over but a new problem may present itself. Your German Shepherd may start to get really possessive about his or her belongings including chew toys, blankets, food etc. They may even growl or snarl at other animals or friends who try and take it away from them. This type of behavior has to be nipped in the bud as soon as possible or it can lead to problems in the future. Your dog may end up lashing out at other dogs or people in public settings. We recommend keeping your GSD away from dog parks especially at this age. We will discuss how to put a stop resource guarding in the next section. The window for socialization usually closes at approximately 16 weeks. They should also know at least 5 basic obedience commands and 2 advanced commands. From this point on, you should aim for teaching him or her 2 new advanced commands per month. Some tips to help you train effectively: Avoid being aggressive if they choose to be stubborn and not obey your commands. Be consistent and train them for a minimum of minutes a day. Communicate and relate with them on their level. Show them that you are the leader but never use force to get them to listen or learn. Use positive reinforcement and reward them with praise or treats when obedient. If you have been following our previous monthly guides, continue with the following intermediate commands. Last month we went over crawl and fetch. Intermediate Commands: Heel — Start by walking around the yard. Call your GSDs name and then point to your left side. Repeat several times. Now get them to walk over without calling or pointing. Increase the difficulty level. Speak — Run around and get your dog excited. Get them to bark. Repeat several times only rewarding them when you command them to bark. Also, only reward them for single barks and never multiple barks. Check out this video for some tips and tricks with training: Physical Development: At month 7, growth slows a bit compared to the previous 6 months. However, they are still more than half of their future adult size and most likely gained around 5 pounds since last month. Males are now getting closer to the 2 foot mark, standing approximately 19 to 20 inches at the withers. Females are closer to the 50 pound range weighing anywhere from 49 to 53 pounds. At this point they are starting to look much more adult like. They should have their adult full double coat of fur completely filled in. Brush weekly with a good undercoat rake to help with shedding. Ears will most likely be fully standing at this point although in some cases it can take up to a full year. Sexual Maturity Continues: Sexual maturity most likely started last month and will continue to develop until they are around 2 years old. For males, hormones will be kicking in and they will begin to search for female mates anywhere they can. This is a god time to keep them separated from any stray dogs in the neighborhood or at the local park. During this time, they will mark their territory. For females, their estrogen will kick in and they will begin to go into heat. Nutrition: Nutrition is still extremely important for a German Shepherd at this age. They are still young and gaining weight so a healthy lean diet is vital for their development. You want to make sure you are giving them the proper number of calories and enough protein to sustain their growing bones. We recommend feeding your GSD an all-natural diet. This includes lean meats that are high in protein such as chicken, fish and turkey. You should combine that with healthy fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, blueberries, carrots, peas and pumpkin. Be careful, there are some fruits and veggies that can be toxic to your dog. Avoid too many treats if possible, aside from training. Make sure to use lean non-fatty treats. Excess fat in treats can lead to obesity. Over time obesity can lead to other health issues including elbow and hip dyplasia. It can also increase the risk of your GSD getting certain diseases like arthritis, diabetes, hypertension and worst-case cancer. Keep in mind, feeding your German Shepherd an all-natural diet can get expensive. Calculate the costs to determine the best route. Feed your GSD 2 to 3 cups total over the course of 2 meals throughout the day. Be consistent with your feeding times. Health: They should be healthy and thriving but it is a good idea to confirm that they are meeting the standard height and weight requirements for their age. You can write down their monthly measurements in a journal to make sure they are staying on track. At 7 months, they should have received their first three vaccines. While some veterinarians recommend getting your German Shepherd neutered or spayed around this time, most breeders will say to hold off until they are at least one year old. This may not be easy with a female that is going into heat but try to postpone the procedure when possible. GSDs that are fixed before 6 months of age are more likely to develop the joint condition hip dyplasia. However, we recommend getting ahead of the curve to try and prevent any possible future health issues. You can do some research into the background and history of the parents to look for any potential hereditary problems in the bloodline. You can take advantage of certain tools like a DNA test to potentially predict future conditions. Although it is too early to be on the lookout for any major diseases, you can still look for any symptoms of sickness your GSD may run into. Take your dog to the vet if you notice anything out of the ordinary. Signs and symptoms to watch for: Breathing is labored Coughing, gagging or sneezing a lot Drinking and urinating an excessive amount Dry and itchy skin Eyes and nose are runny Hard time urinating. It combines in itself all the positive qualities of a working dog, possesses great intelligence and a perfect ability to be trained. Puppies of this breed like to learn since the young age and catch on new information very quickly. Thanks to all its qualities, a German shepherd is a multifunctional dog. It can be a guard, a protector, a seeker or a hunter. However, this is a pretty difficult breed that will need all your efforts to be trained well. Behaviour This kind of dogs has a great potential that shows itself through its behaviour and abilities. Here are the main of them: An ability to guard a family or a certain territory. It should be mentioned that the dog usually makes decisions whether to attack a stranger or not by itself. It can attack somebody only if it thinks that this action is necessary. This is the dog of nice scent. A lot of security services use this ability in their work. The function of protection. A German shepherd is a selfless fighter that will protect the owner to the last. If an owner gives a command, it will also fight without any hesitation. A puppy tries to assert itself in the world and shows a high level of independence at that time and till the reaching the age of puberty. Since this age, your pet begins to show disobedience and does not obey the commands it usually obeyed before. Do not allow it to behave in that way, otherwise it will become its habit. This difficult period finishes usually with coming of the age of puberty. For female dogs it is often at the age of seven or eight months, when the first heat starts. Male dogs begin to spray at this time and it comes a bit later. During this period the behaviour of your dog would be unstable. Maybe the pet would show you some of its puppy habits, but it will end a bit later. The ability of guarding and protecting is also shown in this period. So, pay attention to the proper training of your favourite pet. Recommendation: be very strict during this period in order to show your pet that you are the leader. Do not allow your dog to win and disobey you. Fear and a Puppy Your German shepherd can feel fear for several weeks during the period of adolescence. It usually happens about the age of seven weeks. The dog gets scared of well-known and unknown people, different things terrify it. Be patient and calm during these uneasy days and try to share your calmness with your animal. This period would not last long, but it needs a lot of efforts from the owner. Size, Weight, Height and Ears Physical development of your dog is as important as mental one. We suggest you to look at the main features at the age of seven weeks that you can measure and analyse how your dog grow. If there are some departures from the norm, go to a specialist and show your pet to get an advice. So: The height of the dog should be about fifty-three or sixty-three centimetres. The weight of a German shepherd must be from twenty to thirty kilograms. The norm of the chest size is about sixty-nine or seventy-five centimetres. The special attention should be given to the ears of your dog. At the age of seven months they should firmly be up. Look at your dog carefully! If its ears are not up, it can be the sign of the lack of mineral elements or weak immune system. A German Shepherd at Your House So, if you are going to bring a dog at your house and have not decided yet what breed to choose, you can take a German shepherd without any concerns. It will make your life better, anyway. Male dogs will stand 19 to 20 inches tall at the withers, while a female German Shepherd will be close to 17 to 19 inches tall. Regarding weight, males should fall between 57 and 62 pounds, while females usually hover around the pound mark. In addition to physical changes, your puppy will start to look much more like an adult dog. They should have all 42 adult teeth, and their coat will be fully developed. The best way to achieve this is by feeding them an all-natural diet with plenty of chicken, fish, and turkey. It would be best to supplement this with fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, blueberries, carrots, peas, and pumpkins. Be aware that some fruits and vegetables can be toxic to dogs, so avoid feeding them too many treats. Lean, non-fatty treats are the best option for dog training purposes. Overfeeding can lead to obesity, which puts your GSD at risk for health problems like elbow and hip dysplasia, arthritis, diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Following these nutritional guidelines can help your German Shepherd live a long and healthy life. Physical and Behavioral Changes Pet parents should understand that dogs around this age may become more barky, bossy, and destructive as their hormone levels change. The best way to deal with it is to remain patient and consistent with your training. Keep in mind that your dog may also start to exhibit signs of resource guarding during this time. Your dog may become possessive of toys, food, or other belongings. Again, the best thing to do is to remain calm and consistent in your commands. This sort of conduct must be nipped in the bud as soon as possible, or it might lead to more significant issues in the future. Sexual Maturity at 7 Months Most German Shepherds will reach sexual maturity by the time they are months old. For males, this means that hormones will begin to kick in, and they will start to search for female mates. As for females, their estrogen levels will increase and start to go into heat. It is vital to keep your dog separated from other dogs in the neighborhood or at the local park, as they may try to mate with them. Additionally, males and females will begin to mark their territory during this time. Training Your 7-Month-Old German Shepherd At the seven-month mark, your German Shepherd should have a solid foundation that includes bite inhibition, crate or potty training , and plenty of socialization. The window for socialization is usually until about 16 weeks only. They should also know at least five basic obedience commands and two advanced commands. From this point on, you should aim to teach them two new advanced commands per month. Increase Positive Reward-Based Obedience Training Start by rewarding your dog for good behavior with treats, petting, or verbal praise. As a good trainer, you should make sure to obedience train in a variety of different environments so that your dog can generalize his excellent behavior to any situation. Positive training will go a long way in building a bond with your young dog. Tips for Effective Training Short and sweet is key to getting the most out of your good training sessions. Dogs have a short attention span and will quickly become bored or frustrated if you try to train them for too long. Remember, dogs are never too old to learn; it just takes patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. Puppies are full of energy and seem never to stop moving. They also like to put everything in their mouths. For a German shepherd puppy, finding safe and durable toys is essential. Kong toys — Kong toys are a type of rubber toy that you can fill with treats or food. It makes them an excellent option for keeping your puppy occupied and distracted from chewing on furniture or other belongings. They are trendy among German Shepherd puppies because of their durability and the fact that they can be filled with tasty treats. Nylabones — A generic term for a challenging, generally non-edible plastic toy, Nylabone refers to a company that produces dog chew toys and other pet goods. Rope toys — Rope toys are a great option for German Shepherd puppies because they are durable and can withstand a lot of chewing. They are also a good source of stimulation for dogs, as they are interactive toys that require interaction from the dog. It can help keep your pup occupied and entertained. It will help identify any health issues your pup may have. By the 7th month, your puppy must have the necessary vaccines for its early development. German Shepherds are generally a healthy breed, but they are more susceptible to some health conditions than others. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia Hip dysplasia is a genetic illness that affects the hip joint. In dogs with hip dysplasia, the thigh bone does not fit snugly into the hip joint, which can cause pain and lead to arthritis. Elbow dysplasia is a similar condition that affects the elbow joint, caused by malformation of the bones. It can also lead to pain and arthritis. Both hip and elbow dysplasia are common in German Shepherd dogs and can lead to many health problems if not treated. Allergies German Shepherds are also prone to allergies. Allergies can cause various symptoms, including itching, excessive licking, and hot spots. If your German Shepherd shows any of these symptoms, it is vital to take them to the vet to rule out other possible causes and get them started on the appropriate treatment. It is caused by a deficiency of Von Willebrand factor, a protein that helps the blood clot. This disease can lead to excessive bleeding and can be fatal if not treated. Diabetes Just like humans, dogs can develop diabetes. Symptoms of diabetes in dogs include increased thirst and urination, weight loss, and lethargy. If left untreated, the condition can lead to serious health problems. What To Expect From A 7-Month-Old German Shepherd 7-month old white german shepherd The German Shepherd should start seeing a slow growth process in the 7th month when compared to the previous 6 months of its life. The growth still is present as they should now be at half of their total adult German Shepherd size and would have added a few pounds since the 6 months mark, however, the puppy growth should be very little. Mental maturity should also see a little decline in growth as not much difference can separate the 6-month-old German Shepherd puppy from the 7-month-old German Shepherd puppy. But when compared to the 5-month-old German Shepherd, the 7-month German shepherd puppy should be a lot less curious and a lot more familiar with the world it lives in. Energy levels for the 7-month-old German Shepherd puppy should be at all-time highs and this is mostly classified as sexual energy as it is mostly the strong desire to mate or for a mate that should be guiding the German Shepherd puppy by this age. You would mostly find the male German Shepherds, humping different items around the house if not properly trained. Speaking of training, you definitely would have a lot of work to do with the 7-month-old German Shepherd puppy as again they would be overtaken by adolescent hormones causing them to be a lot more uncontrollable than ever. But with the right combination of a good or proper training program with the right patience level, it should be managed properly. There are other attributes you might start to expect from the 7-month-old German Shepherd puppy and one of these attributes would be the possessive attribute. At this stage, your puppy might start gathering personal belongings around the house and might become a bit defensive if you try to interact with any of these belongings it acquires. At this stage, a lot of training and patience would be required to deal with these attributes or character traits. The stage of teething should be done by the 7th month as your puppy should now be in possession of all its complete adult dentition. Dental hygiene should be taken seriously from now on to keep your puppy healthy. They should have received all their vaccinations by the 5th month and should be awaiting new vaccination shots and deworming by the 12th month or 1-year mark. Regular checks with the vet are still mandatory. Grooming should also be something to be done regularly at the 7th-month mark as their rich double coat should be easy to shed, thereby leaving a lot of fur or dandy around the home. Use the appropriate steel comb to go through the coat of the German Shepherd to avoid things like the matting of the German Shepherd puppy. Make use of high-quality shampoo to keep them clean. There should be signs of dominance assertion present with your male German Shepherd at 7 months of age. You might often find them urinating around corners of the home or yard to help assert dominance over that particular territory. It is part of the possessive trait that comes with the raging teenage hormones of the dog. For this, a lot of training would be required to properly handle your German Shepherd puppy. With patience and consistent effort, you can try to ascertain dominance over the dog and its belongings using a firm but gentle form of training. Regular exercises are also needed as the puppy can handle a lot more exposure to intense workouts at this stage. Socialization is also quite crucial to keep the puppies satisfied, but do ensure that they are not left unsupervised especially with dogs of the opposite sex as they can try to mate with them and that could lead to complications and unexpected results. Always keep your puppy on a leash when in public and sometimes in their crate when at home. The 7-month-old German Shepherd should only be adding a few pounds extra than a month ago. The male German Shepherd puppy at 7 months old is a large dog breed and should be expected to fall between the 55 lbs to 65 lbs range. The height should be between 19 inches to 20 inches. The female German Shepherd puppy that is at 7 months old, should also be regarded as a large dog and should have a weight that falls between 45 lbs to 55 lbs. The height range for the female German Shepherd should be between 17 inches and 19 inches. As you should already know by now, the entire size of the German Shepherd can be influenced by different factors, one of these factors would be the diet of the German Shepherd. The breeding standards can also affect the overall size of the German Shepherd as working dogs are slightly smaller than show dogs. Other notable changes that could be evident in the 7-month-old German Shepherd are the coat and ears of the German Shepherd puppy. They should be larger and more pronounced than earlier and the 7 month German Shepherd should have fully grown out of its adult coat by this time. Their bodies are still pretty young and as such require a lot of food to stay strong and healthy. Their appetite should also be quite large considering the fact that the German Shepherd is a large dog breed. Because the German Shepherd at 7 months old is prone to obesity, you would want to stick to a healthy lean diet that is highly nutritious. It should contain the right proteins and calories sufficient for the German Shepherd puppy. Make the meal an all-natural meal that contains mainly rich lean proteins ranging from fish to chicken to turkey. It should also be rich in vegetables and fruits like carrots, bananas, peas, pumpkins, apples, and berries. But it is worth noting that some fruits and vegetables can be harmful or toxic to dogs, so speak to your vet and come up with a healthy plan. To further reduce the chances of your puppy becoming obese, you have to come up with a puppy feeding schedule and stick properly to the plan. Your German Shepherd puppy should be getting a minimum of 3 cups of high-quality kibble each serving for 3 servings each day. This can be spread evenly across the day, for example, feeding should be in the morning, noon, and evening. It is important that you allow enough time between feedings for the food to be properly digested. Good drinking water is highly important for the German Shepherd puppy and ensures that they eat early at least a few hours before they go to sleep. The sleeping requirement for the German Shepherd at 7 months of age should still remain the same. As we already know their bodies are quite young and still have a lot of development to go through, so they need enough sleep or rest to be fully active. With that being said, it is important that you provide the 7-month-old German Shepherd with a minimum requirement of 15 to 18 hours of sleep time each day for them to be fully active. Night sleep is crucial, but they should also get short time periods within the day to sleep. Try to force the puppy into sleeping early by engaging them in exercises and training to keep them tired and in need of some rest. And late night feeding can greatly affect the sleep pattern of the German Shepherd puppy so do ensure that you avoid it. They require at least an hour of exercise each day to stay strong, fit, and happy. Asides from that, German Shepherds are very energetic dogs and if left without enough exercise activities they can easily become restless and then turn destructive around the home. This is why you need to be committed to exercising your German Shepherd puppy each day. Make an hour of your time and come up with a plan for exercising your puppy. Try a minute walk around the neighborhood at least 3 times each day. Mental exercises are also quite important for keeping your German Shepherd sharp and easily trainable. Consider rewarding puppy puzzles for your German Shepherd to partake in. At this stage, they can develop a lot of negative habits which need to be corrected as quickly as possible. One of these is possession acquisition and Guarding, where the German Shepherd starts to gather items around the house and closely protect them. If left without correcting your German Shepherd might become violent when trying to protect these items. Leash training is also highly recommended at this stage, especially when going on walks to different locations. Because of their raging sexual hormones, the German Shepherd might attempt to mate with any canine of the opposite sex that it finds. You can correct all these with the use of the positive reinforcement training method and proper leash training. Patience is also quite key in properly training your German Shepherd puppy. At the 7-month mark, your German Shepherd puppy should have received a total of 3 vaccination shots as well as dewormings, the next vaccinations should be scheduled for 1 year or 6 months. If you are meeting the proper requirement for size and weight, your puppy should be healthy. They do, however, need to visit the vet regularly for checks to make sure they are healthy, and it is also essential that you look out for the following symptoms in your puppy. Reduced appetite.

You are bound to want to know when your biting puppy will grow out of this phase and how you can speed that process up. Biting, as you will have discovered is usually accompanied by lots of noise! Why do puppies bite? So why do puppies bite? My puppy is biting hard Puppies do bite hard and it does hurt. But I want to reassure you that even at 8 weeks old, your puppy has learned to moderate his bite in play. Puppies have powerful jaws designed to tear through flesh and crush bones. Those of you who feed your puppy a raw diet will know that even an 8 week old puppy from a medium sized breed can crush bones the size of your little finger. He is deliberately attempting to be gentle. Puppy Biting — Bite inhibition This ability, that your puppy has, to moderate the power of his jaws in play, is called bite inhibition. It is something that his mother started to teach him when he was just a few weeks old. And now it is your turn to take over and complete the training process. Growling and Puppy biting One thing that often worries people who have a new puppy in the family, is the growling that accompanies puppy biting. It sounds horrific. Great snarls and snaps accompany the biting and the puppy can appear quite demonic as he grabs onto your skin, or clothes. Tugging away with all the strength he can muster. Ninety nine times out of a hundred this is completely normal play biting. Is my puppy biting aggressive? You cannot determine whether or not a puppy is biting aggressively by how hard he bites or by the volume of the noise he makes. Play biting puppies bite hard and growl fiercely. Some puppies do occasionally draw blood. But these are not normally savage or crushing bites and the puppy is clearly enjoying himself. Fierce but fun! The play biting puppy will launch himself at the target of his bite. Whether it is your slippers or your fingers, with equal tail-wagging enthusiasm, hanging on grimly and grabbing repeatedly when the item is removed from him. All this, shocking though it may seem, is normal, and is not a sign that your puppy is going to be an aggressive dog! In fact some of the gentlest and most amiable breeds the labrador for example are the worst and fiercest play biters. The puppy that is a cause for concern is the puppy that is frightened. Because although puppies rarely bite through aggression, the nervous puppy may become aggressive as he matures Is my puppy afraid? A scared puppy may bite and scared puppies can grow into scared adult dogs so this is something you need to address quickly. You will know that your puppy is scared because he will try to avoid whatever it is he is scared of. A really frightened puppy will sometimes give off a distinctive musky smell. This hiding, and retreating, and the scared smell are warning signs that you have scared your puppy badly, or purchased a poorly socialised puppy. In this situation you need to get specialist help right away. Your vet should be able to advise you. For the vast majority of puppy owners then, biting is normal puppy behavior. Will my puppy biting stop naturally? To some extent biting is a phase caused by natural puppy playfulness and teething. Some puppies do stop biting with very little input from their family. Which is great. You may feel he should have grown out of it by now. We can physically prevent puppies from biting and we can train puppies not to bite. Both of these are good strategies. Or when children are getting upset, or visitors are winding your puppy up. Prevention usually involves interrupting the biting behavior, then redirecting the puppy into an alternative and more acceptable behavior, such as chewing on a toy. Or, it may involve temporarily separating him from his playmates. Interrupting the puppy biting In mild cases you may simply be able to put a toy in your biting puppy's mouth and get him tugging on that instead of on your fingers. If you are on the floor with the puppy stand up. And if you are standing up, turn and walk away from the puppy. This is where dog gates come in very handy with small puppies. A standard baby gate works fine for most breeds of dog. Managing the puppy You may have to pick up your biting puppy to remove him from the scene if he is biting your children for example, rather than you If he bites your hands and clothes as you try to restrain him, put him on the other side of a barrier or in his crate or puppy playpen for a short while. Although the puppy does learn from them, these are useful management techniques to enable you to control the situation. They help you to keep your puppy calm, and prevent the biting escalating through over excitement. Over-excited puppies Puppy play biting is directly linked to excitement. The more excited your puppy gets, the more and the harder he will bite. And the harder it will be to interrupt and distract him. Rough play excites puppies and noisy play does too. Children tend to squeal when they play and get very physical with puppies. One of the first rules they need to learn when playing with dogs, especially big dogs, is to stand up and stand still when the game gets too much. Limit such play and call a halt to it if your puppy is biting. With medium to large breed dogs, physical rough and tumble play is not a great idea. It can lead to dogs bowling people over or humping them, neither of which is very pleasant. Stopping play when it gets rough is a good management strategy and it is a form of training too. Over time, your puppy learns that biting and rough play loses him his playmates and that people simply leave if he is being mean. When do puppies stop biting? Many puppies have stopped biting completely by six months of age and biting is usually subsiding by the time that the puppy is heading towards five months old. This is if the puppy has been managed appropriately If people have been exciting him, or rewarding him for attention seeking behavior then biting can persist And it can be much more of a problem in bigger stronger puppies than in little ones. Training Puppies Not To Bite The idea of this exercise is to teach a puppy to accept being stroked and handled in any way, without touching us with his teeth. The event marker is a distinctive sound. Even around his mouth, without him making any attempt to bite you. You can also make it easier for him by starting this training when he is calm and not distracted. But for now, keep things simple. It can be a good way of getting the training started so that you have chance to say YES and give the puppy the opportunity to learn what you want him to do. Over the next few sessions, you can work on getting your hand closer and closer to the puppy. Until you are brushing the sides of his face without him making any attempt to mouth or bite at you Progress to touching and holding his collar, stroking his ears, grooming him, examining his paws and so on, all the time rewarding him for the correct behavior. Anytime the mouthing returns, back up to a point where he can succeed and move forward more slowly again Bite Inhibition Training Some experts feel that puppies should be allowed to mouth and even bite gently for a week or two before being prevented from biting altogether. Simply follow the instructions for managing your puppy above when he bites hard. But allow him to mouth you when he bites gently without much pressure. This is a great way to teach a dog excellent control over his mouth. After a couple of weeks of this, you can progress to the training exercise I outlined in the previous section. Older puppies that bite in play have often learned that this gets them a lot of attention. They have discovered that people squeal and shout and get quite cross. Sometimes these people push and shove the dog around which young dogs quite enjoy when they are playing. For these dogs it is important that you stop all physical play, with all family members If a puppy is biting hard at your hands when you try to interrupt his game. Or an older puppy is getting out of hand biting at clothing, you need to put your puppy on a harness and house-line a short trailing leash. This will enable you to control your puppy, and take him to a calming place, without handling him. You can just pick up the end of the line and lead him away. Older biting puppies are often bright and bored. And the best approach to avoiding future episodes of bad behavior is a structured programme of training and interesting activities. A professional dog trainer using modern positive training methods will be able to help you with these. Summary So now you know some tips on how to stop your puppy from biting. The first few weeks can be tough with a determined biter in the house, but you will get through this and come out the other side. A few months from now, this difficult period will be a distant memory In the meantime, focus on keeping your biting puppy calm, avoiding too much rough play, and redirecting his biting onto appropriate toys and activities. Spend some time on the training exercise set out above. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on a link and purchase the item. This comes at no extra cost to you. Wish your golden retriever puppy would stop biting so much? Puppy nipping is one of the most frustrating things about raising a new puppy—their teeth are razor-sharp, it hurts when they bite, and they can ruin your clothes! But why do puppies bite so much? Puppies bite to learn acquired bite inhibition, or ABI. What exactly is ABI? He might leap up and bite you because you hurt him and scared him. But the important thing is this: how hard will they bite? This is where ABI comes in. So ABI is really important. Now the question is, how do they learn it? The only way for puppies to learn ABI is to bite, and bite often. The best teachers are other dogs. Next time they bite a little less hard and playtime continues. This is how they learn ABI. Obviously, it takes a lot of repetition of this scenario to happen for a puppy to learn not to bite so hard, but this is essentially how it works out. Yes, you will need to help teach your puppy ABI. You can do this two ways: Set up puppy playdates and take them to puppy kindergarten so other puppies can teach them ABI. You actually want them to bite a little bit and learn to control how hard they bite. That being said, letting them go on a biting rampage is not helping the situation, so here are five tips to help you stop your puppy from biting so much: 1. Socialize your puppy Other dogs are the best teachers of ABI so make sure to get your puppy in kindergarten and set up playdates with dogs that you know are vaccinated. Remove yourself from the situation Puppies can often be over-stimulated or over-tired. One thing we did with our puppy, Oliver, when he got in these moods was to go sit at our high-top table in the kitchen and ignore him until he calmed down or distracted himself with a chew toy. Exercise your puppy A tired puppy is a good puppy. Young puppies have weak jaws, so if they had dull teeth, a bite from them would be no big deal. Most adult golden retrievers bite out of fear and a professional can help you properly handle it. Puppy Biting vs. Chewing Puppy biting or nipping is when a dog purposefully bites you. As we already talked about, they need to do this to learn ABI. Puppy chewing, on the other hand, is when puppies chew on things to relieve the pressure in their mouths from their adult teeth coming in. Since puppies bite and chew for different reasons, you need to handle these problems differently. Mentally wear them by out by training them, going for long walks and letting them sniff around, and giving them puzzle toys or frozen kongs. Remember that a tired puppy is a good puppy. A: It can take up to six weeks or more for your puppy to learn ABI and what is appropriate to bite or not. If it takes longer than six weeks, just remember to be consistent with the steps to stop it and have faith that it will slow down soon. Q: Is puppy biting an act of aggression? A: Most puppy biting is a form of play. It helps them learn ABI. If you think your puppy is biting out of aggression, then you should talk to a professional. Q: Why are puppy teeth so sharp? Q: What is ABI? A: ABI is acquired bite inhibition, or the natural ability for a dog to not bite so hard. Q: Do all puppies bite? A: Yes! Instead, they need to learn to control their bite force, then learn to bite less. Have any questions about puppy biting? Let me know in the comments below! Related articles:. They Are Naturally Mouthy Golden Retrievers are a mouthy breed, to begin with, they are naturally inclined to pick up and hold anything and everything in their mouths. While it may seem like there is something wrong with your puppy to cause him or her to bite so much, rest assured, all puppies bite, not just Golden Retriever puppies. Play Behaviour When you see a litter of pups play together, they often nip and bite at one another. It is their way of socializing and initiating play. Your puppy will bite and nip at you during playtime with you because it is a natural behaviour to them. They Are Teething Many people associate puppy biting with teething, however when a puppy is teething they will resort to chewing and mouthing in order to relieve their pain. They may chew or mouth on your hands and fingers, but teething is not the cause of biting that every puppy owner experiences. Puppy biting is most often just play. To summarize, puppy biting is normal and should be expected as a puppy owner. In general, biting will naturally subside in Golden Retriever puppies around the age of months. This is around the time that their adult teeth have come in. Puppies at this age usually already know how to moderate their bite, and will not bite or nip at you as much as they did when they were younger. While biting anything and everything is normal behaviour to your puppy, it is not something that you want your puppy to continue to do. It is up to you to teach your puppy not to bite humans, especially children. Take a look at the common mistakes puppy owners often make, and learn to avoid them. Puppies who are excited bite more. Children often fall victim to the most puppy bites because they get very excited around puppies and this just gets the puppy going which results in biting. Any attention that you give your puppy after they bite you will seem like a reward to your puppy, and the biting will just continue. Yelling at your puppy, pushing them away, talking to your puppy, or even looking at them is giving them the attention that they want. Bite inhibition is when your puppy learns how to control the strength of his bite. Puppies learn this skill when they are with their littermates, which is why they need to stay with them and their mother until they are 8 weeks old. Playing with their littermates teaches puppies that biting too hard hurts and will end playtime. The puppy then learns to bite softer. When your puppy comes home with you, it is up to you to teach your puppy how to control the force of their bite. Biting down on the thick fur coat of his mother or littermates is a lot different than biting down on human skin. By not teaching your puppy bite inhibition, you will risk your puppy turning into a dangerous adult. Puppy bites are a lot different than adult dog bites. Once your puppy learns how to control the strength of his bite, eventually the bites become gentler, and in time, your puppy will learn to stop biting altogether. This is part of teaching your puppy bite inhibition. This is a way to mimic how puppies play together, when one puppy bites another puppy too hard, that puppy yelps in pain, and will walk away. In some cases, puppies could get even more worked up by the noise and keep on biting. This is when you need to walk away. When your puppy has calmed down, you can resume playing with your puppy. When your puppy bites you again, repeat the steps of yelping and walking away. Eventually, your puppy will learn to soften his bite, because biting too hard ends playtime. The following video discusses why puppies bite, how to teach bite inhibition and how to survive puppy biting. It is a good idea to have a few chew toys on hand to offer up as a distraction from your skin. Check out this list of the best teething toys for puppies. This will get your puppy to stop and focus on being obedient. A great way to solve boredom is by going for a walk with your puppy. How much exercise should you give your Golden Retriever puppy? A good rule of thumb is 5 minutes of exercise for every month that your puppy is alive. So a 3-month-old puppy should get 15 minutes of exercise a day, a 5-month-old puppy should get 25 minutes per day, and so on. This is in addition to and not instead of playtime. Bitter Apple Spray can also be used to prevent your puppy from nipping and biting at you. Before you interact with your puppy, spray it on your arms, legs, pant legs, or sleeves, anywhere that your puppy likes to nip at you. Once your puppy bites at you, he will get a bad taste in his mouth and will stop. Bitter Apple Spray may not work on all puppies, some may actually develop a taste for it. I know that when my Golden Retriever Ellie was a pup this stuff worked amazingly well, but as she got older she developed a taste for bitter things such as crab apples which are extremely sour and she once sucked on a vinegar packet that was lying on the ground! Reward Good Behaviour Every time your puppy stops biting and nipping at you, you need to see this as positive behaviour. Good behaviour should be rewarded so that your puppy learns that he did something good. Rewarding good behaviour with affection and praise is great, you can also use treats, or toys, sometimes the best reward for your puppy is just spending time with them. Be Patient and Consistent Owning a puppy requires a lot of patience! It is so easy to lose your patience at times, but you need to know that your puppy is learning what is right and wrong, and that takes time. It might not happen overnight, but as long as you remain consistent and patient, your pup will learn good behaviour. If your puppy is nipping at your pant legs or sleeves, chances are he is loving the tugging feeling and is actually already playing tug-of-war. Instead of using your clothing, redirect his attention to a rope toy. One thing to be careful of is being too rough with tug-of-war, especially when your puppy is going through his teething phase. A game of fetch offers your pup a distraction from biting, and Golden Retriever puppies naturally love to retrieve things. This is a great way to also teach your puppy to drop it, by offering a treat when your puppy drops the ball or rope toy. A well-socialized puppy will be less likely to exhibit any unwanted behaviours later on. Enrolling your pup in puppy kindergarten or arranging some play dates with other dogs who are friendly and vaccinated is a great way for your pup to learn social skills. Other dogs are sometimes the best teachers for a puppy because they will let your puppy know what is okay for play and what is not okay, in terms of biting and nipping. Always supervise your puppy while playing with other dogs. Yelling at your puppy will only make your puppy scared and confused as well as lose trust and respect for you. Common mistakes people make when their puppy is biting are pushing them away, clamping down on their mouths or spraying them in the face with water. All of these are a bad idea! Your puppy could see this behaviour as a form of play and continue biting and nipping at you even harder. If you remain calm and use a firm voice not yelling , your pup will see you as in charge. Puppies and dogs often exhibit the same behaviour as we do, if you get upset and start yelling, your puppy will just get even more excited. As unpleasant as puppy biting is, it is normal behaviour. Your puppy biting and nipping at you with a mouth full of shark teeth may seem aggressive, but it is most often just out of curiosity and play behaviour. Golden Retrievers are known for their calm and gentle demeanour, but there are rare instances where you may have an aggressive puppy on your hands. Puppies who have been taken away from their litter earlier than weeks, bad breeding, being abused, a chemical imbalance, and not being socialized are all reasons for aggression in puppies. Signs of an aggressive puppy include barking, growling, lunging at you or another dog, a stiff posture, and showing teeth. If you think your puppy is aggressive, it is important to work with a professional dog trainer or behaviourist in order to find out the reasons for aggression and work on correcting the behaviour before it gets worse. It is important to keep your calm and work with your puppy to teach him the important skill of bite inhibition, and to redirect his biting to more appropriate behaviour. Socializing your puppy, as well as rewarding good behaviour will all help to turn your puppy into a well-behaved dog. Have you tried any of the tips mentioned above? Do you have any other tips to stop Golden Retriever puppy biting? Share your thoughts and comments below, as well as any questions you may have. I would love to hear from you. Jenny I am the proud owner of a Golden Retriever named Ellie. She keeps me busy, and when she is resting, you can find me working on my blog. She is always close by though. I live in Stirling, ON Canada with my husband, and we both enjoy the never a dull moment life with our Ellie. Spread the love. But much like other puppies, a Golden Retriever puppy has a tendency to chew and bite. So, how can you train your Golden Retriever puppy not to bite? Consistency is the key to teaching your Golden Retriever puppy not to bite. However, you have to train your dog to behave, and that includes keeping them from biting. This article may contain affiliate links and loyalgoldens may earn a commission if a purchase is made. Unlock your goldens natural intelligence and see just how quickly problem behaviors disappear. This is the best at home dog training I've ever used! Get up and walk away from the dog. Leave the room if you can. Focus on something else for a bit. And believe me, a Golden Retriever puppy or not always wants your attention! Now, you may not see immediate results with this method, but it will work over time if you remain consistent. Sending your new puppy mixed signals will only confuse him or her. You can pet your dog to reward them for not getting mouthy with your hand or fingers while playing. It can take a while to get to this stage, so be patient. When, your dog gets through an entire play session without biting, that deserves some extra love. Now, you have to be careful not to give too much attention when your dog does bite. If your Golden Retriever reverts to biting out of excitement or nervousness, immediately stop giving them attention. Turn away and ignore your dog like what you did before. Hopefully, they will get the message more quickly, so you can go back to playing without them biting. Use a firm tone rather than a cute tone you might use when praising your dog. When you say no, use physical signals to get your Golden Retriever to stop. Take your hand out of their mouth and move it out of reach. Make sure anyone who trains the dog uses the same firm tone. Tips to stop golden retriever pups from biting. Watch for Patterns Another way you can train your Golden Retriever puppy to stop biting is to watch for patterns. See if your dog tends to bite more at certain times of day, in the same room, or while playing with a particular toy. When your dog does bite, you can use other methods to get them to stop immediately. But after the fact, write down the date, time, and situation. If multiple people are training your dog, you should also log who your dog tends to bite. That way, you can see if there are patterns. Use Bitter Spray When you start training your Golden Retriever puppy, you may want to try using a bitter spray on your hands. Try this bitter spray Amazon , it works on your hands to stop chewing and biting and it also works on other things around the house that a new puppy might want to chew on like houseplants, furniture, etc. This can be an easy way to get your dog not to bite you. Now, this can be difficult if your dog bites other areas of your body, but it can help. You might get quicker results than if you only stuck to ignoring your dog. Have Lots of Toys Another excellent way to train your Golden Retriever to stop biting you is to use toys. You should be careful and use toys when your dog exhibits good behavior. But you can give your dog chew toys so that they have something they can bite. There is even a teething ring for dogs Amazon that you keep in the freezer and it provides something cool to chew on to help ease the pain during this period of your puppies life. Then, your dog will want to behave well when they play with you. Discover how to train your Golden Retriever by playing games : 21 games to play with your Golden that will make them smarter and better behaved! You can have a bag of small treats in your pocket that you use when playing with your dog. Whenever they go a long time without biting, you can give them a treat. You can also use the treats to distract your dog. If you know their patterns and when they usually bite, you can preempt that with a treat. Then, your dog can chew on the food rather than your hand. There are tons of treats out there, so go with something small. Try to avoid using treats as a bribe, and focus on making them a reward. That way, your dog can look forward to a treat for their good habits. Start As Soon as Possible Training your Golden Retriever puppy not to bite should start as soon as you bring your puppy home. If you wait until your dog gets into the habit of biting, it will be hard to break. You may still need to use various ways to train your dog, but it should be easier. Starting when your puppy is super young can also help them with other areas of their life. If you can train them not to bite, you will know how they learn best, which will help you train them for other things. It will also be harder if you use one method while your spouse uses another method. Everyone in your household should decide on how and when to train your Golden Retriever puppy. Use the same toys or treats, train your dog simultaneously, or use the same speaking tone. That way, your dog can learn from everyone rather than a single trainer. Then, you all can enjoy your Golden Retriever, and they can develop good habits. Final Thoughts Training a Golden Retriever to stop biting can take some time. You have to figure out when your dog bites and what triggers the biting. Then, you have to determine how your dog learns best and use that method to train your puppy. But once you find the perfect tool, your dog will learn to stop biting. Are you a proud new golden retriever puppy parent or considering getting a furry friend? While puppies are adorable and full of energy, they can also be a handful, especially when it comes to biting. This article will cover practical strategies to manage puppy biting and help you and your pup develop a solid and loving relationship. Thus biting is natural. Their bites will become softer as they practice and learn to manage their bite strength. They will eventually stop biting entirely. While biting is a natural part of the learning process, it is essential to train your puppy not to bite excessively. Here are a few tips to get you started: Providing Chew Toys for Redirecting Biting Behavior Providing chew toys is an excellent approach to help your puppy stop biting. When your puppy begins to bite you, remove your hand or foot and replace it with a chew toy. This teaches them that biting is acceptable, but only when done with toys, not people. It is essential to keep an eye on your puppy when they play with chew toys to ensure they do not consume anything toxic. By exposing your puppy to a variety of people, animals, and environments in a controlled and positive manner, you can help them develop proper social skills and reduce biting tendencies. Socialization helps puppies learn appropriate bite inhibition and establishes boundaries for acceptable behavior during interactions. Through well-planned socialization experiences, you can guide your puppy towards becoming a well-behaved and gentle companion. Employing the Time-Out Strategy for Persistent Biting Use the time-out strategy when other methods fail to stop your puppy from biting. If your puppy continues to bite, place him on a time-out for 30 seconds before allowing him to return to play. This teaches your puppy that biting is unacceptable and will result in a loss of playtime or attention. Again, use a gentle tone and avoid shouting or scolding your puppy. When your puppy plays gently with their toys instead of biting you, shower them with praise and perhaps even a tasty gift! This teaches your puppy that good behavior leads to beautiful things. Instead, concentrate on encouraging appropriate behavior and redirecting any inappropriate biting. Your puppy will learn to control their biting and play in a friendly and safe manner with time, patience, and positive reinforcement. This entails repeating the same commands, techniques, and rewards each time you train. When you do this, your puppy learns what is expected of them and how to get rewarded. On the other hand, if you are inconsistent, your puppy may get confused and unsure of what they need to do to please you. This can make training more difficult and frustrating for you and your puppy. So, strive to be consistent in your training. However, they can get nippy during their fun exploration of the world around them. The good news is that this is a natural habit for pups, and there are ways to deal with it. Puppies prefer to bite to initiate play, learn more about their surroundings, and adjust their bite pressure, especially when they are teething. These actions are part of how they play, interact, and learn about their environment. First, however, puppies must be taught how to control their biting pressure and redirect their biting to appropriate toys and chew objects, which we will discuss later. Puppy bites, for example, can become more painful and even harmful as they increase in size. Additionally, it might lead to destructive chewing if you do not divert their biting habit to appropriate chew items. As a result, it is critical to address this habit early on through regular teaching and positive reinforcement. Understand what motivates them and what makes them more likely to engage in biting. Adjust your training methods: Not all puppies respond to the same training techniques. Some may respond better to positive reinforcement, while others may require more redirection and distraction. Consider their energy levels: Golden Retrievers are known for their energy and enthusiasm. Be patient and consistent: Training takes time, and each puppy learns at their own pace. Be patient with your puppy and provide consistent guidance. Remember, every Golden Retriever puppy is an individual, and what works for one may not work for another. With a customized approach, you can effectively address biting behavior and set your unique puppy on the path to becoming a well-behaved and happy companion. So, most puppies begin to bite and mouth less frequently when they are 8 to 10 months old. However, this varies greatly depending on the individual pup. Some may stop sooner, while others may take a little longer. Golden retrievers, for example, love using their tongues. At the same time, herding dogs such as border collies or corgis may continue to nip at ankles as they age. Just keep working with your pet and providing the guidance they require to create positive habits! Conclusion As you begin the joyful road of raising your Golden Retriever puppy, keep in mind that training and socialization are essential for producing a happy and well-behaved dog. You can teach your puppy what is expected of them and create healthy behaviors that will last a lifetime using consistent and positive reinforcement techniques. Remember that each puppy is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. You will be rewarded with a devoted and well-behaved companion if you are patient and committed to the training process. Remember to give your puppy enough exercise and mental stimulation and to continuously reward positive behavior. You can help your puppy grow into a happy and healthy adult dog who will provide you happiness for many years by doing so. By the time your puppy reaches around three months of age, they should start to develop bite inhibition and learn to control the force of their bites during play. As you continue to interact and train with your puppy, you can gradually increase your sensitivity to the level of bites you find acceptable. By the age of four or five months, their play bites should no longer exert any force. Can I use physical punishment to stop my puppy from biting? Certainly not! To stop a puppy from biting, never use physical punishment. It is not only ineffective, but it can also be harmful and cause long-term behavioral issues. Instead, train your puppy using positive reinforcement techniques, including redirection, time-outs, and excellent rewarding behavior. What can I do? Puppies frequently nip and bite while playing with other dogs, but teaching them to control their bite force is essential. My puppy is teething. What can I do to stop them from biting? Teething is a normal developmental stage for puppies , and they naturally want to chew and bite things. Similar to what we discussed earlier. Galen has been connecting quality Golden Retriever breeders with loving families since and is the founder of My Golden Retriever Puppies. He and his wife have four children and love spending time together, traveling lived oversees for 4 years , enjoying the outdoors and connecting Golden families. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. Read the full disclosure here. Tasty finger! Your golden retriever puppy is as friendly as can be — great with kids, respectful of other dogs, and not overly attentive to your cat. Yes, golden retrievers are known for their good-natured demeanor, but they are still dogs — not so very far removed from their wild cousins, and they can be unpredictable when faced with stressful, disturbing, or frightening situations. One of our jobs as responsible dog owners, of course, is to keep our dogs safe, but we may not always be able to protect them, and we may not always be able to prevent them from biting through fear or when in pain. What is Bite Inhibition? Puppies begin learning this from their mother and siblings as soon as they start to tumble around with each other in play. If they bite too hard, they are scolded by their mother or alerted with a yelp from their siblings. Eventually, they learn how hard is too hard, and they use their teeth more gently in play. Human Sensitive or Advanced Bite Inhibition By the time your puppy moves into your home, they will have been using their bite inhibition skills for weeks. Your puppy needs to learn that human beings are fragile and should be treated with care. There are many professional trainers who recommend that you simply train your puppy not to bite. This seems like a practical course of action, and it does work — in the short term. Teaching a puppy not to bite will give you quick results, but it may mean they never learn how much force is safe to use on people when they are forced to bite in an emergency. So if they do eventually bite, they will know to hold back the pressure safely and will not cause anywhere near as much pain or damage as they otherwise might. Why is Bite Inhibition Important? Believe it or not, even the most gentle dog that has been trained from a young age never to bite, can react to certain triggers. Those triggers are fear and pain. Consider these situations: Your dog has been suffering from chronic ear infections and hates to have his ears handled. The neighbor stops by with her toddler, who immediately runs to your dog and fondles his sensitive ears roughly. What will he do? You and your dog are walking down the road like you do every morning when out of nowhere comes a huge dog who attacks your dog without thinking twice. You manage to pull your dog away, but in the process, your frightened dog bites your arm. Your sweet golden retriever has gotten themself tangled in some barbed wire while hiking. As you loosen the wire from her skin and fur, she snaps at you, biting your hand. You may never experience any of these situations. By teaching bite inhibition while your puppy is young, you will be far safer and ready for any of these situations should they occur. Teaching Advanced Bite Inhibition Following is a general guide to the bite inhibition skills your puppy learns and when, as well as where you should aim for their skills to be at certain ages. She will start the puppies off by teaching them how rough is too rough during nursing and play. These lessons begin when the puppies start nursing day 1 and continue until the day you pick your puppy up from the breeder. This works for some puppies, but for others, it just seems to arouse the pup and make matters worse. You will have to experiment to find out what works for you and your pup. You should withdraw all of your attention from your puppy for very hard bites. Do not over-correct your puppy so they become afraid of biting. After your puppy has calmed down, use a chew toy as a reward and let them chew it in your lap or lying by your side. This teaches you puppy that there are other ways to keep their mouths and teeth busy. By four or five months, all force behind play bites should be eliminated. Kids tend to play rough with puppies, and puppies will get rough right back. Your puppy needs to know that every human being is sensitive to their bites, not just you. It is a process that sometimes lasts months, depending on your puppy. Be prepared for this, and remember that long-term results in your adult dog are more important than curtailing puppy bites as painful as they may be. Supervise your puppy around children — If you have young children at home, you will have to think carefully about how you will protect them and your puppy. Little puppy teeth can cause a lot of pain, especially when your pup is still learning to control those urges. Young children can also cause a lot of pain to small puppies. Always supervise very carefully when your pup and children are together. A tired puppy is a happy puppy — It will be much easier to teach bite inhibition if your puppy is not bouncing off the walls. Make sure they get enough exercise every day. Not only will this help with training, but it will also help prevent all kinds of other destructive behavior. Conclusion Teaching bite inhibition to your golden retriever puppy is a gift you give to your pup that will last forever.

We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. If you are looking for help training your dog, there are lots of best dog training books available to get you started. We all know how important it is to train our dogs to keep them healthy and happy, and keep our homes clean and calm. But actually teaching your dog the behavior you expect, and soliciting that behavior from them in the moment when it is needed, is another question. We have all heard that we should use praise to reinforce good behavior, and never use punishment to discourage bad behavior as it can cause behavioral problems. But how do you reward your dog without making them fat on tasty treats? And what do you use instead of punishment in a moment of crisis when your dog is causing problems? The 10 books on the list below are all excellent guides that answer these questions, and many more. Read on to discover my full list of the 10 best dog training books and what each of them covers so that you can find the right one for you and your pooch. There he provides useful and practical tips on training and caring for dogs, and he brings the same approach to this book. It covers everything from potty training to managing aggression, as well as topics such as how you know when you need to take your dog to the vet. It is full of how-tos rather than technical material. This makes it the book you want to reach for in a crisis when you are looking for a quick fix as opposed to deep fireside reading. This book is ideal for new dog owners and tells you everything you need to know to start your relationship with your dog off on the right foot. Another element that makes this book a bit intriguing is that it is written by the Monks of New Skete , a community of dog-loving monks that having been raising German Shepherd puppies for 30 years. As a result, they really know their stuff. They may not be the best authors, but their book is full of excellent advice. This book is definitely to be recommended to new dog owners bringing a puppy home for the first time. Training your dog right from the start will mean a long and happy relationship together. There are many guides out there that explain how to train your dog using a clicker or treat. These guides will also tell you that it is best to only use these during the training process and then switch to praise in the long term. But few explain exactly how you do that. Well, that is exactly what Pat Miller does in this book! A prolific publisher over his 40 years as a dog trainer, Pat Miller certainly knows his stuff. But if you are on the same page as Miller, you will find this book extremely useful as it explains how you should react to your dog in every situation to encourage the right kind of behavior. This books should definitely be on the shelf of anyone who is concerned about the long term behavior of their dog, rather than just fixing an immediate problem. How To Housebreak Your Dog In 7 Days Author: Shirlee Kalstone Year: Format: Paperback or Kindle While the title makes this sound a bit like a diet book, full of unbelievable promises, the information in this book can help you housebreak even the most difficult-to-train puppies. This book focuses exclusively on potty training, but in all its forms, including housetraining, but also litter and paper training. Pet owners who have decided on crate training will also find this book useful, as it has sections dedicated to how best to use crate training as a tool. If you have a problem potty when it comes to housebreaking, this book is a must, and it is also invaluable to anyone housebreaking a puppy for the first time. McConnell has written 13 books on dog training, and for this outing she has teamed up with animal behavior consultant Brenda Scidmore to produce something new. The book is aimed at new dog owners with pretty much no experience of how to raise, train, and care for dogs. It explains everything, and there is no assumed knowledge. While great for newbies, it does mean that more experienced dog owners may find it a bit basic. The book lays out detailed training exercises to help encourage the type of behavior that you want from your dog. It gives tips for positive reinforcement, but probably more importantly, it explains what you can do when things go wrong! The book also identifies key behaviors, which probably indicate that it is time to bring in the help of a professional trainer. This primer will help first-time dog owners feel in control when it comes to training their new pet, making sure this first experience is a positive one. Beyond The BackYard Year: Format: Paperback If you are looking for a step-by-step guide on how to train your dog, then this could be the book for you. It is broken into three parts. The first part gives you just enough of the theory that you can get started, without bogging you down in concepts that are difficult to digest. The second part then lays out a plan for training your dog. The third part deals with problem solving, and problems arise no matter how well trained your dog is. While this book tells you all the techniques that you need to train your dog, what makes it a bit special is that it makes sure that these approaches are always fun. Spending time with your dog should always be fun, for you and for them, no matter what you are doing. This is another great primer for first-time dog owners who want to get off to a great start, but also want to get stuck in without being bogged down in too much theory. In particular, it delves into how your dog senses the world around them and how this translates into their behavior and communication practices. This helps you to understand why they are doing the things that they are doing, to better identify potential solutions to the problem. The main drawback with this book is that it recommends a lot of products, which can break up the flow of the content. But if you can put that to one side, you will find yourself understanding your dog better than you thought possible. It has been recommended to owners of dogs with unknown backgrounds to help figure out what is really happening with them. This book has something interesting to offer to both new dog owners and veteran canine lovers alike when it comes to getting inside the mind of your dog. If you have a difficult dog, this should be enough to put this book on your radar. What really sets this book apart, however, is that it is not just about training your dog, but about training yourself as a dog owner and how to interact with your dog to get the best results. This book is something to be read cover to cover, rather than consulted for how-to tips. But the read is rewarding, and the book is written in an engaging and non-judgemental way. While this book covers a lot of territory when it comes to dog behavior, it is not strictly a training guide. What it will give you is some food for thought that will help you identify for yourself which techniques are likely to work best with your dog. The monks also share some very practical tips around often overlooked things when it comes to behaviour, such as getting your dog on a solid feeding schedule and ensuring that you are grooming them in the right way. This is an updated version of a book originally written in , so it can seem a bit old fashioned at times, but it will provide inspiration to any dog owner and is particularly useful if you own a German Shepherd. McConnell on the list, this is another book that focuses on how dog owners need to behave around their dogs in order to get the best out of them. She delivers the information by combining the scientific theory with her experiences with her own dogs. This does mean that the result is not a how-to guide but rather a thinking guide that will point you in the right direction. One thing this book does do well is explain why positive reinforcement works and why punishment is detrimental to the behavior of your dog in the long run. This is definitely a book to read cover to cover. It will provide you with a good basis to then assess the effectiveness of training tips you come across elsewhere. Buying Guide: Dog Training Books Here I have only listed 10 of the best dog training books available, but there are thousands more, and knowing where to invest your time and money can be challenging. Fortunately, dog lovers tend to like to support one another, so they are likely to review books they have read on popular websites. Checking out the overall star-rating of the book can help you quickly discern which titles are worth a closer look. Once you have narrowed down the list in this way, there are a few things to consider: How much do you already know about dogs and dog training? Are you an experienced dog owner looking to reinforce what you already know or deal with a particularly difficult pooch? Or are you a first-time dog owner with very little knowledge or experience? What you already know is going to dictate what you need. If you are already quite knowledgeable, you will probably find this same book very frustrating to read. You would benefit from a title that deals more with the theory of why some techniques are more effective than others so that you can tweak your own practice. What kind of training does your dog need? Do you have a new puppy that basically needs to be trained in everything? Do you have a difficult dog that just refuses to be house broken? Have you adopted an older dog who has already developed bad habits? Are you looking to train a specialist dog to do particular tricks of work? Each of these dogs will need different types of training, and there are titles available that specialise in each. For insight into some of the most common behavioral problems among Labradors check out our guide to Labrador behavior. Spoiler alert! Expect them to want to chew everything in site, and jump up at you for your attention and affection. There are many different ways to train a dog. You might use a crate, or you might not. You might believe that a loving environment is more important than discipline. You will probably want to find guidance from an author who shares a similar philosophy towards dog training as you. Of course, you can always learn new things from a new philosophy, but you also need to believe in the validity of the training that they are suggesting. The Verdict If you are looking for help when it comes to training your dog the right way, fortunately many experts have shared their years of experience in a number of excellent books. You can find guidance on every problem, from how to reward your dog to reinforce good behavior, to how to behave yourself in order to solicit the right kind of response from your dog. All 10 of the books on my list are full of useful and interesting information. Which one is right for you depends on how much you already know about training a dog, and whether you are looking for solutions to particular behavioral problems. It covers a broad range of training approaches that can be applied to almost any situation. You can also go from his book to his YouTube channel to see some of his tips and techniques in action. If you are struggling with dog training and looking for advice, rest assured that it is available as little as a click away or a visit to your local bookstore. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. Brilliant Books for Labrador Parents! Books are wonderful resources for learning more about our Labradors. The Happy Puppy is a uniquely detailed and positive guide to raising a happy, confident and obedient puppy without force or punishment. From potty training to socialization and from biting to recall, Pippa covers every aspect of preparing for, and raising a new puppy. A treasure trove of information on Labradors, this is the perfect companion for anyone who loves Labrador Retrievers as much as we all do. Pippa covers finding a Labrador puppy, rescuing an older Labrador, training, feeding, neutering and health. All in her popular objective and constructive manner. Find out more about The Labrador Handbook on Amazon here. Total Recall is much more than just a recall training program, it teaches you how dogs learn and how to successfully train your Labrador without tearing your hair out. The extensive troubleshooting sections looks at all the ways in which training can go wrong and shows you how to avoid and fix them!

But if you intend to show the dog, you'll have to conform to some styling rules. The American Kennel Club allows four different hair styles for poodles. These clips, unique to poodles, apply to toy, miniature and standard breeds. History Behind the Show Poodle Cut The curly-haired poodle originated in Germany and is historically recognized as a hunting retriever and water dog. The show poodle cuts that are popular today were initially designed as serviceable, intended to increase his agility in the water while protecting the hunting dog's joints from the elements. American Kennel Club regulations state that adult poodle dogs must be shown with either the Continental clip or the English saddle clip, and dogs under a year old can be shown with a puppy clip. The AKC permits the sporting clip for the stud dog or brood bitch class. Puppy Clip for Show Unlike any other regulation show dog, poodles are categorically shown in three separate sizes and can be shown with four different clips. A show-quality dog under 12 months of age can be entered into conformation competitions with a hair style called the puppy clip. The puppy clip allows the dog's coat to remain lengthy, but leaves the face, feet, throat and base of the tail shaved. Coat shaping is allowed with the puppy clip, offering groomers leeway for length. In all four clip styles, the topknot can be shaped and left free or secured with rubber bands. Continental Clip for Show Dogs Groomers testify that the English saddle clip is more time-consuming than the Continental, especially since the "historically correct working-clothes" version is permissible in the conformation ring. The Continental cut exhibits shaved feet, face, throat and base of the tail. A pompom is allowed at the tip of the tail. The legs and hindquarters are shaved, with optional pompons on the show dog's hips. The Continental clip has bracelets, or tufts of hair around the ankles, on the back legs and pompom puffs on the lower region of the forelegs. The rest of the dog's body hair is shaped but left in full coat fashion. Puffs are styled and shaped on the lower forelegs, and a pompom is styled at the tip of the tail. The hindquarters are styled with a short covering of hair except for an arced shaved area on both flanks and shaved bands on the back legs. The feet are entirely shaved, and the rest of the body remains in full coat but is shaped in order to appear balanced. Poodle Clips Overview One of the most fascinating and interesting elements of the Poodle breed are the amazing clips of the coat. The owner of a pet Poodle may simply choose to keep the entire coat trimmed to a certain length.Or the owner of a pet or show Poodle may want the appropriate show cut. The AKC requires certain cuts depending on the age of the Poodle. Let's take a look at the proper Poodle clips for AKC conformation and what each clip entails. When showing, this is the only acceptable clip for Poodles under 1 year old. Many pet owners opt for this cut as well, as it allows for the Poodle to have full coverage over the body, without exposing any skin, except for the dog's small paws. When skin is exposed it is subjected to the sun and can develop possible sores from playing around in the yard or when exposed skin is resting against carpeting. With this type of clip, the Poodle's face, throat, paws and base of the tail are shaved. The entire shaven foot is visible. You may opt to have a pompon on the end of the tail. In order to give a neat appearance and a smooth unbroken line, shaping of the coat is done with scissors to even things up and get rid of any long, straggly hairs. The face, front legs between poms and elbow, hind quarter to the pom area and with the exception of the hip rosettes, feet, and base of tail are all shaved very closely. The pack area is left very, very long and scissored into shape. The top knot is left very long and pulled into a ponytail. The tail is given a very large pompon. Poms on the legs are started just above the wrist and hock joints and end just above the feet. They are also scissored round. The hip rosettes are placed directly over the Poodle's hip joint. These are also scissored round. The reason that this is allowed is that the only element which is "modified" is the lack of the hip rosettes, which are optional. English Saddle With this clip, the Poodle's face, front leg between pom and pack, crescent on the flank, base of tail, separations between poms on rear legs and paws are all closely shaved. The pack is left rather full and is scissored into shape. The top knot on the head is left long and pulled back into a pony tail. The poms on front legs are leg long and started above the wrist joint and ends above the feet. The area over the hips and flanks are scissored shorter into a smooth blanket. The tail's pom is left long and shaped into a ball. The poms on hind legs are rounded off and spaced evenly apart. The bottom pom begins just above the hock and ends above the feet. With this Poodle clip, the face, feet, throat, and base of the tail are shaved close, leaving a scissored cap on the top of the head. The rest of the dog's body, and legs are clipped or scissored to follow the outline of the dog leaving a short, soft blanket of coat approximately 1 inch long. The hair on the legs may be slightly longer than that on the body. There is a nice, fluffy pompon at the end of the Poodle's tail. It is also referred to as the 'Second Puppy Clip'. The hair on the top may be left puffed out or pulled into a topknot. The coat is allowed to be very low on the legs, only showing a bit of the paw. It is a nice clip that offers a pleasant shape while not exposing any skin. Since coat growth can quickly cause this clip to loose shape, it is retouched approximately 5 to days before a show event. Kennel Clip - This is a pet clip, meaning that many pet owners opt for this easy clip and it is not permissible in the AKC show ring. Body hair is short all over and just scissored into shape. The top knot and tail are left longer than the body hair. The length of the body hair is completely up to the owner, some opt for a shorter length in the hotter months and longer in colder months. Lamb Clip - This is very similar to the Kennel Clip. The only difference is that the coat is left longer. With this Poodle clip, the dog's face, feet, and base of tail are shaved closely. Body hair is left fluffy but not too long and then scissored into shape. The legs are shaped into a pom at the bottom starting just above the wrist and the hock ending just above the feet. The length of the hair is up to the owner, however, most opt for a very short clip. Dutch Clip - This is an interesting pet clip. The Poodle's face, neck area, belly band, feet, and base of tail are shaved closely. The belly band may be shaved thin or wide, as shown in the photo. The lines between the withers along the spine and between the hips along the spine are also shaved. These lines are very narrow. The top of the head, the legs, and tail are left very fluffy. As you can imagine, the coat cannot be brushed in the traditional sense, cords must be separated out by hand. This used to be a very popular way to keep the coat long ago, however now this is exceedingly rare since most pet owners simply do not have the time to braid the section, keep the coat clean or wait for the exceedingly long drying time that comes with such large dread-lock type sections. This an exceptionally difficult style to do and to maintain which keeps owners away even if the look is a desired one. All rights reserved. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon. Share Us.

When do labs Stop Growing? Labs need to fill out more than smaller breeds as they are medium to large-sized dogs. Usually, an average Lab will be at full height and weight by their first birthday. Is Your Labrador Retriever Healthy? Labrador Retrievers are the perfect family pet. Not only are Labs wonderful companions, but their friendly demeanor, adaptability, and love for life make them ideal members of any household. The best way to guarantee that happiness? Preventative care! This condition can cause pain and make it difficult for your pup to move freely. Due to CHD, they may also develop arthritis in the hip area as they age. Some dogs with CHD have normal hips as puppies, but they can develop joint instability later in life. Unfortunately, CHD affects medium to large dog breeds, with the Lab amongst those dogs with a higher chance of developing this condition. Recognizing the early signs of this progressive disease will help you get treatment for your dog so he has an active life filled with joy instead of pain or discomfort. An old Labrador Retriever is especially prone to developing this disease. Osteoarthritis, or Degenerative Joint Disease DJD , is a progressive inflammation of the joints caused by deterioration and breakdown in cartilage. This action leads to an increase in friction, which causes significant pain for dogs. In cases of osteoarthritis, this cartilage cushion begins to break down because of factors such as age or injury. If a dog has canine atopic dermatitis, the immune system reacts too strongly to common environmental allergens absorbed through the skin, such as mold spores and grass. A dog with atopic dermatitis will typically show signs and symptoms between 3 months to 6 years of age. Labrador Retrievers are amongst the most common dog breeds to develop food and skin allergies. Gastric Distention and Volvulus Bloat Canine bloat , or gastric distention and volvulus GDV , is a condition where the stomach swells abnormally. Bloat is a serious condition that requires immediate emergency care. Dogs of all shapes and sizes can bloat, but some breeds are more susceptible than others. Unfortunately, Labradors are at the top of the list for susceptibility to this condition. The causes of bloat in Labs and other dogs are unknown, but there is likely a genetic element. Dogs who recover from bloating should never be used as breeding stock again. Got a Lab? Get Pet Insurance Coverage You love your dog like a child, but you cannot control what your puppy is dealt with in the genetics department. Health struggles can affect your Labrador Retriever, and his genes will determine what medical conditions or diseases he develops. What if cancer happens? What else might go wrong with your dog in an emergency that will require immediate attention? As a dog owner, you want to make sure that your Lab pup has the best chance possible at living a healthy and happy life. A pet insurance policy will handle any medical issue or expense which may come your way, which is a significant help, especially with how expensive veterinary bills can get. Get insurance quotes today and see for yourself how much better life will be with this coverage. Between 8 weeks and 10 months, your puppy has a ton of growing to do, and they change drastically from month to month. Each stage of growth requires specific attention, exercise, and diet, so there is much to learn and pay attention to these different growth stages. There may be behavioral challenges while your pup adjusts to their new life without their mother and siblings. This period of adjustment can sometimes lead to fearful and timid behavior, and your puppy will need as much attention and affection as possible. They should be eating 3—4 small meals a day at this stage. You can begin basic command, leash, and potty training at this point too. Although the schedule is not complete this is a critical period to begin socialization and making sure they are calm and friendly with other dogs, just make sure they are also vaccinated. We highly recommend making training a part of their daily activities at this age. Biting can be an issue at this stage too, as they will begin teething, and they will start exploring and chewing whatever they can find. Chew toys and consistent command reinforcement are both vital for avoiding this behavior. The good news is that your puppy will grow out of this habit at around 6 months old. Your lab should also be house-trained by this point, but there may still be the occasional accident. Remember to be gentle but firm when this happens, and your pooch will likely move through it swiftly. They will begin losing their baby teeth at this point, and biting and chewing may reach its peak. Firm but gentle commands, chew toys, and loads of patience are essential at this stage. Your puppy will be testing the limits and may start showing dominance, ignoring known commands, and asserting more independence. You can now drop their meals down to two meals per day, but be sure that they are not eating too quickly. Your puppy will start to closely resemble an adult at 6 months, but remember that mentally, they are still puppies and will need loads of direction and training. Females may enter their first heat at 6—7 months, so keep a careful watch for stray males. They will still display puppy tendencies and traits and have a ton of excitable energy, but they should be fairly obedient and well-trained by this stage. Be sure to give your Labrador plenty of exercise at this stage to help keep them from misbehavior. They will have reached their full height by now but may still gain weight and muscle mass in the coming months. Unless you intend on breeding, you should consider neutering and spaying your puppy to avoid wandering and unwanted pregnancies. While some breeders recommend that you wait until a year old, this is a perfectly suitable time to perform the procedure. They may still gain weight and muscle mass but much slower than during the past few months. They will still display puppy characteristics and even test boundaries, but all in all, they should be obedient and well-trained by now. They will have a ton of energy and still enjoy playtimes and loads of exercise. While they are at their full height at this age, some Labs may appear lanky and still have weight to fill out in the coming months. When Do Labradors Stop Growing? All dogs are unique, and the question of when they stop growing is largely dependent on the individual. Anecdotally, your Lab should have reached their full weight by 18 months and full height by 9—12 months. Most breeders agree that your Lab will stop growing at some point during their second year. Even so, any weight gain during their second year will be minimal, and they will have done the majority of their growth by their first birthday. Mentally, they are out of the puppyhood phase of testing boundaries and disobedience by their first year— if correctly trained. If you have been consistent in training thus far, your Lab should be friendly, obedient, and well-behaved from their first birthday and into adulthood. In males, neutering can sometimes result in a calmer, more relaxed dog, and this, in turn, will slow down his need for exercise and may result in weight gain. A study in showed that dogs neutered before 37 weeks may gain more weight, while dogs that had the procedure after 37 weeks had a slower growth trajectory. The difference was minimal, though, and there is no reason to assume that these procedures have much of an effect on growth rates in dogs. Dangers of Growing Too Quickly or Stunted Growth While some puppies may grow quicker or slower than the agreed-upon average, this is usually nothing to be concerned about due to the individual and unique nature of dogs. However, if your pooch is gaining weight rapidly or not gaining enough, there may be deeper issues to look into. If your dog is from working or hunting stock, they may be smaller than average Labs and are usually lighter for work in the field. Size may also be genetic, and if your Lab comes from small parents, they will be smaller than average. The same may be true of heavier-than-average Labs—if their parents are large, they will likely be similar in size. However, larger-than-average weights may also be due to overfeeding or a lack of exercise , or a combination of both, so be sure to keep their exercise and feeding habits consistent. Image Credit: rebeccaashworth, Shutterstock Growth Distinctions of Different Labradors Although they are designated under the same breed, there are two different types of common Labradors: English and American. English Labradors tend to be stockier and more muscular than their American counterparts and have a thick, waterproof coat , while American Labs have a slender build with a slightly finer coat. English Labs are slightly shorter, topping out at around 22 inches, but their stocky and muscular build often makes them heavier than American Labs. In fact, English Labs have been known to weigh up to 20 pounds more than American Labs without being considered overweight. American Labs are known to be slightly more active and energetic than English Labs, while English Labs tend to be less excitable and more laid back. English Labs are by no means lazy, though, and they still have plenty of energy and stamina to go around. Conclusion: Monthly Labrador Growth Pictures Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand the growth rate of your Labrador puppy and given you a better idea of what to expect during the different stages. See also:. Labrador Retriever Puppy Growth Chart and Development with Pictures Large breed dogs, like Labs, gain weight and grow rather rapidly in their first year. They also develop certain skills at approximately the same time. Lab puppies at this age are entirely dependent on their mother. They are born without teeth, vision, or hearing. The mother Lab will also stimulate them to eliminate and eat their waste to keep her nesting area clean. Most Lab puppies will have their eyes opened at 2 weeks of age, and their ears will begin to open around this time too. This period can be called the awakening of senses, as they are growing to be more conscious and inquisitive. Try to spend some time with each puppy daily, so they get used to being handled. They should not be removed from their litter for more than 10 minutes at a time as this could cause them to miss out on important life lessons. Mama dogs will teach her pups some discipline and dogs that are taken from their mom before this age often suffers from behavioral issues. You should handle them often and can begin basic training. Treat your puppy gently, with no harsh discipline. Your 8-week-old Lab puppy will be able to start sleeping through the night and have better control over its bowel movements. Potty training can be introduced at this age, but you should avoid bringing them to crowded places. Most puppies get their first vaccination before heading to their new homes. You should keep your new puppy away from other dogs until they complete their vaccinations to prevent them from contracting infectious diseases like distemper or parvovirus. Lab puppies eating their dog food At 2 months, Lab puppies should be fed 4 small meals a day. Knowing how much to feed them is key. Your Lab puppy will begin to test you in order to figure out what their position is in the family. Labrador Retriever puppies at 3 months might ignore commands they are familiar with. Some dogs might start nipping. To combat this, direct them to chew appropriate toys instead. Be patient with them and keep reinforcing positive behavior because they will grow out of it soon enough. They are still establishing their role in the pack and might assert their dominance over little children or pets. You can start incorporating other activities like obedience or agility to divert their attention and help them understand their role in the family better. Some dogs will go through another fearful stage at this age. You can help them through it by desensitizing them and being kind and understanding. They are still puppies at this age, after all. They should not be forced to face their fears in hopes they will get used to it. Appropriate exposure with lots of praise, attention, and treats will do the trick. They will have grown into the dog they are meant to be and will have a consistent personality. They should also have settled into a routine and know their place in the family. Following a UK study, Labs grow into their adult weight by their 1-year-old birthday. Mentally, Labradors will stay a puppy till they are 2 or 3 years old, but some never really do grow up. When Do Labs Stop Growing? Lab puppies generally gain 2 lbs 1 kg a week from birth until they are 6 months old. After that, their weight gain tapers off slowly. Most people think that dogs mature at the same age, but small dogs like a Terrier or a Pomeranian might reach adulthood at 9 months of age whereas a Great Dane might fully mature at 3 years of age. It has been noted that they reach their full height at 1 year of age, and their adult weight at 2 years of age. How to weigh a Labrador dog? Weighing your dog is a good way to keep track of its growth. A less strenuous and stressful way to weigh your dog would be to buy a weighing scale for dogs and weigh them regularly. You can incorporate this into your dog training and reward them every time they stay still on a scale. There are reasonably priced pet scales on Amazon but if you do not have a budget for a dog weighing machine, you can get your dog weighed at the vet. This is because muscle weighs more than fat. A chubby-looking Labrador might have the same weight as a lean and strong Lab. Testing Physical Appearance There is a system called BCS or Body Condition Scoring that allows owners and health providers to assess whether their dog is at a healthy weight from a glance. There are 9 levels, with the 1st level representing extreme emaciation, level 5 being optimally fit, and level 9 being life-threateningly obese. However, if they are outside of that spectrum, you might want to consider seeing a specialist as your dog might have some underlying health issues. It can also cause lots of health problems such as joint problems, respiratory or heart diseases, and even cancer. The bad news is that Labradors are prone to obesity due to their genetics. A large portion of the Labrador population has a malfunctioning POMC gene that stops them from being full. Even without the condition, Labs are notoriously greedy! Look at Midnight eating in her dreams: Hyperthyroidism and Insulinoma are disorders that can cause unexplainable weight gain. How to help your Labrador achieve a healthy weight? If they are suffering from certain disorders, you will need to treat them first. If they are simply being fed too much, remove any excess calories from their diet by cutting down treats including table scraps! You can also encourage them to move more through exercise, play, or work. Being too thin is also unhealthy, especially if your puppy is still growing. Weight loss or not being able to gain weight can be caused by worms, illness, or a lack of calories. Active dogs will need to be fed more than those that lead sedentary lifestyles. What you can do is increase their intake and monitor their growth rate. Another commonly asked question is when to fix their male or female Labradors. The general consensus is that you should fix your dog around 6 months, but there are new studies to suggest that early neutering might create more problems for your dog. Another specialized study suggests pet owners to neuter or spay after 37 weeks. This prevents excessive growth that can aggravate hip or joint problems. Will my Lab still grow after being neutered? Depending on when your dog is neutered. If it is neutered after sexual maturity, it will most likely have already reached its adult size and will not grow any taller. However, most neutered pets gain weight much more easily due to a decrease in sex hormones. This will cause their metabolic rate to slow down so you should adjust their diet accordingly. Differences between variations of Labrador Retrievers English Labs are show dogs that are bred to be more heavyset. Therefore, they can be slightly on the heavy side. As for American or working dogs, they are generally more athletic and lighter. Gender also plays a role in their weight, with females nearing the lighter end of the spectrum and males being on the heavier side. Chocolate Labs and White Labs are usually bred for the show ring. It is entirely possible to have an English Fox Red and vice versa for all other colors. Leading a healthy lifestyle will keep your pup healthy. Further reading: Additional puppy growth chart guides. Labrador puppy weight. It can be hard to know what the right weight is for your specific pup. An American Lab is likely to weigh less than an English Lab in general, but not always! How much do Labs weigh in general? Male Labradors weigh between 60lbs and 80lbs, while females weigh in at between 55lbs and 75lbs. But many healthy Labradors fall outside these averages. As you can see, there is quite a range! Labrador Puppy Weight Lots of our readers want to know how much should my Labrador weigh at this age or that age. Labrador puppies are growing fast, and their weight is constantly changing. We used the data from our forum to create the Lab weight chart below. If you want a rough idea of how much your pup should weigh at different stages of their young life, just compare them to this chart and see how they match up. But remember, average Labrador weight is not totally straight forward… Average Labrador Weight Labradors come in a wide variety of sizes. So average Labrador Retriever weight figures can be misleading. As a very rough guide an adult female Labrador might weigh between 55 and 70lbs. An adult male Lab will weigh 65 — 80lbs. Female Lab weight will on average be lower than male Lab weight, but as you can see there is a considerable cross over. But Labradors also come in a couple of different types, and his type will have an impact upon his ideal Labrador weight. English Labs bred from show lines are likely to be at the upper end of the scale. You can expect English Lab weight to be around 60 — 70 lbs for a female and 70 — 80 lbs for a male. Some of our chunkier, show bred Labs can be a good twenty pounds or more heavier than their field bred cousins, without necessarily being overweight. Whereas the American Lab who is field bred is likely to be at the lower end of average. Volume for volume, muscle weighs more. So it is worth bearing in mind, that a very fit dog will have more muscle and may weigh more than an unfit dog of similar dimensions. Black Lab Weight In theory there should be no difference in weight between Labradors of different colors. Black Labrador weight for an English black Lab will probably be at the higher end of the range, for an American black Lab it will likely be lower. Black Labs are frequently found in both these categories, but some Lab colors differ. For example the chocolates. Chocolate Lab Weight Chocolate Labs are more likely to be show bred than field bred. English Labs weigh more than American Labs in general, and may therefore be at the higher end of average when it comes to weight. This is because yellow Labs are commonly found in both categories. White Labs are more likely to be English Labs, and will therefore probably be at the heavier end of the scale. Fox red Labs are normally American Labs, and will often be thinner in build and therefore lighter in weight. The way to effectively judge whether your Lab is at an ideal weight is not through the scales. It is by feel and appearance. You should not be able to see ribs, but if you press firmly along his sides you should just be able to feel your fingers bumping along them. But in most cases it really is not necessary to weigh your puppy every day, or even every week! Any more than you would weigh your three year old child on a daily or even weekly basis. There are however, some exceptions. Very thin puppies Occasionally we have people post up about puppies that are desperately underweight and clearly failing to thrive. Most of these comments come from people that have purchased puppies that are not ready to leave their mothers, and should not have been sold by the breeder. Some of these puppies are as young as three weeks old. If you have inadvertently been sucked into this horrible trade in underage puppies, do contact a vet for help with feeding your puppy, as a matter of urgency. If you are concerned that your puppy might be seriously underweight, again, your vet is the first port of call. As a very rough guide, many Labrador puppies will weigh around a kilo for every week of their lives. So you would expect a ten week puppy to weigh something in the region of ten kilos or around twenty-two pounds. A twenty percent variation around this would be fairly normal. If your puppy falls outside this variation he may still be perfectly healthy, but if you are inexperienced, a check with the vet is a good way to put your mind at rest. Should I Weigh My Dog? You may need to weigh your dog if he needs medical treatment. Determining the appropriate dose of some drugs requires that we know the exact weight of the patient. But in this case your veterinarian will probably do it for you at their check-ups and assessments. The main reasons to weigh a dog are loss or gain. Trying to put weight on a very thin puppy? You may want to check your progress with regular weigh-ins for a while to make sure they are sufficiently gaining weight. Trying to help your adult Labrador weight decrease? Checking their weight each week will help you to know that you are succeeding, along with visual checks. How to weigh a dog If you need to weigh a puppy, and he is small enough to hold in your arms, you can do this at home. Just weigh yourself on the bathroom scales without him, then weigh yourself again whilst holding the dog, and subtract the first weight from the second. This is accurate enough for most purposes. Larger dogs will need to be weighed on purpose built scales. Most vet surgeries have one in the waiting room, and some pet stores have them too. Really tiny dogs can be weighed accurately on a good sized set of kitchen scales. For once, this is a situation where appearances really do count. Try to get into the habit of looking at your dog objectively and of avoiding comparing with other dogs, many of whom will be overweight. You may find that some other dog owners will tell you your nice slim Labrador is actually too thin. This happens a lot, largely because people are simply getting used to so many dogs being overweight, including some of those receiving the highest accolades in our show rings. Again, if you are worried, check with your vet, but the chances are if someone is telling you this that actually your dog is healthy, and it is really their dog who is overweight. The Lab puppy weight chart shows you the average weight for male and female Labs every month from 2 months old, up until 12 months if you have a puppy Lab, check out our New Puppy Checklist to learn more about what to bring home for your first 24 hours and beyond. Doing so helps you and your veterinarian keep your puppy healthy. Are There Different Sizes of Labradors? Among the retriever breeds, the Labrador is one of the largest, where an adult male can top the scales at 80 pounds. Labrador Retrievers may differ in size due to individual variation and outside influences, such as the amount or type of food they eat, the amount or frequency of exercise they get, or underlying health conditions that may affect appetite or growth. But overall, a retriever should ideally hit a 5 out of 9 on the body condition score, regardless of the actual weight number on a scale. A healthy size Labrador has an evident abdominal tuck and observable waist, viewed from both the side and top of the dog. The AKC considers Lab puppies to be in adulthood when they reach 12 to 18 months of age, though there are outliers — those who grow faster or slower, reaching maturity either before 1 year old or not until 2 years old. Like other large dog breeds, Labs go through multiple stages of puppyhood until they reach adulthood. The average height for Labrador puppies is largely unknown due to insufficient data, but the average adult Labrador Retriever gets to be about inches tall at the shoulder. These numbers are contingent on the puppy receiving top-notch care, good nutrition, and appropriate levels of exercise. Different factors, such as health, breeding practices, and nutrition, may alter these estimated numbers. The below Labrador weight calculator can help you determine approximately how big your Labrador will be. But there are dogs who will fall outside of these parameters. The Waltham Petcare Science Institute offers puppy growth charts for veterinarians to use with their clients. You can also learn more about the ideal size and weight at different ages for different breeds with our Goldendoodle growth chart , a Golden Retriever size chart , Great Dane growth chart , or Chihuahua size chart. For that advice, consult your veterinarian. However, their weight can vary quite a bit. Male and female Labrador Retrievers vary slightly in size. According to the official breed standards of the AKC , males weigh about pounds, while females weigh pounds. Almost all dogs fall within this guideline, though there may be a few rarer dogs just on the outside of the weight guidelines. Because of how carefully bred these dogs often are, this is extremely rare, though. Male Labrador Retrievers stand between .Females stand at .As you can see, males Labrador Retrievers can be a bit larger than females, though they may not necessarily be. This is particularly true for American Labs. In other countries, the weight and height minimum for males is often higher than it is in America. What does a 4-month Labrador Retriever weigh? From their birth to about six months, Labrador Retriever puppies grow very rapidly. Right after birth, they often gain about two pounds a week or more. This rapid weight continues as the puppy ages. By four months, most Labrador Retrievers weigh about 25 pounds. Smaller dogs will often stay smaller at this point, while larger dogs often stay bigger. How big is a 6-month-old Labrador Retriever? Labrador Retrievers should continue to gain at least two pounds a week until they reach six months old. Most of them will gain even more than this, putting the average weight of a 6-month-old Lab at 50 pounds. That is double what they weighed at four months. However, six months does mark the end of this rapid period of growth. The average Labrador will typically start growing slower at this point, though they will still grow for quite a while. When is a Labrador Retriever fully grown? Most Labrador Retrievers reach their full height at around six to 12 months. Typically, they grow very quickly in the first six months of their life, but this growth slows down considerably after the sixth month. After that, they may still continue to gain a little bit of height, but their full adult height has basically been reached. Many dogs are often lanky during this period for this reason. However, once they reach their full height, the calories can be put towards muscle gain and fat storage. Too many calories can make the dog grow too quickly, which can cause hip dysplasia and other problems. Your dog will have plenty of time to bulk up. Because all Retrievers such as also Flat-Coated and Golden Retrievers are very food-motivated, you need to be careful to not overfeed your dog. Is a Labrador a medium or large dog? Technically, a Labrador Retriever can fall into either the medium or large category. They straddle the line as a breed. Individual dogs will either fall at the upper end of the medium category or rest just inside the large category. For this reason, they are often described as medium-to-large-sized dogs. What is a healthy weight for a Labrador? This depends on the dog. The health range for a Labrador is pounds if they are a male and pounds if they are a female. That is a large range. A dog that is naturally 55 pounds would be terribly overweight at 80 pounds. They will be able to accurately weigh your dog and determine if they are a healthy weight or not. Why is my Labrador so skinny? Many Labradors will appear skinny as puppies. It takes them until about the age of two to bulk up to their adult weight. They will bulk up naturally as they age. Gaining weight too fast can put unnecessary strain on their joints, which can cause health problems further down the road. It may seem that your Lab practically stops growing after about six months. However, they do have growth spurts after this, and they are all focused on muscle and fat gain. This especially applies if your Labrador is a senior dog that has stopped eating. Unleash the real potential of your companion! We will email you daily with training tips, ideas and videos. This is an introductory course into our training philosophy. You will get customized video lessons based on your training goals — and you can implement them in just 5 minutes a day.