french bulldog mixed with english bulldog puppies
Your puppy will be born and raised in our busy household. Our passion is to produce wonderful family pets with gentle loving temperaments that will bring a lifetime of happiness. We are extremely proud that the foundation of our lines have been trained as canine partner dogs and many of our puppies are therapy dogs and visit schools regularly. We have been breeding for a number of years and over these years we have seen many clubs come and go and we have been a member of some of them. We breed authentic Australian Labradoodles with lines that have been verified. We are content to follow our own path with strong ethics. We have an excellent reputation and we adopt the highest standards so you can be assured your puppy is an authentic Australian Labradoodle with bloodlines and health testing that has been verified. We follow a socialisation programme and temperament test all of our puppies before puppy pick day so we can help you make your choice. Temperament and health is always our first priority. We purchased our first Australian Labradoodle in and have been hooked ever since. Our dogs are our much loved family pets or live with their guardian families. Please contact us via email for more information. Access to our private puppy family area. A WhatsApp group for your litter. Both parents have been fully health tested with certificates available to view. Been bred in our family home by a 5 star council licensed breeder. Temperament tested and advice provided at puppy viewing. Call us today on Health Guaranteed All our puppies leave us with a full vet health check and a 2 year genetic health guarantee. Health Tested All our breeding Australian Labradoodles are fully health tested. We give our puppies the best start by following a tried and tested programme. Ethical Breeding We have the highest welfare standards which is why we hold a 5 star council licence. We believe every dog deserves a good life and this starts with the breeder. What our customers say.We travelled far to find her, and her knowledge, expertise and love for all things ALD is exceptional. After only a few days, Willow is already a huge part of our lives and so we are very glad that we chose Judy and RIpley's. Our dogs are very much our family pets. We are not a kennel, all our Australian Labradoodles have wonderful fulfilling lives either with us or our guardian families. Our dogs are for life and not just for breeding. The health and temperament of Australian Labradoodles is our number one priority, of course we breed exceptionally lovely puppies but our puppies health and temperament will always be our first priority. The Australian Labradoodle breed originated in Australia in the 's. The focus has always been on temperament, coat and quality through good health testing and planned matings. Our Australian Labradoodles are multigenerational, meaning both parents are Australian Labradoodles. Australian Labradoodles are very people focussed, they have a strong desire to please. Australian Labradoodles come in 3 sizes, miniature, medium and standard. Within my breeding programme I concentrate on miniature and mediums. Our Australian Labradoodles are extremely clever, sociable , comical and joyful. They are energetic when free and quiet in the home. We test their hips, elbows, eyes and genetics. When you purchase a Ripley's Australian Labradoodle you can be assured we have tested everything possible. We provide a 2 year health guarantee but we ask that our puppy families not give ingestible flea and worming treatments. Welcome to Magnolia Australian Labradoodles! Magnolia Australian Labradoodles was created to breed exceptional Labradoodle puppies to carry on the traits that make this breed so wonderful! We only have a few litters a year as we truly put our heart and soul into each of our puppies, as well as, the dogs that live here with us. At Magnolia Australian Labradoodles we consider each of our dogs a member of the family and we treat the puppies no differently. From day one, the Labradoodle puppies are in our home, being handled, played with and loved every single day. Someone is with them the majority of the time, making sure they are well cared for and interacting with them throughout the day. What makes us different? Through this method your new puppy will be calm and confident from day one. Your new puppy will be introduced to sleeping in a crate and beginning house training. This way your first night home will be a smoother transition for your puppy. We believe that attention to every detail is important. We are very approachable and when our materials do not answer a question you might have, we are committed to answering all your questions and fully preparing you to bring home your new family member. Our Goal is Excellence! Our goal at every point in the process is excellence. When you decide that Magnolia Australian Labradoodles is the best choice for your family, we take your decision very seriously. You become part of our family! We are passionate about sharing this exquisite breed with others, and providing wonderful homes for our pups. Once we decided to get an Australian Labradoodle, we then set out to find the best breeder we could find. We spent several months trying to find a breeder with not only good reviews, but also one who would understand our needs having a son with autism. We thought we had found a good breeder but they were not responsive and their contract was crazy long with some pretty crazy requirements. Right from the start, Judy was very responsive to ALL our questions. She understood our concerns about getting the right dog for our son. Once we decided to go forward with it, she even let us come visit to get to know our soon-to-be new family member. She has been so responsive to our questions and concerns even after bringing little JoJo home. Her training program has made such a huge difference and has taken away so much of the normal stress of having a new puppy. Thank you Judy. We are so in love with our sweet little JoJo. We elected to do bring our pup home around 12 weeks so he could do the advanced training and it was the right choice. Our pup did amazing in his crate, adjusted quickly and was comfortable going out on a leash to learn his bathroom spot at this new house. He did great with a 18 month old and 5 year old without any nipping. Chris Beck The decision to add a dog into our family was a big one. We took our time researching, with the selection of a breeder being a huge factor. I stumbled upon Judy at Magnolia Labradoodles and was instantly intrigued. I liked that she only had one litter at a time. I knew my puppy would be getting attention and care. I liked that past customers said she was responsive and the experience was personal. My telephone conversation with her was also critical. I had lots of questions and she had answers for all of them and gave me all the time I needed to feel comfortable. I could tell she loved what she did and it was personal to her…not just a business. We opted for the additional training and felt this made the transition home for our dog go smoothly. He did not nip at us, knew his name, how to focus on us, how to sit and was happy in his crate. We had to wait quite a while to bring our dog home, but Judy kept us updated with photos and videos. She even face-timed my children twice so they could see their dog. It was a great experience and worth the wait. I highly recommend Judy and Magnolia Labradoodles. We have always had English Labrador Retrievers, but due to us getting older we wanted something a little smaller but also hardy. Lexi is everything you could ask for: intelligent, kind, loving, good with people and children, loves all dogs, loves to play with our cat, walks and hikes great and the added bonus if the above items are not enough they are absolutely gorgeous!!!! We had an amazing experience with Judy!! Judy was always there to answer all my questions and she still is a year later!! That in itself is an outstanding quality, not to mention the wonderful job Judy does getting them ready for their forever homes. If you are skeptical about doing the 3 week training…DO IT!!! It was well worth it. We put Lexi in her crate the first night and she went right to sleep. I will never forget when we went to pick Lexi up. Judy let us in and there in the living room was this gorgeous, well behaved dog that just sat there until I went over and picked her up. I started crying and as I turned around, so was Judy!! That just showed me the love and compassion she has for raising these outstanding dogs. If after reading this, if you are still unsure, please feel free to contact me. Judy has my contact information. Debbie Stierly Working with Judy was fantastic. Cadbury Harmony and Rhett is as perfect a puppy as you could imagine. From the beginning, Judy helped my daughters face their fear of dogs and see how kind and loving puppies can be. This is absolutely a much better way to ensure success. Judy treats her pups with love and kindness. She dotes on them! When we brought Cadbury home, family and friends could not get over his calm and loving personality. He adjusted immediately, slept well on the first night, and already had learned manners. While it is hard to wait the extra 3 weeks, it is so nice to have a puppy that has learned basic obedience, crate training, and potty training! If you plan to add a puppy to your family and want a dog that will be sweet, obedient, and gentle, look no further! Judy was excellent throughout the process and was responsive, organized, detailed and passionate. Lucy was the smallest in the litter of Harmony and Rhett and needed a lot of extra care just to be able to make it to our home. Judy spent many sleepless nights to make this happen. Lucy is…. She is a kind and gentle puppy with a great spirit for adventure. We are enjoying her everyday! I highly recommend working with Judy if you are looking for a great addition to your family! The puppy that we recently got from Magnolia Australian Doodles was worth the wait and cost for such a lovely little addition to our menagerie. He was introduced to numerous adults, noisy children, other dogs, a cat, sweeper, hour car ride home and multiple other stimuli and he was unfazed. And this was just during the first two days. Not to mention a huge thunder and lightening storm. He is going to one of those special dogs, you talk about. PK Pamela Kratzer Five stars are honestly not enough! Judy made the experience of getting a puppy so easy and stress free. She was always available, and answered my thousands of questions. She sent us updates and photos weekly too! You can tell Judy puts her heart and soul into caring for each litter. Our puppy is almost 3 months old, and we are so happy we chose Magnolia Australian Labradoodles! Our puppy slept the whole first night, and is the most loving and fun puppy ever! Despite the pandemic going on, Judy did her best to socialize the puppies. She sends you home with a complete binder with everything you need to raise your puppy! Duke has been a great addition to our family and I highly recommend Magnolia Australian Labradoodles if you want a caring and knowledgeable breeder!! You guys are truly incredible. Thank you. He really brings a smile to all of us, all the time. I had done a lot of research on the web of this breed. Judy welcomed my questions and answered with obvious knowledge of having done her own research. She was able to answer any question or concern that I may have had. I highly recommend Judy and Magnolia Australian Labradoodle kennel to anyone looking for a beautiful Australian Labradoodle. I would also highly recommend the additional 3 weeks with Judy as she trains and teaches confidence. Ella came to us, confident and well adjusted. She was able to be in her crate all night 9hrs without even a whimper. She was able to sit and layed down on command. She is a lovable, sweet, attentive and is so well adjusted from the minute we brought her home. Without any hesitation, I give all the credit to her first human mommy, Judy Adams of Magnolia Australian Labradoodles. We adore our Little Miss Ella!! Joyce Rusin. Welcome to the home of Jajaca Australian Labradoodles. They are incredibly fun loving, loyal and intelligent with a brilliant temperament to match. These attributes make for the perfect family companion! I have owned dogs all my life, but ran into many dramas with allergies and health concerns with my then young family. After researching the Australian Labradoodle and what the breed represents, I realised that the Australian Labradoodle was everything I was looking for. Fast forward 15 years, my daughter Cassidy, my adopted sister Nicola and I feel nothing but gratitude to be able to provide our families with the quality Labradoodles I was searching for many years ago. I am so fortunate to have been given encouragement and total support from all members of the ALA, who share their knowledge and wisdom for the betterment of the breed. All these years later and I am still totally hooked, assisting to mentor new ALA Breeders, and finding I am more in love with this breed than I ever thought possible. We are and will remain a dedicated breeder bringing up our babies in our family environment free of kennels. All our girls and boys live with loving families locally and nearby, where they are raised with rules, boundaries and discipline and loved unconditionally by their families. Our breeding girls and boys family has grown wonderfully in the last 17 years. We currently have some stunning girls and boys we are very proud of and some youngsters waiting to mature who will continue Jajaca into the forseeable future. Please visit their photo albums to check them and their breeding statistics out. They were precious, valued members of our family, the girls that started Jajaca and though we miss them everyday, their memory reminds us of why we do what we do, to share the joy they brought us with other families. Blaise beauty, Harper and Jajaca Jaycee are all now additions to our family group. Our focus as a breeder has been and will continue to be to offer quality, sound, healthy dogs as genuine family companions and never compromise the wonderful qualities of the breed. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any enquiries regarding this truly magnificent breed or ask about our upcoming litters. We hope that you enjoy browsing our site!
Your new furry friend has a lot of growing to do, and you probably have a lot of questions. Your Golden Retriever puppy will go through a number of developmental stages throughout their first twelve weeks. Male Golden Retrievers generally weigh between 65 and 75 pounds and stand from 23 to 24 inches tall. Females are generally smaller weighing between 55 to 65 pounds, and will grow to stand .At 4 months, your Golden Retriever puppy will reach about half their adult height. When it comes to mental development, it can take even longer than that before the Golden Retriever is fully mature. However, every puppy is a unique individual, and these are merely milestone guidelines. Disparities exist between the working and show Goldens, as well as between males and females. Golden Retriever puppy growth can also be quite sporadic. As an overall average, many Golden Retriever puppies will weigh just approximately 1. Golden Retrievers are classified as a gundog breed, and these dogs are often divided into those bred for show and those meant for work. However, the body of the show Golden is typically larger, taller, heavy-boned, and fuller in the chest. Small Parents Like people, puppies inherit physical traits from their parents. And even puppies from the same litter can vary in size. Neither of these scenarios is healthy for a puppy. Larger breeds like the Golden Retriever are more at risk for growth disorders than small breed dogs. This article will give you a lot more information on how much to feed, what to feed, and how often to feed a Golden Retriever puppy. Illness and Puppy Growth If a puppy has been seriously ill for a prolonged period, it may affect their ability to grow normally. However, once the puppy is free of worms, they should continue to grow at a normal rate. The best way to determine if your puppy is too thin or too fat is by how he looks and feels. When looking at your puppy from above, he should have a noticeable waistline. Another way to tell is by putting your hands on either side of his ribcage. You should be able to feel his ribs using a gentle pressure. But if his ribs are visible, he could be underweight. Obesity is a huge problem for many dog breeds. Although there are ways to make your puppy grow bigger, this is not something you should attempt. It could also mean you end up with a fat puppy. One of the best ways to ensure your puppy has a long, healthy life is to ensure he stays at an optimal weight. Hip and elbow dysplasia and other musculoskeletal disorders are associated with excess weight in larger breeds. Having your dog neutered at a young age can also cause them to grow taller. The problem is, this can also cause abnormalities in joint formation. Neutering also makes Golden Retrievers more at risk for certain types of cancers. Typically it will take approximately 18 months for your Golden Retriever to become an adult dog. Even though they can reach their full height at anywhere from 9 to 12 months, it will usually take them longer to fill out to their full weight. Remember that there are wide variations in size within the Golden Retriever breed. If this is the case, you should contact your veterinarian to seek advice. Beginning the puppy development stages before birth Puppy development stages week by week Amazingly, in a way the puppy development stages begin before your dog is even born. Your puppy spends approximately 9 weeks developing inside his Mom. The mother dog has a womb or uterus, that has two long tubes, and the puppies grow in a row along each tube rather like peas in a pod. The puppies are joined to their mother by a placenta which provides all the nourishment they need for those few weeks. To begin with, the puppies have plenty of room to move but they grow fast and as the time for birth draws near they are packed in quite tightly. The one week old puppy Your puppy is born fully furred but with his eyes and ears closed so he cannot hear or see. His front feet are strong and he can pull himself towards his mother with them. He can cry if he is uncomfortable and his mother will respond to his cries by moving him towards her and licking him. Your puppy spends most of his time sleeping or suckling. He cannot regulate his own body temperature and needs his mother for heat, or an artificial heat source. In the first week to ten days of his life your puppy grows rapidly and will double his birth weight. His forelegs are getting much stronger. She licks the puppies bottoms to stimulate a bowel or bladder movement and eats the result. There is no cleaning up for the breeder to do yet. The breeder will begin to handle the puppies more though, and get them used to human contact. She will worm the puppies for the first time at the end of this week. Puppies begin to get their personalities. Your puppy can stand and sit up by the end of the week. Tails can be wagged, ears will be completely open and puppies start play growling and interacting with their littermates. Your puppy can regulate his body temperature more effectively and will start to cut his first teeth in preparation for weaning. The front teeth, canines and incisors are cut first. Toward the end of the week he may have his first tiny taste of puppy food. They also start to move away from the sleeping area to empty their bowels and bladder. They may try to climb out of the whelping box. If she lives indoors, she may rejoin the family for more of each day. Your puppy will cut his back teeth and the breeder will get weaning underway this week and by the end of it, your puppy will be getting quite a bit of his nourishment from puppy food. She will also worm the puppies a second time. If the mother is allowed near the puppies after she has been fed, she may regurgitate her dinner for them. This is completely natural and normal. He is a proper little dog. Rolling around with his brothers and sisters and playing with toys. Teething toys, puppy Kongs, balls and rope toys are big favorites with puppies. He can bark too and some puppies can be quite noisy at this age! He chases after his mother whenever she appears and suckles hungrily, but she is starting to get fed up with it, and may be reluctant to feed her brood for very long. His mother is teaching him not to bite too hard. If he lives in outdoor kennels he should spend part of each day indoors with the family. By the end of the sixth week, most are fully weaned, and eating five or six little meals of puppy food each day. Socialization must begin in earnest. He is now two months old and ready for his new life. It is the time during which they become fearful of anything unfamiliar and need to be thoroughly socialized. This is also the time during which most puppies get to grips with house-training, learning to wait before eliminating and start sleeping through the night without a potty break. It is a busy time for new puppy owners. Your puppy will have his vaccinations during this month. Biting can be a big problem during this stage and you need to be patient and consistent in order to teach the puppy not to hurt people when he plays. Provided you use force free methods, this is a great time to get puppy training under way, and especially to teach a puppy recall, and to get your puppy used to working with food. So, for a 2. You can do the same calculation for medium pups at sixteen weeks and large breed pups at 20 weeks — just divide his weight by his age in weeks before you multiply by .Medium to large pups will reach about half their adult height by the end of the month. If the weather is warm you can get your puppy swimming now. He should be able to come when he is called, in and around your home, provided there are not too many distractions. It all depends on what you have taught him. He may still be chewing a lot and biting too. Use frozen Kongs to help him and give your furniture and fingers a break. Puppies can go for short walks now. By the end of this month your puppy could have a twenty minute walk each day. He may also enjoy fetching a ball and playing with other dogs, but take care to stop before he gets very tired. Less dependence This is the month during which some puppies start to become less dependent on their humans for security. Keep your puppy close to you outdoors by changing direction frequently so that you puppy has to keep coming to find you. And engaging him in games. The foundations of a great recall are often build or spoilt during this month. If your puppy knows how to sit or lie down at home, start some simple proofing exercises with him in public places. A healthy puppy can usually manage on two meals a day from around six months. During this month a Retriever, Spaniel or GSD puppy will reach around two thirds of his adult weight. A Great Dane and other large breeds will have reached about half their final weight and little dogs will have almost completed their growth. Some female dogs will come on heat for the first time during this month, or the next, so keep an eye open now for swelling of her vulva and any discharge. Your dog will become increasingly confident over the next few months so practice, practice and practice that recall! Make it a habit he cannot break. And be generous with your rewards. Small breed pups may now be more or less mature. Your puppy will enjoy half hour off lead walks now, and should be able to walk on a loose lead for short periods with plenty of encouragement and rewards. Keep practicing that recall! These help to slow his growth further and to build his confidence. Make sure you practice good outdoor management on walks to maintain the good recall you have built and work hard on thoroughly proofing all his obedience skills. Read up on neutering before you take this important step, for dogs of either sex. Once your dog is a year old he can participate in more strenuous activities and sports. Now is the time to think about the kinds of activities you would like to do with him — go jogging together for example — and if necessary, to start to get him fit. Puppy development stages — Summary There is huge variation in the way in which dogs develop and mature. The puppy development stages and ages outlined above are a rough guide. We hope you enjoyed them and found the information interesting. When it comes to training, you get out what you put in. Your progress depends as much if not more on you rather than your puppy. If you train your puppy five times a day, six days a week he will learn many, many times faster than a puppy that is trained once a day at the weekend. Enjoy watching your puppy grow and develop. And have fun! This comes at no extra cost to you. As a new Golden Retriever puppy owner, you may be wondering about when important puppy milestones happen, such as: When do they lose their puppy teeth? When do they stop growing? When do they finally stop biting? When do they sleep through the night? These puppy behavior stages and developmental milestones will differ from individual to individual, but this timeline can give you a general understanding of what to expect with your puppy. Day 1: Puppy is born You could also call this the best day ever. After carrying the pups for about 9 weeks , mom is ready to give birth! The average litter size for Golden Retrievers is 8. Their eyesight is very limited, and their soon-to-be-brown eyes are sometimes blue when they first open them. And as you know or will soon find out , they are very sharp. The puppy kibble is soaked in water, mashed up, and introduced to the pups. They work up to eating solid food about four times per day while still nursing from their mother. Because puppies need to complete weaning, most breeders wait until the puppies are 8 weeks to 12 weeks old before they send their pups home with their new owners. You can also start training them at this age the best way to stop bad habits is to not let them start! Getting a Golden Retriever Puppy? Download the Potty Training Cheat Sheet here! The biting phase is one of the toughest behavior stages for puppy owners. Golden Retriever puppies lose their baby teeth at around 4 months of age. Sometimes he would be chewing and then start to play with something on the floor. Most of the time when that would happen we would find a tooth laying there. This depends on the gender and your individual dog. And this is definitely a conversation to have with your vet, as spaying or neutering your Golden Retriever too young can have adverse health effects. Females are typically inches tall, while males are inches tall. It becomes their undercoat. At one and a half years old, Goldens have typically grown out their full coat. Related article:. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. This was the first time we had a chance to chart puppies from birth until 8 weeks old. We tried to take as many pictures as possible so we could have a journal of our Golden Retriever puppy growth week by week. When raising guide and service dog puppies we usually bring home our puppies at around weeks old. On occasion we are allowed to see puppies before 8 weeks of age, but they need to stay with their mother and siblings during those important early weeks to get milk and antibodies from mama and learn how to interact properly with siblings, learning important behaviors like bite inhibition. During our days as a foster we raised two litters of puppies , but both were already weeks old by the time we got them home. We actually own the Puppy Culture DVD and Workbook which includes charts, lists, worksheets and other great information for raising your litter. Keep your eyes and ears open and absorb it all like a sponge! Birth To 1 Week Old Guess what? This was the first litter we ever whelped!? We got a lot of advise, but we were largely on our own. Large Puppy Dish — great for feeding the puppies when they moved to solid food. Whelping Mats — we ordered 2 of these mats and washed them several times a day. Whelping Box — We have a homemade whelping box built by my father-in-law, but if we continue raising litters I plan on purchasing an EZWhelp Whelping Box. Our homemade box lasted three litters. We ended up purchasing the Magnabox which was hellu expensive but if you plan on raising multiple litters we highly recommend it. We recently put together a whelping checklist with all the supplies we gathered together to help out with our second litter of Golden Retriever puppies. Check out our whelping supplies checklist here. However, none were overly huge and none were extra small. No runts and no beasts. It was my understanding that when the cord was chewed down to the base of the belly it was sometimes difficult to get it to stop bleeding. I took the hemostat and pinched the umbilical cord about 2 inches from the base of the pups belly then cut the cord rather than let Raven chew it off. I kept the hemostat on the cord for about 2 minutes to let it clout. The umbilical cord dries up quickly and then within a day or 2 it falls off. Raven was a good mama and took care of her poops. Puppy eyes and ears are closed at this stage and puppies army crawl around the whelping box looking for a teat to suckle. We did everything we could to make sure our pups stayed warm by adding a watt heat lamp to the whelping box and portable heating unit in the puppy room. As I mentioned Raven stayed in the whelping box most of week 1 and of course… the puppy piles! One thing I learned is if I had a puppy on my lap then do not let Raven lick those areas or be prepared for a little accident on your lap. While caring for Raven and her litter Raven was really blowing out her coat that first week, but as time went on it slowed down. I heard from other friends this is common and that Raven blew out her coat much less than other mama dogs. We got Probiotics for Raven before her first litter, but forgot to order them for her second litter. After an upset stomach for the first week or so we realized our mistake, got Probiotics, and no more upset tummy. Week 2 — Pups eyes are opening starting to waddle. Week 3 — First bark! Week 7 — The great puppy escape artists! Week 8 — Our golden puppies head to their new homes. Have you ever had a litter of Golden Retriever puppies? Tell us about your experiences with puppies in the comment section below. Are you about to raise a litter of puppies? Not raising a litter, but getting ready to bring home your first Golden Retriever puppy? Puppies for Dummies will give you the basics on how to raise and train your new puppy. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Colby Colby Morita has been raising and training guide and service dog puppies for over 13 years. Colby has been writing to the PuppyInTraining. Day 8 — Ohhhh…The Puppy Piles! The result of puppies sleeping close together to keep warm? Puppy Piles! Day 11 — Eyes Wide Open! What an exciting day for me and the pups. No more army crawl for these cute munchkins! Two or our Golden puppies, Bear and Buster. An end to the army crawl. Week 2 of our series on Golden Retriever puppy growth week by week is in the books! Check out our other Golden Retriever puppy growth week-by-week growth charts: Week 1 — Six Golden Retriever puppies are born! Week 2 -This is Week 2! Week 3 — First bark! Week 7 — The great puppy escape artists! Week 8 — Our golden puppies head to their new homes. So how about your guys? Have you ever raised a litter of Golden Retriever puppies? Or maybe you have a litter of puppies coming soon. If you have any questions or comments please leave us a note in the comment section below. Puppies for Dummies will give you the basics on how to raise and train your new puppy. Our litter of Golden Retriever puppies week two. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Colby Colby Morita has been raising and training guide and service dog puppies for over 13 years. Colby has been writing to the PuppyInTraining.
Swine gestation calculator. Dog due date, labor, and pregnancy Your dog can get pregnant between the ages of 2 to 6. The female is most fertile in her 2nd or 3rd heat heat happens every 5 to 11 months. That's also when we can expect the largest litter. When pregnant, your dog will start to eat more and gain weight, and lab tests may show anemia and an elevated number of white blood cells. Remember that false pregnancy is a relatively common occurrence in dogs! Factors that may influence the number of puppies: Breed of the dog large dogs: puppies, small dogs: ; Amount of the male's sperm; Breeding time; Health of a female; and The state of the dog's uterus previous pregnancies. Our dog gestation period calculator will familiarize you with how your dog's pregnancy develops and the time left until her labor. At that time, your dog's temperature will drop by 1. She will breathe more rapidly and have an elevated thirst. The dog will start to get nervous and will gather all her toys in a safe, quiet place. Once we computed the labor date with the dog due date calculator, it's sensible to prepare for it in advance. When the big day comes, you'll need: Sterile gloves; A bottle with prepared formula. Did you know? A dog's egg cell must mature for days before it can be fertilized by sperm! The puppy's wellbeing Once you've used the pregnancy calculator and you know the exact date your new puppies will arrive, try to keep in mind the following rules: During pregnancy, you have to avoid certain medications, including some antibiotics or antifungal treatments. Inform your vet that you suspect that your dog might be pregnant. Check if your dog is consuming enough food. During lactation, your dog should consume twice as much food as usual too. Pups will start to open their eyes after days. They can't discriminate between shapes until the 18th day of their life! So, if they have trouble with sucking, you must help them navigate to their mother's nipples don't worry, they know what to do once there. We hope that our puppy due date calculator helps you assure yourself that everything's ready and under control for the arrival of some new lives! Share the joy! They'll be eager to devour everything once they're older! You may find out more about the possible danger in our dog chocolate toxicity calculator. Here are some signs that your dog may be pregnant: Weight gain;. New patented slide adjustment system. Infinite adjustment in seconds. Weight is critical. Custom made wheels. Wheels designed and made specifically for the new RX design. Convert support in seconds. Add and remove front support instantly. A new standard in wheelchairs. Every aspect of our new design has been redesigned, streamlined, and optimized for ease of use and functionality. What do our clients have to say? Please let me know what you think of the photos. Thank you for all the help and the very fast shipping! The cart was easy to assemble , easy to place my dog in and he has adapted it very quickly. Your service was excellent and I recommend the k 9 cart to others who have a dog with hind leg paresis. Tomorrow we will try the leg slings. Kelly I just wanted to email you to thank you for your amazing product. The mobility your chair provided him which allowed him to go on walks which was the happiest part of his day. Diamond Received the cart yesterday and have gone for two walks with it. The first cart we tried, from Best Friends, was almost impossible to figure out and we sent it back. They provided little in the way of instructions or support, and it had a much flimsier feel to it. The K9 cart only required adjusting the wheels to the proper height, and goes on and off in seconds. Your instructions are very clear. I appreciate the time you spent helping me order it and you attention to detail. The frame is very solid, and I like the big wheels and the way they splay out. Thanks for such a great product, and for your excellent support. Phil Order was placed on March 9, for our German Shepherd who was paralyzed and could not walk by herself and your cart gave her back her mobility so that she could go on walks, play with other dogs, and engage in Frisbee again and we wanted to thank you and to share a few pictures with you. Thanks so much for giving her back her mobility and reasons to keep going. Alan Duncan, Cover Dog Canelo is Searching for His Forever Home Canelo is a 2-year-old Chihuahua mix who was brought to the Montgomery County animal shelter last year with severe injuries to his hind legs. His back legs dragged behind him, unable to bear any weight on his back legs. Canelo was eventually brought to the Who Rescued Who animal rescue in Texas, where his foster mom worked hard to help him adjust to his new life on wheels! Now he can stand and take a few wobble steps on his own! Still hoping to find his forever home, Canelo has a big personality and absolutely loves life! When Angel is in her cart, she is able to choose where she wants to eat, who she wants to hang out with and has the confidence of our cows. Her wheels transformed her! I love his independence with his wheels. A year ago, Chalky was diagnosed with a brain tumor that caused seizures and the loss of his back legs. I would be lying if I said it has been easy, but I can say it has been fulfilling. We have gotten to know and understand him better than we had before his illness. His dog wheelchair has given us more time to spend with Chalky. Even though he is only one part of our lives, we are his all. When we see the affection and determination in his face to live a full and happy life it gives us all the encouragement and motivation we need. Chalky has made us better people, more patient, understanding and considerate. Luckily, he was rescued from the side of the road and taken to a veterinarian where he recovered for two months. Literally nothing holds him back. Danny absolutely adores his wheels. He is so full of energy and so fast that these allow him to race around like a normal puppy. The love and care that they give back to you is indescribable. They know that they need that little bit of extra care and that you give it to them and the bond that they form with you is so strong, it is truly a beautiful feeling. Although, Kardi was paralyzed in , she has never let that slow her down. Diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer, in January and given 6 months to live. Odie has defied the odds and lived 20 months post diagnosis! Her surgery was successful and 75 stitches later her cancer was gone. Fast forward to today and Mily just turned 16! His new parents, Anita and Mick Harradence rushed him to the Veterinarian where Little Michael had extensive spinal surgery resulting in several screws being placed in his spine. Fanny fell fifty feet and broke her back in four places. After surgery and a month-long recovery in the Vet office, Fanny finally came home with a new set of wheels. Her full support wheelchair has helped Fanny with her balance and kept her moving. Fanny is a thriving tripod who is still healing but gets better with each day! His family believes that without his wheelchair his life would have been very different. Justice for All from Spring Hills, Florida Justice may have had a rough start to her life, but her mom says she is living her best life ever as a double amputee certified therapy dog! Justice was in terrible condition and had suffered unimaginable abuse. Her legs were badly wounded, and infection had set in. Paralyzed from the waist back, her vertebrae were fused, and she was left incontinent. After receiving a year of care that included vet visits, physical therapy, laser therapy and chiropractic care the decision was made to amputate her back legs and tail. We love teaching and demonstrating that special needs dogs and people are different, not less. With his new wheels Cyrus is able to live happily without even realizing he has a disability! When he arrived, Miles had no function in his back legs and after extensive exams the rescue learned that he had obvious damage to his spine as well. It gives him the ability to go with us on all our adventures to breweries, wineries, restaurants, and parks. When we first adopted Miles, he had little to no use of his rear legs. Miles can now stand and walk feet on his own. Together Miles and his Military Vet father raise funds and spread awareness for non-profit organizations including pet rescues and military veteran organizations across the country. With Bangkok, Thailand devastated by flooding the staff of the ENP rented boats saving dogs that were trapped around the city. In total the ENP team saved 2, floods and opened their sanctuary to of those dogs to live. Since then, they have continued to open the sanctuary dogs in need and the rescue is now home to over dogs. Related Articles.
Use tab to navigate through the menu items. At Premier Bulldog we take pride in producing top-quality English Bulldog puppies to families and individuals wanting a healthy, well-bred English Bulldog puppy. English Bulldogs temperaments are outgoing. They are a calm, people-oriented breed that's loyal, intelligent, and also great with children. Bulldogs are devoted to their families and make excellent watchdogs because of their courageous nature. Most English Bulldogs are friendly toward strangers and get along well with other pets. Like all dogs, the Bulldog should be properly socialized during puppyhood to ensure that they grow up to be well-rounded and easygoing. Training an English Bulldog isn't difficult. Why Choose Us? We Are Family We are blessed to call our dogs family. Everyone in our home pitches in to give love and care to our pets. It truly is a family affair. Selective Breeding Our breeding dogs have to meet a high standard of genetic qualities before we consider breeding them. We seek a conformation to build upon traditions of selective practices. Visits Welcome Trust is a major factor when choosing a breeder. That is why we invite you to our home and welcome any questions you may have before or after your purchase. Travel Experience As much as we love meeting our puppy's new family we are happy to say we have had much success with our puppies traveling to their new home via air and ground pet transport. We take great pride in the temperament and health of our dogs and puppies. Personal Touch We can't wait to hear from you! Our Mission Premier Bulldogs wants to go above and beyond to be as transparent as possible with our clients. This is very important when searching for the right puppy. We provide as much as possible of the available information and detail about our adult dogs on our website because trust in the quality and health of our puppies is our top priority. We invite all of our clients to come and visit our home. This is important because we want our clients to know that their puppy was raised with love. We consider our clients like family and at any time you may call us with updates or any questions. Thanks, and we hope to fulfill your dreams with the best new companion. Travel Information We will provide transportation for your puppy if needed and have had great success with our puppies traveling. We handle all travel arrangements and details. Contact Us. Learn More Now What People Say All of our volunteers have full time jobs, families and other commitments, but we continue to make room in our hearts and homes for unwanted and neglected bulldogs in need of rescue. They're a compassionate group of volunteers helping connect loving bulldogs with loving families. My bulldog's foster mom, Casey, helped select the perfect furbaby for me. In my experience, IBR puts a lot of care and concern into matching potential parents to their new family member. Long after the adoption, IBR continues offering post-adoption support for our family. Thanks to IBR, my family is now complete with the addition of a very handsome bulldog. Thank you, IBR! When the time was right, Jeff and I were given the honor to be rescued by Mr. Humphries and Maggie. One month later, I met him and agreed to our first date, persuaded by the fact that I'd get to hang out with a really cute bulldog even if the date flopped! I met Cleo on our second date at the park, and two years later, she was the star of our engagement photos. She's a major diva, and we wouldn't haven't any other way! As Mike often tells Cleo, "Pops has a type! We found the process was appropriately diligent and thorough -- being a bulldog parent isn't a cakewalk after all. The additional "gift with purchase" was the IBR community and following the antics of fellow adoptive families and following the antics of our girl's foster family this organization gets everything right in our book. Indiana Bulldog Rescue was amazing to work with. Thank you IBR for extending our family! Even after the adoption they were there helping me understand the breed! They were a great support system for me and my bulldog! Christa West Deserree Simonson They do amazing work to unite bulldogs with loving forever home. We were blessed to find our baby Fiona through IBR. IBR is the quintessential rescue organization. An experience with IBR is a reflection of love and hope. Susy Murphy Amanda Jacob Very easy to work with! Perfect way to get the bully breed you love and still supporting adoption?
After moving into a small country home just outside the city, they began to research home security options. Ultimately, this led to their first purchase of the worlds most loyal, protective, friendly, and intimidating canine: the German Shepherd. Since then, their shepherds have brought fun to their days and peace of mind to their nights! The Rutt's German Shepherds have been a huge gift to their family, and they are proud to breed quality GSDs that will be a gift to other families as well. Check out his father, Renzo vom Wolpertinger Wald. He loves kids and gets along well with other pets. His medium drive and desire to please his owner has made him an easy dog to train. This guy is adaptable, smart, and the ideal dog for any family. She is very protective but great with kids and very playful. She is great for the family, and serves as a faithful guard dog. Her working-line drive and keen sense of smell has made her an essential part of tracking and recovering MANY deer. More than anything, she loves retrieving sticks we throw into the pond. She keeps a keen eye on the Rutt farm and is often the first to let strangers know they haven't gone unnoticed. She loves to play, run, and swim, and is usually the first to let us know when someone has pulled into our country-driveway. She's got tons of drive and a great ear for visitors. In fact, two of her littermates were purchased for the New York Police Department. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Quality working line German Shepherds Responsibly bred for health and temperament. Our dogs are always tested for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and degenerative myelopathy at a minimum. We also do full Embark panels that test for hundreds of different genetic health issues. Being our German Shepherds are working line, they possess a tremendous amount of intelligence and desire to work and please their leader. When appropriately trained and stimulated, they make excellent family companions and can have a good "off" switch while relaxing with their people. We are a very hands-on family-oriented program. We put our all into each puppy to ensure a healthy, stable, confident, and friendly temperament. We use the puppy culture program as a baseline in our puppy-raising protocol to help build confidence and nurture their critical thinking skills. Emily has been a veterinary technician for 12 years, so all the dogs and puppies receive routine and quality vet care; she is also a certified canine trainer and behaviorist, so we spend a lot of time watching and analyzing each puppy's behavior. We temperament test each puppy at six weeks old to help provide each family with the most information possible before picking is done; this helps ensure each puppy ends up with the best possible fit in a family. We are very involved with all the families still, to this day, and make a point to always be a resource to them for anything from health to training and everything in between. We take a lot of pride in our program and have put in countless hours and literal blood, sweat, and tears developing and shaping the program and our puppy-raising protocol to be one of the best available to families in the southeastern United States, specifically South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. However, we have also placed puppies in homes with families in many other states, including California, Alaska, New York, Connecticut, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota. After falling in love with the breed and seeing so many local German Shepherd breeders in South Carolina who were not educated on responsible breeding practices or even the standards, lines, and recommended health testing of the breed, producing unstable and low-quality German Shepherds and then watching families who didn't know better struggle to deal with these issues we decided to dedicate our time to being a resource for education on the breed and an option for families to have a quality shepherd that can excel in all areas that are healthy and mentally stable. Education is our favorite part of it all, next to the absolute joy of seeing the family's faces when they get to bring their new family members home. Home: Opening Hours. For the complete list please see our German Shepherd Breeders by State guide page. The cost of a German Shepherd puppy in South Carolina can vary widely. If you are looking for an extremely high-quality pup, expect to pay more than that. When assessing the price of your pup, do not forget to take vet fees into account. Be sure to talk with the breeder about any additional costs associated with caring for your dog after it is brought home. A reputable breeder should be able to provide you with all the information you need about taking care of your new best friend. First, ask your friends, family, and coworkers if they know of any good breeders in the area. Chances are, someone you know has purchased a dog from a breeder in the past and can recommend someone trustworthy. Second, do some online research. There are many websites devoted to helping dog owners find responsible breeders. Be sure to read reviews and compare prices before making a decision. Finally, contact your local German Shepherd rescue organization. These organizations often work with reputable breeders who have puppies available for adoption. This is a great way to find exactly the kind of pup you are looking for, while ensuring that your money goes to a good cause. If you do your research and contact breeders ahead of time, finding the perfect German Shepherd puppy for sale in South Carolina should be easy. First, be sure to ask lots of questions. A good breeder will be happy to answer all of your queries and will provide you with detailed information about their puppies. Second, take the time to meet the parents of your potential pup. If the parents are friendly and healthy, it is likely that their puppies will be as well. Finally, spend some time playing with the puppies. This is a great way to get a feel for their personality and temperament. Be sure to bring your entire family along so everyone can have a chance to interact with the puppies. If you follow these guidelines, finding a responsible German Shepherd breeder in South Carolina should be easy. Just take your time and contact several different breeders before making a final decision. A good breeder will have no problem giving you the contact information of happy customers. If possible, visit the homes of some of these customers to see the puppies firsthand. This will give you a good idea of what to expect from your new puppy. References will be able to tell you a lot about your potential breeder, so be sure to ask for them. If your breeder is reputable, they will have no problem with you contacting some of their previous buyers. Ask these customers about their experience with the breeder and their puppies. Were the puppies healthy and well-socialized? Was the breeder easy to work with? Did they provide any after-sale support? A good breeder will be happy to provide them. If they do, this is a promising sign. A reputable breeder will take their puppies to the veterinarian for regular checkups and preventative treatments. Make sure you confirm your suspicions before proceeding any further. Your breeder should take their German Shepherds to the vet regularly. A reputable breeder will be very open about allowing you to meet either or both parents. Reputable breeders will always offer written health guarantees so that both parties can be protected against illness or genetic defects. There are plenty of responsible breeders out there who will be more than happy to help you find the perfect puppy. You can also report them to the Better Business Bureau or your local animal control agency. Puppy Mills Puppy mills are a huge problem in the United States, and they often prey on unsuspecting buyers who are looking for a new pet. The breeder is secretive and unwilling to answer your questions. The puppies are much cheaper than average, indicating that the breeder is trying to make a quick buck. You deserve much better than that. A responsible breeder will be more than happy to answer all your questions. You should expect health guarantees from any responsible South Carolina German shepherd dog breeder. These guarantees will protect both you and the breeder in case your puppy ever falls ill or inherits an illness or condition. A responsible breeder will always put the welfare of their puppies first, and they will be more than happy to answer all your questions. The breeders who meet these high standards will ensure that both you and your new pup are happy with your decision. However, there are a few things you should do before your pup arrives to make life as easy as possible for both of you. Set up the Crate Ensure that the crate you choose is large enough for your German Shepherd puppy to stand up and turn around. Just be sure to clean it thoroughly afterward so that neither of you accidentally steps on anything harmful. Here are a few tips to get started: 1. Take your pup outside immediately after they eat, drink, or play. Reward your pup when they successfully pee or poop outside. A treat or some verbal praise will do the trick. Have patience. It may take a little while for your pup to get the hang of things, but they will eventually learn where is appropriate to relieve themselves. If all else fails, consider using puppy pads or training pads until your pup has learned where to go. Congratulations on your life with your new puppy! I love animals and love helping people adopt a pet. It all started when attending Missouri State University and I began volunteering at an animal shelter. Our dogs are x-rayed and certified through the orthopedic foundation for animals OFA and they are also PennHip certified. We participate in conformation shows through the United Kennel Club and have several champions. Learn more about our breeding program here Knowledge in raising the finest puppies There is more to producing amazing puppies than just careful selection in breeding. We strive to produce perfection in the way we nourish, train and enrich our puppies lives from birth. What sets us above the rest is the enrichment we provide for our litters. We go the extra mile to make sure that our puppies have the best start in life as possible. We focus on quality over quantity by never having more then 2 litters at a time. We have been raising these magnificent dogs for over 20 years. Learn more about how our puppies are raised here Located in beautiful South Carolina We are located in the beautiful midlands of South Carolina. A beautiful unique color is just icing on the cake of an already exceptional dog. Our non-traditional color lines have some of the highest hip ratings in the US! Learn more about GSD colors here We hope you enjoy looking around our website and getting to know about us, our dogs and the unique way we raise our puppies! Visits are by appointment only. If you are in California and want a puppy from us we can still make it happen as we can deliver! My husband got this made for me in
Related posts: The average litter size for a goldendoodle is six puppies. The goldendoodle is a unique and beloved breed of dog that is slowly growing in popularity. Unlike many regular canine breeds, goldendoodles are fairly renowned for their larger-than-usual litter sizes — averaging around six puppies per litter. For goldendoodle owners who want to take the plunge into responsible parenting, this large of a litter can seem pretty daunting! However, with the proper supplies and resources, raising and loving multiple goldendoodle puppies can become an incredibly rewarding experience that all members of the family can be involved in. Standard goldendoodles can have litters of anywhere from two to twelve puppies, but six is the most common number. Goldendoodles, a cross between a goldendoodle and a poodle, are an increasingly popular family pet. Not only are goldendoodles beautiful, but they come with the intelligence of a poodle and the outgoing attitude of a goldendoodle. See also Where to Find Affordable Mini Goldendoodles: Tips and Tricks When it comes to goldendoodle litters, there can be quite a range from two to twelve puppies per litter — however six is fairly typical. This is why goldendoodles make such great companions; not too many puppies all at once to manage! Each pup has an individual personality that adds to the charm of having one in your life. Some factors that can affect how many puppies a goldendoodle has include the age and health of the dam, as well as the size of the litter. When it comes to goldendoodle puppies , there are a few factors that can affect how many puppies the pup will have in a litter. Additionally, sometimes goldendoodles may unexpectedly only have one puppy in a litter — even if both parents are healthy and relatively young. This is due to numerous things including genetics and size difference between parents which can make it difficult for goldendoodles to have large litters. However, most goldendoodles have a somewhat average-sized litter ranging from three to six puppies depending on these other factors. If you are thinking about getting a goldendoodle, be prepared for a lot of puppy kisses! Goldendoodles are a unique and loving breed of pup, and getting one promises life full of unconditional puppy love! As the offspring of two majestic breeds—Golden Retrievers and Poodles—Goldendoodles are highly praised for their good temperaments, intelligence, and trainability. Of course, this means that you can also expect an abundance of puppy kisses when you bring a goldendoodle into your home. Get ready to be showered with tail wags and slobbery smooches! Goldendoodles make wonderful companions who will stick around to keep you company for a long time. All in all, goldendoodles are a great breed for many reasons and the litter size is no exception. In conclusion, it is possible for standard Goldendoodles to have anywhere between one and twelve puppies, although the average litter size is usually six to eight. Additionally, it is essential to consult a vet in order to make sure that both mother and puppies stay safe during the birthing process. Related posts:. By Dr. Merliza Cabriles, D. Breeding Goldendoodles is both a science and an art. It comes with important and crucial responsibilities. Responsible dog breeders always share an underlying purpose—to improve the breed. This is achieved by making sure that the parents have been tested for specific Goldendoodle health issues , including prenatal checks. Breeding Goldendoodles will entail devoting time to acquiring in-depth knowledge about the breed, including genetic testing and the standards established by the Goldendoodle Association of North America GANA. A responsible Goldendoodle breeder is dedicated to learning about Goldendoodle pregnancy, health, breeding, and raising puppies. Goldendoodle breeders also recognize the importance of attending breed-specific events and establish good relationships with reputable Goldendoodle breeders. How Long Are Goldendoodles Pregnant? The average gestation period of Goldendoodles is 63 days, although it could vary from 58 to 68 days. When calculating the number of days of pregnancy, you should bear in mind that conception is often hard to ascertain. This means the act of mating is not a reliable way to start measuring the gestation period. The gestation period refers to the time between when the fetus was conceived and birth. The gestation period of Goldendoodles may vary if the female has been bred several times or if the eggs are fertilized by the sperm a day or two after mating. It is calculated from the first day of ovulation and not during the day of mating. When Can Goldendoodles Get Pregnant? The minimum age for Goldendoodles to get pregnant is years of age. The maximum is 12 years old. The first heat cycle of female Goldendoodles takes place between 6 and 18 months of age. While they are able to get pregnant at this time, this is not the best time to start breeding your Goldendoodle. When Can Male Goldendoodles Breed? The minimum age that male Goldendoodles can breed is 2 years old. The maximum is 10 to 12 years of age. Once male Goldendoodles become sexually mature, they will be able to mate every day throughout their entire lifetime. The viability and vitality of the sperm can be affected by the aging process, illness, or exposure to toxins. What is the Best Age to Breed a Goldendoodle? Female Goldendoodles can get pregnant throughout their lives. A Goldendoodle can be bred every 6 to 8 months. However, experts recommend letting one heat cycle pass in between each litter to avoid over-breeding your Goldendoodle. The earliest sign of heat in Goldendoodles is swelling or engorgement of the vulva. However, there are female dogs in which the swelling is not as obvious. For some female dogs that are in heat, the vaginal discharge will become apparent several days after heat has begun. The amount of vaginal discharge during heat varies from dog to dog. As the cycle progresses, the color and appearance of the vaginal discharge change. The bloody discharge during the early part of the cycle eventually becomes thin, watery, and light red in color as days pass. How Long is a Goldendoodle in Heat? The estrus cycle of Goldendoodles can vary from weeks with an average of 3 weeks. Morning sickness such as nausea and vomiting is rare but may occur in some dogs around days 21 to 25 as a result of hormonal changes. Signs of pregnancy in Goldendoodles are typically exhibited during the second trimester or during the third week of pregnancy. Have a question for a vet? Click here to live chat instantly with a verified veterinarian! Two to nine days before whelping, milk may be present. Drop in Body Temperature — This usually occurs 24 hours before labor. The normal temperature of Goldendoodles is between .Signs and Stages of True Labor As labor becomes more imminent, the frequency and intensity of the contractions will increase. The dog may not have much of an appetite and her abdomen hardens like a bag of rocks. Nesting may continue and the dog may keep on rearranging the bedding in her whelping box before a puppy is born. What is the Average Whelping Time of a Goldendoodle? So, for a litter of 5, the whelping time normally takes about 5 hours total. What is the Average Goldendoodle Litter Size? The average Goldendoodle litter size is puppies. To learn about responsible Goldendoodle breeding, you should consider becoming a member of the Goldendoodle Association of America , which is the first and only breed club for the Goldendoodle. There are also a large number of Facebook groups where you can connect with and learn from other breeders in your area and across the world. Read More…. Conclusion: How many puppies do Goldendoodles have? It is typical for a female Goldendoodle to birth puppies per litter, with up to two litters per year. They can do this for around years, as long as their health is adequate. Several different components influence the size of a Goldendoodles litter. These items can include genetics, health, age, size, and diet. One way to ensure a large litter is to feed your dog a healthy diet consisting of high-quality ingredients and adequate portions. This act will allow her to get all the necessary nutrients needed to sustain herself and her babies during conception and pregnancy. Doing so will also enable a quicker recovery, which will create more extraordinary conditions for future litters. You also want to ensure healthy birth practices with the appropriate veterinary care. Doing this twice a year for multiple years can also take a toll on their bodies, especially without proper care. Just like a human mother, having pregnancies too close together can cause health issues or increase the risk for problems down the road. Calculating Litter Size Two super small brown or chocolate Goldendoodles Being that a Goldendoodle is part Golden Retriever and part Poodle, there are variants when you look at the exact breed of Poodle. With Golden Retrievers, there are different sub-breeds, but they are all quite similar. Even outside of the size variations, their care and temperament also have other characteristics. Whereas a Toy Poodle has a small dog mentality, the Standard Poodle can be more friendly and inviting. And just how does this play into the litter size of a Goldendoodle? The type of Poodle that the Golden Retriever mates with will significantly affect the number of babies conceived. The Golden Retriever breed has eight puppies per litter on average. However, poodles vary based on type. Some Poodle breeds can produce up to five babies in a litter. Others may only birth one of two babies with each pregnancy. Therefore, the parenting genetic combination and the lineage between the two come into play to dictate the litter amount. When you combine this with the many other factors that influence litter sizes health, age, diet, genetics, height , it is truly a guessing game until the birth occurs. The more pregnancies that occur will bring larger litter sizes as long as the dog is in good health and receives appropriate veterinary care. Therefore, do not be disappointed if the first Goldendoodle litter results in a small number of puppies. Future births will likely turn out more babies. When Breeding Can Start Those who make a living out of breeding animals often want to get started as soon as possible. It is worth knowing that Goldendoodles tend to go into heat at around six months of age. This is true for a smaller Toy Goldendoodle and Mini Goldendoodle as well. Going into heat means that their bodies are capable of reproducing, similar to women who start puberty. However, it would be best if you always waited until at least the second heat cycle before attempting to breed. The reasoning is because despite being able to conceive and birth them, the dog is not at an appropriate maturity due to their young age. Without proper care from their mother, the puppies could suffer from poor health or even die. As you learn about animals and the life processes they go through, it is easy to see the connections between animals and humans. Humans are capable of producing at a young age, similar to animals. However, we are discouraged from doing so due to the mental and emotional levels needed to parent a dependent being adequately. This instance is just one situation where there is overlap between species, and it points out how similar things in life can indeed be. This need pertains to both the mother and the father. If you again compare this situation to humans, it is similar to how fertility is higher in younger couples. Our eggs and sperm are of higher quality and mobility in our youth. Therefore, we often find it more simplistic to conceive in our earlier years. This case is the same for dogs. As they age, the quality of their reproductive components goes down, making it more difficult to conceive. In their earlier years, the process of conceiving is much easier. This is true of the female dog and male dog. On the flip side and in similarity to humans, as dogs age, they are likely to give birth to larger litters. This likelihood is based on whether the dog has previously given birth or not. If they have and conceive again in later years, it is of the high probability that they will have a large hybrid dog litter. Correspondingly, if a human gets pregnant later in life, the chances of conceiving multiples go up. There is a higher likelihood of a woman naturally conceiving more than one baby at a time over the age of .For Goldendoodle dogs, this age is five. Issues That Negatively Affect Litter Size There are a lot of factors that go into a successful birth and the size of a litter. There are also several things to stay away from if you want to achieve the best-case scenario. Having a calm and serene environment lays the best foundation for pregnancy, even in canines. Although the idea makes sense, conception is more likely if it is done naturally. In this way, it is more conducive to the actions of the body and the natural process that happens when in heat. As a dog owner this is unacceptable, and not the actions of a reputable breeder. Genetics: We have talked about how breed genetics can influence litter size. However, it does need to be understood that just because the parents of a dog conceived quickly or birthed large litters does not mean that the children of those dogs will have the same fate. As we know, genetic can often skip generations or not show back up at all. These anomalies can happen within dogs as well. Poodles typically have puppies per litter but this can vary. Inbreeding: There is a certain percentage of genetic similarities that are acceptable to breed between. Some people whoa re trying to create the perfect doodle puppy designer dog cut corners and make mistakes. Inbreeding is dangerous because of the medical issues it can cause in dogs that are a product of the situation. In the search for a F1b Goldendoodle or multigen Goldendoodle mny breeders cut corners and run out of unrelated dog. This is unacceptable. A reputable breeder cuts NO corners. Inbreeding can also cause problems for future litters, inbred or not. The reason is because of the abnormalities that trickle down like predispotion to hip dysplasia or poorly formed body parts. Because of this, smaller Goldendoodles litter size can become more prevalent. With Goldendoodles being a highly desired breed with high demand, it is vital to remember the key concepts above. Successful breeding and large litter sizes result from careful practices. Conclusion: Dog breeding is a complex subject, affected by many different elements. It is important to remember that you can only control so much and that having healthy dogs to give to new families is the desired result. Breeding dogs, especially popular breed types, is a form of income for many people. Because of this, larger litter sizes equals higher profits. However, it is essential to remember that dogs are not machines. They are members of the family. Their health and safety are a priority, just like yours. Accounting for their wellbeing will benefit you more in the long run, so it is essential to focus on that. Although the prospect of an eight puppy litter is enticing, so is the health and happiness of our best fur friend. My wife and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be healthy and happy, have lots of fun and be part of the family. Load More. View Larger Image How many puppies do Goldendoodles have? Like many Doodle lovers, you might be asking yourself this question. First, a Goldendoodle is the most popular Doodle dog. Its parent breeds are the Golden Retriever and Poodle. A Goldendoodle comes in these sizes: miniature, medium, and standard. Female Goldendoodle puppies go on the heat for the first time in six months. Even so, the best time to mate the dog is during the following one or two heat cycles. If you desire to raise Goldendoodle dogs, read the rest of this article to know about its pregnancies and litters. What are the various Goldendoodle generations? F1 Generations — The best hybrid Goldendoodle litter comes from the first generation, the F1 Goldendoodle. In the F1BB Goldendoodles category, puppies have .The next F2B Goldendoodle litter size is .The F2BB Goldendoodle litter consists of .How many puppies do Goldendoodles have after the first litter? The latter generations get more Poodle genes. Poodle is the dominant parent determining factors like size, intelligence, and coat. As Poodles can be miniature, medium, or standard-sized, they can bring forth puppies of varying heights and weights. How many puppies do Goldendoodles have? Now you understand a few facts about the Goldendoodle generations and backgrounds. Next, we will answer this: how many puppies do Goldendoodles have? On average, a Goldendoodle female gives birth to three to eight puppies. This number is an estimate because several factors affect the litter size. The dog generations matter when estimating the litter size. Arriving at an accurate answer requires first answering these two questions. First, how many puppies do Golden retrievers usually have? Golden retrievers produce eight puppies on average. The next question to consider asking yourself is this: how many puppies do Poodles have? Poodle dogs tend to have more babies as their size increases. Hence, a toy Poodle produces three puppies, while a miniature one produces five. But what number of puppies do standard Poodles have? Standard Poodles are the biggest dogs in the lot. They produce about seven puppies in one litter. A Goldendoodle dog should produce a range of three to eight puppies. Litters can be bigger than eight or smaller than three. Nobody can accurately answer this, how many puppies do Goldendoodles have? It is a matter of chance. When your dog gives birth, you can tell if your estimations are correct. What can increase or reduce the litter size? Goldendoodles are some of the loveliest Doodles. No person can mind having many puppies in a litter. Sadly, you might expect many puppies only to get three or fewer. A secret to having a larger litter size lies in the degree of care you offer the female dog. Although you cannot control some biological factors affecting fertility, you should play your part. Goldendoodle size Generally, the litter size depends on the Goldendoodle size. A poodle is the determinant of size. Earlier, we noted that Poodles have more babies as their sizes increase. Thus, larger Goldendoodles come from mating a standard-sized Poodle and a Golden Retriever. These hybrid dogs will produce more puppies than miniature and medium Goldendoodles. Here is the breakdown: How many puppies does a standard Goldendoodle have? How many dogs does a medium Goldendoodle produce? How many puppies does a mini Goldendoodle have? Goldendoodle generations We already told you how generations could affect the number of puppies a mother can have. The offspring can be big or small depending on the percentage of parent genes in a Goldendoodle. Where the gene ratio is , you might have fewer or many puppies. If a dog inherits more dominant fertility genes from its Golden Retriever parent, it might have a big litter. In most cases, though, puppies have more Poodle genes. How many puppies do Goldendoodles have based on this notion? If Poodle genes are dominant, the litter size will be three to eight puppies. We must also consider this: What number of puppies does a standard Poodle have? Standard Poodles have seven puppies on average. You will be at an advantage if mating Goldendoodles that came from a Standard Poodle parent. The odds are high that the litter will be big. Food A female Goldendoodle needs to eat enough calories each day. It also needs to eat a balanced diet to get fertile many times. Likewise, pregnant dogs require a healthy diet to deliver puppies with higher odds of survival. How many puppies do Goldendoodles have when eating a proper diet? First, a young female dog should always eat a healthy meal to better its chances of going into heat. Provide the best dog food for Goldendoodle during pregnancy time to get healthy puppies. Secondly, the dog should eat a more nutritious minerals and vitamin diet when pregnant and after giving birth. If you follow these easy rules, your Goldendoodle might sire more puppies. Unhealthy mothers deliver smaller litters and weak puppies that may not make it to adulthood. Current health status How many puppies do Goldendoodles have if their health status is good? Healthy Goldendoodles produce more puppies than unhealthy ones. For instance, your Goldendoodle boasts a lot of mental and physical energy. It needs proper physical and mental stimulation to get fit and feel happy. A Goldendoodle requires sixty minutes of exercise daily and some quiet time. Another determinant of good health is the number of medical checkups you offer your dog. Before mating your Goldendoodle, call a professional veterinarian for a thorough medical checkup. After breeding your pet successfully, keep taking it for pregnancy testing and evaluations. A veterinarian can guide you on how to care for a pregnant Goldendoodle pet. The pet does not need regular prenatal checkups like humans. Take the pet to a vet in the beginning and toward the end of a pregnancy. How many puppies do Goldendoodles have at birth? A health checkup done two to three weeks before birth ensures that the mother can deliver all puppies safely. If the mother and litter are healthy, wait for the birth date to deliver the puppies at home. As with humans, puppy deliveries are not always safe. As anything can happen, visit your veterinarian if an emergency crops up. Whether the dog delivers at home or not, it requires a thorough medical checkup about forty-eight hours after. The vet will verify if the mother and puppies are doing fine. How many puppies do Goldendoodles have if the pregnancy ends well? The dog might not have stillbirths, which means all the puppies in the womb will come out. A younger woman has optimal fertility levels, unlike an older woman. Also, an older woman than thirty-five years has higher odds of carrying twins, triplets, or other multiple pregnancies. Hence, how many puppies do Goldendoodles have based on age? Younger Goldendoodles with smaller body sizes reach maturity earlier than their larger counterparts. Also, older Goldendoodles can have more puppies than younger mothers. Nonetheless, an older dog should be super healthy to avoid having weak puppies in one litter. Younger dogs produce fewer but stronger puppies and can come on heat faster than older dogs. Breeding conditions The environment in which you breed your dog can determine the litter size it would produce. If the female dog has stress, it will deliver fewer puppies. It might also deliver weak puppies with limited chances of reaching adulthood. How many puppies do Goldendoodles have in favorable breeding conditions? Your dog can have a bigger litter if it has no stress. Human mothers respond poorly to stress during pregnancy. Some suffer from miscarriages, hypertension, and more. Dog mothers are similar in that they can lose a pregnancy due to stress. To help your Goldendoodle get pregnant and not suffer a miscarriage, provide a nurturing environment. Inbreeding The choice of dogs to mate with is crucial when answering this part: how many puppies do Goldendoodles have? If you keep mating the same related dogs, the chances of having smaller litters are high. Inbreeding leads to genetic defects in dogs and other animals. Additionally, the resulting offspring might inherit health issues from the family lineage. The more health problems the dogs have, the lower their survival chances. Even surviving puppies might later pass bad genes to their offspring. The solution to inbreeding is finding a male from another dog family. Artificial insemination can lead to higher or lower-quality puppies. It may also decrease the litter size. Dogs sire more puppies when they mate naturally. Besides, the professional conducting artificial insemination should use more than one dog to increase the litter size. When should you allow your dog to mate for the first time? A mating cycle can affect the puppies numbers. As we mentioned, a female can reach its first mating cycle at six months. Do not give your female to a male dog at this age. Its body is too young and might not have adequate eggs. Besides, a young dog can develop pregnancy complications and deliver in an emergency. These factors can lower their odds of having many puppies. It is better to have your Goldendoodle reproduce at twenty-four months or after. After the eighth to the tenth year, it is safer to forbid your Goldendoodle to have other litters. It can develop risky health issues and die before its fifteenth year. A Goldendoodle should get pregnant in its second or third cycle. Their gestation period is sixty-one to sixty-four days. As we earlier said, the type of Poodle used to breed your Goldendoodle can affect its future offspring. If the Poodle is of medium size, chances are that the mother would produce five to six puppies. Again, if the mother has stronger reproduction genes from its Golden Retriever parent, her chances of reaching six puppies go up. A Goldendoodle dog will deliver three to eight puppies in their first litter. The more Poodle genes the dogs have, the higher the odds of having a smaller litter. But when considering standard Poodles, the litter gets bigger. Three or eight puppies are not standard figures but estimates. Ever asked this: how many puppies do Labradoodles have? Labradoodles have twelve puppies per litter. They produce a larger litter than Goldendoodles. Miniature Goldendoodles can have three to 4 puppies per litter. They produce the least number of puppies on average. What is the Best Age to Breed a Goldendoodle? The correct age to mate your Goldendoodle dog is 24 months. Six to twelve months is usually the first cycle in most dogs. It is not the best age because the pet is too young to nurture puppies. The second or third cycle is the best time. Related Posts. The demand is huge and if your dog is expecting, some of your friends might be already asking you if they can have a puppy. How big a Goldendoodle litter size is depends on a variety of factors, most of them having to do with genetics. What is a Goldendoodle? A Goldendoodle is the cute child of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Since Golden Retrievers and Poodles are among the most popular dog breeds in the world, it is easy to see how Goldennoodles have become so popular in such a short time. The first known example of a Doodle is the Cockapoo, which first appeared in the s, the result of the happy union between Poodles and Cocker Spaniels. Goldendoodles only appeared in the s and at the moment they seem set to become the number one Doodle dogs. How many different types of Goldendoodle are there? Basically, there are two types of Goldendoodle, and this depends on the size of the Poodle in the mix. If a Golden Retriever mates with a standard Poodle inches tall , their offspring will be a Standard Goldendoodle. However with a miniature Poodle 13 to 15 inches tall or a toy Poodle less than 10 inches tall , the result is a Mini Goldendoodle. On average, Goldendoodles are 20 — 24 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 50 and 90 lbs. What is the average Goldendoodle litter size? To understand this we must first talk about how the size of a dog affects its litter size. Large dogs tend to have larger litters simply because their body is big enough to carry more puppies at a time. This explains why Chihuahua and Pomeranian females have puppies on average, while a big Bullmastiff averages 5 — 13 puppies per litter. For Golden Retrievers the average litter size is 8 puppies. Since this is the average number, you can expect a Golden Retriever to give birth to as little as four puppies or an impressive 12 puppies at a time. With Poodles, the average litter size depends on the type of Poodle. Standard Poodles have six puppies on average, miniature Poodles have five, while a toy Poodle might have 1 — 3 puppies per litter. Mini Goldendoodles can produce 3 — 8 puppies per litter, which takes us to an average of five. Standard Goldendoodles can have more than five puppies per size, but you must understand this is not an exact science and there are other factors that come into play. While older females tend to produce larger litters, the same cannot be said about the father. An older dog might be affected by sper mobility issues so the litter that comes from such a union might be small. In general, a female dog is fertile the first time she goes into heat, which happens between 6 — 12 months of age. For Golden Retriever it is recommended that they mate for the first time around the age of two, which corresponds to the third heat cycle. The same goes for Poodles of any type. A female that does not mate until the age of five will generally have small litters for the rest of her life. In some cases, it is recommended to mate a female twice in a row and then give her a break for a cycle or two to allow her to regain her strength. These are general recommendations that apply to all dog breeds, including Goldendoodles. A female dog can have puppies throughout her life, but it is not recommended. As far as Golden Retrievers or Poodles are concerned, a female should only be mated until the age of 8 at the most. After the age of , a pregnancy can have complications, putting the life of the mother in danger. What is the difference between first generation and second generation Goldendoodles? To put it simply F1 means first generation Goldendoodle. F2 means second generation Goldendoodle. The main difference between F1 and F2 is that first generation Goldendoodles benefit from the so-called Hybrid Vigor. On the other hand, with F1 Goldendoodles it is more difficult to predict what traits they will inherit from their parents, in terms of appearance or personality. An F1 might have a smooth coat like a Golden Retriever or a curly one, typical of Poodles. Some still shed quite a lot, like their Retriever parent, while others are hypoallergenic and barely shed at all. F2 Goldendoodles are more predictable and they tend to shed less than first generation dogs. At what age should a Goldendoodle puppy be weaned? If you have a litter of brand new Goldendoodles you might be wondering when they are going to grow up a bit and be less dependent on their mother. By 6 weeks a puppy should be completely weaned. At what age will a Goldendoodle puppy be ready to go to their new home? True, in terms of feeding needs puppies are ready to move on at around 6 weeks of age, but they should not be separated from their mother and their siblings quite so early. What you need to keep in mind is that this period is crucial in terms of socializing and a dog starts doing this with his siblings. It is also a period when a puppy learns about getting and sending signals to other dogs, and this is very important for their future training as well as for their ability to interact with other dogs later in life. Typically, these dogs are bred to take the best traits from their parents. Even inside the same litter, puppies can vary widely. Other Similar Posts. We will also talk about some of the factors that can affect this number. The average litter size for Goldendoodles is three to eight puppies. However, this number can range from one to twelve puppies. Litters of ten or more are considered large, while litters of four or less are considered small. There are a few factors that can affect the litter size of Goldendoodles. Some of these include: Stressful Environment: One of the most common reasons for small litter size is stress. If the dam mother is in a high-stress environment during pregnancy, she is more likely to have a smaller litter. This is because the stress hormone cortisol can cause the dam to abort some of her fetuses. Younger dogs tend to have larger litters than older dogs. This is because their bodies are more capable of handling multiple pregnancies. If the dam is not in good health or if she is not getting enough nutrients, she is more likely to have a smaller litter. Additionally, if the dam has had previous litters that were small, she is more likely to have another small litter. This is because her body may not be able to produce enough milk for multiple puppies. Genetics: Genetics plays a huge role in litter size. Some breeds of dogs are more likely to have larger litters than others. For example, Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers tend to have larger litters than toy breeds. Additionally, some individual dogs may be predisposed to having smaller litters due to their genes. Inbreeding: Inbreeding can also impact litter size. If two closely related dogs are bred, they are more likely to have smaller litters. This is because inbreeding can lead to genetic defects that can impact fertility. Additionally, inbred dogs are more likely to have health problems that can make it difficult for them to produce large litters. How The Insemination Took Place: Another factor that can impact litter size is how the insemination took place. If artificial insemination was used, the number of puppies that are born may be smaller than if the dogs were allowed to mate naturally. This is because artificial insemination can cause damage to the eggs or sperm, which can reduce fertility. Additionally, if only one dog was used for artificial insemination, the litter size may be smaller than if two dogs were used. The age of the Goldendoodle can also impact litter size. This is because their bodies are not yet fully developed and they may not be able to produce as many eggs. Additionally, younger dogs are more likely to experience complications during pregnancy and delivery, which can lead to smaller litters. The average age for a Goldendoodle to have its first litter is between 24 months and three years old. However, some Goldendoodles may have their first litter as early as 18 months old, while others may not have their first litter until they are three years old. The average age for a Goldendoodle to have its last litter is between six and eight years old. However, some Goldendoodles may continue to have litters until they are ten years old or older. Beyond this, you can put your Goldendoodle at serious risk of health complications by continuing to breed them. At this age, the puppy will begin to eat solid food and will no longer need to drink milk. Weaning a puppy too early can cause health problems, so it is important to wait until the puppy is at least six weeks old before you begin weaning them. Conclusion: We would like to conclude by saying that the number of puppies a Goldendoodle can have depends on many factors. The health of the mother, the age of the puppy, and the weight of the mother all play a role in how many puppies a Goldendoodle can have. Always consult with your veterinarian to determine if your Goldendoodle is healthy enough to have another litter of puppies. By Jennifer Nelson When you are looking to get a Goldendoodle, it is likely that you will have a lot of questions about the dog and how they will do within your family. And if you decide to take it to the next level and breed the Goldendoodle yourself, you need to learn as much about this type of dog as possible to be prepared. One of the first questions that you can have in either of these situations is what is the average litter size of a Goldendoodle. What is the Average Litter Size of a Goldendoodle? Goldendoodles usually have between puppies in a litter. Poodles average 6 puppies per litter and Golden Retrievers average 8 per litter, so Standard Goldendoodles usually have bigger litters while minis and smaller have progressively smaller litters. Keep in mind that larger dogs will often have a larger litter because they have the right body size in order to carry more of the puppies at the time. This is why small dogs like the Pomeranian are just going to have an average of 1 to 3 puppies while a big Bullmastiff will be able to have up to 13 puppies. For the Goldendoodle and other crossbreeds , we are going to need to look more at the averages for the parents rather than for the dog. And the exact amount can vary depending on if you are working with a standard Goldendoodle or a mini Goldendoodle. When we take a look at the Golden Retriever, the average litter size for this dog is 8 puppies. Since this is the average, you will find that each litter is going to be a little bit different when it comes to the Golden Retriever. Some will give birth to as few as four puppies while others may give birth to up to 12 puppies in one litter. Then we can take a look at the Poodle parent as well. The Poodle will have different types of litter sizes based on the type of Poodle that you work with. The Standard Poodle is going to have an average of six puppies. Then the miniature Poodle will have five and the toy Poodle will have between one to three puppies for each litter. Mini Goldendoodles are going to be somewhere in between all of this and the exact amount will depend on the size of the Goldendoodle that you are trying to breed. For example, if you are working with the mini Goldendoodle, they will be able to produce between three to eight puppies in each litter, giving us an average of five puppies. Then there are standard Goldendoodles, which are going to be able to have more puppies per litter, many averaging between 6 to 8 in each litter. Keep in mind that this is not an exact science and there are a number of factors that can happen to determine how many puppies will be born in a litter. For example, the first litter for a female is often going to be smaller in size compared to the following litters. While the older females are often going to produce larger litters, the opposite is going to be said with the father. An older dog might be affected by sperm mobility issues so the dogs will be smaller in the process too. Whether you are just starting out with the Goldendoodle and using the Poodle and Golden Retriever to get this done, or you would like to breed your Goldendoodle, you do not want to start the puppies on their first litter too early. To start, the female dog in the grouping is going to be ready to have babies when she first goes into heat. This will happen sometime between 6 to 12 months of age. Most experts agree that you should not breed them right away. The dog is not prepared to be a parent yet and this can be hard on their body. It is best to do it after the second or third fertile cycle at the earliest before you allow the dog time to mate. This will allow their body to become fully grown and makes it more likely that the dog will be able to handle the pregnancy. For the Golden Retriever parent, it is best that they wait until they reach the age of two before they are used for breeding. This will usually happen around the third heat cycle. This is a pretty common rule for all types of Poodles as well. If you wait until the female is five years old or older, they will generally have smaller litters than doing it before this time. Breeding between the ages of 2 and 5 is often best. While it is technically possible for the female to have puppies each time they go into heat, this is not a good idea. You should not force the dogs to go through one pregnancy after another because this can have some negative health effects for the dog. At most, you can mate the female twice in a row and then give them a few cycles to recover and regain their strength and to prevent issues along the way. If you are ever uncertain about whether it is a good idea to start breeding the dog, it may be a good idea to discuss this with the vet ahead of time to keep your dog healthy. The first step to helping breed your Goldendoodle is making sure that you do not start this process too early for your dog. Once you have decided when to start, it is time to figure out when you should stop breeding the dog. Technically, the female dog in the couple is able to breed and have puppies throughout their whole life. However, this is not something that is recommended. While each dog is going to be a little different, when it comes to the Poodle and the Golden Retriever, it is best to not mate the dog much past the age of 8 at most. The health of your dog should be an important factor to consider if you are worried about when to stop breeding. However, most dog clubs try to provide an incentive to stop you from breeding a dog that is too old. For example, most of the common dog clubs that you can choose from will not register a dog if their mother is older than 8 when they are born. This is done to help discourage continuous breeding up until the time the mother dies. In most dogs, once they reach the age of seven to eight, the pregnancy is going to have more complications. This is going to put the life of the mother in danger and is not that healthy for the dog or their puppies at all. Being careful with breeding when the dog starts to get older is not a good option. If you start to notice that the pregnancy is not going well for your dog or they seem to have a number of other health issues that may affect how well they are able to have puppies, then it is time to stop. The health of the mother always needs to be a top priority to make sure that they do not get sick. Taking care of the mother is a top way to keep the puppies in that litter a little safer as well. Breeding Your Goldendoodle Breeding a Goldendoodle, or their parents to make a Goldendoodle, can be a fun adventure that you are sure to love. This can help you to get some cute puppies that you can use for yourself or you can use to give out and sell to others who would like this kind of dog. No matter the reason for breeding your dog, you need to make sure that you are doing it the right way so that you do not cause any harm to the dog and can help them and their puppies to stay as healthy and happy as possible. These are two great dog breeds. These dogs were originally bred to be service dogs. Goldendoodles are very popular because they are beautiful and graceful. These breeds are playful and active. Goldendoodles are an excellent choice for pets because they are gentle and respectful of their owners. Goldendoodles were bred for the first time in the s and are still considered a young breed. Different physical characteristics distinguish Goldendoodles from other breeds. They have a charming appearance due to their wrinkled coats. They are intelligent and have good memories. They can calm anxious children and are excellent therapy dogs. They can also be very loyal and loving, making them a perfect choice for families with children. No better breed offers companionship, fun, and lots of it than the Goldendoodle. These dogs are energetic and can be very demanding. It is a wise idea to socialize your dog as soon as possible. A common question about standard Goldendoodle ownership is how many puppies can Goldendoodles have? A female Goldendoodle can have between 3 to 8 puppies per litter and as many as two litters in one year. As long as their mental and physical health is good, they can usually do this. This means that all puppies are born simultaneously or on the same bed. A litter is a group of puppies born at once. Is Dog size and breed effective? Because the Goldendoodle is a part Golden Retriever and a Poodle, there are a variety of variations when looking at the kind of Poodle. In addition to the differences in size, their temperament and care are also different. While a Miniature Poodle is a small dog, a Standard Poodle can be warm and welcoming. What factors influence the litter size for Goldendoodles? Genetics is the first. Some Goldendoodles reproduce at high rates, while others have very low rates. This is due to their genetic structure. A Golden Retriever has an average litter of eight puppies. For Poodles, however, it is more complicated. Their size is the most important thing. One to three puppies can be born to a toy Poodle. The bigger the dog, the larger its litter size will be. If your Goldendoodle is tiny, you should expect fewer puppies per litter. For a standard Goldendoodle, the average of 5 puppies per litter is reasonable. Also, the first litter of a female canine is usually the smallest. It will go up for the next litter. A female Goldendoodle can have two litters per year. Their fertility can last up to 8 years. It is most recommended for a female dog to mate before two years old. Five months is the average time for a litter of puppies to be born. What is the best time to start breeding? It is best to wait for the second cycle of fertility to pass, then start breeding. A female should have her first litter within the first two years of her life. This will increase her fertility and litter size. You may like: are huskies dangerous Breeding tips. Knowing the average size of a Goldendoodle litter will help you make informed decisions about breeding programs that will work for your dogs. What problems Impact the size of litter? Numerous elements affect the success of birth and the number of babies. There are a few factors to avoid to have the ideal scenario. Stressful environment: Dogs can feel stress. This could impact the fertility of your dog. As a dog owner, this is unacceptable and is not the behavior of a respected breeder. Genetics: Genetics of breeds can affect the size of litters. As we all know, genetics can often skip a Goldendoodle generation or not appear again. Inbreeding: It is dangerous because of the medical issues it can cause in dogs that are a product of the situation. Many breeders cut corners and run out of unrelated dogs searching for an F1b Goldendoodle or multigene Goldendoodle. This is unacceptable. A reputable breeder cuts NO corners. Goldendoodles fall into this category due to their natural tendencies toward hyperactivity and intelligence. They are perfect family pets as they are highly affectionate, energetic, hypoallergenic, and loyal. While they are young bred, they are gaining increasing popularity. This makes them suitable dogs for breeding. This is a subject close to my heart as a breeder of Doodles and a former breeder of Labrador Retrievers. The gestation period is counted from the first day of ovulation rather than the first day of mating as these two dates can differ somewhat. While it used to be believed that a bitch would only mate on the days she was ovulating we now know, thanks to the help of the tools available to us today, that this is not always the case. This means that they ovulate earlier during their heat period than some other breeds and also give birth slightly earlier. Most breeds usually ovulate and are ready to be mated from approximately the fourteenth day of being in heat the first day of the heat period is counted as the first day you see bleeding but I have found with my Goldendoodle girls that they ovulate as early as day .With that in mind, in the early days of my breeding career, before progesterone testing was readily available, if I had used the fourteen-day rule of thumb I may actually have missed my girls ovulating. This means that mating slightly too late does not necessarily mean she will not become pregnant but that she may have a smaller than optimum sized litter. For this reason, we do not allow our bitches to be mated only once — it is important to repeat the mating again 48 hours later meaning a minimum of two matings. If you are taking your girl out to stud, rather than using your own in-house stud, it is particularly important to know when she is ovulating to avoid a wasted journey or wasted mating. Some bitches will stand to be mated slightly before and after ovulating, so allowing the dog to mate her is not indicative of ovulation on its own. I have found this to be especially true of my Goldendoodle girls who always seem keen to mate early in their heat periods. In addition to ovulating early in their cycle, I have also found that my girls give birth earlier than other breeds, generally giving birth on day 61 of their pregnancy rather than day 63 or 64 when my bitches of other breeds delivered their litters. I have found this to be true not only of my own Goldendoodle bitches but also of the bitches that have been brought in to be mated by my stud dogs. There are several ways we can confirm pregnancy in our Goldendoodle bitch starting from day 21 after ovulation. Many breeders also report a clear mucous discharge from the vulva at around this time. From day 28 you can have an ultrasound examination to confirm pregnancy however this is not a reliable way to ascertain litter size and bitches can also reabsorb fetuses even after this point. From roughly the fifth week after mating, however, you should be able to tell just by looking that your girl is indeed pregnant. I always notice that her rib cage looks wider when viewed from above at this stage. You will often find that her appetite increases around this time too. During the last two weeks of gestation, your vet can carry out an x-ray to check the number of pups that your bitch is expecting. This is more accurate at this point as calcification will have occurred and a good radiographer and often an experienced breeder can count the number of skulls and spines seen. Before even considering breeding from your Goldendoodle bitch there are a number of checks that should be carried out. No vet is needed for genetic testing as this is done via cheek swabs which are sent away to a laboratory; however, this takes several weeks. Assuming all these checks are OK before actually mating you must ensure that your girl is up to date with vaccinations, worming, and flea treatment and have her checked over by a vet to confirm that she is in perfect health and fit for breeding. Once she is actually pregnant apart from the confirmation of pregnancy, she should need no further pre-natal checks. Average Litter Size of a Goldendoodle Like most large breeds, Goldendoodles do tend to have large litters. The average litter size is 8 to 11 puppies. In my own personal experience, this has proved to be true with my smallest litter being ten pups and my largest thirteen. Goldendoodles are generally great mums and my girls have raised their litters beautifully and I have not had to assist with feeding, even with my largest litter. Can There Be Any Outside Impacts on Gestation Period Generally, if a bitch is having a smaller litter of four or fewer pups, she is more likely to give birth later than expected compared with a bitch having a larger litter. However, usually not by more than a day or two. Pups born seven days or more before their due date have a very low chance of survival, but this is thankfully a rare occurrence. If a bitch experiences trauma or contracts an infection during her pregnancy this can also cause early onset of labor or even abortion, so it is important to protect the pregnancy by ensuring the bitch is in optimum health and kept in suitably clean conditions. It is wise to avoid any unnecessary veterinary drugs or exposure to chemicals during her pregnancy. Your bitch will need to be wormed during pregnancy but make sure to use products specifically for use during pregnancy to avoid damage to the unborn pups. What is the Average Whelping Time? However, I have found that for a normal-sized litter 8 to 11 pups it usually takes on average around 8 — 10 hours for all pups to be born. Usually, once pushing starts the first few pups are born in relatively quick succession, but this slows down somewhat towards the end of delivery. This is caused by several things. There is no need to panic so long as the bitch is not distressed or actively pushing for over an hour without delivering a pup. The normal temperature is to .Once you observe this temperature drop it is vital to stay by her side. As labor progresses the bitch will pant and become restless often becoming stressed if you leave her even to pop to the toilet. She will start to dig, especially out in the yard so make sure you accompany her on toilet breaks. She may also have diarrhea or vomit. This is the time to encourage her to move to her whelping box. Tips on Caring for Your Goldendoodle During the Gestation Period During the gestation period, it is important that your Goldendoodle is kept in the very best of health. Make sure she has plenty of high-quality food, puppy food, or a complete raw diet are best and let her eat as much as she likes. Exercise is also important as a fit bitch will have an easier delivery. My own girls usually continue their daily walks right up until the day before delivery. Start worming the bitch on day 40 of her pregnancy with a pregnancy-safe product at the correct dose for her weight and continue this until two days post whelp.
We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Have you always wanted a Labrador retriever, but are you worried about the common health problems of the breed? Someone might have recommended that you go for a Pit Bull-Lab mix. Labrador retrievers and American pit bull terriers began to be deliberately interbred in the s as a way of minimizing the health problems that are common to both pure breeds. The result is usually a gorgeous, medium-sized pup with the strength and loyalty of a pit bull and the intelligence and affection of a Labrador. But wait, you might be wondering if these dogs are highly aggressive, since pit bulls do have a reputation for being a pretty aggressive dog. While exactly what you get with a mix-breed pup is always unpredictable, the aggressive reputation of the pit bull is undeserved. They are, in fact, intelligent and affectionate canines. A word of warning, while pit bull-Lab mixes are highly affectionate and highly trainable, they are not generally recommended for first-time dog owners since there is quite a bit of work involved in looking after these special dogs. But whatever you call them, they are a mix between a Labrador retriever and an American pit bull terrier. Labrador retrievers are medium-large gun dogs that were initially bred to retrieve game. But over the years, they have also become incredibly popular family dogs. They are also highly intelligent, trainable, and friendly, so they are also often used as disability assistance dogs, for example working as guide dogs for the blind. American pit bull terriers are solidly built medium-sized dogs. In the early 19th century, they were often used in blood sports such as bull and bear-baiting, and after these sports were outlawed in , they were also often used in dogfighting. This is why the breed has a reputation for being aggressive, but they are not naturally aggressive when properly cared for. They are, in fact, strong, confident, and lively, and make excellent family pets as they love children and are protective of them. Pit Bull-Labrador Mix Characteristics Unlike with pure-bred dogs, which tend to have a fairly predictable appearance and temperament, you can never be sure exactly how the characteristics of parents will combine in a mix-breed dog. But it is possible to generalize about the most likely characteristics of a pit bull-Lab mix based on the characteristics that appear most often, and characteristics that breeders will often try and control to produce the best possible pups. Labrador-Pit Bull Mix Appearance Most pups that are a mix between a Labrador retriever and a pit bull can be characterized as medium in size. They usually range from between 17 to 25 inches tall and can weigh anywhere from 45 to 90 pounds. Male Lab-pit bull mixes tend to be significantly larger than their female counterparts. They will almost certainly have a strong and muscular physique. Labradors are fairly strong to start with, and this is only enhanced by the extreme muscular nature of the American pit bull terrier. Their facial features generally fall between those of a Lab and a pit bull, and they will have a broader forehead than a Labrador retriever, but it will be narrower than that of a pit bull. They usually have a relatively long muzzle and long pointed ears. Your pitador might also come out with the classic Labrador retriever double coat that sheds a lot. Breeders will often try and control for this characteristic, but there are no guarantees. There is no way of knowing what kind of coat they will have when you adopt a puppy. Coat colors vary from classic Labrador colors including black, chocolate, and golden yellow, but you can also expect to see white, spotted, brindle, and cream. Lab-Pit Bull Mix Temperament When you adopt a Labrabull, you can expect a dog that is affectionate, intelligent, and energetic, as these are characteristics of both Labrador retrievers and American pit bull terriers. Lab-pit bull mixes are very affectionate and bond quickly with new families. They are incredibly friendly with children and will be both careful and protective of them. While you can trust a pit bull-Lab mix with children, small children should never be left alone with any dog unsupervised. While they do get on with other animals, this breed does have a need to be dominant. They may engage in behaviors you consider aggressive or undesirable to assert their dominance over other dogs or household animals. They crave to be included in everything the family does and to be the center of attention. These dogs are very intelligent and also eager to please, which makes them highly trainable. They are just as capable of being trained as working dogs as their Labrador retriever parent. They are motivated by praise and reward, and training should always utilize positive reinforcement. When your dog is frustrated and confused by what you want from them, that is when they can become aggressive. But pit bull-Lab dogs are not naturally aggressive; they actually have a calm and fun-loving temperament. But they are also high energy and need a lot of exercise. They are highly alert and will bark a little to let you know if guests arrive at the door or strangers are lurking near the house. Lab-Pit Bull Mix Health These crossbreed dogs generally live for years and within that time are likely to have fewer health problems than either purebred Labrador retrievers or American pit bull terriers. Nevertheless, they can be inclined to develop some of the joint conditions that are common in Labrador retrievers, such as hip dysplasia. They can benefit from glucosamine supplements to help keep their joints supple and healthy. You can find our recommendations for the best glucosamine supplements here. These dogs are also more inclined to developing epilepsy and hyperthyroidism than some other dog breeds. You should monitor your dog for seizures to identify the onset of epilepsy. You can read more about seizures in dogs here. Finally, dogs that are a mix of Labrador retrievers and pit bulls can be inclined to develop skin conditions and allergies. For this reason, it is important to choose a good pH-balanced shampoo for your dog, and try to keep their food and environment free of toxins that can trigger or exacerbate allergies. These might help you to decide whether they are the right breed of dog for you. Exercise Lab-pit bull retrievers are energetic dogs that need lots of space to play. They need a yard to give them space to run and play throughout the day. They need a lot of exercise each day. They need at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running or playing catch, each day. On top of this, they will need hours of moderate exercise such as walking and playing. This exercise is best when split into at least two exercise sessions each day. It is advisable to keep your pit bull-Lab mix on the leash when in public parks as they have a high prey drive. Attention These dogs thrive on love and attention, and since they are so intelligent, they also need a lot of mental stimulation. This means that it is not appropriate to leave them alone for long periods of time. If you leave one of these dogs alone for ten hours a day while everyone is at work, you will come home to a lot of destruction and a frustrated dog that may become aggressive in their need for your affection. Grooming Most Lab-pit bull mixes have the short-haired, low-shedding coat of a pit bull, which only needs brushing once a week. But if they turn out to have the high-shedding coat of a retriever, you may find that you need to brush them every day to keep on top of their shedding. You will also want a powerful vacuum cleaner that is designed to pick up dog hair. You also need to pay a lot of attention to dental care, as Lab-pit bull mixes are prone to tartar build-up and gum disease. Diet Since these dogs are highly muscular and full of energy, they thrive on a diet that is high in animal-based proteins and high in healthy fats. You do need to be careful how much food you give them, as they will usually eat even when they feel full, and they are prone to put on weight when they overeat. So, feed them a diet that is low in carbohydrates and put food out at regular times rather than leaving food in their bowl for them to graze throughout the day. Since these dogs are prone to allergies, it is important to invest in high-quality food that does not contain any artificial additives that can be toxic for dogs. It is also a good idea to vary their diet, and ensure they are not eating the same type of meat every day. Dogs are most likely to develop allergies to the foods they eat the most. So, if you feed your dog the same chicken-based dog food every day, it is likely that over time they might develop an allergy to chicken. Varying the protein that makes up their diet can help prevent this. Where To Adopt There are many reputable breeders out there breeding top-quality pit bull-Labrador retriever mixes. Generally speaking, you will find that the Labrador is the mother, as they are a slightly larger breed, and it is safer for the dog when the mother is a bit larger than the father. So, if possible, look to adopt rather than buy. A great place to start looking for adoptable dogs is at Petfinder. We found our Australian Shepherd Labrador Retriever mix through petfinder. FAQs Is a pit bull-Lab mix an aggressive dog? No, pit bull-Lab mix dogs are not aggressive. They can have a reputation for aggression because pit bulls have traditionally been used in blood sports, but the breed is not naturally aggressive. They can be dominant among other animals and may engage in classic alphamale behavior to assert their position in the animal hierarchy. When do Lab-pit bull mixes stop growing? Lab-pit bull mix dogs will usually keep growing until they are about three years old, which is around the same time as they start to lose their puppy energy. You can expect them to grow between 17 and 25 inches tall and to weigh between 45 and 90 pounds. Are pit bull-Lab mixes a good dog breed for families with kids? Yes, Lab-pit bull mixes are excellent kids. They are gentle and playful and will also be highly protective of their young charges. While they will give you a bark to let you know that strangers are around, they are actually very good with strangers as well. Can you have a pit bull-Lab mix with another dog? Pit bull-Lab mixes are highly dominant animals, so they will try and assert their dominance over any other animals you have in the house. For this reason, they need to be well-socialized from a young age to ensure they learn appropriate behavior. So, while you can introduce a Lab-pit bull mix puppy into a home that already has a dog, you might want to be wary about introducing an adult dog into a household that already has another dog. Do pit bull-Lab mix dogs bark a lot? No, these highly intelligent dogs are not the type to bark continuously or for no reason. They might give you a bark to let you know when something has happened or if someone is approaching. When do Labrador-pit bull mix dogs calm down? From about the age of one year, these dogs begin to calm down and have less energy. The Verdict Labrador retriever-American pit bull terrier mixes make excellent pets for anyone with an active lifestyle and lots of space for these dogs to stretch their legs. They combine the intelligent and friendly temperament of both breeds in an adorable dog that is less likely to suffer from some of the serious medical conditions that are common in both pure breeds. They are also highly trainable and have a calm and friendly temperament as long as they are getting the physical stimulation and the attention that they need. You will need to be prepared to make the time commitment to keep these dogs healthy and happy. Do you have any experience raising a Lab-pit bull mix pup? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments section below. 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. 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 Labradoodle Highlights Friendly and intelligent: Labradoodles are known for being friendly and intelligent dogs. They are good with children and other animals, and they are easy to train. Hypoallergenic: Labradoodles are often considered to be hypoallergenic, which means that they do not shed as much as other dogs. This makes them a good choice for people with allergies. Active and playful: Labradoodles are active dogs that need regular exercise. They enjoy playing fetch, going for walks, and swimming. Loyal and devoted: Labradoodles are loyal and devoted dogs that make great companions. They are always happy to see their owners and they love to cuddle. Versatile: Labradoodles are versatile dogs that can be trained for a variety of tasks, including therapy work, obedience, and agility. They can be expensive to purchase and maintain. They require regular grooming, especially if they have a curly coat. They are prone to some health problems, such as hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. Overall, Labradoodles are wonderful dogs that make great companions for people of all ages. If you are looking for a friendly, intelligent, and hypoallergenic dog, a Labradoodle may be a good choice for you. Labradoodle History Wally Conron, who was in charge of the breeding program for the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia, purposefully crossbred a Standard Poodle and Labrador Retriever in to develop the Labradoodle as a hypoallergenic guide dog. The first cross produced Sultan, a dog with a hypoallergenic coat, aptitude, intelligence, and personality suitable for being an effective guide dog. Sultan worked successfully with a woman in Hawaii. Other breeders saw the merit of crossing these two breeds, and the Labradoodle quickly rose in popularity like its Labrador Retriever parent. These dogs are often produced by crossing a Labrador Retriever with a Poodle, but multigenerational breeding has begun in an attempt to produce a viable and recognizable breed. The Australian Labradoodle Association and the International Australian Labradoodle Association are taking steps to move this designer breed into registered breed status in the next few years. These groups have made great efforts to bring breeders together so that they are working to achieve the same standards through multigenerational breeding. Labradoodle Size The Labradoodle comes in three size variations, depending on the size of the Poodle used for the first-generation breeding. The three sizes are Standard, Medium, and Miniature. The Standard Labradoodle should be 22 to 24 inches in height for a male and 21 to 23 inches in height for a female, while both can range in weight from 50 to 65 pounds. The Medium Labradoodle should be 18 to 20 inches high for a male and 17 to 19 inches high for a female, with both weighing from 30 to 45 pounds. The average size for a Miniature Labradoodle is between 14 to 16 inches and 15 to 25 pounds. All of that said, there is a lot of variation in Labradoodle sizes. Some can be smaller or larger than expected. Labradoodle Personality The Labradoodle is an intelligent dog who can make the ideal family pet if properly trained. They are friendly and accept and treat everyone like their best friend. They can be gentle, but they can also be joyful, showing their happiness through exuberant jumping and playing. They also tend to be easygoing, since the Labradoodle was bred not to be aggressive. Temperament is affected by a number of factors, including heredity, training, and socialization. Puppies with nice temperaments are curious and playful, willing to approach people and be held by them. Meeting siblings, parents, or other relatives of the dog is also helpful for evaluating what a puppy will be like when they grow up. Socialization helps ensure that your Labradoodle puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog. Enrolling them in a puppy kindergarten class is a great start. Inviting visitors over regularly, and taking them to busy parks, stores that allow dogs, and on leisurely strolls to meet neighbors will also help them polish their social skills. Here are a few conditions to watch out for: Ear Infections: These can plague Labradoodles because of their floppy ears. The ears trap moisture and should be regularly checked. X-ray screening is the most certain way to diagnose the problem. Either way, arthritis can develop as the dog ages. Dogs with hip dysplasia should not be bred. Elbow Dysplasia : Similar to hip dysplasia, this is also a degenerative disease. The disease varies in severity: the dog could simply develop arthritis, or they could become lame. Treatment includes surgery, weight management, medical management, and anti-inflammatory medication. It can cause mild or severe seizures that may show themselves as unusual behavior—such as running frantically as if being chased, staggering, or hiding—or even by falling down, limbs rigid, and losing consciousness. Seizures are frightening to watch, but the long-term prognosis for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy is generally very good. Allergies: Allergies are a common ailment in dogs, and the Labradoodle is no exception. Treatment varies according to the cause and may include dietary restrictions, medications, and environmental changes. Diabetes Mellitus: This is a disorder in which the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels. The dog will lose weight because food is not being used efficiently. Symptoms of diabetes are excessive urination and thirst, increased appetite, and weight loss. Diabetes can be controlled by diet and the administration of insulin. Progressive Retinal Atrophy PRA : This is a family of eye diseases that involves the gradual deterioration of the retina. Early in the disease, affected dogs become night-blind; they lose sight during the day as the disease progresses. Many affected dogs adapt well to their limited or lost vision, as long as their surroundings remain the same. Hypothyroidism : This is a disorder of the thyroid gland. It is treated with medication and diet. They require about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day and would do better with a fenced yard in which to expel some energy. Some Labradoodles, especially in the first generation, can require even more exercise. The Labradoodle makes an excellent jogging companion but also needs some time off-leash to burn off steam. The Labradoodle is an intelligent and eager-to-please dog. Training should be easy as long as consistency and positive reinforcement are the methods. Socialize them from puppyhood, since they tend to hurl themselves headlong into canine situations without regard to the feelings of other dogs. This can lead to some problems if the unknown dog is aggressive. Despite their activity levels, a Labradoodle can adjust to living in suburban or city environments and can do well in rural settings. A crate is also a place where they can retreat for a nap. Crate training at a young age will help your Labradoodle accept confinement if they ever needs to be boarded or hospitalized. Never stick your Labradoodle in a crate all day long, however. Labradoodle Feeding Recommended daily amount: 1 to 2. NOTE: How much your adult dog eats depends on their size, age, build, metabolism, and activity level. It almost goes without saying that a highly active dog will need more than a couch potato dog. Keep your Labradoodle in good shape by measuring their food and feeding them twice a day rather than leaving food out all the time. First, look down at them. You should be able to see a waist. Then place your hands on their back, thumbs along the spine, with the fingers spread downward. You should be able to feel but not see their ribs without having to press hard. For more on feeding your Labradoodle, see our guidelines for buying the right food , feeding your puppy , and feeding your adult dog. Labradoodle Coat Color And Grooming Although a Labradoodle can have one of a range of coat types, the desired length is four to six inches. They have a single coat with hair ranging from straight to loose curls. There are three types of texture: The Hair coat, which is similar to fur in shedding breeds, is the least popular. Hair coats shed and usually have a normal doggy odor. This coat is seen in first generations, although breeders try to avoid it. The Fleece coat has a silky texture often described as an Angora goat texture. This coat ranges from straight to wavy. Labradoodles are considered to be non- to low shedders, especially those with a Fleece or Wool coat. Hair coats tend to shed just as they do in other breeds, ranging from very low to average shedding. The Labradoodle comes in a wide variety of colors. They can also have parti-colored coats, which consist of brindles, phantom, patched, or sable colors. Grooming requirements vary depending on the length and type of coat the dog has. Generally speaking, you can expect to brush a Labradoodle about once or twice per week. Some can be clipped or trimmed every six to eight weeks to keep the coat easy to maintain. Like Labs, Labradoodles can be prone to ear infections, so take a little extra time caring for their ears. Dry and clean them after a swim, and check them once a week for dirt, redness, or a bad odor that can indicate an infection. Then wipe them out weekly with a cotton ball dampened with gentle, pH-balanced ear cleaner to prevent problems. Daily brushing is even better if you want to prevent gum disease and bad breath. Dog toenails have blood vessels in them, and if you cut too far you can cause bleeding—and your dog may not cooperate the next time they see the nail clippers come out. Handle their paws frequently—dogs are touchy about their feet—and look inside their mouth. As you groom, check for sores, rashes, or signs of infection such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation on the skin, in the nose, mouth, and eyes, and on the feet. Eyes should be clear, with no redness or discharge. Your careful weekly exam will help you spot potential health problems early. Labradoodle Children And Other Pets The Labradoodle does well with children and can be an affectionate and gentle companion for any child. They can also be exuberant and might knock down smaller children, but they will love them with all their heart. As with every breed, you should always teach children how to approach and touch dogs, and always supervise any interactions between dogs and young children to prevent any biting or ear or tail pulling on the part of either party. No dog, no matter how friendly, should ever be left unsupervised with a child. Labradoodles usually get along well with other dogs and pets. Like most dogs, they need training and socialization for optimum success at living with and visiting other animals. Labradoodle Rescue Groups Labradoodles are often brought home without any clear understanding of what goes into owning one. Many end up in the care of shelters or rescues because of this. It may be hard to find a breed-specific rescue for Labradoodles because they are a mixed breed. However, you may want to try Labrador Retriever or Poodle breed-specific rescues, as they often care for mixes, as well. Reputable breeders are committed to breeding healthy, well-socialized puppies that will make great companions. They will screen their breeding stock for health problems, socialize their puppies from a young age, and provide you with lifetime support. On the other hand, backyard breeders are more interested in making a profit than in producing healthy, well-adjusted dogs. They may not screen their breeding stock for health problems, and they may not socialize their puppies properly. As a result, puppies from backyard breeders are more likely to have both health and behavioral issues. More Info For You. These dogs tend to look at the sunny side of life, making fantastic playmates and companions. Since these puppies will grow to be medium to large dogs, they can take a little while to learn their feet. It would be best to exercise caution when these puppies are around small children, as play can get rough sometimes and result in injury. However, with proper guidance, they can acclimate just fine and usually outgrow the puppy phase by roughly 2 years old. With this combo, most litters will be accidents. These things happen, and most folks will just want the puppies to go to good homes without trying to sell them for high prices. So, we highly recommend steering clear of purchasing these animals from potential backyard breeders. Use caution if someone has intentionally bred these dogs and is trying to sell them for profit. Puppies should come with a clean bill of health. They should have sound temperaments, healthy systems, and be in good physical shape. Always check vet records and living conditions—and most importantly, ask about the parents. Buying from a rescue or shelter cuts out a lot of the expense for you right up front. Not only do you have the cost of the puppy itself taken care of, but you also have vaccinations, deworming, anti-parasite, treatment, and potentially microchipping done before you even bring them home. Pitbulls are incredibly loyal, lovable dogs who get very close to their owners. These goofy boys and girls make friends with just anyone they meet. However, Pitbulls can also show an inclination for high prey drive. This can make it complicated if you try to teach them to coexist with smaller pets. However, mixed with the Labradoodle, this instinct might cancel out a little bit. Labradoodles tend to be extremely agreeable with everyone they meet—furry, or otherwise. These dogs are amiable, good-natured, and docile. Also, most Labradoodles are considered hypoallergenic, which might make it easier for those with mild allergies to dogs. When you put these two together, you have a big ball of love who will protect and stand by their families all their days. Are These Dogs Good for Families? They are very lovable, getting along with children and adults alike. These animals should have the proper training to ensure they know how to interact with all family members. All the dogs in this combo are super loyal to those in the home. They will consider you part of their pack, protecting and loving you all the way. They will love going on adventures and playing with the whole crew in the backyard. Once you have made a friend, you will have a buddy for life. With proper handling, they will fit in with just about any family—but do be mindful of breed restrictions. Since many rental companies have lists of unacceptable breeds, Pit mixes might not be permitted. Always check with your landlord to ensure you can have this breed if you rent your space. The Pitbull Labradoodle mix can make a terrific buddy for other household pets. They generally get along well with other dogs and can even make friends with household cats, permitting that they are socialized and acclimated well. Some Pitbulls and Labs have a high prey drive, so these traits might bleed into the mix. However, as puppies, they can get along well with our feline friends—and they might even become best pals. They might enjoy chasing or taunting your cats if you get this breed fully grown with no prior socialization. So, always supervise interactions with other critters just to be safe. Accidents happen, even if the play is all in good fun. Because they are an athletic breed, getting them a protein-rich, high-quality dry kibble for the appropriate life stage is best. More and more folks are moving towards fresh food options for their dogs. These fresh recipes are more specific for your individual dog, creating a healthy outside and inside. You can opt for your dog to have a subscription box sent to your front door and cut out all of the extra work for you. Pitbulls are prone to food-related allergies, which might transfer to puppies. If your dog has suspected allergies, your vet will run a series of tests and start food trials to uncover the issue. Often, animal protein is the main culprit, so your vet will suggest a diet plan accordingly. Grain-free recipes are all the rage these days, but no healthy dog requires it. These recipes have been linked to specific health issues and should be entirely avoided unless your dog has a diagnosed grain allergy—which is rare. They will absolutely love going on their daily walks, visiting the dog parks, and accompanying their humans on basically any adventure! These dogs require an owner that can keep up with their daily needs. This will likely be easy to manage if you have multiple members in the household. However, if you are single or have physical restrictions or disabilities, you might not be able to give this breed the right amount of physical exertion. On average, this breed will require over an hour of exercise per day. They will benefit from walks, games, puzzles, and new adventures. Both parent breeds are incredibly loyal and eager to please. These traits help during training; they want nothing more than to make owners happy. Sure, they might be rambunctious or silly occasionally when you want to be serious. These dogs should learn basic concepts like potty training and simple commands with no issue. If you want, try very advanced training, too. If you want to, but need to be better-versed in dog training, trust a professional to help you achieve your goals. Pitbulls have naturally short coats that are a single layer. Labradoodles can range between the curly hair of a poodle to the thick, medium coat of a lab. Your dog has a lot of coat possibilities here. They might have some curls, they might have short straight fur, or a combination. This creates a bonding experience with your dog, keeps them looking fresh, and makes the oils evenly distributed on their skin. When you bring your puppy home, they have likely already had their first shots and parasite treatment. It is very important to start vetting early. However, from that point forward, it is your duty to keep up with necessary vet visits. You can opt for spay and neuter surgery and microchipping in the first year to keep your pet healthy and safe. After the first year of life, visits will decrease to once a year, permitting you to have a healthy pet. While this breed combination is generally pretty healthy, there are some issues that might be a concern. Here are the possibilities. Minor Conditions. Brush their teeth regularly even if chewable treats are given and take them to the vet from time to time to ensure that your health habits are checked and okay for your pitbull poodle mix. If you give your dog table food, chances are, it will develop illnesses brought about by human food. Opt to stick to dog food pellets, soft meat, etc. Bloating: this is a common thing among different breeds. Bloating leads to gastric dilatation-volvulus if not addressed immediately and may lead to death. Hip dysplasia: Poodles are prone to have joint dysplasia most commonly in the hip and pelvic area. This occurrence happens when joints pop out of the socket, causing immense pain for the hybrid. Pitbull Crossed With Poodle Food Requirements Make it a point to ensure and prioritize the type of food you allow your dog to eat because this will significantly affect its longevity of life and health status. Take note of the size and needs of each breed it came from so you may plan a specific diet for your hybrid. Treats are good for training as well but refrain from making it a daily habit to lessen weight gain. Make sure you choose snacks that have low caloric content. Take note of the nutrients needed to ensure a proper diet. Always choose foods that are rich in protein, as they are high energy dogs. Make sure to avoid typical dog allergens such as wheat, corn, and potatoes. Your dog might be prone to skin diseases as well, and its best to strictly follow feeding instructions. If you look hard enough, the market offers a lot of high-quality foods you can give your pitbull poodle mix. Instinct takes pride in improving the coat of any dog that stays on their dog food for a while. High-energy dogs will surely benefit from all the protein this brand gives. It also contains oat fiber for proper digestion, and dried cranberries, blueberries, and spinach as antioxidants. It includes chicken, fish, and whitefish meal. Antioxidants such as Vitamin E, beta carotene, fruits, and vegetables are incorporated to boost the immune system. Oatmeal, barley, brown rice, and rye are included to promote digestion and L-carnitine for fat burning. Their product has natural microorganisms to help aid digestion in line with the incorporation of lentils as a fiber source. Considering that your gorgeous mixed breed is a medium-size dog, you can offer them either the best dry dog food for small dogs or the best large breed dry dog food — it may surprise you to find out which parent they take their taste for food after! Whichever brand you settle on, make sure that it is only the best dry dog food kind as going for the worst dry dog food may have dire consequences on the overall health of your pooch. Pitbull Poodles Exercise Requirements Your boodle is a product of two very different breeds: one is highly active, and the other focuses more on the intellectual aspect so it would be best to choose equipment or toys that can exercise them physically, as well as train their minds and awaken their sensitivity. Make sure you schedule play time with your dogs, whether its walking or running or playing in the park to ensure that they have a healthy lifestyle. You can also incorporate exercise in your home. Try playing hide and seek or fetch in your backyard, anything to keep your dog going and panting. Physical and mental exercises are essential to avoid putting your boodle in an idle state, which can lead to depression, boredom, and destruction. Try your best to plan any form of activity that will keep your pups active physically and mentally. To improve your exercise regimen, here are some toys you can purchase: Canine Hardware Chuckit! Classic Launchers: This is perfect for the non-athletic, stay at home type of owners. This product is also ideal for the energetic side of your hybrid, without giving you the sore arm from repeatedly throwing the ball. FluffyPal Chew Toys For Puppies Small Dogs And Medium Dogs: This product is an all-in-one type because it can be a teething toy which can remove tartar, a potential favorite toy, and it also has a vanilla scent to counter any dog drool smell. Not only does it exercise your hybrid, but it also teaches it about rewards and positive outcomes when they follow a command. Hear Doggy! With the balanced need for exercise, you can choose to specify activities that will enhance their physical and mental abilities. Make sure you have enough space for them to run around and play. So this can be a bit of a challenge because you need to exercise both aspects. Pit bulls tend to exercise wanting the alpha position, which needs training that involves firmness, confidence, and a strong will. A poodle is an intelligent type and will be a bit challenging to train, so they need more patience and understanding. Always start training once you establish what you want and need for your pup. Train your puppies before reaching a year old, starting from simple commands until more difficult ones. Here are tips to make training easier for your boodle: Plan What You Want To Teach: To avoid confusion for your dog, make sure you have a plan as to what commands you want your dog to learn. Schedule Shorter Sessions: The reason for this is to have a higher attention span. If you think long sessions bore your hybrid, cut them down to at least 30 minutes to an hour to ensure, you have their full attention. Practice Positive Reinforcement: a poodle is an intelligent breed, and they remember when you praise them for doing something right. They tend to be shy and aggressive towards new people, which might be the case for your boodle. You can visit the vet and ask for tips, or you can bring them to the park until they familiarize themselves with different people and dogs as well. Potty Training: This is an essential type of training for almost all dogs. It saves you effort and money, and it also lessens the stress of accidentally stepping on unwanted stuff. Throughout history, pit bulls are known and recognized as dangerous and aggressive. On the other hand, poodles require mental stimulation and constant socialization. A mix of the two breeds will still require socialization training. Your pitbull poodle mix can be stubborn at times, but they are also easy to train. Make it a habit to remind family members that your dog needs to exercise, so that you can take turns as to who will take the dog out for a walk. Having a big space is ideal for the energetic side of your dog. Are Labradoodle Pitbull mixes good pets? Regardless of what you choose to call your Labradoodle Pittie mix, you are in for a treat when you pick a well bred, well socialized and healthy puppy or rescue pup. This article gives you everything you need to have an amazing time welcoming your Doodle Pit to the family! What is a Labradoodle Pitbull Mix? The world of hybrid and crossbred dog mixes is getting more nuanced and complex daily. This is exciting in a way but can also be confusing, too! For example, you probably recognize several dog breeds in the name Labradoodle Pitbull mix. And in fact, the Labradoodle is no longer truly considered a newer or hybrid dog breed. This breed is well on its way to becoming its own standalone purebred dog breed. The Labradoodle Pitbull mix dog will have influence from as many as five different purebred dog breeds. How many depends on whether the Labradoodle parent dog is an Australian Labradoodle or American Labradoodle. In contrast, American Labradoodle puppies typically receive genetic influence from just two dog breeds: the Poodle and the Labrador Retriever. As you can see, this can make determining precisely which important traits your Labradoodle Pitbull puppy will inherit slightly more complicated. But that is okay — we are going to help you sort all that out right now! Labradoodle Pitbull Mix Size Labradoodle dogs today are bred in three sizes: miniature, medium and standard. This means the Labradoodle parent dog could range in size height from 14 inches to 24 inches tall and weigh anywhere from 15 pounds to 65 pounds. The Pitbull parent dog, on the other hand, might stand anywhere from 14 inches to 22 inches tall and weigh anywhere from 24 pounds to 75 pounds. If your family includes babies or very young kids, you might consider choosing a miniature or medium Labrapit dog whose smaller size is less likely to create its own issues. Labradoodle Pitbull Coats and Colors Labradoodle dogs can grow up to inherit three different coat types: hair, fleece or wool. The coat is generally single layer. Labradoodles can grow up to display a wide range of solid and parti-colored coats with unique markings and color patterns. Labradoodle Pitbull Mix Grooming Grooming can be an intensive daily process with Labradoodles, who can otherwise be prone to develop tangles and mats close to the skin. All three associated pitbull dog breeds have a short, neat, flat coat that is typically single layer. And all three breeds can inherit a wide variety of solid and parti-colored coats with unique patterns and markings that are simple to brush and maintain. The amount of grooming your new Labradoodle Pitbull will need will depend entirely on which coat type your new dog inherits — at the most, daily, and at the least, weekly. The Labradoodle is known to be a smart, friendly, highly trainable and people-centric dog who gets along well with family members of all ages. This holds true whether the Labradoodle hails from the American or Australian side of their lineage. These dogs are popular for service dog and therapy dog roles for these reasons and also because of their notably low-allergy coats. Where things get slightly less clear is when we factor the pitbull into the mix. Also, terriers in general typically make excellent guard dogs and watch dogs. Labradoodles although less known for guarding can still be protective sometimes. There is no way to present a full picture of the Labradoodle Pitbull mix without addressing the elephant in the room — the reputation of the pitbull dog. What does this mean for you? Well, it means that a well bred, well trained and socialized and healthy Labradoodle Pitbull is likely to be an excellent family companion as well as guard dog. Labradoodle Pitbull dogs are affectionate and friendly but can also have strong guard dog instincts and will need early and ongoing training to manage these traits. A Labradoodle Pitbull mix is best suited to an adult home, with plenty of spare time for socialization and positive reinforcement training. When you choose a healthy Labradoodle Pitbull puppy from a reputable breeder, you can look forward to enjoying the company of an energetic, friendly, loyal, brave and loving pet dog. Are you considering adding a Labradoodle Pitbull mix dog to your family? Let us know in the comments below. More Labradoodle Mixes.
Look for squinting, thick eye discharge, watering, or eye redness. Your pug may act like he's in pain. This is because your dog's cornea is large and can easily become scratched or injured. This kind of trauma can cause ulcers that may become infected. Depending on the cause of the ulcer, your pug may need surgery, topical medications, or contact lenses instead of surgery. EKS shares many of the same signs as corneal ulcers. Your dog will appear to be in pain, may rub her eye with her paws, have more tears, and red eyes. If your dog has EKS, she won't be able to fully close her eyes even when she sleeps. This can cause damage to the cornea since it will dry out. To treat EKS, your veterinarian will probably recommend surgery to improve the eyelid. In the meantime, your pug will probably need lubricating drops to prevent damage to the cornea. Again, your dog's eyes might seem red, irritated, watery, or you may see a thick discharge. Your pug may appear bothered by something in his eye. The eyelashes can scratch and irritate the eyeball. Your vet may treat distichiasis by surgically destroying the hair follicles so the eyelashes can't grow back. If your dog only has minor irritation, the vet can recommend an eye ointment to keep the eye lubricated. If you look at your pug's eye and see abnormal brown spots or a grayish haze covering the cornea, she may have a type of keratitis. Trauma to the eye can cause pigmentary keratitis which makes the brown spots. Pannus or chronic superficial keratitis can cause the grayish haze when blood vessels and tissue grows on the eye. Pannus keratitis is an immune response that causes eye inflammation. Since keratitis can cause loss of vision, it's important to get medical treatment. To treat keratitis, your pug will probably need topical steroids or anti-inflammatory eye drops for the rest of her life. If your pug experiences trauma around the head or too much pressure is placed on the neck, his eyes may literally bulge out of the sockets. If you see this, get emergency veterinary treatment since it's painful. The veterinarian may try to lubricate the eye and gently push it back into place while your dog is under anesthesia. Or, the veterinarian may recommend surgically removing the eye. Use a harness instead of a collar when walking your pug. Check your pug every day for any signs of eye problems. If you notice anything unusual or have any questions about a potential eye problem, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Early eye treatment could prevent serious damage to the eye. Follow through with the veterinarian's orders. This means giving all medications as prescribed by your veterinarian. Do not discontinue a medication without consulting your veterinarian. Introduction Pugs are an incredibly unique breed of dog, largely due to their distinctive look with the squished face, big eyes, and little body. One of the most interesting things about this breed are their outward-facing eyes — a feature that is both cute and a bit concerning from a health perspective. In this article, we will discuss why pugs have outward-facing eyes and some of the potential health risks associated with this trait. What Makes Pugs Unique? Pugs are one of the most recognizable and beloved dog breeds in the world. One of the defining features of a pug is their outward-facing eyes, which give them a special kind of charm. But why do pugs have eyes that point outward? This article will explore the causes of this unique characteristic. Pugs have a very short and flat face, which leads to their eyes being pushed out to either side. This characteristic can cause some serious health risks. Outward-facing eyes can lead to vision problems and even serious injuries caused by their shape. Causes of Outward-Facing Eyes Pugs have outward-facing eyes due to the shape of their skull. Breeding for the characteristic has become a popular trend, so it is important to be aware of any potential issues that can arise from this eye shape. The shape of the skull can cause issues with vision, as the eyes are slightly farther apart than the average dog. This can make it difficult for them to focus on objects, both close up and far away. Their eyes are more prone to injury due to their protruding nature, so pet owners should take extra precautions to protect them. They should also be aware of signs of eye irritation, such as squinting, redness, or tearing, in order to catch any issues early on. Shape of the Skull Pugs have an unmistakable look due to their unique shape of skull. When it comes to breeding, this characteristic is often sought after, resulting in more pugs with outward-facing eyes. These include eyesight problems and injuries due to the eye shape. In order to avoid these issues, owners should be proactive in making sure their pug is monitored and given eye drops regularly. Owners should be aware of the risk of trauma to the eyes due to the eye shape, and take steps to prevent or minimize any injuries. As an owner, make sure you are aware of these risks and take the necessary steps to keep your pug healthy and safe. All breeds have certain traits that have been passed down through generations, and some of the most desirable traits in pugs include those that give them their outward-facing eyes. A responsible breeder will be able to provide an accurate description of the potential health risks and can help select a pup that does not have any serious eye-related issues. It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure the pup gets the best possible care, including regular visits to the veterinarian, to keep them healthy and happy. The outward-facing eyes of a pug can cause a few problems, including eyesight issues and injury. Because of their eye shape, pugs are more prone to eye irritation. If your pug has red, itchy or watery eyes, it could be because of the shape of their eyes. Take your pup to the vet for an eye exam to get the right diagnosis and treatment. The protruding eyes of a pug make them more prone to eye injuries. Be sure to get regular eye exams for your pup to ensure their eyes are healthy. Eyesight Problems Eye sight problems can be common in pugs due to their outward facing eyes. Pugs are prone to dry eye, which is caused by a decrease in the production of tears and can lead to inflammation and discomfort. Regular eye checks can help to catch any signs of dry eye early, ensuring your pug remains comfortable and healthy. Pugs can be prone to corneal ulcers, which can be very painful and need to be treated quickly. See also How Strong is an Armadillo Shell? Exploring the Durability of Armadillo Armor Be sure to remove any sharp objects from their environment, and make sure to check their eyes for any signs of irritation or redness on a regular basis. Take care when picking up or handling your pug, as their eyes can be easily injured if they are handled too roughly. While these eyes give pugs their signature lovable look, they can also leave them susceptible to certain injuries. For instance, their eyes may be more prone to dust and debris, leading to irritation and infection. The shape of their eyes can make it harder for them to close their eyes completely, leading to dryness and potential ulceration. Because their eyes are located on the sides of their face, there is an increased risk of trauma in the event of a collision with a hard object or another animal. This can result in abrasions, corneal ulcers, and even permanent vision loss. Be sure to keep them away from potential hazards and provide them with adequate protection when outdoors. With a little extra awareness and care, you can ensure that your pug enjoys a long, happy life! Post Views: .This can vary from progressive scarring and brown pigment building up on the cornea the normally clear part of the eye to painful ulcers a wound on the cornea. The typical appearance of a Pug — note that both eyes appear to be bulging outwards and there is scar tissue formation on the left eye following a recent wound to the surface of the eye. The right eye of the same Pug above - note the large are of pigment on the surface of the eye. Why do Pugs and similar breeds of dog get so many eye problems? The eyelids of these dogs are much too long for the size of the eye. This means that the dogs cannot blink properly and the clear part of the eye the cornea becomes exposed and damaged. The lower eyelid close to the nose of these dogs often roles inwards. The eyelashes then rub directly onto the clear part of the eye cornea causing further damage. Some of these dogs have extra eyelashes either on the edge or underneath the eyelid. These hairs directly rub on the cornea again causing damage. This Pug has developed a wound or ulcer on the surface of the eye — the cause of the wound is a tiny hair ectopic cilium growing out of the upper eyelid. The hair and follicle needs to be carefully removed in order to allow the wound to heal. Some of these dogs are prone to developing dry eye meaning that they do not produce enough tears. The ability for a normal corneal wound or ulcer to heal in these dogs seems to be reduced as compared to dogs with longer noses such as a Border Collie. This means that the wounds can deteriorate very quickly despite medical treatment and go deeper to the point that the eye itself can rupture. These cases then require an urgent operation to save the eye. This Pug has developed a serious infection on the surface of the eye — Pugs and similar breeds are more prone to developing these serious infections which require urgent medical treatment as well as surgery. What can we do to help these eyes? The good news is that despite all of these problems we are able to help these dogs. How do we do this? Improve the tear production — we can apply an ointment to the eyes twice daily which helps to stimulate the tear production. This ointment also has the added beneficial effect of slowing down the brown pigment build up on the surface of the eye. We often recommend the use of protective eye wear that your pet can wear when out on a walk. If tolerated this can significantly minimise the risk of your dog damaging the eyes. For more options see Google. Examples include: Doggles — these come in both plastic and mesh forms. Optivizor — although slightly more expensive than Doggles some dogs tolerate this face and eye visor better. Corneal cryotherapy — the surface of the eye is gently frozen using a special cryo-spray. This Pug has undergone a corneal grafting procedure following a deep corneal wound. The easiest way to do this is to speak to your own vet, who can then arrange the appointment for you. In all of these animals it is always best to see your dog before it gets a problem. Early intervention and prevention is often better than dealing with a problem once it has happened. Print this page Feedback At Focus Referrals we are keen to get things right. We would be very happy to hear about your experience with Focus Referrals so that we can improve how we work. Please let us know via email: info focusreferrals. Pug Dog Eyes Overview Pugs have large, gorgeous, dark eyes. Because they are so big and protrude slightly, this makes Pugs more prone to certain eye issues, though some eye problems seen with this breed are either common to small breeds or to dogs in general. Because debris can easily enter a Pug's eye and there may be issues with eye discharge, extra attention needs to be given to keep the eye area clean. Tommy, photo courtesy of owner Srinivas This section will cover: Breed Standard Nomenclature Regarding the Eyes - The ideal color, shape, and expression. The Most Common Pug Eye Issues - This includes bloodshot and teary eyes, inflammation and irritation, dry eye, cherry eye, eyelash abnormalities, entropion, corneal abrasions and ulcers, and pigmentary keratitis brown melanin moves onto the sclera white of the eye. Pug Eye Care and Cleaning - The 5 steps to keep a Pug's eye area clean to help prevent irritation and other issues and instructions for flushing the eyes. Breed Standard Nomenclature Regarding the Eyes Breed standards are detailed descriptions of what is considered to be the 'ideal' specimen of a particular dog breed. These criterion are used when judging dogs in conformation show events and are used as a general guideline for breeders when working toward the 'betterment of the breed'. The AKC, along with other clubs, lists both the physical description of a Pug's eyes as well as expression: "The eyes are dark in color, very large, bold and prominent, globular in shape, soft and solicitous in expression, very lustrous, and, when excited, full of fire. They are dark in color and very lustrous. Solicitous in expression; when excited, full of fire. Due in part to their size and shape, the eyes are vulnerable to a number of eye conditions which will be covered next. Allergies can be a year-round issue or appear in any of the four seasons. Though distichiasis and other conditions in this section should be ruled out, if you suspect allergies as the cause of eye irritation, you may wish to refer to Pug Dog Allergies. In most cases, this is due to small debris a tiny blade of grass, crusted rheum - also known as 'sleep', etc. Flushing the eyes with a canine eye rinse can usually help. Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, also known as dry eye, can be a very painful condition, in which there is an abrasion on the clear film that naturally protects. The Pug is very prone to this, though poor nutrition and dehydration can play a role, and it most commonly affects middle-aged and senior dogs. If not treated, scarring can occur, which can lead to complete loss of vision. This is usually diagnosed via a Schirmer tear test that measures tear production and a fluorescein stain test to check for abrasions. Treatment includes artificial-tear medication, eye drops for lubrication, medication to reduce pain and inflammation, and in some cases, antibiotics. This condition is thought to develop due to a weakening of connective tissues. If cherry eye is not treated quickly, it can lead to other very serious issues. It is very rare for this to happen to both eyes at the same time, but once it happens to one eye it's very common for it to occur in the other within a few months. Signs of this include a pink or red bump that significantly protrudes out over the sclera the white part of the eye. This is treated with corrective surgery in which a small section of the nictitating membrane is removed and stitches are placed to secure the remaining tissue back into its proper place. Eyelash Abnormalities - Distichiasis and Ectopic Cilia Both of these issues involve the abnormal growth of eyelashes. With distichiasis, a condition Pugs are moderately prone to, one or more eyelash grows in an odd direction out from the eyelid. With ectopic cilia, a condition seen less commonly with Pugs, one or more eyelash grows through the inside of the eyelid toward the eye. With either condition, when an eyelash pokes into the eyeball, it is extremely painful and can lead to corneal ulcers. Although an offending eyelash can be plucked out, offering immediate relief, it is often temporary since it usually regrows within 4 to 5 weeks. For this reason, a minor procedure is often performed to remove both the eyelash and the follicle to prevent any reoccurrence. Entropion Entropion, also referred to as inverted or folded-in lid, is an inherited condition in which either the upper or lower eyelid rolls inward. This is moderately common with Pugs, usually involves the lower eyelids, and typically develops within the first year. This is mainly a genetic condition linked to tension in the ligaments of the inner eye but can also be triggered by rapid weight loss or can develop alongside chronic eye infections. While the inverted lid itself will irritate the eye, there are other issues that can develop. Eyelashes that that point inward can scratch the surface of the eye, leading to corneal ulcers. And, any scar tissue that may form after a scratch that can lead to vision problems or even vision loss in some cases. In very minor cases, and if the cornea is not ulcerated, the eyelid may be temporarily stitched back into place and artificial-tear medication given. However, in most cases, this needs to be resolved with corrective surgery to permanently reposition the eyelid back into position. Corneal Abrasions and Ulcerations The cornea is the clear, shiny membrane that makes up the surface of the eyeball and because Pugs have very prominent eyes, corneal abrasions and ulcers are not uncommon. A corneal abrasion is a scrape that only affects the epithelium 1st layer. A corneal ulcer is a scrape through the whole epithelium 1st layer and into the basement membrane 2nd layer or stroma 3rd layer. The most common cause of abrasions and ulcerations is trauma to the eye which can be anything from debris entering a Pug's eye to rubbing the head along the ground resulting in a scratch. This is also linked to entropion, chronic eye infections, keratoconjunctivitis sicca dry eye , canine diabetes, and hypothyroidism. Signs include moderate to severe pain a Pug may paw at the eye or rub the eye area against surfaces , sensitivity to light, keeping the eye closed, discharge in some cases. Exact treatment will depend on whether there is a corneal abrasion, ulcer, or descemetocele. Corneal abrasions generally are treated with topical antibiotics and often the use of a protection cone collar to prevent a dog from pawing at the eye and typically heal in 1 week or less. For corneal ulcers or descemetocele, treatment varies. For moderate cases, surgery may be performed to temporarily stitch the eyelid closed to allow it to heal. If both eyes are affected, each eye may be alternatingly treated. For more serious cases, other surgery including grafts or transplants may be required. If an ulcer does not heal as expected, there can be a buildup of dead cells on the rim of the ulcer which prevent normal cells from repairing the tear. If this happens, the dead cells are removed and surgical closing of the eyelids may follow. If there is no improvement after days of treatment, bring your Pug back to the vet to be reexamined. Pigmentary Keratitis Pigmentary keratitis refers the migration of brown melanin pigment from the iris into the sclera white area of the eye. This can range from minor which has no affect on vision to severe melanin covers the pupil, leading to blindness. Early detection plays a huge role in successfully managing and treating this. This may develop with no underlying causes, however it is frequently linked to other issues such as entropion or keratoconjunctivitis sicca dry eye. The sign of this is brown pigment seen within the sclera white part of the eye. It can vary from faint tiny brown specks to severe black patches. Because many cases are due to an underlying eye issue, treatment almost always involves resolving that underlying disorder. Therefore, if entropion is present, it will be treated with surgery to reposition the eyelid. If keratoconjunctivitis sicca is the culprit, it will be treated either with topical medications or, in rare cases, surgery to reposition the salivary duct. When the underlying cause is successfully treated, this will usually stop pigmentary keratitis from developing any further. In regard to the pigmentation that has already migrated to the cornea, there is very rarely an attempt to surgically remove it due to the risks involved, and there are no medications that have been proven to eliminate it. In time months or even years , the pigmentation may lighten on its own. When caught early, prognosis is good. However, prognosis worsens the longer it takes to have this diagnosed. If the pigmentary keratitis already reached a severe level and is covering the pupil, this can profoundly affect a Pug's vision, even leading to blindness. Pug Eye Care and Cleaning With such big gorgeous eyes that slightly protrude out from the face, a huge part of taking care of your Pug will be to guard the eyes against irritants, keep the eye area clean, and know how to rinse the eyes if needed. Daily Eye Care Follow these 5 tips to help keep your Pug's eyes clean and protected: 1. Take care when grooming your Pug to help prevent loose hairs, shampoo, and other grooming-related elements from entering the eyes. Routinely wipe the eye area to remove fine debris, bits of food, rheum commonly known as 'eye sleep' and any discharge. At a minimum, this should be done once per day and ideally up to 3 times per day after each meal. For this, use a wipe that is specifically made for the sensitive area around the eyes, it should be all-natural with no irritating additives. These are hypo-allergenic wipes with the all-natural soothing ingredients of chamomile and aloe vera plus lion's tooth and eyebright made from dandelions to keep the fur around the eyes free from staining. These work great for removing dirt, debris, eye crust and discharge. Avoid spraying cleaning products including air fresheners near your Pug and keep the house smoke-free. Have eye cleanser on hand in order to promptly flush the eyes if needed. Pay attention to your Pug's eyes and bring any issues to the attention of the veterinarian; most eye-related problems have a good prognosis when caught early. Removing Something from the Eye If your Pug has something in their eye, flush this out as soon as possible. Here's how: What you need: A sterile canine eye cleaning solution like Tomlyn Sterile Eye Wash this is something that owners should have on hand at all times and clean sterile gauze. Instructions: 1. Use your fingers to open the eye, gently pushing both upper and lower lids open wider. Squeeze 4 to 5 drops into the cup of the lower lid. Let go of your Pug and allow him to blink. As he does, a combination of the solution and tears will spill out from his eye. Be sure to swipe this up with a clean piece of gauze. It is a popular myth that this is a common occurrence. However, there is no reason why a Pug's eye would spontaneously pop or fall out. Only a very serious injury such as descemetocele a deep cut into all layers of the cornea could make this happen. This breed does have large, somewhat protruding eyes, however they are held into place by ligaments just as any other dog, or human for that matter. The ligaments are just as strong as with any other canine. My Pug was just stung in the eye by a bee! It's very swollen. What should I do? A bee sting, to any part of the body, is enough of a problem already. Canines can be allergic to the venom just as humans can. Hives and trouble breathing are just two concerns and while Benadryl can be given for minor reactions, the risk of anaphylactic shock is a concern that should be in the mind of all owners. With a sting right to the eye, this presents a whole new set of concerns. If the bee stung your Pug directly in the eyeball, the stinger could have caused a laceration or perforating injury to the cornea which is something that needs immediate treatment at the vet's. Even if the stinger just entered into the eye area lid, surrounding skin , severe swelling is a sign of allergic reaction. For these reasons, we'd suggest immediately contacting the veterinarian. Do you know about our book? This is the most comprehensive book of its kine. Stay informed: Receive newsletters that let you know about new articles and important information. Become a free PetPugDog Member today. Other articles: Pug Feeding Guidelines - All the details you need to know about the best food for your Pug, how often to provide meals, and answers to common eating problems. Giving a Pug a Bath - Since this breed has sensitive skin, how you give baths and the products you use will have a big impact on skin and coat health. Taking Care of a Pug's Wrinkles - The facial folds on a Pug need to be kept clean and dry to help prevent common issues including irritation and skin yeast infections. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy 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. They need lots of care, particularly as newborns in the first few 4 weeks of their life. Their eyes are still closed shut, so they can easily fall and injure themselves. When do Pug puppies open their eyes? Despite the eyes no longer being closed, eyesight will remain poor, and they will only really see their mother and siblings. But what about their ears and hearing? It can be a few days before the ears completely open allowing them to hear properly, usually at around 3 weeks of age. Before these two points in their development, Pug puppies can only navigate their new world using the power of scent. Pug puppies can expect to go through the following phases. Please note, this is generic. Not all puppies will follow these development steps exactly. Day Eyes start to open, but with limited vision. Day Possibly starting take their first steps and baby teeth start to appear. Day Could start little running patterns and have solid food introduced. Day Most puppies will now be able to run with a full set of puppy teeth. Day By the 8th week they will have clear eyesight and can leave their mother. Day Eyes will change to the permanent coloration. Do Pug puppies eyes change color? Yes, the eyes of your Pug puppy will actually change color as they get older. They will also lose their baby teeth , and grow adult ones! Most Pug puppies are born with blue eyes, or at least a paler version of their final color. As they grow, the melanin concentration increases, leading to the final color change. Do Pug puppies born with their eyes closed? According to the Psychology Today website read source , a mother would find hunting and survival very hard if she had to spend a long time carrying a litter of puppies. It stands to reason, that a full belly of pups would slow her down, making her vulnerable to prey and limiting her ability to find food. In addition, between hunts which can be spaced days apart there is not much to do, so the female has time to care for helpless infants. When she is out pursuing food, the pups can be safely stored in a den. This means that the puppy was delivered into the big wide world before he had the time to develop full eyesight and hearing in the womb. The benefit being, the mother would not have to continue to support and get even bigger and slower with growing puppies inside of her. Fast forward to today, and this means that the gestation period of a Pug is relatively short, coming it somewhere between 58 and 68 days. In reality, it could be longer allowing for her puppies to open their eyes and ears… but instead, they are born without the development of a full set of senses. When can Pug puppies leave their mother? Another aspect I placed on the development phases timeline was guidance on when the puppies can leave their mother. The recommended age for any puppy to leave their mother is no sooner than 8 weeks or 2 months of age. The mother will keep them safe and secure, and they can latch onto her by instinct due to smell and touch alone. Once the two-week stage passes, the development of the Pug puppies will be really quick. Their eyes will open, hearing will develop, and they will move freely about. You might even hear them making some little bark noises at the 5-week point! Being able to move means they will want to go and explore what the world has to offer. You might also like… Now you know when a Pug puppy opens his eyes, you might also enjoy these other related reads about this breed. Though most vets will see many one-eyed pugs in their lifetime, however, the average pug will never have proptosis. That said, eye pop out for pugs is possible at any time in their life so if you are a pug owner you should be prepared just in case this happens! There is no proof that old pugs eyes pop out more frequently than young pugs. Though it might make sense that their eye muscles will grow lax with age, many old pugs go their whole lives without having their eyes pop out. Proptosis eye popping out can happen during trauma or just normal play. If your pug is just horsing around, their eye could pop out without too much pressure. The next thing I know, his eye popped out! In one study of dogs whose eyes popped out proptosis , over 27 percent of affected dogs had their eyes put back in and vision restored. No, its VET time. Go to the animal emergency room immediately. This is why pet health insurance is so important! They will need to go out, play, rough house with other dogs, get snuggled, eventually! So here is a list of preventative measure any pug owner should take: Step one get pet insurance. This comes in hand because pug surgery is super expensive. Our favorite insurance right now is TruPanion. They are pretty good with payouts and easy to communicate with. Take your pug to full veterinary checkups to look at their general health and review any special needs they might have. Stay out of the woods! First, if your pug has any eye problems, contact your vet immediately. It was Easter Sunday when we noticed her squinting and a little mark on her eye. Since it was easter we decided to wait and see if it got better. It was really scary and sad. We rushed her to the vet, but they said it was too late. We had to then take her to the animal hospital to have her eye removed. They're going to call pug social services and take away our pugs! They gave us some topical antibiotics for her eye and in two days it was almost all better. When pug eyes are in question, go to the vet first and ask questions later! Avoid Smoking in the house. Use a harness. First of all, you should never use a traditional dog collar for a pug. It can strangle them and collapse their larynx permanently. Straining against a traditional collar can build up enough pressure to make their eye pop out! We love this medium size Puppia Harness, it fits perfect on pugs Supervise your pug if they are roughhousing and never pull their skin back from their face. If your pug is scratching their eyes or face, tell them to stop. They can inadvertently injure themselves! Clean your pug eyes often to remove debris and any rheum known as sleepies or other discharge. Even bits of food get in there! Its all-natural and really works! Unscented baby wipes, warm washcloths, or a sterile eye cleaning pad. Get some treats to motivate your buddy Moisten whatever cloth you're using. Put your puppy on your lap or sit on the floor with them. Put your arm around your pug and hold them close. Start at the inner corner of the eye and work outward. You are just wiping! Do not push on the eye. Give your pug lots of treats and praise. They just did a fantastic job sitting through some prime time pug salon care! Is there excessive squinting, cloudiness, redness? If so, its a good idea to call your vet! Pugs are the most resilient dog breed and they will rebound right after a surgery! Cherry eye is not always painful but should not be ignored. Cause: weak tear duct gland loosens and protrudes. Symptoms: redness, swelling, pronounced corner of the eyelid. Treatment: possible tear duct surgery. Corneal Ulcer The membrane that protects the eyeball is the Cornea. Many factors can cause damage to the cornea including playtime with anyone, including another dog or cat or getting something in their eye. Minor damage to the Cornea, like a scratch or abrasion will normally heal in a few days. Ulcers require more attention. Cause: membrane covering the surface of the eye wears thin due to trauma, foreign object, burn, or infection. Symptoms: redness, pain, squinting or your dog may keep their eyes closed, frequent rubbing, light sensitivity, discharge, and a noticeable film over the eyes. Treatment: antibiotic eye drops, painkillers, possible surgery in severe cases. Distichiasis Distichiasis is a serious issue that should be treated. Lack of treatment can lead to more serious issues including corneal ulcers. Cause: eyelashes growing in abnormal locations. Symptoms: redness, discharge, frequent rubbing, and itching. Treatment: professional eye exam including fluorescent staining to assess the degree of injury, prescribed lubricants, possible surgical lash removal. Entropion Imagine the discomfort if your eyelid rolled in, scraping your eyeball with eyelashes. This is common at around six-months-old. Cause: eyelids fold under pushing eyelashes into the eyes. Symptoms: eyelid distortion up or inward , milky look, redness, swelling, and constant scratching. Treatment: probable surgery to remove excess eyelid. Dry Eye most common ailment Unfortunately, dry eye, as with humans, is a chronic condition. It is likely that your Pug will need eye lubricants for the duration of their life if they are diagnosed with dry eye. Cause: low tear production causing irritation and build-up of debris. Symptoms: excessive blinking, redness, and thick discharge. Treatment: prescribed oral medication, and possible eye drops. Cataracts The lens of the eyeball consists mainly of water and protein. The precise makeup of the protein ensures that the lens remains clear. At times the protein can clump, creating a clouded area called a cataract. Cataracts normally develop slowly, over many years. Influences such as spiked sugar levels due to diabetes can speed up the process. Cause: diabetes, inflammation, trauma, genetic inheritance. Symptoms: milky or cloudy look to the eyes, grayish film, noticeable vision loss, clumsiness. Treatment: surgical removal with lens replacement or laser removal. PRA is an inherited condition and dogs diagnosed with it should not be used for breeding purposes. Cause: degenerating retina. Symptoms: noticeable night blindness, clumsiness, shinier look to eyes, and abnormal pupil dilation. Treatment: although studies have shown that dietary changes can slow disease progression, at the time of this writing treatment is not available and blindness will eventually result. Pugs love to explore and play. Their lack of a sufficient snout may be an attractive characteristic but offers less protection for their eyes. Cause: short snout. Symptoms: signs of pain, irritation, rubbing, watering, or visible scratches. Treatment: inspect the area to determine if professional intervention is necessary. Seeking the professional help of a vet can mean the difference between simple treatment and a chronic eye problem. I love these two bundies. They are the cutest.
What Is A Miniature Boxer? A Mini Boxer is often achieved using specific breeding practices. Relatively new to the canine scene, the Miniature Boxer is making waves for his family friendly nature, adorable appearance and devoted temperament. And this brings us to the origin of the Miniature Boxer and what you should know about controversial breeding practices. Keep reading. On paper, the Miniature Boxer sounds like the perfect companion. This is especially true if you already have an affinity for Boxers and all their endearing qualities. The Boxer was inspired by ancient war dogs dating as far back as 2, BC. Traditionally, Boxers were bred to be versatile working dogs. They served as guard dogs, cattle dogs, war dogs, and even guide dogs and service dogs. And this brings us to the Miniature Boxer. Miniature Boxers are still relatively new, which is one of the reasons they have yet to be considered an official size variety of purebred Boxer. They are also somewhat controversial, as the practices for breeding Miniature Boxers come with some amount of risk. According to most experts, there are three methods a breeder could use tocome up with a Miniature Boxer. These methods include the following: Breeding Dwarfism: Breeding dwarfism is a very controversial method some breeders use when attempting to create Miniature Boxer dogs. While this method does keep a Miniature Boxer litter purebred, it also puts the puppies at a much higher risk of serious health issues like spinal problems, breathing difficulties and muscle development. Purposefully breeding dwarfism into dogs like Boxers can cause other issues as well down the road, which may lead to devastating and costly problems for owners. For this reason, most reputable breeders will refrain from purposefully breeding dwarfism into their dogs. Breeding Runts: The other common way some might go about breeding smaller than average Boxer dogs is to breed runts. When puppies are born runts, they are also usually born with other underlying health issues. Breeding runts to create a Miniature Boxer means that these dogs have a much higher risk of being born unhealthy and going on to live unhealthy lives. Again, because of the health risks and moral implications of breeding runts, most reputable breeders will stay away from this method for how to create a Mini Boxer dog. Crossbreeding: The last way, and perhaps safest way, of creating a Miniature Boxer dog would be through crossbreeding. If combined correctly, the resulting puppies would be smaller than the traditional Boxer while still maintaining that unique Boxer-like appearance and temperament. While crossbreeding is the safest and healthiest way to go about breeding smaller Boxer dogs, there are still some cons to this method. For example, many traits of early generation crossbreed dogs will be unpredictable, including traits like health, appearance and temperament. And while crossbreed dogs may be viewed as healthier than purebred dogs thanks to what is known as hybrid vigor the idea that they have a wider genepool than their purebred counterparts and are thus less susceptible to genetic disease , they also have a longer list of health issues to contend with. That said, if you are keen on getting a Miniature Boxer to call your own, we would recommend looking for a crossbreed Mini Boxer as opposed to one of the other types listed above. The Miniature Boxer — Temperament and Personality Traits For the most part, Miniature Boxers have many of the same characteristics as their average sized Boxer counterparts. Regardless of how your Miniature Boxer was created, the truth is that the majority of his temperamental traits should be the same as his standard Boxer counterpart. As a breed in general, Boxers are known to be intelligent, affectionate, playful and family oriented. They can be high energy dogs and do well in active families and in homes with large, securely fenced yards where they can run and play freely. When properly socialized, the Miniature Boxer can get along well with other dogs and children. In fact, the Miniature Boxer may be a better option for those with younger children, as full sized Boxers can be a bit overwhelming for small kids. Still, Miniature Boxers are not pocket pups. They are considered medium sized dogs, which means they may not be the best suited for apartment living, especially if all of their exercise and mental stimulation needs are not met. That aside, when in the hands of the right owner and when trained, socialized, and exercised properly, the Miniature Boxer can do well with active families, novice dog owners, singles, couples, and active retirees. How To Train and Socialize a Miniature Boxer Training should be done utilizing positive reinforcement techniques and consistency. For the most part, Miniature Boxers are sweet and affectionate dogs, but without proper training and socialization they can develop serious behavioral issues down the road. How To Socialize A Miniature Boxer Socialization should begin as early as you get your Mini Boxer and will continue on with your dog throughout his lifetime. Making sure you properly socialize a dog means that you should try and introduce that dog to as many new people, places, sights, sounds and experiences as possible as young as possible. Ensuring these first impressions are positive for your Miniature Boxer are also important, so refrain from forcing your Boxer into a situation that he is clearly frightened of or this could lead to fear-based behavioral issues down the road. They are eager to please and quick to learn, especially when training is kept light, fun and game-like. Just as with socialization, you can begin training your Miniature Boxer as soon as you bring him home. Use treats and praise as opposed to punishments and scolding , as positive reinforcement training techniques have been shown consistently to work better than aversive training methods. Worse still, negative reinforcement training techniques can lead to a breakdown in your bond with your dog, and even hinder his learning progress. Just like their larger counterparts, Miniature Boxers are energetic dogs who require routine exercise each and every day. The best exercise for a Miniature Boxer will be a routine walk for 40 minutes to an hour each day. Mini Boxers might also enjoy light hikes or trips to the dog park. Most importantly, this harness is safe for your dog and will not cause choking. It also helps to teach him good walking manners, especially when paired with treats, praise and consistency. Boxers are intelligent dogs, and the Miniature Boxer is no exception. If not kept properly exercised and mentally stimulated, the Miniature Boxer may be prone to some serious destructive behavioral issues including barking, marking and chewing, as well as some dangerous behavioral issues like anxiety, which can lead to aggressive behaviors. Investing in puzzle toys, KONGS, and keeping up with routine training can help ensure your Mini Boxer is happy and healthy both metnally and physically. The good news is that grooming a Miniature Boxer is relatively easy. Brushing them once or twice a week can help combat any loose hair, as can ensuring you keep your Miniature eBoxer on a quality dog food. This will help keep ear infections at bay and reduce odor. Your Miniature Boxer should also have his teeth brushed at least once a day using a dog safe toothpaste to help keep dental disease at bay. We also recommend you invest in a quality dog shampoo. Wahl Dry Skin and Itch Relief Dog Shampoo Sale Buy on Amazon Some Boxers can be prone to allergies and skin issues, so we would recommend a soothing dog shampoo made with quality ingredients and specified for dogs. The above dog shampoo by Wahl is made with all natural ingredients like coconut oil and oatmeal. It is also free of any dyes, parabens, and alcohols that could exasperate already sensitive skin. However, keep in mind that irresponsible breeding practices can lead not only to shorter lifespan, but also a lesser quality of life that can be devastating and costly. It just depends on what genes they get from what parent, Boxer or Boston Terrier. Due to their smaller size, Mini Boxers can be good apartment dogs. However, they do need a bit of exercise, so you will need to meet their exercise needs. Dwarf Boxer vs. While this gene is very rare in Boxers, it is possible. Usually, these Boxers have shorter legs than their larger family members. However, dwarfism can cause all sorts of health problems. It can cause bone deformities. On the other hand, miniature Boxers are bred by mixing a Boxer with a smaller dog. This results in a somewhat smaller dog that may or may not look like a Boxer. Their coat can vary somewhat depending on what traits they inherit. They will have short coats that will likely be very fine. Their fur will always be straight and smooth, as both of their parents have this coat type. They are typically black, fawn, or white. White is a bit less common than the other coat color options. Many of them have brindle coat markings. However, some of them are solidly colored. Temperament: Are Miniature Boxers good family dogs? They like family and people. Because of this, they are extremely good companion dogs. They are mostly purchased as companion dogs for this reason. They are also very gentle. They are good with children, even those who tend to be a bit rough. However, the smaller dogs can be a bit scared of children because they can be injured by smaller children easily. Socialization is important. Despite their loyalty, these dogs are not particularly prone to social isolation. They are typically fine with being left by themselves for moderate amounts of time. They are fine with most other animals, including cats. Some early socialization is recommended. However, they are usually very gentle with all animals. These dogs are typically very people-friendly. But, they can be a bit territorial around strangers in their home. With proper socialization, they are typically not aggressive. However, they can be a bit aloof. They are a good watchdog in some situations. Typically, these dogs are moderately easy to train and are quite intelligent. They are not particularly stubborn, either. How to take care of your Miniature Boxer Miniature Boxers are pretty easy to take care of and only require minimum care. They are somewhat intolerant to heat, so they should not be left outside during the hotter months. But like all dogs, they do need some exercise and some coat maintenance. They have high activity levels and need to be worn out daily. These are quite high energy. You will need to take them on moderate length walks preferably twice a day. Playtime outside can also be relatively helpful, especially if your yard is fenced-in. Dog parks and fenced back yards are a great option for these canines. This breed does tend to wander quite a bit. Because of this, you should not let them roam free. You should not exercise them in the heat, as they are prone to heatstroke. Instead, take them for walks early in the morning or late at night during the summer. Grooming: Do Miniature Boxers shed? They do shed a moderate amount. They are not hypoallergenic by any means. They require daily brushing to remove the dead hairs and help keep them clean. This will prevent the hairs from ending up all over your house. You should check their ears regularly for a build-up of debris. If there is dirt and wax build-up on the outside of the ears, you will need to clean them with a damp cotton ball. Dogs with floppy ears seem to have the biggest problem. Dental health is also very important. Regular exercise can help rub them down, but they will need to have them ground down regularly. Eye examinations should be done regularly as well, though your dog should not need their eyes cleaned often like some other breeds. You do not need to bathe your canine very often. They only need to be washed when they get physically dirty. Feeding: How much should a Miniature Boxer eat in a day? Because their size can range so widely, the amount of food your particular dog needs will vary. Generally, they need about 2 cups every day. However, this can vary a lot depending on their size. Because they are very active dogs, they will need a high-protein diet. This may cost a bit more, but it will help your canine keep the lean muscles they need to stay active. Is the Miniature Boxer healthy? Because it is a mixed breed, the Miniature Boxer is healthier than many of the other canines out there. However, it is prone to quite a few health conditions. This is largely because neither parent breed is super healthy. These dogs can be prone to bloating. This is a serious condition that involves the stomach twisting and filling up with gas. This requires surgery and can be life-threatening. They are also prone to hypothyroidism, which involves the dysfunction of the thyroid gland. Dogs with this condition will need life-long medication to replace the thyroid hormone. Cardiomyopathy is another serious condition, but this often is corrected through diet and medication. It can be life-threatening when not treated. Bigger Miniature Boxers may be prone to hip dysplasia. Proper nutrition into puppyhood is essential to prevent this. Overfeeding can cause the puppies to grow too fast, which can cause problems later on. For one reason or another, Boxers are also prone to cancer. If the Miniature Boxer has a shorter snout, they may also have breathing problems. These can range for minor to severe. This can cause issues related to heat, exercise tolerance, and even anesthesia complications. Epilepsy and heart problems are also common in Boston Terriers, so they may occur in Miniature Boxers as well. For dogs with lots of wrinkles, dermatitis may also be common. This occurs when the wrinkles rub against each other. As you might imagine, this can cause sores, which may get infected. Some heart problems are common in these dogs as well. They may develop dilated cardiomyopathy, though this condition is also linked to diet. Ensuring your canine gets enough protein-rich food can help prevent it. Subaortic stenosis and mitral valve dysplasia are both also common. They may develop Progressive Retinal Atrophy, which can cause blindness over time. There is no cure for this disease and it usually develops in both eyes. Canine glaucoma may also occur. For dogs with short noses, they will have Brachycephalic Syndrome. This can cause all sorts of problems with their breathing. The only treatment is a surgical correction, but these dogs are sensitive to surgery when they have this condition. It is only used in major conditions because of this. Patellar luxation involves the displacement of the kneecap. This may be common in smaller dogs. Allergies are common in these dogs, so we highly recommend changing their food often. Dogs become more sensitive to food as they eat it. By switching it often, you can avoid them becoming sensitive to a particular protein. These dos are also somewhat prone to these conditions: Demodicosis. Intelligent Pug Characteristics Pugs are extremely playful and love to interact with their owners. They also get along well with other animals, especially cats and other dogs. They're most known for: Friendly Easy going Health Issues Because these dogs have only been bred for a few years, there has been no study on whether there are any specific health issues being produced from these crosses. In order to get a better idea of which health problems a puppy might face, you must research the parent breeds involved, and take a look at health issues that are common to them. The average reported lifespan of these dogs is between 12 to 15 years. Boxers can be prone to cardiomyopathy , bloat, hip dysplasia , and hypothyroidism , among other possible health threats. Pugs can be prone to obesity, breathing problems , eye problems, and skin problems. Boston Terriers are prone to eye problems , heart problems, epilepsy, and skin problems. Fox Terriers can be prone to Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, patellar luxation, congenital hypothyroidism with goiter, and primary lens luxation, among other health issues. Rat Terriers can be prone to allergies, dental problems, and patellar luxation. Corgis are prone to eye problems, glaucoma , and progressive retinal atrophy. Beagles are prone to epilepsy , intervertebral disk disease, and tumbling puppy syndrome. English Bulldogs are prone to a long list of health concerns, including obesity, heat stroke, elongated soft palate , heart disease, and more. Keep in mind that a particular pup might never face one of these health issues, but the possibility could be there in the gene pool, so it's good to be aware. Are you InTheKnow? Sign up for our newsletter featuring all the latest stories and products we love. Invalid email I agree to receive email communications from LoveToKnow. The breeding procedures used to create this mix are extremely controversial. Many " miniature " dogs have been heavily inbred, so it's not uncommon for them to develop genetic disorders or become ill at a young age, even from a reputable breeder. The miniature Boxer is also a high-energy breed that requires a hands-on owner. They aren't meant for owners with sedentary lifestyles or those who reside in apartments. Because the miniature Boxer sheds, it may not be suitable for those looking for a hypoallergenic dog breed. If you understand the cons, there are many pros to this breed. Since they are smaller than Boxers, they are less expensive to feed and easier to care for. They require slightly less exercise than the original breed and can do well in smaller spaces, even if they aren't ideal apartment dogs. This mix is family-friendly, intelligent, eager to please, and easy to train. Also, they're relatively affordable to purchase as puppies. Finding Miniature Boxer Puppies for Sale When looking for a breeder of miniature Boxers, make sure you do your due diligence. Before you decide to do business, take the time to investigate the breeder fully to make sure you'll receive exactly what you're paying for. There are many unscrupulous breeders producing designer dogs, and you want to make sure the breeder can provide a health guarantee. The breeder should demonstrate that they are breeding to create dogs with excellent health and temperament. Because these dogs are not recognized by the top registry organizations and are not bred in large numbers, you may have to search for them online as well as locally through sites such as Craigslist to see if you can locate a breeder. Cost of a Miniature Boxer Puppy Because these dogs are not popular yet, they can be relatively expensive. Dog Clubs The miniature Boxer is not a recognized breed, but it may become one as some point in the future. If you'd like to register your pet with a dog club, both the American Canine Hybrid Club and the Certified Pet Registry take registrations for various crosses that produce this type of dog. Spend Time With These Dogs Before you bring one of these pups home, spend some time at several breeders' kennels so you can get to know the dogs in person. This is the surest way to find out if a Miniature Boxer will fit your lifestyle, as well as which particular cross you prefer. Getting a puppy is a commitment for the life of the dog, so be sure about your choice. Lifespan Sociability If you are considering purchasing a Miniature Boxer puppy, there are a few things to keep in mind before you make a decision. Like most puppies, they have a fair amount of energy, which will most likely last throughout their life. Mini Boxers have a decent lifespan and can live from 12 to 15 years, especially if you care for their physical and mental health, beginning when they are puppies and continuing throughout their life. Even though they are playful, Mini Boxers need a strong leader and early socialization to become the ideal pet. We will dive deeper into specific health issues a little later in the article. There has been a misconception that Boxers are an aggressive breed, so this can be a myth that is carried to the Miniature Boxer. The Mini Boxer is muscular and stocky and may have an aggressive appearance, but once you get to know them, you realize that they are loving and friendly. Unfortunately, only purebred dogs are allowed to be registered through the AKC. They make great guard dogs. The Miniature Boxer is serious about their devotion to their family, so they will alert you if they sense that you or someone they love is in danger. They are social and like to be part of the action, but they can be wary of strangers. Giving them attention is important, and they will show you love in return. If you want a lap dog, then the Mini Boxer is ideal because they would rather snuggle on your lap than anywhere else. As long as they receive attention and can interact with everyone in the household, they will be happy. Mini Boxers are intelligent and learn quickly; providing socialization and training from an early age will ensure that they live up to their full potential. They are alert yet feature a calm and gentle disposition. Are These Dogs Good for Families? They form deep bonds with their family and love children. They are patient with children, and since they have a high energy level, they make ideal playmates. Sometimes their need for chasing the cat may arise, but they are doing it out of playfulness more than being mean. When they are around other animals in the household, they can become friends and include them as part of the family unit. A post shared by Miso the Miniature Boxer lilboxermiso Things to Know When Owning a Miniature Boxer Owning a dog requires you to know how to properly care for them so they can have a happy and healthy life. This section provides further detail about the breed so you are comfortable with their needs and requirements. High-quality dog food that is formulated for medium breeds is ideal, and you can find brands that offer medium-breed puppy food and even senior food that allows you to provide optimal nutrition for all life stages. They are prone to obesity if they consume more calories than required, so make sure you are adjusting their food intake in relation to their activity level. Puppies will have a higher amount of energy, and as your Mini Boxer ages, the level will decrease. However, this breed requires a fair amount of exercise to prevent them from becoming bored and overweight. Playing fetch and other games are ideal for providing one-on-one attention and releasing some energy. Mental stimulation is important too, so teach your Mini Boxer tricks, create an obstacle course, or get a puzzle toy for them to play with. They can be stubborn, but if you remain consistent and patient, they will learn to listen to you. Positive reinforcement with firm rules will teach your Mini Boxer that you are the leader but are also fair and will treat them with respect. The earlier you start, the better results you will receive because there is less chance of bad habits forming. After a hard day of training, your pup will be looking for a comfy spot to lounge. Regular baths will keep them smelling fresh, and cleaning their ears regularly will prevent infections that can affect floppy-eared dogs. However, you need to be proactive and provide the best care, which includes having your hybrid visit the veterinarian as recommended for regular checkups. Minor Conditions. While many breeders have their own version of what goes into the genes of the dog, they all seem to have one goal in mind and that is for the dog to look like a smaller version of the purebred Boxer. Some have been more successful than others in their attempts. Some breeders are simply breeding the Boston Terrier mixed with the Boxer. 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 breed. It is very common for breeders to breed multi-generation crosses. There are even cases where the dog does not even have Boxer in it at all, for example some are crossing the Rat Terrier with a Pug and calling it a Mini Boxer. Others call this mix a Puggat. Another example is a cross of the Pug with a Toy Fox Terrier. Others call this mix a Toy Poxer. Still others are more seriously working on creating a new purebred, writing a breed standard and registering it. Other breeds may also be included in the future to broaden the gene pool.
french bulldog mixed with english bulldog puppies - Ian discusses how we should learn to see the world from our dogs perspective and in doing so, how we can better earn their love and trust. Armed with this love and trust, we will form a better relationship and as a result, effective training becomes just that much more effective and enjoyable for both you and your dog. But please, first make sure to use the search facility in the footer of this website and browse our other sections as the subject may have already been covered: Labrador health and care , Labrador behavior , Labrador puppies , infobites and Labrador breed information. External Resources On Labrador Training Although referring to all breeds in general and not purely Labradors, for those of you that love to watch and not read, the series of dog training videos on www. If you like reading books then check out one of our favorite Lab books: The Complete Labrador Handbook. 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. If this is the case,…. How does it feel to be a new puppy parent? You must be chuffed. Take a look at these first few articles. All the ingredients you need for a happy home. But for now, beside your bed is the best place for your puppy to sleep — it will help them feel safe. Puppies like their crates rather cave-like; we suggest covering it with a blanket to block out light, but keep the front open so that they can see outwards. Make sure to make it snug inside with something like a vet bed or a blanket, or why not take it up a notch with a heat pad or hot water bottle to recreate the feeling of their mother. Nothing feels more comforting than that. Before you head to bed, take your puppy out for one last round of loo-going. Set your bedtime at a later time too — midnight sounds about right. Come back calmly, and place your puppy in the crate and turn out the light. Stuff you should know about Sleep Training your Labrador Your puppy will wake up several times in the night and will need the bathroom at least once! Be prepared for not-so-deep sleeps and tired mornings — just for the first few weeks. Having them sleep next to you is only temporary. Consistency is key! As for you, full nights of sleep will start getting closer and closer. Alone Training How can I teach my Labrador puppy to be ok on their own? Start by feeding your puppy in their crate during meal times. If they seem worried by you leaving, stay in view, and just pop right outside their confinement area. Keep it short and sweet: No need to stay away for long, 60 seconds tops will do for now. Repeat: Do this at least once a day to make progress go steady and smoothly. Socialization Exercises To Do this week Letting your Labrador puppy explore the yard Besides the gnomes and questionable yard furniture you may have, letting your puppy explore your own yard is a great and safe way to start showing them the sounds, lights and wonders of the outside world. Exploring different surfaces exercise Make sure that the surfaces you use are safe — nothing too crazy just yet. Gather surfaces such as An oven tray with a small layer of water A piece of astro turf A carpet tile A large piece of tin foil, cardboard or something crinkly PRO TIP: Set up for this exercise in the room your puppy spends most of their time in — it will help them to feel safe and confident. Pop the surfaces out safely on the floor and allow your puppy to investigate them. Nobody has ever enjoyed walking on those. Remember to be patient! Lucky for you — teaching them their name is easy peasy. Say their name in a happy jolly tone and reward with a treat. Repeat five times, 5 and take a break. Practice this 2 or 3 times a day so they get the hang of it. Teach your puppy to sit Teaching your puppy how to sit is a popular one. The first two are far more common though. Keep using this word when they do the right thing, and then follow it up with a food reward. In puppy logic, stinky means yummy. How to do it Start at home; where there are no distractions. Just make sure to shut off Gogglebox in the background. Recall — How to teach our Labrador puppy to come back when called Your puppy already knows their name at this point, so this should be a walk in the park. How to do it Treats and a cheerful voice will be what works here. Do these exercises before meal times so your puppy is more motivated. Practice this 5 times a day and in 3 different places in your house and yard to get them used to coming to you in all settings. How to do it Show your puppy that you have their favorite toy, and start to get them excited about it. When they show interest, throw it a little bit away from you. They will likely follow it and pick it up. If they do, encourage them back to you with your voice, so remember to sound happy! Swap the toy for a treat or another toy and do the process again. Repeat this about 5 times. Instead create more distance and excitement sounds to get them to come to you — spaniels like to show off, so they will likely want to parade what they have! Always swap the toy for something when they have it, this could be a treat or another toy. Resource guarding occurs when we force puppies to give up items or snatch things out of their mouths. For breeds like Labradors who are designed to want to hold things in their mouths, this is pretty important! Resource guarding is when a dog protects a resource from being taken by someone else — dog or human. For some reason, there is a solid list of things puppies find irresistible: Socks. Print Raising a retriever puppy like the pros Your Labrador puppy can seem small and fragile during those first few weeks home from the breeder. Labrador puppies will learn quickly about acceptable and unacceptable behavior those first few weeks, if you, the owner, are willing to set and enforce boundaries. Here is the training you should be working on with your week-old Labrador puppy. About this series of posts This is post three of a step-by-step training and socialization program for Labrador puppies. If you read our first post , you know that this series follows our training of Bubba, a female chocolate lab puppy. Bubba is already sold as one of our Custom Trained Retrievers, so it is our responsibility to raise and train her until she has progressed to the level of training the owner has requested. In this case, Bubba will be with us for almost a year and a half. Training and socialization for week-old Labrador puppy — week three home Your week-old puppy has been with your family for approximately 3 weeks now. This week you should start noticing some bigger changes with your puppy. Here are some of the changes I notice with Bubba. First, she is growing fast! Bubba is almost ready for a new collar already. I have loosened her current collar twice, and there is no more room to expand it. She is also learning a lot. Bubba is also becoming more personable. She likes and has more interest in people now and wants to be petted and scratched more often. Training equipment for Lab puppy We added a couple new training tools this week. But a thicker check cord will also work. We use this check cord for longer outside marks and assistant-marks which I will discuss more in a bit. Puppy sized canvas or light-weight plastic bumpers In week two, we introduced formal retrieving in a hallway in the house. In week three, we move outside with retrieving and introduce assistant throws, so it is helpful to have a few more bumpers. Puppy training that will continue Much of the training I have been working on for the past two weeks with Bubba will continue into this week and beyond. Dog training is not something that has a definitive end-date. For instance, you teach your puppy to SIT and then you must work and practice that command daily or weekly, often for months before the response to the command is solid. But even once the response is solid, you cannot completely stop training. If you stop training, even an older dog, the dog can lose the previous training. So, realize that you are never done working with your dog, especially on obedience training. Some areas that we will continue training Bubba on are: Crate training Bubba is doing great at crate training. She rarely makes any noise while in her crate and settles down quickly after being put into her crate. In the upcoming weeks, we will work towards getting Bubba to enter her crate on command. Looking for more information on crate training? Housebreaking Housebreaking Bubba is going well. We have caught her in a few accidents, but she already seems to understand that she is not supposed to go potty inside. This does not mean that she is done housebreaking. We still expect accidents and will for a few months, so we watch her carefully while she is running around in the house. We also praise her for behaviors like going to the door and tapping the door or whining at the door. These behaviors are rewarded with us taking her outside to go potty. When she goes potty outside, we praise her and then take her right back in. We want her to start understanding that these cue behaviors will get her out to go potty and that is all. Looking for more information on housebreaking? But we will also add a few new ones. We will use this while teaching our puppy the SIT command. It also will be used going forward, anytime we are done working on structured obedience work. We will release the dog from formal work with the OKAY command. But we also use it to mean go to a certain place, such as on a mat or stand. Or, when we want her to go into her crate or kennel. This is an associative command, meaning the puppy will learn the command through our repetition of the word as we tie it to a behavior. But over time, she will make the association and will perform it on her own. This is very important especially if you ever plan on doing more advanced training with your retriever. You will use whatever your dogs name is. A few commands that we will continue to work on this week We will continue to work on obedience commands this week and in the weeks to come. Each week we will expect a little more and better compliance and performance to the command. She is sitting when I put the leash and chain collar on her and when I am taking it off. This week we also added SIT before eating. We only make her SIT for a few seconds; we are working on control. She does not SIT on her own yet, but she will be doing that within a week or so I would guess. Right now, I grab her collar and say SIT. In week three, I have a slightly higher expectation. On walks, I make her walk right beside me for a minute or two using the HEEL command before releasing her and letting her run back and forth a bit. This tells me that she understands the command. Then release her. If every time your puppy comes to you, you put her away or take something away from her, soon your puppy will not want to come to you. You must work hard to make coming to you a good experience for your puppy. So, call her, praise her when she comes and release. Remember: Never use a HERE command if you are not in the position of being able to enforce the command. Make every effort to socialize your puppy You should continue to take steps to socialize your week-old puppy. Anything you can think of. The more things and situations you expose your puppy to, the better your puppy will be equipped to adjust and learn in the future. Learn more about socialization. Hand throws with a puppy bumper you are throwing out a bumper done outside will carry a lot more distraction than retrieves in a hallway. Just pick up the bumper and try again tomorrow. When retrieving outside, make sure you have a long foot rope attached to your puppy. Never try to do retrieves outside without a rope. You will have problems and encourage bad behaviors. You must have a way to get the puppy to come back to you, otherwise you should not be doing retrieves outside. Once your puppy is doing well retrieving outside, you are ready to introduce assistant marks. Introduction to assistant marks The most important thing we worked on with Bubba this week is assistant marks. Assistant marks are retrieves where someone else is throwing the bumper, not you. This teaches your puppy to watch out in the field for a mark. It is very rare that a duck will come from behind you, fly over your head and you shoot it. The ducks and pheasants will be falling in front of you, so the dog must learn to look out and watch for the mark. We start assistant marks on very short grass with white plugs so that the puppy can clearly see the item on the ground. We hold the puppy in a SIT position facing a thrower who is about 20 feet from you. When your puppy picks up the bumper, immediately start calling her back to you. Remember, you should have the foot check cord on her so you can pull the puppy in if needed. Then, take the bumper from her, throw it behind you, make your puppy sit facing the thrower again and repeat. Only do retrieves and then call it a day. Soon your puppy will learn this game and love it. They will start facing the thrower on their own and sitting and waiting for a mark. Final thoughts on training for your week-old Labrador puppy week-old puppies are so eager to learn, so be sure and take advantage of this enthusiasm to teach new concepts and enforce previous ones. Continue to teach your puppy to handle more and more pressure and correction while maintaining a good attitude. Lastly, assistant marks are a big deal. Once a dog learns this part of the game, you can work to increase the distance and complexity of the marks. If you are struggling or need additional help with your new puppy, you can email me ottertailkennels gmail. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs I offer. Until next time, happy retrieving. Print Early obedience first step to better hunting dog Labrador puppies start out sweet and innocent. All you want to do is cuddle up with your pup and love them! And you should! But rest assured the innocence will not last. As your pup gains confidence and courage, they will begin to test you in many ways. That is why you must obedience train your Labrador puppy. Early obedience training is key to establishing borders and boundaries that will help your puppy grow, learn, and adjust with a good attitude. There is no shortcut to doing this, just use the name often when you talk to your puppy. Over time, the pup will start to respond to the name. Socialization, while not technically obedience training, is the single most important thing you can teach your puppy during the first few months of life. If you are not sure how to do this, refer to this post. Tools needed to obedience train Labrador puppy You will need a few tools to teach your puppy obedience. The products I recommend I believe are a good value or good investment for anyone working to train or maintain training on their retriever. When possible, I include links to the product. Some of these links may be Amazon or other affiliate links in which I am paid a small commission at no cost to you. All opinions and recommendations are my own. Collar — You should purchase a size appropriate collar for your new puppy. You may have to buy new ones as your dog grows, but it is important for your puppy to get used to wearing a collar early on. A simple nylon adjustable collar works great. Chain collar — If your puppy is more than a few months old, a chain or prong collar is extremely helpful in teaching obedience, but they must be used correctly. For more information on how to put a chain collar on your dog correctly refer to this video. A longer lead, called a check cord, is also useful for teaching HERE and retrieving. You can learn more about that here. Heeling stick optional — While optional, a heeling stick can be especially helpful in teaching basic obedience. Treats — Treats are good for teaching very young puppies. I use treats for pups under 12 weeks of age, but treats should be discontinued rather quickly. When to start basic puppy obedience training Obedience training can and should start within the first couple weeks of having your puppy home. Young puppies are ready and willing to learn and teaching obedience to a young puppy is much easier than teaching it to an older dog. How long should obedience sessions be? Most labs do not enjoy obedience training. For this reason, we aim to keep obedience sessions short, especially if your dog is under 4-months of age. Five to ten minutes of obedience a day can work wonders. Especially if you are consistent. Using rewards or praise to teach obedience Many people like to use treats or rewards for obedience training. And this can work, especially with very young dogs. But for hunting dogs, over the long-term treats can become a problem. We do not want our dogs, or the dogs we train to be obedient only because they are getting a food reward. We want them to be obedient because they understand their place in the family and respect the owners. To get these lasting results, we use praise words and petting and a reward that retrievers live for — retrieves! Well-timed praise is a particularly important part of dog training. A message that it is okay to ignore me the first 9 times! This simply means that after a few minutes of formal obedience training, we release the dog with an OKAY command and that means they can run around and be a dog. We then throw a bumper or plug a for the dog to retriever. We do this a few times with a lot of excitement and allow the dog to retrieve the bumper. For retriever breeds, this is often more effective than a food reward. Be careful that you are not letting your puppy get into bad habits with retrieving. For instance, if your puppy often goes out to retrieve the bumper but then runs away with it, or picks it up and drops it, do not continue doing retrieves. While retrieving is a reward for many Labs, it is not an excuse to engage in behaviors that are not going to be acceptable in the field. If you want to learn more about how to properly teach your Lab to retrieve, check out How can I teach my retriever puppy to fetch? Introduction to leash and nylon collar The very first step for any puppy obedience is to introduce your puppy to a regular collar and leash. This should be done in two separate steps, first the collar and then the leash. Introduce the collar by putting a nylon type collar on your puppy. This is normal and you should not react to it. Introducing the leash is a little different. We like to do this outside. After a few sessions of this introduction, you can start holding the leash by the end and walking with the puppy. When the puppy tries to run or walk away, hold tight to the leash, and just let the puppy get used to the resistance. Some puppies have a hard time with this and will growl or whine and whip themselves around at the pressure, but most will not. Remain calm and after a few sessions the puppy should get used to the resistance of the leash. Do not allow the puppy to pull you around. That will make for some bad behaviors that you will need to correct later. If you cannot control your puppy with just a regular collar and leash, you may need to move to a chain or prong collar to keep control. What commands to teach Lab puppy There are only four basic obedience commands that you need to teach your young puppy. Remember when it comes to commands, less is more. OKAY — this is a release command, basically tells your dog were done training, go be a dog. As your puppy grows and learns more, there are some other commands that may be needed, but for puppies I like to start with just the four above. Dog training requires consistency Before you start with obedience training, I want to make a note about the importance of consistency. Obedience training only works if you are consistent. This means that when you say a command, you expect the puppy to perform the command, and are willing to take steps to make the puppy perform the command. If you do not remain consistent in this expectation, you will confuse your dog and get poor results from your training. You and your family must be consistent! How to start obedience training Lab puppy The first command you want to start teaching your puppy is SIT. This is quite easy to teach with a small puppy but gets a little tougher as they get bigger. Then release the puppy with the OKAY command. Repeat this process several times, then stop. If your puppy is weeks old, you can repeat this training several times a day for only a couple minutes at a time. This will be a two-person job for a little while. The other person will put the food down a few feet from the puppy. Then release the puppy to eat saying OKAY. As the pup learns and understands the command better, you will no longer need a second person to hold the puppy. You must be a little careful here because young puppies do not have great bladder control and making them wait, even a few seconds, can mean the difference between an accident and them doing their business outside. But this is a great way to teach impulse control and manners to your puppy. I do not want to have to fight for a position by the door. You can usually start working on this within a week or two of teaching SIT. A great way to teach this command to young puppies is to use two people and sit in a long hallway, one at each end. Take turns calling your puppy with a HERE command. A toy or treat can often help the process. Let your puppy run around a bit but hold onto the end of the cord. Occasionally, call you puppy with a HERE command. It can be helpful at first to crouch down to encourage the puppy to run towards you. Then release the puppy with an OKAY command. Do this a few more times and repeat daily until the puppy is coming to you without you needing to pull the cord. It is also the command most of our clients struggle with the most. Mostly because they are using the wrong tool for the job. For heeling work, it is important that you work with a chain or prong collar. This will give you more control and stop the pulling and surging that many people struggle with. Using a chain or prong collar and a six-foot leash, start walking your puppy at your side. If your puppy is young, be sure to use a puppy chain collar which is smaller than chain collars for adult dogs. And make sure that you are putting it on correctly! An alternate tool to a chain collar and leash is the Wonder or Command Lead. These work great for teaching HEEL. As you start walking use gently tugs on the chain collar with the command HERE to keep your puppy at your side. If your puppy surges or pulls ahead, simply make a degree turn and start walking the other direction giving a sharp, upward tug on the chain collar and saying HEEL several times until the dog is back in a heeling position. Many of our clients have told us they never left their driveway the first few days! But if you are patient and consistent, your dog will quickly learn that if they want to go for a walk, they need to stay at your side. If you want to learn and progress in more obedience work, check out these obedience drills for retrievers. Final thoughts on how to teach your lab puppy obedience Teaching your puppy obedience may take a lot of patience, time and work, but it is such an important thing to do. You will never regret the time! A well-mannered dog is such a joy to be around both in the home and in the field. How to obedience train Labrador puppy. Labrador Retriever pups are working dogs. This means they live to please you for a treat. The more you engage them with different puppy training behaviors the happier they will be. Of course, Labs will be Labs, and this means that dogs do dog things unless they are trained to follow your expectations. Potty training your puppy is just the beginning of you making clear expectations for your Lab. Puppy training from long leash training to potty training, to not nipping is discussed in greater detail along with clear, easy to follow videos at www. But we will give you an expert training tip summary below. For this reason, you need to become an expert on puppy training. Contact us for a discount on the Puppy Trained Right positive reinforcement training program. Expose your puppy to as many different people and situations possible. Teach dog to dog manners when required. Use Positive Reinforcement. Allow for Play with Other Puppies. Play with other Lab Puppies not only allows your pup to get some exercise it is a form of puppy socialization. Bond with your Puppy. Once a strong bond is formed your Lab Puppy will want to please you even more. Potty Train Right Away. Learn how Dogs Learn. Training a Lab puppy is easy if you understand how to go about it. Give your Lab Puppy Play time to Explore. Labs need this as part of their natural development. Spend more time with your puppy when young. This is the time when your expectations should be clearly outlined and can decrease as she gets older. Begin Training day 1. This happens weather or not you intend it to. Every action and reaction is something your puppy uses to form new habits. So ignoring them jumping up as an 8 week old puppy is training them to jump up and will be much more difficult to un-train once they are 70 lbs. Relax and make learning fun. Your pup needs you happy and enjoying yourself! Use Positive Training Methods because they work. This means reward what you desire. Ensure most Experiences are Positive. Imagine a training session of No, No, No, No! Expose them to as Many Human Situations possible. One cause is that there was not adequate socialization with different men. Be Patient. You are building an amazing K9 personality. The window is between 8 and 20 weeks old. Make the most of it. The better your Lab is socialized the happier they will be. Anxiety in dogs comes from many things. The more things your dog is comfortable with the less chance for anxiety and therefore the happier they are. Prepare yourself, your family and your home before your puppy comes home. It is too late once you meet your puppy as simply interacting with her is training. Allow for Safe Experiences both in the home and outside. Seek professional trainers to help guide you when faced with a problem. Be consistent. Clear expectations are easiest to learn. Focus on Guiding not controlling. Best Start Training or Training Classes are beneficial for both you and your puppy. Expect Success. We tend to move in the direction we believe we will travel. Reward the Behaviors you want to see even something as simple as 4 paws on the ground if you are trying to train your Lab not to jump up on you. Become Well informed. You are teaching a skill like reading that takes clear expectations and builds upon last session. Lab Puppies need constant supervision either human, a crate, a fenced area or a baby gate across a doorway. Encourage a soft mouth. Keep your training up or it will be forgotten. Begin Walking on a Loose Leash Right away. This is always easier for your Lab when they are 12 lbs not 70lbs. Change direction before the leash tightens so they are followers not leaders. This is much easier to train before it happens than correct. Allow alone time for your Lab. Know when to end a training session. End training before your puppy quits. Make time for a few shorter training Sessions. Three fifteen minute sessions are better than one 45 min one. Teach your Lab to respond to their name. Teach your Labrador basic obedience before tricks-come, sit, stay, down, leave it. Have all humans learn the commands and be consistent. Ignore undesirable behaviors. Ignoring includes not saying no, bad dog, touching your dog or making eye contact. Find rewards that your Retriever loves and use them when you have breakthrough training moments. Adjust your expectations as your Lab puppy matures, the older more experienced the higher the expectation. Set Realistic Expectations. Minimize distractions when you begin training. Be aware of your Body Language, Labradors pick up cues from you. Be aware of your leash tension. A tight leash says anxiety from the handler. Know when to get Help .Have fun! Understand that Labs do Lab things. Make them work for food and treats. Exercise your Retriever properly for both intensity and duration. Learn some exercise games Labs love. Give lots of repetition. Stop before they get bored. Establish a Pattern by Praising. Redirect undesired behavior. Accept partial actions at first and gradually increase your expectations. When treats end Verbal treats and chin scratches rule. They will know. Enjoy your well balanced purebred Lab puppy for many years. Purebred Lab Retrievers, are they easier to train? The answer to that is definitely maybe! Not all purebreds are bred for intelligence. For example, if a Labrador Retriever breeder chooses to breed their dogs for a certain look then they may overlook intelligence as one of the important characteristics in order to get a specific Lab look. We however breed for intelligence, health and temperament. So in our case, yes, our Purebred Lab Puppies are easier to train than many because we choose the parents and their puppies specifically for their smarts!
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french bulldog mixed with english bulldog puppies - German Shepherd Nutritional Requirements Other than simply minding the amount of food to feed a German Shepherd, you should also consider the quality of the food and the nutrients that it provides. Feeding your German Shepherd with low-quality dog food will cause malnutrition and lead to overeating and health issues like poor skin, gastrointestinal issues, and osteoarthritis. That said, not all protein and fats are created equal. And so, do also consider the sources of such nutrients. Choosing The Right Dog Food For Your German Shepherd Since puppies have different nutritional needs as compared to adult German Shepherds, it can be quite confusing to determine which food you should get for your dog. After all, commercial dog food companies have made it easy by producing specially formulated dog food that provides specific nutrients a dog needs based on breed and age. That said, there are a lot of choices in the market out there. For evening meals, it would be best if you feed your German Shepherd a few hours before bedtime. Mealtime Length Finally, as much as possible, set about a maximum mealtime length of 15 minutes. That amount of time would be sufficient enough for your German Shepherd to eat its fill and will help prevent your dog from becoming a picky eater. However, to get your puppy used to eating dry food, you would want to introduce dry food starting at around 4 to 6 weeks of age. To do so, soften up dry food by mixing it with milk replacer, and offer it to your puppy 3 to 4 times a day. As your puppy gets used to eating the food, gradually decrease the amount of milk replacer until the puppy eventually adapts to eating solid food. Your puppy should get used to eating dry and solid food by around 8 weeks of age. For a large breed like the German Shepherd, you should start transitioning into adult food starting at around 12 to 24 months old. Make sure to do this switch slowly over a one to two week period by mixing and gradually increasing the adult food with the puppy food to avoid or minimize gastric upset. This is as senior dogs typically require fewer calories due to lower energy needs brought about by lesser activity and slower digestion. Therefore, to keep your senior German Shepherd in shape, you must consider a low-calorie, high-fiber, and moderate protein and fat diet. Usually, you can keep on feeding your senior dog with a decreased amount of its adult food or with specially formulated food for older dogs. But, considering older dogs may already have medical conditions that need to be addressed, your best bet would be to consult with a veterinarian to come up with the ideal diet for your senior German Shepherd. As a general guideline, do not provide your dog with supplements unless directed by a veterinarian. Water Aside from providing your German Shepherd with food, also always remember to give it enough water to hydrate. If possible, provide your German Shepherd free access to clean and fresh drinking water to prevent dehydration. And as always, if you find yourself needing help, you can always consult with a veterinarian. Post navigation. Although dogs are not obligate carnivores by nature, they thrive on a protein-rich diet. Ideally, most of the protein you feed your GSD will come from animal and meat sources rather than plant sources. There are three basic types of food you can give a dog, and each has its opponents and proponents: Dry Food: Usually comes as a brown kibble and it is cheap, convenient, easy to store, and should contain a full and balanced diet for your dog. The kibble itself, as well as the chewing action required to eat it, can also aid your GSD in maintaining good dental hygiene. You should also check ingredients carefully to ensure that the food incorporates all essential vitamins and minerals and that it has the right protein and other ingredient ratios. Wet Food: Wet food looks like chunks of meat covered in jelly or gravy. Because the German Shepherd breed loves to chew, feeding wet food alone may not be enough to stave off the desire, so this kind of diet may make your GSD more likely to chew furniture and other items. While dry kibble can be left down most of the day, wet food can form bacteria after a couple of hours. Ideally, it should be lifted and any remnants disposed of after an hour. Wet food can be more expensive and tends to be higher in protein, but it does provide hydration as well as sustenance. Raw Food: The raw food diet is one that causes the greatest controversy. This food is made up of raw meat, usually including bones, as well as fruit and vegetables, as well as ingredients like probiotics and other natural additives. Proponents, on the other hand, say that their dogs have more energy, better-looking coat, and are fuller and more satisfied with their meals. Feeding a raw diet does require more effort on your part, costs more money, and will require research. If you give your dog treats , be sure to remove these calories and fat from their daily food intake. Even though the GSD is a large breed dog, they are still smaller than humans, so it can be difficult to comprehend exactly how much extra food you are giving. You are free to use this image, but please give credit back to Hepper. As such, whether you feed a dry or wet variant, the puppy food you give will have higher levels of protein and fat. If you continue to feed this to an adult dog, they will be more prone to put on weight because of the high-fat content. Small breed dogs are usually fully mature by around 10 months, medium dogs by 14 months, but large breed dogs can take up to 24 months to fully mature. Image Credit: Happy monkey, Shutterstock If it does happen to your German Shepherd, it is an obvious cause for alarm, but there are several reasons why a German Shepherd puppy may decide not to eat his food. Illness — If your puppy is feeling sick, the last thing it will want is to eat. Illness might include vomiting and diarrhea. It could be a short-term illness or something more serious. You should look for other signs and symptoms of illness and get veterinary help if required. Dental Problems — If your dog has dental problems, it could mean that their teeth hurt when they try chewing or biting, and this will make them reluctant to do so. Look in their mouth for signs of cracked, chipped, or broken teeth. Teething — Like humans, dogs go through a stage of swapping from their first teeth to adult teeth, and when this happens, it can cause discomfort and pain in the mouth— discomfort that prevents them from eating. Try offering softer foods, and consider putting their food in the fridge for a while before feeding. Medication — Some medications can cause nausea, while other medicines may lead to stomach pain. If your dog has recently started a new medication and this coincides with them not wanting to eat, you need to liaise with your vet straight away. They may be able to give a different medication. Separation Anxiety — Dogs are social animals, and this is especially true of puppies. Time of Day — It could simply be the case that your dog does not want to eat first thing in the morning or last thing at night. Try feeding at a different time of day. Spoiled Food — Wet food has a relatively short shelf life, and once it has been opened and served, your dog should eat it quickly. Wet food should usually be taken away within an hour or two of it being served. If it is spoiled, your dog will turn his nose up at the food. Stress — Stress is a major appetite suppressant in dogs, just as it is in humans. Picky Eaters — Some dogs will eat just about anything, whether it is meant as food or not. Others are incredibly picky eaters with dietary requirements to match the harshest food critic. Some combine these elements, so they will eat any garbage snack they can lay their teeth on but will only eat specific foods. Experiment with foods and always transition your puppy from one food to another slowly. Active male dogs should be eating at the upper end of this scale, so should be getting 3. Inactive and older dogs, who need less food, should be eating 2. They exercise less, burn off less energy, and their bodies do not need the same vitamins and nutrients as younger adult dogs or puppies. No age limit determines when a dog is considered to be senior. Your GSD will be less inclined to want to walk, will be less interested in chasing things, and may not want to play as much or for as long. German Shepherds tend to have a healthy appetite so it can feel like they eat a lot. If you ensure that the food you give is properly measured and that you have chosen food that is suitable for large breeds, then the following are reasons that your GSD could be showing signs of being hungry all the time. Lots of Exercise — The more exercise your dog gets, the more energy they burn off, and the greater their requirement for food to replenish this energy source. One hour of moderate exercise per day is considered a minimum for this breed. Any more than this and your German Shepherd may require more food. Anxiety and Stress — Anxiety and stress not only cause a lack of appetite but may lead to stress eating. Find out what is causing anxiety in your dog, and remove these stressors. Look for other symptoms of illness and consult with your vet if your dog is showing any signs. Bad Habits — Dogs are creatures of habit, and this means that they will benefit from having set meal times and routines. Try to feed your dog at the same time every day. If you feed a meal early, they may still expect food at their usual allotted time. However, certain human foods are considered very unhealthy for dogs. Always check before feeding human food to your dog, and avoid the following snacks at all costs because these are toxic for your dog: Chocolate. Since puppies have a lot of growing to do, they require plenty of calories. You can reduce the amount of food per pound of body weight until they reach standard adult measurements. The specific amount of food to feed a German Shepherd can vary because different dogs are sized differently and have various needs and levels of athleticism. To learn more about specific foods and ingredients, check out this article on the best diet for German Shepherds. Three to four meals of puppy food a day is ideal for a month-old German Shepherd, as the food will be easily digestible and keep the energy high throughout the day. Feeding a puppy 1—2 large meals might make them feel sick, or they may be unable to finish it all at once. When it comes to how much food to give a 1—4 month-old German Shepherd, the recommended amount is approximately one cup g or a little more, depending on activity levels per meal. Be sure to spread meals evenly throughout the day, and avoid feeding your puppy before bedtime. The West Greenwich Animal Hospital recommends not feeding a dog three hours before bedtime because they may need to go out for a toilet break at night. Since their stomachs and bodies are getting bigger, they can generally handle fewer large meals than more small ones. So, you can reduce the number of puppy food meals to 2 or 3. Since the number of meals is reduced, increase the amount of food per serving to approximately 1. The meals should be spread evenly throughout the day to ensure your German Shepherd has consistent energy levels. My German Shepherd Willow at 4 months old 10 to 12 Months At 10—12 months, a German Shepherd begins to mature as its body continues growing. Split approximately 4—5 cups —1, g of food between two meals. However, this is just a recommendation — as mentioned previously, your dog may require more or less than this depending on their activity levels. Keeping the amount of food at cups , g per day may be sufficient, or it may be best to start feeding your dog more or less than this. For example, many active or working German Shepherds may benefit from 6 cups 1. Again, the specific amount is circumstantial. However, some dog owners make the switch earlier. Honestly, this is the issue with every new pet parent. Below is a German Shepherd feeding chart to help you learn more about giving your pooch the right amount of food at the right time. Remember, the below are simply recommendations, so specific amounts can vary by dog and activity level. Age Amount of food per day Amount of servings per day months 3—4 cups — g spread across multiple servings 3—4 3—4. Always check the packaging of the food you buy for a more detailed analysis. There are endless dog food options, so making the right choice can be challenging and stressful. The main protein source is chicken, and it promotes immune system health and digestive performance. Suitable for puppies up to 15 months, this dog food is the perfect solution for young German Shepherds with lots of growing to do! One of the main benefits of this food is that it comes in different sizes, including a pound 6. This dog food contains all the nutrients a German Shepherd puppy needs to grow and thrive. Blue Buffalo dog food has real chicken, fruits, and vegetables, so your pooch will surely enjoy the delicious taste! It comes in two flavors — a chicken meal with oats and a lamb meal with brown rice. Either contains enough high-quality protein to ensure your pup can grow as healthily as possible. Medium-sized dog breeds can continue eating puppy food until 18 months. Like with puppy food, there are many adult German Shepherd dog food options, so choosing the right one can be challenging. Check out some of my below recommendations to make your search a little easier. Best Breed Dr. Best Breed Dog Food aids digestion as it contains a blend of soluble and insoluble fiber. According to a study, musculoskeletal disorders and the inability to stand are the two most common causes of death in German Shepherds. Since puppies need specific nutrients to grow, their food differs greatly from adult dog food. Puppies especially need protein because it aids with the growth and development of cells. Without adequate protein in the diet , puppies are more susceptible to serious health issues, including: Weight and muscle loss General weakness Chest and abdomen issues German Shepherds can continue eating puppy food for the first year of life and beyond. Usually, 16—18 months is a good time for a dog to start eating adult food. The most important thing to remember is that adult food is never the right choice for a German Shepherd puppy that still has much growing to do. However, there are many other factors to consider when it comes to feeding a German Shepherd, like their general weight and activity levels. Weight and Size The weight of your German Shepherd will determine how much to feed it. The general rule of thumb is that the heavier your dog is, the more food it needs to stay fueled. The average adult German Shepherd is around .Pay attention to the general height and size of your German Shepherd to determine exactly how much food to feed them. For example, an underweight German Shepherd will need extra food to get back to a healthy weight, whereas an overweight one will need less food. As you can imagine, a highly energetic dog will need more food than a German Shepherd that lies around all day. If your German Shepherd is still relatively young, i. Health Health issues can affect the way a dog eats. For example, a dog with stomach issues might avoid food altogether. Other health conditions that affect how much a dog can eat include: Pancreatitis Infections Cancer Consider whether your dog is experiencing health issues when feeding them. For instance, if your dog is shedding too much, you need to change a diet that minimizes shedding. Age The age of a German Shepherd helps determine how much food should be eaten and how often. For example as mentioned earlier , younger dogs must eat smaller meals spread evenly throughout the day, while older dogs can have 2 larger meals. A vet can weigh your German Shepherd, ask questions, and listen to the heartbeat to determine a healthy diet plan. As Willow is now a senior dog, I like to take her for vet checkups every 6 months. In many cases, giving puppies homemade food over long periods can cause health issues down the line. A study by the National Library of Medicine concluded that a homemade diet given by the owner caused a puppy to experience various health issues, including vitamin D deficiency and NSH nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism. You can give a small treat here and there, but human food should never make up the entire diet of a puppy. Below are some tasty examples! Eggs Not only are eggs beneficial for humans, but they can also be good for dogs if given in moderation. German Shepherds puppies and adults will receive plenty of nutrients from eggs, including protein and fats. The best and easiest way to give a German Shepherd an egg is to hard boil it. Avoid feeding a German Shepherd or any dog fried eggs too often due to the excessive oil. Hard-boiled eggs are usually the easiest for dogs to eat, but you can also try poached or scrambled eggs. Examples of dog-friendly fruits include: Bananas. The two most obvious goals of feeding your German Shepherd are for health and growth. How fast do German Shepherds grow? German Shepherds are medium-large dogs and therefore grow at a fast rate over the first six to seven months leading up to adolescence. Adult German Shepherds are 22 to 26 inches tall and weigh 50 to 95 pounds. Reputable weight charts suggest your German Shepherd puppy will have attained three-quarters of their final weight over these first six to seven months. This is A LOT of growing to do in a short amount of time — when you brought your puppy home, it was probably only eight inches tall and weighed around 15 pounds. By 12 to 15 months old, a German Shepherd is within an inch or less of their adult height. Therefore, your male German Shepherd will be 23 to 25 inches tall and weigh 59 to 93 pounds by his first birthday. How does diet affect the health of growing Shepherds? Recently it has come to light that a proper diet for puppies does more than prevent malnutrition. As part of this proper diet, there are many things that should never be fed to German Shepherds. Orthopedic Problems Many orthopedic problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia have a strong hereditary component. However, people often discount the role of diet in bone developmental issues. Merely creating an oversized puppy, as is often the case for show animals and people fixated on large dogs, can lead to several painful disorders: Hip dysplasia Elbow dysplasia Panosteitis — Generalized inflammation of the long bones in puppies; common in German Shepherds. Overnutrition and over-supplementation of certain vitamins and minerals lead to paradoxical malnutrition of the bone, and subsequently improper development. Nutritional experts have modified their recommendations regarding the diets of large-breed dogs. Many nutritionists and veterinarians advocate feeding German Shepherds and other large-breed puppies an adult or professionally-formulated homemade diet to limit the occurrence and severity of developmental problems. Pet food manufacturers have caught onto the concept of overnutrition in puppies, and most carry special diets for large-breed puppies. Also, do not supplement your puppy with vitamins, minerals, or proteins without veterinarian direction — their excessive use will disrupt bone and cartilage growth and harm the growth plates. Many people use the food bag as a starting point to decide how much to feed their dogs. However, a label on commercial food is one of the easiest ways to overfeed your growing puppy. Feeding your puppy involves regularly evaluating and tracking their weight. You should be able to assess how close your pup is to their ideal weight just by looking at them. Silhouette from the side — a slight tuck. Pat the ribcage where the abdomen slightly lifts towards the hips. From above — Clear waist; should see an hourglass shape from rib cage to hips When you palpate — You should feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat without having to prod very hard. Puppies will vary in their body scores and may change rapidly within a few days. Pups often lose their abdominal tuck right after a meal. Puppies under 16 weeks old commonly have a pot-bellied appearance without much abdominal tuck. Thin dogs will show more visibility of ribs, waist, and pelvis without appearing emaciated or unhealthy. If your puppy eats well but fails to grow or gain sufficient weight, consult a medical professional. German Shepherds can be susceptible to rare cases of pituitary gland dwarfism or a deficiency of enzyme production from the pancreas. Volume The easiest way to determine how much food to give your Shepherd pup is to figure out how many cups they need in a day and divide it by the number of feedings. German Shepherds eat about four cups of food daily from 16 weeks of age to nine months or a year regardless of weight. The volume accounts for the relatively high caloric requirements of the young growing animal. German Shepherds over a year old may need as much as five to eight cups of dog food. Other references, however, use weight rather than age. Pups eat one cup of food daily per 15 to 20 pounds. Dogs over pounds receive five cups of kibble plus an additional half a cup for every extra 20 pounds. Like all models, more active dogs need to eat more food — make adjustments up or down based on body scoring. You can estimate the volume to feed your German Shepherd pup once you find the conversion rate. Dry dog food bags and wet food cans usually have the kilocalorie equivalence of each cup of the product. The number of calories you feed your Shepherd depends on how close to the adult weight they are. Once your puppy reaches six weeks old, you may still have to feed it a mash but can decrease meals to four per day. German Shepherd puppies between the ages of 12 and 16 weeks can eat three to four times daily, while most dogs over four months of age decrease to a frequency of two to three times daily. Centering a few potty breaks around meals that stimulate their intestinal tracts helps develop consistent habits. GDV Your German Shepherd puppy will begin to develop a deeper chest combined with significant size by four to six months of age. Both physical characteristics put your puppy at additional risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus compared to smaller breeds. Four months is the age at which most pups will see a significant increase in their meal sizes. Studies have linked large meals with GDV , or bloat, life-threatening distension, and rotation of the stomach. Increasing the number of feedings greatly reduces the incidence of GDV. We recommend at least two meals a day for your dog, even as your Shepherd approaches adulthood. How much to feed a German Shepherd puppy is part of a broader equation that includes avoiding overfeeding, calculating portion sizes, and scheduling appropriate mealtimes. However, a fat or pudgy puppy is not a look anyone should encourage. The puppy may appear to be in good shape, but you need to feel the ribs to be certain. Four Months You can really start to see the amount the pup has grown compared to the eight-week-old puppy! To get a better idea of what to expect with a young GSD, feel free to watch this video! It illustrates the rapid growth rate of the German Shepherd and touches on diets as well. Recommended reading. Split that daily amount up between all meals. For example, if your 3-month-old GSD puppy is a male and weighs 30 pounds, you should feed him approximately 2 cups per day. Since she no longer needs the extra calories to help support her fast growth period, you can safely reduce her feedings to 2 or 3 meals per day. While she should still be eating puppy food at this point, you may consider purchasing a bag of her eventual adult formula. You can use individual kibbles from the adult formula for treats or training rewards. This will help her get used to the new flavor and texture. Around 9 months of age, you can begin slowly adding a small amount of the adult formula into her puppy food, though she should still be eating primarily puppy chow. Only your vet will be able to tell you when your dog has reached maturity and can be safely moved to adult food. So, make sure you are in close contact with your vet to be sure that your feeding plan is individualized for your specific dog. Adult dog food will have a different ratio of calcium, protein, phosphorus, and other nutrients than puppy food does. Feeding an adult dog a puppy formula can cause obesity as well as put too much strain on kidneys and other vital organs. Long term use of inappropriate food for an adult dog can have catastrophic consequences. That said, there is no need to panic if your adult GSD eats a bowl of puppy food now and then. Adult German Shepherds should be fed twice a day. Again, bloat is a real problem for large breed dogs, and large meals seem to be a big cause of this. I feed my adult dogs this particular blend for a number of reasons. The blend is designed specifically with German Shepherds in mind, as it uses high-quality, animal-based nutrients to counter the extra stress put on the joints of GSDs and to help the development strong lean muscle to keep your dog in peak physical condition. You really can see the difference. This is evident by the fast decline in health, joint flexibility, and energy in older large breed dogs compared to same-age smaller breeds. When your GSD moves from the adult life stage to senior, you need to adjust her diet. Large breeds reach the older stage not quite senior, but close around half of their assumed life expectancy. Inevitably, your GSD will need to switch over to a senior diet. Older large breed dogs have lower energy needs. Older dogs also tend to slow down their digestion, so an increase in fiber might be a good choice for your senior GSD. Do be sure to confirm this with your vet, however. Not all foods are created equal. For treats, senior dogs should avoid calorie-dense milk bones and high-salt or fatty treats. Opt for healthy, whole-food treats such as apple slices or carrots. Some senior dogs begin to develop health conditions that will require special care. This is often a result of poor nutrition early in life, but can sometimes simply be genetics and old age catching up with them. But for GSDs with health issues such as kidney disease and joint pain, diet can play an even bigger role in the quality of their lives. Getting a personalized recommendation from your veterinarian is worth the time, expense, and effort. These charts can seem pretty straightforward at first glance. Instead, use them as a starting point. Observe your dog, see how he looks and feels, and note any changes in his bathroom habits, weight, or energy level. Adjust his meals accordingly. Generally speaking, they talk about daily intake, not per meal. It means to split that 3 cups total over the entire day. If your dog eats 3 times per day, that would be 1 cup at each meal for a total daily intake of 3 cups. To further confuse dog parents, some manufacturers do list per-meal serving sizes, not the total daily intake! In these cases, if you read it incorrectly, you would end up underfeeding your dog. To help mitigate some of this confusion, it may be helpful to ask your vet how many calories your dog should be consuming each day. Then you can check the calorie content in the dog food and measure things from there. Raw Diets, Cooking for Dogs, and Other Alternative Feeding This article has been focusing mainly on commercially available dry kibble since that is what most pet parents ultimately choose for their dogs. However, there are many dog owners that choose to feed alternative diets. These include raw diets and cooking regular people food for dogs. There are many viable options for feeding your healthy German Shepherd, but there are just as many harmful fads, too. As with commercial foods, be sure to speak with your vet before starting your dog on a raw diet or home-cooking her meals. Human supplements are often unregulated, minimally effective, and often contain substances harmful to animals. Never use a human supplement for your German Shepherd. Final Thoughts What you feed your German Shepherd is just as important as how much you feed them. Pay special attention to the first 4 or 5 ingredients listed on the back of the packaging. Choose high-quality, safety-tested foods with clear ingredient and nutrition labels. The best food for German Shepherd puppies in their first two to four months of life is milk from their mother. This specialised care is usually left to German Shepherd breeders or veterinarians, who are knowledgeable in caring for pups with no mother to nurse from. If you have recently brought a German Shepherd puppy into your family, they are most likely older than 8 weeks, and so have started to eat solid foods. Before the four month mark, it is advised to include some dry food in their diet. You can do this in a few simple steps: Mix some dry food with specially formulated puppy milk to form a soft mixture. You can feed your puppy this mixture three to four times a day. Over time, reduce the amount of milk you include in this mixture, until they are at the point where they are happily eating dry foods. Read on to learn how much you should feed your German Shepherd puppy as they get older. With this rapid growth can come some risks. German Shepherds are susceptible to bone growth disorders, like hip dysplasia, that can start in puppyhood. They will be very active in their adolescent years, and so should be fed with this in mind. The transition from puppy food to adult food should happen between 12 and 24 months of age. This is because, being a larger breed who grows very quickly, you want to ensure that you are feeding them according to their large breed needs. Remember that the more active the pup, the more food they require. While following feeding guidelines is important to avoid over and underfeeding, you can adjust the amounts of food you provide to your dog based on level of activity. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask your vet for guidance. You need to take special care when considering what you should feed your German Shepherd puppy, as they require different nutrients compared to their adult counterparts. For puppies, this amount will often be two of three times higher, as they are more active and growing quickly. German Shepherd puppies need to eat food that is high in proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are also essential for supporting your active pup. Aside from nutritionally complete dry puppy food, German Shepherd puppies can benefit from the extra protein that raw meat can provide them with, such as lean beef, turkey, chicken, or fish. However, they can also be at risk of gastric dilatation or volvulus, or GDV. Certain dog breeds can be more susceptible to GDV; particularly deep chested breeds including German Shepherds. GDV can occur when a dog bloats a few hours after eating a meal. Though the exact causes of GDV are not known, grains and cereals are suspected to be contributors. The amount of food you give your German Shepherd is determined by their weight, energy levels, and age. For most adult German Shepherds, between 1, to 2, calories per day from high quality food sources is ideal. Female German Shepherds, which tend to be about 8 kilos lighter than males, may need less food, as will less active dogs. Dogs who need less food, whether they are less active or simply older, will usually still need around 1, and 1, per day. You may want to alter the amount of food you are feeding your German Shepherd based on how calorically dense their food is. German Shepherds should be fed twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Their daily allotment of food should be split evenly between these two meals. For most dogs, it is recommended that you exercise your dog before meal times to assist with potty training. However, some dogs who are at risk of GDV may benefit from exercise after eating, to aid with digestion. You should also try to give your German Shepherd a high quality food that is specially designed for larger or working breeds, especially if they are very active. For example, less active senior dogs will need to eat less food as they will not be burning calories as quickly as a lively little puppy will. Senior dogs may benefit from a higher fibre and lower calorie diet. Your dog may also develop chronic or short term medical conditions that require specially formulated food. German Shepherds can be particularly susceptible to skin disease or allergies, including canine atopic dermatitis, bacterial skin infections, flea allergy dermatitis, forms of contact dermatitis, or scabies. If your dog develops a skin issue, it is often a sign that they may be suffering from a form of food sensitivity. If you are unsure about what you should feed your German Shepherd, you should always consult your vet as they will be able to determine if your dog is suffering from any allergies or chronic health issues: creating a nutritional plan to help keep your dog healthy and happy for years to come. Part of figuring out what you should feed your German Shepherd includes deciding between wet, dry, or a raw food diet. Wet food for German Shepherds is often high in protein and fat, and is better at keeping your dog hydrated than other food sources. A raw diet can be a good option for your German Shepherd as you have more control over the kinds of food and amount of nutrients your pup is consuming. For this reason, raw diets require a lot more work on your part as an owner. Whatever you decide to feed your German Shepherd, all dogs need a similar ratio of nutrients in their diets. The amount of food you feed your dog should be determined by their activity levels, age, weight, breed, and size. Any meals prepared for your dog need to contain the right balance of nutrients. You should also be extra careful not to introduce your dog to foods that are harmful to their health. While we might enjoy the taste of nuts, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and onions, these can be toxic for dogs and can cause serious illness and even death. German Shepherds in particular need plenty of exercise as they are a large working breed with a lot of energy. No matter how old your German Shepherd is, it is important to keep to a consistent feeding schedule. A feeding schedule can help you keep track of any changes in behaviour around food that might signal illness or physiological stress.