german shepherd puppies for sale in johannesburg

Adoption Process Mini Goldendoodle Goldendoodles are mixes between Golden Retrievers and Poodles that are very affectionate, playful, and all around a very friendly dog. They are known to be a great breed for novice owners, but loved by experienced pet owners as well, as they are fairly easy to groom and get along well with children and other dogs. Highly intelligent, they are usually easy to train and have a high energy level that requires regular exercise. They are typically larger dogs that do not adapt well to apartment style living but would instead prefer to have a larger area to play, indoors or outdoors. This breed does not shed much which can make them great dogs for owners with allergies, but this requires them to be groomed regularly. Goldendoodles have a high sensitivity level but are generally friendly around strangers. They are gentle dogs that are highly social and not great as guard dogs or watch dogs but have done well in roles such as therapy dogs or other service dogs. These dogs do best when they are around the people they love and should not be kept outside or in an outdoor kennel; they will experience separation anxiety when kept away from their owners for long periods of time. When left for a while, they do best to be kept in a kennel temporarily, and their destructive behaviors can be avoided by providing them with toys to chew on and by having a radio playing in the background. Miniature Goldendoodles are usually a mix between Miniature or Toy Poodles crossed with a Golden Retriever, which usually results in a dog that is 13 to 20 inches tall and weighs on average 15 to 35 pounds. These sizes, however, can vary greatly depending on the size of the parents for each puppy. They are generally healthy dogs but, like all breeds, can be prone to certain conditions. This breed has a desire to please and are known for developing affectionate bonds with their owners which makes them an excellent breed for owners excited to play with them. This information is only a generalization and we make no guarantees on any breed related to personality, appearance, or typical health characteristics. Life Span Did You Know? Although this breed is very popular, it is not currently recognized by the American Kennel Club. As long as they are well-socialized, Miniature Goldendoodles tend to make excellent family companions. They tend to get along well with children, other dogs, and other pets. Although they will alert you of strangers at the door, they tend to warm up quickly as they are more interested in making friends and receiving attention. Mini Goldendoodles are highly adaptable dogs. Their smaller size makes them a great fit for apartment living or for bigger homes with yards where they can run. As long as they get enough daily exercise, mental stimulation, and attention, they can adapt well. These little dogs tend to do well in just about any climate. However, like any dog, they are sensitive to heat. Due to their smaller size, you may need to gear up with some dog-friendly winter gear when temperatures start falling. Because this dog breed is loyal and people-oriented, they love to be in your company and do not like being left alone for long periods of time. This means they can be prone to developing separation anxiety if you do not work with them on it early on. Instead, make sure your new Mini Goldendoodle puppy has an active role in your life. If you do need to leave them alone for a bit, make sure they have some comforting toys or challenging puzzles to keep them from getting bored. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. Make sure you are asking about the health and genetic history of the parents. You can also ask about any health tests and clearances that have been done. The Mini Goldendoodles is a highly intelligent dog that picks up on things quickly and is eager to please. They tend to be sensitive to tone of voice as well. As long as training is consistent and focused on positive praise and reward, a Mini Goldendoodle will strive to be obedient and impress you and tends to excel at almost any task. These traits make the Mini Goldendoodle one of the best dog breeds for first-time owners and a good fit for owners of all experience levels. Daily brushing is recommended to remove tangles and prevent mats. Bathing is occasional and can often be relegated to the dog groomer that is recommended you visit every weeks. The groomer can help handle some of this during visits, but you will still need to do some maintenance at home between visits. Nail trims once or twice monthly keep nails from growing too long. Weekly ear checks with careful cleanings as needed help prevent ear infections. Daily brushing, plus cleanings at the vet as needed, is good dental care for dogs and can help prevent painful dental diseases later in life. Although the parents of this breed have a lot of energy, a Mini Goldendoodle tends to sit in a more moderate activity range. Daily walks plus some playtime and time to run are usually enough for them. But, they are also likely to match their energy level to yours, so be prepared for some bursts of energy as well as plenty of cuddling on the couch. Fully-grown Mini Goldendoodles usually stand inches tall at the shoulder. A Miniature Goldendoodle puppy can vary in size based on the generation of the dog. The result is generally a dog that will range from pounds. Looking at the size of the parents for an F1 or F1-B puppy can be a good indication of what size to expect in a fully-grown Miniature Goldendoodle. Mini Goldendoodles generally live for years on average. Featured Mini Goldendoodle Article. Look no further than Goldendoodle for sale! These adorable dogs are a mix of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle, and they make the perfect family pet. These breeders will provide you with all the information you need to ensure that your new pup will be happy and healthy. They were first bred in the United States in the s as a hypoallergenic guide dog. The idea was to combine the intelligence and trainability of the Poodle with the friendly and outgoing nature of the Golden Retriever. The result was a dog that was not only hypoallergenic but also highly trainable and great with families. Today, the Golden Doodle is a popular choice for both pet owners and working dog enthusiasts. What is the temperament of Golden Doodles: The Golden Doodle is a friendly, outgoing, and intelligent dog that makes an excellent family pet. They are known for their affectionate nature and their love of people, making them great companions for children and adults alike. They are also highly trainable and excel in obedience training, making them popular choices for working dogs. Golden Doodles are generally happy and energetic, and they thrive on social interaction with their owners and other dogs. Health of Golden Doodles: Golden Doodles are generally healthy dogs, but like all breeds, they can be prone to certain health problems. One of the most common health issues in Golden Doodles is hip dysplasia, a condition where the hip joint does not develop properly. Other health concerns may include ear infections, skin allergies, and eye problems. To ensure that your Golden Doodle stays healthy, it is important to work with a reputable breeder who carefully selects their breeding stock and provides proper veterinary care for their dogs. Regular check-ups with your veterinarian can also help to catch any health problems early on, so they can be treated promptly. If you are looking for the cutest Golden Doodle Puppy…then look NO further because you have found her! This love-bug will make a loyal, loving companion dog who will follow you all over. She is social and raised with children. She has a nice personality and will definitely brighten up your days. This puppy is vet checked, vaccinated, wormed and comes with a 1 year genetic health guarantee. Schedule an appointment to see her today! History of Golden Doodle Puppies The Golden Doodle is a relatively new breed of dog that has gained popularity in recent years. They were first bred in the United States in the s as a hypoallergenic guide dog. The idea was to combine the intelligence and trainability of the Poodle with the friendly and outgoing nature of the Golden Retriever. The result was a dog that was not only hypoallergenic but also highly trainable and great with families. Today, the Golden Doodle is a popular choice for both pet owners and working dog enthusiasts. What is the temperament of Golden Doodles: The Golden Doodle is a friendly, outgoing, and intelligent dog that makes an excellent family pet. They are known for their affectionate nature and their love of people, making them great companions for children and adults alike. They are also highly trainable and excel in obedience training, making them popular choices for working dogs. Golden Doodles are generally happy and energetic, and they thrive on social interaction with their owners and other dogs. Health of Golden Doodles: Golden Doodles are generally healthy dogs, but like all breeds, they can be prone to certain health problems. One of the most common health issues in Golden Doodles is hip dysplasia, a condition where the hip joint does not develop properly. Other health concerns may include ear infections, skin allergies, and eye problems. To ensure that your Golden Doodle stays healthy, it is important to work with a reputable breeder who carefully selects their breeding stock and provides proper veterinary care for their dogs. Regular check-ups with your veterinarian can also help to catch any health problems early on, so they can be treated promptly. This stunning Golden Doodle Puppy is a real joy to be around! She is family raised with children and will make a lovely addition to any household. This gal will be a great companion and lapdog. She is a social, spunky and fun-loving puppy! This gal can be registered and is vet checked, vaccinated, wormed and comes with a 1 year genetic health guarantee. Call about her today!

As we combine two different purebred dogs, there are so many possible variations and outcomes! Of course, a Bernedoodle puppy will inherit its traits and characteristics from its lineage. The traditional Bernese Mountain Dog coat features a solid jet black base color with white and rust or tan markings. The tan and rust markings are usually present above the eyes, on the cheeks, on each side of the chest, on the legs, and under the tail. The white markings are found on the muzzle, between the eyes, on the chest, neck, and paws. Bernese Mountain Dog Poodle Colors Poodles, on the other hand, most commonly come in a variety of solid colors, such as black, blue, gray, silver, brown, red, apricot, cream, cafe au lait, silver beige, and white. In addition to that, Poodles can also come with different color combinations like black and brown, black and tan, black and apricot, black and cream, brown and apricot, brown and white, and other combinations of the more common solid colors. As you might guess, black and white Bernedoodles have a black solid dominant color and white markings on the face, neck, and chest. Merle Bernedoodle One of the rarest, but most beautiful Bernedoodle colors is the merle pattern. Merle Bernedoodles have a solid base color with speckled patches of diluted colors throughout the coat. The merle coat gene is not as common in either Poodles or Bernese Mountain Dogs, but it can be passed onto the Bernedoodles when one of the parents is carrying the merle gene. A higher chance of achieving a merle Bernedoodle pup is by crossing a Poodle with a merle Bernedoodle. However, ethical breeders will never cross two merle Bernedoodles, as this increases the risk of serious health issues like blindness and deafness. Red and White Bernedoodle Red and white Bernedoodle is another rare color combination that features a mixture of reds and whites. The more traditional red and white Bernedoodle color has a solid red base on most of the body, while the chest, face, paws, and legs have white hair. Additionally, there are parti red and white Bernedoodles, where the base color is white throughout the body. In contrast, the red markings are found on the face, ears, and sometimes on the back as well. Black Bernedoodle A solid black Bernedoodle is more of a rare find compared to the black and white Bernedoodle and tri-color Bernedoodles. If the goal is to achieve a black Bernedoodle, both parent pups should carry the same recessive gene. The Bernedoodle tri-color pattern features three different colors on the coat. There can be various tri-color patterns with colors like black, brown, tan, rust, apricot, red, white, and cream. The dominant base color is usually darker and white markings are found on the face, chest, feet, and paws. Sable Bernedoodle Another popular choice is the sable Bernedoodle color. Sable Bernedoodles have a solid base color, but the hairs have black tips. Of course, the overall look depends on how much of the hair lengths are colored black from the ends. Phantom Bernedoodle Phantom Bernedoodles are somewhat similar to tri-colored Bernedoodles, but they have less white markings and more brown hues in their coats. The most common phantom combination is black and tan. These pups usually have dominant black color all across the body with tan markings on the face, chest, legs, and paws. This is again a more rare Bernedoodle color out there, but it sure does look beautiful! Chocolate Bernedoodle Chocolate Bernedoodles can come in a variety of patterns. Rare Bernedoodle Colors Of course, in addition to all of the Bernedoodle colors and color combinations we listed above, there are countless other colors and patterns that the puppies can come in. Many of them surprising even the breeders. It all comes down to their genetics and which dominant and recessive genes are present. Additionally, keep in mind that not all puppies in the same litter inherit the same coat colors. As with any Doodle, combining two different breeds gives us endless possibilities. Like many other Doodles, Bernedoodles often carry the fading gene , which is usually inherited from the Poodle side of their lineage. This typically occurs anywhere from 6 to 10 months of age. The fading, also called clearing, is most noticeable in darker colored Bernedoodles who have blacks and browns in their coat. Black Bernedoodles with the fading gene often change into silver, gray, or bluish tones. Chocolate or brown Bernedoodles can turn silver, cream, or silver beige over time. However, merle Bernedoodles might be at a slightly higher risk of certain health problems, such as deafness or blindness. To be fair, it all comes down to your preferences and which colors you like. However, we do recommend you choose your new family member based on their health and temperament, not for their looks only. Black Bernedoodles can fade into gray or silver tones, and chocolate Bernedoodles might fade into silver, silver beige, and beige tones. The only way to accurately predict the color of your puppy is by DNA testing, which you can arrange at an additional cost with your breeder. The rarest variations are bi-color black and white Bernedoodle, sable, phantom, and merle patterns, solid black, and solid white. In conclusion, choosing the color of your Bernedoodle puppy is one of the more difficult decisions that you face. They all look beautiful in their own way, but one thing is for sure — all Bernedoodles have amazing personalities, regardless of their coat color. We hope this guide has given you a good idea about all the different Bernedoodle colors and patterns that are available out there. What is your favorite Bernedoodle color? Let us know in the comments below! Avoid making the mistake of choosing the wrong Doodle temperament for your family, lifestyle, or current living situation. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. What IS a Bernedoodle? These are NOT mutts which implies a breeding between unknown breeds or not carefully planned. These are designer breeds that are bred for a specific purpose. We produce an incredible bernedoodle that displays the qualities of both our champion line Standard Poodles and the Bernese Mountain Dog pedigrees. The advantage of a carefully planned mixed breed is that you get the added advantage of a phenomenon called "hybrid vigor". This process shuffles new combinations of genes that helps to increase longevity and decrease the usual ailments that impact many purebred dogs such as various forms of inherited types of cancer not all cancers have a genetic basis such as small and large cell lymphoma which is usually a result from environmental exposure. The bernedoodles are super healthy and are not as prone to the same issues that Bernese mountain dogs and standard poodles are. As a result, you have a family member for a lot longer and that will live a vibrant and healthy life if properly cared for diet, exercise, and family integration are all important components toward helping the dog to live a long happy life with you.You can see the links above about the qualities of Standard Poodles and Bernese Mountain Dogs as both are extraordinary breeds in their own right and for many, purebreds of these may be a great option as well. We prefer the Bernedoodle as they get the best of both breeds, incredibly loyal, goofy, smart, playful, intelligent, and has one of the best dog personalities we have seen in a family dog. The Premier F1 Standard Bernedoodle is a low- to mostly nonshedding we use standard poodles that do not carry the improper coat alleles and Bernese mountain dogs that have thick wavy curly coats.If you want a guarantee on non shedding, then you should try to select an F1b or F1bb bernedoodle. Both look amazingly similar to the F1 standard bernedoodles but maybe a little smaller. We will produce about 2 F1b and F1bb standard bernedoodle litters per year for those wanting a more curly coat in their bernedoodles. Premier Bernedoodles love to be with the family and do not do well in enviroments of isolation. Wherever the family is, that's right where they want to be. They are stunning dogs, and you'll likely get alot of attention and people asking you what kind of dog you have. They are beautiful and along with their incredibly gentle personalities, you will have an absolutely stunning dog. They are a perfect companion dog that love to go on walks through the city or hikes in the woods or mountains or a swim at the beach. They love it all and will be at your side the entire time. They don't tend to wander away as they prefer to be with you.They equally love just hanging out with you on the couch watching your favorite movie or watching you reading a book. They really love it all as long as you're a part of it. They are so loyal to the family. Bernedoodle puppies do have energy like most puppies, and this will continue thru about years of age at which time they really mellow out. They are not nervous nor hyper but will need some off leash time where they can really stretch their legs and run. The old motto "a tired puppy is a good puppy" always prevails! Just make sure they have a lot of fresh water and a cool spot to cool off afterward. Due to the the recombination and shuffling of new genetic variations, they do show some variation in their coloration however they also all have a common morphology that tells you it's a bernedoodle. Although we do take deposits on a first come, first pick basis, we will know the puppies well, their personalities, and can help select a puppy that best fits your lifestyle and what you are looking for. We only use Standard Poodles and Bernese Mountain Dogs to produce our Premier Bernedoodles so that any dog we accept into our Premier Bernedoodle program have passed stringent health tests, display family oriented personalities, and exhibit the best of conformation so that our bernedoodles are absolutely beautiful. Be very cautious when purchasing a purebred or bernedoodle without doing your due diligence as the puppies will always be cute, but will exhibit the personalities of the bloodline used later in life.Therefore, use a reptutable breeder that has invested in the dogs they use for their breeding programs and that raise them as their own family members. They should be able to produce their pedigrees as well, and should have both parents on site so you can see how they react to you. We are very Type A when it comes to the quality of dogs which makes it more difficult to give referrals. We are always going to be biased and believe that the wait for a Premier Bernedoodle is worth it and you'll be very happy you did! Also you can visit your local humane society and help rescue a dog at the shelter.If you have young kids be sure to get a younger dog from the shelter that can adapt to your family. But if you're looking for a unique new family member, a Premier Bernedoodle will be a true delight. Colors and Fur Our Premier Bernedoodles will be traditional tri-color much like a Bernese Mountain Dog , abstract tricolor similar to a traditional tricolor with less white in the face , sable similar to a traditional tri-color but has more reddish-browns due to the poodle genetics we use , phantom, merle, merle tricolor, or bi-colored brown and white, black and white, or shades thereof. Our F1b's will consist of black and whites, traditional tricolors, abstract tricolors, and lots of variable brown and reddish brown and whites. Color never reflects temperament and personality so usually most people don't really care too much what color they are. They are all really beautiful. Although there's variation due to the hybrid vigor present as a result of the recombination of genes in many arrays, there is definitely a bernedoodle appearance that is fairly consistent. If you let the hair grow, they will look like big shaggy dogs that you can't help but to give a big hug to. And they enjoy every minute of it! Our Premier Bernedoodles will tend to have wavy curly coats due to the coat types we require in our bernese mountain dogs which helps to minimize or eliminate shedding.We do make sure that our standard poodles do not carry the genetic marker known as the "Improper Coat" allele or IC for short. Wavy curly coats do require a little more grooming as compared to straight, but many, straight coats shed more.Although they are considered to be large, they don't act like a large dog in the house. They are generally very careful and calm natured as adults however they do have some puppy-fun energy thru the puppyhood stages and thru 3 years of age. They love people and other pets! We do thorough genetic testing of our adults that we use in our breeding program to assure that you are purchasing the healthiest of bernedoodle puppies. Our Bernese mountain dogs come from very long-lived blood lines in Western Europe and these longer lifespans is one of the many reasons we obtain our Berners from several specific populations known for their longevity. Obviously we can't guarantee lifespan as there are many variables outside of our control not to mention, environment, stress, climate, food, etc. But track record seems to show a longer lifespan. What's the Difference? An F1b is an F1 standard Bernedoodle backcrossed to a standard poodle or could be a backcross to a Bernese mountain dog but we generally use the poodle as the backcross. An F1bb is an F1b standard Bernedoodle backcrossed to a standard poodle. Behaviorally they are all very similar with the F1b and F1bb's being slightly smaller than our F1 standards and tend to have slightly curlier coats to a tight wave. If you're looking for a smaller standard Bernedoodle these would be a great option. Pictures are posted below with the other pictures. We continue to get lots of praise from those that have purchased our F1b and F1bb standard bernedoodles. Is the Bernedoodle for Everybody? I would like to think so, but if you do not plan on being with your bernedoodle and keeping it with you, in your home, as part of your home, this is definitely not the dog for you. They thrive on being with the family and not isolated we believe this is the case for all dogs, and especially bernedoodles. Any of our puppies kept in a permanent kennel situation, on a tether, or the like, will violate the terms and conditions of our puppy contract and will have to render the puppy or dog back to Premier Doodles see puppy contract in link above. We definitely support crate training, but these dogs are not meant to live their life in a crate nor kennel! If you want a pet that prefers to be in isolation, you may want to consider a nonsocial pet perhaps a Betta fish! Yes we have done a lot of the hard work the first 8 weeks as we do extensive early neurological stimulation bio-sensor and Puppy Culture program, along with starting crate training and housebreaking, BUT, they are puppies and will need your undivided attention for the next weeks as they work towards being completely housebroken and earning more privileges. They have been communicating with their siblings for the past 8 weeks using their mouth. During their normal daily interactions, you will occasionally hear a loud "yelp" in response to one biting another too hard. This yelp usually ends the mouthing behavior. Now puppies have fur and people generally do not. When you bring your bernedoodle home, they will likely display some degree of mouthing behavior toward their human family. This will usually stop this behavior. We then redirect their desire to mouth to something more appropriate like a chew toy and after a few seconds of cooperating we praise them. The good news.We have a Puppy Guide under our tab "Puppy Central" on how to unpack this process so that you can have success. If you put them time in early, they will have this knocked out in a few days. The rule of thumb is to get them outside ALOT.Be sure to purchase two Midwest XL crates can get from our Puppy Store , one for the back door and one next to your bed. The power of meiosis specialized cell division event that occurs in the reproductive organs, ovaries for females and testes for males and crossing over assures that each offspring will be diverse and different and this difference will be noticeable in color and a little bit in behavior. All will be superior, but some will be more playful and others less so, some will mouth more than others, etc. Available Puppies.Check out our "Available Puppies" tab at the top to find out how to get onto our Master List for a future puppy! If black, puppy has markings outside of the normal pattern for a parti puppy. Markings can range from silver, light tan, to dark brown, to red. These markings are found over the eyes, on the sides of the face, on the chest, on all four legs and feet, and under the tail. There is no white on the puppy or the white is very minimal. Unlike a phantom puppy, there is white present somewhere on the puppy. It is most common to only have white on the chest and sometimes the feet. These puppies most closely resemble a bernese mountain dog in their color patterns. It is more rare to get the white on the face with perfect berner markings, so please understand if leaving a deposit, you could be waiting a very long time for a puppy like this. The two non-traditional tri-colors we produce are sables and brindles. A sable is when the outer hair is a darker shade than the hair underneath. These puppies are a different color when they are shaved down. They commonly have places where their hair tends to stay darker like on the ears or tail. They may or may not have phantom markings and can have varying amounts of white. Brindle is when the puppy has stripes of different colors on their body. If all these colors werent confusing enough as it is, you can also have a sable brindle combination where the puppy has the stripes, but the hair underneath is still lighter too. These puppies will have varying sizes of patches. Several colors of hair create the "blue" and "red" color that these babies are known for. One puppy could appear to be several colors as its base coat. No two babies are ever the same!!! The phantom merles have those distinct phantom markings that we love so much! On average, these babies will appear to be three or more colors! These babies have large patches of distinct white, not just small spots of white hair mixed in which is common in merles. These puppies can appear to be five or more colors. The are the most unique color out there and are something extra special!!! A little about merles: Standard sized merle bernedoodles are especially hard to find. They are one of the few colors that are auctually harder to find in Standard size than mini. The reason being that standard sized merle standard poodles are difficult to find. The merle color is very uncommon in all poodle sizes. They can usually be readily found in toy and mini sized poodles. The toy poodle is then bred to a standard sized female to create the Moyen or medium sized poodle. This poodle as the mother cannot safely be bred to a bernese mountain dog. She will be far too small. If this moyen poodle is the father, the puppies will be a larger mini or very small standard size. These are not Large standard sized puppies that we are hoping to have. This merle moyen poodle should be bred again to a standard poodle in order to bring as much size as possible to the offspring, and then that puppy could safely breed for standard sized puppies. It takes several generations to safely and correctly breed for True Standard sized babies. It takes many years to create the perfect poodle to make these babies happen! We maintain the right to refuse sale to anyone we do not feel comfortable placing a puppy with for any reason. This right also extends to people who have already left a deposit with us, in which this is the only case that a deposit will be refunded. We want only the best for our babies and if we believe you may not be a fit home for one of our babies for any reason, we will exercise this right. Thank you for understanding. Copyright Kandissweetpuppies. All Rights Reserved. I cannot fully articulate how delightful he is, you have to experience it for yourself to fully understand. As with almost all of our Bernedoodles, he will do well in just about any lifestyle and will be a loyal companion and friend for the family lucky enough to get him. This guy will be a loyal friend with his pleasing personality and laid back nature. Birthdate: Parents: Zuko and Fergie Just a few of the beautiful babies in our new litter. We breed for color, conformation and temperament. While we endeavor to keep our Bernedoodles moderately priced and affordable for most families, but top quality puppies are not inexpensive. Prices vary according to color, markings, coat texture etc. An extra silky coat texture keeps our Bi-Color Bernedoodles very hypoallergenic and non-shed. Tri-Color Bernedoodles Rare colors are a passion at Cobblestone. We specialize in stunning Tri-Color and Tri-Color sables. Prices are higher for puppies that approach perfection in markings coat and color. Bernedoodle puppy health We believe that core nutrients are vital for raising healthy puppies. I've found it takes more than just an expensive dog food to keep dogs healthy. Start your puppy on good supplements to help him grow up healthy and strong. Our parents and puppies thrive on them. Shipping Your Bernedoodle Baby Our puppies travel with a Puppy Nanny to their new homes to ensure a comfortable and safe journey for each puppy that leaves Cobblestone. Fees are based on puppy size and destination. Puppies travel to major airports and availability and scheduling are limited so please be flexible : Occasionally, a puppy will need to travel via United or Delta Air Cargo, we have used this service for many years and they do an excellent job of delivering our babies to their forever homes! She has settled in just great. Oh my heart she is spoiled rotten! It's currently nap-time after playing with a new toy that squeaks. Thank you guys! Bernedoodle Colors and Patterns Bernedoodles come in many colors and patterns. To see the coordinating waitlist, visit this page! Please see this page for more examples of what bernedoodles look like! Here are the most common colors and patterns! Traditional Tri-Colored Bernedoodles have the same pattern and coloring as a berner but with non-shedding hair! The fathers producing traditional tri colored bernedoodles regularly are Sargent Pepper, BB King and Ringo Next, we have the Traditional Tri-Sable which is mostly brown with white berner markings and black or brown points. Up next is the Merle Category! The most important aspect of breeding with the Merle gene involved is making sure only one parent is a Merle gene carrier. This speaks to the importance of finding a great breeder who does genetic testing. Traditional Blue Merle coat color! Jacob, Zeppelin and Jerry are the dads for these beauties! All are non-shedding. Blue Merle only when Jacob is the dad does this color come out shown below. The Phantom color refers to a bi-colored black and white or brown and white bernedoodle without the white berner markings. Also gorgeous! The Brindle Bernedoodle is stunning! This color and pattern combination is one of my all time favorites! Finally, here we have the solid white, black or brown Bernedoodles! Seen mainly in our F1b Mini and micro Bernedoodle litters! Share this:. A Merle Bernedoodle carries the merle gene which causes the coat to have mottled patches of colors. In addition to affecting coat color, the gene also affects skin pigmentation on their paws and nose. It also alters their eye color. Merle Bernedoodles look like any other Bernedoodle except for their coat color. Instead of a solid or tri-color coat, the merle gene causes mottled patches of color. Originally a Blue Merle Bernedoodle has a black coat however the merle gene dilutes areas to grey and white. On the other hand, a Red Merle Bernedoodle originally has a liver brown coat and the merle gene has dilutes areas to beige and white. Merle Bernedoodles are very rare. They are extremely difficult to breed as the gene is very rare in both Poodles and Bernese Mountain dogs. Are Merle Bernedoodle More Expensive? Yes, Merle Bernedoodles are more expensive than other Bernedoodle colors as they are so rare and also difficult to breed. They have black and blue tones throughout the merle pattern. They have brown and red tones throughout the merle pattern. Check out the adorable Bernedoodle puppies that are currently available here! PuppySpot is a dog adoption website that connects breeders with prospective pet owners. They have a zero tolerance policy for puppy mills which is why they screen every breeder annually! They have placed over , puppies in homes and offer various trusted, USDA-certified transportation options to deliver your puppy to your home safely!

Increased risk of health complications Adorable Prone to suffering from separation anxiety Great for apartment dwellers and new dog owner Clingy Compact and easy to carry Can be arrogant and stubborn Click on Image to learn more 5 Dapple Frenchie Fun Facts The 1st recorded sighting of a French Bulldog was in the 17th century and was originally known as the Boulegogue Francais. Back in the day, Frenchies signified wealth. Dapple is not a recognized Frenchie color scheme and is considered a fault. They are cuddly and will love warming your laps. Frenchies love to wear boots and dress up, especially in the cold winter months. Black Merle French Bulldog Temperament and personality French Bulldogs have enjoyed their fair share of pampering and royalty which has made them spoilt dogs. They are territorial and should be socialized from early on to be more welcoming to strangers and other dogs alike. Conversely, this dog may show signs of separation anxiety when left alone for extended periods. They can also be destructive and will bark and make noises when bored. As a good family dog The Dapple Frenchie makes an excellent and adaptable family companion. He is playful and will have a blast with children. The cost will depend on the breeder, location, and other factors. This high cost is due to breeding and delivery difficulties. Anyone that advertises their pup as rare should set off alarm bells. Consequently, you should not buy this dog online. Care guide This dog will need grooming, a proper diet, exercise, and training. Grooming requirements The Merle Frenchie has a smooth and short coat that sheds moderately throughout the year and should be groomed regularly to preserve the appeal. Brush the coat once or twice a week and bathe him once a month. Special care should be taken for the folds on his face and neck. Keep them free of moisture and dirt to reduce the risk of infection. Some signs of an infection include redness, sores, inflammation, odor, and so on. Apart from the coat, brush his teeth, clean off tear stains, and keep his ears clean. Exercise needs The Dapple French is a small dog that should be physically and mentally stimulated with low-intensity exercises of around 45 minutes a day. This could be walking to the park during the cooler and less humid times of the day or low-intensity indoor exercises. French Bulldogs have a harder time cooling off due to their compacted airways and could easily overheat due to over-exertion. A Frenchie could be the best choice for you! Our sires and dams are producing some of the most beautiful and rare French bulldog puppies for sale. All of our Sires and Dams are 4 panel health clear and have had both genetic health screening as well as color testing. If you are searching for the best breeders for your next best friend, make sure they are raised in their home, not from a puppy mill or Amish puppy farm. Remember the saying, you get what you pay for. Frenchie Puppies near me Designer French Bulldog puppies are stunning in conformation for structure and size. There is such variation these days in the quality and structure of the dog itself can look many different ways. Being Frenchie breeders, we see some French bulldogs that look more like Boston Terriers, long legged, skinny bone structure, projected snouts, little to no wrinkles etc. When you purchase from us, you are purchasing what we believe a Frenchie should be in genetics, looks, health and temperament. If you are searching only for Frenchie breeders near me, you are going to restrict yourself to quite a bit of high quality programs. Keep in mind that most higher level Frenchie Breeders near me can send their pups with nannies direct to you. Having a puppy that is raised underfoot by our family, with our kids, including a toddler sets your next best friend up for behavioral success. Did you know that all of our adult male and females carry the short back and shorter leg genes and have all tested 4 panel health clear? You will not receive a giraffe from DFB! Remember cheap is expensive. Frenchie puppy for sale When you purchase a frenchie puppy for sale from us, expect nothing but the best. Our focus starts with temperament, compact size and proper structure as well as rare colors and combinations. For peace of mind, every French Bulldog puppy for sale from Designer Frenchies comes with a AKC papers, a full health guarantee against any genetic conditions as well as up to date vaccinations with vet record. French Bulldog breeders near me Training your pup starts here with the Frenchie Breeders. We start to train our puppies to use puppy pads at age weeks old. By doing this it sets your new pup up for housebreaking success. Believe it or not, this is a huge benefit for their forever owners. As sad as it sounds, these dogs are typically raised in cages from puppy mills and allowed to relieve themselves right in their own cage which typically has a wire bottom, and a tray underneath to catch feces. Because these pups are not setup for success and are a nightmare to housebreak if they ever are even housebroken! Why are quality frenchie puppies near me so pricey? There are a few factors including the cost of the parents, usually in our case k per dog. Secondly, the cost of the c section, reproductive veterinary care including progesterone tests before breeding, and before birth of the puppies. Third would probably be the cost of the equipment, incubators, oxygen concentrators, whelping boxes. Last but not least is our supplements, goats milk and vitamin regiment for both mom, dad and pups. Chances are you are going to spend triple that on vet bills and probably will not have the same experience as if you had owned a healthy pup. Frenchie breeders near me will be able to send your pup with a nanny direct to your airport or even your doorstep. French Bulldogs for sale Why are Frenchies so pricey when compared to other breeds. Well, there are a few variables that add up to why they are considered expensive. On average, the French Bulldog for sale cost to produce one quality litter involves the cost of the parents. Veterinary bills add up to over 10k per litter at times and on average will cost at least k. This is all before any costs associated with pups is even included. But there is no way to quantify the perfect Frenchie puppies for sale and that is a fact! Frenchie Puppy Colors Depending on what color you are looking for will dictate the cost of your pup. Frenchie Prices Pricing normally depends on the color and coat type. Our pups start around ad up with most being sold as pets. For Full AKC registration for breeders there is an additional fee. Most of the time when people call or email looking for a blue, then end up wanting a blue Merle or Lilac. Remember, a Blue French Bulldog is going to be a little darker in color than Lilac and that pups typically darken up a tad as they get older. Because pups are born we often cannot tell the blues from the lilacs apart for some time. For this reason, getting the pups DNA tested is important for those that are the best Frenchie breeders. Rare French Bulldog colors With colors abundant, we are sure to offer the best quality French bulldog puppy for sale options anywhere. Looking for something more common? Because some of our Frenchie puppies for sale are available in standard colors like Lilac, Blue, Black and tan and more. The best Frenchie Puppies for sale Our designer Frenchie puppies are typically available throughout the year and sold by our waiting list. Also, when we have consecutive litters there is a chance we have pups that are available within a few weeks it just depends on the time of the year. Some people wonder how long it takes to buy a French Bulldog puppy for sale after joining our waiting list and it is normally months from the time you join our puppy waiting list. Lastly, by placing a deposit, you can guarantee yourself a French bulldog for sale from the next litter. Frenchie for sale Finding the right Frenchie for sale is not easy. Sure, it may seem easy but the internet nowadays is filled with scams! Amish puppy mill born Frenchie for sale and tons of low quality back yard Frenchie Breeders. Think about the next years. And with that, the health and confirmation to breed standard of the puppies born. More often than not, breeders take deposits within the last 2 weeks before the litter is born. Secondly, once the pups are here they sell extremely fast. Though you probably want your new Frenchie puppy in arms today, waiting a few weeks to ensure you get the right new family member could ensure you get the pup you deserve. These days you can a find low quality puppy mill Frenchie puppy for sale online thats available, and cheap. It may not actually look like a quality french bull dog puppy but it will be available now. Last but not lease, impulse buys with pups are probably some of the worst decisions one can make, so be patient and find the right dog! Rare French Bulldog colors Frenchies come in so many different colors, color combinations and coat types! Below we will explain some of the colors offered by us here and some of the more common colors which we rarely have. Breeding for the newest and most exciting colors is something that consistently keeps us engaged in the future of Frenchie Breeders. Blue French bulldog for sale Our blue designer Frenchie puppies are typically available throughout the year and sold by our waiting list. Some people wonder how long it takes to buy a blue French Bulldog after joining our waiting list and it is normally months from the time you join our puppy waiting list. Lastly, by placing a deposit, you can guarantee yourself a blue pup from the next litter! Lilac Frenchie From the moment they are born Lilacs and blues look nearly identical. As the get older, the lilac shade is lighter in color and visually reflects light noticeably more than blue which is darker. When you have blue merles or lilac merles, the lilacs are always a few shades lighter in color overall. More often than not, since the Isabella color is so rare, Frenchie breeders take pup deposits within the last 2 weeks before the litter is born. Secondly, once the pups are here they sell extremely fast and even faster if the color is rare. Fluffy French Bulldog Puppies Finding a fluffy frenchie for sale can be even harder because they are the rarest of the breed. Fluffy French bulldog puppies are typically sold for .The fluffy coat type is a long-haired frenchie so to speak. These furry or long-haired french bulldogs are really cute and cuddly. How cute is a fluffy? Well, first of all, how cute is a Frenchie? Now make it furry! Merle Frenchies Looking for something so unique that there is NO two of a kind on earth? Consider the Merle patterned frenchy! A Merle French bulldog for sale or merle frenchie puppies are some of the cutest and coolest looking of all the dogs on earth! Depending on the color of the coat of the pup to begin with there are so many varieties of Merle French bulldogs, like the blue merle and lilac merle. Big Rope Frenchies The next big thing? Do we offer big rope French Bulldog for sale? It depends on your definition of the big rope itself. We are working with big rope females that have been bred to be super compact with proper structure. From time to time we may have a big rope Frenchie puppy for sale but normally they would be sold ahead of time with an early reservation. The best way to get the color and coat type that you want is to make a deposit so that you have a place in line for the next available pup that fits your need list! Our Frenchies for sale Fly! Designer Frenchies for sale come from some of the best lines in the world. Pups are paid in full before being picked up, or leaving on a flight with a Nanny to their furever destination. French Bulldog puppies - Health Guaranteed All Designer French Bulldog puppies come with a full health and genetic condition guarantee. Our parents and grandparents are all 4 Panel DNA health clear. We breed for shorter bodies and legs, not long legged giraffes. We are proud that all of our Frenchie puppies for sale are raised in our home with our children, under foot. Every single French Bulldog puppy are well socialized and you can expect a playful, smart, inquisitive and loving professional Snuggle Bug. Available Puppies Notification List. Rarity What makes fluffy Frenchies so rare? Like we already mentioned, fluffy French Bulldogs are still hard to come by despite the huge demand in recent years. Why is that? Frenchies that carry only one LH gene have regular short coat, but they are still valuable for breeders. If such a Frenchie is bred to another carrier of the long hair gene, they are likely to produce fluffy puppies, although the chances of that are still quite low. Long-haired pups are only guaranteed if two visual fluffy French Bulldogs are bred together. Their size depends not only on genetics but on their lifestyle as well how many times you take them for a walk, do you have a backyard, do you have other dogs or pets and even the food that you give them. Male Frenchies are usually stronger and stockier than females, they have bigger heads and wider chests. Female Frenchies tend to be a bit smaller and less muscular. On average, they weigh about 5 lbs less than males: their adult size is around 25 lbs, while boys can go up to 30 lbs. They are insanely affectionate making them the perfect companion dogs, they just want to spend every minute of their time with their owner. They are extremely friendly with kids and other animals too; they love basically anyone they meet! Thanks to their easy-going nature, a fluffy Frenchie will adapt to your lifestyle very quickly no matter where you live. Even though fluffy Frenchies are most popular among French Bulldog breeders, any responsible dog owner can become the parent of one these amazing dogs. Another thing to consider is your financial situation. Buying a fluffy Frenchie is one thing, and maintaining them is a whole different story. Each pet has to visit the vet regularly to get the compulsory shots, which costs money. Not to mention any sickness, which can easily happen at any age. Vets are not cheap, but having pet insurance helps to lower medical costs. All French Bulldogs are prone to overheating due to their flat-faces, but fluffy Frenchies are in even more risk because of their thick long coat. So, if you live in an area with a hot and humid climate, you might want to opt for a regular short-haired Frenchie puppy instead. Their price ranges on a wide scale and is largely determined by their color and gender: standard colored fluffy puppies are valued around 10, USD while unique ones like lilac tan and merle can go up to 19, USD. Female Frenchies normally cost more than males. FAQ What makes fluffy Frenchies fluffy? Fluffy Frenchies have the rare long hair — LH gene also known as the Fibroblast Growth Factor which gives them their furry look. Do Fluffy French Bulldogs Shed? Regular grooming is recommended for them, especially during spring and fall. Why are fluffy French Bulldogs more expensive than other Frenchies? Fluffy Frenchies are much rarer and more unique than short-haired Frenchies because of the rare LH gene they carry, which makes them more expensive as well. When looking for a fluffy Frenchie, you will most likely come across cheaper offers than the prices detailed above. Make sure to do your research and get your fluffy Frenchie from a reputable breeder, and you will have a happy and healthy furry family member for at least a decade. Color variations Blue merle French Bulldog Blue merle French Bulldogs are one of our most sought-after puppies of all the colors. They got their name after the blue patches on their light-colored coat, which are essentially grey with a bluish shine in the light. The shade of the grey parts may vary from very light to almost black, while their base color also ranges from a yellowish cream color to light grey. Lilac merle French Bulldog Lilac merle French Bulldogs are often mistaken for blue merle Frenchies, but they are much more unique and harder to come by. Lilac merle Frenchies have very light, almost ashy or silver colored patches on their light coat. To produce this rare and beautiful color, the parents have to carry the blue, chocolate and merle gene. Lilac merle French Bulldogs usually have light-colored eyes which are glowing red. Chocolate merle French Bulldog Chocolate merle French Bulldogs have dark brown mottled patches all over their light-colored bodies. Choco merle pups also have unique genetics so they are quite rare and hard to come by. Similarly to lilac Frenchies, they are the combination of blue and chocolate but their grey shade is more of a champagne color. Breeders have managed to mix in the merle gene as well producing the Isabella merle French Bulldog, but these dogs are extremely rare. Black merle French Bulldog Black merle French Bulldogs have black mottled patches often covering most of their bodies. Their base coat is also slightly darker than in other merle Frenchies, ranging from light grey to light brown. Fawn merle French Bulldog There are a number of different variations of fawn merle French Bulldogs, like blue fawn merle, lilac fawn merle or chocolate fawn merle. The dark patches these Frenchies have are less distinct looking than in other merles, as they are only a bit darker than their light fawn base color. One of these rare traits is their sparkling blue eyes. Since the merle gene affects the skin pigment as well, when a merle patch crosses the eye area the Frenchie will have bright forever blue eyes. Sometimes only one of the eyes will remain blue, which is a phenomenon called heterochromia. Because of how dominant the merle gene is, merle Frenchies should only be bred to a dog with a solid coat color. They are insanely affectionate making them the perfect companion dogs, they just want to spend every minute of their time with their owners. They are extremely friendly with kids and other animals too; they love basically anyone they meet! Thanks to their easy-going nature, a Merle Frenchie will adapt to your lifestyle very quickly no matter where you live. As you might expect, colors that are considered common for the breed have the lowest prices, while colors which are more unique and harder to produce are more expensive as well. When it comes to Merle French Bulldogs, they are already in a higher price range, but depending on the color variation their prices may further vary a lot. Permanent blue eyes also push the prices up a bit: we charge USD per blue eye. Life Span Did You Know? While the name of this breed is the French Bulldog, their origins cannot be credited to only France. One of the facts about French Bulldogs is that the idea and reason for the creation of the breed originated in England. This adorable dog breed, which has always been meant to be a companion, started as a miniature version of the English Bulldog. This mini-version accompanied lace workers across the English Channel and into France during the Industrial Revolution. Once the dog breed became prominent in France, the subsequent successful crossbreeding of the English Bulldog, Pug, and Terrier led to the creation of the modern-day Frenchie. The French Bulldog we know today originally came to the United States with groups of wealthy Americans who came across them and fell in love while touring Europe in the late s. The French Bulldog was recognized by the American Kennel Club in and is a member of the non-sporting group. The French Bulldog is an easygoing, affectionate, and playful dog that loves their family and gets along well with children. They also love to make new friends, which means they get along well with other dogs, animals, and people. Intelligent and affectionate, this small dog breed certainly wins over hearts and earns its status as a popular companion dog. Frenchies are not known to bark much, unless you train them into it, but they are naturally alert and make excellent watchdogs. As long as they are well-socialized and trained, they tend to have an open and friendly nature. The Frenchie is a highly adaptable dog that pretty much adapts to any living situation that includes plenty of love and attention. Being a short-snouted, snub-nosed dog breed, they do not tolerate heat very well and are also sensitive to cold. This tends to make them one of the dog breeds that hate winter and you will want to make sure to bundle them up to stay warm while out on cold winter walks. Because Frenchies bond closely with their families and thrive on attention from them, they do not tolerate long periods of time alone. They can also be prone to developing separation anxiety if they are poorly socialized or you do not work with them on this when they are young. Potential health concerns to be aware of in French Bulldogs can include cataracts, cherry eye, and entropion. Good breeding practices make a big difference in the health of puppies. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing preventable issues to puppies. Make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of both parents. You can also ask about any health tests or clearances. Heart and joint certifications are recommended for this breed. Playful and happy, the French Bulldog is a great fit for a novice dog owner. They are sweet-tempered, eager to please, and eager to train. Occasionally, Frenchies can be stubborn and they do tend to have big personalities. Although this can sometimes be a challenge for first-time dog owners, it can usually be overcome with consistent and patient training. Puppy training classes are always an option and offer plenty of benefits aside from training. Standard coat colors for Frenchies are Brindle, Cream, Fawn, and combinations of these. They have a short coat that will shed a little year-round. Nail trims once or twice a month keep nails from growing too long and causing issues. Weekly ear checks, along with careful cleanings as needed, can help prevent ear infections. As a small dog breed, the Frenchie is more prone to developing gum disease. Daily dental care plus cleanings at the vet as needed can help prevent this and other painful dental diseases later in life. You will also need to take care of the wrinkles. Frenchies have hereditary face wrinkles and it is important to keep them clean and dry to prevent skin irritation or possible infection. The French Bulldog is an easygoing companion breed. They can be one of the laziest dog breeds that are couch potatoes. Frenchies will often be energetic when they play and will try to match their activity to yours. So, if you live a more active lifestyle, you need to be careful that your French Bulldog is not overexerting themselves trying to keep up with you. As a Brachycephalic or snub-nosed dog, they cannot cool themselves as easily and are extra sensitive to heat. They can also get winded easily, so be aware of this when playing with your dog or puppy and watch for signs of overexertion. There are safe ways to exercise flat-faced dogs and you can work with your vet on specifics for your Frenchie if needed. French Bulldogs usually stand inches tall and weigh pounds. Frenchies generally live for years on average. With this dog breed being so popular, there are plenty of celebrities who have chosen the French Bulldog as their companion, which also means there are plenty of famous Frenchies out there. Also, French Bulldogs cannot swim, at least without a life vest. They can be taught to swim while wearing one, but they should never be left unattended around bodies of water or swimming pools and require constant supervision while in the water. Featured French Bulldog Article. Blue French Bulldog The blue french bulldog is a beautifully colored and is a dark grey color. The blue coloration on a blue French bulldog comes from a recessive gene dilute gene. Sometimes, brindling can happen with this color — depending on the genetics and quality of the parents. These include patches on their face, ears and body. A blue French bulldog can also have brindling in their coat which is when blue and black hairs are intermingled. Blue frenchies are a beautiful color range to the French bulldog breed and has become more and more popular as more breeders are focusing on producing quality blue French bulldogs. Although you might think a solid black dog would be plain to look at, the black french bulldog is a showstopper. Fluffy Fluffy French Bulldogs are becoming more and more popular as breeders work hard to perfect fluffy Frenchies. They have more hair than other Frenchies. So what causes this adorable fluff? This gene causes an increased amount of long, coarse, thick undercoat and reduced very short dense topcoat. The fluffy parents will produce fluffy offspring always. The L — long hair gene is dominant so if you breed two fluffy dogs together only 1 parent needs to have the L — long hair gene for all pups to be fluffy! If you are breeding a fluffy with a normal-coat French Bulldog, 1 parent will need to be fluffy, and it will take 1 fluffy parent to produce fluffy pups. Fluffiness comes in many degrees of fluff. Fluffy Frenchies can range from a fluffy Frenchie to a fluffy with an almost twice as thick coat like the fluffy toy in one of our pictures. This means that breeders are developing and working with the coat gene. Still, fluffy Frenchies are cute and fantastic pets; they have a fluffy, cuddly look to them and are super playful. Chocolate What is so special about chocolate French bulldogs. Most chocolate Frenchies also have chocolate brown noses, lips and often even eyes! They truly can be chocolate brown — chocolate is not just an optional color. The chocolate color comes from the chocolate gene, which is recessive so chocolate French Bulldogs must have two chocolate genes to be chocolate; for this reason chocolate Frenchies are very rare and sought after. Not all chocolate French Bulldogs are chocolate brown, some chocolate French Bulldogs have very chocolatey, dark coloring making them look almost black — these dogs still carry the chocolate gene of course. Something extra special about chocolate frenchies is that their eyes come in green, brown, golden, and even bright yellow color. Elite breeder of Quality French Bulldogs. Merle French Bulldog For most people, the merle french bulldog is the most interesting in color — two are never the same due to the pattern. Their fur has unique patterns with colors that include dark brown, tan, chocolate, blue, cream, or black depending on genetics. The color that dominates is usually cream or fawn all mixed with other darker colors. The merle gene by itself should not cause any health issues. A merle French Bulldog is a dog that has the merle gene. This merle gene causes the dog to have mottled patches of color in its coat and can affect skin pigment as well. The merle pattern itself, does not cause any health issues. Some merles will sometimes have bright blue eyes as well. They may have one merle parent and one parent with a solid color or they can inherit merle from both parents. Merles that are predominantly white pied merle should only be bred to dogs with a solid coat color. The merle gene when bred with another merle can lead to health problems in their pups. Breeding merles to merles or merles to dogs with solid coats can produce merle merle pups that have two copies of the merle gene. These pups will be mostly suffer from severe health problems such as deafness, blindness, or even death. Merle French bulldogs should only be bred Ito other solid color frenchies that do not have the merle gene. Lilac french bulldogs are often high price because of they have a recessive gene which gives them their lighter color. Lilac french bulldogs often have light-colored eyes such as yellow, light brown and blue and as they mature their coats become lighter and lighter. Newborn lilac puppies look very similar to blue french bulldog puppies. Sable In the sable French bulldog, a reddish sort of pigment with basic fawn coloring is seen. In sable French bulldogs, the sable color is almost always accompanied with a mask and dark ears. However, this occurrence is very rare and unacceptable, because sables should always have a mask and dark ears. Another common trait of sable colored frenchies is they have black and black-tipped hairs. Call Us Thank you for visiting Melzano Frenchies — elite french bulldog breeders. We offer french bulldogs for sale throughout the year. Please check our site for updates and available french bulldog puppies for sale. Our puppies are raised in a home environment, and we have french bulldog puppies available year-round. We provide full after sale support for all of our french bulldog puppies and our puppy pack, french bulldog eBook, and 30 day health insurance policy.

I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup! Leah H. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine Callie for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders. Emily R. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family. Elizabeth W. Lady L. They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully. Jonathan E. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs. We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy. We've had Penny formerly Blair for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup. When we are ready for bulldog 2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs. Mitch C. Bowser was born April and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile. Adam B. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us. In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with. With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough! Collyn C. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone. Christina S. We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs! Jim T. Can't take your eyes off me can you? All the ladies love me already.Come on whatcha waiting for? But you can call and take me home today! My name is Koko.What was that.I saw you.We are hands on with our English Bulldogs and our puppies. We hand raise each and everyone of our puppies feeding them on mom every two hours around the clock for the first two weeks of their life. We start weaning them at four weeks while still feeding them on their mom throughout the day. We also start puppy pad training them at three weeks and by six weeks they are just about fully weaned and puppy pad trained. That's right by 6 weeks just about everyone of our puppies go to the puppy pad without fail this takes a lot of patience.Therefore, you should not have any problem with house breaking your new puppy or continuing to use puppy pads as we do. English Bulldogs require much care and love. They must be kept in a temperature controlled environment! We love our adult English Bulldogs and love on each and every puppy while they are in our care. Each and every puppy is raised in an environment with continued love and interaction so that when they get to their new home they are sociable and interact with their new owner these little guys need to feel safe and secure and they will love you back unconditionally. We only have one to two litters per year because we also operate a full time business. Our Bulldogs and puppies are raised in our home with our 11 year old son so they are kid friendly. Each afternoon we let them out into the backyard for some extra play time where they lounge and watch TV under our covered patio connected to their kennel. Each of our English bulldogs has his or her own indoor and outdoor area. Their indoor area is fully air conditioned in the summer and heated in the winter. If you purchase one of these bulldog puppies from us or someone else.The heat can kill them if they get to hot! Our bulldog kennel is kept at 70 degrees in the summer and 68 in the winter. Please make sure you can care for one of these precious English Bulldog puppies before you think about adopting one from us or anyone else. Call or text my cell any time Ken Characteristics The wrinkles on the English bulldog's face should be wiped regularly to prevent skin infections. They date back hundreds of years and are also known as British Bulldogs. They are a muscular, well-built dog with a wrinkled face and a pushed-in nose. This breed has won the hearts of generations of families for decades. They are considered to be one of the most popular dogs breeds in existence today. These fantastic puppies have gained popularity worldwide due to their playful, loyal, funny, and caring personality. They are laidback and tend to get along well with just about anyone or anything. They have very approachable demeanors and enjoy the companionship of their family. They also have a very easy-going personality which is one of the reasons they have remained a popular family dog. The English Bulldog does enjoy activity time and burning off energy, however, is not an overly energetic breed of dog. The correct ratio of meat-based protein and micronutrients, as well as healthy carbs and fats, will keep your dog feeling and looking his best. Most people recommend feeding this breed two meals each day, spaced about twelve hours apart. This will help to ensure the dog is provided with the proper nutrients he needs. It is also important to remember to provide your dog with proper dental care. It is suggested that his teeth get cleaned a minimum of three times a week. Failing to keep his teeth clean can contribute to health issues. Although properly cleaning his teeth will take some practice to get good at, in time, this will become easier for you and your pup. The English Bulldog grows to be between fourteen and fifteen inches tall. At maturity, the English Bulldog weighs between fifty and fifty-five pounds. The average life expectancy for this breed is between eight and ten years. English Bulldogs require regular bathing and grooming. It is suggested that they are bathed as frequently as every week up to no more than every four weeks depending on their activity level and lifestyle. This smooth coated breed does best with routine brushing which is essential to maintain healthy skin and a healthy coat. Frequently Asked Questions What are some of the health issues English bulldogs are likely to face? The English bulldog has various health issues with the most alarming being cardiac and respiratory complications. English bulldogs are also prone to dyslexia in the hip due to their relatively large body size. Skin infections are also a concern do to the wrinkly and folds nature of the skin. What is the lifespan of an English bulldog? The English bulldog can live up to years on an average scale. This is usually due to the numerous complications and health challenges the bulldog faces in the course of life. How frequently do English bulldogs shed? English bulldogs shed more frequently during the cold seasons like winter and spring. Compared to other dogs, they shed rather moderately and even lesser as they age. How hard is it to train an English bulldog? This breed of dog is known for its stubborn nature and can be really difficult especially for novice dog owners to get the hang of. Patience and routine should be the keywords when dealing with a bulldog. Are English bulldogs good watchdogs? The English bulldog has a natural instinct to protect its territory. Even though the bulldog is not usually much of a barking dog, in the case of an intruder it is well equipped and confident to take on the challenge at every cost. Are English Bulldogs dangerous to their owners? The English bulldog is not a dangerous pet. It is very much territorial and somewhat apprehensive to unfamiliar faces, but once it warms up to you, the bulldog is one of the most loving and loyal dogs. How much exercise do English Bulldogs need? The English bulldog on average needs about 30minuites of exercise every day to keep it mentally and physically healthy. Are English Bulldogs family dogs? The English bulldog may seem aggressive at first glance but you will get to find that they have a contrasting character to their appearance. They are perfect around children and can play all day. They are extremely lovable and friendly. How big do English Bulldogs get? English bulldogs can weigh up to 50 pounds and can grow as tall as 15inches. Male or female English Bulldog? This depends solely on the owner as both genders have their specific pros and cons. English bulldogs are very friendly and warm dogs and are amazing around children. No wonder they are one of the most sought-after breeds in the world. Are you interested in purchasing a English Bulldog? Fill out the below form and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. You will be able to find all their current contact information, as well as a link to their website, so you can see what puppies they currently have available for sale. We provide you with all this information so that you can research each breeder individually and find the one that has your perfect puppy available! If you are considering getting an English Bulldog, you'll want to check out the incredible book "The Complete Guide to English Bulldogs". It's written in an easy-to-understand way but still has the expert knowledge to help any new owner successfully raise their Bulldog from puppy to old-age. It's widely available, so pick up a copy if you see one, here is the link to grab one on Amazon, or you can download the audiobook version here. If you can't find the perfect Bulldog puppy in your state, try checking at your local animal shelter or rescue organization. Many English Bulldogs young and old need a loving home and adopting one can be a great way to save a life. We are so happy that you have chosen Local Puppy Breeders to help you find the puppy of your dreams. In addition to visiting us often here, you can check us out on Facebook , Twitter , and Pinterest for more information, pictures, and videos! We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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We are a small hobby breeder located in Spokane, Washington. We chose Goldens because they are intelligent and versatile, but most of all because they make great family pets due to their friendly, eager to please demeanor and their loyal, gentle temperaments. We knew that for our family, this was a great breed for us! We are thrilled to share this wonderful breed with our clients. Why Goldens? Their easy going, affable personality is something you will love, especially as they snuggle up to you! They have enormous love for water and games, but even more love for you! Eager to Please — while some pets can be hyper-independent or very clinging, Goldens are so intelligent that they are always looking for ways to please their owners, which makes them willing and enthusiastic when following your commands with proper training of course! Great with Children — most children love dogs, but not all dogs love children. Goldens have a natural gentleness and long-suffering personality that make them perfect for kids even if they are the tail-pulling, climb-on-top variety of children! They are known as symmetrical, powerful dogs bred for tough working conditions with a muscular, well-coordinated body. They are known to turn heads and bring smiles wherever they go! Spending time with your Golden will foster a fierce loyalty and forge a bond that will last a lifetime. Golden Mountain Retrievers. We have answers. What are Golden Retriever puppies for sale near Spokane like? A Golden Retriever is a perky, loyal, and loving breed of dog that has become increasingly popular as a companion pet. With an outgoing and friendly personality, Golden Retrievers are incredibly smart creatures that easily learn new tricks. They are very family-oriented and thrive when given a job or task to focus on. The breed has a thick, luxurious coat that typically sheds and requires regular brushing and grooming. Frequent exercise is necessary for a Golden Retriever since they possess a strong will and require plenty of mental stimulation. How can I manage allergies with Golden Retriever puppies for sale in Spokane? Golden Retrievers can be wonderful family pets, but allergies can be a concern for some potential owners. To help manage allergens, it's important to regularly bathe and groom your furry friend to reduce the amount of free-floating allergens in the air. Keeping their fur trimmed short may also help reduce the amount of allergens they shed. Be sure to regularly vacuum carpets and furniture, and dust shelves and walls to help remove these dirty particles from your home. Additionally, use an allergen-reducing air filter to capture and filter the air of particles. What do Spokane Golden Retriever puppies for sale eat? Golden Retrievers have a diet variable depending on their life stage. Generally, they should receive a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet that includes essential vitamins, minerals, and protein. Puppies require more frequent meals of a high-quality diet designed to meet their growth and development needs. Adult Retrievers should be given a good quality diet of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Treats should be given sparingly, as their nutrition should mainly come from the diet. What are some essentials I should buy before getting Golden Retriever puppies in Spokane? Before getting a Golden Retriever, you should make sure you have the essentials necessary for a smooth transition. It's important to get a comfortable bed for your pup, chew-proof toys, a crate or kennel, potty pads, quality food and treats, grooming supplies, a harness or collar with an ID tag, and a securely-closed fence or pens. Additionally, it's a good idea to purchase items such as a collar with a leash, interactive toys, and a puzzle toy. How big do Golden Retrievers for sale in Spokane get? Golden Retrievers are typically considered a medium-sized breed of dog. Generally speaking, an adult Golden Retriever will measure anywhere from 20 to 24 inches in height and may weigh up to 75 pounds. While this is typically the largest size you can expect to see, there are instances where a Golden Retriever may reach heights of 27 inches or more and weigh as much as pounds. However these cases are usually caused by intentional overfeeding and can have adverse effects on a dog's health. Are Golden Retriever puppies near Spokane active dogs? Yes, Golden Retrievers are highly active dogs. They have high energy levels and need lots of exercise and playtime. They are usually described as sporting, energetic, enthusiastic, intelligent and sociable; characteristics that keep them moving and interacting with their environment. They enjoy outdoor activities such as hikes, swimming, running, and agility courses. Golden Retrievers are also excellent family dogs, as they bond quickly with their owners and love to play with family and friends. They are sensitive to human emotion and thrive when given plenty of affection and attention. Do Golden Retrievers in Spokane get along with kids? Golden Retrievers are known to be very friendly and gentle, and they develop strong bonds with their families. This breed stays active and playful into adulthood, so you may find that they want to join in whatever game the kids are playing. As long as Golden Retrievers are socialized and trained properly, it's easy to see why they make such great family pets, especially when there are children in the home. Are Spokane Golden Retrievers for sale considered smart dogs? Yes, Golden Retrievers are considered to be highly intelligent dogs with an eagerness to please their owners. They are consistently ranked among the most intelligent dog breeds for their ability to learn commands quickly and overall trainability. They have an excellent memory that helps them retain what they have learned and an intuitive and natural ability to get along with people and other animals. This makes them an ideal companion and great family pet.

June is a little mini poodle about 12 pounds and Pele is small mini goldendoodle about 18 pounds. They are excellent choices for allergy sufferers because both parents have non shedding genetics with two dominant furnishings. These puppies will be super smart. We have had a past puppy professionally trained and he was a rock star! They will also have super soft coats. They were born August 1st and will be 8 weeks September 22nd. Meaning they genetically will have one curl gene. They are a great choice for allergy sufferers and will mature pounds. They were born July 29th and will be 8 weeks old late September. Love the coats on these mini goldendoodle puppies! They will have my favorite coat type and when grown will have very loose curls that will allow them to have a longer coat without so much maintenance. They will also be about pounds which is perfect athletic size. Most of them will darken in their red color as they grow out of their frosty puppy coat. They were born April 25th and are ready to go. Scroll down to see the current Goldendoodle Puppies and Litters that we have. Click the buttons that are below each announcement or use the top tabs on our website to see each litter. We frequently have Goldendoodle puppies with that classic teddy bear look. We also have Goldendoodle litters with dark reds, chocolates, blacks, creams, parti, and merles. Some of these moms have "past puppy" buttons so you can see what their puppies will look like as they become older pups and adults. Check them out and contact us for any questions or check out our "purchasing" page. With our guardian homes, we have grown to the point that we have Petite and Mini Goldendoodle for sale almost monthly. We also have mini Bernedoodles quite often. She is an F1b with a toy dad. Both parents have two dominant furnishings so these two puppies are a good choice for a family with allergy concerns. They were born July 28th and will be 8 weeks old Sept .This tiny little multigen Goldendoodle girl was born June 16th and is ready to go. As a single puppy after she was weaned from her mom we added her to a litter of petite puppies so that she could learn the normal doggie social skills. She is a precious puppy and very happy to be carried around and snuggled on! She weighed 3 pounds at 8 weeks and only 4 pounds at 11 weeks of age. Her mom, Rosie is a small goldendoodle about 19 pounds and the dad is Duggy also about 18 pounds. Baby Uno is tracking to be really small at about pounds. Both parents have two dominant furnishings which means Baby Uno will have a non shedding coat and a great choice for allergy sufferers. The parents are pictured together below. Click for Lisa's Mini goldendoodles This litter is the most popular generation of Mini goldendoodles. Jewel is a small F1 mom with a mini poodle dad. She's about 28 pounds with a wavy coat. The dad is Zake and he's a mini poodle weighing in around 16 pounds. He is a 10 out of 10 on red intensity so these puppies should have rich color as they mature. We can see that the size ranges a bit with the puppies but most are quite small. They will mature in the teens to maybe 25 pounds. We have both curly and wavy coats in this litter. Raising Healthy Puppies since We raise Goldendoodles with outstanding temperament and health. We are a small home breeder who raise our puppies in a very loving home environment. All of our dogs are part of our family. We are with each puppy every day and believe in heavy socialization. We believe in selective breeding and have been rasing disease free puppies for many years. Our puppies are dearly loved and they have the best vet care! We use Pawprints Genetic Health Testing. Our dogs have all of their health clearances. For we made the top 10 best Goldendoodle Breeders in Alabama by Devoted Dog We are a member of Good Dog which takes only the best breeders natiuonwide through a highly scrutinized process. The say our lines are great. They work with the most prestigious Service Dog training facility in the nation called Hand and Paw. We are taking reservations on all of our Winter litters as well as Spring .Check out our available puppies page and parents and planned litter page. You can contact us at jeffersondoodle gmail. We donate to Forgotten Tails Rescue. We believe in helping our local rescues and have the vision that no animals will be left in a shelter and every animal in a shelter will be placed in a loving home. Share 0 Shares Alabama is a beautiful, loving state in the United States of America that boasts of equally beautiful landscapes, a bubbling city life, and lots of history. It is also a canine-loving state with an increasing interest in the Golden Retriever as well as the Poodle dog breeds. The Goldendoodle which is a cross between the Golden Retriever and the Poodle , is also a popular dog breed in the state as Alabama is home to lots of breeders for the designer dog breed. With the Goldendoodle, you get a hypoallergenic dog with high intelligence, playful and happy energy, and complete loyalty. When getting a Goldendoodle puppy, always aim to adopt one from a reputable breeder that truly cares for and loves the breed. Avoid backyard breeders or puppy mills that are only interested in making quick money from the sale of the gorgeous furry angels. In this article, we help make your search for a reputable Goldendoodle easier by providing a list of our top Goldendoodle breeders in the Cotton State of Alabama. These breeders were selected after carefully looking into their breeding program and standards. However, detailed research should be done on each breeder before choosing to work with them. Since , this breeder has been dedicated to producing the best quality English teddy bear Goldendoodles to numerous families in the state of Alabama. They are located in Robertsdale and are focused on mainly mini and petite Goldendoodles. Their Goldendoodles are bred to be excellent family companions and friends. These puppies enjoy proper socialization, and proper feeding and they get to sleep in temperature-regulated areas that are regularly cleaned. Some of the sires and dams used in their program are imported after much research would have been done on each breed. They are well tested for genetic health issues and they also undergo a temperament test to be sure they are a fit for their new homes. They have their full vaccinations and deworming and are microchipped. They also come with written health guarantees. We specialize in breeding Mini Goldendoodles as well as a few other breeds. We also have partnered up with several other high quality breeders that raise mini goldendoodle pups that meet our strict genetic criteria and testing. So we usually have a good selection of very high quality puppies. View Our Available Puppies! Not all mini Goldendoodles are equal, there are a few different versions to choose from each having a little different genetic background based on the pups parents. We will explain all the differences in Mini Goldendoodle puppies and how they are bred below. We raise all versions of the mini goldendoodle breed. F1 Mini Goldendoodle Pups. A F1 puppy is also known as a First Generation puppy. The puppies mother is a Golden Retriever and the pups dad is a Mini Poodle. This version of mini goldendoodle usually has soft wavy or curly puppy fur. They will shed until they lose their puppy fur, after shedding they will shed a lot less, but will shed. This version is partially hypoallergenic and usually requires low maintenance. F1 mini goldendoodles usually need to be groomed every 6 months along with daily brushing to keep their curly hair from matting and getting tangled. The dogs usually grow up having great temperaments similar to golden retrievers. They usually get about inches high at the shoulder and range in weight from pounds. F1b Mini Goldendoodle Pups. An F1b is known as a second-generation mini goldendoodle with the pups mother being already an F1 Goldendoodle and the pups dad being a mini poodle also. So the difference between F1 and F1b is that the mom is not a golden retriever but an actual F1 Goldendoodle. They also have very soft curly hair but with almost no shedding. This F1b version is semi-hypoallergenic and a better choice for anyone who has pet allergies. The F1b also should be brushed on a daily basis but will need to be groomed more frequently then a F1. A 6 to 8 week grooming schedule is recommended to keep their coat in perfect condition. F1b Mini goldendoodles get around 18 to 20 inches tall at the shoulders and range between pounds in weight. F1bb Mini Goldendoodle Pups. An F1bb goldendoodle is also known as a third-generation mini goldendoodle. This mini goldendoodle version has a coat more similar to a poodle than of a golden retriever. This is because the pup is more of a poodle than a retriever. Making it the very best version for anyone with pet allergies. A 6 to 8 week grooming schedule is required to help prevent knots or matting. This version is super intelligent and loving, and usually seems to have more energy than the other versions of Mini goldendoodles. This version is usually smaller in size, weighing around pounds and only getting inches tall at the shoulders. The smaller size makes them a great size for smaller homes and apartments. So if you live near Hartselle Alabama and are looking for a healthy and beautiful Mini Goldendoodle puppy then checkout our available pups now by Clicking Here. Below are some Mini Goldendoodle Pups that have been adopted!

How to Train a week-old Labrador Puppy? Training older dogs is quite a difficult or nearly impossible task. The age of 2 months or 8 weeks is the best time for your pup to begin its training. This is because your pup has grown enough to be independent and can also understand the cues of the owner. How to Train an 8-week-old Labrador Puppy? You must keep things simple in the beginning because the pups are already learning the behavior of their owners. Below are some basic things that you can teach to your 2-month-old Labrador puppy. Follow Me — This command can be taught by walking a few steps here and there while holding a treat. This will allow you to go out to different places or visit friends comfortably with your dog. Deject Biting — You will use 2 treats to train your dog. You can rarely use a simple punishment, like ignoring, if the biting was hard. At this age, it is assumed that a Labrador puppy is already familiar with some basic things. Hence, you can teach your canine friend some simple commands. Heal — As of now, your dog should be habitual to follow you. In this command, you will use a dog leash and grab it in your left hand. Recall — This command is used to recall a pup to repeat the previously performed training. In this command, we can use a whistle, clapping, or any other sound as a cue. More Socialization — Make your Lab more comfortable in crowded places. Also, visit friends frequently so that your pooch can become comfortable around strange people. Then, add more twists by taking an object and using the touch command so that the pup touches the target. At this age, a Lab is considered mature enough to respond to some positioning commands as well as verbal instructions. Sit and Stay — Simply use a treat while your pup is in a standing position and move it towards the floor. For teaching this command, hold the treat for some time before feeding after your pooch has sat on the ground. Fetch — A 4-month-old Labrador puppy knows how to get to a target. If the puppy goes to the object and brings it back, a treat is offered. It is recommended to use the favorite toy of your pup as the target. Stand — Take a treat and move it up while the pup is in a sitting position. For this purpose, you can use a recall command with some specific sound for it. Strengthen Earlier Trainings — You should focus on all the previous learning firmly. Spend some quality time with your puppy to make this into a strong relationship. At this age, you can start teaching your dog some advanced commands. Leave it — It is used when the dog is biting down on something and not leaving it. You can also use this command to keep your pooch safe from potential troubles. Once some sort of discipline is implemented, you can remove the treats from the training and use appreciation. Wait — This is used when your dog is running continuously or doing rigorous exercise. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Commencing Marker Training your chocolate labrador pup Start Marker Training at 8 weeks of age When you take your 8 week old labrador pup to their new home, you should commence their obedience training immediately. Just repetitively say yes and give your pup a treat immediately. Then familiarise your labrador pup with a leash. Clip the leash to their collar and allow the pup to roam a little. This way they will adjust to its weight and the sensation around their neck. If you try to walk your pup straight away, they will simply resist. Don't pull and command, but rather cultivate a positive experience with a leash. Secondly, I recommend that you feed your new labrador pup with a leash attached until they learn to sit. This will establish you as the master and immediately teach the pup restraint. Do not give the food bowl to your dog without firstly bringing him under your control. Even with my mature dogs, I will not let them feed except on command. Feeding should never be random. Hold the leash close to the labrador pup's neck and push their rear end down to the seated position. When they are sitting, enthusiastically praise your pup and, only then, reward their obedience with food. Remember, food should always represent a reward for good behaviour. They hear tones and frequencies. When we train them, we are conditioning them to associate a particular sound with a response so that it means something to them. Labrador puppies like all dogs learn contextually and by consistent repetition. In this way, a labrador pup learns to associate sounds with responses and rewards. This is why you should reward your pup immediately when they have performed a command correctly, even if they did not intend to do so. In the early stages, I prefer to teach a dog to 'sit,' then move on to 'staying' before teaching them to 'come'. This is especially so while they are still a puppy. Remember that a 12 month old dog is still a pup. They are regularly hyperactive and overstimulated. The goal is to get your labrador puppy into a calm and submissive state as often as you can. Ensure you are demonstrating a calm and composed, yet assertive demeanor. When you are in charge, your labrador pup will willingly sit and look to you for direction. Exercise patience and be repetitive but don't overdo it. Remember that the time you put in now will help you bond with your young dog, even if they do not appear to be advancing quickly. It will be a very worthwhile investment in a long term relationship for years to come. Of these three basic commands, the 'stay' command will take more time to teach. When this is mastered and entrenched in your dog's obedience, it can save your dog from danger. You are teaching them associations, not English words. Sit Teaching your new labrador pup to sit should begin immediately when you take it home. Begin by feeding them on a leash. Hold the leash close to the pup's neck. Give the pup the 'sit' command, but don't reward them with food until they are sitting. In this way you have begun to condition the pup to the 'sit' command. This requires patience at meal time. Remember that a labrador pup requires 4 feeds a day for the first phase of their life. This gives you ample opportunity for repetition and reward. When the dog sits, reward them with a treat and a lot of enthusiastic praise. Each time they repeat the behaviour, reward them with a treat again. You can train your labrador pup for short intervals at any time. Carry a few small pieces of food. Call your pup, then reward them with lots of affirmation and a piece of food when they comply. Teach them to sit by offering a small treat. Say 'sit', then let them smell the food as you move your hand over their head. A labrador pup will automatically lift the nose in the air to follow the food. As the head moves up and back, the pup will tend to sit. Give lots of praise and gradually increase repetition as they associate the word 'sit' with the food. Stay Your Labrador pup will need to understand the 'sit' command before you advance to 'stay'. Before you give the 'stay' command, make sure that the dog is seated. To keep the dog in the sitting position, you will use your hand with the fingers pointing up and the palm in front of their face. To begin with, position yourself about half a metre away from your pup's face. Direct the 'stay' command calmly, with your hand up. Slowly take half a step back and remain there for 3 seconds to begin with. Then step back towards to the dog. Wait for another 3 sec and then reward your dog with a treat. Repeat this 5 times. Reward them at the end of each 'stay' routine by praising them enthusiastically and giving them a treat. Don't praise or reward the dog until they have remained seated in front of you for a minimum of 3 seconds when you return. Your puppy should not move a millimetre until you give the reward. If your dog breaks early, you have gone too far. Simply return to your dog, reset them in the seated position and begin the routine again. Come It is important to make sure your Labrador understands the 'stay' command before you begin the recall or 'come' command. Make sure you pup is seated before you give the 'come' command. As your walk away from your pup, maintain eye contact. Don't back away too far too soon. If the pup breaks early, give the 'come' command to establish association. When you call your dog to 'come', do not let them jump up on you. If the dog wants to stand on its back legs and reach up, place the palm of your hand on their head and hold it away from you. I suggest that you don't say 'no! The down command should be used as a more constructive training command. If your pup jumps up, make your disapproval known by using a 'dog' sound; 'Ahhh! If you find yourself becoming frustrated, then put the pup away and start again tomorrow. Don't take it personally and don't blame the dog. Corrections are necessary, but not out of frustration or anger. If it's not working, then look at your consistency and your communication. If the training is a positive experience then you will strengthen the bonding and learning process. Develop consistent communication and trust with your dog in the process of the training. Labrador pups love to please and they will be very proud of themselves when they accomplish the command and gain your approval. Pawling Chocolate and Black Labradors. 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. Puppy training development after 6 months It is very tempting to get carried away with puppy training. Your young do is so willing to please and such fun to be around. It is important to go at a happy pace for you both. Positive reinforcement training is the right choice for your puppy because there are no negative consequences to getting something wrong. But you can still both suffer from burnout and frustration if you try to reach the later puppy training stages without totally aceing the earlier developments. Your Puppy Training Schedule This may not be exactly the same for each puppy, especially with retrieving which is more Labrador specific. However, it gives you a rough idea. Constantly changing direction. Stopping frequently for cuddles and rewards. This means I blow the recall whistle whenever the puppy runs towards me, no compulsion, and no whistle unless the recall is already underway. Socialisation: Lots almost daily of outings to different places rural and urban carried Visits to family and friends. Bite inhibition: Discourage hard biting, allow mouthing. Working with food: Learning how to take food gently without snatching or grabbing at the treat pot. I still give the puppy lots of encouragement by running away as soon as I blow the whistle. Socialisation: More socialisation, at least twice a week to busy public places. Bite inhibition: Discourage hard biting, allow gentle mouthing. Retrieving: Encourage chase and pick up retrieve drive. Hand touch: I teach all new puppies to touch my hand with their noses. This is a great foundation for other skills. Recall: Puppy recall continues, reduce my run to a walk, avoid any distractions. Still frequently blow the recall whenever the pup runs towards me of her own free will. Socialisation: From ground level after vaccination. No other leash walking at all Bite inhibition: No biting, gentle mouthing allowed. Retrieving: Continue to build drive. Positions: I introduce three positions — sit, stand, down. What to expect from your 3 month old puppy Most three month old puppies will be sleeping through the night. And will be having less potty training accidents in the house. There are a few potty training problems that arise at this age, and they are all covered in 15 potty training problems solved. Biting is a big shock and a big problem for many new Lab puppy parents so do check out our complete guide to biting , and join the forum for help and support. Help encourage your puppy to stay in their bed while you are eating. I have a pot of dog treats on our kitchen table, and whenever we sit down to a meal, the puppy gets a treat each time she steps into her basket. Just a treat for stepping in there. What to expect from your 4 month old puppy Your 4 month old puppy will be pretty much potty trained, but accidents still happen if they are left alone too long. Biting is usually starting to subside now, and many four month old puppies will be able to mouth at your hand without hurting you. At this point I start to discourage all mouthing. I teach every puppy to let me touch her face or approach her with my hand, food, a leash etc while holding eye contact and not grabbing at me, or at what is in my hand. This is the age at which people often start to push forward with training. Your 4 month old puppy is capable of quite a lot. There is nothing wrong with teaching your puppy different cues and even some tricks. I recommend you still avoid long duration activities at this point as they are a common stumbling point with puppies young enough to have a short attention span. A ten second sit is ample. Add mild distractions Recall: Fade additional cues. Begin to whistle the pup and stand still. Add mild distractions. Clicker train to polish this in more mouthy puppies. No commands are needed for this. Gradual introduction of distractions. Advanced puppy training begins in earnest This is where I start a programme of sporting training with my Labs. You can begin raising your standards and expectations, asking for longer and more complex behaviors. Teaching your puppy to walk to heel nicely for longer distance and past all kinds of distractions and temptations. Or teaching your puppy to sit and stay for longer periods of time, and even while you go out of sight or while other dogs play nearby. What to expect from your six month old puppy Six months is a common time for people to have a lot of questions and to be struggling with a few challenges. This is now a very bouncy, quite powerful and rapidly maturing young dog. And you may need to patch up a few holes in his training or manners. We have a great article for owners of six month old Lab puppies. 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 Preparing for the teething stage If you have been following my puppy training program since the beginning, you will have some down time for the next month or so. This is not to mean that you will not be working with your puppy at all, but only means that you will not be adding any new training. For the next month or two, you should continue working on basic obedience. I will discuss this more later in the post but Here is the training for your 4-month-old Labrador puppy. About this series of posts This is post eight 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. Bubba Training and socialization for four-month-old Labrador puppy Here are the things we worked on during the past two weeks while training Bubba. Working on self-control and restraint If you have ever been pushed out of the way as your large dog rushes to get outside or inside ahead of you, you know how that feels. It can be downright dangerous, and there is no reason to allow it. You can start eliminating these future problems by spending time now, teaching your 4-month-old puppy to have self-control and restraint. There is a vast array of situations that you can use to teach your puppy self-control. The first and easiest one to teach is sitting before eating. Simply do not give your puppy their food until they SIT calmly. Here are some other opportunities. Sitting before getting a leash on and off Sitting by door, waiting to go outside or inside, until released from SIT Staying in crate or kennel until released, even with door open All these training opportunities work toward the same thing — self-control. There are probably many more situations that would also apply, use your imagination, and teach your puppy to listen and exert restraint in all situations. Bubba has learned all these lessons well. She understands that she must wait for a release command and that if she SITS very still the release comes sooner. Obedience training your 4-month-old puppy We continue to work on obedience training using a chain collar and heeling stick. Bubba has come a long way regarding heeling. She is not perfect, but she does understand the command. However, remote SIT is not going well. Bubba really struggles to SIT still, even for a few seconds. I had to be reminded that Bubba is a chocolate lab. Chocolate labs tend to mature much slower than blacks or yellows, and Bubba is proving that to be true. Given this, Bubba will probably need some more maturity before I can expect too much from her on obedience. Well, let me rephase. Bubba knows the HERE command but still struggles to respond to it consistently. This is a huge source of contention for me, but again, Bubba is a chocolate and is very immature. A halt on retrieving Up until now we have been doing retrieving daily with Bubba, but as she enters the fourth month, we are increasing aware that she will be teething very soon. Because of this, we will be stopping retrieving until we can confirm that all her adult teeth are in. This concerns a lot of owners; they are concerned that their puppy will forget how to retrieve or will stop wanting to retrieve. We have never had this happen. Final thoughts on training for your 4-month-old Labrador puppy As your puppy approaches four months of age, it is good to take a moment to reflect on all the progress you have made in terms of training. These are important steps that will lead your puppy down a path of becoming a happy, healthy family dog and hunting companion. 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. Training your 4-month-old Labrador puppy? You should take your puppy outdoors and let him exercise his socialization potential at a young age. Visiting friends and family is one way to go about it. You can also spot a dog park and carry him there. Remember that your pet is still learning to follow directions and walk with you. You cannot expect him to cover long distances. The best way to avoid this is to take them far enough from the house and ensure they have a positive outside experience. It is worth noting that you should do this as often as you can, preferably daily. Start Potty Training It would be best to start potty training your Lab puppy the first day you bring him home. Start by showing your pup where you want him to potty, such as a sectioned-off area of your yard or garden. A good idea is to cordon off a small area and add some bark chippings. Next, you need a potty training schedule such as first thing in the morning, after mealtimes and play, and hourly for young pups. Many owners use dog crates to help with house training. I have a step-by-step guide on Labrador puppy crate training where you can learn tons more. Discourage Biting If you follow my blog, you know I am against punishment-oriented training. If you train your dog young enough to avoid harsh bites, you will not need punishment-driven discipline strategies. In any case, using physical force or yelling at your pup will only instill fear and distrust and can cause aggression in your dog. You can also check out my article, How to Discipline a Labrador , for greater insight into this topic. Instead, you can wait until your Labrador bites during a positive activity and then discontinue it. It will anchor the consequence better. Follow up using positive reinforcement by rewarding the correct behavior with a treat. Your Labrador will quickly learn that displaying good behavior reaps nice things. Puppies need to learn their bite inhibition soft-mouth by continuing the excellent work their mother and siblings taught them. Learn Bite Inhibition Training! Instill Patience You must use your best judgment when training your dog to be patient. Generally speaking, your Labrador will be mature enough to learn self-control by the tenth week. You can use a clicker or a whistle to teach your puppy to assume the natural heel position. Chances are, at first, your Labrador will try to change his pace to be behind you because of the force of habit. Walking in areas familiar to your dog will eliminate this problem. While you previously trained him to assume a heel position, you can also teach him these techniques. You may notice that your puppy can tell your words apart by the thirteenth week. So by the time he is four months old, you can use the position cues and positive reinforcement to get your dog to follow. These included whistling, clapping, or saying a specific word to indicate that your Labrador is doing a good job, typically followed by a well-deserved treat. Now is the time to see whether the anchors work! Where you previously whistled when your Lab ran towards you, now you must whistle, so he begins his run. This is the start of his Labrador recall training. Teaching good recall is an ongoing process. My dog was around 12 months old before seeing a noticeable improvement in her recall. Please avoid forcing the dog, as that only introduces confusion. Build Comfort With Crowds — Work on Socialization You have trained your Labrador to acknowledge close friends and family in the past few weeks. While this enables the puppy to be more social when you have visitors, a grown dog must learn to walk outdoors without acting out. This transition must be gradual, and try to keep experiences positive. Whether it is a cuddle, a pat, attention, or something tasty, you must teach your pup target training , for example, to touch a target with a specific part of his body. Remember that your Lab may end up biting or clawing to communicate if you do not teach him more acceptable communication methods. Here, I recommend teaching your Labrador to touch your hand with his nose. Ultimately, this is an excellent replacement for bites! Hand targeting is fun to teach, helps your pup build trust, and gets him using his brain! You have laid a strong foundation of discipline and positive reinforcement, making it easier to train your dog to follow more complex commands. In these weeks, you will introduce him to assuming different positions, obeying your commands as he moves away from you, and reacting to more nuanced anchors. Remember, 4-month-old Labrador puppies have a short attention span, so avoid long training sessions. Teach the Sit and Stay Teaching your Lab to sit and stay is a useful command for him to learn. Train Your Dog to Fetch If you have taken your Labrador to public parks and he has seen other dogs play fetch, it will be easier to teach him to retrieve whatever you throw. Your Labrador may not bring the toy back to you for a second round, but he will soon get the idea of retrieving it. You can gradually turn it into a game of fetch over the next few weeks and reward your doggo with high-value training treats. Continue Potty Training In the fourth month of Labrador training, you will continue potty training with a degree of independence. Continue with a good schedule and sync your walks with his natural cycle to align with the times he needs to go. You can use it to control your Labrador and later to test his ability to execute a command off-leash. A harness is also a good idea and is used for outdoor training and walks. Many owners will opt for a rear-attaching harness. Related: Harness vs. Collar for Lab Puppy: Which is Best? How to Train a 5-Month-Old Lab Puppy A five-month-old Labrador puppy is ready to be tested for his general obedience and the ability to deal with distractions, whether other dogs, people, or other animals such as squirrels or birds. Earlier, I mentioned that you could not expect an eight-week-old puppy to delay gratification. Your puppy can deal with distractions at five months old if you introduce them slowly. You must be prepared for your dog to run ahead of you now! However, suppose you have developed a solid relationship with your pup and worked on his training. In that case, he will stay within a reasonable distance, remaining by your side and showing loyalty. Once your Lab puppy has reached his 6-month milestone, it also marks the point where you introduce him to advanced obedience training. The good news is that all the training you have previously given will make it easier for your dog to follow your lead. Conclude Potty Training Your dog has had months to learn how to communicate his need to go potty. He has also likely refined the patience to hold it instead of relieving himself on the floor. Therefore, you can communicate your disappointment with your body language if your dog makes a mess. Avoid physical punishment and even verbal chastising as it impacts your dog negatively. All dogs can still have the odd accident up to 12 months old. Moreover, you must be prepared for your dog to relieve himself indoors if he is excited or frightened, known as either excitement or submissive urination. Increase Exercise Now that your Lab puppy is six months old, you can increase his exercise to thirty minutes twice daily. Energy levels, especially for larger breed dogs, escalate during this time. While the average exercise for a pup before this is generally five minutes of exercise per month of age, twice a day, a six-month-old Labrador can be out for one hour if you split his walks into thirty minutes a day. To train your 6-month-old Lab puppy, start with two commands with the most practical use. From six months onwards, until your Labrador is a well-trained adult, you can teach the following commands or tricks in any order. How to Train a 7-Month-Old Labrador As your Lab progresses to seven months old, a lot of the previous training needs to be kept consistent as you gradually teach him to comprehend more commands. Maybe there is a trespasser, and you want your dog to scare them away. You will need to continue training your dog to hold things or release them on command, but you can also proceed to add distance and even more background distractions. Ironically, you need to teach him to bark on command before learning to be silent on cue. Over this month, he will learn to associate the respective commands with barking and silence. This is quite tricky, but your Lab will eventually get there if you practice and stay consistent. The eighth month is ideal for training your Lab to go to different places upon hearing the command word. Either way, do not overload him with place commands, and stick to no more than two per month. Or you can use the ninth month to teach a cool party trick! After a week, you can remove the treat and teach your Lab to follow your finger. Of course, you will still need to reward him after he follows the command. By the third week, you can cue your doggo to spin and see if he does so without your finger guiding him in a circular motion. It might take an extra week or two, but I recommend this as an addition in the ninth month because it allows you to continue training your pet to learn previous commands better. You can teach him to go to different places, hold or release objects, and fetch toys. You can now progress this further and teach him to roll over on command. Your 1-year-old Labrador only learns to comprehend more at the same pace as he has since the 6-month mark. You should also audit previously taught commands and see any weak associations you can reinforce. How to Train an Month-Old Labrador You will not have to alter your training regimen dramatically if you have trained your Labrador properly from eight weeks onward. If anything, this is the period where you customize his training to your convenience. Now is when your dog must learn to be compatible with your life. From the month mark onwards, you must train your dog to be harmonious with modern adult life within reason. It is sad to see dog owners having to give away their pets because of behavior issues. Such things are avoidable if you train your dog correctly and sufficiently exercise him. It would be best if you simply established authority by having a positive yet commanding presence. Once your dog acknowledges your authority and sees you as a guide, you can merely treat him as a six-month-old, albeit on an accelerated schedule, and train him accordingly. Your job becomes even easier once you have a workable training schedule and stick to your routine. This month-by-month Labrador puppy training schedule will help you successfully train your doggo and turn him into the beloved companion you always desired. Good luck with your training! Related Posts You May Like:.

Only interact with dogs that are safe and you know for sure will have positive reactions to your new German Shepherd. Forcing them will only make them develop stress and anxiety in new situations and with animals. Think quality, not quantity, when socializing your German Shepherd. There are tons of new things your dog needs to get comfortable with. Use treats and positive encouragement when they investigate a new situation with confidence. Train daily. Make it fun. Punishment will only cause your dog to fear you and increase anxiety. Crouch down to offer them a gentle scratch and pet. This connects their name to paying attention to you and marks you as a positive leader, which is important for obedience training and living with their new family. Always work on rewarding good behavior instead of punishing bad behavior. The goal is to build trust in the first few weeks and months that you have your new dog to create a bond. And dogs are actually happier when they are trained rspca. Keep the sessions short, but have multiple training sessions throughout the day. Never end training on a bad note. For example, give them a command they know for sure so they finish with success. Read this guide to learn all about the basics of proper German Shepherd obedience training , including a helpful training schedule and the foundation commands. Be prepared for chewing by offering the right options. Biting and chewing are natural instincts for dogs and puppies. These actions provide them with opportunities to investigate the different amounts of pressure to use in relation to the purpose of their biting. Your job as their new owner is to help your pup understand and educate them on what is appropriate to bite, nip, and chew. This teaches them your signal and cue. They should let go or look a bit startled. Follow their release with praise or a tasty treat when your dog stops the unwanted behavior. Do NOT physically punish your dog! Instead, redirect them to a proper chew toy. Sometimes puppies teethe and their gums are sore and need something to chew. Other times adult German Shepherds have a desire and natural urge to bite for relaxation and to reduce anxiety. Only use safe, non-toxic chew toys, which are found listed here, in the best strong chew toys for German Shepherds to avoid boredom. Avoid accidents by managing the home environment. Create a set routine and schedule and stick to it to avoid accidents and train your puppy faster. Say hello to your new sloppy family member… They not only shed everywhere but also dump water out when drinking, spill their food, and… Have total disrespect for your carpets! You must have them in a secure area or watch them all the time to avoid any accidents. No matter what you will clean up some kind of bodily function when owning a German Shepherd. So, do yourself a favor and stock up on pet stain and odor remover! Use food-dispensing toys and slow feeders to keep them at a healthy weight. This is a food toy called a Kong Wobbler. Keep to a schedule so that you can control their food intake and watch their weight. Instead, use rubber toys in which you place part of their food to help control their voracious eating. I like to use a Kong Wobbler for both puppies and adults. Even better? Puppies are more responsive to the Ignore method of training. As a new German Shepherd owner, you might think you need to appease your dog all the time or give in to their excessive attention-seeking. In my experience, this is one of the most effective training methods that you can use when owning a German Shepherd. Put simply, here are the basics to use the Ignore method of training: You ignore the behavior that you want to stop or reduce. On the flip side, you give attention to the behavior you want to encourage. The hard bit is ignoring a very intelligent German Shepherd who is persistent! Give your German Shepherd a job at home so they stay entertained. This represents big challenges as a German Shepherd owner. You must be smarter than your dog! But the jobs can be as easy or difficult as you have the time and energy to train. This is not a mentally lazy dog, but a breed with extremely high intelligence and a huge breadth of application for that intelligence. Of course, you have already read a lot of books with advice on how to choose the right puppy of a German Shepherd, east European, as well as a Newfoundland, Rottweiler, Spaniel, or Spitz puppy. You understand what is the fundamental difference between these breeds and why a Retriever puppy will never become a VIP bodyguard, and a black terrier will hardly ever pass for a draft husky. Why Opting For a German Shepherd Puppy Is a Good Choice The German Shepherd is prone to learning from a very young to deep old age, while many other breeds cannot boast of this, even if their appearance is more perfect than that of a German Shepherd. The most well-known characteristics that a German Shepherd owns are: pronounced protective and guarding instinct; the ability to make independent decisions, and active actions, and at the same time be completely submissive to the owner; sociability, playfulness, and curiosity; lack of aggression signs towards others and deep affection for the owner; a willingness to happily take on tasks, learn, and remain completely fearless when faced with unfamiliar surroundings or unforeseen difficulties; In addition, the Shepherd dog is calmly confident and features strong nerves, combativeness, and assertiveness which are the main qualities of a good service dog. Perhaps, due to this set of breed characteristics, few larger and more ferocious breeds can compete with a GS, both for guarding the house and as a personal protector. It is not recommended to take puppies under 4 weeks old from their mother. This applies not only to GSs but other breeds. At the age of one month, the baby has already been given all the necessary vaccinations. However, only a person who can devote a lot of time to raising a puppy can afford to take a Shepherd at such a young age. In addition to 6 meals a day, and socialization, the new owner will need to complete 1, different tasks, which require, above all, a lot of time. If there is no time, it is worth finding a puppy aged 4 to 6 months. And it is advisable to take such a teenager from a nursery that focuses on breeding German Shepherds and not all the breeds at once. It happens that a puppy stays in the nursery because the money deposit was given for it but, for some reason, people could not pick up the reserved puppy. If the grown-up German Shepherd puppy constantly lived in an aviary and was deprived of close contact with people and the outside world, owners who have not previously dealt with this breed should not choose such a youngster. These young dogs are for experienced cinologysts. Lack of socialization can be corrected but it cannot be fully eliminated. Testing for the Puppy and Its Future Owner You may already know how to choose a purebred German Shepherd by external signs under the age of 3 months. Simple tests will help you choose a puppy with the desired character. Visit the breeder at a predetermined time when the puppies do not sleep or, conversely, are not hungry. You are taking a future friend for life, and enthusiastic emotions with such a choice are inappropriate. When buying a new friend, inspect the litter meticulously. Pay attention to the following: eyes do not water; traces of diarrhea under the tails are not observed; wet noses are without purulent crusts; legs are straight and strong; fur is clean, reminding of the plush; on the skin under the coat, there are no signs of peeling and scabs; all puppies are active and well-fed; the body is elastic and strong to the touch; the puppy has a pleasant dog smell; the mother is not exhausted; bowls and bedding are clean; there is enough heat and light. Of course, the owner of the dog mother has already taken her to the next room. Those who paid attention to the unusual sound are yours. Throw carefully, of course a tennis ball at the puppies. Those who were not afraid and did not try to escape are yours. Those who, having scouted the situation, did not begin to whine , pressing themselves onto the floor, but hurried towards the bedding are yours. Pay attention to those who have shown interest in a new object. The best are those who took and dragged it. Keys and money are the dirtiest household items. This testing method was used 20 years ago. Today, it is dangerous for the health of puppies! Invite those who dragged the rubber duck to pull a piece of fabric. If the baby dog willingly starts the fight, not letting the cloth go when you pull it towards you, they are good boys or girls. Turn the puppy you like on its back and hold it with an open palm for a few seconds. A clear alpha leader is easy to identify by its non-calming behavior for seconds, and even trying to bite you in this position. It may not be your choice! You will get too many problems associated with the puppy, or it will never be possible to completely subdue it. The puppy that squealed, pulled back its paw, and did not lose its interest in you is yours. The one who barks trying to drive brothers and sisters away from the bowl is not for you. The one who gives up its place at the feeder is also not yours. Yours is the one who, regardless of the obstacles, has taken its place and calmly devours food, without moving from its point, snapping, and running around the bowl. Now, you have at best 2 or 3 puppies left in front of you. You need to select the fat-footed one who will try to get out through the opening without panic and squealing. The tests are simple, but they will allow you to select a good puppy and raise a real working German Shepherd from it without unnecessary costs and nerves. Talk to the breeder. Such puppies are sold at a more reasonable price, but the puppy card for them is mandatory to be filled out as well. If you are given puppies for free, in the absence of their mother, there is a reason to seriously consider whether it is a Shepherd dog at all, even if their mother has pedigree documents. This is not a dog of one owner! The versatility and flexibility of this breed are proven by the fact that GSs accept a new family and a new environment without any problems. The main thing for it is to have its own business — to serve a human! Of course, parting with the former owner seriously affects the condition of the dog, but it will not have a destructive effect on its psyche. And the sooner you engage the German Shepherd in work, the more chances you will have to become a new God for it. If the German Shepherd was properly brought up and grew up surrounded by people, it has working characteristics in good conditions, and the reputation of its previous owner is beyond all questions, such a dog will be quite useful to your family. Finding out the previous story and background of an adult GS why it is refused, what the complaints about its behavior are, and other prompting questions is a must! The reason may be the saddest and most trivial — the previous owner died, and relatives are not able to either support or care for the dog. David W. I admire German Shepherds. They are magnificent dogs! I have been dealing with dogs, namely German Shepherds, throughout my life. I have been working part-time as a dog trainer and instructor for about 5 years, dealing mainly with German Shepherds. So I know a bit about these animals. Therefore, I decided to share my knowledge and experience about this fantastic breed. If you need help with advice and care tips or want to know more about German Shepherd dogs, welcome to this blog. There is nothing cuter than a fluffy bundle of German Shepherd goodness. Quickly, however, reality sets in. German shepherd puppies are a lot of work! From housetraining, chewed up household items, and establishing a routine, the very first day your adorable puppy enters your home, there are sure to be challenges as well as heart melting rewards. To help you and your puppy start off on the right paw, you need to set your puppy up for success. To get started, there are numerous books on puppy training that you can buy, free training advice online, and many opinions on the best way to raise a German Shepherd dog. You can also learn a lot from the mistakes that other German Shepherd owners have made and most are more than happy to share their experiences. Some of the most common mistakes that people make when raising a German shepherd puppy are: Getting a puppy that is too young According to the American Kennel Club, the best time for a puppy to leave its mom and littermates is at eight to twelve weeks old. Puppies develop many life skills from their mom and littermates. When placed in their new home too soon, they can develop anxiety, lack confidence, suffer from health issues, and have many more behavior problems. If a confident, healthy, well socialized dog is your goal, the wait is worth it. Trying to channel the energy of a true working line dog into the average pet home is unfair to the dog and often results in destructive behavior by the dog. There have been many frustrated owners who have ended up trying to rehome a dog with behavior problems or worse, dump them at a shelter. Before you choose a puppy, talk to breeders, rescues, and other experts to find the perfect fit for your home. Not puppy proofing the home German shepherd puppies are smart, full of curiosity, and love to chew. Left to their own devices, they will inspect every inch of your home and chew anything that catches their eye. Not being prepared for the pupping biting Like all puppies, German Shepherds like to chew. But given that they are herding dogs, they are mouthier than most breeds. Many first-time German Shepherd owners have been caught off guard by just how much their adorable puppy likes to bite and how razor sharp their teeth are. Although a small puppy nipping fingers and ankles can be cute, German Shepherds quickly start teething and soon grow into rowdy adolescents who may learn that biting is a fun game. This behavior can easily escalate and hurt someone. Chew toys can be used to redirect biting onto something acceptable. They also need plenty of chew toys to offer to teething puppies. Allowing resource guarding behavior German Shepherds are naturally protective and easily given to resource guarding. Owners should never allow their puppy to guard anything including their food, space, or favorite toy. Some signs of resource guarding include protecting an item, hard stare, laying on an item, growling, lunging, air snapping, chasing, and biting. This behavior could be as simple as a look, head turn, or slight baring of the teeth. Some ideas on how to prevent resource guarding include hand feeding and treating your puppy from their food bowl while holding it in your lap, trading up their toys and treats for higher value items, teaching them to allow you to take it, drop it and leave it, teach them to place, and letting them enjoy high value chews in peace. Failing to socialize Young German Shepherds not only need to learn the house rules, but they also need to be exposed to people and places outside the home so they grow up to be a confident dog. This should be done in a safe way, so they have good experiences and are not forced into fearful situations or hurt by other animals and people. Before your dog has its shots, you can start socializing by having people come to your home, taking your pup on car rides, drive throughs, and vet visits. Once your puppy has its shots, you can expose your puppy to all sorts of people and situations, such as people of different genders, colors, races, ages, sizes, disabled wheelchairs, crutches, etc. Not keeping to a schedule Puppies do best when they are kept on a schedule. When a puppy has regular mealtimes, potty breaks, walks, play time, and bedtime, it makes all training much easier and sets the puppy up for success. Conversely, lack of a schedule or an unpredictable environment can cause your German Shepherd puppy to develop behavior problems, cause training setbacks, and potty-training accidents. By sticking to a realistic routine, your dog will be calmer, happier, and grow up to be a confident dog. From the day you bring your dog home, commit to schedule that includes predictable mealtimes, potty breaks, training time, naps, play time, and bedtime. Avoid unrealistic schedules, such as expecting a young puppy to not have frequent potty breaks or to skip meals and drinking water. Not starting training immediately German Shepherd puppies love to learn to please their owners. Puppy training should begin the day the move into your home. By starting training early, you will help your puppy develop and grow into the amazing dog they were born to be. Young puppies can easily learn basic commands such as sit, down, wait, come, and more. We hope you enjoy this article. As always, please feel free to share with your friends. This guide will help you learn how to select the best German Shepherd puppy to add to your family. Is a German Shepherd right for me? This is the first question you should ask yourself before you even consider bringing home a new German Shepherd puppy. You need to evaluate your personal and family lifestyle by asking yourself the following questions: Where do you live? German Shepherds are often on the restricted breed list for apartments. Do you spend much of your time at home, or do you have an active work and social life? Are you willing to spend more time at home on the weekends and evenings during puppyhood, even if it means missing social events? Do you love traveling a lot? If so, will you take your puppy with you? If not, do you have someone or someplace you trust to watch your dog when you travel? Is your whole family excited about the idea of a new German Shepherd puppy? Are you already active or willing to become more active? Do you have time in your schedule to devote to training? Knowing the answers to those questions will help get you a couple of steps closer to deciding whether or not a German Shepherd is the right choice for you. Important things to know about German Shepherds: German Shepherd dogs are sometimes affectionately known as German shedders. German Shepherds shed all year long , however, they blow their coats twice a year during which time they will shed exponentially more. When considering getting this breed, you should be comfortable having a dog that sheds. Trimming their nails , cleaning their ears, brushing their teeth, and brushing their coat regularly is sufficient. Of course, during the shedding seasons more frequent brushing will be needed. German Shepherds were originally developed for herding sheep. Accordingly, they have the desire to work and respond best to proper training from a young age, and an active lifestyle. German Shepherds are known to be clingy, so be prepared to have a shadow following you around the house and maybe even in the restroom. German Shepherds are good with kids and are great family dogs. However, they need proper socialization and training at a young age so they can learn how to behave around both kids and adults. German Shepherds require a lot of mental stimulation and have high energy levels, especially as a puppy. As much as I love Allie, she was more than a handful as a puppy. I have seen instances where people underestimate the time, energy, and training a German Shepherd puppy requires and get overwhelmed after bringing their puppy home. These people end up giving up their puppies. It breaks my heart to know these awesome dogs are given up because of a lack of knowledge when selecting a breed of dog. Although they are a handful if you are willing to put in the effort they are in my opinion one of the best breeds of dog to own. German Shepherds are too smart for their own good. They learn things scary fast and sometimes get themselves into trouble because of how smart they are. They learn your routine and habits, and they also learn when and how they can get away with mischief. German Shepherds are incredibly loyal and become very connected to their owners and family. German Shepherds are typically loving and affectionate. From the second I met Allie she greeted me with a wet tongue to the face. That is still her favorite greeting she will kiss anyone that will allow her to get close enough. German Shepherds need training. They need to know that you are the leader and in charge. If not, they will quickly take over the role of being in charge and that is where problems arise. A bored, untrained, not active German Shepherd can become one of the stories you sometimes hear on the news about a GSD being aggressive. In most of those cases, the problem was with the owners and not the dog breed as a whole. Adoption or Breeder? First, you need to decide if you are going to adopt a German Shepherd puppy or buy one from a breeder. Here are some of the benefits of adopting: Rescue puppies are often already sociable, at least partially trained, and loving dogs. Therefore, you will save a lot of time on house training your new puppy. Older puppies or dogs are likely to be calmer than a younger puppy. You are saving the life of a dog that might not have otherwise found a home. The cost of adopting is typically much cheaper than buying a puppy from a breeder. If you decide to get a German Shepherd puppy from a breeder, here are a few things that can help you identify a good, ethical German Shepherd breeder: Ethical breeders care about the health and wellbeing of the puppy and are not just in the business for money. Ethical breeders always make sure that only healthy dogs breed together and follow a strict breeding program where they ensure that breeding and puppy spaces are clean. They should also have papers showing the age of the parent and the family tree of the puppy. Ethical breeders will happily show you around their entire setup; they should have nothing to hide. Ethical breeders will happily answer as many questions as you have to ask. You want to select one that will be compatible with you and your family. Consider the following when picking a puppy from the litter: Choose a puppy that is sociable around you and other puppies. Pick a puppy that walks confidently with its head high and tail up and wagging. Choose a puppy that has clear eyes, ears , and teeth, walks evenly, and appears clean. Basically, choose a puppy that looks healthy. Look at the personalities of the puppies. Choose a welcoming puppy that wants to greet you as opposed to one that retreats or appears shy. Ask to interact with each puppy one by one after seeing them with their littermates. That way you can get a better sense of how the puppy responds to you without distractions. If possible, visit the litter at least three times before making a final decision, this will allow you to determine the personalities of each of those little fluff balls, and see which would best fit into your family. How old should a German Shepherd puppy be when you take it home? Any puppy should be at least 8 weeks old before being separated from their mother. By this timeline, their sensory organs will have also developed fully which will help you to spot any deformities or medical issues. Be wary of any breeder that will allow you to take your puppy home before 8 weeks old. How do you puppy proof for German Shepherds? German Shepherds are naturally active and tend to explore the world with their mouths, especially during their adolescent period. So, before you can bring your new puppy home, there are a few things you can do to puppy-proof your house: Get rid of any poisonous plants or put them out of reach of your new puppy. Cover electrical cords with cable wraps or PVC pipes. Buy a new laundry basket that has a lid, no holes, and is tall. Make sure both your kitchen and bathroom trash cans have lids. Your new puppy will dig around for anything to bite, like chicken bones, diapers, used hygienic products, or even a disposable razor. If possible, you should buy new trash cans that only open when a button is pressed. Store all the chemicals in secured cabinets or even better on high shelves. German Shepherd puppies have strong teeth and can open plastic containers by biting through even the toughest of plastic! Put away any small items or toys that are small enough for your puppy to swallow. Think of small kid toys like Legos or dollhouse furniture that could be dangerous for a curious puppy. Find a safe spot for your shoes. Whether in a closed closet or in the laundry room behind a closed door. I remember losing a pair of brand-new shoes because I forgot to put them away and Allie thought chewing them was a fun idea. Bringing home a new German Shepherd puppy The period of bringing a new German Shepherd puppy home and introducing them to your home and family takes time and above all, patience. If possible, plan to take off work for at least a few days after bringing your puppy home. I picked up Allie on a Saturday, and then took most of the following week off to spend time getting her adjusted to her new home. Remember, your new puppy has been taken from the only family it knew, and you are now their new family. That first week home was a good week of bonding with Allie. It helped her feel comfortable with her new life and allowed me to really get to know my new beautiful energy filled puppy. The best tip for a smooth transition when bringing your German Shepherd puppy home is to begin crate training and potty training as soon as possible. As a breed prone to separation anxiety , you want to give your GSD a zone to feel safe, comfortable, and content to be on their own. While the initial steps of crate training can be time-consuming, it can make the difference between a dog that is a joy to own, and one that can never be left on their own — so, be the dog parent your pooch deserves and put the time in! New German Shepherd puppy checklist and things to buy It is important that your new puppy feels welcomed into their new home. Some items are ok to be left with your puppy, and other items are more dangerous or will be destroyed. This checklist will help you to know what to buy when getting a puppy. New German Shepherd Puppy Checklist. Final thoughts Where do I start? The first thing that you have to do before you can pick out the best puppy, is to pick out the best breeder. This may come easily, as you may already have a breeder in mind that you trust and who has a good reputation. But chances are that you will have to do your research. And there is also a good chance that you may need to travel some distance to the right breeder. Even if the breeder is several states away, consider making the trip. Getting a new GSD puppy is a significant life commitment. The effort and time that you invest now in going about this properly will pay off for years to come. Here are some important things to look for in a breeder once you locate one that you are interested in pursuing. Call the breeder and have a conversation The first thing to do is call the breeder and have a conversation. A quality German Shepherd breeder will actually require this. They will not permit someone to just show up and purchase one of their dogs and take it home. They will ask you questions such as: Why do you want a GSD puppy? This will aid them in helping you choose. Where do you live, in an apartment or in a home? They will want to ensure that the puppy will not be in a cramped space. Do you have a yard, and is it fenced-in? They will want to make sure that the puppy will have adequate room to exercise as it grows. Do you have children in your home? They will want to make sure that you understand the importance of socialization and training to keep your family safe. Do you have other pets in your home? They will want to make sure that you know how to properly introduce the puppy to other animals, and whether any other pets you have may actually be a danger to the puppy. What type of work do you do, does it require you to be away from home for long periods of time? Because GSDs do not do well alone, they will want to make sure that you have adequate time to devote to your dog. Are you financially prepared to take on a GSD? While this may be a bit of a personal question, it is important to know that you are financially able to care for a GSD. They are expensive to care for, and it is fair for a breeder to ask this question. If a breeder does not ask you some form of these questions, then perhaps think twice. It may be an indication that they are more interested in profit than raising a quality puppy that they care will go to a quality home. Questions for you to ask the breeder: How many different types of dogs do you raise? Can you provide me with a pedigree of all of your puppies? A pedigree is essentially a family tree for your puppy. A good breeder should have a detailed pedigree for any dog they sell. Beware of any breeder that wants to charge for this or says that they will provide it at a later date. Do you have references? They should provide you with several without thinking twice. All reputable breeders will offer this guarantee in the form of a written contract. Do you breed your females more than once a year? Female GSDs should not be bred more than one time per year. This allows for adequate recovery time and maintains good health. Can you provide me with a detailed medical history for your puppies? Health screenings are essential for puppies, and a reputable breeder should be able to provide proof of these. Can you explain any potential health issues for GSD which may come up later in life? A knowledgable breeder should be able to clearly explain conditions like hip dysplasia and other health issues more common in GSDs than other dogs. If the answer to any of these questions comes up as unsatisfactory, move on. It is simply not worth the risk of pursuing the breeder any further. Unfortunately, there are far too many unethical breeders who take a lot of shortcuts which results in dogs prone to both health and behavioral issues. Why is this? You should never take home a puppy that is less than 8 weeks old. More than half of the states in the U. And out of those states, only 3 permit a puppy to be offered for sale under the age of 8 weeks. The reason for these laws is primarily so that puppies are properly weaned from their mothers and able to eat on their own. In addition to weaning, puppies need to be initially socialized by their mothers as well as their siblings. So a puppy will be taught that these things are bad during these 8 weeks. If you remove a puppy from the litter too early, they may not learn these lessons and develop behavioral problems as they get older. Much like a spoiled child that never learns, often times the source of an ill-behaved puppy can be traced to a lack of discipline at a young age. So to ensure that you have a healthy puppy, that is also sold in accordance with state laws and regulations, understand that it must be 8 weeks old see link above for exceptions — regardless of state law exceptions, waiting 8 weeks is good practice. Decide whether you want to male or female You may have a personal preference for either a female or a male German Shepherd puppy. It is important however to not necessarily just go with your gut on this one. Take a moment and understand some general differences between the two genders. I will explore this issue more in-depth in another post, but here are some important general points to consider. Territorial: Males are naturally more territorial than females. This may give them more of a tendency to wander off in an effort to broaden their territory. Very possessive: Male GSDs are generally more possessive than females. They may be possessive over food and bones, toys, and you! Dominance: Male German Shepherds tend to be more dominant than females. This may result in more of a proclivity towards aggressive bullying behaviors to make sure that it is understood that they are the boss. Dominance requires training to keep it in check. Singular bonding: Male GSDs tend to bond more closely with one person rather than a group of people like a family. Territorial: Females are therefore more welcoming and less territorial than males. They are also less likely to wander off as they have no desire to expand their territory. Dominance: Females display less dominant behaviors than males. Non-singular bonding: Females are more likely to bond with a number of people in a family rather than an individual person. So, how do I choose between the two? This question comes down to the purpose for which you want a German Shepherd. If you are looking for a dog to have trained in protection and are looking primarily for a four-legged security system for your home, then a male is a good choice. However, if your primary interest is to just have a family pet that socializes well with others, then a female is probably right for you. Testing the puppy There is no better way to determine whether or not a specific puppy is the right one for you than to actually get hands-on and doing some investigating. However, even before you begin any interactions with a puppy, make sure that you are testing the correct one. Never try and force any interaction, begin with puppies that are naturally drawn to you. Just like with people, you cannot force a match and expect fruitful results. So be patient and make sure at very least that the puppy is not aversive toward you before you being. The tests: Clap your hands: Does it run away or does it come? A more timid dog may, however, be apprehensive to approach. Make eye contact: When the puppy is looked at, does it stare back at you? If the puppy looks directly at you, it is showing confidence. Vocally call the puppy over to you: Does it come to you right away? If it does how not, however, this could show a behavioral issue or hearing problem, or it could be an indication of another illness as well. Pet the puppy: How does it respond to your touch? However, if it meets your touches with biting or growling, then this is likely an indication of an uneven or bad temperament. It will not just grow out of this, it will have to be trained out of it. Bring a ball with you to test with the puppy: Roll the ball and see what the puppy does. Does it follow it and then bring it to you? Or does it take it away for itself. A more dominant puppy will just take the ball and keep it for itself, reluctant to give it back to you. On the other hand, a more independent puppy may show no interest at all. And one that is submissive may actually be frightened. If you are looking for a very sociable puppy, look for the one that brings the ball right back to you to play some more. The puppy that brings it right back is also an ideal candidate for training in retrieving and other exercises. An even-tempered puppy will show interest in and play with the toy, but it will also allow you to participate and take the toy back without showing you any aggression. Roll the puppy over: Once the puppy comes over to you, gently roll it onto its back and hold it in place. Do not be forceful but be firm. See how the puppy reacts. Is it resisting, or is it just relaxing? A puppy with a more dominant personality will take the path of most resistance, and it may growl or attempt to bite at you. And the even-tempered puppy is the one that may resist for a short time but then submit to what you are doing. Pick up the puppy: Physically pick up the puppy by gently holding it underneath its chest with an open hand. Lift it up high, even above the height of your head and hold it there. What does the puppy do? Does it struggle, or does it stay relaxed? A puppy that struggles may be fearful or dominant. On the other hand, a puppy that stays absolutely relaxed is displaying confidence in itself and trust in you. Hold on to a paw and press it gently: This is somewhat similar to holding it on its back. If there is a response to be had, it will happen immediately. Resistance or pulling the paw away may show dominance and temperament towards aggression. The even-tempered puppy will be you curious as to what you are doing. It may investigate a little and might even lick you. Make an unexpected noise: Whether it is banging a pot and pan together or just yelling, create an unexpected noise. See what the puppy does, does it show fear, interest, or aggression? A fearful puppy may run away or even whimper. While an aggressive-tempered puppy may actually growl and try to bite you. An even-tempered puppy will simply look surprised, and may even want to investigate a little bit further. Meet the parents A lot of breeders will have both the father sire and the mother bitch of the puppies on site. However, some of them will only have the mother because sometimes the father is on loan as a stud from a different breeder. But the mother for sure should be on site, and you should get an idea of what she is like. In the case of my last German Shepherd, I was able to meet both parents. His mother was very kind and sociable and eager to be petted. While on the other hand, his father was clearly dominant, and not a dog to be messed with. Because of my prior experience and knowledge, my GSD turned out exactly as I thought he would — fairly sociable yet wildly protective of me. This was all right because I knew what to expect and I was able to train my dog properly to take the edge off of some of his more dominance behaviors. However, my choice was an informed decision based on years of experience. If you are new to owning a German Shepherd, this may not be an ideal combination. I would recommend for a new German Shepherd owner to consider making sure that both parents are more docile, and possibly even lean towards acquiring a female for your first German Shepherd. Visit the puppy on more than one occasion Just like people, puppies have their on days and their off days. You will not be able to get a very accurate picture of how your puppy will be on one short visit. In fact, with my last dog, I visited him at least 4 times and stayed for at least 30 minutes with him each time prior to taking him home. A good breeder will have no issue with you doing this, and in fact, will prefer it. They want their dogs to be well-matched with their new owners, so this is common practice. The puppy should become accustomed to the people it will soon be spending its entire life with. So the more familiarity that you build now in this phase, the easier that puppy will transition to home life with you and your family. All of these steps are positive reinforcement for your new puppy and will build familiarity and a bond even before you arrive home. Also, bring a small blanket or clothing item and ask the breeder to leave it with the puppy. This will allow your puppy to become familiar with the scent of you and your home. Making for a better transition. So by default, this knowledge enables the breeder to be very good at placing the proper puppies with the proper personalities. Remember to stay focused and not lose sight of your primary objective, which is to select the right puppy for you and your family. If you take the time and care to do your research and ask the right questions, you will come together with the right puppy for you. But remember, this is just the beginning of a major life commitment. So take this step of choosing the right GSD puppy seriously, and you will have laid the foundation for a loving and rewarding relationship for years to come. May not even be aware of the breed standard. Breeds to any convenient dog. Strives towards the ideal. Often helps to define it. Does not need to promote establishment; sells to brokers, pet shops, etc. Often rescues only to attain more stock. Rarely attends shows or trials. Shows and trials to objectively test breeding stock. Often judges, provides seminars, writes articles, and willingly mentors serious Hobby Breeders. Knowledge Often pretends to know some. May share false or incomplete information. Studies continuously. Impacts the breed for many decades with knowledge of dogs over many generations. All pups sold have full breeding rights. Yes, and diligently follows up on progeny. Keeps up with health and temperament issues affecting the breeding and provides in-depth guarantees No need to; mostly supplies brokers and pet shops. Meets minimum standards as required by state law. May refuse to acknowledge most problems. Maintains a solid support system — accepts full responsibility for every puppy produced. Performs health testing for all breeding stock for genetic diseases affecting the particular breed. No interest, may offer papers as proof of quality. Papers alone are not proof of quality. No interest. May provide undocumented paperwork for appearances sake. Is unfamiliar with health testing usually statements of good health are stated to impress consumers. Intensive testing always a priority. Often initiates club sponsored seminars and clinics. Maintains records on all dogs in gene pool including progeny. Often supplies brokers and pet shops, records unavailable. Dogs and puppies are often auctioned off in lots, records unavailable. Focuses mostly on current dogs, no records or knowledge of genes. Attempts to continuously track every puppy produced. Bases entire breeding program on extensive gene pool data. Clean environment always maintained Minimum standards vary greatly in cleanliness. Minimum standards maintained for state inspections. Conditions may vary greatly depending on available income, usually makeshift accommodations. Clean, healthy and mentally stimulating environment. Expected longevity with any particular breed Will continue as long as the sales are coming. Depends on popularity of specific breeds. Unrealistic expectations — easily disillusioned. On a mission-plans to stay for the long haul. Health guarantee provided No, it cuts into profits. No health guarantee beyond proof of first set of vaccines, if that. Not qualified to give advice if a problem arises. Offers written guarantee and is available to answer questions to new owners. Good knowledge of history in dogs. Extensive knowledge of health history, offers replacements to owners of genetically affected dogs. Ability to meet the parents of the litter If available, may be in poor physical condition. If available, dogs are not used to contact with people. May or may not be well loved and cared for companions, often unwilling to show entire litter or parents to buyer. Shows friendly mother and entire litter in clean environment; stud dog too, if in residence. Helps buyer choose appropriate puppy. Can explain how breeding was planned to emphasize specific qualities and can speak at length about how puppies compare. What you can expect after purchase Nothing, may not be able to contact at all. No concern for dog after sale is final. Available for questions, and wants to keep in touch. Will take back dog or puppy at any time. After purchase will help with training and grooming, available for all questions and knows the answers. Price Priced according to market, but is marked up from original source for profit. Mid-range to move puppies quickly. High end of mid-range. Price will not reflect all that is invested. Use only physically sound, mature dogs of stable temperament for breeding. These characteristics are rarely, if ever, determined before the age of two for females. Continue to educate themselves regarding genetic diseases pertinent to the breed including, hip and elbow dysplasia. Documentation of hip and elbow screenings should be available to prospective puppy buyers. Apply the same high standards to outside bitches sent to their stud dogs as they apply to their own breeding stock. Temperament testing of a litter before puppies are offered for sale is encouraged. Take appropriate steps to have each puppy examined by a licensed veterinarian for general health prior to placement. Each puppy should be vaccinated and de-wormed by a veterinarian. Endeavor to gain personal knowledge of the temperament and health of every dog they breed, or to which they breed, in order to gather information on which to base future breeding decisions. They share this information fully and honestly with other breeders and with prospective buyers. Sell breeding prospects to knowledgeable, ethical and experienced persons or are willing to help educate and guide novices. Do not engage in misleading or untrue advertising and do not use GSDCA membership as a marketing tool. Do not sell, supply, donate or surrender any dog for which they are responsible to a pet shop, catalogue house, wholesale dealer in dogs, Humane Society or to a laboratory. They should have reasonable assurance that each individual receiving a dog will provide a home with appropriate shelter, restraint, control and responsible care. Encourage puppy buyers to go to puppy obedience classes to help their puppies to become better canine good citizens. The achievement of a Canine Good Citizen certificate should be encouraged. Since homeowners insurance and local laws vary greatly, a refusal to let you visit the kennels may not, in and of itself, be a bad sign. You should ask for and receive a satisfactory explanation. The puppies are not social or look sickly. How to read those ads. A few more things to look out for. Anyone can buy a puppy from a champion, but it does not mean that they have any other interest in the breed but to bank on the name and make money. Having a Champion in a pedigree is like having a billionaire relative. AKC registration does not guarantee quality. AKC papers are much like the title of a car; papers are issued to the junked Chevy on blocks in your yard just as easily as they are on a brand new, shiny Jaguar. AKC does not control breeding, approve litters, or guarantee temperaments. AKC Registration is automatic if you buy from a reputable breeder — they will provide all necessary paperwork when you buy a puppy. There are several groups that are registering dogs, even mixed breeds, for a fee. This registration means nothing, and is of no value to you. Are there too many defects for the animal to be bred? Shop with care. Rarely will a good breeder have the luck to own both dogs for the perfect litter. There are some good and very reasonable reasons to have both parents on site. However, you need to ask the right questions and understand why this is true. They might be, they might not. Are they too big to be cute anymore? Need more money? Is there a problem? Usually because there are more on the way. Be very wary of this one. Will a Breeder Ask Me Questions? Conscientious breeders want the best available home for their puppies. This determines the amount of time you will have available for your new addition. There are very important items that should be supplied by the breeder. Breeders will typically give you the following items: A signed pedigree A current Health Record; including de-wormings and vaccinations. American Kennel Club registration papers or application Sales contract. The type of contract varies and must be mutually agreeable to the breeder and buyer. Much depends on what you expect from the puppy show, pet, or performance. Feeding schedule including the type and amount of food. Copy of OFA certification of sire and dam, if available.

When in doubt, ask your veterinarian, but a few guidelines can help you determine what your pug should and should not eat. Remember though that pugs are genetically susceptible to obesity. Feed your pug two smaller meals each day. The exact size of the meal will depend on the type of food you are feeding it. Check the package for daily recommended feeding amounts. Dry Dog Food Pugs can thrive on dry dog food that is formulated for small breeds. There are countless commercial brands to choose from, so find one that your pug likes and seems to do well on. The best foods include a real source of protein, such as chicken, beef or lamb as the heaviest weighted ingredient. Check the ingredient list on the package. Purchase foods for your pug that contain real meat first. The food will also contain carbohydrates such as rice, soy or wheat as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Avoid foods that are formulated for large breeds. Large breed food can also help your pug get fat quickly. Wet Dog Food Commercially prepared wet dog foods are also available. Your pug will enjoy these, but use extra caution if you choose to feed your pug wet food. Canned or wet foods can contain extra calories or fat. They can also be more expensive. If your pug really enjoys wet foods, try giving it special meals once a week or on holidays and special occasions. Feed your pug dry food the rest of the time. Homemade or Raw Diet If you have time and money to spare, you can feed your dog a raw or homemade diet. You can cook meat or leave it raw. Use chicken, beef or lamb. Grind meat up and combine it with carbohydrates such as cooked potatoes. Always store homemade food in the freezer and thaw before mealtimes. Otherwise the food may spoil and make your pug sick. Talk to your veterinarian before choosing a homemade or raw diet. He can recommend portion sizes as well as fruits, vegetables or supplements to help your pug get all of the nutrients it needs. Treats, Bones and Chews Rawhides, real beef bone and pig ear chews are safe for your pug. Avoid giving your pug chicken bones or other small bones such as fish that can splinter and cause choking. You can also give your pug the occasional treat. There are hundreds of treats to choose from at any pet store, and your pug will probably have its favorites. Cheese, cooked hot dog, and small bites of cooked meat are also popular dog treats that many trainers rely on. Treats can be fattening, and limiting them will keep your pug at a healthy weight. Other foods, however are toxic and should be avoided as much as possible. Fruits such as grapes and currants, as well as the pits of peaches, plums or cherries can be harmful for your pug and cause a variety of health problems from kidney failure to heart disease. Avocado, mushrooms, garlic, onions, green tomatoes and raw potatoes can also be harmful. Never give your pug alcohol or drugs such as tobacco. Keep coffee, chocolate and other foods containing caffeine away from your pug as well. If you can, keep your pug out of your garbage can. You may find yourself on the dog food isle trying to make sense of all the ingredients, types of foods and categories. And all you want to know is… How often and what should I feed my Pug? Every dog is different, every type of food has its specific quantities and it even varies between brands. Start simple and figure out all the details and methods. I have collected information about the different types, brands pros and cons of dog feeding to try and give an unbiased as much as I can look, so you can make a better-informed choice which will be right for you and your Pug. Remember, people care deeply about their dogs and will often get very emotional about the health and feeding they chose. Having been the owner of a pet store, I have learned that although I have my personal preferences and very good reasons for them, others may have different choices and they believe they are the right ones for them. There are a lot of issues to consider. How Many times a day should I feed My Pug? A mature Pug can easily live a healthy life with one meal which provides all his nutritional needs. In most cases, it is more convenient for both us and the pug to split this to two meals. If your Pug had a full meal in the morning, be sure he will nag you like crazy in the afternoon. Puppies have smaller stomachs and need, relative to their size, a larger quantity of food so it is better to break it up to three or even four meals a day. If you are around your Pug all day and prefer to give 4 meals a day to a mature dog, there is no harm in it, as long as the overall daily quantity stays the same. Free Buffet or Set meals? Pugs are notorious for becoming overweight and need to be limited to a set amount. If your Pug is not typical in that sense, you are welcome to put the full daily portion in the bowl and see how long it lasts. One more reason for set meals is monitoring. You want to know how much you Pug eats. If you want your Pug to lose weight, you need to know how much he is eating in order to cut down. On the flip side, if your Pug is not eating the usual amounts it may be an indication of a medical condition. What food do Pugs Eat? Pugs love food. They love treats, dry food, wet food, table scraps, raw meat, cooked meat, spicy meat and meat gone bad. In rural areas and farms, they may have also got more meaty scraps. Our Pugs who grew up with Emperors and Royalty were probably treated to high quality scraps. Today, dry bagged kibble or canned wet food are the standard for most homes, although there is a growing number of people and companies promoting more natural diets of either raw or cooked food for dogs. Every type of food claims to be the healthiest, more appropriate, tailored and nutritional. Kibble Kibble is the most common dog food available and has become the staple for the average dog. Pros of Kibble The makers of dry food claim it has the most balanced and scientifically based formulas to provide the best nutrition for a dog. They also tailor these formulas to dogs of different size, breed, age or other needs. Even the most discerning dog owners should be able a composition to satisfy them. The ingredient list is unclear and misleading. There are numerous food recalls yearly. There are websites dedicated just to keep up with the recalls. Teeth are going to need cleaning. Wet canned food Aside from the meatier texture and the higher water content, there is little difference between kibble and the canned, wet counterpart. The ingredients can be similar and so are the health benefits. Some dog owners report that wet food makes for softer stools when fed exclusively. Many dog owners will give a combination of wet and dry food. Home cooked As with human food there is a growing number of people fed up Pun intended with commercial and over engineered food. Raw food Also called the BARF Biologically Appropriate Raw Foods , the idea behind it is that the dogs digestive system has not evolved as their behavior, and much like wild dogs or wolves, they should eat the equivalent to small animals they would pray on in nature. Since dogs are also scavengers this diet will include some vegetables, berries etc. The pros As with the home-cooked diet, you have total control of ingredients and quality No preservatives, additives, fillers etc. You need to learn how to make, takes time Ingredients like bones and internal organs may not be available in your area. Can be pricy. Even More expensive if buying ready and frozen. Takes freezer space Raw Disclaimer I am a little bias towards raw food. I used to own a pet food store specializing in raw food for cats and dogs and I have been feeding my own Pugs raw food for over twelve years. Obviously, I am very happy with the raw diet and its outcomes as switching to dry food would have been easy and cheap. I believe it is the better choice for myself and my dogs. I believe I have presented the facts fairly objectively as far as the other feeding options go. There is no standard or way to measure what natural is and what the added value of it is other then the origin of it. Natural color could come from some secretion of an insect. Special Needs Puppies These little ones need the most nutritious and high-quality food you can find. If you want to find an economic way to feed your dog, please do it later in his life. Allergies Pugs are relatively sensitive to allergies. In some cases, this is due to an external source such as home detergents, but more often than not it has to do with their diet. There are a few brands that you can try with low, or no grain. If you are feeding your pug home cooked food or a raw diet, taking the carbs and grain out would be easy. Our Pugs were and are on a raw diet from day one and we never had any issues with allergies, except for one time. We started noticing that Preston had pinkish skin around his paws and around the nose fold. Since we owned a pet food store specializing in raw food, at the time convenient, I know we tried different types of meats, but nothing helped. It took us some time to realize the cause. We had our baby daughter at the time, and since she was very close and intimate with Preston, and he was eating raw, we made sure to wipe his mouth and feet with baby wipes after every meal. The baby wipes were the culprits. We switched them both to hypo-allergenic wipes and the skin went back to normal… Hip Dysplasia Pugs are ranked as one of the breeds with the highest chances of suffering from Hip Dysplasia. This can lead to trouble in walking and running and arthritis may follow as well. If your Pug is suffering from Hip Dysplasia to any extent you may want to either supplement their diet with Chondroitin and Glucosamine or to choose a brand that is made for joint support. Vets and nutrition. Having said that, if I needed nutritional advice, I would go to a nutritionist and not to my Doctor. The nutrition training vets get in many schools is provided by agents of the commercial food companies who are bias at best. Skipping meals Dogs will sometimes skip a meal. It is natural for them as food is not something that was always available on daily base. It is not typical for Pugs but it may happen. If it happens it will probably be a one meal deal. If your Pug misses a few meals in a row you may want to consult a vet. Treats and snacks I try and think of treats and snacks the same way I think of candy for my daughters. If the amount of treats your Pug is rivals the actual food, in quantity, you should reconsider or at least re calculate it. If you are using kibble both at meals and as treats for training, and your stubborn Pug ends up consuming a lot of treats, just take it off the next meal. The same goes for snacks. They should be a part of the total daily feeding and not extra. How long can a pug go without eating? An adult Pug can probably survive many days without food, but no Pug would stand for it. Unless your Pug has a medical condition, he will surely let you know he is hungry. Do make sure that your Pug is not deprived of fresh drinking water at all times. More so if the weather is hot and if he is on a dry food diet and has no other source of hydration. What if my Pug is overweight? Pugs love to eat and have a tendency to eat too much. A chubby Pug is very cute, but at some point, it becomes a health issue. Overweight Pugs may suffer from a wide range of conditions and or aggravate others. Conclusion Food is an important part of your Pugs life and will directly affect his health and well-being. Do make sure you know what your Pug is eating, the quality as well as the quantities. Actually, yes. This is an actual condition called Eye Displacement or Proptosis. It is not a common occurrence but with extreme trauma or circumstances it may happen. In most cases the condition is treatable. More on the condition here… Are Pugs Loving? Pugs have been bred as companion dogs for over two thousand years. Being with people is almost in their DNA. So yes, Pugs love to cuddle, snuggle and just be in contact or as close as they can to their human friends. More on Pug Love here. This food is made for Pugs ages 8 weeks to 10 months. On the other hand, the ingredients list for this food leaves something to be desired. It lists brewers rice as the main ingredient with the second ingredient being chicken by-product meal. For such an expensive Pug food, they sure skimped on the quality of the ingredients! Pros Supports healthy skin, digestive health, and natural defenses Specially shaped kibble is easier for brachycephalic dogs to pick up Cons Brewers rice is the main ingredient 4. It might be expensive, but if you can afford it, it could help keep your pug pup healthy and happy for the long haul. Pros Helps support healthy brain and eye development Contains omega fatty acids for improved skin and coat Lists deboned chicken as the main ingredient Cons 5. Their Wilderness Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food formula takes things even further with higher levels of protein than their original formula. The use of high-quality ingredients in high concentrations is what earns this food its rather expensive price tag. More than just healthy whole-food ingredients, this food is also fortified with healthful nutrients and supplements. Furthermore, it contains an optimal blend of essential vitamins including calcium, phosphorus, and more, to help support healthy bone growth. Pros Contains high levels of protein Uses high-quality ingredients Packed with healthful nutrients and supplements Cons More expensive than most puppy foods 6. We loved the large pound quantity you can buy it in and the relatively affordable price. Others ate the food but had difficulty digesting it. Still, dogs with sensitive stomachs, in particular, would do well to avoid this food. And the total number of dogs all breeds in the reports are .So while this is something that should be monitored and many more studies need to be done, it's important to keep in mind that this is a very small number compared to the estimated 77 million dogs in the U. The latest update is that there are no recalls at this moment that are linked to this issue. The Best Food for Pug Puppies and Adults What to Avoid: Quite a few ingredients that are found in a lot of dog food brands can be severely detrimental to a Pug and cause everything from allergic reactions itching, rashes, wheezing, running eyes, etc. Corn which includes as corn germ meal, corn gluten meal, and corn bran High grain counts which includes high levels of wheat, oats, barley, and other cereal grains which may be listed as hominy feed. Rice can be an exception; with rice, the hull, bran layer, and cereal germ is removed and for this reason, rice is often tolerated very well. By-products which are animal body parts deemed unfit for human consumption and can include brain, lungs, undeveloped eggs, and more. Generic meats or oils which can legally include roadkill and deceased zoo animals. What to Look For: All-natural preservatives; there are vitamin blends that work very well to preserve dog food and this often will show as mixed tocopherols. Natural flavoring Protein will come from wholesome animal sources including chicken, turkey, lamb, fish, bison, and beef. There will be no by-products or generic meats. If you offer grains, gluten-free grains are usually best. No other fillers or controversial additives. Helpful extras such as glucosamine and chondroitin beneficial for joint health , omega-3, 6 for healthy skin and coat , probiotics for immune health and antioxidants to help prevent disease. Some of the best food for Pugs includes: Best Formulas with Grains: 1. Wellness Complete Health for Small Breeds. The base of this kibble is turkey and oatmeal which is easy on the stomach for most Pugs. There is also salmon, brown rice, peas, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and apples. There are excellent levels of a wide-range of vitamins and minerals, good levels of omega-3 and 6, and glucosamine and chondroitin which are extremely beneficial joint supplements for Pugs. This is made in the US. Note that this offers puppy and adult formulas as well as 'healthy weight' for Pugs that need to lose a few pounds, and a senior formula. This line of Halo offers holistic recipes. This one has non-GMO produce and meats that are antibiotic-free and hormone-free with factory-free farming. The grains in this are oatmeal and pearled barley which are generally known for being well-tolerated. This is sized ideally for Pugs, and has no artificial additives, by-products, or corn. And, this is made in the US. Best Grain-free Formulas: 1. This is one of the best grain-free kibbles for Pugs; it's really top-of-the-line. The base is chicken and turkey. There is a wide selection of vegetables and fruits compared to some other brands spinach, broccoli, carrots, kale, sweet potatoes, apples and blueberries. Levels of omega fatty acids are ideal, via both salmon oil and flaxseed. And, there are good levels of glucosamine and chondroitin which as mentioned earlier are important for joint health. There is no corn, wheat, by-products, fillers, or artificial coloring, flavoring, or preservatives and this is made in the USA. This is another excellent choice that is formulated for dogs under 70 lbs. There are several great bases including lamb, beef, chicken, and salmon. There are zero chemical preservatives and no artificial ingredients. Added extras are healthy antioxidants, omega-3 and 6, and the very important glucosamine and chondroitin which are very beneficial for breeds like the Pug that are prone to joint and hip issues. This is a holistic kibble that offers non-GMO veggies and fruits and sustainably-sourced wild-caught fish and is ideal for Pugs that are carrying a few extra pounds. The base is salmon and whitefish, so most dogs love the taste. There are no chemical preservatives, corn, by-products, coloring, or fillers. Switching a Pug onto a Different Food If you just got a new Pug puppy, you may want to feed your little guy or gal something different than what was being given. And in many instances, this will be a good idea. The sooner you start your pup on a superior food that you've chosen yourself, the better. If you have an adult Pug, you may decide to switch foods due to an intolerance to certain ingredients some dogs do best with certain proteins like beef as opposed to chicken or vice-versa or maybe you realized that your Pug was not on the brand and you want to make a change. No matter the circumstances, if at all possible, it is best to change to a new brand of dog food in a gradual way because a quick switch can disrupt the digestive system. The goal should be a incremental change over the course of 3 weeks. Home Cooking Owners decide to home cook for their dogs for a variety of reasons: It can be less expensive; though, this depends quite a bit on what you buy and if you can purchase ingredients in bulk. It may be done to fully avoid preservatives, additives, by-products and other subpar ingredients; you know exactly what you are putting in. This can help avoid an intolerance or allergic reaction to an unknown ingredient. It is very flexible and adjustable. It can be a good choice for picky eaters. Other sources include beans such as lima beans, kidney beans, and butter beans must be cooked. Vegetables - This includes peas, carrots, spinach, zucchini, green beans, bell peppers, and butternut squash. You can also offer asparagus, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli in moderation since these foods can cause gas, Pumpkin in moderation is fine but typically reserved to help ease upset stomach issues. Fruits - This includes blueberries, raspberries both are low calorie, high in antioxidants, and water-packed , strawberries, huckleberries, banana, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, mango, kiwi, pear, peaches no pit , plums no pit , nectarines no pit , fresh pineapple, and apple no core, no seeds. Additional - This includes oatmeal plain , white or brown rice if no intolerance , quinoa, potato, sweet potato, cottage cheese, plain whole white yogurt, and eggs most dogs do best with scrambled eggs vs. Read more about home cooking for a Pug. Snacks and Treats We've covered the frequency of giving snacks and treats, but let's recap. Dry snacks, meant to satiate a dog in between meals should be given 3 to 4 times per day. And moist treats, meant to reward training and reinforce good behavior, should be given as needed. Now, the question remains on what to offer. All snacks and treats should be held to the same high standards that you have in place for your Pug's meals, meaning no synthetic preservatives, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, soy, corn, by-products, high wheat levels, or generic meats. If your Pug's calorie intake needs to be carefully watched due to issues with weight gain, there will also be a need to opt for some low-calorie treats. And, to see more options, including moist treats for giving reward, continue on to the best snacks and treats for Pugs. After 2 to 3 days, if the problem has resolved, adding in additional ingredients can be done. Any diarrhea lasing longer than 3 days or moderate to severe vomiting lasting more than 12 hours should be brought to the attention of the veterinarian. Water Different elements will dictate just how much water a Pug dog requires , though a general rule of thumb is that each day, dogs need to drink about 1 ounce for each 1 pound. Offer bottled spring water or use a filter device like the. Related Articles: When a Pug is a Picky Eater - If you find yourself constantly scrambling to find foods that your Pug likes and their taste buds seem to change weekly, this will help you get things back on track. When a Pug is Always Hungry - If your Pug's appetite is ferocious and nothing seems to satisfy, these issues may be at the root of the problem. When a Pug Won't Eat - If your Pug puppy or dog refuses to eat or getting them to eat feels like a chore, these tips will help. How to Stop a Pug from Begging - If your Pug wants your food and is relentless about getting it, these guidelines will help stop this sort of behavior. Top 10 Pug Dog Eating Problems - A roundup of the most common eating-related issues seen with this breed and exact steps to resolve them. Do you have your book? 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. Introduction Importance of choosing the right food for Pug puppies Feeding your Pug puppies the right food can significantly impact their health, growth, and overall well-being. A balanced diet provides the necessary nutrients and energy to support their growth and development and helps to prevent common health issues such as obesity, digestive problems, and food allergies. Factors to consider when selecting the best food for pug puppies When choosing the best food for your Pug puppy, there are several factors to consider, including their age, activity level, and specific nutritional needs. Reading the ingredient list and checking the nutritional content can help you to make an informed decision about the best food for your Pug puppy. Wet Food for Pug Puppies Benefits of wet food Wet food is an excellent option for Pug puppies as it is highly palatable and provides additional moisture, which is important for their growing bodies. Wet food also contains higher levels of protein and essential nutrients, making it a great option for supporting the growth and development of your Pug puppy. Best-reviewed wet food options Royal Canin Pug Puppy Wet Dog Food — This wet food is specifically formulated for Pug puppies, with a balanced ratio of protein, fats, and carbohydrates to meet their unique nutritional needs. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Wet Dog Food — This wet food is made with real meat as the first ingredient and contains wholesome brown rice, barley, and oats to provide the carbohydrates your Pug puppy needs to grow and develop. Dry Food for Pug Puppies Benefits of dry food Dry food is another great option for Pug puppies as it helps to clean their teeth and promote good oral health. Dry food is also a good source of essential nutrients and energy to support the growth and development of your Pug puppy. It contains a balanced protein, fats, and carbohydrates ratio to meet its unique nutritional needs. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Small Breed Dry Dog Food — This dry food is made with real meat as the first ingredient and contains wholesome brown rice, barley, and oats to provide the carbohydrates your Pug puppy needs to grow and develop. Homemade Meals and Snacks for Pug Puppies Benefits of homemade food Homemade meals and snacks are an excellent option for Pug puppies as they allow you to control the ingredients and ensure that your pup gets a healthy and balanced diet. Simple homemade meal and snack recipes for pug puppies Puppy-Friendly Meatloaf: Mix ground turkey or chicken, brown rice, carrots, and green beans for a tasty and nutritious homemade meal for your Pug puppy. Bake in the oven until fully cooked, and serve in small portions. Homemade Puppy Treats: Mix rolled oats, pumpkin puree, and a beaten egg for a simple and healthy snack for your Pug puppy. Roll out the dough, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and bake in the oven until crispy. Use high-quality, fresh ingredients, and avoid using spices and seasonings that can harm dogs. Store leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer to maintain freshness. A: Wet food can provide a higher moisture content, which can benefit Pug puppies as they need to stay hydrated. Wet food also has a more appealing taste and smell, making it a great option for picky eaters. Q: What ingredients should I look for in dry food for Pug puppies? A: Look for dry food that contains high-quality proteins like chicken or fish, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Q: Can I feed my Pug puppy homemade meals and snacks? Q: How often should I feed my Pug puppy? A: Pug puppies should be fed 3 to 4 times a day until they reach six months of age. Then, they can be fed two times a day. The food they need will depend on their age, weight, and activity level. Q: What is the best food for Pug puppies with sensitive stomachs? A: Wet food with simple ingredients, like boiled chicken and rice, or dry food specifically formulated for sensitive stomachs can be helpful for Pug puppies with digestive issues. Q: Can I feed my Pug puppy adult dog food? A: No, adult dog food does not provide the appropriate nutrients for Pug puppies as they are still growing and developing. Puppy-specific food is formulated to meet their unique nutritional needs. Gradual changes over a few days to a week are recommended to avoid discomfort. Conclusion Recap of the best food options When choosing the best food for your Pug puppy, several options exist. Dry food is also a good option as it helps to clean teeth and is easy to store. Final thoughts The most important thing is to choose a food specifically formulated for Pug puppies with high-quality ingredients to meet their unique nutritional needs. Choosing the best food for your Pug puppy will give them the foundation for a happy and healthy life. From pet nutrition books to online articles, a wealth of information is available on this topic. These resources will give you a deeper understanding of the nutritional needs of your Pug puppy and help you make informed decisions about the best food options for their growth and development. Kibble, cans and specialty foods Proper Nutrition Since puppies need energy to grow big and strong, their food is higher in calories and packed with more nutrients. This includes more fat, protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. So always choose a food that is labelled for puppies. Since a Pug is a small toy breed , they will grow very quickly and reach adulthood much faster than larger breeds. Toy dog breeds actually need more calories per pound than larger breeds due to their higher metabolic rates. The structure of their flat muzzle and facial folds , while appealing to look at, unfortunately causes a number of serious health problems. This causes soft tissue to block the airways, making breathing very difficult. Their jaws and teeth can also cause them problems. Remember, slimmer is better. How Often To Feed Your Pug Puppy I always recommend feeding puppies small meals at scheduled times several hours apart, and then decreasing the frequency as they get older. For puppies under six months go with something like 7am, 12noon, 3pm then 6pm. As they grow you can reduce this routine to three or even two times a day, but there is no harm continuing with multiple feedings as long as you dividing their daily rations evenly. Kibble vs Canned Food Dried puppy kibble is affordable, easy to store and transport, and readily available. Serving is as simple as opening the package and pouring it into the bowl. Canned or wet food will sometimes offer more meat protein and fewer carbohydrates than kibble does, but you will usually pay more as well. Wet food is also associated with an increase in periodontal diseases , which is not ideal for a dog already prone to these issues. Specialty Pug Puppy Foods The introduction of breed-specific formulas to the market has made it even more confusing. However, there are some Pug puppy formulations that address some of their health issues that might be worth considering. Some kibble is designed in a shape and texture that makes it easier for short-nosed puppies to pick up and chew easily. But the sad part of the story is that just like any other dog, pugs get obese very quickly. As they say, you become what you eat. Since the pug is a tiny dog, even one extra pound will affect its appearance. For this reason, it becomes important to keep a check on what your pug is eating. The present article talks about the feeding guidelines of this adorable dog: How much is too much? It is very important to feed your dog the correct amount of food to ensure that the pug is getting enough calories for proper growth. Any deviation from the right amount will led to health problems in a pug. Age, activity, metabolism and build of a dog are the major factors on which the amount of food which should be given to a dog depends. Also, the type of food you are giving to a dog is another important factor. If you are feeding home cooked food to one pug and commercial dog food to another dog with same age, build and activity level, it is not necessary that both of them will consume the same amount. As a general rule of thumb, a puppy pug should be given 1 ounce of food per one pound of body weight. For adult pugs, the amount is halved. What about calories? A pug puppy which is in his growth phase requires more calories than adult and senior pugs. On an average, a puppy requires 50 calories per pound of their body weight while an adult pug requires 40 calories per pound of their body weight. Senior pugs need fewer calories because of slow metabolism and less activity level. Free feeding is not recommended to the pug. The following table illustrates the right feeding regime and meal frequency for pugs: Age Amount of food given at one time No.