Puppy Care

Although all puppies are cute and cuddly, they are a lot of work initially, but well worth it in the end! This is Woofy World Labradoodles’ guide to help you with your puppy’s growth, development and transition into your family.
When your puppy finally gets to come home with you on adoption day, there is going to be much excitement in your home. Puppies and dogs are very sensitive to the energy of people and other animals so be sure to make this transition a positive experience. Bringing a puppy home is initially like bringing a new born baby home, so expect some sleep deprived nights initially. Although, here at Woofy World Labradoodles we do start crate training our puppies before they leave us, there is an adjustment period for them to go through. Every puppy’s development will be different so although some may be able to stay in their crate for eight hours without an accident, others may only be able to control their bladders for a few hours. Be patient with this whilst your puppy’s body matures.

1. Basic Supplies You’ll Need
   Collar, ID Tag, Leash, Food, One Food Bowl, One Water Bowl, Chew Toys, Bed, Crate and Grooming Tools.
2. Puppy Proof Your Home & Yard
   Puppies, like babies, go through a very curious oral development phase and will put just about anything in their mouths. Before your puppy arrives home, you’ll need to make some adjustments in order to keep both your puppy and your house safe. Puppies are very curious creatures so be sure to move any breakable items and plants (especially the toxic ones) out of your puppies reach. Keep all electrical cords, cleaning supplies and toxic chemical supplies safely stored and tucked away. Puppy/baby gates are a great way to keep your puppy confined to a certain area in your home, and are also a huge help with house training.
   
   
3. Set The Ground Rules
   It is important to lay the ground rules for your puppy and family as early as possible, and to stick with these rules. Puppies enjoy a routine and do much better when they have solid consistent rules and routines to follow.
   
   
4. Find a Reputable Veterinarian
   Check around and make sure that you find a vet that you are comfortable dealing with. If you need recommendations, we know a lot of them in the area so we can give you some recommendations. Check with your friends and family to see who they recommend. Once you have found your family vet, make your puppy’s first appointment for his/her health check-up. The recommended time for this is on the second or third day that you have had the puppy home. This gives the puppy time to settle in with you on the first day, without the possibility of stress with a car ride, a new veterinary clinic and new people to deal with.Your veterinarian will check for the overall wellness of your puppy and for any health concerns that you may have. Discuss a vaccination plan with your veterinarian. Some vet’s recommendations may differ but most fall within these time frames for administration:
   DAPP Vaccine – Administered Three Times as a Puppy.
   (DAPP stands for Distemper, Adeno Virus, Parvo Virus, Parinfluenza)
   1st Vaccine given at 6-8 weeks of age
   2nd Vaccine given at 10-12 weeks of age
   3rd Vaccine given at 14-16 weeks of age
   Bordetella Vaccine – Also known as Kennel Cough or K9 Cough.
   This vaccine can be given to a puppy as young as 6 weeks of age, but is often administered at 12 weeks of age or older.
   All puppies from Woofy World Labradoodles will have already received their 1st DAPP Puppy Vaccine. Puppies that are 12 weeks of age or older will have received their 2nd DAPP Vaccine. Puppies that are 16 weeks or older will have received their 3rd DAPP Vaccine. The next DAPP vaccine is generally administered 12 months after their 3rd DAPP Vaccine (at 16 months of age). The Bordetella vaccine is generally good for 6 – 12 months after the day of administration regardless of the age of the puppy or dog.
   Rabies Vaccine – Discuss with your veterinarian whether you should have this vaccine done.
   Parasites – Discuss safe options for protecting against Heart Worm, for de-worming your puppy and for controlling parasites.
   
   
5. Diet – Feed a High Quality Dog Food
   Developing healthy eating habits is very important during your puppy’s growth. While adult dogs are maintaining their bodies, puppies bodies are busy with their rapid growth, building of muscle and bones, and further developing their muscles.
   It is very important to find a high quality puppy/dog food and implement good eating habits for your puppy which can be continued through to adulthood. Doing so will help to ensure the best possible health for your dog while extending their lifespan.
   The number of times to feed your puppy depends on their age. This is our recommended guideline:
   Puppies aged 6-10 weeks: Feed 4 meals per day
   Puppies aged 10 weeks-6 months: Feed 3 meals per day
   Puppies aged 6-12 months: Feed 2 meals per day
   Depending on the food that you are feeding, you may need to moisten your puppy’s food with some warm water. Remember to take your puppy outside shortly after they have eaten or drank to avoid accidents in your home, and to aid in house training your puppy.
   
   
6. Establish a Bathroom Routine
   A high priority on your to-do list with your puppy should be house training. Expect accidents as it’s inevitable in the process! Be patient and offer plenty of praise to your puppy when he/she goes outside and avoid punishing for indoor accidents. Choose a place for the puppy to go each time he/she is taken outside and place the puppy in this same area each time.
   Taking your puppy out at these times will help in the training process:
   1. Immediately upon awakening whether it be from a nap or sleeping through the night.
   2. Immediately after your puppy has drank a lot of water or eaten.
   3. Just before bedtime.
   Another helpful training tip is to set a timer to remind you to take your puppy outside. Start at setting it for every 45 minutes, then gradually lengthen the time as your puppy matures.
   
   
7. Signs of Sickness in Puppies
   Puppies, like babies, are more susceptible to illnesses that can be life threatening if not caught early. Contact your vet if you observe any of the following symptoms in your Labradoodle puppy.
   1. Appetite changes, poor weight gain
   2. Excessive drinking or urination
   3. Unusual Drooling
   4. Constipation, unable to pass urine
   5. Diarrhea
   6. Vomiting
   7. Excessive panting
   8. Coughing, wheezing, sneezing,
   9. Labored breathing
   10. Red, dry, swollen or cloudy eyes
   11. Change in activity level
   12. Stiffness or difficulty in moving
   13. Excessive Sleepiness
   14. Abdominal swelling/pain
   15. Pale gums
   16. Nasal discharge
   
   
8. Teach Obedience & Manners
   It is important to teach your puppy manners and basic obedience as early as possible. In doing so, you will help to create a strong bond between you and your puppy, and will set your puppy up to mature into a well-mannered, balanced dog.
   Start by teaching your puppy basic commands such as sit, stay, and come and then elaborate with more once these have been mastered. These will be invaluable in helping to keep your puppy safe throughout his/her whole life. Lots of positive praise goes a long way with training, although small treats can be an effective way to start the training process and can gradually be eliminated. Check with your local dog trainers in your area as to when they start taking puppies for their first puppy class.
   
   
9. Socialize & Exercise Your Puppy
   Just like obedience training, proper socialization during puppyhood helps avoid behavioral problems down the road. At approximately 2 to 4 months of age, most puppies begin to accept other animals, people, places, and experiences.
   It is very important and beneficial to start socializing your puppy as early as possible. This will help to avoid any possible behavioural problems in the future and will encourage your puppy to mature into a confident dog. We recommend waiting ten days after your puppy’s third puppy vaccine of DAPP before taking your puppy into social environments to ensure that your puppy is well protected. Make sure that your puppy’s Bordetella vaccine has also been administered before you start with canine socialization.
   A great place to start is at a doggy daycare facility. At Woofy World Kennels & Daycare (our other business), we offer basic manners training which would include correction for bad habits such as jumping up on you, hand nipping (mouthing) and barking, and lots of positive reinforcement for good manners and appropriate behaviour. Your puppy will also learn how to interact properly with other dogs in a pack environment. They will learn how to do an appropriate introduction of themselves to other dogs which is something that will benefit them for life. A pack environment is also the best environment for teaching what is and what is not appropriate behaviour when playing or just hanging out and being comfortable with other dogs.
   Exercise your puppy in an appropriate environment until he/she is fully vaccinated. Keep in mind that your puppy’s body is still developing, so avoid taking your puppy with you as a jogging partner and avoid excessive use of stairs and rough housing. This will allow your puppy’s hips to develop properly.
   
   
10. Grooming
    Some basic grooming supplies that you will need for your labradoodle are a slicker brush, comb, shampoo, ear cleaner, nail trimmers and a blow-dryer. Start grooming your puppy within the first three days of having it home. Comb or brush-out your puppy on a daily basis. This will get your puppy used to the grooming process and will prevent any uncomfortable mats from forming. Use baby wipes to clean eyes and ears. If you are not trained or comfortable with doing full grooms on your Labradoodle, have your Labradoodle professionally groomed on a regular basis. Neglecting the coat and allowing mats to form can become very uncomfortable and unhealthy for your Labradoodle. Your Woofy World Labradoodle Puppy will “turn heads” wherever you go with him or her so be sure to maintain the beauty of the Labradoodle coat!

© 2014, “Woofy World Labradoodles”, Breeder of Miniature Australian Labradoodles.