Highlands Australian Labradoodles
Australian Labradoodle breeder based in Colorado

How to care for your new Labradoodle puppy

When you arrive to pick up your puppy, bring with you in your car some towels, bottled water, plastic bag for any poop scooping and your new pup's collar and leash.

Your puppy will be arriving in a crate (if being shipped) so you may want to make sure she (I am using "she" as an example) goes potty once you arrive.   At this time it's important to show her lots of love and cuddling to get her used to you right away.  Spend some time with her once you get home to get her used to her new environs and comfort her as she may feel strange her first day.

If you haven't yet done so, choose a vet and take her for a visit within the first week of bringing your puppy home.  As your puppy has recently been spayed/neutered, check the suture line daily for any swelling or red spots; if you see any, check with your vet.

Your new puppy does not need to bathe for a couple weeks until after her surgery has properly healed. Be careful when holding your puppy to make sure the suture line does not rip; it is recommended you hold her or pick her up very carefully in the first few weeks.

Training your new puppy is vital to a successful, long-term relationship you will have with your dog.   Since puppies don't train themselves, it does require some additional attention, time invested and patience in the first year of her life to make sure that the next 10 or so go smoothly for the entire family.  We have read from many books and magazine articles and we continue to read from different sources so we recommend you do some reading (in advance of bringing your pup home) to get acquainted with what to expect.

The basics of training are to ensure your puppy goes "potty" on command and in a designated spot; eats the right amount at scheduled times; follows commands and obeys/listens to you.   Remember, you are in control so it's important that you do not relinquish that control.  
      
We recommend feeding your Australian Labradoodle what we feed them, but there are several other feeding choices. We feed our puppies Nature's Variety Instinct dry kibble and Nature's Variety raw diet of meat or chicken....however, note that it is not recommended to mix kibble and raw in the same meal because this can affect their digestive systems.  For example, you can give dry kibble in the morning and raw meat in the evening; or similarly, you can alternate them every other day.   Nature's Variety Raw Frozen Diet comes in packaged frozen patties that need to be merely thawed out before eating.  You should be able to find these choices at your neighborhood pet specialty store.

We are proud members of the Australian Labradoodle Club of America.