Taking Puppy Home

Please keep in mind that, as extraordinary as these dogs are, they are still puppies.  Puppies need a lot of attention.  They must be watched constantly or safely placed in their crate/play area to be sure they don’t get into something that might harm them.  They tend to jump, nip, bite, and chew things that they shouldn’t.  Some will wake you in the night to relieve themselves, while others will not.  They are uniquely individual and go through developmental stages, just like children.  In addition to the supplies below, please reference our Training page to see what method of dog training will work best for you and your family. 

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Nutrition

Here at EverHeart Australian Labradoodles, we feed our puppies and dogs Life’s Abundance All Life Stages Dog Food.  Life’s Abundance was formulated by Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM, a Holistic Veterinarian with more than 20 years of experience.  This company uses a small batch manufacturing system and only the finest ingredients to provide a product that comes to us within 4-6 weeks of it being made and provides our dogs with a holistically balanced food that keeps them in optimal health. 

Highlights

  • A proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals
  • High-quality protein from chicken meal for strong muscles
  • An antioxidant system including vitamins C & E
  • Prebiotic fiber & guaranteed probiotics
  • A selection of nutritious vegetables
  • Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin & a shiny coat
  • Calcium & phosphorus for healthy teeth and strong bones
  • Dietary fiber to help maintain a healthy digestive tract
  • No artificial flavors or colors
  • No corn, wheat or corn/wheat glutens

We have fed this to our dogs for years, so it seemed only natural that when we began our breeding program, we would become Life’s Abundance Field Reps.  This makes it super easy for you!  Just click the link below to be directed to our page on the Life’s Abundance website, where you can order your dog’s food and have it shipped directly to your door.  If you choose NOT to use Life’s Abundance, then my only request is that you wait until your puppy is settled in its new home to switch them over to something new.  This is a process that has to be done slowly by mixing one food with the other, with more and more of the new and less and less of the old until only the new remains.  This can be a stressful change for your puppy’s body, and we wouldn’t want you to add to the already stressful change of getting used to their new home.  For this reason, we ask our families to buy at least a small bag of Life’s Abundance All Life Stages food for your new puppy’s first few weeks.

 

Crate and exercise pen

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Your puppy’s crate and exercise pen will not only be a safe haven for your puppy, but it will be a life saver for you.  We use both 30 and 36 inch crates for our dogs, depending on their size.  The wire kennel version of these crates grow and adjust with your puppy allowing you to buy the size they will need as adults and downsize it until then.  It’s important during the crate/potty training process that the open area in the crate is only just big enough for them to fit inside and turn themselves around.  Because dogs do not like to potty where they sleep, this will keep your puppy from going potty inside their crate.  It is also important that your puppy not be left in their crate for too long and are taken out to relieve themselves. 

A good rule of thumb is that you have about an hour for each month of your puppy’s age.  So when they’re 2 months old, you’re safe to put them in their crate for 2 hours.  This does not include nighttime which, in my experience, varies with each puppy, but you certainly don’t have to get them out to go potty unless they’re telling you to (don’t wake the baby!).  It is very important that your puppy has some uninterrupted down time to nap, and the best place for them to do that is in their crate.  Not only will this help them be a happier, more well-behaved puppy during the day, but it will also help them to feel more comfortable and content sleeping in it at night.

Using an exercise pen or having some sort of gated area for your puppy to play during times when you can not give them your full attention is another valuable practice.  This will prevent them from getting into situations where they might be destructive to your property or themselves.  There are wire exercise pens available that can be attached to your wire kennel or adjusted in multiple ways to fit all sorts of different environments.  When you have a new puppy, baby gates and the like are your friends! 

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Some additional items you will want to purchase for your new family member are:

Dog collar & leash

We will send you home with an “EverHeart Labradoodles” collar when you pick up your puppy.  We discourage the use of a leash on their collars before you begin actually leash training your pup.  Their first instinct is to pull on the leash and if not introduced to it properly, future leash training could be made more complicated.  For this reason, we recommend that you bring an adjustable harness that a leash can be attached to for potty trips on the way home.  When the time comes for leash training, a lightweight, 4-6 foot leash will be needed.  

Food and water bowl

You will want food and water bowls that are resistant to all of the things your puppy might try to do to them.  They should be sturdy enough that puppy can't tip, chew, or break them and also be easy to clean.  The food dish is pretty straight forward, but because of the adorable beards on ALDs, many owners like a slow release bowl that keeps them a little dryer after a drink.  Here's a link to one that I found and like on Amazon... https://a.co/d/gFgnTlZ

Dog toys

Remember that they are babies and they will be teething for the first 9+ months.  

Having multiple toys of different types and textures will allow them to have just what they need and make them less likely to get bored and find things to chew on/play with that they shouldn’t.  Scented nylabones, Kong toys, rope toys, and soft fleece toys are a great start!  Rotating and switching toys up is a good way to prevent boredom too!

Grooming tools

  • soft brush (for getting puppy used to being brushed)
  • slicker brush 
  • wire comb (for when puppy gets older) 
  • a nail trimmer (nail trimming can also be done at the vet during puppy well visits and then at the groomers if you’d prefer not to do it at home)
  • shampoo and conditioner (and also detangler, if you plan to keep puppy’s coat long).  Also, Life’s Abundance  offers a great shampoo that will leave your pup smelling amazing!
  • ALAA (American Australian Labradoodle Association) has a great video and printable instructions that you can use and/or share with your groomer.  I include the printed instructions in my puppy take-home packets.  

 

If you would like to be added to our waitlist for the next available litter, fill out our puppy adoption application. If you have questions, please use our contact form.

PUPPY APPLICATION
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