Are you ready to become a pet parent? The labradoodle is a friendly, intelligent, easily trainable cross between a Labrador Retriever and a poodle. If you're interested in adding this curly-coated pup to your family, take a look at the questions to ask labradoodle breeders.
Who Are the Parents?
The more you know about the Labradoodle puppy's parents, the more you know about your potential future canine companion. While you can't guarantee each puppy will look or act like their parents, genetics do play a role in the dog's appearance, temperament, and more.
Ideally, the breeder will introduce you to the parents. If this isn't possible, ask the breeder to see photos/videos of the parents. You can also ask for information on their size, fur color, fur texture, sociability/friendliness, ease of training, and any other traits you feel are relevant.
Have the Puppies Visited the Vet?
The puppies should have some veterinary care. Like other breeds, newborn Labradoodles need a vet exam. The veterinarian will weigh the puppy, take their temperature, listen to their lungs, listen to their heart, assess their skin/coat, and feel their abdomen. Along with the exam, the vet may need to deworm the dogs. Many puppies are born with worms. While this may sound like a serious problem, it's a common condition. Early deworming can eliminate the issue and reduce the related health risks.
Do the Puppies Have Their Vaccinations?
There are two types of canine vaccine categories to ask the breeder about—core and non-core. As the name implies, core vaccinations are central to your soon-to-be new dog's health. These immunizations are required by most states, counties, cities, or local governments. Rabies is a primary core vaccine. Other core immunizations your pup may need include canine distemper virus, canine parvovirus, and canine adenovirus.
Non-core vaccines include canine parainfluenza virus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Bordetella burgdorferi, and canine influenza virus. The specific vaccinations the puppy already has depends on the dog's age. Not only should the breeder provide you with a verbal list of the vaccinations, but they should also give you a paper immunization record from the veterinarian's office.
What Do the Puppies Eat?
After you learn more about your future puppy's genetic background (parents) and their health history, it's time to move on to practical matters. This starts with what the puppy already eats. The breeder will need to wean the puppy from its mother before you can bring the labradoodle home. After the puppy stops nursing, the breeder will begin to feed the dog a diet of dry or wet food. Ask for information on the type of food and the preferred brand.
Contact a local Labradoodle breeder if you are interested in getting a new pup.
Share17 May 2021
After our youngest daughter was in high school, I realized that I liked having people around to take care of and that my window for doing that was closing quickly. Instead of having more children, I decided to see about adopting a pet or two. I looked everywhere for a dog and a cat that would meld well with my lifestyle, and it was incredible to find a pet that I really connected with. However, I was able to find pets that I absolutely adored, and so I made them a part of our home. This blog is here to help new pet owners to adjust to their new situation and to learn to love everything about having new pets.