A Labradoodle Puppy – Best Family Dog for Infants, Toddlers & Children
Labradoodle Puppy Love
In the summer of 2019, we sadly and suddenly lost our standard poodle, Emmett, to bloating of the stomach. It was a tragic and unexpected passing of our sweet 6 year old dog. Our family are “dog people” through and through. In his absence we quickly started considering getting another dog. Enter the labradoodle puppy!
At the time of Emmett’s passing I swore up and down that I would only own standard poodles. However, I acquired Emmett when I was a single woman. Married to an avid hunter, it was time to talk about a breed for both of us. My partner was very excited about the prospect of having a hunting dog; although poodles are born water dogs, he was interested in something a little different. Therefore we made an excellent compromise and agreed to learn more about the labradoodle breed.
Why We Chose a Labradoodle
After having a standard poodle for more than six years, I must admit that I fell in love with the non-shedding coat of a poodle breed. Being the mother of small children it’s very relieving to not be sweeping up dog hair constantly. (That along with toys would be too much!) All of my previous dogs have had shedding coats, so I know the experience! Don’t get me wrong, all dog breeds have their pros and cons. But at this kid-centered time in my life, hair versus fur is a welcome change! If you’ve never owned non-shedding dog, you will be amazed at the difference.
The second reason why we chose a labradoodle puppy is because of their amazing temperament. After seeking out a reputable breeder, meeting the mom (dam) and the identical siblings, we quickly realized that the labradoodle puppy was energetic, smart, and very trainable. These were all traits which we were seeking in our next family dog.
The final reason we chose a labradoodle puppy is because of their water-loving nature. As an avid bird hunter, my partner was very excited to train a dog to retrieve waterfowl; our standard poodle (surprisingly) was water-phobic. The puppy and my partner are now well into their training routine and we’re both very impressed with the dog’s retrieval instincts and water-loving personality.
Finding a Reputable Breeder
When we ultimately decided that the labradoodle puppy was top on our list, we set out to find a reputable breeder in our region. We were open to traveling within a 12 hour radius to find the best dog for our family. We spoke with several different breeders, all of whom had slightly different dogs to offer. Some had higher poodle percentage while others had higher lab percentage; these distinctions impact their coat, temperament and appearance. Some breeders were very friendly and casual while others were very business-like. I’m sure that each breeder is perfect for someone out there; we’re very happy with ours.
The breeder we finally selected had an advertisement in the closest large city’s newspaper; that’s where we started looking for our labradoodle puppy. Our first phone call to the breeder felt like talking to someone we’ve known our whole life. They answered all of our questions, were very inviting, and seemed passionate and knowledgable about the breed. In fact they had been breeding labradoodle puppies for years, with the same sire and dam for two different litters. We were invited to meet the mom (and one of her one-year old babies) at our first convenience.
Once we met the breeder and the dam and daughter (along with her ten new puppies), we set out to learn more about the stud dog. The breeder was very open about us communicating with the stud dog’s owner; we were given their contact information. This transparency helped us answer questions about dog’s lineage and health, which set us at ease. Though some breeders are less transparent about these details, this level of open communication helped us feel more confident in our selection. After all, this labradoodle puppy was a financial investment for us – and a big family decision.
Selecting the Best Labradoodle Puppy
We visited the puppies on two separate occasions then selected our actual puppy on our third visit. As the first family to put down a deposit on a dog, we literally had the pick of the litter. We spent nearly an hour and a half on our final visit interacting with the dogs, watching them closely, and weighing out the pros and cons of what we were observing. The breeder was with us throughout this visit but that was okay. My partner and I spoke openly and honestly about what we were seeing and what we thought of each puppy.
Ultimately we chose a dog that displayed traits favorable to us; we are the parents of two small children. Therefore we were seeking a calm, submissive dog who displayed some confidence but also wasn’t overly assertive or aggressive. We inspected each labradoodle puppy from nose to tail. She seemed healthy in each area we checked – eyes, ears, teeth, hips, gait, feet, weight/size and skin. Many of the dogs seemed very healthy in size and temperament so it was a difficult decision to say the least!
Not everyone will agree with us, but we decided to bring our children when we made our final decision. We were very curious to see if there were any alarming behaviors from the labradoodle puppy before we brought her home. The puppy we chose was not overly mouthy, but when she got annoyed (kiddo pulled on ears, etc.), she would lick our child. This was a trait we were specifically looking for – communicative but in a gentle way.
Caring for That Famous Coat
No one can deny that one of the primary reasons people love that labradoodle puppy is because of that amazing coat! I am a huge lover of the hypoallergenic, non-shedding coat. I first fell in love with owning a standard poodle. However it’s important to know that their coat requires care and upkeep. A labradoodle needs grooming on a regular basis; neglecting this for them is unfair and unhealthy for them. If you’re seriously thinking about getting a labradoodle puppy, ask yourself: Can I afford the regular grooming? Is this something I want to manage?
I started off grooming my own standard poodle thanks to some instruction I got from my trainer. Honestly my hat is off to dog groomers! It is definitely a skill and an art. If you’re interested in learning how to groom your own dog, I get it! You will save hundreds or thousands of dollars over the dog’s lifetime. Invest in a great set of pet grooming clippers and an excellent dog grooming book. But please – study before you do anything! We decided to find a great groomer in our community and have gone back to them religiously for years.
Our dog gets a groom every 6 to 8 weeks – to the tune of $75 per groom. I’m not sure what the going rate is in your region; this is fairly consistent in our town. This price includes a head-to-toe bath as well as a trim of her body and face hair. Her feet get trimmed, her nails ground down, her face is “cleaned up” (hair around the eyes gets pretty crazy), and her anal glands are expelled. The groomer also cleans her ears – the hair grows in there, too! We like the “puppy cut” on our labradoodle puppy. This is a cute, fluffy cut that isn’t too girly or fancy. We live in a rural setting with lots of dirt, plant life and sticks. The dog gets dirty and plays outside often! This cut is perfect for her lifestyle and grows out fairly evenly.
Training our Labradoodle Puppy
The first step in training a labradoodle puppy (especially on leash) is to choose the right collar. We learned (the hard way) that this poodle-curly-hair coat requires a special collar. You see, a flat collar causes irritation when the curly hair grows on your labradoodle puppy’s neck. Therefore this type of dog needs a rolled collar so that it doesn’t irritate the hair as it grows.
I would have been the first to say the standard poodle is one of the smartest dogs I’ve ever met. I’m now 100% confident that our labradoodle puppy is as smart (if not smarter) than my standard poodle. The dog has been unbelievably easy to train. She has such a willingness to please us and seems to be a step ahead of us at all times. Training has been a breeze; well, as much as training any puppy can be easy!
At nearly six months old, she walks well on leash (we use a training collar on walks under the guidance of my trusted dog trainer) and is mastering the art of heel, sit and stay. My partner works with her daily on retrieval skills (in preparation for her to be a hunting dog); this is perhaps her favorite part of the day. She works hard each day – and plays hard each day. The perfect balance! I firmly believe that a tired dog is a happy dog.
Potty training has been a little more difficult but I can’t chalk that up to a breed issue. This is the first time my partner and I have had a female dog and we notice significant differences in this dog’s peeing patterns compared to our previous male dogs. Don’t get me wrong, she’s housebroken. But it seemed as though our previous male dogs were much easier to housebreak than this one. Take that for what it’s worth but I wouldn’t read into it too far. It could be “owner-operator error”, too!
How She Plays
The labradoodle puppy is a fun-loving dog if ever I have met one! This dog absolutely loves to retrieve. I’ve known many a neurotic dog in my life…you know the type. They are so obsessed with retrieving something, anything, that they are spun out and driven at all times. Not so with this dog. She absolutely loves to retrieve and is really good at it. Super fast and super accurate in her run and retrieval (we use these sporting dummies during work time). However she doesn’t seem crazy. We like to be outside and not have a dog obsessively dropping balls at our feet. She knows when it’s time to “work” and when it’s time to be together as a family; again – a very smart breed indeed.
As with any puppy, she is mildly mouthy when she plays. Even when we go on training walks, if I brush up on her ear she will turn her head up and use her mouth to explore what caused the sensation. I know this is common among puppies so I’m not concerned in the least. However it’s something to know about playing with a puppy. They can be mouthy! Therefore we spend a lot of time teaching her not to use her mouth (and how the kids can discourage the behavior) so that she will eventually grow out of it. They always do!
Puppy Meets Kids – What’s Beyond the Cuteness
As the parents of two small children, introducing a dog to the kids was a really big deal. In fact, how the children and the dog would mix was our top concern when selecting our next breed. The labradoodle puppy has not disappointed us!
This labradoodle puppy is a “people lover” and she has quickly grown to love all of her family members – even the little ones. We work hard every day to break her of those bad puppy habits of jumping and being mouthy; as a “people pleaser” she’s demonstrated being a fast learner and has decreased those unwanted behaviors week by week. Just as we train the puppy on what not to do to people, we teach the kids how to discourage bad puppy behavior. Our kids now tell the puppy “down” and practice sit-stays with her often (treat love!). They are growing their relationship and we empower our kids (namely the oldest) to be a commanding presence with the dog.
The puppy does occasionally causes the kids to shed a tear or two. It always happens when she moves while a little too close to the kids and accidentally knocks them over. However, I must say that this happened with my standard poodle, too – this is not a “breed issue,” but a size and proximity issue. All puppies remind me of the two-man horse costumes in a parade – the front half has no idea what the back half is doing! Crashes happen and we move on; I know the puppy will grow out of this clumsiness as she grows into her body.
Labradoodle Puppy Diet
Our family had such great luck with the Diamond Naturals brand dog food (with multiple dogs) that we continue to feed it to our labradoodle puppy. We use the Large Breed Puppy Formula and have been very happy with it; her coat is so shiny and soft (especially after a groom) and she is growing at a healthy rate, according to our veterinarian.
I will say – this is one thirsty dog! Of course all dogs need water but this one can go through gallons in a day. I’m shocked that such a little creature can consume so much water! We keep it fresh and available to her all the time; our dog is fed 2x daily as directed by our veterinarian.
Why We Love Our Labradoodle Puppy
If you are looking for your next family dog, I can’t say enough about how much we love our labradoodle puppy. In no time at all she’s won over our hearts and joined our family as our next four-legged friend. I thought no breed would come close to the standard poodle. However we have found everything we loved about the standard poodle and more! If you’re also looking for a retriever and an athletic dog, look no further. We find this breed to be very smart and a gentle, loving family dog – great with little kids, with huge potential as a hunting (working) dog.
What’s your experience with a labradoodle puppy or grown dog? What size do you have? Please share a comment below with your fellow dog lovers so we can continue to celebrate this wonderful, fun-loving breed!
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