Puppy Don’ts

Make sure your Labradoodle is healthy and happy, by avoiding these general puppy care mistakes. And remember, anyone who adopts a Catlow  puppy is welcome to contact us for advice, for as long and as often as is required!

Avoid over-exercising your puppy

Don’t over-exercise your Labradoodle puppy, you will be doing more harm than good! Be careful with long walks and stairs, as this can impact hip and joint development in young dogs. Short walks and garden play is sufficient exercise for a young pup.

Allowing your puppy to bite

Don’t allow your puppy to bite, mouth, or snap, even from an early age, as they will continue to do so when they are big dogs and have their full adult teeth. This can be very painful and not acceptable at all. It may be seen as fun and playful to you or your family, but will be seen as aggression by other people. Make sure your puppy has an assortment of chew toys to use and play with and understands that he is only allowed to chew on these toys, not your visitors ankles.

Don’t forget who’s in charge

Don’t let your Labradoodle think that he is the boss! You have to maintain your position as ‘pack leader’ and your dog has to accept his role in your ‘family pack’. Your new dog is ‘at the bottom of the pack’ hierarchy. If you tell your dog to do something, make sure he does it! You might think that these rules sound cruel, but they are adapted to a dogs way of thinking, handed down from their natural ancestory. Dogs feel much more secure when there are clear rules in place. Remember, a dog is not a human and requires a different set of rules.

Avoid over-feeding your puppy

It is very important that your puppy receives the correct amount of good quality food to satisfy his growth and maintenance requirements and this needs constant monitoring, as he grows BUT……………… Don’t over-feed your puppy, as excessive weight gain puts undue pressure on their growing frame. It can lead to obesity, heart and breathing problems, and also hip-displacia, in later life.

Avoid giving your puppy rawhide chews

Don’t give your puppy rawhide chews at all when they are young, and even when adults, be wary. The chews will turn to a rubbery consistency very quickly, and can lodge in a dogs throat. This is from personal and other peoples experiences with rawhide chews.