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You have found your new baby boy. Yes, boxers are particularly fond of their family members especially when goodly trained. Once your tiny little puppy grows into adulthood, they are a good size for apartment or house living as long as they get out for plenty of exercise! Boxer Puppies for Sale. Dallas Boxers for sale are a medium to large sized dog breed and range from about inches tall and can weigh in anywhere from pounds depending on the sex. Boxer Puppies for sale in North Carolina. Dallas Find Boxer puppies for sale Near Dallas, TX Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to. We are located in Lebanon Missouri! All boxer puppies are carefully evaluated, it is important we find the best. Boxer Puppies for sale in Dallas County, tx from top breeders and individuals. Boxer puppies for sale in Dallas, Texas. The Molossus blood makes the hardworking Boxer dog courageous, bright, and alert. PetzLover helps you to find your lovable pets to your home. Join millions of people using Oodle to find puppies for adoption, dog and puppy listings, and other pets adoption. We have four beautiful boxer puppies for sale. Why buy a Boxer puppy for sale if you can adopt and save a life? Look at pictures of Boxer puppies in Dallas who need a home. Down the Waiting List For Families to. Big Mac and Muscletone's Seneca aka the Bluerilla dropped 6 beautiful pups. The other male is whit AKC Boxer pups .Loyalty, affection, intelligence, work ethic, and good looks: Boxers are the whole doggy package. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to help. There is no set price for Texas Boxer puppies for sale because there are so many factors involved. Boxer dogs were originally bred to be medium-size guard dogs. Boxer Puppies For New Homes. The best thing to do is start your search and get an overall idea of the type of price you can expect to pay. Boxer puppies for sale in Dallas, TX from trusted breeders. Sign in to your account to message breeders and set alerts for your searches! If you are unable to find your Boxer puppy. We have two males and two females. Find Boxer breeders with puppies for sale near Dallas Ft Worth. Tina is a pure breed French Boxer. Different breeders charge different prices for their Boxers, which can be influenced by factors including color, size, gender, Bright and alert, sometimes silly, but always courageous, the Boxer has been. These puppies are, adorable, very playful and eager to meet their. Dogs for Sale in Dallas 1 - 15 of 27, History: The Boxer descends from two dogs of the now extinct Bullenbeisser breed from Germany: the Danziger Bullenbeisser and the Brabanter Bullenbeisser, both of which were used by hunters for chasing large game. Receive an email alert when additional puppies are added. Dallas Find Boxer puppies for sale Near Dallas, TX Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to their family. They will be ready the week of October nd to go to their new forever home. Selling boxer pups brindle reverse brindle fawn flashy fawn males and females. Find a Boxer for adoption at dog rescues or shelters near Dallas Ft Worth. All boxer puppies are carefully evaluated, it is important we find the best match for you and your family. Gorgeous gift for Christmas taking deposits right now dew cla more. Puppies have beautiful heads and will be ready for new homes at 8 weeks old. Now Im living the high life in a foster home! The British Boxer Dog Club was then formed in .Boxer Puppies for Sale Boxers are upbeat, playful family dogs that have earned a reputation for being protective guardians or watchdogs and silly, bright-eyed, affectionate companions for children. Find Boxerdoodle dogs and puppies from Texas breeders. When we Post The 5 or 6 Week Puppy. Are Boxers trainable? Are Boxers friendly with kids? Are Boxers friendly with other animals? Please call if you are interested in adding one of our Boxer Puppies to Your Family. All pups are registered through AKC on limited or full registration. See Available Puppies. Boxer For Sale in Dallas .Back; Search; Boxer puppies for sale, 11 total available. The Boxer dog breed slowly gained popularity throughout Europe in the late s. Diesel is as adorable as a puppy can be. Then they brought me to this scary shelter. Nickname: White boxer on PuppyFinder. Last white boxer puppy. The American Boxer Club was established in .Items Included: Crop tail already. If you are unable to find your Boxer puppy in our Puppy for Sale or Dog for Sale sections, please consider looking thru thousands of Boxer Dogs for Adoption. Different breeders charge different prices for their Boxers, which can be influenced by factors including color, size, gender, and more. Don't miss what's happening in your neighborhood. If you are unable to find your Boxer. Boxer puppies for sale Dallas, Texas October 13, .He was then imported to the United States in and was accepted by the American Kennel Club the following year. Boxer For Sale in Dallas County .Find the Perfect Boxer. Most Popular Boxer Puppy for Sale Names for We've compiled the top 20 male and female Boxer names for after analyzing Boxer puppies for sale. At Vincenza Boxers we provide health tested , champion boxers for stud services on approval. Make sure to frequently wash water and food dishes. Boxer puppies for sale, 11 total available. Check with the breeder for up-to-date information on puppy availability. Select Their Puppies!!! Please call if you are interested in. We're sorry but this site doesn't work properly. Champion Bloodlines Show Potential. They loves other dogs and loves playtime with her bully stic. Save this search and we'll notify you when they are. Boxers definitely live up to that brave reputation, but there's more to it—the breed is. In both world wars, various military tasks were given to Boxer dogs including guard dogs, attack dogs, and messenger dogs. Boxer puppies for sale in Dallas TX. Find your Boxer puppy for sale in Texas. Contact us only via text at xxxxxxxxxx since i don't always login my account. Boxers were bred to be noble, intelligent and protective dogs. One male and both females are fawn and white. Boxers for Sale in Dallas. Phone e-mail: brandonbaeza yahoo. Boxer puppies in Dallasadded 7 new photos. These Boxer puppies will be ready on Saturday October 16th. Pictures we start the process of Going. Vincenza Boxers occasionally has a breeding, always planning to promote quality structure and most balanced temperaments. Boxer puppies in Dallas. You have found your. We have 2 boxer puppies available, 1 male and 1 female. Check our cute Boxer puppies for sale. Questions about Boxer puppies for sale in Dallas TX? We have answers. How much are Boxer puppies for sale in Dallas TX? This is often the case and can be for several reasons. Do I have to choose from local breeders near me? Not at all! How are breeders selected for your network? This is because we have high standards when it comes to Boxer for sale Dallas and care about connecting homes like yours with only the top notch breeders and business in the industry. Learn more from our Breeder Pledge and find Boxer puppies for sale in Dallas now. You can take a lot of the negative stress out of your Dallas Boxer puppy for sale puppy search by choosing to work with Uptown Puppies. We are highly selective when it comes to breeders and businesses in our network, meaning you can have peace of mind knowing your puppy is coming from an ethical breeder or business. Should I worry about puppy mills? There are plenty of them and they are essentially factories that produce as many puppies as possible with no care for the well being of the animals in their care. These puppies often have health problems down the road. Are there puppies available now in your network? Once you decide to work with Uptown Puppies and look for Dallas Boxer puppies for sale, you can start browsing through available puppies right away and get one step closer to finding your dream companion. Boxers have ancestors that can be traced as far back as B. They were originally bred as hunters and became more popular across Europe in the 16th century before coming to the U. Are Boxers good family dogs? Boxer puppies Dallas are considered great family dogs because of how much energy they have and how much they absolutely love to play! Their playful energy allows them to keep up with any equal energy children in the household! They also bond quickly with all members of the household, and like to take on a guardian role. What can I expect with a Boxer breed? Boxers are so popular and beloved for a good reason, they are charming, playful and dedicated companions who brighten your day with their affection. You can expect for Boxers for sale Dallas to be high energy and always ready for the next adventure to go on. They also will bond with you quickly and are able to be trained easily. How big is a full grown Boxer? Dallas Boxers for sale are a medium to large sized dog breed and range from about inches tall and can weigh in anywhere from pounds depending on the sex. Once your tiny little puppy grows into adulthood, they are a good size for apartment or house living as long as they get out for plenty of exercise!

Sophia is a grey brindle girl that is very sweet. She is 72 lbs. Annie is a pretty fawn girl out of our retired female Tess. She is 80 lbs. She is almost as tall as her mom. About the breeds. The Poodle The Poodle is one of the oldest breeds of dogs ever recognized and has been around since ancient times, originally in Germany but then being perfected in France. Others claim that there are some other breeds mixed in such as Asian herding dogs and other breeds that ran wild during that time. The smaller versions of the Poodle were created in the s by breeding small Poodles with each other. At the time, the Poodle was mainly used for hunting ducks and truffles but became popular as circus dogs and in shows. The AKC officially recognized them in where they are now the 7th most popular breed of dog. Some believe the breed is a mix of Spaniels, Sheepdogs, and Mastiffs while others claim they are a blend of the Griffon and Beauceron. In those days, they were bred only for function so the appearance of the Bouvier des Flanders varied quite a bit. At first, they were called the Toucheur de Boeuf, which means cattle dog, Koehond, which means cow dog, or Vuilbaard, which means dirty beard. The name they have now, Bouvier, means cowherd or oxherd. A veterinarian named Adolphe Reul was a proud breeder who made the Bouvier des Flanders popular during those days even though there was no standard until .In , the American Kennel Club recognized the breed and it is now the 83rd most popular breed in America. Flandoodle The Flandoodle is a large dog that stands between 22 and 28 inches tall and weighs about 65 to 95 pounds. The Flandoodle can be any color but is usually black, gray or brindle. They may be lean or stocky, with well-muscled long legs, a large head, and a furry face with a beard. The long tail is usually docked and their furry ears are pendulous. They do not shed much but it is important to bathe them if they get dirty, using mild shampoo and conditioner specially recommended for Poodles. Be sure to clean their ears once a week and watch for redness and ear mites. In addition, you should brush their teeth several times a week to prevent dental problems. They make special toothbrushes and toothpaste specially for dogs that you should use. They enjoy being part of the family activities and like to play with other animals but may be inclined to hunt smaller animals like rabbits and guinea pigs. They should also be supervised around children younger than five years old. Although they are intelligent and learn quickly, they may be a bit stubborn during training so you have to have patience and use positive reinforcement rather than physical punishment. They can get lonely if left home alone for a long time so they need to have plenty to keep them busy while you are not home. Activity Requirements: Keep in mind that these are all suggestions. If your dog is happy, healthy and content, that is what is important, and just like people, every dog is different and unique. The Flandoodle loves activity and needs some type of exercise daily. They love to hunt and would appreciate a trip to the park daily to chase squirrels and rabbits if you do not have a fenced in yard to play in. In addition, having them run alongside you while you jog or bike can also be a beneficial choice for you both. This breed is also good at agility training, Frisbee, fetch, flyball, and swimming. Recent Posts. They Love a Good Chase Until your Flandoodle is well trained, it is not a great idea to let them off their leash. These dogs love a great chase. If there is a bird, squirrel, or another small animal that you come across on your daily walks, your Flandoodle may make a run for it. Great for Those with Dog Allergies If you have mild dog allergies, you will likely do very well with the Flandoodle. Both the Bouvier des Flandres and the Poodle are considered to be hypoallergenic dogs. You should always meet a potential new dog before bringing them home as sometimes, even if a dog is deemed to be hypoallergenic, they could still cause some problems. The Flandoodle is a nice mix of popularity and a lesser-known breed. These are genuinely lovely dogs that want to be a part of all that goes on in your household. You can bet that your Flandoodle will be following you around and in the middle of any family conversations or game nights. The Flandoodle is a loyal animal that wants to please and take care of its people. Your Flandoodle also desires and seeks attention. This is not a dog that is going to be overly independent and do its own thing. The Flandoodle will want to be the center of attention at all times. Flandoodles are generally well-behaved animals as long as they get the proper amount of exercise. They tend to act out when they have too much energy and no outlet for it. The Flandoodle is not a brilliant dog, but they are not unintelligent either. The Flandoodle has a high enough intelligence level to be trained; it will just be a bit of a long process. Are These Dogs Good for Families? The first point of concern is the separation anxiety that Flandoodles are prone to. If you are a busy young family and the Flandoodle will be left alone most of the day, you may see some separation anxiety issues start to arise. Flandoodles thrive when they are around people. If left alone for extended periods, they will become withdrawn or even act out because they are upset. The issue with their separation anxiety is actually what makes them an excellent fit for a family with lots of people. If people are coming and going all day and the Flandoodle is not left alone for extended periods, it will be ideal for this breed. When it comes to a family dog, another point of concern is the time needed to care for the animal. In busy families with young kids, the dog and their exercise and grooming needs can sometimes end up at the bottom of the list. If your family is already busier than you could ever imagine, you may want to consider a lower maintenance dog. The Flandoodle will need your attention for several hours each day, both for exercise and grooming. However, this does not always need to be undivided attention. It is quite easy to figure out a game in the yard that keeps both the kids and the dog entertained. However, this dog will need some of your time and care. As long as those conditions can be met, the Flandoodle is an excellent addition to any family. You should have no problems with aggressive behavior when it comes to other large pets. If you have another dog, introduce your Flandoodle at a young age and teach them how to get along. The earlier you socialize the Flandoodle, the easier it will be when it comes to getting along with other dogs. The only thing that you need to watch out for in the case of the Flandoodle are small pets. If you should have a smaller animal in the house, something like a guinea pig or similar, there is a chance that your Flandoodle will try and go after it. The Flandoolde has hunting skills in its genetics, and it is hard for them to give this up completely. You will likely notice if you let your Flandoodle lose in the yard, they will chase squirrels and rabbits, often unsuccessfully. Image Credit: Felicia Lee, Shutterstock Things to Know When Owning a Flandoodle: Now that you have a pretty good idea as to whether or not the Flandoodle would be a good fit for your family, you may want to understand what goes into taking care of them. Flandoodles are not any more difficult than another dog, but there are some specifics about their care that you should know. You will need to feed your dog several cups of dry food a few times a day. It is best to check with your vet to get the exact amounts that your dog will need. When your Flandoodle ages from a puppy to an adult dog, their food requirements will change. Dog food is not cheap, and you should calculate how much it will cost to feed your Flandoodle before purchasing your dog. This is a high energy dog that likes to run, chase, and play. If you are an outdoorsy type that likes to swim, hunt, and hike, a Flandoodle is an excellent choice for you. The Flandoodle even maintains some of their original hunting skills and can be quite good at catching small animals. A Flandoodle needs several hours of exercise each day. If you live in a small apartment, this is not the right dog for you. Keep in mind that Flandoodles will start to misbehave if they do not get enough physical exercise in a day. You may hear Flandoodle owners talking about how they have to tire the dog out. This is absolutely true. We also mentioned that the Flandoodle struggles with separation anxiety. If you are someone who is not home enough to spend time with and run your Flandoodle, this is not the right breed for you. Ideally, a Flandoodle should be walked twice a day. If this is not possible, make sure that your Flandoodle has plenty of time to run and play in the yard. If your children need something to do, have them take the dog outside and give them all some exercise. You need to stay consistent when training a Flandoodle. They are smart dogs but not highly intelligent. Since your Flandoodle is a happy and playful dog, you should always be using positive reinforcement. You will, however, need to be firm and consistent with a Flandoodle for them to understand what it is you want from them. You can start training your Flandoodle when they are a young puppy. If your Flandoodle is a family dog, you may want to make sure everyone is on the same page as far as training is concerned. However, this is not the case, particularly for the Flandoodle dog. This breed needs to be brushed every day. If you have to push it to every other day, that is usually fine. But If they are not brushed highly frequently, their coat will be in terrible shape, and you will end up spending more time and money on grooming. The length of the hair on your Flandoodle can vary depending on what traits they inherited from their parent breeds. It is best to start grooming practices with your Flandoodle from a very young age. They may come to like getting brushed, and it can be a daily thing for you and your dog. Both the teeth and the ears should be cleaned weekly, if possible. Since a Flandoodle is part Poodle, they can be prone to some ear infections and other ear-related issues. Keeping the ear clean is the best way to avoid this. Overall, these are very healthy dogs, even though their lifespan is only years on average. Minor Conditions. It has been reprinted many times by clubs to use for the education of prospective Bouvier owners. I give my permission freely to all who wish to reprint and distribute it in hopes of saving innocent Bouviers from neglect and abandonment by those who should never have acquired them in the first place. My only limitation is that you may not sell this article unless the proceeds are going to Bouvier Rescue. Interested in buying a Bouvier? You must be or you wouldn't be reading this. You've already heard how marvelous Bouviers are. As a breed they have a few features that some people find charming, but that some people find mildly unpleasant and some people find downright intolerable. There are different breeds for different needs. There are over purebred breeds of dogs in the world. Maybe you'd be better off with some other breed. Maybe you'd be better off with a cat. Maybe you'd be better off with goldfish, a parakeet, a hamster, or some house-plants. Please DON'T buy a Bouvier unless you are convinced that you will be happy living with the dog and , equally important, that the dog will be happy living with you. The appearance of the Bouviers you have seen in the show ring is the product of hours of bathing and grooming. This carefully constructed beauty is fleeting : a few minutes of freedom, romping through the fields or strolling in the rain, restores the natural look. The natural look of the Bouvier is that of a large shaggy farm dog, usually with some dirt and weeds clinging to his tousled coat. His esthetics are those of an unmade bed. Remember that the Dutch nickname for the breed , "Vuilbaard", means "Dirty Beard". The true beauty of the Bouvier lies in his character, not in his appearance. There are many other breeds whose natural beauty of appearance far exceeds that of the Bouvier. Some of the long-coated and most of the short-coated breeds' appearances are less dependent on grooming than is that of the Bouvier. See also the section on grooming below. Note: when I first got introduced to the breed, I actually considered them esthetically unattractive, but their character was overwhelmingly appealing to me. Bouviers were bred to share in the work of the farm family and to spend most of their waking hours working with the family. They thrive on companionship and they want to be wherever you are. They are happiest living with you in your house and going with you when you go out. While they usually tolerate being left at home by themselves preferably with a dog-door giving access to the fenced yard , they should not be relegated to the backyard or kennel. An adult so exiled will be miserable and may invent annoying pastimes. If you don't strongly prefer to have your dog's companionship as much as possible, enjoying having him sleep in your bedroom at night and sharing many of your activities by day, you should choose a breed less oriented to human companionship. Likewise if your job or other obligations prevent you from spending much time with your dog. No dog is really happy without companionship but the pack hounds are more tolerant of being kenneled or yarded so long as it is in groups of 2 or more. A better choice would be a cat, as they are solitary by nature. Update: I have rescued any number of Bouviers who had been kept as back yard dogs. Always their behavior and their health had suffered. Basic obedience and household rules training is NOT optional for the Bouvier. As an absolute minimum, you must teach him to reliably respond to commands to come , to lie down, to stay , and to walk at your side , on or off leash and regardless of temptations. You must also teach him to respect your household rules: eg, is he allowed to get on the furniture? What you allow or forbid is unimportant; but it is critical that you, not the dog, make these choices and that you enforce your rules consistently. You must commit yourself to attending an 8 to 10 week series of weekly lessons at a local obedience club or professional trainer and to doing one or two short 5 to 20 minutes homework sessions per day. As commands are learned, they must be integrated into your daily life by being used whenever appropriate and enforced consistently. Young Bouvier puppies are relatively easy to train : they are eager to please , intelligent, and calm-natured , with a relatively good attention span. Once a Bouvier has learned something, he tends to retain it well. Your cute sweet little Bouvier puppy will grow up to be a large, powerful dog with a highly self-assertive personality and the determination to finish whatever he starts. If he has grown up respecting you and your rules, then all his physical and mental strength will work for you. But if he has grown up without rules and guidance from you, surely he will make his own rules and his physical and mental powers will often act in opposition to your needs and desires. For example: he may tow you down the street as if competing in a sled-dog race; he may grab food off the table; he may forbid your guests entry to his home. This training cannot be delegated to someone else, eg by sending the dog away to "boarding school", because the relationship of respect and obedience is personal between the dog and the individual who does the training. This is true of all dogs to greater or lesser degree, but definitely to a very great degree in Bouviers. While you definitely may want the help of an experienced trainer to teach you how to train your dog, you yourself must actually train your Bouvier. As each lesson is well learned, then rest of the household except young children must also work with the dog , insisting he obey them as well. Many of the Bouviers that are rescued from Pounds and Shelters show clearly that they have received little or no basic training, neither in obedience nor in household deportment; yet these same dogs respond well to such training by the rescuer or the adopter. It seems likely that a failure to train the dog is a significant cause of Bouvier abandonment. If you don't intend to educate your dog, preferably during puppyhood, you would be better off with a breed that is both small and socially submissive, eg a Shetland Sheepdog. Such a dog does require training, but a little bit goes further than with a Bouv. In the opposite direction, if your goals in obedience training are oriented towards success at high level competition HIT, OTCh, and Gaines , please realize that the Bouv is not among the half dozen breeds best suited to such highly polished performance. Bouvs can, with adequate training, excel at such "working" competitions as agility, carting, tracking, protection, and herding. Update: there is really no dog who can be raised without basic training in obedience and household manners. Cats require some training too. In addition to a daily formal training session while the dog is learning new material, I strongly recommend dozens of "60 second" sessions throughout the day, each consisting of just one or two items successfully performed. Responsiveness becomes a way of life for the dog, and monitoring his behavior becomes a way of life for the humans. Dogs do not believe in social equality. They life in a social hierarchy led by a pack-leader alpha. The alpha dog is generally benevolent, affectionate, and non-bullying towards his subordinates; but there is never any doubt in his mind or in theirs that the alpha is the boss and makes the rules. Whatever the breed, if you do not assume the leadership, the dog will do so sooner or later and with more or less unpleasant consequences for the abdicating owner. Like the untrained dog , the pack-leader dog makes his own rules and enforces them against other members of the household by means of a dominant physical posture and a hard-eyed stare, followed by a snarl, then a knockdown blow or a bite. Breeds differ in tendencies towards social dominance; and individuals within a breed differ considerably. Bouviers as a breed tend to be of a socially dominant personality. You really cannot afford to let a Bouvier become your boss. You do not have to have the personality or mannerisms of a Marine boot camp Sargent, but you do have to have the calm, quiet self-assurance and self-assertion of the successful parent "Because I'm your mother, that's why. If you think you might have difficulty asserting yourself calmly and confidently to exercise leadership, then choose a breed known for its socially subordinate disposition, such as a Golden Retriever or a Shetland Sheepdog, and be sure to ask the breeder to select one of the more submissive pups in the litter for you. If the whole idea of "being the boss" frightens or repels you, don't get a dog at all. Cats don't expect leadership. A caged bird, hamster , or fish doesn't need leadership or household rules. Leadership and training are inextricably intertwined: leadership personality enables you to train your dog, and being trained by you reinforces your dog's perception of you as the alpha. Update: I often refer to the quality of being a pack-leader as "Alphatude", meaning the attitude of being the leader. However the terms "dominance" and "alpha" have fallen out of favor with some writers and behaviorist because some people, mostly those with Y chromosomes, have the unfortunate tendency to think of "dominance" as meaning "domination" and as justifying domineering and bullying tactics. Nothing could be further from the truth. Machievelli was not a dog trainer and his dictum that it is better to be feared than to be loved does NOT work with dogs. You must make the rules and be respected but you must also be benevolent and affectionate and trusted by your dogs. I have known many dogs who were high ranked among other dogs, and the best and most respected were very benevolent and very well trusted. Leadership and training are inextricably intertwined: leadership personality enables you to train your dog, and being trained by you reinforces your dog's perception of you was the alpha. A Bouv becomes deeply attached and devoted to his own family, but he doesn't "wear his heart on his sleeve. Some are noticeably reserved, others are more outgoing, but few adults are usually exhuberantly demonstrative of their affection. They like to be near you, usually in the same room, preferably on a comfortable pad or cushion in a corner or under a table, just "keeping you company". They enjoy conversation, petting and cuddling when you offer it , but they are moderate and not overbearing in coming to you to demand such attention. They are emotionally sensitive to their favorite people : when you are joyful, proud, angry, or grief-stricken, your Bouv will immediately perceive it and will believe himself to be the cause. The relationship can be one of great mellowness, depth, and subtlety; it is a relationship on an adult-to-adult level, although certainly not one devoid of playfulness. As puppies, of course they will be more dependant, more playful, and more demonstrative. In summary, Bouvs tend to be sober and thoughtful, rather than giddy clowns or synchophants. A number of breeds retain into adulthood a more puppyish and playful disposition, eg Australian Shepherd, Malamute, and others. Update: Bouviers vary quite a bit in the degree of attention and affection they seek and in degree of demonstrativeness as well as varying in playfulness. So some are more demonstratively affectionate than described above, but still they are not usually as much so as some other breeds. The degree of warmth shown towards strangers also can vary from cooly condescendingly polite genuinely aloof to very solicitous of petting from strangers. I still consider them to be more "adult" than many other dogs. The Bouvier's thick shaggy coat and his love of playing in water and mud combine to make him a highly efficient transporter of dirt into you home, depositing same on your floors and rugs and possibly also on your furniture and clothes. One Bouvier coming in from a few minutes outdoors on a rainy day can turn an immaculate house into an instant hog wallow. His full beard soaks up water every time he takes a drink, then releases same drippingly across your floor or soppingly into your lap. It is of course possible to cut the beard off and to keep the feet clean-shaven year-round to reduce mess. Although it is technically true that Bouviers do not shed, you will find that the grooming process usually results in balls of pulled out hair tumbleweeding their way about your house, unless you deposit same directly from comb into a trash basket. I don't mean to imply that you must be a slob or slattern to live happily with a Bouv, but you do have to have the attitude that your dog's company means more to you than does neatness and you do have to be comfortable with a less than immaculate house. While all dogs, like all children, create a greater or lesser degree of household mess, almost all other breeds of dog except the Old English Sheepdog are less troublesome than the Bouvier in this respect. The Basenji is perhaps the cleanest, due to its cat-like habits; but cats are cleaner yet, and goldfish hardly ever mess up the house. Bouvier anyway? It is a well kept secret, revealed to you here, that Goddess will not strike you dead if you do cut off your Bouv's beard or even keep him in a "working clip" short coat all over. I've advised a number of people to do this. Related to cleanliness, I also get many inquiries as to whether it is true that Bouvier are less provocative of allergies in people who tend to be allergic to dogs. The answer is I really don't know. I always advise the person to make a test by spending quite a bit of time with Bouvs in close quarters and to take a bag of hair home to place in their pillow. Some people do seem to find Bouvs more acceptable to their allergy status than other dogs. However Poodles and other breeds share this less-allergenic reputation and might be a better choice. Bouviers are one of the more flatulent breeds of dog. While the volume and aroma of the emissions depends partly on the diet, about half an hour after his meal your nose knows! As the period of maximum emissions lasts only half an hour to an hour, it would not be unreasonable to put the dog outdoors in a fenced yard for this period. The Bouvier coat, when damp, tends to smell rather swampy. A wet Bouv confined to a car or small room for an hour or so can create an aroma even the least sensitive will perceive. Some people consider the Bouvier beard to have noticeably unpleasant body odor even when dry and recently groomed. The Bouvier beard tends to retain particles of food, which soon become offensive if the beard is not washed frequently. I'm sure many other breeds are less flatulent, but it is difficult to get reliable information on this as few owners care to discuss the issue. Flatulence does seem to vary with the dog's diet. Better quality food seems to produce less flatulence. You have to experiment. And you do get used to it in time. Older dogs seem more prone to flatulence. There is a product called "Beano" or "Curtail" that is supposed to prevent flatulence. I have no idea if it works. As to coat odors generally, it certainly helps if you bathe the dog from time to time. Or you might keep the coat short and cut off the beard if you are not willing to wash it frequently. The thick shaggy Bouvier coat demands regular grooming, not merely to took tolerably nice, but also to preserve the health of skin underneath and to detect and remove foxtails, ticks, and other dangerous invaders. For "pet" grooming, you should expect to spend minutes a day eg while listening to music or watching television on alternate days or half an hour twice a week. Of course any time your Bouv gets into cockleburrs, filigree, or other coat-adhering vegetation, you are likely to be in for an hour or more of remedial work. During "foxtail" season western U. In Lyme disease areas during tick season, you will need to inspect for ticks daily. Keeping the dog in a short or semi-short "working clip" substantially reduces grooming time, but does not eliminate the need for regularity. Almost every Bouvier that is rescued out of a Pound or Shelter shows the effects of many months of non-grooming, resulting in massive matting and horrendous filthiness, sometimes with urine and feces cemented into the rear portions of the coat. It appears that unwillingness to keep up with coat care is a primary cause of abandonment. Many other breeds of dog require less grooming; short coated breeds require very little. The Rottweiler has a temperament and personality similar to the Bouvier, yet requires little grooming. Professional grooming at monthly or more frequent intervals can reduce your personal workload but it will also greatly reduce your bank account. Keeping the dog clipped to a coat length of an inch to two inches makes more sense and is practical in many climates. If choosing an adult dog, try to choose one with a very harsh outer coat and only a modest amount of undercoat. However I would discourage you from making coat your number one priority, as behavior and personality are far far more crucial to your relationship with and enjoyment of the dog. DON'T buy a Bouvier if you also have a cat, unless you are willing to do a great deal of work to ensure peace between them. There is a reason that the phrase "to fight like dogs and cats" became a cliche. To a dog , a running cat looks very much like a running rabbit, thus like prey. Many dogs will chase and grab anything that runs. The larger the dog, the more easily it can inflict damage on a cat. Any dog has to be carefully taught to live in peace with a cat. Bouvier are large and powerful and most of them have very strong prey chasing drive. So a Bouvier can kill a cat in the very first second of contact. Expect to spend at least a hundred hours vigilantly supervising all interactions between dog and cat, and be prepared without fail to separate them when you are not in immediate and vigilant supervision. Some Bouviers do live in harmony with cats, especially if raised with them from puppyhood. But there are plenty who are not so safe with cats. My own theory is that a Bouv is "guilty until proven innocent" where cats are concerned. Generally speaking if you want the best chance of having a dog who is safe with cats, you should avoid the Terriers because they are bred to be intense about killing mammalian prey and likewise you should avoid the Hounds because they are bred to chase mammalian prey. The Herding dogs have a strong chase drive, though the kill part of the sequence is somewhat weakened. The larger the dog , the more potential for serious injuries. So the best bet for adding a dog to a home that already includes a cat would be a dog that is not significantly larger than the cat and that is not a Terrier, Hound, or Herding breed. If your cat is one who is afraid of dogs and runs from them, the risks of a chase and grab are much higher than if your cat is a "Garfield" who stands his ground and is ready to whap the dog with claws. Need I add that a declawed cat is at greatly heightened risk? Note: this section was not part of the original Don't Buy a Bouvier, nor the revision. I really should have thought of it, but did not, probably because I have not had cats as a routein part of my life. But I have learned from other people's experiences in this regard. Bouviers need exercise to maintain the health of heart and lungs and to maintain muscle tone. Because of his mellow, laid-back, often lazy, disposition, your Bouvier will not give himself enough exercise unless you accompany him or play with him. An adult Bouv should have a morning outing of a mile or more, as you walk briskly, jog , or bicycle beside him, and a similar evening outing. For puppies, shorter and slower walks, several times a day are preferred for exercise and housebreaking. All dogs need daily exercise of greater or lesser length and vigor. If providing this exercise is beyond you, physically or temperamentally, then choose one of the many small and energetic breeds that can exercise itself within your fenced yard. Most of the Toys and Terriers fit this description, but don't be surprised if a Terrier is inclined to dig in the earth since digging out critters is the job that they were bred to do. Cats can be exercised indoors with mouse-on-a-string toys. Hamsters will exercise themselves on a wire wheel. House plants don't need exercise. Update: need I point out that an hour of moderate intensity exercise daily is essential for human health and is the single most important thing you can do for your own welfare? Walking with a dog is so much more enjoyable than going by yourself, and the dog will remind you if you should feel inclined to shirk. With the advent of Dog Parks, you may have the choice of giving your dog some of his exercise by visiting the park, however it won't do much for your own exercise needs though it may fill social needs very well. The sport of Agility is another very enjoyable exercise opportunity for both of you, as are some other dog sports. Whether you live in town or country, no dog can safely be left to run "free" outside your fenced property and without your direct supervision and control. The price of such "freedom" is inevitably injury or death : from dogfights, from automobiles, from the Pound, or from justifiably irate neighbors. Even though Bouvs are home-loving and less inclined to roam than most breeds, an unfenced Bouv is destined for disaster. Like other breeds developed for livestock herding, most Bouvs have inherited a substantial amount of "herding instinct", which is a strengthened and slightly modified instinct to chase and capture suitable large prey. The unfenced country-living Bouv will sooner or later discover the neighbor's livestock sheep, cattle, horses, poultry and respond to his genetic urge to chase and harass such stock. State law almost always gives the livestock owner the legal right to kill any dog chasing or "worrying" his stock, and almost all livestock owners are quick to act on this right! The unfenced city Bouv is likely to exercise his inherited herding instinct on joggers, bicyclists, and automobiles. A thoroughly obedience-trained Bouvier can enjoy the limited and supervised freedom of off-leash walks with you in appropriately chosen environments. If you don't want the responsibility of confining and supervising your pet, then no breed of dog is suitable for you. A neutered cat will survive such irresponsibly given "freedom" somewhat longer than a dog, but will eventually come to grief. A better answer for those who crave a "free" pet is to set out feeding stations for some of the indigenous wildlife, such as raccoons, which will visit for handouts and which may eventually tolerate your close observation. Update: with ever higher concentrations of human population, and with ever decreasing tolorance of dogs running at large, the dangers of allowing a dog to roam are even higher than described. I do NOT recommend the use of so-called "Invisible Fencing" as an alternative to real physical fencing. Invisible does not keep other dogs or humans out and it may not always keep an excited dog inside. Bouviers are not a cheap breed to buy, as running a careful breeding program with due regard for temperament , trainability, and physical soundness hips especially cannot be done cheaply. The time the breeder should put into each puppy's "pre-school" and socialization is also costly. The "bargain" puppy from a "back-yard breeder" who unselectively mates any two Bouvs who happen to be of opposite sex may well prove to be extremely costly in terms of bad temperament, bad health, and lack of essential socialization. In contrast , the occasional adult or older pup is available at modest price from a disenchanted owner or from a breeder, shelter, or rescuer to whom the dog was abandoned; most of these "used" Bouviers are capable of becoming a marvelous dog for you if you can provide training, leadership, and understanding. Whatever the initial cost of your Bouvier, the upkeep will not be cheap. Being large dogs, Bouvs eat relatively large meals. Need I add that what goes in one end must eventually come out the other? Large dogs tend to have larger veterinary bills, as the amount of anesthesia and of most medications is proportional to body weight. Spaying or neutering, which costs more for larger dogs, is an essential expense for virtually all pet Bouviers, as it "takes the worry out of being close", prevents serious health problems in later life, and makes the dog a more pleasant companion. Bouviers are subject to two conditions which can be costly to treat : hip dysplasia and bloat. Your best insurance against dysplasia is to buy only from a litter bred from OFA certified parents and if possible grandparents. Yes, this generally means paying more. While bloat may have a genetic predisposition, there are no predictive tests allowing selective breeding against it. Your best prevention is not to feed the dog too soon before or after strenuous exercise. Professional grooming, if you use it, is expensive. An adequate set of grooming tools for use at home adds up to a tidy sum , but once purchased will last many dog-lifetimes. Finally the modest fee for participation in a series of basic obedience training classes is an essential investment in harmonious living with your dog; such fees are the same for all breeds, though conceivably you will need to travel a bit further from home to find a training class teacher who is competent with the more formidable breeds, such as Bouvier. All dogs, of whatever breed and however cheaply acquired, require significant upkeep costs, and all are subject to highly expensive veterinary emergencies. Likewise all cats. Update: alas, two extremely serious health problems have overtaken bloat and hip dysplasia as the most serious worries in the Bouvier. These are Sub-Aortic Stenosis SAS , which is a genetically caused heart defect that in severe form can kill the dog, and Glaucoma, which can be geneticaly caused or can arise from other ailments and which can cause blindness suddenly and painfully. The list of recognized genetic health problems has grown for all breeds in the past 20 years, and currently there are genetic tests for some of them. The ability of veterinary care to aleviate or cure diseases and injuries in pets has grown marvelously in the past 20 years, but the costs of that care have also grown. I advise any pet owner to set aside in a special savings account at least a dollar a day, preferably more, as a hedge against future major veterinary bills. Although the Bouvier's capability as a personal protection dog and as a police dog have been justifiably well publicized, and occasionally dramatically over-stated, the Bouvier is not any more capable in these respects than are half a dozen other protection breeds. Nor are all Bouviers equally capable : some are highly so and some moderately so, but many have insufficient natural capacity for such work. Due to his laid back disposition, the Bouvier is , if anything, a bit slower to respond aggressively to a threat than are most other protection breeds. For the same reason, however, the Bouv is perhaps somewhat more amenable to control by the handler and somewhat more willing to refrain from biting or to stop biting when told to do so. Whatever the breed, before a dog can be safely protection trained, he must have great respect for the leadership of his handler and must be solidly trained in basic obedience to that handler. Equally essential, he must have a rock-solidly stable temperament and he must also have been "socialized" out in the world enough to know that most people are friendly and harmless, so that he can later learn to distinguish the bad guys from the good guys. Even with such a dog, safe protection training demands several hundred hours of dedicated work by the handler, much of it under the direct supervision of a profoundly expert trainer. Please don't buy any dog for protection training unless you are absolutely committed to the extreme amount of work that will be required of you personally. Also talk to your lawyer and your insurance agent first. In contrast to the protection-trained dog, trained to bite on direct command or in reaction to direct physical assault on his master, the "deterrent dog" dissuades the vast majority of aspiring burglars, rapists, and assailants by his presence, his appearance, and his demeanor. Seeing such a dog, the potential wrong-doer simply decides to look for a safer victim elsewhere. For this job, all that is needed is a dog that is large and that appears to be well-trained and unafraid. The Bouvier can serve this role admirably, with the added assets of generally dark color and shaggy "beastial" appearance adding to the impression of formidability and fearsomeness. If the dog has been taught to bark a few times on command, eg "Fang, watch him! Of these the first 3 are recognized by the general public as "police dogs" and are probably are far more feared by most potential criminals than is the Bouvier. The Malamute, though not suitable for protection, is quite effective for deterrence due to his highly wolf-like appearance. Update: the legal risks of owning or being in custody of an inappropriately aggressive dog have increased greatly over the past 20 years. There have been criminal convictions for damage done by a dog known to the owner to be highly dangerous. Homeowner Insurance companies have banned some breeds from coverage, and some cities and counties have banned some breeds from living there. Don't think it cannot happen to the Bouvier. Rottweilers are amoung the more frequently discriminated against breeds and a Bouvier is equivalent in damaging potential. Most Bouviers have an assertive and confident personality. When confronted with a threat, a proper Bouvier will be somewhat more ready to fight than to flee. Thus he may respond aggressively in situations where many other breeds back down. Most Bouviers have some inclination to act aggressively to repel intruders on their territory ie your home and to counter-act assaults upon their packmates you and your family. Without training and leadership from you to guide him , the dog cannot judge correctly whom to repel and whom to tolerate. Without training and leadership, sooner or later he may injure an innocent person who will successfully sue you for more than you own. With good training and leadership from you, he can be profoundly valuable as defender of your home and family. See also remarks on stability and socialization above. If you feel no need of an assertive dog or if you have the slightest doubts of your ability and willingness to supply the essential socialization, training, and leadership, then please choose one of the many breeds noted for thoroughly unaggressive temperament, such as a Sheltie or a Golden Retriever. Update: many Bouvier fanciers say that today it is harder to find a Bouvier of correctly protective character. At the same time, there are more reports of Bouviers involved in incidents of inappropriately aggression in public. Meanwhile, some of the breeds formerly believed to be uniformly good natured have shown that a dog of any breed can become dangerous if there is enough stupidity or malice on the other end of the leash. No dog deserves to be cast out because his owners want to move to a no-pets apartment or because he is no longer a cute puppy or didn't grow up to be a beauty contest winner or because his owners through lack of leadership and training have allowed him to become an unruly juvenile delinquent with a repertoire of undesirable behaviors. The prospects of a responsible and affectionate second home for a "used" dog are never very bright, but they are especially dim for a large , shaggy, poorly mannered dog. A Bouvier dumped into a Pound or Shelter has almost no chance of survival unless he has the great fortune to be spotted by someone dedicated to Bouvier Rescue. The prospects for adoption for a youngish, well trained, and well groomed Bouvier whose owner seeks the assistance of the nearest Bouvier Club or Rescue group are fairly good; but an older Bouv has diminishing prospects. Be sure to contact your local Bouvier club or Rescue group if you are diagnosed as terminally ill or have other equally valid reason for seeking an adoptive home. Be sure to contact your local Bouvier club if you are beginning to have difficulties in training your Bouvier, so these can be resolved Be sure to make arrangements in your will or with your family to ensure continued care or adoptive home for your Bouvier if you should pre-decease him. The life span of a Bouvier is from 10 to 15 years. If that seems too long a time for you to give an unequivocal loyalty to your Bouvier, then please do not get one! Indeed, as most dogs have a life expectancy that is as long or longer, please do not get any dog! However a Bouv dumped in a shelter still faces very great risks. They are every bit as wonderful as you have heard! If buying a puppy, be sure to shop carefully for a responsible and knowledgeable breeder who places high priority on breeding for sound temperament and trainability and good health in all matings. Such a breeder will interrogate and educate potential buyers carefully. Such a breeder will continue to be available for advice and consultation for the rest of the puppy's life and will insist on receiving the dog back if ever you are unable to keep it. However as an alternative to buying a Bouvier puppy, you may want to give some serious consideration to adopting a rescued Bouvier. Despite the irresponsibility of their previous owner, almost all rescued Bouviers have proven to be readily rehabilitated so as to become superb family companions for responsible and affectionate adopters. Many Rescuers are skilled trainers who evaluate temperament and provide remedial training before offering dogs for placement, and who offer continued advisory support afterwards. Contact local Bouvier breeders or Bouvier club members to learn who is doing Rescue work. An Afterward I first wrote this article nearly 10 years ago. Since then it has become a classic of Bouvier literature, reprinted many times. Since then I have spent nearly 5 years in Bouvier Rescue, personally rescuing , rehabilitating, and placing 3 or 4 per year and assisting in the placement of others. Very little has needed revision in this new edition. Update I am still doing rescue and have personally fostered over a hundred rescued Bouviers and a number of other dogs, and I have been peripherally involved in many more situations of Bouviers in need of help. The shelters are a bit less crowded and a bit less lethal these days, and various breed rescue groups have had a major part to play in that. Nationally the USA is still killing millions of perfectly nice dogs and cats every year because their owners discarded them and no one came forward to adopt them in time. There is a tide of legislation rising that, with avowed intent of reducing the slaughter, may make it difficult for responsible purebred dog breeding to continue. Every case of a dog obtained impulsively or ignorantly and then discarded as a disappointment makes the situation worse for all dogs and all dog lovers. Please do your homework, do serious soul searching, and make a lifetime commitment before you acquire any pet. Life Span Did You Know? These large dogs are loyal, devoted, and protective of their families. They are also smart, energetic dogs with playful personalities that are loving and affectionate. As a newer designer breed, the Flandoodle is not currently recognized by the American Kennel Club. However, they can currently be registered with the Dog Registry of America. These dogs make great companions and family dogs. They tend to have a gentle nature, cheerful disposition, and playful personality. Those traits, in addition to their affectionate nature and intelligence, make them a perfect fit for families. Flandoodles thrive on attention and affection, so they love being the center of attention. As long as they are properly socialized, these dogs tend to be quite friendly. They even tend to warm up quickly to strangers once introduced! A Flandoodle is a highly adaptable dog. They are best suited for homes with fenced yards where they can run. But, they can adapt to apartments as long as they get enough daily exercise, mental stimulation, and attention. They do well in most climates. As with any dog breed, they are sensitive to heat. But, their fluffy coats tend to give them a little bit more insulation against the cold. However, they may still need some winter dog products while out on walks when the temperature drops. Because these dogs are protective, thrive on attention, and bond closely with their families, they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time. They can also be prone to developing separation anxiety if you do not work with them on it early. Just as they could inherit none of the conditions common to their parent breeds, they could also end up with all of them or some of them. Testing and good breeding practices make a huge difference. Reputable breeders will screen their dogs to avoid passing issues to puppies. So, make sure you ask about the health and genetic history of both of the parents. As a large dog breed, the Flandoodle is also at risk for bloat, so you want to learn about how to reduce the risk of bloat in dogs and learn the symptoms. Although the Flandoodle is highly intelligent, sensitive, and eager to please, they are also high-energy dogs that get bored easily. They need a patient and firm owner that can keep training consistent, interesting, and focused on praise and positive reward. This can be a challenge for first-time dog owners. Because of this, puppy training classes or a professional trainer are recommended. The Flandoodle will have a rough coat that ranges from shaggy to the classic Poodle curls. Their coat may not shed a lot, or at all, but they will require some effort on grooming. Bathing is on an as-needed basis and professional grooming is recommended every few months at least, if not more often. But, you will still need to do some care and maintenance between appointments. Nail trims once or twice monthly help keep nails from growing too long. Weekly ear checks with cleanings as needed can help prevent ear infections. Daily dental care like brushing teeth or using an enzyme toothpaste in addition to cleanings at the vet when needed can help prevent dental diseases later in life. Flandoodles are high-energy dogs, and they need an active owner who can give them enough daily exercise. Multiple daily walks plus some playtime and time to run are usually enough. However, this dog will likely be up for more activity if you are. Thankfully, they tend to be athletic and versatile dogs. So, once puppies finish growing , you can try out a lot of activities to find the ones that fit you and your Flandoodle the best. Dog parks, frisbee games, running, and more can all be good activities for a Flandoodle. A fully-grown Flandoodle usually stands inches tall and weighs pounds. Flandoodles generally live for years. Flandoodle Puppies for Sale Thanks for visiting our Flandoodle page! Currently, we do not have any Flandoodle puppies available, but we can alert you when new Flandoodle puppies are available! Just enter your email address and click submit! Please enter a valid email address! Related Breeds.

Puppies available Please, contact me if you have questions about our current and future litters. Our breeding prospects were screened very carefully before we made a decision to add them to our breeding program. We buy puppies from best breeders in Europe, and raise them in our home. If we decided to keep the puppy for ourselves but see anything that is considered as 'red flag', we prefer to find him a forever pet home. Some of the puppies we planned to breed have been disqualified and put in great pet homes. The issues that are not acceptable are temperament related in most cases , and health rarely. We have a strong belief that high quality breeding starts with the decision to take best out of the best. If we don't like the results of our work, we won't continue doing it. All our dogs live in a clean, dry environment, fed with the quality food, getting plenty of exercise and been socialized since the puppy age. None of our Boxers are shy, too hyper, or having issues with health, food allergy, behavioral problems, or genetic abnormalities. She is obedient, smart, friendly, and has a beautiful coat. That includes the tail docking, first vet check, first shots and dewormers done, 1-Year Genetic Health Guarantee. We take cash, money order and cashiers check at pick up. We will accept personal checks for deposits only, when you reserve the puppy that is younger than 8 weeks of age. All other payment methods are available by request only. We do sell our puppies to pet homes and won't transfer any registration papers at pick up. However, we will share the copies of parents Pedigrees upon request. First, we have an exclusive breeding program, and work hard to not just improve the breed, but pick a different breeding prospects that match our breeding criteria. Second, we are aware of risks of improper breeding and can't guarantee the reproductive health of our puppy. Based on our continuous breeding experience we know that ALL of our puppies who are currently reside in their forever homes are much loved and well-taken care of. The Boxer families are made out of the greatest people in the world! We can deliver our puppies from Spokane to 4 destination points. The shipping via cargo is no longer available for out-of-state buyers. You have an option to fly here and we will meet you at the Spokane or Seattle airport. The weeks old puppy can fly with you in a cabin without any adverse effects on dog's health. If we need to go to the Seattle International Airport, we have to add a delivery fee, which is a mileage charge. We will provide the linage information for each puppy upon request. Dog Food. I've always had a special love for boxers, it was love at first sight with Baxter. He peed on my shoe while looking up at me, it was all over, I knew he was the one, he had melted my heart. Baxter was very ill since he was 6 weeks old when I brought him home from the breeders house. Each time we took Baxter in for treatments; we were informed of new information on his medical condition that took a turn. The x-rays showed he had a heart condition on top of him already being sick. Baxter was taken to an cardiologist Blue Pearl where further tests were done. Echocardiogram, Ultrasound of his heart, Doppler. The Diagnosis was gloom, the left side of his heart was enlarged with a hole that may never close. Baxter's health continued getting worse, he needed to be taken to multiple vets and specialty hospitals for his health conditions. Where extensive testing he was diagnosed with pancreatitis, an autoimmune disorder, his kidney and liver started to be affected at this time. I was so devastated I was going to lose Baxter. Baxter had to be hospitalized for 2 weeks. The best hospital I will always recommend them to anyone. They saved his life. He was neutered at the age 14 months old. He is very special to our hearts and he is the reason I started Majestic DiafianoAngel Boxers in his honor to stop careless heartless breeders that produce un-healthy puppies for their own personal greed. They look past who all suffers when producing un-healthy puppies for their own personal greed to make money off of families. How can they sleep at night knowing they are placing a horrible death sentence on these puppies. I made a mission to put bad careless heartless breeders out of business. I am committed to only producing healthy Boxer puppies for your family. Meg Chromey. Questions about Boxer puppies for sale in Seattle WA? We have answers. How much are Boxer puppies for sale in Seattle WA? There is no set price for Boxer puppies for sale Seattle. Breeders take lots of factors into consideration like coat color, gender, and whether it is a mix or a purebred pedigree. Take a look at the different Boxer breeders in Seattle in our network to get a better idea about how much you can expect to pay. Is your network limited to local Boxer puppies? Start looking for Boxer puppies for sale in Seattle, but wherever you find the perfect pup, the businesses and breeders we approve have lots of experience with puppy travel. So wherever you are based, you can find the perfect puppy and then meet them at your most convenient major airport. Do you ensure breeders meet specific standards? Yes, we are very strict about the Boxer Seattle breeders and businesses that we include in our network. They must meet high standards of breeding and care, and this includes ethics, cleanliness, and more. So you can rest assured that you are always choosing your Boxer puppy from ethical Boxer breeders Seattle. Why should I use Uptown Puppies instead of searching online? Searching online for Boxer puppies Seattle may seem easy, but there is no guarantee that the breeders you find meet the high standards you expect. They are often just the best at marketing. In our network of breeders and businesses providing Boxers for sale in Seattle, you will only find those that meet our very high standards. Unfortunately, you may not even know you are buying your Boxer from a puppy mill when you look for Boxer puppies in Seattle. When dogs are not bred properly, they often stand more chance of developing genetic diseases. Will I find Boxer puppies if I search right now? If you have something very specific in mind for your Boxer puppy, then you are in the right place. When you search our network for a Boxer for sale Seattle, you can find a wide range of puppies based on size, gender, color, and more. Connect with a recommended breeder or business here, and choose from a huge selection. Where do Boxers come from, exactly? When you search for a Boxer for sale in Seattle, what type of dog will you get? Boxers date back to the late s when they were bred as guard dogs from a mix of dogs like the Bulldog and the German Bullenbeisser. They immediately became popular breeds for their combination of strength, loyalty, intelligence, and playfulness. What characterizes a Boxer dog? Boxers are well known for being playful and goofy. They do not become fully mature until they are three years old, and these big puppies love to play! But they are also very protective and loyal. So when you look for a Seattle Boxer for sale, you know they will look after you and your family—and they are super intelligent too! Are Boxer puppies normally easy to train? If you are searching for Boxers for sale Seattle, you should know that they have a lot of energy and take three years to mature properly. That being said, they are very intelligent dogs, and they will love the challenge of learning new things. So as long as you are consistent and patient, you should have no problem training yours. Are Boxers good around kids? In general, Boxers are considered to be good around kids, and many families look for Seattle Boxers for sale because of this. They are very loyal to their families, they have a LOT of energy, and they will love playing with everyone. Because they are guard dogs, they will also be very protective over everyone in the family.

Unfortunately, ectropion is actually a sought-after trait in many commonly affected breeds. It creates a diamond-shaped eye, which gives the dog a devoted and sad expression. This leads some people to breed specifically for ectropion. Your pet does not need to be sedated. In fact, pets should be awake for the veterinarian to appropriately determine their natural eyelid conformation, or shape. Treatment for Dog Ectropion Surgery is the only effective way to treat ectropion in dogs. This involves primarily shortening and tightening the eyelid. Recovery and Management of Dog Ectropion Recovery from ectropion surgery is rapid. Eyelid swelling will peak approximately 24 hours following surgery and can take two to four weeks to completely resolve. Dogs will be required to wear an Elizabethan collar following surgery to protect the sutures around their eyes. Topical eye medications may be prescribed after surgery depending on possible underlying corneal or lacrimal disease s. Oral antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and analgesics are often recommended after surgery as well. Sutures from ectropion surgery are removed 14 days after surgery, and the Elizabethan collar can be removed a few days after that. While surgical complications from ectropion surgery are rare, they can include: Under-correction of the eyelid will not resolve the underlying problem and will then require additional surgeries. Overcorrection of the eyelid can actually result in the formation of entropion when the eyelid grows inward. It causes trauma to the cornea. Self-trauma to the incision site usually occurs if the Elizabethan collar is removed too soon after surgery. Acquired cases of ectropion can occur when a dog has a facial injury and sustains neurological damage. I grew up in Tampa watching my father Vincent J. Naimoli start the Major League Baseball expansion.Help us make PetMD better Was this article helpful? She has been creating content for print and online outlets for nearly two decades. This medical condition is characterized by a dog's eyelid or eyelids rolling outward. While it is not always a serious ailment that impacts your dog's eye function, it is something to learn more about and connect with your veterinarian to see how to best handle this condition with your pup. What Is Ectropion in Dogs? Ectropion is the opposite of entropion. In cases of genetic ectropion, it is often identified when the dog is still a puppy. But keep in mind that ectropion can also develop secondary to trauma to your dog's eye, especially if there is a laceration of the lower eyelid that does not heal correctly, McKinnon says. This can happen to a dog at any age. What Are the Symptoms of Ectropion in Dogs? If you notice that your dog's eyelids are sagging or rolling outward, they may have ectropion. Another thing to look for, according to McKinnon, would be discharge that builds up around their eyes. Because the eyelid is exposed, it may appear more red than usual as well because the openness of the eyelid exposes the ocular tissues, including the cornea and conjunctiva, to the environment. The only treatment for serious cases of ectropion is surgery, McKinnon says. An ocular lubricant may be recommended to cushion the eye tissues from any environmental debris in those breeds where ectropion is a desirable trait and blink function is normal," McKinnon says. You'll want to have your vet check your pooch's eyes twice a year to ensure the condition is not becoming more serious. Eye infections can result from the exposure of the lower conjunctiva. Diagnosis of ectropion In most cases the condition can be confirmed by visual examination. A thorough examination of the eyelids is important since ectropion can often occur in conjunction with entropion Click here to learn about entropion. Treatment of ectropion Ectropion is relatively well tolerated unless it is severe and surgical repair can generally be avoided by treating inflammation with a variety of eye drops. Most cases of ectropion that are not severe will require little if any intervention other than topical drops and ointments. Extremely severe cases of ectropion will not improve without surgical repair. There are several surgical procedures that may be used to reduce ectropion. Prevention of ectropion Because of the hereditary aspect of ectropion, affected dogs will likely transmit the defect. Affected dogs should probably not be bred. Acquired cases are generally associated with traumatic injury. The best way to avoid that is to keep your dog on a leash at all times. Click here to learn why you may be using the wrong leash. Prognosis of ectropion In all but the most severely affected cases the prognosis is quite good. The condition is generally well tolerated and in most cases will respond to simple medical care. Surgical correction may be required in severe cases. Though the surgery is relatively simple it can be very delicate and requires an experienced surgeon. Should I be concerned? How will we know if my dog has entropion too? If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian -- they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

Use tab to navigate through the menu items. It will be easier for you to come to meet and pick up the puppies in Southern California, rather than having to drive to our primary location in Newcastle. The dam and sire of this litter are our own adults in the breeding program, but are being hosted by a very caring, nurturing and experienced dog family. We work hand in hand to assure the puppies are cared for and socialized in the way our customers have come to recognize as the "best. If puppies stay for extended training, that is done at our Newcastle, CA. Below you can read more about the upcoming puppies and their loving host. If you would like to be included on the reservation list for the puppies, in our SoCal location, do not hesitate to contact us. We would love to welcome you to the CHGR family! Southern California is expected to have a litter due in December, .Puppies will go to their new homes in mid to late February. Place your reservation now as spots fill up very quickly! What a wonderful girl she is! We love Lexi and her pups, as she passes along her incredibly sweet temperament to all of her fur babies. She is beyond sweet and loves to lay her head on your lap, foot, or wherever she can to get close to everyone she meets. Incredibly smart, she loves to perform her skills, especially for treats! Lexi loves to play ball and adores people, especially children. Lexi loves to play with other dogs and also loves to sleep with the cat. She has a beautiful cream coat between a silky and cotton texture and is one of our larger girls, at a little over 75 pounds. Breeders VS. The sad truth is that many pet store purchased pups actually come from puppy mills. Basically, there is zero authenticity with pet stores. When it comes to adopting any animal from a pet store, there is an increased risk of unforeseen health or genetic problems. You also cultivate a life-long relationship with the breeder, meaning support is available to you anytime you may need it. With My Golden Retriever Puppies , you have the option to come and visit both the puppy and the breeder in person! Golden Retrievers are an adaptable breed, meaning they are better at adapting to seasonal changes and various types of climate than certain other breeds. Goldens sport a double-coat, which ensures that these sweet pups are able to tolerate slightly colder temperatures than their friends from other breeds. Your pup deserves better than that, which is why here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we ensure high-quality care is taken of your pet at all times. For more about the true price of a golden retriever puppy, you can read our full price breakdown here. Location Information for California Customers Our home office is located in Ohio, but we understand that long-distance travel can be inconvenient. If you prefer to meet a breeder in person, they may be able to offer private visits at their home. Of course! Here at My Golden Retriever Puppies , we value family and authenticity, which is why we always guarantee our pups through our 2-year genetic health guarantee. Like adopting a Golden Retriever from a pet store, there is an increased risk when adopting a pup from a rescue center or shelter as well. For example, pups purchased through a shelter or rescue center are far less likely to come with the kinds of health guarantees and reassurances that a breeder can provide. What type of Golden Retrievers are sold in California? We have some good news! Ready to make your Golden Retriever dreams come true? Take a look at our convenient list of available puppies. How do I know which breeders to trust in California? Our independent network of trusted breeders have already been pre-screened and verified, so that you can focus on what really matters: choosing your dream puppy. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved.

Ian discusses how we should learn to see the world from our dogs perspective and in doing so, how we can better earn their love and trust. Armed with this love and trust, we will form a better relationship and as a result, effective training becomes just that much more effective and enjoyable for both you and your dog. But please, first make sure to use the search facility in the footer of this website and browse our other sections as the subject may have already been covered: Labrador health and care , Labrador behavior , Labrador puppies , infobites and Labrador breed information. External Resources On Labrador Training Although referring to all breeds in general and not purely Labradors, for those of you that love to watch and not read, the series of dog training videos on www. If you like reading books then check out one of our favorite Lab books: The Complete Labrador Handbook. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining. If this is the case,…. How does it feel to be a new puppy parent? You must be chuffed. Take a look at these first few articles. All the ingredients you need for a happy home. But for now, beside your bed is the best place for your puppy to sleep — it will help them feel safe. Puppies like their crates rather cave-like; we suggest covering it with a blanket to block out light, but keep the front open so that they can see outwards. Make sure to make it snug inside with something like a vet bed or a blanket, or why not take it up a notch with a heat pad or hot water bottle to recreate the feeling of their mother. Nothing feels more comforting than that. Before you head to bed, take your puppy out for one last round of loo-going. Set your bedtime at a later time too — midnight sounds about right. Come back calmly, and place your puppy in the crate and turn out the light. Stuff you should know about Sleep Training your Labrador Your puppy will wake up several times in the night and will need the bathroom at least once! Be prepared for not-so-deep sleeps and tired mornings — just for the first few weeks. Having them sleep next to you is only temporary. Consistency is key! As for you, full nights of sleep will start getting closer and closer. Alone Training How can I teach my Labrador puppy to be ok on their own? Start by feeding your puppy in their crate during meal times. If they seem worried by you leaving, stay in view, and just pop right outside their confinement area. Keep it short and sweet: No need to stay away for long, 60 seconds tops will do for now. Repeat: Do this at least once a day to make progress go steady and smoothly. Socialization Exercises To Do this week Letting your Labrador puppy explore the yard Besides the gnomes and questionable yard furniture you may have, letting your puppy explore your own yard is a great and safe way to start showing them the sounds, lights and wonders of the outside world. Exploring different surfaces exercise Make sure that the surfaces you use are safe — nothing too crazy just yet. Gather surfaces such as An oven tray with a small layer of water A piece of astro turf A carpet tile A large piece of tin foil, cardboard or something crinkly PRO TIP: Set up for this exercise in the room your puppy spends most of their time in — it will help them to feel safe and confident. Pop the surfaces out safely on the floor and allow your puppy to investigate them. Nobody has ever enjoyed walking on those. Remember to be patient! Lucky for you — teaching them their name is easy peasy. Say their name in a happy jolly tone and reward with a treat. Repeat five times, 5 and take a break. Practice this 2 or 3 times a day so they get the hang of it. Teach your puppy to sit Teaching your puppy how to sit is a popular one. The first two are far more common though. Keep using this word when they do the right thing, and then follow it up with a food reward. In puppy logic, stinky means yummy. How to do it Start at home; where there are no distractions. Just make sure to shut off Gogglebox in the background. Recall — How to teach our Labrador puppy to come back when called Your puppy already knows their name at this point, so this should be a walk in the park. How to do it Treats and a cheerful voice will be what works here. Do these exercises before meal times so your puppy is more motivated. Practice this 5 times a day and in 3 different places in your house and yard to get them used to coming to you in all settings. How to do it Show your puppy that you have their favorite toy, and start to get them excited about it. When they show interest, throw it a little bit away from you. They will likely follow it and pick it up. If they do, encourage them back to you with your voice, so remember to sound happy! Swap the toy for a treat or another toy and do the process again. Repeat this about 5 times. Instead create more distance and excitement sounds to get them to come to you — spaniels like to show off, so they will likely want to parade what they have! Always swap the toy for something when they have it, this could be a treat or another toy. Resource guarding occurs when we force puppies to give up items or snatch things out of their mouths. For breeds like Labradors who are designed to want to hold things in their mouths, this is pretty important! Resource guarding is when a dog protects a resource from being taken by someone else — dog or human. For some reason, there is a solid list of things puppies find irresistible: Socks. Fact checked by Emily Estep Emily Estep is a biologist and fact checker focused on environmental sciences. Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade and has reviewed more than articles for The Spruce Pets for factual accuracy. These smart, social dogs are known for their amiable temperaments and their patience. Traditionally bred as hunting dogs, Labs also are among the most popular service dogs, acting as guide dogs for blind people and as therapy dogs. By socializing these dogs early, you can tap into their natural instincts as protectors and companions. Socialize Puppies Labs are natural born people pleasers. Introduce your Lab puppy to as many new people and places as possible during the early months of its life. Keep each new meeting and experience positive and upbeat. Doing this will reinforce your Lab's natural tendency to be friendly and accepting of everyone. If you have young children in the home, be sure to socialize them to the animal as well as the reverse. Although Labs are patient and tolerant, they may still nip at a child who teases or hurts them during play. Make sure everyone knows the boundaries and rules. Exercise Every Day Labrador retrievers are high energy dogs, which is part of the reason they are such great pets for active families. But if Labs aren't given sufficient exercise, they can quickly become bored. This often leads to destructive behavior and other common behavior problems , such as barking, chewing, and digging. It's also why Labs are not well-suited for apartment living; they're too big and too active. Plan on giving your Lab an hour or more of exercise each day. Most Labs love long walks or a game of fetch. These are the perfect way to burn off your Lab's energy. Take advantage of their innate trainability by starting an obedience program as soon as you bring your Labrador retriever home. You can work on basic obedience commands on your own, or sign up for a dog obedience class with a local dog trainer. Classes are a great way to train your Lab while socializing at the same time. Since Labs get to be fairly large and have a tendency to pull on the leash, make walking on a loose leash your first priority. You should also teach your Lab to "come," "drop it," and "fetch," so you can take advantage of its natural tendency for retrieving. Use Positive Reinforcement Training Their eagerness to learn, playfulness, affectionate natures, and their love of treats make Labrador retrievers fantastic candidates for positive reinforcement dog training. Reward their good behaviors with a small treat, a game, or some cuddle time with you. You'll find your Lab is soon offering you the behaviors you like with little prompting. If you decide to use treats in your training, remember that Labs have a tendency to become overweight. Plan on a Long Adolescence One of the most endearing qualities of Labrador retrievers is that they remain very puppy-like long after they've reached adulthood. The downside is that their energy level and tendency to get into mischief continues well into adulthood as well. Therefore, it pays to have behavior management tools handy. The training to become a service animal will vary depending on what the dog will be doing; some are trained to be animal companions to sick children and adults in the hospital, while others are trained to serve as seeing-eye dogs. Others may provide assistance to people with mental illnesses, or behavioral problems. Check the requirements for licensing and training where you live; some places have more strict rules and requirements for service dogs than others. Problems and Proofing Behavior Many Labrador retrievers are happiest and the most well-behaved when they have a job to do. Consider getting involved with a dog sport or training your Lab as a service animal or pet therapy dog. Crate train your Labrador so it doesn't have the run of the house when you're not there to supervise Provide your Lab with a variety of interesting toys and chews to keep it from getting bored. Continue practicing basic obedience commands; it reinforces your Lab's training and provides mental stimulation. No matter what training you decide on, keeping your Lab busy and active is sure to keep one of those famous Lab smiles on its face. Article Sources The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. McGreevy, Paul D et al. Labrador retrievers under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders. Canine genetics and epidemiology vol. Print Early obedience first step to better hunting dog Labrador puppies start out sweet and innocent. All you want to do is cuddle up with your pup and love them! And you should! But rest assured the innocence will not last. As your pup gains confidence and courage, they will begin to test you in many ways. That is why you must obedience train your Labrador puppy. Early obedience training is key to establishing borders and boundaries that will help your puppy grow, learn, and adjust with a good attitude. There is no shortcut to doing this, just use the name often when you talk to your puppy. Over time, the pup will start to respond to the name. Socialization, while not technically obedience training, is the single most important thing you can teach your puppy during the first few months of life. If you are not sure how to do this, refer to this post. Tools needed to obedience train Labrador puppy You will need a few tools to teach your puppy obedience. The products I recommend I believe are a good value or good investment for anyone working to train or maintain training on their retriever. When possible, I include links to the product. Some of these links may be Amazon or other affiliate links in which I am paid a small commission at no cost to you. All opinions and recommendations are my own. Collar — You should purchase a size appropriate collar for your new puppy. You may have to buy new ones as your dog grows, but it is important for your puppy to get used to wearing a collar early on. A simple nylon adjustable collar works great. Chain collar — If your puppy is more than a few months old, a chain or prong collar is extremely helpful in teaching obedience, but they must be used correctly. For more information on how to put a chain collar on your dog correctly refer to this video. A longer lead, called a check cord, is also useful for teaching HERE and retrieving. You can learn more about that here. Heeling stick optional — While optional, a heeling stick can be especially helpful in teaching basic obedience. Treats — Treats are good for teaching very young puppies. I use treats for pups under 12 weeks of age, but treats should be discontinued rather quickly. When to start basic puppy obedience training Obedience training can and should start within the first couple weeks of having your puppy home. Young puppies are ready and willing to learn and teaching obedience to a young puppy is much easier than teaching it to an older dog. How long should obedience sessions be? Most labs do not enjoy obedience training. For this reason, we aim to keep obedience sessions short, especially if your dog is under 4-months of age. Five to ten minutes of obedience a day can work wonders. Especially if you are consistent. Using rewards or praise to teach obedience Many people like to use treats or rewards for obedience training. And this can work, especially with very young dogs. But for hunting dogs, over the long-term treats can become a problem. We do not want our dogs, or the dogs we train to be obedient only because they are getting a food reward. We want them to be obedient because they understand their place in the family and respect the owners. To get these lasting results, we use praise words and petting and a reward that retrievers live for — retrieves! Well-timed praise is a particularly important part of dog training. A message that it is okay to ignore me the first 9 times! This simply means that after a few minutes of formal obedience training, we release the dog with an OKAY command and that means they can run around and be a dog. We then throw a bumper or plug a for the dog to retriever. We do this a few times with a lot of excitement and allow the dog to retrieve the bumper. For retriever breeds, this is often more effective than a food reward. Be careful that you are not letting your puppy get into bad habits with retrieving. For instance, if your puppy often goes out to retrieve the bumper but then runs away with it, or picks it up and drops it, do not continue doing retrieves. While retrieving is a reward for many Labs, it is not an excuse to engage in behaviors that are not going to be acceptable in the field. If you want to learn more about how to properly teach your Lab to retrieve, check out How can I teach my retriever puppy to fetch? Introduction to leash and nylon collar The very first step for any puppy obedience is to introduce your puppy to a regular collar and leash. This should be done in two separate steps, first the collar and then the leash. Introduce the collar by putting a nylon type collar on your puppy. This is normal and you should not react to it. Introducing the leash is a little different. We like to do this outside. After a few sessions of this introduction, you can start holding the leash by the end and walking with the puppy. When the puppy tries to run or walk away, hold tight to the leash, and just let the puppy get used to the resistance. Some puppies have a hard time with this and will growl or whine and whip themselves around at the pressure, but most will not. Remain calm and after a few sessions the puppy should get used to the resistance of the leash. Do not allow the puppy to pull you around. That will make for some bad behaviors that you will need to correct later. If you cannot control your puppy with just a regular collar and leash, you may need to move to a chain or prong collar to keep control. What commands to teach Lab puppy There are only four basic obedience commands that you need to teach your young puppy. Remember when it comes to commands, less is more. OKAY — this is a release command, basically tells your dog were done training, go be a dog. As your puppy grows and learns more, there are some other commands that may be needed, but for puppies I like to start with just the four above. Dog training requires consistency Before you start with obedience training, I want to make a note about the importance of consistency. Obedience training only works if you are consistent. This means that when you say a command, you expect the puppy to perform the command, and are willing to take steps to make the puppy perform the command. If you do not remain consistent in this expectation, you will confuse your dog and get poor results from your training. You and your family must be consistent! How to start obedience training Lab puppy The first command you want to start teaching your puppy is SIT. This is quite easy to teach with a small puppy but gets a little tougher as they get bigger. Then release the puppy with the OKAY command. Repeat this process several times, then stop. If your puppy is weeks old, you can repeat this training several times a day for only a couple minutes at a time. This will be a two-person job for a little while. The other person will put the food down a few feet from the puppy. Then release the puppy to eat saying OKAY. As the pup learns and understands the command better, you will no longer need a second person to hold the puppy. You must be a little careful here because young puppies do not have great bladder control and making them wait, even a few seconds, can mean the difference between an accident and them doing their business outside. But this is a great way to teach impulse control and manners to your puppy. I do not want to have to fight for a position by the door. You can usually start working on this within a week or two of teaching SIT. A great way to teach this command to young puppies is to use two people and sit in a long hallway, one at each end. Take turns calling your puppy with a HERE command. A toy or treat can often help the process. Let your puppy run around a bit but hold onto the end of the cord. Occasionally, call you puppy with a HERE command. It can be helpful at first to crouch down to encourage the puppy to run towards you. Then release the puppy with an OKAY command. Do this a few more times and repeat daily until the puppy is coming to you without you needing to pull the cord. It is also the command most of our clients struggle with the most. Mostly because they are using the wrong tool for the job. For heeling work, it is important that you work with a chain or prong collar. This will give you more control and stop the pulling and surging that many people struggle with. Using a chain or prong collar and a six-foot leash, start walking your puppy at your side. If your puppy is young, be sure to use a puppy chain collar which is smaller than chain collars for adult dogs. And make sure that you are putting it on correctly! An alternate tool to a chain collar and leash is the Wonder or Command Lead. These work great for teaching HEEL. As you start walking use gently tugs on the chain collar with the command HERE to keep your puppy at your side. If your puppy surges or pulls ahead, simply make a degree turn and start walking the other direction giving a sharp, upward tug on the chain collar and saying HEEL several times until the dog is back in a heeling position. Many of our clients have told us they never left their driveway the first few days! But if you are patient and consistent, your dog will quickly learn that if they want to go for a walk, they need to stay at your side. If you want to learn and progress in more obedience work, check out these obedience drills for retrievers. Final thoughts on how to teach your lab puppy obedience Teaching your puppy obedience may take a lot of patience, time and work, but it is such an important thing to do. You will never regret the time! A well-mannered dog is such a joy to be around both in the home and in the field. How to obedience train Labrador puppy. Labrador Retriever pups are working dogs. This means they live to please you for a treat. The more you engage them with different puppy training behaviors the happier they will be. Of course, Labs will be Labs, and this means that dogs do dog things unless they are trained to follow your expectations. Potty training your puppy is just the beginning of you making clear expectations for your Lab. Puppy training from long leash training to potty training, to not nipping is discussed in greater detail along with clear, easy to follow videos at www. But we will give you an expert training tip summary below. For this reason, you need to become an expert on puppy training. Contact us for a discount on the Puppy Trained Right positive reinforcement training program. Expose your puppy to as many different people and situations possible. Teach dog to dog manners when required. Use Positive Reinforcement. Allow for Play with Other Puppies. Play with other Lab Puppies not only allows your pup to get some exercise it is a form of puppy socialization. Bond with your Puppy. Once a strong bond is formed your Lab Puppy will want to please you even more. Potty Train Right Away. Learn how Dogs Learn. Training a Lab puppy is easy if you understand how to go about it. Give your Lab Puppy Play time to Explore. Labs need this as part of their natural development. Spend more time with your puppy when young. This is the time when your expectations should be clearly outlined and can decrease as she gets older. Begin Training day 1. This happens weather or not you intend it to. Every action and reaction is something your puppy uses to form new habits. So ignoring them jumping up as an 8 week old puppy is training them to jump up and will be much more difficult to un-train once they are 70 lbs. Relax and make learning fun. Your pup needs you happy and enjoying yourself! Use Positive Training Methods because they work. This means reward what you desire. Ensure most Experiences are Positive. Imagine a training session of No, No, No, No! Expose them to as Many Human Situations possible. One cause is that there was not adequate socialization with different men. Be Patient. You are building an amazing K9 personality. The window is between 8 and 20 weeks old. Make the most of it. The better your Lab is socialized the happier they will be. Anxiety in dogs comes from many things. The more things your dog is comfortable with the less chance for anxiety and therefore the happier they are. Prepare yourself, your family and your home before your puppy comes home. It is too late once you meet your puppy as simply interacting with her is training. Allow for Safe Experiences both in the home and outside. Seek professional trainers to help guide you when faced with a problem. Be consistent. Clear expectations are easiest to learn. Focus on Guiding not controlling. Best Start Training or Training Classes are beneficial for both you and your puppy. Expect Success. We tend to move in the direction we believe we will travel. Reward the Behaviors you want to see even something as simple as 4 paws on the ground if you are trying to train your Lab not to jump up on you. Become Well informed. You are teaching a skill like reading that takes clear expectations and builds upon last session. Lab Puppies need constant supervision either human, a crate, a fenced area or a baby gate across a doorway. Encourage a soft mouth. Keep your training up or it will be forgotten. Begin Walking on a Loose Leash Right away. This is always easier for your Lab when they are 12 lbs not 70lbs. Change direction before the leash tightens so they are followers not leaders. This is much easier to train before it happens than correct. Allow alone time for your Lab. Know when to end a training session. End training before your puppy quits. Make time for a few shorter training Sessions. Three fifteen minute sessions are better than one 45 min one. Teach your Lab to respond to their name. Teach your Labrador basic obedience before tricks-come, sit, stay, down, leave it. Have all humans learn the commands and be consistent. Ignore undesirable behaviors. Ignoring includes not saying no, bad dog, touching your dog or making eye contact. Find rewards that your Retriever loves and use them when you have breakthrough training moments. Adjust your expectations as your Lab puppy matures, the older more experienced the higher the expectation. Set Realistic Expectations. Minimize distractions when you begin training. Be aware of your Body Language, Labradors pick up cues from you. Be aware of your leash tension. A tight leash says anxiety from the handler. Know when to get Help .Have fun! Understand that Labs do Lab things. Make them work for food and treats. Exercise your Retriever properly for both intensity and duration. Learn some exercise games Labs love. Give lots of repetition. Stop before they get bored. Establish a Pattern by Praising. Redirect undesired behavior. Accept partial actions at first and gradually increase your expectations. When treats end Verbal treats and chin scratches rule. They will know. Enjoy your well balanced purebred Lab puppy for many years. Purebred Lab Retrievers, are they easier to train? The answer to that is definitely maybe! Not all purebreds are bred for intelligence. For example, if a Labrador Retriever breeder chooses to breed their dogs for a certain look then they may overlook intelligence as one of the important characteristics in order to get a specific Lab look. We however breed for intelligence, health and temperament. So in our case, yes, our Purebred Lab Puppies are easier to train than many because we choose the parents and their puppies specifically for their smarts!

We expose our pups to enriching experiences appropriate to their age and use temperament testing to match puppies to their new families to support the best fit of the puppy to your lifestyle. We breed therapy and assistance dogs so temperament testing is vitally important for dogs that will continue on to be trained as an assistance or therapy dog. All of our breeding dogs are health tested and selected for temperament and coat. We work closely with reproduction specialists and are guided by their expertise. The puppies are all raised in a loving family home using the puppy culture and empowered breeder ethics and are well socialised with our other animals, children and adults. Our daughter Isabelle is called Belle and our son Louis, pronounced the french way Louie so when combined it's - Bel Loui. They both help socialise our puppies when mum is trying to wean and all they want is the milk bar with their sharp little teeth.Winnie has completed her level 2 Therapy Dog Certification and Indi level 1, so they can both help share the joy with their beautiful big smiles and adorable eyes. Indi is currently in training to become my assistance dog. If you are looking for a dog for either of these roles, please mention this on your application form as we look for very particular qualities in a puppy to help them succeed. Current Litters We are taking a small break We are now, from September , taking a small break from breeding to focus on Nicole's health and spending time with family and loved ones. For those who do not know, Nicole's Melanoma has returned for a third time and she is undergoing chemo and radiation treatment to keep the cancer at bay for as long as possible. Due to this, I, her daughter Belle, moved home from London at the end of to help run Belloui. We are now taking a break for the next few months so Nicole can rest and to spend time together as a family. We will likely have pups available again at the start of .Please feel free to contact us or submit applications in the meantime. He has achieved so much in his short little life so far. He spent 5 weeks with Therapy and Support Animals Australia when he left us at 8 weeks old, to prepare for his long flight to Japan and to be a lovely calm puppy to help his young human. He achieved this the very first night he arrived and has continued to do so. He is a Miniature Australian Labradoodle. Happy to call for a chat if requested. But, unfortunately, there are so many organisations only in it for the money, charging exorbitant prices and neglecting the health and wellbeing of their puppies and dogs. One of the most obvious signs of an unethical breeder is the poor or neglectful treatment of their puppies and breeding dogs. An ethical labradoodle breeder in Australia will; Strive to find the right home for their puppies. Instead, they go above and beyond to make sure they find the perfect home for each puppy. Usually, the search involves asking potential buyers a range of questions about their home and lifestyle, so they can pair families with a puppy that has a temperament right for them. Provide the highest quality care and living conditions. Ethical breeders ensure that both the puppies and breeding dogs have premium quality care, including comprehensive health checks, socialisation, and training. Rehome adult dogs. Once the female is retired, she is de-sexed and either adopted by our internal staff or a loving family. Never separate the puppies early. Puppies Downunder waits until the puppy is ten weeks old before we allow them to join their new family. Meet and exceed all the necessary requirements. We comply with all codes and requirements set by the Domestic Animal Act, actively assist with inspections of our facilities, and have received approval from the Chief Veterinary Officer of Victoria to operate as a Commercial Breeder and the Minister for Agriculture. The breeder should be asking plenty of questions. A puppy is a long-term commitment, so ethical breeders ask plenty of questions to make sure the buyer is the right fit for the puppy. Here are a few examples of questions you can expect to hear; How much space do you have? Will you be home often? How often will you exercise the dog? Do you have kids? Do you have other animals? Where will the puppy sleep? They should encourage you to visit the breeding facility. When looking for Australian labradoodle puppies for sale, you need to make sure the breeder will allow you to inspect the facility and meet the parents. You can also ensure the dogs and puppies are raised in clean, high-quality conditions by visiting the facility. The Puppies Downunder team understands that not everyone can come and visit our facility, so we have plenty of photos of both the breeding facility, puppies, and dogs online. The breeder should try and find out the address the puppy will be living, the details of the new veterinarian, and any other relevant information needed to ensure the puppy is being well looked after. Your breeder should have organised the first two vaccinations, microchipping and worming and parasite prevention, before going home with their new family. At Puppies Downunder, we go above and beyond, providing a complete medical history. We also provide you with information about their individual dietary requirements, socialisation, registration, medications, and required vaccinations. An excellent ethical breeder should be vetting potential buyers to find the right family for that specific puppy. Is the puppy cheeky? How much exercise does the dog need? Unfortunately, a lot of unethical breeders will understate or flat out lie when telling buyers how much exercise their new puppy will need. For example, people looking for a labradoodle for sale in Australia might be told they have a moderate activity level, which is accurate. However, they may be given the same advice for bordoodle, which is wildly inaccurate for this high-energy, restless dog. Can you provide references? The breeder should be able to provide you with references from a veterinarian and previous customers. We offer lifelong support. At Puppies Downunder, we continue to provide support for our customers throughout the lifetime of their puppy. Do they offer a guarantee? At Puppies Downunder, we provide a health guarantee for the first 21 days of sale. Do they provide the essentials to give the puppy the best start to life? Dogs are our passion, and we dedicate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to their care. In fact, we have the highest ethical standards of any dog breeder globally. We absolutely adore mini labradoodles, and we take advantage of any opportunity to share our love of them with others. What Is A Mini Labradoodle? Their beautiful, calm temperament and high intelligence make mini labradoodles ideal candidates for therapy pets and service dogs for individuals with autism, PTSD, diabetes, and other disabilities. How big do they grow? A mini labradoodle will typically grow to cm in height and around kg in weight, so they stay relatively small. From elderly couples to families with small children, the mini labradoodle will fit right in. Do mini labradoodles shed? That all depends on their coat. If a mini labradoodle has a wool coat, the tight curls will catch any dander, fur, and dirt, thereby minimising shedding and reducing allergies. However, wool coats are high-maintenance and require brushing every day. It all depends on the type of coat your mini labradoodle has. Fleece and hair coats are very low maintenance, but wool coats are pretty high-maintenance. They have a pretty moderate level of activity, and they enjoy minutes of exercise per day as well as playtime and mental enrichment. Are there any health concerns we should keep an eye out for? Mini labradoodles are a crossbreed, so they have very diverse genetics making them less likely to develop genetic diseases. They may also develop hip or elbow dysplasia if over-exercised or overfed. Labradoodles have adorable long ears, but this means they are prone to dirty ears and ear infections, do their ears need to be checked regularly. From birth to 8 weeks, puppies benefit from valuable socialisation time with their siblings and mother. However, not crate training your puppy may be doing more harm than good. We suggest introducing your puppy to their crate throughout their first day, enticing them with treats and making sure they associate the space with positivity. Open the crate door throughout the day, so your puppy can retreat to their safe space whenever they feel the need. Make sure your puppy has a separate area to go to the bathroom at night. Puppies Downunder are an ethical mini labradoodle breeder, and we take great pride in our high-quality breeding facilities and our commitment to providing a safe, comfortable home for our dogs. They have incredibly high intelligence and need to be kept mentally stimulated; otherwise, they can become bored, stubborn, and destructive. Dogs with high intelligence love a challenge, and they love working for their food. You can either purchase puzzle or interactive feeders such as snuffle mats or Kong toys, or you can create your own DIY slow feeder bowl. We suggest having a few different puzzles in varying difficulty levels, so your puppy is always mentally stimulated at dinner time. The labrador retriever in your labradoodle will have an instinct to retrieve, and the poodle side will have an instinct to hunt, so try to incorporate these traits into games. Silicone licking mats are a fantastic way to keep your dog entertained. Smear some peanut butter, wet food, or baby food on the mat and pop it into the freezer. Once frozen, get it out and give it to your puppy to lick for a refreshing summer treat. You can buy or make plenty of toys that encourage your puppy to solve a problem before receiving treats as a reward. For example, grab a muffin tray, some treats, and some tennis balls. Put treats in a couple of the openings and block them all with tennis balls. Your dog will need to snuffle and work out which balls have treats underneath. Cut a slot in the bottle and fill it with food or treats, and let your dog bat it around to get the treats out. Dogs who are allowed to sniff and explore on their walk are far more stimulated than dogs that just walk. Dogs are our passion, and we dedicate 24 hours a day, seven days a week to their care. Labradoodle Puppy. We are a boutique breeder of the Australian Labradoodle and a proud member of the Australian Labradoodle Association. Kalina is an aboriginal word meaning 'to love' and we are passionate about breeding Multi-Generation Australian Labradoodles and keeping to the breed standards set by the Australian Labradoodle Association. Our breeding program is focused on careful selection of genetic health, strength and temperaments with a focus on fun loving, happy, confident, extremely clever and intuitive companion and breeding dogs who are easy to train. Our litters are lovingly and carefully raised in our home by our family, so our puppies are ready for your family. Our goal is to breed healthy, happy, intelligent, Australian Labradoodles with low to non-shedding coats in fleece or wool. The non-shedding fleece and wool coats in the Australian Labradoodle are considered allergy friendly with a low doggy odour. The Australian Labradoodle is adaptable and remarkably unstressed, intuitive and responsive to human emotions which makes them a great candidate for the role of assistance dog from medical alert dogs to therapy dogs. They get on well with children and love the company of their human family. They enjoy regular exercise. The Australian Labradoodle seeks out the company of their family and are happiest when they are with you as an active member of the family unit. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Our home is on 4. We specialise in breeding miniature to medium labradoodles from the very best multi-generational labradoodle bloodlines. How We Got Started Our own labradoodle journey started nearly twelve years ago when we were looking for a family pet. We wanted a low maintenance, intelligent yet loving dog who could fit in easily with our lifestyle. After scouring all the different breeds the Australian Labradoodle was easily the best choice. We got Chewbacca "Chewie" , our first pet male, and he was such a fantastic dog that we decided to get a second. Wicket joined us about 18months later. And yes, Star Wars buffs will recognise their names! After moving to our current home about six years ago, we made the decision to breed these fantastic dogs. We have the space and were keen to add more oodles to our family anyway. Our Breeding Ethos We are, and intend to remain, a small-scale boutique breeder that selectively breeds for the best temperament and health characteristics of the breed. This means that all our breeding dogs will be either raised in our own home or in the care of loving guardian families, and that we can guarantee the quality of our puppies. We focus on breeding miniature to medium sized labradoodle puppies. Health and temperament are the main priorities in our breeding programme, with all lines having been DNA tested for inherited disorders and screened for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia followed closely by the easy care and low maintenance fleece or loose wool coat types. We mostly have puppy's in chocolate, cafe and lavender though don't despair if these are not your preferred colours, as we sometimes have parti, phantom, tricolour, caramel, creme caramel, parchment, cream, black and gold. More information on coat types and colours is available on the important stuff page. Breeding and Puppy Environment We are not a kennel. Only one dog resides with us - Neo Tallai Trilogy who has taken over the reins from our long cherished Mickey the chocolate dog in the photo on the set of "The Shak" at 9's studio in Brisbane, QLD. Our current and potential breeding dogs are all family pets living with selected guardian families located in South East Qld or Northern NSW they are placed with their family from 8 weeks of age and remain with them after retirement. All puppies are raised by us with the assistance of our two teenage children. We strongly believe it is important that puppies are raised in an environment where they are exposed from day one to the sights, smells and sounds of busy family life, as this is the life that they will enter when they leave our care for yours. All of our dogs need to prove themselves first and foremost as valued and loveable members of our guardian families, then secondly pass the Australian Labradoodle Association of Australia's mandatory health testing before we will consider breeding from them. We typically have 2 litters from our girls preferably with different sire lines. Occasionally a very special girl might have three litters. We welcome feedback and are only to happy to promote the Australian Labradoodle. Regards - Carla. Welcome to the home of Jajaca Australian Labradoodles. They are incredibly fun loving, loyal and intelligent with a brilliant temperament to match. These attributes make for the perfect family companion! I have owned dogs all my life, but ran into many dramas with allergies and health concerns with my then young family. After researching the Australian Labradoodle and what the breed represents, I realised that the Australian Labradoodle was everything I was looking for. Fast forward 15 years, my daughter Cassidy, my adopted sister Nicola and I feel nothing but gratitude to be able to provide our families with the quality Labradoodles I was searching for many years ago. I am so fortunate to have been given encouragement and total support from all members of the ALA, who share their knowledge and wisdom for the betterment of the breed. All these years later and I am still totally hooked, assisting to mentor new ALA Breeders, and finding I am more in love with this breed than I ever thought possible. We are and will remain a dedicated breeder bringing up our babies in our family environment free of kennels. All our girls and boys live with loving families locally and nearby, where they are raised with rules, boundaries and discipline and loved unconditionally by their families. Our breeding girls and boys family has grown wonderfully in the last 17 years. We currently have some stunning girls and boys we are very proud of and some youngsters waiting to mature who will continue Jajaca into the forseeable future. Please visit their photo albums to check them and their breeding statistics out. They were precious, valued members of our family, the girls that started Jajaca and though we miss them everyday, their memory reminds us of why we do what we do, to share the joy they brought us with other families. Blaise beauty, Harper and Jajaca Jaycee are all now additions to our family group. Our focus as a breeder has been and will continue to be to offer quality, sound, healthy dogs as genuine family companions and never compromise the wonderful qualities of the breed. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any enquiries regarding this truly magnificent breed or ask about our upcoming litters. We hope that you enjoy browsing our site!

Only interact with dogs that are safe and you know for sure will have positive reactions to your new German Shepherd. Forcing them will only make them develop stress and anxiety in new situations and with animals. Think quality, not quantity, when socializing your German Shepherd. There are tons of new things your dog needs to get comfortable with. Use treats and positive encouragement when they investigate a new situation with confidence. Train daily. Make it fun. Punishment will only cause your dog to fear you and increase anxiety. Crouch down to offer them a gentle scratch and pet. This connects their name to paying attention to you and marks you as a positive leader, which is important for obedience training and living with their new family. Always work on rewarding good behavior instead of punishing bad behavior. The goal is to build trust in the first few weeks and months that you have your new dog to create a bond. And dogs are actually happier when they are trained rspca. Keep the sessions short, but have multiple training sessions throughout the day. Never end training on a bad note. For example, give them a command they know for sure so they finish with success. Read this guide to learn all about the basics of proper German Shepherd obedience training , including a helpful training schedule and the foundation commands. Be prepared for chewing by offering the right options. Biting and chewing are natural instincts for dogs and puppies. These actions provide them with opportunities to investigate the different amounts of pressure to use in relation to the purpose of their biting. Your job as their new owner is to help your pup understand and educate them on what is appropriate to bite, nip, and chew. This teaches them your signal and cue. They should let go or look a bit startled. Follow their release with praise or a tasty treat when your dog stops the unwanted behavior. Do NOT physically punish your dog! Instead, redirect them to a proper chew toy. Sometimes puppies teethe and their gums are sore and need something to chew. Other times adult German Shepherds have a desire and natural urge to bite for relaxation and to reduce anxiety. Only use safe, non-toxic chew toys, which are found listed here, in the best strong chew toys for German Shepherds to avoid boredom. Avoid accidents by managing the home environment. Create a set routine and schedule and stick to it to avoid accidents and train your puppy faster. Say hello to your new sloppy family member… They not only shed everywhere but also dump water out when drinking, spill their food, and… Have total disrespect for your carpets! You must have them in a secure area or watch them all the time to avoid any accidents. No matter what you will clean up some kind of bodily function when owning a German Shepherd. So, do yourself a favor and stock up on pet stain and odor remover! Use food-dispensing toys and slow feeders to keep them at a healthy weight. This is a food toy called a Kong Wobbler. Keep to a schedule so that you can control their food intake and watch their weight. Instead, use rubber toys in which you place part of their food to help control their voracious eating. I like to use a Kong Wobbler for both puppies and adults. Even better? Puppies are more responsive to the Ignore method of training. As a new German Shepherd owner, you might think you need to appease your dog all the time or give in to their excessive attention-seeking. In my experience, this is one of the most effective training methods that you can use when owning a German Shepherd. Put simply, here are the basics to use the Ignore method of training: You ignore the behavior that you want to stop or reduce. On the flip side, you give attention to the behavior you want to encourage. The hard bit is ignoring a very intelligent German Shepherd who is persistent! Give your German Shepherd a job at home so they stay entertained. This represents big challenges as a German Shepherd owner. You must be smarter than your dog! But the jobs can be as easy or difficult as you have the time and energy to train. This is not a mentally lazy dog, but a breed with extremely high intelligence and a huge breadth of application for that intelligence. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Imagine you knew how to discipline a German Shepherd puppy the right way so that your bond with your dog grew instead of fell short! Learn how to communicate with your pup and get the behaviors you want using these simple and easy methods for training a German Shepherd puppy. They may become frightened of you or fear your presence, depending on how severe your discipline is. Anxiety may even develop with too much punishment or useless corrections. Training a German Shepherd puppy at 8 to 12 weeks old? Yes, you can! A GSD pup of 8 to 12 weeks of age or older still needs positive reinforcement for the best behavior changes. Disciplining your GSD should not involve hitting, kicking, slapping, intimidation, or yelling. Do you want your German Shepherd puppy to stop their unwanted, bad behavior and turn into the sweet angel you want them to be? You can easily learn how to train a German Shepherd puppy if you work smarter… Not harder! Start early and remain consistent with your expectations. Training a German Shepherd means knowing what to do when your puppy acts up. Shepherd pups are one of the smartest dogs on the plant and learn quickly what you expect of them. But the best way to learn how to train a German Shepherd puppy at home is to work on your own behavior first. You should show them what behavior is unacceptable in your house. This means that you must stay consistent when responding to their behavior. For example: If your pup jumps on you and you redirect their attention to a toy to chew on instead. But, then your pup jumps on your friend and your friend lets them and you say nothing. This makes it likely that your dog will jump on whoever they feel like in the future. Use reward-based training. Use reward-based German Shepherd training techniques to get the quickest results. Reward-based training helps your puppy recognize when something is a bad choice source. When your pup performs what you ask, offer a tasty treat and words of praise. For example: Have your pup sit when you are by the front door getting ready to go for a walk. This teaches them that when they behave, they are more likely to get what they want. The best way to train your German Shepherd is by following a fun, engaging program that teaches not only the basics but covers problem behaviors, too. Sound difficult? It teaches you how to get your pup to learn positive behaviors. You can also have fun right at home with these games for German Shepherd puppies. Offer your puppy another option when they begin jumping on you for attention. Think about what your puppy is trying to get when engaging in jumping and bad behavior to determine when to ignore them. When your pup jumps on you when you come home, they probably want your attention. Withholding your attention when they are acting out shows them they need to act differently to get your approval source. Instead, offer them pets and praise when they have all 4 paws on the floor. You can also place them behind a puppy gate until they learn not to jump in order to avoid them scratching or nipping house guests when they arrive. After you teach them their basic obedience, ask them for a competing behavior like a sit or down when they begin to jump. Always remember to reward the behavior you want to see again! Ultimately, your puppy learns that good behavior earns your affection and attention more quickly. Your dog soon understands that they get nothing from you when they act badly. Here are some great commands for a German Shepherd that you can work on training. Redirect bad German Shepherd puppy behavior. Does your puppy jump, nip, chew, bite, or dig and you want to know the right discipline? The noise and disapproving tone distract your dog from bad behavior source. Showing them a favorite toy. Offering them another option you would like that is more constructive. You want to remember to watch out for: If your dog chews inappropriately on a pair of expensive shoes, get their attention by making noises or calling them to you and immediately offer the correct approved chew item. If you know your dog tends to bite you during play, have a toy nearby you can show them that you want them to bite instead of your arms. If you know they get wild and crazy in the evenings, have a list of these easy German Shepherd brain games to distract them and funnel their energy. Use time-outs appropriately when training a German Shepherd puppy. When your dog engages in bad behavior, remove them from what is causing the unwanted behavior. Put them in a different environment that is more calming and quiet instead. Respond immediately to the bad behavior and use the same routine every time to maintain correct discipline. Time out should: Not be done with force or yelling. Not be in a closet or other dark, scary area. Work to calm your puppy down, not frighten or stress them. Give your puppy a break from over-excitement. Not be a long punishment. Timeouts are generally recommended for only 1 to 2 minutes for puppies. Also, remember that closed doors can cause anxiety in dogs, so use a reliable pet-safe baby gate so that your puppy knows that you are still nearby. Remember, when training a German Shepherd puppy: Time out should not last over minutes. Watch for when your puppy is calm and quiet for a very brief period seconds long of calm. Then let them out quietly, without scolding them. This can cause anxiety. Remember to use a pet gate to separate them from the excitement that caused the unwanted behavior, while still allowing them to see you and not feel trapped. Ignore the unnecessary barking. German Shepherd puppies bark, but there are positive ways to help train them to bark and whine less. When they finally quiet down, even if only for a few seconds, reward them with a treat or praise. To have success, wait until they are quiet and stop barking, even if only for a few seconds in the beginning source. For example: If your puppy barks at joggers out the window every morning pull the blinds or curtains. If the behavior continues, place your dog in another room for a couple of minutes and repeat the previous time-out procedure every time they bark at the joggers remember to use the pet safe baby gate and to not shut a puppy behind a solid door because it can give them anxiety. If they are whining and crying at night, this could be a warning they need to potty. Make sure you read this post to know how to potty train a German Shepherd before you ignore all whining, barking, and crying. If your puppy barks during play they might be too excited and you can offer them a chew toy instead or cut your playtime short to allow them to calm down. Puppies bark for a number of reasons. But it does get easier to train your GSD over time as they learn what you expect. Keeping your pup from nipping and chewing. Puppies have sharp teeth, especially German Shepherd puppies! Puppies are energetic and must learn their limits for playing too rough source. Puppies view you jerking your hand back quickly as part of a game and could also tear your skin. And physical punishment should never be given! Show them what they can chew, instead, such as their favorite chew toy. Have plenty of safe chew toys to grab nearby to give your pup when they get wild and decide to bite you. Always use toys that your puppy can chew and bite to play with — pick from this list of German Shepherd Chew Toys to Prevent Boredom so you have a safe puppy toy that can take their bites. When they stop biting or nipping reward them with verbal praise and pets. Return later to try playing with your pup again and repeat the procedure. Read this information for more helpful tips to stop your German Shepherd puppy from aggressively biting and nipping you. Catch your dog being good and reward them out of the blue. See your puppy acting the way you want? Reward them out of the blue! Keep small bits of treats in jars around the house out of reach of your pup or in your pocket or a treat bag on your waist and use any opportunity your catch your pup doing good to reward them. If they sit and wait at the door, instead of dashing out ahead of you, reward them! Aim for one of these healthy treats that are the best for German Shepherds and pick carefully to ensure your dog stays athletic and fit. Food-based rewards are very motivating when training and disciplining a puppy. Avoid physical punishment and harm. Your German Shepherd is your companion for life. Research shows that physically punishing your dog for example hitting, kicking, growling, or staring them down increases aggression in your dog study source. Never use physical punishment to correct undesirable behavior. Not only can this punishment injure your puppy, but it also ruins your relationship and causes anxiety. It means setting expectations that they understand and staying consistent. Physically hurting your German shepherd will ruin your relationship with them. They will lose their trust in you and begin to avoid you. In the worst case, your dog could develop anxiety disorders, health issues, or even more problem behaviors. You could even accidentally injure your dog and they need vet care! Use the right tone and body language to communicate. Different commands and body language conveys information for training to your German Shepherd. The different tones of your voice and body movements are better understood by your dog. The actual command words are of less importance to your puppy. Use a direct tone and body language that matches what you want to say to your dog. Even pointing to a missed treat on the ground is body language your dog learns to understand. Still not convinced? Try out your training with this extensive list of helpful German Shepherd commands and watch how much your dog is capable of understanding. Shepherd pups want to please and have order in their home. To do this, stick with your training. Begin with a plan in place and disciplining your GSD will go smoother from the start. Persevere with your training and discipline. Remember that your German Shepherd is highly intelligent and needs your help to get the best from them. If you feel like giving up, take a break from training for a day or two. In order to avoid training frustration, remember that just like you a German Shepherd needs time to learn the rules of the house and new commands. This is true especially of puppies or rescue dogs. If you want to take a break from training and have fun, then include a few days a week of puzzles. German Shepherds are one of the smartest dogs in the world, so training them generally takes a short time. Never discipline a German Shepherd puppy for having accidents during potty training. Whether your German Shepherd is potty trained or not, never push their faces into their potty accidents. Your dog is counting on your leadership to show them the rules in a positive manner. Work on setting a consistent schedule with feeding and walks to avoid potty accidents indoors. German Shepherds are easy to train given the right attention. And they need to understand their schedule by having you teach them using consistent patterns, rather than receiving punishment or discipline. Keep a potty schedule posted nearby so all your family can see it and help prevent your puppy from having an accident. Use your bond with your puppy to your advantage during recall training. Use your positive bond with your German Shepherd puppy to work on early recall training. Especially when there are so many natural pleasures to see and explore outside. When you call your German Shepherd, its obedience simply depends on whether the motivation to obey your commands outweighs what your dog is focused on at the moment. Use this to your advantage! Tips for great German Shepherd puppy recall training: Begin calling your puppy in as many locations inside as you can. Give them a tasty reward or play a game with their favorite toy when they come. Work your way up to a perfect recall by having others try to distract your puppy while indoors. Next, move to your back or front yard with your dog on a long leash like this so they stay safe nearby and do the same. You can disciple them by showing them your tasty treat and walking backward a few steps to encourage them to move toward you. Train the come command in all situations, including the home and outdoors, from the time your puppy is 6 to 8 weeks old to avoid discipline problems later on. Need to train your German Shepherd on their recall? Calm older dogs are good for this one. Most importantly for German Shepherd puppies, it will give you a chance to work with them around other people, and different dogs from a young age. Settle on a mat German Shepherds are incredibly curious, which can make it difficult for them to relax while out and about. Leash walking — no one wants a large breed of dog pulling them down the street, so be sure you teach loose lead walking and how about some heelwork too? Recall games — Play a game of tennis with your pooch! Calling them from person to person with treats on either side. Get started with grooming and brushing sensitive areas — In long-haired German Shepherds, this is typically the case with the face, legs, and ears, which become tangled the most and may hurt when brushed. Remember to brush carefully, do a little bit of brushing on a sensitive area while feeding them treats or letting them have a lickimat, and then brush an easier to brush area. For socialisation, start working on items that are vital to your lifestyle this week, such as if you have a horse and want your puppy to be comfortable with horses, or if you enjoy sailing, having them near water will be important to you. Getting your puppy exposed to new experiences early on can help them accept them much more easily. Socialization exercises to do this week Training to do this week Husbandry Tasks to do this week — Go to the pub — you deserve it! Remember that settle training you did before, take your mat and get your German Shepherd puppy to settle on it with a nice stuffed kong. Alone training: increasing time alone is important for your puppy. It gives them essential coping skills. Recall — Practise this outside, using a lead, and lots of rewards. Lead walking — Take this outside. Make sure you keep a strong pace going, since German Shepherds enjoy walking quickly, and praise often to keep your puppy interested. Pretend Nail Clips — simply holding a claw, pretending to clip , and rewarding your puppy with a treat is enough. Following on walks — Bring special toys, like the Tug-E-Nuff Pocket tugger, with you on walks to ensure your German Shepherd puppy enjoys hanging out with you. Playing with them will make you irresistible! Week 7 — Training your German Shepherd puppy The 7-week itch! Nah not really. I bet your German Shepherd puppy is doing wonderfully and growing rapidly! Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist — How about taking your German Shepherd to a city farm, letting them watch from afar and rewarding them for being such a calm puppy? Teach your German Shepherd puppy to stay — this will be a great one to show off at the park, trust us. So, first, take a walk with a dog that your German Shepherd puppy has already met. At first, it may be difficult for your puppy not to get distracted, so keep the rewards coming and try to keep them interested in you, rather than the other dog! Recall — off the lead Make sure you do this in a secure and confined area and bring plenty of smelly treats, a fun toy to play with, and your silly high-pitched voice so you can call your German Shepherd puppy back regularly. Remember, German Shepherds enjoy learning! Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist — maybe take your German Shepherd for a swimming lesson? Practice exercises in different locations — how about a train station, or in a shopping centre or mall? Teach a hand target — This is a favourite among pups and their owners. Hand Targeting or touching is the foundation for additional trick behaviours like leg weaving and closing doors. Introducing nose work to your puppy — We mean it when we say your German Shepherd puppy has a better nose than you! Play a game of hide and seek with their favourite toy to bring out those excellent search skills. Looking for more great puppy training tips? Check out our overview of when to start teaching your puppy anything , next. It will be fun they said. We go the extra mile for you. If you want a stress free puppy experience, get this downloaded! Worth every single penny! This app is very helpful. It helps you to understand and gives you a path to follow. The coaching support is excellent and super speedy. Download the app now. There is nothing cuter than a fluffy bundle of German Shepherd goodness. Quickly, however, reality sets in. German shepherd puppies are a lot of work! From housetraining, chewed up household items, and establishing a routine, the very first day your adorable puppy enters your home, there are sure to be challenges as well as heart melting rewards. To help you and your puppy start off on the right paw, you need to set your puppy up for success. To get started, there are numerous books on puppy training that you can buy, free training advice online, and many opinions on the best way to raise a German Shepherd dog. You can also learn a lot from the mistakes that other German Shepherd owners have made and most are more than happy to share their experiences. Some of the most common mistakes that people make when raising a German shepherd puppy are: Getting a puppy that is too young According to the American Kennel Club, the best time for a puppy to leave its mom and littermates is at eight to twelve weeks old. Puppies develop many life skills from their mom and littermates. When placed in their new home too soon, they can develop anxiety, lack confidence, suffer from health issues, and have many more behavior problems. If a confident, healthy, well socialized dog is your goal, the wait is worth it. Trying to channel the energy of a true working line dog into the average pet home is unfair to the dog and often results in destructive behavior by the dog. There have been many frustrated owners who have ended up trying to rehome a dog with behavior problems or worse, dump them at a shelter. Before you choose a puppy, talk to breeders, rescues, and other experts to find the perfect fit for your home. Not puppy proofing the home German shepherd puppies are smart, full of curiosity, and love to chew. Left to their own devices, they will inspect every inch of your home and chew anything that catches their eye. Not being prepared for the pupping biting Like all puppies, German Shepherds like to chew. But given that they are herding dogs, they are mouthier than most breeds. Many first-time German Shepherd owners have been caught off guard by just how much their adorable puppy likes to bite and how razor sharp their teeth are. Although a small puppy nipping fingers and ankles can be cute, German Shepherds quickly start teething and soon grow into rowdy adolescents who may learn that biting is a fun game. This behavior can easily escalate and hurt someone. Chew toys can be used to redirect biting onto something acceptable. They also need plenty of chew toys to offer to teething puppies. Allowing resource guarding behavior German Shepherds are naturally protective and easily given to resource guarding. Owners should never allow their puppy to guard anything including their food, space, or favorite toy. Some signs of resource guarding include protecting an item, hard stare, laying on an item, growling, lunging, air snapping, chasing, and biting. This behavior could be as simple as a look, head turn, or slight baring of the teeth. Some ideas on how to prevent resource guarding include hand feeding and treating your puppy from their food bowl while holding it in your lap, trading up their toys and treats for higher value items, teaching them to allow you to take it, drop it and leave it, teach them to place, and letting them enjoy high value chews in peace. Failing to socialize Young German Shepherds not only need to learn the house rules, but they also need to be exposed to people and places outside the home so they grow up to be a confident dog. This should be done in a safe way, so they have good experiences and are not forced into fearful situations or hurt by other animals and people. Before your dog has its shots, you can start socializing by having people come to your home, taking your pup on car rides, drive throughs, and vet visits. Once your puppy has its shots, you can expose your puppy to all sorts of people and situations, such as people of different genders, colors, races, ages, sizes, disabled wheelchairs, crutches, etc. Not keeping to a schedule Puppies do best when they are kept on a schedule. When a puppy has regular mealtimes, potty breaks, walks, play time, and bedtime, it makes all training much easier and sets the puppy up for success. Conversely, lack of a schedule or an unpredictable environment can cause your German Shepherd puppy to develop behavior problems, cause training setbacks, and potty-training accidents. By sticking to a realistic routine, your dog will be calmer, happier, and grow up to be a confident dog. From the day you bring your dog home, commit to schedule that includes predictable mealtimes, potty breaks, training time, naps, play time, and bedtime. Avoid unrealistic schedules, such as expecting a young puppy to not have frequent potty breaks or to skip meals and drinking water. Not starting training immediately German Shepherd puppies love to learn to please their owners. Puppy training should begin the day the move into your home. By starting training early, you will help your puppy develop and grow into the amazing dog they were born to be. Young puppies can easily learn basic commands such as sit, down, wait, come, and more. We hope you enjoy this article. As always, please feel free to share with your friends.

So Many Options! Where To Get a Labrador? We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. Except, you remember hearing you should only buy from professional breeders?! But that puppy in the pet store was so achingly cute! This article discusses the things you should consider before making that life changing decision. From dedicated experts who breed pedigree dogs to work or for show, to those who breed too many puppies, litter after litter purely for sale without love nor care for the health of the mother or quality of the litter. For how to recognize who the good breeders are, read our article: Labrador breeders — How to find the good ones! Buying from a good, responsible breeder is without doubt the best source for a quality, healthy Labrador puppy. They care about the overall welfare of the breed, as well as the health of the mother, quality of the litter and giving the puppies the best start in life. Responsible breeders: Guarantee a purebred and pedigree Labrador. Screen the parents for health problems before breeding , so puppies will be as free as possible from inherited diseases. Selectively breed aiming for conformance to the breed standard, so your lab has the most chance of looking like the perfect lab. Carefully socialize puppies from birth so they are well-adjusted and confident before sending them to a new home. Help buyers to select the right puppy from the litter to suit their personality, hopes and expectations. Helping you to get the puppy of your dreams. Provide expert help and advice on caring for the dog from puppyhood right through to adulthood. When you go to a good breeder you should expect lots of questions. They will also help to match you to the perfect puppy that suits your personality, preventing you from getting the wrong dog on impulse. You know the cute but feisty one that got your attention by barging through his litter mates to run up to you and be the first to say hello? Well, he may very likely become a dominant and strong-willed dog! You May Need Patience You should note that many breeders will have a long waiting list for their Labrador puppies. Then this may not be the right way for you. But this is a good thing! And nobody should buy a puppy on impulse, it must be a well thought out and reasoned decision. Maybe you would like to give a lucky Labrador a second chance at life and happiness? Adopting an Older Labrador From a Rescue Kennel Can Have Many Benefits: They will have been house trained already — No getting up in the middle of the night to relieve your puppy…or cleaning your floor after the inevitable mishaps. An adult Labrador will already show signs of any underlying problems so you can avoid this. Many will have received a decent amount of training already — Saving you lots of time and work. Having said all that… There are Some Obvious Risks! Or perhaps due to health problems that developed. Some may have faced abuse and neglect leaving them with psychological scars. Behavioral problems are sometimes well hidden, and aggression may only surface in very particular situations only. But if you are patient, understanding and can inject some routine and love into one of these dogs lives, they can become absolutely wonderful pets. There are also different types of rescue center and animal shelters. You will be able to get a feel for the level of the center when you visit and how professional they are and the staff to dog ratios. The Process When rescuing a lab, a good, well staffed shelter will ask you to visit and spend time with your potential pet. They will have assessed the dog and will tell you all they know about the dogs history and temperament. They will ask you lots of questions to find out whether you and your lifestyle are a good fit for a Labrador. They will want to meet you and your whole family. They will want to see how the people the Labrador is to live with interact with it and how the lab interacts with them. And that your choice of dog is well suited to you and interacts well with you on visits will they eventually allow you to adopt. Rescuing a Labrador can be a very good choice as long as due care is taken to pick the right one. And you will earn many karma points for doing a very good deed. It is a massive risk to take a puppy from a litter like this. These dogs have more than the average number of inherited diseases and behavioral problems. So although you will be saving a bit of money compared to paying out to a professional Labrador breeder. Or you might even be saving a dog from being given to a rescue center and possibly eventually being put down. You just might be letting yourself in for some expensive surprises in the way of vets bills or behavioral specialists later. But having said that, of course many of these puppies do become very good pets indeed. In fact a few places in the world have now banned the sale of puppies from pet stores. In these places, dogs are often bred in poor conditions, sometimes kept in small wire cages and given very little chance to socialize and little if any personal contact with humans. Have you had any good or bad experiences of getting a Labrador from any of the places listed above? Is there anything you would like to add about the pros and cons of the various places you can get yourself a Lab? Please let us know in the comments section below and you just might help people reading this article to make the right decision! Related Article:. Print Looking for a new gun dog or duck dog? Many people start their search with good intentions. They want to find a good quality pup that will serve as a hunting companion as well as a family dog. However, somewhere along the way they end up just picking up a cute puppy that the family could not resist. Maybe, but it is a needle-in-the-haystack approach. While there is no guarantee that any puppy you bring home is going to grow into a well-mannered hunting partner, there are ways to stack the odds in your favor. Today, we are going to discuss the process I go through when looking for a new puppy. These are my opinions, so take it for what it is worth, but I do have extensive experience buying Labrador puppies. I have been doing this for over 30 years and I rarely have a puppy that does not work out. Research puppy litters I buy my puppies based on pedigree. I want proven working parents. This means that I want to see that either the mom or dad, preferably both, have AKC retriever field trial titles , AKC retriever hunting test titles or UKC retriever hunting test titles behind their names on an official pedigree. Be sure you see field trial or hunt test titles. Sometimes you will see AKC show titles or other titles like agility. These are NOT the same as field trial or hunt test titles and are generally not something you want to see on the pedigree of a hunting or competition dog. There are many places to search for litters on the internet. And many sites offer the ability to limit your search by state. However, do not be afraid to look for puppies further away from you. If the litter has a great pedigree and is exactly what you are looking for, you can always have the puppy flown or shipped to you. Some of the sites that are good for looking for litters are: retrievertraining. Again, I am not saying that great dogs cannot come out of these places but rather that the odds are not in your favor. Why are hunting titles important? Hunting titles tell you that the dog has proven its ability to perform at a certain level. It also tells you that the genetics are there. If the parents can perform at a Field Champion or Master Hunter level, there is a good chance the puppies will also have that ability. Do all your research prior to going to look at the puppies Everybody loves puppies. They are cute, cuddly and so lovable. That is why I recommend that you do not ever go look at a litter that does not already meet your standards regarding pedigree. It is just too easy to end up bringing one home. And if you have kids or a spouse involved, I guarantee that any litter you go look at you are most certainly going to end up bringing home a puppy. Does color make a difference? Well-bred puppies are available in each of these colors, and we have trained excellent hunting dogs in each color. However, you may now see litters advertised as fox red or white. These colors are not recognized by the AKC and you should beware of purchasing a dog based solely on color. In addition, there are now Labs being sold as silver, charcoal and champaign. These litters are technically not pure Labrador Retrievers. They are often referred to as dilutes because the genetics have been diluted to produce these colors. Many trainers will not train dilutes because of the many health problems and genetic issues that go along with these breeds. There are, unfortunately, people breeding pups specifically to produce a specific color without regard for temperament and the betterment of the breed. We prefer to stay away from litters that do not have a proven pedigree and have been breed specifically for color. In addition, our experience training dogs from these types of litters has proven to be a struggle. How much does a good puppy cost? For many people this is a defining question. So, a new hunting partner can be a significant investment. But for us it is worth it to stack the odds in our favor. Find a great retriever breeder Unfortunately, not all breeders are equal. Over the years, some breeders have stood out to us as exceptional. They go over and beyond just taking good care of the puppies. You can tell they really want their puppies to turn out great and they take steps, while the pups are very young, to help ensure their puppies have a good strong foundation that will help them succeed in the future. Beyond the breeding of quality dogs, the difference is in the socialization of the puppies. As I talk extensively about in Raising a Lab puppy to be a duck or gun dog , socialization is an essential key component in training a retriever puppy. Breeders that go out of their way to socialize young pups are worth their weight in gold. The truth is that raising puppies, done the right way, takes a lot of time and commitment. We specialize in training and prefer to let others specialize in doing a great job raising litters. Ask prospective breeder the right questions When you call and talk to a breeder about an upcoming litter, it is important to get answers to some important questions. If the pedigrees are not available online, be sure and request one from the breeder. How often do you breed? How often has this mother been bred? When looking for a great hunting dog puppy, you want to avoid puppy mills. Puppy mills are breeders that are just pumping out puppies for money and without concern to the overall health and betterment of the breed. Responsible breeders have a plan for the litters they are producing and will be able to talk to you about why the litter is worth the money they are asking. What breeds do you breed? Look for a breeder that specializes in Labrador Retrievers or whatever breed you are looking to purchase. What does your health guarantee cover? Responsible breeders will offer you a health guarantee for the puppy. While what this guarantee covers may vary, with Labrador Retrievers some of the things you want to make sure the health guarantee covers includes: Hip dysplasia Eye issues In addition, you may want to make sure that the parents have been genetically tested for other genetic diseases such as Exercise Induced Collapse EIC and Centronuclear Myopathy CNM. What do you do to socialize the puppies? Asking this open-ended question can give breeders a chance to tell you about the work they do socializing the young pups before they are ready to go home. Or, you may want to follow up with more specific questions such as: Are the pups exposed to children at all? Do you take the pups to different locations during the day? Do the puppies get outside time, what does that look like? The goal is to find out if the puppies are getting socialization and exposure to new and different things on a regular basis. Pups that get this exposure tend to adjust more quickly to their new homes and new situations later in life. Have you done this specific breeding before? How did those puppies turn out? Breeders that are working for the betterment of the breed, may breed a set of parents more than once. If this is a repeat breeding, it is likely that the breeder will know how previous litters performed in the field or in competition. Serious Labrador Retriever breeders often keep track of how their puppies perform as they age. Alternatively, you could ask for references and talk to previous buyers to find out what they think of the breeder and the puppy they bought. Should I meet the prospective dog parents? While some people might tell you that you should meet the prospective parents of the puppies, I do not see a lot of value in this. Some good breeders do not own both the parents. Often, they work with other breeders so both the Dam and Sire may not be onsite. And if you are basing your pup purchase off pedigree first, as I would recommend, you already know the most important things about the parents. If looks are important to you, then photos of the parents will show you what you need to know. Choose a retriever puppy from the litter Once you decide on a litter, the waiting begins. Ask the breeder to provide videos and photos of puppies as the grow. This is a great way to see the puppies progress and you can see some personality traits in the different pups. If you did all the work in researching pedigree and breeders, you already have stacked the odds in your favor. You know that the litter is a good one and that the puppies have a good chance of turning out to be great hunting partners. This is important because it takes a lot of pressure off when it is time to pick the puppy from the litter. When you do go to the breeder to pick your puppy, take a few minutes to observe the puppies. This will allow you to see some personality traits. Understand though that this is only one snapshot in time. The puppy that is active at this time, might have been sleeping right before you showed up. Or, the one that is sleepy may have been running around like crazy just minutes before. At Otter Tail Kennels, we often look for a puppy that likes people. A puppy that chases a child around the yard or runs to the owner when they walk away is attractive to us because we want a people-centered dog instead of a dog that prefers to spend its time with litter mates. But this is not an exact science by any means. That is why we rely on the fact that we have done our homework and know the entire litter has promise. Final thoughts on how to find a good Labrador puppy Any time you set out to buy a puppy, you do not know how the journey will end. There are a lot of unknowns. You cannot tell for sure what the puppy will look like as an adult, and you cannot tell if they will be a great hunter or a great family dog. What you can do is stack the odds in your favor. Find a great litter from a great breeder and select a puppy from that litter. Once you do that, you are on your way to having a great duck or gun dog. Then the next important step is to socialize, expose and train the puppy. Read how to do that here. Have questions about finding a great retriever for your hunting and family needs? I am here to help! You can email me ottertailkennels gmail. I would be happy to discuss your goals for your retriever and tell you about the programs and services I offer. Until next time happy retrieving. How to find a good Labrador puppy. They are also very high energy. Labs are intelligent and well-tempered for becoming service dogs. You may have seen a Lab working as a guide dog or alongside a police officer. Labradors come in three distinct colors: black, yellow, and chocolate. There is no real difference between these sub-breeds aside from color. However, chocolate Labs and yellow Labs do tend to be favored as show dogs, while a black Lab is more likely to be raised as a hunting dog than a chocolate or yellow one. Labrador Retrievers are famous for being friendly and companionable to both humans and other dogs. This makes the Labrador an ideal breed to keep as a family dog. There are factors, however, which need to be considered before choosing a Labrador puppy. Bringing home a beautiful black Lab puppy? Check out hundreds of great black dog names here! The amount of maternal care a pup receives prior to adoption influences the adult temperament of your Labrador. A responsible breeder will not remove your puppy from its mother before it is ready. In the study, Labs belonging to extroverted owners had better social skills than those belonging to introverted owners. You may also look through your local classifieds for unregistered litters, although we do not recommend it. Even though Labradors are a generally healthy breed, it is important that both parents get screened for any health issues prior to breeding. Adopting from unregistered litters will also significantly increase your chances of encountering a puppy mill. No matter where you adopt from, it is essential that you meet both parents and access a history of good health for each parent before adopting a puppy from the facility. In other parts of the world, use the puppy search tool on the website of your regional kennel club or equivalent authority. You may also ask a local veterinarian for a reference to a quality breeder. Another option is to keep an eye out for someone with a purebred Labrador and request information on where they adopted from. Registered breeders use only top-of-the-line animals as parents. Puppies from responsible and registered breeders are given the appropriate amount of maternal care and not released to a new home until they are physically and mentally mature enough to do so. This lays the foundation for an affectionate and even temperament in adulthood. The cons of adopting from a breeder are higher costs and often longer wait times. Responsible breeders require a pre-adoption home check to ensure that their puppies are appropriately homed. You may also need to travel some distance to find the right breeder. Registered breeders usually breed a maximum of only twice per year. This maintains parental health and allows sufficient time for the puppies to progress. These breeders often have waitlists for upcoming litters before they are born, sometimes before the parents are even bred. While these practices maintain value, they also mean the puppies will cost a little more and take longer to bring home. Private Ads Private ads for puppies can be found in online classifieds or in your local newspaper. You may also spot them on the bulletin boards of various local businesses. The benefits of sourcing a puppy from a private ad is that the breeder is likely be located nearby, and the puppies will be available relatively quickly, if not immediately. The cons of taking this route is that you do not have pedigree parents to your puppy, and the risk of health complications down the road is much higher. Puppy farms will often advertise through private ads. For these reasons, we do not recommend sourcing a puppy through a private ad. Pet Shops We do not endorse purchasing puppies from pet shops, because the credentials of both parents and breeder cannot be provided. Parents of pet shop puppies may have been overbred, mistreated, or in less than optimal health. It is impossible to know without verified records. The puppies themselves could have experienced conditions and trauma that will negatively impact their behavior in adulthood, such as being separated from their mothers too soon or physical abuse. Avoiding Puppy Farms Puppy farms are unregistered breeding establishments that mass produce puppies in order to generate the highest amount of revenue. These farms, or mills, severely mistreat their animals and often produce puppies with little socialization skills and significantly increased health risks. To steer clear of these facilities, avoid pet stores, which often source stock from puppy farms because of the low cost. Also avoid any online advertisements for puppies at a low cost. If you do source a puppy from an online ad, call the breeder in advance and ask questions about the puppies, parents, and establishment to screen for any inconsistencies with industry standards. When you visit the breeder, if it comes to that, ask to have a look around and meet both parents in person. Is the space open? Do the parents look healthy? How many other dogs and puppies are there on the premises? Health Tests While Labs are generally healthy overall, it is important to confirm the parental health prior to breeding. If the breeder cannot show you certificates of health for both parents, adopting a puppy from those parents poses a risk for complications later on. The American Kennel Club recommends Labrador Retrievers get screened for: any hip and elbow defects that could indicate dysplasia heart disorders out of ordinary muscle weakness degenerative eye conditions. Make sure that the breeder can demonstrate certified health in each of these areas for each parent. The initial cost of requiring this level of screening for your puppy may be higher, but it will save you on veterinary bills down the road. Choosing Your Puppy Labrador Retrievers are friendly by nature and tend to get along well with other dogs. This breed very rarely shows aggression and must be provoked to do so. When it comes to children and other pets, a Labrador puppy would be a valuable family addition. Labs are companionable and socialize well. The Labrador Retriever is a high-energy breed and will need enough time and space each day to receive sufficient exercise. These exercise needs will continue to grow as your puppy matures. A Labrador is not designed to be an inside-only dog. This breed needs lots of activity to stay mentally and physically fit. Consider that your fully grown Lab will be between .We recommend that you take your Lab out for daily outdoor activities such as swimming and fetch. A Labrador that does not receive enough exercise time may rebel by engaging in destructive behaviors within the household. However, remember that the best-quality Labradors come from responsible breeders that produce only one or two litters per year. These breeders often have waiting lists due to high quality puppies and infrequent production. If you want the best which you should! Labradors are wonderful family dogs with lots of love for humans and other dogs. They are one of the lowest risk for health complications when properly screened, making them ideal as a long-term energy-filled companion. Considerations before jumping into the adoption of a Labrador puppy are how big your puppy will be when it reaches adulthood and the daily rigorous outdoor exercise it will require to keep it in peak physical and mental condition. Read more about Labradors here in our guide to Labrador lifespan! References and Resources Bray, E. University of Pennsylvania .Graham, L. Temperament and Personality in Working Dogs. CRC Press .Kuroshima, H. Kyoto University