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With a name inspired by fighters in the ring, some people expect a Boxer to be aggressive or unfriendly. As is the case with many guard dog breeds , the owner must establish dominance early or their pup may try to take charge instead. For example, Boxer dogs need to be socialized and trained early to prevent aggression towards strangers or people they see as threats. It is advised to discipline gently but firmly and consistently. When it comes to their physical demands, Boxer puppies, as well as adults, are high-energy dogs that need some vigorous outdoor exercise every day. Lastly, Boxers are also jumpers, so you may need training to curb their instincts to leap up on you, your family, or your guests. The average lifespan for Boxer dogs ranges from 10 to 12 years. While this tends to be a healthy line, especially when you work with a trusted Boxer breeder, there are some special considerations. At Keystone Puppies, we only represent the best Boxer breeders. Our breeders not only offer a health guarantee but also provide exceptional homes for Boxer puppies that lead to healthy adult lives. As always, owners should keep their canine companions up-to-date on vaccinations and bring their pups in for regular checkups with their veterinarians. Caring for Boxer Coats The short, shiny coat is easy to maintain. Brush once a week to reduce shedding and to keep their coats bright. Before you buy a Boxer puppy, get familiar with their grooming routine. Their short coats are easy to maintain and look fantastic when you do. We recommend that owners generally brush their coats once per week to reduce shedding and to keep their coats attractive and healthy. In addition to that, cleaning out their ears once per week with a clean, damp cloth will reduce the risk of ear infections. We recommend you wipe out the wrinkles once a week to reduce the chance of skin infections. Meet Boxer Puppies for Sale. We are committed to bettering the Boxer breed. PA Find Boxer puppies for sale Near Pennsylvania Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to their family. About Us. Find a Boxer puppy from reputable breeders near you in Lancaster, PA. Loving and adorable boxer puppies looking for their forever. No phone calls please! Frequently Asked Questions Please reach us at willowroseboxers gmail. Look at pictures of Boxer puppies in Lancaster who need a home. Since Greenfield Puppies was founded in , we have been connecting healthy puppies with caring, loving families. If you have any please email me with pictures of the. Boxer Puppies for Sale in PA. Forest Ridge has been a family operated business at the same location, original owners and the same name for more than 30 years. We take great pride in bringing your family together with the right puppy. He was then imported to the United States in .Boxer puppies for sale in Lancaster PA The Boxer dog breed slowly gained popularity throughout Europe in the late s. Boxer puppies for sale in Lancaster PA. Boxer puppies for sale in Pennsylvania from trusted breeders. We have been breeding boxers for10 years. Transportation to Lancaster, PA available. Our dogs have year-round temperature controlled housing and free roaming play facilities. Sellers are not affiliated with Lancaster Puppies. The American Boxer Club was established in .They are potty and crate trained. Fun and playful, these Boxer puppies are such a joy to have around! They have been a blessing to our family as they grow up, getting to know the big world around them. Call today to get your parter for life! I am a pretty little boxer pup who is almost all black. Why buy a Boxer puppy for sale if you can adopt and save a life? They are good with kids and other animals. Find Boxer puppies for sale Near Lancaster, PA Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to their family. Breeds: Boxer Kennel Name:. For more information and photos -- visit. Feel free to browse hundreds of active classified puppy for. This produces very healthy puppies with great personalities. The Boxer dog breed slowly gained popularity throughout Europe in the late s. Browse thru our ID Verified puppy for sale listings to find your perfect puppy in your area. We've connected loving homes to reputable breeders since and we want to help you find the puppy your whole family will love. Loving and adorable boxer puppies looking for their forever Harvest View Puppies, Ronks, Pennsylvania. Welcome to Forest Ridge Kennel. Feel free to browse hundreds of active classified puppy for sale. Nickname: Bowser on PuppyFinder. All our puppies will be sold only to homes that understand the healthcare and needs of a boxer. Current on dewormer,shots , 1 mo genetic health guarantee veterinarian certificate of health. Boxer Puppies for Sale from Pennsylvania Breeders. Feel free to browse hundreds of active classified puppy for sale listings, from dog breeders in Pa and the surrounding areas. We are committed to bettering the Boxer breed standard. This is the price you can expect to pay for the Boxer breed without breeding rights. He was then imported to the United States in and was accepted by the American Kennel Club the following year. Find Boxer puppies for sale Near Lancaster, PA Despite their light and fun-loving nature, the Boxer is a hardworking, versatile, and vigilant breed that is incredibly loyal to their. Anything Look…Weird? For the best experience, we recommend you upgrade to the latest version of Chrome or Safari. Nickname: Claire on PuppyFinder. My Mother is a pretty full-blooded boxer with. Feel free to browse hundreds of active classified puppy for sale listings, Boxers consistently rank number 4 or 5 on Lancaster Puppies. They have been a blessing to our family as they grow up, getting to know the big world around. We feel with our expertise and knowledge of different breeds, we can make a great recommendation for your next companion. Puppies are available at various times of the year. Public meet only nothing asked till pick up. Our puppies are well socialized with all ages of people from the day they are born. Out family thoroughly enjoy our puppies' --the children give them a good start in their social life as they are included in our activities of the family. Boxer Puppies for Sale in Lancaster Pennsylvania. Our puppies full grown size range is .Boxers are classed as a "Guardian dog", but also make excellent companions and family pets. My father is an AKC registered boxer with European bloodlines. Dogs for Sale in Lancaster, PA. Share this listing: Breed: Boxer. Boxer puppies for sale in Lancaster, PA from trusted breeders. Boxer Puppies for Sale near Pennsylvania. At Keystone Puppies, our mission is to help American Bully puppies find their forever homes. Boxer Puppies for Sale in PA 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. The Molossus blood makes the hardworking Boxer dog courageous, bright, and alert. Boxer puppies for sale in PA. Find your new puppy here! Find your Boxer puppy for sale in Lancaster, PA. We encourage others to share in the joy of owning a Boxer. Welcome to the Pennsylvania state page on TrustedPuppies. Situated in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, Pennsylvania offers a rich history, diverse landscape, and plenty of dog-friendly activities, making it a fantastic place for Boxer enthusiasts. PA sits 6th among the other states, with a hefty dog population of around 2. Our site features reputable PA breeders who specialize in raising healthy and happy puppies. Our breeders are committed to raising the highest quality puppies. They provide their puppies with all the necessary vaccinations and veterinary checkups to ensure they are in the best of health before they go to their forever homes. They also provide ongoing support and advice to ensure a smooth transition for both you and your new furry friend. Pennsylvania is a paradise for dog lovers, featuring an array of dog-friendly restaurants, parks, and events to enjoy with your canine companion. At TrustedPuppies. Most of our trusted Boxer breeders offer safe and affordable flight delivery, with a devoted flight nanny accompanying your new pup throughout their journey, ensuring a secure and comfortable trip as they make their way to their new home in the Keystone State. In addition to flight delivery, most breeders also offer affordable vehicle delivery utilizing specialized pet delivery services. This option guarantees your Boxer puppy is safely transported to your doorstep by a professional who understands the unique needs of pet travel. Begin your search for the perfect Boxer puppy today on TrustedPuppies.

Do F1 Bernedoodles Shed? For this reason, F1 Bernedoodles have a higher chance of shedding compared to the backcross generations. Even puppies from the same F1 litter can have different coat types! It all comes down to which coat type the puppy has inherited from its parents. And if your F1 Bernedoodle has inherited the straight coat, be prepared for some shedding, as they usually come with undercoats. Here are some charts from our Doodle Characteristics Survey , which over Bernedoodle owners have participated in to date. Do F2 Bernedoodles Shed? Of course, some F2 Bernedoodles can also come with a wavy coat, that sheds slightly more than the curly coat and less than the straight coat. Do F1b Bernedoodles Shed? F1b Bernedoodles have a considerably higher chance of being low-shedding dogs compared to their F1 relatives. However, even F1b Bernedoodles can sometimes carry the shedding gene. Do F2b Bernedoodles Shed? In terms of their genetic makeup, F2b Bernedoodles are very similar to F1b Doods. Do F1bb Bernedoodles Shed? As we learned from the Bernedoodle generations above, F1bb Bernedoodles have an even higher percentage of Poodle in their genetic makeup. F1bb Bernedoodles are .Do F2bb Bernedoodles Shed? Similarly to F1bb pups, F2bb Bernedoodles also have a genetic makeup of .Do Mini Bernedoodles Shed? Whether or not a mini Bernedoodle sheds is determined by how they were bred. Brush Often The easiest way to keep your Bernedoodle from shedding is by regularly brushing its hair. For Bernedoodles, your top choice would be either a high quality pin or slicker brush, and a sturdy comb to target those stubborn tangles. Opt for dog food formulas that are made with real, high quality ingredients, and contain a good amount of fatty acids from sources like salmon and omega.Additionally, if your Bernie is struggling with a food sensitivity or allergy, you might want to switch out the main protein source in their diet. There are lots of de-shedding or anti-shedding dog shampoos that help remove loose undercoat with minimal fuss. Give your pup lots of love and attention and provide them plenty of opportunities to exercise throughout the day. This is one of the easiest ways to give your pup some added sense of safety and security. Bernedoodles are high maintenance dogs when it comes to grooming. You should definitely brush your Bernedoodle often, preferably daily. Without a doubt, regularly brushing your Bernedoodle is the best and easiest way to combat shedding and avoid other issues with their coat. One of the most common problems with Doodles, including the Bernedoodle, is that they are prone to matting. This is more prevalent in pups who have inherited the curly coat, as their hair traps in dirt and debris more easily. Additionally, their textured hair tends to become knotted. For this reason, daily brushing is an absolute must. However, even wavy and straight coat Bernedoodles can mat. Mainly because the loose, dead hair can get trapped inside the thick fur. How Much Do Bernedoodles Shed? How much a Bernedoodle sheds mostly depends on their coat type. Interestingly, all Bernedoodles shed, just like you shed some hair every single day. On the other hand, straight coat Bernedoodles might shed all year round, but most during the summer and winter months, when their coat transitions from one season to another. Which Bernedoodle Sheds Least? Curly coat a. This is down to the fact that their genetic makeup has a higher percentage of Poodle genes. Do Bernedoodles Shed? Above all, make sure you regularly brush your Dood, stay on top of their grooming routine, and feed them a nutritious diet, as this is the best way to combat Bernedoodle shedding. Parents of Bernedoodles: does your Dood shed and how much? Let us know in the comments below! Avoid making the mistake of choosing the wrong Doodle temperament for your family, lifestyle, or current living situation. Learn More The information on this page is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional groomer advice. Always seek the advice of your groomer, veterinarian, or other qualified animal health provider with any questions you may have. You Might Also Like. Any lower shedding Poodle Mix breed will require more coat grooming. Frequent brushing and washing is important. For any Poodle mix breed it is also important to routinely clean the ears and avoid wax build up. You should also be aware that frequent washing or swimming can change the frequency of shedding. Given that Bernedoodles enjoy swimming , be careful when grooming your Bernedoodle before and after a trip to the beach A F2 Bernedoodle second generation can sometime have less distinctive marking. Bernedoodles are popular amongst allergy sufferers. Their reputation is why many people ask do Bernedoodles shed at all? There is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog. However most allergy sufferers can happily live with and tolerate dogs that have less shedding and less dander. Web MD page on allergies to dogs The curlier the Bernedoodle coat, the better the coat type for the allergy sufferer. You will need to look for a curly or at least wavy coat type. See the comparison between allergy friendly Goldendoodle and Bernedoodle here. Labradoodles are another hypoallergenic dog breed that many allergy sufferers consider. These are found most typically in F1b Bernedoodles. F2 Bernedoodles are less common but also tend to be lower allergy. F1 Bernedoodles can have curly coats and be allergy appropriate. Spending time with the puppy and checking for reaction to the puppy saliva can help give an indication of allergy to Bernedoodle. Do Bernedoodles shed less when they have a curly coat? Curly coats are typically the lowest shedding. Bernedoodle and Labradoodles both lying outdoors. Compare the two breeds here. Different types of Bernedoodle puppy will have different levels of Puppy coat. It will typically be lost at months of age. You will notice the coat being lost by a temporary increase in the volume of hair lost when brushing the Bernedoodle. It is really important to get your Bernedoodle used to grooming early in its life. At least every week introduce your Bernedoodle to brushing. This will make the Bernedoodle puppy coat transition much easier. Daily brief brushing can be ideal for Bernedoodles of all coat types. Many owners report brushing completely and thoroughly once per week. Do Bernedoodles shed while brushing? Yes a little — as it typical for all dogs. While there is no such thing as a truly allergy free dog, the low shedding and therefore low dander loss of Bernedoodles means they approach hypoallergenic. Curly coats are best for allergy sufferers, followed by wavy coats. F1b Bernedoodles have a higher percentage of Poodle genetics and are usually best for owners with allergies. Are Bernedoodles Soft Bernedoodles can be very soft. While Bernese Mountain Dogs can be relatively soft, it is the Poodle coat that can deliver an incredibly soft coat to the Bernedoodle. All generations and coat types of Bernedoodle can be soft. Typically the higher the percentage of Poodle genetics the softer the fur. Think F1b Bernedoodles for a softest fur. Frequent swimming which Bernedoodles love can effect the softness of the coat. Regular outdoor exercise or running with the Bernedoodle requires proper grooming to keep the coat soft. Are Bernedoodles Double Coated? Some breeders state that their Bernedoodles have a double coat. Others claim they do not. Bernedoodles can have a single coat made up of hairs of the two layers that are at equal length. Bernedoodles will require a higher frequency of brushing and grooming like all Poodle mix dogs. With or without a double coat using a brush that brushes to the skin comfortably is essential. Bernedoodle Puppy Do Bernedoodles Shed Conclusions Bernedoodles can make a great low shedding low allergy companion dogs. Certain generations are less likely to shed. F1b Bernedoodles are frequently seen to be less shedding due to their curly Poodle coat. Frequent grooming of low shedding dogs is required Bernedoodles can love running, hiking and even hunting. They are a moderately active dog that enjoy swimming. Find out more about what to do before you take your Bernedoodle puppy to the beach. Does Your Bernedoodle Shed? We would love to hear your experience with your Bernedoodle and shedding. How was the transition from puppy coat to adult? What generation are they? Is the shedding an issue for you? My wife and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be healthy and happy, have lots of fun and be part of the family. Load More. Last updated: August 19, Do Bernedoodles shed? And the answer, as with most things related to dogs, is: it depends! What Is a Bernedoodle? A cross breed of the Bernese Mountain Dog and the Standard Poodle, the Bernedoodle is an exceptionally adorable pup that neither sheds nor drools much. Its hypoallergenic quality makes it an even more appealing pet option for families. Bernedoodles are outstandingly smart and easy to train. Not only that, but they are very outgoing and active puppies while also being great for a comfy cuddle on the couch. These puppies have a special fondness for children. As for their looks, they usually come in a tricolor coat, but some Bernedoodle puppies end up being pure black, black and white, or a random mix. Do Bernedoodles Shed? The short answer is that bernedoodles shed, but they are not considered a high-shedding breed. Bernedoodle Coat Types There are four main types of Bernedoodle coat types. On top of that — it rarely sheds! Although this dog hair is low-maintenance and undemanding, it still needs grooming from time to time to become the softest fur it can be! However, these Bernedoodles are much more difficult to take care of, so be wary of that! Wavy Coat — Most F1 Bernedoodles have a wavy fur which requires daily brushing, and it occasionally leaves loose hair around. Pups that have this type of fur bring more health benefits to the table, while also being less demanding to take care of. When Do Bernedoodles Shed Their Puppy Coat As soon as the Bernedoodle puppy reaches nine months of age, it starts to lose its baby coat and begins its regular hair growing process. Remember that you have many options to choose from and it depends solely on your preferences. How to Reduce Shedding If your pup does end up shedding more than usual, you can follow some simple tips to ease your troubles. Regular brushing — Prevent loose hairs from falling everywhere, while also putting an end to matting and tangling by brushing your Bernedoodle every few days. Medicine for dog allergies — Allergies can cause dry skin, and in turn increase shedding. Use upholstery covers — Upholstery covers are easy to clean and save you a lot of time that you would usually spend dealing with loose puppy hairs. Conclusion So, do these dogs shed? The answer is that it depends on the individual pup and several other factors. In general, bernedoodles are not considered a high-shedding breed. If you are concerned about Bernedoodle shedding, be sure to ask the breeder about the coat type of the puppy you are interested in and whether or not the dog has been neutered. Do F1 Bernedoodles shed? Are Bernedoodles hypoallergenic? Do Bernedoodles shed more than goldendoodles? Not really. Both of bernedoodles and goldendoodles are known for their lack of shedding. If this factor is an important one for you, then picking one of these breeds is definitely a good idea. Our Story Do Bernedoodles Shed? When I was looking into adopting our first doodle, I had a ton of questions, and one was, do bernedoodles shed, and how other will they need to be groomed? The short answer is…not really. But let me answer the question in more detail. The Answer It varies depending on the texture of the coat and how much they shed. The key to determining whether or not a Bernedoodle is likely to shed is to remember. The curlier the coat, as a result, the less likely to shed. The three texture types are straight, wavy, and curly. For instance, straight is most likely to shed, curly being non-shedding. Therefore, after a puppy is born, you can determine its coat type within the first few weeks. If your family is anything like mine, you have one or more people who cough, sneeze or become physically agitated. Around certain animals thanks to their pet dander. Fortunately, you can choose a Bernedoodle to bring you and your hours of happiness, years of joy, and the most memorable memories. Although this coat texture is referred to as straight, it has the smallest wave. Bernedoodles with this coat shed to make them the least hypoallergenic of all three coat types. These dogs will require a fair amount of brushing and regular grooming to combat the shedding. It is important to note that not many Bernedoodles have this kind of coat, making it the least common. This coat sheds a little or not at all and is a safe bet for those with allergies. The final coat type for Benerdoodles is curly. However, it looks similar to that of a Poodle. This coat does not shed at all and is the safest coat type for those who are allergic to pet dander. The curly coat consists of soft, tight curls that can easily become matted if not brushed frequently. Since their fur requires excellent care to avoid tangles or matting, curly-coated Bernedoodles require the most maintenance. I only brush it every week or so when I have not succumbed to the habit of forgetting. Even without brushing, her hair remains fine, without any knots or tangles. Her wavy coat does not shed at all. Thus, my family has not had any trouble with their allergies. Are Bernedoodles Hypoallergenic? After diving into information about the soft and oh-so-adorable Bernedoodle coat, it is essential to know that no dog breed is percent hypoallergenic. So, Do Bernedoodles Shed? Some simple dogs are better suited than others for people who suffer from allergies. If you or a family member has a severe allergy to pet dander, the curly-coated Berenedoodle would be best for you. The truth is, sometimes you do not know if a dog is suited for you until you take it home. As a result, you forgot to ask one question. Do Bernedoodles Shed? You finally bring your pup home, fall in love with it, and discover that your new family member has been causing your newfound allergy symptoms. Your steps for action will depend on the severity of your allergy. First and foremost, you must create safe zones for yourself. These zones will be where your Bernedoodle is not allowed. One place that must go on your list is your bedroom, as you spend a reasonable amount of time here hopefully at least 8 hours a night. Invest in an air filter or purification device to ensure no pet dander is moving about in the room. The device will allow a minimal amount of allergens to fly around in your safe zone. Next, do your best to keep cleaning up after your pet. For Bernedoodles, this will apply to those with straight coats as they shed the most. Dusting and vacuuming often will also help to minimize pet dander and allergens throughout your home. If you do not want to do heavy cleaning after your pet, I recommend keeping them off furniture. Lastly, consider medication to help ease your symptoms. You can start with over-the-counter antihistamines. Another option is to visit with your doctor to discuss other medications, such as an allergy shot. Your very last option is to consider rehoming your pet. This is especially true if you or a loved one has severe asthma. Again, I would like to point out that with careful consideration and care, Bernedoodles are a safe choice and should not cause your allergy symptoms to flare up. Grooming and Care The recommended grooming requirements vary from Bernedoodle to Bernedoodle, breeder to breeder, and groomer to groomer. Therefore, the information provided should be viewed more as a guide than a rule book. The general rule in regards to daily grooming is that the curly coat is going to require more brushing. This is again thanks to their tight and soft curls that habitually become matted. Straight-coated Berenedoodles will need to be brushed often. For this reason, to prevent their hair from shedding all over the place. The Bernedoodle that can get away with less frequent brushing is the one with a wavy coat which will only need 2 to 3 times a week. Bernedoodles are very much like humans when it comes to regular hair care in that they do not need their hair to be washed often because it strips them of their naturally occurring essential oils. Stripping these oils will cause their hair and skin to become unhealthy. Unhealthy hair leads to dry and irritated skin. With that said, bathe your Bernedoodle every months. Grooming for Bernedoodles should take place after they have had their first set of vaccines. Then they must visit their professional groomer every months. The real question is, do Bernedoodles shed? When deciding which Bernedoodle coat works best for you, remember. The curlier the coat, the less likely it is to shed and the more hypoallergenic it is. Also, a curlier coat will require lots of brushing to avoid matting. I hope this has helped you determine which Bernedoodle coat is best for you! Related Questions Are Bernedoodles good family dogs? Bernedoodles make for an excellent family dog! They have the intelligence of a Poodle and the happy-go-lucky personality of the Bernese Mountain Dog. With socialization in addition, they are great with kids and are suitable for family members who suffer from allergies. How much do Bernedoodles cost? The aspects of a Bernedoodle that determine its price include its size, color, generation, and breeder. Other recurring costs in a Bernedoodle include vaccination, food, and grooming. What are the Best Car ride tips for Beredoodle Puppies? I learned quickly that there were many things to consider, and my daughter and I made a video sharing all the details, and you can watch it here. And the reason for this is that, while one of its parents the Bernese Mountain Dog is a very heavy shedder , its other parent the Poodle is one of the lowest shedders in dogdom. That said, the amount of fur this breed drops ultimately depends on its lineage. But as a general rule, the more Poodle the breed has in its genes, the lower the shedding. And as a general rule, the more Poodle your Bernedoodle is, the less hair you should see floating around the home. This is because Bernese Mountain Dogs are, without exaggerating, one of the heaviest shedding dogs in the world. In contrast, Poodles are about as close to non-shedding as it gets, which is one of the reasons why so many dogs are crossbred with Poodles. So, what do they mean? And what impact does this have on shedding? This variety is considered low shedding. F1BB Bernedoodle: This breed consists of .There are other variants of the Bernedoodle, but those are the main ones. But both are low shedders overall. In any case, the main thing to remember is that the more Poodle-like the Bernedoodle is, the less likely it will be to shed heavily. Recommended: Go here to see our top-rated vacuums for dog hair and dander Other Factors That Can Contribute to Shedding The reality is that all dogs shed. The difference is how much each breed sheds, which is largely determined by the individual breed and its hair growth cycle. There are also several specific things to the Bernedoodle that can make a big difference in how much hair you will end up finding on your floors, furniture, and clothing. And they are its coat type, the size of the Bernedoodle, and whether it has a single or double coat. This coat can be more challenging and time-consuming to groom but will likely shed less because it means the Bernedoodle likely takes more after the low-shedding Poodle. Also, the dead hairs are more easily trapped in a curly coat, so the hair tends to come out more during brushing instead of falling onto the floors. On the other hand, Bernedoodles with a straight coat tend to take more after the high-shedding Bernese Mountain Dog. And therefore, small dogs will drop less hair than large dogs. Regarding Bernedoodles, they come in three sizes: tiny, miniature, and standard. This is thanks to their Poodle genes as Poodles come in toy, mini, or standard, whereas Bernese Mountain Dogs come in one size: large. As a side note, this is another reason why some prefer adopting a Bernedoodle to a purebred Bernese Mountain Dog; Bernedoodles can be a lot smaller depending on the parents. Single v. Double Coated Bernedoodles Other than having curly hair, one of the defining traits of a Poodle is that it has a single coat, which means that it only has one layer of fur. In contrast, Bernese Mountain Dogs are double-coated. This means it has two coats: an outer layer of fur that is longer and a thick, wooly undercoat. And the reason for this is that they are naturally preparing for the change of season. And in the lead-up to winter, they will blow coat and grow back a thicker, warmer coat. As I mentioned earlier, the general rule is that the lowest-shedding Bernedoodle is always the one with the highest percentage of Poodle in its genes because, unlike Bernese Mountain Dogs, Poodles are very low-shedding. But once you go beyond the F1BB, it kind of defeats the purpose of adopting a Bernedoodle in the first place because the dog would have almost no Bernese Mountain Dog in it by that point. For example, the Goldendoodle is another popular doodle crossbreed, which is a mix between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. So the Goldendoodle may shed a bit less than an F1 Bernedoodle. However, an F1B Bernedoodle will typically shed less than an F1 Goldendoodle as the former has more Poodle in its genes. Some Bernedoodles are considered hypoallergenic, which means they may be better suited to people with pet allergies. However, there are some important caveats here. First and foremost, no dog is truly hypoallergenic , so all dogs even hairless varieties have the potential to cause problems for those with pet allergies. That said, some dogs are more allergy-friendly than others. And this tends to be dogs that shed less hair because dander attaches itself to dead fur. Whereas, since Bernese Mountain Dogs are heavy shedding dogs that produce lots of dander, they are the exact opposite of a hypoallergenic breed. So it all depends on the individual Bernedoodle. In general, a Bernedoodle will be less hypoallergenic than a Poodle and more hypoallergenic than a Bernese Mountain Dog. The single best way to reduce shedding is to brush your Bernedoodle regularly. Which brush should you use? In general, a slicker brush, metal comb, or pin brush can work well for both Poodles and Bernese Mountain Dogs. So any one of these can serve as a good all-round brush for your Bernedoodle. So I recommend checking that out if you want to know more. Ideally, brushing every day or every other day is optimal. Does bathing help? Bathing your dog once a month with a good quality dog shampoo can make a world of difference, especially if you finish that routine with a blow dry and thorough brush. Be sure to use an appropriate shampoo, though. What about trimming? This is because Poodle coats can get knotted and tangled, and debris can get caught up in the curls, so trimming can make life easier. And this is especially true if your Bernedoodle has a double coat. It is not recommended to remove this because this is what helps insulate your dog in both hot and cold weather. What else can you do to reduce shedding? Assuming you have a solid grooming routine in place, one other effective way to limit how much fur your Bernedoodle drops is to ensure its diet is optimal. Not to mention, there are some natural shedding supplements that can be beneficial, too. For example, the increase in shedding may be because your Bernedoodle is losing its puppy coat which tends to happen at 9-to months of age , it could be blowing coat due to the change of season, or you may simply have a predominately Bernese Mountain Dog variety. However, things like allergies, fleas, and numerous health-related issues can cause dogs to shed excessively. So if you have any doubts at all, it may be best to contact a veterinarian. You can also see our complete guide to reducing shedding and FAQ page if you want to know more about what causes shedding and how best to control it. Recommended: Go here to see our top-rated air purifiers for dog hair and dander Final Thoughts Poodles are known as highly intelligent, athletic dogs that shed very little hair, which has made them the focus of many designer breeds. And as for Bernese Mountain Dogs, this adorable, friendly giant makes for an excellent family companion, given their affectionate nature. The only drawback is that the latter breed sheds a lot. With a Bernedoodle, not only do you get an awesome companion the whole family will love, but you can spend more time relaxing and less time cleaning up loose fur! Do you have a Bernedoodle? If so, how much does it shed? And what has been your experience with grooming? Let us know in the comments section below. But what is it about their coats that make them so special? Do Bernedoodles Shed? Bernedoodles are known for being a low-shed to no-shed breed. Their minimal shedding makes them a very allergy-friendly breed. Bernedoodle Coat Types Bernedoodle coats can vary in thickness, consistency, and color. In an F1 first generation breeding, you might get a puppy with a coat that looks more similar to a Poodle and get another puppy with a coat just like a Bernese. As a breeder begins to breed this first generation of Bernedoodles with other Bernedoodles, they are able to achieve more consistency and predictable traits shed level, color, size. Their coats can have a various range of colors as well. Some might be black and white while others may be black and brown or even solid black. This coat most resembles the coat of the Bernese. Some may even have a few other colors thrown in here and there. Generally, when an individual is looking to buy a Bernedoodle, the type of coat takes precedence over the coat color. Thicker hair will help them survive cold winters better while also giving them protection from the heat of summer. This is also something aspiring Bernedoodle owners consider when choosing a puppy. Bernedoodles usually come in one of three coat types: straight, wavy and curly. This coat is very free-flowing and often has a kinked or wavy appearance. The curls on this coat are usually tight with a soft texture much like what you would see on a Poodle. Curly coats may still shed, but they shed the hair upon themselves rather than on your floor. Unfortunately, this shedding upon themselves is what makes it necessary for them to be brushed daily and trimmed frequently. The curly coat Bernedoodle is usually the most suitable for owners who have an allergy to dog dander. This usually amounts to times per week. They also need to be professionally groomed every weeks to keep their paws, eyes, and private areas maintained. What About Allergies? Are They Hypoallergenic? No dog is truly non-allergenic. In the case of Bernedoodles, they are allergy-friendly because of their single coat. While all coats types are considered to be allergy-friendly, the curly coat is considered to be ideal for severe allergy sufferers. The reason is that, as stated above, no dog is non-allergenic, and the reason for this is that there is no dog that does not produce an allergic response of some kind. This is what makes allergic people miserable. Every breed of dog carries a different amount of these allergy-provoking proteins. The seborrheic level is the level of oil the dog produces. Certain oily-haired dogs, such as Labrador Retrievers, carry a large amount of these proteins. The less amount of oil a dog has in its skin, the less dander it will produce. Since the poodles are one of the least oily breeds of dog, Doodles and other dogs created by using Poodles are going to be more hypoallergenic and have fewer body odors. Therefore, Bernedoodles are more allergy-friendly. Most dogs have two coats: an undercoat and an overcoat. The undercoat, which is a softer coat, acts as an insulation to keep the dog warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The overcoat, a slightly more course topcoat, has stiff hairs that shield it from dirt or debris and repel water and moisture. Bernedoodles do not have the two coats. Bernedoodle puppies should be brushed regularly regardless of the coat type, although, curly coats will require brushing a little more frequently. When the Bernedoodle gets about nine months of age, he will start losing the coat a little by little. Related Questions Do Bernedoodles need to be brushed often? Because Bernedoodles shed so little, they should be brushed regularly, but the frequency of brushing can be determined on the type of coat. Curly coats will need to be brushed on an almost daily basis while straight coats can get by with being brushed only a couple of times a week. Do Bernedoodles mat easily like the other Doodle dogs? Bernedoodles do have a tendency to become matted if they are not brushed regularly. This is particularly true with Bernedoodles who have the curly coat. The curlier the coat, the more likely it is to become matted if not brushed. Can coat type be determined through breeding? Coat type absolutely can be determined through breeding. If the breeder is experienced, he or she can determine exactly what kind of a coat the litter will have based on which sire and dam are being used for the breeding and past genetics. This is where F1, F2, F3, and multigenerational breeding comes in handy. Conclusion With so many wonderful dogs out there, one would often wonder why aspiring dog owners would choose a mixed breed dog like the Bernedoodle. Related Posts:. Is this always true though? Mini-Bernedoodle with low-shedding traits The thing that makes Bernedoodles, and any Doodle for that matter, low-shedding is all found in their genetics. Okay, so all of that sounds really complicated, right? And, it is! Luckily, there is a simple way to check if a Doodle has Furnishings. Check their face! A Doodle with fuzzy eyebrows and a fluffy beard around their muzzle is what you want to look for as a sign that they'll be low-shedding. Additionally, their coat should fluff up from their body and have at least a wave to it. Another way you can think about it is this if the Doodle you're looking at has the same texture of coat as a Bernese Mountain Dog, they're more likely to shed like a Bernese Mountain Dog. We're not looking at the colors here, this is a texture thing. A Doodle's coat should be soft, but it won't have that fine silky texture you'd find in the Bernese Mountain Dog or Golden Retriever. When looking for a Mini-Bernedoodle, you can ask the breeder for a copy of the genetics from the parents. Many tests come with an analysis that explains what everything means, but even if it doesn't you can either look up the info yourself or call the company that tested the DNA for assistance. We have a litter of Mini-Bernedoodles on the way! They will arrive this fall. Check out our available puppy page to see what cute, low-shedding Doodle puppies we have now.

Vocality level 1 in 5 Disclaimer: While the characteristics mentioned here may frequently represent this breed, dogs are individuals whose personalities and appearances will vary. Please consult the adoption organization for details on a specific pet. He is willing to please, although he retains a stubborn streak. He is very good with children. Most are moderately friendly toward strangers. Although some can be aggressive with strange dogs, the breed is quite good with other pets. Upkeep The Bulldog appreciates a daily outing but cannot tolerate hot humid weather, which can be deadly. He should not be expected to jog or walk great distances, or to jump from any heights. Most Bulldogs cannot swim. Most Bulldogs wheeze and snore, and some drool. Coat care is minimal, but facial wrinkles and any folds around the tail should be cleaned daily. Special precautions must be taken when anesthetizing a Bulldog. Caesarean deliveries are commonly needed. Hip radiographs show most Bulldogs to be dysplastic but few show overt symptoms. History With the most distinctive mug in dogdom, the Bulldog has an equally distinctive history. Some Bulldogs were also set against bears for bear baiting, purely for entertainment. In , bull baiting was outlawed, and a new phase began for the Bulldog. By all rights, the breed should have become extinct, except that it had gained so many ardent admirers that they set out to rescue the Bulldog by selecting against ferocity while still maintaining—and often accentuating—its distinctive physical characteristics. Its tough steadfast persona led it to be identified as a national symbol of England. Its amiable clownish personality belies its appearance, and the Bulldog is a popular pet. Related Content. Our website is dedicated to connecting you with reputable English Bulldog breeders across the USA, ensuring that you bring home a healthy and happy furry companion without breaking the bank. Finding the perfect English Bulldog puppy at an affordable price can be a challenging task. However, our platform simplifies the process by curating a list of trusted English Bulldog breeders who offer these delightful companions at budget-friendly rates. We understand that everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and companionship that a lovable English Bulldog can bring to their lives. History of English bulldog puppies Cheap near you! The national dog of England, their strong heads, loose skin and short legs give them a very distinctive, amusing appearance. Bulldogs are generally gentle, affectionate dogs that love to be around their families. They are excellent with children and have a medium-low activity level that makes them great for apartment or city living. These loveable dogs are loyal to a fault and are sure to make you smile. English Bulldogs are calm, non-sporting dogs with a sourmug face that love to chew and play tug-of-war. British Bulldogs rarely bark but snore, snort, wheeze, grunt, and snuffle instead. Bulldogs are a people-oriented, loyal and devoted watchdogs that love to nap by your side. Temperament of english bulldogs Temperament is a crucial factor to consider when bringing a new furry friend into your life. English Bulldogs are known for their gentle, friendly, and affectionate nature. They make excellent companions and are particularly good with children, making them a fantastic choice for families. Despite their somewhat serious expression, they have a fun-loving and playful side that will bring joy to your everyday life. This Bulldog puppy is a very social and sweet baby girl who loves everyone she meets! She is raised with children that play with her daily. This gal will steal your heart the second you look into those puppy eyes and when she gives you one of her famous puppy kisses. She will make a fantastic addition to any family. This puppy is AKC registered, vet checked, vaccinated, wormed and comes with a 1 year genetic health guarantee. Her momma is Kayla. This puppy is anxious to meet her new family and begin her life of adventure with you! Call now!

We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error you received an incorrect or defective item, etc. You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper 5 to 10 business days , the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it 3 to 5 business days , and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request 5 to 10 business days. If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item s button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item. Product description Drools German shepherd puppy formula is essential during the puppy's growth period, as the digestive system is not yet fully developed and cannot absorb nutrients in the same way as adult dogs. Highly digestible ingredients supports healthy digestion and better assimilation of nutrients in body. Also high quality prebiotics, for optimum fibre digestion and intestinal health. The German shepherd puppy formula takes into account the German shepherd puppy's digestive sensitivity. DHA for smarter and stronger puppy Omega 3 and 6 for a healthy and shiny coat Enhanced immunity Better digestibility and health Buy dog food from ShakeHands, the pet store online. Similar products you might like Login. It is suitable for the teeth It is good for the liver. It provides adequate nutrition. It is rich in PUFAs. It is enriched with colostrum. It has a high fibre content. It contains glucosamine for maintaining bone health. It has omega fatty acids. It is easy on the gut. It is uniquely formulated for puppies. It is suitable for weight-watching. It is enriched with DHA. It is suitable for digestion. It helps muscle growth Best overall product: There are many dog food options for German Shepherds available in the market, and each of them has a unique formula and offers exciting benefits. It gives your dog a complete and balanced meal with the right amounts of protein, fats and fibre. It takes care of adequate muscle and bone growth, is easy to digest, and is good for their teeth. Best value for money: For just Rs. It is also great for their coat and keeps it shiny and soft. It promotes muscle development and is easily digestible. It has the perfect balance of vitamins and minerals. How To find the right fog food? We must give our pets proper nutrition with their food. A good diet is the best way to ensure a healthy dog. Dog foods for german shepherds must include the right quantity of proteins, fats and fibres. They should be a balanced meal to ensure good muscle growth, good gut health and a shiny coat. You must also ensure that the dog food provides adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals to make up a sound immune system. Since most dog foods come with flavour options, you can choose the ones your dog likes best and make their meals enjoyable. You may be interested in Product.

In case you change your mind, your deposit is fully refundable until the puppies turn four weeks old. After the puppies turn four weeks old, your deposit will be non-refundable but is transferable to the next litter. If you have a deposit on the current litter and there are not enough puppies to go around, your deposit will be refundable or transferable to the next litter. We will determine the order of choosing a puppy according to the time of the deposit is received. Once the deposit is received, we will provide information on when to choose your puppy and a checklist of how to prepare for your trip, how to puppy-proof your home for Puppy's arrival. The puppy will be ready to go home when they turn eight weeks old. Puppies will come home with health record, all the other documents, a bag of their current dog food and a goodie box full of toys and treats. We are located in Oakland, CA. We offer delivery and flight nanny Service. We do not offer cargo shipping due to the weather in summer. We can meet somewhere midway to the San Fransisco Bay Area. Let us know! Email us or call us to find out more! All puppies will be vet checked, with clear bill of health, receive their first vaccinations, and be dewormed a minimum of 3 times. We do not provide AKC full registration. Send us an email at eastbaygoldenpuppies gmail. We will reach out with information on our puppy availability soon. We determine the order of choosing your new puppy by the time the deposit received. Looking forward to hearing from you soon! He is perfect! He has medium energy level and knows how to play on his own when we are busy. We are amazed by how calm and how smart he is. He is not like our previous golden who needed a lot of attention and exercise. He is so easy to train and to take care of! He was partially potty trained when we brought him home. We are continuing his potty training and everything is going so well with him. Thank you so much! We've seen nothing but exceptional care and love given to their dogs and puppies. We are beyond grateful! Our adorable baby girl Luna is so cute. We adore her! Thank you so much for everything! They are super friendly people, and we are really happy that we picked East Bay Golden Retrievers. We love our golden Gracie, she is really healthy and a smart pup! We have answers. The price of Golden Retriever puppies varies based on several different factors, including breeder experience. For example, white Golden Retriever puppies for sale, red Golden Retriever puppies for sale, English cream Golden Retriever puppies for sale may be priced differently. But one of the best things about our MatchMaker process is that it allows us to connect you with breeders and puppies based on so many factors—with price being one of them. Do your breeders ship puppies out of state? Are there Golden Retriever breeders near me? They sure do. Breeders in our network are able to ship puppies to all 48 states in the Continental US to any major airport. But with the size of our network, you might just live down the street from one of our breeders—so feel free to swing by and pick your puppy up if that suits you better! How do you screen breeders? We strictly screen breeders based on standards like animal health and care, facilities, legal requirements and more. Head on over to our Breeder Pledge page to find out more. Why is Uptown Puppies different from other places? Nowadays, finding a healthy puppies Golden Retriever is far harder than it used to be. Bad breeders and puppy mills operate without punishment thanks to the internet, and weeding through the disreputable ones is chore. Uptown Puppies exists to do one thing—bring together the best breeders in one place, and make it easy to connect those breeders with awesome families like yours. What is a puppy mill? Puppy mills are sad places that treat dogs like breeding machines instead of living creatures. At mills, you can expect to find unhealthy, mistreated dogs that will run you thousands of extra dollars in veterinarian bills.The majority of pet shop dogs, for example, come from mills. Are there any Golden Retriever puppies for sale near me? What is the MatchMaker process? We developed our MatchMaker system to make it fun and easy for families to find great puppies—and not just great puppies, but the right puppies. How do I know I can trust you? We know just as well as anyone that bad breeders are a dime per dozen.

Fortunately, you will not need many supplies to tape your German shepherd puppy's ears. In fact, you may already have some of the supplies at home. One of the supplies you will need is women's large foam rollers. The large size of rollers is usually pink, but do not rely on color to choose the correct size. Alternatively, you could use small pipe insulation tubing, which is available at home improvement stores. If you choose to use tubing, it should be about the same diameter as a large foam roller. The type of tape to use is very important! The best type of tape to use is white surgical tape two-inch wide 3M Micropore tape , which is available at your local pharmacy. Do not use duct tape or electrical tape. These types of tape are too adhesive and could damage your puppy's ears. You will also need glue Skin Bond adhesive is recommended and one or two unsharpened 2 pencils. A popsicle stick will be needed to serve as a 'bridge' between your puppy's ears after you have taped them. Remove the plastic rod from the middle of the roller. Next, insert the unsharpened pencil about 1 inch into the middle opening of the roller—this will help you stabilize the roller when you position it inside the ear. You will then apply the glue about three-fourths of the way around the circumference of the roller. If you apply too much, the glue could run into your puppy's ear canal and potentially cause irritation. The glue could also drip onto your hands, which would make it difficult for you to easily maneuver your hands. If you prefer to use the tape, you will not need to put the pencil in the roller. Proper positioning of the foam roller is important so that you do not block your puppy's ear canal and impair his ability to hear. Place the roller inside the ear near the bottom half of the ear flap. Make sure there is two fingers' worth of space between the bottom of the roller and your puppy's head. Holding the pencil end of the roller, wrap the ear around the roller. While continuing to hold the pencil end, start taping at the top of the ear in a circular motion and work your way down. Use firm pressure when taping the ear, but be careful not to tape the ear too tightly—not only would this be uncomfortable for your puppy, but it may also cut off circulation to the ear. Place the popsicle stick behind the top of both ears and secure it to each ear with additional tape or glue. The popsicle stick will act like a bridge between the ears to keep them upright and stabilized while they are taped. Your puppy will probably want to start messing with his ears as soon as you finish taping them up. You can distract him with food or a few minutes of playtime. Distracting him with activities that he enjoys will divert his attention from his ears, at least temporarily. Your puppy's ears may need up to two weeks to remain stabilized in the upright position. During this time, your puppy will probably manage to remove the popsicle stick and might even start unraveling the tape from his ears. This is most likely to happen in the first 24 hours after you have taped his ears. If you notice the tape unraveling, or that the popsicle stick has come off, make the fixes where needed. Cover up his ears with a plastic bag if it is raining outside when it's time for your puppy to go out. Consider taking the tape off after seven days to see if the ears will stand up on their own. If not, re-tape the ears. It is recommended to use an adhesive remover to remove the tape from your puppy's ears. Following the instructions on the adhesive remover bottle, gently and slowly remove the tape and foam roller from your puppy's ears. Do not forcefully rip off the tape or rip out the roller. Not only will this be painful for your puppy, but you may also end up damaging the inside of your puppy's ears. Do not be worried if your puppy's ears do not stand exactly upright when you remove the tape and foam roller. His ears may be a little weak after being taped, but will strengthen over time. Scissors How to begin: The video starts with Dr. Bill laying out all of is supplies and taping the straws to each individual piece of gauze. Next, he back-rolls the gauze so that the sticky tape is on the outside of the straw so that it will stick to the inside of the ear. He then tears off the tape strips that will be used to tape the straw to the ears. He makes these in two sizes, two the width of the tape plus two narrower strips. He also tears off a strip to brace the ears. He sticks all these to the treatment table so that they are handy during the procedure. How to tape the ears After all his supplies are ready, Dr. Bill then begins taping the ears. He inserts the soft end of the straw into the inside of the ear flap while holding the ear to the sticky tape on the straw. He then takes a piece of tape and starting on the back of the ear the side with hair tapes the ear to the straw so that the ear is standing in the erect position. Bill tape both ears. The video demonstrates how to wrap one thin piece of tape around the base of both ears using a crisscross method. This will help stabilize the ears if your dog shakes their head, etc. They should be braced so that they move in tandem when your dog moves or shakes their head. The tape should be light on the ears as opposed to heavy and not too uncomfortable for the dog. How long should the tape stay on? Leave the tape of the ears for two weeks. Your dog will wear the tape until their ears can stand up. If the ears are not standing on their own by 7 to 8 months, they most likely will never stand on their own so end the process and enjoy your beautiful pup just how they are. We hope you find this video helpful. Ears up or down, we love German shepherds! Please feel free to share with your friends. I get a lot of emails about taping German Shepherd puppy ears. The majority of these emails come from people who are jumping the gun and worrying too much. By that, I mean their pups are 3 or 4 months old and they are starting to panic because their puppy's ears are not standing. I tell these people that they need patience, they need to wait until their pup has finished teething. I caution these people not to jump the gun and tape the dog's ears too early or in the wrong way. I know people who have screwed their dog's ears up for life by doing this. I have had puppy customers who go ballistic on me and panic. So I issue a word of caution here. With that said, the other side of the spectrum of taping ears is something that many people do not take seriously until it's too late. When ears are taped at 7 and 8 months, there is very little chance of it working. This is an unfortunate fact of life. German Shepherd puppy ears can come up between 8 weeks and 6 months. If they are not up when the dog is through teething this varies from dog to dog but in general between 16 weeks and 20 weeks of age , I tell my puppy customers to get very interested in their ears. While it's not time to panic, it is time to sit up and take notice. The first thing to do is make sure that your puppy is in good health. This means no intestinal parasites. Take a stool sample to your vet to have it analyzed. It's also important to make sure the pup is getting good quality food. We feed and recommend a raw diet but if you do feed a commercial diet, I strongly recommend researching all the options available and feeding the highest-quality food you can afford. View our list of all-natural kibble alternatives. In fact, a lot of times, a pup will have both ears up and all of a sudden, they will come back down when the pup starts to teeth. Many owners panic when this happens. But not to worry, I have never seen a pup whose ears did not go back up when this happens. If a pup does not have his ears up by 5 months, I strongly recommend that you get involved with taping your dog's ears. Use the thin white surgical tape the kind that's paper-thin and tears easily. The 3M Micropore tape, 2" wide, works well. I like to use women's hair rollers. Take the plastic out of them and just use the foam. Wrap the ear around the foam and tape them into a tight roll. In a vertical position. Take a popsicle stick and attach it to the top part of both ears. In a horizontal position. The pup is going to tear the tape or stick off the ears several times. The key is to continue to re-tape the ears. Sooner or later, the pup will forget the tape and ignore it. About once a week, take the tape off and see if the ears will stand on their own. Continue to re-tape until the ears stand. If the ears are not up by 7 or 8 months, they are not going to come up. The ears should look like this once taped. The same dog with ears now up. I have seen ears that did not stand, which in my opinion would have stood had they been taped. So this process is not something to take lightly. I also need to say that many ears will be a little weak right after taping but with time, they will strengthen. So when an ear does not stand perfectly after taping don't panic. Just have patience and see what happens. You will really not have an idea exactly what you have until the pup is 12 months old. When ears do not stand, there are ear implants that can be surgically added. I have no experience with this and do not know anything about them. If you are unlucky enough to have a dog whose ears will not stand, I would point you toward a vet that has some experience in this area. I don't think it's something that normal small animal vets know how to do well. In my opinion, too young to tape. The material to use to tape German Shepherd Ears The pup with its ears taped I prefer taping German Shepherd Dogs ears after the dog has finished teething. This usually means the dog is older than 4 - 6 months. Maybe waiting another month would have been a better idea for this puppy.

Labrador Genetic Tests Over the last few years a range of genetic tests have sprung up. These tests were created to help Labrador breeders determine whether their breeding stock is likely to pass on one or more diseases to their puppies. These tests have been a fantastic development. Enabling us to make better choices about which Labradors to include in a breeding programme. Certificate of recent eye exam They may also have had a test to rule out skeletal dysplasia, a form of dwarfism that can occur in Labs. Simple inheritance Some diseases are passed on by a simple process. In one straightforward type of inheritance each dog inherits a pair of genes one from each parent that is related to the disease in question. And these genes can either be good do not cause the disease or bad can cause the disease if they are paired with another bad gene. An example of this type of disease is Progressive Retinal Atrophy which affects many of our dog breeds and cause blindness. The problem with this old test was that dogs may show signs of the disease until after they have produced puppies. The gene test enables us to prevent these dogs from being mated. One of the best things about some of these genetic tests is that not only do they help us exclude affected dogs from the gene pool, but that they also enable us to include Labradors that would have been excluded before these tests emerged. Excluding dogs from the gene pool With this simple type of inheritance only a dog with two bad genes can get sick, but a dog with one good and one bad gene can pass the bad gene on to its puppies. If a dog has two bad genes, we can exclude it from our breeding programme. We can also make preparations in advance to help care for the dog when symptoms of the disease arise. If in doubt, the dog would be excluded from breeding. We could not risk mating a carrier a dog with one bad gene and one good with another carrier, because some of the puppies would then be affected get sick. With the new gene tests, we can include carriers in a breeding programme provided that they are mated to dogs which are clear of the disease two good genes. None of the puppies from this mating will be affected, though some may be carriers. All will therefore need to be tested in turn before breeding Why would we breed from a carrier? The problem is, that in many pedigree breeds, the gene pools are quite small. After many years of closed registry breeding, and because certain breeding practices involve the over-use of certain individual dogs, the dogs within the breed are often quite closely bred and share many relations. Excluding more dogs from the breeding programme would be disastrous. We badly need more genetic diversity, and these simple tests give us that opportunity. More complex inheritance Of course some diseases are not so obliging. Some are polygenic. Many genes probably contribute to the disease, and we have not identified them. Sometimes the environment plays a part too. Hip dysplasia is an example of such a disease. And to only mate animals with the healthiest looking joints. Are Labrador genetic tests necessary? Yes, but only if you hope to have the dog mated. Many tests are expensive and some are quite involved. For the most part, there is no need to have your dog tested unless you intend to breed from him or her. If you do, it will help you to decide whether making puppies from a certain pairing is a good idea or not. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. After seeing images of such fuzzy bliss, many owners of labs think it would be fun to create little mini versions of their favorite pet. However, breeding is a lot of work, time and expense. People who attempt it should be well informed of the risks and rewards. If you are looking for a puppy, you need to understand the process in order to ask the right questions. You need to ask for the correct paperwork to ensure your puppy has the best chance of growing into a healthy adult. The 1 Motto For Responsible Breeding With so many dogs available for adoption in shelters, there are millions of pups that need homes. The only reason that two Labradors should be bred is to further the breed standard. The best way to do this is to show your dog and have an objective person compare them with other Labradors. A judge is an expert on what to look for in the breed, and can tell if your dog stands out as the ideal specimen. Even if your dog looks healthy, they may be a carrier for several very serious diseases found in Labs. With any purebred dog, you will find common genetic problems. Without proper understanding of breeding lineage and possible issues that could arise, you could produce puppies that add to the genetic diseases instead of fighting against these debilitating issues. Genetic traits, including those that cause disease, are found to be either dominant or recessive. Dominant Genes: If any diseases are found on dominant genes, they will only need one gene to show up in the puppies for the problem to develop. Recessive Genes: Diseases from recessive genes need both parents to carry the genes and pass them to their offspring before the issues develop. While this seems fairly straightforward, there are also polygenic disorders that result from the cumulative actions of multiple genetic combinations. They can also mimic both dominant and recessive genes depending on the make up. Finally, genetic diseases also spring from chromosomal abnormalities. Normally, dogs have 39 chromosomes. However, a change to the number or structure of these chromosomes can cause genetic disorders including down syndrome. Genetic Issues in Labradors Genetic defects can show up in any breed and impact any system in the body. However, there are certain common genetic issues that are seen more often in the Labrador breed. Here are the main genetic tests that should be performed to ensure your dog is fit to breed. Hip Dysplasia Hip dysplasia is common in many large dog breeds, and Labs are unfortunately not exempt. It is an abnormal formation of the ball and socket of the hip joint that eventually leads to painful arthritis. Excellent hip scores are a must for both parents. Elbow Dysplasia While most people are aware of hip dysplasia, they are often less aware of an equally important test. Elbow dysplasia is also commonly found in Labradors. Dogs used for breeding should first be cleared by a cardiologist veterinarian to ensure they are free from this issue. Centronuclear Myopathy CNM CNM, which is similar to muscular dystrophy in humans, results in weight loss, loss of tendon reflexes, awkward gait and exercise intolerance. Make sure to clear your dog of this genetic issue before breeding. Exercise Intolerance and Collapse EIC EIC is a condition where dogs become weak in their hindquarters and collapse after 5 to 20 minutes of high-intensity exercise. Narcolepsy NARC This disease runs in large breeds and can either cause the dogs to suddenly fall asleep or look like they are having a seizure. For example, a Chocolate Labrador would be a silver color if they had this diluted coat trait. Additional Testing Additionally to the above, there are further additional tests available to eliminate some less frequently seen diseases in Labradors. And of course, both parents should also be checked thoroughly by a veterinarian and given a clean bill of health. Responsible breeders want to ensure their dogs are fit for breeding and will invest in these tests before bringing new pups into the world. With the help of genetic testing, breeders have all the tools necessary to have the best shot at producing the healthiest puppies that replicate the breed standard. Video of a Responsible Breeder Discussing Genetic Testing Here is a video where Labrador breeder Donna Stanley talks about the genetic testing that she does for her dogs before breeding to produce the most healthy and happy pups possible. Commit to Being a Responsible Breeder As you can see, responsible breeding is not for the faint of heart! There are many other factors to consider, such as breed confirmation approval from judges in the show ring, the time and expense of breeding and raising the puppies, and the necessity to ensure that the next generation is an improvement on the last. After all, no one wants the heartbreak and expense of treating a sick puppy whose suffering could have been prevented if the proper preliminary testing had occurred with the parents. Buyers are also becoming more aware of these genetic tests, and savvy puppy purchasers will ask to see certifications and paperwork proving that the parents are ideal candidates for breeding. Breeding quality Labradors can be very rewarding and fun, but make sure you are truly prepared for the amount of research, money and time involved before taking on this awesome responsibility. Disclaimer All content on this site is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be nor can it be considered actionable professional advice. It must not be used as an alternative for seeking professional advice from a veterinarian or other certified professional. Please consult a professional before taking any course of action with any medical, health or behavioral related issue. 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. Any thoughts? If you are under the impression that she somehow must have a litter to improve her health, think again. You should have a good reason for wanting to breed from her; for example, to keep a puppy, carry on desirable characteristics, improve the breed generally or produce a puppy for a friend. Before considering the multitude of testing that should be carried out on a prospective mum, please consider her suitability for Labrador breeding. Is her conformation of an acceptable standard? Is she too fat or are her legs too short? Do you look at her through rose-tinted spectacles? Is she affected by any of the health issues that are inherited but for which there is no test available? I Is breeding from her likely to be detrimental to her welfare, especially her temperament? Also take into account your circumstances: do you have the time, the place, the financial ability and, most importantly, the stomach? A fail here stops you in your tracks without further expense or risk. Testing should be carried out annually, so one should be done in the 12 months preceding the mating. Hip and elbow dysplasia are multifactorial abnormalities of development of the hip and elbow respectively. Both have a strong inherited element, especially elbows, though diet, exercise and luck also play a part. Dogs must be one year old or over. Each hip is scored from 0 to 53, so that the best hips have a score of 0 0 and the very worst 53 .Beware of just being quoted a total score. The Elbow Dysplasia Scheme requires lateral X-rays of both elbows, taken at and degree angles. Your vet would normally do this at the same time as the hip X-rays. Each elbow is scored from 0 to 3. DNA testing will flag up whether your dog has any inherited conditions DNA testing So your eye test is clear and your hips and elbows are looking good, now it is time for some DNA testing. Some conditions are caused by mutation of only one gene, so their inheritability is predictable. For Labradors, these are: Centronuclear myopathy CNM , a defect of the formation of muscle fibres that results in weakness, fatigue, difficulty eating and collapse. Exercise-induced collapse EIC , a genetic disorder that generally affects otherwise fit dogs that deal with normal exercise without a problem. Strenuous activity, however, especially when associated with excitement, produces hind and sometimes foreleg collapse lasting 15 minutes. The problem lies with a protein that is involved in neurotransmission. Hereditary nasal parakeratosis HNPK , an abnormality that causes the nose to dry out, leading to crusting, irritation, secondary infection and, over time, loss of pigment. Progressive retinal atrophy PRA. The retina is the light-sensitive part of the posterior eye. Progressive rod-cell degeneration leading to PRA is one of a group of retinal disorders that start with loss of night vision and eventually result in blindness. Affected dogs show symptoms from three to nine years old, so potentially after they have been bred from. Retinal dysplasia is similar but causes abnormal development of the rod cells, so that blindness occurs early in life, at around two to three months. Skeletal dysplasia 2 SD2 , a form of dwarfism, known as mild disproportionate dwarfism, where the body is normal but the legs especially the front legs are too short. It seems its origin can be traced back to a single male labrador, born in .You should have a good reason for wanting to breed from your dog For further advice I would suggest a few hours perusing the Kennel Club website. Remember that when agreeing to these tests being carried out, you also sign to allow the results to be published on the Kennel Club website. You can, therefore, check out the health status of any prospective sire, discover the world of Estimated Breeding Values and generally further muddy the waters by poring over pedigrees. Do not breed from untested dogs. Oh, and speak to your vet before committing to breeding Labradors. By Tom Massey Oct 09, It may seem counterintuitive, but the more popular and in-demand a puppy breed is, the more likely it is that these dogs will be sold to families without the proper health clearances. Greater scrutiny makes it seem like breeders will conform to high standards and practices of breeding, but the reality is that popular breeds tend to attract pseudo-breeders looking to make a quick buck. While some health issues for Labs are genetic, others are developed through their lifetime. Even if your Labrador is predisposed for particular genetic conditions, there are ways that you, as a responsible owner, can make decisions that will positively affect the long-term health of your Labrador Retriever. In other words, what an individual breeder does or fails to do affects the health of all future generations and stock of dams and sires from other breeders. Health guarantees are not synonymous with health clearances, so make sure to ask for records of health certificates and pre-breeding examinations. Every breed of dog is more prone to a particular set of diseases and less likely to develop some others. Breeders who do genetic testing pre-breeding can ensure that their puppy is at a lower risk of developing these genetically-predisposed diseases. What Is a Health Clearance? While the results of pre-breeding examinations are strictly confidential, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals does post clear results from the OFA tests. Pre-breeding exams for dams and sires typically include the following tests: Dams: General physical examination, checking for vaginal abnormalities or strictures, as well as testing for brucellosis Sires: Checking the testicles, prostate, and penis for abnormalities, a general physical examination, and brucellosis testing Health clearance tests differ from breed to breed. Labrador Retrievers, for example, benefit from further genetic health screening tests. Dominant and recessive genes in Labrador Retrievers play a role in everything from behavior, coat color, and ear length, to more serious issues like PRA blindness which an Optigen test looks for. They could just be a carrier for the gene, which remains unexpressed, and it tells the breeder that some portion of their offspring may inherit this gene — either expressed or not. These first years of their life should not be bogged down with health issues. These documents will guarantee that the puppy is healthy and free of any serious infectious diseases. Families should take their puppy to the vet within hours of bringing their new bundle home and double-check these assurances and vaccinations with their family vet. These are the most common issues Labradors may face as they age. Any large breed of dogs can present with an abnormal formation of the hip joint and socket. Both the dam and sire must have excellent hip scores, and this is where OFA tests and certifications can tell you whether this is truly the case or not. It presents in a variety of ways, including lameness, abnormal gait, holding the elbow at odd angles, and a reticence to play and move. Your dog could become easily tired, experience stiffness when standing, and may experience inflammation of the joint. The tricuspid valve in a dog with TVD is malformed and, as a result, the heart cannot pump blood as effectively as in healthy dogs. A Labrador with TVD will experience fluid or swelling, stunted growth, and loud breathing. Tests include a urinalysis, a complete blood count, and a chemical blood profile. Dogs with CNM experience weight loss, gradual loss of tendon reflexes, an awkward gait, and eventually display exercise intolerance. Known as EIC, exercise intolerance is a gradual weakness and decline in Labradors because of related diseases. Labradors with NARC issues could fall asleep suddenly or experience sudden shaking that resembles a seizure. Like previous diseases, narcolepsy in Labradors is a recessive condition. Depending on the severity of the issue or the genetic dominance, these tests provide awareness and information for both the buyer and the breeder. That way, if any related health issue comes up in the future, owners who buy Labrador puppies from reliable breeders have a clear family history. Conclusion Health guarantees and health clearances should give you, as a potential owner, more than just peace of mind. Health clearances help to ensure that all future generations of puppies are healthy, happy, and a part of a diverse genetic pool. At Snowy Pines White Labs, we encourage our families to look for health clearances based on two guarantees: Firstly, that your chosen puppy is currently healthy and is without any infectious diseases. Secondly, breeders should also offer a clearance that guarantees against the presence of major congenital defects and other genetic issues for quite some time after bringing your puppy home. Snowy Pines White Labrador puppies are a special part of our family and we treat them as such. Dogs from our dams and sires have produced generations of healthy, happy, and high-quality puppies with a formidable family history. Learn more about the lineage of our Labrador puppies or about how one-on-one care and individual attention for our puppies makes all the difference. Health screening for Labrador diseases is important. It enables us to know whether mating two adult Labradors will result in puppies less likely to suffer from inherited diseases. Ones which could give them a life of discomfort, and their owner a whole lot of stress and heartache. Not to mention putting them seriously out of pocket in the process. Within the Labrador gene pool, lurks a range of unpleasant inherited diseases. Understanding these diseases and learning to detect and prevent them, is an important part of improving Labrador health on a national basis. Health screening for Labrador diseases involves testing dogs. To see whether they carry the genes which could cause them or their future offspring to suffer from an inherited disease. A good deal of research has gone into these Labrador diseases. As a result there are now a number of screening tests available to Labrador Breeders. In most cases these screening tests are applied to the parents that are about to be bred from, rather than the puppies that are being sold. The most commonly applied screening tests offered by the BVA are Labrador hip scores and eye tests. All responsible breeders now test their breeding stock for these two conditions. There are also a range of further tests now available to breeders. And many responsible breeders are testing for these additional Labrador diseases too. You could be forgiven for assuming that a pedigree Labrador must have undergone some form of health screening, or come from health tested parents. Sadly, there are still many Labrador puppies available for sale in the UK whose parents do not have even the most basic health clearances. Puppies bred from unscreened parents can at the time of writing, still be legitimately registered with the Kennel Club. A genuine pedigree does not offer you any health guarantees. It is up to you, the buyer, to determine whether or not the parents of your puppy have been screened. You also need to know that the results of the screening meet your requirements. You must check that this score was better than the average result. You should only view a litter of Labrador puppies if both the parents have good hip scores and clear eye tests. You should ask in advance for hip and eye test certificates of both parents to be available for your scrutiny when you visit the puppies. Or better still, for copies to be emailed to you in advance of your journey. If certificates are not forthcoming, you should walk away. Labrador Eye Problems Labradors are susceptible to a serious eye disease that causes blindness, sometimes at a young age. And pronounced free from disease at the time of the examination. It does NOT mean that the dog does not have the inherited condition, just that he or she displays no sign of it at this time. These basic eye tests should be carried out on an annual basis. Labrador Hip Scores Hip dysplasia is a crippling disease of the hip joints. After examination, each hip is allocated a score. The lower the score, the better the hips. A perfect hip has a score of zero. But this is fairly unusual. The score is expressed by two numbers — one for each hip. In this example, .What we are looking for in good breeding stock is a Labrador hip score that is better than average. This greatly reduces the chances of the puppies inheriting severe hip problems. However, it does not guarantee your puppy will have good hips. Hip scores vary from breed to breed, and from year to year. You can find the latest data on the BVA website. In Labradors, the current five year mean is .Most Labrador breeders should be aiming to breed from stock with a hip score that is lower than average and balanced. This should result in gradual improvement in the breed over time. A good hip score for a Labrador is probably anything under 6, made up of even numbers on each side. Labrador Elbow Dysplasia Elbow dysplasia in Labradors is similar to hip dysplasia, but affecting the elbow joints of the dog. It occurs when abnormal growth causes a malformation or degeneration of the elbow. This can lead to lameness, loss of range of movement and severe pain. Elbow scores are rated differently to hip scores, being given a rating of 0 to 3. Where 0 is a perfect elbow and 3 is one that is very affected. The range of scores is small, which means that there is not a lot of scope to clearly separate the range of potential problems. Health Screening Labs There are some additional tests now available to Labrador breeders, and these have been developed by independent organisations. The Optigen test is becoming popular, and many breeders are now testing their stock. These tests are relatively recent developments and the more breeders that support them, the better our chances of eradicating these unpleasant diseases. If you have been told that your Labrador puppy is a carrier for a nasty disease you might be concerned. Imagine you have picked out your beautiful labrador puppy and horror of horrors your breeder responsibly tells you that this puppy could be a carrier for a serious inherited disease. What should you do? Is it safer to back out and look for another puppy? Or should you go ahead and purchase a puppy that carries a serious disease? In most circumstances where the mechanism of inheritance is clear cut, it is perfectly safe for you to purchase a puppy that is, or might be, a carrier for a known disease. Labrador Genetics Genes come in pairs, one from each parent, and each pair works together to determine one aspect of your dog, coat colour for example, ear length. And then of course the millions of less obvious features that go to make your dog what he is, and which in some cases, may make your dog prone to illness. The gene for black coat for example, is dominant. So even if it gets paired with a gene for a chocolate coat, the labrador will still be black. Check out this link for more about labrador coat colour inheritance. Thus the chocolate Labrador always has two chocolate genes. Obviously this is an oversimplification of genetics! But it is helpful to understand. Because there are many diseases that we now test for in pedigree dogs, and some of these diseases are autosomal recessive in nature. If the faulty gene is paired with a normal gene, it will be switched off and lie hidden there inside the dog. Without causing any problems. There are genetic tests now which can determine whether a dog is clear, normal or a carrier, for a number of diseases. Only if both genes are faulty will the puppy develop the disease. The pup gets one gene from each of his parents to make up the pair of genes. He will never get the disease nor can he ever pass it on to his puppies. So if the puppy gets one faulty gene from his Mum and one normal gene from his Dad or vice versa he will still be healthy. If he is mated he will pass a faulty gene on to about half of his puppies. Provided that each of these Labrador puppies inherits a normal gene from its other parent, they too will be healthy. This is how diseases can sometimes skip generation after generation. If your breeder has had a litter of puppies blood tested for a particular disease then you may be informed that your puppy is a carrier. With autosommal recessive conditions, if the puppy gets two faulty genes we know that he will definitely develop the disease at some point because there is no normal gene to switch it off. Obviously we all want to avoid affected puppies being born, and most of us would want to avoid purchasing an affected puppy. Remember that the clear dog has no faulty gene and gives a healthy normal gene to every single pup so none of the pups can ever get sick from this disease even when the other parent is a carrier. Worse still if one parent is a carrier and one is affected, half the puppies will be affected. This is why buying from health screened stock is so important. The smaller the gene pool, the greater the chance of more diseases appearing. It is important that we do not eliminate perfectly healthy dogs from this gene pool for no good reason. With the development of so many available tests, breeding from carriers is not only possible, it is actually a good thing. Because it helps to keep that large and healthy gene pool. One of the beauties of widespread testing is that it allows us to breed from carriers because we can ensure that they are always mated to a clear dog. The more people that test, the more clear dogs that will be available, and the bigger our gene pool will be. I hope I have shown that there is nothing wrong at all in a breeder offering for sale puppies that may be carriers for a disease inherited in this straightforward way. To find out if this is a case of straightforward inheritance of the sort described here you should get the details from your breeder and check with your vet. It is important that the disease in question is not one that can affect carriers. However, in most cases is absolutely no need to avoid a puppy who is genetically a carrier unless perhaps you are intending to found your own breeding line. Even then you should not discount a carrier if all else is right. You will obviously need to be careful when choosing a mate, but as more and more dogs are health tested, this is becoming easier. To sum up: carriers of an autosomal recessive disease of the type described hear do not get sick. At least not from the disease that they are carrying! Carrier puppies are not necessarily substandard, and the breeder is perfectly within their rights to sell a puppy knowing that it is, or might be, a carrier of this type. She is also doing the responsible thing by providing her puppy buyers with this information. Genetic testing is not cheap. But these statements are misguided, as two healthy dogs can be carriers for an inherited disease and therefore produce puppies who are born to suffer. You would never know without the health tests. As long as there is no obligation on breeders to test their stock, there will be breeders who do not bother. It is therefore up to the public to put pressure on breeders to carry out these tests by refusing to purchase puppies from untested parents. You can help encourage breeders to carry out these tests by enquiring about them whenever you contact those offering puppies for sale, and by choosing puppies whose parents have been tested. More Help and Information. By Lisa Peterson The Labrador Retriever is a large, double-coated breed with a weather-resistant coat that comes in three colors — black, yellow, and chocolate, according to the AKC breed standard. From English fishing and hunting stock, this active, hearty breed was developed in Canada. Easily trained and a great swimmer, this breed excels in a variety of jobs from search-and-rescue and guide dogs to hunting dogs and family companions. Genetic health testing is an integral part of a sound dog breeding program. When using genetic health testing it is important for breeders to educate themselves about concepts such as modes of inheritance, penetrance, prevalence, and phenotype for a specific variant mutation in your breed in order to apply test results. Breeders also need to know which variants are causing health concerns in their breed, and which health conditions currently have no genetic test available. This handy search function by breed or by health condition can show breeders which DNA tests Embark provides. The health condition percentages based on clear, carrier, and at-risk status presented on common, rare, and very rare genetic risk factors are based on a subset of dogs within the Embark database and do not necessarily represent all dogs of this breed. While we are not able to provide specific population numbers at this time, we believe the data provided here to be sufficient to inform on current trends within the North American population of Labrador Retrievers. In the neuron, dynamin trucks neurotransmitter-filled vesicles from the cell body, where they are generated, to the dendrites. The mode of inheritance is recessive. Citations: Patterson et al Progressive Retinal Atrophy, prcd PRA-prcd is a retinal disease that causes progressive, non-painful vision loss. The retina contains cells, called photoreceptors, that collect information about light and send signals to the brain. There are two types of photoreceptors: rods, for night vision and movement, and cones, for day vision and color. This type of PRA leads to early loss of rod cells, leading to night blindness before day blindness. The gene is SUV39H2 and affects the skin and connective tissues. The gene is TTC8 Exon 8 and the mode of inheritance is recessive. The gene is COL11A2 and the mode of inheritance is recessive. The cornea is the surface of the eye. The gene is CHST6 and the mode of inheritance is recessive. In most dogs, uric acid is converted to allantoin, an inert substance that is then excreted in the urine. Dogs with HUU have defects in the pathway that converts uric acid to allantoin. As such, uric acid builds up, crystallizes and forms urate stones in the kidney and bladder. Uric acid is an intermediate of purine metabolism. While hyperuricemia in other species including humans can lead to painful conditions such as gout, dogs do not develop systemic signs of hyperuricemia. The gene is SLC2A9. This mutation was first described in the Dalmatian. This mutation is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner; that is, a dog requires two copies of the mutation to show signs of the disease. Affected dogs will show no clinical signs of disease in the early stages. As stones form, dogs will often urinate more frequently, urinate in inappropriate places, and possibly have blood in their urine. If a urinary obstruction forms, they are unable to urinate despite frequent straining. This is a medical emergency. Most dogs are adults before they show any signs of urinary issues years on average. Urate stones are invisible on X-rays and must be diagnosed by a veterinarian via ultrasound or urine sediment analysis. If left undiagnosed, bladder stones can lead to urinary obstruction, which can be life-threatening. If caught early, it is responsive to dietary management. Surgical intervention is often required when stones or an obstruction forms. Loss of PTPLA function is thought to cause muscle fiber damage and death, leading to replacement of the muscle mass with scar tissue. This type of PRA leads to early loss of cone cells, causing day blindness before night blindness. Affected dogs also exhibit episodes of cataplexy, a sudden complete loss of muscle tone in response to strong positive emotions. Hypocretin is a neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of appetite, arousal, and wakefulness. Cone cells not only register color, they allow the dog to adjust their eyes to bright light. Dogs with this disease constantly feel like us when we step out of a movie theater. Night vision remains completely unaffected. The gene is COL6A3 and the mode of inheritance is recessive. Astrocytes, named for their characteristic star-like shape, are supportive cells of the central nervous system. Astrocytes surround neurons, the functional unit of the central nervous system, nourishing, protecting, and repairing them from stress or injury, as well as enhancing their function. In Alexander disease, astrocyte function is compromised. Loss of myotubularin causes muscle fiber damage and death, leading to replacement of the muscle mass with scar tissue. Dogs affected with PKD have red blood cells that have impaired ability to produce energy, leading to breakdown of important cell processes that contribute to form and function. Citations: Gultekin et al b With 18 known conditions in Labrador Retrievers, this is evidence that genetic disorders are of concern within the breed and other conditions are likely to be identified in the future. By DNA testing your Labrador Retriever with Embark you can help accelerate more novel discoveries to help your breed and all dogs. Canine Health and Breed Resources. Responsible breeders test their dogs for diseases that are known to be hereditary prior to arranging a mating. Each breed is prone to a certain number of hereditary illnesses — but by ensuring only healthy, certified animals are bred, breeders can reduce or eliminate hereditary problems, and greatly increase the odds that their puppies live long happy lives. Interested puppy buyers should ensure that the breeders they select are performing all necessary health tests suitable for their breed — this gives you the best possible chance for a healthy pup. This page contains information on testing and clearances that Labradors should have done prior to being bred. Health Tests for Labrador Retrievers According to the Canine Health Information Center, all Labrador Retrievers being used in a breeding program should have their hips and elbows tested for dysplasia and their eyes checked against genetic defect by a canine opthamologist. However, there are other conditions that are found in Labs that should also be considered even though they may occur less frequently. Two Types of Tests There are two basic types of health testing available to Labrador breeders. Both are important and the differences are explained below. These are: Phenotypic Tests Genetic Testing In order to understand genetic testing, it is helpful to have a little bit of a background in how genes are inherited. Here is a very brief explanation that you can use to help you more readily absorb the information about testing that will follow. A gene is a sequence on a chromosome that codes for a specific trait, in whole or in part. For each gene, a dog gets one allele from each parent. For each trait, there may be several possible alleles, and because the dog gets one from each parent, he is potentially carrying two types of genetic material for each trait. Recessive alleles are only expressed if both are matching at that specific gene. In Labradors, there are several diseases that have been identified as the result of a specific mutation to a certain gene. So, a dog who has one normal copy and one mutated copy of the gene will appear normal, but could pass the mutated allele to offspring. If a puppy receives a mutated allele from BOTH parents, they will be affected and will show symptoms of the disease. Genetic testing is important because for these conditions where a genetic mutation has been identified, it is possible to run a DNA test to determine if the dog is clear, carrier or affected. This allows breeders to plan matings so that NO puppies affected for that condition are born. A breeder doing proper testing can definitely guarantee that their puppies will not be affected by those diseases. It is NOT enough to see that both parents appear healthy because they could potentially each have a mutated allele that could be passed on to the puppies- testing is the only way to know for sure. The diseases in bold print are the most likely of those listed in field type Labs. Some of the other conditions are much more common in show-type labs and some are equally infrequent in both types of labs. However infrequent, the fact that we can definitely and completely prevent them makes the testing worthwhile. Phenotypic testing checks for outward signs of the disease. Breeders also use testing information to avoid breeding healthy dogs who have many relatives who show symptoms of the disease. It has been proven that breeding dogs who are free of clinical OR subclinical signs of the following diseases helps reduce the odds of disease in the puppies, but cannot eliminate the chance completely. For all of these conditions, BOTH parents need to be tested free of disease- Hip Dysplasia — Hips are x-rayed and films sent to specialists for evaluation and grading. The most common certifying body is the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals OFA Hips are graded as either dysplastic affected by hip dysplasia — not suitable for breeding , fair, good, or excellent. Because these films look at the actual bones of the dog, it is important for the dog to be done growing to get an accurate evaluation. The OFA will examine x-rays on a preliminary basis in younger dogs but only offers an official grade to dogs over 2 years of age. Another certifying body is PennHip. This organization uses a combination of x-rays and measurements to determine hip quality and looseness. The measurements determine if the hip is better or worse than other dogs of the same breed and it is recommended to breed only dogs who are rated as better than average. Elbow Dysplasia — these are also x-rayed and films are sent to the OFA. Elbows are graded as various grades of dysplasia or normal which means no dysplasia. In Labs, only dogs with normal- rated elbows are recommended for breeding. Eye diseases — Dogs who are intended for breeding should have their eyes examined annually, or at minimum, within 12 months prior to breeding. Eyes are examined by a canine opthamologist and checked for cataracts, lens and retina irregularities, and any other sign of disease. Several types of eye diseases are believed to be heritable in Labs but few have genetic tests available so having eyes examined helps identify issues as soon as they arise to eliminate affected dogs from breeding. Results from the exams are sent to OFA for recording and dogs who pass the test no disease found are issued a certificate good for one year. Heart Diseases— Testing for heart disease involves a color flow ultrasound performed by a skilled cardiologist. This echocardiogram looks for congenital and adult-onset diseases in the formation of the heart structure and in the blood flow velocity and volume, which may be a concern for the dog as an individual, and as a breeding candidate. A dog who is clear of all observable defects is issued a certificate from the OFA. Dogs without a normal rating should not be used for breeding. There are all kinds of other conditions that can be examined phenotypically for signs of potential disease, such as shoulders, knees, and thyroid. We are proud of the fact that our dogs have been objectively evaluated in this way. Another way to check testing results is to search online. So, you are able to verify test results there. The key point is this: As a puppy buyer, you have the right AND obligation to check test results either by using an online option or seeing copies of the actual health test results. You deserve a healthy puppy so take the time to make sure you are sourcing your pup from a knowlegable breeder who will do everything they can to produce only healthy puppies. In this case, because neither parent had any mutant alleles to pass along, it is safe to say that we know that their offspring are also clear of mutant alleles. For example, you should expect that each and every Labrador used in a breeding program has had their hips tested for hip dysplasia. Hips, elbows, and eye exams must be done on each dog because they are not DNA tests, so there is always the possibility that a particular dog could be affected even if both parents are clear. We know this can be a confusing topic but we urge and BEG you not to give up. Study this page and email me if you have questions. Share this:.

View All Articles in Goldendoodle Grooming Goldendoodle Lifespan The great thing about Goldendoodles and other hybrid breeds is that they generally live long and healthy lives. Nonetheless, Goldendoodles are still at risk of certain health conditions , so you should be aware of the risks associated with them. By the way, choosing the right breeder will also go a long way in contributing to their lifespan and quality of life. More on that later. All in all, Goldendoodles have an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years. As a general rule of thumb, smaller Toy and Mini Goldendoodles tend to outlive their larger Standard Goldendoodle counterparts. This is common across all dog breeds. Therefore, we can expect the average lifespan of Toy and Mini Goldendoodles to be around 12 to 15 years. Meanwhile, Medium and Standard Goldendoodles may have a slightly shorter life expectancy of 10 to 13 years. One of the most important aspects of owning a Goldendoodle puppy is making sure that you have the space, time, and energy to care for one. Instead, you may want to consider getting a Toy or Mini Goldendoodle. Be sure to also check out our full puppy checklist here. The real work begins the moment your Goldendoodle puppy arrives home. As the day gets closer, you should also be prepared for the first night with your new puppy. This way, both of you will have a much easier time adjusting to the new family dynamic. Once your new puppy gets home, you should start with potty training , crate training , obedience training , puppy socialization , and leash training as soon as possible. This will help establish good behaviors and also help your pup to grow into a well-rounded and confident adult. If you struggle with certain behavioral problems, this guide will surely help you out. In terms of grooming and personal hygiene, this step-by-step guide on how to groom a Goldendoodle at home would be an excellent resource. Likewise, you should learn the basics of line brushing , since Goldendoodles are quite tangle prone dogs. In addition to that, our ultimate guide to dog nail trimming covers everything you should know about the topic. You may also want to learn more about Goldendoodle teething — the timeline, symptoms, and our top tips for caring for a teething puppy. For more resources on caring for Goldendoodle puppies, be sure to check out all of our Doodle Puppyhood Survival Guides. As we briefly mentioned earlier, choosing a reputable breeder is crucial if you do decide to adopt your puppy from a breeder. First of all, reputable breeders follow responsible breeding guidelines. This means that they only use health and DNA tested parents in their breeding programs, provide genetic health guarantees, and utilize various forms of enrichment methods to raise healthy, well-socialized, and well-rounded Goldendoodle puppies. You may also want to check out this article on Doodle scammers and puppy mills — a growing problem all across the globe. Goldendoodle is such an amazing breed, we cannot stop raving about these Doods! Goldendoodles are affectionate, fun-loving, social, and intelligent pups. They also tend to get along super well with children, provided that your Goldendoodle puppy has been properly socialized from an early age. For this reason, Goldendoodles make excellent companions for families with children, but also singles and couples. As intelligent and easily trainable as they are, Goldendoodles often have the tendency to be vocal. To be more precise, barking is a common problem that many Goldendoodle owners struggle with. Training is also vital here, as teaching your Goldendoodle puppy from a young age will help establish good behaviors. Are Goldendoodles High Maintenance? Indeed, some people would say that Goldendoodles are high maintenance when it comes to their coat care and grooming needs. Goldendoodles are prone to matting, which means that these pups need to be regularly brushed, bathed, and have their hair trimmed every few weeks or so. In fact, to prevent those knots and tangles from forming into full-blown mats, you should brush your Goldendoodle every single day. Goldendoodle Puppies Final Thoughts Goldendoodles make wonderful companions, but before you adopt one of these cuddly pups, there are a few things you need to take into consideration. From their size and grooming needs to their energy levels and lifespan, Goldendoodles require quite a bit of care and attention. These furry little bundles of joy will fill your days with happiness, laughter, and unconditional love. I blogged about my bout with the puppy blues. I shared on YouTube and Instagram how hard it was to have a puppy in the house. And wow do I have loads to share about the experience of being a Goldendoodle owner. First things first. People choose to adopt or shop for a whole host of different reasons — many of which are highly personal. We had been wanting to add a dog to the family for years, but landed on a Goldendoodle puppy intentionally and thoughtfully. This decision was taken seriously and we contemplated a lot of options. Ultimately we wanted the experience of raising a puppy. Point being — I made the choice I made and I stand by it. We adopted our cat from a shelter and have mad respect for that experience. For us, sourcing a puppy from a reputable breeder was the right choice at the time and honestly, given the competition at shelters, the only real choice. But I digress. Who this post is for. I was in the market for a Goldendoodle puppy and was after all the info on the breed I could get. What exactly is a Goldendoodle? Goldendoodles are produced when a Golden Retriever is mixed with a Poodle. There are many different types and generations of Goldendoodles. You can also find Medium and Mini Goldendoodle options — all of which are determined by the size of the Poodle. The parent breeds of the puppy ultimately determine the generation of the puppy — and different generations are known for different traits such as coat type, temperament, body size and shape, etc. Goldendoodle generations. Like I said, Goldendoodle dogs come in a whole host of generations. This breeding variety can offer a lot of trait blends you might find in a Poodle Golden Retriever mix, from coat type to body shape and more. This is the first generation of Goldendoodle. Our dog, Lemon, is an F2 Goldendoodle. The brutal truth about owning a Goldendoodle. People will likely get upset that you chose to shop and not adopt. Yep — please refer to the above. Ironically — neither does team purebred! Folks who run in the purebred dog circuit sometimes have strong opinions about the lineage and breeding standards of a dog. Honestly, I do understand where the criticism about the Goldendoodle breed comes from. The result? A lot of really nasty, unsavory backyard breeding tactics. Many Goldendoodle breeders are unscrupulous and hard to verify. Unlike an AKC recognized breed where you can search for reputable and verified breeders, no such official list exists for Goldendoodles. This means most of us shopping for a Goldendoodle are just hitting up Google, praying to see good reviews, and maybe hopefully getting a good word of mouth recommendation from another doodle owner. There are plenty of ethical, legitimate Goldendoodle breeders out there. Kindly ask the owner where they got their dog from and if they liked the experience. Extra points if you can learn about the health of the dog. I also highly recommend only buying from a breeder that performs various health screenings on the parent dogs. Good breeders should be testing for the Goldendoodle health issues seen most commonly. There are no health testing requirements when it comes to breeding doodles, so all health tests are at the expense and discretion of the breeder. Good breeders DO test! Goldendoodle sizes vary widely — and breeders cannot guarantee them. Breeders often price their Goldendoodle puppies by size. Standard size Goldendoodles tend to cost less than Mini Goldendoodles because the Miniature Goldendoodle size is considered more popular. Goldendoodles are a mixed breed group at the end of the day — so weight fluctuates wildly. Best estimations can absolutely be made based on the weight of the parents, but ultimately no breeder can accurately promise or guarantee the end size of your dog. Sizing as advertised by a breeder is a ballpark range, not an absolute promise. Another Goldendoodle trait often promised by breeders is coat type. Goldendoodle colors and coats do change as your dog grows. Puppy coats also may be curlier or straighter than their adult coats. Unfortunately the dark curly coat you fall in love with when bringing your puppy home might in fact shed away to a much lighter or straighter coat. Also — hot take — the Goldendoodle hypoallergenic and non-shedding promise pumped out into the world by breeders is a bit of a myth. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about Goldendoodles. Goldendoodles with more Golden Retriever in them have a higher likelihood of shedding than generations with more Poodle or potentially more mixed. Goldendoodle coats require a lot of maintenance. For the most part, Goldendoodle coats do require a fair bit of maintenance. This is especially true if you like your doodles hair to be long and shaggy. Goldendoodle puppy fur is fine and both tangles and mats easily. The shorter cut is so much easier to maintain than that beautiful, long look. Goldendoodles are known for having gut issues. From allergies to just general bubble gut, doodles can tend to have finicky tummies. It also means you might need to put up with random bouts of diarrhea. Goldendoodles are known for having allergies — both food related and seasonal. Lemon wakes up every single morning with eye boogers thanks to her seasonal allergies. But in all seriousness, allergies are actually a fairly well known fact of doodles in general. Doodles are also susceptible to seasonal allergies and allergies to specific plants, grass, etc. We just give her some supplements, watch her diet, and try to discourage rolling around in freshly cut grass. Goldendoodles are expensive. Goldendoodles are wildly expensive. End of story. To purchase a Goldendoodle in , the average puppy would ring in at multiple thousands of dollars. Even in more rural areas, breeders were still able to charge a pretty penny. Many people actually fly puppies into wherever they live from rural breeders just to save money! Lemon had stomach issues from the moment we brought her home, resulting in expensive vet visits, tests, medicines, and food. For the record, I highly recommend getting pet insurance for your dood. Goldendoodles have endless amounts of energy. Somewhere along the way I feel like Goldendoodles got the reputation for being amazing for beginner dog owners and as family dogs. Goldendoodles are like Energizer bunnies. Man, do they have a lot of energy! Goldendoodles constantly need to be engaged or have something to do. But for the most part, this breed is not a lap dog nor are they a true couch potato. Goldendoodles will require a minimum of one healthy walk per day, often more. Goldendoodles can survive on less exercise, but the result is often behavioral problems that may lead them to ultimately be surrendered. Goldendoodles are smart AF. One of the most frequently asked questions about doods that I get over on Instagram is about trainability of this breed. Goldendoodles make for amazing training class dogs. These doods are sharp as a tack and genuinely love to be challenged and work with their humans. Goldendoodles are re-homed at high rates because not enough people do their research into the facts of this designer dog breed. For as expensive as these designer dogs are — they do actually end up surrendered. They just saw a cute puppy and fell in love. Some owners purchase their Goldendoodle puppy imagining a sweet, mellow, curly, non-shedding, hypoallergenic pup only to find out their puppy is, well…a Goldendoodle. Loads of energy. May or may not shed. But yes, still very sweet. I knew my pup would come home with energy, but even I was surprised by just how much energy she had to burn each day! Lemon typically gets walked twice per day. We also absolutely love taking Lemon to training classic, sport classes, and doggy daycare — all of which really wear her out. Sport classes like nosework or agility are also great energy releases! Doggy daycare is an amazing way for dogs to socialize together in a safe, supervised environment. Goldendoodles are an amazing mixed breed. Out of all the dog breeds out there — I honestly still see each and every day why my husband and I chose to go with a dood. Lemon is funny, quirky, and goofy — and so are all her siblings. Lemon is insanely smart and incredibly loving. Even after all the late night bouts of diarrhea, the endless vet visits, the tangled fur, the training woes, and the morning eye boogers — we love our dog. We love our Goldendoodle. We love Lemon. Thinking of adding a dood to the family? Feel free to drop questions into the comments below! Goldendoodle puppies are all the rage right now. However, as cute as they are—getting a Goldendoodle puppy is a big deal! Their cuteness is just an added bonus! Goldendoodle Puppy Is a Goldendoodle the right fit for you and your family? Nowadays any and every level of dog owner is purchasing a doodle—people who have only owned short-haired dogs, incredibly calm dogs, and sometimes first-time dog owners. As a result of not knowing what a person is getting themselves into when they purchase a doodle, doodle rehoming is at an all-time high! Even though many people love their doodle—a doodle may not be the right fit for you. Many people are giving away their Goldendoodles, rehoming them, or sending them to a rescue. If you skimp on the price, you could end up with a dog that is poorly bred. Which is incredibly dangerous for you, your puppy, and the breeding industry. Genetic testing helps prevent the breeding of dogs that test poorly for bad genes or health and behavioral issues. This will essentially cost you a fortune later in high vet bills, training costs, and potentially medical and lawsuit charges. Dogs in a Kennel Additionally, buying from a low-quality breeder to save money helps keep puppy mills in business. Puppy mills over breed their dogs. Those poor overbred dogs are usually stuck in a kennel their entire life—usually in a cramped space, stacked on top of each other, sitting in their urine or feces. There are also puppy mill breeders that keep their puppies in outside kennels, never getting to socialize with other dogs or humans. And they never have a chance to live a life of happiness and freedom. Why on earth would anyone want to support something so inhumane??? Remember the age-old saying, you get what you pay for. And that goes for dog breeders as well. Please choose to purchase your dog from an ethical breeder. If you purchase from a breeder that does not perform genetic testing, you are at risk for a plethora of issues. Please do your research, but due to the explosion in Goldendoodle popularity, there is a higher chance of running across a bad breeder and bad genetics because there are many who are in it for the money and not for the love and care of breeding a sound Goldendoodle. High Coat Maintenance The biggest complaint I hear from Goldendoodle parents is how high maintenance the coat is. Their coat requires quite a bit of brushing. Actually……a lot of brushing. At least 15 minutes a day! A little too easily. And those mats hurt and restrict body movement. Not only do you have to brush your Goldendoodle, but you also have to comb down to the skin, until the comb goes through the coat effortlessly. This means you will actually have to block out time from your day to physically brush your dog every single day. Otherwise, your doodle ends up completely knotted up. This leads to moisture becoming trapped in the coat once this happens, bacteria begins to grow and then your doodle will get hot spots and major skin issues. Putting your dog through that kind of torture for simple aesthetics is really uncool. To ask your dog groomer—who is more than likely an insanely over the top dog lover will feel awful torturing your dog for 3 hours as they try to hurriedly brush and pull out mats due to appointment restrictions. If you feel you have what it takes to brush your Doodle daily and keep them mat free, then a Goldendoodle is a great choice for you! If not. .Plus it can be dangerous, especially if you attempt to trim out matting. During quarantine I witnessed quite a few dogs with burns, cuts, nails quicked too short, and uneven faces and coat lengths. Some dogs were so burned by the clippers they needed vet attention. The cut caused the leg to get infected Luckily the dog was surrendered and ended up with a great life! They take longer to wash, dry, and trim. Almost times longer than many other dog breeds. Therefore, they cost more professionally. Your dog begins to lick these itchy areas and bites incessantly until the spot becomes red and irritated, sometimes bloody. Doodle with Skin Issues And sometimes if a Goldendoodle is bred poorly, they can have health and skin issues ranging from ear infections, hot spots, and skin allergies as well. Which is kinda gross considering your house will begin to smell the same way. I have groomed many sour-coated Goldendoodles that have smelled so bad, we had to air out the grooming salon. They tend to hold moisture and grow bacteria quickly. The trouble areas are usually underneath the ears, under the chin, their feet, and their sanitary booty and pee-pee areas. Getting on a regular bath and professional grooming schedule can help save your furniture, carpet, and bedding from getting that dog odor. Doodle Grooming Guide 7. This can sometimes be too much for people to handle. I have older clients that have Goldendoodles and sometimes they are too afraid to bring them in alone for fear of falling from being pulled holding the leash, or tripping over their Goldendoodle while trying to bring then in for a professional groom. Many times the mouthiness feels like extreme biting. However, training can fix most mouthiness cases. Goldendoodle Puppy 9. Shedding Many Goldendoodles do shed! Especially if they are a first-generation or F1, which is a Golden Retriever crossed with a Standard Poodle. And for this reason, I have witnessed many Goldendoodles either returned or given away, or sent to a rescue group or shelter. Goldendoodle Hair .Their friendliness results in jumping, barking, using their arms and feet, mouthing people, and of course—crotch sniffing. In some rare cases, Goldendoodles can be aggressive. Size Nowadays Goldendoodles come in a variety of sizes, ranging from toy to standard. I have witnessed countless Goldendoodles come out large, and large Goldendoodles come out small. They were supposed to only grow to 30lbs, but now weigh a whopping 90lbs! Dog Allergies Despite popular opinion, I can assure you that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Even if your dog is an FB doodle. All dogs have skin which sheds and all dogs have hair which sheds, some less than others. Otherwise, all of the pollen, dirt, leaves, and dust they come in contact with, will stick to their coat. Thus, creating an allergy-ridden furball running around the house. I feel like this just about covers many of the reasons I see Goldendoodle rehomed. Hopefully, all of these points can help you make a better, informed decision in regard to purchasing a Goldendoodle puppy! Join My Tribe to learn more about Pet Parenting! October 25, In search of a new forever best friend? Not sure what puppy breed works best for you and your family? The Goldendoodle, a hybrid breed that launched into popularity in the United States in the s and never left the top list, Goldendoodles are affectionate and smart dogs whose amiable personalities are well-suited for a variety of owners and lifestyles! How do you know if the Goldendoodle is the right fit for you and your family? A Brief Background on Goldendoodles! As we quickly stated earlier, the Goldendoodle is a hybrid, a cross between a Poodle and a Golden Retriever. Thanks to the success of Labradoodles Labrador Retriever and Poodle cross-breed , dog breeders began to intentionally breed Golden Retrievers with a range of Poodles, creating a variety of Goldendoodles in different coloring and sizes. What are Goldendoodles Breed Characteristics? Some distinguishable characteristics of the Goldendoodle include their sizing range, variety of coloring, and temperament. Goldendoodles can come in mini to standard size, thanks to the genes from their poodle side. Goldendoodles can weigh starting at 15 lbs for miniature sizes up to 80 Ilbs for standard. One of the most distinguishable features is their thick, soft, curly coats that are considered hypoallergenic because they shed less frequently than other dog breeds. What are Goldendoodles Personalities like? Goldendoodles love people! They are friendly, affectionate, and love to please. With the right amount of socialization, this breed will be a friend to everyone! However, their fun-loving personalities also bring a lot of high energy, jumpiness, and nippiness throughout puppyhood. This is important to remember especially if you have young children at home. Goldendoodles can make excellent family dogs, but proper training and boundaries must be started the moment you bring them home to help get them there! Think about your current living environment and where you plan to be in the next few years. That being said, if you were planning on adding a Goldendoodle to your life, consider that these pups do best in a home with enough space especially if you are getting a standard-sized Goldendoodle and a fenced in yard! While some Goldendoodles on the smaller range of the size scale work great for apartment dwelling, these are energetic breeds that need space to exercise and play. Regular walks and training sessions at a local park will help them expel some energy in a constructive way, and are highly recommended for this breed, especially if you live in a city environment! How to Care for Your Goldendoodle! Goldendoodles can suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia, ear infections, allergies, hypothyroidism, and Gastric Dilation Volvulus Bloat. To avoid having to shave down their beautiful coats, daily brushing to remove mats is recommended, along with regular professional grooming appointments. Like all other breeds, having their nails trimmed and teeth brushed regularly will ensure they stay clean and healthy! Goldendoodle puppies are very smart and love to work! With consistent puppy training from an early age, they can master basic obedience skills quickly, and also move on to more advanced training, including therapy and service animal training. Start your puppy off on the right paw by establishing their daily puppy schedule complete with feeding, potty breaks, nap times, playtimes, and puppy training sessions! Going back to their wilder instincts, puppies will naturally avoid soiling where they sleep. Crate training your Goldendoodle puppy will help boost their confidence and resilience while learning to be alone at home. Puppy training can provide your puppy with controlled socialization with other puppies under the supervision of a puppy trainer that can watch out for rough playing or dominant behaviors between puppies. When done correctly, socialization helps teach your puppy the proper way to great people, other dogs and create boundaries. During socialization sessions, you can work with your puppy on barking or jumping, which are common puppy behaviors when they are excited or over-stimulated when meeting strangers. And if you're not sure how to do this on your own, hire a local puppy trainer to help set you up for the best success! Consider advanced training to keep them engaged Goldendoodles are very intelligent which means they love stimulating activities! Along with basic obedience, dog sports like agility are a great way to motivate them and help your puppy work out their energy. Agility helps establish a stronger communication bond through body language while your puppy is participating. You will learn to communicate with more body language and signals to focus your puppy at performing tasks necessary to help individuals that are incapable of doing it themselves. Respect their alone time. This is especially challenging for young kids when they can look like real-life stuffed animals! But, this constant handling can often cause some frustration for these young pups, having them act out with more nipping to try to make the petting stops, or growling, which can lead to more serious behavioral issues down the road. Make sure to give them dedicated time through the day to rest and their own space where they can be left alone to nap, unbothered. And always monitor young kids when they are interacting with the puppy so you can easily step in to give your puppy a break when they need it! Did you recently bring home a Goldendoodle puppy? Are you still planning and not sure what breed fits your lifestyle? Let us know in the comments! Check out these blogs related to puppy training and more! Goldendoodles are very smart dogs and rank just below bordie collies when ranked among dog breeds. They are not only gentle and playful, but they are super smart which makes them easy to train. This is one of the reasons why so many people love goldendoodles, their intelligence and trainability makes them a very desirable pet. How Much Does a Goldendoodle Cost? If you are wondering how much a goldendoodle costs, we can help. Where you get the puppy from will be the main factor that determines how expensive the dog is, in addition to who the puppies parents are, and what physical attributes the dog has that makes it special. If the goldendoodle puppy is in excellent health, has high-quality pedigree parents, and has unique, beautiful colors or coats, you can expect it to be a good price. Many people purchase goldendoodles as puppies and decide that they cannot handle them when they get older and end up giving them up for adoption. Reading guides like this before purchasing any dog can help prevent that from happening by giving you an idea of what to expect from the dog before you get it in terms of the cots and the amount of care required to properly take care of it. You may be able to select which puppy that you want out of the litter based on the color or physical attributes. You can review the health and papers of both parents since Golden Retrievers and Poodles are both breeds that are recognized and registered with the AKC. Cons of Buying a Goldendoodle Puppy From a Breeder If the price of the goldendoodle puppy is too low or they seem to have a lot of puppies it could indicate that the breeder is running a puppy mill. Watch out for puppy mills because they abuse animals and the puppies often have health problems, some even dying after being adopted. There are goldendoodles in shelters waiting to be adopted. The cost of the goldendoodle can depend on a few different factors. Goldendoodle puppies are incredibly cute, fluffy and adorable. Here are a few of the factors that will affect the price of a goldendoodle puppy. You can also sometimes find people online looking to rehome their pets with little to no rehoming fees. The color of the goldendoodle puppy may affect the price. If the puppy is a rare color it will be worth more money. They also come in beautiful red colors, grey, or black. They can be a combination of colors including red with white, etc. The price of the goldendoodle puppy may be more if it is a sought after color and is aesthetically beautiful. The size of the goldendoodle puppy will affect the price. We do not mean the size of the puppy when it is still young, but the size that it will eventually grow to. You can expect goldendoodle puppies that are miniature puppies or very large puppies to be more expensive than the average sized ones because they are more rare. Is it Hard to Take Care of a Goldendoodle? In this section of the guide we will talk about how to take care of a goldendoodle. Are goldendoodles high maintenance dogs? Well, that depends. They do have a lot of energy and require exercise, attention, and sometimes grooming, but they are also half well-mannered golden retrievers which are very easy to take care of. They can have health problems with their skin or legs to watch out for. Here is a list of things to consider about taking care of goldendoodles if you are thinking about getting one. Exercise Goldendoodles have a ton of energy, especially when they are young. If you are considering getting a goldendoodle you should consider how much room the dog will have to play. Will you take him on walks? Do you have a backyard he can play in? Kids or other dogs to play with? If you are looking for a dog to leave at home or in an apartment all day , the goldendoodle is not the right dog for you. These intelligent animals have a lot of energy and the bigger the goldendoodle is the more room they will need to play happily. Training It is actually really easy to train a Goldendoodle , which is one of the reasons why it is such a popular dog for families. They are naturally very well-mannered and they are smart so they pick up on commands easily. Both poodles and golden retrievers rank high in terms of intelligence, and this makes them very easy to train. Goldendoodles are amazing dogs that have a lot of potential if you take the time to train them right. They love attention and positive reinforcement during training. Conclusion If you are looking for a great family dog you should consider the goldendoodle. This mix of a poodle and a golden retriever is super intelligent, friendly, and affectionate. They are very, very cute as well which is one of the reasons why they can come with a big price tag as a puppy. Before buying from a breeder, consider adopting a goldendoodle from a local shelter. Ultimate Guide to Goldendoodles. But, what to know before getting a Goldendoodle? Learning more about the Goldendoodle before bringing a puppy home is essential. What to know about Goldendoodles? Do they need special care and attention? What do I need to know before getting a Goldendoodle? You should know about the puppy schedule, health care, separation anxiety, and puppy price. Goldendoodles are quite affectionate and have a lovely attitude. Since , the Goldendoodle has become a sought-after cross-breed for families who want a good temperamental dog. Often, most folks refer to Goldendoodles as designer dogs because you get the best of both worlds. Read on and get to know all the essential information about Goldendoodles before getting one. Such information helps to burst myths and prepare you for the best pet parent experience. What to Know Before Getting a Goldendoodle 1. Puppy Schedule Puppies need structure. A basic puppy schedule for a Goldendoodle will include feeding time, potty training, playtime, and naptime. Unlike big dogs, your puppy will need to eat three times a day as recommended by the American Kennel Association. So, you must know when and how to feed them so that your puppy gets all their meals. Another important item to add to your schedule is potty training. Since puppies eat and drink often, they have to take bathroom breaks throughout the day. Scheduling breaks is one way to prevent accidents and ensure they learn where to do their business. Have a specific time when you take them out for potty breaks or show them where to go in the house. Also, ensure you plan ample playtime to keep your high-energy pup entertained. Running around in the backyard and lots of playtime is healthy for Goldendoodle pups. Puppies tend to sleep most of the day. When your Goldendoodle pup is full and calm, it can sleep for 18 hours a day. Also, you can have a specific time when your pup goes to bed. Health Care Having a Goldendoodle or any other pet requires health care. A Goldendoodle is a cross-breed of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Cross-breeding makes the new breed less prone to breed-specific conditions that their parents can experience. However, some health conditions can affect your Goldendoodle. So, healthcare and some pet insurance will come in handy. Some of the illnesses include: Sebaceous adenitis skin disease Subvalvular aortic stenosis heart condition Progressive retinal atrophy Glaucoma Cataract Always be cautious about the breeder you interact with when you want a puppy. Separation Anxiety Goldendoodles are an affectionate breed that loves being around people. While such temperament is good for a family dog, it can also lead to separation anxiety. While other breeds tend to cope better with separation anxiety, Goldendoodles go the opposite way. This leads to destructiveness, lots of noise, and anxious behavior. Often your dog is bored and wants some company. So, always have this point in your mind when getting a Goldendoodle. It might be better to start with a puppy to engage in lots of training. Note the signs of separation anxiety like chewing things, going to the bathroom anywhere, trying to escape, whining, and lots of barking or howling. When you note this, start simple training and remember to give lots of cuddles. It takes time, and your whole family needs to participate for this to work. Price of a Puppy Reputable breeders take time to choose the right Poodle and Golden Retriever to mate. As a result, they charge specific amounts for Goldendoodle pups. Therefore, always take time to have a budget before you buy one. The price variation is because of the generation and size of the puppy you want to buy. Apart from buying puppies, you can adopt a Goldendoodle. Shelters have many dogs that need a new home, so try to find out if they have a Goldendoodle. Cost of Grooming and General Care Many folks love Goldendoodles since they are a low-maintenance breed. All dogs need grooming and proper care to ensure they live a comfortable life. Goldendoodles need regular brushing each week. Start grooming your Goldendoodle as a puppy to set a routine and get them accustomed to the process. As part of your welcome-home kit, get some grooming tools to help ease the process. Some of the best Goldendoodle grooming items to have include: brush. Although the breed status may change in the future, these dogs are not currently recognized as standardized by any major kennel club in the world today. Breeders were working on this project as a way to develop guide dogs for people with visual impairments who had severe animal allergies. Because the standard poodle is considered hypoallergenic, the hope was to create a dog with less dander without sacrificing the trainable attitude. There is no guarantee that a goldendoodle will inherit the coat traits of the poodle, including the non-shedding coat. The guiding traits are not a given either. What you will discover in these pros and cons is that this cross-breed can make for an excellent family dog. List of the Pros of Owning a Goldendoodle 1. Most goldendoodles see less shedding than a golden retriever. Although some goldendoodles do not exhibit the hypoallergenic coat that you can find with the standard poodle, most of them do inherit less shedding as a common trait. The amount of actual shedding that you can experience varies from dog-to-dog, but there is typically less with this option compared to full breeds. Pet parents will need to incorporate regular brushing, the occasional bath, and some fur trimming to ensure that they are looking their best at all times. There is less of an allergic response to goldendoodles. Because there is less shedding with the goldendoodle, fewer dandruff flakes make their way from the body of the dog. That means individuals with allergies have a lesser response to contact with the animal. The actual response that a person experiences depends on the nature of the pup itself. There are still some heavy shedders with this cross-breed that could be problematic for some households. If you have concerns in this area, then you might want to consider a dog in the range of years old instead of a puppy to gauge your reaction. Goldendoodles have three primary coat types. You have three different coat types from which to choose when deciding on a goldendoodle to add to your family. You can also choose from the curly or straight coats that trend more toward one parent or the other with this cross-breed. All of them provide the same allergic response and shedding benefits at some level, so you can keep looking for an option that suits your personal preferences. There are multiple color options with the goldendoodle as well thanks to the coat variations found in the standard poodle. The most common colors are gold, cream, white, grey, red, black, and brown. You can still enter goldendoodles in some performance events. The established breed associations around the world, including the AKC, UKC, and CKC do not recognize the goldendoodle as a breed — which is the same approach they use to any designer cross that are used today. Despite this fact, most kennel clubs do allow for the registration of a mixed-breed dog to perform in agility or obedience events. There is one exception to this rule. If you can produce paperwork for both of the parents of a goldendoodle, then the Continental Kennel Club accepts and grants a pedigree. There are multiple size options available with this cross-breed. You can find goldendoodles of almost any size if you look at all of your options. Miniature ones are usually under 20 pounds and the perfect size for apartment living. Almost all of them work well with kids and other pets because of their intelligence and sociable nature, even if there are times when it seems like they might want some alone time. If you see a small goldendoodle, then that typically means a breeder crossed a miniature poodle with a golden retriever instead of a standard poodle. You will still see the same generational status with this option. Goldendoodles love a good snuggle. Goldendoodles love to receive attention from their family. You could be watching TV, trying to go to sleep, or even in the bathtub. You will find the pup nuzzling you for a head scratch. They love to be lap dogs whenever possible. Some puppies might resist the urge because of their adventuresome nature, but most of them love to spend time every day snuggling with you. These dogs tend to be quiet most of the time. Most goldendoodles limit their barking to the times when they feel threatened, when you walk in the door after being gone a while, or to let you know that they need something. Even if the other dogs in the neighborhood are barking for some reason, yours prefers to stay quiet unless something exciting is going on — like a squirrel or an exciting game of fetch. Your goldendoodle will love you forever if you take them swimming. If you have a pool at home, then this is where your pup will want to be most of the time. Your children will have an instant companion in the pool that can help them to develop healthy water habits too. Their speed in paddling is such an advantage that some organizations train this cross-breed to become rescue dogs. Goldendoodles are excellent with children. Although goldendoodles tend to be high-energy dogs that can forget about their boundaries when they get overly excited, there is still patience and gentleness practiced when they are around their people. This advantage is beneficial for families with children since they can still have antics that make you fall in love with them all over again. There can sometimes be a little nipping during play times, but these pups have the gentle mouth of their retriever parent. This cross-breed works well in homes with other pets. Goldendoodles are rarely aggressive. If you have cats at home already, then your new pup will adopt them as part of their pack. These dogs are easy-going when meeting other doggos as well, although there can be some separation at first when figuring out who will be the alpha. These dogs are easy to train too, which means you can use their eagerness to please as a way to encourage healthier behaviors. List of the Cons of Owning a Goldendoodle 1. You will need to pay attention to the F-status of your goldendoodle. When you start looking for goldendoodles to bring home, then you may notice that some animals have an F-status associated to their designation. This lettering is a generational designation that provides a better understanding of the lineage of each dog so that you can tell from a glance how much retriever and poodle is there in the mix. If you have an F1 goldendoodle, then that means it is the direct offspring of a golden retriever and a poodle. If you see an F2 goldendoodle, then that means it is a second-generation dog that had two goldendoodles as parents. If you see an F1B goldendoodle, then that means back-crossing occurred, which is usually done to get the softer, curly coat from the poodle. There are issues with hip dysplasia with the goldendoodle. When breeders take a knowledgeable approach to the goldendoodle, then the dogs tend to be rather healthy. Most will live years with adequate care, medical help, and lots of love from their families. The problem that happens most often with this cross-breed is hip dysplasia since poodles and retrievers both encounter the issue in their genetic history. If you are bringing a goldendoodle puppy home, then ask the breeder for the results of this exam before agreeing to any contract or price. When this information is not available to you, then you should treat the transaction as suspicious. Goldendoodles can need a lot of exercise. If the traits of the retriever are strong in your goldendoodle, then you will need to get that pup outside to get some exercise every day. Veterinarians prefer about 60 minutes of time each day for walks and supervised play. If you are unable to get outside for some reason, the intelligence of these dogs allows you to train them to use a treadmill. When the dogs keep their energy pent up, then it will usually release in an explosive burst of running around indoors. Because of this disadvantage, the medium and large varieties may not see much success in smaller homes. Social anxiety is fairly common with this cross-breed. Goldendoodles get very anxious when they are by themselves, even if they are in a familiar environment. If you leave them alone every day to go to work, then their worries or boredom can result in destructive behaviors. These dogs love to chew anything that is within their reach, so you might discover furniture vandalism, broken dishes, or shredded shoes waiting for you. Some people are still allergic to these dogs. Although the goal of developing the goldendoodle was to create a hypoallergic alternative for people who need a support companion or a guide dog, there can still be problems with allergic reactions. Some of the dogs, especially the ones of larger size, can see even more shedding with their coat compared to what the golden retriever experiences during the changing of seasons. You will want to look at the miniature options in this category or pursue one with a B-status designation to reduce the risks of this potential disadvantage. The popularity of goldendoodles makes them an expensive dog. You can pay more for a goldendoodle from a reliable breeder than you would for a standard poodle or a golden retriever. Conclusion of the Pros and Cons of Owning a Goldendoodle The pros and cons of goldendoodles prove that they are friendly pups who only want to please their family and have a safe place to live. Their quiet personalities are far from introverted, but they are almost always gentle and kind. You will find a wide range of colors, coats, and sizes, which means this cross-breed can find a place in almost any home. If you are looking for a goldendoodle to adopt today, then the first stop would be to check with your local shelter, adoption agency, and registered breeders. You can also become a new pet parent by browsing through sites like adoptapet. Speak to a member of our team to learn more You Should Know the Temperament of Goldendoodles Both the standard poodle and golden retriever were originally bred as a sporting breed. The Standard Poodle was originally bred as a retrieving dog specifically for the water! The Golden Retriever as its name would suggest was also bred to accompany his master on the hunt to retrieve game. Retrieving is a skill that requires dutiful obedience on the part of the dog and an active, alert disposition. In recent decades, the vast majority of poodles and golden retrievers have been bred for family pets rather than hunting companions, but their original roots remain. Golden retrievers in particular have been frequently bred for their obedience and service dog potential. And both breeds are quite athletic, tend to like retrieval games like fetch, and are overall moderately active dogs. Bred specifically for its small size and companionship, the Miniature Poodle tends to be more demanding of attention and can be more excitable and less docile than their standard-sized counterparts. Miniatures are still known for their intelligence and affection and combined with the little extra spunk they pack, they can make an ideal addition to the right family. This is something to consider if you are wanting a smaller version of the doodle. An amazing dog! Goldendoodles are known for their friendly, gentle dispositions and their eager-to-please attitudes. They are incredibly people-oriented and easy to train! They have a charming sense of humor and an uncanny ability to know when their humans could use an extra snuggle. This type of coat is very similar to the Golden Retriever hence the shedding. Wavy coats are still prone to some shedding but are fairly easy as far as grooming - typically only requiring brushing a couple times a week to avoid matting. This type of coat is a good middle blend between the two breeds. The curly coat will be ultra-low shedding and is best for people with allergies, but it will require more frequent brushing to prevent matting. We find that they shed about as much as a human — so you will see hair in the brush when you comb them, but it will not be all over your floors and furniture as with most other non-doodle dog breeds. Your breeder should be able to tell what type of coats the pups have from an early age. At JLDD we love our multigenerational litters. Adding more poodle generally equates to a curlier coat and less shedding as seen in a F1b or multigenerational doodle. When bred down correctly such as coat testing completed on parent dogs then a breeder can ensure to only pass on the non-shedding gene to the next generation, so the result is an ultra low-shedding dog! Helpful Tip Alert! The trademark temperament and low-shedding coat of this breed do not necessarily mean this is a low-maintenance dog. When considering the athletic breed backgrounds of this dog as well as their very high intelligence, its no surprise that goldendoodles do require a lot of human attention. This is what makes the breed incredibly easy to train and great for first time dog owners but it also means that your goldendoodle will not be happy to spend his days alone in the backyard. The same intuitive, sensitive nature that makes the goldendoodle an excellent therapy dog candidate, also means that your pup will want to be with you all the time! If you are not prepared to never watch Netflix alone again, then the goldendoodle may not be the best fit for you! Most goldendoodles tend to be a second shadow to their owners and follow them around the house and are up for being a companion on any adventure! This is not a sedentary dog and will require some kind of physical exercise several times a week in order to be at his best. Finally, many people are attracted to the Goldendoodle for its minimally shedding coat. But this does not mean the coat is low maintenance. We have had owners groom their doodles themselves to save on costs, but it is certainly still a significant commitment to keep your dood looking fresh and mat-free! In conclusion, if you are prepared for a dog that enjoys an active lifestyle, lots of human interaction and mental stimulation and you have a plan for coat maintenance, the Goldendoodle is a great fit for you!

Christina Donnelly is a small animal expert focusing on dogs and writer with over 12 years of experience in animal welfare. In fact, golden retrievers have snagged the third spot for most popular dogs in the United States for the last several years! These pooches are on the larger side females range between 55 and 70 pounds, while males weigh in between 65 and 75 pounds and require lots of exercise, which may make some families shy away. But don't let their size—or high energy—deter you. Golden retrievers are highly intelligent, easy to train compared to other breeds of dogs , and incredibly friendly. Whether you're already a golden puppy parent or considering adding one to the family, read on to learn some fun facts and see some seriously cute photos! One even surmises that goldens are descendants of Russian circus dogs! These alternate theories were debunked, however, when the personal records of Lord Tweedmouth of Inverness, Scotland were made public. Lord Tweedmouth was an avid waterfowl hunter who wanted to breed a dog with some serious bird retrieving skills. So, in , he bred a yellow retriever named Nous with a liver-colored Tweed Water Spaniel named Belle. The result? A pack of puppies with the exact hunting skills he was looking for, which he dubbed golden retrievers. Golden retrievers were later brought to North America—sometime during the s—where they became hugely popular for their beautiful looks and sweet personalities. Then, in , they were officially recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club. Continue to 2 of 9 below. They can range from a very light, snowy white, to a yellow-gold, to a dark, coppery red. No matter the color of their coat, however, it's important to never cut your golden retriever's hair—doing so can put her at risk of skin cancer, among other health issues. Their coats are made up of two layers—the long, silky, waterproof outercoat and soft, warming undercoat—and act as insulators against all types of weather. So, if you think to trim your golden's coat in the summer to keep it cool, think again! It'll be much cooler and its skin will be protected from the sun with its coat intact. Continue to 3 of 9 below. Bred to fetch waterfowl, golden retrievers love a good swim session but would be just as happy with long walks, games of fetch, or even agility games. Aim for about one hour of exercise each day, but keep your dog's age and activity levels in mind—you may have to adjust accordingly. Continue to 4 of 9 below. If taken to a rescue site, for example, they can quickly learn how to perform search and rescues to help those in need. In addition to their smarts, golden retrievers' downright sweet demeanors make them the perfect pick for therapy dogs. They can bring a lot of comforts—and joy—to people who have experienced traumatic events, are living in hospitals, or are stressed out during college exams. Continue to 5 of 9 below. Their love of food can cause health problems like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease , so it's important to feed your golden the right amount of food for her weight, age, and activity level. Not sure how much is right for your dog? Talk to your vet about a healthy diet. And take it easy on the treats! It's true that goldens love to eat, but they like to carry non-food items in their mouths, too. Their mouthy nature makes everyday stuff such as sticks, shoes, or even the remote control a highly prized possession. Because golden retrievers have very gentle mouths, challenges such as the golden retriever egg challenge—in which a golden is tasked with holding an uncooked egg in its mouth without breaking it—have popped up all over the web. Continue to 6 of 9 below. Tons of major movies, such as the "Air Bud" series, "Homeward Bound," "A Dog's Purpose," and even thrillers such as "Poltergeist" and "Friday the 13th" have goldens in the credit roll. What's more? There are a few golden retrievers in presidential history, too. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford had goldens during their presidencies. Golden retrievers are often considered the all-American dogs, so it makes sense, right? Continue to 7 of 9 below. Todd, the sweet golden pictured here, is one of those puppy heroes. During their hike, Paula nearly stepped on a rattlesnake—and when the snake lunged at her, Todd jumped in front of her to protect her. Although Todd was bitten on the nose and had severe swelling in his face, he's expected to make a full recovery. Because of his heroic deed, the internet has hailed Todd as a very, very good boy. And believe it or not, Todd has found a way to be an even better boy: He has a GoFundMe page to help other heroic doggies who have suffered from the same injuries. Continue to 8 of 9 below. Even in their senior years, it's not uncommon for older goldens to keep up with their puppy counterparts. Continue to 9 of 9 below. And for good reason! Not only are they adorable, but they prove goldens are some of the sweetest puppers around, too. Of course, this is not entirely unsurprising when they are puppies. What do we mean when we say a dog is cute? The definition of cute is attractive in a pretty or endearing way. So, cute is a common word used with Golden Retriever puppies. How could it not be? The Golden Retriever puppy is amazingly adorable with its big goose-down fur, stubby legs, and oversized head. The Golden Retriever is a unique dog. Even in adulthood, they warrant the label of cute. That cuteness arises both from its physical attributes and from its personality. Their personalities are without comparison in the dog world. And endear themselves to us they do. Sweet Personalities To describe a Golden Retriever is to define a pleasant, kind, gentle, and charming dog. Yes, charming. Golden Retrievers are also sensitive and dislike conflict and drama. In addition, they possess a playfulness born out of there always live in the moment, positive attitudes, and love of life. It stems from his ability to charm anyone coming through the door with his sweet personality. And, like the majestic lion, when people think of a Golden Retriever, their long coats of gold are often one of the first things that spring to mind. And for a good reason. The coat is gorgeous to look at and soft to the touch, making it hard not to pet a Golden Retriever. As puppies, their fluffy fur makes them look like they just came out of the dryer. Bernard, or Golden Retriever, the best stuffies are long-haired dogs. With the Golden Retriever, their longer double furry coat made of gold imparts a fluff factor to them. And that fluff factor equates to cuteness. The fluffier the fur, the greater the cuteness factor. There are still 16 reasons other reasons why Goldens rank high on the cuteness scale. Ah, the eyes. How often do we, as humans, compliment someone based on their eyes? Golden Retrievers are highly intelligent, deep-feeling dogs. When happy, playful, or mischievous their eyes express a personality of joy and fun that, at the moment, is the epitome of cuteness. Or, it can be in a calm moment when a Golden Retriever is mellow and detached from the drama of a household. Captivating Smiles The Golden Retriever smiles when happy and relaxed, and a captivating smile it is. Smiles can be infectious, captivating, seductive, and even cute. And so it is with the Golden Retriever. And that smile, when it appears, is pretty darn cute and hard not to notice. Floppy Ears Ah, the Golden Retriever ears. Their ears look like the Golden Retriever is perpetually wearing a big pair of Golden ear muffs. No, the floppy ear may not be as expressive or reactive as ears that point or get pricked up, but make no mistake, the floppy ear group gets the nod on the cuteness scale. The floppy ears add an adorability factor. Be it that they wobble back and forth or frame the eyes, head, and mouth better, the floppy-eared dog is a hallmark of cute and adorable. As puppies, their floppy ears are unmatched in the cuteness factor. A Large, Roundish Head The cuteness factor is exceptionally high in dogs with large round heads or heads that are large in proportion to their body size. Consider human babies, which have the same big round heads, which are large in proportion to their body size. They also have big eyes. So, is it any wonder the Golden Retriever is considered a cute dog? With its oversized round head and big soulful eyes, framed with floppy ears, you have a recipe for a cute dog. Especially as puppies, the proportionally big head in relation to the body, causes the Golden Retriever puppy to be adorably uncoordinated complete with tumbles and face plants. In adult dogs, round faces are often softer and gentler looking than more pointy or well-defined heads such as a Doberman or Pitbull. Even the large St. Bernard or drooling Newfoundland dogs have a smooth, gentle aspect due to the floppy ears and big round heads. And, those floppy ears and a longer coat seem to add to the plumping of the head, softening it, which in turn ratchets up the cuteness factor. And it is something to behold and is the epitome of cute. What is the full-body wiggle? The full-body wiggle is a Golden Retriever wagging its whole body starting from the tail, moving through the butt into the front shoulders and head. Wiggle is. Typically, the full-body wiggle is accompanied by a love growl discussed later , bark, or some vocalization of joy. Yes, the full-body wiggle is an expression of pure and utter joy. There is no other word for it other than cute when you see it. Enthusiast Greetings Golden Retrievers bond closely with their owners, and they hate to be separated from their people. After being away from their Golden Retriever, most Golden Retriever owners will tell you that one of the things they look forward to is the enthusiastic greeting they get upon returning. The greeting from a Golden Retriever is a party. The dog may jump, bark, growl, and squeak in pure joy. It may run around the house, grab a toy, or roll on its back, smile, and wiggle. Usually, the full-body wiggle is combined with its freight train-like charge to greet you. The greeting is an explosion of pure energy comprised of pure joy. It almost borders on crazy. But it sure is cute!! Love Sponges According to Urban Dictionary , a love sponge is, so sweet and charming, not to mention magnetic and captivating, that they soak up and attract others, with their enchanting ways… soaking up love like a sponge. Or put another way, Golden Retrievers love, love. They love life and pretty much everything and everyone in it. They hate conflict and drama. They love giving love, and they love getting love from almost everybody, including strangers, the old, the young, men, women, children, dogs, or cats. They, indeed, are love sponges. Bailey shows some love to the cat. Yup that is a pretty apt description of the Golden Retriever. And, make no mistake, that sweetness and charm are pretty darn cute. But, consider this. You see a Golden Retriever do the trick, like roll over and play dead or dance for a treat! For example, when I take my Golden Retriever Bailey to doggie daycare, he gets so excited to go to his favorite place. Golden Retrievers are one of the easiest-to-train dog breeds. That is owed mainly to their high level of intelligence number 4 in the dog world, according to Stanely Cohen. Additionally, they are biddable willing to learn and follow instructions. So, whether you consider a nifty trick or just a well-behaved dog cute, the Golden Retriever has the smarts to be trained to rise to the occasion. Golden Retrievers love to play. That playful exuberance starts in puppyhood. Golden Retriever puppies are highly energetic and matched in cuteness only by their just-out-the-dryer fluffy fur, large heads, soulful eyes, and captivating smiles. And, make no mistake, Golden Retriever puppies have lots of energy. Golden Retrievers are a few breeds of dogs that take that playfulness well in adulthood. Lovable Brats What do you get when you take a dog that loves to play, is exceptionally smart, has an abundance of energy, and decides to put those qualities to work to entertain itself or even sometimes you? You have a mischievous dog. You have a Golden Retriever. You have a lovable brat. You may find your Golden Retriever shredding the toilet paper off the roll, stealing your shoes, or waiting out of sight beside the stairs to pounce on the cat when it comes up. Often these bratty hijinks are born from not being mentally stimulated or exercised enough, i. But often, boredom has nothing to do with it. Instead, the dog is just being silly to engage us. And they know a mischievous prank will work just fine. Or the dog knows we find it funny, just like a young child who is being silly or even mischievous because we find it endearing and adorable. Bailey kidnapped a shoe and decided it was cuddle-worthy. Those hijinks are born from a keen doggie intellect, a sweet temperament that is perpetually happy, loves life, enjoys having fun and is goofy discussed below. Yes, this happened. My niece tried to get it back from him, which escalated into a game of chase around the room with the kids laughing hysterically. While my niece was chasing him, she had the biggest smile and was trying unsuccessfully not to laugh. Golden Retrievers are sweet dogs that are love sponges. Which, as we discussed, means that they enjoy giving and receiving love. And when the time comes, which is frequently, they are masters at cuddling. Often the Golden Retriever will rest its head on your lap while gazing into your eyes. Speaking of watching TV, that can often be prime cuddle time for the Golden Retriever, as it snuggles with you on the couch. But cuddles can come anytime and be anywhere. And, when the Golden Retriever is in cuddle mode, they are adorable. It stems from the dog being in a calm and serene state combined with being in love sponge mode. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, their soft long fur makes them especially cuddly for those times you want to cuddle these golden furballs. Cuddling goes both ways, right? These same traits also play a part in their behavior when the desire to be kooky strikes them. And, when their desire to be nutty strikes, it can be very cute. And these furry goofballs can get you smiling and laughing without warning. Golden Retriever owners take no insult when others call our dogs goofy! The love growl or pleasure growling is not at all aggressive. The dog may play bow or full-body wiggle. Often, other Goldens make more of a love whine or love howl. Regardless of their own unique sound, the meaning is the same, joy! Oh, and the love growl is adorable. Their Love of Balls If you have a Golden Retriever, there is a good chance that your dog has an obsession with balls, especially tennis balls. Their love of balls can border on obsession, and watching them ga-ga over a ball is adorably cute. Why so ball nuts? It has to do with their breeding as retrievers. The dog was literally bred to play fetch things, go out and get an object and bring it back to me, in assisting hunters, which was the purpose they were bred for, downed waterfowl or game birds. Golden Retrievers love their tennis balls. For us non-hunters, that instinct is still there. And fetch aligns with that innate drive. But, where does the ball come in? The ball, in a way, mimics a small furry animal. It is fast, scoots along the ground when thrown, and has erratic motions as it hops and bounces all over the place. Plus, tennis balls have fur. Not unlike a squirrel or bunny. If you are interested in finding out in detail why Golden Retrievers are obsessed with balls, then take a few minutes to read this article: The Golden Retrievers Obsession With Balls: Solved! When Bailey wants to play, he will bring me an object and sit in front of me with it in his mouth. Bailey when he wants to play with his ball or watch him chase his ball without abandon. Sometimes, he picks the ball up and runs like a crazy dog, the ball zoomies, as I call it, and he only stops briefly to shake the ball before sprinting off again. Canine Kleptomania: Their Love of Stealing Things Rounding out the list at number 17 of why Golden Retrievers are so cute is they love to steal things. Golden Retrievers love to steal things. And their dog burglar ways are in their genes. As we previously discussed, Golden Retrievers were bred to assist hunters in retrieving waterfowl. Part of the breeding was also to gently take the birds in their mouths and softly hold them not to damage the prey while returning it. So, stealing things is the Golden Retriever expressing its deep-rooted instinct to go get things and hold them softly in its mouth. However, what makes it so cute is that it often is done in unison with trying to get attention, being playful, or being mischievous. Then to add in a good measure of cuteness, it throws in some full-body wiggles, and love grows. Because stealing things can be for purposes other than being mischievous, this cuteness trait deserved a standalone mention. For example, often, they will steal things to bring them back to you, almost like they are bringing you a gift. Or, they will steal something when greeting you — they just have to have something in their mouths. No matter the reason, stealing things and often collecting them is so adorable that it must be added to the cute list. The video below is a great summary of all the things that make Golden Retrievers so cute. The first few minutes of the video below show a Golden Retriever greeting, complete with stealing a dish towel and love growls or is it a love whine? The rest of the video is just a Golden Retriever doing all the things that make it so cute and loveable, even as adults. Final Thoughts So, there it is. Seventeen reasons why Golden Retrievers are so cute. Taken separately or as a whole, each of these seventeen traits endears the Golden Retriever to us and melts our hearts or makes us laugh. And for those reasons, Golden Retrievers are such cute dogs!! Show more Things you should know about buying or adopting a pet While pet sellers can be reputable individuals or breeders who treat their animals well, the ease of selling pets over the Internet also makes it attractive to careless, irresponsible breeders and scammers. To protect yourself, you must be careful and believe only what you see and not what you are told. It is highly recommended to arrange for an inspection of the home where the pets are bred. This allows you to check that the mother and other animals are living in suitable conditions, being well cared for, and are in good health. Remember that the Kijiji Pets section is NOT intended to facilitate uncontrolled breeding, irresponsible commercial pet trading, trade of dogs or any other animal for the purpose of fighting or stud services. Any ads that are suspected of promoting this kind of activity or reported to us will be removed. Users are responsible for adhering to the applicable conditions in relation to adopting, buying, selling or listing of an ad on Kijiji. Kijiji encourages, where possible, the adoption of pets and encourages all pet owners to have their animals spayed or neutered as well as microchipped. When looking for a pet, it is important to meet the breeder or seller and examine the pet before agreeing to anything. Since Kijiji is local to your community, this should be easy to arrange. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. This was the first time we had a chance to chart puppies from birth until 8 weeks old. We tried to take as many pictures as possible so we could have a journal of our Golden Retriever puppy growth week by week. When raising guide and service dog puppies we usually bring home our puppies at around weeks old. On occasion we are allowed to see puppies before 8 weeks of age, but they need to stay with their mother and siblings during those important early weeks to get milk and antibodies from mama and learn how to interact properly with siblings, learning important behaviors like bite inhibition. During our days as a foster we raised two litters of puppies , but both were already weeks old by the time we got them home. We actually own the Puppy Culture DVD and Workbook which includes charts, lists, worksheets and other great information for raising your litter. Keep your eyes and ears open and absorb it all like a sponge! Birth To 1 Week Old Guess what? This was the first litter we ever whelped!? We got a lot of advise, but we were largely on our own. Large Puppy Dish — great for feeding the puppies when they moved to solid food. Whelping Mats — we ordered 2 of these mats and washed them several times a day. Whelping Box — We have a homemade whelping box built by my father-in-law, but if we continue raising litters I plan on purchasing an EZWhelp Whelping Box. Our homemade box lasted three litters. We ended up purchasing the Magnabox which was hellu expensive but if you plan on raising multiple litters we highly recommend it. We recently put together a whelping checklist with all the supplies we gathered together to help out with our second litter of Golden Retriever puppies. Check out our whelping supplies checklist here. However, none were overly huge and none were extra small. No runts and no beasts. It was my understanding that when the cord was chewed down to the base of the belly it was sometimes difficult to get it to stop bleeding. I took the hemostat and pinched the umbilical cord about 2 inches from the base of the pups belly then cut the cord rather than let Raven chew it off. I kept the hemostat on the cord for about 2 minutes to let it clout. The umbilical cord dries up quickly and then within a day or 2 it falls off. Raven was a good mama and took care of her poops. Puppy eyes and ears are closed at this stage and puppies army crawl around the whelping box looking for a teat to suckle. We did everything we could to make sure our pups stayed warm by adding a watt heat lamp to the whelping box and portable heating unit in the puppy room. As I mentioned Raven stayed in the whelping box most of week 1 and of course… the puppy piles! One thing I learned is if I had a puppy on my lap then do not let Raven lick those areas or be prepared for a little accident on your lap. While caring for Raven and her litter Raven was really blowing out her coat that first week, but as time went on it slowed down. I heard from other friends this is common and that Raven blew out her coat much less than other mama dogs. We got Probiotics for Raven before her first litter, but forgot to order them for her second litter. After an upset stomach for the first week or so we realized our mistake, got Probiotics, and no more upset tummy. Week 2 — Pups eyes are opening starting to waddle. Week 3 — First bark! Week 7 — The great puppy escape artists! Week 8 — Our golden puppies head to their new homes. Have you ever had a litter of Golden Retriever puppies? Tell us about your experiences with puppies in the comment section below. Are you about to raise a litter of puppies? Not raising a litter, but getting ready to bring home your first Golden Retriever puppy? Puppies for Dummies will give you the basics on how to raise and train your new puppy. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist. Colby Colby Morita has been raising and training guide and service dog puppies for over 13 years. Colby has been writing to the PuppyInTraining. A little prevention can go a long way towards keeping your Loyal Pals nice and tidy for years to come! Since Loyal Pals can be made of a range of materials, we recommend avoiding commercial cleaners and detergents as those products may damage your product. To clean the surface of any Loyal Pals, simply use a damp cloth and warm water. It is also a very good idea to avoid exposing your Loyal Pals to heat sources like direct sunlight, irons, and clothes dryers, especially for items that contain plastics. Your Our Generation Loyal Pals has a cuddly, soft body that should not get wet. Pretend swimming is ok! But please do not submerse your doll pet in water. OG Loyal Pals love pretending to play outside, but please make sure not to let your doll sit in the sun for too long…exposure to heat of any kind can cause serious harm to your toy! We know you will do everything you can to keep your Loyal Pal happy and healthy! And you can always bring them to the Healthy Paws Vet Clinic if they need some extra care! Small parts. Not for children under 3 years. Recommended Accessories.