so, Santa is bringing a puppy this year.

Banjo String

Anyway, as title says, after very careful consideration, we've decided Santa can bring a pup this year to our house.

We've two kids, one 3 past, the other will be one next month.

Anyway, for different reasons, but mainly because after a bit of research, we've decided a labradoodle will be our chosen breed. Reasons being they're apparently great temperaments and don't shed hair.

The thing we're stumped on, is how do you go about getting a pup that will be the appropriate age on Christmas week?

Ie, do we look around now for breeders that have pregnant dogs or whatever?

Both my wife and I come from families were dogs have always been present, so we know what we're letting ourselves in for, but we're clueless as to making sure we've a pup at a certain time of year.

Anyone any insight, to both owning and caring for a labradoodle, or how to get a puppy in the time frame of Christmas week?

Thanks in advance.

borderlinemeath

Banjo String wrote: »

Anyway, as title says, after very careful consideration, we've decided Santa can bring a pup this year to our house.

We've two kids, one 3 past, the other will be one next month.

Anyway, for different reasons, but mainly because after a bit of research, we've decided a labradoodle will be our chosen breed. Reasons being they're apparently great temperaments and don't shed hair.

The thing we're stumped on, is how do you go about getting a pup that will be the appropriate age on Christmas week?

Ie, do we look around now for breeders that have pregnant dogs or whatever?

Both my wife and I come from families were dogs have always been present, so we know what we're letting ourselves in for, but we're clueless as to making sure we've a pup at a certain time of year.

Anyone any insight, to both owning and caring for a labradoodle, or how to get a puppy in the time frame of Christmas week?

Thanks in advance.

I have a feeling your post may be deleted or locked, because puppies at Christmas time/Santa bringing puppies is a very, very contentious subject. No good breeder will let anybody take a pup to be put into a household for Christmas. It's very overwhelming bringing a pup into a new home at any time of year, but Christmas week? For a Christmas present? Think of all the activity, the hyperactivity, the dinner preparations and all the food that the puppy may unintentionally get hold of that can be potentially damaging to it's health. The housetraining accidents when you have enough to be dealing with. The fact that relatives might come and visit and overwhelm a puppy even more, or the fact that you might want to go visiting relatives and either bring a puppy with no housetraining or leave a puppy at home to potentially chew and destroy new toys, the tree, decorations etc (you can't just get a crate and leave a new puppy in it, you need to do training).

Anyway, after all that. A labradoodle isn't actually a pure breed. It's a cross breed. And you won't find any reputable breeders with 'christmas puppies'. In fact you won't find any reputable breeders at all because cross breeds cannot be registered with the Irish Kennel Club. Although as all the 'designer' (ie stupid cross breeds with silly names) breeds go, it is perhaps the most sensible as it was crossed for a purpose (as a guide dog) but it opened the floodgates for dodgy breeders and puppy farms to manipulate and market cross bred dogs as 'designer' dogs. You also have no guarantee that the coat will be non shed, it's another marketing gimmick that 'breeders' have thought up. You could have a dog with a wiry coat, a curly coat, because with cross breeds you have no guarantees, coat wise, and in particular health wise unless you are looking at a pup that is the result of 6 generations of crosses, and the parents have been health tested for their breed conditions (for Labs, the main one is hip dysplasia/ arthritis and poodles can also suffer from HD, along with a myriad of other conditions.

My advice would be to have a stuffed toy dog for Christmas day, and maybe a lead/collar/bed (along with other Santa gifts) and have research done prior to Christmas and hopefully in Jan/Feb you may get the pup you want. Alternatively, as so many other people seem to find out, puppies are hard work and shelters and rescues are usually inundated with unwanted Christmas puppies in the months following Christmas, so you may well find your new family member in rescue.

Banjo String

Definitely food for thought^

boomerang

I'd agree. Christmas week is mayhem without adding a little pup into the mix. I would get "small" pressies for each of the kids, including some things the pup will need (e.g. bowl, collar and lead with ID tag, chew toys etc.) for the kids to open on Christmas Day too, with a promise that pup will be coming in the New Year, when the right pup comes along. If you badly want a pup's arrival to co-incide with Christmas, you might end up choosing a pup based on availability, rather than temperament, health and how good the breeder is. Don't rush into it at all OP - this is a "purchase" that you're going to live with intimately, day in, day out for the next 10-12+ years and will be a huge part of your kids' growing up. So take your time and do your best to make a well-informed choice.

There's no such thing as a dog that won't leave some degree of fluff/hair/dust in their wake. The shedding can be a concern before you bring your pup home, but really, once you get to know them and love them, the shedding issue recedes into the background. It's just something that comes with having a four-legged family member. You'll gladly take the bit of shedding, for the daily laughs and smiles that go with having a pooch.

TooManyDogs

Like the others said, Christmas is a disaster of a time to bring a puppy into the house, so I won't repeat what the others have said but also agree that maybe Santa would bring a dog bed or collar and lead etc.

Christmas pups are always a contentious subject because the only reason to plan a litter for that time of year is to make money, and if money is the primary driving factor then I'd be worried about the conscious thought gone into choosing the parents. This hybrid can also prone to the health problems of the lab and the poodle so make sure they've been health tested. Good breeders will avoid the Christmas market like the plague because they don't want to be taken for a back yard breeder, but it's the good breeders who won't allow their pedigree dogs breed with a different breed. So if you find someone breeding them I'd be quizzing them on why they're breeding and if you get a sniff of 'money' or 'cos they're popular' type answers then run away.

Also look into the hybrid, there are more types than simply Labradoodle - F1, F1B, F2, F3 etc

cocker5

OP...

Here's my thoughts.

While I understand its a "lovely" idea Santa bringing a pup and the excitement on christmas moring would be amazing you really need to think out side the box on this one...

as the other posters have mentioned only the worst "so called breeders" have pups available for christmas, its a money making racket without any thought for the bitch, pups or new dog owners - so in a sense (without any intention on your behalf) buy purchasing a pup at xmas you are fueling this situation.

Also IMO its a not good idea to get a pup from santa, IMO your showing kids pups are easily gotten (and in a lot of cases easily dumped in Feb 2014 too - DEF not saying you would do this but mnay many people do). If I were you I would get a pup in the new year, bring the kids along to "help" pick out the pup, make a big family deal of it, if they have to wait for the pup, and its not a "santa surprise" they will appreciate it more as they will have wanted / waited longer.

Giving the kids leads / bowls for xmas would be a great way to get them ready for a pup. You can make the kids "feel" like they are part of the decision making - a family decision to get a pup, which IMO is far more responsible than a pup from "santa".

Now dont get me wrong I know lots of kids ask santa and get a pup etc.... my sisters kids wanted a dog asked santa each year for a few years until my sister explained "Santa can only make toys, not live creatures" so they all picked a dog together, around June I think, the fact that it wasnt xmas morning and it was a joint decision etc maens they were far more excited and more apprective of the pup.... Just my opinion.

As another poster pointed out there is no such thing as a non shed dog - these are animals, with fur, they all shed, but lots can be done to reduce shedding - Regular brushing, clipping, salmon oil etc.

also labradoodles are non predigree dogs at premium prices, they are also quiet big in size.

OP im gonna be very blunt and say this I have grown up in a house with dogs all my life, as did my OH, so we decided to get our own cocker spaniel.... he's 8 now and the most amazing dog ever (well I am biased) BUT for the first 18 months - 2 years he was a NIGHTMARE... and if im honest we have no kids if i had a 3 year old and a one year old in the mix i would have completely cracked up!! it took ALOT of time, patience, training etc to get him to where he is today and if i had kids also I wouldnt have had the time for all three.......personally I would wait until your kids are 5 and 3 ... they will be able to understand the pup better ie how to behave around the pup, the "mouthing" pups do etc.... to not pull on the dog etc.... these are all issues that could lead to biting etc they are very very young at the moment and adding a pup to the mix is a receipe for diaster.... but that just my personal opinion.


Best of luck with whatever decision you make, I hope my points help somewhat

cocker5

cocker5 wrote: »

Also IMO its a not good idea to get a pup from santa, IMO your showing kids pups are easily gotten (and in a lot of cases easily dumped in Feb 2014 too - DEF not saying you would do this but mnay many people do). If I were you I would get a pup in the new year, bring the kids along to "help" pick out the pup, make a big family deal of it, if they have to wait for the pup, and its not a "santa surprise" they will appreciate it more as they will have wanted / waited longer.

Giving the kids leads / bowls for xmas would be a great way to get them ready for a pup. You can make the kids "feel" like they are part of the decision making - a family decision to get a pup, which IMO is far more responsible than a pup from "santa".

Couldn't agree more, this is a much, much better approach

DBB

I have not much more to add to the very sound advice given above. Pups are very, very hard work, it is like having a new baby in the house, but this one has sharp teeth and doesn't wear nappies!
I will also say op, it is really difficult to manage a small pup around kids so young. Toddlers and dogs are a really awkward mix, and combining the two requires almost super-human supervision. Your children will (not might, will) be bitten repeatedly by a playful pup, and I'm afraid I've lost count of the amount of young dogs who have been turfed out of their well-intentioned but naive homes, leaving terrified children who don't like dogs any more behind them.
I would also encourage you to reconsider this idea for another few years, at least until your kids are old enough to be able to follow instructions reliably.

When you're ready, truly ready, then this will be a good starting point for you:
http://www.dogstardaily.com/taxonomy/term/182

Queen-Mise

cocker5 wrote: »

OP...

While I understand its a "lovely" idea Santa bringing a pup and the excitement on christmas moring would be amazing you really need to think out side the box on this one...
personally I would wait until your kids are 5 and 3 ... they will be able to understand the pup better ie how to behave around the pup, the "mouthing" pups do etc.... to not pull on the dog etc.... these are all issues that could lead to biting etc they are very very young at the moment and adding a pup to the mix is a receipe for diaster.... but that just my personal opinion.


Best of luck with whatever decision you make, I hope my points help somewhat

I agree that it is a lovely idea, although maybe not entirely practical just yet. I think a birthday mid year is a better time, during the summer. You could go around the shelters around the time, leading up to the birthday, get the dog stuff needed. It will give you the time to research the dogs, see what dogs are good with kids, a dog would have to be bomb proof... Some breeds aren't really suitable typically.

And as poster above said - kids are not gentle. I'd wait till youngest is three anyway. At least then, they will be more able for walks, and running around woods etc. And then they are better able to understand that picking the dog up by the paw or ear hurts.
My daughter used to treat the dog like a moving doll, used to have to watch her like a hawk.

And then you are only toilet training one in the house:D

tk123

If you wait until the kids are a bit older they can take part in the puppy classes too. The ones I went to with my pup were great because the trainers gave advise to parents and also guided the kids on how to do some of the commands and explained to the kids what to do if the pup is mouthing them and jumping up etc. There were some younger kids there who got afriad when the puppies where having their offlead playtime and had to be lifted up/one parent took them outside while the other stayed in etc.

Are your kids sleeping thru the night - if so get used to waking up again to take the pup out to the loo!

wexie

Many good points raised so far.

Just to add one of my own thoughts : house training a pup is a much more pleasant afair in spring summer. No snow, frost, dark etc. etc.
You'll also be much more inclined to be outside playing with the kids and pup.

Banjo String

Excellent points raised folks.

After a lengthy discussion this morning, we've decided on the bed/kennel/lead etc as Santa gifts.

We can then choose a pup in Feb/March with the kids, this will take the pressure off, and also enable the kids to be part of the choosing process.

The above, many well thought out posts abd opinions are only one of the many reasons I love this site.

Thanks again.

Banjo

cocker5

OP,

Thats great you've all made the right decision.... you will have time to choose the "right" pup for you and your family.

Also Im sure the kids will be delighted when they get their new friend.... away from the santa distraction, xmas craziness!!

I know this is a little premature BUT here are some posters to help your kids understand (in kids terms) how to interact with a puppy / dog.... Hope these help once your new addition arrives!! these may help to try and avoid any negative situation between your young kids and the puppy.

Best of luck

borderlinemeath

That's really good to hear OP. It's not every poster that is willing to take advice on board when it goes against what they want to hear. So many times, particularly on this forum, and usually about the purchase of a pup or a dog - advice is given out and not heeded. Then usually there is a follow up thread a few months down the line, looking for help and solutions to problems encountered that could so easily have been avoided had the advice been taken in the first place.

As another poster quite rightly pointed out, spring/summertime is a far better time for bringing a pup into the family. As you say, the children can be involved in the choosing and also the willingness to go outside for toilet training, the longer days and (hopefully) better weather.

I know you also mentioned you wanted a dog that was non shed. There really isn't any such thing, all dog will shed but some breeds more so than others, so unless there's allergies to consider I wouldn't rule out a breed based on their shedding. What I would ask you to ask yourself - how much time and effort are you willing to put towards grooming? A lot of breed coats need regular upkeep, brushing daily, grooming every 6 weeks etc. (A labradoodle coat can require regular grooming). A brush down daily outside can really help with the dog shedding hairs indoors.

Good luck with your search and when you do get your new family member make sure to come back and post a picture:).

Banjo String

Absolutely border line.

I'm here for the advice, not an argument lol.

An Easter dog will do us fine lol.

I'll definitely throw up a few pics when he or she arrives.

sadie06

Just to say that Labradoodles can be absolutely huge, and it is very difficult to predict their adult size with any real certainty. I met a lovely one recently down in Castlecomer Discovery park and was shocked at the sheer size of her.

alroley

Labradoodles often don't get the poodle gene of no shedding.
In fact, I know one labradoodle that sheds like crazy.

Why not go for a standard poodle?
They don't need to have the classic poodle cuts.
They can be left fuzzy http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8388/8482112327_cc973777d3_z.jpg

My osky is a miniature poodle, he doesn't shed, he's very intelligent, and an absolute dote
But maybe I am biased

Knine

I love poodles, imo these lab/poodle crosses do not compare to the real deal

However everywhere I go with my Spinoni, he is called a Labradoodle :mad::mad:

It makes me want to cry at times.

Banjo String

Knine wrote: »

I love poodles, imo these lab/poodle ces do not compare to the real deal

However everywhere I go with my Spinoni, he is called a Labradoodle :mad::mad:

It makes me want to cry at times.

Sprocket from Fraggle Rock!

Knine

I would like to clarify that the yellow object in the background is actually a playdough toy.

Just saying like :eek:

wexie

Knine wrote: »

I would like to clarify that the yellow object in the background is actually a playdough toy.

Just saying like :eek:

Banjo String

Knine wrote: »

I would like to clarify that the yellow object in the background is actually a toy.

Just saying like :eek:

Fixed that.

/puts on soft music, turning down the light.

What kinda toy?

Whispered

Sorry to interrupt............. :pac:

But wanted to add to the above comment about doodles being very hard to predict. I know one doodle who is the height of a deerhound, maybe a bit taller, while subsequent litters from the same bitch and dog (bred only 6 months apart approx - which again highlights the types of breeders involved in my opinion) are much smaller. I know a doodle who is TOTALLY unlike these original doodles that I met, different hair, different body shape, different size and different personality. In all, I see 5 doodles regularly and they are all different.

anniehoo

Knine wrote: »

I would like to clarify that the yellow object in the background is actually a playdough toy.

Just saying like :eek:

Would never have noticed until you said it. I literally LOL'd ....a few times :D:D

tk123

Knine wrote: »

However everywhere I go with my Spinoni, he is called a Labradoodle :mad::mad:

My retrievers are always called Labs or more annoyingly 'golden labradors' :rolleyes:

sadie06

That surreal moment when Animals and Pets morphs into After Hours.....:D

sparkling sea

I have 2 labradoodles, if you are thinking of getting one I would highly recommend an Australian Labradoolde as they are less likely to shed. There is a really good breeder in Wexford.

Labradoodles are brillant dogs but like all dogs they are hard work and need to be looked after and they need to be walked a couple of times a day. Train them well and you will have no problems but it you don't them you probably will.

Ah_Yeah

There is the most beautiful Labradoodle at the yard where I have a horse on loan:



One thing I will say, he is the most beautiful dog with the calmest temperament (albeit, a little dim ), but they really do need good care taken of their coats. He is an outdoor dog, so even more important, but it's so easy for his coat to get matted, and that's when it starts to hurt, and then they can potentially lose chunks of hair, which is worse So regular brushing and cleaning

Amazing dog though, one of my favourites!

sionnaic

cocker5 wrote: »

OP,

I know this is a little premature BUT here are some posters to help your kids understand (in kids terms) how to interact with a puppy / dog...

These are brilliant!!

Banjo String

Promised you guys an update when we got our newest family member.

Here is Lulu.

She's a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle.

The madness begins.






Edit, can a mod resize these pics? I'm not sure how to.