Good Afternoon Chilliwack Labradoodle Families. 

 

​This is our four-week Pup Date on the puppies from our Creamy Truffles Litter.

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In the last Pup Date, we provided information about why a dogs' crate and bed are important. This week we hope to learn more about your lifestyle, hobbies, interests, and family make-up.  This information will assist us in matching each puppy to their forever home.  As well you will see this week we have information regarding exercise, puppy food, eating routine, and alone time for your puppy.

 

Puppy Food, Treats, and Bones

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Feeding a complete raw diet to your dog is the best way to provide the nutrition required for its healthy growth and longevity. As I am sure you are aware there is a wealth of information out there regarding diet and what to feed your dog, unfortunately very little if any are actually based on Scientific Studies.

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At Chilliwack Labradoodles, we feed all of our dogs at home a RAW food diet. We recognize and appreciate that RAW Food feeding is not for everyone and respect your choice in sticking with the higher value kibble Nutrience Sub Zero if that is what you choose to do.

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If you are not ready to completely feed raw you may want to consider feeding a mixture of raw food and kibble.  We believe maintaining a raw diet along with kibble will help ensure a balance of nutrition for our dogs.

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Finally, whether you feed a RAW or a Kibble diet we highly recommend enhancing your dog's food with some of the following superfood options…..

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-Tripe! Not only is it a superfood but dogs LOVE it!

Tripe is a natural probiotic that helps dogs digest and processes the micronutrients in their body, increasing the production of good bacteria and helps lower levels of yeast.  This in turn will mean a happier healthier dog with less risk of ear infections and GI issues for now and the future.  A dog's daily diet should include 10-15% tripe.

What I usually do is buy a bag of Carnivora Beef Green Tripe, take one pattie or brick put it into the fridge in a sealed container. (tripe has a strong odor)  and add at least a large tablespoon to each of your dog's meals.  Dogs can eat as much tripe as they like. Tripe is not considered a well-balanced whole meal, your dog should be eating either a RAW diet or Nutrience  SubZero with the tripe.

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You can purchase raw food with tripe already in it, or you can purchase treats such as trachea stuffed with tripe. Tripe is great for any dog with a low food drive, they usually cannot resist eating it!

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If you want to learn more about tripe and the benefits it provides to dogs we have listed one link below.

https://blog.homesalive.ca/dog-blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-tripe-for-dogs

 

-Yet another terrific food that you can add to any of your dog's meals, is a great source of calcium, and is a terrific natural probiotic is raw goat's milk or raw goat cheese. You can soak its kibble in the milk or give some in a bowl to lap up, with the cheese you can sprinkle an approx a tablespoon amount onto your dog's food or break pieces off for training treats. If you decide to do this I would alternate the goat products. 

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-A great source of calcium you can feed your dog would be raw Quail Eggs, add a couple every other day to one of their meals. 

You can find them in most pet stores that sell Big Country Raw and even at Pet Smart! Feed the quail egg to your dog RAW! I try to encourage mine to eat the shell some will some won't, if they don't I just mix the egg into their meal and pick the shell out.

 

 Labradoodles are notorious for a low food drive. When feeding your puppy or dog it is important to have variety in what they are eating, to both keep them interested in their food and to ensure they are receiving the well-rounded vitamins and nutrients needed to be at their healthiest.  With that being said if your puppy/dog eats far less than what you had expected during a meal or for a couple of days. There is no need to worry this is completely normal. You will get to know your puppy, her preferences, and when she is holding back just to see if you have something better to offer!  If your puppy does not finish their food simply put it into the refrigerator and bring it out at their next meal. Puppies and dogs will never starve themselves.

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Raw Bones are very important for growing and developing puppies and dogs. There are not enough essential nutrients in any of the foods dogs eat that will satisfy all of the nutritional requirements needed for optimal skeletal development and sustainment.  Bones make up a large portion of your dog's diet. 20% of your dog's meal should be bone.

Dogs can eat any kind of bone providing it is RAW! NEVER give your puppy or dog a cooked bone! Your puppy/dog will need raw bones with meat on. We give our dogs frozen bones they are great for teething puppies and provide psychological stimulation for both puppies and dogs alike. They will eat the entire bone and this is what you want. It is not so much about the meat on the bone as the bone itself. 

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Raw meat on bones can act as a meal replacement. If your dog is not interested in her raw food substitute it with the raw bone.

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An example of a full meal consisting of mainly bone for the puppy you will be bringing home would be:  x1 Chicken Wing Tip, x1 Mini Pork Rib Bone, and a little bit of Smack Dehydrated Raw.

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Chicken’s bones are very pliable and easy for puppies to eat. If the bone you are offering your dog has more fat than meat this is ok if you are feeding it to them sparingly say once every other week. Whole fish especially wild salmon is a great way to incorporate both raw meat and bones into your dog’s diet. Some other great options for raw bone with meat on are turkey, chicken, lamb or duck necks, beef or buffalo knucklebones, duck frame or rabbit legs are just a few. If you feel your dog is not getting enough raw bone in her diet you may want to consider adding another source of calcium into their diet in the form of a calcium vitamin.  You can purchase raw meat on bones at any quality pet food store or if you find a butcher or poultry farm in your area they will often be happy to provide you with various raw bone on products for reasonable pricing.

 

Now let’s move on to the “Meat of things!”  When you pick up your puppy it will come home with its own personal folder.  One of the items you will find is a list of Chilliwack Labradoodles recommended foods we have also provided it at the end of this pup date.

 

Each food company has balanced the appropriate percentage of organ/bone/vegetable and fruit needed to provide your dog with a complete meal. When feeding your dog any food whether it is kibble, raw, or dehydrated raw you need to follow the food guidelines on the package as to how much your puppy needs.

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Typically a 30lb dog will eat 1 pound of raw food in just over one day.

How much raw meat should I feed my puppy?  5-8% of your puppy’s body weight is the amount of raw food your puppy will likely consume for the first six months. This a broad range as it varies between puppies. Like humans, some puppies have faster metabolisms than others.  Some puppies are more active than others and it also depends on your lifestyle as well. We suggest starting your puppy off at 5%  and work your way up to what your puppy is telling you what she wants. Again you really do need to get to know your dog, if you put her food down and she eats it all and is looking up at you for more. It’s safe to say she needs more, give her more. If she eats a bit and leaves the rest in her bowl, put it into the refrigerator and give the rest to her at the next meal. Now if she is eating more than 8% of her body weight this would be a bit excessive and you may want to cap her at that.  

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Again when feeding your puppy or dog raw it is important to feed a variety of meat proteins, rotating between red meats, lamb, pork and beef, white meats turkey, chicken, and fish. There are many other types of meat to choose from when it comes to variety, rabbit, venison, and bison are a few others.

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There is one other raw food we would like to bring to your attention it is 3P Naturals Salmon and Yeast Buster Blend, it is green in colour and it comes frozen. The vegetable chosen for this particular meal will help prevent some of the yeast-driven irritations common to dogs. Such as ear infections, skin irritation, biting off their feet, and even dragging their bottom on the ground.

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 These issues are caused by a buildup of yeast in your dog. The yeast buster blend will help combat these issues. You can add the frozen yeast buster vegetable to any meal. If you add two tablespoons per day to your dog’s meal this will prevent or correct any of these issues. You can purchase them at any quality pet food store Tail Blazer’s is one of our favorite pet stores they are only located in Abbotsford and Chilliwack. You will find one in your area that you prefer over the others.

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Smack is a Canadian-made raw dehydrated alternative that we regularly use for our dogs.  The manufactures dehydrate the meat at such a low rate most of the nutrients remain in the food. Smack is highly concentrated and you only need a little bit for your dog or puppy. You will need to follow the directions on the bag carefully. We suggest adding it in some way to your puppy or dog's diet so they are used to it. Smack is a great alternative to a full raw diet while traveling or if you need to leave your puppy or dog with a sitter while you are away. You can use Smack as a training treat throughout your dog’s day!  Smack is sold at some pet stores. We usually order it online.

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The other Raw Dehydrated dog food we always have on hand is Zwiki Peak, the Lamb Tripe is a favorite of our dogs. This dog food is harder to find and is quite expensive but provides an amazing nutrient value to your dog’s diet. While they are a whole meal we often use them as treats for our dogs. 

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-What Has Your Puppy Been Eating While In Our Care

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We like to offer choice to our pet families this is why all of our puppies are transitioned to a high-value kibble Nutrience SubZero. You can buy this kibble at any Pet Smart location and a few select independent pet stores.

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While your puppy has been in our care we feed them Nutrience Sub Zero puppy kibble. It is the “Green Bag.” We mix the puppy kibble with pure canned pumpkin and feed!

Nutrience Sub Zero is a grain-free product that is made in Canada. It is the only Canadian-made kibble that has protein derived from sources that are digestible and extractable by dogs. Many dog foods have peas or lentils up at the top of their ingredient list as those are inexpensive sources of protein.  This way the food manufacturer is able to claim a high protein percentage for their food without having to spend a lot of money to get the rating. Nutrience Sub-zero has meat as its primary source of protein making their percentage claims far more accurate than other foods.  This means you feed less of the product making the food less expensive than others.

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If at any point in your dogs life they experience loose stool or constipation we recommend using a canned pumpkin mixed into their meals.  This is a terrific natural source of fiber. As a puppy, a teaspoon of pumpkin with their meal is what we recommend, as a grown dog a tablespoon is what they will need.

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Our objective was to provide our puppy families with information around healthy diet options for all of our puppies! Take your feeding one step at a time; this will help you from becoming overwhelmed with all of the new information!

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Approved Dehydrated Raw Foods

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• Smack Raw Dehydrated Dog Food

• Ziwi Peak Raw Dehydrated Dog Food

• Stella and Chewy’s

 

Approved Raw Food Diet

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Pets for Life is a very well-rounded raw food that includes eggshells for adding extra calcium needed to your dog's diet. Our two top preferences are Big Country Raw and Naturawls.

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• Big Country Raw                    -Butcher Block             

• Pets for Life                               -Bramble Hills

• IrRawsistible                            -3P Naturals       

• Artisan Raw                             -Carnivora

• Naturawls

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Approved Kibble

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• -Nutrience Sub Zero Dog Food (Kibble)

 

Suggested Daily Supplements

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• -Olie New Beginning Probiotic                                                                                                                     

https://olie-naturals.myshopify.com/products/new-beginnings-pet-                           1l?_pos=1&_sid=5569509ad&_ss=r

         

• -Dobias Soul Food(multi-vitamin)                                         https://peterdobias.com/products/soulfood-multivitamin-for-dogs

 

• Dobias Green Min (amino-rich green superfood https://peterdobias.com/products/greenmin-for-dogs

 

Approved Treats

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Our favorite treat brands are Hero and Puppy Love treats and chews.

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- Their Kibble                                                       -Stuffed Kongs

-Dehydrated liver treats or lung treats            -Deer Antlers

-Various dehydrated meat treats                      -Raw bones/meat on

-Pieces of cheese                                                  -Raw Goat Cheese

-Small cooked cubed chicken                          -Goats Milk

-Bully Sticks                                                        -Cooked Chicken Egg

-Raw Quail Eggs

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-Our favorite treats and bones to give our dogs are:

their kibble, dehydrated liver or lung treats, various dehydrated meat treats, pieces of cheese, small cubed cooked chicken (this can be messy when using for reward, the cooked chicken will break apart easily)bully sticks, deer antlers, and their Kong. 

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Feeding Routine

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When your puppy comes home she will be eating three times per day, we suggest keeping this routine until she is at least six months old. After that time frame moving her feeding to twice a day would be appropriate if you find this works best for her eating style. Typically when your puppy comes home to you they will be on an 8:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 5:00 pm feeding routine so that your puppy has plenty of time to eliminate before bed. Fresh unlimited access to water throughout the day is extremely important to your dog, we suggest putting the water away about 1.5 hours prior to bedtime, in order to help with nighttime potty training.

The amount that you feed your puppy at each feeding can be determined by your puppy's weight.  Please read the instructions on the bag for your puppy's daily feeding amount based on his weight. Divide the amount by three and that will be your puppy's portion of kibble at each meal.  As your puppy grows you can increase the amount based on weight and divide his/her portions into two feedings. 

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Exercise​

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For your puppies, it is important that you do not over-exercise them. Puppies do need a nice balance of both mental and physical stimulation. Puppies need to exercise to develop growing muscles, but we do not want to over-exercise them because their growth plates are still growing and we do not want to cause any trauma to their developing plates. We need to be mindful of our puppies' hips, all puppies are susceptible to hip dysplasia.  At Chilliwack Labradoodles, we test all of our breeding dogs in order to avoid any hereditary factors of hip dysplasia.  Hips are affected by genetics and the environment. We have not only covered the genetic component of Hip Dysplasia but we have also started being mindful of our puppies' environment by making sure the puppies have a good grip beneath them while nursing so they do not slip causing stress on the hip joints. Assuring their bedding is sturdy, nice but not too soft. When your puppy comes home to you one of the important things you can do to support your puppies' growth is to limit your puppies' use of stairs as much as possible.  You will want to carry your puppy up and down the stairs for at least the first six months.

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When you take your puppy out for a walk it is said that a reasonable timeline for your puppy to walk is 5 minutes for every month your puppy is old. Up until your puppy is about one year old. Once your puppy is one year old he will be ready to jog or run beside you but up until this age, walking is best for your puppy. If you have the opportunity to change the terrain that you are walking on, gravel, grass, residential streets, etc. do so as much as you can. Not only is it good for your puppies' physical growth but introducing them to all sorts of new experiences builds up their confidence and resilience as well. As well as walking, your dog can enjoy as much backyard play as it wants. There is no need to limit backyard play.

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Alone Time For Your Puppy!

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Labradoodles are smart and Labradoodles are very social. We need to set them up for success when leaving them home on their own. We have begun the transition here at Chilliwack Labradoodles by doing things such as the weaning process from their momma, transitions from their whelping area to their nursery, nursery to the sensory gym, and taking the puppies out and spending puppy to human, one-one time with them. The guide for time spent away from your puppy is one hour per month your puppy is old.  I would not suggest leaving your puppy at three months old alone for three hours at a time often, only once in a while. 

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Before you leave your puppy you need to prepare his surroundings we suggest you set up your x-pen, inside the x-pen, you will want to leave your puppies crate, with a pee pad, freshwater, an exercise cube, or food puzzle, "Safe" toys and a Kong stuffed with a treat placed inside your puppies crate. If you like you can leave the TV or Music on for your puppy.  You do want to leave your puppy alone on a regular basis for 1/2 hour to 1-hour intervals they need to learn how to be independent, they need to experience you being gone and know that you will return. 

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If you are working for the day or not able to be home you will need to make arrangements for your puppy.  You can arrange Doggy Daycare, (once your puppy is fully vaccinated) someone can come into your home for periods of the day or you could have a dog walker.  The person ideally could spend an hour in your dog's presence even if they are not interacting directly with your dog, the dog knows that they have a human with them and this is important to them.  This is especially true of Labradoodles, they are very social dogs, they have been bred to be social, this is part of the reason for their popularity. It also means we need to accommodate this social need and understand that they are totally dependent on us and their strongest relationship is with their people.

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This week was an adventurous one in our puppies' lives! The puppies have been moved from their whelping beds to a larger area with potty pads and a Sensory Gymnasium! Not only is this Gymnasium Fun but it helps the puppies become desensitized to different noises, textures, shapes, sizes, and colours. It helps them to learn how to navigate obstacles, gain confidence in our world, and become resilient.  

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The puppies were also introduced to solid foods this week, as part of a natural weaning process we slowly start to feed them a mixture of blended kibble, pumpkin, and puppy formula.  The puppies have been happy with this transition, they smell the food as I bring it to their pen and are easily lapping up food from their pan. They are messy little pros at it now!

 

With their whelping bed gone we have introduced them to their crate. We want their crate to feel like our bedroom does for us. A cozy safe place to rest. At this point, their crate is left open for them to roam in and out of as they please. They are keeping their crate clean and learning to use puppy pads outside their crate to potty.  This will help the transition to their new home with you if indeed you are using a crate and they will be familiar with potty pads.

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Let's take a look at how each of our Australian Labradoodles is doing this week.

I will go through each puppy in the order of  birth