Doodle Dogs For Dummies

Introduction 1 About This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 2 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 3 Where to Go from Here 4 Part 1: From Poodle to Doodle 5 Chapter 1: Meet the Doodle 7 Doodle Sizes 7 Toy-size Doodles 9 Miniature-size Doodles 10 Standard-size Doodles 11 Doodle Personalities 12 Super-sensitive 12 Very intuitive 14 Hyperactive 15 Doodle Health 15 Life span 15 Potential health issues 16 Doodle Training 17 Puppies: Up to 4 months old 17 Adolescents: 4 to 8 months old 17 Adults: Over 8 months old 18 Chapter 2: The Amazing Poodle 19 Meet the Poodle 20 Big, Small, Poodles Have It All 23 Poodle Personalities 23 Common Health Concerns 24 Chapter 3: Considering Your Doodle Options 25 Considering Your Lifestyle 26 Doodle Commonalities 28 Grooming requirements 28 Early socialization requirements 28 Behavioral quirks 28 Trainability 28 Dietary requirements 29 Exercise requirements 29 Separation anxiety 29 Meet the Doodles 29 Aussiedoodle 30 Bernedoodle 32 Cavadoodle (Cavapoo) 34 Chidoodle (Chipoo) 36 Cockapoo 38 Goldendoodle 40 Havadoodle 42 Jackadoodle (Jackapoo) 44 Labradoodle 46 Maltipoo 48 Pekapoo 50 Pomapoo 52 Pugadoodle (Pugapoo) 54 Pyredoodle 56 Sheepadoodle 58 Shihdoodle (Shihpoo) 60 Sproodle 62 Whoodle (Wheatenpoo) 64 Yorkipoo (Yorkidoodle) 66 Part 2: Your Very Own Doodle 69 Chapter 4: Pick a Doodle 71 Finding Your Doodle 71 Searching the web 71 Doodle owners 72 Groomers 72 Identifying a Reputable Breeder 73 Looking at the different kinds of breeders 73 Asking the right questions 76 Visiting a breeder 77 Getting health clearances 78 Reading the puppy purchase contract 81 Temperament Testing a Doodle 82 Be gentle: Testing for touch sensitivity 82 What’s that? Testing for movement and object sensitivity 84 Who’s the boss? Testing for confidence or passivity 86 I’ll get that! Testing for possessiveness and retrieval ability 89 Follow the leader: Testing for social skills 91 Chapter 5: Doodle on the Way 93 Before Doodle Day: What to Know Before Bringing Your Dog Home 93 Financial considerations 94 Time considerations 95 Space considerations 97 Puppy-Proofing Your Home 97 Removing chewing hazards 98 Protecting your furniture 99 Safety first 101 Setting Up Sleeping and Eating Areas 102 The crate: Your dog’s first place to sleep 103 Thinking outside the box: Letting your dog sleep outside a crate 103 Buying bedding 104 Giving your dog a place to eat 104 Stocking Up on Supplies 105 Collars, harnesses, and leashes 105 Dishes and bowls 105 Toys 106 Chapter 6: It’s Doodle Day: Picking Up Your New Puppy 109 Travel Considerations 110 Flying with your puppy 110 Traveling by car 112 Poop, Pee, Eat, Sleep, Repeat: Setting Up a Feeding and Potty Schedule 113 Giving Your Puppy the Guided Tour 114 Showing your pup around 114 Greeting the family 115 Meeting other pets 116 Taking your Doodle out to do their business 119 Helping Your Doodle through the First-Night Blues 120 Planning Activities to Keep Your Doodle Entertained 121 It Takes a Village: Making Sure the Whole Family is Onboard 122 Feeding times 122 Potty breaks 123 Training and exercise routines 123 Chapter 7: Doodle Care 125 Giving Your Doodle the Nutrition They Need 125 The basics of nutrition 126 Types of dog food 127 Going to the Veterinarian 131 Choosing a veterinarian 131 Spaying or neutering 134 Going for regular checkups and vaccinations 135 Controlling parasites 138 Recognizing and Addressing Health Issues 139 Itches, bumps and spots: Skin disorders 139 Food allergies 140 Finicky or piggy: Eating disorders 140 Born with it or accidental: Skeletal issues 141 Common food sensitivities 142 Itches, bumps and spots: Skin disorders 143 Offering First-Aid to Your Doodle 144 Assembling your canine first-aid kit 145 Knowing what to do in an emergency 146 Nature’s Way: Exploring Natural Foods and Supplements 153 Vitamins 153 Herbs 154 Oils 154 Chapter 8: The Dapper Doodle 157 The Better to Hear You With: Cleaning Your Doodle’s Ears 157 Mani-Pedi Time: Trimming Your Doodle’s Nails 159 Say Cheese!: Keeping Your Doodle’s Teeth Healthy 161 Lookin’ Good: Coat Maintenance 163 Professional Doodle Grooming 165 Doodle cuts 166 Which cut is right for your dog 170 Preparing for grooming 170 Part 3: Doodle Training 173 Chapter 9: Doodle Rules and Regulations 175 Setting the Rules 175 Being Consistent, Praising Frequently, and Exercising Patience 176 Being Observant and Harnessing Good Behavior 177 Facilitating good behavior 178 Capturing behavior 179 Shaping behavior 180 Housetraining Your Puppy 181 Crate training 181 Finding the right outdoor relief area 183 Observing and directing your pup’s behavior 184 Training your Doodle to potty on cue 184 For whom the bell tolls: Training your Doodle to tell you when they have to go 186 Chapter 10: Basic Doodle Lessons 187 Buying and Using the Right Training Equipment 187 Targeting and Marking 192 Teaching Your Doodle the Basic Cues 195 Sit 195 Come 196 Heel 198 Down 202 Stay 204 Finish 208 Stand 214 Chapter 11: Advanced Doodle Lessons 217 Increasing the Duration and Distance of Stays and Recalls 217 Increasing the distance during stays 218 Getting your dog to come from a stay 221 Walking at Heel without a Leash 224 Phase 1: Dragging the leash 224 Phase 2: Using a pull-tab leash 225 Distraction-Proofing Your Doodle 226 Toys 228 Children 229 Dogs 231 Other animals 233 Enhancing Focus by Capturing Offered Behavior 234 Capturing heeling off lead 234 Voluntary stays 235 Putting on the Finishing Touches: AKC Rally 236 Puppy Playground: Doodle Agility Fun 238 Chapter 12: Doodle Don’ts 241 Four on the Floor: Stopping Jumping Up 242 Understanding why dogs jump 243 Keeping your Doodle’s feet on the ground 243 Curing the insistent jumper 244 I’m Not Your Supper: Stopping Mouthing 247 Understanding why dogs nip and mouth 247 Preventing the problem 247 Curing the problem 248 Chew on This, Not That 248 Understanding why dogs chew 249 Solving the problem 250 Oh, the Noise! Getting Your Doodle to Stop Barking 253 Keeping your Doodle occupied while you’re gone 254 Helping your Doodle to be confident on their own 255 Stopping barking on cue 256 All Mine: Teaching Your Doodle to Share 256 Surf’s Up! Stopping Counter-Surfing 257 Part 4: Doodles with a Purpose 259 Chapter 13: Doodles as Assistance Dogs 261 The Better to Hear You With: Hearing Dogs 262 Assistance Doodles 263 Emotional Support Dogs 264 Chapter 14: Doodle Sports 267 Participating in Formal Competitions 267 Looking at the different kinds of competitions 268 Preparing for your event 275 Hunting with Your Doodle 277 Having Down-Home Fun with Your Doodle 278 Part 5: Senior Doodles 281 Chapter 15: Recognizing the Changing Needs of Aging Doodles 283 Physical Changes 285 Worsening allergies 285 Bad breath 285 Lumps and bumps 286 Weight gain 286 Incontinence 286 Aches and pains: Changes in your Doodle’s joints 286 Blindness and deafness 287 Mental Changes 288 Chapter 16: Enhancing the Life of Your Aging Doodle 291 Move It or Lose It: Keeping Your Senior Doodle Active 291 Walking not running 292 Keeping the games light 292 Feeding Your Senior Doodle 293 Understanding how your dog’s needs have changed 293 Feeding more often to aid digestion 294 Old Dog, New Tricks: Training Your Senior Doodle 295 Exercises for the body 295 Exercises for the mind 296 Chapter 17: Double Doodle: Adding a Second Dog to Your Family 299 Looking at Common Reasons to Get a Second Dog 300 To give your current dog a companion 301 To prevent separation anxiety 301 To Doodle or Not to Doodle: That is the Question 302 Knowing What to Look for in a Sibling 303 Helping the New Duo Get Along 304 Setting up a positive initial meeting 304 Acclimating to a new life 305 Preventing resource guarding 307 Working with the dogs in tandem 308 Part 6: The Part of Tens 319 Chapter 18: Ten Reasons to Get Your Doodle from a Reputable Breeder 321 They Know What They’re Producing 322 They Provide Health Certifications 322 They Let You Meet the Parents 322 They Care Who Buys Their Puppies 323 They Offer Health Guarantees 323 They’ll Take Your Dog Back if You Can’t Keep Them 323 They Can Help You Pick the Right Puppy 324 They Provide Proof of Vaccinations 324 They Can Give You All Kinds of Guidance after You’ve Taken Your Pup Home 324 They Care about the Puppies They Produce 324 Chapter 19: Ten Reasons to Share Your Life with a Doodle 325 Doodles Are Adorable 325 Doodles Are Extremely Intelligent 325 Doodles Are Easy to Train 326 Doodles May Not Shed as Much as Some Other Breeds 326 Doodles Love People 326 Doodles Love Other Dogs 327 Doodles Are Very Sensitive 327 Doodles Are Entertaining 327 Doodles Come in All Sizes 327 Doodles Fit in Any Climate 328 Index 329