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My name is Cheryl Bollen. I am a part-time General Practitioner. I work with my husband, Malcolm in a small group practice in Whangarei (Northland, New Zealand).
Below is a photo taken from home.
We have four children aged 10 -16 years who are all animal lovers and help out with the puppies. We live on thirty acres of farmland and kauri forest. We have our own dam and bush-walks, stream and glow-worm grotto! We love to take a group of dogs to Ruakaka beach for beach runs. Below are Malcolm, Ruth, Tikka, Flurry and a random beagle, met on the beach!
Our dogs are all allowed inside...although not all at once! Each of our children own a couple of dogs and I delight to see them sharing cuddles at night-time. We also have some outside enclosures opening into the orchard and garden so that I can have our home-based dogs running free a lot of the time. Puppies are born in my office (wooden floors a plus!) and then head up to our second bathroom until they are about 3 weeks old. They then move out to various sheds and enclosures to allow space for playing and opportunity to learn to take excretions outside, away from the sleeping area. This helps toilet training later on.
I first heard about Labradoodles about seven years ago, when a cousin in Australia adopted a first generation puppy from Kate Schoeffel. That got me researching....
I had tossed up between studying medicine and veterinary science when I left school, but felt that I could be of greatest use to hurting people so went in the medicine direction. Dogs, particularly cross-breeds, however, remained my great love and interest.
My interest in cross-breeds stemmed from my early observation that many pedigree dogs were troubled with conditions that were genetically pre-disposed to in the breed itself. The continuous re-combining of eccentric recessive gene pairs, leads to a wide array of breed specific faults...many of which are part of the breed standard, but which are beneficial to vet incomes and not the dog itself!! I believe in maximising function in the dogs I breed and minimising the risk of needing to get to know your vet on a first names basis!!
So enter the Labradoodle... Both the Labrador and Poodle have retained a high degree of function in their breeding. Poodles, overall have a lot of genetic strengths and are long lived. Their frame is well balanced and not overly heavy, whilst being well muscled. This ensures a low incidence of joint problems (although the hip structure can have similar short-comings to the Labrador). Labradors have continued to be both working and family dogs. The Field Trial lines of pedigree Labradors have been selected for brains, trainability and good health. This has protected the breed from being over-developed in less desirable ways.
The Labradoodle has grown hugely in popularity over the last few years. Interest has grown because of the desire that many busy families have, to have a sensible, trainable dog that doesn't shed hair and create vast amounts of housework, and yet can be an integral family member. Some also want the ”big dog in a small package“ deal.....a dog that fits into the middle seat of the car or on a child's knee. Some want a large dog that takes up the entire back seat.... All think that getting that without having a dog shedding hair everywhere, is a HUGE bonus. Families with someone affected with an allergy to dogs also find wool coated Labradoodles as unlikely to provoke allergies as the poodle. People are also keen to have a dog which is not likely to bite when pestered by children.
So after researching the breed over may hundreds of hours, I decide to breed our own Labradoodles.... I am blessed with a dog-loving husband who remains very supportive of the hobby that grew!! That was over five years ago. Since then, we have added to our canine family one by one. Some of our breeding dogs live with friends and family and come back for their puppies. This allows them to have the individual attention they need.
I have learned a vast amount since this journey began. The genetics of breeding fascinates me and I am continuing to add to my knowledge as time goes by. I have enjoyed the support of other breeders through the journey and sharing information with them has been hugely beneficial. I look forward to working alongside other New Zealand breeders who are committed to sourcing the best quality foundation stock, testing all breeding stock for joint and eye health and generally working to develop the best possible family-dog available. Breeders starting out with untested stock, stand to bring the breed into disrepute.
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Below is our beach hide-away at Manganese Point on the Whangarei Harbour.
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Labradors and poodles have huge numbers of supporters. They are both highly intelligent dogs. Poodles are ranked either first or second, next to Border Collies.
Labradors are known to be great, fun-loving family dogs who are attached to whoever is currently eating and they share themselves around in their affections. They are easy to train, keen to please, self-sufficient, placid and laid back ... and they shed hair everywhere and are obsessed with food!! ... and for many families are physically too big to be accommodated in the car.
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Floss, our original pedigree labrador retriever, now retired. |
Poodles in contrast have their lovers and haters. Many people have been put off by the fancy hair styles of the show dogs and view them as neurotic and silly. However, a poodle can be utterly delightful. They are less emotionally self-sufficient than a Labrador. That means that they need to be near you .... as close as possible ... Many people love to know that the dog does need them. They also don’t shed, don’t smell, and are exceedingly bright, playful and dextrous with their paws. They respond best to a friendly voice rather than being yelled at but can be jumpy, overly excitable, snappy and a bit neurotic. They can see eating as doing you a favour.
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Honey, a fleece labradoodle and Fiddle a miniature poodle. |
The Labradoodle tends to moderate the excesses of both breeds. This makes them very people focussed, in need of being included in the inside life of the family, and always ready for a game or a snuggle. They are also good at designing their own games and use their paws more dextrously than a lab. They are generally more laid back than the poodle and more ready to use their high IQ than the lab.
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Archy, a second generation fleece labradoodle. |
A few first generation dogs, (labrador x poodle), like Ruby below, are non shedding.
However 90% of the time the coat is a mix of a varying amount of hair and wool. Some are very labby in look and others look like a Beardie Collie. I call this range my “Hairy Maclarys”....after the New Zealand story-book character.
Nearly all higher generation dogs that I breed are non-shedding. They are fun-loving, comical, dextrous, highly intelligent, too good at problem-solving for their own good(!) and adoring of humans. They live to be near you. They are easily trained ( positive means are best ). They all want to be on your lap or if not that then curled up with their nose on your foot.
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Lap dogs Pippin and Honey |
Many delight in carrying gifts in their mouth when greeting you. They are non-assertive with people. They are great with the kids ( some can be a little bouncy for very young children ) and come in all sizes so that they can suit any size of car. They are not usually too piggy with food and sometimes can be a bit picky. They are athletic and natural retrievers. Many are enthusiastic swimmers. They have a moderate need for exercise.
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A tired puppy is a very well behaved puppy... |
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1 ♣ There are three recognised sizes of Poodle: Standard, Miniature and Toy. The easy first cross for a beginning breeder is with a standard poodle. Make sure you know how big one can grow!! Our first litter ended up with a MEGA-DOODLE - 70cm tall and 45kgs!!!
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This is Teddy, a 35kg boy, standard boy. |
2 ♣ I have all but once, used a Miniature (medium sized ) poodle, which produces dogs of a family friendly size. They range from 40cm - 60cm in size and 10 - 30kgs in weight. Personally I much prefer the temperament of a Miniature Poodle to a Toy one. The Toy Poodle is thought to have some other smaller and yappier breeds used in it's early development.
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Fiddle and Pippin miniature poodles. |
3 ♣ VERY FEW first generation labradoodles have the no or low shedding coat seen in the pictures. I prefer to sell these as “Hairy Maclary” pups to people who are not averse to some degree of shedding. One of our bitches gives many more top coats in the first generation than the other.
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Coffee, a first generation , Hairy Maclary girl. |
Breeding subsequent generations is necessary to improve the coat, create more targetted sizing and to refine the conformation and “ look ” of the labradoodle. That is heaps of fun!!!
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BlackJack, small, F1B fleece coated puppy. |
4 ♣ Very few Poodle breeders test their lines for joint problems (esp miniature poodles). This is because poodles seldom run into problems being of lighter build and having good muscling around their pelvic area. However the average hip scores for Poodles are about the same as for Labradors. Thus if dogs are not tested prior to breeding, you can combine poorly structured joints, with a heavy build which leads to premature osteoarthritis.
Hip and elbow scoring is done under a general anaesthetic by an experienced vet. We use either the conventional scoring done at 12 months (NZVA) and a newer test called PennHIP which looks at joint laxity which can be tested earlier.
Eye tests look for problems that could lead to premature blindness (cataracts and PRA). These are done by a specialist eye vet ( Dr Peter Collinson in Mt Wellington, Auckland ), who has been most impressed by the quality of our labradoodle lines.
5 ♣ It is unsafe in New Zealand to assume that because you do not know a dog's pedigree that it will not be related closely to another dog in the breeding program. Traditionally, pedigree dog breeders have often line bred ( the breeding of closely related dogs eg father to daughter ), to try to enhance some characteristics. Unfortunately we humans tend to have tunnel vision and forget about all the other bad traits that we are also influencing ... often to the detriment of the pups who carry too many recessive gene pairs. NZ is a very small country and I am always amazed to discover how often two dogs end up being closely related from totally different parts of the country.
All dogs carry recessive genes, which if matched to another dog carrying the same one, will develop illnesses. There is a certain amount of luck involved and every breeder who breeds long enough will eventually encounter problems with certain breeding combinations. However the risk is greatly reduced by avoiding any common ancestor in at least four and preferably five generations.
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Labradoodles are a developing breed. They cannot be currently registered as they are not recognized by the NZKC. I personally hope that they do not become a registered breed as my goal is purely to produce healthy family pets and I have no interest in comparing one dog's conformation with another in the show-ring.
Generation terminology :
F1 ( first generation ) First cross of Labrador to Poodle. This maximises hybrid vigour (genetic health as shown by: larger litter sizes, healthier puppies and fewer parent breed specific genetic ills), as breed specific recessive gene pairs are all split up with the infusion of unrelated blood.
F1B ( F1 Backcross or second generation ) This is an F1 bred back to a poodle. ie the off-spring are 75% poodle but still look different to a poodle!! 80% of these pups have lovely silky fleece / wool coats but a few will be at the more poodly end of the spectrum.
F2 ( true second generation ) This cross is F1 x a Labradoodle ( F1 or higher generation ). NB F1 x F1 is likely to give some exceedingly labby or very poodly pups and is never recommended.
F3 ( third generation ) ( F1B x F2 or F1B x F1B or F1B x Multigenerational Labradoodle or F2 x F2 )
etc After six generations they are considered “ PURE ”.After four generations they are “MULITIGENERATIONAL”
Multigenerational Australian Labradoodle: Labradoodles have been bred in Australia intentionally for nearly two decades. Kennels like Rutland Manor and Tegan Park are up to around the 9th generation of breeding labradoodle to labradoodle. These dogs have had infusions of some other breeds along the way in order to get smaller sizes and more consistent, lower maintenance coats.
Infusions of the following breeds have occurred to produce the Australian Labradoodle are:
1. Poodle (Standard, Miniature, Toy),
2. Labrador Retriever,
3. Irish Water Spaniel,
4. Curly Coat Retriever,
5. American Cocker Spaniel and
6. English Cocker Spaniel.
Our lines also have Golden Retriever in them, coming from one of our foundation bitches...Pups from this girl have been exported to Australia for use in the breeding up process of Australian Labradoodles also.
I have not joined the Labradoodle Association of Australia at this point, so as to allow me personal freedom to develop the breed in directions that I feel are sound, scientific and aimed at enhancing the temperament and genetic soundness of the breed.
I have also been unable to comply with their requirement of neutering all non-breeding puppies before they leave for their new homes. This is a personal decision which I feel differently about to other breeders. My long-standing vet also is strongly of this view.
I do insist on a neutering contract being signed with every puppy sold, however, and do not provide written pedigrees although these are able to be viewed in person if desired.
I do greatly respect the Australian Multigenerational Labradoodle breeders that I have had dealings with and acknowledge the help given to me by them and also Kate Schoeffel of Kate's Family Pets in Australia, in the early days of getting started.
Foundation Grading Scheme October 2004 Revision
If Australian bloodlines are used, then a new terminology is used. ALF1 etc The number refers to the generation. Breedings back to the foundation breeds have a letter beside them.
A= Australian
L=Labradoodle
F=Foundation
1-6= Generation
PP=Parent Breed Poodle (All sizes: Standard, Miniature, Toy)
The grading up process is exceedingly complicated but can be researched on the Labradoodle Association of Australia web-site if wanted.
SIZES: There are three sizes of poodle. The largest (often taller than a Labrador), is the Standard. The middle sized one is the Miniature and the little one is the Toy. The temperaments vary between the three sizes as historically other breeds were infused to bring the size down. Personally I prefer the big dog nature of the standards and some miniatures. We have used a Standard poodle once but owing to the large sizes of the off-spring, have since only bred from Miniatures. We have one Standard Labradoodle bitch from that first litter.
We get a range of sizes with a few large pups in a litter to suit those wanting a large dog and a few little ones but most end up in the Beagle / Cocker Spaniel // Border Collie size range which I find family friendly and very portable.
MINIATURE 35 - 42cm, 8 - 13kg (Miniature poodle - Beagle size)
MEDIUM: 43 - 52cm, 13 - 20kg (Cocker Spaniel - Border Collie)
LARGE: 53 - 65cm, 20 - 30+ kg ( Labrador - Standard Poodle)
COLOURS: Black, Silver, Chalk, Cream, Apricot, Gold, Chocolate, Cafe` Phantom, Parti
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1 ♣ HAIRY MACLARY: This is the coat that leans mostly toward the Labrador. It consists mainly of HAIR not a crimped wool. It is composed of coarser over-hair and a softer undercoat. This coat is more prone to shedding. The more distinct the undercoat, the more it will shed. Some coats are a blend of hair and fine silky wool. These shed minimally except when brushed.
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Esther, Hairy Maclary, 1st gen girl. |
Below is a link to the recognised colours of the Labradoodle.
This coat needs little work except to remove dead hair. It hoses out easily and dries quickly and is the preferred coat if water, mud and bush are part of your regular life. Clipping, if any, is seldom needed.
2 ♣ WOOL / FLEECE: This is the low / no - shedding coat. The coat is made of fine uni-length, crimped ( like sheep's wool ) fibres. The skin of such dog's sheds little dander and this is one of the reasons it is said to be of low allergenicity, like the poodle. There is also less doggy odour associated ( just "wet-wool" smell when wet!).
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Bilbo, a multigeneration Australian Labradoodle, from Cloudcatchers, with fleece coat |
A fleece or wool coat, coat needs to be clipped 2-3 times a year as it doesn't naturally fall out. It needs brushing weekly to keep the mats out and burrs. There are sometimes a few coarse hairs through it ( same as on a poodle ).
Below is Zuben with a wool coat. Photo by his clever mum, Joanne Archer.
A wool or fleece coat. seldom needs washing. Dirt falls out amazingly when dry but it is difficult to hose clean and if long, takes a long time to dry. It can be kept at the length that suits your lifestyle and will minimize house work associated with a dog.
The difference between a wool and a fleece coat can be subtle. The fleece coat starts off smooth and sleek and develops waves at 4-6 weeks. It matures into a looser coat that ripples when the dog runs and hangs in separate locks of wool. The wool coat is closer to the poodle coat and is denser and curlier. Both need clipping 3-4 times a year.
Below is a link to information about the coat colours recognised in the Labradoodle.
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De-sexing at 6-12 weeks has become standard practice with most Labradoodle kennels overseas and now in New Zealand... Early de-sexing was first performed in animal shelters to ensure dog population control. In Labradoodle kennels, this policy ensures that breeding lines are preserved for the use of the breeder who can then have greater control over breed directions which is very useful.
My medical background makes me unwilling to "toe the party line" as I feel very uncomfortable about removing most sex hormone influence so early in development. There are concerns about poorer muscle development, increased height (delayed growth plate fusion) and the effect of these things on mature joint strength, and development of hip dysplasia. Other concerns are to do with failure of uro-genital maturation and the effects on urinary continence, especially later in life.
There are arguments for and against but my feeling is that it is more likely in the puppy's best interest to have it's hormones til as close to puberty as possible, and then to be de-sexed prior to leg-lifting and first heat. (I believe seven months is the optimal time).
I prefer to engage with my buyer families and to ask them to agree to neutering their dog at the prescribed time. This is based on trust and to date I have not, to my knowledge, been let down.
Please do your own research and make an informed decision. |
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My overall goal is to produce a range of puppies suited to the needs of different family homes. I hope to produce a "SMALL" dog that is non-shedding, intelligent, trainable and great with kids of all ages.
To date, the way to reduce the size of the dogs, has been to use a smaller poodle again. Inevitably, this increases the amount of " POODLE-in-the-DOODLE " and the dog can look somewhat "pointy".
One of the reasons that other breeds have been used in the development of the Australian Labradoodle has been to combat this situation. To this end, I have a second generation, "PARTI" ( black and white ) spoodle, and the use of a black Cavoodle.
I intend to use him with some of my smaller bitches in order to get pups maturing to less than 10kgs. I will also use him with some of my bigger girls as he has excellent hip, elbow and eye scores, and this will give us more small and medium sized pups in a range of possible colourations.
SPOODLES and CAVOODLES...
In 2006 I had our first litter of spoodles (Cocker Spaniel x Kibbles). I have been delighted with how the pups have developed. The Cocker Spaniel is more pre-occupied by smells than most labradors but they are enthusiastic, loving, smaller sized dogs with eccentric and enchanting personalities. The spoodle pups are more people focussed than the Cocker Spaniel when out on a walk, on the whole, and are more keen to please.
Cavoodles are generally small or very small dogs and they are also delightful lap-dog pets. A friend of mine has raised a litter of cavoodles recently with our support and the pups are lovely.
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Dam at Labradoodleland |
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The grooming of your Labradoodle should not be a huge ordeal. There are a few golden rules...
1 Do not bathe your dog for their benefit....only for yours! That is to say, shampoo will not do their skin any favours, but it will remove the various perfumes that they have applied!:
2 Never shampoo your dog when the coat is filthy, unless you want to felt the coat. Instead hose the dog down and then put the dog in it's crate or kennel and wait for the mud to dry and drop out.
3 Keep hair under the ear-flaps (against the cheek) short.
4 Watch for matts between the toes and trim them out so seeds don't lodge there and then erode into the skin of the foot.
Below is one of the best accounts I have found to date about grooming. Thanks Rainmaker Labradoodles. |
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| Look at this link. |
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| Below is a good link to get you started. I also recommend Jan Fennell's book "The Dog Listener". |
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We are glad to be able to provide you with your pup. It's transition to your home can be helped by a few things.
Firstly: Choose a suitable sleeping area on a cleanable floor. Leave newspaper down for toileting.
A crate is HUGELY helpful in training your puppy and greatly decreases the stress of puppy ownership. Make sure it is as large as you can easily accomodate in a main family action area. Don't have it shut away where the puppy feels excluded or it might complain! Having a collapsible crate can make travelling very easy as you have then got a portable kennel that the pup is familiar with.
Place newspaper at the end nearest the door of the crate and pup will learn to wee on the newspaper. Also have newspaper near the house exit door for when the pup is caught short. When it awakes, the pup can be taken outside to your preferred place....not too far from the house for ease! Ask it to "go wees"– and it will likely surprise you! Puppy needs to be taken out as soon as it wakes and after eating + other times if it begins to circle. You'll soon learn!!
Secondly: Spend lots of time with it and provide toys.
Thirdly: Don't let the kids pester it incessantly.
Puppy needs to have you as the centre of his world. Let him join you by the computer or watching TV.
Your puppy will be very chewy for the first few weeks. I grip the lower jaw between thumb and index finger if they get too rough in biting me and growl. They soon grow out of it.
If puppy looks like it will chew precious furnishings etc, then a spray of tabasco sauce on it will deter them!
FOOD: They have been fed Nutrience JUNIOR formula. They will also enjoy cooked meals of rice, mince, cooked eggs and veges. Variety is good! Three meals per day should be given until about 12 weeks then 2 meals a day. Let them eat as much as they can in one sitting. Always have water available. Including some sardines or tuna in their food 1-2 times a week is good for reducing the risk of skin ailments. (Too much could be harmful). Raw egg can't always be digested in young pups but it can be added cooked. Sometimes when pups leave home, they go off dry food and prefer it when mixed in with cooked mince and rice.
If your pup ever has an upset stomach or a loose bowel, the secret is to give them live yoghurt mixed into either their normal food or if the diarrhoea was marked, I would feed them yoghurt and white rice until there motions normalised. Probiotic formulations can be used too. Protexin is excellent. Loose bowels can be provoked by stress, worming, cold wet weather or diet change. It is seldom serious and passes quickly.
NEVER feed your dog near young children.... It is best to feed your pup in it's pen or crate away from inadvertent interference from the two year old. It is good to get it used to having hands near it when it is feeding but make sure it learns these lessons from someone higher up the pecking order!
Having said that , your labradoodle is extremely unlikely to growl at you around food!!
VACCINATIONS: Puppy has had the six week injection. Next one is due at nine weeks . They then need a third injection at 12 weeks. They should not set foot on ground frequented by other dogs who might be unvaccinated. They shouldn't play with unvaccinated dogs until about a week after the last injection.
WORMING: This is due at 9 weeks and then 2 weekly until 16 weeks.
REGISTRATION is due at 12 weeks with your local council and microchipping is now required. This can be done at a vaccination visit.
PUPPY KINDY: Please enrol to get you trained correctly!! Dog Obedience training is to be encouraged too.
DE-SEXING: This is best done in males before puberty – about 6-7 months or before they begin to lift their legs. (Watch for the testicles beginning to enlarge.) Similarly about 6 months is the best time for bitches to be spayed. I require that all pups that are sold as pets are de-sexed prior to breeding age.
COAT and CARE: These pups will have very shaggy coats. A regular weekly brush is a good idea. The hair is less prone to matting if it is sprayed down with water afterwards and the coat is moistened. Watch for hair growing too close to the eyes and keep it trimmed away. Any hair that offends can be trimmed! Your dog will need a regular trim to keep it tidy. It is a good idea to get them used to the feel of vibration from clippers from an early age. Keep the bridge of the nose trimmed shorter to enhance their eyes and their fringe trimmed at a length that doesn't obscure vision – Also get them used to having you touch them between the toes and remove any matts that form here. Grass seeds can lodge in these and then pierce the skin and travel up the leg!...This has happened to two puppies previously!
Use a bristle brush at first and then a soft, plastic tipped wire flick brush. (Masterpet have and excellent one)
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Best brush I have found. |
A matt remover can be useful later. Matting is often easily removed with a bit of talcolm powder rubbed into it and a couple of long-ways cuts through the middle of the matt (ie at right angles to the skin). Sometimes, it is necessary to get a very short clip to re-gain control. Anticipate this and do it in a suitable season...Spring and autumn is good so they are cooler in summer and easier to get dry in winter.
Keep eyes cleaned. Poodles often produce a little more mucus in the corners which if left can get infected easily. Any hair touching the eye aggravates this. Watch out if the mucus gets "gunky" as you might need occasional eye ointment.
Ears can also get moisture problems so hair needs to be trimmed from under the ears if they have particularly flat ears to the skull. Watch out for water getting into ears during bathing and have ear cleanser /drying liquid on hand. KEEP the HAIR UNDER THE EAR FLAP SHORT to improve ventilation and if you ever have an ear problem, consider using a paper-clip to hold the ears together behind the head at night time to improve ventilation.
Shampoo the coat as infrequently as possible to avoid skin problems – Only shampoo if they STINK or are really dirty – rinse off salt water under the hose. Remove knots and mats BEFORE bathing them otherwise the coat felts up!
Keep dogs on the lean side for health. You must be able to feel the ribs easily!
If claws become too long, which can happen if they are not exercised on concrete or sand, clip them back with dog nail clippers. If they object, get the vet to do it.
EXERCISE: Don't overdo this when the pup is small. Discourage jumping up as this is a major poodle tendency!
Try not to let them do lots of skids on shiny floors as this could strain growing joints.
A tired puppy is a very well behaved puppy. Allowing them to have a real burn off in an open space or with another dog 2-3 times a week is very beneficial. Get them used to walking on the lead without pulling.
Your dog will need a 30min walk on most days of the week as it grows up and beyond.....Sounds like the advice I give to human patients!!
TOYS: A Kong equivalent with peanut butter in it is great entertainment when you're out, as are rawhide bones and chews. Non - splintering raw bones are excellent. They love a ball to play with. Watch they can't chew it up. Don't have tug-o-war games – ask at Puppy Kindy why!
TRAINING: Don't rush into putting them on a lead. Let them get confident with life first! First sessions shouldn't be on a shiny floor! Sometimes a harness is best to start off with. Cheese is an excellent food reward for good behaviour and teaching to "SIT" etc. Allow them time to just "chill-out"with the family. They should learn to get bored and then just lie down quietly. This should happen without undue instruction. Learning to ignore them and to give no eye contact when you first come home until they have stopped jumping, will teach them that calmness earns attention not frenetic jumping.
LIFE EXPERIENCE!!!Take your pup with you as many places as you can – Just carry them under your arm before they have completed their shots. Let them meet every conceivable thing and you will have a bomb-proof dog for life!
TRAVEL: A car seat-belt is a good idea. Get them used to this early.
DISCIPLINE: These dogs care what you think!!! Usually a growly voice is all that is needed – occasionally an eye-balling or removal from the fun may be necessary. Too severe a discipline for your dog can create submissiveness problems so go gently but firmly!
PROGRESS: We always delight in hearing reports of progress and funny stories and photos PLEASE! Weight and height measurements are also appreciated every few months so we can track which pup became which size. Our learning continues to evolve!
The book "The Dog Listener" by Jan Fenell is well worth reading to understand dog psychology!! The Rutland Manor web-site also has an excellent Puppy Training web-page.
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Have you heard of the book: "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman?
This book outlines the five basic ways we communicate the message of " I love you" to each other. All of the languages are important to each of us, but in varying amounts. Usually we have one or two "languages" of love which "really hit our spot"!! If these "languages" are neglected (usually by a parent who unwittingly doesn't recognise their child's preferred 'language"), then that child might one day report to their Family Doctor or counsellor, that they never "felt" loved by their family.
Often we communicate love in the way we most want to receive it back again. I have found this teaching, tremendously powerful in counselling troubled families and in working with depressed adolescents and adults.
The five basic currencies of love are:
1 GIFTS (Usually people with this love language are spotted by the attention given to the wrapping paper that they lovingly use when giving a gift, and their disappointment if a gift is passed to them just in the shopping bag!!)
2 QUALITY TIME (These ones don't care what they are doing, provided it is in the company of the one they love).
3 ACTS of SERVICE (Darling can I make you a drink?)
4 WORDS of AFFIRMATION (Wow, you did that so well!)
5 AND HUGS
My theory is that some of us are wired to have a high need for affirming touch, cuddles and physical contact (I am one of these!!).
For a person wired to love animals, this translates to a psychological NEED for a pet. For a child wired this way, the need for a pet is just as important (or more so) in their healthy psychological development as the need for sporting and cultural development.
It is sometimes hard for a parent without this internal need to appreciate quite how much a pet does for a child longing for an animal to hug and to be their "Best Mate". The pet becomes a confidant, a safe place to retreat to if the world has given them a hard day and offers unconditional love. They provide a tremendous stress release.
For the older child (especially teenage boys), the pet is still OK to hug, even if it is not OK to hug one's mother!!
One grandmother told me that every teen-age girl needed a puppy! Her logic was that it helped to channel maternal instincts in a healthy way and gave a SAFE venue for hugs!! I often say that my first dog, (Sacha, the Samoyed), taught me more about child-rearing than any lectures at Medical School!!
So if you have a child that is, (or used to be!!!) a cuddler, seriously consider that for them, a puppy could well be, more than just a whim, but could actually be an important piece in the jig-saw of their psychological development!!
I am eternally grateful to my "non-doggy" parents, who allowed me to welcome a young puppy into our family when I was ten years old. He was my best mate. He had a vocab of over 120 words I once worked out. He was eventually allowed to sleep on my bed and was one of the most positive and warm memories of my childhood. He also brought a hugely unifying influence into our home, and greatly improved the relations between my teasing brother and myself!! He lived until he was 16 years old, lovingly tended by my mum and dad in his old age. I'm sure his presence helped ease their "empty nest" feelings too as I left home.
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Leading you into NZ's Dog Web--Information about working dogs, training issues, dog tricks, dog problems, a listing of dog clubs, trainers, breeders and kennels, canine health and care, and a place for teachers & students. |
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Malcolm Bollen (my husband), is the artist.... I asked him to do me a few sketches and as Labradoodles appeared riding bikes and sitting in chairs etc, I suggested that he needed to write and illustrate a children's book.... FIVE books later he is still coming up with whacky ideas. If any of them make it to print, we will make them available through this site.
Malcolm also is keen on painting seascapes in oils...Here is one for you to see.
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