Aussiedoodle Care Tips
Grooming:
You’ll want to start brushing your Aussiedoodle early so he gets used to being groomed. We suggest purchasing a Slicker Brush and a Greyhound Comb. The Slicker is good for all around daily brushing and the Greyhound Comb comes in handy for combing through your pup’s hair to reveal those hidden, close to the skin mats. After every bath (or swim) you will want to dry your doodle completely. Leaving your doodle to dry on their own is the perfect way to invite tangles and mats to form. The most commonly matted areas on your doodle are behind the ears, hips, sides, base of tail and joints and armpits. Be sure to pay special attention to these areas. We don't have a recommendation on how often you should bathe your doodle, I think it’s up to personal preference. We bathe Moses, our poodle, about every three weeks or whenever he gets especially dirty. We like to use an all natural oatmeal, moisturizing shampoo.
Crate Training:
We fully believe in crate training! The crate offers a place for your puppy to feel safe and secluded. It gives them a small area to have as their own. Dogs naturally want to keep their “den” clean so crate training is an important tool in house training. Generally, puppies can hold their bladder one hour for every month of their life. This means when you bring your new puppies home he/she will need to be taken out at least every two hours. At night your puppy should be able to hold their bladder for 3 or 4 hours before needing to go. Most puppies will wake you up by whining when they need to pee, but if you are a sound sleeper or your puppy sleeps in another room, we suggest setting an alarm to avoid accidents. Potty training for those who work full time is a bit different than those who are home with their pups full time. By the time your new puppy comes home he/ she will be very accustomed to going potty in a litter pan. This is extremely helpful for those of you who work full time. We recommend getting a puppy playpen and setting it up in an area of your house with no carpet. Put their crate in the playpen with the door open have a litter pan with pine shavings set at the farthest point from your puppies crate. This setup gives your puppy enough room to play, sleep and potty without you needing to come home and let him out every couple hours. Be sure to take you new puppy out to potty 15/20 minutes after eating, 10 mins into play time and immediately after waking up from a nap.
Positive Reinforcement Training:
Over the 8 weeks we have been conditioning or “charging” (as its sometimes called) your puppy with a marker word. The word we use is simply ‘YES!” Each time they hear the word “YES!” they get rewarded with a treat. Soon enough your puppy will begin to associate the sound of the marker word with “good vibes”. Every time your puppy does a desired action, you respond promptly with “YES!”, and the puppy immediately knows he did it right, even without getting a treat. We strongly suggest you continue with this method of positive reinforcement training.
Feeding:
Your puppy has been raised on Victor Hi-Pro Plus dog food. This food can be purchased online or in most farm stores. It is an all stage food for puppies and adult dogs. Feel free to transition your puppy to a food of your choice. Our only recommendation is to stay away from the “fad” diets that are suggested for dogs these days. The biggest one right now is “grain free” which is turning out to cause heart problems. We strongly suggest talking to your vet if you have any questions about foods and choosing one that has been around years and is tested/proven. If you do decide to change feed, do it gradually, mixing the puppy’s current food with the new as to avoid giving your puppy an upset stomach and diarrhea.
Insurance:
Insurance may be something that you have never considered getting for your pet, but honestly we can't recommend it enough. Your dog is going to be there for you for 12+ years and you never know what might happen during that time. Accidents happen everyday and having insurance can be invaluable when comes to paying for an emergency surgery. Here are a couple suggestions to start you on your search.
We are here for any questions you might have! Please feel free to email us anytime.