“I took my dog to the dog park a few days ago, where he found a kindred spirit to play with. Apollo likes nothing more than to wrestle and “fight” with other dogs. Some dogs (and some owners) don’t appreciate his exuberance and strength, but when he finds a friend that does, it’s a thing of beauty. Goofy grins and exhausted dogs all around.

Apollo usually comes home covered with slobber, dirt, and occasionally sporting a few abrasions from when the play got a little too enthusiastic. He doesn’t seem to mind, and I don’t either, as long as his rough play remains focused on willing dogs and not towards people.

Thankfully, Apollo is able to differentiate how he can interact with other dogs and how he should play with people. He brings it down several notches when wrestling with my husband, who doesn’t mind getting rough and tumble with him; several notches more with me, since I prefer a more “dignified” play session; and he’s downright gentle with my five-year-old daughter. Apollo’s a gem, no doubt about it.

Some dogs, especially young puppies that are still learning the house rules, have difficulty making these types of distinctions, however. Of course, people will have different ideas about what is appropriate play and what crosses the line, but teaching a dog that it is unacceptable to put his teeth on human skin, no matter how gently, can prevent future conflicts with friends, neighbors, and strangers.

The best way to teach a dog that play biting is not going to be tolerated is to act like another dog would when mouthing gets too rough. When your dog puts his teeth on you, shriek as if you have been mortally wounded and immediately walk away and ignore him for a minute. If you have to close a door between the two of you to prevent interaction, do so.

After his “time out,” engage him in some play that is unlikely to elicit a bite. Ball tossing is a good choice as long as your dog will drop the toy at your feet (offering a treat in exchange for the ball while saying “drop” is a good way to teach this).

If everyone in the house consistently reacts in this manner when “bitten,” your dog will quickly modify his behavior. After all, dogs want to play with people because it is fun and brings them a lot of attention. Removing the reward for a behavior is the best ways to stop it.

Never hit, shake, pin, or hold a dog’s muzzle closed in response to play biting. Your dog will see any form of physical retaliation (short of abuse) as continued play and will treat it as an invitation to be even rougher.

Consistency is key. Dogs can easily learn that it is never okay to bite a person in play, but it takes an exceptional individual (like Apollo ) to learn subtle differences between what is acceptable and what is not.”

Dr. Jennifer Coates

Labradoodles make fantastic therapy dogs.  We have heard from many of our clients what a great decision it was.  Hypoallergenic and non shedding dogs are able to help everyone, even those with allergies!  They have a calm, sweet disposition that is perfect for training and you will be hard pressed to have a better friend and helper in your life. If you are interested in your Manor Lake Labradoodle becoming a therapy dog, here are a few links to help you get familiar with the process.

First off, did you see Manor Lake Indy featured within the last few weeks? We got a new picture with her coat coming in beautifully!

Don’t know about water yet, but Indy sure likes the snow!!!  It’s hard to get her back inside.  :)

Thought you might like a picture.

Stacey

Hi Kim -

I wanted to send you a fun picture of Ike.  He is from the Leo and Sassy litter last February.  We take him hiking with us almost every weekend.  He can’t get enough of it.  He loves the deep snow and playing with the kids.  He is such a good boy.  He has grown up so much over the last year and we just love him.

Nicole

Hi Kim and Erin,

We just wanted to touch base and let you all know that Moxie continues to thrive in Maplewood, NJ.  He is now exactly 5 months old.

We had our first snow of the season yesterday and Moxie just loved it, as you can probably tell from this photo!  We are having such a wonderful time with him, watching him grow and acquire new skills.  Natalie takes Moxie to a weekly puppy kindergarten class and he has really come a long way in terms of socializing with other pups.  He also now responds consistently to “sit” and “down” and is working on “here”.

No matter where we go, people always stop us to pet Moxie and ask about him.  Everyone has something to say about his incredible wavy hair and coloring.

Thank you once again for providing us with such a fine pet.  Wishing you all the best for a wonderful 2012.

Natalie, Jonathan, Ethan & Jacob

Hi Kim,

We wanted to share a couple pictures of Gracie Rose playing in the snow yesterday.  To say she loves snow would be an understatement.

We can’t imagine our life without her.  One of the things you told us when we picked her up 18 months ago was, “she will make you laugh out loud every day.”  She’s a ham and her expressions are priceless.

She loves people and other dogs but gets so excited when our grandkids come over.  They love her and she loves them.

Thanks again for raising such wonderful Australian Labradoodles.

Ike and Renee

Kim and staff,

I’m excited to give you an update on Milo.  He is the most hilarious dog we have ever had.  He is the center of attention WHEREVER we go.  As I am sure, many others experience the question, “OOOOHHH MY GAAAWWWDDD! What kind of dog is that?” from passing cars, people at pet stores, folks in truckstops (remember we’re truck drivers). It’s so funny how many folks are fascinated by his gorgeous coat and silly demeanor.

He has become quite the communicator.  He touches whoever is driving the truck, ever so gently on the leg if he needs to go out.  He will stare at you for what seems like an eternity when he wants water.  He loves to have the wind rushing through his hair when we leave truckstops or shipper’s and sticks his head out the window.  This may not have been a good idea but now we can’t keep him out of the passenger seat when we are going at slow speeds.  He loves to snuggle on our pillows and lays on me will all of his weight when he gives me morning kisses.

We have thoroughly enjoyed having him in our family. I wish our truck was bigger because I so want another one.  You picked the best dog for us.  You were right, he won’t be a guard dog anytime soon but we don’t mind.  He is sweet, quiet boy.  Of course, if we get him to talking, he loves to communicate with the sweetest “RUFF”.  I still trim him myself and have been complimented a handful of times from folks asking, “Who grooms your dog?”  His puppy coat is beginning to come out and so we enjoy brushing time where he can relax and have his “mommy” dote over him.  He’s almost 10 months old and 47.6 lbs.  He’s the perfect size!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving and an even more joyous Christmas.  Blessings to you and your family!

Michelle and family

P.S.  The picture is from a small hike we did in Eastern Utah.  He’s so handsome!

Dog Playing Fetch

Patience is very important to hold on to. Every puppy is going to have accidents, just like a new born baby it will take some time for your new puppy to fully understand what an acceptable behavior is.

Be sure to praise good behavior. This part of the potty training process cannot be emphasized enough– if they go potty outside or on a potty pad be sure to praise them immediately. Through positive reinforcement your developing puppy will be able to have a better understanding of what is expected of them.

Do not punish your puppy unless you directly saw them doing something wrong. If your come across an accident your puppy left and you did not see them do it, simply clean it up and bring your puppy outside.

Consistency is our final and equally important potty training tip. Devepop a regular schedule in which you will take your puppy outside to go to the bathroom such as, when theywake up from a nap, after they eat and when you notice them sniffing around.

Happy potty training!

At Manor Lake we encourage positive reinforcement training with praise and treats. Use positive reinforcement by offering your puppy a treat or a lot of praise after he/she performs correctly or learns a command. One thing to keep in mind while using this method is to never scold your puppy for something he/she has been praised for. Also, patience is key when working with your new puppy.

Some treats that our Manor Lake Australian Labradoodles love and are easy for training are:

Durango 95′s Training Treats for Dogs
in Beef, Chicken and Lamb

Canine Genius IQ Treats

Darfinc Dog Rewards: Buddies

Each can be found in our Manor Lake Dog Boutique!

Teaching your Australian Labradoodle how to shake is about one of the easiest tricks in the book. Shaking is a very natural movement for your dog and once your Australian Labradoodle masters ”shake” there are many other variations of the trick waiting to be learned. You may even be able to teach your dog to shake in just one or two three minute sessions.

In order for you to successfully teach your dog how to shake, you must first teach your dog how to sit. Once you have them sitting say, “shake”. Physically reach down and lift their paw and give them a treat and say “good shake, good shake”. Release your furry friend’s paw and repeat this process.

Teaching your pup how to shake can be best done by clicker training but can be successfully taught by treat and praise methods. Be sure your praise to your pup is instant so they know exactly what they are doing right.

Its important to remember that after teaching your pup to shake, most dogs will  immediately sit and lift a paw whenever they see food. After you teach your dog to shake, be sure to vary the order in which you practice tricks. If your labradoodle  does lift their paw to shake as soon as you take out the dog treats, simply ignore the trick and ask your dog to “down”.

Happy training!