Puppy Care
At Serendipidoodle Sheepadoodles we pride ourselves on making sure all our dogs have the best of the best care and nutrition.
They are fed only premium foods so that they have all the good nutrition their bodies need to be healthy and strong.
We use quality products that make there lives the best it can be. We choose products that make our life and your life easier when providing the best care you we can. We don't always recommend the most expensive we recommend what works! Kmart soft beds are fantastic for the early puppy stages and the kmart pee pads are the best value by far, handy for trips in the car or other people's homes or in rooms around the house.
Serendipidoodles Love Real Grass Puppy Potty
Toilet Training
Toilet Training
Your puppy will be 80% toilet trained before they leave us. Some maybe 100% but we don't guarantee that. Pups bladder development is different for every pup.
Here initially we start using the Kmart grass mats and puppy pads from 2 weeks of age, then at 5-6 weeks when they are aware of their environment we replace these with The Real Grass Puppy Potty. This is a game changer, no more mess or smell in the whelping box and the pups learn that they need to do their business on rea grass! I just buy a roll of Turf from bunnings pop it in and it's done. https://www.realgrasspuppypotty.com.au/
When at home with you the trick is that every time pup eats take him or her straight to the pup grass or outside and wait. Do not allow them in until both wee and poo have made an appearance. Give lots or praise. Make sure they know how they got there. Encourage them to walk don't pick them up and carry them.
Giving pup free range of a new home is the biggest mistake people make. Give them one room that is closest to where you want them to go potty. Allow free access to that area. Once pup is successful at no mistakes open another room. Take pup out as soon as they wake from a sleep or as soon as they have had something to eat or a big drink. If crate training don't feed within 2 hours of bed and put a puppy pad at one end.
LYKA - Valkyries 3 week old pups
Feeding your pup
At Serendipidoodle Sheepadoodles we pride ourselves on making sure all our dogs are fed premium foods and have all the nutrition their bodies need to be healthy and strong.
We like to feed both wet and dry foods so that they enjoy variety but also so that the transition for the pups is easier. We know some people prefer to feed wet and others dry. To avoid sudden changes and upset tummies we feed both and you can make the decision of what works for your family.
After lots and lots of research we choose Eukanuba as our dry choice and Lyka as our wet. Both foods are of the highest quality. Here we like to feed Lyka mixed with softened Eunkanuba for breakfast and dinner and we allow our dogs to free fee on Eukanuba all throughout the day.
We buy our Eukanuba instore from from Petbarn (hot tip - ask them to pricematch). If you need to order online PetCircle have great prices and fast delivery.
We love that Lyka comes fresh to our door prepackaged for each of the dogs. It's human grade meats and the dogs go crazy for it! If you want to try Lyka use our special link https://lyka.com.au/join/
We don't recommend changing your pups diet at all for the first 4 weeks of them coming home. Stress of leaving mum and going to a new home and family causes gastric upsets enough without adding the stress of a diet change. Use Eukanuba kibble as a training reward and no other treats for now.
When your pup comes home he or she will be sleeping through the night and mostly toilet trained. Sudden change of diet will throw this all out the window as they will likely get diarrhea and will need the toilet all hours of the night.
Stella loves Simparica Trio
Flea, Tick and Worm Treatments
Intestinal worming
Heavy infestations with intestinal worms (roundworm, hookworm and whipworm) in puppies can be life threatening, so worming is an absolute must. Due to their smaller size and novel immune system, puppies are particularly sensitive to parasite infestations.
Your pup's intestinal worming program is started by us. We worm the pups for the first time at 2 weeks of age and then every 2 weeks until they leave at 8 weeks if age. We recommend going to monthly at 12 weeks of age and ongoing.
Deworming schedule recommendations past 6 months of age do vary depending on who you speak to, and the risk factors in your dog's specific location and lifestyle.
Our Vet recommends monthly intestinal deworming against roundworms, hookworms and whipworms for dogs from 12 weeks of age onwards - this is the current gold standard of care for deworming protocols1,2,3.
Deworming at least every 3 months against tapeworm is recommended for all dogs from 12 weeks of age onwards.
Which wormer is best for my puppy?
When choosing a worming treatment for your puppy, check with your veterinarian regarding their best recommendations. Some areas of Australia have documented resistance in hookworm species to the active ingredient pyrantel, when used on its own. Intestinal wormers such as Drontal or Cazitel which combine pyrantel and febantel or which use alternative active ingredients such as milbemycin oxime (Milbemax) are a safer choice in some circumstances.
Flea and tick treatment
Depending on the product, flea and tick prevention can be started around 6-9 weeks of age. You can combine flea and tick protection with worming, or you might like to give two separate products. Here we love Simparica Trio, click here for info on Simparica Trio
Ask your vet about whether there are ticks, particularly paralysis ticks, in your area. Paralysis ticks are present along most of the east coast of Australia.
Depending on the product, flea and tick prevention can be started around 6-9 weeks of age. You can combine flea and tick protection with worming, or you might like to give two separate products.
Ask your vet about whether there are ticks, particularly paralysis ticks, in your area. Paralysis ticks are present along most of the east coast of Australia.
We recommend that flea prevention is used year round to prevent flea eggs, larvae and pupae building up in the environment. This helps to avoid the sudden 'explosion' in flea numbers that can be seen with the onset of spring. Nexgard, Bravecto and Simparica combine flea and tick prevention and are safe for puppies from 8 weeks of age.
Embark DNA Testing
Dog Genetic Testing DNA
In recent years DNA testing has become available to help screen for a number of known genetic health conditions including progressive retinal atrophy, ivermectin sensitivity and dilated cardiomyopathy and many other breed specific conditions. When used and interpreted correctly genetic tests can give breeders and owners some really valuable information about their dog's individual health risks.
At Serendipidoodles every parent is DNA tested before breeding age and will only be bred from if there is no risk of breeding affected puppies. We want you to have many many years of loving your precious pup and want them to be as healthy and happy as they can be.
We cannot guarantee your pup will never be affected by serious illness or disease but we will do everything possible to prevent all that we can. This includes only breeding dogs with great hipscores and great temperaments.
Clinton Street Vet
Vaccinations and Vet Checks
Vaccinations are vital to ensure your new pup stays healthy. However, it’s important to keep your puppy safe until they have had all 3 vaccines. This includes navigating whether your puppy can meet other dogs and how to ensure they’re properly socialised if they’re not yet vaccinated.
Your puppy should get 3 vaccines between the ages of six weeks and 16 weeks. Our vet will give them their first dose at 6 weeks and a check up. The second will be between 10-12 weeks old and a final vaccine at 14-16 weeks old.
Because your puppy’s immune system is still developing, they’re at risk to a number of viruses. So it’s important to keep them safe and wait until their last vaccination before taking them to explore parks, beaches and the wider world. However, there are other ways to make sure your puppy gets the correct levels of socialising and exercise, without putting their health at risk.
Socialising puppies before vaccinations is important so look at various puppy preschools in Australia. The Australian Veterinary Association advises puppy preschool, generally for pups between the ages of 6-14 weeks, “properly conducted in a clean environment should not pose a risk to a puppy that is yet to receive its full course of vaccinations.”
You can absolutely take your pup to visit family at there own homes as long as there are no unvaccinated dogs living on the property. You can take them to the cafe just keep pup on your knee and never allow them on the ground of any public ground. Parvo is life threatening and highly contagious.
As scary as this all sounds it's not a long time and is the perfect time to get to know your pup and focus on bonding, lead training and at home fun!
The pups are vet checked by our vet prior to to you taking them home but it is also a requirement that you take the pup to your own vet for a check within 72 hours of taking puppy home. This ensures both parties are happy that puppy is healthy and strong.
Fallon - Serendipidoodle Sheepadoodle
Desexing
Desexing
The average age that vets recommend desexing is at around 6 months. For large breed dogs greater than 20kg, there has been evidence to suggest that delaying desexing until maturity, over 12 months of age, may help protect against certain medical conditions.
Our contract requires you to desex you dog before they are 13months old. Our contract also states that You are not allowed to breed from your dog. You can choose to desex earlier than 13 months if you wish.
Female dogs who are not desexed before their second heat have a significantly increased risk of mammary cancer and uterine infection. Male dogs who are desexed are less likely to experience prostate problems and are not affected by testicular cancers. We believe that female dogs should be desexed soon after the first heat and not before but this decision is entirely yours. Your vet will help you make an informed decision
It is important when considering the time of desexing that you talk to your vet and weigh up the pros and cons.
Sleeping ArrangementsĀ
Before leaving us your pup will have already been introduced to a crate. We don't lock them in, we allow them to move freely in and out of the crate at night and most choose to sleep in them. The crates are fully covered and the room is pitch black from 9pm.
Our pups are always sleeping peacefully through the night from 5 weeks old. This means that when you take your pup home this concept is familiar and comforting not scary. At 8 weeks old you will be able to close the door as pup will have better bladder control.
We recommend Vebo Pet Supplies crates and covers. Vebo products are high quality and last. They have super fast shipping, sometimes next day depending on your location. We use Kmart beds while they are little and then get something more pricey and fancy once the chewing phase is gone.
https://www.vebopet.com.au/
JAXX - Old English Sheepdog
Grooming
Sheepadoodles inherit their coat from their Old English Sheepdog and Poodle parents. As we’re dealing with two different types of coats, Sheepadoodle puppies naturally will have inherited characteristics from both parents.
They can be very much like a poodle or very much like and OES or a wavy, fleece-y mixture of the two. Even with fleece coats, regular brushing is crucial to keep your Doodle looking fresh.
It is important to give your pup a gentle daily brush from day one, this way when they really need it they are are accustomed to it. It also prevents matting and allows you to check for ticks and injuries.
We get best results when we take them to the groomers 6-8 weekly. We groom very regularly in between with a metal comb and slicker brush. The very best slicker after much trial, error and wasted money is the Big G Slicker from https://chrischristensenaustralia.com.au