These are some very basic answers to some questions that we see often asked by people with Cavoodles in different groups on Facebook and other forums.
I am not a veterinarian or a dog behaviourist, however, I have been with dogs for over 50 years, which does make me extremely experienced with many types of dogs and some very challenging dog behaviours, and we like to raise sensible, well-adjusted pups.
Our dogs are raised as part of a pack; we teach them dog etiquette, placement in the pack, and respect for humans. The answers are based solely on my personal experience and that of my family’s.
What is a Toy Cavoodle?
In my opinion, based on my knowledge of dogs, any Cavoodle that has one parent that is a Toy Poodle, which meets the requirements of the Toy Poodle standards, and is bred to a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, which also meets the standards, would be classed as a toy-size dog. That is because a Cavalier is also classed as a toy size. However, it is important to note that it is the biggest of the toy breeds. The variations can come with the size of the Cavaliers; they come in basically small, medium, and large, and all are classed as toy. To make matters more confusing, Toy Poodles were also larger dogs and have been bred down smaller and smaller, so occasionally a toy poodle can have a throwback to a larger dog as well.
So if you’re trying to find a toy-size Cavoodle, you really need to know the size of the Cavalier parent and the weight of the Toy Poodle parent. In any litter, there is usually a very small pup, some medium pups, and a large pup. An informed Breeder will know what size the pups will be.
How do I stop my puppy from biting the kids?
We believe that a puppy needs a great start, and this happens in the first 1 to 9 weeks with the breeder. Most pups will stop with a firm no. If you’re finding that your puppy is biting you or the children, you need to take instant action. (And you need to think like a mother dog or wolf managing the children. And she does not take kindly to being disrespected.)
When a puppy is being disrespectful and biting, we say NO in a very loud voice, making eye contact with the pup, then pick up the puppy and put them outside or away from the action.
You need to do this every time the puppy repeats the behaviour and starts to be rough and biting again, using the same firm NO, and the same process, back outside. They only need to be out for a few moments, 10 minutes at the most. When they come in and behave, you need to act normally and not make a fuss. This is the behaviour we expect from our pups, and if they have not already learnt it, now is the time. This works for shoes and furniture, too. Feel free to get in touch with us for more information about this.
Why does my dog scoot?
Firstly, we should answer what scooting is. Scooting is when your dog is in a sitting position and drags itself along the ground or the carpet.
There can be a few reasons why they do this. The first one can simply be, that they have an itchy bottom, unlike us they can’t wipe their butt if needed, so they drag or scoot to remove any bits and pieces that might be stuck there.
If they are dragging and scooting several times a day, then you may need to consider whether the dog has been adequately wormed, but this is rarely the cause. Most people think that worms cause the dog’s scooting, but it is not usually the problem more often than not, it is about blocked anal glands.
Let me explain, next to the dogs anus, are two glands and when your dog does a firm poo, these glands are expressed and secrete a very small amount of oil. When these block, it becomes very uncomfortable, and the dog scoots or drags its bottom as a way of relieving the pain. These will often abscess and burst. If this happens, you will need antibiotics as soon as possible, so a trip to the vet will be required.
However, once again, we believe in prevention! To prevent anal glands becoming blocked in the first place, a diet that has lots of fibre is most important. If you notice that your dog has soft, running poo, often this is a dietary problem and you will need to change the food you’re feeding.
Will they fade?
The simple answer is yes, they will. All poodles carry a fading gene; the reds end up apricot, and apricots end up cream with apricot points. Black usually stays black but can get grey flecking. You can slow this down by keeping them out of the sun as it does bleach the coat.
Do they need clipping?
Yes, they do. Usually, every 3 months is best. To correctly care for a Cavoodle, regular attention to the coat is important. Keeping the hair away from their eyes, genitals, and bottoms is also important.
When can I choose a pup?
In order to keep my puppies safe from Parvo and other nasty viruses, people do not come to visit the pups until they are at least six weeks old. I am happy to send you videos and give you updates. Can you imagine if everyone on my wish list came to visit, it would be far too much activity for the puppies and their mum, that is why I ask you to fill out the questionnaire which you can find on the contact page of this site to give me an idea what is the best type of puppy to fit in with your family’s needs.
What type of puppies are there?
In every litter I breed there seems to be three common types of puppy, the first one is the very active puppy, this is the puppy that is first out of the whelping box that is the 1st to wag his tail the 1st to chew my shoelace, the first 1 to get into his mother’s face and chew her whiskers. These pups suit busy, active families with a number of children. Then there are the middle-of-the-road type pups. This is an apt description for them. They fit into most households. They are just your average run-of-the-mill happy-go-lucky puppies. These make up 70% of the litter. Finally, there is the gentle soul. This is the puppy that would best suit a quiet household with one or no children. These pups can suit apartments and low activity households.
However, in saying this, puppies will adapt to become part of their environment. Even the most active puppy can become withdrawn and unhappy with limited or no attention. And the least active gentle puppy can become a ball of energy if coaxed in love the right way. I am usually very good at placing puppies in the best environment I can. This is partly because I have so many referrals and wonderful people that I know will give the pups exactly what they need. Thank you, team!
How do I introduce a puppy to my older dog?
This can end badly for your dogs if not done right. I suggest rewarding the older dog for any positive interest in the pup at all! This might be a sniff or a look. When you see this, praise your older dog and give them a treat.
Do not make the mistake of upsetting the hierarchy; this means feeding, saying hello, playing, putting a lead on, or having a cuddle. You must do all these things with your first dog before the new puppy. By doing this, your older dog will not feel displaced by the pip squeak joining your family. Do not allow your pup to annoy your first dog, and if your older dog growls or is unhappy with the pup, remove the pup and ignore the behaviour you don’t want in your first dog.
Girl VS Boys
Once again. I can only say, from my experience, I have found boys make better family pets, especially with smaller children aged under seven, as they are more resilient, a little bit bigger and can take busy households and attention coming from all family members. Girls can be loving and caring and wonderful, however, they tend to want to stick with one person, usually the person who feeds them. They can make great family pets but can also become more neurotic and very dependent without the right training. Boys seem to be able to just go with the flow. Boys seem to be much more cuddly than girls. However, you also need to remember, puppies are a product of their environment.
See also: Why my Cavoodles?
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