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| Some very excited girls! |
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| One fluffy pup! |
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| Lifelong friends |
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| Who is happier....girl...or puppy? |
Virginia Breeder of Schnoodle puppies - a non shedding, hypoallergenic dog breed.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
A special Birthday
Last Sunday one of our families was celebrating a special birthday. Their little girl had a birthday wish to play with her puppy again.....so Sunday afternoon we had another puppy visit! Her Mom shared the photos she took that day. Isn't she an amazing photographer! Here are her beautiful pictures!
Sunday, June 24, 2012
The Schnoodle Hair cut
When you take your puppy for his first hair cut the biggest question will be what type of cut is appropriate for the Schnoodle. Is it the Schnauzer cut? Is it the Poodle cut? .....What about trying a Doodle Cut. The Doodle cut is the hair cut that has evolved for the Labradoodle and Goldendoodle. It is an even all over cut that allows for a lovely beard and a flowing tail.
This basic Grooming chart taken from: http://goldendoodles.com/groom/index.htm
Here is another link that gives photos and ideas on grooming the coat of a Doodle.
http://groomblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/grooming-goldendoodle.html
I hope that this gives you some ideas. Ultimately there are no rules for your puppy cut. You can choose the look for your Schnoodle that you like best.
Basic Maintenance Grooming
This basic Grooming chart taken from: http://goldendoodles.com/groom/index.htm
Here is another link that gives photos and ideas on grooming the coat of a Doodle.
http://groomblog.blogspot.com/2006/10/grooming-goldendoodle.html
I hope that this gives you some ideas. Ultimately there are no rules for your puppy cut. You can choose the look for your Schnoodle that you like best.
Grooming a Schnoodle puppy
(A revised post from last year) Over the last week I have been doing a little bit of puppy
grooming here and there. Clipping the puppy bottoms and the fur that pokes
into their eyes. Now their nails also need trimming. Their nails are
still so soft that regular nail clippers do the job quite nicely.
When you bring your puppy home you will need to attend to the basic grooming that needs to be done. The schedule for your puppy's grooming will depend on his coat type. Obviously the longer thicker fur will likely need more maintenance than the straighter thinner coat. Also you can expect your puppies coat to thicken over the first several years.
Before you begin, exhaust the puppies with a good romp outdoors so they will be less squirmy when you groom them. Then go to work...
1. Clipping the fur on the Pads of their feet
It is important to clip the fur around the pads of
the puppies feet. Long fur collects dirt and germs, plus it is prone
to getting matted which can be rather uncomfortable. The puppies feet
fur was already long and thick. I trimmed it down around the nails and
between the pads of their feet.
2. Clipping Toe Nails
After clipping the feet fur, I was able to see the toe nails quite visibly. I used regular people nail clippers, to trim each toe nail on the front and back paws. When your puppy gets bigger you will need to use specially designed dog toe clippers. When you take your puppy in for his first hair cut, you might want to ask the groomer to show you how to clip the nails. Their are also a lot of good instruction online. You have to be very careful not to clip the wick or you will cause the dog to bleed. It is advisable to keep Styptic powder on hand as it will stop the bleeding of a toe nail. Happily, I have never needed it.
3. Trimming the Fur around the eyes
It is important for your puppy to be able to see, and we also don't want excessive fur to be a breeding ground of bacteria around your puppies eyes. Today I trimmed the fur that was at the corners of their eyes and cleaned away any goop that had accumulated. I used a pair of round nose scissors, especially for cutting fur, so I wouldn't risk any injury.
4. Trimming the Anal area.
It is also important to keep the fur trimmed short near the puppies anus, so that the fur in this area won't trap feces. If puppies get a dried poopy butt it is unsightly, unhygienic and very uncomfortable for the puppy.
This was all the grooming that was necessary for the 7 week old puppy. But it will be good for you to continue to do these same grooming activities with your puppy. The puppy will need to be groomed all his life, and he better get use to being handled early on, or he will be a problem for the groomer.
As the summer progresses your puppy may need his body fur trimmed. If you love your furry puppy and want to keep him long and fluffy for a while, that is fine....but please get a clipper and turn it on every few days and let the puppy get use to the sound of the motor. Run it over the body of the puppy (without using the blade) so the puppy can get use to the vibrations. The more you do this with a young puppy the easier it will be for his first all over hair cut.
REMEMBER: The Schnoodle hair does not fall out. It grows continually. As the puppy gets older it also gets thicker and thicker. Therefore, it shaving the Schnoodles body is a necessary part of his life. He needs to get use to this while he is young, so it is not a stressful event for him later on.
.
Grooming your puppy is not just to make them look good.....it is a NECESSARY aspect of your Schnoodles health. Ear infections and overgrown toenails are very painful. Allowing a dogs fur to get matted is cruel because matted fur pulls at their skin and is very uncomfortable for a dog. Please take the grooming requirements of your Schnnoodle seriously.
Even if you take your dog to a regular groomer, it is a good idea for you to get use to some of the minor grooming in between visits. I love a freshly groomed dog! You can see their beautiful eyes. They look cute and everyone wants to cuddle with him. And as the primary house cleaner in my home, I just feel better knowing that our dog is fresh and clean enough to sit on my couch.
When you bring your puppy home you will need to attend to the basic grooming that needs to be done. The schedule for your puppy's grooming will depend on his coat type. Obviously the longer thicker fur will likely need more maintenance than the straighter thinner coat. Also you can expect your puppies coat to thicken over the first several years.
Before you begin, exhaust the puppies with a good romp outdoors so they will be less squirmy when you groom them. Then go to work...
1. Clipping the fur on the Pads of their feet
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| I'm only 7 weeks, but I am getting pretty fluffy! |
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| I spent all my energy in playtime, so I am pretty relaxed right now. |
2. Clipping Toe Nails
After clipping the feet fur, I was able to see the toe nails quite visibly. I used regular people nail clippers, to trim each toe nail on the front and back paws. When your puppy gets bigger you will need to use specially designed dog toe clippers. When you take your puppy in for his first hair cut, you might want to ask the groomer to show you how to clip the nails. Their are also a lot of good instruction online. You have to be very careful not to clip the wick or you will cause the dog to bleed. It is advisable to keep Styptic powder on hand as it will stop the bleeding of a toe nail. Happily, I have never needed it.
 |
| Mom gives me tummy rubs to reward me during grooming. |
3. Trimming the Fur around the eyes
It is important for your puppy to be able to see, and we also don't want excessive fur to be a breeding ground of bacteria around your puppies eyes. Today I trimmed the fur that was at the corners of their eyes and cleaned away any goop that had accumulated. I used a pair of round nose scissors, especially for cutting fur, so I wouldn't risk any injury.
4. Trimming the Anal area.
It is also important to keep the fur trimmed short near the puppies anus, so that the fur in this area won't trap feces. If puppies get a dried poopy butt it is unsightly, unhygienic and very uncomfortable for the puppy.
 |
| I am a good puppy even for grooming! |
This was all the grooming that was necessary for the 7 week old puppy. But it will be good for you to continue to do these same grooming activities with your puppy. The puppy will need to be groomed all his life, and he better get use to being handled early on, or he will be a problem for the groomer.
 |
| Look! You can see my eyes! |
As the summer progresses your puppy may need his body fur trimmed. If you love your furry puppy and want to keep him long and fluffy for a while, that is fine....but please get a clipper and turn it on every few days and let the puppy get use to the sound of the motor. Run it over the body of the puppy (without using the blade) so the puppy can get use to the vibrations. The more you do this with a young puppy the easier it will be for his first all over hair cut.
REMEMBER: The Schnoodle hair does not fall out. It grows continually. As the puppy gets older it also gets thicker and thicker. Therefore, it shaving the Schnoodles body is a necessary part of his life. He needs to get use to this while he is young, so it is not a stressful event for him later on.
.
 |
| Do you like my manicure? |
Grooming your puppy is not just to make them look good.....it is a NECESSARY aspect of your Schnoodles health. Ear infections and overgrown toenails are very painful. Allowing a dogs fur to get matted is cruel because matted fur pulls at their skin and is very uncomfortable for a dog. Please take the grooming requirements of your Schnnoodle seriously.
Even if you take your dog to a regular groomer, it is a good idea for you to get use to some of the minor grooming in between visits. I love a freshly groomed dog! You can see their beautiful eyes. They look cute and everyone wants to cuddle with him. And as the primary house cleaner in my home, I just feel better knowing that our dog is fresh and clean enough to sit on my couch.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Crate Training
I wanted to write a post about crates and how they are used. Some people buy a hard shell crate for their puppy. Those are perfect for air travel, or for trips to the veterinary. For everyday use a wire crate works great in the house. Here is the best size for a Miniature Schnoodle.....
This is the size that Dixie has used all her life....and she still fits in it great.
I would not own a puppy if I did not first buy a crate. They are that indispensable. It is best to introduce a crate early in life....and use them properly. Never lock a puppy in a crate all day long. That is cruel. Never lock a puppy in a crate, longer than he can hold his bladder. That is also cruel .....and will teach him to soil his sleeping quarters. DO use a crate for sleeping at night, for nap time in the day, or for limited periods of time that your puppy needs to be out from underfoot. The crate is indispensable for potty training a puppy to the outdoors.
I definitely wanted our litter of puppies to be comfortable in a dog crate before they went to their new home. To do this, I attached Dixie's crate to the Puppy pen and draped a blanket over it. The wire pen easily attaches to the sides of the wire crate with clips. (no puppies can escape and it is quite secure) Inside I put the carpets and blankets. I knew the pups would enjoy their new 'den' space. The puppies IMMEDIATELY went in and started using the wire crate as their preferred sleeping place. Dogs love crates as long as you introduce them early. They feel secure in an enclosed area...that is why I drape a blanket over it.
We keep our wire dog crate open to the play area. The puppies are NOT locked up in there (except when we need to clean the pen).
You will do well to also use a crate as your puppies sleeping quarters. Put the crate in your room, so you can hear him if he whines to use the potty. If the litter box is nearby it will be easy enough to take your puppy to his indoor potty spot at night time. Your puppy WILL need to use the potty once during the night for several months. If you have a master bathroom, you could put the open crate and the litter box in your bathroom. Then put a puppy gate in the door way. That way your puppy is close to you, but still has access to his litter box at night without waking you up. I have known some families to have an upstairs litter box and a downstairs litter box.
If a service worker or guests comes to your house, you will have a safe place to keep your puppy. When you want to train your puppy to potty outside you can close the puppy in his crate during his nap time. Then when the nap time is done, you can take him outside to use the potty right away. This is the best way to potty train a puppy. (I will send home a sample potty training schedule)
Dixie has had her crate since she was a puppy and we still use it today! It comes in very handy when we need to keep our dogs away from repair men...or little kids who are nervous with dogs. They love to sleep in their crate at night...it is their very own space.
Buy a wire crate that measures 20" wide x 20 " tall x 24 long.
This is the size that Dixie has used all her life....and she still fits in it great.
 |
| The wire crate is a doggy's den. |
I would not own a puppy if I did not first buy a crate. They are that indispensable. It is best to introduce a crate early in life....and use them properly. Never lock a puppy in a crate all day long. That is cruel. Never lock a puppy in a crate, longer than he can hold his bladder. That is also cruel .....and will teach him to soil his sleeping quarters. DO use a crate for sleeping at night, for nap time in the day, or for limited periods of time that your puppy needs to be out from underfoot. The crate is indispensable for potty training a puppy to the outdoors.
I definitely wanted our litter of puppies to be comfortable in a dog crate before they went to their new home. To do this, I attached Dixie's crate to the Puppy pen and draped a blanket over it. The wire pen easily attaches to the sides of the wire crate with clips. (no puppies can escape and it is quite secure) Inside I put the carpets and blankets. I knew the pups would enjoy their new 'den' space. The puppies IMMEDIATELY went in and started using the wire crate as their preferred sleeping place. Dogs love crates as long as you introduce them early. They feel secure in an enclosed area...that is why I drape a blanket over it.
 |
| We moved our puppies to our basement as soon as the weather got hot. |
We keep our wire dog crate open to the play area. The puppies are NOT locked up in there (except when we need to clean the pen).
You will do well to also use a crate as your puppies sleeping quarters. Put the crate in your room, so you can hear him if he whines to use the potty. If the litter box is nearby it will be easy enough to take your puppy to his indoor potty spot at night time. Your puppy WILL need to use the potty once during the night for several months. If you have a master bathroom, you could put the open crate and the litter box in your bathroom. Then put a puppy gate in the door way. That way your puppy is close to you, but still has access to his litter box at night without waking you up. I have known some families to have an upstairs litter box and a downstairs litter box.
 |
| Puppy's love their wire crate 'den'! |
If a service worker or guests comes to your house, you will have a safe place to keep your puppy. When you want to train your puppy to potty outside you can close the puppy in his crate during his nap time. Then when the nap time is done, you can take him outside to use the potty right away. This is the best way to potty train a puppy. (I will send home a sample potty training schedule)
Dixie has had her crate since she was a puppy and we still use it today! It comes in very handy when we need to keep our dogs away from repair men...or little kids who are nervous with dogs. They love to sleep in their crate at night...it is their very own space.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Choose Your Veterinary -- Vaccine Schedule
It's only a few weeks before you bring your new puppy home. So now is a good time to choose your veterinary. A good place to start is word of mouth recommendations from family and friends. You also can do Google searches on some veterinaries and find ratings given by their customers. Sometimes just dropping into the veterinary and talking to the staff at the front desk can give you a lot of information about the professionalism of the clinic.
I will take your puppy to see the veterinary when he is 7 1/2 weeks of age. At that time, your puppy will be given an overall wellness check, a worming and his first set of shots.
Many people also like to bring their puppy to the veterinary within the first 2-3 days that they take their puppy home. This would not be the time to administer shots....since the puppies are under stress the first several days. But it is a good time to see that your puppy is adjusting well to his/her new home and also ask your veterinary any health questions you may have.
If you do not schedule a visit to the veterinary for a new puppy check, you should still make an appointment for his first shots from 11-12 weeks of age. The sooner you complete the series of puppy inoculations, the sooner your puppy can go out in public.
Here is a typical Vaccination schedule for puppies.... (ncluded in your Puppy Information Packet)
Vaccination Schedule for Puppies and Dogs
Distemper… an
airborne viral disease of the lungs, intestines and brain
Hepatitis… a
viral disease of the liver
Leptospirosis… a
bacterial disease of the urinary tract
Parainfluenza.. an
infection bronchitis
Parvovirus... a
viral disease of the intestines
Rabies… a
viral disease fatal to humans and other animals
Corona… a
viral disease of the intestines
Bordatella.. a
bacterial infection of the upper respiratory system (Kennel Cough)
Puppies (6 weeks to 1 year)
6-8 weeks…….first puppy shots (DHLPP) + Corona….. at breeders
11- 12 weeks… second set of shots (DHLPP) + corona
15-16 weeks….third set of shots (DHLPP) + corona
Over 4 mths… Rabies
(repeat 1 year later)
7-9 months … first heartworm test
Adult dogs (after 1 year)
DHLPP… Yearly
Hearworm Test …Yearly
Rabies…. You can get
a 3yr shot
Bordatella….Yearly
Where to find Dog Litter pans
A few of you have commented that you are unable to find the Dog Litter pans in Petco. It appears that they have been discontinued in stores. There is a very small stock remaining on the shelves and some stores may have one if you are lucky. But certainly call ahead, as it seems most stores have run out.
I have to wonder why they are discontinued. The product itself has received very high reviews on their store website. Additionally dog litter training in general has also been very highly encouraged by all the breeders who are using them on the internet. I wonder if so few people know about it, that it was not profitable for the pet stores to keep such a bulky item on their shelf.
If you were not able to find one by now, it may be time to be innovative. All they are is a plastic box with one side that is very low to the ground ( a 2 1/2 inch lip ) The low side is really important, since the puppy needs to be able to get into it very easily. The other 3 sides measure 7" high. The box itself is a rounded rectangle that measures 23" x 20" .
What I would recommend that you do is to get a Rubbermaid or Sterlite container with low sides and a similar rectangular size. Here is one online box that would work well ...but I see it is a set of 6.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-10-Gallon-Stacker-Storage-Bins-Nickel-Driftwood-Set-of-6/17164519
Perhaps the local Walmart store sells them individually. The size works well as they measure 25.75"L x 18.37"W x 7.13"H
But for this box to work, you would have to cut down one side leaving a 2 1/2" lip. That allows puppy to EASILY enter, and litter does not fall out.
One man on the internet, commented that he was able to cut down the side with a utility knife. He got it hot to make it go more smoothly.
"Sterilite boxes from Walmart, Lowes, or Home Depot work fine. You just have to get one of the low sided ones. I make the ones we start puppies in out of a Sterilite box. I cut one side down to a height that we want with a utility knife blade clamped in ViseGrips, heated up red hot with a propane torch-don't do this inside....." Tom King
Here is an blog post I found from a breeder who used a cat litter box. Perhaps some of her ideas would be helpful to some of you ..... http://www.kturby.com/litter/litter.htm
I hope that is helpful to some of you.
If you were not able to find one by now, it may be time to be innovative. All they are is a plastic box with one side that is very low to the ground ( a 2 1/2 inch lip ) The low side is really important, since the puppy needs to be able to get into it very easily. The other 3 sides measure 7" high. The box itself is a rounded rectangle that measures 23" x 20" .
What I would recommend that you do is to get a Rubbermaid or Sterlite container with low sides and a similar rectangular size. Here is one online box that would work well ...but I see it is a set of 6.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-10-Gallon-Stacker-Storage-Bins-Nickel-Driftwood-Set-of-6/17164519
Perhaps the local Walmart store sells them individually. The size works well as they measure 25.75"L x 18.37"W x 7.13"H
But for this box to work, you would have to cut down one side leaving a 2 1/2" lip. That allows puppy to EASILY enter, and litter does not fall out.
One man on the internet, commented that he was able to cut down the side with a utility knife. He got it hot to make it go more smoothly.
"Sterilite boxes from Walmart, Lowes, or Home Depot work fine. You just have to get one of the low sided ones. I make the ones we start puppies in out of a Sterilite box. I cut one side down to a height that we want with a utility knife blade clamped in ViseGrips, heated up red hot with a propane torch-don't do this inside....." Tom King
Here is an blog post I found from a breeder who used a cat litter box. Perhaps some of her ideas would be helpful to some of you ..... http://www.kturby.com/litter/litter.htm
I hope that is helpful to some of you.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Missin your Puppy? Here's some pics!
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| Teddy |
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| Teddy and Copper |
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| Teddy, Buddy, and Copper |
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| Buddy |
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| Sugar |
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| Bear |
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| Rosie |
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| Copper |
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| Bear |
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| Bear and Copper |
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| Buddy |
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| Rosie |
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| Bear |
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| Mia |
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| Copper |
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| Buddy |
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| Mia |
Monday, June 18, 2012
A few photos of the girls ---Day 32
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| Sugar at 6 weeks |
| Ruby Rose at 6 weeks |
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| Mia at 6 weeks |
Our Girl Puppies and their new families
The votes are in and everyone has a puppy picked for their family. Please let me know when you have settled on your new puppies name, and we will start putting your new name in front of the old name in the postings.
Sugar will live in Arlington, VA.
Maya / Mia will live in Potomac, MD
Ruby Rose will live in Hanover, Pennsylvania.
Sugar will live in Arlington, VA.
Maya / Mia will live in Potomac, MD
Ruby Rose will live in Hanover, Pennsylvania.
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