Is there anything more exciting than preparing to pick up your new furry friend? Walking up and down the aisles at the pet store can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a bit overwhelming. We’ve summarized a list of must-haves to make life easier for new puppy parents!

The Professional Necessities

Before bringing your bundle of joy home, you need to have all of your necessary resources lined out. Identifying a veterinarian is a no-brainer, but other professional resources you may need to consider include a dog-walker, a dog trainer, a doggy day-care and a groomer.

The Basics

Now we move onto the basics you need to purchase before you bring your new pal home. Firstly, you need to select an age-appropriate diet for your new addition. Your new puppy will come with a sample of Purina Pro Plan which is what we recommend and feed our dogs. However, if you choose to switch your puppy to a new diet, you will need enough of Purina Pro Plan to make the switch a gradual process spread out over a full week. Remember, your puppy needs a balanced diet during his first year of life. Select a dog food that is nutritionally appropriate for your puppy’s needs. If you have any questions, we recommend you consult with your veterinarian.

Next, you will need a place for your cuddle-bug to sleep. As we mentioned in a previous post, we think it is of the utmost importance that you crate-train your new puppy. Because of this, your puppy will join your family already acclimated to staying in a crate. You have many options when it comes to crates, but we suggest you purchase a heavy-duty wire crate that your puppy can grow into. 

Other items you will need are:

• Water and food bowls
• Exercise pens or baby-gates
• A collar with an ID tag and a leash
• Basic medical necessities such as a needless syringe, thermometer and hydrogen peroxide
• Ear cleaner and cotton balls
• At home grooming necessities such as shampoo and nail trimmers

The Fun Stuff

Finally, we have come to the “fun part” of puppy preparation: buying tons of toys! Your puppy will love playing with you, but like an infant, you must be careful when choosing toys for your new addition. Avoid toys with small parts that could become choke hazards. We love Kong toys as they are virtually indestructible and are great during the teething process.

Be sure to grab some balls for rousing games of fetch in the backyard! Interactive toys are also available and are great to help your puppy keep their wheels going throughout the day. Many interactive toys release treats when navigated properly which is great for your puppy’s mental development. Interactive toys and chew bones will prevent your puppy from finding his own entertainment around the house… such as your shoes! Word to the wise: if you love it, store it while your puppy is learning the rules in his new home.

There are a few warnings we want to share regarding playtime with your puppy. Never play with your puppy with a laser pointer. Not only is this dangerous for your puppy’s eyes, but it can develop bad habits and obsessive behaviors. Rawhides and pigs ears are never a good idea for a puppy as they can easily become a choke hazard and they can upset your new furry friend’s belly.

So run down to your local pet store and start shopping! The day will come before you know it and it will be time to bring your new best friend home. If you are still in the planning stages and haven’t picked out your new puppy yet, please check out our available puppies page to see all of our beautiful babies waiting to join your family. And as always, we are here for each and every one of our adoptive families and are happy to answer any questions you might have regarding preparing your home for your new family member!

New puppies bring a lot of joy to your life, but they also come with quite a bit of responsibility. One of the key things you need to work with your puppy on immediately is crate training. At Archview Labradoodles, we introduce all of our puppies to the concept of crate training at an early age, but it is important that each family continues this process when the puppies go to their new homes.

A Gentle Introduction

We begin familiarizing our puppies with the idea of crate training at three weeks of age by adding the crate to their play area with the gate open. It isn’t uncommon for us to find all of the puppies piled up in the open crate enjoying a snooze with one another! This allows the puppies to grow comfortable with the crate on their own terms.

At five weeks of age, we begin allowing our puppies to enjoy a nap in the crate with a buddy for a few hours a day. When the puppies have reached six weeks, they will begin sleeping in the crate with their buddy from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM, with one bathroom break in the middle of the night. By seven weeks of age, each of our puppies is sleeping individually in their own crate.

Picking up your puppy is an exciting time! It is important to remember, however, that is is a big life-change for your new addition. This can result in your puppy being nervous in their new environments. It is normal for your puppy to whine while in his/her crate for a few nights as they adjust to their new surroundings.

All of our puppies go to their new homes with a blanket covered in their mother’s scent to help comfort them acclimate to their new home. If your puppy is hesitant to enter his/her crate at first, we encourage the use of treats to help them learn the crate is a rewarding and nice place to be.

Crate Training for Proper Potty Habits

Prepare yourself for accidents! While our puppies have grown accustomed to the idea of crate-training, they are by no means fully potty-trained. Stay alert at all times when you are around your puppies. It is easy to be physically near your puppy, but mentally in another space. That is when accidents are most likely to happen. Your puppy will be used to one potty break in the middle of the night, but their internal schedule might change during the adjustment period. Always give your puppy the opportunity to use the restroom if they cry in the middle of the night.

Anytime you are unable to keep a watchful eye on your new addition during the daytime, he or she should be in their crate. This helps them acclimate to their new “safe space” and will prevent them from wandering off to have accidents in your home. When you let your puppy out of his or her crate, take them outside immediately so they can relieve themselves in the proper place. And of course, always reward them with lots of love and praise!

When to Go Outside

As new puppy owners, you will grow to learn your puppy’s bathroom habits over time. Here are a list of times you will want to take your puppy out to go potty:

• Your puppy just woke up from a nap.
• They were just released from their crate OR you just greeted them at the doorway.
• Immediately following a meal or a drink of water.
• Your puppy was occupied with a toy or a snack, but they randomly got up and began to wander around.
• He/she begins to sniff the floor while exploring the room.
• They make their way to an area where they have had accidents in the house before.
• Your puppy starts looking towards the door where you normally let them out to go potty.
• They begin to pace or whine.
• They have been playing especially hard with another dog or human.

Preventing mistakes is the key to proper potty training. If your puppy does have an accident in the house, don’t fret. Clean up the mess thoroughly and contemplate WHY the accident happened. If your puppy has prolonged accidents, try confining him/her to a small puppy-proof area (other than a crate). It is VERY important that you ensure you are letting them out to potty frequently throughout the day.

Remember, your new puppy is just a baby and has a lot of learning to do! If you foster a loving, caring environment for them to grow in, they are bound to be successful. And as always, we are here for you as a resource throughout your new addition’s life so feel free to reach out to us with any of your potty-training blues. We have tons of books we can refer you to that will help you and your puppy during this adjustment period.

Archview Labradoodles is located in Illinois, just a short 20 minute drive from St. Louis, Missouri, but many of our puppies live all across the United States! While some of our puppy parents choose to take a mini-vacation and travel to pick their puppy up themselves, we understand that many of our adoptive families balance busy schedules and need a little help getting their puppy home. We offer several options for puppy delivery that puts your puppy’s health and well-being first.

St. Louis Sights

For families who are capable of picking their puppy up in person, we highly encourage you to take a stroll around St. Louis while you are visiting! Go see a Cardinals game, visit the iconic St. Louis Arch, check out the family-friendly City Museum or enjoy the arts at the Fabulous Fox Theater!

Check out this list of the 15 best things to do while you are in St. Louis, created by Trip Adviser, and start planning your little get-away to the Midwest.

Road Trip

It is not uncommon for one of us to pack up the car and head off on a journey with your new puppy in hand. We are happy to help your puppy make it to their new home, and delivery services are available for an additional fee. Depending on your location, we can meet you at a halfway point or even hand deliver your family’s new addition to your front door. It is our goal to make this process as stress-free as possible for all parties involved. Please let us know if you are in need of delivery assistance and we can coordinate something that accommodates each party’s schedule.

Jet-setting Puppies

Sometimes your location is too far to make the driving option work, but never fear! Archview Labradoodles also offers flight services for all of our puppies. We strongly believe that shipping puppies in cargo is detrimental to a puppy’s physical and emotional health. Data from the Department of Transportation shows that 24 pets died while flying last year. All of our puppies fly first-class with a member of our family or one of our trusted flight nannies. New puppy parents can meet a member of the Archview team at their nearest airport.

Fees for flying your new pooch include the cost of round-trip flights, pet fee and $250 to cover additional travel related expenses. Please note that if the flight time is over four hours, the fee for travel expenses will be $400. International flights can also be arranged depending on flight regulations. Please contact us if you are interested in quotes on flying one of our puppies internationally.

No matter where you are, near or far, we do our absolute best to help you connect with your new addition. Take a look at all of our upcoming and currently available puppies to see if your family’s new addition is among the mix. Please feel free to reach out to us at any time regarding delivery options that may work best for you.

If you have pet-related hair or dander allergies, you have probably considered adding a doodle to your family. There are many common misconceptions regarding doodles of all kinds, with the largest being that they are completely hypoallergenic. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, especially in the instance of first-generation doodles. While our multi-generation ALAA registered Australian Labradoodles are not hypoallergenic, they are allergy-friendl.  Most families with mild hair or dander allergies do exceptionally well with our puppies. Today, we are going to share with you the truth about hypoallergenic dogs and what you should consider when shopping for your new addition.

Hypoallergenic Versus Allergy Friendly

When you look up the term “hypoallergenic” in the dictionary you find this definition:

(especially of cosmetics and textiles) relatively unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. 

You can find loads of research on hypoallergenic products, but not all of it comes from a reliable resource. In an article by James T C Li, M.D., Ph.D. for the Mayo Clinic, Li writes:

“There’s no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog breed, although some individual dogs may cause fewer allergy symptoms than others.

Many people think that pet allergies are caused by a dog’s or cat’s fur, but the real source of pet allergies is often a protein that’s in the saliva and urine of dogs and cats. This protein sticks to the dead, dried flakes (dander) from your pet’s skin.”

The first thing to consider when shopping for an allergy-friendly puppy is if your allergy is hair based or saliva based. Saliva allergies are trickier to work with. We highly recommend that anyone with a saliva allergy spends time with our puppies beforehand to make sure they are a good fit.

However if your allergy is hair based, one of our allergy friendly multi-generational Australian Labradoodles may be a good fit for you! ALAA registered Australian Labradoodles are backed by generations of research to produce a dog that is allergy friendly.

Different Hair Coats

There are three different types of hair coats in doodle breeds: fleece, hair and wool. The hair on a wool coated dog is similar to lamb’s wool and will resemble that of a true poodle’s coat. The fleece coat is soft and can either be straight wavy or spiraled and is very easy to manage. Both fleece and wool are allergy friendly!

Dogs with a hair coat, however, are not allergy friendly. This coat is most commonly seen in earlier crosses of the breed such as F1 or F2b and resembles that of a lab. This coat does shed and will not be suitable for someone seeking a low-allergen companion.

Find a Breeder You Can Trust

Unfortunately, many doodle breeders are either misinformed or intentionally dishonest when they market their puppies as hypoallergenic. Doodles that are F1, F1b or F2 (click HERE to learn more about the different generations of doodles) are not considered low-shed and carry the risk of aggravating your allergies.

When buying a puppy, always do your research! Find a breeder that is knowledgeable about the breed they are producing and that is happy to share that expertise with you. At Archview Labradoodles, we have dedicated years to learning about and maintaining the standards of the Australian Labradoodle. You can rest assured that if you consider purchasing an Archview puppy, you will be provided with all of the educational tools you need to make a well-informed decision.

We have several adorable puppies ready to join to your family. Take a look at our current and upcoming litters here!

There are many things you need to do once you have added a new puppy to your family and socialization is one of them! Even the most mild-mannered or eager-to-please puppy can experience a personality change if they are not socialized properly early on. We always tell our new families “we bake a great cake, but you have to ice it!” In today’s blog post, we are going to share our thoughts and suggestions on early socialization for your new family member so they always maintain that adorable personality you fell in love with.

Time is of the Essence

We introduce all of our puppies to various stimuli while they are in our care, but it is up to you as their new parents to continue their social growth. Puppies need to experience new surroundings and scenarios at an early age in order to be confident later in life. The most critical time-frame is between seven and twelve weeks of age. There are obviously many things to consider before carrying your new puppy all around town, however. For example, your puppy will not be fully vaccinated during that stage of their life. We highly encourage families not to take their puppies to areas with high dog traffic until they have received all of their vaccinations. We suggest people get their puppies out and about in places like Lowes, Home Depot or local nursing homes. These  venues don’t have heavy dog traffic and allow your puppy to meet new people in short, controlled bursts.

Exercises at Home

There are many exercises you can do at home in order to protect your puppy and continue their social development. Simple things like the acclimating them to the noise of a blow dryer (which is essential to prepare your puppy for grooming later in life) can help them lead happy lives as they grow! Other things you can introduce your puppy to include introducing your puppy to water, cars, picking them up and handling their feet/nails, etc. Think about what you want to do with your puppy when they are an adult and find creative ways to introduce them to associated stimuli.

Be Their Comfort

It is important that you are the strong arm your new puppy can lean on during the socialization phase. You don’t want your socialization methods to traumatize your new four-legged friend accidentally! All socialization practices should be pleasant for your new puppy and remember to take your time. Don’t rush your puppy into uncomfortable situations to meet an end-goal. Let your puppy slowly acclimate to new sights, smells and sounds at their own pace so they are confident in new environments.

One way you can slowly integrate what your puppy might interpret as spooky sounds into their daily life is by playing a desensitizing CD. We use this CD with our puppies while they are in our care and highly recommend it to new puppy owners!

Understanding Body Language

Your puppy cannot tell you when he/she is scared or concerned, but they will send you clear messages through their body language. Be on the alert when socializing your puppy and watch for warning signs that your training may be doing more harm than good. Never force your puppy into something that makes him/her uncomfortable!

Watch your puppy’s tail, ears and eyes for tell-tale signs that they are wary of new situations. A tucked tail, ears folded back, concerned expression and a flight response are all signs of discomfort. If your puppy is afraid of a certain stimulus, allow him/her to come to their own acceptance of that particular scenario, rather than push that scenario on them while they are frightened. Remember, you are your puppies protector and they will view you as such!

 

Puppy Socialization Checklist

Here are some of the suggested activities we believe are beneficial for you to work on your new puppy with:

• Examine and handle your puppy’s eyes, nose, teeth, feet, skin/coat
• Introduce your puppy to people of all shapes, sizes and appearances (Ex: men with hats on or children)
• When appropriate, introduce them to unfamiliar dogs in a controlled environment.
• Allow your puppy to meet/see other animals such as cats, livestock, birds, etc.
• Expose your puppy to items with wheels such as skateboards or bikes and common household items like flower pots, umbrellas or garbage bags.
• Take your puppy to various environments such as urban neighborhoods, farms and suburban neighborhoods.

There are many different schools of thought regarding socializing your new puppy. When you purchase an Archview puppy we will send you home with all of our tips and tricks that we believe will help your new pup adjust to their new life with you. Check out all of our available puppies here and consider joining the Archview family!

As we have previously discussed, selecting a breeder is a very serious decision. A puppy is only as good as the program that it comes from. With the large amount of “doodle” breeders in the population, it is easy to get overwhelmed. As an adopter you should do your research to ensure that your future puppy is coming from a reputable, licensed breeder. At Archview Labradoodles we are proud members of the Australian Labradoodle Association of America (ALAA). As ALAA member breeders we are held to standards that ultimately takes the many worries that come with purchasing a puppy off of the adoptive family.

What is the ALAA?

The ALAA is an organization dedicated to maintaining the breed standards and nurturing the development of the Australian Labradoodle. The ALAA represents breeders in the United States, Canada and Europe and holds its members to very high standards in regards to their breeding programs. Take a look at the ALAA here Code of Ethics here to get a glimpse of just how dedicated its board members are to protecting the its registered dogs.

The ALAA requires that breeders not only follow that code of ethics, but also meet strict health requirements. ALAA member breeders are subjected to inspections and audits as deemed necessary to maintain their membership. It is forbidden for ALAA members to sell their dogs to commercial animal wholesales/retail pet dealers or to allow their puppies to leave for their new homes prior to eight weeks of age.

In order to be considered an ALAA member breeder in good standing a breeder must:

• Submit all breeding dogs’ pedigrees and minimum health testing for dogs in their program
• Provide and honor purchase agreements and health warranties for all puppies sold
• Register all litters produced in their program
• Adhere to the ALAA Code of Ethics in Business practices

All ALAA member breeders are issued new logos annually, so be sure to check the validity date of the logo each breeder displays on their website. We proudly display our membership logo on the front page of our website!

Required Health Testing

As mentioned in the above section, ALAA members are required to test for several potential health issues. See the below screenshot to see the ALAA requirements:

ALAA member breeders are also required to submit a health warranty/guarantee to the ALAA registrar for review. It is required by the ALAA that all member breeders offer a health warranty/guarantee on each puppy bred in their program! This means that your future puppy is covered for the duration of the guarantee from any genetic defects or disease.

Continued Education

Currently, there are no laws requiring breeders to attend training to qualify them for their career, but the ALAA strives to change that. The ALAA offers many different conferences where they bring in the best and the brightest in the industry to provide continued education to its list of prestigious breeders (which we have attended for several years now!). Each year the ALAA changes the destination of its yearly round table to allow for more breeders to attend. However, many of us travel to these seminars because of the quality of information that is shared.

For example, last year’s conference, held in New York City, featured guest speakers over reproductive and neonatal care, a guest speaker from Puppy Culture, features on pedigree analysis and genetic disease control and much more. This education is paramount in ensuring our program provides your puppy with nothing but the best care from day one!

 

When you purchase a puppy from an ALAA member breeder you know you are receiving a quality puppy from a heavily monitored program that wants nothing but the best for the future of your puppy! We are proud to say that we are ALAA members. We are happy to abide by any and all regulations set forth by the ALAA because we truly believe in producing happy, healthy puppies that will live long lives with their new families.

Take a look at some of our ALAA registered Australian Labradoodles we have for adoption and consider adding one to your family today!

We have countless people reach out to us about adopting one of our adorable puppies each day and it is not uncommon for prospective buyers to comment on the purchase price of our puppies. At Archview Labradoodles we specialize in breeding top-notch ALAA registered Australian Labradoodles. The purchase price of our puppies directly reflects the hours and resources invested in producing puppies that will live long happy lives with their new families. We thought in today’s blog we would break down some of the investments that play a factor in the purchase price of each of our puppies to help you understand the quality of puppy you will receive when you adopt from Archview.

You Can’t Put a Price on Peace of Mind

One of the biggest factors in the asking price of our puppies is the extensive health testing that goes on behind-the-scenes to ensure your puppy is free of disease or defects. All of our breeding dogs have tested “good” or “excellent” by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for hips and elbows. This mean that your puppy’s parents will have sound hips and elbows which will ensure your puppy is much more likely to not have hip or elbow issues, which can be common in the Australian Labradoodle parent breeds. Our dogs also receive eye exams, a DNA profile and genetic panels, in addition to testing for improper coat/furnishings. All of our puppies will come to you microchipped and will have received a thorough vet examination before ever leaving our care.

What does all that mean exactly? It means when you purchase a puppy from Archview, you can rest assured that every precaution has been taken to make sure you will never have to suffer the heartbreak associated with many of these issues. We are so sure of our breeding program that we offer a two-year health guarantee for genetic defects!

Let the Training Begin

All of our available puppies go to our Archview Puppy Academy. We help kick start your puppies education right here at home so that when your new addition joins you they already have a foundation that will set them up for success in a new environment. Your future puppy will be introduced to the idea of crate training and potty training at an early age. Our biggest goal is make sure that all of our puppies are properly socialized in order to be confident and stable in their new lives.

Our training process begins with Early Neurological Stimulation which means your puppy is handled each day from three-days-old to 16-days-old to give them a superior advantage and positively impacts brain development. We then follow the Puppy Culture Program to rear and socialize all of our puppies. This program is a week-by-week program that allows us to help our puppies mature in a confident manner. Our puppies are socialized with all sorts of sights, sounds and smells to expose them to a variety of stimuli. We also offer an enriched environment with toys, puzzles and problem solving challenges to help your growing puppy learn each day!

An Investment in Blood Lines

We work with breeders from all over the world to add high quality dogs to our program. Most recently we imported a dog from Scotland who is now one of our breeding sires! When we select a puppy to add to our breeding string we evaluate many different things: temperament, health testing (in which we scour several generations back to ensure the dog is not a carrier for any issues), confirmation per the ALAA breed standard and their pedigrees. Most of the time, our initial investment in a breeding dog is quite hefty and we do that to boost our program and produce puppies that follow our mission statement.

Whether we are buying from another breeder or keeping back a puppy from our own program, we hold our breeding dogs to a strict standard! They must meet our strict standards for coat quality and personality and we keep our program very diverse, so you never have to worry about inbreeding.

Resources Galore!

You aren’t just getting a puppy when you adopt from Archview, you are untapping a wealth of information we have collected over the years that we are happy to share. Your puppy will go home with a puppy pack filled with books, a scented blanket to help with the transition to their new home, a food sample and many other perks.

There is nothing we love more than following along with our puppies in their new homes and we are happy to be a forever lifeline for any questions you might have. If you are local to our area we can provide many references to local resources such as veterinarians, trainers, groomers and more. When you buy a puppy from Archview, you are joining the Archview family! Rest assured knowing that you have a friend just a phone call away to help guide you through the process of puppy ownership.

We hope that helps you understand that when you purchase an Archview puppy, you are getting your bang for your buck. We know a puppy is a lifetime commitment and it is our goal to provide you with a family member that will live up to all of your expectations and more. At Archview, we spare no expense in time, energy and money to raise awesome puppies!

So what are you waiting for? Check out our available puppies and upcoming litters today!