Puppy Love

All of our beautiful Goldendoodle puppies are lovingly and delicately hand-raised by our family from birth. Born and raised in our home, they are made to be part of a family from day one. Throughout the day, in a safe place alongside their momma, the puppies experience the normal noises and activities of life in and around the house, and are handled with love by our four children.

Once the puppies are 3 days old, we begin using a proven Early Neurological Stimulation Program to help improve and enhance performance. Five benefits have been observed in canines that were exposed to the Early Neurological Stimulation exercises. The benefits noted were:

• Improved cardiovascular performance (heart rate)
• Stronger heart beats
• Stronger adrenal glands
• More tolerance to stress
• Greater resistance to disease

In tests of learning, stimulated pups were found to be more active and were more exploratory than their non- stimulated littermates over which they were dominant in competitive situations. Secondary effects were also noted regarding test performance. In simple problem solving tests using detours in a maze, the non-stimulated pups became extremely aroused, whined a great deal, and made many errors. Their stimulated littermates were less disturbed or upset by test conditions and when comparisons were made, the stimulated littermates were more calm in the test environment, made fewer errors and gave only an occasional sign of distress when stressed.

Generally, genetics account for about 35% of the performance but the remaining 65% (management, training, nutrition) can make the difference!

Between days 3-5 our doodles take their 1st trip to our veterinarian’s office to have their dewclaws removed. However, there are exceptions to this routine. Dewclaw removal will only be done if it is determined safe for each individual puppy. There are times when a puppy is just too small or for some other reason has to forgo the regularly scheduled dewclaw removal visit. This procedure is entirely at the discretion of the breeder. We will always opt to do what is safest for the health of each of our puppies.

We love and care SO much for every single puppy that we have the pleasure of birthing, raising and shaping during their first 8 weeks of life. When a puppy or adult dog finds him or herself lost, it’s just as scary for them as it is for you! Microchips have become one of the best ways of recovering a lost precious four legged family member, therfore all Sunshine Doodle babies are microchipped between 6 & 7 weeks of age.

Your Goldendoodle pup comes to you having had their first round of puppy vaccinations and de-worming treatment.

At 49 days of age (approx 7 weeks old), when the puppy is neurologically complete and he/she has the brain of an adult dog, we do a behavior test on each of the puppies, known as the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test, or PAT. This test uses a series of situations the puppy is put in to see how it will respond to things like submission to humans, retrieving, fear factors, etc. Our clients really appreciate this special testing because it helps them tremendously in choosing which doodle is best for them.

It is important to research the food you feed your dogs and most importantly the first few ingredients. The type of meat that is used is very important. We feed our dogs Life’s Abundance Dog Food. The quality and high standards of this dog food as well as the amazing testimonials from customers are quite impressive! Our top pick is “All Life Stage Dog Food Grain Free.” There is absolutely never any corn or wheat glutens, artifical colors or flavors. It has prebiotic fiber and guaranteed live probiotics. It is made exclusively in the United States in Ohio and New York.

Life’s Abundance line of products was formulated by Dr. Jane Bicks, DVM. She has been a holistic vet for over 20 years. Among the many accomplishments of this remarkable woman, she has served as President of the American Veterinarian Association of New York City, earned three Presidential Citations and was appointed by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to establish one of the largest animal shelters in the world. As the author of three books on responsible care and treatment of pets, she has appeared on notable television programs such as 48 Hours, Good Morning America, CNN, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and many more. She has also created a non-profit foundation where a percent of her product line is contributed toward rescue and care for pets.

Interestingly, pet food was first developed around World War II. It consisted of left-over grains that were rejected for human consumption. Very quickly, people noticed that grains alone were not providing adequate nutrition, so protein was added. The source was meat unfit for human consumption; dead, diseased, dying, disabled, or drugged animals met that criteria.

Did you know that our pets genetically can live to be 20 years old, but the current average is 13-15? While many factors help the longevity of life such as environment, health care, and social atmosphere — nutrition is one of the most important contributing factors!

Many of the ingredients in our pet food today causes a shorter life span due to the additives that cause stress on your pet’s kidney and liver functions. Among these ingredients, are wheat, corn and soy which are major allergens to pets. Further, by-products such as animal heads, duck bills, fish chum, poultry feet, bones, as well as diseased & contaminated slaughterhouse meat are allowed to be included in these other pet foods. Chemicals such as BHA and BHT, which harm the dog’s liver and kidneys, are some of the many known carcinogens. Additionally, ingredients like Ethoxyquin, which is a stabilizing agent for rubber, are also known additives. The purpose of adding these chemicals are to provide an extended shelf life for months and even possibly years!

Fortunately for our puppy buyers, we feed our dogs guaranteed fresh food which has a shelf life no older than six weeks. Since it’s not sold in stores, it is ordered and delivered directly to your home.

While this dog food seems more expensive up front, the cost is just under $1 a day for a 35 pound adult dog. You will actually feed less dog food than what is required with most all other store bought bags of dog food, while receiving equal calories and more nutrition! They are able to digest and utilize the dog food more efficiently, and you will have less poop to clean up! You are ensuring a longer and healthier life for your pet when you feed them quality nutrition. In comparison, individual Americans spend more on their Starbuck’s coffee! Isn’t your precious puppy worth it?