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Old 07-09-2008, 11:09 AM
DianeS DianeS is offline
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I second what everyone else said, but if you really might want this particular dog, here's some things to think about:

1 - To determine a puppy's eventual weight at one year of age, take the weight that the dog was at 16 weeks (4 months), and double it. The dog is most likely to weigh approximatly that much on its first birthday - of course, taking into consideration things like whether the pup was malnourished or sick berfore that 16th week, which can throw the whole estimate off.

And of course that doesn't tell you the full adult weight IF the dog is a breed that grows past its first birthday. But it gives you an estimate to work with. A puppy that is 13 lbs at 12 weeks... add a few pounds for the next month until it's 16 weeks, then double that. A 35 lb one year old is reasonable given the puppy's current weight, I think. But if you have to be exact about it - like if 35 lbs is the cutoff for your housing complex, then I wouldn't chance it. Depending on the puppy's health and nutrition level and growth rate, it may well reach 40-42 lbs at adulthood.

Keep in mind also that it's possible you don't know the puppy's true birthday. A breeder could well lie about that, to make the puppy either seem younger and more desirable, or to make the weight part work out to what the seller knows you want. (For example, if the puppy is actually 13 lbs at 9 weeks, it'll be WAY over 35 lbs at one year old.) If you know the person personally you have a better chance of knowing whether the pup's birthday is true or not.

2 - The next most important thing about a puppy besides its adult size is its adult temperment. You should not judge soley on what the puppy is like now, but on how the puppy's parents are like. Spend some time with the mother - does she want to please her owners? Is she too skittish about new sounds or sharp noises? Does she guard her food or toys more than you want your new puppy to guard? Mothers teach puppies a LOT, be sure this is the mother you want for your new dog. Evaluating the father's temperment is important if you can do it, but the father's influence is only genetics, while the mother's is genetics and early raising/teaching of the puppy.

3 - It's important to know that a Labradoodle is not a breed. A "breed" is defined as a type of dog that can mate with another dog of the same type, and 100% of the puppies will be that same type, and all their puppies will be the same type, and so on for every generation. And that's not true of Labradoodles. Since one parent is a Lab, and the other a Poodle, the resulting puppies could look and behave like Labs, they could look and behave like Poodles, or be somewhere in between.

If you're looking for a new puppy with a particular look, particular behavior, or particular trait (like not shedding), you're more likely to get what you want by buying a purebred dog than a mix like a labradoodle. Remember that when you look at a puppy, you're looking like a baby, and everything can change - coat length, coat texture, behavior, energy level, shedding, etc.

4 - To have the healthiest dog possible, it's important to know that the parents of the puppy have been tested for genetic diseases that could be passed down to the puppy. Things like tests for hip dysplasia and eye problems should have been done on both parents, and the results of those tests given to you. If both parents tests come out "excellent", then there is very little chance that your new puppy would have those problems.

It's also important to be sure that the puppy has had regular veterinarian examinations and vaccinations. Especially in an environment where others may be coming in to look at the puppy, and perhaps tracking in germs with them, it's important that the puppy have immunity to those diseases. Otherwise there is a chance the pup will get infected and become sick once in your posession. And nobody wants to fall in love wiht a puppy and pay lots of money for it only to have it get sick and possibly die a couple weeks later. So ask for the vet records.

So, now that we've overwhelmed you with information, go make the best decision for your family that you can, and then post pictures of whatever puppyn or dog you get!
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