4. Skip Walks and Playtime
This is not a dog for the inactive or lazy. If you own a Labradoodle, you must be willing to participate in physical activity. These dogs are a bundle of energy, and you must accompany them on exercise outings. They require at least one good walk every day. They also need you to throw a ball around for them to fetch.
If you have a demanding job and you aren’t available to let your dog out at noon or go on a walk after work, consider hiring a dog walker. This doesn’t replace the important time you need to spend with your dog, but it can help your dog get the attention and exercise they need. This is a dog that needs lots of exercise and entertainment, and if you cannot provide it, this may not be the dog for you.
5. Let Them Go Untrained
Good obedience training is so important when it comes to owning a Labradoodle. An untrained Labradoodle will get themselves into trouble, causing more problems between the two of you. Labradoodles are smart dogs, so their minds need to be stimulated. If they don’t feel like they have an important job to do, they create jobs of their own. Their ideas of jobs can be destructive to your property.
An untrained dog is also unsafe. If your dog is in a dangerous situation and can’t respond to your commands to drop it, sit, or come, they are at a higher risk of getting hurt. Some tricks are for fun, but some can save your dog’s life.
Training can be a fun activity to share with your dog. Once your dog masters the basic commands, you can move on to fun ones like fetch or play dead. It’s fun to impress your friends, and your dog will feel so proud when she receives a lot of positive attention from everyone. Keep training light and fun, and your Labradoodle will love it.
6. Hug Your Dog
A hug may seem like a good way to show affection to your dog, but it’s not a move that dogs will always associate with love. To them, it can be scary to be squeezed or restrained by someone who is much bigger and more dominant. Labradoodles may not show distress because they tend to get along well with everyone. However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t feel uncomfortable. Stick to petting and praise when you want to show your dog that you care. You don’t want an agitated or injured dog to snap at someone after a hug.
Remember that dogs are not humans and that they cannot always understand human behavior. Do not expect their minds to process situations and learn in the same way we do. Avoid scaring, annoying, or stressing your dog because it can lead to poor behavior. Understand that your dog will behave like a dog and to work with their behavior in a way that makes sense to them.
Image sourced from www.labradoodlepuppies.com.