We are on our way to 'Dance With A Cowboy'! (UPDATE)

Olive has a date this afternoon and we will stay a few days in Connecticut to hopefully have a successful mating with her beau, Cowboy, whose 'stats' are listed below.

I used Cowboy with Clara Belle and had such a lovely litter of pups which included Tate O'Reilly - the pup I kept from that mating and she is a stunner.  I am hoping to keep a lovely black girl from Olive's litter if she produces one.  I know it is early but I will be searching for a guardian home for this potential girl.  I expect soft, wavy fleece coated pups in the small to medium range if the breeding goes well.

Olive (Clara Belle's full littermate sister) is a sweet girl who loves to sit on your lap when you are on the floor.  If she can't get close enough, she uses her paws to hug you and reaches up for kisses.  Olive is also the Mother of Holiday Figgy Puddin` on our Current Breeder's Page.  Another show stopper!
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Thankfully, Cowboy and Olive were a perfect match for each other!  The 'dates' went smoothly with each having big smiles on their faces when all was said and done.  Let us keep our fingers crossed that we have good news in about a month that the matings were successful.  :+)

From Connecticut Labradoodles' site:

Spring Creek's Dancin' with a Cowboy 

Health Clearances - OFA, Thyroid/TgAA, Cerf normal,
PRA clear, vWD clear

 
What can we say, Cowboy is just stunning!  He comes to us   from Spring Creek Labradoodles and is one amazing dog.  His deep red fleecy  coat, along with his calm, gentle and cuddly nature are just the beginning of   his attributes.  He has magnificent boning, fantastic head and ear set, and an  easy going temperament.  Thank you Rochelle for such a wonderful guy!  Cowboy  lives with his guardian family who take him everywhere and just love him to   pieces!

Capi is groomed, clipped and ready for a guardian family..

Capi showing off his new trim.

He seems to be waiting for something, doesn't he?

Capi is looking for a guardian family with dog experience.  He is smart
and willing to please but requires a dedicated leader.

Puppy Training Tips for Tender Personalities & New Pups

When you first get your pup, you will want to do everything right but sometimes, what you think is 'right' is 'wrong'.  I sent home these pointers in my Olive x ARI litter and thought I should post them here so that everyone might use these tips for guiding your family and new pup in the right direction.

• Use a positive based training facility/trainer (no choke collars, 'hard handed' techniques, or negative based methods).  Be sure to check with your trainer choice that they use positive methods only.
• Don't smother your pup or try to protect them from what they might fear.  Instead, coax them using treats to confront but do so slowly and look for the smallest improvements.  If they fear a hydrant, let them approach it at their speed.  Don't force the introduction.
• Do not allow people or animals to run up to them.  Ask people to use low voices and sit down to allow the pup to approach them on their terms.  Give people a treat to give your pup and wait until your pup has more confidence to happily trot up to them to get a treat.
• Don't coddle!  If your pup shows any type of fear of anything, don't pick them up and coo to them!  You are re-enforcing the reason why they 'think' they should fear this person/thing/sound.  Yes, you can pick them up, but go in a different direction and put them back down.  Get a special toy to interact with them if it is a sound so that they realize the 'sound' does not hurt them but it DOES initiate playtime!  If they fear a dog, pick them up and move away from the dog that is scaring them but use a normal voice of confidence.  
• Lots of interaction with social dogs would be great but NOT dog parks!  You never know what type of dog is at a dog park and one bad experience could be very detrimental to your pup.  Stay away until your pup has built up enough confidence to not be overwhelmed.  So visit friends with friendly dogs; go to Petco to meet and greet with other people and dogs; go for walks; car rides; Home Depot allows dogs; garden centers are fine with dogs; and always make your excursions positive ones.
• Car sickness:  Short trips at first.  Sometimes just placing your pup in the car in the driveway and giving it treats for a few days is all you should do.  Then a treat after you drive around the block; and lastly a short trip to get an ice cream.  All positive until they get very excited when you say 'Let's go for a ride'!
• Whining - expect it.  They are not going to have their siblings with them anymore.  They need to make new friends but it will take some time.  Be patient.  Place a blanket over their crate if it gets too loud but don't give in.  If it is very loud and pitiful, wait for a split second that they are not whining to take them outside for a potty break, etc.  DO NOT PUT THEM IN BED WITH YOU!  Worse mistake you can ever make.  People and dogs should not be 'equal'.  Dogs should always be on the bottom ladder.  This does not mean they should be ignored, but it is important that they learn YOU are the provider for their food and comfort.  Respect equals food and high places equal 'status' in the dog world - hence no beds until your pup fully understands his place in your family.  When they are trained fully, then you can invite them up on your bed for a cuddle.  :+)
• One more item to address:  NEVER allow your pup/dog to remain on your lap if it should ever growl at a person or another dog.  When a pup or dog does this, they are showing 'you are their possession'.  This should not be.  The pup/dog should be immediately placed off your lap and asked to lie down or sit.  Doing this every time will re-enforce their status within your family.

Trainers and training philosophies change often.  You need to find the ones that make the most sense to you and more than ever - ones that you know you can train with successfully.

Beautiful BLACKS!

I am one of the few breeders that embrace black Labradoodles and these beauties deserve this spotlight.  Olive, on the left is a prime example of a wavy fleece-coat and Capriccio aka Capi is a perfect example of a curly fleece-coat.  Both these Labradoodles are easy to comb and maintain.  Their coats can be left longer because of the way the hair lies smoothly against their bodies.  Most wool coats 'spring' outwards and become very frizzy when long; whereas, single coated fleeces lay and blow in the breeze.  Please don't think that I don't like wool coats, because I most certainly do!  I think nothing is cuter than a Labradoodle with a plethora of curly rings.  However, curly wools should be kept short for easier maintainance for you and more comfort for the Labradoodle.

Owning several wools as well as fleece coated dogs - I always keep them shorter in the summer so that they can enjoy our pool to keep cool and for exercise.  My fleeces dry in less than an hour, but the wools remain damp for several.