Colonial Village Labradoodles

Have you ever seen your child drop food on the floor and race to it so the dog doesn’t snatch it up? Or call your vet frantically becuase your pup got into the pantry? We have all been through the panic, which is why we thought it would be best to inform you on what human foods your furry family can and can’t eat.

It can seem like you are depriving your pet when you’re eaiting popsicles, ice cream, brownies, and other treats in front of them, but a good alternative I have found is freezing some fresh strawberries/fruits and feeding them on a hot or special day that you enjoy refreshing treats!

Do’s

Cheese – our dogs love cheese, and cottage cheese; we feed cheese as a treat every so often and pull it out of the bag right in front of our dogs, so that they know the bag. This way, if/when they slip out the door or off the leash we grab the cheese to lewer them back, and it works every time!

Coconut – contains lauric which is very good for their immune system

Eggs – high in protein; only serve fully cooked

Fish – only serve fully cooked and with no bones; serve in moderation (about 1/wk)

Honey – contains vitamin A-B-C-D-E-K; serve in small amounts; helps with allergies by introducting pollen to their system

Peanut Butter – contains good fats and protein; too much can lead to weight gain and/or pancreas issues; I use this as a trick to get my dog to eat her food if she will not eat it (throw a small dollop on top or mix in)

Quinoa – strong nutritional value for pups

Tuna – can have in moderation if cooked fresh in water (NOT oil)

Turkey – plain, not covered in garlic/seasoning

Yogurt – no sugar/artificial flavors; helps strengthen digestive system with active bacteria

Do Not’s

Chocolate – contains methylxathines which stop the metabolic process; mayt cause diarrhea or vomiting; contained in high amounts can cause seizures, irregular heart function, and even death

Cinnamon – can irregulate stool (causing a mess); not toxic but best to avoid

Onions & Garlic – can cause anemia; if consumed it is not emergent, but monitor the situation

Ice Cream – too sugary

Macadamia Nuts – POISONOUS to dogs; leads to vomiting, fever, loss of mobility functions, lethargy

Pork

Grapes/Raisins

Caffeine

Yeast/Dough

Avocado

Here at Colonial Village Labradoodles we LOVE Amazon. We are constantly texting each other trying to remember the login info to our Prime membership, and I decided to share our favovrite pet-related products that we order! If you realize your pet would benefit from any of these items, just click on the photo and it will bringup the amazon page!

1.Our #1 purchase here in the CVL McMillan household is Iams Smart Puppy Dry Dog Food. Having so many furry friends around over the years has taught us that their food is very important. We use Iams because it is a very simple/basic dog food containing few ingredients, which best helps in preventing allergies and ensuring proper digestion. We believe in sticking with the same dog food for their whole life, and Iams is the one we (and our vet) recommend!

2. A pet staple around the world is a leash — who doesn’t need one?! We have found that retractable leashes are a great way to walk our dogs. It gives them freedom to determine where and how far to walk, while still giving us the control to stop them and bring them closer at any point. A new product we have discovered is shock absorbing bungee leashes. These are useful for many reasons but in our house, we like these becuase it helps relieve stress from our arms and shoulders when our dogs tug on a walk. It also helps train a dog how to walk while on a leash. Everyone’s goal is to have a dog that simply matches your pace and takes peaceful walks — but dogs are curious! Can we blame them? Having a bungee leash gently reminds them to stay closer wihtout us having to pull on the leash, which then pulls on their neck. To save money, I recommend buying the bungee extension to add onto the leash you already own!

3. Another product handy when walking dogs is a Martingale collar. They also help train a dog when walking becuase they tighten slightly when a dog tugs, but are great to use because they’re spike free!! We use these because the pressure is a gentle reminder to slow down and stay by our side as theyre beingn walked. Amazon has a lot of fun colors and patterns in these useful collars.

4. If you or your kids like dressing up your pet as much as Miss P does, you’ll love these adorable bandanas. We like bandanas in our home because they are a less torturous way of letting the kids dresss the dogs than their multiple sweaters and robes that give them mattes, make them hot and itchy, and just drive them crazy! There are plenty of patterns to choose from, but we know these ones look great on our labradoodles!

5. One of our favorite toys are what we call kong balls.” They are hollow chew toys that you can put treats in such a peanut butter, milkbones, greenies, or whatever you’d like! Our dogs love to play fetch with these , but love getting treats in them even more. It is also a good toy to put in their crate when you leave, so they have something to play whne if they get bored or have separation anxiety! I would not recommend putting peanut butter in there when you leave unless they have access to water though!

6. Now… grooming. Sometimes it kills to wait to get your dog groomed, especially if they have mattes or smell bad. A lot of people don’t realize how easy it is to solve these problems on our own! To help your dog’s coat stay nice and fluffy it is important to brush through it every few days. A fine-tooth comb will help pick through any mattes that have started to form, and a larger brush will help get simple tangles out and make their hair soft and fluffy. If they do have mattes that you can’t get out, do not bathe them as their hair will clump up more as it dries. To solve the smell problem, you could pick a scent of dog spray that you like and use is sparcely on them. If you have children like mine, you may want to monitor them doing this or your dog may come to you smelling a lot like a fresh coconut!

7. We all know the feeling of freshmly mopping the floors only to have them walked on by muddy shoes in five minutes. Or bringing your dog in for a walk only to have him/her step on your daughter’s new white shoes. Many companies are now making booties for dogs to wear outside while they go on a walk or use the restroom, that way when they come inside you can take them off and they wont ruin your floors, shoes, or clothes.

8. When training your pets, using something that can help them distinguish regular noises from their training calls. In the psychology world, they would call this “classical conditioning.” Using specific noices to call an order to your dog is the most efficient way to train. This whistle/clicker offers two ways to generate noise. While it only offers two forms of noise, you can create a sort of morse code by making patterns. For example ,every time you click it three times it is time to calm down. Or blowing the whistle means to sit.

9. Another thing we love in our home is the Heartbeat Puppy. Our pets grow very fond of us and don’t really know where we are going and ho wlong we will be gone when we leave or pu thtme in their crate. So, we like to crate train with a heartbeat puppy. There is a pack to heat up in t he microwave that goes inside it to replicate body warmth, and a heart that beats inside to replicate the pulse they hear and feel when with us. This is a useful tool for helping iwth separation anxiety for pups and dogs of all ages! Many dogs come to love it, and you can use your new whistle to train them not to chew on their new friend 🙂

10. Lastly, the thing we all need when we have that one dog that chews through EVERY toy is an indestructible one! It is fun to see your dog enjoy a new toy, but not always fun when you have to call the vet because all the stuffing disappeared. Rope toys are fun for them to chew on by themselves, with each other, or to play tug-of-war with you!

Meet Sam. He is an F1B labradoodle and has the sweetest and most mellow temperament. He will mature around 50 lbs and does not shed and is allergy friendly. He is ready for his forever home on June 23. His price is $3250. Call me at 317-514-2251 to learn more!

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We have two gorgeous black males from Quincy and Prince Charming that will mature around 35 lbs. They have fleece coats and will be ready for their forever homes on April 23. I call them Skip and Bo. It might be that I have played too many hands of SkipBo through the years but these two cuties just seem together. Call me to learn more! 317-514-2251

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