Okay, so you have this cute fluff ball that you recently adopted and you want to socialize and take them everywhere and wait!  It's summer, right before the 4th of July where there are Fireworks.   What do loud booms to a new puppy mean?  The END of the world.   It is a fact that the day of the year that the most dogs panic and run off (and get hit or hurt) is July 4th.   

If you have a new puppy, please do the right thing and consider that they are still unsure about you and their new home.   Taking them out to meet new people during the day is fine, but taking them during fireworks is not going to build a POSITIVE ASSOCIATION with new people.   Think about it - imagine you are a young child, a toddler perhaps.   Your parents take you out to a really busy place, where there are a ton of people.   You've only met a few dozen people in your life.   You are small - these people are big - you can't see over them.   You are probably in a bag (and hopefully not on the germ filled ground when you have a stressed low immune system).   People are nice but your parents forgot to bring treats to give you when people pet you so you can associate good things when strangers come at you making loud noises and putting their stranger hands on top of your head (and effectively reinforcing dominant behavior).   THEN, the world starts to end.   You hear these loud BOOMS and you are freaked out and shaking - or if you feel the inside of them like some dogs do, you are having a serious panic attack.   You jump out of your bag, you pull so much you slip your collar, and you're off running because your new parents don't seem to understand the world is ending - and WHY doesn't that hurt their ears so much too?!   

Stay HOME!   Turn on a loud fan, turn the TV on....give your pups HIGH VALUE treats (this means meat or dried meat - see Plato Pet Treats small bites) while the fireworks are going off.   

Also, don't forget to do this during thunderstorms.  

Celebrities and sports stars do not always share much of their private lives with their fans.  But when they do, and it includes a dog in their life, we like to watch them. We get especially excited to a star share with us their favorite friend in the world, the Goldendoodle.  We love how this story calls the dog, "a golden retriever-poodle mix" and not Goldendoodle - ha ha!

10 photos of Anze Kopitar with Gustl, his ultra-photogenic dog:  http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/606845

The young girl "suffers from tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), lives in Suwanee, Ga., with LilyBelle. TSC is a rare genetic disorder which can cause seizures, developmental delays, and epilepsy."

Huffington Post, August 2013: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/goldendoodle-nut-allergy-meghan-weingarth_n_3727032.html


Do you know a Goldendoodle that has a 'helping' story to tell?  Let us know and we would love to do an interview and write up a story.  Email us at RiverValleyDoodles@gmail.com

Ew. Gross. Really?!

Yes.  That's correct.  Your dog is rolling on worms.  And sometimes even eating the tasty earthwormy morsels.  They'll dig holes in the yard while on 'hunting expeditions' for earthworms.  They know the squirmy, lubricated brown beasts are out more often after a good rain.  And, yes, your dog even knows that it bothers you (from all the crazy noises you're making) - and doesn't really care.  

Ever think your dog smells 'earthy'?  Think your dog is just scratching his back on the grass?  Yea right, try, more like, rolling on worms; preferably, dead, squishy, messy worms.  

There are conflicting reports if earthworms are harmful for dogs to eat...so, our philosophy is if we don't know if it harms, the answer is 'no, no'.  Some people report that earthworms digest bacteria that could harm our dogs.  Others report their dogs often eat worms, with no issues.  Here, we don't want to find out.  

How do you get your dog to stop rolling on worms?  While your dog is obviously hunting or trying to roll, clap your hands or make a loud 'psst' noise to distract them from their worm hunting, eating, and or rolling.  Replace the behavior with a toy and try to actively engage the dog in a game of fetch or play to distract them from their earthy desire.  

Besides, we're sure you really don't want to get a face full of 'worm burp' later on, or let your furry kids on the couch if they have smashed earthworm guts on their fur.  

So, one thing we puppies do here at River Valley Goldendoodles is sit around with our feet up, sip a little wine, smoke some Swisher Sweets, and attempt to solve some of the world's problems. (Ok, so no one here will leave us alone long enough to even sneak that stuff, but it's ok to pretend!)

Here is a serious problem that we are working on solving:

For a little while now, our friend, Miz Cheri, has been doing her 'getting on a soap box' thing and complaining about how hard it is to find a good vehicle for her dogs. She started out with a Jeep Grand Cherokee in 2000.  That worked really well, with the seats down, for driving her Mutt, Boxer, and Great Dane around town. Next, she got a Mini Cooper Convertible - she was glad she kept the Jeep because only the Great Dane could ride in the Cooper (with the top down).  After her Great Dane passed, she moved to a few different cars over the years - a VW Jetta, then a Nissan Altima.  And, now, she's auto shopping.  While there are some auto manufacturers putting out vehicles in Europe that are great for dog families, there really aren't any ones in the U.S. worth considering.  In addition to having features that would be good for those with dogs, her other requirement:  an auto that is still for 'her' (so not a van, like the dog pound uses).

She has done a lot of research and the best advice out there only rates current autos with no new 'dog features or technology'.  She wants options that go above and beyond the typical SUV or Crossover.  And we agree - we think the auto industry can do a lot better for us canines!

So, we're not talking about stuff that should be standard - such as, cargo room, windows that roll down, restraint options for safety, and easy in and out hatches. We're talking about things that perhaps they haven't thought of before.

Here is a list of requests that we have for auto makers out there (trust us, Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, BMW, VW, Nissan, etc., you will have plenty of buyers for these specially outfitted vehicles!):

(most of these fit best in an SUV or Crossover)

• special windows, with a film technology that is clear, but deters 'nose prints' from being constantly smeared on them (windex is a staple in the trunks of dog owners)
  
• if an SUV, a back that can be hosed out without getting the rest of the auto wet, and also provides traction for dogs to have their balance (there is an SUV that offers the washable back, but it is very slippery - Nissan Xterra)
  
• passenger seats that fold all the way down flat (many manufacturers are cheaping out and just allowing the top of the backseats to fold down, leaving an incline and not a totally flat back)
• special 'resistant to dog fur' carpet and upholstery, whether it be on the floors or wrapped in the back of an SUV cargo space, that does not hold little dog hairs like velcro (!)
  
• the ability to leave air conditioning on for the times that an errand needs to be done and dogs must be left in the car (this will save doggies' lives too!) - we know you can do this now with most remote keys, but the car has to be running
  
• a special air filter that cleans doggie smell out, especially right after a dog swimming adventure
  
• water and food bowls setup for those tailgating moments
  
• a preinstalled, lightweight ramp for the back of an SUV to accommodate old dogs that can't jump in and out (you can buy these separately, but we think they should be an option already in the vehicle)

So, there are some ideas that go above and beyond the standard offerings of vehicles out there!    What ideas do you have?

We like to share information from experts and expert sources here.

Cesar Milan is THE dog training guy - that is 'hot' right now - his methods make sense and are effective.  His advice is sought after.  He has books, a TV show, and occasionally travels on road shows.  

Here is a link to why he thinks mutts are best:  http://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/new-dog/How-to-Pick-a-Healthy-Pup

Answer:  "hybrid vigor" 

The purebreds we have had, well, we got tired of losing them to their breeds' health issues at ages way too young. Our mutts (ask us about our Mr. Mo) lived the longest, and had the least amount of vet trips out of all of our dogs.  But, we love all dogs anyway ;-)

Fun, Unusual, Interesting Facts About Dogs that You Might Not Know
May 11, 2014

• Dogs can remember up to 250 words, count to 5, and do math:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5994583/Dogs-as-intelligent-as-two-year-old-children.html
  

• Some Russian dogs have figured out how to use the subway system to get to more populated areas with food:  http://englishrussia.com/2009/04/07/smartest-dogs-moscow-stray-dogs/
  

• No idea if this one is true, but apparently there were two locally famous stray dogs in the 1860s in San Fran and the local media obsessed over following their exploits:  Bummer and Lazarus  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bummer_and_Lazarus
  

• This is a favorite because our old mutt used to have the best ‘frito feet’.  Apparently, dogs' feet that smells like corn chips, is really the equivalent of  ‘dog B.O.’ – and to think we liked smelling it! http://www.sentinelsource.com/online_features/pets/the-mystery-behind-frito-feet/article_ba5b880e-f855-11e0-bfd6-001cc4c002e0.html
  

Breeding

• From conception, the mother carries the puppies between 61-65 days – that’s only two months!
• Females can have puppies in the same litter that are from different sires. (WOW!)
• Females' heat cycles can last almost an entire month!  Of that time period, only a few days are prime time for conception.
• Some (perhaps many) full (AKA ‘pure’) breed dogs are experiencing high levels (higher than healthy for the puppies type acceptable) of inbreeding.  For example, some popular poodle sires have been used so much that breeders have had to trace lines carefully to reduce the instance of inbreeding.  All full breed dogs were at some point in their ancestry other types of dogs.
• Hybrids (mixes) are statistically healthier than full breeds – because they are not genetically inclined to have issues that the breed is susceptible too (ie, Great Danes and wobblers, Boxers and bone cancer, Poodles and eye issues, Shepherds and hips, etc.)
• It is better to breed dogs young (between ages of 2 – 6) and back to back – NOT to skip and breed until they are older.  Some breeders who show their dogs, do not start breeding until 4 or 5 years old and skip cycle because sometimes they want to enter a show – this has been shown to not be healthy for a variety of reasons (we do not accept feedback/comments without cited, credible sourcing) http://dachshundaustralia.com/revisiting-back-to-back-breeding/242 - Dr. Kate Schoeffel
  

Anti-Puppy Mill

• 60% of your dog is a product of its environment and training!  Only 40% is genetic!   We do not believe that puppy mills or large kennels are a good environment for puppies.  Besides the fact that we have a our own real nutcase (that we love) that came from a very large kennel/borderline puppy mill without socialization for 6 months, we have studied research that clearly indicates that the long term prospects of a “good” dog are much less likely with a dog that comes from a puppy mill or large kennel.  60% is from environment and training!
• “Nature and nurture both count. Using Dr. Famula's analysis, Mrs. Phillips estimated that 41% of those qualities could be bred for; the remaining 59% come from environment and training. Because Guide Dogs' colony is now more than six decades old, she was able to trace character traits and qualities generations back. "Each individual dog carries the wealth of its ancestral history," she says.  http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204846304578090683395043530

Hip Dysplasia

• Hip dysplasia is still not understood.  It takes THREE (yes, 3) vets to VOTE on the results of x-rays submitted for hip and elbow testing.  From there, it is a rating system.  Fair, Good, and Excellent are all considered Normal for hip results.  They say the older a dog is, the more accurate the tests are.  
  
• Just because a dog rates Excellent, does not mean that your pup will not ‘get’ hip dysplasia.   It is still likely.
  
• There are a number of dogs with dysplasia that function fine – run, jump, play, with zero issues.  http://www.offa.org/hd_info.html
• Hip dysplasia is not just genetic.  It can occur to any dog, at any age, through physical activities (usually before 18 months).
• With this kind of accuracy (sarcasm), don’t trust or bother with any dysplasia test results.  It is a biased (you pay the organization that ‘votes’ on the results), inaccurate process.
• Your best dysplasia prevention is to control exercise (especially of the young) and keep your dog from being overweight.