Oh my goodness ~
You have just made the
decision
to add a Labrador
or Cockapoo puppy
to your household.
I would like to thank you
for selecting Mateer Labradors
or Cuddlespice Cockapoos.
You've just made a huge
commitment ~
but the joy you are going
to receive
will be unbelievable...
Don't Worry ~
You still have a little
time to sit back,
enjoy the solitude and
relax.
If you have owned
a Labrador or Cockapoo
in the past ~
then you probably feel
reasonably confident.
If you are going to be
a first time dog owner
~
Get ready for the time
of your life.
Feel
like your head is spinning?
Don't worry ~
Are you excited????
Glad to see you're smiling!
We want you to...
Hey, here's an idea...
Why don't I go on a nice
long vacation.
Yeah, somewhere warm &
sunny...yeah!
[Just kidding!]
As soon as I receive your
deposit,
I will email you confirmation
that I've received the
deposit
for your puppy.
Do you like the sound of that?
Pretty cool,huh!
Don't worry ~
I will send you a quick
email
when we have our first
little bundle of joy.
[It may be 3:00 a.m.]
If it's an overnight whelping...
I may be in need of sleep
~
If you don't hear from
me
for a few hours
after I first email you
~
Don't Worry
I'm not hiding 
....just
sleeping.
While you are waiting for
me to wake up ~
you can always draw a few
smileys
But whatever you do....
DON'T WORRY!
I will get back to you with
the final count
and a photo of the newborns
will follow shortly.
I don't like to bother the
puppies too much
for the first few hours
after birth.
It is extremely important
that they nurse sufficiently
as soon as possible.
They need this to build
up their immunity.
Occasionally,
our expected whelping date
is off by a day or two.
DON'T WORRY!
Please be assured
that if we have any problems
that you will be the first
to know.
I realize that you will
be very excited & anxious
for the entire 7 or 8 weeks.
Some of you have been waiting
several months for your
puppy.
I ask that you please
only email me
when it is really necessary.
I am always more than happy
to answer your questions
~
but please do not email
me daily
to ask about your puppy.
If you have, for example,
third pick female ~
I won't even know which
puppy belongs to you.
In most cases,
I won't know that until
the family
with first & second
pick
arrive to pick up their
puppy
at the age of 7 weeks.
I always try to schedule
those families
very early on pick up day
so things move smoothly.
I know that many of you
would like to start
your trip back home
as soon as possible.
If you don't hear from me
as often as you feel
that you should....
Please rest assured that
your puppy is doing just
fine.
Questions that you feel
are important
are always welcome.
And of course,
we'll need to schedule
your appointment
for pick up.
Early neurological stimulation
begins
after the first 24 hours.
Your puppy will also be
examined
by our Veterinarian.
Our vet comes here ~
We do not take your puppy
to the clinic.
In addition to nursing,
your puppy may be
supplemented by bottle
and I always supplement
with Dyne supplement
for added nutrition.
At 10-14 days, the eyes
open
and the ears are open by
day 21.
I always do my best to send
a photo
when the eyes are open.
Please do not email me
several times weekly
to ask for photos.
It takes a lot of time
to take them
and download them
and email them to you.
There are many days that
I just don't have the time.
When I can't handle all
the requests ~
I feel very "cranky".
If I am stressed
your puppy will sense it.
Cranky breeder = Cranky
puppy...
so please be courteous.
Here are a few ground rules ~
1. PULEEZE..Do not forward
me any jokes.
I don't find anything humorous
about deleting 102 copies
of the same joke.
2. PULEEZE...........
Do not send me any "Get
Rich Quick" stuff.
I have been working very
hard
for a very long time
and I'm not rich yet.
I sincerely doubt that
it will happen
in twenty four hours or
less
if I send ten people $10.00.
If that were the case,
I would have paid the hundred
bucks years ago.
3. PULEEZE...do not send
me an email
instructing me to forward
the email
to 10 friends for good
luck.
I wouldn't know what 10
friends to pick...
and if I did...
I might have 10 friends
less.
Please just think before you hit the send button..
On the day I am whelping
your puppy,
I may have two other litters
leaving.
Things at Mateer Labradors
can be a little crazy at
times.
I will do my best
to email photos again
at four & six weeks.
Photos fall low
on my priority scale.
You will have his lifetime
to take photos.
I have seven short weeks
to make sure he has an
excellent start.
Please be patient...
It's
not nice to make your breeder cry.
On the day your puppy turns
two weeks old,
he will receive his first
worming with Nemex-2.
Worming will be done again
every 7 days.
At about the age of 1 -
1 1/2 weeks,
your puppy will begin to
crawl around
on his tummy in the whelping
box,
and normally by
3 - 3 1/2 weeks of age,
he will be sitting up.
He will also try to stand
& walk.
He will be falling down
more than actually walking.
At this age,
I try to spend
several hours with them
daily,
talking, touching, clipping
nails,
playing music, singing,
showering them with kisses.
This is a really cool time
They are starting to focus
fairly well
and when that little "puppy
person"
looks right back at you
the feeling is incredible.
This is also a very messy stage.
The puppies are also introduced
to soft food at this time.
They usually enjoy several baths.
Week four is a special time.
It seems that during this
stage
so much sensory information
is coming in
from the newly opened eyes
and ears
that it can be very overwhelming.
A loud sound or frightening
experience
during this critical time
can leave a lasting impression.
It is important to me
that this stage of development
be very positive.
Play between the puppies
begins during this stage.
Slow motions, uncoordinated
at 4 weeks,
become rough and tumble
by the 5th week.
They are pawing, chewing,
and beating each other
up.
They are also becoming
quite vocal
and follow me everywhere
like little ducks.
Weeks Five to Seven is the
interaction stage.
Weeks five and six are
when
your puppy really learns
to be a dog.
He learns how to display
submission and assert authority,
inhibit aggression, and
control impulses
[to a small degree].
Because this is a time
of rapid, social development,
removing a puppy from his
litter mates
before the 49th day
should be avoided at all
costs.
Interrupting this process
by
transferring the puppy
to a new home
could result in
a stressed and poorly adjusted
pet.
During this stage of his
life,
the puppy is still struggling
to make the transition
from nursing to eating
solid food.
The weaning process usually
begins
around 3 weeks of age,
and is complete at
approximately 6 weeks.
Allowing the puppy
to be eating solid food
for at least one week
prior to going to a new
home
helps ease that transition
and reduces the chances
of problems caused by
decreased food intake.
The day they turn six weeks
old,
the puppies will receive
their first inoculation.
They are also given the temperament test.
The results will be included
in your puppy folder.
At six weeks, your puppy
will still have
short intervals of
1-1
time with his mother,
1-1 play time with me,
and a lot of time to interact
with his litter mates.
He will also spend
very short periods of time
in a puppy crate alone.
He will be vocal
and generally unhappy
about that.
*When you email me,
please sure to sign
your first & last name.
I receive a lot of email
and sometimes it is difficult
to remember all the email
addresses.
This saves me time from
looking up who you are.
I am happy to answer most
of your questions
but please do not email
to ask me
"what color collar would
look best on your puppy"
or if
"a certain color of crate
is more soothing to the
puppy"?
The answers are "I don't care...and "No".
If you have multiple questions
,
please list them in an
email separately.
It takes too much time
to sort out your questions
from the
"How are you's"
and
"I hope you are having
a good day's".
I really need to use my time wisely.
It's in your puppy's best interest that I do.
Most of the answers to your
questions
can be found on the FAQ
page,
or somewhere on the web
site.
[Crate training information
is on Cody's page]
The other information
is probably already printed
out for you
and included in your puppy
folder.
Don't worry ~
I won't leave you out there
all alone.
I'm not leaving town.
I'll be here for you.
If you keep your breeder
happy,
you'll earn a great big
star
in my little puppy parent
book.
If you earn the star....
Your paperwork will be
in a smiley face folder.
You will also receive
a smiley face plush toy
for your puppy basket...
[Okay, so it's a bribe]
Please don't worry about anything.
I take care of business
one day at a time.
I may have a zillion other
things on my mind ~
and I always deal with
priorities first
but everything is always
taken care of.
This should be an exciting, fun time for you.
Email all your friends.
Tell
all your neighbors & relatives.
Have a good time selecting
the crate, collar, name
tag,
food bowl, leash, treats,
toys, & grooming supplies.
Pick out the perfect name....
read a good puppy book....
puppy proof your home,
get plenty of rest,
and let me worry about
everything else.
That's what I do best!
DON'T WORRY!
Please be sure
to read the
PUPPY
GOES HOME PAGE
before picking up your
puppy.
