I am a small home breeder of labradoodles. This means that the puppies are raised solely in our house. They are accustomed to all aspects of the home life before going to their new families. From day #1 the puppies are handled and loved by people.
For the first few weeks, the moms are very doting on their puppies - rarely leaving the whelping area. The puppies are handled all of the time and the mom is not at all offended by this.
By 3 weeks of age, the puppies are getting more mobile. Their eyes are fully opened and they are just starting to walk around a little bit more. They are fed puppy food for the first time around 3 1/2 weeks. Very gradually the puppies are weaned from their mother to puppy food. By 5 1/2 - 6 weeks, the puppies are no longer with their mother. We start crate training and potty training around 4-5 weeks old, and continue until they are picked up by their new families.
At 6 1/2 weeks old the puppies are taken to the veterinarian for their 1st set of shots, and complete puppy check. We would also microchip the puppies at this age, if we have not already done that. The puppies are dewormed every 2 weeks while they are here (recieving 4 wormings by 8 weeks old).
At 7 weeks old, we take our puppies in to be altered. The puppies are not even fazed by this minor surgery! We restrict their activity for the new few days while their incision heals some more, and by 8 weeks old they are ready to go to their new homes! By this time, our puppies are sleeping all night in a crate with no accidents! We are so proud of them!
I have a 2 year guarantee on all of my puppies for any genetic illness. I stand behind all of my dogs and puppies and it is for this reason that I can offer a guarantee. I try to do the best that I can by my puppies, and that is why all of my adult dogs are thorougly tested for common genetic problems before entering my breeding program. Not only do I want my dogs to live a long and happy life, but I also want the owners of my puppies to experience the same joy that I have in dog ownership. My dogs are my pets first and foremost.
Our puppies are already spayed and neutered before they go to their new homes. The puppies are spayed/neutered at 7 weeks old, and are ready to go home at 8 weeks. The puppies do very well with the minor procedure. Our vet is absolutely wonderful with them. We try to keep the puppies calm for the first few days following ES & N to ensure that everything is great!