My first labradoodle!

[Breanna]

I got my labradoodle (named Crush) on Tuesday night and I never thought having a puppy could be so easy. She is 14 weeks old and only had a couple accidents when we first brought her home Tuesday night. She is absolutely adorable and I LOVE her. I would like some tips on some things if you have good or bad experiences with them, what worked for you, etc. 

If anyone has tips on chewing her leash while I'm trying to walk her, that would be helpful.

She also eats EVERYTHING in the backyard which is a problem. She loves being in the backyard but I worry about ever letting her play out there alone because she digs beneath the surface for cat poop and eats leaves. Most of the backyard is gravel and I do not want her swallowing a rock. (I had a dog have tin foil surgically removed before and I don't want to go through that again). My training video addresses how to teach them not to eat things off the ground so I will work on that but other advice would be appreciated too. 

I also want to know if these things would be too confusing to teach her. I know they are a smart breed. We want to invite her to sit on the bed with us when watching TV, but to teach her to lay on her own bed when it's time to sleep. We also want her to stay off of the leather couches, but there is one fabric couch she can sit on.

Lastly (for now) how do you go about dinner time? Is there a certain spot your dog goes to when everyone sits down for dinner. My boyfriend doesn't want her to sit and watch us while we eat, especially when we have guests. 

 Thanks :)

[Breanna]

Here's Crush

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

She is adorable and I love her name!  Congratulations:)

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

I can see why you would have a "Crush' on her!  She is too cute. Welcome to DK! 

I will let someone else comment about the furniture-we are an epic fail on that because we thought it was cute.  I wish I had been more selective in that, but it's hard to go back. I have heard others say their doodle is only allowed on the bed/couch when they are invited.  I like that idea, but came to it too late.  

Never, ever feed from the table or give any attention to her while you are eating, no eye contact, don't talk to her or even acknowledge her --that is what worked for us.  Our doodle goes to his usual spots, or even sometimes lies at our feet, but never begs.  I hate that too.  I do give him tastes of some food when I am standing at the counter preparing food on the other side of our island near the fridge, and he will come over and look for a treat -but he does not beg once we sit down.  

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Crush is gorgeous and what a lovely name!  You might want to rethink which couch you let her on. Leather couches are much more doodle friendly. My fabric covered ones are destroyed and will be replaced with good quality rustic leather ones later this year.

[Breanna]

Oh that's interesting, I thought she would scratch it up. 

[Robin and Libby Louise]

What a cutie!  I just love that smiling face.  If you only want to allow her on certain pieces of furniture, I'm sure she will be able to understand that - it will just take a little patience.  Libby is allowed on my couch, but only allowed on 1 of 2 couches in her own home (I am the Godmother but she spends a lot of time at my house).  She understands the difference and does not go on the forbidden couch at home.  It's just a matter of you letting Crush know what is acceptable.  Libby doesn't beg at the table - she generally winds up under the table sleeping.  We don't give her food from the table, either, although she does sit and stare sometimes at the beginning of a meal.  But she knows she won't get anything and generally lays down in a very short time period.  I don't do such a good job of ignoring her, but I don't give her food.  If there is anything for her, it goes in her food bowl in the kitchen.  As far as the bed - well, I think she thinks it's her bed and just allows me to sleep in it, so I don't have any good advice for that one!  Enjoy!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Robin, our Libby's are very much the same:)  We do NOT feed from the table either, but sometimes her looks give us a good test!  She ends up under the table sleeping through our meal!  She knows not to beg, it will get her no where!  As for our bed!  Well it isn't our bed, it is hers and we rent space in it, but I love it:)  LOL

[Robin and Libby Louise]

So funny!

[Pat and Traveler]

Crush is such a happy looking little girl!  Welcome!!!

Trav has learned to go out of a room with either the command 'out' or just pointing.  This is particularly good when there is company for dinner, or when he's getting underfoot in the kitchen.  He'll also get off the bed with either 'off' or pointing, but since he sleeps on the bed he doesn't get this command very often!

You could try the bitter spray stuff for the leash--I used it on computer cords and some other things he thought looked tasty.  No ideas for eating everything in the yard--fortunately, I didn't have this problem.  :)

My fabric loveseat hasn't fared well with dog guests.  Trav likes to dig on it, to get the spot all comfy and it's looking pretty sad.  The leather couch has done better, though it does have scratches from dog claws.  I don't think you'd have too much trouble teaching her which pieces of furniture are shared and which are just yours.   

[Breanna]

I didn't know there was bitter spray. I'll have to get some because she's already chewed through a phone charger. 

[Ginny Nightingale]

WHAT A CUTIE!

First of all, she is to young to be trusted outside alone--you need to be there with her all the time and can use that time to teach her "leave it"--a command for things you don't want her to eat--when she leaves it and looks up at you, have a treat ready so that she learns that leaving it has its rewards.

If you repeat a word or an action often, the pups do learn eventually (or sometimes quickly!) My dogs all know the word "bedtime" and they all go to their approved places--we have three doodles, so only the smallest one is on the bed, but the others have cushy places to sleep and they never get up on the bed. It is all about routine and teaching the pup about what is expected....just be patient and she will get it quickly. Same thing for the furniture. 

BUT, I will add that for now, at her age, she might need to be temporarily in a crate until she is old enough to sleep on a bed at night--depends on the pup, but most people keep them in a crate for a few months.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

OMD, she has that stuffed animal look.  How precious.  You can teach her all the furniture things you mentioned, but it will take time. The simplest ways to discourage chewing the leash  are to 1) put something like Bitter Apple on the leash; or 2) for now use one of those chain leashes.