Henry had his first visit with his vet in Boston. His mom sent us this letter:
Meeting Mom at South Station, Boston
Janet and Daryl,
We just got back from the vet! Here's a summary of our visit:
Henry did great at the vet, focused on his licki mat and peanut butter the whole time. The vet and secretary said that it was the easiest, calmest full exam they have ever done, and that he seems incredibly patient and smart since he focused on the licki mat for so long and let him really touch so many sensitive areas (gums, ears, eyes, paws, rump, etc.)
In terms of health, Henry got a lot of compliments from the vet! He did a wellness exam and said everything looked great (heart beat, coat, skin (no rashes/pimples), shoulders, hips, teeth alignment, inside of ears, rump, he was healing nicely from his neutering surgery), eyes, and nose. The next time we visit in late February, we will take a stool sample for testing. He got his Kennel cough booster via oral liquid. We were given a sample of Heartguard, which he will take once every month for the rest of his life, and when he is older the vet said he will get Nexguard (flea and tick), also a monthly chew. I asked about Revolution but he said most dogs in the city use this monthly Nexguard. When he is older and his joints are ready for longer walks, he will get lifestyle vaccinations for lyme disease, etc. He said he will get his rabies vaccination when he is older. I got a vaccination certificate and am attaching it below.
Back at ours, Henry is the light of our home (and the whole apartment! He has met all the doormen and about half the apartment humans have carried him — they can't resist when they see him in the elevator or lobby, and he is so friendly to everyone! He was born knowing how to shake because everyone that extends a hand to him, he gives them his paw :)). We go on morning walks every day where I carry him around and sit him on my lap in front of busy spaces, he's met people of all ages, little kids, people in construction vests, with loud crinkly coats, tall men, people in wheelchairs, bicyclists, etc. He is friendly to all! Everyone I've met has commented with how sweet and friendly he is, and how calm and well-behaved he is when we are out. Little do they know how much of a maverick he is at fetch! We will be going to a puppy class to make sure his dog socialization is as good as his human!
Thanks again for giving me Henry! I remember researching what factors to look out for when choosing the right labradoodle breeder — I wanted to be informed so I wasn't inadvertently supporting "backyard breeders" hoping to make a quick buck instead of a genuine interest in standardizing/bettering the breed, or worse, puppy mills. I read countless articles on what to look out for, and you guys checked off all the boxes (not too many litters per momma dog or litters coming in practically continuously, finding the parents on the OFA.org site which shows they were tested and health results are not just claims, a focus on one type of size and breed (some breeder sites I found say they have goldendoodles, mini goldendoodles, labradoodles in mini, medium, and standard, cavapoos...yikes!)), and so many more details.
I have to say, I saw countless adoption and puppy photos throughout my long search for a dog, and no other photos quite captured the essence or a hint of their personalities as much as the weekly portraits. I think the fact that Hawk was the one I was drawn to immediately and the reason I inquired about all their personalities, and then that his personality is just like I imagined from the photos, is a testament to how well you guys are capturing their magical essence!
Henry is SUCH an intelligent, playful, and friendly pup. He is learning tricks SO fast. He is learning to fetch, is responding to his name, making eye contact with "Look at me", is an expert at sitting, can "Stand", has "Down" down pat, and loves "Touch" which is our way of working up to recall/coming on command. If you extend a palm out wherever you are and say "Touch!", he will come to you and boop his nose on it! So far all of these tricks he can do indoors even if there is a treat dangling in a different direction than my hand signal. Soon we will move up to practicing these tricks with tons more distractions! I know he'll do great.
Potty training is going great, he has not had an accident in his crate, and has his favorite potty spot already outside the apartment. He has a very regular schedule and I know as we increase his playpen space he will continue to do as well as he is doing now.
Puppies are fairly predictable, and as expected he has normal cases of the usual puppy behaviors. He'll occasionally whine in his crate (I would too for such a huge, sudden lifestyle change!), but always settles down within a few minutes (since usually it's just after play sessions and clicker training and so he's tired!) and has a normal amount of puppy biting. I give him all his meals in his crate, give him puzzle games with him in there, and leave him there for periods when I can't supervise him on leash, so that he can see that crate time doesn't always mean that I am leaving, and that certain cues (putting on a coat or shoes) don't always mean I'll be gone long or even leaving (I've eaten a few meals in a full winter coat to prove this point to him!). His sound desensitization is going great, he now sleeps through a doorbell, the door opening, us making dinner, and even when he sees me put on a coat and shoes and leave, I can see on the doggy camera that he goes back to his chew or his nap. He's already gone into his crate a few times and is currently peacefully napping in it. The puppy biting is so much better than with my previous dogs, he is easy to redirect and we usually use his energy as an opportunity for more clicker training! We are working on indoor focused leash walking, with help of a paddle and peanut butter. I know there are the puppy stages like the terrible teens still to come, so knock on wood! I'm planning to take regular training classes for his enrichment but also to make sure I can be the best trainer to him as I can be.
When I return to work, Henry is all set up with a puppy nanny that will drop in twice daily for an hour each for potty breaks, lunchtime, and indoor playtime. This week has been great in setting him up on a schedule, he is now on the schedule we would be when I return to work, and naps consistently between our potty/lunch/play sessions.
We are already making so many memories together, he really is the most perfect pup I could have ever imagined, and I can't wait for all the memories to come!
Let me know if there's any other vet documents I need to ask about for you guys!
Lydia + Henry