PYREDOODLES

• TEMPERAMENT: The Pyredoodle is a loyal family dog that is highly intelligent, great with children and in spite of his sweet-natured personality, quite protective of his human pack so potentially a good watchdog. This pooch does have a keen-to-please personality which makes him fairly easy to train and because he tends to be timid, early socialization is important. In spite of his large size, he is a wonderfully calm dog when indoors and he loves to be the center of attention. They make for a terrific dog that plays well with kids and other animals alike. Because he has a protective nature he makes a great watchdog whose bark is worse than his bite. Because of his size, he needs regular exercise and that should include active playtime.

• PUPPY STAGE: Your Pyredoodle puppy is going to be a large dog and because of his rapid growth you will need to heed his dietary needs. Don’t plan to free-feed him or provide foods that are high-energy (calories), we will recommend food for you - or high-calcium because it can result in orthopedic diseases common in larger, fast-growing dogs. Because he can be prone to joint issues later in life, take it easy on the exercise while he is young. Never over-exert him as this type of injury can plague him as he ages.

• SIZE: The Pyredoodle is a large sized breed and will weigh between 50 and 80 pounds depending on parents.

• FOOD/DIET: Pyredoodles are a large dog and because they have a tendency to become obese, their diet needs to include a high-quality protein-rich kibble without fillers (carbs) that will cause them to overeat to feel full. Kibble format should be large to prevent gobbling and he should be fed at specific meal periods rather than free-fed. He can be prone to joint issues later in life so keeping him fit and trim through a healthy diet is crucial.

• TRAINING: In spite of his larger size, this sweet natured dog can be quite timid; a characteristic he won’t necessarily grow out of. Because you want him to be comfortable around people and other animals it’s important that socialization begin at an early age. His intelligence and easy temperament make him fairly easy to train but he can be a little stubborn so a firm, consistent approach is best. Training should always be rewards-based with lots of verbal praise and treats or pats offered up as an incentive.

• EXERCISE REQUIREMENT: While your Pyredoodle is a big boy he also tends to be on the lazy side so he’ll need one good walk each day to prevent him from putting on weight plus some interactive playtime to keep him mentally stimulated and out of trouble. He has a high tendency to wander so leash-free dog parks may not be the best fit for him. Because he can be susceptible to bloat, don’t schedule his activity sessions around his meals.

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*modified from petguide.com