OUR PUPS

Breeding & Training
OUR PUPPIES

We love training Labradoodle puppies to become therapy dogs!

They have proven therapy-natured genetics and a temperament that easily lends itself to all types of therapy roles.

Many of our therapy dogs come from Australian Labradoodle lines and they have many wonderful attributes that you will just adore.

They can be goofy, fun and playful or quiet, still and cuddly. They are also highly intelligent and trainable suiting almost all family situations.

These puppies have low to non-shedding coats/fleece which makes them allergy-friendly.

Please note that we do not accredit, train, or register personal pets to be therapy dogs.

Loving & Affectionate

Personalities

Family Friendly

Temperaments

Asthma & Allergy

Friendly Coats

Healthy Therapy Dogs Are

Our Top Priority

In order for our therapy dogs to look after you, they need to be in tip top shape. That means we take great care in selecting our breeders and checking our puppies for health conditions before and during their therapy dog training.

We do not train personal pets as therapy dogs.

01. Our Breeders

Therapy Dogs New Zealand source and buy therapy puppies from recognised breeders that are affiliated and registered with the Australian Labradoodle Association (ALA), or from New Zealand breeders that adhere to the ALA guidelines.

This ensures that our labradoodle breeders follow strict specific guidelines and ethics around breeding and rearing puppies.

02. Health Checks

We only source the healthiest puppies. Breeding stock are DNA tested, hip and elbow x-rayed and scored, and ophthalmic eye screened for any inherited conditions before they enter the breeding programme.

This extensive health testing ensures we have done all that is possible to protect your family from investing in a therapy dog with an inherited condition.

03. Managing Unexpected Conditions

Even with the best protocols and health testing, an inherited condition can sometimes arise in a litter due to genetics from past generations or genetic anomalies. Additionally, some environmental factors like poor nutrition or too much unrestricted exercise while the young puppy’s joints are developing can sometimes lead to health issues.

We are here to help you navigate any unexpected issue to ensure you get the most out of your therapy dog.

 

04. Health Guidance

We give you all the information you need to make sure your therapy dog remains healthy and happy when it comes to live with you.

On handover of your therapy pup you will receive a puppy manual as well as hands-on training.

01. Our Breeders

Therapy Dogs New Zealand source and buy therapy puppies from recognised breeders that are affiliated and registered with the Australian Labradoodle Association (ALA), or from New Zealand breeders that adhere to the ALA guidelines.

This ensures that our labradoodle breeders follow strict specific guidelines and ethics around breeding and rearing puppies.

02. Health Checks

We only source the healthiest puppies. Breeding stock are DNA tested, hip and elbow x-rayed and scored, and ophthalmic eye screened for any inherited conditions before they enter the breeding programme.

This extensive health testing ensures we have done all that is possible to protect your family from investing in a therapy dog with an inherited condition.

03. Managing Unexpected Conditions

Even with the best protocols and health testing, an inherited condition can sometimes arise in a litter due to genetics from past generations or genetic anomalies. Additionally, some environmental factors like poor nutrition or too much unrestricted exercise while the young puppy’s joints are developing can sometimes lead to health issues.

We are here to help you navigate any unexpected issue to ensure you get the most out of your therapy dog.

 

04. Health Guidance

We give you all the information you need to make sure your therapy dog remains healthy and happy when it comes to live with you.

On handover of your therapy pup you will receive a puppy manual as well as hands-on training.
Our Therapy Dogs

Training Process

Our therapy puppies are trained in home from 8 weeks – 6 months to make sure they develop excellent manners and social behaviour in and outside the home.

Each puppy will receive 4 months of intensive socialisation and individualised training until they are reliable and confident in a range of situations and environments.

Wait Times

It currently takes around 16 months for a therapy dog to be placed with their new handler once an application has been successful. However from time-to-time we may have puppies that are not allocated to clients. These puppies would already be in training and may be available sooner.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you train my dog as a therapy dog?

No. Our therapy dogs are bred specifically for their role to ensure they have the right temperament. This means we do not train other dog breeds or personal family pets to become therapy dogs.

Are therapy dogs the same as service dogs?
Therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs. Service dogs are specially trained to perform specific tasks to help a person who has a disability e.g. a guide dog who guides an owner who is blind, or a mobility dog who assists someone in a wheelchair who has a physical disability.
Can a therapy dog go to public places?
Service dogs have special access privileges and are legally granted public access rights. Therapy dogs do not have the same special access rights as a qualified service dog at this time and it is unethical to attempt to pass off a therapy dog as a service dog for the purposes of acquiring public access.

Therapy Dogs New Zealand is planning to apply for access rights for clients that require their therapy dog to accompany them into restricted situations especially in the case of children with ASD or people with PTSD.

Is a therapy dog suitable for every family?
A therapy dog may not suit some families. A more qualified service dog trained to perform a range of specific tasks may be a more suitable option for more serious conditions, or extreme cases where the dog is required to perform a life-saving role i.e. preventing a diabetic low, anchoring an autistic child (preventing them from running on the road) or alerting when a person urgently requires medical help or has fallen from their wheelchair.
Is A Therapy Dog a Big Commentment?
A therapy dog is a big decision, which requires a commitment of ongoing training, time and expense. This means a therapy dog might not be the right option for some families.
Do Therapy Dog Applications Ever Get Declined?
We reserve the right to decline an application for a therapy dog if the safety of the dog’s environment is not adequate, the client is unable to afford the costs to maintain a therapy dog in optimum health or they are unable to meet the needs of the dog in terms of on-going training, affection, exercise and companionship.

We may also decline a therapy dog application if the person applying for a therapy dog is unable to manage the full care of the dog independently, and has no alternative support system in place to ensure the dog’s needs are always met.