By Felindre Cockapoos Team

The first Christmas with any cockapoo puppy in the family is pretty much as special as the first with a new baby. At a time of year when there is already a whole heap of things to think about and tick off your to-do list, there are a fair few puppy-related considerations that you will also need to be aware of.

Felindre Cockapoos is an expert cockapoo breeder, and we even chaperone our pups to families across the globe, so we know a thing or two about looking after these puppies, not to mention the pickles they can get themselves into!

At Felindre Cockapoos, our team wants to help make sure that our cockapoo puppies go to loving families, have a cracker of a Christmas with their new families and watch out for any of the possible pitfalls.  Felindre Cockapoos would not consider homing a puppy as a Christmas Present and would urge others to do the same.

Toxic treats

Many of the things we enjoy routinely during the festivities are highly toxic to dogs and would be the last thing we want to find them eating. Be especially careful to make sure that your precious cockapoo puppies do not not eat:

• Chocolate
• Mince pies
• Christmas cake
• Christmas pudding (basically anything with vine fruits in)
• Stuffing
• Chicken/Turkey bones
• Blue cheese
• Nuts – especially walnuts and sometimes peanuts
• Holly, Ivy, Mistletoe, Poinsettia, Pinecones, Pine needles
• Xylitol (found in chewing gum, some peanut butters and other sugar free foods)

If you are not sure what he or she has got hold of and your pup shows any signs of vomiting, seizures, drooling, diarrhoea or unusual lethargy then get in touch with a vet straight away. Do not wait, as in the case of cockapoos, which are usually pretty light in terms of their weight, even just a small amount of some of these substances could be a cause of concern.

When it comes to leftovers, be very careful what you decide to treat your dog with, it usually is not a good idea and Christmas is not the best time to find out just how sensitive your cockapoo puppy’s tummy might be. A bit of turkey or cheese and crackers might turn out not to be the ‘treat’ you thought it would be! Enlist any house guests in the efforts to keep both treats and toys out of reach of your cockapoo puppies or puppy so that there are no unwanted problems.

Winter coat care for cockapoos

Whilst for many of us here in the UK we probably will not have a white Christmas, it is highly likely that some will, or if you are one of our Felindre Cockapoo families who had their puppy delivered overseas of course depending on your location it could be a lot more likely. Therefore, it might soon be your pup’s first encounter with snow, a wonderful time for getting some cute pics and watching him try to catch falling snowflakes or for pouncing on the snowballs you throw and generally rolling and running around in the white stuff.

However, for cockapoo puppies, the snow can cause them particular challenges. The teddy-bear fur that you are puppy is blessed with can really cause the snow to stick to it and then form icy clumps. If you are not careful the snow and ice can stick to them in little lumps around their paws, legs and tummy. It is not easy or very comfortable to get this build up off, so as cute as your ‘snowdog’ might look in this state, these freezing lumps in their fur really are best avoided.

If you want to take your puppy out for a wintry walk, then have him wear a jumper or a dog coat to cut down on the amount of snow that can stick to him. As soon as you get home, bathe your dog’s paws in very slightly warm water to help defrost any clumps left on him. If he has been very enthusiastic you may have to resort to a bit of a bath! Then when you are drying him of course, be thorough, especially around his paws and pads.  

Winter walks

If you walk your dog around the pavements where you live, especially if your pup likes to have a little drink en route, be very careful that he does not drink from any puddles. The de-icer used liberally to defrost windscreens on parked cars is extremely poisonous to dogs.

It is also possible that the grit and salt used to help de-ice roads and pavements could harm your puppy too, so if you walk him anywhere with this in use, it is always best to clean his little pads off afterwards. This will also prevent the risk of your pup licking at his paws and ingesting any unwelcome substances used in the grit too.

Oh (not the) Christmas Tree!

You will have noticed that your little bundle of fun can be a cheeky pup at times and simply loves to chew. When it comes to cockapoo puppies, or an adolescent cockapoo, they probably are not too selective about what! This Christmas, leaving the gifts under the tree might not be an option. This is especially important if you have any edible gifts, such as chocolates to place under it.

However, it will also be important that the new cockapoo puppy does not get hold of precious toys from Santa and chew them up, Christmas Day could quickly turn disastrous! If it is your first year with a cockapoo in the family, everyone will need to be on their guard that their new most prized possessions do not end up in the paws (and teeth!) of the wrong little one!

Take care too with the decorations and lights, a cheeky paw or nose is very skilled at knocking these off the tree and you do not want to be dealing with shattered glass on the floor. For this year, it is best to stick to shatterproof or softer decorations on the tree and definitely no chocolate baubles.

In fact, just this year, it could be that having a tree in its usual place might not be an option. Perhaps a smaller tree on a little table will be a safer bet than the full-sized one in the usual place, depending on the age of your pup.

Some new puppy parents even block off the tree with a playpen or similar to prevent their curious cockapoo from launching himself at it. A new cockapoo bauble is a lovely feature to have hanging from the branches this year, a mischievous cockapoo puppy however, not so much!

Make sure the puppy can cope with a party!

If your family usually host a party or a get together over the Christmas period with lots of people coming to the house be mindful of the fact that for your cockapoo puppies, whilst they are super sociable and love to play, this could also be a little overwhelming.

A tired cockapoo can also be a teething pup, and no one wants any of the younger visitors to get upset by an accidental encounter with those sharp little puppy teeth. Overwhelmed pups can act up, be more bitey than usual and listen to commands a lot less! When it comes to children, be clear about the rules where your puppy is concerned, that they cannot squeeze him, have to play calmly and never leave dogs and children together without adult supervision.

It will be useful to have a tempting chew or two at the ready to occupy him in his crate or a quiet room away from all the fun and games. Just remember not to leave your cockapoo completely unsupervised with a chew or bone, just to be safe.

Have a frozen Kong treat prepared to keep him or her out of mischief you have to travel to relatives and are taking your puppy with you, make sure you are ready for the journey and take with you whatever you can to help him settle in a different place.

His usual bedding, crate if possible and a couple of favourite toys and his usual food and bowl. Try your best to stick to the usual routine of walks wherever you are so your puppy sleeps through and gets enough rest time.

Most of all enjoy this special time of year with your adorable cockapoo puppy. Do not let the possible pitfalls overwhelm you, preparation is key. It is a wonderful time to get a puppy used to new things and people, watch them rip up the wrapping paper and capture some wonderful memories with a very special member of your family.

For potential owners interested in Felindre Cockapoos, please visit our cockapoo puppies for sale page.