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Does your cavoodle constantly bark or cry when you leave the house or destroy your furniture while you’re gone? When you’re not in the same room with them do they pace or whine for you? Has your cavoodle become quite possessive over you with friends, family or other animals?

 

These could be early signs of separation anxiety and it’s important to see the signals early, understand why this behaviour is happening, reverse or prevent them in the first place. 

 

To prevent this behaviour in the first place it’s important you lay a good foundation so you can have a well-behaved cavoodle. Puppy training, teaching your cavoodle puppy to be home alone, exposing them to all types of environments and noises, socialising them with other dogs and sleep training or crate training are all ways you can assist in developing a well-adjusted cavoodle puppy. 

So what causes separation anxiety in cavoodles?

Similar to separation anxiety in human children, separation anxiety can occur in cavoodles too when they are separated from the person or people they are hyper-attached to. It can occur in the form of clinginess (always following you around), or fear (could be shown when they are aggressive towards anything they fear is dangerous to us) or in a strange environment. 

There are other situations which can also cause separation anxiety in cavoodles, such as:

• Being left home along or for the first time 

• Being left alone when they are used to constant human companionship

• Past traumatic experiences

• Their routine or schedule has changed

• Change of owners

• Change occurs in the family, such as a death of a family member or other pet, a birth, or someone moving out

• Moving to a new house

• It can also be genetic, dogs born to anxious parents are more likely to suffer from anxiety disorders

If your cavoodle is suffering from separation anxiety here are a few behaviours to look out for:

• Uncontrollable barking

• Scratching doors and floors

• Destructive chewing, such as chewing furniture

• Urination and defecation in the house if they are house trained 

• Pacing

• Digging

• Trembling

• Increased heart rate

• Rapid breathing

• Attempting to escape the home or yard

• Self harming in severe cases

However, many people are quick to label their cavoodles behaviour as separation anxiety when the following should be ruled out first:

• Lack of physical and mental stimulation - this comes from exercise, walks, runs, playing fetch, playing tug a war with toys.

• Boredom - need more human or dog to dog interaction.

• Medical issues or side effects to medication.

• Barking due to a trigger, such as an unfamiliar sight or sound, car, person, mail man.

• Lack of appropriate chew items for teething puppies - treats or toys. 

How to prevent your cavoodle from getting anxiety?

Have you been working from home and will now be going into an office? If you have been your cavoodle’s constant companion but won’t be anymore you could be at risk of having your cavoodle develop separation anxiety. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to prepare your cavoodle puppy for this change.

A personal example of separation anxiety behaviour we begin to see in Bambi was in the 2021 Sydney Covid lockdown which lasted 3-4 months, I was working from home alot, and she was pretty much with me 24/7. Since she was 14 weeks we have been going to a local small dog park and she used to play with all the oodles and run around for hours. One day about a month or two into lockdown i noticed she wasn’t playing as much with the other dogs and was more comfortable being around the humans or sitting in front of my feet which i thought was odd as she loved to have a good run around with her friends usually. 

Then one day while she was sitting near my feet at the dog park, another breed came up to say a friendly hello to me and she growled and barked the dog away. I wasn’t too sure if it was jealousy or she was being possessive but I didn’t like what I was seeing and I could only put it down to one thing.. anxiety and a change in our routine with us being together all day at home together while she slept under my feet while I worked. 

It started happening more regularly if there was a new dog she didn’t know at the park and tended to happen more with female dogs! It was so unusual for bambi as she's always been such a friendly pup and took us by surprise. 

When we needed to go out (which wasn’t very often in lockdown) we also noticed she used to whine a lot longer than she did as a pup pre-lockdown. When we were both working full time and left her alone for 8 hours a day she was fine and now she couldn’t handle being without us for more than 10 minutes!

So how did we reverse this separation anxiety in Bambi our cavoodle?

Once I did a bit of research I realised we needed to change up our routine to reverse this bad behaviour, this meant no more dog park for a while, no more sleeping under my feet when I worked and when I could go out I would try to leave her home for as long as possible to give her some time away from me so she wasn’t so attached. 

Even when I was home I would put her in her pen and let her settle in her bed away from where I was (out of sight)  while I did stuff around the house or when I was working in the other room so she wasn’t following me everywhere I went. 

I also tried to not give her too much attention or if she would whine for me to play with her, I would try to ignore her and encourage her to play without me so she could keep herself occupied. 

A good tool for that is to set them up with a snuffle mat and hide treats which will keep them entertained for a while!

We also avoided making a fuss when we left or came home, ignoring her for about 5-10 minutes before we left and not greeting her straight away when coming home until she was more calm. 

It takes time for them to change their habits but it’s all about consistency so don’t be too hard on yourself! Now we find her separation anxiety is much less than what it was during lockdown and going into the office and leaving her at home in her own space for hours actually helped create a “good separation” and find she is more balanced and happy. 

Other things you can do to help your cavoodle’s separation anxiety when you leave the house is:

• Leave them a piece of clothing that smells like you, i usually leave a sock.

• Establish a word or action to use every time you leave that will let them know you will be back, I use “mummy will be back”. 

• Make sure they are exercised out! Morning walks are great! By wearing them out before you go to work it should help them to relax and rest while you’re not there.

• Provide some audio stimulation like leaving a tv on or stimulation toys - make sure its safe to leave without supervision 

• Make sure they have enough water and they’ve eaten and done their business before you leave. 

• Doggy daycare - this is a great way for them to socialise if you have a local doggy daycare in the area that can tire them out

• Get them a sibling! With dogs being pack animals, sometimes having a friend can help anxiety as well as keep each other entertained while you’re not at home.

If you are unsure if your cavoodle has separation anxiety, always speak to your vet to see if they can help or suggest any local behavioural trainers that can help you.

It is sometimes unknown to new cavoodle parents that cavoodles have a “puppy coat” and actually shed this before they get their adult coat. If your cavoodle is between the age of 12 weeks to 6 months they could just be shedding their puppy coat. 

They are born with a single coat of soft, fluffy fur that helps regulate their body temperature. When they shed this cavoodle puppy coat and their adult coat comes through, it is usually thicker and stiffer than their puppy coat.

During this time you might find allergy or hay fever sufferers in your home may be extra sensitive to your cavoodle puppy.

Things to look out for that might not be their puppy coat shedding:

While shedding their puppy coat is normal, if your cavoodle pup has large patches of bare skin, sores, rashes, bumps or it looks inflamed it might not be shedding and you need to go take them to the vet immediately.

Why didn’t my breeder tell me my cavoodle would shed?

Some backyard breeders or pet shops will tell you cavoodles are non-shedding, hypoallergenic dogs. Believe it from me, an allergy sufferer, when I say that no cavoodle can be 100% non-shedding or perfect for anyone that may suffer from allergies or hay-fever. 

Cavoodles are definitely a low-shedding dog and are a better option for people who are sensitive to dog hair or have low-medium allergies. In saying that every cavoodle is different and there are actually many different parts of a dog that can cause allergies, including their saliva, fur and dander (skin particles). 

People can overcome minor allergies and build up a tolerance, however unfortunately I've heard of many scenarios where families buy cavoodles when their children suffer from extreme allergies and have had to re-home them.  

If you or a family member have allergies and are looking into a cavoodle, we recommend talking to any friends, family or neighbours that have cavoodles and seeing if you are able to spend short amounts of time with them to see if you can handle being around one or not.

Also you may find an F1B cavoodle that's mixed with a poodle x 1st generation cavoodle could be better suited for you as they are less likely to have straight hair like a cavalier; due to the likely hood of having a woollen or fleece coat having more poodle in their DNA. 

What can I do to stop my cavoodle puppy from shedding?

You can’t help your cavoodle puppy shedding over time or in its “puppy coat” phase. However you can help minimise it going everywhere by brushing them daily! Brushing your cavoodle regularly for 15 mins a day will not only help them get used to the routine but will actually help encourage more shedding, which will help the shedding phase be over much quicker!

The mycavoodle grooming set is the perfect starter kit for pampering and deshedding your cavoodle puppy. 

 

It includes a de-shedding tool, pin and bristle brush, nail scissors, comb and slicker brush.

These mini wooden stainless steel tools are perfect for keeping your cavoodle well maintained. 

The De-Shedding tool is an open knot de-matting and de-shedding tool is what every cavoodle owner needs to maintain a knot free coat between grooms. This tool removes the undercoat, any loose fur, eliminates knots and trapped dirt to keep your cavoodles coat tangle-free. This tool will also eliminate any light shedding when used frequently. Just softly run through the coat with the open claw looking side of the tool to grab old hair.

The Pin and bristle brush is two-sided and perfect for removing fine dirt and adding shine to the coat. The pin end is great for beginners for a light detangling groom. Regular brushing with the bristle side resembles a massage on the skin and will increase oil production on your cavoodles coat, which can help reduce excessive shedding and improve the overall shine. The bristle side is also perfect to get young pups used to the brushing process early on.

The Nail Scissors are ideal for keeping their nails short to protect against scratching and nasty rips on furniture. It’s really important not to cut the live quick; this is the pink area within the nail where the nerves and blood vessels are. Cutting into the quick will cause pain and bleeding, so avoid it by at least a few millimeters. If your cavoodle has clear nails, the quick will look pink. so stop before you trim this point. If your cavoodle has dark nails, avoid the quick by cutting small slivers until you see a grey or pink oval starting to appear within the exposed part of the nail – stop when you see this. 

The Comb is perfectly designed with fine and thicker teeth to go through a thick cavoodle coat. Ideal for removal of large mats, tangles, fleas and their droppings or to carefully remove dried up tear stains under the eyes.

The Slicker Brush makes your cavoodles coat fluffy as if they've just gone to the groomers! Ideal for thick or curly-coated cavoodles with fleece or wool that require rigorous grooming to remove debris, loose hair and knots in the fur. Highly effective at penetrating deep into the coat and removing malted hair that's shedding.

Remember to ALWAYS use positive reinforcement & high value treats to associate grooming with a good experience!

Mental Enrichment is a way to keep your cavoodle’s mind and body stimulated and healthy by allowing them to demonstrate species-typical behaviour. This helps to satisfy both the physical and psychological needs of your cavoodle by allowing them to perform natural behaviours such as sniffing, problem-solving, and foraging for food.

Just like humans, cavoodles like to be kept entertained and can easily become bored without enough to do. Boredom can lead to destructive behaviour like chewing homewares, over-eating, over-grooming, compulsive behaviour and even separation anxiety. 

Forms of enrichment to help with the boredom includes using a lick mat with some of their favourite treats, puzzle feeders, sniff matts, ball pits, tug of war, supervised access outside of the yard to sniff around, going for a walk, or to the dog park to socialise.

What is a lick mat and why is it good enrichment for your cavoodle? 

A lick mat is a silicone mat with shapes or elements to make it more interesting for your cavoodle to indulge their treats! 

Food plays a big part of your cavoodle’s daily routine and can be used to reduce boredom. With a lick mat you can make their routine fascinating by trying treats on the mat to stimulate their mind and their curiosity. Some food ideas to try on a lick mat include:

• Wet food
• Plain Greek Yoghurt
• Minced meat
• Peanut butter
• Banana
• Canned fish (sardines, salmon)
• Pureed vegetables (pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots)
• Bone broth

Other reasons why lickmats are so effective are because they can:

• Reduced anxiety, boredom and destructive behaviour - can help calm and soothe your cavoodle during bath time and distract them! Also great for stressful times such vet visits, injections, nail clipping, injury recovery as well as thunderstorms and fireworks. 

• Enhances the sense of taste - allowing your cavoodle to enjoy just a small amount of food. Perfect for adding supplements and medications to make it interesting.

• Promotes licking - The licking action generates saliva that helps protect your cavoodles teeth and gums, and can aid digestion as saliva contains enzymes such as Amylase. The natural rubber surface also scrapes food particles and odour causing bacteria off your cavoodles tongue, promoting fresher breath.

• Can double as a slow feeder -  used to promote slower eating, which in turn reduces bloating and improves digestion. A great alternative to slow feed bowls. You can even freeze food and treats on the mat for slower and more enjoyable feeding.

Lick mats like the mycavoodle lick mat are food safe, freezer & dishwasher safe making clean up easy and will leave your cavoodle mentally enriched! 

 

There are many reasons as to why cavoodles get ear infections on a more regular basis than other breeds. Here’s how to prevent them from occurring frequently and how to spot if your cavoodle has an ear infection. 

According to Bow Wow Meow pet insurance one of the most claimable vet visit trips are for Otitis externa, which is another way of saying your cavoodle has an inflammation of the external ear canal (ear infection). 

A cavoodle’s ear infection can occur when the environment within the ear canal changes and the canal lining swells and secretes excess wax.

The ear canal gradually narrows and the canal and external ear will become painful, itchy and red, and if left untreated, can lead to otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear) or potential rupture of the eardrum. That is why when you see your cavoodle experiencing these symptoms below you want to make sure you take them to the vet immediately.

 

 

Symptoms to tell if your cavoodle has an ear infection:

An ear infection can affect one or both ears, and can be severe and sudden in onset.

Common symptoms your cavoodle is suffering an ear infection:

• Head shaking
• Ear scratching
• Itchiness
• Redness of the skin
• Scaly skin
• Unpleasant odour coming from the ear
• Swelling
• Self-trauma to the ear, from scratching
• Aural haematoma from severe head shaking
• Discharge from the ear
• Signs of pain

Last time Bambi had an ear infection she was rubbing the side of her head and ear across the carpet in one of our rooms, I found this very odd behaviour from her and suspected she had an ear infection straight way, took her to the vert within a couple hours and they did a swab test of the ear to check, which came back positive. 

To treat it we were recommended ear drops from the vet to be applied morning and night in the ear for 10 days, it cleared it all up and she's never had one since!

 

 

So what can cause cavoodles to get ear infections more regularly than other breeds?

The main cause cavoodles get ear infections is because their Spaniel DNA features such as their floppy ears are more susceptible to it due to them covering the canal opening, restricting airflow and trapping moisture within the ear. Same with the Poodle parent features, excess hair inside the ear canals can result in the trapping of moisture also leading to an environment of high humidity and temperature that can breed infection.

That’s why breeders and vet will tell you when bathing to try not to get water in your cavoodle’s ear as this can lead to an ear infection if not dried properly or enough airflow gets into the canal opening. 

Other causes can include:

• Allergies, dermatitis and hypersensitivity to environmental allergens, such as house dust, grass and moulds, food
• Parasites and foreign bodies in the ear – ear mites, ticks
• Inappropriate use of topical treatments
• The shape of the ear canal – the ear canal of cavoodles are deep and curved, allowing dirt, wax and moisture to accumulate.
• Excess wax production in the ear canals.
• Trauma – usually from inappropriate cleaning. 

So how can we prevent our cavoodle from getting ear infections?

Unfortunately the genetic downfall of this breed is that both parental breeds are more susceptible to ear infections due to their physical features, thus passing this on to their cavoodle puppies. However, it’s nothing that can’t be managed or fixed quickly and not cost you a fortune.

Some cavoodles will be more likely to get ear infections more frequently if they have the cavalier spaniel floppy ears and if they are extremely hairy under their ears and inside. 

Ways to prevent your cavoodle getting less or no ear infections include:

• Keeping the ear canal dry and well ventilated, be sure to pat dry after swims and baths.
• Some groomers can shave or pluck hairs from the inside of the ear to improve ventilation if recommended by the vet. 
• Do not apply anything to the ear that has not been recommended by your vet, such as home remedies or powders, as these can irritate an already-inflamed ear. 
• Can look for a dog ear cleaning solution and massage the vertical ear canal from the outside ( get advice from your vet first). 

If you can’t give your cavoodle baths frequently because they do suffer from ear infections regularly, check out our leave-in conditioner or everyday cologne spray to freshen their coat up without the need for submerging them in the tub!

During the pandemic many scammers took advantage of Australians looking for a cavoodle to add to their family.

So how do you avoid a cavoodle puppy scammer? Well, here are some things to look out for that are suspicious and how to find an ethical cavoodle breeder in Australia.

Things to look out for that are suspicious that scammers do:

• Use words like “cavapoo” instead of cavoodle. Cavapoos are american terms referring to the exact same breed, however Australian breeders will only call them cavoodles, not cavapoos. 

 

• Target you on social media pages like facebook. If you belong to any cavoodle facebook groups and make posts about wanting a cavoodle, you might find you could become an easy target for a cavoodle scammer because they might see you are desperate. 

 

• Set up fake looking websites, if they do they will pick fake or re-used pictures of cavoodles they might find online, the information and spelling sounds bodgy and there is no real information about the breeder themselves and where they are from and the process. 

 

• Use fake advertisements on google or social media platforms with landing pages to make you enquire.

 

• Price the puppies really low (lower than market rate) if the price is too good to be true, it probably is!

 

• They will only ever speak to you by messages or maybe email -  make sure the email looks legitimate, an email that looks like tony345@yahoo.com isn’t really trustworthy.

Things to ensure you are NOT being scammed:

• Make sure you are speaking to a real person.

 

• Once contact has been made, speak to the breeder directly either a phone call or facetime (be sure to check where the call is being made - from an area code, australian mobile? This will tell you it's legitimate, don’t trust a number that looks international).

 

• Ask the breeder for pictures or videos of the pup and the parents, be sure the quality is okay in the pictures (don’t know about you but everyone i know owns an iphone or an android with a good quality camera these days - If they look like they’ve been taken from the internet, move on!)

 

• Ask friends and family for recommendations if they have previously bought or know someone that owns a cavoodle. 

 

• Ask them for their breeder identification number. The Breeder Identification Numbers start with the letter 'B' followed by 9 digits. The owner of an animal that has a litter must be recorded on the NSW Pet Registry as the first owner of each animal in that litter according to the Companion Animals Act 1998 in NSW. 

 

•  Ask if they are members of a breeding club, this means they agree to uphold their ethics, best practises and rigorous standards when breeding. Examples of memberships include RPBA (responsible pet breeders)  or Ethical Pet Breeders Australian Registry https://www.ethicalpetbreeders.com.au/

 

• Are they Right Paw verified? This is a website purely set up in making sure finding a dog online is simpler, safer and more supportive.

 

• Ask for the microchip number or to speak to the vet clinic that has vaccinated the puppy and completed the Puppy Health check.

 

• Most scammers do not offer the option to pick up your puppy in person, ask if this option is available. This can occur at their home or other public location (this might be because they are worried about their puppies' safety and having people know where they live - its not always unusual). 

 

• DO NOT deposit money into any accounts until you are certain you are not being scammed. DO NOT put money into any weird bank accounts, DO NOT send money via wire or money transfer. Especially do not deposit money into any ATM or perform card less cash. Do Not buy gift cards and provide people with numbers.

 

• On pick up ask to see the parents DNA test to make sure the breed is actually a cavoodle. 

 

 

Cavoodle Breeders we deal with:

• Sydney Cavoodles - https://www.sydneycavoodles.net.au/

• Wollondilly Puppies - https://www.wollondillycavoodles.com.au/

• Cavoodled by Enza -  https://www.instagram.com/cavoodled_by_enza/?hl=en

• Adelaide cavoodles - https://www.adelaidecavoodles.com.au/

• Ahernsdale Park Puppies - https://ahernsdaleparkpuppies.com/

• Vivid Cavoodles - https://www.facebook.com/Vivid-Cavoodles-100949778432028/

• Hidden Valley Cavoodles -  https://www.hiddenvalleycavoodles.com.au/

• Sweet Ruby Cavoodles - https://www.sweetrubycavoodles.com/

Please note we are not verifiers of these breeders and have not met them in person, you need to do your own research if looking to buy a cavoodle. 

The short answer is YES!

Our products are perfectly fine to use on other breeds. We are just very passionate about the cavoodle breed and feel one size or type of product doesn't work on all dogs, especially cavoodles who have quite sensitive skin and a unique range of coats. 

There is not enough information, guidance and products on the market that are specific to the cavoodle breed and thats when mycavoodle products and brand were born, out of the desire to help other cavoodle owners or future cavoodle puppy owners learn about this beautiful breed and give them superior, affordable products that are made of natural, sustainable ingredients which are kind to their new wool coated family member.

So what do you do when it’s going to be a very wet summer, and you have to toilet train your cavoodle?

 

Well, I have experienced this first hand! 

 

When I bought Bambi home just before Christmas 2020, the weather decided it would rain for 2 weeks straight; thus my puppy toilet training routine became much harder to enforce outside. She was barely even 2kg. I felt terrible forcing her to go out in the rain and do her business, plus the noise of the rain scared her, still does if it's really loud and heavy. 

 

All I can say is thank goodness for puppy pee pads! We still use them to this day inside when we aren’t home and even when we are (we don't have a doggy door because we are in a rental right now, but when we move into our own house, I definitely will be installing one and training her to go outside more frequently).

 

Also, Bambi has always had a really small bladder, she could go up to 10+ more times a day some days, and so I found it easier to use puppy pee pads as otherwise nothing around the house would ever get done waiting for her to do her business 10 times a day.

 

Pee pads might not be the option for everyone or the cheapest option, but for those with cavoodles that live inside in small houses with no backyard, apartments or even go on lots of small holiday trips it might be the solution to having a really well-trained pup, she now goes on command which can be a lifesaver! It just takes a lot of patience and repeating the same word over and over again... "do pee pee, do pee pee....", you might get a few strange looks from your partner, but hey it works!

 

Bambi will still go to the toilet outside, on walks, at the park, in the backyard, but I found she is really comfortable knowing if we can’t make it outside or she’s at home by herself she has a safe place to go. 

 

We tried the puppy grass mat, but she just thought it was a toy and would start tearing it apart, and I could just see what a mess she’d create in the house trying it with real grass!

 

After using heaps of different puppy pee pads and being disappointed I was always going to have to clean up the floor daily with a mop because some would seep. I then found the Kirkland Signature Extra-Large Absorbent Puppy Pads 100pk from Costco. They are the best for their size, strength and also only cost $39.99 for a 100 pack making them 0.39c each! These are also double the size of normal puppy pee pads, which means I was able to train her to use them more than once, sometimes she can go on the same pad 3-4 times and the box can last me up to a month or so. 

 

But it’s totally up to you what you’re comfortable with, if you have a cavoodle that lives outdoors you probably don't have to stress too much about it, but if you have an inside cavoodle you might or might not be fazed letting them come back in a little damp or with wet paws or smelling a bit on the “doggy” side. 

 

But Bambi is so cheeky sometimes I don't know if i could trust her to not do zoomies in all the puddles outside in the rain while i try to catch her! Would be a funny show for the neighbours at least… 

 

If you really are struggling with toilet training, just remember they are like children, it takes time, patience, consistency and routine. But if you need help you can always contact a local dog trainer to make your life easier and get the basics right!

When the weather starts getting warmer, it means many Australians head to the beach on their weekends and summer holidays, but what about your cavoodle puppy? Are they going to be able to tag along, and will they love the water?

Being mixed with a spaniel who was originally bred as a hunting dog, they were good swimmers and had no trouble staying afloat. Poodles also like water, as their ancestors were duck hunters and were always in or around water. This means naturally, cavoodles should also be good swimmers and love the water. 

In saying that though, if cavoodles have not had the best experience around water as puppies, then this is where anxieties and fear around the water can occur. A beach can also be very different to a pool, lake or river, the loud noise of the waves is something cavoodles tend to be scared of most.

This is why the first experience your cavoodle has with the water and beach is so crucial to set them up for loving it in future. 

How to introduce your cavoodle puppy to the beach?

When you can take your cavoodle out of the house after their vaccinations, a great day out is taking them down to a secluded, quiet beach or dog-friendly beach that doesn't get many visitors, this is because you don't want your cavoodle to get distracted by other humans or dogs as it can just get too overwhelming for them. Also you need to be careful around restrictions about letting dogs off the leash at certain times during the day for certain beaches as you can get fined by rangers. 

Don’t force your cavoodle to go in the water if they don't want to. Just get them running up and down on the sand, be playful with them, throw around their favourite toy or let them chase the kids, making them have a fun first experience while they listen to the noises in the environment is enough to get them used to the beach and be a step closer to loving it. If you can pick a beach that isn't known for its big waves, the better their first experience will be. 

When they are super confident, try running in the shallow parts of the water yourself and seeing what your cavoodle does, they can be little copycats sometimes so this is how you can get them to start interacting near the wet sand and shallow waves. 

Once they are more confident, go further into the water and see if they follow you, naturally they will either chase you in and start “doggy paddling” to get to you or they just whine from the sand until you go back to them. 

Doing this over and over again a few times we found Bambi eventually got confident enough to chase us in. Don’t be deterred if they shake, shiver, bark, whine and cry, they will do this to get attention, especially cavoodles that are less confident, remember they are still very young so they just want to be close to you, they will get better and do these things less and less with every experience. 

 

You can even do this with older cavoodles as well to re-introduce them to this environment if they previously have had bad experiences at the beach and with the water.

 

Remember to be patient and take it at their pace, if you rush them, you could scare or scar them for life. 

 

 

List of dog friendly beaches around Australia: 

Be sure to check on your local council website about off leash times at these beaches as they aren’t always allowed to go any time during the day.

QUEENSLAND

The Spit, Gold Coast

Tallebudgera Beach

Palm Beach

Moreton Bay

Red Beach

Woorim Beach

Deception Bay Dog Beach

North Stradbroke Island

Home Beach, Point Lookout

Stumers Creek – Coolum

Ballinger Beach -Currimundi

Warana Beach (4pm-8am)

Moffat Beach

Hervey Bay

Dundowran Beach

Mackay

Far Beach

Townsville

Pallarenda Beach

Cairns North – Cairns Esplanade

Machans Beach

Holloways Beach

Palm Cove

Trinity Beach

Yorkeys Knob

Queens Beach

Kings Beach

NEW SOUTH WALES

South Golden Beach

Main Beach – Belongil Area

Tallow Beach – Suffolk Park

Manly Lagoon – Manly

Greenhills Beach – Cronulla

Silver Beach – Kurnell

Fairlight Beach – Fairlight

Horden’s Beach – Bundeena

Spit West and Spit East Reserves – Mosman

Sirius Cove – Mosman

Rowland and Bayview Reserve – Bayview

Bicentennial Park – Glebe

Clontarf Reserve – Clontarf

Flora and Richie Roberts Reserve – Curl Curl

Dumaresque Reserve – Rose Bay

Seven Mile Beach – Lennox Head

One Mile Beach – Forster

Boomerang Beach

Sandbar Beach Smiths

Lake Blueys Beach

Tuncurry Beach

Blackhead Beach

Caves Beach

Croudace Bay

Speers Point park (on the same lake as Croudace Bay)

Horseshoe beach (harbour)

Terrigal Beach

Ocean Beach

Umina Beach

Pearl Beach

Putty Beach

Forresters Beach

Lakes Beach

North Shelly Beach

Horderns Beach, Bundeena

Gunyah Beach, Bundeena

Collers Beach – Mollymook

Shoalhaven Heads

Culburra Beach

Currarong Beach

Swan Lake

Bendalong Beach

Bawley Point Beach

Wanda Beach

MM Beach – Port Kembla

Sharkeys Coledale

Coniston Beach

East Corrimal Beach

MCauley’s Thirroul Beach

Tathra Beach – Tathra

Short Point – Merimbula

Main Beach – Merimbula

Aslings Beach – Eden

Keith’s Pinch Beach – Eden

Haywards Beach – Bermagui

Beares Beach South – Bermagui

VICTORIA

Hobsons Bay Region

Altona Beach

Williamstown Beach – Williamstown

Ocean Grove Beach – Ocean Grove

Narrows Beach – Queenscliff

Marengo Beach – Apollo Bay

Middle Park Beach

St Kilda Region

St Kilda Beach

St Kilda West Beach

Birdrock Beach

Dava Beach

Hawker Beach

Fosters Beach

Royal Beach

Mt Eliza Beach

Flinders Beach

Rosebud Beach

Safety Beach

Tassells Cove Beach

Rye Beach

Shelly Beach – Portsea

Somers Beach – Somers

Edward St Beach Foreshore

Sandringham Beach Foreshore

Hampton Beach – Hampton

Sandown St Beach – Brighton

Lillydale Lake – Lilydale

Cape Woolamai

Cowes

Newhaven

Rhyll

San Remo

Smiths Beach

Sunderland Bay

Surf Beach

Ventnor

Cape Paterson

Coronet Bay Beach

Corinella Beach

Tenby Point Beach

Grantville Beach

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Port Adelaide Enfield

Foreshore – Largs Bay

Almond Tree Flat Reserve – Largs Bay

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

South Beach

Leighton Beach

CY O’Connor Beach

Rocky Bay foreshore

North Fremantle foreshore

Whitfords Hillary’s – Hillarys

Peasholm Street Dog Beach – Scarborough

Between Margaret Street and Castle Street, North Beach

Between Bennion Street and Kathleen Street, Trigg

Part of Quinns Rocks Beach, Quinns Rocks, north from Tapping Way.

Part of Yanchep Beach, Yanchep, south from the northern end of Compass Park.

Part of Two Rocks Beach, Two Rocks, south of the southern groyne.

Geraldton – Very specific so make sure you view the link below and follow the directions.

Point Moore Lighthouse (West End) to 150km north of Hadda Way Beach Access near the Geraldton Surf Life Saving Club (Mahomets Flats)

Southern end of Glendidnning Road (Tarcoola Beach) to north of the Greenought River (Cape Burney)

Pages Beach (West End) to north of the Point Moore Lighthouse between the hours of 1600 and 0800

150km north of Hadda Way Beach Access near the Geraldton Surf Life Saving Club (Mahomets Flats) to the southern end of Glendinning Road (Tarcoola Beach) between the hours of 1600 and 0800

North Floreat Beach

South City Beach

South Cottesloe Beach

Vera View Beach – restricted

Mandurah- From Halls Head, Mandurah, Silver Sands, San Remo, Madora Bay

Wireless Hill Reserve (Ardross)

Booragoon Lake Reserve (Booragoon)

Melville Reserve (Melville)

Piney Lakes (Winthrop – as posted)

Foreshore areas between: Flannagan Road and Canning Bridge (Applecross)

Queens Road and Cranford Avenue (Mt Pleasant)

Secret Harbour

Golden Bay

Singleton

Port Kennedy

Waikiki

Safety Bay

Peron

Whiteman Park (Whiteman)

Reg Bond Reserve, Viveash

Cable Beach

Riddell Beach

Entrance Point

NOTHERN TERRITORY

Casuarina Coastal Reserve – signs indicate leash and leash-free areas

TASMANIA

Black Beach

East Devonport Beach

Adams Beach – Bridport

Howden Foreshore – Howden

Tyndall Beach – Bonnet Hill

Long Beach

Blinking Billy Beach

Nutgrove Beach

Cornelian Bay

Kent Beach Road Foreshore – Dover

Franklin Foreshore – Franklin

Mickey’s Beach, Randalls Bay

Lymington Road Beach Area – Cygnet

As a cavoodle owner you can definitely get swept up in the whole “teddy bear” look and letting their coat grow out over winter. However once the warmer weather starts it’s time to think about getting them clipped and ready for tick season. 

I can tell you first hand how hard it is to lose a cavoodle due to one little nasty tick. It’s absolutely heart wrenching and that’s why I want to share my story with you so you don’t have to go through the same terrible experience. 

Here are the 3 main reasons it’s important you get your cavoodle trimmed to a manageable length during spring, summer and also groom them daily. 

 

1. More comfortable for your cavoodle:

If you like to take your cavoodle out for daily walks or runs, as the weather gets warmer it's a good idea that you get the groomer to clip their coat shorter than usual so they don’t overheat. But be sure they don’t shave them down to the skin otherwise this can lead to sunburn, rashes or skin sensitivities. 

 

2. Easier to maintain coat daily: 

With the warmer weather also brings out things in the grass like bindi weeds. All Australians know these little prickly things can be such a pain, but when they get stuck in the coat of a cavoodle with fleece or even woollen hair it can be a disaster and the source of some very large matting, especially on their belly hair and behind the ears! If your cavoodle’s coat is clipped shorter these bindis will have less to hold onto and you will be able to spot them straight away and remove them. 

 

 

During summer it’s also common to let your cavoodle jump in the pool or take them to the beach. With a long coat if you don’t wash them with fresh clean water straight away the chlorine, salt or sand starts to make the coat stiff, dull, dry and can irritate the skin causing it to become flaky. A dry stiff coat can lead to knots or matting, so with a shorter coat it’s a lot easier to maintain. 

 

3. Easy to spot ticks early:

 

As mentioned I personally have lost my own beautiful cavoodle girl (Roxy) to tick paralysis years ago. Even though she was always clipped short and on tick prevention, we spent a weekend down the south coast of NSW in summer and she loved going on long beach walks with me, but little did we know a small tick had hid itself in her facial hair near her moustache (between the nose and mouth). 

 

When we got home she was perfectly normal up until about 48-72 hrs later when we noticed she was vomiting up green liquid and we could see she was dragging her hind legs on the floor like she was becoming paralysed and couldn’t lift herself up. We quickly rushed her to the vet and they had found the tick and said they needed to treat her for tick paralysis. A couple thousand dollars later, the vets managed to save her, but because they needed to keep her on fluids at the vet for a few days, she was so fragile and stressed about being in a new environment away from us her little heart gave out and she passed away. 

 

It was a really sad and tough time for my family to go through this so that’s why i want to share with you the importance of keeping your cavoodles coat maintainable and what to look out for. 

 

So, what’s a tick?  Ticks are small parasites that range from a brown, grey to black colour and sometimes can look like a wart on the cavoodle skin, if you look closer on inspection it has eight tiny legs. They are usually between 3mm and 10mm in diameter and attach with their mouth making a hole in the skin which can often be painful or itchy while they inject small amounts of toxic saliva into your cavoodle. See pictures below:

 

Are ticks deadly to cavoodles? YES, ticks are extremely dangerous parasites to cavoodles that can result in paralysis, heart failure and death within a few days of signs presenting. If you find a tick on your cavoodle or even if you are not sure if it is a tick, we STRONGLY recommend you take your cavoodle to the vet ASAP! 

 

Symptoms of tick paralysis: 

• Wobbly back legs
• Reluctance to jump or walk
• Weakness climbing stairs
• Coughing or grunting
• Retching, regurgitating or vomiting
• Change in bark or meow
• Difficult or fast breathing
• Complete paralysis or collapse

The tick can live up to three weeks before it is fully engorged and begins injecting its toxin. Hotter weather will cause faster engorgement and thus quicker paralysis. 

 

What is the treatment from the vet?

Here is a list of actions vets will take to treat your cavoodle for a tick according to the Australian Animal Emergency Services:

1. Sedation to help calm your pet. Pets get very distressed when they cannot move or have trouble breathing. Sedation will help in removing any anxiety
2.  Oxygen therapy if having difficulty breathing
3. Emergency intubation and manual ventilation - If your pet is having a lot of trouble breathing, either from severe paralysis or there is vomit inside the lungs (aspiration pneumonia) tube is placed down your pet’s airways and a nurse will breath for them.
4. Tick search and removal of any remaining ticks
5. Medications - Tick antiserum or Antibiotics (if suspected lung infection from breathing in vomit).
6. Blood tests - Assess your pet’s ability to breath, Monitor hydration status and electrolyte levels (commonly lost through vomiting).
7. X-rays - If your pet is having trouble breathing
8. Intensive nursing care - your pet won't be able to urinate as their bladder is paralysed; a nurse will need to help empty their bladder regularly, help change your pet’s position to prevent pressure sores since they cannot move, provide medications for your pet’s eyes when they cannot blink to prevent development of eye ulcers, perform multiple tick searches throughout hospital stay, conduct full-body tick clip – this helps in finding further ticks, use anti-parasitic shampoos to eliminate any remaining ticks, in case they are too small to be found by hand
9. Mechanical ventilation - For pets too paralysed to breathe or severe lung disease they cannot breathe (from breathing vomit into their lungs)

 

How much can treating tick paralysis cost?

Some tick treatments can be very simple and inexpensive. While others can range from $5,000 up to $10,000 in the most severe cases according to budget direct pet insurance.

 

Does pet insurance cover tick paralysis?

Some pet insurance policies have an annual limit for paralysis tick treatment, so insurers will only cover you up to a certain amount. It's really important that you make sure it is included in your policy and the higher amount you can get covered for the better! 

Here are just a couple insurance companies and policies that show how much cover they provide for tick paralysis online along with the limit amount per year:

• Medibank 
• Essential Pet care - $1000
• Ultimate Pet care & Emergency Pet Care - $1,200
• Bow wow meow
• Peace of Mind Plan - $2000 
• Ultimate Care Plan $3000
• RSPCA
• Ultimate Accident & Illness Cover $ 1,200
• Economy Accident & Illness Cover $1,000
• General Accident & Illness Cover $2,000
• Budget Direct Dog Insurance - $1500

 

How to prevent your cavoodle from getting tick paralysis?

1. Use tick and flea treatments consistently. Some brands include:

• NexGard
• Bravecto
• Advantix
• Simparica

 

2. Keep their coat short and well maintained during tick season (anywhere from September to the end of summer). 

 

3. Check for ticks on your cavoodle daily and especially after going to the park, on walks or the beach.

The most reliable way to locate ticks according to Pittwater animal hospital is to systematically run your fingers through their coat. Press your fingertips down to the skin level and draw systematic little circles trying to cover the whole skin surface. Start at the nose and move along between the nose and eyes. Search in the lips and around the ears. Especially important to search long haired dogs very thoroughly between the eyes and the end of the nose as this is a common area for ticks to be missed.

If you have a cavoodle that loves to get into everything and chew on anything, you want to ensure the plants in your backyard or in the house they can reach aren’t toxic for them. Even if you don’t have a chewer on your hands, cavoodles can be curious, and if you’re not watching them 24/7, you never know what they could put into their mouth. The consequences of them ingesting a plant that is even mildly toxic for them could end in you having a very sick cavoodle and a large bill from the vet hospital. 

Common symptoms to look out for if you think your cavoodle has eaten a toxic plant include vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, lack of appetite, skin irritation, lethargy, difficulties breathing and in extreme cases seizures.

However, this can be completely avoided by choosing plants that are non-toxic to your cavoodle! We have put together a cheat sheet with an extensive list of toxic plants you want to avoid, along with coloured pictures to help you spot if you have these lying around your property, along with a few non toxic ones you can add to your collection!

Download here

 

Does your cavoodle suffer from itchy skin issues, arthritis or their coat looking a little dull?

Hemp Seed Oil contains natural fatty acids omega 3,6 & 9 that is a natural anti-inflammatory, can help improve skin conditions and also boost brain development in cavoodle puppies!

It also:

• Improves gut health & helps with digestion
• Improves hip & joint support, helps with arthritis in ageing cavoodles
• Is an anti-inflammatory & natural stress reliever
• Produces a healthy, shiny looking coat
• Relieves itchy skin

Our mycavoodle hemp seed oil is 100% Australian product and does not contain CBD or THC. It's the perfect supplement to add to their meals daily or apply to dry, cracked paws or noses.

 

FAQ's

Is hemp seed oil a drug?

No, our hemp seed oil is not a drug. It is made from pure hemp seed oil and contains no CBD or THC. It is 100% pure with no side effects, only nutritious benefits! Hemp, cannabis and marijuana are the same plant species, Cannabis Sativa, but they are different varieties that have been bred for different purposes. The main difference is that marijuana contains high THC levels, and the hemp that's in our hemp seed oil has no THC content.

 

What does Hemp Seed Oil taste like?

Hemp oil has a smooth, nutty taste and is a yellow-green colour. Fussy-eating cavoodles may notice straight away something is different when put in their food. We recommend putting on high-value foods when first introducing to your pup so they can't say no! Feeding with food that also already has a potent flavour or scent may also work better e.g. on Tuna/Salmon. Be persistent if they refuse to eat it, the nutritional benefits it will bring will outweigh the trouble!

 

Will this help with my cavoodles separation anxiety or calm them down?

Our hemp oil is not for treating anxiety as it does not contain CBD or THC which are the parts of the hemp plant that contain the phytochemical compound. If your cavoodle does suffer from conditions, including severe skin irritations, severe arthritis causing pain, separation anxiety and mood disorders, seizure disorders, or cancer then speak to your vet about a prescription for CBD oil (we do not sell this - The laws around CBD oil in Australia make it very difficult to access except through a medical practitioner).

 

Other benefits of hemp seed oil include:

 

Going back to 2009, my parents bought me my first cavoodle puppy, Roxy, for a whopping $800 from a breeder 4-5 hours away from Sydney in Forbes. Back then they weren’t a popular dog being a cross-breed and being considered a “mutt” (a mutt is a mixed breed of dog, which have more than 2 breeds in their genetic make-up, sometimes even more than 3 or 4).

Their average going price back then was around $800-$1200 in NSW, still pricey for a breed that wasn’t around long, but because they were bred specifically for allergy sufferers (which my sister and I were) dad did his research and thought a cavoodle would make the perfect family pet!  

Skipping forward 12 years to 2021, cavoodles are now Australia’s #1 breed according to Hill’s. The average price for a cavoodle puppy in NSW can go anywhere from $4500-7000 thanks to coronavirus inflating the prices! 

We’ve put together 3 main reasons why we believe the price of cavoodle puppies has increased by $2-5k in the last 18 months:

#1. The Perfect breed for covid-19 lockdown in Australia & Access to our super!

When Australia first went into lockdown in March 2020, instantly the prices of so many dog breeds, especially the cavoodle puppy skyrocketed from an average price of $2000-3000, all the way up to $4500-7000! We believe many factors arose due to this happening including Australians being able to access their super early. This made for a great deal of disposable income if people still had their jobs, so if we couldn’t go on holidays with this money what else was there to do besides buy a new car (not that we could go far with it!), how about buy a new puppy for the family instead? Seems like a great idea to keep the kids occupied and for couples who may have had to put off their wedding it makes the perfect nesting scenario before having kids (we fell into the later category with bambi!)

Due to smaller land sizes in metro cities across Australia and the rise in apartment buildings, it also makes sense that people would want a pet that can live inside or in small backyards while we were all told to stay inside during the lockdowns. So looks like our perfect little secret got out… That cavoodle’s made a great family pet, companion and pandemic puppy! With their teddy bear appearances, how could a child not love this breed and for parents buying a dog that is gentle, friendly, doesn’t grow very big, eats smaller meals, can live inside, is smart, trainable, loyal, good with kids, what are the reasons people wouldn’t consider a cavoodle the best family pet and the perfect breed to buy in a lockdown!

 

# 2. Supply and demand of Cavoodles from breeders and pet shops 

Due to reason #1 Australian’s flocked onto cavoodle breeder waiting lists which caused a supply and demand problem. Seeing as responsible breeders might have only between 1-4 breeding girls at a time, they can only breed once a year and they must be over the age of 1.5-2 years old ideally. 

With the many factors that play a part in this it also means litters can sometimes be unpredictable or the numbers of puppies birthed can be low. Cavoodles are smaller dogs, so litters can be as low as two, or as high as 10, but the average tends to hover around four- six puppies per cavoodle litter. 

This means people on waiting lists could be waiting for months or a year to receive a puppy depending how far down the list they are. So the obvious thing is to obviously put yourself down on a number of waiting lists to see which opens first, creating a big supply and demand problem driving prices up and up! This along with the general expenses of caring for a cavoodle and their puppies can add up with constant vet checkups, x-rays, increase in food purchases and stud fees.

#3. Scammers and Puppy flipping from cheap puppy prices

Another key reason the price of cavoodles increased dramatically in a short amount of time was because of scammers and puppy flippers online and on social media.

Cavoodle scammers and puppy flippers are people who set up fake profiles, websites or socials to trick people into putting down large deposits for cavoodles that don’t exist (they aren’t real breeders), they do this by stealing other breeder photos of puppies online. 

Being aware of cavoodle scammers is really important as during the covid-19 pandemic, the ACCC says scammers were targeting people seeking a furry companion during social isolation. With 1047 reports of puppy scams between 1 January and 31 July, 2020, with almost $1 million in reported losses and 184 cavoodle scams specifically.

Puppy flippers are people who would purchase a cavoodle for a lower rate for example $4500 and then as soon as they pick them up from a breeder or pet shop they would have another buyer lined up already who was willing to pay $6000-$7000. This means the “puppy flipper” would automatically make between $1500-2500 by being a middle man and scamming desperate Australians who are after a cavoodle puppy to join their family. 

Due to this happening frequently across Australia during the early stages of the pandemic, breeders increased their prices so then it would deter scammers and puppy flippers. 

While we TOTALLY agree the prices did go up ridiculously high in such a short amount of time, we believe this breed is worth every cent. Bambi has brought so much joy into our lives, especially in this 2021 three-month never ending NSW lockdown and I personally wouldn’t get any other breed as they make the best companion and family member who you will cherish forever!