About Us
DeHaan labs typically only have one breeding female at a time. Our females are bred at most once per year AFTER all health tests have been completed. We aim to produce a lab that we ourselves would want to own. That is a healthy and good looking talented high drive dog that can be successful in any of the retriever games and hunting partner. At the same time, we want these puppies to be able to shut it off and be a quiet and respectful family member in the house.
A couple of caveats; this is what we at DeHaan Labs do with our puppies while they are with us. It’s not meant to insinuate that what we do is the “only” way or the “best” way to raise puppies. Nor do we put down any other breeding program way other breeders raise their puppies. It’s just the way WE choose to do it. We have the space, the time, the desire, and the willingness to do these things to spend A LOT of time with the puppies and to keep the areas the puppies are housed as clean as possible. We also feel the added socialization helps the puppies become very familiar with people and helps them acclimate to their new homes quickly. The cleanliness also helps us to maintain a very high standard of health for the puppies. We work from home and are always available for the pups. The puppy schedule actually takes over our life for the 8-week period of time they are with us. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
The whelping pens is located in our home office so even at their very start in life, we are virtually in the same space with them for 12 + hours per day. We “handle” each pup multiple times per day. We weigh the pups daily. I any pup has not gained at least 5% of their body weight from the previous day, we supplement feed with a bottle. Over the course of the 3 week time frame each pup has likely been supplemented with a bottle a handful of times. Early Neurological Stimulation takes place from days 3 thru day 16. Puppies also have their nails trimmed weekly. Grandkids help hold each pup in the litter everytime they are over. Our pups get held a lot!
Whelping Pen
Once the weaning process has started and puppies are ready to eat on their own, the pups are moved into our garage (or basement in case of COLD temps) into an expandable puppy pen. Our puppy pen is placed on thick rubber stall mats to get the puppies off the concrete. On top of the stall mat is a piece of sheet vinyl flooring to facilitate rapid and easy cleaning. This flooring allows us to scrub and mop the “really fun stuff” that puppies are capable of mass producing. We also have a couple boot trays filled with alfalfa pellets and topped with artificial turf for the puppy litter box training.
Puppy feeding takes place 4 times per day, 7:00am, 12:00pm, 5:00pm, and 10:00pm. While the puppies are eating, the puppy pen and any toys in the pen are thoroughly cleaned and dried with fresh towels placed in the pen to lay on. After they’re finished eating, the puppies are allowed time to roam and play in the garage (and ultimately outside when they are old enough). While the puppies are playing after their meal, we are sitting in a lawn chair waiting for each of the pups to come to us on their own and then we pick them up and love on them! By the time the pups are 7 weeks old and even though they want to run and play, they know that they will be held if they just come up to us.