Is my cavoodle small enough for day care at Oodles of Paws?
Yes — cavoodles are the heart of the pack. Here's who else comes, why I only take small breeds, and what happens if your little one is on the bigger side.
Short answer: yes. Cavoodles are the heart of the pack, and I'd guess half the little faces at my place on any weekday are one.
You're asking because you've seen "small breeds only" on the site and your little one is, well, not tiny. Fair question, and the honest answer is that small is about who they'll be playing with, not a number on the scales.
Here's who comes, why I keep it small, and what happens if your pup is on the bigger side of cavoodle.
Who's in the pack
Oodles of every kind: cavoodles, spoodles, moodles, the little groodles. Dachshunds. Shih tzus. Maltese crosses, and their little mates.
If you're not sure whether your little one fits, just ask. I'd rather have the chat than have you talk yourself out of it. Send me their breed and a rough weight on the day care page and I'll tell you straight.
Why I only take small breeds
Because your fur baby is the baby of the house, and I don't want their first day out to be the day they get bowled over.
At my place the pack is little ones only, never more than eight pups to a carer, in a big secure garden with shade to nap in. Everyone is roughly the same size, so the games stay games. A cavoodle can throw herself into it, and the pup she's playing with can throw himself right back.
That's the whole point of small-breed day care. It's not a rule I made up to be picky. It's the reason a shy little one settles in here.
What if my cavoodle is a big one?
Cavoodles come in every size, from toy to "are you sure there's no labrador in there?". So this is the one I get asked most.
I go by the pup, not the scales. A bigger cavoodle who plays gently is a better fit for the pack than a small one who plays rough. That's what the meet & greet is for: you bring your little one to my place, they meet me and a couple of the calm ones, and we see how they go.
If they're going to be happier with bigger friends, I'll say so, and I'll point you somewhere that suits them. That happens sometimes, and nobody minds.
How young is too young?
One of the pack, Doti, started with me at 16 weeks and has been coming for four years. Her family now send her little brother Hank along too.
For a new pup, the things that matter are that they're vaccinated and ready to be away from you for a few hours. We sort the vaccination paperwork at sign-up, so you don't need to bring anything to the meet & greet.
What happens next
Tell me about your little one on the day care page: their name, their breed, a rough weight, and the days that would suit you. I'll come back with a time for a meet & greet, and after that, the days I have for them.
I do the matching, not a booking system. Every day at my place has its own little set of friends who get on, and your pup joins the set that suits them.
And if you're local, have a look at where we walk around Lota.
Key takeaways
- Cavoodles are welcome. They're the most common pup in the pack, from toy to the big fluffy ones.
- Small breeds only means oodles, dachshunds, shih tzus and their little mates. Not sure? Ask.
- Small is about the friends, not the scales. Never more than eight little ones per carer, all roughly the same size, so nobody gets bowled over.
- A bigger cavoodle is fine if they play gently. The meet & greet at my place is where we find out.
- Start on the day care page: name, breed, rough weight, the days that suit you.
Common questions
Is there a weight limit for day care at Oodles of Paws?
Not a hard one. I go by the pup at the meet & greet, not the scales — a gentle bigger cavoodle fits the pack better than a rough little one. If your pup is on the bigger side, say so when you get in touch and we'll take it from there.
Do you take other oodles, like spoodles and moodles?
Yes. Any of the little oodles: cavoodles, spoodles, moodles, small groodles, and the crosses in between. The pack is oodles, dachshunds, shih tzus and their little mates, and I'm happy to have the chat about anything I haven't listed.
Can my cavoodle start as a puppy?
Yes, once they're vaccinated. Doti started at 16 weeks and is still coming four years later. We do the vaccination paperwork at sign-up, after the meet & greet, and then your little one gets picked up from your door on the days their friends are here.
More notes from Ros
Want your little one in the pack?
Every new pup starts with a meet & greet at my place. No pressure. Tell me about your fur baby and I'll come back to you with the days I have.