Puppy Care
Veterinarian
You’ll want to make a vet appointment for your pup within the first 7 days of bringing him or her home. All of her shots will be current at 8 weeks – talk to your vet and see what their vaccine regiment looks like – it’s OK to call a couple of different vet offices to make sure you are comfortable with them.
Grooming
A well cared for Goldendoodle will maintain a beautiful coat and feel great! Here are a few of our thoughts and favorite supplies to help. Be patient with yourself and family as you become familiar with new tools and that curly/ wavy coat we adore.
Your puppy’s nails will be clipped when you get her – you’ll need to keep them trimmed. Frequency depends on what surface your new puppy spends time on. Concrete sidewalks and patios will keep the nails shorter than if you are only walking her in grass. Short, well-trimmed nails will help small children enjoy your new puppy as she wants to jump up and climb into a lap! Don’t forget the dew claws (like thumb nails). You’ll also need to keep your new puppies ears clean and free of excess hair. Talk with your vet about appropriate ways to do that.
We use a slicker brush for grooming. If the hair gets very tangled a dematting comb can be useful. We highly recommend brushing your dog frequently. The areas to look for the most tangles is close to the skin along the tail, ears & legs.
Most families prefer to bring their pup to a groomer for hair trimmings. If the tangles are tended to frequently there should be no need to shave your Goldendoodle short. We recommend the Andis clipper for the few families who would like to do their own grooming. The 3 3/4 FC blade is used along the back / chest. The 5FC is used for the bottom area. Along the belly and under the arms we recommend the 7FC. We use scissors for the face, head, legs, ears & tail. Trimming the hair around the eyes is recommended between grooming sessions. You may feel more comfortable using a rounded tip scissor. Quality grooming supplies do make a difference.
For bath time we like to use products by Earthbath- Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo & Conditioner. We also like Isle of Dogs- Silky Coating Shampoo & Conditioner.
Teething
As new teeth are coming in they will need plenty of chew toys. We have been happy with the products by Nylabone. We recommend never allowing your pup to chew on hands, fingers or anything off limits. Instead, offer a toy specifically for the puppy.
Dental health is important to the overall health of your dog. Introduce your pup to a tooth brush between eight and sixteen weeks of age. The more acquainted they are will make teeth brushing easier when they become an adult. Brushing your dogs teeth will remove plaque and tartar build up.
Nutrition
Dog Foog
We are currently using the puppy recipe from Taste of the Wild, High Prairie, Puppy. If you are going to use a different recipe, blend the new food with the current food increasing the new proportion gradually until the Taste of the Wild portion goes to zero. It is very convenient to have Chewy.com deliver to your home. Chewy has free shipping on purchases over $49. Excellent service and prices!
Puppies should be fed 3-4 times per day. We offer them about 1/2 cup of food allowing them to eat as little or as much as they like to at the feeding time.
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Supplements
Our dogs take a daily supplement by NuVet for total body support. We have noticed a healthier coat and weight while using this supplement and highly suggest that each of our puppy parents keep their pup on NuVet to support their overall health.
Hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are using NuVet Plus to provide optimal health and a strong immune system. A strong immune system will protect them from environmental and food toxins such as back yard pesticides, hormones, toxic formaldehyde in furniture and carpeting. NuVet Plus also supports proper development as well as a beautiful skin and coat. This is not just a vitamin. It’s an immune system builder with a precise balance of vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, amino acids and high-potency antioxidants. That’s why it works so well through all three stages of a dog’s life. For your convenience, you may order directly from the manufacturer by calling 800-474-7044 and using Order Code: 12765, or ordering online. You can also save an additional 15% and assure you never run out of NuVet by choosing the “AutoShip” option at check out.
Treats
Rewarding your puppy for good behavior is a sign they can interpret you are pleased with them. Verbal praise and treats are highly effective. A piece of kibble from their daily puppy food makes an excellent treat. Specifically formulated treats we recommend are Wellness puppy. Use treats in moderation.
Training
Gentle Correction
Doodles are extremely smart and should be easy to train with consistency. Using a loving strict or stern voice should be quite effective with your new puppy. Just like children, they respond extremely well to positive attention.
Puppies will want to chew and sometimes what they choose is inappropriate. Light taps with a “no bite” response from you should suffice as you replace your fingers or object with their own chew toy. We like to have chew toys near by!
Constantly let your pup know what behavior is good and what you want him to do, even if its just sitting by your feet in the kitchen or snuggling on your lap. Their favorite reward of all is of course your loving praise, Goldendoodles are so smart & eager to please!
Potty Training Tips
Our pups begin the potty training process at 5 weeks of age. The puppies are raised in a playpen setup with their litter mates. We take them out to the bathroom several times throughout the day. By the time pups go home they are very familiar with the idea of going potty outside.
When you get them home, you will want to further their potty training and consistency is probably the most important aspect of it. You may experience a little bit of looseness in the stool due to the stress of the new home – this should not last more than a couple of days. Your puppy will have accidents and will not like being alone in her new crate (without siblings!). We like to take pups out as their activity level changes i.e waking up from a nap, vigorous play, after eating- 10 minutes give or take. The pups will typically go to the bathroom within the first 1-5 minutes of being outside. It is best to outlast her and start off on the right foot in your training.
Your pup will only have about 4 hours of bladder control at 8 weeks, so frequent breaks are quite helpful. When taking your pup out in the night or early hours try to lengthen the time by an hour if she is not having a potty accident. If your pup is soiling her area take her out an hour earlier. If you choose to have a middle of the night potty break – I recommend you not make this a play time, strictly business! 🙂 Or she may look forward to her midnight play date with you for quite some time!
Crate Training
We recommend you do some kind of crate training with your new puppy. The containment you provide is up to you. The smaller / more confining (within reason) the area is, the more secure and comfortable the puppy will be. There are crates available with dividers so the crate can grow as your puppy does. Your puppy will likely have a few accidents and want to chew on his bedding. Try at first placing towels in the crate as your pups bed. They also stay clean and dry if your puppy has an accident in the crate. We use the 30 in Midwest crate & adjust the divider as the puppy grows.
Some Families like to set up a puppy play yard- like we have here with our pups. We use the IRIS Exercise Play Yard and a whelping mat – 72×72 in. by EZwhelp. In this setting we give them a raised food and water bowl. Some families also choose to put their pups kennel in their play yard. The play yard is very handy when you want to be with your pup but cannot give them 100% supervision. A great place for independent play time! The play yard is from Chewy.com the whelping mat is from Amazon.
If you notice your puppy growing tired or irritable a little bit of his own space or quiet time can be very helpful. Puppies are very much like babies & toddlers!
Accessories
Water & Food Bowls
You may decide to feed your puppy in their crate. It is helpful to keep the food and water up where they cannot get into it. Food and waterers that hang on the walls of the crate are a great idea for neatness. Especially to prevent messes when your puppy is excited to see you & play!
Feeding your puppy in the play yard we recommend using raised bowls & water they seem to get stepped in or spilled less if they are off the ground.
Toys
Providing your pup with toys is entertaining for them and fun for the whole family. Help your pup to discover their new toys and the fun they can have! Showing them how the toy squeeks, moves, etc. Encourage personal play time. It is important for your dog to know what is his and what is yours.
Your pup will love playtime bonding with you!
Comfort
Soothe your puppy with soft blankets, beds & warmth. Our pups love to take their naps on a heating pad with white noise!
Harness & Leash
When your pup first gets home she will not be accustomed to the idea of using a leash. When going out for a walk we recommend using a harness. Start with a small sized harness & collar as your pup grows you likely need a medium.
Going Home
Gift Bag
Your pup will be sent home with a few samples of food & supplements. You will recieve a folder with veterinary records, micro chip ID information & puppy purchase agreement.
We will send along a lovey blanket & toy with mom and siblings scent on it for the car ride. They find this very comforting. Your pup will just want to be snuggled all the way home. 🙂
