Week 1 Update:

It’s hard to believe that the puppies are already 1 week old! They are growing fast and thriving! They may seem incredibly small, but they have more than doubled her birth weight! We weigh the pups 2 times a day the first week, and once we confirm they are consistently gaining weight then we switch to weighing them once a day. 

For the first few nights after the puppies were born, I was up quite a bit to make sure Heidi & the puppies were doing well. Heidi needed coaxing to go to the bathroom, drink, and eat the first few days. She’s so devoted to her puppy that she neglects her own needs! After the first few days, Heidi starts coming downstairs briefly to say hello, but then she quickly runs back upstairs to her puppies. Yesterday, I started taking her on short 10 minute walks so that she can get out and stretch her legs a bit. She seems to appreciate the break! We are letting Heidi eat as much as she wants since she needs a lot of extra calories to be able to produce enough milk for her puppy. And of course, she is getting lots of pets, pampering, and treats!

On top of making sure her puppies are fed around the clock, Heidi also has to stimulate her puppies to go to the bathroom. She licks them so that they will eliminate. Pretty gross! But if Heidi didn’t take care of it, then I would have to do it with a washcloth- so I appreciate it! At this point the whelping box stays fairly clean with Heidi taking care of the messes! We use fabric incontinence pads in the whelping box that we change regularly. As the weeks go on, I will be in charge of cleaning up more and more of the messes! So I’m relaxing now, allowing Heidi to do the work while I can! 

On day 3 we started ENS (early neurological stimulation) and ESI (early scent introduction). Also known as the super dog program or bio-sensor, ENS involves stressing the puppies just slightly in very specific ways in order to improve their physiological response to stress in the future.

Early scent introduction is a training program of introducing new scents to a newborn puppy. ESI was designed to enhance a puppy’s ability to react and identify specific scents. It helps puppies gain awareness with their nose and boost their confidence. It’s an especially helpful training program for service and therapy dogs. Some examples are cinnamon sticks, dirt, cat fur, cloves, gravel, lavender, mint, and more. If doing something so simple and easy can improve a dog’s confidence and enhance a dog’s abilities at being a service or therapy dog- then I’m all in! The puppies seem to like smelling the different scents. They takes big whiffs! 

It’s amazing how well equipped puppies are to be able to crawl and find their mama to eat. They bob their heads back and forth and drag themselves towards her. We have noticed the puppies pulling themselves up higher each day. The puppies are unable to see or hear at this point. Their eyes will start to open in the next few days (usually at about 10 days old). Their ears will stay closed for a bit longer- about 3 weeks. Currently, they spend their day just eating and sleeping! They twitch and pop involuntarily during their sleep as she develops muscle tone. This is known as “activated sleep.” The pups also had their first nail clipping with an infant nail clipper, this way they will avoid scratching Heidi and each other, and it helps them to begin to get used to having their nails clipped.

Before we know it, they will graduate from crawling on their bellies and be up on all 4 legs running around! 

Getting Ready for your Puppy:

It’s never too soon to start getting ready for your puppy! Some things to consider are: Where will your puppy sleep? Have you considered a puppy socialization class? How do you get started on the right foot for potty training? There are many beneficial videos on YouTube that can help you get ready. 

I highly recommend crate training your puppy. Before your puppy comes home, she will be acquainted with a crate. When I move her to a larger area at around 4 weeks, there will be a crate that she will be able to check out and explore in her area. At 6-7 weeks she will sleep in a crate. So a crate will not feel like a scary or isolating thing for your puppy. Crate training makes potty training and keeping your puppy safe & out of mischief much easier. I would also recommend having your puppy sleep near you in their crate when they first come home. It will help her have a better association with the crate and will prevent her from feeling isolated. While crates will not be brand new to your puppy, it will still be an adjustment for them when they go to their furever homes.

Here’s a video from Baxter & Bella on crate training your puppy

There’s also a shorter version you could check out.

Baxter and Bella offers an online training service & offers a wealth of information via YouTube and through their podcast. They have a wealth of information on how to prepare for your puppy, week 1 with your puppy, and many training videos. I used their program for my dog Ember, and highly recommend watching their videos before your puppy comes home. They give useful tips on what to do when you bring your puppy home, potty training, crate training, bonding with your puppy, socializing your puppy, and training your puppy. I especially appreciate the Junior videos they have- it helps to teach children how to interact with dogs and teaches them tricks they can do with their puppy. You can get a lot of their information free on YouTube & through their podcast, but if you would like to purchase their full program you can get 25% off with the coupon code “landofgoshen.”

Week 2 Update:

It’s incredible how much the puppies have grown in just one week! On day 10, we noticed their eyes beginning to open, and now they are nearly all the way open! It’s a gradual process that takes a few days, but it’s so exciting to watch it happen. Open eyes mean the puppies have entered into the transitional period, in which they will begin to be able to perceive the world around them and social behavior begins to appear. So we should start seeing more & more of their sweet little personalities! Now that they are able to see, I will start putting a small new item in their whelping box everyday for them to check out. The items will just be simple ordinary things that have different textures- like a package of wipes, a tennis ball, and different toys. I’ll keep the number of items in her whelping box to a minimum, as It’s important to not clutter their living area as they are learning to walk. The pups still spend most of their days sleeping and continue to have activated sleep, building their muscles for all the running and exploring they will be doing soon! We purposely ensure that the material in her whelping box is covered with a surface that will help them to have good traction to aid their developing bones and muscles as they begin to pull themselves up and walk more. They have just began taking wobbly steps! We plan to keep them in the whelping box until they start climbing out of it at around 3 ½ to 4 weeks old. Once puppies are attempting to climb out to explore, we know they are ready for a bigger living space with more interaction with people. 

All the puppies are over 2 lbs now! We will continue to weigh them everyday, and ENS & ESI will continue until they are 16 days old. Frequent nail clippings have become a necessity, as their little thin nails are sharp and we want to prevent them from scratching Heidi when they nurse. Furthermore,  it’s best to familiarize puppies with nail clipping young since they will have to have their nails clipped regularly all throughout their lives. The puppies also received their first worming treatment. We use a brand called Nemex 2 and they loved it, swallowing it willingly. They will be dewormed again at 4, 6, and 8 weeks. We also will take a fecal sample to  the vet appointment (at 6-7 weeks) to ensure they’re free of parasites. 

It’s important that we interact with the puppies everyday to start their socialization process- which is easy for us as it’s our favorite part about having puppies! We also do easy but intentional activities as we work to begin their socialization. Such as we put them on a tile floor for a bit so they could experience being on a different type of surface than they are typically on. And I also held each of them on our front porch for a minute so they could feel and smell the fresh air.

The puppies just keep getting cuter & are growing so fast! I can’t wait to see them running around and playing!

Getting Ready for Your Puppy:

How do you socialize your puppy? Your puppy’s socialization will start in my home and will need to be carried on by you. Proactively socializing your puppy is important. Puppies have what is called “critical socialization period” between 3-16 weeks of age. The puppy’s experiences during this period of learning and development can influence and shape their temperament and behavior as an adult. Providing plenty of opportunities to introduce your puppy to many new sights, sounds, smells, people, places, super friendly (healthy and vaccinated) dogs & animals, and experiences, keeping each interaction short, sweet, and positive- will ensure your puppy will grow into a well adjusted dog. It’s a big responsibility but one that can be fun & will certainly be impactful! I highly recommend that you look into puppy socialization classes.  Here’s an article from the AKC that gives you a brief overview on puppy socialization.

Week 3 Update:

The puppies are continuing to grow and thrive, and all their eyes are wide open now.  We just love seeing them be able to focus on their surroundings and us.

We’ve continued putting small items into their whelping box for them to check out, and we’ve seen them walk up to the items and investigate. They were very intrigued by a baby toy that had a mirror on it.  Even being so young, they are so inquisitive! All are getting around well, but they are still a bit wobbly on their feet (which is normal until 4-5 weeks). Each week they will get better at running around as their muscles continue to develop.

Their need for social interaction is increasing and we have been seeing them play with each other, Heidi, and they will even totter over to us and climb into our laps! We are hearing more little barks and playful puppy growls.

We have noticed that some of the puppies are beginning to be able to hear (as we have seen some startle when they hear one of their siblings bark or us approaching), so this week we will begin to introduce a cd that has recordings of thunderstorms, fireworks, sirens, babies crying, and other noises to help desensitize them to noises that can sometimes create anxiety in dogs. We will also play soothing classical music. Just as classical music is known to be good for developing babies’ brains, it’s also good for the puppies!

We are intentional for the puppies to experience new things everyday. A couple days ago we took them downstairs into our family room for the first time. For young puppies, it’s simple things like simply taking them downstairs that makes big contributions to socializing them and helping them to become more confident. We’re hoping for a warmer dry day next week so we can bring them outside briefly, which will open up a world of possibilities for them to explore!  Each week they will continue to mature and be ready to experience more things, people, and places. Some of the puppies have started pulling themselves up the whelping box to peer over the edge, so it won’t be long before they graduate to their new pen! 

Getting Ready for Your Puppy

Finding a vet 

Now is a good time to find a vet. Your puppy will be vet checked, receive their first set of vaccines, have a stool sampled checked, and be microchipped by Dr. Baum at Hopewell Animal Hospital. They will be ready for their 2nd rounds of vaccinations at 9-11 weeks old. Some vets prefer to see new pets within a few days after you bring them home, so be sure to call your vet and see what they recommend. Be sure to bring treats to make sure the vet is a positive experience for your puppy! 

Bonding 

Bonding with your puppy right away is just as pivotal as socializing your puppy. In fact, bonding with your dog comes before training her. Having a strong bond with your puppy will ensure your dog feels comfortable and safe around you, which will make training easier. Over time and with some effort, your bond with your pup will become unbreakable and help you to enjoy your dog to the fullest.

Bonding starts right when you bring your puppy home. As you drive home, petting your pup and talking to her in a soothing voice to reassure her will go a long way with getting her to adjust & trust you. Setting up routines for your puppy will also contribute to her bonding with you as puppies like to know what to expect. Feeding, training, cuddling, playing and grooming/handling are all part of bonding with your dog.

Here are a few tips I have learned to quickly establish a bond: 

1. Have someone on the car ride home who can devote all their attention on the puppy. 
2. Establish the area you want your puppy to go potty and take them there every 30 minutes while they are awake and out of their crate (this could be more often at first). 
3. Be sure to give the puppy space when you get home (let her nap when she wants and let her approach you more than you reach out to grab her). It’s important to stay close to her, but it can be overwhelming if a lot of people are surrounding her and if she is constantly being held and hugged. 
4. Play with your puppy. Be careful to always use toys when playing with puppies. Puppies bite when playing, so you want them to be biting on toys and not your fingers! Be careful to have your kids not play games to have your puppy chase them. This could lead to the puppy becoming overly excited and jumping on & nipping them. 
5. Let your puppy sleep in your room in her crate next to you, at least at first. I find putting the crate on my nightstand the first few nights helps me and the puppy to sleep better (If I know my puppy doesn’t need to go potty when she whines, I just put my hand on the crate and that helps her to settle) and helps the puppy to feel very attached to you. You could even plan to sleep on the couch next to her crate the first few nights.
6. Sit on the floor next to your puppy. 
7. Take naps with your puppy (my favorite bonding activity!).
8. Be easy on yourself and your puppy the first few months. It takes time to settle into new routines, potty training, etc. Patience and consistency are key. 
9. Redirect your puppy rather than scold her. And remember, puppies who are getting into a lot of mischief & aren’t responding to being redirected, generally are tired puppies who need to nap! 
10. Utilize food. Whether feeding your puppy her regular meal or using treats to train, food is a sure way to a dog’s heart. Training with treats is also a great way to redirect your dog. Be careful to introduce new treats slowly to puppies to make sure it doesn’t upset their tummies.
11. Take time to fully enjoy your puppy.  Life gets busy or maybe we start to focus more on training our puppy than actually enjoying her, and as a result we neglect giving her the affection she needs. Dogs are such social creatures and need your love and attention to thrive. 

Here’s a video from Timberidge Goldendoodles on bonding & body handling activities to do with your puppy.

Just like socializing your puppy, bonding with your puppy will continue throughout her whole life. It’s important to remember when the new puppy stage wears off & you’re in the thick of training & you find yourself feeling frustrated, to take a step back and work on bonding for the day instead. It will make training the next day go so much smoother the next day!

Here’s a video from Baxter & Bella on bonding with your puppy.

Week 4 Update:

What another big week it has been for Heidi’s fur babies! They are all walking like champs-and even running, their teeth have started to emerge, they started drinking goat’s milk & even some softened puppy food, and are now spending most of their time in their downstairs area!

Last week, the puppies began showing interest in Heidi’s food. We were surprised to find a couple of puppies had even started chomping on her food! We took that as our sign that they were ready for food other than mom’s milk! So we started with just giving them goat’s milk, and they loved it & readily lapped it up! We transitioned to giving them goat’s milk twice a day and yesterday started giving them their puppy kibble softened in goat’s milk. They all adored the softened kibble & had no problems eating it. We will continue to give them softened kibble throughout the week & by next week start mixing in kibble that isn’t softened into it. Check out my reel on Instagram to see how the puppies reacted to their first meal!

We also have set up their downstairs’ pen. It became obvious that they were ready to interact with our family more as every time we would go into their upstairs’ room they would jump up and eagerly greet us and want attention. The pen is small (for now) with a crate attached to it (it’s secured to stay open so they can go in and out as they please).They already are making positive associations with the crate &  love to pile up into the crate and take naps together. We have even found Heidi snuggled up in the crate with the puppies even though the crate is much too small for her!

We started off having the puppies downstairs for small increments of time, but quickly were able to transition to having them downstairs from morning to evening. They are still spending the night in the upstairs’ whelping room but will transition to sleeping downstairs in their new area this week. 

The weather seems like it’s going to cooperate for us to start getting the puppies outside more. We have held them outside for brief periods of time, but the frigid cold temperatures & snow has prevented us from being able to let the pups experience the great outdoors & start having them potty outside as often as possible! 

These puppies are so loveable! We just adore them & my kids love how snuggly they are! The puppies love interacting with us & are starting to play with each other a lot. There’s lots of puppy wrestling going on! We are so looking forward to this next week with the puppies and being able to play with them & receive their snuggles! Here’s a reel with the 4 week highlights!

Getting Ready for Your Puppy:

Dog Food

Have you thought about what dog food you will use for your puppy? Your puppy will go home with a large baggie of the kibble we will be using TLC puppy food . You will want to order that food for your puppy or the food you plan to switch your puppy to. If you plan to use a different type of food, be sure you slowly switch your puppy to their new food. Also, be sure to avoid brands that have more than one legume or lentil in the ingredients. Meat is largely water and needs to be dehydrated to be made into dry kibble. In order for kibble to maintain a nice shape and stick together, a binder is needed. Generally, grains are used for binders, but in some foods (especially grain-free foods), legumes and lentils are used to hold the kibble together. Dog food companies are aware that pet owners want to see “meat” as the first ingredient, so they do what’s called ingredient splitting. Peas or other legumes will be broken down into various parts on the ingredient list (i.e. pea protein, pea flour, pea fiber) so that they seem like a minor ingredient when in reality legumes & lentils are actually a weightier part of the kibble recipe. Various research studies have linked this regular consumption of legumes & lentils to a heart condition called dilated cardiac myelopathy (DCM for short). Please carefully choose your puppy’s food, making sure that legumes are a very minor portion of the ingredients.

Here are other suggestions of things you will need to get for your puppy my website.

Preparing your home

Puppy proofing your home is a lot like baby proofing your home. Your puppy will chew on things! Be sure to make sure you put away all things you don’t want your puppy to chew on & have things handy to give your puppy when they are chewing on things like your furniture. We have found calmly saying, “No” and giving our puppies something else suitable to chew on has been all that is needed to teach puppies not to chew on our things. It just requires lots of watching your puppy and plenty of patience!  If your puppy finds a stray sock or something else, never chase your puppy to get the item from them. Get a tasty treat or a toy they can’t resist and simply swap them. More often than not, the puppy is more than willing to make the trade. Chasing a puppy around to get the item makes it a really fun game that they will purposely want to recreate.  Furthermore, limiting the space your puppy is able to access helps prevent them from getting into mischief and makes potty training easier. 

Baxter and Bella have a podcast that covers nearly everything to get you ready for your new puppy and beyond. Some topics include the first 3 days with your puppy, puppies with babies, introducing your puppy to household pets, puppies and kids, potty training, crate training, and so much more. Be sure to check it out! All of the episodes are kept short and to the point.

Week 5 Update:

5 weeks is such a fun age for puppies! The puppies adore our company( and the feeling is mutual)! Whenever they are awake they want to be with us. They love to play with toys, and we try to introduce them to new ones everyday. They especially liked the tunnel they played with this week.

The puppies are now eating softened puppy food four times a day. The softened kibble is a perfect meal as their teeth are coming in. Over the next few weeks that the puppies are with us, we will slowly increase the amount of dry kibble in their food so that will be eating just dry kibble when they go home. We also have began limiting how often Heidi is with the puppies to begin the weaning process. We let her nurse her puppies 3 times a day only and she no longer sleeps with the puppies. Otherwise, I think Heidi would be content to nurse them forever! This week we will begin to lock the puppies in the crate all together at night (with an area to go potty). They already view the crate as their resting spot, so locking it up at night is the next step for them to get used to the crate. By the time they go home, they will all have slept in a crate on their own. My hope is that this will make crate training your puppy easier.

The puppies also got a larger living space & new playmates! We expanded their downstairs’ area & brought Ember’s puppies downstairs. We have been keeping them in their whelping box within the pen to help acclimate both litters to each other before combining them together. All the puppies have been thrilled with the new space & with new playmates. Ember’s puppies climb out of their whelping box to be with Heidi’s pups, and Heidi’s pups climb into their whelping box to cuddle. So needless to say, they are acclimated and we will be taking out the whelping box soon to let them all play, eat, and cuddle with each other. I can’t wait for a 14 puppy pile!

Preparing For Your Puppy:

The Importance of Naps

Like young children, puppies need plenty of naps! Making sure your puppy gets enough rest is essential to curbing bad behaviors and ensures your puppy will be healthy and happy.

Here’s what Timberidge Goldendoodles has to say on napping:

Think about a napping place – The puppies spend most of their lives sleeping now, but did you know that your new furbaby is going to need lots of sleep when you bring her home, too? Puppies, just like small children, require naps throughout the day. When your puppy is sleeping, try to allow her to rest untouched (it’s okay for noisy life to carry on around her while she snoozes, but it’s best not to physically disturb her as much as possible). This may mean that you need to guide her to a different spot than the one she’s initially chosen. Puppy Culture estimates that an 8-10 week old puppy sleeps 3 hours and then is awake for 1 hour before going back down for another nap. Puppies are like little children – sometimes they don’t realize that you’re tired and need you to put them down for a nap. Puppies can get over stimulated and become overly tired just like toddlers. It’s your job to help regulate them. AKC gives some helpful insight into the importance of puppy sleep (You can read the whole of the article here.):

Although puppies may seem like little bundles of energy, in fact, they sleep 15-20 hours a day. One minute your puppy may be a miniature tornado, and the next he’s fallen soundly asleep, almost mid-activity. Sleep is essential to healthy growth: during sleep his central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles are developing. All of that sleep also helps him rest up during growth spurts… household members, especially children, should leave your puppy alone while he is sleeping. Plan his day so that active time is followed by quiet time for sleep. He’ll most likely be ready for a nap after playtime or a walk, sleep for a while and then wake up ready for anything. Your puppy may nap every hour or so, sleeping from 30 minutes to as long as two hours. All of this sleep is perfectly normal.

Jane Reisen from the American Kennel Club (AKC)

Week 6 Update:

The puppies are such a joy! They are so active and playful one moment, and the next they have passed out & take one of their many naps. They are curious and always want to play and show affection.

Both litters of puppies are together now. They are all the best of friends. They play, sleep, eat, and cuddle together. It is so cute watching all 14 puppies interact with one another.

I’ll be sending your puppy home with a blanket that smells like mom & their littermates, but you are also welcome to send your puppy a Snuggle Puppy or some other toy to our house for us to get all the smells of mom & siblings on it to help for a smooth transition when they go home.

This week they have started to doing the majority of their potties outside. While this is a ton of work for our family, it gives them an excellent start to potty training & keeps us from having more messes to clean inside. We are thankful for the beautiful weather this week which makes getting them all outside much easier! We take them outside right when they wake up in the morning & then every time they wake up from napping. Of course if one puppy wake up, they all wake up! So it’s a bit of a scramble that whole family helps with to get them all outside! While we have set up a pen outside to contain the puppies, we always stay outside with them to make sure they stay safe.

In addition to potty training, we are also working on crate training. Last week, we began locking 3-4 puppies in crates together overnight. Since they are so young, we put a potty tray in the crate with them. We keep them in the crate for 6-7 hours, and typically the potty trays stay dry. We put the puppies in the crates when they are sleepy and they have happily gone to bed without any protesting & even stayed quiet throughout the night. We will start securing them in their crates during the day for periods of time this week. Our goal is to help the puppies view their crates as a safe resting spot for when they go to their new homes.

We are consistently seeking opportunities to socialize the puppies. Some experiences they had this week are they got to meet our friendly pet turkey Joe, visited our goats & got to explore a different part of our property, spent one on one time with us, got their paws wet in a bathtub, have seen me open and close an umbrella (you’ll thank me when you have to take them out to potty in the rain!), took a ride in a doggie stroller, had short car rides, were given new toys and random items to investigate, and many other things.

We only have 2 weeks until the puppies are 8 weeks old and are ready to go to their new homes! We are soaking in this short time we get to spend with them!

Preparing For Your Puppy:

Potty Training

My hope is that our efforts of working on potty training while the puppies are with us will make potty training go smoothly when you bring your puppy home. Already they seem to prefer to go potty outside rather than inside. We have even noticed that when they wake up from their naps, they calmly sit by the gate for us to come and get them to bring them outside. But nonetheless, measures will have to be taken when you bring your puppy home to carry on with potty training.

Potty training your puppy will start right when you get your puppy. Before you leave my house, we will try to get your puppy to go potty. If you have a long car (I’d say over an hour), you’ll likely have to stop for a potty break. Be sure to do your best to avoid rest stops and other places where other dogs frequent to help prevent your puppy from catching germs. When you get home, the first thing you will do is bring your puppy to their potty location. When the pups go potty outside at our house, I say, “ Yes. Good potty.” You don’t necessarily have to say what I do, but be sure to encourage your dog as they go potty and use the word you plan to call it so they become familiar with it.  Your puppy will need to go potty every 30 minutes (could be as often as 20 minutes at first) while they are awake or right when they wake up when they first come home. This may seem excessive, but if you put in the work early on you will set the tone for potty training and make the process go more smoothly. And really your puppy will nap a lot the first few weeks, so it’s more realistic to get them out every 30 minutes when they are awake than you would think. I set a timer on my watch so I will remember. You will have to use discretion & trial and error as you seek to extend the time in between potty breaks.

Even if you have a fenced in backyard, I highly recommend that you commit to go outside with your pup when they go potty. Puppies are notorious for getting distracted and not going potty, then they will come in and go in the house! Potty training a puppy is a lot like potty training a toddler. It requires lots of potty trips and yet accidents will happen no matter how diligent you are! So be prepared to have lots of patience & remind yourself that this phase will not last long! 

It’s also important for you not to scold or discipline your puppy when they do have accidents in the house. If you catch them going potty, you can make noise to startle them to stop them from going, then quickly bring them outside (and be sure to praise regardless if they started to go inside, if they finish outside). But if you happen upon a mess, you just clean it up and make a plan to bring your pup out more frequently. Your puppy will not understand why you are scolding her.  Be sure to have a cleaner that is able to totally eliminate the odor so they don’t smell it later and think it is an okay spot to go. 

Having your puppy on a schedule, utilizing a crate, and limiting food and water intake in the evening will also help to get your puppy potty trained. Don’t be surprised if they need middle of the night potty trips. When you take them out to potty in the middle of the night, it’s important that you say and interact with your dog very little. You take them out, let them potty (you can tell them “Yes. Good potty!”), then you put them back to bed. If you talk to your dog and give her too much attention she will likely not want to go back to bed. I find if I go to bed a bit later and wake up a bit earlier, the night awakenings last no more than a week. 

Here’s a video with more information on potty training:

Age Appropriate Exercises

We’ve all heard the adage, “a tired dog is a happy dog.” And yes, a dog who has been provided with stimulation & proper exercise and play are dogs who are certainly more content and happy. Yet, there are proper precautions that must be taken with puppies as they are growing and developing. Be sure to ask your vet and look over Puppy Culture’s exercise chart for guidelines and tips on age appropriate exercise for your puppy.

This is what Timberidge Goldendoodles has to say on this topic:

Familiarize yourself with what sorts of activities are appropriate for your puppy at different stages of development. You want to give your puppy a variety of unique positive experiences, but your puppy is still growing & developing, so you don’t want to push your puppy too far. For instance, climbing up one to two stairs is an appropriate challenge but climbing a flight of stairs is not a good idea for a young puppy (a study done on 500 dogs showed that puppies allowed to climb a flight of stairs regularly before 3 months old were more likely to develop hip dysplasia). Remember, free running and playing is a great option because your puppy can rest whenever she feels inclined to do so. If you’d like to read more about puppy exercise, check out AviDog’s puppy exercise guidelines. This article from AKC also gives some helpful puppy exercise tips.

Week 7 Update:

S E V E N weeks! In just one short week, these sweet little fluffballs will be ready to join their new families, and they are ready! It’s incredible how social they have become. More and more, they are beginning to prefer the company of humans over their littermates. They still play a ton with their littermates & it’s important for their development, but if they know we are around, they want out of their pen to be near to us. We rotate having small groups of puppies in our kitchen & family room throughout the day so they can spend time with us & be in a different environment. The puppies are learning that sitting quietly and waiting gets them selected to come out of their pen, rather than jumping and trying to climb out. This is referred to as “sit to say please” & can be used in many scenarios: going outside, before exiting their crate, before receiving meals, before getting pets, and so on. Here’s a Baxter and Bella video on “sitting to say please”

We have continued to make progress in crate training. The puppies sleep in pairs in their crates & this week will move to being in their own crate. Moreover, we have began implementing daytime crate training. Four times this week, the puppies spend 1-3 hours in their crates while I ran errands. My hope is this will make crate training easier for you. I’d recommend getting a tasty treat/bone that your dog only gets during their daytime crate time. A bully stick (be sure to get a holder for it) or a Kong filled with a frozen treat would be perfect!

Other than some quick sneaky suckles, the puppies are weaned. Heidi has been gradually weaning them the last few weeks, although Ember decided she would start nursing them instead! Ember has been very devoted with wanting to feed her pups & has been sneaking in nursing sessions! We bought a special shirt for Ember & now the puppies are essentially weaned other than occasionally sneaking a suckle. Both Heidi and Ember try to redirect their puppies to play when they attempt to nurse on them and will leave the room if they are being persistent to nurse. They now eat dry kibble 3 times a day.

We had beautiful weather for most of the week! This allowed us to spend plenty of time outside with the puppies. Not only did they love being outside, but it helped with reinforcing going potty outside. On Saturday, the weather took a turn and we had rain all day! At one point we took the puppies out to potty when it was only drizzling & then it started to suddenly downpour! The puppies handled it well & we were thankful for them to get more experience with a different type of weather, but what a mess! 14 wet puppies is no joke!

We also have started practicing having the puppies on a leash so that they are familiar with having a leash attached to them when they go to their new homes. Another new experience for the puppies was they got to meet our reclusive kitty, Tootsie. They did well & managed to not scare her (which says a lot because she scares easily!). And they got to get their feet wet in a kiddie swimming pool.

We are soaking up these last days with the puppies!

Getting Ready for Your Puppy:

This week I’m squeezing multiple topics that Timberidge Goldendoodle has highlighted in their blog.

Get ready to play educational games with your puppy

Did you know that there are fun games you can play with your puppy that teach him beneficial skills? It’s great to incorporate regular educational games into your puppy’s routine, so read through these suggestions, add any needed supplies to your puppy shopping list, and get ready for puppy playtime!

• Ball On The Wall – Encourages retrieving
  • Supplies: A ball that your puppy can carry in her mouth
  • How to play: Sit on the floor about 1-5’ from a wall. Put your legs in a “V” and sit facing the wall with your puppy between you and the wall. Toss the ball at the wall, encouraging your puppy to go after it. Give your puppy lots of praise when she brings the ball back! 
  • Variation: Once you’ve mastered Ball On The Wall, try playing retrieve in a hallway with all the doors closed (so your puppy can’t run away with the ball).
• Toy Trade – Prevents resource guarding
  • Supplies: A toy that your puppy likes but doesn’t highly value and a high value treat
  • How to play: Briefly play with your puppy using the toy. Ask your puppy for the toy by offering her a high value treat. Reward & praise her for giving you the toy, and give the toy back to her as soon as she finishes chewing. Gradually work on having her give you objects of higher value (i.e. a bone).
  • Variation: Work on teaching your puppy the command “give” and ask her to drop the toy/bone on command in exchange for the high value treat.
• Hide & Seek – Encourages recall
  • Supplies: Yummy treats
  • How to play: Run away from your puppy, hide behind a corner, tree, couch or other object, and call your puppy to encourage her to find you. When she does, give her lots of praise and a yummy treat.
  • Variation: Play Ping Pong by having a partner play with you and take turns hiding. While the first person is rewarding the puppy for coming, the second person hides.

Fostering the Child-Puppy Relationship

Goldendoodles are family dogs by nature, but there are a few steps you can take to help set your puppy and your kids up for a lifetime of friendship:

1. When your puppy is sleeping, let her sleep – your puppy is growing & developing, and she NEEDS that sleep. Teach your children to respect a sleeping puppy by not interrupting her. Your puppy’s crate should be her safe retreat. When she’s in her crate, allow her to enjoy safe, undisturbed quiet time- this doesn’t mean that you all need to tip toe quietly around when the puppies napping! It just means that when the puppy is napping, let her enjoy that peaceful sleep untouched and wake up on her own good time.
2. Involve your children in daily puppy care – allowing your children to participate in caring for the puppy will help grow the bond between them and their furry friend. It also helps the puppy learn associate good things with little people and helps her see the children as above her in the pack order. Younger children particularly love being helpers. Our kids enjoy (aka fight over) feeding the dogs, letting them out of their crates, opening the back door to let the dogs in/out, etc. We let them help brush the dogs with much supervision (remember, we want all puppy experiences to be POSITIVE!). Our children also love holding leashes on walks (children should only take your dog on a walk with adult supervision). If you don’t trust your puppy to not pull a young child over, you can attach two short leashes to one dog so both you & your child have a leash to hold. Be cognizant of your child’s age and maturity level. Older children can be more actively involved and younger children can be involved in smaller ways.
3. Encourage your children to play with the puppy – puppy nips and jumps can be intimidating for some children. Teaching children how to act calmly around a puppy and how to play intentional games such as fetch and educational games (see some suggestions under week 3) can help both the children and the puppy learn how to interact with each other. Explain to your children that your puppy isn’t trying to hurt them when she’s nipping – she’s asking them to play with her.
4. Include your children in puppy training – when you enroll your puppy in a puppy kindergarten class, ask about bringing your child along (assuming he’s old enough and mature enough to participate). Our children enjoy practicing sits and downs with our dogs, dolling out hotdog slivers to the eager participants. Our dogs think it’s great! Be sure to always supervise children/puppy training sessions.
5. Teach your children to respect the puppy – sometimes it’s challenging for children, especially young ones, to distinguish between their favorite stuffie and a real-life fluffy puppy. Many children need to be patiently taught to be gentle and kind with animals. “No hugging dogs” is a rule in our home because a preschooler bear hug around the neck is too much our small dogs (our dogs don’t mind but we’re afraid they might accidentally get hurt since they’re significantly smaller than the ones dolling out the hugs). If there are times when you aren’t able to supervise your children’s interaction with your puppy, it might be best (and safest) to put your puppy in her crate. Remember, that crate should be your puppy’s safe place. This article by AKC has more helpful tips about teaching children to respect dogs.
6. Teach your puppy to respect your children – sometimes children play with their puppy like they themselves are, well, a puppy. Young kids particularly may act like a dog when playing with their new furball. While you want your children to have fun with their puppy, you also want your puppy to know that your child is a leader who is to be respected and not a puppy littermate. Encouraging your children to care for the puppy (i.e. feeding), train the puppy (i.e. having the puppy do a few sits & downs each day), and do bonding exercises (see the above video in week 3). These are all are easy ways to help establish your child as a leader over your puppy and not a puppy peer. If you find that your puppy is particularly mouthy and jumpy with your child, your puppy is likely viewing your child as a littermate.
7. Establish a safe place for your dog, usually either a dog bed or crate. Teach your children that when the puppy is in her safe place, they need to let her alone and they may not touch her. Your puppy will learn that she can retreat to her safe place if she becomes overwhelmed with a situation or if she just needs a nap.

Week 8 Update:

8 WEEKS! The puppies are officially ready for their new homes, and we are busy! 3 puppies have already joined their new homes & 2 will join their new families this weekend. Even with just 3 puppies gone, the puppy pen is starting to feel empty! But yet, even with 3 gone, we are still very busy caring for the puppies! We miss the pups that have left dearly, but are so happy that our puppies have all found amazing families.

We took all 14 puppies to the vet on Friday March 24th. My husband was able to take a break from work & my daughter came along to help. All the puppies were given a clean bill of health & did so well at the visit. They were given their first set of vaccinations, microchipped, and received a thorough exam.

This week we have been busy reinforcing “sit to say please”, getting the pups used to leashes, brushing, body handling, and squeezing in all the socialization we can before they leave. The puppies desire human interaction & it’s been a lot of work making sure their human social needs are met. I always know puppies are ready for their new families when I find they would prefer to hang out with humans rather than their littermates.

We are continuing to work on potty training & crate training. Whenever possible the pups are brought outside to potty. They have been spending 1-21/2 hour periods in their crate when I have to take my kids to various activities & sleep in their crates for 7 hours overnight.

Getting Ready for Your Puppy:

This week I’m squeezing multiple topics that Timberidge Goldendoodle has highlighted in their blog.

Grooming

Your puppy has had her nails clipped and hair trimmed during her time with us, so she has already had her initial introduction to a lifetime of being groomed. Take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations. The groomer will bathe her, trim the hair out of her eyes, give her a sanitary clip, and trim her nails. Since she will need regular grooming throughout her life, both she and the groomer will benefit if she becomes accustomed to being groomed from a young age, even before she’s ready for a full haircut. 

When should she have her first big girl haircut? The wavy adult coat will start replacing the soft, fluffy puppy coat around 5-6 months of age. You’ll notice the new hair coming in is kinkier than the pure fluff on top. Waiting to cut the hair until the adult coat makes its debut beneath the layers of puppy plush helps ensure that the adult coat remains soft. Many poodle groomers and poodle fanciers claim that shaving a poodle or goldendoodle down before her adult coat starts coming in could damage the adult coat, affecting the texture. While there isn’t any substantiated evidence that this is true (at least that I can find), it’s worth avoiding just in case. That doesn’t mean that your puppy might not benefit from a puppy clip in the meantime! Don’t let your puppy’s hair get out of control! As aforementioned, take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations. When the time comes, check out the grooming section on our website for a variety of goldendoodle haircut pictures. Learn more about your Goldendoodle puppy’s first trip to the groomer. We have a plethora of haircut resources under the “grooming” tab on the main menu bar.

Waiting until 6 months for the first full big girl clip does NOT mean you’re off the hook for grooming at home! You should regularly groom your puppy: brushing her hair, cleaning her ears, brushing her teeth, clipping her toenails, and checking her for any anomalies (i.e. ticks, cuts, etc.). You want your puppy to become accustomed to being brushed and handled all over from a young age. We HIGHLY recommend doing regular bonding/body handling exercises with your puppy. Goldendoodles are a breed that likes routines (thanks to those poodle ancestors), so it’s nice to do bonding exercises every night just before your put your puppy in her crate for bed. It’s easy to incorporate different parts of grooming into your nightly bonding exercises, just doing a little here and a little there since young puppies don’t have the attention span for lots of grooming at once.

The best way to prepare for a puppy is to prepare yourself!

Baxter & Bella: first 2 weeks with a new puppy videos are all short 1-3 minute videos that are helpful to watch. You’ll learn how to teach your puppy and get ideas for establishing good behaviors from day one. These videos show Amy Jensen training Chili, her young doodle puppy.

• Puppy pen & day one crate introduction
• Impulse control
• Toy trade game and building a marker 
• Mat work & teaching your puppy to settle
• Teaching your puppy to sit to say “please”
• Settling in a crate, redirecting
• Come
• Keeping an eye on your puppy while you’re being productive & preventing resource guarding
• Helping your puppy enjoy being brushed
• Introducing a harness or therapy vest
• Walking on a leash
• “Drop it” command
• Example of a puppy-sized training session (training sessions should only be 1-2 minutes long for an 8-10 week old puppy)

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Getting a new puppy? Here are the supplies that I recommend that you have. Unless I mention otherwise, I don’t necessarily recommend these specific items. I’m just trying to give you a basic idea of what you will need.

Essentials:

Food:

Grooming & Keeping things clean

Training and Toys

*** I am an Amazon affiliate***

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