The move to a new home will cause some stress to your new puppy. He/she will love all the attention that you are able to give. Your pup will however miss his/her siblings and mother...as well as our family. Sometimes the stress of this adjustment causes the puppy's stool to be soft. It shouldn't last long, but if this happens try feeding him/her pure canned pumpkin...not pie filling. The organic kind can be found at Whole Foods…one tablespoon to food once or twice a day for one or two days should help. However doodles can sometimes have a sensitivity to foods. You may have to make some adjustments to the brand of food you use.
Obedience Classes:
Baxter and Bella offer a lifetime membership to their online training. If you will sign up with them a week or two before you get your puppy, they will give you tons of advice on preparing for your puppy and how to start right with the training. They offer training classes and a lifetime of support. www.baxterandbella.com If you use the code: gorgeous , you will get 25% off the already low lifetime membership price! This online program works in conjunction with in person training classes. Even if you have trained your own dogs in the past, this program has a wealth of information and excellent training to help even experienced trainers!
I suggest that all puppies take at least one or two group training classes with a good positive trainer. Going to obedience classes tough by a qualified positive obedience trainer will benefit you and your puppy. This time with your puppy will help you learn to communicate with your puppy. It is also a wonderful bonding time. My dogs always love going to obedience classes. It is also a great way for your puppy to be around other puppies and people. Every cent you spend in training your puppy with be an investment with GREAT return! It is important to choose a positive obedience trainer. Here is a link to Find a Trainer in you’r area. I highly suggest using one of these qualified positive trainers!:
https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/zip-code-search
also: https://karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer/#!directory/map
I also recommend the Puppy Culture training videos: https://shoppuppyculture.com/
Another wonderful program I recommend in addition to training class is Baxter and Bella Online Puppy School. They offer everything you need for trainging for a lifetime. They will also give you a 25% off discount if you use the code: GORGEOUS www.baxterandbella.com
Potty Training:
Your puppy was litter box trained starting at three weeks old. It is accustomed to going in a potty area and not in it play/sleep area. This makes training your puppy to potty outside easier. Your new puppy will need to potty very often. I suggest taking him/her out as soon as he/she eats, when he wakes from a nap, when he is taken out of the crate, early AM, and late PM, and anytime it has been a while since he/she has been out. When you are not watching your puppy leave it in the crate or small play area. It is important to "catch" your puppy if it has a potty accident so you can take it outside right away. If you see your puppy start to squat say “outside” and pick it up and take it outside and then say "go potty" (or whatever term you use). You should also reward when puppy “goes potty” outside. If you are using the bell, make sure to help your puppy to ring the bell when you take it out to potty each time.
Crate training is highly recommended as an effective and safe way to potty train a puppy. I have started the crate training process here. There are many types of crates available. I recommend getting a crate that will fit your dog as an adult…one with two doors is best. A good size for a Petite Goldendoodle size is 30-inch, Mini Goldendoodle is 32-inch size. Medium Goldendoodle is 36-inch. Get one that has a divider so it won’t be too big at first. The basis of crate training uses the idea that a dog does not like to soil its bed area to facilitate house breaking. The crate should be used anytime you cannot give your puppy your undivided attention. These times may include: dinnertime, cleaning the house, etc. If the puppy is unattended for any length of time it will have an accident. I do recommend confining the puppy to whatever area you are in to watch for behaviors that indicate the puppy needs to go potty. The puppy may need to go to the bathroom every 3-4 hours when crated and even more frequently if it is out in the house playing (every 30-45 minutes), but with time 4 to 8 hours can be achieved. Taking the puppy outside to its designated area, giving it its command to potty, and praising it for good behavior will aid greatly in house breaking. Treats can also be used to help the puppy want to go outdoors to potty. The emphasis on praise versus discipline produces better house breaking results! Correcting the puppy after the fact (without catching it in the act) only confuses the puppy since it has no clue why you are correcting him at that point in time. A towel and a few toys are recommended for use in the crate. The puppy will try very hard not to urinate or defecate in the crate once it gets used to it. In time, the puppy will be able to go as long as 6 to 8 hours if necessary in the crate without an accident. Some people also hang a bell on the door and teach the puppy to ring the bell when it needs to go outside. Each time the pup is taken outside to potty, make it ring the bell with its paw. You can also keep your puppy on a leash inside so it doesn’t wonder too far from you. It will also help you not to forget to take your pup out frequently.
Here is some more basic info:
Feeding Instructions:
The puppies will be eating TLC Puppy Food. It is available here: https://tlcpetfood.com/nutrition/gorgeousgoldendoodles It is advisable to keep the puppy on this diet to start with to avoid gastrointestinal upset. If you wish to change the diet, do so gradually over 7-10 days. Each day you can mix more of your new food in and use less and less of the old food. Dry food is better for the puppy’s teeth and digestion. During the first week with your puppy, you may add water to the dry food to soften it and make the diet more palatable. As the puppy ages, add less and less water until the puppy is eating completely dry food. It is best to feed the puppy three times daily in set meals. Allow the puppy to eat as much as it wants in a 15-20 minute period of time, then pick the remainder up and feed at the next meal. As your puppy grows their weight changes so will the amount of food necessary to maintain their growing bodies. Feeding in set meals will give you several advantages. It helps to teach the puppy to eat its meal when fed. This is healthier for the puppy and will help greatly in house breaking. Scheduled meals will help lead to scheduled potty breaks. As the puppy matures to about 5-6 months the feedings can be reduced to twice daily. Dog treats can be given in small amounts as rewards for your puppy, but I strongly discourage the use of table food. Too many treats or table food distracts the puppy from eating its regular diet and unbalances a well-balanced dog food. I also recommend NuVet Plus immune system builder. They love this daily treat! It is a good idea to order NuVet before puppy arrives: I will include info about this. NuVet ships directly to your home Click here: http://www.nuvet.com/86705 Or call 800-474-7044 to order using code 86705 (A live person will help you 8-5 PST) Click the NuVet button at the bottom of page for more information.
The Chewing Problem:
The most common complaint of new puppy owners is chewing; not chewing on toys or rugs, but on fingers and toes! When the puppy has left its siblings, it soon decides that you and your family will make nice substitutes. Unfortunately, the puppy does not realize how painful its sharp teeth are. There are many suggestions to correct this problem. The puppy should not be allowed to chew on you or your family members from day one; substitute squeaky toys or rope toys for fingers and and say “no bite” when needed to help eliminate this problem. Keep in mind young puppies have lots of energy. Many of the destructive chewing behaviors and biting can be stopped by ensuring your puppy gets lots of exercise. A well exercised puppy is a happy puppy.
I take all my dogs to obedience school taught by Carolina Dog Training Club http://carolinadogtrainingclub.com/ You may want to see if they have this club in your area. Many of the pet stores offer obedience classes as well. I encourage you to go to training with your puppy and get your puppy certified in Canine Good Citizen. A well trained puppy is a joy to be around!
General Health Information:
Vaccinations:
You will be given a record of the puppy’s vaccination status and a schedule to follow for future vaccinations. Your veterinarian may alter the schedule to fit their recommendations. Basically, your puppy will require vaccines every 3 to 4 weeks until the puppy is 16-18 weeks of age. Then yearly vaccinations are required. I also recommend keeping your puppy away from parks and areas where lots of other dogs go until the puppy vaccination series has been completed. It is O.K. to attend early puppy training classes as long as all puppies are required to be vaccinated.
Heartworm Prevention:
Heartworm prevention is a must. There are several different types available, some of which also prevent gastrointestinal parasites.
Intestinal Parasites:
Intestinal parasites are very common in young puppies. There is a natural transmission of Roundworms from mother to babies. All of the puppies are dewormed on a schedule, but we still recommend having a fecal flotation test done on your first puppy visit with your veterinarian. Coccidia is another common parasite to young puppies. Their immune system is not as strong as an adult dog, so this parasite is often found especially during stressful events like weaning and changing homes. As dogs mature their immune system also matures. It is very rare to find Coccidia in the adult dog. They can pick this up from the ground and it is common in young puppies.
Baths:
Your puppy can be bathed as frequently as once a week as a young puppy, then every 2-4 weeks as an adult dog. There are many shampoos available. I do recommend a shampoo that is designed for puppies or baby shampoo. Oatmeal and Aloe shampoos are good choice for young puppies, as long as it is labeled safe for puppies. It is also a good idea to get your puppy used to having its ears cleaned and nails trimmed at bath time. If you are unsure of how to do this ask your veterinarian to show you at one of your puppy visits.
Spay/Neuter:
Spaying and neutering is healthy for any dog! We require our families to spay or neuter their dogs. Talk to your vet about the best time to do this. Once your new puppy has been nurtured, please send us notification showing it has been completed. This is required and our guarantee will be void without this.