So you’ve got your Goldendoodle puppy, and look forward to all the love and laughter that being a pet parent of these beautiful puppies brings.
Raising a new puppy is lots of fun, but it’s a full-time job to ensure you raise them lovingly and responsibly. Today the experts at Barksinthepark will discuss everything new dog owners need to know when raising a Goldendoodle puppy.
Table of Contents
First Things First!
So, you’ve picked a Goldendoodle puppy, the sweetest you’ve ever seen. To ensure your new pup is healthy, you should take them to the vet for a standard examination.
Groodles aren’t prone to genetic health issues but it’s still wise to ensure that your dog is healthy. This initial examination will usually involve checking them for worms and organizing their vaccine schedule, which will look something like this:
Week 6 – Your puppy will usually have received their kennel cough vaccine by this point, and they will also receive a Parvo/Parainfluenza/Distemper vaccine.
Week 9 – At this point, your Goldendoodle puppy will receive their booster shot for the Parvo/Parainfluenza/Distemper vaccine and their kennel cough vaccine.
Week 12 – Your Goldendoodle will receive its Leptospirosis and Canine Influenza vaccine.
Week 15-16 – At this point, your puppy will receive their Rabies vaccine.
Your vet can also tell you if your Goldendoodle puppy has any food allergies, so you know which foods to avoid.
Goldendoodle Puppy Diet
Goldendoodle puppies are energetic dogs that require a well-rounded diet to help them grow into strong, healthy pups.
What should I feed my puppy?
When picking your puppy’s dog food, ensure that protein is the first ingredient on the ingredients list and makes up at least 22% of the mixture.
The protein should also come from animal sources; the closer your pup’s food is to a natural diet, the better.
As your puppy’s teeth come in, you may want to feed them a mixture of wet and dry food to help them eat it. Then once they’ve got all their teeth, you can switch them to a dehydrated diet.
Once your Goldendoodle puppy reaches 8-12 months old, you can switch them from puppy food to adult dog food.
How much should I feed my puppy?
You’ll want to feed your Goldendoodle puppy 2-3 times daily, following the rule of about 1 cup of kibble per 15 lbs of body weight spread out over the day.
You can feed them treats but be stringent; treats are very fatty and can upset their stomachs. Too much fat can also lead to early weight gain, which is crucial to avoid as your puppy grows.
Socialization and Training
The first three months of your puppy’s life will play a massive role in informing the dog they grow into.
A responsible breeder won’t sell their pups for the first few weeks of their life, and you’ll usually get them after week seven once they have adequately socialized with their siblings.
Weeks 8-11 are when they are imprinting, and their brain is at their spongiest. Keeping life fun and safe for your new dog will significantly affect your pup’s behavior. Shower them with love and give them an easy life. You’ll miss the puppy years, so make the most of them!
Stimulation
Poodles and Golden Retrievers rank high for intelligence, so your Goldendoodle puppy has inherited some clever genes, and you’ll need to make sure you stimulate them properly.
Using their daily exercise as an opportunity to play games will burn off energy and leave you with a happier pup.
This brainy puppy will need plenty of entertainment and engagement to ensure all that energy doesn’t become problem behavior.
To ensure your dog plays well with other dogs, get them out to a park where other dog walkers go so they can meet and make friends.
Early socialization with other pups with different personalities will be crucial to them learning how to handle themselves in social situations.
Obedience training
When you’re socializing your dog, you should also use this opportunity to introduce them to training by teaching them some basic commands.
Training Goldendoodles is easy. Goldendoodles are clever, athletic, energetic dogs who are eager to please. Formal training will also help them manage their energy and encourage them to be good pups.
Treating their daily walks as an opportunity to teach them obedience training with positive reinforcement and treats can keep them occupied and entertained for hours.
They’re usually ready to begin training between 2-4 months old. They are less open to new people, dogs, and situations after four months, making training harder.
Crate Training
Getting your Goldendoodle puppy comfortable with a crate is straightforward, thanks to their intelligence and trainability.
The crate gives Goldendoodle owners a place to send young puppies if they’ve been misbehaving and also provides them with their own space to choose to take themselves to feel more comfortable.
Start crate training by gently introducing them to the crate during the day when they are still full of energy. Let them sniff around it and get to know it and never force them to get inside.
Make sure the inside of the crate is padded and comfy with cushions and blankets to make it more appealing to your Goldendoodle puppy.
After a few 5-10 minute sessions of getting them used to the crate, try putting one of their favorite treats or toys inside. Praise them when they follow it in; if they appear comfortable, try closing the door slightly while sitting outside the crate.
You can also put their food bowl inside the crate, so they’re more inclined to get in it.
As your new puppy becomes more comfortable, you can gradually increase the time they spend in the crate and eventually leave them in the room by themselves in the crate to get them used to you being away from the house.
Goldendoodles’ high intelligence can be great, but it also makes them prone to separation anxiety, so leaving them alone in the crate may take some time.
Crate training will eventually help them overcome these fears of being left alone as they become more comfortable being in their crate. Just stay positive and keep the mood light and fun!
Using the crate for potty training
The crate will help the two of you work together to potty train as it works with the dog’s principle of not wanting to make the place where they sleep messy.
They’ll let you know if they need to go potty while in the crate, and then you can let them out, and off they’ll go. This won’t take long to become a learned behavior.
Pad Training
Potty training your new puppy is easily done, and with a bit of patience, it won’t be long before your clever pup knows the good spot to go to the bathroom.
When you start potty training your pup when they need to go to the toilet, instead take them to where you’ve decided to put your puppy pee pad and encourage them to go there. Repeat this process enough, and they should begin to understand enough to do it by themselves before long.
Goldendoodle puppies are bright, and with the right attitude and positive reinforcement, it won’t take long to figure out where they need to go and when they’ve got to go.
Prepare yourself for a few messy situations when you potty train your pup; that’s all part of the process. Reward good behavior, and they will soon learn to behave in a way that gets a positive response.
Some Goldendoodles can be more stubborn than others, but they are good-natured dogs who would rather please you than cause trouble.
Dealing With Teething
At around three months old, your pup will start teething and will continue to lose its puppy teeth until about six months.
During this time, you might notice them being compelled to chew and bite on anything they can get their jaws on.
It’s essential to give them toys to chew on during this time to avoid biting furniture or carpets. If you’ve got other dogs, playtime may also get rough and nippy, so keep a close eye on them when your puppy starts roughhousing.
Grooming
Goldendoodles are easy to train in many disciplines, and getting them used to grooming will be easy.
Picking them up and gently holding them for a light brushing will get them comfortable with being brushed. The brushing itself isn’t crucial at this early stage but will help remove mats and get them ready for a lifetime of being.
Get them used to the comb, brushes, and clippers you’ll use. Let them sniff around them and get used to touching their face, nails, and footpads.
This will make grooming them for you or a professional groomer easier.
FAQs
How long will it take to potty train my Goldendoodle puppy?
Goldendoodles are incredibly intelligent, but you still have to be patient with them! It can take four to six months to completely potty train your puppy to the point where there are no longer any accidents indoors.
How long does the Goldendoodle puppy stage last?
Most Goldendoodles will reach maturity and start to settle down a bit between 12 to 18 months of age.
How can I stop my Goldendoodle puppy from biting or chewing?
Teach your puppy the command “drop it”. Once they drop the item they are chewing, reward them with a treat or cuddle so that they understand they should not be chewing the item in their mouth.
Final Thoughts
Goldendoodles have enjoyed a considerable rise in popularity with dog owners in recent years.
Their delightful nature and beautiful appearance make them popular therapy dogs, so they’ll make an excellent addition to your home as your tiniest, cutest family member.
Training and caring for a puppy isn’t always easy, and it can be messy work, but it’s all part of the process of raising a baby and will bring you closer together and forge a loving, lifelong relationship.