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How We Raise Our Goldendoodles Puppies

Our dedication to preparing our goldendoodle puppies for their forever homes is unwavering. It begins with careful breeding to create the finest puppies, which is matched by the thorough socialization we provide during the crucial first eight weeks of their lives.

2 Days - 2 Weeks Old

In the initial stage, our young goldendoodle puppies find solace in our in-home puppy nursery, where they receive constant supervision and care. We closely monitor their growth, weighing each new puppy daily, ensuring they are on the right track. During this period, these young puppies are rapidly growing and forming bonds with their littermates and their mother.

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Starting as early as two days old, we initiate Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) exercises, which we conduct daily until they reach two weeks of age. This stage is believed to be a crucial time for neurological growth and development. Even though puppies are quite immature at this stage, they are surprisingly sensitive to ENS training methods. These training sessions involve handling each puppy individually and performing a series of five exercises. We begin with one puppy and stimulate them with each of the following exercises for 3-5 seconds:

  1. Tactile Stimulation: Gently tickling the puppy's toes with your thumb.

  2. Head Held Erect: Holding the puppy perpendicular to the ground with its head above its tail.

  3. Head Pointed Down: Reversing the puppy's head to point downward.

  4. Supine Position: Holding the puppy with its back in your palms, facing the ceiling.

  5. Thermal Stimulation: Placing the puppy on an ice pack with their feet down.

By the end of the two-week period, their eyes have opened, and they're beginning to take their first steps.

 2 - 4 Weeks Old

At this stage, the doodle puppies' eyes and ears have fully opened, and socialization activities commence. They start seeking attention and discovering their voices, but it's important to keep in mind their short attention spans. We constantly check and trim nails and introduce new toys to them because we don't want the nursing mom to be scratched, which could potentially lead to an infection.

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In addition to these essential activities, we begin sound stimulation training with our goldendoodle puppies. We expose them to a variety of sounds, ranging from gentle crinkling sounds to gradually louder noises like a vacuum.

This practice helps them become resilient and less sensitive to loud and unexpected sounds. It's a crucial aspect of their development, preparing them for a world filled with diverse auditory experiences, including city noises as adult dogs.

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Sound desensitization not only benefits them in their immediate environment but also in their future lives as adult dogs. Whether it's thunderstorms, fireworks, or the hustle and bustle of city living, our goldendoodle puppies are well-equipped to face auditory challenges with confidence.

4 - 6 Weeks Old​

The excitement continues as our goldendoodle puppies begin to play with toys, interact with each other, and enjoy plenty of hands-on socialization. To facilitate their potty training, we surround their areas with Little Wolves potty trays, teaching them to have potty time on a designated spot. As they become more confident in using these trays, we gradually transition them from four trays down to just one.

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They also start transitioning to soft puppy food and water, and we find it adorable to watch them tackle the litter-sized food bowl. During this time, we initiate potty training, giving our clients a head start on house training for their new furry friends.

While socialization typically involves exposing puppies to new experiences, we take it a step further. We expose them to dark spaces with tunnels, uneven surfaces using wobble boards, and elevated surfaces with raised dog beds. This prepares them for the world beyond.

At this stage, we continue fine-tuning their experiences. Our puppies get to practice training in real-life settings and learn to request attention politely rather than jumping.

New Training Begins:

  • Coming when called.

  • Nail clipping, grooming, and more.

  • Crate Training: Puppies explore the crate with the door open.

  • Crate Training: Napping in the crate with the door closed.

6 - 8 Weeks Old

As the goldendoodle puppies reach 6-8 weeks of age, they undergo several new developmental milestones. Notably, they've excelled in pottying on the designated potty trays for poop and pee, a significant achievement in their house training journey. Additionally, these bright puppies have been working diligently to master the skill of going up and down stairs. We understand the importance of puppies being comfortable with stairs and ensure they receive daily training to build confidence. It's essential to remember that while goldendoodles are a very intelligent dog breed, mini goldendoodles may require extra practice with stairs, particularly with their legs being shorter.

Here are some training tips we use to assist in this process:

  1. Take it Step by Step: Gradually introduce the stairs, starting with a single step or a gentle incline to build their confidence.

  2. Use Positive Reinforcement: Offer verbal praise when they successfully navigate the stairs to create positive associations.

  3. Practice Patience: Allow your puppy to move at their own pace, and don't rush them as they learn this new skill.

Fear periods are a natural part of puppy development. Knowing how to handle these periods and what not to do during them has lifelong implications for the adult dog and their family. With our training, we can identify when a puppy is going through a fear period, assist them through it, and prevent any trauma that might affect their temperament in the long run.

Best Practices for Continuing Training with New Families:

Upon taking their goldendoodle puppy to their new home, we recommend that our clients continue the training journey. Positive reinforcement, basic commands, and obedience training are key to fostering good behavior. Use clicker training, verbal praise, and dog treats to encourage your puppy's learning. Consider enrolling them in puppy school for further development. Maintain their socialization by taking them to the dog park and providing ample playtime and chew toys. A structured routine, crate training, and house training are essential to guide your puppy as they grow into a well-behaved adult dog. Remember that patience, consistency, and love are the foundations of successful dog training.

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