Adoption Day!
What Your Puppy Wants You To Know!
Please feed me only the food my breeder-family recommended (Purina Pro Plan Puppy, chicken and rice) for at least the first 2 weeks. Also use this kibble for my treats for the first week or two, no rich treats that may upset my baby tummy! I would also love 2 T. of plain yogurt 2-3 times a day to help my tummy with the transition, especially if it causes me to have lose stools!
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I was born into a big family and have never been left alone yet! A light "scented" blanket will be provided for me on adoption day so I can have my Mommy and my siblings scents close to me when I rest. Let me be with you as much as possible until I get used to my new home. I will love being by your side while getting to know and love my new forever family!
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Take me out to potty frequently, about every 2 hours at first! My routine is to wake up about 7am (so take me out quickly, potty will be the first thing i do!), I will then like to eat (after eating, take me out again please), then I will love to play and then I will take a nap. I'm just a baby, please be patient and consistent. I want to make you happy, so this won't take long! Consistent Potty Training should take less than 2 weeks. In some cases, potty training has been mastered in less week!
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Please don't expose me to public places like the park, PetSmart, Vet's floor, etc. until I have all my shots! There are all kinds of things that I can pick up in these places that are very dangerous and even deadly to an infant like me. I am very proud of my new family and I can't wait to show you off, but please protect me from unseen germs by waiting to take me out to public places!
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I'm a baby, Let me rest! I am excited about our play times and the fun toys you have for me, but remember I'm just a baby and I need lot of naps.
Bringing Your New Puppy Home!
Your new puppy is like a newborn baby and needs quiet time to adjust to your home. Use a soft voice when first introducing yourself to your new puppy!
Try to arrange your schedule so that you can stay home with your puppy for at least the first 48 hours, preferably an entire week. Introduce your puppy to its new family quietly and calmly until he/she becomes adjusted! Make sure your puppy has a quiet place to sleep, make sure it is close to you or near your own bed to minimize fear and crying the first few nights. I am not used to being alone!
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Put puppy's food and water in its permanent location and try not move it. Your puppy has been gradually weaned and is now used to being fed approximately 1/3 cup of Purina Pro Plan Puppy food, 4 times a day. They have been eating a mixture of both hard kibble and soft (pureed or canned). You may gradually decrease feeding to 3-2 times a day as I get older.
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Small puppies will usually urinate as soon as they awaken and defecate within 15 minutes of eating. They normally will wake, pee pee, eat/drink, play for 5-10 minutes, and then finish their duty (poop)! Make sure you take them outside after they eat for at least 15-30 minutes!
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Your puppy may need 2-3 days to adjust to your schedule. If he/she seems restless at a certain time, it may simply be that his/her internal clock is saying that it should be daytime, play time or feeding time, etc., based on what he or she was used to (which is probably play time)!
Bonding with your Puppy!
To speed up bonding during the first few days after arrival you can feed a whole days ration of kibble by hand. Every time he/she comes near you, on their own or when called, give them a reward. It is said a GoldenDoodle matures to the intelligence of a 5 year old human child! Now what child doesn't love a snack!?
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Playful interaction and cuddling is also a bonding experience with your puppy. Make sure you play gently and with well constructed toys. Boundaries should be taught consistently so there is no confusion of what is expected from them. Do not allow them to nip and bite your skin during playtime, they will understand very quickly! Have fun because the sky is the limit for what your GoldenDoodle can learn!
Water for your Puppy!
Give your puppy bottled water for the first week, especially if you are traveling a long distance from their birth home. This can be purchased in a gallon jug and used to refill the water dish. To avoid an upset stomach and dehydration, provide only bottled water for the first two days and then gradually switch to your local water. The change in water can have a stronger effect on a dog's system than change in food! Think of what happens to tourists when they drink foreign water.
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NOTE: WATER SHOULD ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE! Make sure their water bowl is not deep enough to fall into and get stuck upside down!
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A sudden change of water can cause loose stool and tummy upset, resulting in intestinal irritation and weight loss. Start pup on bottled water until stool is firm. At that point continue with bottled water mixed with your tap water. This should provide a smooth transition to your water. This is important to help prevent too many changes at once for pup!
Introducing your puppy to Children!
If children are present, please be especially careful for both of us! Young children and your new puppy should never be left unattended.
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For a child, a new dog or puppy will be irresistible! The child may not mean to hurt the puppy, but doesn't right away understand how to properly handle it...as the puppy may not have meant to scratch or break the child's skin while playing with them as he/she would play with their siblings.
Always make sure your new puppy/dog has a "safe zone" (we recommend a crate) that he/she can retreat to when feeling the need to get away from the commotion of your home. Once your puppy has been properly socialized, he/she will make a wonderful family dog and will be especially good with children.
Your Puppy's Health!
Your puppy has received a combination vaccination DDTPV (distemper/parvo) on the date listed in your health record. It is recommended that this vaccination be given at 3-4 week intervals. Your puppy will need 2 more Distemper/Parvo vaccinations and then a booster at one year old. Your vet will have his/her own schedule that you should follow. We do require that you take pup to your veterinarian within 3 days of coming home. Your puppy will need his/her first rabies shot at 4-6 months old.
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PLEASE NOTE that your puppy is NOT immune to Parvo or other communicable diseases until ALL 3 puppy shots have been given!
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Please refrain from "showing" your new baby off in public places (anywhere that other animals may walk/exercise) until your puppy has received his/her full set of shots. Carry your pup while at the vet and request the examining vet wear gloves until it has received a full round of shots.
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Puppies and Dogs are the most susceptible to disease for a week following a shot. Take extra care during that time to protect your pet from exposure (public areas, etc.) to disease.
Things to know about your growing Puppy!
There is a great chance of the puppy becoming over-fatigued during the first few days in its new home. Please resist the urge to play at length with your new puppy. Play periods should be no longer than 15 minutes at first. Puppies need to be provided with a cool, quiet place where they can be left with no fear that they will cause damage: crate is an ideal tool to use for this.
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Do not shut the pup in a room alone, as this will make him feel isolated and frightened. A baby gate is good for limiting play area, and not shutting off puppy. Puppy should be able to see and hear family activity from its play/rest area. Leaving a radio on while away for the first few days, this often seems to help pups adjust to alone times.
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Please teach your children how to play gently with the puppy and lovingly participate in the training of your new family member. No pulling ears/tail/whiskers. Play calmly with puppy. They can easily be injured by unsupervised young children trying to play with pup.
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A crate with a divider that can be moved and "grow" with your pup is a great training tool. While a crate can be helpful in housebreaking a puppy and giving it a "special place" to call home, a puppy must spend time outside, each day, walking, standing, and gently playing -for the proper development of its hips, body structure, and family bonding.
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Puppies develop best on consistent amounts of moderate play. Once a puppy is a few months old, try short walks a few times a week. Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough until pup is older. Games such as fetch are good for pup and combine the exercise/rest that he needs. Proper exercise is important to your pup's development. Stressful situations should be avoided during the first year -such as play with older or larger dogs, long hikes, or jumping off high places (Porches, walls).
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In general, hard exercise should not last more than a few minutes a day for the first year. The critical time for the growing puppy is between four months and thirteen months-when the skeletal system is growing rapidly and the muscle system is lagging behind. The goal is to have sufficient muscle mass and tone to support the growing skeletal system, which is not finished fully developing until the age of 16 to 18 months.
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A blend of consistent and moderate exercise in the young, growing puppy will foster proper growth through this stressful period. NOTE: Please DO NOT jog with a puppy! Vigorous ball playing, especially with a young puppy, should be postponed until after the puppy is a year. If there is any limping or discomfort that causes concern, please limit exercise and crating. If it continues, call the vet and contact me. It is not uncommon for adolescents to limp because of growing pains; rest may be the best remedy.
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The overuse of a crate is detrimental to pup's health. It is also undesirable for a puppy to play or exercise extensively on slippery floors (smooth tile, linoleum, wood), as this can result in injury to the joint structure and the improper development of muscle tone. Extended crating followed by hard or vigorous exercise is also to be avoided, as this may place excessive stress on the joints and could result in hip damage.
