Food:
The puppies have been eating Pawtree’s Whitefish and Brown Rice. We will be sending you home with 3-4 cups of it which should last you 3-4 days so that you can either continue feeding that formulation or transition slowly to a new diet of your choice. Our mini doodles have been eating approximately 1/4 cup three times a day and our medium doodles have been eating 1/2 cup three times a day. They are growing so you don’t want to be too nit-picky about the amount.
Trina Palosaari, ID# 1255187 is my ID for Pawtree. For your first order of $100 or more with Pawtree, you'll receive a digital $20 Pawtree gift card.
transitioning your puppy home:
The first 48 hours are for bonding with your puppy so don’t stress too much about the rules. The only thing to focus on is potty training — whether your puppy goes outside, uses a porch potty or pee pads. In addition, don’t allow the puppy to nip or chew your fingers, etc. but redirect them to something they can chew. More information on this below. Set aside time for your puppy for those first 48 hours and try not to be too busy or invite over a lot of people. After 48 hours, start consistently implementing the household rules you’d like your puppy to follow. Also, your puppy may not eat a lot during the first 48 hours based on adjusting to a new environment. If you change the puppies' food, they may get loose poop as they adjust. This is why we send home a few days worth of the food we have been feeding them thus far so that you can transition slowly to avoid tummy upset. Don’t allow nipping and some people use the crate and some don't. After 48 hours, start your consistency of what you want to implement with your puppy.
Your puppy will be going home with initial potty training but remember that complete success can take months. Your puppy’s bladder is still developing and accidents will happen. Have your puppy on a regular schedule that fits your schedule. Puppies can typically hold it one hour per month of age but initially take them out every 45 minutes until they have 100% success rate. Many people wake up once per night to take their puppy to go potty — some puppies can hold it longer at night. Some people have their dog follow them around on a leash (attached to you not tethered to furniture, etc.) for the first few weeks or months so that they can regulate their pottying and their behavior. Anytime your puppy eats or drinks, they need to go out within 10-15 minutes. Monitoring food and water will help with potty training. Anytime your puppy wakes up from a nap, immediately take them outside to go potty. Anytime you are leaving to go somewhere, take the puppy outside for 10 minutes for a quick potty break and then to their crate or an area you have gated off (such as a pen). Signs a puppy has to go potty are whining, circling, sniffing around in a certain manner, looking restless and walking to the door. If your puppy does any of these things, immediately let them out.
Research using a bell by the door if you would like your puppy to give you a signal and if you get overwhelmed (it’s pretty easy to teach them this). Your puppy is more likely to make potty mistakes early on when excited or nervous such as with new guests or another dog visiting. Never scold or punish puppies for potty mistakes because it causes anxiety and more problems. Just take the puppy outside and then clean up the mess with a cleaning solution.
Porch Potties can be great for situations such as condos or apartments or in the winter. Washable pee pads can also be helpful during winter months or as needed.
vet screenings & immunizations:
Vet paperwork and Exam that comes with your pup: Good Neighbor Vet checks for the following with your puppy when they receive their initial vaccinations, prior to sending home:
Eye exams for signs of cataracts, glaucoma, infections, jaundice, and allergies
Full body examination of muscle tone, weight, and enlarged lymph nodes
Abdomen, joint, and spine checks for signs of pain, tenderness, enlarged organs, and tumors
Heart and lung tests for heart murmurs, irregular beats, and clear lungs
Ear and mouth checks for infection, tartar, and inflammation
When they check off the "N" Normal boxes (for Exam) and not the "A" for abnormal, it means that we are sending you home with a healthy puppy.
Free month of trupanion:
We offer a free month of pet insurance to all of our Daisey’s Doodles puppy parents! Trupanion is an amazing service, call (855) 266-2156 and use code BR1DD41917 to access your complimentary month of service.
puppy milestones:
Just like human babies, dogs go through key stages of growth and development during their first year of life. These milestones are outlined well here.
We recommend either gating (creating a smaller contained space like a pen or gated off area ) or crating when you are gone. This is so the puppy doesn’t pee or poop everywhere, get into things they shouldn’t and so they feel safe. It is better to set up your puppy for success by creating an environment they can thrive in rather than have to solve problem behaviors later. A large crate (that is partitioned off) is great if you want the crate to last til the pup is full grown. Many dogs can graduate from their crate around a year.
If you decide to crate train, one of the most important things is creating a comfy and cozy space for your dog with washable items such as a soft blanket, old bed pillows, or a crate bed etc. A light sheet or blanket can also go over the crate depending upon the temp of your home. Puppies love a dark space like a "den" for sleeping and usually a super soft pillow or stuffy.
Some puppies like quiet and dark. Other puppies like the tv going and/or music when you're absent. You do want to teach your puppy to navigate your living space and learn the "do's" and "don'ts". Overcrating can prevent the puppy from learning how to navigate your living spaces. Do make your spaces smaller, close doors, etc. When a puppy is working on a tooth, they may all of a sudden start chewing on items they normally don't chew on. It is important to allow the puppy to learn to self soothe when you leave the house for a short while.
The crate is never to be used as a punishment. It is only to be used as a safe and loving space.
Your puppy will be losing all of their puppy teeth over the next 5-8 months. Just like babies, puppies can be uncomfortable through this process and the most intense part of this developmental phase will be between 4-6 months of age. It is normal for puppies to chew, nip or “bite”. Your puppy is not being aggressive. While you should never allow puppies to chew on you or on things that you do not want chewed on, this is a normal part of your puppy growing up. Instead, say “ouch” in a high pitched voice (mimicking how their littermates yelped) and redirect them to something they can chew on (our recommendations are listed here) such as toys, chews and bones. Your puppy is also working on bite inhibition and learning the proper pressure to play with other puppies.
Place your puppy on a schedule that fits you and your family and then stick to the schedule with some flexibility built in. Puppies should eat 3 times a day until around 9 months of age. Meal times are great times to work on basic training (“sit”, “stay” etc.) if your schedule allows.
Expect that your pup will likely go up a size in collars and harnesses as they graduate into adulthood. Some start at an extra small and some start at a small — thus graduating to either a small or medium. It ranges.
Black pepper/hot pepper can be great to deter the puppies from digging holes.
Dog training we endorse:
The main aspect that Daisey’s Doodles recommends is positive reinforcement training.
“Positive reinforcement training involves rewarding your dog for the things they do right. The reward could be a toy, a game, or a treat – whatever your dog wants to work for. Positive reinforcement training is based on the science of animal learning, and it’s incredibly effective.”