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Writer's pictureMandy Smith

Before You Bring Your Puppy Home

Updated: Mar 22

No doubt, excitement is building as you count down to your puppy pick up day!

These first few days and weeks after you bring your puppy home are pivotal in helping her adapt and establish healthy habits! We want to see your family set up for success with all the tools and resources you need to help your new pet acclimate seamlessly.


goldendoodle new born puppies

Once the puppy leaves our home and comes into your care, you will have an enormous responsibility and will want to intentionally build on the foundation of training we’ve begun.  Already, these puppies are consistently using a littler box as a first step toward house training, and we've begun crate-training giving the pups short periods of time each day in the crate for "rest time" so that this becomes a "safe space".  All of this in an effort to set them (and you) up for the smoothest transition possible!


Which is why we want to strongly recommend Baxter & Bellas AT HOME online training program.

These comprehensive courses cover everything from house-training, crate training, leash walking, puppy biting all the way through socialization acclimation with other dogs and command obedience training.


online dog training promo code

Lifetime Membership includes:


  • Step by step curriculum

  • Basic through Advanced Training

  • Live Trainings/Webinars

  • On-demand resources (pre-recorded)

  • Live Help (you can schedule one-on-one coaching…as much as you need!)

  • Special courses for your KIDS to participate in training your dog!


The best feature in all of this =  unlimited live one-on-one coaching so you have access to pro-help whenever you hit a bump in training!  

Lifetime membership is $238 which gives you access to all their live and recorded classes, tons of resources and unlimited access to professional dog trainers (one-on-one coaching!) available to answer all your questions.  We strongly recommend that you start now, so you’re prepared and equipped to bring your puppy home and don't make common new-owner mistakes that can create set backs in their training!

We are happy to offer our adoptive families a $59.50 discount if you decide to purchase the program.


Use coupon code GGG25

Click below to sign up for their program with our highest recommendation to set your dog up for success!



 

Another big question is "what do I feed my puppy when I bring her home?"

The puppies have been trained on Life's Abundance Dog Food. During the first few months, you will want to keep puppy on the same food she's trained on so as not to upset her delicate tummy with a big adjustment to a new food. You'll want to go ahead and order more Life's Abundance All Life Stage food ASAP!


Life's Abundance Dog Food

We will send you home with a bag of this to get you started, and you can talk to your vet about changing if you have a different preferred food in a couple months. But we'd recommend stocking up on this for the first few months!


 

For a complete list of our favorite products to help your puppy get adjusted and comfortable, see below:


Puppy Pen

A Puppy Pen is recommended both for your sanity and puppy's training! Giving pup the run of the house before they "learn the ropes" will be a set back to house training and will likely result in frequent accidents. Starting with a contained space that you eventually expand and offering more freedom as puppy learns his way around (and where to go potty!) will be a wise first step! Below is a link to the pen we use in our house. And its ON SALE!


puppy pen


 

Crate Training

Crate Training is something you'll definitely want to implement when puppy comes home. We've already begun to lay a foundation and they instinctively like to have a "den" where they feel safe and secure. With proper house training, puppies naturally want to keep their "safe space" clean! Lots of information about this in the Baxter & Bella puppy training program linked above. This crate below is a good size that has a divider so you can section it off smaller when she's young and it will "grow with her" and expand as she needs more space. We'd recommend going with the the 42x28x30 size.


crate training for dogs


 

Bedding

Your pup has an instinctive desire to “hibernate” and will find comfort in “time outs” from the busy chaos and noises of a new home and activity. Like a new baby, puppies need “rest times” and creating an environment conducive to that will shape her temperament and help her regulate!  One of our favorite things that you can use for travel home in the car, and to tuck into their crate at night or nap time, is this plush dog bed that acts as a cocoon for your little love.  Here they can nest in and feel very secure and surrounded much like they have felt surrounded these past weeks by their littermates when they all curl up in a puppy pile to sleep.


This bed has a bunch of cute color choices to pick from.  We’d suggest going with the small, or the medium.


puppy bed


 

Grooming

The GOOD NEWS is that your hypoallergenic dog will not shed. The BAD NEWS is, that she will need regular grooming! Depending on the “curliness” of her coat, your goldendoodle will need regular brushing to prevent matting.  The flatter the coat, the less frequently you’ll have to brush her out. Maybe only necessary a couple times per week.  If your pup has a tight curl, you’ll want to brush her daily.  


It will be several months before your puppy will need a professional groom and their first puppy cut, but until that time, keep her coat soft and mat-free by frequent brushing.  This is the slicker brush we use on our dogs linked below.  Starting your pup at a young age getting used to daily brushing will minimize her discomfort and aversion to it as she grows.  


pet grooming brush


 

Bathing

“How often should we bathe our puppy” is a frequent question we get.  Over-bathing can cause dry and irritated skin for your pup.  The general rule here is, bathe when you know she needs it - when you know, you know!  


We will be giving the pups their first bath before they come home to you.  She will likely not need her next bath for at least a week or two depending on how much you’re outside.  We really love this Burts Bees dog shampoo for the pups as its very gentle (and smells good!)





 

Potty Training

Puppies have begun "potty training" with a litter box approach and have done remarkably well! Setting up a pen area with a litter box for the first weeks will create a familiar environment for your puppy when it comes to a new home. No, your puppy isn't going to use a litter box for life! But this is a first step toward house training and the Baxter & Bella Training Program will help you transition puppy to outside potty-ing. Linking an Amazon option below, but would recommend instead going to your nearest Tractor Supply where you can get a large bag for a fraction of the cost!



 Baxter & Bella Training Program


 

Teething Toys

Lastly, you'll want to keep puppy active and entertained to keep her from getting into mischief. Additionally as she starts teething, you'll want to offer teething toys to keep her from chewing on furniture or starting a habit of teething on YOU! Your puppy will come home with a "lovey" that smells like her mama and littermates to help her adjust to a new environment and feel at home. Linking a few other favorites below:


puppy teething toys

Eager to answer any questions you may have in these last weeks leading up to "GOTCHA DAY"!! Your little fur-babies are being well cared for and we will miss them terribly when they go to their new homes. We'll expect lots of picture pup-dates as they settle in to their new families!

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