Month: April 2023

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An Exciting Day As Puppies Run in the Big Yard

Puppies Run in the Big Yard

The puppies have had another new and exciting experience. They got to go and explore the big yard. This is always a highlight for us as we watch the puppies experience this freedom. It never takes long before they are running around, chasing each other, and stopping to smell so many new things.

Watch the puppies exploring the yard. They had a great time! You may notice in the video that some of the puppies were quite dirty. This is because we still have some mud in our yard and like every dog, they love to get dirty. After so much fun and exercise the puppies came back into the house for a long nap

Teaching Puppies to Submit

When the puppies move to the big yard for exercise this give their mama Echo the opportunity of teaching her puppies in a bigger area. Of course Maui the nanny wants to give Echo a hand. They are teaching the puppies dog manners; to listen and submit. When the puppy submits, they lay on the back in the submit position.

I took a little video of Maui making one of the puppies submit.

Practicing Puppy Recall

I also work with the puppies during this time to teach recall. Recall is a lesson that the puppies will learn over a long period of time. The puppies will continue learning from their forever families

While the puppies are playing and exploring, I will call them with the “Puppy Call”. This is how we beginning teaching recall.
I have been practicing recall during the big yard experience. The puppies love attention so when they hear me calling them they love to come for a pat.

When is was time to head back home, I called the puppies. You can see in the video the progress they are making. Such smart puppies!

Crate Trainning

Pictured above is our new set up. We have set up the crates and are beginning crate training. The puppies have been exposed to the open crate since we removed their whelping box from the puppy area. They have been able to come and go as they pleased. Sometimes the puppies go to the crate to sleep by themselves or with a buddy. Now they will be sleeping by themselves with the door closed.

I have covered the crates with blankets to make it like a den, but they can still see the puppy that will be sleeping in the crate beside them.

The first part of crate training, the puppies take a nap in the crate with the door closed. Next part, just before the puppies start to head home, they will sleep all night in their crate with the door closed. This can only be done just before the puppies turn eight weeks and can “hold it” for a longer time between potty breaks.

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Echo’s Adorable Seven Weeks Old Puppies

Looking Back

Echo’s puppies are now seven week old . The puppies had an exciting week experiencing new things. Saturday they met their forever families who will soon be their world. They love outdoor play time where they get lots of exercise running and playing with everyone! The puppies have now made the transition to eating dry kibble.

Puppy Selection Day

Tom and I had a great time on Saturday meeting all the forever families and introducing them to their puppy. It is a day that we always look forward to because we love to show off our adorable puppies and share the excitement with their forever families.

It was a long day for our puppies interacting with so many people but a great opportunity for socializing the puppies with new people. I was very proud of our puppies! Puppies are full of energy but, I’m sure you can agree that the work put into the puppies over the past 7 weeks has produced a confident, gentle nature.

The puppies still sleep much of their time. They play hard for short periods of time and then drop off to sleep. When the day was over we had a litter of very tired puppies. After the last family left, the puppies ate their dinner and had a good long nap.

Becoming More Independent

The puppies are learning daily. They have learned to go outside and back inside on their own (without my help). Maui “the nanny” helps guide them. She loves socializing the puppies and teaching them.

(You can hear our other dogs in the background barking as the puppies come out 🥺)

Looking Ahead to Week Eight

  • Puppies will continue exploring and playing together inside and outdoors as weather permits
  • The puppies will get to run in the BIG yard where we will work on recall
  • Echo along with our other dogs will continue teaching the puppies dog manners
  • Crate training begins
  • We will continue to encourage puppies to use potty area 
  • Puppies head to the Vet on Wednesday for their wellness check, first set of shots and their microchip
  • Puppies will continue to get lots of cuddle time
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Echo’s Sweet Six Week Old Puppies Love To Play

LOOKING BACK

Echo’s sweet puppies are six weeks old today. Although the puppies are now awake more they still sleep much of the day.

We have had a great week caring for the puppies and introducing them to so many new things . They have grown bigger and we can see each unique personality developing. The puppies have now progressed to eating softened kibble.

This past week we have had “Summer Weather” with temperatures in the high 20’s. The puppies have spent their days outside on the deck exploring, playing, eating their meals, and of course getting lots of sleep.

Outdoor Play

Exercise is important for puppies to build strong bodies but, puppies must also be challenged to build strong minds. One of the ways this is accomplished by regularly introducing new toys.

On Saturday I was making puppy blankets by cutting up bolts of material. The material had an edging that had to be cut off. Instead of throwing out the offcuts I had an idea. I decided to make braided ropes from the offcuts. It was a great idea because not only did the puppies get a new toy which they love, it was FREE!

Watch the puppies as they play with their new ropes

Water Play

Goldendoodles love the water! It is important to introduce water to them slowly so that they are not scared. Puppies need to explore water on their own. So, because of our unseasonably hot weather this past week I decided it would be the perfect time to introduce water to the puppies.

I used a boot tray filled with water. Because it is only two inches deep, it makes the perfect container for a little puppy pool.

The puppies just got their feet wet and didn’t want to spend time in the water. They thought it was a big drinking bowl ! 😂

Potty Training Continues

With the introduction of outside play, it is more of a challenge to teach the puppies to “go” in one spot which is the potty box. This is because when a puppy has access to a large area, they more away to “go” but not necessarily in the box. I have been correcting the puppies by taking them to the potty box. Some puppies are better than others but they are all making progress. Watch as Pink Collar Girl goes to the potty box all by herself!👏

A Look Back at the Past Week

The puppies love their outdoor play time. They are learning what is acceptable play when wrestling with each other. If they bite the other puppy too hard, the puppy gives a sharp high pitch yelp to let the other puppy know “that hurts!” If the puppy continues to play too rough, other puppies won’t want to play with them.

Things to watch for in the video

  • Puppies playing in the tunnel
  • Puppies wrestle with each other
  • Puppies learn that Maui doesn’t have any milk 😂

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK SEVEN

  • Puppies time spent awake will continue to increase
  • We will continue to encourage puppies to use potty area
  • Socializing and learn from each other through play
  • Learning to submit
  • Meeting their forever families on Saturday
  • Will begin transitioning to dry kibble
  • As always, puppies will continue to get lots of cuddle time
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Look At How Cute Our Five Week Old Puppies Are

LOOKING BACK

Echo’s puppies are now five weeks old. They have developed from helpless newborn puppies to the “mini dogs” they are today. The puppies are now awake for longer periods and enjoy playing with their toys, each other, and cuddle time. We can now see their personalities starting to develop.

It is important when raising puppies to socialize them which means introducing them to as many new experiences as possible when they are young. Some of the new things that the puppies have been introduced to this week are: crates, different floor surfaces, new toys, the outside, and our other adult dogs.

Our puppy area. The puppy area has been expanded, the whelping box has been removed and we have added crates to the area.

Potty Training

We have been working hard on training puppies to use the potty box both inside and now outside. Some of the puppies are more consistent than others but, all the puppies are making great progress. It’s amazing to watch puppies wake up or stop playing and go over to use their potty box.

Inside
Outside

Meal Time

Puppies are always excited when they smell the food being prepared. They are now eating three meals of puppy mush a day along with drinking plenty of fresh filtered water. The puppies are still nursing from their mama any chance they get but Echo limits this and is beginning to tell them “NO”!

Puppy Parties

One of the bonus of having a large family is get togethers. This past Easter weekend has been a busy one at our house with three days of sharing meals with our families and three days of “Puppy Parties”. The puppies were held, cuddled and played with by both young and old. They especially love playing with my grandchildren and interacting with them. After many play sessions, the puppies were tired out and settled in for a long nap.

Adult Dog Interaction

When the puppies play outside it is a great time to introduce them to our other adult dogs. During this time I always keep a watchful eye to make sure everyone is getting along. It is also important that the puppies have somewhere to escape to feel safe and that our adult dogs have a way of escape from the puppies. This is why we make sure our adult dogs can come in and out of the fenced area on the deck as they please and our puppies can retreat to their safe place which is under the chairs.

Fun Outside

When our puppies turn five weeks old we introduce them to the outdoors. This is always an exciting time watching them explore and discover.

Things to Watch for in the video

  • puppies “safe place “where they have their naps outside
  • potty box where we are trying to teach the puppies to go while outside.
  • Maui the puppy nanny interacting with the puppies. Maui plays an important role helping mama Echo teach our puppies proper “dog manners“

Puppy Pics

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK SIX

  • Awake time will continue to increase
  • Puppies will continue learning to use potty box both indoor and outdoors
  • Socialize with each other through play
  • Balance will continue to improve.
  • Daily Outdoor play time as weather permits
  • Puppies will continue learning from their mama and our other adult dogs as they teach them dog manners
  • As always, puppies will get lots of cuddle time.
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A Look At Our Beautiful Four Week Pups’ Singles

Puppy Photo Shoot

When we have puppies to raise our days are very busy. There are so many thing to do such as feeding, potty training, cleaning the puppy area, and laundry to mention a few, it’s a full time job. And let’s not forget cuddling Echo’s sweet babies! So, adding an extra task to my day can be stressful.

On Tuesday, which was one day late, I added the task of The Four Week Old Puppy Photo Shoot to my day. Because puppies are always curious and want to explore. this is always a daunting time for me and can be very stressful. The reason is because four week old puppy never want to stay still and look 👀 at the camera! Can you believe they haven’t learned the command STAY yet -LOL!!

But on Tuesday I was pleasantly surprised! As most of the puppies were very co-operative I was amazed at how quickly my photo shoot went! We were able to capture those adorable faces with minimal stress. After the photo shoot was complete I felt so satisfied with the amazing results!!!

It wasn’t until I had finished and was looking over the photos trying to choose the best pics that I realized I forgotten something. It was the cute coloured collars that I prepared for the photo shoot which had flowers for the girls and bow ties for the boys . Oh well, the puppy pics without their collars would have to do because I definitely was not going to do it again 😂

The Girls

Yellow Collar Girl
Orange Collar Girl
Red Collar Girl
Green Collar Girl
Purple Collar Girl
Pink Collar Girl

The Boys

White Collar Boy
Grey Collar Boy
Dark Blue Collar Boy
Black Collar Boy
Light Blue Collar Boy
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Echo’s Beautiful Puppies Turn Four Weeks Old

LOOKING BACK

It is hard to believe that our puppies are already four weeks old! They have progressed so much in that short period of time.

A lot has happened this past week! The puppies’ milk teeth have erupted, their hind leg have become stronger, and their awake time has increased. Although the puppies still sleep much of the day, when they are awake they love socializing with their littermates through play.

Puppies Move To The Main Floor

Our puppies are on the move

GOOD-BYE

to the warm quiet space that the puppies have occupied since birth. 

HELLO

to the main floor, many noises of a busy household and many life lessons. 

Thursday was a big day for our puppies because they left their warm quiet room where they have been since birth and moved to the main floor. We packed them up in a basket and moved the whelping box and puppies to the main floor. In the beginning, the puppies space will be limited to the whelping box with potty area only. Notice Echo’s bed next to the whelping box where she can keep an eye on her babies. The elevated bed helps her jump in and out of the box to care for her puppies as she pleases.

MOVING DAY – After a busy morning, the puppies cuddled in their whelping box in their new area for a nap.

Time to Begin Potty Training

The puppies are now able to void without the help of their mother, so it is important to begin potty training. Because puppies have a natural instinct to move away from their sleeping area when they need to go, I want the puppies to begin learning “where to go” before they start on solids.

For the first few days after the puppy move to the main floor, I spend my time moving the puppies to the potty area when they wake and after they eat. It is important that puppies start learning that they cannot “go” anywhere. So, we teach them “there is an acceptable place to go potty”. Teaching them this at a young age will prevent them from developing bad habits that later need to be broken. This effort on our part will benefit forever families by making housebreaking easier for them when they go to their forever homes.

The Potty Area is just outside the entrance to the whelping box. We use plastic litter boxes filled with pine pellets. Even though it has only been a few day and we still have lots of work ahead, I am pleased with the puppies’ progress so far.

Puppies Learn To Lap Milk

With a large litter of eleven puppies Echo has done an amazing job feeding her babies. Because only eight puppies can eat at once we have been rotating puppies. This past week the three puppies would protest while they were waiting which in turn would make Echo concerned. So, I decided to supplement the puppies with puppy formula which would keep the waiting puppies quiet, and Echo relaxed. On Thursday, in addition to their mama’s milk all the puppies had puppy formula. The puppies did a great job lapping up the milk.

Weaning Puppies

Echo is starting to wean her puppies. I always know that our mama’s are ready to wean when they start to feed their babies in the “standing position”.

On Saturday we began feeding the puppies solids. I prepared puppy mush by mix ground kibble, puppy formula and water. At first it is very liquidity making it easy for the puppies to lap up. I will gradually thicken the mush working toward softened kibble by week six and then by seven weeks of age the puppies will have transitioned to dry kibble.

Watch our puppies come to out of their whelping box and find their food

Grooming

From day one we handle our puppies often to get them comfortable with human touch. Because Goldendoodles require regular grooming, it is important to me as a breeder to make brushing a positive experience teaching them to enjoy grooming. Brushing you dog regularly not only keeps their fur from matting, but it also removes dirt from their coat.



In addition to brushing the puppies, we also expose them to procedures like nail trims, ear cleaning and touching their mouths in preparation for future teeth brushing. Exposing young puppies to these procedures early will make it easier for their forever families to care for them at home.

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK FIVE

  • Puppies will continue learning to use potty area
  • Awake time will increase
  • The puppies will continue to socialize with each other through play 
  • Balance will continue to improve and puppies will begin to run
  • Enlarging the puppy area, giving puppies room to play and explore
  • Mama will now add the invaluable teaching phase to her caring & protecting responsibilities over the next weeks.