Category: Blog

Understanding the Intricacies of Goldendoodle Insurance

Posted on by Timberidge

written by: James Greenstone

Insuring your furry companion is a crucial step in ensuring a long, healthy, and happy life for them. When it comes to Goldendoodles, a breed known for its charming appearance and friendly disposition, securing the right insurance is essential. This article dives into the world of Goldendoodle insurance, aiming to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how it works.

Why Goldendoodle Insurance?

Goldendoodles are a crossbreed of Golden Retrievers and Poodles, inheriting the best traits from both breeds. However, like any other breed, they can be prone to certain health issues such as hip dysplasia, allergies, cancer and eye disorders. Finding a responsible breeder who health tests parent dogs can help mitigate these health issues, however it is still wise to have pet insurance to help offset the financial burden of veterinary bills, ensuring your Goldendoodle receives the necessary care without breaking the bank.

Understanding Goldendoodle Insurance

Securing an insurance policy for your Goldendoodle is a prudent measure to ensure their health and well-being. It’s imperative to make sure you understand everything insurance provides for Goldendoodles prior to committing to a particular insurance policy. Below are the key aspects of Goldendoodle insurance:

Coverage

  • Basic Coverage: This is the most straightforward insurance coverage, primarily dealing with accidents and unexpected injuries. It’s designed to provide financial relief in the event of unforeseen circumstances such as fractures, bites, or ingestion of foreign objects.
  • Comprehensive Coverage: A more extensive coverage option, comprehensive insurance covers not just accidents, but also illnesses. This could include chronic diseases, congenital conditions, and sometimes even behavioral issues. Some comprehensive plans also cover routine care like vaccinations and wellness check-ups.
  • Breed-Specific Coverage: Given the unique genetic makeup of Goldendoodles, breed-specific coverage can be crucial. It is tailored to address common health concerns associated with Goldendoodles, such as hip dysplasia and certain skin conditions.

Premiums

The premiums are the monthly or yearly payments you make to keep the insurance policy active. The cost of premiums can fluctuate based on various factors including the age, health status, and geographical location of your Goldendoodle, as well as the level of coverage you choose.

Deductibles

A deductible is an out-of-pocket expense you need to pay before your insurance begins to cover the costs. Deductibles can be per incident or annual, and choosing a higher deductible can lower your premium, albeit at the cost of higher upfront payments should an incident occur. It may be prudent to consider the amount of health testing parents dogs have received prior to selecting a deductible. It also might be prudent to run a genetic panel on your dog to determine whether she is at risk for certain genetic conditions such as ichthyosis, a skin disorder common in golden retrievers. Be sure that learning the risk on a genetic panel does not cause that disorder to be excluded as a pre-existing condition.

Reimbursement Levels

Once the deductible is met, the insurance will cover a specified percentage of the remaining veterinary bills. Common reimbursement levels are 70%, 80%, or 90%, though some plans offer as much as 100% reimbursement.

Exclusions

Exclusions are what the insurance policy does not cover. Common exclusions include pre-existing conditions, certain genetic disorders, and sometimes even specific types of care or treatment. It’s vital to thoroughly review any exclusions to ensure the policy meets your Goldendoodle’s needs.

Waiting Period

Many insurance policies have a waiting period post-enrollment before the coverage actually begins. This period can vary in length and is meant to prevent fraud by ensuring that the insurance is not being purchased for a pre-existing condition or an immediate need.

Lifetime Limits

Some insurance policies impose a lifetime limit on the amount they will cover. Once this limit is reached, the policy will no longer provide coverage. It’s essential to be aware of any lifetime limits to ensure that the insurance will provide adequate long-term protection for your Goldendoodle.

Customizing Your Policy

Tailoring your Goldendoodle’s insurance policy allows for a better fit with your pet’s health needs and your financial capacity. You can opt for additional riders such as a wellness rider for routine care, a hereditary and congenital conditions rider for breed-specific ailments, or a behavioral therapy rider for addressing behavioral issues. Adjusting the coverage limits, choosing a suitable deductible amount, and selecting an appropriate reimbursement level provide further customization, balancing premium costs with the extent of coverage.

Some insurance providers offer flexible payment schedules and multi-pet discounts, providing financial ease for pet owners. Additionally, exploring other discount opportunities like membership discounts or discounts for microchipped pets can also contribute to crafting a more cost-effective insurance policy for your Goldendoodle.

Conclusion

Investing in insurance for your Goldendoodle is a testament to the care and commitment you have towards ensuring a healthy and happy life for your furry companion. Understanding the intricacies of Goldendoodle insurance, from the range of coverage options to the flexibility of customizing your policy, empowers you to make an informed decision. By meticulously evaluating the available insurance offerings for Goldendoodles, and tailoring a policy that aligns with both the health needs of your pet and your financial circumstances, you create a safety net that can significantly ease the financial burden of veterinary care.

This prudent step ensures that your Goldendoodle will receive the necessary medical attention whenever it’s needed, fostering a long, joyful, and healthy companionship. The peace of mind that comes with knowing that you are prepared for unforeseen medical expenses is invaluable, making Goldendoodle insurance a wise and loving choice for every responsible pet owner.

written by: James Greenstone

Ivy's F1 medium goldendoodle puppies 2023

Ivy’s F1 medium goldendoodle puppies 2023

Posted on by Timberidge

happy birthday!

Moses and Ivy are the proud parents of six squishy new babies: three girls and three boys. These little ones are absolutely precious. When first born, puppies depend completely on their mama, so we’re blessed that Ivy does such a great job caring for them. She nurses them almost constantly it seems and snuggles with them. How sweet are these faces? The pups are just about 12 hours old in these pictures. Enjoy those pink noses now! They’ll soon start turning black, and I love the contrast of the black against the cream, but the little baby pink noses sure are cute, too.

At first puppies can’t yet walk. Their eyes and ears are closed. They can’t go to the bathroom on their own. And they can’t maintain their own body temperature. Fortunately God gave puppies a natural instinct to pile together for warmth, so they snuggle together in a giant puppy heap. And they also love cuddling around Ivy as she snoozes contentedly, surrounded by her new family. Ivy seems to love being surrounded by her tiny ones.

EEGs have revealed that the brain activity of infant puppies is the same when asleep and awake. But these little pups are busy eating, growing, and developing. It’s amazing how quickly Ivy’s pups grow! At 48 hours old, much of the litter is already hovering around the 1lb mark. Ivy’s puppies twitch and pop in their sleep, as all healthy newborn puppies should. This activated sleep helps them build muscle tone.

Your puppy’s birthday is October 8th, and your puppy will be ready to come home with you December 3rd-4th.

weekly puppy tip #1: nap time is essential!

Think about a napping place – The puppies spend most of their lives sleeping now, but did you know that your new furbaby is going to need lots of sleep when you bring her home, too? Puppies, just like small children, require naps throughout the day. When your puppy is sleeping, try to allow her to rest untouched (it’s okay for noisy life to carry on around her while she snoozes, but it’s best not to physically disturb her as much as possible). This may mean that you need to guide her to a different spot than the one she’s initially chosen. Puppy Culture estimates that an 8-10 week old puppy sleeps 3 hours and then is awake for 1 hour before going back down for another nap. AKC gives some helpful insight into the importance of puppy sleep (You can read the whole of the article here.):

Although puppies may seem like little bundles of energy, in fact, they sleep 15-20 hours a day. One minute your puppy may be a miniature tornado, and the next he’s fallen soundly asleep, almost mid-activity. Sleep is essential to healthy growth: during sleep his central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles are developing. All of that sleep also helps him rest up during growth spurts… household members, especially children, should leave your puppy alone while he is sleeping. Plan his day so that active time is followed by quiet time for sleep. He’ll most likely be ready for a nap after playtime or a walk, sleep for a while and then wake up ready for anything. Your puppy may nap every hour or so, sleeping from 30 minutes to as long as two hours. All of this sleep is perfectly normal.

Jan Reisen from the American Kennel Club (AKC) Tweet

one week new

It’s hard to believe that these six chunky munchkins are already one week old! They have grown so much! These puppies may still seem incredibly small but they’ve really packed on the pounds! These sweet little pumpkins continue to dedicate their entire lives to eating and sleeping – and it shows! They are becoming fat little sausages with adorable wrinkles and rolls. Everyone has passed over the 1lb mark in this past week, and some have even barely reached the big 2lb mark. All that growing means that the puppies have moved into their big pup collars. We use break-free collars to keep our littles safe from the risk of strangulation, but these special safety collars feel like “normal” collars to the puppies, so they’ll go home used to the feel of wearing a collar.

Even though the puppies spend most of their lives sleeping, they actually are doing baby workouts as they snooze the day away. These little pups twitch and pop involuntarily during their sleep, developing muscle tone for the near future. This phenomenon is known as “activated sleep.” In a few short weeks, these rolly polly puppies will be bouncing around playfully. Their legs, while still wobbly, have already gotten stronger and the puppies wobble around on them instead of just army crawling as they did initially.

The puppies have now had their toenails trimmed for the first time. When you take your puppy home, it’s important that you continue to regularly trim her nails. Right now we trim the puppies’ nails with human baby nail clippers. For our adult dogs, we use a dremel to keep their nails short. We like to keep the puppies’ nails short so they don’t accidentally scratch Coco while nursing. Plus nail trimming is going to be a regular activity throughout their lives, so we want to introduce them to it at an early age. We’ll continue to clip little nails frequently over the next seven weeks.

weekly puppy tip #2: make a puppy experience plan

Make a puppy experience plan – Compile a list of places you want to take your puppy and experiences you want your puppy to encounter. Any day now, these little eyes will be ready to soak up the sites, and we’ll now start introducing the puppies to items that differ in appearance. We have a thought out socialization plan, working hard to expose your puppy to as much as possible during her time with us. When you take your puppy home, that responsibility then shifts to you as you continue the socialization process. Exposing your puppy to new people, situations, sounds, smells, textures, etc. is extremely important. Give your new puppy a few days to adjust to her new home and new routine. Then begin giving her short, positive experiences (yummy treats make everything more positive!). Don’t try to do too much in one day, as you don’t want to overwhelm or stress her. Go ahead: start making a list of ideas for how to want to socialize your new puppy. 

Your goal is for your puppy to meet a minimum of 100 different people by the time she’s six months old. Dr. Ian Dunbar, a puppy socialization expert, raises the bar even higher by recommending that puppies meet 100+ people during the first month at home. If you hope to visit a local nursing home or hospital when your puppy gets older, secure some crutches, walkers or wheelchairs to expose your puppy to at home. Meeting people is just one component of socialization. Think about outdoor experiences that you and your puppy can safely enjoy together. Consider what predictable dogs you can introduce your puppy to (dogs who are stable, friendly, healthy, and will model good behavior for your pup). Keep in mind that adult dogs aren’t always fond of puppies so be sure to monitor them together. Do you know anyone with a woods or creek where you can take your puppy for a short romp? Remember, you want every experience to be POSITIVE (i.e. bring yummy treats and hand out the praise). Making a plan now, before you bring your puppy home, will help ensure that you follow through with a variety of positive exposures once you have your new little fluff ball at your side. 

Check out AviDog’s free e-book for more ideas about what to add to your puppy experience plan. Baxter & Bella also has some great ideas for socializing your puppy.

11 days new

The puppies aren’t quite two weeks old yet, but they have grown so much since I took their pictures over the weekend, so I couldn’t help but give them a little photoshoot a few days early. You’ll probably notice how nicely they’re chunking up! But do you also see those tiny little eyes staring back at you?! Yes! The puppies have just barely started opening their eyes! Hence the extra reason for a photoshoot this evening – you’ve got to see those sweet little eyes, too. Now eye opening is a process that doesn’t happen all in one day, and not every puppy has open eyes yet. 

Ivy is a great mama. The ever increasing rolls on these babies are strong evidence that Ivy is doing an excellent job nursing her crew! Seriously, how cute are those little forehead wrinkles? At this point, the sleepy little dumplings still snooze away most of their days and fill any awake time with stuffing their bellies. The puppies are still in a calm, quiet environment. Soon they’ll be ready for the chaos of our main living area but not quite yet. 

The puppies have all had their toenails for a second time. It’s important to keep their toenails short now so the pups don’t accidentally scratch mama Ivy when they’re nursing. Toenails grow quickly. Be ready to trim your new pup’s nails every few weeks when she joins your family. 

Naming puppies is a highlight for our kids. Usually there’s not much of a theme to names, but for this litter, the names actually do go together – at least for the most part. We have: S’more, Marshmallow, Chocolate, Graham Cracker, Hershey…. and they’re still debating whether the youngest should name the sixth puppy “garbage truck”!

weekly puppy tip #3: age appropriate exercise

Glance over Puppy Culture’s exercise chart. Familiarize yourself with what sorts of activities are appropriate for your puppy at different stages of development. You want to give your puppy a variety of unique positive experiences, but your puppy is still growing & developing, so you don’t want to push your puppy too far. For instance, climbing up one to two stairs is an appropriate challenge but climbing a flight of stairs is not a good idea for a young puppy (a study done on 500 dogs showed that puppies allowed to climb a flight of stairs regularly before 3 months old were more likely to develop hip dysplasia). Remember, free running and playing is a great option because your puppy can rest whenever she feels inclined to do so. If you’d like to read more about puppy exercise, check out AviDog’s puppy exercise guidelines. This article from AKC also gives some helpful puppy exercise tips.

three weeks new

Aren’t these little pumpkins really looking like miniature dogs now? They are so stinking precious. The puppies sit awkwardly and walk around now, albeit a bit clumsily. 

Look at those open eyes! When puppy eyes first open, they’re blue and cloudy but as the eyes change from their cloudy blue appearance, they open more and the puppy’s vision becomes crisper. The pups still spend the majority of their time snoozing, but they’re also starting to play with each other. Their clumsy play right now looks like it’s happening in slow motion.

They puppies have recently discovered that they can bark, and sometimes a seemingly random high pitched bark rings out. They surprise themselves with the sounds that come out of their own mouths!

All of the time these babies spend eating shows! These chunky monkeys continue to grow like crazy. The biggest pups weigh just over 5lbs already.

weekly puppy tip #4: be the leader your puppy wants you to be

It’s essential that you establish yourself as the pack leader. Your puppy doesn’t want to be in charge – that’s a scary place to be! Your puppy wants to look to you as the leader, but you have to show yourself as worth of the role by being the leader (this also helps set your kids apart as ranking higher in the pack than your new pup). Some easy ways to establish your leadership include:

  • Sit down with your puppy each night before bed and briefly touch your puppy EVERYWHERE. Kneel on the floor with your puppy sitting between your legs. Start by petting your puppy’s head and tell him “head, head.” Then check his mouth, telling him “teeth, teeth,” and look inside his ears telling him “ear, ears.” Briefly go over your puppy from nose to tail in this fashion. This helps establish that you’re allowed to touch your puppy anywhere and everywhere. (see the video below)
  • Set boundaries so there is at least one place in your home that your dog isn’t allowed to go in your home (i.e. not allowed to jump on your bed, not allowed to sit on a particular couch or not allowed into a certain room). 
  • Teach you puppy to sit and wait for you to walk out the front door before her and give her the “okay” before she is permitted to walk through it. If you’ve been consistent, your puppy will offer a sit and wait for a release word (i.e. “okay”) before coming inside by 3 months old. When she’s old enough to start walking freely up and down stairs, teach her to wait for you to finish climbing/descending the stairs before she comes. 
  • Encourage your puppy sit and wait for you to give her the “okay” before she is allowed to approach her food bowl. Periodically pick up your puppy’s food bowl while she’s eating, reward her with a yummy treat, and return the food bowl. (we’ll talk about the Toy Trade Game and other educational games you can play with your puppy next week).
  • Teach your puppy to do a long down during meal times. Buy a soft rug or bed and teach your puppy to go lay on it on command. We have our own adult dogs lay on a rug in a down stay during dinner. Maple was doing a down stay along side them at 6 months old for the entire length of our meal – which means your puppy can do it at a young age, too!

three and a half weeks

Ivy’s puppies got to explore the great outdoors for the very first time this afternoon. The weather has been pretty chilly, so I was delighted when the sun came out and the temperatures warmed allowing me to take these babies outside. They did great! As you can tell from the picture (and hopefully saw in the Instagram story clip), the puppies enjoyed their very first picnic. Nothing is better than enjoying a wonderful meal while soaking in some nature 🙂

The puppies will begin going outside more and more over the upcoming weeks, and I have a feeling that they’re going to love it. Don’t they look so grown up sitting outside in the grass? They’re really looking like little dogs now.

The pups have moved downstairs to Puppy Town, which means they’re being submersed into the chaos of our home. It also means that they’re beginning to explore new toys (again, hopefully you saw the Insta story video of them playing). These guys are curious little pups and seem to really enjoy exploring the world around them.

four weeks new

I can’t believe how quickly these babies are growing up! The kids LOVE having the puppies downstairs, and the puppies love the kids. The puppies go outside multiple times a day, and we’re working on getting as many potties as possible to happen out there. We’ve introduced a crate, and the puppies have slept in it over night for the first time. We continue to give the munchkins new toys to spark their curiosity. And we continue to snuggle them. They shower us with kisses, and we shower them with kisses, too! The pups have sniffed noses with some other dogs besides their mama – and they’ve also started playing with Coco’s puppies (with supervision). They’ve also started playing with each other, and they thoroughly enjoy wrestling each other. The puppies have also started enjoying kibble mush. They think it’s a delicious treat! The puppies still enjoy mama Ivy’s nutritious milk, too. If you have not received an email from TLC about ordering puppy food, please let me know.

The growing and developing puppies do in the first four weeks is absolutely outstanding! In just one month, these pups have gone from being unable to walk to playing with each other. In just one month, they’ve gone from having eyes & ears that are shut to curiously exploring the world around them. In just one month, they’ve gone from being entirely dependent on Ivy to interacting with each other, and giving us kisses! It’s so fun to watch all of that growing and developing unfold. Hopefully you’ve been enjoying the Instagram story videos of the puppies this week.

weekly puppy tip #5: Get ready to play educational games with your puppy!

Did you know that there are fun games you can play with your puppy that teach him beneficial skills? It’s great to incorporate regular educational games into your puppy’s routine, so read through these suggestions, add any needed supplies to your puppy shopping list, and get ready for puppy playtime!

  • Ball On The Wall – Encourages retrieving
    • Supplies: A ball that your puppy can carry in her mouth
    • How to play: Sit on the floor about 1-5’ from a wall. Put your legs in a “V” and sit facing the wall with your puppy between you and the wall. Toss the ball at the wall, encouraging your puppy to go after it. Give your puppy lots of praise when she brings the ball back! 
    • Variation: Once you’ve mastered Ball On The Wall, try playing retrieve in a hallway with all the doors closed (so your puppy can’t run away with the ball).
  • Toy Trade – Prevents resource guarding
    • Supplies: A toy that your puppy likes but doesn’t highly value and a high value treat
    • How to play: Briefly play with your puppy using the toy. Ask your puppy for the toy by offering her a high value treat. Reward & praise her for giving you the toy, and give the toy back to her as soon as she finishes chewing. Gradually work on having her give you objects of higher value (i.e. a bone).
    • Variation: Work on teaching your puppy the command “give” and ask her to drop the toy/bone on command in exchange for the high value treat.
  • Hide & Seek – Encourages recall
    • Supplies: Yummy treats
    • How to play: Run away from your puppy, hide behind a corner, tree, couch or other object, and call your puppy to encourage her to find you. When she does, give her lots of praise and a yummy treat.
    • Variation: Play Ping Pong by having a partner play with you and take turns hiding. While the first person is rewarding the puppy for coming, the second person hides.

five weeks new

This is such a fun age! These puppies are cuter every day! Their individual personalities are starting to show through. They’ve transformed from little guinea pigs who can’t see or hear to actual miniature dogs who run around and play and give kisses. And they already enjoy belly rubs, which is fun too. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the short video clips on our Instagram story. I’m trying to share short videos there so you can see what the puppies are up to each day.

The puppies have been sleeping confined in crates for about a week now. At first, the whole litter slept together in one crate, but now the puppies are sleeping 3 pups to a crate. They do a crate job settling down at bedtime and staying quiet all night long. We let them outside about 7am. Sometime the puppies don’t quite make it out the door before pottying, but we’re so proud of them for holding it until we let them out of their crates in the morning. They’re doing awesome for only being 5 weeks old (it was just a few weeks ago that mama Ivy had to stimulate them go to the bathroom and now they’re holding their pees until they are released from their crates – that’s pretty incredible if you think about it!).

As I mentioned last week, the puppies have started eating softened TLC puppy kibble. Soon they’ll be chowing down on dry kibble, but for now while their teeth are coming in, the soften food makes for a perfect meal. Ivy continues to nurse them throughout the day.

The puppies trot about, exploring the world around them. They enjoy playing with the different toys in their pen, and they enjoy playing with each other, too. We’ve been able to combine Coco and Ivy’s puppies into one giant Puppy Town, which means double the playmates! The pups don’t sit still for long, except for when they’re on your lap or sleeping, so pictures are challenging – unless they’re sleeping (hence why everyone looks a little sleepy in the pictures)! In between their short bursts of energy, they still spend much of their time snoozing.

The pups have also been on a few road trips in the past week where they’ve been able to explore new environments and meet new people. We feel that it’s important for puppies to experience different environments starting from a young age, so we work hard to start that socialization during their time with us. When you take your puppy home, that responsibility passes onto you and then it’s your turn to continue the socialization process. Hopefully you’ve worked on a puppy experience plan like we talks about in puppy tip #2! It’s been a fun week for these little pups, and we’re thoroughly enjoying them.

weekly puppy tip #6: select and register for a puppy class

A puppy class is essential both for socialization and manners. Look for a class that emphasizes positive reinforcement, as learning & training should be a fun game at this point. Clicker training is a plus. This article from AKC gives some pointers about what to look for in a puppy class. Many dog training facilities will allow your new friend join their puppy class around 12 weeks of age, once she has received her second set of immunizations. Allison Camp from Pups Unleashed offers a local puppy class. She’ll be temperament testing the puppies in about 2 weeks and assisting with matching. Temperament testing always an exciting day!

We prefer in person puppy class over virtual hands down, but having online recourses is incredibly helpful, too. Timberidge Goldendoodles is excited to be partnering with Baxter & Bella. These online resources, virtual classes, and video training tips are an amazing option for every puppy owner – there are even a variety of resources to help you now as you prepare for your new furry family member. Plus membership is for a lifetime, so you can access Baxter & Bella’s tools repeatedly over the years ahead for each and every furry child that joins your family. Use the discount code TIMBERIDGE to save 25% when you join Baxter & Bella!

Here’s a short video from Baxter & Bella’s about how to train your puppy to respond positively the someone ringing your doorbell. You can take this same principle and apply it to a variety of other circumstances, such as teaching your puppy to walk calmly past another dog who is going crazy. Additional free puppy training videos are linked at the bottom of this blog post, so if you haven’t already checked them out, please take the time to watch at least a few of them. Remember, the best thing you can do to prepare for your new puppy is to prepare yourself!

six weeks

I had hoped to share a video of the puppies this week – they are so curious and playful – but unfortunately we are experiencing some computer troubles that prevent that from happening. But thankfully we got to have a Christmas photoshoot instead (sorry the pictures are a little dark. My editing software is also out of commission since it’s on our computer). Aren’t these babies adorable?! I absolutely LOVE their boxy faces! Ivy has a gorgeous head and her puppies likewise are beautiful. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the short Insta story videos of the pups in action.

It’s been another busy week full of fun puppy adventures. The puppies have played outside A LOT (even with all the rain we’ve received lately)! The puppies have ventured on another road trip this week and were able to meet my side of the family. Everyone loved the puppies and the puppies loved all of the attention! It’s good for the pups to get used to playing in different locations/ new environments, and they’ve enjoyed exploring the new situations. We’re working hard to expose these pups to a variety of sights, sounds, smells, environments, people – and in just a few short weeks, it will be your turn to continue that socialization process with your new pup.

weekly puppy tip #7: get ready to groom!

Your puppy has had her nails clipped and hair trimmed during her time with us, so she has already had her initial introduction to a lifetime of being groomed. Take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations. The groomer will bathe her, trim the hair out of her eyes, give her a sanitary clip, and trim her nails. Since she will need regular grooming throughout her life, both she and the groomer will benefit if she becomes accustomed to being groomed from a young age, even before she’s ready for a full haircut. 

When should she have her first big girl haircut? The wavy adult coat will start replacing the soft, fluffy puppy coat around 5-6 months of age. You’ll notice the new hair coming in is kinkier than the pure fluff on top. Waiting to cut the hair until the adult coat makes its debut beneath the layers of puppy plush helps ensure that the adult coat remains soft. Many poodle groomers and poodle fanciers claim that shaving a poodle or goldendoodle down before her adult coat starts coming in could damage the adult coat, affecting the texture. While there isn’t any substantiated evidence that this is true (at least that I can find), it’s worth avoiding just in case. That doesn’t mean that your puppy might not benefit from a puppy clip in the meantime! Don’t let your puppy’s hair get out of control! As aforementioned, take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations. When the time comes, check out the grooming section on our website for a variety of goldendoodle haircut pictures. Learn more about your Goldendoodle puppy’s first trip to the groomer. We have a plethora of haircut resources under the “grooming” tab on the main menu bar.

Waiting until 6 months for the first full big girl clip does NOT mean you’re off the hook for grooming at home! You should regularly groom your puppy: brushing her hair, cleaning her ears, brushing her teeth, clipping her toenails, and checking her for any anomalies (i.e. ticks, cuts, etc.). You want your puppy to become accustomed to being brushed and handled all over from a young age. We HIGHLY recommend doing regular bonding/body handling exercises with your puppy (demonstrated in the video shared on weekly puppy tip #4). Goldendoodles are a breed that like routines (thanks to those poodle ancestors), so it’s nice to do bonding exercises every night just before your put your puppy in her crate for bed. It’s easy to incorporate different parts of grooming into your nightly bonding exercises, just doing a little here and a little there since young puppies don’t have the attention span for lots of grooming at once.

getting ready

We’ve created a puppy shopping list to guide you as you prepare to bring your new pup home! Go ahead and pick up a Snuggle Puppy (stuffed puppy with a heartbeat) to bring with you on meet & greet day (or mail it to us if you live out of town). If you have a crate, you’re welcome to leave that with us that on meet & greet day as well and we’ll start getting your puppy used to her new future “bedroom.”

the best way to prepare for a new puppy is to prepare yourself!

Baxter & Bella: first 2 weeks with a new puppy videos are all short 1-3 minute videos that are helpful to watch. You’ll learn how to teach your puppy and get ideas for establishing good behaviors from day one. These videos show Amy Jensen training Chili, her young doodle puppy.

If you’re eager to learn more, Baxter & Bella’s online resources, virtual classes, and video training tips are an amazing option for every puppy owner. Plus membership is for a lifetime, so you can access Baxter & Bella’s tools repeatedly over the years ahead for each and every furry child that joins your family. Use the discount code TIMBERIDGE to save 25% when you join Baxter & Bella!

service & therapy

If you plan to do service or therapy work with your puppy, the harness introduction and “touch” Baxter & Bella videos (above) are both important to start working with your puppy on. In addition, consider what environment(s) you’d ideally like to go on therapy visits and make a list of things your puppy might encounter there. Will you puppy meet people in hoodies with the hood up? Will you puppy meet people in lab coats or masks? Will your puppy encounter mobility assistive devices? As you prepare for your new puppy, check GoodWill or Facebook Marketplace to find items such as a cane, crutches, walker, wheel chair, strollers, etc. that your puppy may encounter during therapy visits. You’ll want to familiar your puppy with those items beginning at a young age.

Coco's babies 2023

Coco’s babies 2023

Posted on by Timberidge

happy birthday

Coco & Gideon are the proud parents of five squishy new babies: three girls and two boys. These little ones are absolutely precious. When first born, puppies depend completely on their mama, so we’re blessed that Coco does such a great job caring for them. She nurses them almost constantly it seems and snuggles with them (sometimes Coco nurses them while lying on her back with her belly up in the air – it makes us laugh!). How sweet are these faces? The pups are just over 12 hours old in these pictures.

At first puppies can’t yet walk. Their eyes and ears are closed. They can’t go to the bathroom on their own. And they can’t maintain their own body temperature. Fortunately God gave puppies a natural instinct to pile together for warmth, so they snuggle together in a giant puppy heap. And they also love cuddling around Coco as she snoozes contentedly, surrounded by her new family. It’s adorable to see a puppy snuggled with Coco’s ear and another under her chin. When Coco lays with her belly in the air, we sometimes find little puppies sleeping on top of Coco’s belly or happily snuggled in the warm hair on her neck. Coco seems to love being surrounded by her tiny ones.

EEGs have revealed that the brain activity of infant puppies is the same when asleep and awake. But these little pups are busy eating, growing, and developing. Coco’s puppies twitch and pop in their sleep, as all healthy newborn puppies should. This activated sleep helps them build muscle tone.

Your puppy’s birthday is September 22nd, and your puppy will be ready to come home with you November 17th-19th.

Weekly puppy tip #1: nap time is essential!

Think about a napping place – The puppies spend most of their lives sleeping now, but did you know that your new furbaby is going to need lots of sleep when you bring her home, too? Puppies, just like small children, require naps throughout the day. When your puppy is sleeping, try to allow her to rest untouched (it’s okay for noisy life to carry on around her while she snoozes, but it’s best not to physically disturb her as much as possible). This may mean that you need to guide her to a different spot than the one she’s initially chosen. Puppy Culture estimates that an 8-10 week old puppy sleeps 3 hours and then is awake for 1 hour before going back down for another nap. AKC gives some helpful insight into the importance of puppy sleep (You can read the whole of the article here.):

Although puppies may seem like little bundles of energy, in fact, they sleep 15-20 hours a day. One minute your puppy may be a miniature tornado, and the next he’s fallen soundly asleep, almost mid-activity. Sleep is essential to healthy growth: during sleep his central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles are developing. All of that sleep also helps him rest up during growth spurts… household members, especially children, should leave your puppy alone while he is sleeping. Plan his day so that active time is followed by quiet time for sleep. He’ll most likely be ready for a nap after playtime or a walk, sleep for a while and then wake up ready for anything. Your puppy may nap every hour or so, sleeping from 30 minutes to as long as two hours. All of this sleep is perfectly normal.

Jan Reisen from the American Kennel Club (AKC) Tweet

one week new

t’s hard to believe that these munchkins are already one week old! They have grown so much! These puppies may still seem incredibly small but they’ve really packed on the pounds! Everyone has passed over the 1lb mark in this past week, so now they’re all headed towards the big #2. That’s a lot of growing! These sweet little pumpkins continue to dedicate their entire lives to eating and sleeping – and it shows! They are becoming fat little sausages with adorable wrinkles and rolls.

Even though the puppies spend most of their lives sleeping, they actually are doing baby workouts as they snooze the day away. These little pups twitch and pop involuntarily during their sleep, developing muscle tone for the near future. This phenomenon is known as “activated sleep.” In a few short weeks, these rolly polly puppies will be bouncing around playfully. Their legs, while still wobbly, have already gotten stronger and the puppies wobble around on them instead of just army crawling as they did initially.

The puppies have now had their toenails trimmed for the first time. When you take your puppy home, it’s important that you continue to regularly trim her nails. Right now we trim the puppies’ nails with human baby nail clippers. For our adult dogs, we use a dremel to keep their nails short. We like to keep the puppies’ nails short so they don’t accidentally scratch Coco while nursing. Plus nail trimming is going to be a regular activity throughout their lives, so we want to introduce them to it at an early age. We’ll continue to clip little nails frequently over the next seven weeks.

weekly puppy tip #2

Make a puppy experience plan – Compile a list of places you want to take your puppy and experiences you want your puppy to encounter. Any day now, these little eyes will be ready to soak up the sites, and we’ll now start introducing the puppies to items that differ in appearance. We have a thought out socialization plan, working hard to expose your puppy to as much as possible during her time with us. When you take your puppy home, that responsibility then shifts to you as you continue the socialization process. Exposing your puppy to new people, situations, sounds, smells, textures, etc. is extremely important. Give your new puppy a few days to adjust to her new home and new routine. Then begin giving her short, positive experiences (yummy treats make everything more positive!). Don’t try to do too much in one day, as you don’t want to overwhelm or stress her. Go ahead: start making a list of ideas for how to want to socialize your new puppy. 

Your goal is for your puppy to meet a minimum of 100 different people by the time she’s six months old. Dr. Ian Dunbar, a puppy socialization expert, raises the bar even higher by recommending that puppies meet 100+ people during the first month at home. If you hope to visit a local nursing home or hospital when your puppy gets older, secure some crutches, walkers or wheelchairs to expose your puppy to at home. Meeting people is just one component of socialization. Think about outdoor experiences that you and your puppy can safely enjoy together. Consider what predictable dogs you can introduce your puppy to (dogs who are stable, friendly, healthy, and will model good behavior for your pup). Keep in mind that adult dogs aren’t always fond of puppies so be sure to monitor them together. Do you know anyone with a woods or creek where you can take your puppy for a short romp? Remember, you want every experience to be POSITIVE (i.e. bring yummy treats and hand out the praise). Making a plan now, before you bring your puppy home, will help ensure that you follow through with a variety of positive exposures once you have your new little fluff ball at your side. 

Check out AviDog’s free e-book for more ideas about what to add to your puppy experience plan. Baxter & Bella also has some great ideas for socializing your puppy.

two weeks new

There’s always someone who has their own ideas about how a group picture should go! Silly Peaches thought you would enjoy seeing her adorable puppy tail more than seeing her sweet puppy face! Going against the flow isn’t necessarily a bad thing, right? 🙂

From left to right in the group picture we have: Watermelon (boy), Apple Sauce (boy), Clementine (girl), Peaches (girl), and Toast (girl). The puppies won’t know their temporary names when they go home, but we have fun naming them anyway.

These puppies are so stinking precious! And they have filled out so much since last week! At birth, these pups weighed between 11oz-12oz. They more than doubled their birth weights and now weigh between 1lb 13oz and 2lb 2oz. They’ve grown so much and yet they’re still so small! Despite their rotund bellies, the pups are beginning to take wobbly steps. Don’t they look much more like little dogs than they did last week? The puppies are still in a calm, quiet environment. Soon they’ll be ready for the chaos of our main living area but not quite yet. They get around their whelping box fairly quickly on wobbly legs, and it’s fun to see them attempting to walk instead of belly crawl.

The biggest, most exciting change since last week is that puppies’ eye have just started opening. It’s so fun to see them looking back at us. Eye opening is a process that doesn’t happen all in one day. With their eyes open, the puppies started climbing out of their whelping box so they have transitioned into their first puppy pen. We’ve started giving them objects to explore, but at this point, the sleepy little dumplings still snooze away most of their days and fill any awake time with stuffing their bellies.

The puppies have all had their toenails for a second time. It’s important to keep their toenails short now so the pups don’t accidentally scratch mama Coco when they’re nursing. Toenails grow quickly. Be ready to trim your new pup’s nails every few weeks when she joins your family.

weekly puppy tip #3: age appropriate exercise

Glance over Puppy Culture’s exercise chart. Familiarize yourself with what sorts of activities are appropriate for your puppy at different stages of development. You want to give your puppy a variety of unique positive experiences, but your puppy is still growing & developing, so you don’t want to push your puppy too far. For instance, climbing up one to two stairs is an appropriate challenge but climbing a flight of stairs is not a good idea for a young puppy (a study done on 500 dogs showed that puppies allowed to climb a flight of stairs regularly before 3 months old were more likely to develop hip dysplasia). Remember, free running and playing is a great option because your puppy can rest whenever she feels inclined to do so. If you’d like to read more about puppy exercise, check out AviDog’s puppy exercise guidelines. This article from AKC also gives some helpful puppy exercise tips.

three weeks new

Aren’t these little pumpkins really looking like miniature dogs now? They are so stinking precious. I can’t wait to move them downstairs next week! They’re not quite ready for the chaos of our main living area, but they will be soon. The puppies sit awkwardly and walk around, albeit a bit clumsily. 

Look at those open eyes! When puppy eyes first open, they’re blue and cloudy but as the eyes change from their cloudy blue appearance, they open more and the puppy’s vision becomes crisper. The pups still spend the majority of their time snoozing, but they’re also starting to play with each other. Their clumsy play right now looks like it’s happening in slow motion.

They puppies have recently discovered that they can bark, and sometimes a seemingly random high pitched bark rings out. They surprise themselves with the sounds that come out of their own mouths!

All of the time these babies spend eating shows! These chunky monkeys continue to grow like crazy.

weekly puppy tip #4: be the leader your puppy wants you to be

It’s essential that you establish yourself as the pack leader. Your puppy doesn’t want to be in charge – that’s a scary place to be! Your puppy wants to look to you as the leader, but you have to show yourself as worth of the role by being the leader (this also helps set your kids apart as ranking higher in the pack than your new pup). Some easy ways to establish your leadership include:

  • Sit down with your puppy each night before bed and briefly touch your puppy EVERYWHERE. Kneel on the floor with your puppy sitting between your legs. Start by petting your puppy’s head and tell him “head, head.” Then check his mouth, telling him “teeth, teeth,” and look inside his ears telling him “ear, ears.” Briefly go over your puppy from nose to tail in this fashion. This helps establish that you’re allowed to touch your puppy anywhere and everywhere. (see the video below)
  • Set boundaries so there is at least one place in your home that your dog isn’t allowed to go in your home (i.e. not allowed to jump on your bed, not allowed to sit on a particular couch or not allowed into a certain room). 
  • Teach you puppy to sit and wait for you to walk out the front door before her and give her the “okay” before she is permitted to walk through it. If you’ve been consistent, your puppy will offer a sit and wait for a release word (i.e. “okay”) before coming inside by 3 months old. When she’s old enough to start walking freely up and down stairs, teach her to wait for you to finish climbing/descending the stairs before she comes. 
  • Encourage your puppy sit and wait for you to give her the “okay” before she is allowed to approach her food bowl. Periodically pick up your puppy’s food bowl while she’s eating, reward her with a yummy treat, and return the food bowl. (we’ll talk about the Toy Trade Game and other educational games you can play with your puppy next week).
  • Teach your puppy to do a long down during meal times. Buy a soft rug or bed and teach your puppy to go lay on it on command. We have our own adult dogs lay on a rug in a down stay during dinner. Maple was doing a down stay along side them at 6 months old for the entire length of our meal – which means your puppy can do it at a young age, too!

four weeks new

I can’t believe how quickly these babies are growing up! The biggest news of the week is that they moved downstairs. At first pups needed a calm, quiet environment without too much stimulation. But now they’re ready for the chaos that exists in the main part of our home! The pups moved into a small puppy area earlier in the week, and we’ve let them explore the big “puppy town” play yard some. In the upcoming weeks, they’ll play in puppy town more and more. The kids LOVE having the puppies downstairs, and the puppies love the kids. We’ve introduced a crate, and it is fun to find puppies sleeping in it. We continue to give the munchkins new toys to spark their curiosity. And we continue to snuggle them. They shower us with kisses, and we shower them with kisses, too! The pups have sniffed noses with some other dogs besides their mama – and they’ve also sniffed noses through a gate with Maple’s puppies. They’ve also started playing with each other (it’s hilarious to watch because it’s like watching them play in slow motion). The puppies have also started lapping warm goat milk from a dish. They think it’s a delicious treat! You might have seen the video in the Insta story of them eating it with front paws in the bowl. Eating is a full body experience at this age! They puppies still enjoy mama Coco’s nutritious milk, but it’s good for them to begin learning to eat from a bowl so they can give kibble a try soon. So much has happened this week!

The growing and developing puppies do in the first four weeks is absolutely outstanding! In just one month, these pups have gone from being unable to walk to playing with each other. In just one month, they’ve gone from having eyes & ears that are shut to curiously exploring the world around them. In just one month, they’ve gone from being entirely dependent on Coco to using a potty area in their pen, interacting with each other, and giving us kisses! It’s so fun to watch all of that growing and developing unfold. Hopefully you’ve been enjoying the Instagram story videos of the puppies this week.

Weekly puppy tip #5: Get ready to play educational games with your puppy!

Did you know that there are fun games you can play with your puppy that teach him beneficial skills? It’s great to incorporate regular educational games into your puppy’s routine, so read through these suggestions, add any needed supplies to your puppy shopping list, and get ready for puppy playtime!

  • Ball On The Wall – Encourages retrieving
    • Supplies: A ball that your puppy can carry in her mouth
    • How to play: Sit on the floor about 1-5’ from a wall. Put your legs in a “V” and sit facing the wall with your puppy between you and the wall. Toss the ball at the wall, encouraging your puppy to go after it. Give your puppy lots of praise when she brings the ball back! 
    • Variation: Once you’ve mastered Ball On The Wall, try playing retrieve in a hallway with all the doors closed (so your puppy can’t run away with the ball).
  • Toy Trade – Prevents resource guarding
    • Supplies: A toy that your puppy likes but doesn’t highly value and a high value treat
    • How to play: Briefly play with your puppy using the toy. Ask your puppy for the toy by offering her a high value treat. Reward & praise her for giving you the toy, and give the toy back to her as soon as she finishes chewing. Gradually work on having her give you objects of higher value (i.e. a bone).
    • Variation: Work on teaching your puppy the command “give” and ask her to drop the toy/bone on command in exchange for the high value treat.
  • Hide & Seek – Encourages recall
    • Supplies: Yummy treats
    • How to play: Run away from your puppy, hide behind a corner, tree, couch or other object, and call your puppy to encourage her to find you. When she does, give her lots of praise and a yummy treat.
    • Variation: Play Ping Pong by having a partner play with you and take turns hiding. While the first person is rewarding the puppy for coming, the second person hides.

four and a half weeks new

Sometimes I get a little too excited and can’t help but share an update mid week. Today is one of those days. 🙂 Coco’s babies went outside for the very first time Friday, and here are pictures from their adventure. They all did AMAZINGLY well. Usually there is someone in a litter who is a little overwhelmed that very first time, but everyone in this litter showed nothing but confidence. All five little tails were up and everyone explored a little.

Since that first adventure out of doors, we’ve started taking the puppies outside increasingly more each day. Today they went outside probably six times, maybe more. The pups have started sleeping locked in a crate overnight, and everyone holds their little poos until morning. When we go outside bright and early, they all take care of business. It’s great to see these little guys already beginning to make strides towards housebreaking at such a young age. 

The kids love snuggling these babies and the babies love snuggling the kids. They get excited to see us and love attention. These puppies are all super sweet, and we’re very pleased with this litter.

Oh, and the puppies went on their first road trip today! You may have seen the Insta story clip of them exploring the tall grass. The puppies did well riding together in their plastic crate in the car and they did well exploring the new environment. We’re looking forward to taking them on more road trips in the upcoming weeks. 

It really seems like these pups turned into little dogs in the past week! It’s fun to see them playing, exploring, wagging their tails… and they even try to sneak in and steal the big puppies’ dry kibble! The little stinkers! <3

five weeks new

This is such a fun age! These puppies are cuter every day! Their individual personalities are starting to show through. They’ve transformed from little guinea pigs who can’t see or hear to actual miniature dogs who run around and play and give kisses. And they already enjoy belly rubs, which is fun too. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the short video clips on our Instagram story. I’m trying to share short videos there so you can see what the puppies are up to each day.

The puppies have started eating softened TLC puppy kibble. Soon they’ll be chowing down on dry kibble, but for now while their teeth are coming in, the soften food makes for a perfect meal. Coco continues to nurse them throughout the day. The puppies trot about, exploring the world around them. They enjoy playing with the different toys in their pen, and they enjoy playing with each other, too. They’ve even started playing with Maple’s puppies, with supervision of course. The pups don’t sit still for long, except for when they’re on your lap or sleeping, so pictures are challenging – unless they’re sleeping! In between their short bursts of energy, they still spend much of their time snoozing. If you sit on the floor, you’re sure to have a lap full of puppies! We’ve started locking them in crates overnight (with their buddies – no one is confined alone at this age). When we take them outside first thing in the morning, it’s rewarding to see the whole group all pottying at the same time! The pups have also been on a road trip this week where they’ve been able to explore new environments and meet new people. We feel that it’s important for puppies to experience different environments starting from a young age, so we work hard to start that socialization during their time with us. When you take your puppy home, that responsibility passes onto you and then it’s your turn to continue the socialization process. Hopefully you’ve worked on a puppy experience plan like we talks about in puppy tip #2! It’s been a fun week for these little pups, and we’re thoroughly enjoying them.

IF YOU HAVEN’T RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM TLC, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

Weekly Puppy Tip #6: select and registered for a puppy class

A puppy class is essential both for socialization and manners. Look for a class that emphasizes positive reinforcement, as learning & training should be a fun game at this point. Clicker training is a plus. This article from AKC gives some pointers about what to look for in a puppy class. Many dog training facilities will allow your new friend join their puppy class around 12 weeks of age, once she has received her second set of immunizations. Allison Camp from Pups Unleashed offers a local puppy class. She’ll be temperament testing the puppies in about 2 weeks and assisting with matching. Temperament testing always an exciting day!

We prefer in person puppy class over virtual hands down, but having online recourses is incredibly helpful, too. Timberidge Goldendoodles is excited to be partnering with Baxter & Bella. These online resources, virtual classes, and video training tips are an amazing option for every puppy owner – there are even a variety of resources to help you now as you prepare for your new furry family member. Plus membership is for a lifetime, so you can access Baxter & Bella’s tools repeatedly over the years ahead for each and every furry child that joins your family. Use the discount code TIMBERIDGE to save 25% when you join Baxter & Bella!

Here’s a short video from Baxter & Bella’s about how to train your puppy to respond positively the someone ringing your doorbell. You can take this same principle and apply it to a variety of other circumstances, such as teaching your puppy to walk calmly past another dog who is going crazy. You can find more free puppy training videos here. Remember, the best thing you can do to prepare for your new puppy is to prepare yourself!

six weeks new

It’s been another busy week full of fun puppy adventures. The puppies have played outside A LOT! The puppies have ventured on another road trip this week. It’s good for them to get used to playing in different locations/ new environments, and they’ve enjoyed exploring the new situations. We’re working hard to expose these pups to a variety of sights, sounds, smells, environments – and in just a few short weeks, it will be your turn to continue that socialization process with your new pup. Another new excitement of the week is that the puppies have officially started eating dry kibble. They have been eating TLC puppy food for some time now, but at first we moisten it and then gradually transition to completely dry. We’ve even given the puppies some fun food games to try such as a snuffle mat, which you’ll see in the puppy video. All dogs have a natural foraging instinct, so the pups have a blast with games that play on that natural instinct.

weekly puppy tip #7: get ready to groom!

Your puppy has had her nails clipped and hair trimmed during her time with us, so she has already had her initial introduction to a lifetime of being groomed. Take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations. The groomer will bathe her, trim the hair out of her eyes, give her a sanitary clip, and trim her nails. Since she will need regular grooming throughout her life, both she and the groomer will benefit if she becomes accustomed to being groomed from a young age, even before she’s ready for a full haircut. 

When should she have her first big girl haircut? The wavy adult coat will start replacing the soft, fluffy puppy coat around 5-6 months of age. You’ll notice the new hair coming in is kinkier than the pure fluff on top. Waiting to cut the hair until the adult coat makes its debut beneath the layers of puppy plush helps ensure that the adult coat remains soft. Many poodle groomers and poodle fanciers claim that shaving a poodle or goldendoodle down before her adult coat starts coming in could damage the adult coat, affecting the texture. While there isn’t any substantiated evidence that this is true (at least that I can find), it’s worth avoiding just in case. That doesn’t mean that your puppy might not benefit from a puppy clip in the meantime! Don’t let your puppy’s hair get out of control! As aforementioned, take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations. When the time comes, check out the grooming section on our website for a variety of goldendoodle haircut pictures. Learn more about your Goldendoodle puppy’s first trip to the groomer. We have a plethora of haircut resources under the “grooming” tab on the main menu bar.

Waiting until 6 months for the first full big girl clip does NOT mean you’re off the hook for grooming at home! You should regularly groom your puppy: brushing her hair, cleaning her ears, brushing her teeth, clipping her toenails, and checking her for any anomalies (i.e. ticks, cuts, etc.). You want your puppy to become accustomed to being brushed and handled all over from a young age. We HIGHLY recommend doing regular bonding/body handling exercises with your puppy (demonstrated in the video shared on weekly puppy tip #4). Goldendoodles are a breed that like routines (thanks to those poodle ancestors), so it’s nice to do bonding exercises every night just before your put your puppy in her crate for bed. It’s easy to incorporate different parts of grooming into your nightly bonding exercises, just doing a little here and a little there since young puppies don’t have the attention span for lots of grooming at once.

seven weeks new

Applesauce (red) and Rufus (green)

The puppies are so much fun! They bound around outside, finding things to chew and places to explore. They also sneak around the house, trying to investigate new places. We continue to take the puppies on new and different adventures. It’s fun to see their curiosity! The pups enjoy any new toy we throw their way, and they are still very fond of their slide and adventure box (they especially seem to have a blast tugging on the blue blanket). 

Aren’t these pups adorable? Now scroll back and look at their newborn pictures. Isn’t it marvelous that in just seven weeks they’ve transformed from little guinea pigs into gorgeous, fluffy puppies?!

Be sure to pick up a special extra yummy chew that your puppy only gets during (daytime) crate time

Peaches (orange), Callie (purple) & Clementine (pink)

weekly puppy tip #8: fostering the child/dog relationship

Goldendoodles are family dogs by nature, but there are a few steps you can take to help set your puppy and your kids up for a lifetime of friendship:

  1. When your puppy is sleeping, let her sleep – your puppy is growing & developing and she NEEDS that sleep. Teach your children to respect a sleeping puppy by not interrupting her. Your puppy’s crate should be her safe retreat. When she’s in her crate, allow her to enjoy safe, undisturbed quiet time- this doesn’t mean that you all need to tip toe quietly around when the puppies napping! It just means that when the puppy is napping, let her enjoy that peaceful sleep untouched and wake up on her own good time.
  2. Involve your children in daily puppy care – allowing your children to participate in caring for the puppy will help grow the bond between them and their furry friend. It also helps the puppy learn associate good things with little people and helps her see the children as above her in the pack order. Younger children particularly love being helpers. Our kids enjoy (aka fight over) feeding the dogs, letting them out of their crates, opening the back door to let the dogs in/out, etc. We let them help brush the dogs with much supervision (remember, we want all puppy experiences to be POSITIVE!). Our children also love holding leashes on walks (children should only take your dog on a walk with adult supervision). If you don’t trust your puppy to not pull a young child over, you can attach two short leashes to one dog so both you & your child have a leash to hold. Be cognizant of your child’s age and maturity level. Older children can be more actively involved and younger children can be involved in smaller ways.
  3. Encourage your children to play with the puppy – puppy nips and jumps can be intimidating for some children. Teaching children how to act calmly around a puppy and how to play intentional games such as fetch and educational games (see some suggestions under week 3) can help both the children and the puppy learn how to interact with each other. Explain to your children that your puppy isn’t trying to hurt them when she’s nipping – she’s asking them to play with her.
  4. Include your children in puppy training – when you enroll your puppy in a puppy kindergarten class, ask about bringing your child along (assuming he’s old enough and mature enough to participate). Our children enjoy practicing sits and downs with our dogs, dolling out hotdog slivers to the eager participants. Our dogs think it’s great! Be sure to always supervise children/puppy training sessions.
  5. Teach your children to respect the puppy – sometimes it’s challenging for children, especially young ones, to distinguish between their favorite stuffie and a real-life fluffy puppy. Many children need to be patiently taught to be gentle and kind with animals. “No hugging dogs” is a rule in our home because a preschooler bear hug around the neck is too much our small dogs (our dogs don’t mind but we’re afraid they might accidentally get hurt since they’re significantly smaller than the ones dolling out the hugs). If there are times when you aren’t able to supervise your children’s interaction with your puppy, it might be best (and safest) to put your puppy in her crate. Remember, that crate should be your puppy’s safe place. This article by AKC has more helpful tips about teaching children to respect dogs.
  6. Establish a safe place for your dog, usually either a dog bed or crate. Teach your children that when the puppy is in her safe place, they need to let her alone and they may not touch her. Your puppy will learn that she can retreat to her safe place if she becomes overwhelmed with a situation or if she just needs a nap.

getting ready

We’ve created a puppy shopping list to guide you as you prepare to bring your new pup home! Go ahead and pick up a Snuggle Puppy (with a heartbeat) to bring with you on meet & greet day (or mail it to us if you live out of town). If you have a crate, you’re welcome to leave that with us that on meet & greet day as well and we’ll start getting your puppy used to her new future “bedroom.”

Baxter & Bella: first 2 weeks with a new puppy

The best way to prepare for a new puppy is to prepare yourself! These are all short 1-3 minute videos that are helpful to watch. You’ll learn how to teach your puppy and get ideas for establishing good behaviors from day one. These videos show Amy Jensen training Chili, her young goldendoodle puppy

If you’re eager to learn more, Baxter & Bella’s online resources, virtual classes, and video training tips are an amazing option for every puppy owner. Plus membership is for a lifetime, so you can access Baxter & Bella’s tools repeatedly over the years ahead for each and every furry child that joins your family. Use the discount code TIMBERIDGE to save 25% when you join Baxter & Bella!

service & therapy

If you plan to do service or therapy work with your puppy, the harness introduction and “touch” Baxter & Bella videos (above) are both important to start on early. In addition, check GoodWill or Facebook Marketplace to find mobility assistive such as a cane, crutches, walker, wheel chair, etc. that your puppy may encounter during therapy visits. You’ll want to familiar your puppy with those items beginning at a young age. Additionally, expose your puppy to people wearing lab coats, masks, and other items commonly seen in a medical setting.

Maple Puppies 2023

Maple Puppies 2023

Posted on by Timberidge

happy birthday!

Maple & Boaz are the proud parents of six squishy new babies: three girls and three boy. These little ones are absolutely precious. When first born, puppies depend completely on their mama, so we’re blessed that Maple does such a great job caring for them. She nurses them almost constantly it seems and snuggles with them (sometimes Maple nurses them while lying on her back with her belly up in the air – it makes us laugh!). How sweet are these faces? The pups are just over 24 hours old in these pictures.

Our kids have given the puppies temporary names (the pups won’t know their temporary names when they join their families, but our family has fun naming them anyway). The girls are Pinkie (pink collar), Gingie (purple collar), and Cider (orange collar). The little boys’ temporary names are: Sunny (yellow collar), Hip Hip (blue collar), and Lucky Charms (green collar). 

At first puppies can’t yet walk. Their eyes and ears are closed. They can’t go to the bathroom on their own. And they can’t maintain their own body temperature. Fortunately God gave puppies a natural instinct to pile together for warmth, so they snuggle together in a giant puppy heap. And they also love cuddling around Maple as she snoozes contentedly, surrounded by her new family. It’s adorable to see a puppy snuggled with Maple’s ear and another under her chin. She seems to love being surrounded by her tiny ones.

EEGs have revealed that the brain activity of infant puppies is the same when asleep and awake. But these little pups are busy eating, growing, and developing. Maple’s puppies twitch and pop in their sleep, as all healthy newborn puppies should. This activated sleep helps them build muscle tone.

Your puppy’s birthday is September 9th, and your puppy will be ready to come home with you November 4th-5th.

Weekly puppy tip #1: nap time is essential!

Think about a napping place – The puppies spend most of their lives sleeping now, but did you know that your new furbaby is going to need lots of sleep when you bring her home, too? Puppies, just like small children, require naps throughout the day. When your puppy is sleeping, try to allow her to rest untouched (it’s okay for noisy life to carry on around her while she snoozes, but it’s best not to physically disturb her as much as possible). This may mean that you need to guide her to a different spot than the one she’s initially chosen. Puppy Culture estimates that an 8-10 week old puppy sleeps 3 hours and then is awake for 1 hour before going back down for another nap. AKC gives some helpful insight into the importance of puppy sleep:

Although puppies may seem like little bundles of energy, in fact, they sleep 15-20 hours a day. One minute your puppy may be a miniature tornado, and the next he’s fallen soundly asleep, almost mid-activity. Sleep is essential to healthy growth: during sleep his central nervous system, brain, immune system, and muscles are developing. All of that sleep also helps him rest up during growth spurts… household members, especially children, should leave your puppy alone while he is sleeping. Plan his day so that active time is followed by quiet time for sleep. He’ll most likely be ready for a nap after playtime or a walk, sleep for a while and then wake up ready for anything. Your puppy may nap every hour or so, sleeping from 30 minutes to as long as two hours. All of this sleep is perfectly normal.

Jan Reisen from the American Kennel Club (AKC) Tweet

You can read the rest of the article here.

one week new

It’s hard to believe that these munchkins are already one week old! They have grown so much! These puppies may still seem incredibly small but they’ve really packed on the pounds! Everyone has passed over the 1lb mark in this past week, and they’re all headed towards the big #2. That’s a lot of growing! These sweet little pumpkins continue to dedicate their entire lives to eating and sleeping – and it shows! They are fat little sausages with adorable wrinkles and rolls (check out the forehead wrinkles on Mr. Hip Hip with the blue collar).

Speaking of foreheads, notice how some of the puppies have waves on their foreheads (i.e. all three girls). Those itty bitty waves are the beginnings of beautiful curly coats. Their adult coats will look like mama Maple’s coat. The puppies without waves on their foreheads (such as green collared Lucky Charms) will still have curls but theirs will be looser curls, more like the coat of their papa Boaz.

Even though the puppies spend most of their lives sleeping, they actually are doing baby workouts as they snooze the day away. These little pups twitch and pop involuntarily during their sleep, developing muscle tone for the near future. This phenomenon is known as “activated sleep.” In a few short weeks, these rolly polly puppies will be bouncing around playfully. Their legs, while still wobbly, have already gotten stronger and the puppies wobble around on them instead of just army crawling as they did initially.

In addition to snuggling these sweet nuggets, we also introduce the pups to a new scent each day, and we’ve also started doing early neurological stimulation (aka ENS) with them. ENS involves stressing the puppies just slightly in very specific ways in order to improve their physiological response to stress in the future.

weekly puppy tip #2

Make a puppy experience plan – Compile a list of places you want to take your puppy and experiences you want your puppy to encounter. Any day now, these little eyes will be ready to soak up the sites, and we’ll now start introducing the puppies to items that differ in appearance. We have a thought out socialization plan, working hard to expose your puppy to as much as possible during her time with us. When you take your puppy home, that responsibility then shifts to you as you continue the socialization process. Exposing your puppy to new people, situations, sounds, smells, textures, etc. is extremely important. Give your new puppy a few days to adjust to her new home and new routine. Then begin giving her short, positive experiences (yummy treats make everything more positive!). Don’t try to do too much in one day, as you don’t want to overwhelm or stress her. Go ahead: start making a list of ideas for how to want to socialize your new puppy. 

Your goal is for your puppy to meet a minimum of 100 different people by the time she’s six months old. Dr. Ian Dunbar, a puppy socialization expert, raises the bar even higher by recommending that puppies meet 100+ people during the first month at home. If you hope to visit a local nursing home or hospital when your puppy gets older, secure some crutches, walkers or wheelchairs to expose your puppy to at home. Meeting people is just one component of socialization. Think about outdoor experiences that you and your puppy can safely enjoy together. Consider what predictable dogs you can introduce your puppy to (dogs who are stable, friendly, healthy, and will model good behavior for your pup). Keep in mind that adult dogs aren’t always fond of puppies so be sure to monitor them together. Do you know anyone with a woods or creek where you can take your puppy for a short romp? Remember, you want every experience to be POSITIVE (i.e. bring yummy treats and hand out the praise). Making a plan now, before you bring your puppy home, will help ensure that you follow through with a variety of positive exposures once you have your new little fluff ball at your side. 

Check out AviDog’s free e-book for more ideas about what to add to your puppy experience plan. Baxter & Bella also has some great ideas for socializing your puppy.

two weeks new

These puppies are so stinking precious! And they’re incredibly chunky! It’s fair to say that Maple is diligent about making sure her puppies are well fed (did you see the roly poly puppy in the Instagram picture?!). Despite their rotund bellies, the pups are beginning to take wobbly steps. Don’t they look much more like little dogs than they did last week? The puppies are still in a calm, quiet environment. Soon they’ll be ready for the chaos of our main living area but not quite yet. They get around their whelping box fairly quickly on wobbly legs, and it’s fun to see them attempting to walk instead of belly crawl.

The biggest, most exciting change since last week is that puppies’ eye have just started opening. It’s so fun to see them looking back at us. Eye opening is a process that doesn’t happen all in one day. Now that they can see, the puppies are a little more active, making them harder to photograph. As you can tell, we weren’t able to get that perfect group picture this week, but these little sausages are pretty cute anyway, aren’t they? We did manage to get a picture of all three girls together.

The puppies have all had their toenails trimmed. It’s important to keep their toenails short now so the pups don’t accidentally scratch mama Maple when they’re nursing. Toenails grow quickly. Be ready to trim your new pup’s nails every few weeks when she joins your family.

These sweet dumplings are getting so big! It’s hard to tell in these pictures, but they’ve all moved out of the ribbon collars and into their big puppy break free collars. We use break-free collars to keep our littles safe from the risk of strangulation, but these special safety collars feel like “normal” collars to the puppies, so they’ll go home used to the feel of wearing a collar.

The puppies continue to enjoy nursing regularly. It’s a crazy, active puppy pile as they all search for the perfect milk tap. Once the milk starts flowing, they all settle down and enjoy the delicious warmness filling their chunky bellies. Their happy tails tell us that they enjoy nursing. 

weekly puppy tip #3: age appropriate exercise

Glance over Puppy Culture’s exercise chart. Familiarize yourself with what sorts of activities are appropriate for your puppy at different stages of development. You want to give your puppy a variety of unique positive experiences, but your puppy is still growing & developing, so you don’t want to push your puppy too far. For instance, climbing up one to two stairs is an appropriate challenge but climbing a flight of stairs is not a good idea for a young puppy (a study done on 500 dogs showed that puppies allowed to climb a flight of stairs regularly before 3 months old were more likely to develop hip dysplasia). Remember, free running and playing is a great option because your puppy can rest whenever she feels inclined to do so. If you’d like to read more about puppy exercise, check out AviDog’s puppy exercise guidelines. This article from AKC also gives some helpful puppy exercise tips.

three weeks new

Aren’t these little pumpkins really looking like miniature dogs now? They even sit awkwardly and walk around, albeit a bit clumsily. Look at those open eyes! When puppy eyes first open, they’re blue and cloudy but as the eyes change from their cloudy blue appearance, they open more and the puppy’s vision becomes crisper. The pups still spend the majority of their time snoozing, but they’re also starting to play with each other. Their clumsy play right now looks like it’s happening in slow motion.

With their eyes open, the puppies decided to start climbing out of their whelping box and have moved into their first puppy pen. Maple still has free access to her puppies, but they can’t climb out in search of her. Maple spends a lot of time with her crew. She loves to lay on her back with her belly in the air while nursing the pups. It’s a hilarious sight to behold! In their tiny puppy pen, the puppies are still in a quiet, darker environment so they aren’t overly stimulated. They’ve grown and matured a lot, but they’re still not quite ready for the stimulation of the main part of our house. We hold them regularly and give them toys to explore, one at a time. The puppies are also beginning to listen to a habituation soundtrack, which helps acclimate them to different sounds. We play the sounds quietly right now and will gradually increase the volume as the puppies grow.

They puppies have recently discovered that they can bark, and sometimes a seemingly random high pitched bark rings out. They surprise themselves with the sounds that come out of their own mouths!

All of the time these babies spend eating shows! These chunky monkeys continue to grow like crazy.

weekly puppy tip #4: be the leader your puppy wants you to be

It’s essential that you establish yourself as the pack leader. Your puppy doesn’t want to be in charge – that’s a scary place to be! Your puppy wants to look to you as the leader, but you have to show yourself as worth of the role by being the leader (this also helps set your kids apart as ranking higher in the pack than your new pup). Some easy ways to establish your leadership include:

  • Sit down with your puppy each night before bed and briefly touch your puppy EVERYWHERE. Kneel on the floor with your puppy sitting between your legs. Start by petting your puppy’s head and tell him “head, head.” Then check his mouth, telling him “teeth, teeth,” and look inside his ears telling him “ear, ears.” Briefly go over your puppy from nose to tail in this fashion. This helps establish that you’re allowed to touch your puppy anywhere and everywhere. (see the video below)
  • Set boundaries so there is at least one place in your home that your dog isn’t allowed to go in your home (i.e. not allowed to jump on your bed, not allowed to sit on a particular couch or not allowed into a certain room). 
  • Teach you puppy to sit and wait for you to walk out the front door before her and give her the “okay” before she is permitted to walk through it. If you’ve been consistent, your puppy will offer a sit and wait for a release word (i.e. “okay”) before coming inside by 3 months old. When she’s old enough to start walking freely up and down stairs, teach her to wait for you to finish climbing/descending the stairs before she comes. 
  • Encourage your puppy sit and wait for you to give her the “okay” before she is allowed to approach her food bowl. Periodically pick up your puppy’s food bowl while she’s eating, reward her with a yummy treat, and return the food bowl. (we’ll talk about the Toy Trade Game and other educational games you can play with your puppy next week).
  • Teach your puppy to do a long down during meal times. Buy a soft rug or bed and teach your puppy to go lay on it on command. We have our own adult dogs lay on a rug in a down stay during dinner. Maple was doing a down stay along side them at 6 months old for the entire length of our meal – which means your puppy can do it at a young age, too!

four weeks

I can’t believe how quickly these babies are growing up! The biggest news of the week is that they moved downstairs AND they’ve also explored the great outdoors for the first time. At first pups needed a calm, quiet environment without too much stimulation. But now they’re ready for the chaos that exists in the main part of our home! The pups moved into a small puppy area earlier in the week, and we will gradually expand their puppy play yard during the upcoming weeks. The kids LOVE having the puppies downstairs, so we’ve already had to enlarge the puppy pen a bit to accommodate all the room needed for puppy snuggling. As you may have seen in the Instagram story video, we’ve introduced a crate, and it is fun to find puppies sleeping in it. We continue to give the munchkins new toys to spark their curiosity. And we continue to snuggle them. They shower us with kisses, and we shower them with kisses, too! The pups have sniffed noses with some other dogs besides their mama (Abria enjoys being an auntie), they’ve started playing with each other (it’s hilarious to watch because it’s like watching them play in slow motion), and today they went outside for the very first time… The lighting in the pictures isn’t the greatest, but I had to capture their first time outdoors! Sunny and Cider particularly enjoyed exploring, and I loved seeing their confidence. They’ll all have even more fun outside in the weeks to come as they begin going outside multiple times a day. So much has happened this week!

The growing and developing puppies do in the first four weeks is absolutely outstanding! In just one month, these pups have gone from being unable to walk to playing with each other. In just one month, they’ve gone from having eyes & ears that are shut to curiously exploring the world around them. In just one month, they’ve gone from being entirely dependent on Maple to using a potty area in their pen, interacting with each other, and giving us kisses! It’s so fun to watch all of that growing and developing unfold. Hopefully you’ve been enjoying the Instagram story videos of the puppies this week.

weekly puppy tip #5: Get ready to play educational games with your puppy!

Did you know that there are fun games you can play with your puppy that teach him beneficial skills? It’s great to incorporate regular educational games into your puppy’s routine, so read through these suggestions, add any needed supplies to your puppy shopping list, and get ready for puppy playtime!

  • Ball On The Wall – Encourages retrieving
    • Supplies: A ball that your puppy can carry in her mouth
    • How to play: Sit on the floor about 1-5’ from a wall. Put your legs in a “V” and sit facing the wall with your puppy between you and the wall. Toss the ball at the wall, encouraging your puppy to go after it. Give your puppy lots of praise when she brings the ball back! 
    • Variation: Once you’ve mastered Ball On The Wall, try playing retrieve in a hallway with all the doors closed (so your puppy can’t run away with the ball).
  • Toy Trade – Prevents resource guarding
    • Supplies: A toy that your puppy likes but doesn’t highly value and a high value treat
    • How to play: Briefly play with your puppy using the toy. Ask your puppy for the toy by offering her a high value treat. Reward & praise her for giving you the toy, and give the toy back to her as soon as she finishes chewing. Gradually work on having her give you objects of higher value (i.e. a bone).
    • Variation: Work on teaching your puppy the command “give” and ask her to drop the toy/bone on command in exchange for the high value treat.
  • Hide & Seek – Encourages recall
    • Supplies: Yummy treats
    • How to play: Run away from your puppy, hide behind a corner, tree, couch or other object, and call your puppy to encourage her to find you. When she does, give her lots of praise and a yummy treat.
    • Variation: Play Ping Pong by having a partner play with you and take turns hiding. While the first person is rewarding the puppy for coming, the second person hides.

five weeks new

This is such a fun age! These puppies are cuter every day! Their individual personalities are starting to show through. They’ve transformed from little guinea pigs who can’t see or hear to actual miniature dogs who run around and play and give kisses. And they already enjoy belly rubs, which is fun too. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the short video clips on our Instagram story. I’m trying to share short videos there so you can see what the puppies are up to each day.

These puppies have started eating a mush of softened TLC puppy kibble mixed with fresh goat milk. Soon they’ll be chowing down on dry kibble, but for now while their teeth are coming in, the soften food makes for a perfect meal. Maple continues to nurse them throughout the day. The puppies trot about, exploring the world around them. They enjoy playing with the different toys in their pen, and they enjoy playing with each other, too. The pups don’t sit still for long, except for when they’re on your lap or sleeping, so pictures are challenging – unless they’re sleeping! In between their short bursts of energy, they still spend much of their time snoozing. If you sit on the floor, you’re sure to have a lap full of puppies! The puppies have had their toenails trimmed again, and they’ve also had their bottoms shaved with clippers. We’ve started locking them in crates overnight (with their buddies – no one is confined alone at this age). When we take them outside first thing in the morning, it’s rewarding to see the whole group all pottying at the same time! The pups have also been on two road trips this week where they’ve been able to explore new environments and meet new people. We feel that it’s important for puppies to experience different environments starting from a young age, so we work hard to start that socialization during their time with us. When you take your puppy home, that responsibility passes onto you and then it’s your turn to continue the socialization process. Hopefully you’ve worked on a puppy experience plan like we talks about in puppy tip #2! It’s been a fun week for these little pups, and we’re thoroughly enjoying them.

IF YOU HAVEN’T RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM TLC, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

Weekly Puppy Tip #6: select and registered for a puppy class

A puppy class is essential both for socialization and manners. Look for a class that emphasizes positive reinforcement, as learning & training should be a fun game at this point. Clicker training is a plus. This article from AKC gives some pointers about what to look for in a puppy class. Many dog training facilities will allow your new friend join their puppy class around 12 weeks of age, once she has received her second set of immunizations. Allison Camp from Pups Unleashed offers a local puppy class. She’ll be temperament testing the puppies in about 2 weeks and assisting with matching. Temperament testing always an exciting day!

We prefer in person puppy class over virtual hands down, but having online recourses is incredibly helpful, too. Timberidge Goldendoodles is excited to be partnering with Baxter & Bella. These online resources, virtual classes, and video training tips are an amazing option for every puppy owner – there are even a variety of resources to help you now as you prepare for your new furry family member. Plus membership is for a lifetime, so you can access Baxter & Bella’s tools repeatedly over the years ahead for each and every furry child that joins your family. Use the discount code TIMBERIDGE to save 25% when you join Baxter & Bella!

Here’s a short video from Baxter & Bella’s about how to train your puppy to respond positively the someone ringing your doorbell. You can take this same principle and apply it to a variety of other circumstances, such as teaching your puppy to walk calmly past another dog who is going crazy. You can find more free puppy training videos here. Remember, the best thing you can do to prepare for your new puppy is to prepare yourself!

six weeks new

It’s been another busy week full of fun puppy adventures. The puppies have played outside A LOT (they’ve even pottied outside in the rain)! The puppies have ventured on another road trip this week. It’s good for them to get used to playing in different locations/ new environments, and they’ve enjoyed exploring the new situations. We’re working hard to expose these pups to a variety of sights, sounds, smells, environments – and in just a few short weeks, it will be your turn to continue that socialization process with your new pup. Another new excitement of the week is that the puppies have officially started eating dry kibble. They have been eating TLC puppy food for some time now, but at first we moisten it and then gradually transition to completely dry. We’ve even given the puppies some fun food games to try such as a snuffle mat. All dogs have a natural foraging instinct, so the pups have a blast with games that play on that natural instinct.

weekly puppy tip #7: get ready to groom!

Get ready to groom! – Your puppy has had her nails clipped and hair trimmed during her time with us, so she has already had her initial introduction to a lifetime of being groomed. Take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations. The groomer will bathe her, trim the hair out of her eyes, give her a sanitary clip, and trim her nails. Since she will need regular grooming throughout her life, both she and the groomer will benefit if she becomes accustomed to being groomed from a young age, even before she’s ready for a full haircut. 

When should she have her first big girl haircut? The wavy adult coat will start replacing the soft, fluffy puppy coat around 5-6 months of age. You’ll notice the new hair coming in is kinkier than the pure fluff on top. Waiting to cut the hair until the adult coat makes its debut beneath the layers of puppy plush helps ensure that the adult coat remains soft. Many poodle groomers and poodle fanciers claim that shaving a poodle or goldendoodle down before her adult coat starts coming in could damage the adult coat, affecting the texture. While there isn’t any substantiated evidence that this is true (at least that I can find), it’s worth avoiding just in case. That doesn’t mean that your puppy might not benefit from a puppy clip in the meantime! Don’t let your puppy’s hair get out of control! As aforementioned, take her to the groomer for a puppy clip after her 16-week immunizations. When the time comes, check out the grooming section on our website for a variety of goldendoodle haircut pictures. Learn more about your Goldendoodle puppy’s first trip to the groomer. We have a plethora of haircut resources under the “grooming” tab on the main menu bar.

Waiting until 6 months for the first full big girl clip does NOT mean you’re off the hook for grooming at home! You should regularly groom your puppy: brushing her hair, cleaning her ears, brushing her teeth, clipping her toenails, and checking her for any anomalies (i.e. ticks, cuts, etc.). You want your puppy to become accustomed to being brushed and handled all over from a young age. We HIGHLY recommend doing regular bonding/body handling exercises with your puppy (demonstrated in the video shared on weekly puppy tip #4). Goldendoodles are a breed that like routines (thanks to those poodle ancestors), so it’s nice to do bonding exercises every night just before your put your puppy in her crate for bed. It’s easy to incorporate different parts of grooming into your nightly bonding exercises, just doing a little here and a little there since young puppies don’t have the attention span for lots of grooming at once.

seven weeks new

the boys: Lucky, Simba (blue), and Dexter (yellow)

The puppies are so much fun! They bound around outside, finding things to chew and places to explore. They also sneak around the house, trying to investigate new places. We continue to take the puppies on new and different adventures. It’s fun to see their curiosity! The pups enjoy any new toy we throw their way, and they are still very fond of their slide and adventure box (they especially seem to have a blast tugging on the blue blanket). 

Aren’t these pups adorable? Now scroll back and look at their newborn pictures. Isn’t it marvelous that in just seven weeks they’ve transformed from little guinea pigs into gorgeous, fluffy puppies?!

Be sure to pick up a special extra yummy chew that your puppy only gets during (daytime) crate time

the girls: Pinkie, Poppy (orange), and Gingie

weekly puppy tip #8: fostering the child/dog relationship

Goldendoodles are family dogs by nature, but there are a few steps you can take to help set your puppy and your kids up for a lifetime of friendship:

  1. When your puppy is sleeping, let her sleep – your puppy is growing & developing and she NEEDS that sleep. Teach your children to respect a sleeping puppy by not interrupting her. Your puppy’s crate should be her safe retreat. When she’s in her crate, allow her to enjoy safe, undisturbed quiet time- this doesn’t mean that you all need to tip toe quietly around when the puppies napping! It just means that when the puppy is napping, let her enjoy that peaceful sleep untouched and wake up on her own good time.
  2. Involve your children in daily puppy care – allowing your children to participate in caring for the puppy will help grow the bond between them and their furry friend. It also helps the puppy learn associate good things with little people and helps her see the children as above her in the pack order. Younger children particularly love being helpers. Our kids enjoy (aka fight over) feeding the dogs, letting them out of their crates, opening the back door to let the dogs in/out, etc. We let them help brush the dogs with much supervision (remember, we want all puppy experiences to be POSITIVE!). Our children also love holding leashes on walks (children should only take your dog on a walk with adult supervision). If you don’t trust your puppy to not pull a young child over, you can attach two short leashes to one dog so both you & your child have a leash to hold. Be cognizant of your child’s age and maturity level. Older children can be more actively involved and younger children can be involved in smaller ways.
  3. Encourage your children to play with the puppy – puppy nips and jumps can be intimidating for some children. Teaching children how to act calmly around a puppy and how to play intentional games such as fetch and educational games (see some suggestions under week 3) can help both the children and the puppy learn how to interact with each other. Explain to your children that your puppy isn’t trying to hurt them when she’s nipping – she’s asking them to play with her.
  4. Include your children in puppy training – when you enroll your puppy in a puppy kindergarten class, ask about bringing your child along (assuming he’s old enough and mature enough to participate). Our children enjoy practicing sits and downs with our dogs, dolling out hotdog slivers to the eager participants. Our dogs think it’s great! Be sure to always supervise children/puppy training sessions.
  5. Teach your children to respect the puppy – sometimes it’s challenging for children, especially young ones, to distinguish between their favorite stuffie and a real-life fluffy puppy. Many children need to be patiently taught to be gentle and kind with animals. “No hugging dogs” is a rule in our home because a preschooler bear hug around the neck is too much our small dogs (our dogs don’t mind but we’re afraid they might accidentally get hurt since they’re significantly smaller than the ones dolling out the hugs). If there are times when you aren’t able to supervise your children’s interaction with your puppy, it might be best (and safest) to put your puppy in her crate. Remember, that crate should be your puppy’s safe place. This article by AKC has more helpful tips about teaching children to respect dogs.
  6. Establish a safe place for your dog, usually either a dog bed or crate. Teach your children that when the puppy is in her safe place, they need to let her alone and they may not touch her. Your puppy will learn that she can retreat to her safe place if she becomes overwhelmed with a situation or if she just needs a nap.

getting ready

We’ve created a puppy shopping list to guide you as you prepare to bring your new pup home! Go ahead and pick up a Snuggle Puppy (with a heartbeat) to bring with you on meet & greet day (or mail it to us if you live out of town). If you have a crate, you’re welcome to leave that with us that on meet & greet day as well and we’ll start getting your puppy used to her new future “bedroom.”

Baxter & Bella: first 2 weeks with a new puppy

These are all short 1-3 minute videos that are helpful to watch. You’ll learn how to teach your puppy and get ideas for establishing good behaviors from day one. These videos show Amy Jensen training Chili, her young goldendoodle puppy

If you’re eager to learn more, Baxter & Bella’s online resources, virtual classes, and video training tips are an amazing option for every puppy owner. Plus membership is for a lifetime, so you can access Baxter & Bella’s tools repeatedly over the years ahead for each and every furry child that joins your family. Use the discount code TIMBERIDGE to save 25% when you join Baxter & Bella!

If you plan to do service or therapy work with your puppy, the harness introduction and “touch” are both important to start early on. In addition, watch GoodWill or Facebook Marketplace to find assistive mobility assistive such as a cane, crutches, walker, wheel chair, etc. that your puppy may encounter during therapy visits. You’ll want to familiar your puppy with those items early on.

Are Goldendoodles Suitable as Service Dogs?

Posted on by Timberidge

Written by: Thomas Wright

Many people with disabilities are often embarrassed to ask for help and feel vulnerable and abandoned. In such cases, the optimal solution, certified by doctors, is a service animal. Individuals have four-legged partners of different breeds, depending on their preferences. Therefore, in this article, you will discover if Goldendoodle can be a good helper.

Distinguishing Features of Service Animals

Service animals are indispensable for providing comfort and support for people with disabilities. Although there are many different assistance animals, service animals have distinctive features. The main characteristic of service dogs is a high level of training and the availability of special skills necessary to assist their keepers.

Unlike emotional support dogs, service ones are not just companions but indispensable tool that makes life easier for someone with a disability. In addition, a service dog is next to its owner on an ongoing basis, which, for example, therapy dogs do not. Additionally, a service dog is not a family dog but rather is devoted to one person.

Service Dog Training and Preparation

Service dog training programs are a painstaking process that includes extensive preparation. A handler can partner with a professional trainer to equip dogs with vital skills. This training hones obedience, task performance, and social behavior. Specialized tasks tailored to the keeper’s needs are taught to increase independence.

Socialization is key when dogs are exposed to different environments and situations. During training, the service dog trainer goes beyond commands, focusing on communication between the handler and the dog and building a solid bond.

Patience, consistency, and upbeat reinforcement guide you along the way. As dogs complete their training, they become capable, empathetic companions, ready to serve and empower people with disabilities as they travel the world together.

The Role of Service Dogs

Despite popular misconception, helper animals are not limited to being guide dogs or providing physical assistance to people with reduced mobility. The range of functions these assistants can perform is much wider and includes such roles as medical alert dogs, particularly diabetic alert dogs. Although this function at first glance looks pretty non-obvious, such animals are vital for their handlers.

However, in addition to helping individuals with physical disabilities, good service dogs are trained to be reliable companions and partners that boost their owners’ mental health and mood. For example, a service dog can help you deal with post-traumatic stress disorder faster and ensure reliable backing during a panic attack, especially in a public place.

However, unlike emotional support animals, service animals are trained in special calming techniques that allow them to provide their owners with sufficient psychological help.

Can Goldendoodles Be Service Dogs?

While only dogs can be service animals, your helper has no official breed restrictions. Therefore, with the necessary training, Goldendoodles can be great service dogs. You can register your Goldendoodle as a service dog at My Service Animal Online. Like other breeds, goldendoodle service dogs have advantages and disadvantages that their owners will have to deal with.

Pros of a Goldendoodle Service Dog

The Goldendoodle is a hybrid breed created by crossing a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Therefore, this creature combined the features of both of its ancestors. Many dog owners note the following benefits of a Goldendoodle as a service dog:

1. Temperament and Socialization

Goldendoodles inherited from retrievers their temperament and ability to socialize quickly. These friendly and active creatures will not make their handler bored. Because of this, the Goldendoodle is often chosen as an emotional support animal or psychiatric service dog.

This breed can quickly cheer up and stabilize the psychological state of a person. However, their energetic nature can interfere with task training, preventing this breed from becoming a good service dog.

2. Convenient Size

Another advantage of Goldendoodles is that they are usually medium in size, making them ideal companions. A service dog requires proper care and, above all, comfortable living conditions. A Goldendoodle’s size allows him to live in apartments and do his job well. Even so, the medium size of this breed is probably unsuitable for those who need a lot of physical help from a four-legged helper, but the Goldendoodle will be the best option in all other cases.

3.Hypoallergenic Coats

An added bonus of this breed is its hypoallergenic coat. Since Goldendoodles are descended the poodle, they have a low-shedding coat. Thanks to this, the animal can live with its a person with pet dander allergies without the threat of harming the health of its owner. Moreover, this breed is best suited for living in homes with small children.

Potential Challenges

Despite a large number of advantages, Goldendoodle may have some disadvantages as service dogs. Sometimes these animals are too playful and can disobey their master. Therefore, proper training is essential so that dogs can perform their main function and be helpful to humans. This breed can really become an excellent service dog, but only with the right upbringing and training.

In addition, service animals, like ordinary pets, require proper care. This applies to timely feeding, walking, regular exercise, veterinary check-ups, and trips to the groomer. Besides, Goldendoodles may have allergies and require special care due to their origin, so you should consult with your veterinarian if your dog encounters any of these problems.

In addition, prepare the necessary documents and equipment for your assistant to make your stay together as comfortable as possible for everyone.

Birthday Update for Nylah’s 2022 Puppies

Posted on by Adrienne Durham

Zoe loves life with her whole heart. Those are her trainer’s words and they are so true! She loves to cuddle, run around off-leash at the dog park, roll in the grass in the backyard, and play fetch (which, if I’m being honest, is more often “catch me if you can”). She loves to meet new people, but she has a special place in her heart for our daughter, who visits often. She also loves her trainer and is always eager to learn new things. She makes us smile and laugh all the time—especially when she rolls over on her back and wiggles. Time for a belly rub! She has a KONG tug ball that she loves to shake, when she’s feeling fierce, and she still sleeps with her Snuggle Pup. Zoe is a joy and we love her dearly. She is weighing in at about 24 pounds these days—she may be getting a few too many training treats 😉

ohio goldendoodle at one year old

Chase has been a great addition to our family.  We take him almost everywhere we can, and he is always looking to make new friends who will pet his belly.  He is loves playing with my sisters’ dogs (6 months, 1.5 years and 4 years), which is a great way to tire him out, if we have had a busy day at work.  He loves being outside, so he has really enjoyed the turn of the seasons.  He has just recently gone for his first boat ride as we opened the lake house up a couple of weeks ago, hopefully he likes to swim (we shall see this weekend!).   He also recently went on his first backpacking trip to Red River Gorge.   We could not have asked for a better dog! Chase weighs about 26-25lbs.

We are constantly amazed how perfectly Maizy has fit into our family! We asked for a loyal shadow and that is what we got. She is so smart and seems to be recognizing new words and phrases every week. Her favorite toys include any of the dozen balls that seem to collect under the couch, her stuffed bunny, and of course, her Snuggle Puppy which she loves to rescue from her crate to the couch. Maizy is not a barker – but she does “talk” to us with a gravelly babbling that mimics a grumble. It cracks us up! Usually she uses that tone with us when one of us comes home after being gone for a while – her way of complaining that we forgot to take her with us. She loves to go anywhere but only just got to start visiting the local dog parks. Maizy loves all the dogs and the humans she meets at the park. She greets everyone and plays nicely. She currently weighs in, and seems to be holding, at a petite 17 pounds. Thank you, Adrienne and Timberidge for our sweet Maizy June!

Tux is an amazing addition to our family and we can’t believe he’s almost a year old! He’s a big, soft, snuggly boy who is a friend to all who meet him. His favorite things are walks with the family and doing all things with family time, hanging out with his friends next door (3 dachshunds), and curling up next to (or on top of) his humans. His favorite toy is still his snuggle puppy 🙂 he loves trips to the farm and enjoys car rides! He and the cats get along and I’ll find them sometimes just hanging out together. Kuma, our older dog, is still with us (17 this summer!) and Tux is a kind friend to her and has figured out she’s not too much into romping around anymore. He is hilarious in that every time someone comes through the door he presents a gift ALWAYS- it can be one of his toys, a dish rag, or a shoe…he just hands it over, then patiently awaits his rub down, and the flops on the floor for a belly rub (why we sometimes call him a flopsy-doodle). His sleeping positions crack us all up because he finds all sorts of ways to fall asleep, and often it’s hard to tell where he begins and ends, it’s just a big pile of fluff! Lastly, he’s 43 lbs now …so he’s a big boy (not so mini 😉), but we love every inch of him! 

Disco is doing great. He is about 25 pounds now and weighs as much as Juno (Juno is an Abria & Boaz puppy, and he is the lighter dog in the pictures) if not a little more…he is definitely stockier than Juno.  Disco is a lot of fun.  He loves to retrieve the ball…he can do it over and over again.  This is fun for us because Juno is not at all interested in retrieving despite our efforts to teach him.  Disco on the other hand ran and got the ball and dropped it at our feet right away.  It was funny to see how different they are. Disco follows right behind me wherever I go…he is my little shadow. Disco loves taking walks, playing fetch, chewing an antler or a bone with peanut butter, snuggling or just laying at my feet while I’m working.  I would say his favorite toy is Juno…he loves Juno…maybe too much :).  He wants to be by Juno’s side all the time…follows him everywhere, rests his head on him and snuggles up against him.  They love playing tug of war with some of their toys.  Juno is very good and tolerates most of it (sometimes he needs a break and lets him know).  Disco also likes playing in the hose whenever we are watering plants outside, he likes to be sprayed and will run right into the sprinkler.  He is a funny little guy and brings us a lot of joy.  We are very lucky to have him.

Stella is doing well! She loves playing with her litter sister Sophie and sister Zoey. Stella also loves playing fetch, walks, belly rubs, bones and snuggling with her humans. Her favorite toy is any ball or chew toy that she can destroy! She’s about 23 pounds.

Sophie is currently at our lakehouse in Indiana. She enjoys boating more and more. Her favorite toy is a tug toy. She loves teasing her sister Stella with it. Sophie is the larger puppy, over 40 pounds. Her sister Stella is much smaller, only 20 some pounds.

Ollie is a ball of energy. He loves to run and has become quite a watchdog – he is always the first to alert that someone is visiting and he has a commanding bark to let you know. Even though he has a basket full of toys, he will choose the sticks and rocks he finds outside over a squeaky toy any day of the week (see photo evidence – he loves rocks, what can I say? Haha). He weighs about 29 pounds. 

How Much Does a Vet Visit Cost for Goldendoodles?

Posted on by Timberidge

Post written by: Kapil Sharma

How Much Does a Vet Visit Cost for Goldendoodles?

With their attractive looks and charming temperament, Goldendoodles are becoming more and more popular as household pets. These Golden Retriever and Poodle hybrids are prized for their wit, hypoallergenic fur, and amiable personalities.

Goldendoodles need regular veterinary care just like any other dog to maintain their health and well-being. The cost of veterinarian visits is a typical worry for pet owners because it can differ depending on a number of factors. In this blog post, we will cover the subject of Goldendoodle vet visit expenses, factors that affect the price, and tips to help you plan a budget for your furry friend’s veterinarian care.

Vet and Healthcare Costs

It’s important to keep in mind that veterinary charges can differ greatly depending on a number of variables, including geographic location, the precise services necessary, the particular veterinarian’s fees, and the general health of your Goldendoodle, before going into the costs in more detail. It is always advised to speak with your neighborhood vet for the most precise and recent price information.

Now, let’s take a look at different costs for taking care of your Goldendoodle:

Routine Check-ups

Routine check-ups and vaccinations help maintain the general health of your Goldendoodle by preventing different ailments. During these visits, your furry friend will often receive a thorough inspection, vaccinations, parasite prevention, and discussions about their overall health. An office visit for a regular check-up might cost anywhere between $45 and $65, with additional charges for vaccinations, parasite preventives, stool sample check, etc.

Spaying or Neutering

Spaying or neutering your pet has its advantages. For instance, spaying female dogs reduces their risk of developing certain reproductive health problems. It dramatically lowers the risk of potentially fatal uterine infections like pyometra. Additionally, spaying prevents ovarian and uterine malignancies, which are rather common in females who have not been spayed. Similarly, neutering male lowers their desire to mark territory or exhibit excessive mounting behaviors. The surgery for spaying or neutering depends on your location and vet, but it usually ranges from $200 to $500.

Dental Care

Your Goldendoodle’s general health depends on having healthy teeth. Dental cleanings and exams on a regular basis aid in preventing dental problems and preserving good oral hygiene. Depending on the level of cleaning necessary, any extractions or treatments required, and the fees charged by the particular veterinarian, the cost of professional dental cleaning can vary. Dental cleanings often range in price from $200 to $500. Usually dogs are placed under anesthesia for dental cleanings, so your vet may require blood draws beforehand to ensure your dog is heathy enough to go under anesthesia.

Emergency Veterinarian Care

Accidents and unexpected illnesses can occur at any time, so it’s important to be ready for an emergency veterinarian treatment. Depending on the condition’s severity, test and treatments, and required hospitalization, the cost of an emergency visit varies. It can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. An exam at an emergency vet clinic may start around $150 with additional fees for any treatment, labs or imaging.

Specialized Care and Treatments

Like any other breed, Goldendoodles may need specialized care or treatments for particular medical issues. Allergies, joint problems, vision disorders, and other genetic predispositions fall within this category. Depending on the exact ailment, necessary diagnostics, drugs, and continuous therapies, specialized treatment can cost vary. It is best to speak with an expert to find out the precise charges related to your Goldendoodle’s specific needs.

Pet Insurance

Purchasing pet insurance for your Goldendoodle might be a wise financial decision. The coverage, deductibles, and premiums of insurance plans might vary, so it’s crucial to compare your alternatives and pick the one that best fits your requirements and price range. Having coverage can offer peace of mind and lessen the financial burden of unanticipated veterinary expenditures, even though insurance premiums are an added price.

Always remember that the expense of veterinary care is an investment in the health and general well being of your Goldendoodle. Preventive care, early intervention, routine checkups, and vaccinations can all help prevent and identify potential health problems before they worsen and become more expensive to cure.

Budgeting for Your Pet's Health

If you want to budget for your Goldendoodle’s veterinarian care, think about setting aside a certain sum each month for regular costs and emergencies. Additionally, if cost is of concern, look into nearby resources like low-cost clinics, clinics for vaccinations, and clinics for spaying and neutering that might provide subsidized procedures. Finding a balance between high-quality treatment and affordability can also be facilitated by researching several vets and evaluating costs.

Keep in mind that your Goldendoodle offers priceless affection and company. You can make sure your furry companion lives a happy, healthy, and comfortable life at your side by planning their healthcare needs and setting aside money for veterinary costs.

Post written by: Kapil Sharma

2023 Mini & Medium English Goldendoodle Litter Plans

2023 Mini & Medium English Goldendoodle Litter Plans

Posted on by Timberidge

We are proud of our parent dogs and each of them has a personal page where you can learn more about them, check their health testing, and view pictures of their past puppies. Because we want to continue breeding on a small scale, we partner with two breeders who use our boys as the proud papas of their pups. Our 2023 breeding plans shown below our partner breeders’ litters.

Medium Puppies

Ivy & Moses have gorgeous babies with the prettiest faces. You can find pictures of their past puppies here and ready a bit about their personalities. All of Moses & Ivy’s babies have wavy creamed colored coats (none of them will have tight poodle-like curls). Their puppies can be anywhere from 30-60lbs full grown (generally, their girls are smaller and some boys are smaller while some are larger). Moses and Ivy’s puppies are F1 generation, which means that these babies are 50% golden retriever and 50% poodle.

 

You can learn more about Ivy and Moses on their personal pages. You’ll also find more pictures of them as well as pictures of their past puppies on our Instagram.

Mini Puppies

Nylah & Gideon sure make some beautiful babies! The puppies in their litter all look so different from each other, which is really fun. Some have curly coats, and some have wavy coats. Some are cream in color, and some are a medium apricot in color. Their pups often have white markings, as Gideon carries the parti gene, so look for white tail tips, white feet, and white chest markings on these cuties. Nylah & Gideon’s babies are approx 60% poodle and 50% golden retriever. You can find pictures of their past litter here. 

You can learn more about Nylah and Gideon on their personal pages. You’ll also find more pictures of them as well as pictures of their past puppies on our Instagram.

We are eagerly anticipating Coco’s first litter this fall! Her puppies will have beautiful wavy, cream colored coats (none of Coco’s puppies will have tight poodle-like curls), and they will be 50% golden retriever and 50% poodle. Coco is about 15″ tall at the back and Gideon is about 18″ tall at the back, so we expect their puppies to mature to a similar height. While Coco hasn’t had puppies before, her sister Heidi and Gideon have had one litter together, so we expect Coco’s babies will look much like Heidi & Gideon’s babies, which you can find pictures of at the bottom of Gideon’s personal page here.

 

ZuZu & Boaz have honeymooned! Their puppies should be ready to join your family in late August. All ZuZu & Boaz’s puppies will have some curl to their coats, and they will be cream to light apricot in color. You can find some of Z&B’s puppies rocking their own Instagram accounts: Benny, Archie & Francis are all living the dream!

ZuZu is owned by our partner breeder, Lykeable Farms. Contact them at lykeablefarms@gmail.com for more information about ZuZu’s sweet babies.

Land of Goshen Doodles is excited for Heidi & Gideon’s second litter of puppies together. These puppies will have beautiful wavy, cream colored coats (none of Coco’s puppies will have tight poodle-like curls), and they will be 50% golden retriever and 50% poodle. Coco is about 15″ tall at the back and Gideon is about 18″ tall at the back, so we expect their puppies to mature to a similar height. You can find pictures of Heidi & Gideon’s past babies at the bottom of Gideon’s personal page here.

Heidi is owned by our partner breed, Land of Goshen Doodles. For more information about this litter, email landofgoshendoodles@gmail.com

A Guide to Properly Grooming Your Fur Baby

Posted on by Timberidge

Post by: Isabella Brown

Regular grooming sessions keep pets like dogs looking and feeling their best. They’re also a great chance to examine your pet’s coat, ears, teeth, and nails for any signs of problems, including scrapes or cuts on the skin and tartar buildup on their teeth. Grooming is something that you can do for your furry friend yourself or, for more complex tasks, take them to a professional groomer for. 

While professional groomers and veterinary technicians are well-trained to handle pets, it’s also worth taking the time to learn basic maintenance grooming yourself. On top of sprucing up your pet’s appearance with accessories like handsome martingale collars, you can also take charge of simple grooming tasks like bathing, brushing, and nail trimming. This way, you can properly care for your pet in between visits to the groomer’s and reduce their chances of complications like matting.

Grooming your fur baby is not as hard as you think, and you don’t have to do all the routines every day. If you don’t know where to start, check out these tips on how to properly groom a pet like a dog.

Bathing Your Pet

Even if your pet isn’t due for a visit to the groomers, you may need to give them baths depending on the breed and coat. But remember that overly frequent washing may remove the natural oils from your pet’s coat, and baths can also dry out their coat and make it harsh. It’s best to ask your vet about just how often you need to bathe your dog.

When you do bathe your dog, for example, use a mild shampoo that’s specifically formulated for dogs. An oatmeal and aloe shampoo is a good choice, as it can condition the fur and help soothe the scalp. Before you give your pup a wash, you may also want to protect the insides of their ears by placing cotton balls on them. Again, find out the best method to bathe your pet depending on their exact needs.

Brushing Their Fur

In between washes, remember to also brush your pet’s fur. It will keep your pet’s coat neat and clean as well as manage shedding. Several brushing sessions a week are fine, but if your pet’s breed or the length of their coat requires that you do it every day, all the better. 

When you brush your pet’s fur, do it all the way down to their skin. This provides a massaging action that stimulates blood circulation. It also helps loosen and remove flakes of dandruff. Aside from the proper brushing technique, use the proper tools according to your pet’s coat texture and length. 

If you have a pet dog with long hair, use a pin brush. It has round-ended stainless steel pins to help remove minor tangles. Brush your dog’s hair bit by bit and put your finger between each tangle and your dog’s skin. This way, you won’t yank the fur or pull the skin, which can hurt your dog. For short or medium-haired breeds, you’ll need to use a bristle brush. This type of brush has tightly packed natural bristles that can remove loose hair and stimulate your pet’s skin. For doodles, a slicker brush and metal comb work well.

Trimming Their Nails

For pets like dogs, nails need to stay short for their feet to steer clear of injuries. Long nails can interfere with a dog’s gait and make walking awkward and painful. Overly long nails also tend to break easily and cause problems at the base of the nail, where blood vessels and nerves are located. A dog’s injuries from nail length may be compounded by further ailments like infections and lead to a trip to the veterinarian.

But not all pets require regular nail trimming. Some pups’ nails, for example, tend to stay naturally short when they walk on concrete or pavement, while others need frequent trimming. If you have such a pet, choose a pet nail clipper that can accommodate your pet’s size. It’s also a good idea to get one with safety guards to avoid cutting your pet’s nails too short.

Trim only the ends of nails or until the quick (which is the blood vessel inside the nail) is reached. If you don’t know where this is for your dog, a good guide is the hook-like part of your dog’s nail that looks like it’s turning down.

Brushing Their Teeth

Frequent cleaning can keep your pet’s teeth free of plaque and keep their breath smelling good. Make sure to use a toothbrush and toothpaste products that are specifically designed for pets like cats and dogs. Giving them anything with fluoride can be harmful.

If your pet isn’t too enthusiastic about having their teeth cleaned, try getting them used to it by rubbing their teeth and gums with your fingers. Then, put a bit of toothpaste on your finger and let them smell and lick it. Do the same thing when you’re introducing them to their toothbrush.

Cleaning Their Ears

Lastly, it’s a good idea to clean your pet’s ears when necessary, which is typically every month for dogs. Proper cleaning can prevent wax buildup and address any debris that may cause ear infections. If you have a dog that often swims or has pendulous ear flaps, they may be more susceptible to ear problems, and that means that you should clean their ears more frequently.  

When cleaning your dog’s ears, focus on the outer part only and don’t force anything into their ear. Use a damp cloth or a cotton swab soaked in mineral oil to gently clean off debris.

Taking your pet to the groomer’s every once in a while will certainly help them look sharp and feel their best, but as a pet owner, it’s always good for you to know the basics. For any queries on how to go about grooming and health or hygiene problems related to grooming, don’t hesitate to reach out to a vet or a professional pet groomer.

Post by: Isabella Brown

Homemade Dog Food: Recipes and Advice for DIY Canine Cuisine

Posted on by Timberidge

Post by: Shaif Mallick

Traditional dog food has been the go-to option for pet owners for the longest time, but despite commercial dog meals available in the market these days, more and more people are resorting to homemade dog food.

While some do so to have a greater control over what their dog consumes, others take this decision to feed their dog based on their breed, size, and level of activity.

Not everyone, however, has the time to prepare elaborate dog meals every day, which is the reason why simpler meals come in handy.

Are you someone who is wondering what kind of homemade meals will be the best suited for your furry little friend? Have you been thinking about these things while planning these meals?

Well, worry not, for we at Pet Food Brands are here to help you out with everything you need to know about preparing homemade meals for your doggo.

Recipes for Homemade Dog Food

Every dog needs a certain percentage of protein, carbs, and fiber in their diet. When you make meals for them at home, it could be tricky to narrow down the kind of ingredients you may want to include in those meals.

Here are some simple yet effective recipes that will be a mix of healthy and delicious for your pet:

Beef Stew

To prepare beef stew as a meal for your pet buddy, you will need a pound of ground beef, half a cup of peas, one carrot, and one sweet potato.

Cook it till the beef’s pink color fades away. Make sure not to throw away the fat, as it can be good for your dog. Add in the potato and carrot, pour in some water, and cover the mixture for it to start boiling.

Gradually, turn the heat down and allow 20 minutes for the concoction to simmer, post which you can add the peas and cook for five more minutes. Let the dish cool down, and then proceed to serve it.

Chicken and Brown Rice

To make chicken and brown rice, you will need one tablespoon of vegetable oil, a cup of cooked brown rice, a quarter teaspoon of potassium chloride, and a quarter pound of cooked skinless chicken.

After cooking the rice and the chicken, wait for them all to cool down and then mix in the other items till they resemble a mashed form. This works great especially for a dog that weighs about 20 pounds, and you can measure the ingredients based on your dog’s size.

Turkey and Vegetables

The mixture of turkey and veggies serves as a fabulous source of proteins, minerals, and vitamins for your dog.

The ingredients include two shredded carrots, half a cup of peas, one piece of shredded zucchini, three pounds of ground turkey, three cups of baby spinach, a tablespoon of olive oil, and one and a half cups of brown rice.

After making the brown rice, set it aside for it to cool down. Heat up the olive oil on medium flame and cook the ground turkey in it till it turns brown. After five minutes, post which the turkey will be done, break it apart into a crumbly form.

Mix the rice and vegetables into the turkey and cook this entire mixture for about five minutes. Once you see the spinach wilting, take the vessel off the stove and leave it to cool down before serving it.

Tips for Homemade Meals for Your Dog

Suppose you have decided to switch to homemade meals for your little pet, but now your mind is racing thinking what are the vital points to remember to ensure that you’re giving the best of everything to your dog.

The following are some essential tips to keep in mind:

  • Do your research and see to it that neither are the meals nutritionally deficient nor nutritionally toxic. Discuss with your vet to know the exact quantity of nutrients to add to the meals.
  • Make use of supplements and do so only after consulting with a professional. Some of the supplements to add to homemade dog meals are fish oil, vitamin E, and vitamin B.
  • Keep changing things up every now and then. Don’t feed the same meals to your dog every day.
  • If you wish for the meals to be budget-friendly, you can mix a bit of kibble to the homemade food.

Conclusion

Before you decide on the kind of homemade meals to make for your dog or even think of making the switch from traditional dog food to homemade ones, make sure to discuss the topic with your veterinarian.

Once you get the green signal from them, you can proceed to create nutritious and well-balanced meals that will be great for your canine companion.