Nylah’s 2024 Puppies

Your puppy’s birthday is September 4th! Your puppy will be ready to go home with you October 30th– November 2nd

We have one puppy spot available in this litter!

happy birthday

Nylah & Moses are the proud parents of SEVEN squishy new babies: four girls and three boys. These little ones are absolutely precious. When first born, puppies depend completely on their mama, so we’re blessed that Nylah does such a great job caring for them. She nurses them almost constantly it seems and snuggles with them. How sweet are these faces? Most puppies are born with pink noses that gradually turn black over the first few days, so enjoy those pink little noses now!

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 Nylah as she snoozes contentedly, surrounded by her new family. Nylah 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 Nylah’s pups grow! At 48 hours old, the puppies weigh average weight is about 10oz. They’ve already surpassed their birthday weights and gained an ounce or two. Nylah’s puppies twitch and pop in their sleep, as all healthy newborn puppies should. This activated sleep helps them build muscle tone.

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. Puppies are like little children – sometimes they don’t realize that you’re tired and need you to put them down for a nap. Puppies can get over stimulated and become overly tired just like toddlers. It’s your job to help regulate themAKC 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.

one week new

Our kids thoroughly enjoy giving puppies their temporary names, and we’re excited to share their choices for these special pups with you.

Introducing: Elephant (aka Ellie – pink collar), Panda (purple), Daisy (yellow), Pumpkin (orange), Bob (red), Mark (green), and Moosie (blue).

It’s hard to believe that these four 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. Most of the pups just passed over the 1lb mark today, and a few are hovering close to it. 

Look at those dark black noses! They’ve transitioned from the cute little pink noses into the beautiful dark points that will make these pups look extra handsome as adults.

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 Moki 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, positiveexperiences (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

Isn’t it amazing how much puppies grow in just one week? They’re already looking so much more like little dogs. Look at those cute curls coming in and those beautiful black noses!

You’ll probably notice how nicely they’re chunking up! But do you also see Moosie’s tiny little eyes staring back at you?! The puppies started opening their eyes on Monday. Eye opening is a process that doesn’t happen all in one day. Right now, we keep the puppy room dim as their eyes adjust to seeing the world around them. 

Nylah is a great mama. The ever increasing rolls on these babies are strong evidence that she is doing an excellent job nursing her crew! At this point, the sleepy little dumplings still snooze away most of their days and fill any awake time with stuffing their little bellies. We enjoy snuggling them every day, and the puppies have fun snuggling down for a nap on our laps. 

Everyone has passed over the 1lb mark, and some have almost reached the big 2lb mark. All that growing means that the puppies are ready to move 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. As you can tell, the baby collars are still a little big on these munchkins, but they grow quickly and it won’t be long before we are adjusting the collars to make them bigger.

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 guidelinesThis 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. I couldn’t narrow it down to a few pictures, so you’re getting a collage of lots of puppy pics! Aren’t they so cute?!

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 make little noises now, 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 kids LOVE the puppies , and the puppies LOVE the kids. The puppies have started going outside multiple times a day, and we’re beginning to work on getting as many potties as possible to happen out there. We continue to give the munchkins new toys to spark their curiosity. And we continue to snuggle them. The pups have sniffed noses with some other dogs besides their mama. They’ve started playing with each other, and they thoroughly enjoy wrestling each other. The puppies have also started enjoying goat milk (shout out to our friends at Land of Goshen for providing us with amazing goat milk for these precious babies!) and will transition to eat kibble mush this coming week. They think goat milk is a delicious treat! And they’re gong to love kibble, too! the pups already try to sneak kibble out of Nylah’s bowl any chance they get. The puppies still enjoy Mama Nylah’s nutritious milk, too. If you have not received an email from TLC about ordering puppy food, please let me know.

The top row of this week’s picture collage features the lovely ladies. From left to right we have: the fluffy Miss Daisy (yellow), the petite Miss Panda (purple), the cutie Miss Elephant (aka Ellie; pink), and the playful Miss Pumpkin (orange). The handsome boys are gracing the bottom row. First up is the stunning Mr. Mark (Green). In the middle is the adorable Bob (red). On the far right is the friendly Mr. Moosie (blue).

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 and fluffier 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 2 pups to a crate. They do a crate job settling down at bedtime and staying quiet all night long. We let them outside  between 7:00-7:30am.

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. Nylah 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 🙂

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

The puppies are so very curious and playful and friendly. We let them run around the main part of our house for small segments each day now. They have a blast sniffing noses with the older dogs, exploring every nook and cranny, looking for chews that belong to the big dogs, and feeling the carpet squishing between their toes. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed the Insta videos of the pups in action! Their Uncle Dexter stayed with us while his family was traveling, and he had fun playing the puppies! The pups had a great time with him, too. We made sure to supervise any interactions and to provide a safe place where the puppies could hide if they became overwhelmed for any reason. When you introduce your pup to new canine friends, you’ll want to do the same. Always supervise, especially the initial interactions with a new dog. And always provide your puppy with a safe “get away” spot in case she needs a break. For our home, the pups could duck under the coffee table and pop out at will, giving them the freedom to control their interactions with Dexter and the other big dogs. Outdoors, a kiddie picnic table or something similar works well. Additionally, be sure to provide the big dog with a way to get away from your puppy in case he becomes overwhelmed with the puppy energy. Being around other safe dogs is great for your puppy!

The puppies have also started going on nature walks around our property each day, which they think is a blast. The puppies bound through tall grass, hop over sticks, climb up a mulch pile, run across gravel, and experience so many different parts of the great outdoors.

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.

mini goldendoodles for sale in Ohio

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 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.

Doodle Puppy Shopping List

Congratulations on adding a new furry member to your family! Goldendoodles make wonderful pets, and you’re going to love your new little one. We’ve created this goldendoodle puppy shopping list to help you prepare. You’ll learn what size collar, what size crate, recommended chew items for teething puppies, etc. We’ll also give you a few special discount codes for some of our favorite products!

Food & Water Bowls

Look to purchase stainless or ceramic bowls, as they are healthier for your puppy and easier to clean than plastic. It’s a good idea to purchase an extra water bowl, as an extra will allow you to regularly throw your puppy’s water bowl in the dishwasher.

Fun Food activities that Build on the Foraging Instinct

Dogs are natural foragers, and sometimes, eating out of a bowl can be a little…. boring. Have a few more entertaining feeding options available for your pup such as a snuffle bowl, slow feeder bowl, and wobble feeder. These types of interactive food games take mental energy and problem solving, which helps a puppy use that puppy energy in a productive, fun way.

Collar and Identification tag

Your mini puppy will likely need a 14”-16″ collar when full-grown (the collar will probably adjust from 13″-19″ like this medium one) but may benefit from a smaller collar at first. She has been wearing a collar that is adjusted to about 9″-11″ during her last few weeks with us. Even though your puppy will go home with a microchip, it’s always a good idea to have a tag on her collar to make it easy to identify her (without a microchip reader!). Alternatively, you may choose to purchase a collar with your phone number embroidered on the collar. Abria has a cute polkadot collar we found on Etsy!

Scent Item

You may opt to bring a piece of material to hold the familiar, comforting scent of littermates (i.e. a wash cloth), but an even better option is a Snuggle Puppy. We have families tell us that their dog continues to sleep with Snuggle Puppy friend even as an adult dog. Snuggle Puppies are specially designed for puppies: the tag is hidden away inside the pocket and there aren’t any eyes or noses that can be chewed off and swallowed. Additionally, there isn’t any stuffing in the ears or tail to prevent your pup from accidentally ingesting the white fluffy stuffing usually found in stuffed animals.

Flat Leash

Pick out a sturdy flat lead that is 3/4″ wide that’s 4′-6′ long. Flexi leads are not the best choice for young puppies. We have leashes made by Kakadu and DexDog that we use regularly, and we have been happy with them both.

Dog Crate

We primarily use metal crates with our dogs, as they are easier to clean, but plastic crates give the den-like feel and are a good option as well. A crate cover can give a metal crate the den-like feel yet you can still toss it in the washer if needed. Consider purchasing a 36″ crate with dimensions for medium puppies (mini goldendoodles may be comfortable in a 30″ crate). You may prefer to use a smaller crate can be used while your puppy is little or use a divider to make the crate a little smaller. We primarily use 30″ metal crates in crate conditioning the pups during their time with us, although we also try to introduce them to plastic crates.

Baxter & Bella Online Puppy Training Program

Baxter & Bella is a unique online puppy raising resource that is IMMENSELY helpful. Not only will you have access to the myriad of videos and training tips, but membership also includes chats with professional trainers. If your puppy enters a new stage and you’re not quite sure how to navigate it, just talk to a trainer to get the tips and tricks you need to help your puppy. Baxter & Bella helps new owners with everything from preparing your home to basic manners to make a socialization checklist. Use the code Timberidge for 25% off Baxter & Bella!

Chew Things for a Teething Puppy

Puppies love to chew, particularly until about 8 months of age. To help set both you and your puppy up for success, select a few long last items that your puppy can chew. We like RidgeRunner’s split elk antler. Use the code TR15 for 15% off your order at RidgeRunnerAntlerChews.com

Irresistible Tasty Chew for Crate

Select an AMAZINGLY tasty chew or two that your puppy ONLY gets in her crate. We find that puppies love buffalo or pigs ears, but it can be challenging to find ones produced in the USA. You may be able to find some at a local feed and supply store. Another good option is Nature Gnaws, available at Target as well as Amazon. Nature Gnaws has a variety of single ingredient chews that your pup will enjoy. Choose something that is very tasty and that will take your pup some time to devour.

Puppy Food

Your puppy will be used to eating TLC Puppy Food, so order a bag from TLCpetfood.com and they’ll ship it to your home, where it will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of your newest family member. You will receive an email directly from TLC when your puppy is about 5 weeks old.

We love TLC for a variety of reasons, a few of which are: multiple protein sources (helps reduce the risk of developing food allergies), low legume content (reduces the risk of developing dilated cardiac myelopathy), included pre & probiotics (helps keep the intestines happy), no corn or soybeans (ingredients that are likely to be genetically modified), no recalls ever (we want to keep our dogs healthy & safe), and the food is fresher than store bought foods since it is delivered directly to your home.

Soft Training Treats

Treats should be soft, small, and easy to chew quickly. Purebites dog treats are a good option as are Smart Cookie single ingredient treats. They are made with just one ingredient (i.e. lamb liver) and don’t contain ingredients such as BHA that you do not want your puppy to consume.

Metal Comb or Grooming Rake and Slicker Brush

metal comb is a great tool for curly coated Goldendoodles and a grooming rake works well for wavy coated Goldendoodles. These will help keep in undercoat free from tangles. Also purchase a curved slicker brush for fluffing the outer coat on your goldendoodle. For more information about grooming, read through our goldendoodle haircuts post.

Nail Clippers or Dremel and Styptic Powder

We like to use normal human toenail clippers for trimming puppy nails. As puppies get older, we switch to a cordless dremel. Either nail clipper or a cordless dremel will work for trimming your puppy’s toenails – it’s a matter of which you prefer. Your puppy will have had it’s nails trimmed prior to going home and your vet & groomer will likely offer to trim her nails when you take her in for appointments, but it’s still important for you to trim her nails at home. It’s also a good idea to have styptic powder on hand just in case you trim your puppy’s nail a little too short.

 

 

Goldendoodle Growth Survey

We’ve already learned a lot about goldendoodle growth… But there’s still so much more to know! We’re on a mission to learn as much as we can about goldendoodle growth, and YOU can help!

Please take a few moments to complete our survey.  Don’t know all the answers? That’s okay! You can fill out as much or as little as you like. Please share this survey with all your doodle friends! The more goldendoodle lovers who complete it, the better. Thanks everyone!

If your goldendoodle is still a puppy, you’ll love our goldendoodle puppy time lapses!

Create your own user feedback survey

Check back in December for the survey results!

Abria’s 2018 Mini English Goldendoodle Puppies

happy birthday

Abria welcomed a beautiful litter of 6 mini English golndedoodle puppies on Tuesday, February 27th! There are five boys and one girl. Three of the babies appear to have curly coats. We will be able to tell more about their coats in the upcoming weeks. Puppies are born with their eyes and ears closed, but they still know how to make noise! They grunt and squeal as they feel their way to Abria, looking for a meal. Right now, the puppies spend all their time eating, sleeping, and growing.

Mini goldendoodle litter

so much growing

Puppies spend their first few weeks eating, sleeping, and growing. Exactly how much growing does a newborn puppy do? Here’s a picture of two puppies that both had the same birth weight. The bigger one is just 9 days older than the smaller.

goldendoodle puppy size

1 week

goldendoodle litter

At one week old, the puppies continue to spend their days eating, sleeping, and growing – and snuggling with their mama of course! Their weights are all hovering right around 1lb, so they’ve done a lot of growing in just seven days. The pigment on their noses and the pads of their feet has filled in, changing from pink to black. The puppies’ eyes and ears remain closed, but they still know how to find their mama when their bellies start longing for a tasty meal.

goldendoodle litter

2 weeks

Everyone’s eyes are opened, although their vision still isn’t clear yet. The puppies are beginning to attempt toddling around a little, and their legs will continue to gain strength throughout the upcoming week. Their days continue to be filled with eating, sleeping, and growing.

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red mini goldendoodle litter
goldendoodle puppy tennis ball

9 days old

goldendoodle puppy size

16 days old

3 weeks

tiny goldendoodle puppy
young goldendoodle puppy
mini goldendoodle puppies

At three weeks old, these little ones have moved out of our bedroom and downstairs to the puppy pen where they will spend the remainder of their time with us. Here in our family room they are exposed to everyday household activity. They have also started listening to a habituation soundtrack to help them become accustomed to sounds such as fireworks, vacuuming, etc. The puppies already enjoy snuggling on your lap!

4 weeks

goldendoodle puppies in crate

The puppies are walking about, exploring the world around them. They enjoy playing with each other, too. In between their short bursts of energy, they still spend most of their time sleeping. Whether piling together, finding a snuggly friend or cuddling with mama, these pups know how to find a good napping spot.

goldendoodle puppy snuggles
goldendoodle puppies

5 weeks

Dex dog tote bag
red goldendoodle puppy
Cooper
goldendoodle puppy
goldendoodle puppy

6 weeks

7 weeks

8 week goldendoodle puppy
8 week goldendoodle puppy
Cooper
8 week goldendoodle puppy
Annie
goldendoodle sunglasses

Zino

8 week goldendoodle puppy
Toby
8 week goldendoodle puppy
Bernie

getting ready for your puppy

We’ve created a puppy shopping list to help guide you as you prepare to bring your new pup home!

meet the parents

Learn more about Abria & Moses by visiting our parent dog page. Want to see pictures of Abria’s past litters? You can find those on Abria’s personal page. There’s also are videos of her past puppies if you’re curious what this litter will look like in a few weeks. Don’t forget to check out Instagram for more pictures of the parents, past puppies, and this current litter.

goldendoodle and poodle wearing hats

Abria & Moses

All of these puppies have found loving homes. We do not plan to have another litter of mini puppies until sometime in 2019.

Junie’s 2018 Medium English Goldendoodle Puppies

7 weeks

Millie

Millie

Cooper

Cooper

Moses

Moses

Oaklee

Oaklee

Dublin

Dublin

Rooney

Rooney

6 weeks

5 weeks

The puppies are sure growing up fast! They love bounding around our family room and kitchen, exploring every inch. They play hard and then find a safe place to crawl under for a rejuvenating siesta. While they continue to nurse some, the puppies are now eating meals each day. We fed them in crates for the first time, a skill on which we will continue to work. The puppies are also beginning to go outside more regularly (crazy Ohio weather permitting!). They are a lively, curious, and friendly bunch!

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4 weeks

The puppy’s individual personalities are beginning to show through! They enjoy exploring the world around them and playing with the different toys in their pen. They also enjoy playing with each other. While the puppies still spend much time sleeping, they now have longer playful/awake periods. If you sit on the floor, you’re sure to have a lap full of puppies! They continue to nurse but have now started eating food as well.

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The puppies continue listening to their habituation soundtrack, and we continue to introduce them to new objects. They have also gotten to explore the great outdoors for the first time!

goldendoodle puppies outside
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3 weeks old

The change between two and three weeks is amazing! While still wobbly and unsteady, the puppies use walking rather than crawling as their primary means of getting around. They have started playing with each other. Their playful interactions look like slow motion! The puppies have moved out of our bedroom into the puppy pen, where they will stay the remainder of their time with us. Here, in the center of household activity, they will be exposed to everyday sounds and events. We also give them a new object or toy each day. Our goal is to expose the puppies to as much as we can during their time with us, so we provide them with toys made from a variety of materials and toys that make different sounds. We also provide them with different textures on which to walk. The puppies already amble over to you and climb onto your lap when you sit in the puppy pen!

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The puppies have started listening to a habituation soundtrack to familiarize them with a variety of sounds, such as a cat’s meowing, a hair dryer, and knocking. Since our son’s favorite is the airplane track, the puppies get to listen to that one twice every day! Don’t worry, they are exposed to plenty of toddler sounds and the accompanying toy noises as well 🙂

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2 weeks old

The second week of life is a week of many firsts! The puppies’ eyes have opened, so they can begin to look at the world around them for the first time. Their vision will continue to sharpen over the next few weeks. The puppies are also beginning to take their first wobbly steps. They still continue to spend the majority of their time eating, sleeping, and growing, but they are now able to make their way around their puppy area at a slightly higher rate of speed. The puppies have also had their nails clipped for the first time.

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11 days old

This is a big week for Junie’s babies: in the next few days, their eyes will start to open!

goldendoodle litter

1 week old

Junie’s babies are now 1 week old! They’ve crossed the 1lb mark, almost doubling their birth weight already. They continue concentrating on eating, sleeping, and growing.

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Junie's puppies at 1 week old

Junie’s puppies at 1 week old

happy birthday!

English Goldendoodle Litter

Junie’s puppies at 3 days old Junie welcomed a beautiful litter of 6 English golndedoodle puppies on Sunday, February 18th! There are four boys and two girls. Pink Girl and Green Boy appear to have curly coats. We will be able to tell more about their coats in the upcoming weeks. Puppies are born with their eyes and ears closed, but they still know how to make noise! They grunt and squeal as they feel their way to Junie, looking for a meal. Right now, the puppies spend all their time eating, sleeping, and growing.

The Parents:

Learn more about Junie & Moses by visiting our parent dog page. Want to see pictures of Junie’s 2017 litter? You’ll find those posted in our blog as well as on Junie’s personal page. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for additional pictures of Moses, Junie, past puppies, and this current litter!

Taking your doodle for professional grooming
clean doodle feet (aka poodle feet)

Getting Ready For Your Puppy

We’ve created a puppy shopping list to help guide you as you prepare to bring your new pup home!

Junie’s Medium English Goldendoodle Puppies

Check back here regularly for updated pictures of Junie’s goldendoodle puppies! (Click on any picture to view it larger)

These sweet puppies have all found forever families, which means they are not available to come home with you. This is the last of our 2017 litters. We plan to have more litters in 2018.

eight weeks old

At almost eight weeks old, these puppies are excited to be joining their furever families in just a few days!! Wishing you all a happy gotchya day!

seven weeks old

six weeks old

five weeks old

four weeks old

Eat, play, sleep, repeat. The puppies have started wrestling and playing with each other. Their teeth are poking through, which means they enjoy nibbling and chewing. The puppies love exploring their environment and find everything new & interesting.

three weeks old

The puppies felt the green grass between their toes for the first time! Many fun outdoor play sessions are in their future 🙂

two weeks old

Sleepy puppy faces!

one week old

It’s amazing how much puppies grow and change in such a short amount of time! Junie’s medium English goldendoodle puppies are now just over one week old and each pup is weighing in slightly under 1.5 lb, which means they’ve already doubled their birth weights. Their noses and the pads on their feet are blackening. At a week old, puppies’ ears and eyes are still closed so they can’t see or hear. They rely heavily on their sense of smell, which is evident by their little sniffs and grunts. Junie’s puppies have already become much better and quicker at getting around their whelping area. When their belly’s start grumbling, they know how to find food in a hurry! Little tails wag during nursing to let you know they are thoroughly enjoying their meal.

medium english goldendoodle litter
Junie’s English Goldendoodle Puppies at 1 week old

Junie's goldendoodle puppies at 1 day old
Junie’s English Goldendoodle Puppies at 1 day old