We are often asked if we have a list of items people should purchase before bringing their new Goldendoodle puppy home. The following are some thoughts we had that might help guide you in getting started training and raising your new puppy.

We usually recommend a wire cage vs. the airline-type crates. Probably a 36″ will work for most of the Goldendoodles. They make some nice pads to go in them as well. Look for a cage that has a movable divider so you can make the cage smaller while the puppy is young and then increase the size as the puppy grows. The idea is to have a small space so the puppy won’t be tempted to potty and then still have room to lay down without getting in it. If the cage doesn’t have a divider, a box works as a temporary fix (that is until they chew up the box !!). We also use K9 Ballistics beds for our dogs and we love them!! They’re tough and come in a variety of styles and colors.

We feed Purina One +Plus. It comes in a red bag and there are several different formulas so look for “Healthy Puppy Formula” on the end and/or front of the bag. We will give you a small, sample bag. The puppies will be eating dry puppy chow when you pick them up. If they don’t eat well to begin with, try a little warm milk or water on the puppy chow to get them started. Most puppies will do fine on a twice-a-day feeding schedule. Start with about ½ cup of puppy chow. If all of this is consumed in about 15 minutes or so, then increase the amount a little at the next feeding.

Baby gates are very helpful in restricting the area of the house the puppy is allowed to explore on his/her own. For a wide doorway that is too big for a baby gate, the pet stores carry a metal portable, folding play yard fencing that can be stretched across the opening. It’s the type we probably had the puppies in when you came to visit. We set them up in a circle for the puppies to play in.

The puppies will come with a collar so you may want to wait and buy the nice, fancy collar after they are a little older and have pretty much grown up. The puppy collar we send with the new puppy will work for a short while to get you through at least part of the growing stage. In most cases, your puppy will be too young to be trained to walk on a leash. However, bringing one along when you pick up your puppy is helpful if you plan to stop for a potty break on your way home.

Other items that are helpful to have for the return home trip are paper towels, a bath or beach towel if you plan to hold the puppy and a trash bag. Puppies are sometimes prone to motion-sickness in the car and these items are very handy to have should this happen.

Consider signing up for a Puppy Training class. There are private trainers, classes at many of the pet stores and now we are very excited to be partners with BAXTER & Bella. It is an online puppy training program that is for your pet’s lifetime and includes all types of training modules, podcast and even one-on-one Zoom appointments with a canine professional trainer !! Check out the article on our blog page. There are links to tell you how it all works and a discount code. This will get your puppy off to a great start and help you with how to teach your puppy do’s and don’ts.

We usually don’t recommend a specific book on how to raise a puppy. Raising a puppy is much like raising your children. Everyone will tell you how it should be done !! We do endorse “crate training” as it provides a place in your home that the puppy can go when they want time out from their humans. The crate will became a safe, quite place for them to rest. There is a blog on crate training on our blog page.

You will receive a Health Record that has all of the information your vet will need including the type of vaccinations they have received and their deworming record. It will also contain a photo of the parents. You’ll also receive the CKC (and AKC, if applicable) registration should you decide to register your pet.

Each puppy will have a microchip in place when you pick them up. The registration fee for your puppy’s chip was included in your initial deposit and the registration is for life. You will receive information to set up your account with BuddyID. Through this site, you can update address/phone number changes as well as access training videos and other information.

Don’t forget that as part of our contract, you must sign up for the 30-days free Trupanion Pet Insurance. You may do this as early as the time that you select your puppy and up to the day after you pick up the puppy BUT it has to be on or past the puppy’s 8-week birthday.  The Trupanion code is:  BR1HH102914.

The following are subjects that should be discussed at your puppy’s first wellness visit at the vet’s office:

• Additional vaccinations including rabies

• Flea protection

• Heartworm protection

• Internal parasite control

• Spay/Neuter

You might want to consider joining “Hummingbird Doods” on Facebook. It is a page that our clients have set up so that they can network with other owners of HHF puppies. It’s a great place to brag on your puppy and keep up with littermates, etc.