Puppy Care Questions.

[Roy]

Hi everyone!

I'll be picking up my F1B Goldendoodle towards the end of February. I'm very excited and want to make sure that I give him the best care possible!

I do have a few questions. It's been awhile (11 years) since I've had to raise a puppy!

- Would it be okay to take my pup for a walk to my local dog park to relieve himself? I'm a little worried about him getting sick since there are other dogs in the dog park. I don't have a backyard.

-What are some essential supplies I would need to buy before taking my pup home?

-What dog food brands do you recommend?

- How much exercise is too much for a pup?

-Would it be okay to leave him at puppy day care for 6-7 hours a day 3 times a week while I'm at work?

-How many hours would it be okay to leave him at home in a playpen?

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Roy- no dog parks. Just within the past weeks, we have heard of a sweet doodle pup who is fighting for her life against parvo. Not until at least a week after the last round of shots. 

Trying using the search feature in the top right corner and you will find dozens of old discussions on puppy essentials, toys, what to have ready, etc! 

Here are just I few that I just found:

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/buying-puppy-supplies?comm...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/puppymadness/forum/topics/what-to...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/waitingformynewpuppy/forum/topics...

Hope this helps!

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I would avoid the dog park, I've been reading that same discussion as Stephanie about the poor little puppy with parvo and would be very careful! I would have tons of toys! My dog chews anything and everything if there are not toys in site so I don't think you can go wrong there. As for food Loki is eating blue buffalo wilderness for large dogs- the puppy one and he loves it! I forget what food he came home on but with in a month of switching to blue buffalo I saw such an improvement in his coat and he had more regular bowel movements(the reason we switched to begin with). I waited a bit from when he first came home and slowly transitioned him over though. If anyone reading this knows of an even better brand I'm all ears! :)

I would also avoid day care until he's had all his shots in most places I believe that's actually mandatory.

Good luck! So excited for you!

-Jess and Loki

[Adina P]

Avoid the dog park till well past when puppy shots are completed.

Check The Food Group on this site for food recommendations.
As long as the exercise is mostly puppy directed, it will be fine.  Definitely no going jogging or running with a puppy where puppy has to keep up with your distance.
Puppies can usually hold their pee/poo for about 2 hours as 8 week olds, 3-4 hours as 12 week olds, 4-5 hours as 16 week olds--in a crate that is.  They won't hold it for that long while they are running free.  By playpen do you mean crate?  Lots of pups do fine in play pens or exercise pens, but my Boca learned to climb out quite quickly so ...

[Ginny Nightingale]

I like the suggestion of searching the forum--and getting some information from puppy care books--these questions require long answers and it is not likely someone will write them all out for you--I can add a few points here and then you can do the research--we have a food group on this side  with a list of recommended foods--your pup should eat three times a day.

Leaving him in a crate (safest place) for 2 hours is really stretching it for a young puppy--if you can not be home, the best bet is to hire a dog walker that can come in several times a day to walk the pup, play with it and feed it if it is meal time. Puppies really can't be on their own for very long.

I do know that there are some puppy day care places that take very young puppies, but again, without assurance that NO puppies are ill there and NO adult dogs have brought in germs, it is risky.

If you do not have a yard and need to walk the pup on the street, this could be a problem...the dog park is not a good idea and the puppy will need to go right away--you can't walk him very far and if other dogs have been around, he could pick up something serious. Some people have purchased a "potty" for the pup-it is a tray with fake grass that can go on a balcony or even in a driveway so that you can bring the puppy to it to go--and then when he is older, you can take him out to the park. I have seen them advertised in many places.

Good luck!!

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

Reiterating what others have said- no dog parks until after he/she is vaccinated.

The Puppy Madness group literally saved my sanity during those first couple of months. I didn't find this website until after I started going crazy- you are lucky that you have some time to browse around ahead of time! I also would highly recommend the Food Group- VERY informative.

My other suggestion would be to start cultivating LOTS of patience in your life! :-)  If you are a very patient person, raising a puppy will be a piece of cake. Sort of. If you are not so patient, start by taking some deep breaths and reminding yourself that good things come out of all of the repetition that puppies require.  :-)  And, a glass of wine doesn't hurt every now and then....