Finally A Guardian - Questions

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Well...I finally got my guardian dog.  She is a standard F1 goldendoodle named Maggie.  She's a year old & just passed her health testing, so her next heat will be the one.  I am nervous about it I do admit. 

1.  Do all of you use diapers? Do they chew them off though?

2.  How much blood is there really?

3.  What should I have on hand in case it gets on carpet?  What do you all do?  Let them on the carpet?  Not let them on the carpet somehow?  Keep them in the crate?  ADVICE APPRECIATED.

4.  Do their moods/personalities change when they are in heat?  When they are pregnant?

5.  Never raised a pregnant dog before.  What to expect those couple of months?

GINNY - I am NOT going to be having the puppies at my house!  Thanks for all your advice on that.  I am a busy mom of two young boys & two young doodles who has a teaching career and a running schedule.  Much too busy for that.  It sounds fun (but hard work)!!!!  At least the breeder is family close so that I can visit mom/pups as often as I like.  I will definitely do that!  As you can see, everybody is happy with our newest addition!

[Jeanne, Tura and Dolly]

Hi Traci.  I can give you some advice re diapers.  I have tried the disposable (worked great but are expensive) also tried using my grandson's undies with a pad, my dog did not like the hassle of those and frankly neither did I.  Now I am using something I got at Petco, it is a heavy duty blue pants (washable) that you put a liner in.  I used a light days pad, heavier than a pantyliner but not super thick.  The constant in and out, diaper off and on is a hassle but lasts maybe 2-3 weeks every 6-7 months. My Doodle Dolly goes into heat this May and then will have her first breeding and litter so can't help you as this will be my first pregnant dog.  The amount of blood?  Hard to say, but I first noticed drops of bright red blood on my kitchen floor so out came the diapers.  I put a new pad on in the morning.  She sleeps in a crate so I take it off at night.

[Jeanne, Tura and Dolly]

Traci, I just thought of something else. After 2or3weeks when they stop bleeding, they are really fertile for the
Next 2 weeks. I thought maybe once they were done bleeding, we could go to the dog park,etc. WRONG. I am clearly a newbie at this and have to be told everything. Maybe you already knew,but in case, I thought I'd pass that along.

[lyn cederholm]

I used pull ups, and cut a hole for the tail!  Worked like a charm for Annie.  She didn't try to chew them off!  As far as how much blood, it was less than I feared, but went on for a full 3 weeks.  I went through 2 packs of pull ups, using 1-2 a day.  It was kind of like a light period and never really got much heavier.  It was really pretty easy.  When Annie was pregnant, she didn't eat about 2 mornings ealry on, but the rest of the time she ate like normal.  The biggest hassle was the diapers, but it really wasn't bad.  Now if your dog chews that off, that is trickier.  I hear that boys underwear work well.  Put them on backwards and stick the tail through the front opening.  Good luck and congrats!!