normal labradoodle puppy behavior

[brittany mead]

He All,

i recently got a golden doodle puppy from a lady who was trying to get them  homes.  i understand he is still a puppy but he doesn't like to be around me or my family.  He will go off into a dark room by himself and not come out when we call him.  If he is sleeping on the floor and i pick him up to cuddle with him he will want to get off 5 seconds later and go on the floor away from me to sleep.  The person home was not very clean and i noticed that he has fleas.  Right now he is 8 weeks old, i don't know if this is normal behavior for the breed or if i have cause to be concerned.  if anyone could give me some  insight that wold be great!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Hi Brittney,
Would you PLEASE get this puppy to a vet as soon as possible! Like NOW would be good. Thank you.

[Diane, Baker & Oskar]

He needs to be socialized.  He probably hasn't had much/any human contact & you need to start now.  I wouldn't try to pick him up at first...try sitting on the floor near him & attracting his attention with a toy or treat.  When he walks over to you, gently pet him & give him the treat.  Go slowly.  Gradually lengthen the contact until he seems to be enjoying you & your family.  Once you've accomplished this, introduce new people & other dogs to your puppy, making sure all the experiences are positive.

A puppy this age should be playing.  They take many naps throughout the day, but should be chewing on toys, chasing balls, etc.  

Have you had him to the vet?  He needs a series of shots & you can address the flea issue with the doctor.  

The woman you got him from should have been handling the puppies from day 1 & it doesn't sound like she did.  Socialization is the key to a happy, well adjusted dog.  Good luck...keep us posted.  You can do it :)

[brittany mead]

when i originally went to look at the puppies he was very cuddly when i was holding him and would come over to me if i whistled.  so i wasn't sure what was up when he was at our house and didn't want to be bothered with me.  I did call the vet over the weekend and scheduled an appointment for thursday.   I asked them about the fleas as well and they told me to try washing him in puppy flea shampoo.  i don't think she had been handling them at all to be  honest and just kept them in her back yard in a pen - so hopefully its like you said and he just needs to be socialized.  thanks for the info!

[Ginny Nightingale]

What a shame that this puppy was not socialized--it is not too late, but you need to get on it right away using the ideas already presented and ask the vet about it too. If you can swing it financially, get him into a puppy class and once he has had some shots start walking him in areas where there are people and if he is not too afraid, sit quietly with him and let them greet him--you have a lot of work to do with him but it will pay off--he is certainly young enough to make up for what was not done when he was younger. Some of his issues may be physical too--he probably has worms and other issues that are making him lethargic. Ask your vet if you should bring a stool sample on Thursday--they should do a fecal exam to see if he has parasites. I am betting he does if he was kept in a pen in the yard. Poor guy!

What is his name? Can you post pictures? You may also want to join the Puppy madness group to get good advice on training. By the way, do you know if this was the same pup that was cuddly--she might have given you a different one--and goldendoodles are easy to sell if this woman was a responsible breeder, so people may have been reluctant to take a pup if it was in a backyard and not a home. Thank goodness you took him to give him a chance at a good life!

[Lorraine Bromley]

You could also try hand feeding him as well. Take turns with other family members so that he realizes you all provide for him and spending time feeding and petting is a good thing.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Good idea!

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Hi Brittany ~ Yes, please take him to the vet for a wellness exam asap.  Hopefully the breeder gave you information concerning any vaccines or wormings he has had.  We just got a new puppy too and we were required to take the puppy into the vet for a wellness exam within the first week of having him and our vet had to sign off on his wellness in order for our health guarantee to be finalized with the breeder.  Since he does have fleas, I would think your vet will treat him for that - You do not want to get a flea infestation in your home.  Your vet will give you lots of info on what you need to do.

You can do a lot of socializing right in your home and yard with him so he is not exposed to anything before he has received all his puppy shots. 

Try to remember that it is pretty traumatic for some of them going to that new home.  He may be very shy and scared??

Lorraine's idea of hand feeding him a little is a good idea and it will help to bond you.  He probably needs more tlc right now than some do and it will pay off in the long run. 

Good luck to you,  Let us know how it goes at the vet. 

[Vivian & Mojo]

It sounds like your puppy may be sick...can you explain to the vet so maybe you can get an earlier appt before Thursday? If it were my puppy I would give a capstar (can buy in pet stores) to be sure fleas were gone, they are hard to get rid of when they infest your home. The lady you got the puppy from doesn't sound very trust worthy to me, I hope you got health records and checked out the parents.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Yeah, I am worried about this pup too--hope it doesn't have parvo.  Let's hope not!!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Brittany,

This puppy is not behaving normally and I would be very concerned, especially with the conditions he is coming from.  You are lucky enough to live near a fantastic vet clinic and hospital that is open twenty-four hours for emergencies.  I would at least call Pieper Olson Vet Hospital and ask how soon they can see him, or if you can bring him right in to their emergency clinic.  I've used them in the past, and they are fantastic.  Please keep us posted.....I feel so bad for this little Doodle baby.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I meant to ask if there are more puppies from this litter that this lady is trying to find homes for?  If so, there is the DRC as well as some good local rescue organizations that might be able to help.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

How long have you had him? They do go through an adjustment period and our Murphy did the same at first. Used to hurt my feelings, but that is just him, aloof. He was not sick, but we were at the vet within 48 hours of receiving him just for our own reassurance and to start getting educated on how to care for him. And we have a fantastic breeder, so there was little doubt as you have. I agree with taking him much sooner than thurs.