Hello! :)

[Misty R.]

Hi.  We are the brand-new owners of a sweet, playful, adorable f1B goldendoodle puppy named Jack.  He is 8 weeks old, 13 lbs., and we've only had him for 3 days, but we already love him.  I had been researching doodles for quite some time, and I knew I wanted one for our family (my kids are 10 and 5), but my sweet husband surprised us with Jack when we came home from school Friday afternoon.  Since I'm a researcher by nature, I feel like I'm behind, lol!   I'm looking forward to getting lots of good information here... I already have a million questions.  I guess I could start with a couple right off the top of my head, in case anyone feels like answering.

I've noticed that Jack's lower eyelids droop low enough that you can see the white part of his eye (under the colored part).  Is that normal? 

Jack has a very soft, fuzzy, (so far) non-shedding coat.  I would say it's very wavy, and it's a little curlier close to his skin.  What are the best grooming tools and/or methods to use for him?

At what age does he need his first trip to the groomer?

He very much smells like a puppy (which I love), but I think he might need a bath soon.  Is there something special I need to do after bathing him? Can I just dry him with a towel and let him air dry, or do I need to blow dry him?

Sorry for the question overload on the first post.  Feel free to say "hi" and not feel obligated to answer. :) 

Thanks!

Misty and Jack

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Hi Misty and Jack. WELCIME
With a wealth of information here to help you and Jack live a long and happy life you will love DK.

Eyes: love the whites of the doodles eyes. Typically this means he is alert, paying attention to the new mom he already loves so much too, and he is raring to go.

Coat- be gentle and take very small steps so your doodle gets used to grooming. Place a treat on the steal comb. Puppies, and even my 4 year old boy, don't tolerate too much combing. Don't push it.

A professional groomer is usually after 5 months- after ALL shots. Many of us though groom our own dogs.
For a bath today, regular baby shampoo should be fine.

Brush gently first, then steal comb, then bathe. For a curly dog, most of us just blow or air dry afterwards.

[Miss Ellie]

Hi Misty,

Congratulations on your new little bundle of joy...and by the way I LOVE his name...we had a sweet golden retriever named Jack and so it is a very near and dear name to our family.  What a nice surprise for you...that was really sweet of your husband.  The best puppy advice you will ever get is from the wonderful special people hear at DK.  No amount of books or reading will compare to the hands on experience that comes from this wonderful group.  My advice for you would be to join as many groups as you can and especially the Puppy Madness & the Doodle Grooming group.  We too have a goldendoodle puppy who is almost 5 months old, so unfortunately I can't answer your question about what age to first go to the groomers as this is our first experience with a doodle and we personally have not had to go to the groomers yet.  As far as the bathing goes, we just dry ours really well with a towel and let her air dry in the warmth of our house.  Welcome to DK...we are glad to have you join us.  Best wishes and enjoy puppyhood...it goes by so quickly and they grow so fast! Take care and please post lots of puppy pics of sweet Jack!

[Misty R.]

Thank you for the welcome and advice!  I do plan on posting some more pics later this afternoon. :)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I do also want you to read about dogs and children! We should have a standard sheet ( great idea here members) for homes with small children, but we don't.
I'll make sure this gets done.
It's more important than grooming ;)
Too often, children HUG and over stimulate the pups beyond tolerance. These pups are adorable, but like kids, they need time outs and naps just as much.
No Tug of War! Ever!
By 7-10 months, Doodles are given up. Everyone involved is exhausted and dejected. Very sad situations. The honeymoon of a cute puppy is over.
Training is the BEST way to live a long happy life. There is no cheaping and scrimping on Training. Make it a Top
Priority. Doing it as a family is rewarding and everyone is in board. ENJOY AND CONGRATULATIONS!

[Misty R.]

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions and give me good info.  I took the day off from work today to finish getting my puppy settled (among other things), so you're saving me some researching time! :)

We do plan to train him.  We didn't want to overwhelm him these first few days, so it's been minimal (mostly coming when we call him, only biting/chewing on what's appropriate, and housetraining), and I was thinking we'd start full-on obedience training at 12 weeks.  (We still have the training book from a dog we had years ago, so we'll just try that without formal classes first, but we can always join a class if needed.)

Thanks again for the info! :)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Welcome to DK. The first thing you should do is get pet insurance. Many of us have PetPlan. We have lots of discussions on this . If you are a researcher you will appreciate our knew search function at the top of each page and you may lose weeks of your life lost in DK : )Then take him to the vet right after that for a well puppy check. Many breeders require this for their health warrantee but it is a good idea no matter what. Bring a list of questions. I cannot see the whites of my doodles eyes underneath the iris usually but it may be fine.. Most doodles do not require frequent bathing.

[Misty R.]

Thanks!  I mentioned pet insurance to my husband and he looked at me like I had two heads.  I'll work on convincing him.  He actually already had a well puppy check on Saturday, but I didn't notice his eyes until yesterday, so I didn't ask about it.  I'm sure if there was a cause for concern the vet would've noticed, but I tend to be a worrier! :)

[Judy, Meg & Polly Wolly Doodle]

Congratulations MIsty, we just brought our second doodle home yesterday so we will be able to 'watch' each other's grow up.  Have fun with your new family member.

[Misty R.]

Thanks, and congrats to you, too! :)

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Jack is adorable!  Welcome to the site.  Check out Puppy Madness - lots of great info on that thread.  

Also the grooming group has good advice. I use a wire brush (very flexible bristles, though) and a steel comb.  Get his used to grooming early on!  

I don't think you have to dry him with a dryer, but again, it's good to get him used to the idea.  My guy takes forever to dry and in the winter, I use do use a dryer so he is not damp and cold.  I take him for grooming because the baths I give him never get him really clean and they comb him out much more thorough than I ever get him.  Unfortunately, at some point it is likely that matting will become your nemesis.   that being said, there are plenty of DK members on here that do their own grooming and some who manage long coats very well on their own.  

Have fun and enjoy your new little guy! 

[Misty R.]

Thanks for the advice.  I originally bought a wire brush (I think it was recommended for poodles), but today I bought a steel comb.  Goodness, it's hard to comb his hair!  It does seem like I'm pulling his hair, and it's hard to get through it.  Does that mean mats are starting?  I sure hope his hair texture improves over time...I can't imagine having to do that every day for the rest of his life. (He doesn't especially like it...plus he wants to chew on the brush/comb.)

Thanks again!

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

Congratulations on your Jack! I see you already got a lot of good advise. Be sure to check out the Groups icon on the top of the page and join what interests you! There's a puppy group, a training group, one on grooming, the food group. The food group includes a current list of recommended food brands, priceless! Plus a ton of other groups! We all like to take photos of our doodles and the photography group is wildly popular too! Read up, have fun and love that adorable Jack! I'm kinda partial to the name! : )