Leaving the Litter.

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Over the next week, our puppies will be going to their families and be dropped into a whole new world, a whole new set of rules and a total new way of life.  
I start to panic during the last week of the puppy raising process wondering if I have done everything I can to have them ready to go.  
There are 2 main things that are the most difficult for new owners:
Crate Training:
Here is a website with some great resources and ideas for puppies to get accustomed to their crate.
https://puppyintraining.com/crate-training-puppies/
These puppies have been in crates daily since they were 4 weeks.  We do treats, separate, alone, long term, short term. None are particularly fond of the crate and some are having a harder time with it than others but all have been exposed so that the first car ride home or night in their new home, will not also be their first time behind the gate. 
Potty Training:
We use a litter box for our puppies. For the most part, they are now using the proper spot to go to the bathroom. 
In their new homes,  they absolutely will NOT!  Nothing will be familiar and they just wont know where to go.  But--it is normal for them to go to a designated place when they have to got to the bathroom. They just have to be shown where that is........about every 20 minutes, AT LEAST!!! 
So get those boots and treats by the door because you will be needing them a LOT!
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/potty-training-your-puppy-timeline-and-tips/

A puppy does not need free run of the house.  I have been told by more than 1 trainer that they recommend keeping the puppy under the age of 6 months, confined to 1 or 2 rooms of the house.  Especially in the first days.  They are wondering where their litter mates are and trying to learn how to be an individual,  that might be easier in 1 or 2 rooms.  
The best thing that we can do for these little ones is to restrict their opportunity to make mistakes and never to provide positive reinforcement for bad behavior.  I am sure I have told this somewhere else but I always think back to someone telling me that they were SUPER concerned about their puppy biting and nipping at their kids............as he was letting one of the puppies chew on his fingers!!!
I have 2 rules at our house:
1- Keep your dang fingers out of my puppies mouth!!! 
2- Do not pet or pick up a puppy who is jumping or begging!!
These 2 rules begin the moment that they open their eyes and I Know for a Fact that it helps with impulse control in the long run.   Do they still freak out and charge the side of their pen every time I walk in the room  "Of course they do!!"  Do they settle really fast when they see that I am only acknowledging the ones sitting back?  "Oh Yes!!"
In one of our training videos, Jane says that about 3 minutes of training time with a 4-6 week old puppy is equivalent to several hours of training a 6-8 month old puppy. 
https://shoppuppyculture.com/pages/the-learning-center

The time you put in now will be what makes your dog part of the 
"I heard a Goldendoodle would be a good family dog" pack.  If that is your expectation, then you have to put in the work to make it be a truth. 
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IT WILL BE WORTH IT!!!!!

Peace out!
Sherry 



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