How to Bring an 8 Week Goldendoodle Home

Bringing home a puppy is an exciting and anxious moment for the owner and the dog. Owners can prepare by having all the necessary supplies to ease their puppy's transition into a new household and establish a comfortable training and living routine. An eight-week-old goldendoodle puppy will be energetic and curious, requiring vigilance on the part of the owner to keep the puppy safe and healthy. Owners should prepare for the puppy beginning with the car ride home and ease the transition with calmness and patience.

Things You'll Need

  • Dog crate
  • Puppy food
  • Dog dishes
  • Leash
  • Collar
  • Towels or blankets
  • Dog toys
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Instructions

    • 1

      Bringing home a puppy starts before you pick it up from the breeder or shelter. Owners must examine their homes and yards and eliminate any possible escape hazards, move electrical wires, and remove all possible choking or chewing options. Eight-week-old puppies will soon be teething, and owners must be aware of places where the dog could cause damage to furnishings or hurt itself.

    • 2

      Gather supplies needed for a new puppy. Basic supplies include a crate, bedding in the form of towels or blankets, food and water bowls, appropriate toys and treats, and puppy food. An eight-week-old goldendoodle must be fed food labeled specifically for puppies, because it has a different nutritional concentration from food for adult dogs. Consult the breeder or shelter to learn what food the puppy is currently eating, and feed that food for at least a few days to avoid causing stomach upset. Switching to a new food should be done gradually by mixing the old food into the new food in lessening concentrations over several days to a week.

    • 3

      Prepare for the car ride by bringing a leash and collar to pick the dog up. Encourage the puppy to urinate and defecate before entering the vehicle. It is important to make the puppy's first car ride as positive as possible. A passenger should hold the puppy gently but securely, wrapped in a blanket or towel, and soothe the puppy during the trip. Avoid congested highways if the puppy must stop to eliminate while traveling.

    • 4

      Allow the puppy to investigate its new surroundings under your watchful eye, and make sure to provide plenty of opportunities to eliminate outside. Use treats and praise to begin housebreaking the new puppy. Avoid stressing or overstimulating the new puppy with multiple visitors or handlers, and introduce it to other household pets in a calm manner, protecting the puppy from any overly excited or aggressive companions.

    • 5

      Encourage the puppy to use its crate for sleeping and resting. Consider designating special feeding toys for "crate time" to make the crate a positive place to be. To avoid accidents, leave the puppy in the crate when it cannot be supervised at home.