pug puppies for sale in state of georgia

Our doodles live a 'dog's life'. Originally bred to be allergy friendly service dogs they are smart, calm and love to be with people. Whether it's laying by the pool in the summer or bounding along snow covered paths in the winter conveniently snow blown by their human dad , running through the woods or barking at the deer passing through the yard it's all about the fun! On any given day you can watch the doodle parade with at least 3 puffy tails wagging and noses to the ground as we wind our way through the neighborhood. Our dogs are allergy friendly, sweet with just the right amount of spunk and scrupulously health tested. Labradoodle puppies come with a 2 year genetic health guarantee and we will be available as a guide throughout the life of your puppy. Please visit our puppy page to learn about our current litter and plans for future puppies. You can also contact us today by using the button below. Our promise to raise healthy, happy puppies We take every step to ensure that your puppy has a great beginning. A high-quality diet, vet checks, daily exercise and a happy home life in our home or forever family give our parents a great head start. Prenatal checkups, ultrasounds and x-rays ensure that moms and puppies are safe and ready for the big day! Some experts believe that days are a period of rapid neurological growth and development. We stimulate the puppy's nervous system with position exercises ENS and jumpstart their sense of smell ESI by introducing distinct smells. Our play areas challenge the puppies physically and mentally to overcome fears and obstacles during problem solving playtime. There are wobble boards, climbing steps, boxes to explore, tunnels to run through, agility sections, toys and balls to chase. Sound desensitization begins at three weeks. Before puppies go home, they are exposed to our regular home environment. Most master the stairs. Outside, we wander our several fenced acres, encouraging them to be dogs while learning valuable skills. Follow the leader, coming when called, hiding in the woods and playing with mom are the most fun! Your puppy is carefully handled from birth to provide loving human contact while respecting the bond between momma and puppy. In the critical first 8 weeks we strive to help the puppies become well- adjusted little doodles who easily transition to their new homes. We take special pride in knowing each puppy individually. Before puppy selection we provide a detailed description of each puppy. We know who is frisky, who loves to play 'keep away' and who's the charmer. Your puppy is hugged and loved by grandchildren and selected visitors to begin their socialization. Top of Page Iowa Meadow's Labradoodles are wonderfully intelligent family dogs! With low to non-shedding and allergy friendly fur. Their lush silky fleece textured fur ranges from wavy to straight. Australian Labradoodles can range in size from Standard, Medium, or Miniature. Showing little difference in general appearance. Weight can range from 15 to 65 pounds. Check our photos of past litters to get an idea of what color or patterns you like the most. Any dog- owner can relate to this! The more I researched, I realized this breed in particular was perfect for our family and any family around. Not only are these dogs adorable and shed little to none, their wonderful temperaments and health guarantee sold us. We have never looked back and are so in love with our girls. Dogs from this cross typically were bred to each other over future generations, whereby the Australian dogs are also known as 'Multi-generational' Labradoodles. The resulting labradoodles subsequently have been bred to each other continuing the multi-generational tradition. I am also a momma of two girls and my sweet boy who keep me busy with their fun and crazy personalities. Aside from being an Australian Labradoodle Breeder, I also love painting, sewing, and running when I have free time. Iowa Meadow Family Brenna, my oldest is an old wise soul. Her passion and love have always been horses. She makes my heart burst with pride with the devotion she pours into a dream she has and lets nothing stop her. He loves exploring with the dogs, riding his bike, running everywhere and every sport there is. He can't wait to grow up to be a farmer. His best quality is spoiling his momma and telling her she is pretty. Bria is 14 years old and is our sassy spitfire who always keeps us on our toes. She is witty and smart too smart. She loves school which makes life pretty easy for us. Her passion is dancing!! She has been shaking and moving since she came out of the womb. She dances and sings all day long and puts the biggest smile on our faces. She set and reached her goals to join competition dance and continues to improve and impress me. Searching for forever homes.Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Our home-based, family-owned Australian Labradoodle breeding program is located about 50 miles northwest of Chicago. We are committed to breeding authentic, multigenerational Australian Labradoodles with bloodlines originating from the two breeding research centers in Australia, Rutland Manor and Teagan Park. Multigen Australian Labradoodles are consistently non-shedding, allergy and asthma friendly, loving, calm, intuitive and at times quite comical. All of these qualities make them wonderful family companions as well as excellent therapy and service dogs. Raising puppies is a lot of fun but it is also a lot of work!! As a breeder, it is our responsibility to make the most of our puppy's critical growth periods and introduce them to as many new sights, sounds, smells and situations as possible. At birth, days 3 to 16 with Bio Sensor Stimulation, and right through to the day you take your new fur baby home we are handling and socializing our puppies. Ultimately, it is our goal is to provide you with a healthy, well socialized, intelligent, lovable, easily trained doodle that will be a joyful addition to your family for many years to come. Limited Litters Reputable Labradoodle breeders typically breed their dogs a few times per year so they can focus on one litter at a time and give each Labradoodle mother plenty of rest after each puppy goes to a new home. Application Evaluations Responsible Labradoodle breeders should screen every applicant interested in a puppy. Most online applications have questions that help them determine the most eligible ones to bring home a puppy from one of their litters. Examples of questions include how long someone will leave the puppy alone throughout the day, whether or not they have a fenced yard, and their general home and work lifestyle. They Keep Their Dogs in Stable Living Conditions Many Labradoodle breeders raise their litters in their homes to protect them from outdoor diseases and natural elements. If they have a kennel, it should be sturdy and have temperature regulation when seasonal weather changes to keep their mothers and litters comfortable. Transparent Communication Many breeders should reach out to eligible applicants with updates about their puppy until the day they take them home. Breeders usually create puppy contracts that tell owners what to expect after taking a puppy home, from health guarantees and specific diet instructions to spay or neuter protocols. For example, health checks performed by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals test breedable sires and dams for genetic elbow, hip, eye, and knee issues. Breeders prioritize getting their Labradoodles vaccinated and dewormed every few weeks before letting their families take them home with their most up-to-date puppy shots. Please don't confuse us with another breeder from Racine, WI that goes by the name of "Midwest Labradoodles", we have very different programs.Since we've been refining the breed by holding back exceptional stock. We focus on loving and obedient temperament, the most sought-after coats non-shedding and allergy-friendly with an ultra plush look and feel all while maintaining exceptional health standards in our lineage. We are breeding our 17th and 18th generations deep of Australian Labradoodles. We are what is called a "multigenerational breeder". Our lineage can be directly traced back to Rutland Manor. Our Australian Multigen Labradoodles have the heart of a Labrador and the intelligence of a Poodle, the hunting instincts and love of swimming from the Irish Water Spaniel, and lastly, the need to snuggle and cuddle that the English Cocker Spaniel has to offer. At Australian Labradoodles Midwest Connection I will provide you with an adorable family addition, whose personality is so loving and sweet, yet so comical and amusing! Their silly, child-like antics will make you laugh out loud one minute and a gaze from their deep dark eyes will pull at your heartstrings the next! Their beautiful coats are allergy and asthma free and non-shedding, practically maintenance free! Owning one of these dogs of the future is a must for families that want the best of everything wrapped up in one big bundle of love! Accepting Applications Now! Taking applications and deposits for future puppies. Our puppies are very sought after due to their beautiful looks, great temperaments, allergy friendly, non-shedding coats and longevity due to proper health testing of parent dogs. I take my breeding program very seriously which allows me to provide you with a very healthy, loving, life long family companion! Exciting news!!! Oakley delivered her puppies a few weeks ago! You can see her newborn pups below. These beautiful puppies will go home in mid October. Ryder was breed and we are awaiting her pregnancy confirmation. We are excited to welcome her puppies into the family, in mid October as well. I will also be introducing Tucker, Reggie and Sully into to my breeding program in mid to late .Send your application and deposit in so I can add you to my waitlist.These areas are close enough for people to drive in a day or break it up with an overnight to bring their friend back to its forever home. Farther away? Consider a flight in and take your puppy back with you in coach or we could personally bring your puppy out to you. We will and have connected puppies to their forever homes and will work with you to make accomodations. Australian Labradoodle Puppies from Wisconsin to Anywhere While we find families in search of a puppy primarily in the Midwest, including Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Missouri, we are always open to find a good fit anywhere in the US. Contact us and let us know if your family is interested in a standard, small-medium, mini or micro labradoodle. Here is an excerpt from the Purchase Agreement: Seller guarantees that, at the time of delivery, the dog is in good health. Shipping fees will not be refunded. The following conditions apply to all sales: The Buyer has FIVE 5 days from the time of receipt of dog to have dog examined by a veterinarian. Any request to return the dog to the Seller for a full refund must be made within this time period and may only be requested should the dog prove to have a serious health issue upon arrival. Proof of examination must be provided to Seller. This guarantee will be terminated immediately if dog is not examined by a licensed veterinarian within the allotted time. You can always reach us through our breeder contact form or give us a call at .Schedule a pick-up or delivery of your adopted puppy by contacting the Wisconsin Australian Labradoodle breeders at Labradoodle Corral today. All Rights Reserved. We are honored that you are here educating yourself on this very important decision. More than just Puppies for Sale, these are Family Members! Here at the Labradoodle Corral, we understand your puppy is not just a pet — it's a member of your family! We've chosen to breed Australian Labradoodles in Hartford, Wisconsin because of all the wonderful traits these dogs have come to be known for. Australian Labradoodles are good with children and are easy to train. They get along great with other dogs. They are extremely clever, sociable and joyful, and quick to learn unusual or special tasks. Active, a little comical at times, Australian Labrodoodles will attempt to outsmart their owner if undisciplined. Friendly and very loyal to their own family, these dogs are non-aggressive. Australian Labradoodle Sizes: Micro: 12"" at shoulder. Weight: lbs. Whatever size you're looking for, we've got it. Adopt a Labradoodle Puppy from the Wisconsin Breeder You Can Trust Based in the Midwest , our Labradoodle puppies are home raised right here on the ranch with plenty of love, care and exercise. We have 16 acres in southeastern Wisconsin with woods, fields and horses. Beginning at a young age we socialize our puppies with children and other pets to ensure they have a well-rounded temperament and are family-ready when they come home. They get car rides, are held every day, receive beginning training to stay close, come when they are called and are litter and crate trained for you. They will be able to walk up and down steps, have received sound training thunder, horns, vacuum, hair dryer, fireworks, door bells, etc. We listen carefully to your family's story and match you with an adopted puppy best suited for your unique lifestyle and personality. At the Labradoodle Corral we take breeding very seriously and strive for the betterment of the Australian Labradoodle breed. All of our breeding dogs are meticulously selected to ensure the highest quality of puppies for their forever home. Live further? Give us a call. Quick story: We gave 2 of our 6 month old pups a chew treat. When pup 1 was finished with hers, she tried to get the treat away from pup 2. After 10 minutes of relentless trying, pup 1 was still not successful. So she went over by the door and rang the bell to go outside. When I got up and opened the door, pup 2 got up and went outside. Pup 1 walked over and successfully picked up the sought after chew toy. True story. Active and quite comical, they are a treat to be around. It is very important that you are this dog's firm but calm, consistent pack leader and provide them with daily mental and physical exercise. Friendly and very loyal to its family, these dogs are very social and non-aggressive. They are pure joy to have as a companion and you will wonder how you ever got along without one. Contact the premier Wisconsin Labradoodle breeder today to find out about our available Australian Labradoodle puppies. Read More About Our Australian Labradoodles and their origin This classic example of logical and planned crossbreeding was created in the country of Australia in the s. The goal of the Australian clubs is to create a new "breed" with the best attributes of the original breeds. The original objective was to produce assistance dogs that do not shed hair for people with allergies. Australians, on the other hand, have taken the Labradoodle a few steps further. In mid it was announced that the Australian Labradoodle was not just a Labrador x Poodle cross , but was a breed in its own right developed over many years with particular goals in mind. To accomplish these goals, further development was done with parent breed infusions added to the already blooming Labrador x Poodle cross lines. The developers of the breed sought out the best way in which to compliment the Australian Labradoodle breed, and to develop the authentic qualities that they find and love in these dogs. In the very first Australian Labradoodle Breed Standard was written which reflected these goals. The Australian Labradoodle currently consists of 6 different breeds in its origin. We truly believe our Australian Labradoodles are the best dog available and will make a great addition to your family. Conveniently located between Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago , we are here to help puppies find their forever home with your family. For more information on Australian Labradoodles contact the Midwest based Labradoodle experts at the Labradoodle Corral. All Rights Reserved. We specialize in authentic multi-generational, non-shedding and allergy friendly Australian Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodle Puppies. More information. They are night time crate trained at our bedside and have beginning leash and potty training skills on board before going home at 9 to 10 weeks of age. We serve families and work with breeders all over the world, traveling with your puppy in cabin with me to your local airport if families are too far to drive to us to pick up their puppy! Whether you are in search of non-shedding, allergy friendly Australian Labradoodle Puppies for Sale or wish to learn more about the breed, you have come to the right place. As a multi-generational Australian Labradoodle Breeder since , Heartland Labradoodles breed and raise the finest in Australian Labradoodles and educates new owners about their new life-long companion. About Heartland Labradoodles Raising all of our Australian Labradoodles in the safe and secure environment of our home, Heartland Labradoodles guarantees all of our visitors will truly love our puppies for sale, coming from a small Iowa family farm that is dedicated to raising happy and healthy animals. We are located in Iowa near the Illinois and Wisconsin borders, allowing all of our adorable Australian Labradoodle puppies to have plenty of free space to roam under the care of a true and dedicated Australian Labradoodle and Labradoodle Puppies Breeder. First, it is that we only select, breed and raise multi-generational Australian Labradoodle Dogs For Sale that displays the best of breed characteristics. As a caring and concerned Australian Labradoodle Breeder and retired Registered Nurse that Iowa residents have come to trust, we selectively breed dogs with proven bloodlines and excellent temperaments with extensive health testing, yielding Australian Labradoodles for Sale that Iowa and surrounding area dog enthusiasts will treasure. At Heartland Labradoodles, we know that Iowa residents and families everywhere will want one our Australian Labradoodle Puppies for long-term healthy companionship, as we strive to place all of our dogs in safe and loving homes. Therefore, all of our new puppies are handled on a daily basis to ensure each dog is learning, growing and developing as expected. This way we get to know their personalities and evaluate their individual temperaments. Daily handling of our puppies also allows each dog to become used to voices, touches, and movements that their humans make. By the time they are welcomed into your home, all of our Iowa area and surrounding customers will find our Australian Labradoodles are well-adjusted and will fit right into their new family environments. To make the perfect match, if you see a puppy you may be interested in or are interested in an upcoming litter you wish to inquire about, please take the time to fill out our Puppy Application so we can help you make the perfect puppy-new owner pairing. The first step is to fill out the puppy application. Once I receive your application, I will contact you by phone with all the details. These litters are going to be exceptional. Super sweet temperaments with low to non shedding coats!! We are a professional family breeder of the highest quality Multigenerational Australian Labradoodle Puppies. Australian Labradoodles are intelligent, low to non shedding, hypoallergenic, and very family friendly and of course beautiful!! We have both Australian multi gen lines and new American multi gen lines which increases genetic diversity. All of our breeding dogs have gone through all the required health testing for breeding. Here at Midwest Labradoodle our mission is to educate prospective adoptive parents and to match those who qualify with the very best quality Australian Labradoodles available. The choice you make in your adoption is very important and we understand that. Education is the key to making an informed decision. Please feel free to Contact us and we will be happy to go over every step of our program with you. It is an amazing and fun journey that starts at conception! Click here to fill out our puppy application: P uppy Application The application is the very first step to this amazing journey! Once we receive your application, we will contact you by phone with details regarding our upcoming litters! What are our customers saying about us? Laddie with his new Mommy: Laddie as a puppy….

An 8 week old German Shepherd puppy is a bundle of antics and endless energy! Your 8 Week Old German Shepherd Puppy An 8 week old your puppy requires a daily routine and training to help them become the dog of your dreams. This article will not only help you understand your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy but will also explain to you why your little puppy has certain behaviors. Raising a German Shepherd puppy can feel like an overwhelming task at first! Just remember, your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is also adjusting to its new life with you. You should expect your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy to feel stressed and uncertain. They may seem timid and unsure of their surroundings. They might cry, whine, and not want your attention. Having structure and consistency will help create a bond and help you both in getting along more peacefully and calmly. Introducing A Puppy Crate Many dog owners choose to use a crate when it comes to caring for their 8-week-old puppy. While some people consider crates unnecessary, or even cruel, crate training is a useful skill to offer your dog. With the right training your pup will see its crate as their private safe space and will even go there to relax. Leaving your puppy at home unsupervised can get them and you into a heap of trouble. Crate training helps prevent your home from being a destruction zone. This useful guide to crate training a German Shepherd puppy gets you on the right track to success! Crate training your puppy can: help speed up housetraining teach your dog to settle calm down offer your dog privacy But you must introduce the crate slowly and positively so your puppy builds a strong connection to the benefits of the crate. Never just shove or push your young German Shepherd into the crate without using positive training. Your new dog also needs a routine and schedule to help them through the early days with you and set the expectations you have for them. Having a schedule helps your puppy to know what to expect in their daily routines. It keeps you from losing your mind and helps ease a worried puppy. While you might work from home or have other obligations, try to follow a schedule that looks similar to this: Early morning: Take your puppy out for the first potty break of the day! So, they may need to go outside even before the sun rises. Breakfast time: Your puppy may want to go back to sleep after going outside and this is perfectly normal. On the other hand, some puppies are wide awake and ready for their breakfast. Either way, always take your puppy back outside shortly after their breakfast so they can sniff and have another potty break. Mid-morning: Puppies should eat 3 — 4 small meals a day. Mid-morning is a good time for another small meal. Afternoon: This is a good time for their lunch followed by a potty break and plenty of sniffing time to work off some of their energy. Late afternoon: Puppies need another potty break in the afternoon, and some puppies need more breaks outside. Evening: Their dinner meal and their evening potty time. Remember to let them explore outdoors in a safe area to help build their confidence. Scheduling exercise, potty breaks, and play at the same times every day helps ensure that your puppy learns their daily routine more quickly and settles in nicely. And, even young puppies can learn basic training in their first weeks with you. Try training your German Shepherd puppy at home to start with. In the beginning, you may find a few accidents in the house. But, stick with your potty training and remember to always watch your puppy to keep them from having messes in the house. When you stick to a regular potty schedule, the likelihood of potty training mishaps decreases, and you and your puppy are less stressed. Always, always, always… Supervise your puppy indoors when you are potty training. Your toughest time together with your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy might be the first few nights. Your puppy has only known the comfort of his mother and siblings before. Having your puppy sleep away from you will only scare them more. And, although they are little, their cry is loud! Having a place for them near your bed is the best way to avoid a night full of tearful cries and howling. Can I let my German Shepherd puppy sleep in bed with me? Plus, when your puppy is an adult and tries to sleep in bed with you there will be no room for you! A full-grown German Shepherd can weigh up to pounds and will push you right out of your own sheets. Your puppy sleeps most of the day. A new puppy sleeps more often than they are awake. An 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy may sleep as many as 18 hours a day! Sleeping this much allows your puppy to have the energy they need to grow and keeps them ready to explore their new world. Feeding An 8 Week Old German Shepherd Your puppy should stay on the same food they were eating before you brought them home to keep them less stressed. This helps keeps your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy from having an upset stomach and becoming ill. Sometimes, you might want to switch them over to a different food. If you choose this route, do it slowly and in stages over a few weeks. At 8 weeks old, German Shepherd puppies should eat 3 to 4 small meals per day. Although their stomachs are small if you overfeed them they could get sick and have stomach problems. Spreading their meals out throughout the day in regular intervals is best to avoid any upsets. Look for a balanced, complete puppy food for large breed dogs. As a large breed dog, your German Shepherd you should only feed your puppy food that is specially formulated for large breed puppies. Large breed puppies have different nutritional needs that are not found in ordinary puppy food. Feeding a commercially available food that is formulated for large breed puppies helps them to grow at a sustained rate. Steady growth in a large breed puppy helps to avoid stress on their bones and gives them a strong skeletal foundation for their athletic muscles. Limiting food intake in growing German Shepherd puppies has also been associated with fewer signs of hip dysplasia. This is of extreme importance in this breed due to the high incidence of hip problems and the pain associated with this joint disorder. A growing puppy is best fed a proprietary pet food that has been specifically formulated to meet its nutritional needs. Foods that are available as dry kibble are especially suitable to rear even the youngest of puppies. Opt for this specially formulated food for large breed puppies to keep your dog growing at a healthy rate that helps them stay strong. It is a complete balanced diet so nothing is missing. Within the first few days of arriving to their new home with you is a stressful time. Your puppy has just made a drastic life change and left everything they knew to be with you. Diarrhea and other stomach issues are sometimes stress induced. You can help your puppy by keeping to a regular feeding schedule and feeding them the same food they were on before coming to you. Sometimes diarrhea is also a sign of an underlying health issue and, if left untreated, can become life-threatening. If your puppy vomits blood, has bloody stools and diarrhea, becomes lethargic, or refuses to drink, call your vet immediately! To an 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy biting and nipping are all part of playing with their siblings. And, your puppy will most likely bite and nip you at some point too. They may even growl at you and tug at your hands or nip your ankles. This is all part of puppy play. But… It can really hurt you or make you bleed! Understanding bite inhibition means they know how to control the power of their play bites and how hard or soft they nip you. Preventing Nips and Bites If you know the right way to prevent and stop German Shepherd puppy biting, you can train your puppy to understand how to keep their razor-sharp tiny teeth from sinking into you. Instead… Offer them plenty of puppy-safe chew toys appropriate for their size. When they bite or nip you, calmly show them the toy to chew instead. Get their attention by moving the toy in a playful way around them so they begin to chase and bite the toy, instead of you or your furniture. Use these links to help you stay on the right track throughout their life. Keep calm! German Shepherd puppy training is fun and a great time to bond with your new dog! Instead… Follow these puppy training tips to break down your training into manageable steps that are easy to teach and train. German Shepherd puppies are brilliant! And as they grow, they become the most loyal canine friends. Teach Them Handling Skills While your dog may enjoy gentle caresses and hugs from you they will also need to learn other important handling skills. Think about the grooming your dog will need and how the vet might handle your pup in the future. These are all areas where they will be touched in the future. Handling skills involve intentional, purposeful touch that acclimates your dog to uneasy situations in the near future. Ignoring fear and stress signals such as cowering, lip their lips multiple times, turning their head away, even shaking will only teach your dog to fear that object. Fear can cause your dog to become aggressive or suffer from anxiety. Never, ever try to become the alpha! Instead, learn to become their favorite teacher and speak their language. It also prevents undesired behaviors. Think of positive training in terms of showing, teaching, influencing, and trusting. These terms build trust. Focus on the Good Things Some puppy owners all too often think about punishment and discipline as their first steps in training. What you want is to focus on catching your dog behaving well — and reward that! If you see your puppy chewing on the right chew toy, then praise them. When you see them look at you, offer them a treat for paying attention. When you find your dog lying down being quiet and calm, pet them gently and offer them verbal praise. The more you focus on the good things, the less your dog concerns itself with doing bad things. Call them to you or offer them a better option that is what you prefer, then praise them for choosing the right thing. Pick one skill at a time to practice, and build upon their success. Think of the easiest way for your dog to understand the command and stick to the same word. You can begin basic German Shepherd obedience commands from your own home, even! Small bits of training, spread out in multiple sessions throughout the day, is better than an hour-long session. Aim for the 5-minutes worth of training using 4 to 5 sessions daily. This is where brain games and brain training come into play. You can make up your own brain games for their mental exercise or, even better… Signup for an online course that teaches fun Brain Training for Dogs using that positive, reward-based training you read about earlier. Using the unique intelligence of your German Shepherd puppy this brain training program helps your dog to learn not only their basic commands but also to play fun games that work on good behavior. Training games help your dog to learn impulse control, basic commands, and to watch and listen to you. What games do you play with a young dog? Try these great German Shepherd puppy training games to give your 8-week-old puppy a head start! Include different games throughout the day in between your training sessions to give your dog a break and have fun with them! There are 5 critical focus areas in which you must train your 8-week old German Shepherd appropriately. Here is the most important training that you need to teach your new puppy so they enjoy a successful life with you. Keep in mind, your young dog is unable to hold its bladder for more than a couple of hours at 8-weeks-old. They simply lack the muscle control to hold their bladders any longer. Instead, opt to train your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy using positive methods and watching for the natural times that your dog chooses to eliminate. Adjust the times as necessary to avoid any accidents in your house and help keep your puppy to their unique schedule. Early morning: Let your pup outside first thing every morning to let them relieve themselves. After breakfast: After its morning breakfast meal let your dog back outside. Let them walk around and sniff to help encourage them to explore and let them stretch their legs. Before and after lunch: Let your puppy outside before and after their lunchtime meal. Eating stimulates the bowels and your puppy needs to got outside at least every 2 hours. Before and after dinner: Remember that eating stimulates the response for your puppy to eliminate. So, before and after every mealtime your puppy should be let outside for a walk and sniff. Before bedtime: Your puppy needs to relieve themself before they settle down for the nighttime. This is a good time to let them have a long sniffing exploration and to really explore a safe area. During the night: Yes, your puppy will probably need to go potty during the night. You might hear them whine and cry to get your attention. Remember, they cannot hold their bladders for more than 2 hours! After naptime: Take your puppy out for a potty break after naptime, as soon as they wake up. Keep repeating the same routine. Your puppy will soon catch on, but this generally takes weeks or even months. The more diligent you are about preventing accidents the quicker your puppy will learn housetraining. Never, ever punish your puppy or rub their nose in it for punishment. This may stress them out and cause even more accidents. Socializing your 8-week-old German Shepherd means that you must provide your dog with interesting and positive interactions where they feel safe. This helps give your young dog confidence in its environment. German Shepherd Dogs are extremely loyal and have a tendency of apprehensiveness with strangers. Socialization helps ensure that your puppy not only grows a strong bond with you without developing over-protectiveness but also learns to trust that you have their best interest in mind and will keep their experiences as positive as possible. German Shepherd puppy socialization training tips: Without their full set of vaccinations, your puppy is vulnerable to infectious diseases. However, consider taking your young dog to early socialization classes where all other dogs have also been immunized. This reduces the risk of becoming sick and helps your German Shepherd become a confident, well-adjusted, and friendly dog. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior promotes early socialization source , even before your dog receives its full set of vaccines, as lack of socialization is detrimental long-term. Every new interaction or must be followed with a reward — a tasty treat! This ensures your puppy has positive associations with new experiences, people, and other dogs. With the proper socialization training, your puppy should become eager to explore new places and meet new people and animals. Taking your German Shepherd puppy to new places exposes them to different people, dogs, sights, and sounds. As a puppy, you can help teach your German Shepherd important social skills through intentional training moments that are positive and allow your puppy to develop their confidence in social situations. This is where bite inhibition comes in useful. Bite inhibition helps your puppy to not only control what they bite but also how hard or soft they close their jaws. It teaches your dog how to properly apply force with its mouth without hurting you or anyone else. How to Teach Your Puppy to Bite Without Hurting You To teach your puppy not to hurt you with their nipping and biting do your best to not let them get to this energy level. If you know your puppy tends to bite you when you play with them too long, then cut your playtime short. If they tend to bite and nip you when they are tired, then have them go to their nap area sooner to rest. Puppies also tend to bite you when they are cranky from not eating soon enough or when they want attention. You can get up and leave the play area for a few moments. Return once they are calm. Never use only your hands for play. You should have a few puppy-safe chew toys around to grab quickly to offer your puppy during play. If your puppy nips or bites any of these areas, the game is immediately over. Get up slowly and calmly and leave. Only return when they are calm again. Offer your puppy their chew toy when they are too excited to play softly with you. Encourage them to find their toys and bite them instead of you. Never yell or punish your puppy for play-biting and nipping. Doing so can lead to anxiety, aggression, or your puppy fearing you. Even though German Shepherds are one of the smartest dogs, learning and teaching bite inhibition requires a lot of repetition and consistency. You might even walk to walk around with one of their toys in your pocket to help reinforce the right behavior offering them the chew toy when they decide to nip your ankles or bite your legs. Continue with your bite-inhibition training as long as it takes for your dog to learn to use its soft mouth. This could take months, but soon they will master the art of a soft bite. But, crate training your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy can improve the speed of their house training and accustom them to times they may need to be in their crate such as during travel or at the vets and groomers. Crates are also a useful area for your dog to have their own private space when they want alone time or are stressed and need some quiet. Choose a crate that gives your dog enough room to turn completely around, stand comfortably, sit upright, and lie down easily on their side with their legs stretched for rest. The best crates grow with your German Shepherd and allow you to partition the space off to suit their size. Offer them a treat or even their meal in their crate to help them develop positive associations with it. Start closing the door when they are inside for just a few seconds at first. Then, open the door and let them out calmly. Continue to increase the time your puppy stays inside the crate, working up to longer and longer times. This may only encourage them to cry and whine harder and louder when they want out. Instead, wait just a couple of seconds for them to be quiet, and let them out only when they are not crying and whining. If they appear too stressed or panicked, let them out immediately! This also encourages your dog to seek out the crate when they want their private space and time alone, as they will know where to find their crate. Avoid placing a blanket over the crate since puppies chew and are extremely active. Your pup could accidentally pull the blanket inside and hurt themselves by either wrapping it around their neck or choking on it. Place the crate in an area away from drafts and out of the direct sun so they get too cold or too warm. The best way to do this is to practice leash skills at home first. After they are comfortable wearing their leash around the house, you can work on the skill in the backyard, front yard, or on the sidewalk outside. A good time is during their favorite meal. Only leave them on your dog for a short time to gauge their reaction. If they seem fine, place your puppy into the harness and attach the leash. Offer them praise and a reward for letting you leash them. Now, let your puppy drag the leash around the house so they know how it feels to wear it. You can play with them a bit, or even better have them follow you around which simulates an outdoor walk but indoors. Remove the harness and leash if your GSD puppy becomes too upset and agitated! Keep it upbeat and positive! Now, introduce your puppy to a short walk outdoors in the safety of your backyard. Let your puppy wander around while you hold the leash. They may begin to pull. Get their attention by calling their name and showing them a treat to lure them back to you gently. Reward them every time they come to you while on the leash. Should they ignore you then offer them the treat to lure them to you after giving the command. Try kneeling or squatting down to get on their level when you give them the command. It seems to get their attention better. You can even slap your leg or clap your hands to entice them back to you. Always ensure that your puppy is not stressed by their new harness and leash. Some owners prefer to use a collar for leash training. If this is your choice then only choose life-saving break-away collars since your puppy could get hung up and seriously injure themselves if their collar catches on something during their outside walk. Your dog can learn the basic commands with a bit of training. If you have time to train basic commands and are still focusing on the core areas of raising your German Shepherd puppy, then follow these helpful articles that will put your puppy on the right track to obedience training. Calm older dogs are good for this one. Most importantly for German Shepherd puppies, it will give you a chance to work with them around other people, and different dogs from a young age. Settle on a mat German Shepherds are incredibly curious, which can make it difficult for them to relax while out and about. Leash walking — no one wants a large breed of dog pulling them down the street, so be sure you teach loose lead walking and how about some heelwork too? Recall games — Play a game of tennis with your pooch! Calling them from person to person with treats on either side. Get started with grooming and brushing sensitive areas — In long-haired German Shepherds, this is typically the case with the face, legs, and ears, which become tangled the most and may hurt when brushed. Remember to brush carefully, do a little bit of brushing on a sensitive area while feeding them treats or letting them have a lickimat, and then brush an easier to brush area. For socialisation, start working on items that are vital to your lifestyle this week, such as if you have a horse and want your puppy to be comfortable with horses, or if you enjoy sailing, having them near water will be important to you. Getting your puppy exposed to new experiences early on can help them accept them much more easily. Socialization exercises to do this week Training to do this week Husbandry Tasks to do this week — Go to the pub — you deserve it! Remember that settle training you did before, take your mat and get your German Shepherd puppy to settle on it with a nice stuffed kong. Alone training: increasing time alone is important for your puppy. It gives them essential coping skills. Recall — Practise this outside, using a lead, and lots of rewards. Lead walking — Take this outside. Make sure you keep a strong pace going, since German Shepherds enjoy walking quickly, and praise often to keep your puppy interested. Pretend Nail Clips — simply holding a claw, pretending to clip , and rewarding your puppy with a treat is enough. Following on walks — Bring special toys, like the Tug-E-Nuff Pocket tugger, with you on walks to ensure your German Shepherd puppy enjoys hanging out with you. Playing with them will make you irresistible! Week 7 — Training your German Shepherd puppy The 7-week itch! Nah not really. I bet your German Shepherd puppy is doing wonderfully and growing rapidly! Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist — How about taking your German Shepherd to a city farm, letting them watch from afar and rewarding them for being such a calm puppy? Teach your German Shepherd puppy to stay — this will be a great one to show off at the park, trust us. So, first, take a walk with a dog that your German Shepherd puppy has already met. At first, it may be difficult for your puppy not to get distracted, so keep the rewards coming and try to keep them interested in you, rather than the other dog! Recall — off the lead Make sure you do this in a secure and confined area and bring plenty of smelly treats, a fun toy to play with, and your silly high-pitched voice so you can call your German Shepherd puppy back regularly. Remember, German Shepherds enjoy learning! Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist — maybe take your German Shepherd for a swimming lesson? Practice exercises in different locations — how about a train station, or in a shopping centre or mall? Teach a hand target — This is a favourite among pups and their owners. Hand Targeting or touching is the foundation for additional trick behaviours like leg weaving and closing doors. Introducing nose work to your puppy — We mean it when we say your German Shepherd puppy has a better nose than you! Play a game of hide and seek with their favourite toy to bring out those excellent search skills. Looking for more great puppy training tips? Check out our overview of when to start teaching your puppy anything , next. It will be fun they said. We go the extra mile for you. If you want a stress free puppy experience, get this downloaded! Worth every single penny! This app is very helpful. It helps you to understand and gives you a path to follow. The coaching support is excellent and super speedy. Download the app now. Check Price on Amazon 7. Make Commands Only Once When it comes to training, what you give is what you get. Teach your pup to heed a command at its first mention. If a command is not executed the first time, show your puppy what you want them to do and make the command again. Repeat that until they can learn to obey the first time the command is made. Unless he is born with a hearing defect that is detected by a vet, your German Shepherd puppy has a perfect hearing ability. If you do, you will train him to be anxious or eventually create the idea that shouting is the norm. Otherwise, your poor puppy will be confused about what you expect and will not know how you want them to behave. Eventually Wean Your German Shepherd Puppy off Training Treats At some point, your puppy needs to learn that skills and commands are not learned or obeyed for the sole motive of a treat. For this reason, it is important to wean your puppy off treats when the time is right. The AKC Pet Insurance advises that this should be done when your dog has repeatedly performed the behavior or trick that you are training him in and mastered it completely. Nonetheless, your German Shepherd puppy is still a dog in training, and you need to replace the treat with some emotional reward. With these ten principles, you can now apply them to the key areas that your German Shepherd puppy needs to be trained in. It might be training for a sport in their early adult years or training to cope with an age-related life change. But, as a puppy, there are five key areas in which you must appropriately train your 8-week old German Shepherd. In the next section, I tell you what training entails for each of these areas. If you are looking for a step-by-step guide on how to train a German Shepherd , I have just the article for you. Humans become social through socialization. Canines become social with training. Humans who are well trained in the first years of life will be well behaved as adults. If you want some scientific proof to the rule that training your German Shepherd young is important for their adult life, here are two key findings from this study: Dogs that are well socialized as puppies will behave more positively with humans and are less likely to display behavioral problems such as fear and aggression. These dogs learn better how to play games with humans than those without proper socialization as puppies. Your dog will learn social skills throughout his life, depending on the situations that he gets exposed to. As a puppy, however, you can teach your German Shepherd socialization through intentional training moments in the family, in public places, or by sending the pup to socialization classes. Taking your German Shepherd out often to social places like parks exposes him to other people and dogs. This helps the canine to be less wary or aggressive around strangers. Being among other puppies also helps your little furry friend build confidence. The earlier mentioned study indicates that puppies can learn social skills better when put in socialization classes with other puppies. So, what does that mean? Usually, dogs will need to relieve themselves early in the morning and once they have had their meal. Use that natural rhythm as a reference for his daily pee or poop walks. Dogs hate messing up their sleeping space and will usually hold it. Nonetheless, young puppies might be unable to do so. If they learn that a relief walk happens first thing in the morning, though, they will eventually make an effort to hold it. Walk your dog after his morning meal and hang around for 15 minutes or so to give him time to do his thing. Repeat the same in the evening. In addition to this for dogs that have had their shots , a short walk every hours is an ideal routine to prevent your dog from peeing around the house. If you crate your puppy because you are out, find someone to help you stick to the routine. The best dog crates will give your pet enough room to stand, sit, turn, and lie down comfortably on his side with paws outstretched. When purchasing a crate for your puppy, you might go for the standard metal model with either a single or double door. I like the double door one as it gives you more options where you can place it in your home, and this one has a carrying handle which makes it easy to move around. Travel kennels like this Petmate Ultra Vari Kennel check Amazon for the latest price are also hardy when you are on the move with your dog, and this one even meets the cargo specifications for airlines. Here are five key things you should practice when crate-training your German Shepherd puppy: Keep your puppy in the crate at night always. Letting him into your bed should be a complete no. Initiate crate training from the very first day you bring your puppy home. It will be harder to succeed in crate training if your puppy gets the idea that there are other options. You will likely hear your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy cry during the first night, but after that, he will be just fine. Keep your dog in the crate when you are out of the house and for his own safety, such as cooking in the kitchen or in exceptional situations like when you have visitors. Instead, reward good behavior in the crate. A blanket and some toys will offer some comfort for your dog. Older dogs may refrain from biting because they have been trained to. Learn Bite Inhibition Training! Contrary to the widespread idea that we should yelp like a puppy and quickly withdraw our hand or clothing when a puppy bites, the best way to teach your German Shepherd puppy that his bite hurts is to cry like the human that you are. If you watch the video, you will see what I mean. Do the same when they bite your clothing and other parts of the body like ears or hair. While doing this training, let your dog differentiate between a bite that hurts and one that is soft and part of playing. Also, training your puppy to soft bite is best initiated early in the first six weeks and continued until 4 to 5 months, or when they have mastered the art of soft biting. The best way to do this is to practice at home first before going out for walks with your pup. Consider the following steps: Introduce your German Shepherd puppy to a harness or collar and leash by first allowing him to get used to it gradually. You can play with your puppy for a while and give a treat before or soon after removing the leash. I find the best no-pull harness to be those that are not rear-attached. Give a treat when the command is obeyed. Introduce your puppy to short walks outside on a leash. Your puppy will get distracted during the walk and may try to pull. Do not pull back; instead, stand firm until he gives up and walks back toward you. Timing is crucial here. Reward every time commands are obeyed and gradually reduce the rewards as the art of walking on a leash is perfected. You can learn how to stop a GSD from pulling on the leash in this article. Final Thoughts 8-weeks-old is a good time to train a German Shepherd puppy in key areas such as socialization, crate training, potty training, leash training, and not biting. To successfully train your puppy in these areas, you must train them young and follow other good training principles like not shouting at your puppy, being consistent in your commands, and rewarding obedience to commands, among others. Always bear in mind that a puppy is just starting. So, be patient and begin with basic commands before introducing the more complex trick commands. Good luck with your new friend! Related Posts You May Like:. Reliable training German Shepherd puppy training: socialization! The first item in your German Shepherd puppy training list is Socialization. It means that you must provide your baby German Shepherd with interesting and positive interactions. If you ensure that your pup interacts, and has a positive and rewarding experience, with as many people, dogs, animals, sounds, objects, sights and experiences, you will raise a confident and reliable dog. Every new activity or interaction must be followed with a yummy treat! This will ensure your puppy will have a positive association with every new experience, object, person, animal, etc. You can use your dog's kibble or something better like chicken, beef or cheese. Commercial treats are also a good and easy to use option, but make sure you buy healthy, all natural dog treats to keep your German shepherd puppy healthy and strong! German Shepherd dogs are loyal and may have a tendency to be apprehensive with strangers. Socialization will ensure that your puppy grows a strong bond with you without developing a problematic over-protectiveness. German Shepherd puppy training socialization tips: Never separate a puppy from his mother and littermates before the age of weeks. During this time, mom teaches her puppies some important rules of the dog world like body language communication and they start to learn bite inhibition by plying with the other puppies. Unfortunately many vets will tell you not to take your puppy out of the house until they have had all of their shots. This is old school thinking and can have extremely bad consequences that will become apparent only when your canine becomes an adult. Without the full set of shots, your puppy is vulnerable to infectious diseases, however taking your pup to early socialization classes where all other dogs have also been immunized reduces the risk for becoming sick AND will make your German Shepherd a confident, well adjusted and friendlier dog. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior promotes early socialization , even before the full set of vaccines are given to the pup. Take socialization in your own hands. Spend the first 4 weeks holding parties at your home! Yes, parties! Invite all your friends and family for Karaoke, sports watching, boardgames, etc. Ask them to bring their kids too! And always make sure socialization is about positive interactions. If any of the kids or adults make your puppy a little scared, simply remove the threat and let the puppy explore other things. Back to top of German shepherd puppy training article. German Shepherd puppy training: stop the biting! Socialization is hard work, bite-inhibition is even harder! But it is one of the best things you can ever teach your pup. Dogs have really strong jaws and can learn to apply just the right amount of pressure with it. Adult dogs that have had this kind of training can get into fights and defend themselves without drawing blood. This is so important to avoid any type of dog-human or dog-dog bite accidents. German Shepherd puppy dogs have sharp teeth for a reason: to learn how to use their mouth properly. Teach your puppy to bite without hurting! To teach your pooch not to hurt human skin you will need to yelp like a puppy every time you feel teeth in contact with your skin. Engage in puppy play and Yelp Yes! Loud, sharp, high pitched and clear when you feel teeth. Your pup will most likely stop in surprise. As soon as he has stopped, wait seconds and resume play. Repeat as many times as needed. Start with those bites that really hurt or scratch. If you yelp every time you feel teeth, your puppy will think it is how you play. It may take a few weeks for you to notice that your pup is not hurting as much.Progressively teach your pup to play without hurting you. This make take a couple of months! Do not let your puppy play with your clothes, shoes, face or hair. If your puppy bites any of these, the game is over. Wait for him to calm down and start playing again. If you are tired of playing and getting bitten, grab a tug-toy or a ball and play those games instead. After a while, settle your puppy with a stuffed Kong toy on his bed or crate. Never punish your puppy for play-biting, this can lead to aggression or your puppy fearing "hands" near his face. Even though German shepherd puppy dogs are really smart, bite-inhibition requires a lot of repetition and consistency. Most of the time you will feel he is not learning anything at all, keep at it. You can add second time outs on top of yelping if needed. It is definitely worth your time. If bite-inhibition is slow, this article has more tips to help you! Another aspect of training your German shepherd puppy bite inhibition are toys! Your pup needs to learn to bite only his toys, not furniture, not the walls, not your shoes. For this reason you need to load your house with puppy toys and TEACH your puppy how to play with them. The best dog toys are interactive, this means that you can put food inside the toy and your puppy has to think how to get it out. This toys are the best because they add enrichment to your dog's life. Interactive dog toy recommendations: Feed EVERY meal inside an interactive dog toy Use interactive toys with your German shepherd when he is left alone in the house. Make sure he has plenty of toys interactive and others so he won't get bored when you leave. Use interactive toys when you need some quiet time because you need to work, or you have guests. Kong dog toy's are the best , you can fill them with something soft like cheese or peanut butter and let your puppy lick it for a while. Even better.Below you will see some of my favorite interactive dog toys durable and fun! German Shepherd puppy training: potty outside! Another important item on your German shepherd puppy training list is House training. It can be a bit stressful, but if done correctly, you can accomplish it very quickly. Just keep in mind that depending on your puppy in can take anywhere from 1 week to several months to complete potty training. The following info-graphic has some simple rules to follow and make german shepher potty training easy and effective: Take your puppy out for a potty break every hours. Take your puppy out for a potty the break after every meal. Take your puppy out for a potty break after a nap. Take your puppy out for a potty break after a play session. The main idea when potty training a German shepherd puppy, is to take him out or to the correct place as often as he needs to and reward him after he is done. The infographic above gives you an idea of how often a puppy needs to go out. However, you need to know your own puppy. This way you will know how often he is relieving himself. You may also notice if he does it after every meal or nap. Reward with a treat after he is done! Repeat steps 2 and 3, you should start noticing that after a couple of days or weeks your puppy chooses the correct place more often than other places. NEVER punish your dog for accidents, this can stress him and even make him do his business hidden from you which will make potty training very hard because you won't be able to reward him. You can crate train your German shepherd puppy so he learns to have quiet times in between active times. Crate training also prevents your puppy from having accidents. For more information and a puppy crate-training schedule check this article! German shepherd potty training aids The are several commercial items available to help you potty train your German shepherd dog. Regular cleaning products may take away the urine scent -you- smell but they will not remove the scent your dog smells. Enzymatic cleaners do that, they break down urine molecules to make them easy to remove. This will prevent your pet from returning to the same, incorrect, spot. Puppy pads are very popular because they are less messy than news paper. However, if you put a puppy pad and leave you puppy alone with it, you will find it in shreds! You must teach your puppy to use the puppy pads, not to chew on them. To do this, put the puppy pad on the floor and interrupt your puppy if he tries to play with it. Exchange for another toy and reward with treats for not grabbing the pad with his mouth he can however, stand or sit on it. Repeat until he learns this! If you have a backyard, a doggy-door is an excellent way to give your pup access to the outdoors without your help. You must teach him how to use it! Use a treat to lure him through the door many times until he can do it on his own! Then, every-time you take him outside, make him go though the door on his own. You can also teach your puppy to let you know when he needs to go outside! Use a doggy doorbells for this purpose. You must teach your dog how to use them! First, teach your dog to touch the bells. Then, ask your dog to touch the bells every time before you open the door to let him go outside. Finally, be alert for when he does it on his own! I do not recommend any "Not Here" or "Yes Here" type sprays. They don't work very well, specially without any training.German Shepherd puppy training: basic commands! Some dog trainers won't start until the dog is 6 months old, at which time he is past the socialization and bite inhibition period and he is probably doing all sorts of naughty things. You can start training your German shepherd puppy from the first day you bring him home. From weeks you can start teaching your canine many commands, however I strongly advice you keep your focus on socialization, bite-inhibition and potty training. If you have time to train basic commands…. Your pooch will love it! Step-by-step obedience training tutorials for your German shepherd German Shepherd puppy training "SIT": You will use this command all the time. Ask your pup to sit when a stranger wants to pet him, for attention, for the ball to be thrown, etc. To start use food to lure your pooch into the sit position. Only give him the treat once his bottom is on the ground. Repeat many times! Follow this link for detail instructions.This is useful at the vet as well as to mix and match commands. From a sit or down position lure your baby german shepherd into a stand. This link will take you to the step by step guide.Start your pooch from a sitting position and lure him into a down. Only give your dog a treat after he is completely down on the ground. Click here for a step-by-step tutorial.Why train your pooch sit, down and stand? You need three commands to mix up when you ask your dog to do something. If you have at least three options, then your smart German Shepherd won't be able to predict what you will ask. Practice Puppy Push-Ups! Sit-down-stand, Down-sit-stand, and ask you German Shepherd puppy to do one, two, or more commands to earn treats, toys and attention! Other useful cues include: Speak and Quiet , settle and ask for permission before rushing into something potentially dangerous. You can see a full list of commands on this link. Enjoy German Shepherd puppy training time and leave us your questions and comments in the box below. This article is designed to help you along your way. This is completely normal. Every new puppy owner has their moments of frustration and doubt. Remember that your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is going through a big life change, too. She may be feeling stressed and out of sorts when you first bring her home. Consistency and structure will go a long way toward helping both of you. Introducing The Puppy Crate A crate can be your best friend when it comes to caring for your 8-week-old puppy. While some people think of crates as cruel, the reality is that with the right training, your puppy will think of her crate as a safe, quiet space where she can go to relax. If you leave your puppy unsupervised at home, you may come back to find a whole lot of destruction. Puppies can get into all kinds of trouble on their own, with their natural curiosity and desire to chomp down on just about everything in their path. A crate can help you keep your German Shepherd puppy — and your belongings! While every puppy is different, chances are your daily schedule for the first week will look a little bit like this: Early morning: Time for the first potty break of the day! Breakfast time: You can feed your puppy breakfast right after her first potty break, or wait a little longer and let her go back to sleep first. Mid-morning: Time for another small meal, and another potty break. Afternoon: Lunchtime followed by a potty break. Late afternoon: Another potty break! Evening: Dinner, and then — you guessed it — potty time. Just before bed: One last trip outside before you turn in for the night. In between potty and mealtimes, your puppy will probably be playing or napping. Scheduling play and exercise at the same times every day can help ensure that you get that nice, quiet naptime right on schedule, too. Potty Training an 8 Week Old German Shepherd Potty training can be one of the most daunting tasks of raising a brand new puppy. It may take a bit longer than you expected for your puppy to get the hang of things! Your puppy has never been apart from her siblings and mother before. The best way to avoid a night full of mournful wailing is to let your puppy sleep in your room, at least in the beginning. Safer ways to keep your puppy comfortable and contained at night include keeping her crate beside your bed, setting up a puppy playpen, or even just using a tall cardboard box. In fact, an 8-week-old puppy can spend as many as 18 hours a day sleeping! This helps keep some element of consistency in her routine and her stomach. If you do decide to switch over to a different food after a few weeks, do so in stages. You can then increase that slowly over time. At 8 weeks old, German Shepherd puppies should be fed three to four times per day. Because the German Shepherd is a large breed, you should also feed your puppy a diet formulated specifically for large breed puppies. There are many commercially available diets made to help large breed puppies grow at the right rate. This helps to avoid skeletal abnormalities like hip dysplasia. Want more information on what to feed your 8-week-old German Shepherd, and how to change her diet as she gets older? We have everything you need to know right here in our guide to feeding a German Shepherd puppy. The stress of such a drastic life change can manifest in different ways, and an upset stomach is a pretty common reaction. You can give your pup a better chance of having a settled stomach by keeping her on the food she was eating before you brought her home, and feeding on a consistent schedule. Diarrhea can also be a sign of an underlying issue besides stress, however, and severe diarrhea can be life-threatening if left untreated. Your 8-week-old German Shepherd puppy is likely to bite you too, for exactly the same reason. She may even growl. And it really can hurt! Your Growing Dog As your German Shepherd puppy grows, our guides will help you care for her throughout her life. Here are a few links to get you started:. Leash training Avoiding undesirable behaviors So. There are no taking chances with a puppy: leave the room for even a moment and you might come back to a mess, however accidental. Concentrate on the basics: teaching your pup where it is okay to do their business and establishing a routine for the appropriate times to do so. Puppies are a big commitment! Use treats as a positive reinforcement when they do so in an appropriate place. Below is a basic schedule for puppy potty training. Push on with the same routine, providing them a safe spot in an area where they can be away from other dogs if they need to. Puppies, especially young ones, may be frightened to go to the bathroom around older pooches, especially bigger ones. You will also notice that eventually, your dog gives certain cues or behaviors to indicate they need the bathroom, like standing by or barking at the nearest door that leads there. This is the best way to ensure they will pay attention to what it is you want them to do. Every day your puppy is exposed to new sights, smells, sights, sounds and sometimes even tastes if you turn your back for long enough. You need to keep them reassured that everything is okay and remove them from anything that appears to be overstimulating. The primary concern here is to make sure your dog feels safe and secure, and that the experience will be positive as much as you can anticipate. Therefore, they might be a little aloof and resistant the first few times you interact with somebody. This means checking that those you are introducing to the puppy know how to properly handle and treat one, especially any children who happen to be around. Likewise, you should also ask in advance whether any animals you might come into contact with have proven they are able to stay relatively calm and behave appropriately when spending time with other dogs. When it comes to spontaneous street interactions, you should try and work out if the other dog and human are friendly, bearing in mind anything you know about your pup and any time they have spent with animals and people before. Other owners are not your concern, the safety and welfare of your dog is. Adventure: Go to new places and check out new things! Likewise, as long as they have enough room to fully stand, sit completely upright and lie down comfortably with their legs outstretched, most dogs quite like being in a crate. It offers them a safe, comfortable, private space to relax if stressed or have some alone time. Like us humans, your pup might just want to hang out by themselves for a bit! Worried about accidentally doing something neglectful, or just stressed about crate training in general? Here are some tips to follow that should help you succeed and keep your German Shepherd happy at all times. Gradually begin closing it, just for a few seconds and then longer, increasing the amount of time they spend in the crate little by little. However, whilst they still seem calm, offering up a little snack — potentially even a meal — inside the crate will create positive associations with spending time in there. You can start teaching them some basic commands like sit, stay, lie down, and shake as soon as they come home! Use your voice: it is, after all, your primary method of communication. You might be surprised to learn that tone is more important than what you say until those certain words and their meanings have been learned and understood. When giving commands, use a neutral, authoritative tone; save the high pitched cooing for tummy rubs. Keep it short and sweet: a couple of minutes at a time, every once in a while or at least once a day, will be far more effective and rewarding than an hour straight of saying the same word over and over to no reaction. Finish positively: always try to finish with a command that your dog knows and has successfully completed a few times, as this will ensure they end on a treat and remain positive about the possibility of more training in the future. Focus Five: Leash Training When your dog is all vaccinated and ready for walks, they should be prepared! Initially you should show your puppy the harness and leash — allow them to smell both items, place them in the area or on their backs and give them a treat, so they learn to associate their presence as a good thing. Then consider popping the harness on for a minute or two to see how they react — if they get upset, remove it and try again another time. Otherwise, offer them a treat and some praise for the successful time spent leashed and harnessed. This will allow them to get used to the sensation of being controlled whilst still inside and feeling safe. Every time they return to you, they get a treat! How to discourage your German Shepherd puppy from biting, scratching and jumping up If they bite, jump up or scratch you and it hurts, even if it only hurts a little — but it probably stings quite a bit! Stick to the most basic of commands and only do a couple at a time, though never all at once. The simpler the request, the quicker and easier it will be for your dog to understand it. At first, go somewhere with few or no distractions to train, then gradually introduce new stimuli over time, though nothing too loud. Stress signals like shaking, constantly licking or smacking their lips, cowering away or turning their back to you suggests something is the matter. Crates can be very useful in this situation! Making your dog anxious will throw a spanner in the works and prevent successful training. Get an appropriate toy and play tug of war! You should also use the same words for commands, and ask others to do so as well. Too many variants of the same command will only be confusing, so keep it simple and advise everyone of what to say. A couple of short daily sessions will serve you much better than an hour a week, as well as give your pup plenty of time for snoozing, eating, playing and, of course, getting lots of fuss, attention and cuddles. Consider mental training — not just physical Yes, getting enough exercise, learning commands and being taught how to walk appropriately is important, but your clever and capable German Shepherd needs to do some brain training as well. There are plenty of toys that encourage your dog to work out a variety of puzzles to be rewarded with a treat, stimulating their mind and allowing for a cognitive workout. Make it fun Much like with little kids, there are plenty of games you can play with your dogs that are both highly enjoyable for all involved, but also teach your dog skills and encourage good behavior…covertly. Check out these suggestions from the American Kennel Club for inspiration — you could even make up your own! This is especially important for German Shepherds, as remember, they are especially wary of strangers. Have patience and stick it out It can be disheartening work at first, but training a puppy is one of the most rewarding, satisfying experiences you can have when you get it right. It secures your bond, enables you to have a whole lot of fun and avoids them developing negative characteristics like aggression, fear of strangers or other animals, or running off in public. The more you follow the advice laid out in this guide and continue the same hard work, the better your German Shepherd will respond to you. Check out this video for more great advice! Need more support? There are steps you can take to make things a little easier or give you and your German Shepherd a helping hand. First of all, take a breath and think about it — has it really been a considerable amount of time since you started working with your pup? For instance, toilet training requires at least four to six months of training on average for a puppy to completely stop having accidents altogether. Overexcited dogs can be calmed down in time, but a serious issue with anger needs to be addressed by a professional. A general rule is to allow for five minutes of exercise for each month they are old, so a six month old puppy can do around half an hour of continuous walking in total. This should help avoid any destructive behavior, acting out, accidents or other puppy shenanigans — you may even want to give them a puzzle-based treat like a Kong filled with peanut butter or something more intelligent, to serve as a distraction when you make your exit. Remember, attempts to reprimand or redirect by punishing or shouting will either serve as giving your dog the attention they want, or make them anxious and eventually scared of you. This could even cause them to develop aggressive tendencies. There is no shame in seeking the assistance of a puppy training school or dog expert if you find yourself at a loss for what to do — we all need a little help sometimes and certain dogs can have their misbehavior explained.

Want to learn how to crate train your golden retriever puppy fast? Crate training is one of the best things you can do for your puppy. It helps accelerate potty training, it keeps them safe, and it helps keep them from learning bad habits like chewing up shoes. Read this article to learn more about potty training your golden retriever puppy. When I was a kid I hated vegetables. I just wanted fries and chicken nuggets. But what did my parents do? They made me eat veggies a little at a time until I got used to them. And then after I got used to them, I learned to love them. Now as an adult, I would much rather prefer a pile of grilled zucchini, broccoli, and asparagus than a plateful of fries. Crate training your golden retriever follows a similar pattern. But the following steps are going to teach you how to teach them to love their crate and handle being alone. The wire crate helped because it was open so he could always see the people around him, which lessened his anxiety of being in there alone at first. Step 2: Get The Crate Ready This is another step that you will have ideally done before you bring your puppy home. The first thing to consider when getting the crate ready for your pup is where to put it. Here are a few options: In your bedroom In the living room or other area where people in your home hang out Get two crates and have one in your bedroom and one in the living room Golden retrievers love being around people, so having their crate around people will usually help ease some of the pain of crate training. This will usually help with the loneliness and crying. The other thing to consider when getting the crate ready is what to put in it. You also may want to put a bed in there to make it comfortable for them. So how do you do that? First, they need to decide to go into the crate themselves. You can do that by putting a favorite toy in the crate, or scattering food in there. Expect them to walk in and right back out the first time. You want to make it so that they know fun things are in the crate. Check out the video below for a fun crate training game to help your puppy learn to love their crate. Walk out of the room for a second, then come back in. Then walk out for five seconds, then ten seconds. These next few sections will answer some common questions that new puppy owners have, as well as some tips to help the process go smoothly. Putting your puppy in the crate with a full bladder is one way you can set them up to fail. Also, frozen kongs or chew toys with peanut butter work great for easing your puppy into getting comfortable in their crate by themselves. That means that a two-month-old puppy can only hold it for about two to three hours, so expect to have to wake up two or three times every night until they get a little older. Take the water bowl away about two or three hours before bedtime so that your puppy will have time to fully empty their bladder before going to sleep for the night. Get them sufficiently tired during the day. Play games like tug, fetch or chase to physically wear them out, and train them and give them puzzle toys like frozen kongs to mentally wear them out. Set an alarm to wake yourself up before they wake up themselves. This is a tough situation, but it can be done. Here are some tips to make it work. You may have to come home on your lunch break, ask friends, family, or neighbors to come over, or hire a dog walker to let your puppy out. Wear them out in the mornings Go on walks, play chase, fetch and tug, or wrestle with them in the mornings to get some of their endless energy out. Utilize an exercise pen You might want to consider getting an exercise pen like this one from Amazon and circling it around the front of the crate to give your dog some extra room. Check out the video below for an example of what a crate looks like with an exercise pen attached for extra space. Does she need to pee? Is she full of energy? Or does she just want to get out and get some attention? Remember to set them up for success before you put them in crate, meaning physically and mentally tiring them out and making sure their bladder is empty. You can also leave for short periods of time starting at seconds , then come back and let her out. How long it takes for your puppy to get used to the crate depends. Did you rush them into it, or did you let them learn that the crate is awesome? Have you been rewarding them for barking in it, or have they learned that silence is what gets them out of the crate? It also depends on the dog. Some dogs take to crates much better than others. You can do it! Is Crate Training Ever Over? We started leaving him alone in the house somewhere around six months old, and then a few months after that we started letting him sleep outside of his crate he decided to sleep under the toilet… weird dude. Two big questions to ask yourself when considering taking this next step are: When was the last time my puppy had an accident in the house? When was the last time my puppy chewed something up in the house? Just like with crate training, you want to take baby steps and set them up for success. Crate Training Mistakes While all of the tips above will help make crate training go smoothly, the mistakes below can ruin your efforts, or at least make it very hard to get them to relax in their crate. Mistake 2: Rushing crate training Crate training takes time. Would you want to go in an unfamiliar box in an unfamiliar house? They need to learn that the crate is fun, safe, and relaxing, and that takes time. This leads us to the next mistake… Mistake 4: Punishing them for crying in the crate If a puppy is crying in the crate because they want attention, they might perceive you yelling at them as attention. Mistake 6: Using the crate too much Golden retrievers are lovers. Conclusion Crate training is one of the best things you can do for your puppy. Have any questions about crate training? Or have any other tips for new puppy owners? Let me know in the comments below! Related articles:. Food bowl Treats Make sure you have all the above items before you bring your Golden retriever puppy home so that you can get started crate training him right away. Position The Crate Before you set off to collect your puppy, decide where you want his crate to be. Prepare The Crate Fit the crate with a non-slip crate liner, comfy bed, or crate pad, and put a tempting chew toy inside. Put a bowl of water and a packet of treats close by. Cut a small piece of the blanket and put it in the crate. Keep the rest of the blanket for future use. Let the puppy check out the area around the crate. Curious pups might even voluntarily venture inside the crate! Put a few tempting treats inside the crate, close to the door. Golden retrievers are notoriously food-oriented dogs that will most likely be enticed into the crate by those yummy treats. Never force the puppy into the crate. Chat to your pet, offer him more treats, and add a fun toy to the mix to persuade your furry friend to go into the crate. Generally, placing the crate around people will help to encourage your puppy to feel comfortable spending time inside it. Play Crate Games Crate sessions can be made more enjoyable for your puppy by incorporating some crate games. Use treats, cuddly toys, or a KONG toy stuffed with frozen peanut butter or treats to reward your puppy for entering his crate. Crate Feeding Your Golden Retriever Puppy Golden retrievers are very food-oriented, and you can use that to enhance and speed up the crate training process considerably. Allow your puppy to watch you prepare his meal, and then place the food bowl just inside the crate. Once your puppy is confidently going into the crate to get the food, move the food bowl to the back of the crate. Shut The Door By now, your Golden retriever puppy should view the crate as a safe, comfortable, fun place to be. So, try closing the crate door when your puppy is happily tucking into his food. The first time the door is closed, open it again once your pet has finished eating. At each crate training session, leave the door shut for a little longer. Step Back Away From The Crate Assuming that your crate routine is going well, your Golden retriever puppy should now associate the crate with a couple of treats, toys, games, and eating his meals. A common mistake people make is that they try to move too far away from the puppy too soon. Provided that the puppy is calm, you can now move away from the crate. If your puppy starts whinging, turn your back on your pet, and wait a few minutes until the whining stops. After ten seconds of your pet remaining calm, you can turn around and allow him to come out of the crate. Watch your puppy throughout this exercise, and let your pet out of the crate as soon as he shows signs of anxiety. Very young puppies aged up to ten weeks old will need to relieve themselves immediately after a meal. Potty Breaks When you begin your crate training puppy schedule , observe your pet closely for tell-tale signs that he needs to go potty. Generally, puppies will start whining, circling, and sniffing the ground when they need to relieve themselves. When that happens, immediately grab your puppy, and get him to his assigned toilet spot. Eight-week-old puppies typically need to go for a pee around every 30 to 60 minutes. During warm weather or after exercise, when the puppy drinks more, he might need to go more often than that. Once the puppy is older, he will be able to wait for longer between potty stops. What About Bedtime? The safest place for your puppy to spend the night is confined in his crate. Although your pup might experience a bit of separation anxiety from bedtime crating at first, you can help to mitigate that by putting the crate in your bedroom with you. Use a crate cover to create that safe, den-like space that encourages your canine companion to settle down and sleep. Sometimes, giving your Golden retriever puppy a special treat reserved for bedtime can help him understand that his crate is a comfortable space to spend the night. Expect Disturbed Nights! When your puppy is very young, you can expect to be disturbed by his cries for attention during the night. Dogs are clean animals, and they will resist soiling their sleeping area if at all possible. So, set your alarm to wake you up every couple of hours throughout the night so that you can take your puppy outside to relieve himself. Immediately Clean Up Accidents Unfortunately, dealing with potty accidents is all part and parcel of raising and training a new puppy. When that happens, never punish or scold your pup. When accidents happen around your home, use an enzyme cleaner to remove the scent of urine from your floor coverings. If your puppy has an accident in his crate, you must wash all the bedding immediately. Ensure that you have a good supply of spare bedding to grab if you need it, and clean the crate thoroughly to remove any lingering smell of urine. Golden retrievers are especially quick at remembering simple words, and these trainable dogs are typically pretty obedient. So, from the get-go, you need to begin using verbal cues. Pick short and clear words so that your puppy can easily recognize and remember them. Combine your cue words with crate training. Increase The Difficulty As crate training progresses, you can make things more challenging for your puppy. Ask your dog to stay in the crate with the door closed for longer periods, and begin to move out of sight. Just like little kids, puppies will throw tantrums during the first few days of crate training. That behavior is perfectly normal and to be expected, especially when you first close the crate door. Instead, reward calm behavior with treats verbal praise, and let your puppy come out of the crate. So, when a tantrum kicks off, simply turn your back on your furry friend, and wait until he settles down again. Consistency Is Crucial! One of the most common problems people experience when crate training their puppy is not being consistent. Yes, it can be tough when your adorable fluffy bundle is crying and whining inside his crate. Unfortunately, giving in to your fur baby when he complains simply teaches your pet that whining and other bad behavior get him what he wants, which sets your training regimen back. Playtime Is Vital A lively Golden retriever puppy bursting with energy is not likely to settle calmly in his crate. Final Thoughts I hope you enjoyed our guide to crate training a Golden retriever puppy. If you did, please remember to share it. Crates are also useful tools for potty training your puppy and preventing bad behavior, such as chewing and eating harmful substances. Always be consistent and patient when crate training your puppy; use cue words and positive reinforcement to make learning fun for both your pet and you. Did you use a crate to train your Golden retriever puppy? Tell us how you did in the comments box below. Meet our writer Alison Page Alison Page was brought up with dogs and various other pets! For a few years, Alison worked as a Practice Manager in a small animal veterinary clinic. Alison is now a full-time writer, specializing in creating articles on the care and training of dogs, cats, and fish. Leave a Comment. Key Takeaways Crate training can help you provide a safe and comfortable environment for your Golden Retriever. Avoid rushing the crate training process to ensure your dog feels comfortable and secure. Please do not use the crate as a punishment or leave your dog in it for extended periods. Crate training can be more effective and enjoyable for your dog if you use consistency, positive reinforcement, treats, and toys. Make it more comfortable by providing toys, blankets, and treats. Step 2: Once your pup is at ease, close the door and bring toys and treats inside. Keep an eye on them and let them out if they become distressed. Step 3: Increase the time your puppy spends in the crate with the door closed gradually, and step away from the crate while they are distracted. Step 4: Extend the time you are away from the crate. Selecting The Right Crate Size To ensure your Golden Retriever is comfortable and has enough space in their crate, you need to measure them accurately. Golden Retrievers will typically grow to by 20 to 24 inches tall and up to 75 lbs, so you need to make sure to get them the right size crate. Follow these steps to determine the size of your dog: 1. Measure the height of your Golden Retriever: Have your dog stand up straight, Measure from the floor to the top of their shoulder blades. Add around inches to this measurement to determine the minimum height for the crate. Measure the length of your dog from the tip of their nose to the base of their tail. Remember to add 2 to 4 inches to the measurement. Measure their width by having your Golden Retriever standing with their legs slightly apart. Focus your attention on the widest part of their body, which tends to be the chest area. Once again, always add up to 4 inches to the figure. Finally, you want to consider the age of your Golden Retriever. For example, if you have a puppy, keep in mind that they will grow rapidly. You may want to choose a crate that will work for their adult size or opt for an adjustable crate with dividers, so you can gradually increase the space as they grow. Your Golden Retriever puppy will rapidly outgrow a nice crate that is not suited for an adult size. Now that you have all the measurements, you can refer to this Crate Size Calculator to find out the right and best dog crate size for your golden retriever. What Is Crate Training? Crate training is the process of teaching a dog to accept a crate as a familiar and safe location. Here are some of the reasons: House training: Using a crate, you can help your dog learn where and when to go potty. This will make house training more effortless and less stressful for both of you. Safe space: A crate can be a relaxing and safe place for your dog to relax and sleep. It can also help keep your dog out of a mess by preventing them from chewing on inappropriate items or getting into dangerous substances. Traveling: Whether driving or flying across the country, a crate can help keep your dog safe and comfortable. Additionally, many hotels and other accommodations allow crate-trained dogs. Separation anxiety: A crate can provide security and comfort if your dog gets anxious when you leave. Knowing they have a safe place to go can help alleviate their anxiety and make their time away from home less stressful. Overall, crate training is an excellent way to provide your dog with a secure and comfortable environment to call their own. You should start crate training your puppy when you bring them home. However, with patience and positive reinforcement, an older dog can be trained to use a crate. Crate training can be a helpful way to provide a safe and comfortable space for your Golden Retriever to rest and relax, but it should never be used as a form of punishment or confinement. When done responsibly and positively, crate training can be a positive and effective method for you and your Golden Retriever. However, with time, consistency, and positive reinforcement, you can help your dog get used to his crate. Add treats, toys, and blankets to the crate to make it more inviting. Increasing the time your dog spends in the crate gradually is crucial. Remember that crate training should be enjoyable for you and your Golden Retriever. You can quickly make your furry friend feel safe and secure in their crate with a little effort! Benefits Of Crate Training Your Golden Retriever Crate training can be super helpful for your furry friend and offer them a bunch of benefits, such as: Prevents Destructive Behavior: By giving your Golden Retriever a cozy and secure space, crate training can prevent them from chewing, digging, or scratching on household items. Potty Training: Crate training can teach your Golden Retriever to associate the crate with their den, making it easier to hold their bladder and bowels until you take them outside. Prepares Them For Travel: If you need to take your Golden Retriever on a trip, crate training can help them feel comfortable and secure while in transit. Crate training is a great way to help your Golden Retriever feel safe, secure, and comfortable while preventing destructive behavior and keeping them healthy and happy. Adult dogs: They can handle up to 8 hours in a crate, ideally with a break in the middle. Overnight: Many dogs can stay in a crate overnight without issues. Always ensure that any time in the crate is a positive experience for the dog, supplemented by regular breaks, exercise, and playtime outside of the crate. The shift is a delicate balance of patience, supervision, and positive reinforcement. Gradual Exploration Start by letting your dog explore a restricted, safe space under supervision. As comfort grows, extend the time they spend outside the crate. Monitor and Supervise Observe your dog closely during early freedom stages to prevent accidents or mischief. Ensure your home is dog-proofed to minimize potential hazards. Essential Amenities Keep their water bowl accessible. Designate a comfortable resting spot outside the crate. Positive Reinforcement Reward good behavior with treats or praise. This encourages adherence to house rules and reinforces desired behavior. Display patience and affection throughout their transition. With time and consistent guidance, your furry friend will seamlessly integrate into the household, striking a balance between freedom and behavior. Before leaving your dog alone in the crate, be patient and make sure your furry friend is comfortable and safe. For them, the crate should be a positive and safe space, and associating it with negative experiences can cause anxiety and fear. While some time in the crate is acceptable, providing sufficient opportunities for exercise, socialization , and bathroom breaks throughout the day is essential. Maintain a consistent routine and use the same commands each time you place your dog in the crate. Use Toys And Treats: Place toys and treats inside the crate to entice your dog to enter. This will make the crate a more positive and enjoyable environment for them to be in. Ensure your pup gets enough exercise and playtime throughout the day, so your furry companion can relax in the crate when the time comes. Excessive whining, barking, panting, and restlessness are all signs of stress in a Golden Retriever. If your furry friend exhibits these behaviors in the crate, they may be too stressed. Can I use a crate for my adult golden retriever? Yes, as long as it is appropriately sized and they are comfortable in it, you can use a crate for your adult Golden Retriever. Can you leave a puppy crying in the crate? Leaving a crying puppy in the crate is not recommended because it can cause separation anxiety and other behavioral problems. Instead, it is critical to gradually acclimate them to the crate and create a positive and comfortable environment. Should you put a blanket over a dog crate? Yes, draping a blanket over a dog crate can provide a sense of security and darkness, but ensure proper ventilation is maintained. What age is too late to train a puppy? Galen has been connecting quality Golden Retriever breeders with loving families since and is the founder of My Golden Retriever Puppies. He and his wife have four children and love spending time together, traveling lived oversees for 4 years , enjoying the outdoors and connecting Golden families. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. Read the full disclosure here. I know that, and eventually, your dog will know that, too. In this article you will learn exactly how to crate train a puppy or dog, no matter their age or level of previous training. You should read the whole guide before starting, to gain a complete understanding of the process, including the tips and troubleshooting at the end so you can find the speediest success. Why do we do this? We do this so we can use the crate as a place for short-term confinement, to keep our dogs and our belongings safe when we cannot supervise them. Then we can confine them short-term when needed, and they are happy to do so. Yes, they can even enjoy their time in the crate! In contrast: A properly crate trained dog will enjoy time in there happily and stress-free, even relishing the chance to get down to some occupational chew toy time or just to chill out and relax. Dog obedience is key to get this result! Benefits such as: Dramatically speeding up house training. Giving your dog a cozy and comfortable place to call their own where they can sleep and relax, overnight or whenever they wish. Giving you a tool to use for managing problem behaviors or to use for time outs to calm your puppy when needed. Giving you a safe way to transport your dog both by car and air if the need should arise. So they can enjoy trips away and holidays with you. Preparing your puppy for boarding at the vets, a kennel or at home to recover after medical treatment. There are many benefits to using a crate when used correctly, but they can also be misused. And there are also times when you should never crate a dog, regardless of their age or how much or little they can be trusted: Times And Ways That You Should Not Use A Crate There are a small number of dogs that suffer true anxiety and panic when placed in a crate. Under no circumstances should these dogs be crated…ever! The signs you need to look out for are: Any damage to the crate that show signs of attempting to escape. Urinating or defecating in the crate. The crate has moved at all while your dog is inside they must have made some frantic movements for this to happen. Never if your dog has sickness or diarrhea. Never when the weather is extremely hot. Never for any time longer than 5 hours. Not any time your vet prohibits it for medical reasons. Never as a way to punish your dog or for punishment. Use obedience training to correct bad behavior instead. Crating your dog for any of the reasons above is either inhumane, dangerous or purely selfish. Getting Prepared Before you can start crate training, you obviously need a crate. But you also need to make it a comfortable and happy place for your dog. Choosing A Crate Dog sleeping in crate There are many different sizes and style of dog crates available, from tiny inch crates all the way up to inch and bigger! XXL heavy duty dog crates. There are wire dog crates , plastic, fabric and even high quality wooden crates that look just like pieces of furniture. But the most important aspect of the crate you choose is its size: Too small and it would be cruel to expect your dog or puppy to spend time in there Too large and it loses the den like feeling dogs crave, not to mention they can use one end to sleep in while using the other end as a toilet, so it loses its effectiveness. For detailed instructions on measuring your dog for a crate and selecting the right size and type to suit your needs, please see my article: Choosing The Right Size And Type Of Dog Crate 2. Making The Crate Comfortable And Safe Dog In Soft Crate After choosing the right crate, you then have to make it a comfortable, safe and pleasant place for your puppy or dog to love spending time. For a detailed guide on where to place your crate and what you should put in it, you can read my article on: How to make a crate comfortable and safe for your dog. Make sure the crate is out of any direct sunlight, away from heat sources like fireplaces or radiators, and away from any possible cold drafts. Place soft, comfortable bedding inside. Place 2 or more chew toys inside to keep them occupied and develop good chew toy habits. If you have a wire crate, cover it either with a purpose bought crate cover or an old blanket or towel. Following the above 5 tips ensures the crate is a nice comfortable place for your dog. These pose a risk of choking if they happen to snag on anything, so no collars or leashes allowed. Your dog or puppy must be completely naked when crated. You must not rush through and you must make sure you are successful at each stage before you move on to the next, otherwise you could end up causing your dog or puppy to hate the crate by leaving them crated before they are ready. This unfamiliar box can be scary! The ultimate goal is for them to use it voluntarily. So the first task you have on the journey to crate training your puppy or dog is to form in their mind an association between the crate and all the things that they enjoy in life, so they see the crate as a good thing. Fail at this and you could saddle yourself with a dog who hates the crate, refuses to use it and maybe even fears it which can be a very hard thing to undo. So how do you go about achieving this? Technique 1: Magically Appearing Toys And Treats Set up the crate before you bring your dog home or if you have an existing pet, assemble the crate without them seeing so it just magically appears. Now let your dog or puppy into the room. So what should you do? Just act as you normally would, do what you would normally do. Play with your dog or puppy, or sit and watch TV, just act normal. Hopefully they will investigate this new thing in their world, enticed by the treats around and inside it, but also out of plain curiosity. Just draw no attention to the crate at all. Every dog will eventually at least eat the treats around the crate, if not the ones inside. This has the effect of the most prized things in their life being magically conjured up by the crate. Do this for a couple of days or more before you start crate training, and then occasionally for the few weeks after starting so your dog learns to love the crate and what it provides. You should find after a very short time they venture into the crate on their own just to look for some goodies, all without any encouragement from you. NOTE: Any treats you give this way have to be subtracted from their daily food portions or they will be overeating. And I say to do this just for the first few days and then only occasionally because to help house training you want your puppy eating on a schedule to promote defecating on a schedule, not eating at random times and pooping at random times. Feed these meals inside the crate. At first, place their food bowl just inside so they only have to poke their head in to feed. Then after the first couple of times, place it half way into the crate. After a couple of times of this, place it all the way at the back. You might be successful with this right away, or you may have to place it at the front for a few meals over a few days. Some dogs confidence builds quicker than others. Eventually and not before too long you should find your dog expectantly running over to and maybe even into the crate every time they see you holding their food bowl. After a few days of magic appearing treats and your dog eating dinner from the crate, basically once they are used to the crate and associate good things with it, we are ready to start crate training. When you do release your dog you do not want them bolting out and bumping into you, particularly important if you have a large dog such as a Golden Retriever that can easily bowl you over on their way past! You want them to reliably leave the crate when you ask. You can only achieve these three things if your dog understands that they must stay inside until told they can leave, or must leave when they hear the cue word. Choose whatever words you like, just be consistent. You do not want to spook your dog at this stage. Sit close to the crate armed with some high value treats, show them to your dog and then throw one inside the crate. Move away so they can easily exit and just stand patiently and quietly waiting for them to do so. Repeat this 8 to 10 times then take a couple of minutes break. Then do another set of 8 to .Yes, for real. Repeat this whole exercise a few times over the course of a day or two until your dog is comfortably, happily and reliably going in the crate when you throw in a treat. Training your dog to do this is a huge step! Make sure they really are confidently going in to get the treat before moving to the next step. And remember to use your cue words every single time so they quickly learn them. Step 3: No Treat For Free! The next step is to ask your puppy or dog into the crate before you treat them. Make them work for the treat instead of using it to lure them into the crate. To start, do 2 or 3 exercises of throwing a treat in and using the cue word as they go in to get it. When they do, give them a treat or two while you praise them profusely. Then use the cue word to leave and praise them when they do. Repeat this 8 to 10 times, take a couple of minutes break, then do another 8 to 10 before finishing up for this session. Repeat this step many times over the course of a day or two until you are certain your puppy or dog truly understands the commands and is happy to both go into and leave the crate on cue before you move to step 4. Now, many of you will have a dog at this stage that goes in, gets the treat or their toys and cannot wait to get back out again. But some will already be sitting, laying and sleeping in the crate of their own accord. Regardless though, what you want to achieve is your puppy or dog to sit and lie in the crate on cue, which is different to doing it of their own accord. Begin this just a couple of days after getting them home because they need to understand the cues outside of the crate before you can hope to have them follow the commands inside it. Other things you should have been doing before this step are: feeding your dog or puppy their main meals inside the crate occasionally leaving stuffed Kong toys in the crate this gets them used to spending time in there, usually in a sitting or laying position this will have made things easier Now, run through 2 or 3 repetitions of steps 2 and 3 before you start step 4, always remembering to use your chosen cues! Next, when your dog is inside the crate: Simply cue them to sit, praise and reward them profusely when they do. Then ask for a down and do the same. Then cue them to leave the crate before repeating the exercise. Try this 8 to 10 times before a few minutes break, then repeat for 8 to 10 times more. Repeat this whole step a few times over a day or more, but as you repeat the exercises, ask them to stay sitting or lying down for longer periods before you release them. And you should vary the duration to keep them guessing what it takes to earn a treat. Try just 1 second, then 5, then 2, then 10, then 3 and so on. Try to stretch the time out over a few practice sessions. Remember to be gentle and that your tone of voice throughout training matters. As always: Start with 2 or 3 repetitions of the easier steps first, going through steps 3 and 4 before trying to close the door. When ready: Cue your dog to go into the crate, praise and treat them, then ask for a sit, praise and treat and then slowly close the door. You ask for a sit because this position is automatically a more calm and relaxed position than standing. Continue to praise your dog and give a couple of treats through the closed door for remaining calm and sitting. Then open the door, and cue them to leave the crate. If your dog looks fearful or panicked when you close the door some will! Start by closing the door just part way for a few repetitions, then half way for a few, then most the way before finally closing it fully. This may take one training session or a few over days. Are you ready to move on? Once your dog is happy to sit a few seconds with the door closed, begin to latch it. Praise and treat for calm, then release the latch and open the door. For a training session, do 8 to 10 reps, take a few minutes break and then repeat. During each set, vary the time they have to stay calm and sitting, 3 seconds, then 10, then 4, then 15 and so on. You should aim to extend the time they stay calm and sitting with the door closed to a full minute before moving on to the next step. Again, this could take an afternoon, or it might take a few days. Go at your dogs pace and never force things. The base is serving as a staging facility for hurricane relief operations. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jack Braden Once your puppy or dog can sit calmly in the crate with the door closed for a full minute, the next step is to start moving away with the ultimate aim of being able to leave the room. First of all, perform a few reps of steps 4 and 5 as a warm up, remembering to always use your cues. Next, follow these steps: Cue your dog into the crate, close the door, latch it, praise and reward them and take a couple of steps backwards away from the crate but still facing it. Then return, praise and reward. Open the door and cue your dog to come out. Do this exercise 8 to 10 times, then take a few minutes break and repeat. For each repetition, mix things up: Try walking away a different distance in a different direction, but remaining in the room. First 2 steps backwards and pause 5 seconds before returning, then 4 steps to the side and a 15 second pause and so on. Work up to walking right to the exit or the wall and pausing for a full minute. Next, you will want to amp things up even more: Perform this exercise while you actively walk around the room, looking busy doing other things, but return to praise and treat your dog often. Tidy some magazines, rustle through a drawer, just look busy doing other things a few times in the house. Then, go even farther: Perform this exercise but back yourself up to the exit of the room and leave for just a couple of seconds before returning and heading to the crate to treat and praise. Do this a few times. The time this takes and the success you have will vary from puppy to puppy and dog to dog. Always stop at 10 repetitions max, and never more than two batches in quick succession followed by a big break. Otherwise your dog will get bored and the training is less effective. Now you just need to start increasing the time they are happy to spend time alone. Before you begin, something that goes a long way toward helping is to make sure your puppy or dog is well exercised before asking them into the crate. Why is that? A tired dog will be far more willing to relax and chill out for a length of time, compared to one who is full of energy and keen to play or wanting attention! After exercising them, the first step is to increase the time they are happy to spend in the crate while you are still nearby. To achieve this: Crate feeding: Feed your dog in the crate, or give them a stuffed Kong toy or good tasting bone chew toy. Hang out nearby: Ask your dog into the crate, give them their food or the toy, then close the door and take a seat nearby to read a book or a magazine. Engage occasionally: Every now and then, give them a further treat and praise, then go back to your book or magazine. Gradual build: Try to work up to a good half hour of quiet and calm in the crate while you read and they chew. Ignore them: After a couple of times like this, crate your dog or puppy with their meal or a stuffed toy and move around the room busying yourself, paying little attention to your dog. You want them to be eating their meal or chewing a toy in the locked crate while you do other things. Leave the room: After a couple of repetitions of this, repeat the exercise but move freely in and out of the room a few times, as well as occasionally sitting nearby. Disappear: Start by leaving the room for only 5 or 10 minutes, extending the time over a few sessions until you eventually achieve a full hour of alone time. As always, how long this takes will vary wildly from puppy to puppy and dog to dog. Go at their pace. It helps massively to succeed in this step if you only ever give your puppy or dog the bone chew toys or stuffed Kongs when in the crate and never outside of it. It builds excitement and anticipation, something to look forward to in the crate. Step 8: The Grand Finale! Wait for them to start chewing and then leave and come back into the room a couple of times. If they stay calm and pre-occupied with their chewing, simply leave the house. Then, do this: Go outside and walk to the bottom of your garden, just hang there for a few minutes and then go back inside and walk around your home for a couple of minutes before going to the crate and your dog. You want them to think that this is nothing, a complete non-event. And certainly do not go straight to them when you come back in. Remember: this even means nothing! From now on, practice alone time in the crate when you leave the house at least a couple of times every day, for varying lengths of time. Never make a fuss of any sort before you go, never make a fuss on your return. Over a few sessions, build up the time you are out of the house with your dog in the crate to a couple of hours as long as they are old enough to hold their bladder this long. You can now use the crate to keep your dog and your belongings safe when you cannot supervise them, and use the crate as a sleeping place for your dog at night. Always leave a few toys in there with your dog, and continue to repeat the exercise where you crate them with a stuffed Kong or chew toy if natural opportunities do not arise, just to keep them happy with the situation. If you have a dog that: Some puppies will take regular naps in the crate before you even start crate training. They might go on to show little interest or care about the door being closed. They might be super confident and happy right away with a little alone time. You might be able to crate train such a dog in just a few short days. Dogs like this can take many weeks to crate train: Some puppies may show fear of the crate and not want to go anywhere near it. Once carefully trained to go in, they might feel panic and fear when you close the door. You have to go at your own dogs pace because if you rush them you can instill dislike or even fear of the crate in their minds, and then it will take far longer than it ever should have. But many or most dogs will take to it quicker, and most puppies certainly will as they have no preconceived ideas, habits or emotions to overcome. When going through the steps above, if your dog excels at any stage you can quickly move to the next step. If they do not, if they show any fear or uncertainty, spend more time at a particular step until they are comfortable before moving on. Your dog will show you when they are ready to progress and you should go at their speed, however fast or slow that may be. They need to be able to: move around exercise their muscles enjoy some mental stimulation If they are regularly crated longer than this, behavioral problems will be the result, as well as the fact they have little in the way of a fulfilling life. In my experience this is a bit optimistic, all dogs are different and when a puppy is very young, this is certainly too long. This is with the exception of puppies from 8 to 12 weeks old who will need letting out once during the night. But after 12 weeks, they can last the whole night through. Crating your dog when you work full-time means two lots of 4 or more hours crated and this is a long time, so quality time, exercise and stimulation before and after crating is essential. Tips For Better Crate Training What follows are a few useful tips to keep in mind when crate training your puppy or dog. They will make the process easier and faster, while making sure your dog is comfortable and happy throughout the process: Always make sure you take your puppy or dog to their bathroom spot before you crate them for any length time. They will be uncomfortable and noisily complain with a full bladder…but rightfully so! Also take them the moment you let them out as they will usually be ready to go. Make sure the crate door is always open and your dog always has access to it so they can use it as and when they please. Most dogs will use it as a place to rest and this is a good thing. Always leave chew toys in the crate for your dog so there is something for them to do while crated. This will minimize boredom and teaches good habits of chewing on the right things. Continue to feed them their meals in the crate. Also, reserve special treats like bones and stuffed Kong toys for the crate only and never outside of it, so they really look forward to spending time there. Exercise your dog or puppy well before crating them for any length of time. A tired dog is one who is happy to relax and chill out. If you find your puppy nodding off and completely unable to stay awake this happens a lot! This will speed up their acceptance of the crate considerably if they snooze and find themselves waking up in there often. The worst thing you can do is force them in because chances are it will heighten their fear and make things even worse. Instead, break the task down into easier steps for your dog by employing some of the following tasks: Practice asking your dog to step in and out of cardboard boxes. First trimming the sides down to look like a small tray, then using further boxes and increasing height of the sides. Place bedding in the box and practice asking them to lay down. Some dogs may not like the roof aspect of the crate. Ask your dog to step underneath, even sit under there yourself and read a book while enticing them over for treats. Start with a big gap and a wide area covered, then lessen the gap between furniture in later training sessions to make it feel more crate like over time. If you have a plastic travel style crate airline crate then remove the top half and practice having them step in and out of the bottom half only. Start asking your dog to step into the bottom tray only. Then put on 2 of the walls for a couple of training sessions. Then three walls for a few sessions. Then the roof until finally the crate is fully assembled. Then cover the back third of the pens roof with a sheet and do the same. Then cover a half. Then remove a part of the pen to make the area smaller and ask them in to play with them. Whichever of the above you try, make sure an exit is wide open and easy for your dog to use for escape so they will feel less anxious. And take things very slowly, making sure they are visibly comfortable at any stage before taking a next step. After a few days maybe more of slowly getting them used to stepping into things that progressively get more and more crate like, you should be able to begin crate training. This type of reinforcement will not help the cries. Yes, you getting angry and telling your dog off will actually make the issue worse. This will train them to think that if they cry long and loud enough, you will eventually come and let them out. Not a good idea. Wait for 5 seconds silence before you approach, then give them a treat. You ruined it! Wait for at least 5 seconds of silence before you return, then treat them. Enough repetitions of this will teach them that silence gets rewarded and noise makes you go away. Why did they whine? You might want to go back a step or two in your crate training though. Make sure they are comfortably happy and silent in the crate, for a reasonable length of time with the door latched and you present, before you ever try to leave them alone. Young puppies cannot hold it through the night without having a potty break. But how do you know if the whines are because they need to eliminate or just crying for attention? For a puppy 8 to 9 weeks old, you will need to set an alarm to take them to potty twice during the night, at 2. For a puppy 9 to 12 weeks old, set an alarm to take them to potty half way through the night, 3. Make sure you do not feed them anything in the 3 hours before bed, take away water at least 2 hours before bed, and take them to their toilet spot to empty themselves as the very last thing you do before you go to bed. When you take them to potty, make sure you do so in silence. No playing, no words, no attention, otherwise they will learn that night-time is a time for play and attention. You obviously do not want this. They are very different things. But if when you leave your dog alone crated they show these symptoms: anxiety.

I am familiar with common and uncommon health problems they may face so when my boyfriend and I decided we were ready to adopt our own english puppy finding a reputable breeder that prioritizes health was most important to us. Erica and Mitch of Bruiser Bulldogs are just that. They are experienced, ethical and quality breeders. I was referred to them by my friend that I trust after I saw their gorgeous healthy puppy. Our Puppy Primrose is the light of our lives! Bruisers was there to assist us every step of the way. We would highly recommend Bruisers Bulldogs to anyone looking for their own happy, healthy pup! Leah H. We were lucky to have come across Bruiser Bulldogs and even more so the fact that they were near our family and hometown made it even better. We have had Clementine Callie for four months now, and she is a wonderful dog. Her personality is amazing, and I think part of it is breeding and the other part is Erika and her family lovingly raising the puppies in their home with plenty of attention and snuggles. I also was impressed that, rather than send the puppies out right at 8 weeks, Erika kept ours for a few extra weeks because she was tiny and not read to leave her mom yet. It's that care that differentiates Bruisers from other breeders. Emily R. Erica was easy to work with thru the entire process from application to adopting and now beyond as we host our new family member, Chief. Her on-call support and willingness to provide open, honest advice to all of our questions and concerns continues to be appreciated. We would highly recommend Bruiser Bulldogs to anyone looking for an English Bulldog to join their family. Elizabeth W. Lady L. They are experienced, responsive and knowledgeable about all things bulldog related. They went above and beyond for us and are truly dedicated to all of their pups! We love our little girl so much and would recommend Bruiser to anyone looking for a healthy beautiful bully. Jonathan E. Erica and Mitch are trustworthy, excellent communicators, fair, passionate, and produce the best bulldogs. We were at the top of the waiting list for months and Erica reached out every litter to see if we were finally ready for a bulldog. When we were, she was very easy to work with. Her knowledge on bulldogs is outstanding. We had many questions on the process and she always knew what was best for the puppy. We've had Penny formerly Blair for two months and she is very healthy, energetic, playful, and sweet. She is great with other people and dogs. We are so happy with our pup. When we are ready for bulldog 2, we will only consider Bruiser Bulldogs. Mitch C. Bowser was born April and is an integral part of our family. When we were first exploring English Bulldog breeders our biggest concern was the overall health of the dogs. We decided to work with Erica at Bruiser Bulldogs because we liked their focus on improving the breeds breathing abilities and the fact that the puppies are raised within her family environment before coming home with their new owners. Bowser also breaths clearly and our vet was impressed with his overall health from the moment we brought him home. All that said we know English Bulldogs have a predisposition to many health issues and that his current health can not predict the future. With that In mind its important to start with a breeder that open to answer any of your questions as Erica has ours, and that strongly believes in improving the breeds overall health profile. Adam B. My sister ended up finding Bruiser Bulldogs and we knew right away that they were the breeder for us. In September we ended up driving 9 hours to pick up two Bruiser bulldog puppies- one for my husband and I and one for my mom. Jackson and Penelope have been nothing but a joy. They are both very athletic and healthy. They are also HUGE snugglers and always want to be with you. It is an absolute pleasure having these two bullies in our lives! Erica is very knowledgeable about the breed. She is very hands on throughout the process and is just overall a kind and honest person to work with. With all that being said I cannot recommend Bruiser Bulldogs enough! Collyn C. One of the reasons we chose Bruiser Bulldogs was due to the claims about breeding for health. During our first visit at our vet's office, he told us that our pup was one of the healthiest English bulldogs he had ever seen. He is healthy, happy and social. Would recommend to anyone. Christina S. We seen our dog on their website and sent them an Email. Mitch called us and personally walked us through the process and made sure we had the right dog for our family. We couldn't be happier when we picked up our dog Ramsey, Erica made sure we had everything we needed and then some. They are truly amazing people who breed truly amazing dogs! Jim T. They are amazing breeders, and the puppies are so beautiful and healthy. Chubba Chubba Choo is almost a 1. Jason and Michelle run a successful business with healthy pups that are loved from day one. I highly recommend them!!! His puppies are gorgeous and I promise your heart will tug at you to bring more than one home. The mama dogs were so happy, sweet, pretty and just wanted your attention. The puppies were adorable, healthy and competing for you to play with them. Not one of those dogs ignored you and didn't want to be the center of attention. You could tell they all had great personalities and were very social. Puppychase is Bulldog Heaven! I was very satisfied with the purchase of our puppy. The environment is clean, cool and does not smell. That's hard to accomplish with so many dogs. The Bulldogs are well cared for and the property shows they are a top priority. I can't imagine not being pleased with any dog from Puppychase. The only regrets I have are not being able to take more puppies and I wish I could have seen the male Bulldog in person. I didn't even think to ask. Maybe next time! I have had 3 Bulldogs from PuppyChase. Chester 13 yrs old, Henry 8, and Gus 15 wks. Chester died 2 wks ago. Jason is so knowledgeable and loves his Bulldogs. The health and personalities of his dogs are perfect! The hardest part is picking which one. He uses a flight nanny to ensure the safety of these little guys which allows families from all over U. S A to have a dog from PuppyChase. What a beautiful home and kennel he has in Georgia. Thank you Jason and Michelle! Keep up the great work with breeding English Bulldogs and giving families and experience of a lifetime of owning and loving these beautiful dogs!!! I would highly recommend. Jason and Michelle are dedicated to ensuring their pups and litters are taken care of! Their pups have the best disposition!! Exceptional customer service and will go above and beyond to accommodate your needs. New to the breed? Will definitely make our way back to PuppyChaseKennels. The Bulldog is also the mascot of Yale University and the U. Marines, no doubt for its tough and tenacious character. Although Bulldogs were originally bred as cattle herders and for a bloody sport called bullbaiting, they now make excellent family pets. Georgians love Bulldogs for their gentle and loving nature. This is a fairly low maintenance breed that loves a brief walk, followed by a snooze on the sofa. In particular, Bulldogs are a great first pet for novice pet parents in Georgia. In terms of lifestyle, Bulldogs adapt well to apartment living in Georgia although they do have a loud bark. They can tolerate being alone to some degree, so a Bulldog may be a good choice for individuals who live alone and go away to work for some hours every day. However, Bulldogs do not tolerate extreme cold or extreme hot weather. Bulldogs are an all-around friendly breed. They are affectionate with family members and do well with kids. You might find your Bulldog is overly friendly towards strangers. However, they can have some trouble adjusting to other dogs in the household. Bulldogs are moderate shedders and heavy droolers. This is a generally robust breed with overall good health and easy to groom. However, Bulldogs do have a high tendency to gain weight, so you have to be careful about giving treats and table scraps and controlling portion size at mealtimes. In terms of training your Bulldog in Georgia, this is not a breed known for its supreme intelligence. Apartment dwellers in Georgia should be aware that Bulldogs have a tendency to bark and howl, so early training is key. Overall, Bulldogs are a great choice for Georgia individuals and families. This is a playful breed with low to medium energy and moderate exercise needs. Bulldogs make great companion dogs in Georgia.

Queen City Goldens is a responsible hobby breeder. Our commitment and dedication go towards raising happy, healthy, adorable puppies. Our goal is to place our puppies in their forever loving homes where they might continue their puppy's education by participating in classes, competing, getting their puppy Pet Therapy Certified, or even just be an adorable very much-loved couch potato. Our dogs are a huge part of our family and we provide the best life for them as possible. They live inside our home, go on outings with us, are enrolled in classes, and most importantly are our family and a have a huge place in our hearts. Sabrina really puts in the time and effort to caring for the pups, and it shows! Lilly has been so well-adjusted and sociable, since the moment we picked her up! She is beautiful, happy, and healthy - and a perfect addition to our family! Sabrina is always available for questions and follows up on the pups after they go home. I would recommend QCG without reservation to anyone looking for the perfect puppy! Sabrina was wonderful to work with and very accommodating and professional. The entire process was seamless, and she kept us informed every step of the way. Thanks to her guidance our new fella is a perfect fit for our little family. In fact, we are repeat customers. We were so happy with our puppy that we just had to get another. Sabrina answers any questions you may have and encourages puppy families to stay in touch with each other. There are not enough adjectives to describe how wonderful this experience has been. Sabrina and Hunter are so kind, knowledgeable, professional, attentive, patient and loving as breeders and as humans. They truly care deeply about every aspect of their calling to find loving homes for these pups. We highly recommend Queen City Goldens in every way - for every possible reason! She has been here every step of the way and has answered our relentless questions with such patience. Very professional and helpful. She allowed us to spend an extended amount of time observing the mother and puppies. The dogs are beautiful! We absolutely adore our little girl pup, Vienna. Her parents, Paisley and Cruise, are beautiful, smart, and eager to please dogs that have passed these traits on to their puppies. Sabrina was sensitive, honest and great about answering any questions. I would encourage anyone looking for a good golden bloodline to reach out to Queen City Goldens. The daily photos and updates made the two months wait for our little man so worth it! Truly recommend to anyone. A few days later my brother made the decision to bring Ms. Purple home which her name is now Zoey. He was very pleased with the potty training and crate training she had received and picked up on before getting her. It was great to be able to get photos and videos of puppies every day and see them grow up. I really liked that Sabrina sent me all the information I wanted to know when I chose her as a breeder. I am also grateful to Sabrina for her Instagram blog. I could find their photos of puppies from previous litters and photos and videos of dogs in their usual life. Thank you! Please note, photos from our website are not to be used or duplicated without consent and written permission from Queen City Goldens. Other dogs: Hawaii would do best in a home without dogs to start. She loves to have her own toys and to be the one and only for her person. Children: Untested, though she doesn't seem to have issues with people. She does seem to like a calmer environment so perhaps no small children. Adults: Hawaii is still learning to trust. She is a bit skittish and will run away if approached. However, she is a brave girl, and this has continued to get better over time and is now gently approaching on her own. Potty Training Progress: Hawaii does all her business outside. She is doggie door trained, though did well communicating she needed to go before she learned how to take herself outside. Other behavioral info: Hawaii is still working on leash skills. Great things about Hawaii: Hawaii is a very sweet girl. She seemed to not know what being loved and cared for was, and now she is seeking it out. She loves to run and chase balls. She has the softest fur and is still growing in her feathers as she was malnourished prior to fostering. Hawaii also loves to eat and gets excited tail wagging at dinner time. Hawaii is also excited to see her people when they come home. Though still timid while standing, she is wagging her tail and can't wait for them to sit down so she can come get some love. I expect her to continue to grow in confidence as she builds trust. Hawaii is also a fast learner. She continues to surprise with what she knows and her golden nature of being pleasing is really starting to show. Other things to know about Hawaii: Hawaii would do better if not crated as this has caused her anxiety. I feel she would do very well in a home without small children or other pets with a patient loving individual or couple who has good knowledge of what it means to rescue a dog. Hawaii is going at her own pace, but I can tell it will be worth it!!!

June is a little mini poodle about 12 pounds and Pele is small mini goldendoodle about 18 pounds. They are excellent choices for allergy sufferers because both parents have non shedding genetics with two dominant furnishings. These puppies will be super smart. We have had a past puppy professionally trained and he was a rock star! They will also have super soft coats. They were born August 1st and will be 8 weeks September 22nd. Meaning they genetically will have one curl gene. They are a great choice for allergy sufferers and will mature pounds. They were born July 29th and will be 8 weeks old late September. Love the coats on these mini goldendoodle puppies! They will have my favorite coat type and when grown will have very loose curls that will allow them to have a longer coat without so much maintenance. They will also be about pounds which is perfect athletic size. Most of them will darken in their red color as they grow out of their frosty puppy coat. They were born April 25th and are ready to go. Scroll down to see the current Goldendoodle Puppies and Litters that we have. Click the buttons that are below each announcement or use the top tabs on our website to see each litter. We frequently have Goldendoodle puppies with that classic teddy bear look. We also have Goldendoodle litters with dark reds, chocolates, blacks, creams, parti, and merles. Some of these moms have "past puppy" buttons so you can see what their puppies will look like as they become older pups and adults. Check them out and contact us for any questions or check out our "purchasing" page. With our guardian homes, we have grown to the point that we have Petite and Mini Goldendoodle for sale almost monthly. We also have mini Bernedoodles quite often. She is an F1b with a toy dad. Both parents have two dominant furnishings so these two puppies are a good choice for a family with allergy concerns. They were born July 28th and will be 8 weeks old Sept .This tiny little multigen Goldendoodle girl was born June 16th and is ready to go. As a single puppy after she was weaned from her mom we added her to a litter of petite puppies so that she could learn the normal doggie social skills. She is a precious puppy and very happy to be carried around and snuggled on! She weighed 3 pounds at 8 weeks and only 4 pounds at 11 weeks of age. Her mom, Rosie is a small goldendoodle about 19 pounds and the dad is Duggy also about 18 pounds. Baby Uno is tracking to be really small at about pounds. Both parents have two dominant furnishings which means Baby Uno will have a non shedding coat and a great choice for allergy sufferers. The parents are pictured together below. Click for Lisa's Mini goldendoodles This litter is the most popular generation of Mini goldendoodles. Jewel is a small F1 mom with a mini poodle dad. She's about 28 pounds with a wavy coat. The dad is Zake and he's a mini poodle weighing in around 16 pounds. He is a 10 out of 10 on red intensity so these puppies should have rich color as they mature. We can see that the size ranges a bit with the puppies but most are quite small. They will mature in the teens to maybe 25 pounds. We have both curly and wavy coats in this litter. We specialize in breeding Mini Goldendoodles as well as a few other breeds. We also have partnered up with several other high quality breeders that raise mini goldendoodle pups that meet our strict genetic criteria and testing. So we usually have a good selection of very high quality puppies. View Our Available Puppies! Not all mini Goldendoodles are equal, there are a few different versions to choose from each having a little different genetic background based on the pups parents. We will explain all the differences in Mini Goldendoodle puppies and how they are bred below. We raise all versions of the mini goldendoodle breed. F1 Mini Goldendoodle Pups. A F1 puppy is also known as a First Generation puppy. The puppies mother is a Golden Retriever and the pups dad is a Mini Poodle. This version of mini goldendoodle usually has soft wavy or curly puppy fur. They will shed until they lose their puppy fur, after shedding they will shed a lot less, but will shed. This version is partially hypoallergenic and usually requires low maintenance. F1 mini goldendoodles usually need to be groomed every 6 months along with daily brushing to keep their curly hair from matting and getting tangled. The dogs usually grow up having great temperaments similar to golden retrievers. They usually get about inches high at the shoulder and range in weight from pounds. F1b Mini Goldendoodle Pups. An F1b is known as a second-generation mini goldendoodle with the pups mother being already an F1 Goldendoodle and the pups dad being a mini poodle also. So the difference between F1 and F1b is that the mom is not a golden retriever but an actual F1 Goldendoodle. They also have very soft curly hair but with almost no shedding. This F1b version is semi-hypoallergenic and a better choice for anyone who has pet allergies. The F1b also should be brushed on a daily basis but will need to be groomed more frequently then a F1. A 6 to 8 week grooming schedule is recommended to keep their coat in perfect condition. F1b Mini goldendoodles get around 18 to 20 inches tall at the shoulders and range between pounds in weight. F1bb Mini Goldendoodle Pups. An F1bb goldendoodle is also known as a third-generation mini goldendoodle. This mini goldendoodle version has a coat more similar to a poodle than of a golden retriever. This is because the pup is more of a poodle than a retriever. Making it the very best version for anyone with pet allergies. A 6 to 8 week grooming schedule is required to help prevent knots or matting. This version is super intelligent and loving, and usually seems to have more energy than the other versions of Mini goldendoodles. This version is usually smaller in size, weighing around pounds and only getting inches tall at the shoulders. The smaller size makes them a great size for smaller homes and apartments. So if you live near Birmingham Alabama and are looking for a healthy and beautiful Mini Goldendoodle puppy then checkout our available pups now by Clicking Here. Below are some Mini Goldendoodle Pups that have been adopted!

Location: P. As well as Goldendoodles, the breeder also produces Mini Bernedoodles and Sheepadoodles and has been operating as a licensed breeder for the past nine years. However, other delivery options are available for other locations within the US. Although there are some responsible, caring home-based Goldendoodle breeder operations, beware of backyard breeders and puppy mills. These operations generally use breeding dogs that are not health-screened, so you might be buying a puppy that has serious health defects. Always do plenty of research before you commit to buying a puppy, and use a breeder with a longstanding record of producing high-quality puppies. Why Are Goldendoodles So Expensive? So, Goldendoodles are undoubtedly pricey, but why? After all, as gorgeous as they are, Doodles are crossbreed, not pedigree purebred dogs. Supply And Demand The price of any item or commodity is governed by the basic economic principle of supply and demand. When something is popular, more and more people want to buy it. That can lead to a shortage in supply of the item, which in turn pushes the price up. That scenario is the same with Doodles. These dogs are now so popular that the demand for them outstrips the supply of puppies. So, the price of Goldendoodle puppies is inflated. Breeding And Genetics Professional Goldendoodle breeders and even your local family-run Goldendoodle breeder will strive to produce puppies that are healthy and well-bred. GANA members only use breeding dogs that undergo health certifications to rule out the risk of passing on hereditary health defects to their puppies. However, the degree of shedding depends on the type of Goldendoodle you buy and its coat type. Take, for example, F1 vs. F1B Goldendoodles. However, if the puppy grows a straight coat like a Golden retriever, he will shed more heavily. So, generally, multi-generation Goldendoodle puppies are more expensive than F1 animals. Coat Color Multigenerational Goldendoodle puppies with rare or unusual coat colors are usually more expensive than those in more common shades. You can find Goldendoodles in a variety of colors, including: Brown. We deliver anywhere in Wisconsin to your door or meet you at a bordering state. We also have delivery options outside of Wisconsin shipping nationwide with a puppy nanny service. Our crazy home includes several wonderful golden retrievers and Mini Goldendoodles, adorable and snuggly Bernese Mountain Dogs and Mini Bernedoodles, an awesome Mini Sheepadoodle, and three lively baby daddy miniature poodles. You can meet all of them on our Doodle Parents pages. Doodle Dog Hill is a great place to raise a family, especially by the lake, where the views are amazing, the water relaxing, and the sounds soothing. It is a Destination Doodle Retreat! We invite you to look around our website to meet our parents, see our available puppies, and read about what others say about the puppies they have adopted into their homes. The prices for our Mini Doodles are as follows, regardless of gender or color. They will be socialized and ready to integrate into your family. They travel home to you with health documents, health guarantees, first vaccinations and worming treatments, and a puppy starter package. All make wonderful additions to your family and a comfort or therapy pet. If you have any questions, we would love to hear from you! Find Us. We are located in the rolling hills of West Central Wisconsin and are situated on 40 acres with plenty of room to roam. We have been raising quality puppies since .All of our breeding dogs are family pets their entire lives. We have no kennels. Our puppies are born in our living room where they are cuddled and cared for by our family until they are ready to go. They come with a 2 year health guarantee, wormed, dew claws removed, the first set of puppy shots, and vet checked. We specialize in Mini and Petite Golden Doodles. Mini Doodles range in size from 25 to 45 lbs. Petite Doodles range in size from 15 to 25 lbs. Coat colors range from lighter cream to medium cinnamon, or the unusual darker red. Their coats vary from light silky waves to soft curls. F1's are a cross between a miniature poodle and a golden retriever. F1b's are a cross between a miniature poodle and an F1 Goldendoodle. Their size ranges from 25 to 40 pounds and 16 to 24 inches tall. They are a cross between a miniature poodle and an F1 Miniature Goldendoodle. Their size ranges from 15 to 25 pounds and 13 to 17 inches tall. If interested in one of our puppies the first step is to fill out an application online or by mail. After acceptance of the application your position on the waiting list for your choice of a puppy is secured with a .We accept payment in the form of money order, cashiers check or cash. We specialize in breeding Mini Goldendoodles as well as a few other breeds. We also have partnered up with several other high quality breeders that raise mini goldendoodle pups that meet our strict genetic criteria and testing. So we usually have a good selection of very high quality puppies. View Our Available Puppies! Not all mini Goldendoodles are equal, there are a few different versions to choose from each having a little different genetic background based on the pups parents. We will explain all the differences in Mini Goldendoodle puppies and how they are bred below. We raise all versions of the mini goldendoodle breed. F1 Mini Goldendoodle Pups. A F1 puppy is also known as a First Generation puppy. The puppies mother is a Golden Retriever and the pups dad is a Mini Poodle. This version of mini goldendoodle usually has soft wavy or curly puppy fur. They will shed until they lose their puppy fur, after shedding they will shed a lot less, but will shed. This version is partially hypoallergenic and usually requires low maintenance. F1 mini goldendoodles usually need to be groomed every 6 months along with daily brushing to keep their curly hair from matting and getting tangled. The dogs usually grow up having great temperaments similar to golden retrievers. They usually get about inches high at the shoulder and range in weight from pounds. F1b Mini Goldendoodle Pups. An F1b is known as a second-generation mini goldendoodle with the pups mother being already an F1 Goldendoodle and the pups dad being a mini poodle also. So the difference between F1 and F1b is that the mom is not a golden retriever but an actual F1 Goldendoodle. They also have very soft curly hair but with almost no shedding. This F1b version is semi-hypoallergenic and a better choice for anyone who has pet allergies. The F1b also should be brushed on a daily basis but will need to be groomed more frequently then a F1. A 6 to 8 week grooming schedule is recommended to keep their coat in perfect condition. F1b Mini goldendoodles get around 18 to 20 inches tall at the shoulders and range between pounds in weight. F1bb Mini Goldendoodle Pups. An F1bb goldendoodle is also known as a third-generation mini goldendoodle. This mini goldendoodle version has a coat more similar to a poodle than of a golden retriever. This is because the pup is more of a poodle than a retriever. Making it the very best version for anyone with pet allergies. A 6 to 8 week grooming schedule is required to help prevent knots or matting. This version is super intelligent and loving, and usually seems to have more energy than the other versions of Mini goldendoodles. This version is usually smaller in size, weighing around pounds and only getting inches tall at the shoulders. The smaller size makes them a great size for smaller homes and apartments. So if you live near Wisconsin Rapids Wisconsin and are looking for a healthy and beautiful Mini Goldendoodle puppy then checkout our available pups now by Clicking Here. Below are some Mini Goldendoodle Pups that have been adopted!

New Feature 7 dapper hairstyles for your poodle Your poodle is an elegant dog that deserves to be taken care of with impeccable style. The poodle's coat is its most distinguishing feature, and it's essential to keep it looking its best. Grooming is key, and a good haircut can make all the difference! As your dog's fur grows out, it can become tangled and unruly, making for a frustrating appearance. Your poodle is an elegant dog that deserves to be taken care of with impeccable style. There are many different styles of haircuts a poodle can have, and it can be tough to decide which one is right for your pup. It can be hard to know where to start with so many options available. Don't worry; we're here to help! In this article, we'll take a look at seven trendy hairstyles your poodle can rock on his walk. The Lion Cut Let's start with one of the most popular poodle haircuts of all, the lion cut. Sometimes referred to as the "puppy cut," this hairstyle takes advantage of your poodle's long fur to give them a mane-like appearance. The dog's limbs are left hairless, except for a pompom around the tail, front and rear paws. A perfect look for poodles who want to show off their luxurious locks! This hairstyle will last a while since the short hairs on your poodle's face and body will help prevent matting. You should still brush your pup regularly to keep his coat clean and healthy! The Puppy Cut Another popular haircut for poodles and other small dogs like the Yorkshire Terriers is the "puppy cut. While the fur looks a little longer around the face, the haircut mimics a human infant rather than a furry animal. With this cut, your pup will feel extra comfortable as he goes about his day! While many owners opt for this style as it doesn't require as much maintenance as other cuts, it's easy to get tired of the same look over time. Your poodle will still need regular brushing to remove tangles and maintain his healthy coat. Teddy Bear Cut Do you love the look of a teddy bear? The teddy bear cut is another popular choice for poodle haircuts. It's an adorable style that looks kind of like your pup has a bushy mane! This technique leverages the poodle's tiny round eyes and creates the illusion of a furry face. The hair should be cut uniformly at mid-length with a rounded shape to the top of the head. It's important not to cut the body fur too short, as we need the poodle's curls to be seen clearly for this cut. The fur around your pup's paws is left untouched, so it appears thick and full, giving your poodle the appearance of having tiny bear paws! These cuts are extremely popular with older dogs who won't have to worry about frequent brushing or bathing. Summer Cut Although you want your poodle to look cute, you also want them to be comfortable! In the summer, it's hot and humid, and your pup will thank you for cutting his hair shorter. The summer cut is an excellent choice for those sweltering days. In this style, all of the hair on your poodle's body is trimmed very short, except for a small tuft around the tail and large pompoms around the legs. This style is easy to maintain and will help your pup stay comfortable in the summer heat. Dutch Cut Known for its frequent appearance in dog shows, the dutch cut is a great choice for poodles that want a unique look. This creates a "Mohawk" look that is sure to turn heads! The tail can also be left long or cut short to complement your pup's look. The face and paws are the only parts of the body shaved, so you get a little bit of extra grooming time! This cut requires regular brushing to keep your poodle's coat clean and tangle-free. English Saddle Cut The English saddle cut is a popular choice for poodles with longer coats. This haircut is similar to the dutch cut, but it explicitly leaves more hair on the top of your poodle's head. The face and legs are also shaved, but a little more fur is left on the body to create an overall rounded look for this cut. This cut is great-looking but will require regular brushing and bathing to prevent mats from forming. Short Cut This is a prevalent choice for poodles with shorter hair, as it is low-maintenance and easy to groom. In this style, all of the hair on your dog's body is trimmed short, except for the ears. The fur around his face and paws is also shaved short, giving your pup a clean, polished look. This style is perfect for owners who want their dogs to look neat and tidy with minimal effort! Although this style doesn't require as much grooming as other styles, it's still necessary to brush your poodle regularly as the fur grows back. Things To Know Before Grooming Your Poodle Now that you know a little bit about the different types of poodle haircuts, there are a few things to keep in mind before you get started. All poodles require regular brushing Regardless of the style of haircut you choose. Brushing helps to remove excess hair and keep your poodle's coat healthy. It also helps to stimulate blood flow to the skin, which is important for natural oil production. Be sure to give your pup a good bath before grooming him, It would be best to wash your dog too often, but bathing him before grooming will help remove loose fur and leave your poodle's coat soft and shiny. A lot of groomers also recommend giving your pup a good brush after bathing to remove any excess hair, as it can clog drains or just be tough to clean up. Grooming should be a fun experience for your dog Please don't force your poodle to do anything they don't want to! Teaching them that grooming is a positive, relaxing experience will help the process go by more quickly and smoothly. Start grooming early If your dog is still a puppy, it might be a good idea to introduce him to the grooming process early on. This will help him get used to the sights, sounds, and smells of a groomer's salon, and he'll be more likely to cooperate when it's time for his actual haircut. We recommend sending your dog to a professional groomer for his haircut. This will ensure that your pup gets the best possible cut and that you don't accidentally cut him too short or leave any bald patches. Most groomers offer various services, so be sure to ask what they include in their price. Generally, a groomer will begin by bathing your dog and then trimming his nails, cleaning his ears, and starting to cut the hair according to your specifications. The process will continue with a blow-dry, and then your pup will be ready for his final trim. Poodles are known to have a lot of hair, so it can take a long time to groom them completely. You should expect the process to take up to two hours or more. You should consider many factors when choosing a groomer, including experience, pricing, and location. The best way to find a qualified groomer near you is to use Pawsh's directory. Top-Rated and Vetted Groomers All the groomers on our platform are top-rated, with glowing reviews from previous clients. We also verify all of our groomers based on training and professional experience to ensure that they're the best in their industry. At-Home Grooming Pros Our platform is special because our groomers offer grooming delivery services, meaning they come to you. This can usually help you save a lot of money and offers you the convenience of getting your poodle groomed in the comfort and familiarity of your own home. Save time and hassle by using Pawsh today! App for Android and iPhone Pawsh is available as an app for Android and iPhones to make booking groomers easier than ever before. Just download the application, enter your zip code, choose a poodle-certified groomer near you, and book your appointment! Take advantage of cashless payments to pay, tip, and rebook all through our app! Conclusion Poodles are a pretty high-maintenance breed when it comes to grooming. They have a lot of hair that needs regular attention and time-consuming maintenance. If you want your poodle to look his best, investing in a great haircut from a qualified groomer is key! For an easy way to book quality grooming services at home, Pawsh is the best option for you. Just download our app, book an appointment, and sit back as we take care of your beloved poodle! Related Posts. By Yvonne Villasenor Yvonne Villasenor is a freelance writer and animal lover who just so happens to be allergic to cats and dogs. That doesn't stop her from cuddling with them! When Yvonne's not working, you can find her lounging with her charming Chihuahuas, weightlifting, or wandering around Halloween stores. Having such unique and versatile fur means there are countless poodle haircuts for you to choose from, and a professional groomer can give your poodle a makeover with a hairstyle that best matches her personality and lifestyle. With so many options available, learn how your poodle can look like anything from a plush toy to elegant royalty! Teddy Bear Cut The teddy bear cut is a popular trim for poodles and other long-haired breeds. With this look, your poodle has longer hair on her face for a soft, rounded "teddy bear" appearance, and the rest of the fur on her body is cut at a shorter, uniform length throughout. Talk about cuddly cuteness! Summer Cut Because poodles have a single coat, they can enjoy the luxury that comes with it: the summer cut. Known as one of the most low-maintenance poodle haircuts, the summer cut is a practical haircut option that keeps your poodle's fur short so she stays comfortable in hot weather. So if you're looking to cut your hair to beat the heat in the summer, you and your poodle can rock shorter hairdos together! Puppy Cut No matter your poodle's age, you can seemingly turn back time with the puppy cut. Also a popular choice among poodle parents, the puppy cut is a simple, natural-looking trim that leaves your dog with an evenly cut length, typically 1 to 2 inches, all over. This is a highly modifiable look, so consult your groomer for a length that best fits your and your dog's preference and lifestyle. Continental Cut The continental cut is a glamorous and traditional hairstyle often worn by poodle show dogs. With this look, your poodle's face, throat, feet, and part of the tail are shaved. This look is characterized by full hair on the rib cage and chest, pom poms of fur on the tail, ankles, and hips, as well as a banded topknot on the head. German Trim Looking for a haircut that looks fancy but not too fancy? The German trim uses the power of angles to give your poodle a sharp profile. The hair on your furry friend's legs is left long, while the hair on the body and ears is cut short. This is a great option not only if your poodle is more active but also if your pup is prone to ear infections or ear matting. Modern Cut The modern cut is an elegant hairstyle that combines aesthetics with your poodle's natural features. This cut keeps the hair on the body short, accentuating your poodle's shape. The fur on the head, ears, and tail is left longer to create a fluffy appearance. When your dog has such curly, coarse locks, you may wonder how many trips to the groomer you and your poodle may be making. Poodles and poodle-crosses also go through a coat change in the first year of life, so they need to be groomed more often," says Danna Alexander, owner of Prestige Dog Grooming School. To keep mats and tangles at bay, it's best to brush your poodle at least two to three times a week. Toy poodle haircuts aren't off limits for miniature and standard poodles, just as standard poodle haircuts aren't off limits for miniature and toy poodles. While any poodle can sport any style, there may be common options you'd like to choose from. Because there are various names for different types of poodle haircuts, make sure to bring your groomer a photo of the haircut you'd love your pooch to have. Was this page helpful? This will be good practice for later on — for both of you! Yes, haircuts are essential for Poodles. Their thick, long, curly coats are prone to tangling and trapping debris. When will my Poodle puppy need haircuts? Then, at around four months old, they will shed their puppy coats and start to grow out their rougher adult coats. Frequency As a general rule, Poodles should have their coats clipped every weeks once their adult coats grow out, whatever your desired length. This is because they grow so quickly and can become matted just as fast! What equipment should I use? There are three main types of dog grooming scissors; straight scissors, curved scissors, and thinning shears, and they all perform slightly differently. Straight grooming scissors are a multi-task tool, they have straight blades for general, basic grooming, creating straight lines in the coat, and adding the finishing touches to haircuts. Curved dog grooming shear has a curved blade that can be used to fine-tune and shape specific areas of the coat, such as the paws and hindquarters. Thinning shears have a cutting edge on one blade and teeth on the other, and there are also double thinners that have teeth on both blades. They are designed to remove lots of hair in even sections for a natural finish, and they can also be used to blend out the harsh lines from clippers and texturize the coat. Or, if you just need something for the occasional touch-up between visits to the groomer, a simple pair of electrical motor clippers will do just fine. Electric motor clippers are also good for keeping short coats short. You should also be aware of the types of blades that come with clippers. The higher the number of the blade, the more hair that it will remove. Or, you can get guards that fit a single blade to customize the length, which is a lot more convenient. Start by showing them the equipment and getting them used to the sight and sound of it before you cut any hair. Reward them just for being around it and then try cutting a small section of hair. If they react well, reward them again, and then do another section. Keep rewarding them as you go and again after the haircut is finished. Do it in a well-lit, comfortable part of the home that your pup can stand up in. Once you get them into a routine — keep it up! Work your way down the legs first, then from the neck to the hindquarters, or vice versa, and then the tail. Take care with the feet, underside, and head, shielding their eyes from falling fur. Use long strokes and go from the neck down to the back legs. How to deal with grooming anxiety If your pup is afraid of the scissors or clippers, take it really slowly and try to make it an enjoyable experience. You can do this by breaking up the haircut into smaller sessions to make it less stressful and taking breaks in between each one. Give your dog lots of praise and a reward every time you take a break and ask another family member to comfort them during the haircut. You can start brushing your Poodle from any age. To brush them, simply go in the direction of hair growth using short strokes. Hold the fur at the base with your free hand to remove knots, and use a mat remover for any stubborn mats. Bathing a Poodle puppy As for bathing, you should give your Poodle pup their first proper bath at months old to help them shed their puppy coat, unless they get seriously dirty before that. However, you can give your pup a bath any time after weeks of age to get them used to the sensation, but avoid overbathing them, as this will strip the fur of its natural oils and make it dry and brittle. Once they have their adult coats, your Poodle pup will need a bath once a month. You can even buy shampoo that is designed especially for Poodle coats. To give your Poodle a bath, lather up their wet fur with the shampoo, massage it in, leave it for as long as directed on the bottle, and rinse thoroughly. Follow up with conditioner if necessary. Starting out just training her own Border Collies, she gradually expanded to local classes and seminars, now she travels as far as Europe and teaches students all over the world on how to train their dogs in a positive, bonding, game-based way. She is known for her clear, step-by-step training that lets beginners and advanced dog trainers see lasting results very quickly.

They Are Naturally Mouthy Golden Retrievers are a mouthy breed, to begin with, they are naturally inclined to pick up and hold anything and everything in their mouths. While it may seem like there is something wrong with your puppy to cause him or her to bite so much, rest assured, all puppies bite, not just Golden Retriever puppies. Play Behaviour When you see a litter of pups play together, they often nip and bite at one another. It is their way of socializing and initiating play. Your puppy will bite and nip at you during playtime with you because it is a natural behaviour to them. They Are Teething Many people associate puppy biting with teething, however when a puppy is teething they will resort to chewing and mouthing in order to relieve their pain. They may chew or mouth on your hands and fingers, but teething is not the cause of biting that every puppy owner experiences. Puppy biting is most often just play. To summarize, puppy biting is normal and should be expected as a puppy owner. In general, biting will naturally subside in Golden Retriever puppies around the age of months. This is around the time that their adult teeth have come in. Puppies at this age usually already know how to moderate their bite, and will not bite or nip at you as much as they did when they were younger. While biting anything and everything is normal behaviour to your puppy, it is not something that you want your puppy to continue to do. It is up to you to teach your puppy not to bite humans, especially children. Take a look at the common mistakes puppy owners often make, and learn to avoid them. Puppies who are excited bite more. Children often fall victim to the most puppy bites because they get very excited around puppies and this just gets the puppy going which results in biting. Any attention that you give your puppy after they bite you will seem like a reward to your puppy, and the biting will just continue. Yelling at your puppy, pushing them away, talking to your puppy, or even looking at them is giving them the attention that they want. Bite inhibition is when your puppy learns how to control the strength of his bite. Puppies learn this skill when they are with their littermates, which is why they need to stay with them and their mother until they are 8 weeks old. Playing with their littermates teaches puppies that biting too hard hurts and will end playtime. The puppy then learns to bite softer. When your puppy comes home with you, it is up to you to teach your puppy how to control the force of their bite. Biting down on the thick fur coat of his mother or littermates is a lot different than biting down on human skin. By not teaching your puppy bite inhibition, you will risk your puppy turning into a dangerous adult. Puppy bites are a lot different than adult dog bites. Once your puppy learns how to control the strength of his bite, eventually the bites become gentler, and in time, your puppy will learn to stop biting altogether. This is part of teaching your puppy bite inhibition. This is a way to mimic how puppies play together, when one puppy bites another puppy too hard, that puppy yelps in pain, and will walk away. In some cases, puppies could get even more worked up by the noise and keep on biting. This is when you need to walk away. When your puppy has calmed down, you can resume playing with your puppy. When your puppy bites you again, repeat the steps of yelping and walking away. Eventually, your puppy will learn to soften his bite, because biting too hard ends playtime. The following video discusses why puppies bite, how to teach bite inhibition and how to survive puppy biting. It is a good idea to have a few chew toys on hand to offer up as a distraction from your skin. Check out this list of the best teething toys for puppies. This will get your puppy to stop and focus on being obedient. A great way to solve boredom is by going for a walk with your puppy. How much exercise should you give your Golden Retriever puppy? A good rule of thumb is 5 minutes of exercise for every month that your puppy is alive. So a 3-month-old puppy should get 15 minutes of exercise a day, a 5-month-old puppy should get 25 minutes per day, and so on. This is in addition to and not instead of playtime. Bitter Apple Spray can also be used to prevent your puppy from nipping and biting at you. Before you interact with your puppy, spray it on your arms, legs, pant legs, or sleeves, anywhere that your puppy likes to nip at you. Once your puppy bites at you, he will get a bad taste in his mouth and will stop. Bitter Apple Spray may not work on all puppies, some may actually develop a taste for it. I know that when my Golden Retriever Ellie was a pup this stuff worked amazingly well, but as she got older she developed a taste for bitter things such as crab apples which are extremely sour and she once sucked on a vinegar packet that was lying on the ground! Reward Good Behaviour Every time your puppy stops biting and nipping at you, you need to see this as positive behaviour. Good behaviour should be rewarded so that your puppy learns that he did something good. Rewarding good behaviour with affection and praise is great, you can also use treats, or toys, sometimes the best reward for your puppy is just spending time with them. Be Patient and Consistent Owning a puppy requires a lot of patience! It is so easy to lose your patience at times, but you need to know that your puppy is learning what is right and wrong, and that takes time. It might not happen overnight, but as long as you remain consistent and patient, your pup will learn good behaviour. If your puppy is nipping at your pant legs or sleeves, chances are he is loving the tugging feeling and is actually already playing tug-of-war. Instead of using your clothing, redirect his attention to a rope toy. One thing to be careful of is being too rough with tug-of-war, especially when your puppy is going through his teething phase. A game of fetch offers your pup a distraction from biting, and Golden Retriever puppies naturally love to retrieve things. This is a great way to also teach your puppy to drop it, by offering a treat when your puppy drops the ball or rope toy. A well-socialized puppy will be less likely to exhibit any unwanted behaviours later on. Enrolling your pup in puppy kindergarten or arranging some play dates with other dogs who are friendly and vaccinated is a great way for your pup to learn social skills. Other dogs are sometimes the best teachers for a puppy because they will let your puppy know what is okay for play and what is not okay, in terms of biting and nipping. Always supervise your puppy while playing with other dogs. Yelling at your puppy will only make your puppy scared and confused as well as lose trust and respect for you. Common mistakes people make when their puppy is biting are pushing them away, clamping down on their mouths or spraying them in the face with water. All of these are a bad idea! Your puppy could see this behaviour as a form of play and continue biting and nipping at you even harder. If you remain calm and use a firm voice not yelling , your pup will see you as in charge. Puppies and dogs often exhibit the same behaviour as we do, if you get upset and start yelling, your puppy will just get even more excited. As unpleasant as puppy biting is, it is normal behaviour. Your puppy biting and nipping at you with a mouth full of shark teeth may seem aggressive, but it is most often just out of curiosity and play behaviour. Golden Retrievers are known for their calm and gentle demeanour, but there are rare instances where you may have an aggressive puppy on your hands. Puppies who have been taken away from their litter earlier than weeks, bad breeding, being abused, a chemical imbalance, and not being socialized are all reasons for aggression in puppies. Signs of an aggressive puppy include barking, growling, lunging at you or another dog, a stiff posture, and showing teeth. If you think your puppy is aggressive, it is important to work with a professional dog trainer or behaviourist in order to find out the reasons for aggression and work on correcting the behaviour before it gets worse. It is important to keep your calm and work with your puppy to teach him the important skill of bite inhibition, and to redirect his biting to more appropriate behaviour. Socializing your puppy, as well as rewarding good behaviour will all help to turn your puppy into a well-behaved dog. Have you tried any of the tips mentioned above? Do you have any other tips to stop Golden Retriever puppy biting? Share your thoughts and comments below, as well as any questions you may have. I would love to hear from you. Jenny I am the proud owner of a Golden Retriever named Ellie. She keeps me busy, and when she is resting, you can find me working on my blog. She is always close by though. I live in Stirling, ON Canada with my husband, and we both enjoy the never a dull moment life with our Ellie. Spread the love. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on a link and purchase the item. This comes at no extra cost to you. Wish your golden retriever puppy would stop biting so much? Puppy nipping is one of the most frustrating things about raising a new puppy—their teeth are razor-sharp, it hurts when they bite, and they can ruin your clothes! But why do puppies bite so much? Puppies bite to learn acquired bite inhibition, or ABI. What exactly is ABI? He might leap up and bite you because you hurt him and scared him. But the important thing is this: how hard will they bite? This is where ABI comes in. So ABI is really important. Now the question is, how do they learn it? The only way for puppies to learn ABI is to bite, and bite often. The best teachers are other dogs. Next time they bite a little less hard and playtime continues. This is how they learn ABI. Obviously, it takes a lot of repetition of this scenario to happen for a puppy to learn not to bite so hard, but this is essentially how it works out. Yes, you will need to help teach your puppy ABI. You can do this two ways: Set up puppy playdates and take them to puppy kindergarten so other puppies can teach them ABI. You actually want them to bite a little bit and learn to control how hard they bite. That being said, letting them go on a biting rampage is not helping the situation, so here are five tips to help you stop your puppy from biting so much: 1. Socialize your puppy Other dogs are the best teachers of ABI so make sure to get your puppy in kindergarten and set up playdates with dogs that you know are vaccinated. Remove yourself from the situation Puppies can often be over-stimulated or over-tired. One thing we did with our puppy, Oliver, when he got in these moods was to go sit at our high-top table in the kitchen and ignore him until he calmed down or distracted himself with a chew toy. Exercise your puppy A tired puppy is a good puppy. Young puppies have weak jaws, so if they had dull teeth, a bite from them would be no big deal. Most adult golden retrievers bite out of fear and a professional can help you properly handle it. Puppy Biting vs. Chewing Puppy biting or nipping is when a dog purposefully bites you. As we already talked about, they need to do this to learn ABI. Puppy chewing, on the other hand, is when puppies chew on things to relieve the pressure in their mouths from their adult teeth coming in. Since puppies bite and chew for different reasons, you need to handle these problems differently. Mentally wear them by out by training them, going for long walks and letting them sniff around, and giving them puzzle toys or frozen kongs. Remember that a tired puppy is a good puppy. A: It can take up to six weeks or more for your puppy to learn ABI and what is appropriate to bite or not. If it takes longer than six weeks, just remember to be consistent with the steps to stop it and have faith that it will slow down soon. Q: Is puppy biting an act of aggression? A: Most puppy biting is a form of play. It helps them learn ABI. If you think your puppy is biting out of aggression, then you should talk to a professional. Q: Why are puppy teeth so sharp? Q: What is ABI? A: ABI is acquired bite inhibition, or the natural ability for a dog to not bite so hard. Q: Do all puppies bite? A: Yes! Instead, they need to learn to control their bite force, then learn to bite less. Have any questions about puppy biting? Let me know in the comments below! Related articles:. But much like other puppies, a Golden Retriever puppy has a tendency to chew and bite. So, how can you train your Golden Retriever puppy not to bite? Consistency is the key to teaching your Golden Retriever puppy not to bite. However, you have to train your dog to behave, and that includes keeping them from biting. This article may contain affiliate links and loyalgoldens may earn a commission if a purchase is made. Unlock your goldens natural intelligence and see just how quickly problem behaviors disappear. This is the best at home dog training I've ever used! Get up and walk away from the dog. Leave the room if you can. Focus on something else for a bit. And believe me, a Golden Retriever puppy or not always wants your attention! Now, you may not see immediate results with this method, but it will work over time if you remain consistent. Sending your new puppy mixed signals will only confuse him or her. You can pet your dog to reward them for not getting mouthy with your hand or fingers while playing. It can take a while to get to this stage, so be patient. When, your dog gets through an entire play session without biting, that deserves some extra love. Now, you have to be careful not to give too much attention when your dog does bite. If your Golden Retriever reverts to biting out of excitement or nervousness, immediately stop giving them attention. Turn away and ignore your dog like what you did before. Hopefully, they will get the message more quickly, so you can go back to playing without them biting. Use a firm tone rather than a cute tone you might use when praising your dog. When you say no, use physical signals to get your Golden Retriever to stop. Take your hand out of their mouth and move it out of reach. Make sure anyone who trains the dog uses the same firm tone. Tips to stop golden retriever pups from biting. Watch for Patterns Another way you can train your Golden Retriever puppy to stop biting is to watch for patterns. See if your dog tends to bite more at certain times of day, in the same room, or while playing with a particular toy. When your dog does bite, you can use other methods to get them to stop immediately. But after the fact, write down the date, time, and situation. If multiple people are training your dog, you should also log who your dog tends to bite. That way, you can see if there are patterns. Use Bitter Spray When you start training your Golden Retriever puppy, you may want to try using a bitter spray on your hands. Try this bitter spray Amazon , it works on your hands to stop chewing and biting and it also works on other things around the house that a new puppy might want to chew on like houseplants, furniture, etc. This can be an easy way to get your dog not to bite you. Now, this can be difficult if your dog bites other areas of your body, but it can help. You might get quicker results than if you only stuck to ignoring your dog. Have Lots of Toys Another excellent way to train your Golden Retriever to stop biting you is to use toys. You should be careful and use toys when your dog exhibits good behavior. But you can give your dog chew toys so that they have something they can bite. There is even a teething ring for dogs Amazon that you keep in the freezer and it provides something cool to chew on to help ease the pain during this period of your puppies life. Then, your dog will want to behave well when they play with you. Discover how to train your Golden Retriever by playing games : 21 games to play with your Golden that will make them smarter and better behaved! You can have a bag of small treats in your pocket that you use when playing with your dog. Whenever they go a long time without biting, you can give them a treat. You can also use the treats to distract your dog. If you know their patterns and when they usually bite, you can preempt that with a treat. Then, your dog can chew on the food rather than your hand. There are tons of treats out there, so go with something small. Try to avoid using treats as a bribe, and focus on making them a reward. That way, your dog can look forward to a treat for their good habits. Start As Soon as Possible Training your Golden Retriever puppy not to bite should start as soon as you bring your puppy home. If you wait until your dog gets into the habit of biting, it will be hard to break. You may still need to use various ways to train your dog, but it should be easier. Starting when your puppy is super young can also help them with other areas of their life. If you can train them not to bite, you will know how they learn best, which will help you train them for other things. It will also be harder if you use one method while your spouse uses another method. Everyone in your household should decide on how and when to train your Golden Retriever puppy. Use the same toys or treats, train your dog simultaneously, or use the same speaking tone. That way, your dog can learn from everyone rather than a single trainer. Then, you all can enjoy your Golden Retriever, and they can develop good habits. Final Thoughts Training a Golden Retriever to stop biting can take some time. You have to figure out when your dog bites and what triggers the biting. Then, you have to determine how your dog learns best and use that method to train your puppy. But once you find the perfect tool, your dog will learn to stop biting. You are bound to want to know when your biting puppy will grow out of this phase and how you can speed that process up. Biting, as you will have discovered is usually accompanied by lots of noise! Why do puppies bite? So why do puppies bite? My puppy is biting hard Puppies do bite hard and it does hurt. But I want to reassure you that even at 8 weeks old, your puppy has learned to moderate his bite in play. Puppies have powerful jaws designed to tear through flesh and crush bones. Those of you who feed your puppy a raw diet will know that even an 8 week old puppy from a medium sized breed can crush bones the size of your little finger. He is deliberately attempting to be gentle. Puppy Biting — Bite inhibition This ability, that your puppy has, to moderate the power of his jaws in play, is called bite inhibition. It is something that his mother started to teach him when he was just a few weeks old. And now it is your turn to take over and complete the training process. Growling and Puppy biting One thing that often worries people who have a new puppy in the family, is the growling that accompanies puppy biting. It sounds horrific. Great snarls and snaps accompany the biting and the puppy can appear quite demonic as he grabs onto your skin, or clothes. Tugging away with all the strength he can muster. Ninety nine times out of a hundred this is completely normal play biting. Is my puppy biting aggressive? You cannot determine whether or not a puppy is biting aggressively by how hard he bites or by the volume of the noise he makes. Play biting puppies bite hard and growl fiercely. Some puppies do occasionally draw blood. But these are not normally savage or crushing bites and the puppy is clearly enjoying himself. Fierce but fun! The play biting puppy will launch himself at the target of his bite. Whether it is your slippers or your fingers, with equal tail-wagging enthusiasm, hanging on grimly and grabbing repeatedly when the item is removed from him. All this, shocking though it may seem, is normal, and is not a sign that your puppy is going to be an aggressive dog! In fact some of the gentlest and most amiable breeds the labrador for example are the worst and fiercest play biters. The puppy that is a cause for concern is the puppy that is frightened. Because although puppies rarely bite through aggression, the nervous puppy may become aggressive as he matures Is my puppy afraid? A scared puppy may bite and scared puppies can grow into scared adult dogs so this is something you need to address quickly. You will know that your puppy is scared because he will try to avoid whatever it is he is scared of. A really frightened puppy will sometimes give off a distinctive musky smell. This hiding, and retreating, and the scared smell are warning signs that you have scared your puppy badly, or purchased a poorly socialised puppy. In this situation you need to get specialist help right away. Your vet should be able to advise you. For the vast majority of puppy owners then, biting is normal puppy behavior. Will my puppy biting stop naturally? To some extent biting is a phase caused by natural puppy playfulness and teething. Some puppies do stop biting with very little input from their family. Which is great. You may feel he should have grown out of it by now. We can physically prevent puppies from biting and we can train puppies not to bite. Both of these are good strategies. Or when children are getting upset, or visitors are winding your puppy up. Prevention usually involves interrupting the biting behavior, then redirecting the puppy into an alternative and more acceptable behavior, such as chewing on a toy. Or, it may involve temporarily separating him from his playmates. Interrupting the puppy biting In mild cases you may simply be able to put a toy in your biting puppy's mouth and get him tugging on that instead of on your fingers. If you are on the floor with the puppy stand up. And if you are standing up, turn and walk away from the puppy. This is where dog gates come in very handy with small puppies. A standard baby gate works fine for most breeds of dog. Managing the puppy You may have to pick up your biting puppy to remove him from the scene if he is biting your children for example, rather than you If he bites your hands and clothes as you try to restrain him, put him on the other side of a barrier or in his crate or puppy playpen for a short while. Although the puppy does learn from them, these are useful management techniques to enable you to control the situation. They help you to keep your puppy calm, and prevent the biting escalating through over excitement. Over-excited puppies Puppy play biting is directly linked to excitement. The more excited your puppy gets, the more and the harder he will bite. And the harder it will be to interrupt and distract him. Rough play excites puppies and noisy play does too. Children tend to squeal when they play and get very physical with puppies. One of the first rules they need to learn when playing with dogs, especially big dogs, is to stand up and stand still when the game gets too much. Limit such play and call a halt to it if your puppy is biting. With medium to large breed dogs, physical rough and tumble play is not a great idea. It can lead to dogs bowling people over or humping them, neither of which is very pleasant. Stopping play when it gets rough is a good management strategy and it is a form of training too. Over time, your puppy learns that biting and rough play loses him his playmates and that people simply leave if he is being mean. When do puppies stop biting? Many puppies have stopped biting completely by six months of age and biting is usually subsiding by the time that the puppy is heading towards five months old. This is if the puppy has been managed appropriately If people have been exciting him, or rewarding him for attention seeking behavior then biting can persist And it can be much more of a problem in bigger stronger puppies than in little ones. Training Puppies Not To Bite The idea of this exercise is to teach a puppy to accept being stroked and handled in any way, without touching us with his teeth. The event marker is a distinctive sound. Even around his mouth, without him making any attempt to bite you. You can also make it easier for him by starting this training when he is calm and not distracted. But for now, keep things simple. It can be a good way of getting the training started so that you have chance to say YES and give the puppy the opportunity to learn what you want him to do. Over the next few sessions, you can work on getting your hand closer and closer to the puppy. Until you are brushing the sides of his face without him making any attempt to mouth or bite at you Progress to touching and holding his collar, stroking his ears, grooming him, examining his paws and so on, all the time rewarding him for the correct behavior. Anytime the mouthing returns, back up to a point where he can succeed and move forward more slowly again Bite Inhibition Training Some experts feel that puppies should be allowed to mouth and even bite gently for a week or two before being prevented from biting altogether. Simply follow the instructions for managing your puppy above when he bites hard. But allow him to mouth you when he bites gently without much pressure. This is a great way to teach a dog excellent control over his mouth. After a couple of weeks of this, you can progress to the training exercise I outlined in the previous section. Older puppies that bite in play have often learned that this gets them a lot of attention. They have discovered that people squeal and shout and get quite cross. Sometimes these people push and shove the dog around which young dogs quite enjoy when they are playing. For these dogs it is important that you stop all physical play, with all family members If a puppy is biting hard at your hands when you try to interrupt his game. Or an older puppy is getting out of hand biting at clothing, you need to put your puppy on a harness and house-line a short trailing leash. This will enable you to control your puppy, and take him to a calming place, without handling him. You can just pick up the end of the line and lead him away. Older biting puppies are often bright and bored. And the best approach to avoiding future episodes of bad behavior is a structured programme of training and interesting activities. A professional dog trainer using modern positive training methods will be able to help you with these. Summary So now you know some tips on how to stop your puppy from biting. The first few weeks can be tough with a determined biter in the house, but you will get through this and come out the other side. A few months from now, this difficult period will be a distant memory In the meantime, focus on keeping your biting puppy calm, avoiding too much rough play, and redirecting his biting onto appropriate toys and activities. Spend some time on the training exercise set out above. Are you a proud new golden retriever puppy parent or considering getting a furry friend? While puppies are adorable and full of energy, they can also be a handful, especially when it comes to biting. This article will cover practical strategies to manage puppy biting and help you and your pup develop a solid and loving relationship. Thus biting is natural. Their bites will become softer as they practice and learn to manage their bite strength. They will eventually stop biting entirely. While biting is a natural part of the learning process, it is essential to train your puppy not to bite excessively. Here are a few tips to get you started: Providing Chew Toys for Redirecting Biting Behavior Providing chew toys is an excellent approach to help your puppy stop biting. When your puppy begins to bite you, remove your hand or foot and replace it with a chew toy. This teaches them that biting is acceptable, but only when done with toys, not people. It is essential to keep an eye on your puppy when they play with chew toys to ensure they do not consume anything toxic. By exposing your puppy to a variety of people, animals, and environments in a controlled and positive manner, you can help them develop proper social skills and reduce biting tendencies. Socialization helps puppies learn appropriate bite inhibition and establishes boundaries for acceptable behavior during interactions. Through well-planned socialization experiences, you can guide your puppy towards becoming a well-behaved and gentle companion. Employing the Time-Out Strategy for Persistent Biting Use the time-out strategy when other methods fail to stop your puppy from biting. If your puppy continues to bite, place him on a time-out for 30 seconds before allowing him to return to play. This teaches your puppy that biting is unacceptable and will result in a loss of playtime or attention. Again, use a gentle tone and avoid shouting or scolding your puppy. When your puppy plays gently with their toys instead of biting you, shower them with praise and perhaps even a tasty gift! This teaches your puppy that good behavior leads to beautiful things. Instead, concentrate on encouraging appropriate behavior and redirecting any inappropriate biting. Your puppy will learn to control their biting and play in a friendly and safe manner with time, patience, and positive reinforcement. This entails repeating the same commands, techniques, and rewards each time you train. When you do this, your puppy learns what is expected of them and how to get rewarded. On the other hand, if you are inconsistent, your puppy may get confused and unsure of what they need to do to please you. This can make training more difficult and frustrating for you and your puppy. So, strive to be consistent in your training. However, they can get nippy during their fun exploration of the world around them. The good news is that this is a natural habit for pups, and there are ways to deal with it. Puppies prefer to bite to initiate play, learn more about their surroundings, and adjust their bite pressure, especially when they are teething. These actions are part of how they play, interact, and learn about their environment. First, however, puppies must be taught how to control their biting pressure and redirect their biting to appropriate toys and chew objects, which we will discuss later. Puppy bites, for example, can become more painful and even harmful as they increase in size. Additionally, it might lead to destructive chewing if you do not divert their biting habit to appropriate chew items. As a result, it is critical to address this habit early on through regular teaching and positive reinforcement. Understand what motivates them and what makes them more likely to engage in biting. Adjust your training methods: Not all puppies respond to the same training techniques. Some may respond better to positive reinforcement, while others may require more redirection and distraction. Consider their energy levels: Golden Retrievers are known for their energy and enthusiasm. Be patient and consistent: Training takes time, and each puppy learns at their own pace. Be patient with your puppy and provide consistent guidance. Remember, every Golden Retriever puppy is an individual, and what works for one may not work for another. With a customized approach, you can effectively address biting behavior and set your unique puppy on the path to becoming a well-behaved and happy companion. So, most puppies begin to bite and mouth less frequently when they are 8 to 10 months old. However, this varies greatly depending on the individual pup. Some may stop sooner, while others may take a little longer. Golden retrievers, for example, love using their tongues. At the same time, herding dogs such as border collies or corgis may continue to nip at ankles as they age. Just keep working with your pet and providing the guidance they require to create positive habits! Conclusion As you begin the joyful road of raising your Golden Retriever puppy, keep in mind that training and socialization are essential for producing a happy and well-behaved dog. You can teach your puppy what is expected of them and create healthy behaviors that will last a lifetime using consistent and positive reinforcement techniques. Remember that each puppy is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. You will be rewarded with a devoted and well-behaved companion if you are patient and committed to the training process. Remember to give your puppy enough exercise and mental stimulation and to continuously reward positive behavior. You can help your puppy grow into a happy and healthy adult dog who will provide you happiness for many years by doing so. By the time your puppy reaches around three months of age, they should start to develop bite inhibition and learn to control the force of their bites during play. As you continue to interact and train with your puppy, you can gradually increase your sensitivity to the level of bites you find acceptable. By the age of four or five months, their play bites should no longer exert any force. Can I use physical punishment to stop my puppy from biting? Certainly not! To stop a puppy from biting, never use physical punishment. It is not only ineffective, but it can also be harmful and cause long-term behavioral issues. Instead, train your puppy using positive reinforcement techniques, including redirection, time-outs, and excellent rewarding behavior. What can I do? Puppies frequently nip and bite while playing with other dogs, but teaching them to control their bite force is essential. My puppy is teething. What can I do to stop them from biting? Teething is a normal developmental stage for puppies , and they naturally want to chew and bite things. Similar to what we discussed earlier. Galen has been connecting quality Golden Retriever breeders with loving families since and is the founder of My Golden Retriever Puppies. He and his wife have four children and love spending time together, traveling lived oversees for 4 years , enjoying the outdoors and connecting Golden families. Be the first to know when we have new puppies! All Rights Reserved. Read the full disclosure here. Tasty finger! Your golden retriever puppy is as friendly as can be — great with kids, respectful of other dogs, and not overly attentive to your cat. Yes, golden retrievers are known for their good-natured demeanor, but they are still dogs — not so very far removed from their wild cousins, and they can be unpredictable when faced with stressful, disturbing, or frightening situations. One of our jobs as responsible dog owners, of course, is to keep our dogs safe, but we may not always be able to protect them, and we may not always be able to prevent them from biting through fear or when in pain. What is Bite Inhibition? Puppies begin learning this from their mother and siblings as soon as they start to tumble around with each other in play. If they bite too hard, they are scolded by their mother or alerted with a yelp from their siblings. Eventually, they learn how hard is too hard, and they use their teeth more gently in play. Human Sensitive or Advanced Bite Inhibition By the time your puppy moves into your home, they will have been using their bite inhibition skills for weeks. Your puppy needs to learn that human beings are fragile and should be treated with care. There are many professional trainers who recommend that you simply train your puppy not to bite. This seems like a practical course of action, and it does work — in the short term. Teaching a puppy not to bite will give you quick results, but it may mean they never learn how much force is safe to use on people when they are forced to bite in an emergency. So if they do eventually bite, they will know to hold back the pressure safely and will not cause anywhere near as much pain or damage as they otherwise might. Why is Bite Inhibition Important? Believe it or not, even the most gentle dog that has been trained from a young age never to bite, can react to certain triggers. Those triggers are fear and pain. Consider these situations: Your dog has been suffering from chronic ear infections and hates to have his ears handled. The neighbor stops by with her toddler, who immediately runs to your dog and fondles his sensitive ears roughly. What will he do? You and your dog are walking down the road like you do every morning when out of nowhere comes a huge dog who attacks your dog without thinking twice. You manage to pull your dog away, but in the process, your frightened dog bites your arm. Your sweet golden retriever has gotten themself tangled in some barbed wire while hiking. As you loosen the wire from her skin and fur, she snaps at you, biting your hand. You may never experience any of these situations. By teaching bite inhibition while your puppy is young, you will be far safer and ready for any of these situations should they occur. Teaching Advanced Bite Inhibition Following is a general guide to the bite inhibition skills your puppy learns and when, as well as where you should aim for their skills to be at certain ages. She will start the puppies off by teaching them how rough is too rough during nursing and play. These lessons begin when the puppies start nursing day 1 and continue until the day you pick your puppy up from the breeder. This works for some puppies, but for others, it just seems to arouse the pup and make matters worse. You will have to experiment to find out what works for you and your pup. You should withdraw all of your attention from your puppy for very hard bites. Do not over-correct your puppy so they become afraid of biting. After your puppy has calmed down, use a chew toy as a reward and let them chew it in your lap or lying by your side. This teaches you puppy that there are other ways to keep their mouths and teeth busy. By four or five months, all force behind play bites should be eliminated. Kids tend to play rough with puppies, and puppies will get rough right back. Your puppy needs to know that every human being is sensitive to their bites, not just you. It is a process that sometimes lasts months, depending on your puppy. Be prepared for this, and remember that long-term results in your adult dog are more important than curtailing puppy bites as painful as they may be. Supervise your puppy around children — If you have young children at home, you will have to think carefully about how you will protect them and your puppy. Little puppy teeth can cause a lot of pain, especially when your pup is still learning to control those urges. Young children can also cause a lot of pain to small puppies. Always supervise very carefully when your pup and children are together. A tired puppy is a happy puppy — It will be much easier to teach bite inhibition if your puppy is not bouncing off the walls. Make sure they get enough exercise every day. Not only will this help with training, but it will also help prevent all kinds of other destructive behavior. Conclusion Teaching bite inhibition to your golden retriever puppy is a gift you give to your pup that will last forever.