Bringing Home Your Mini Goldendoodle Puppy
The first 8 weeks at home set the tone for your puppy’s entire life. Here’s what we tell every Michigan Doodles family before they pick up their puppy — and what to do once you’re home.
Before You Pick Up (The Shopping List)
Have these in place before the puppy comes home — you don’t want to be making midnight Amazon orders with a screaming puppy in the background.
- Crate (24-30″ — they’ll grow into it). Wire crate with a divider works great.
- Bedding — cheap towels first. Real beds come at 4-5 months when chewing slows down.
- Food and water bowls — stainless steel is best.
- Puppy food — start with whatever your breeder is feeding to avoid stomach upset.
- Collar, harness, 6-foot leash.
- Pee pads or potty bells for the early weeks.
- Enzymatic cleaner (Nature’s Miracle) — lots of it.
- Chew toys — Kong puppy, Nylabones, frozen washcloths for teething.
Week 1: Decompression
Your puppy just left their mother, littermates, and the only home they’ve known. The first week is about safety, not stimulation. Limit visitors. No dog parks, no other dogs (except your own). Lots of sleep — puppies need 18-20 hours a day.
This week: establish the crate as the puppy’s safe space. Start a potty schedule (every 2 hours during the day, 3-4 hours overnight). Vet visit within 72 hours.
Week 2: Routines
Routine is everything for a puppy. Same wake time, same meal times, same walk route, same bedtime. Predictability builds confidence.
This week: introduce basic name recognition and “sit.” Start very short (60-second) training sessions multiple times a day. Begin gentle handling — feet, ears, mouth — so vet and grooming visits aren’t traumatic later.
Weeks 3-4: Socialization (The Critical Window)
The window between 8-16 weeks of age is the single most important socialization period of your dog’s life. Whatever they’re exposed to (positively!) during these weeks shapes how they react to the world for the rest of their life.
This week: expose your puppy to as many safe new things as possible. Different surfaces (grass, gravel, tile, carpet). Different sounds (vacuum, doorbell, car horn). Different people (men with hats, kids, elderly people). Hold off on dog parks until vaccinations are complete, but socialization with vaccinated friends’ dogs is great.
Weeks 5-6: Training Foundations
Your puppy is now smart enough to learn fast and confident enough to push limits. This is when bad habits form if you let them (jumping, nipping, ignoring recall).
This week: enroll in a puppy class if you can find one. Practice “leave it” and “come” daily. Start basic leash manners. Introduce a teeth-brushing routine — Goldendoodles are prone to dental issues and starting young saves you thousands later.
Weeks 7-8: Settling In
By now, your puppy knows your routines and your house. They’ve started losing baby teeth (everything is now a chew toy). House training is mostly reliable but still needs vigilance.
This week: if you haven’t already, schedule a first grooming appointment for around 12-14 weeks of age. Even just a “puppy intro” visit at the groomer makes future appointments much easier. Continue socialization. Reinforce training daily.
The Mistakes We See Most Often
- Too much freedom too fast. An untrained puppy with run of the house will get into trouble. Use baby gates and the crate liberally for the first 6 months.
- Skipping the crate. Crate training is a kindness — your dog learns a safe place to rest, and you have somewhere to put them when life gets hectic.
- Inconsistent rules. If the puppy can’t be on the couch, ever — that means never, not “unless they’re really cute right now.” Dogs can’t process gray areas.
- Skipping socialization. The 8-16 week window doesn’t come back. Use it.
When to Call Us
Michigan Doodles families have lifetime support. Anything from “is this normal?” to “I think we need a trainer recommendation” — call us. We’ve seen it all and we love staying in our families’ lives. Get in touch anytime.