Raising Your Puppy

Raising your puppy can be a big undertaking! From deciding on a food brand, to training methods, to avoiding common mistakes, we are here to help! Read on below to see some helpful tips and tricks for how to raise your puppy correctly!

Raising your Puppy - FAQ

What food brand should I feed my puppy?

After completing a lot of research, we recommend feeding your puppy a WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary Association) approved puppy food. Our personal favourite is Purina Pro Plan. However, we have also heard good things about Royal Canin, Eukanuba, and Hill's. Always follow your vet's advice when choosing a food for your puppy!

Why don't you recommend feeding grain-free or raw food?

Unfortunately, there has recently been an association between grain-free food and DCM (Dilated Cardiomyopathy). This disease is potentially deadly, which is why we recommend avoiding grain-free foods until more information is available. Raw diets aren't necessarily bad, however they can be difficult to formulate correctly. Many store-bought raw brands are not formulated to meet your dog's nutritional requirements. We do not recommend feeding puppies a raw diet to avoid nutrient deficiencies and growth issues. If you would like to feed your adult dog either a balanced raw or home-cooked diet we highly recommend speaking to a veterinary nutritionist - they can help ensure the diet is formulated to meet your pup's individual requirements!

How can I help prevent environmental hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia isn't a congenital defect; this means it isn't present at birth. Current studies show that only 15-40% of hip dysplasia cases are caused by a dog's genetics. These poor hip scores and hip dysplasia may be reduced or prevented through selective breeding and health testing. Unfortunately, even the most careful breeders may eventually produce a puppy that ends up with hip dysplasia. If genetics only account for 15-40% of hip dysplasia, what is the cause of the remaining 60-85%? Current studies point towards the majority of hip dysplasia cases being environmental. This means that it's important to safeguard your puppy's hips until they are fully mature! How can you safeguard their hips?

Avoid stairs for as long as possible - carry your puppy up/down flights of stares whenever you can.
Avoid forced exercise (especially on hard surfaces) until your puppy is a minimum of 1 year of age for small puppies, 1.5 years for medium puppies, and 2 years for large puppies. Examples of forced exercise include: running on a treadmill, jogging beside a person or bike, running on pavement, fetch, dog sports, etc.
Refrain from allowing your puppy to jump on and off of surfaces. Examples include: jumping in and out of the car, on and off the couch, on and off the bed, etc.
Try to avoid slippery surfaces where possible. To help prevent slipping, you can also keep your pup's paw pads shaved.
Avoid overfeeding your puppy/dog. Extra weight leads to extra strain on the joints!
Encourage gentle exercise. Great exercises for puppies and young dogs include swimming and self-moderated exercise in a fenced-in (preferably grassy) yard. Puppies who are allowed to choose when to stop are much less likely to overdo things.
Provide quality puppy-specific nutrition. Even if you want to feed a raw or boutique diet eventually, it is best to feed a WSAVA approved puppy food while your puppy is growing. Foods that are incorrectly formulated may cause puppies to grow too quickly or they may lead to nutrient deficiencies.

How do I housetrain my new puppy?

House training can be difficult, especially for first-time puppy parents. We recommend using positive reinforcement to teach your puppy the best place to eliminate. Every time your puppy eats, drinks, or wakes up, he/she should be taken out to go to the bathroom. Bring your puppy's favourite treats! When your puppy has success, it's important to make a big deal of it. Give lots of praise and tasty treats to encourage them to want to go outside the next time. It is also helpful to crate train your puppy, as puppies naturally want to keep their "den" space clean.

How do I maintain my puppy's coat? (I.E. how to avoid a shave down at the groomers)

Unless your doodle has no furnishings (short coat like a Bernese mountain dog) regular maintenance will be required. Lack of grooming can lead to matting. Matting may not appear like a big deal, however it is very painful to your dog. Imagine putting your hair into a ponytail and never taking it out - matting hurts! Part of having a doodle is maintaining their beautiful fur. There are a few ways you can do this:

Brushing (and combing) your dog's fur every single day. This is what's required if you would like to keep your dog's hair long. If you can't get a metal comb through your dog's hair from root to tip, your groomer will be forced to shave. It is inhumane to de-mat a dog, so please keep in mind that groomers are not being lazy if they end up needing to shave your pup.
Brushing your dog's fur once or twice a week. If you don't mind a shorter haircut you can get away with brushing less often. You will have to bring your pup to the groomer's more often, but maintenance at home can be reduced.
Visit the groomers often! Most doodles require a grooming appointment approximately every 4-8 weeks. Length between appointments should be recommended by your groomer based on your individual dog's coat type and your desired style.
Introduce your puppy to grooming from a young age. Your puppy should be professionally groomed as early as possible. Some groomers may even groom puppies as early as 8 weeks! Talk to your groomer to see what sorts of sanitation protocols they have to protect unvaccinated puppies. The latest a puppy's first grooming appointment should be is after their final vaccine at 16 weeks. Your puppy does not need to be trimmed at their first (or even their second, third, fourth, etc.) grooming appointments. Your groomer may only do a bath brush and blow-dry the first few times until you (and your puppy) are ready for a haircut. Early introduction to grooming will ensure your puppy isn't afraid of the grooming process.
Mistakes happen! Even the most careful doodle parent can make mistakes. If your pup gets matted, it's not the end of the world; simply bring them to the groomers for a shave down. Once the matting is gone, you can start fresh.

What vaccines should I give my puppy/dog?

Many new dog owners find the overwhelming quantity of choices confusing. What vaccines are best? Ideally, puppy parents should check with their local vet for recommendations. Different areas have different diseases. For puppy owners in Ontario we recommend the following vaccines:

DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus). This is the core vaccine that dogs receive at 7-8 weeks, 11-12 weeks, and 15-16 weeks. After their puppy vaccines a booster is usually recommended yearly.
Leptospirosis. This vaccine is usually given at 11-12 weeks, and 15-16 weeks, then once yearly. Leptospirosis is a devastating and often deadly disease. We personally know dogs that have died from this disease, so we highly recommend that you vaccinate your puppy against Lepto.
Rabies. This vaccine is legally required in Ontario; it is usually given at 16 weeks, and then yearly after that.
Bordetella. This vaccine helps to prevent "kennel cough" which is common in dogs that visit boarding, daycare, or other high risk environments. Kennel cough is usually not severe, however if you will be using boarding facilities it is recommended.

When should I get my dog spayed/neutered?

The best age for spay/neuter really depends on the size of your dog. Large breed dogs should wait longer than small or medium breed dogs. In large breed dogs, there is an increased risk of hip dysplasia, increased risk of osteosarcoma, and increased risk of ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) injury. Medium and small breed dogs have less risks associated so earlier spay/neuter is less of a concern.

Should I get pet insurance?

Pet insurance is a great investment, especially for the first year of your puppy's life. If you have enough saved up that you would prefer not to get pet insurance, that's OK too, just keep in mind that some treatments can be expensive!

Do I have to follow the recommendations listed on this page?

No, these are only recommendations, not requirements! Ultimately how you raise your puppy is up to you. We hope that you will do lots of your own research and talk to your own vet for advice. Raising a puppy is kind of like raising a child, everyone has their own preferred methods for puppy parenthood, and that's OK!

I have questions about raising my puppy that aren't answered here. What should I do?

We are always available to answer any questions you might have! Feel free to reach out via text, email, or phone.

Raising Your Puppy

Raising your Puppy - FAQ

What food brand should I feed my puppy?

​

Why don't you recommend feeding grain-free or raw food?

​

How can I help prevent environmental hip dysplasia?

Avoid stairs for as long as possible - carry your puppy up/down flights of stares whenever you can.

Refrain from allowing your puppy to jump on and off of surfaces. Examples include: jumping in and out of the car, on and off the couch, on and off the bed, etc.

Try to avoid slippery surfaces where possible. To help prevent slipping, you can also keep your pup's paw pads shaved.

Avoid overfeeding your puppy/dog. Extra weight leads to extra strain on the joints!

Encourage gentle exercise. Great exercises for puppies and young dogs include swimming and self-moderated exercise in a fenced-in (preferably grassy) yard. Puppies who are allowed to choose when to stop are much less likely to overdo things.

Provide quality puppy-specific nutrition. Even if you want to feed a raw or boutique diet eventually, it is best to feed a WSAVA approved puppy food while your puppy is growing. Foods that are incorrectly formulated may cause puppies to grow too quickly or they may lead to nutrient deficiencies.

​

How do I housetrain my new puppy?

​

How do I maintain my puppy's coat? (I.E. how to avoid a shave down at the groomers)

Brushing your dog's fur once or twice a week. If you don't mind a shorter haircut you can get away with brushing less often. You will have to bring your pup to the groomer's more often, but maintenance at home can be reduced.

Visit the groomers often! Most doodles require a grooming appointment approximately every 4-8 weeks. Length between appointments should be recommended by your groomer based on your individual dog's coat type and your desired style.

Mistakes happen! Even the most careful doodle parent can make mistakes. If your pup gets matted, it's not the end of the world; simply bring them to the groomers for a shave down. Once the matting is gone, you can start fresh.

What vaccines should I give my puppy/dog?

Many new dog owners find the overwhelming quantity of choices confusing. What vaccines are best? Ideally, puppy parents should check with their local vet for recommendations. Different areas have different diseases. For puppy owners in Ontario we recommend the following vaccines:

DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus). This is the core vaccine that dogs receive at 7-8 weeks, 11-12 weeks, and 15-16 weeks. After their puppy vaccines a booster is usually recommended yearly.

Leptospirosis. This vaccine is usually given at 11-12 weeks, and 15-16 weeks, then once yearly. Leptospirosis is a devastating and often deadly disease. We personally know dogs that have died from this disease, so we highly recommend that you vaccinate your puppy against Lepto.

Rabies. This vaccine is legally required in Ontario; it is usually given at 16 weeks, and then yearly after that.

Bordetella. This vaccine helps to prevent "kennel cough" which is common in dogs that visit boarding, daycare, or other high risk environments. Kennel cough is usually not severe, however if you will be using boarding facilities it is recommended.