Puppies between 9-16 wks are in their crate more than they are out even if you are home all the time
Each room your puppy visits needs to be puppy proofed
Too much freedom too soon will lead to destructive chewing and slow progression of housebreaking
Puppies last about 30-40 minutes out of their crate before they become overtired and start getting into trouble. If your puppy stops listening and is not easily redirected it’s time to go back in the crate for a nap.
Puppies get hiccups a lot and this is perfectly normal. Most outgrow it by 16 wks.
Puppies get the zoomies, sudden burst of energy at least once a day. During this time they usually run around much faster than normal and are not be able to calm down. This is caused by a release of adrenaline which happens until the puppy is about 20 wks old. It is best to stand clear and let your puppy get it out of his system.
A normal puppy temperature is between 101 and 102.5 degree F. A temperature of 104 or over requires immediate veterinary attention.
Any puppy that has been vomiting or having diarrhea for more than 12-24 hours should be checked by a vet. Goldens tend to eat everything in sight and this tends to present an upset to their intestinal tract. The best thing to do is to not feed your puppy for about 12 hours (giving water in small amounts is fine) and allow his stomach and bowels a chance to settle down. Call your vet and at least make them aware that your puppy is having a problem and ask their advice about if and when to bring your puppy in for a check. If there is vomiting after eating or your puppy seems listless and lethargic by all means take him in sooner to be seen by your vet.
Puppies are cute and impressionable and it is important for you to realize that you must set limits early on and be ready to follow through. It may not bother you that your puppy jumps up to say hello when he is 20 lbs but it will definitely be a different story when your puppy is 60 lbs. Put your foot on the leash whenever your puppy is greeting people so that you can prevent jumping from the get go. Teach your puppy to sit and stay until you release him to go say hello. When he does say hello, keep your foot on the leash to prevent your puppy from rewarding himself for jumping even if the person doesn’t mind.
When greeting other dogs on leash always ask first if the other dog likes puppies. Puppies are annoying to adult dogs and their cute antics and jumping up is not usually tolerated well by most other dogs. Be mindful of this and prevent your puppy from rushing into another dogs space even if the dog seems friendly. Appropriate greeting on leash should be a quick sniff and move on, NOT prolonged contact or playing on leash. The leash prevents both dogs from behaving normally or moving away if they need and we have found this to be the quickest way to develop an on leash aggression problem.
Set your puppy up for success by making sure you control the environment and limit choices. If your puppy isn’t housebroken don’t allow free access to your house. If you put shoes, socks, toys, etc away or behind a baby gate your puppy will not be able to reach them to chew on them. If the trash is covered and unavailable your puppy won’t be able to get into ! You get the idea, prevention and management is more than half of training. The more your puppy practices the right behavior the more of the right behavior you will get.
