I am worried about whether vets and trainers will be available once we pick our puppy up. These are extraordinary times. We might be on our own for awhile. Will will still be able to bring the puppy's home without these supports in place?
Great questions Frances! There has never been a more perfect time to be welcoming a new puppy into your home. With less activity outside the home you will be even more focused on your puppy. If you have children or grandchildren who are home from school, this provides a wonderful opportunity for them to learn even more about puppies in general - maybe even some basic biology lessons - as well as a great chance for them to develop their skill set training puppies and caring for them. At Van Isle Doodles we have a full protocol in place to ensure the well being of both our families and our puppies during these unusual times. We have already successfully held a no contact puppy pick-up day and provided information for our families on how to cope with cancelled puppy classes. We will be announcing on our Facebook page and in our private owner's group ,even more information and details on the means, methods and processes we have available for everyone to ensure we all stay healthy and your puppy gets all the necessary training and socialisation while maintaining social distancing protocols. We will be offering many more services and options for our families and will have details of those coming out this weekend. You will not even have to leave home to purchase a thing for your puppy. We will do that for you through our various contacts and channels so no unnecessary contact is required by our families. We will have everything available here for pick-up. Brand new. Fully sanitized. From food to leashes, Van Isle will be sure everything you need is right here. Vets will all remain open for appointments for necessary procedures such as vaccinations. Your puppy will be going home to you with their first set of shots as they always do. Your vet and all others will remain available for all further shots. We have quite a bit of time before you would need to be attending at a vet for those second shots - not until May. If everyone remains on track and does their part, the world might be back a little closer to normal then. Even if things go the opposite direction, your vet will be available to provide any and all medical services for your puppy. As for training, we have lots of exciting options and news on that topic that will come out this weekend. It will be no problem and in fact, a whole lot of fun, to work with your puppy with this new way of doing things. We think the puppies born during Covid 19 are going to be some of the best trained puppies ever due to the extra time and attention we all have available to us. Van Isle Doodle puppy families are going to enjoy the opportunity to turn a difficult situation into a time of developing strong bonds with their puppies and their families. They will enjoy a reason to be outside in the wonderful sunshine we enjoy on Vancouver Island and watching their puppy blossom under their extra love and attention.
Hi John, 8 weeks is the earliest a puppy should go home. Some breeders prefer to keep their puppies for 12 weeks. We send ours home between 8 and 9 weeks of age.
Hi Claire. I have had dogs all my life but have learned so much from you watching your videos. Thank you! I am getting my 8-week old labradoodle puppy in 2 weeks and have a major concern about my daughter's female cocker spaniel (9 years old) who lives upstairs. She is an alpha dog and a rescue so at times can be unpredictable re: jealousy and domination. I have my own suite and yard but at some point they will have to meet and hopefully get along. Do you have any suggestions on how best to socialize these two? I have even considered a muzzle but am reluctant to even bring that subject up!
Connie, I am so sorry that I never saw this post from you when you posted it a year ago! I would have happily given you some tips but a only just reading it now. Hopefully your puppy and your daughter's cocker have become friends and worked things out amicably.
Hi Lucia, first off I would get a great trainer to work with. I can give you general hints but specific issues are best dealt with one on one by a trainer. What you want to start off with is a very gentle, slow and gradual desensitization to whatever the fear is. Let's say your dog is afraid to ride in the car. You would start with getting as close to the car as you can with your dog before there is any fear response in your dog. You would want to reward the dog with treats and praise and keep doing this process multiple times a day for about 30 seconds. Once your dog is comfortable with that stage then you would move closer to the car and repeat. Once you can get your dog close to the car then you would try opening the door. Next step would be to get the dog into the car. Then turning on the engine. Then going up and down the driveway and then for a short drive and so forth. Just substitute the car for whatever it is that your dog has a concern with. Slowly, positively and with a ton a patience and you will get there. It just takes a lot longer and requires continual reinforcement with an older dog. I hope that helps!
You're the Best 👌
Another Fabulous, informative video😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent tips for all new puppy owners! Thank you.
Glad you found it helpful.
When is an appropriate time to start official puppy classes or leash training?
I am worried about whether vets and trainers will be available once we pick our puppy up. These are extraordinary times. We might be on our own for awhile. Will will still be able to bring the puppy's home without these supports in place?
Great questions Frances! There has never been a more perfect time to be welcoming a new puppy into your home. With less activity outside the home you will be even more focused on your puppy. If you have children or grandchildren who are home from school, this provides a wonderful opportunity for them to learn even more about puppies in general - maybe even some basic biology lessons - as well as a great chance for them to develop their skill set training puppies and caring for them.
At Van Isle Doodles we have a full protocol in place to ensure the well being of both our families and our puppies during these unusual times. We have already successfully held a no contact puppy pick-up day and provided information for our families on how to cope with cancelled puppy classes.
We will be announcing on our Facebook page and in our private owner's group ,even more information and details on the means, methods and processes we have available for everyone to ensure we all stay healthy and your puppy gets all the necessary training and socialisation while maintaining social distancing protocols.
We will be offering many more services and options for our families and will have details of those coming out this weekend. You will not even have to leave home to purchase a thing for your puppy. We will do that for you through our various contacts and channels so no unnecessary contact is required by our families. We will have everything available here for pick-up. Brand new. Fully sanitized. From food to leashes, Van Isle will be sure everything you need is right here.
Vets will all remain open for appointments for necessary procedures such as vaccinations. Your puppy will be going home to you with their first set of shots as they always do. Your vet and all others will remain available for all further shots.
We have quite a bit of time before you would need to be attending at a vet for those second shots - not until May. If everyone remains on track and does their part, the world might be back a little closer to normal then. Even if things go the opposite direction, your vet will be available to provide any and all medical services for your puppy.
As for training, we have lots of exciting options and news on that topic that will come out this weekend. It will be no problem and in fact, a whole lot of fun, to work with your puppy with this new way of doing things. We think the puppies born during Covid 19 are going to be some of the best trained puppies ever due to the extra time and attention we all have available to us.
Van Isle Doodle puppy families are going to enjoy the opportunity to turn a difficult situation into a time of developing strong bonds with their puppies and their families. They will enjoy a reason to be outside in the wonderful sunshine we enjoy on Vancouver Island and watching their puppy blossom under their extra love and attention.
At what age can a puppy be taken home?
Hi John,
8 weeks is the earliest a puppy should go home. Some breeders prefer to keep their puppies for 12 weeks.
We send ours home between 8 and 9 weeks of age.
Very helpful, our Australian Labradoodle is coming home to us mid November, these videos are sooo helpful, thank you,
How exciting!!!
I am glad the videos are helpful for you.
Wow, great info Claire!
Thanks! I hope it is helpful for new puppy pawrents!
Hi my name is Lana and I’m Kathy’s child I love 💝 yore puppy’s 🐶
Thanks Kathy. I hope you have a wonderful time with your new puppy!
This video answered some of my questions around socialization. Thank you.
That's great! It's an ever evolving topic so a great topic to keep current on.
Great information!! Thank you.
How abaut a park for kids???
Hi Claire. I have had dogs all my life but have learned so much from you watching your videos. Thank you! I am getting my 8-week old labradoodle puppy in 2 weeks and have a major concern about my daughter's female cocker spaniel (9 years old) who lives upstairs. She is an alpha dog and a rescue so at times can be unpredictable re: jealousy and domination. I have my own suite and yard but at some point they will have to meet and hopefully get along. Do you have any suggestions on how best to socialize these two? I have even considered a muzzle but am reluctant to even bring that subject up!
Connie, I am so sorry that I never saw this post from you when you posted it a year ago!
I would have happily given you some tips but a only just reading it now.
Hopefully your puppy and your daughter's cocker have become friends and worked things out amicably.
Say if your dog has a fear of something later on in life, but you have already past the desensitization period, what would you do?
Hi Lucia, first off I would get a great trainer to work with. I can give you general hints but specific issues are best dealt with one on one by a trainer. What you want to start off with is a very gentle, slow and gradual desensitization to whatever the fear is. Let's say your dog is afraid to ride in the car. You would start with getting as close to the car as you can with your dog before there is any fear response in your dog. You would want to reward the dog with treats and praise and keep doing this process multiple times a day for about 30 seconds.
Once your dog is comfortable with that stage then you would move closer to the car and repeat.
Once you can get your dog close to the car then you would try opening the door. Next step would be to get the dog into the car. Then turning on the engine. Then going up and down the driveway and then for a short drive and so forth.
Just substitute the car for whatever it is that your dog has a concern with. Slowly, positively and with a ton a patience and you will get there. It just takes a lot longer and requires continual reinforcement with an older dog.
I hope that helps!