Goldendoodle Behavior Stages – Must Know Facts
Understanding health, food, grooming, and training requirements is important but genuinely grasping Goldendoodle behavior stages is the most critical thing to do. With age, the behavior of the Goldendoodle frequently changes, from a little jolly-paying puppy to a naughty adult dog and finally a caring and emotionally grown dog. With every passing month and year, a gradual change in behavior is pronounced.
A Goldendoodle lives an average life of 10-15 years. If you have made the correct decision of bringing home, the Goldendoodle, then the probability of finding a long-term companion in the form of a loyal dog is very high. So, in this article, we will tell you all the critical and noncritical behavioral changes of the Goldendoodle that will help you deal well with your amazing dog.
Personality Traits of a Goldendoodle
A Goldendoodle possesses a very stable temperance, usually an intelligent and smart dog, throughout its life. Here are some common traits of the said dog:
Summary – Key Traits of Goldendoodle Behavior Stages By Age
| 0-2 Weeks | Neonatal Period | Sleeping, limited sensory perception, Nursing, cuddling |
| 2-4 Weeks | Transition Period | Walking, tail wagging, and Sensory development |
| 4-8 Weeks | Toddler Stage | Exposure to surroundings taking a grasp on social norms and improving behavior |
| 7-12 Weeks | Socialization Stage | Enhanced exposure to people, pets, and the surrounding environment |
| 8-11 Weeks | First Fear Imprint | Learning to manage fear and develop initial response in case of uncertainty |
| 12-16 Weeks | Pack Order Establishment | Establishing warm relationships with family members |
| 4-8 Months | Flight Instinct Stage | Strengthen fear factors and possible responses as per different situations |
| 7-10 Months | Adolescence | Height of energy and testing own limits in almost every aspect |
| 6-14 Months | Second Fear Stage | Learn to handle pro-fear stages |
| 1-3 Years | Adulthood | Gains skill of behaving and maturing in various situations |
First 2 Weeks
Like any other dog, a Goldendoodle is born with closed eyes and needs a lot of attention. You just need to take good care of your puppy. Make sure it spends maximum time with its mother and siblings.
It doesn’t know anything about the world. It just knows how to drink milk and play with siblings. Its mother takes good care of the puppy. As an owner, it’s your job to make sure that it lives in a safe place that is free from noise and hustle.
2 to 4 Weeks
The puppy learns to walk, play more with siblings, and gradually understands what’s happening around its surroundings. His mother and siblings keep on playing with him for a lot of time and gradually they learn how to behave with his first friends who are his siblings. The puppy starts to make an affectionate relationship with its owner who visits him frequently.
Toddler Stage: 1 to 2 Months Age
The puppy knows how to move around for a short distance. This phase is very important and impacts the overall behavior and grooming of the Goldendoodle. If it is separated from its mother and siblings then the chances of developing destructive habits are increased.
It may bark a lot, bite as well, and show a lot of aggression apart from mental suffering due to early separation from its very close family members. Make sure you give your puppy sufficient time to remain with its family members. Otherwise, you will need to spend a lot of time and effort on recovery of its good behavior.
Importance of Staying With The Mother
The importance of the stay of a Goldendoodle with its mother can’t be over-emphasized. It teaches a lot of things like behaving well with siblings, sacrificing small things, and above all gaining good health due to quality food. So, try to help them maintain a close bond at least during the first 2 months of a puppy after its birth.
Barking Frequency
Goldendoodles bark like any other dog on the planet Earth. But they bark frequently and more aggressively when kept separate in the very early stages of their life. So, be ready to bear the barking of your lovely Goldendoodle if you don’t let them stay together for the first few weeks.
Milestones During First 2 Months
The Goldendoodle will be able to ark, and maintain a good social relationship with its siblings, mother, and especially its owner. It learns what’s happening in its surroundings. It also starts learning obedience and following orders which was not its practice before that period.
Mother’s Role In Teaching
The first few lessons, which are important ones, are taught by the mother of a Goldendoodle. It teaches her everything from eating to moving around. So, make sure that they spend a good amount of time together.
Socialization Stage: 7 to 12 Weeks
Lessons taught during previous stages will help in this stage. After 7 weeks, your dog will show a lot of new traits and this will be a drastic change period. It will learn how to socialize with dogs and especially human beings. Here are some milestones during this phase:
Knowing Fear: 8 to 11 Weeks Age
A new sentiment of fear develops very quickly at this stage during the behavioral stage of a Goldendoodle. Try to make him feel secure around the clock until he feels safe and secure in unpredictable situations. Here are some suggested measures for you to counter fear effectively:
Establishment of A Pack Order : 3 to 4 months Age
Well! By now, your adorable dog has grown a lot. It understands all of your family members and enjoys a relationship with almost all of them. It will try to climb the ladder and want to dominate and gain its permanent position in the house.
Challenges During The Phase
This phase is very tricky and needs a lot of care and minimal supervision to ensure that a good balance is maintained. Here are some potential challenges during this stage:
Tips and Tricks For Better Handling
As we have already discussed that situation will be quite tricky as your Goldendoodle isn’t a puppy anymore and behavioral changes are occurring very quickly. Here are some practical solutions for you:
Flight Instinct Stage – 4 to 8 Months Age
When your amazing Goldendoodle grows to at least 4 months, it becomes more rebellious and aggressive. It will try to take a solo flight without obeying you. So, it’s your job to make your dog stay close to you without any second thought of not fulfilling instructions.
Development Changes
Tips and Tricks
Adolescence: 7 to 10 Months
You will see a completely different picture of your lovely Goldendoodle. You might curse your decision to bring in Goldendoodle to your home. But what a minute! Things will not remain like that for an extended period as this behavioral stage of a Goldendoodle will continue from just 3 to 4 months.
Helping Tasks to Handle Awkward Behavior of the Dog
Second Fear Stage: 6 to 14 Months
Goldendoodles are known for their soft heart and affectionate behavior. During this period, they face fear for the second time in their lives. They will face difficulty while riding in the car, going on hilly terrain or they may face difficulty in feeling comfortable at some park.
Helping Goldendoodle to Recover From Fear
Adulthood: 1 to 3 Years
When your dog turns one, then it’s no longer a puppy. It will try to maintain its position and it will become more authoritative. They will show aggression and muscles during this period.
Prominent Changes During the Phase
Way Out
FAQs
How long does a Goldendoodle remain a puppy?
Safely, we can treat it as a puppy until it turns 18 months old.
How long does it take to train a Goldendoodle?
It usually takes 4 to 6 months to train a Goldendoodle due to the reason that they are quick learners and intelligent as well.
At what age does a Goldendoodle stop growing?
At the age of 2 years, it usually stops growing.
How to handle a Goldendoodle?
Make a strong bond with your pet from the very early, food him properly, and start training as soon as possible. This combo effect will help to handle a Goldendoodle easily.
When to start training a Goldendoodle?
Training should be started after 2 months on a lighter tone but formal training should be started when it turns 4 months old.
Conclusion
A Goldendoodle passes through different behavioral changes from puppy to adult and then becomes a mature dog. It needs dedicated time with the mother during the early weeks of her life, training in the next phase, and strict training sessions afterward along with appreciation to make him feel good releasing fear by leading yourself. So, spend some time with your dog daily to make him a good and long-term companion.
