9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy

Bringing Home a 9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy

If you’ve just brought home a 9 week old Labradoodle puppy then you’re already on the right track. 8 to 9 weeks is the perfect age to bring a puppy home and it’s just around the time when puppies are safely able to leave their mothers.

That said, the transition can still be tough for your Labradoodle puppy, and it’s not uncommon for puppies to struggle with sleeping through the night, eating, and simply just acclimating.

Remember that your 9 week old Labradoodles schedule has just been disrupted, so be patient with your puppy as he adjusts. Let your puppy spend lots of time with you over the first week in his new home, this will help him gain confidence. If you work full time, make sure to check out our guide to raising a puppy while you work.

Don’t be surprised if you encounter:

• Potty accidents
• Whining and crying at night
• Destructive behaviors
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of sleep

All of these behaviors are normal in new puppies and will usually resolve themselves with time. But, if you have concerns about your puppy’s health, don’t hesitate to bring them up with your veterinarian.

And if your dog has a resident older canine brother or sister, don’t forget to checkout our guide to introducing a puppy to an older dog.

Your First Veterinary Visits

Even if your puppy was health screened and vetted through his breeder, it’s important to have your puppy checked out by your own veterinarian.

Make sure you have all the paperwork provided by the breeder or shelter from which you got your puppy. This will tell your vet which vaccines your puppy needs, which ones he already has, and any other medical history your vet may need to know.

Usually, a routine puppy wellness exam will cover vaccine schedules, routine parasite control and prevention, dental and grooming needs, spay or neuter information, microchipping, and will also include a full-body physical.

This is also a chance for you to ask your vet any questions you may have or bring up any concerns regarding your new Labradoodle.

Don’t feel bad about asking your vet lots of questions. They’ll be happy to help, and it’s better to be over-cautious than to miss something really wrong with your puppy!

Feeding a 9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy

At 9 weeks, Labradoodle puppies are able to eat solid food. When they first come home with you, puppies should eat the same food that the breeder was giving them.

You may want to continue with this diet for a few days, or even a week whilst your puppy gets settled in. Moving to a new home is stressful, and can cause upset stomachs, so it’s best to avoid changing their diet in those first few days.

In most cases, your breeder will provide you with information on what they have been feeding your Labradoodle and may even offer you some food to take home with you. After your 9 week old puppy is a little more settled, you can slowly transition their diet to something new.

You can opt for dry kibble, wet dog food or even raw dog food, but it’s best to make sure you choose a quality dog food that is specified for large breed puppies.

If your Labradoodle is struggling with eating, speak with your veterinarian about supplementing your Labradoodles food. After changing to a new diet – if you choose to – it’s normal for puppies to have slight upset stomachs or diarrhea.

But, if this problem persists, speak to your vet about it and return to their previous diet for the time being.

Most 9 week old puppies should eat four small meals a day. However, you can use their meal rations in your training sessions too. It’s also important to make sure they have fresh, cool water available to them at all times.

Using Food in Training

When you train your puppy with positive reward methods, you should use kibble subtracted from their meals, rather than adding the extra treats on top of their daily calorie allowance.

Try to spread your training sessions out through the day so your puppy isn’t getting too much food at once. You can give them any food you don’t use in training as the meal it was subtracted from.

Most Labradoodle puppies are very food motivated. But, if your puppy is struggling to concentrate, or seems disinterested, they may not be hungry enough to see the treats as a good reward.

Try training before breakfast and other meals to see if this improves their motivation!

Teaching Good Manners

It’s a great idea to start now, at nine weeks, teaching your puppy the things that you’ll want them to do when they are bigger. Labradoodle puppies grow into large adult dogs, so you’ll probably want to encourage your puppy not to jump up on people. It’s easier to do this if you start today.

Food is a great way to reinforce polite behaviors such as keep paws on the floor, and giving attention to human friends.

Potty Training a 9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy

Potty training can begin from the moment you get your puppy. In the first few weeks of puppyhood, you’ll probably need to wake up with your puppy every three to four hours to take him outside through the night.

For some puppies these nighttime trips will need to be more frequent, and for others they can be extended. In the day, trips may need to be as frequent as every 20 minutes to avoid accidents.

Tell your puppy to “go potty” once outside and bring him to the same area in your yard every time. When he does his business, make sure you reward him with lots of praise and a treat. But, try to wait until their bladder is fully empty before rewarding.

And don’t get discouraged when your puppy has accidents. This is to be expected, so have lots of cleaning supplies on hand. Making sure you get out any potty odor from carpets and flooring is vital to ensuring your puppy does not see the inside of your home as an appropriate place to go to the bathroom.

Use an enzyme cleaner to eliminate traces of urine from puppy accidents. Puppies don’t tend to have accidents whilst being held, so if you are trying to extend the length of time between your trips outside, you can hold them for the extra five minutes you add on.

Using Puppy Pads

Rather than getting up through the night or taking lots of trips outside, some people choose to use puppy pads.

There’s nothing wrong with this method, and for many people it works well. But, some Labradoodles will enjoy ripping up puppy pads rather than peeing on them. Some will walk through the puppy pads, spreading poop on your floor if you don’t clean it away fast enough, and others may refuse to use them at all.

If you’re having trouble with potty training, you can seek help from a professional trainer, or take a look at online courses for new puppy parents.

Sleeping Through the Night

If you aren’t using puppy pads, you will need to wake regularly through the night to take your puppy outside. As we said in the last section, the frequency of this can be as often as every couple of hours.

When your puppy first comes home, they may also cry or whine through the night. For the first few days, it can help to keep their bed or crate by your bed, or to sleep next to it. Seeing you will help your 9 week Labradoodle puppy feel a little safer, and less alone.

You can gradually move further away from your puppy after those first few nights, but be aware than they may cry through the night if they still feel nervous.

Puppies can cry at night for many reasons, including:

• Feeling scared or anxious
• Needing the toilet
• They’ve hurt themselves
• Or because they know you’ll come running when they cry.

It’s important to check your puppy isn’t hurt when they’re crying at night, and to take them to the toilet if you are potty training them.

Most puppies will happily resettle after a toilet trip, but only if you don’t make it too exciting. Don’t make these little trips too rewarding, otherwise your puppy may start crying through the night just to get your attention and have some fun with you.

Crate Training a 9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy

When you first bring home a 9 week old Labradoodle puppy, you’re not going to want to let him have free range of the house. Like babies, puppies can get themselves into trouble when left to their own devices.

Instead, it’s a good idea to begin crate training your puppy or at least leaving him in a playpen when you’re unable to keep an eye on him. Both playpens and crates are a safe and friendly alternative to leaving your puppy in a closed room or backyard while you are away.

9 week old puppies should not be left alone for too long, but it’s a skill that will be useful to learn for when your dog is older.

Are you considering crate training? If so, rest assured that doing so is not cruel. In fact, when create training is done properly, your puppy will likely be much happier, healthier and well-rounded.

Make being in the crate rewarding for your Labradoodle puppy. Hide treats in their for them to find, put them in their to nap through the day, and teach them that being in the crate with the door shut is rewarding.

You can place them inside, close the door and open it straight away, offering your puppy a treat. Extend durations in the crate very slowly to avoid any anxiety or problems.

Most puppies also happily sleep in their crate at night, and you may find they begin to take themselves there when they want to relax. Your crate should be big enough for your puppy to lie down, turn around, and stand at full height. Too much bigger, and they may use one end as a toilet.

Taking your 9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy Outside

A 9 week old Labradoodle puppy is generally too young to go out and be put on the ground. This is because puppies at this age are not fully vaccinated and are therefore at higher risk for serious illnesses.

However, it’s also vital to socialize your puppy before they are 16 weeks old. This is quite a troubling conflict for puppy owners.

Labradoodle puppies will benefit a lot from socialization, which has been proven to minimize behavioral problems in older dogs. To properly socialize a dog, you need to introduce them to as many new experiences as possible, with positive connotations.

You should not put your Labradoodle puppy on the ground until they are fully vaccinated, so you should carry your doodle when socializing them at 9 weeks. Labradoodle puppies grow quickly, and can become quite heavy, so you may need to invest in a puppy sling to carry them with.

Let your Labradoodle puppy see other dogs, plenty of people, other animals like cats, vehicles, busy roads, busy school yards, trains, children, and anything else you can think of that they will encounter in adult life.

Just don’t set them down, and offer them some of their daily food allowance to make the experiences pleasant for them.

If your Labradoodle puppy seems nervous at any of these new experiences, try observing it from a little further back with plenty of treats. You can also socialize your puppy to things in the safety of your home, like the sound of fireworks, people visiting, and more.

Meeting New People

Having people over when your puppy is at 9 weeks old can be a great way to socialize them in the home.

You can get your visitors to give your puppy treats and reward them for calm behavior.

However, be careful not to set up any negative behavior chains whilst doing this, such as letting your puppy jump up at the guest and rewarding them for getting down!

This simply teaches your Labradoodle that if they jump up at you first, then get down, they’ll get a delicious treat!

Instead, try to reward them before they even jump, and remove any attention if they do jump up.

Make sure your guests know exactly how to act around your puppy to prevent them playing too roughly, or accidentally rewarding your pup for unwanted behaviors.

Remember, attention can be just as rewarding as food for an excited puppy.

9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy Biting

You may not have experienced any puppy biting at this stage, but for some the habit may be starting to rear its head.

Make sure you redirect any biting to toys to avoid those sharp little teeth from causing you too much pain.

Biting periods in Labradoodle puppies are completely normal and will pass in time, but it can be frustrating and painful. Make sure you have a safe space to put your puppy for a time out if you need a break from their little teeth.

Reward any calm behavior, such as lying in their crate by choice, or playing with a toy.

Wear tight clothing and avoid rough play to minimize biting in your Labradoodle puppy.

Over-Excited 9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppies

It’s very easy for 9 week old Labradoodle puppies to become over-excited or overwhelmed in their new homes. There’s a lot for them to learn and lots of new places to explore around your home.

Having a designated puppy zone, like a playpen, can be vital for your sanity when trying to calm down your puppy.

Simply place them in their playpen when they are getting a little over-excited so that they have the opportunity to calm down. This can be very useful if you have children in the house that want to play with the puppy 24-7.

An over-excited puppy may be more prone to unwanted behaviors like barking and biting. Puppies need more sleep than you might think, so a playpen with their crate in can really help them to calm down and get that much needed rest.

Tips for Raising a 9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy

Raising a happy and healthy Labradoodle puppy takes time and commitment, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.

In fact, once you get into the swing of things, raising your Labradoodle can be an incredibly rewarding and family-friendly experience.

Here are a few tips from experts:

Stick to a Schedule

Dogs do best when they have a schedule. Keep mealtimes, bathroom breaks, grooming, walks and playtime sessions as routine as possible.

This will help your puppy better develop a sense of time and will help him know what to expect, thus reducing behavior issues in the long run.

Start Training and Socialization Early

It’s never too early to begin training your puppy. Teaching your puppy foundation cues like sit, stay, lay down and come can help increase your puppy’s eagerness to learn and please you as he gets older, especially when training is kept positive and fun.

On a related note, socialization is vital for young puppies. But, remember you must never put them on the ground outside until they have been fully vaccinated. Instead, carry them whilst you introduce them to new experiences.

Invest in Age-Appropriate Puppy Toys

Age-appropriate toys like teething rings, chews, KONGS and plushies are going to help keep your puppy happy, engaged and comfortable during his puppyhood, especially while you are away or busy.

Work with Children

Work with young children in the home on how to properly interact with their new puppy sibling. It’s also a good idea to cover canine body language and speak with children about respecting your puppy’s boundaries.

Raising Your 9 Week Old Labradoodle Puppy

Raising a 9 week old Labradoodle puppy won’t always go exactly as planned, and sometimes it can be stressful! But, stick with these tips and this advice, and your Labradoodle pup will grow into a healthy, happy, and friendly adult.

Congratulations on your new addition and we hope you’ll keep us posted on your progress in the comments.

More Labradoodle Articles By Age

• 4 week old Labradoodle
• 8 week old Labradoodle
• 12 week old Labradoodle
• 3 month old Labradoodle
• 6 month old Labradoodle
• 1 year old Labradoodle

References and Resources

• Help! My Puppy Cries In The Playpen
• Dunbar, I. ‘What’s Important to Know Right Away’, Before & After Getting Your Puppy: The Positive Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy & Well-Behaved Dog (2004)
• Paterson, S. ‘Food Hypersensitivity in 20 Dogs with Skin and Gastrointestinal Signs’, Journal of Small Animal Practice (1995)
• Farrell, L. (et al), ‘The Challenges of Pedigree Dog Health: Approaches to Combating Inherited Disease’, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology (2015)
• O’Neill, D. ‘Progress in Purebred Dog Health Since the Bateson Report of 2010’, Vet Record (2014)
• Howell, T. (et al), ‘Puppy Parties and Beyond: The Role of Early Age Socialization Practices on Adult Dog Behavior’, Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports (2015)
• Vaterlaws-Whiteside, H. & Hartmann, A. ‘Improving Puppy Behavior Using a New Standard Socialization Program’, Applied Animal Behavior Science (2017)