Goldendoodle Puppy Behavior

The goldendoodle is a cross between a golden retriever and a poodle. These dogs have a distinctive golden, curly coat and very friendly demeanour. They inherit intelligence from both parent breeds, making them great family pets. This is a confident, friendly breed. As a puppy your goldendoodle will display behavior traits inherited from both sides. It’s fun to observe your puppy and to work out which breed characteristics he is displaying at any given time.

Even before they open their eyes, puppies begin to explore. They use their noses to discover what’s around them and find their way to Mom. From birth to around 3 weeks, your pup will be fairly restricted in his movement and scope for mischief. But after 3 weeks, he’ll learn to take an interest in the wider world.

The imprinting stage is when your goldendoodle learns how to respond to the world. This stage is crucial in his development. Goldendoodles are typically curious, confident and playful, so expect them to investigate all manner of stimuli. Their initial experiences inform how they will react throughout their life. For example, if your puppy investigates the vacuum cleaner and it startles him, it is probable that he'll be scared of the object as an adult. If his first experience of the mailman is positive because you were smart enough to introduce your dog properly, he should have no problem with the mailman as an adult.

Due to the combination of retriever and poodle ancestry, your goldendoodle is likely to respond well to games of fetch and anything that requires a high state of alertness, such as hide-and-seek games. Puppies begin to play when still with their mother at between 3 and 6 weeks of age, so expect your dog to be playful when you bring him home.

Golden retrievers and poodles are both social breeds, happiest when with others. Your golden retriever will inherit this trait. Their desire to socialize makes it unlikely that you’ll have a shy dog on your hands, but you should supervise all early interactions to ensure that youthful exuberance doesn’t escalate into naughtiness. Goldendoodle puppies develop at a rate that means the desire for socialization with other dogs first occurs between 3 and 6 weeks of age. They become interested in humans a few weeks later.