# Help desperately needed with raising poodle puppies



## Natash (Jun 3, 2020)

Hi everyone!
I’m new to this forum, I hope that I can find the help here that I desperately need.
I should preface all this by saying I am not a breeder. I do not breed dogs, I’m young (in my 20s) and I own one pet quality poodle that I got as a gift from my grandma. 

My grandma breeds show poodles, she has some beautiful dogs! I have been learning to groom them (I currently work as an apprentice groomer at a grooming salon). Last week my grandma unexpectedly fell ill and was rushed to the hospital. She is young for a grandma and very active so my family all have high hopes that she will recover! We are all praying for a miracle. Unfortunately she is currently in a coma, the doctors do not know what’s going on. This has been a terrible and unexpected tragedy for me and my family. What makes it especially hard is she currently has one momma poodle with a litter of puppies and one pregnant poodle with puppies due to be born next week. The rest of my family are not dog people and are too busy to raise puppies so I have volunteered to look after both moms and their puppies. I am now also the proud babysitter to 7 poodles of varying ages most with copious ammounts of hair and grooming needs and all used to living the high life - and all are quite despondent as they are missing their favourite person. I’m a bit overwhelmed with all the dogs so I have taken some time off of work to try and adjust. Luckily my boss is good friends with my grandma so she is happy to accommodate. My family wanted to put all my grandma’s dogs in boarding which I know they would hate! 

My grandma’s vet has stepped up and will be coaching me through the medical aspect of raising puppies including pregnancy x-ray, deworming, dew claw removal, tail docking, vaccines, etc. She has worked with my grandma for a long time and she’s been absolutely amazing.

My question is more about the other aspects of turning little puppies into well adjusted socialized big puppies! Some of these puppies are potentially destined for show homes, and some are destined for pet homes. All are long awaited as I know my grandma has a long waiting list. I want to make sure I’m raising these puppies how my grandma would have wanted them raised. I’m looking for suggestions of things I should be doing to ensure they get the best start to life possible.

My questions are:
Grooming-

when should I start grooming them?
how often do I groom them?
can I dremel the puppies nails?
should I be doing anything specific for grooming or do I just shave their faces and get them used to all the tools and noises?
should I be shaving their feet?

Socializing-
-how do I socialize unvaccinated puppies?
-are there any lists of things I should be getting them used to prior to them going to their new homes?

Training-

some of these puppies might be going to show homes, is there anything specific I should be doing to prepare them?
should I be starting on any other training for these puppies or is that up to their new families?

Food-

my grandma feeds her adult dogs purina pro plan, can I feed the puppies this food or do they need special food when they are super young and weaning?
any supplements I should be giving the momma dogs or puppies?


Any other recommendations? Anything I should watch out for? Anything I should specifically do or not do with the puppies? Any and all advice is welcome! Hopefully I will not need most of it and my grandma will be able to take over again soon, or at least coach me through it. Until then I will do my best to raise these puppies the best that I can.

Thanks!

TLDR
My grandma has unexpectedly fallen ill and I am now looking after her nursing poodle and her pregnant mother poodle along with all her other poodles. Please send all advice you can think of to successfully raise these puppies who might be going to show homes.


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## Whoiscoconut (May 11, 2020)

I don’t have a lot of recommendations except, love and handle them. Far too often I’ve seen breeders have puppies and avoid them and it’s caused distance for the pups and humans.


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## Whoiscoconut (May 11, 2020)

Pups usually need a puppy food (higher calorie) I’m sure purina pro-plan has one, so go with that. I’m no breeder, but We socialize our young pups by having friends over. Have them knock/ or ring bell, so they used to the noise.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Oh my goodness, this is a big task you've taken on. Thank you for having such a big, kind heart. I really hope your grandmother pulls through this and can get back to her active life.

Does she have any show friends who might be able to assist or mentor? I'm sure you'll get some advice here, but each of your questions is probably worthy of its own thread, if not its own book! It's all rather daunting, to be honest, and I don't want you to be led astray by well-meaning but potentially conflicting or incomplete information.


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## Natash (Jun 3, 2020)

PeggyTheParti said:


> Oh my goodness, this is a big task you've taken on. Thank you for having such a big, kind heart. I really hope your grandmother pulls through this and can get back to her active life.
> 
> Does she have any show friends who might be able to assist or mentor? I'm sure you'll get some advice here, but each of your questions is probably worthy of its own thread, if not its own book! It's all rather daunting, to be honest, and I don't want you to be led astray by well-meaning but potentially conflicting or incomplete advice.


I don’t have any of their contact info, I’m hoping some will step forwards but it is difficult to get ahold of anyone when most of them don’t use social media! I don’t have access to my grandma’s phone or email or anything like that. I don’t even want to think of what I should do if my grandma isn’t better by the time the puppies are ready to go. She has a long waitlist but I don’t have access to any of their contact info, and I have no idea how to pick puppies out for show homes or pet homes! I’m honestly in a bit over my head


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## Whoiscoconut (May 11, 2020)

I sent a message.  It gives contact info for a vet l know personally and he’ll help with info if needed.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Natash said:


> I don’t have any of their contact info, I’m hoping some will step forwards but it is difficult to get ahold of anyone when most of them don’t use social media! I don’t have access to my grandma’s phone or email or anything like that. I don’t even want to think of what I should do if my grandma isn’t better by the time the puppies are ready to go. She has a long waitlist but I don’t have access to any of their contact info, and I have no idea how to pick puppies out for show homes or pet homes! I’m honestly in a bit over my head


We'll be here for you in any way we can.

Would you feel comfortable sharing even your general location? Maybe a nearby breeder who uses the forum will see this post. You wrote a good subject line for it. Very clear and attention-grabbing. You could also do a google search for local poodle breeders and reach out to them.


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## Fenris-wolf (Apr 17, 2018)

Hi, I hope your Grandma pulls through this and is able to go back to her active lifestyle as well. I'm in my early 20s too, so I'm not an expert, but I second all of what PtP has said. We will help in any way we can. Please keep us updated.


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## Mufar42 (Jan 1, 2017)

You are a brave kind soul and you can do this. If you share your general location we an probably come up with a list of breeders who can take you thru this. It is not all that difficult. I am not a breeder but in my young days I worked with a breeder and raised a few litters.
Mamma and babies had their penned off area, and the first few weeks mama dog cleaned and took care of the puppies. I handled each puppy every day. As they became more independent I put puppy pads or newspaper on one side of the area and believe it or not the puppies would potty in that area. I gave them playtime everyday too, together and one on one. I recall you saying your grandmas vet will help you so they can provide you with any supplements for the mama dog you may need, and with the tails and dew claws. That is done when they are 2-3 days old. Your vet will work with you when to bring them in and then take them right back home again.
Different noises and play things are good as they are getting older too, some people use a small plastic pool and fill it with those plastic balls or even with empty water bottles. Its the noises they get use to. Others also have tunnels they can go thru like toddlers play with. Whatever you do exposure to different sites, people, toys are all helpful. Even playlists of thunder and other sounds. You can probably google that. I know that grooming is done early, not sure at what age but definitely by 4-5 weeks I would think , Baths, comb outs and dryer, Face, feet and sanitary. I would think. 
Here are a few links ou may find helpful to read








How Good Breeders Raise Puppies Who Grow Into Happy, Confident Dogs


From the minute she was whelped and I tied a red ribbon around her neck, I knew this puppy would be my keeper. In a litter of seven black Labrador retrievers, she racked up the “firsts” in my first breeding. Miss Red was the first to respond to my presence, the first to crawl into […]




fearfreehappyhomes.com









How We Raise Our Puppies | Austerlitz German Shepherd Dogs







austerlitzshepherds.com












Early Learning for puppies


We believe that young puppies should have the opportunity to develop emotionally, socially and physically from the moment they're born.



www.puppyprodigies.org




Now to my knowledge nothing on the internet is totally sound advise but those links can give you some ideas and finding one of your grandmas friends/show people can probably help you immensely. You can also contact your local poodle club, I bet they will know your grandma and be of great assistance to you.
Good luck and its nice to see someone who has a kind heart and is willing to step up and help another. I also hope that your grandma recovers quickly. I hope you will continue to find some time to update this forum on how you are managing. So work with your vet/and find a breeder friend possibly from the local poodle club. I am sure they will step up and offer assistance to you. Also be sure its not just a person who happens to like their dog and is breeding it without any intentions other than selling a litter of puppies.
Hopefully to you can get into your grandmas email or find a list she probably has of potential buyers.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother!!!

Would you be comfortable sharing what geographic area/province you are in ? Completley fine if you aren't but I'm in eastern Ontario - let me know if there;s anything I can do to help.

How old and what variety are the current puppies?

You might be able to contact the Poodle Club of Canada or the Poodle Club of whatever your region is for help.

Do you know your puppies/dogs kennel name? You might be able to google the name, and figure out who the sire is, and potentially get help from the sire's breeder. If both dogs were your grandma's, potentially one of them was sired by another breeder? I've noticed from watching my dog's facebook page that some breeders are very invested in every litter produced even by the children of their dogs bred by someone else- liking and cooing over every single puppy picture/event win, and sharing the event wins/titles for the children of their dogs. A lot of them might be really happy to help, and it might give you and idea who your grandma's friends are.

For socializing - a lot of people seem to recommend puppy culture.

I really hope one of the breeders here shows up to comment - unfortunately most of them aren't on very often


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## VanessaC (Feb 24, 2020)

Here’s a link to a playlist of videos by trainer that I enjoy on raising puppies from birth:








Stonnie Dennis | Critical Stages in Puppy Development


Follow along as I document puppy maturation and development from birth to sixteen weeks!




www.youtube.com





You could probably schedule a call with someone like him to get additional advice on early socialization if you want more specific details. Each breeder or trainer is going to have a different approach, but I think exposing them to a variety of different experiences once they’re old enough is the main idea they all likely share. You could also read up on “Early Neurological Stimulation” for puppies which I know some reputable breeders do.

Best of luck! Keep us updated on how things go.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

It's wonderful that you are stepping up to help your grandmother and her poodles. I hope your grandmother returns home in good health soon. She be proud and thrilled with what you are doing.

The suggestion to contact the owner of the sire of the litter is an excellent suggestion. Through the sire you might find other contacts of your grandmother.

Since your grandmother was showing in conformation she would have had many friends that hopefully you can locate to help you. I presume she was showing in CKC - look to see if there are any CKC dog training clubs nearby. This type of club would have conformation classes, and they may have members who show poodles and they definitely would have people breeding show puppies. They may know your grandmother and among their members they may have people who can help you. Another resource is to contact the local poodle club. Some large cities or regions have poodle clubs, sometimes there is one for the whole province. Your grandmother was probably involved with her poodle club and members there would be able to help you. 

There are a few posters here that show their poodles in conformation in Canada. Hopefully one of them can contact you and help.

I never raised puppies but I've noticed many people talk about raising puppies with Puppy Culture. PUPPY CULTURE

I hope you have an opportunity to speak with your grandmother so you can gain access to her phone and computer so you have the list of potential puppy buyers. Thank you for taking on this challenge.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Wow what an unfortunate situation. I hope your grandmother gets a solid Dx and a good treatment plan that will enable her to return to good health ASAP. In addition to some of the links posted above send a "conversation" private message to our breeder member Arreau Standard Poodles. She has been on the forum recently to announce she had gotten married so she is around (since they can't go anywhere for their honeymoon). She has tons of experience whelping litters and raising lovely nice healthy puppies.


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## Starvt (Nov 5, 2019)

Another plug for Puppy Culture here- I use it for my litters (not poodles). I will point out that although the main focus is socialization, it also contains excellent advice on feeding, weaning, pen set up, and pretty much anything you need to know.
This website is also quite good, I often recommend it to clients expecting a litter at the vet clinic where I work.





Whelping and Raising Puppies, Breeding, Reproducing and Showing


Comprehensive guide to whelping puppies. Excellent information that every breeder or potential breeders should read.




www.dogbreedinfo.com


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## Jeannette (Aug 31, 2011)

Natash said:


> Hi everyone!
> I’m new to this forum, I hope that I can find the help here that I desperately need.
> I should preface all this by saying I am not a breeder. I do not breed dogs, I’m young (in my 20s) and I own one pet quality poodle that I got as a gift from my grandma.
> 
> ...


My heart goes out to you and your family as you deal with your grandmother’s birthday illness. That said, if I were in your situation, I’d look for a breeder who lives close to you and ask that person if s/he would be willing and able to mentor you. You have asked excellent questions and you’ll have more as time goes on. You need someone on “speed dial”. Good luck.


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## Jeannette (Aug 31, 2011)

Jeannette said:


> My heart goes out to you and your family as you deal with your grandmother’s illness. That said, if I were in your situation, I’d look for a breeder who lives close to you and ask that person if s/he would be willing and able to mentor you. You have asked excellent questions and you’ll have more as time goes on. You need someone on “speed dial”. Good luck.


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## blueskies (May 6, 2019)

I would also add there is a Puppy Culture discussion group on Facebook, and there should be a Puppy Culture FB group specifically for June litters too. And one for May litters, if the puppies were born in May? Reach out to Puppy Culture and they can point you to those. My breeder uses Puppy Culture and I love their protocols!


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

I am so sorry about your dear grandmother's sudden illness, and pray she may recover well and soon.

Bless you for helping her precious Poodles. If you have not already reached out to Cherie at Arreau, I urge you to. Redstandardpoodles.net is her site. She knows everyone and can refer you, and she has been in the breed all her life. She is a lovely, exceptionally knowledgeable resource for all things Poodle.

I used to have a wonderful contact in another breed in Canada, but have lost touch. I'm not sure if she is still here or has her wings now, so won't send you on a search that might prove fruitless. _Still going to search._

Know your heart and commitment to honoring your grandmother echo. Please respond back on your status; I really hope you can have an experienced onsite mentor for the whelping. There are additional resources we may be able to bring. If you're willing to share your city name, that could help. Bless you for your choice and innate wisdom here, and again, wishing your dear grandmother a rapid diagnosis and recovery 🙏💕💐.


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## steinbock_detroit (May 9, 2020)

There's a Facebook page for Standard Poodles, moderated by a lady from Canada, its got 26K members and many breeders in it. I suggest you join it and look for Breeders around your area.
I hope your Grandma gets well soon and things come back to normal.


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## EVpoodle (Sep 25, 2018)

I am sorry about the condition of your grandmother. You are very brave to step up to this task. 
I am not a breeder but I will do what I can to help.
I would see if you can find your grandmas computer and phone. Then have someone get into them, even if that means hacking, to get the lists of prospective owners. Also join a facebook group of breeders. 
I would look into puppy culture, and use that for the puppies. About the grooming I would say shave the feet and face starting at around 3-4 weeks depending on how big they are, also bathe them around weekly that way they are used to it. Clip the nails weekly. 
If you don't mind me asking what general area are you in? That way we can recommend people to contact. 

I hope this helps.


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

You mentioned one of your grandmother's poodles is pregnant. This thread is pinned to the top of page of this subforum, "Nearly Everything You Want to Know About The Technical Aspects of Breeding". 

It will be helpful if you grandmother still needs help, and the information is top notch. I hope things get better for you all.


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