It’s been over a week since I posted an update about the puppies, so it’s time to update you on the past little bit. Hammie and Brandi have both been doing very well and growing so much! They are eight weeks old now and ready to head off to their new homes.

Lately we have been trying to expose them to new people, places, and things. Last week, I took them to the school where I work. I took them to the Kindergarten classroom where they got to play in a circle of wiggling, squealing Kindergarten students. Hammie thoroughly enjoyed it and did his best to be near the loudest children, while Brandi was a little bit cautious and preferred to sit on the laps of the calmer and gentler children.

One afternoon a family in our neighborhood came to play with the puppies. Both the children and the puppies loved it!

In the past two weeks, these little guys have really begun to enjoy the outdoors. There is nothing quite as good as a rowdy romp in the yard!

There are also a lot of great things to chew on outside. I find this much better than when they steal my socks and shoes!

I also tried to get a few good portraits of them, but “eight weeks old” and “good portraits” typically don’t coincide.

These pictures above were taken on one of the last days that the puppies were together. On Saturday, little Miss Brandi left for her new home! It was exciting to see her welcomed into a new family, but it was also a little sad for me to see her go. One thing that made it easier to hand her off was that I know she will be dearly loved by her new family!

That was the very last time I got to hold my little Brandi!

Welcome to your forever home!

This is what we do all day.

Eat.

.

Play.

.

Chew.

(Note about the pink slipper picture: I do try to discourage shoe-chewing, but sometimes it’s too cute to not take a picture first!)

.

Explore.

.

Sleep.

.

Oh, and look cute.

Because Miniature Goldendoodles are a relatively new breed, you may find yourself having a lot of questions about them. I compiled a list of a few common questions and answers that I hope will give you a better understanding of these amazing dogs!

Q: What does F1 and F1b mean?
A: Many times, Goldendoodles (Miniature and Standard) are listed as F1 or F1b. This simply is to show what generation the dog or puppy is. An F1 is a first generation cross of a Golden Retriever and Poodle. An F1b is a first generation Goldendoodle back-crossed with another Poodle. For more information regarding the differences between the generations, click here.

Q: How big will my Mini Goldendoodle puppy be as an adult?
A: This is a difficult question to answer. Unlike pure bred dogs that have an expected adult weight range, Miniature Goldendoodles tend to surprise. The important thing to understand is that there is no way to guarantee what combination of Retriever/Poodle genes a puppy will get. There can be a lot of variation of looks, size, and color even in one litter! The best way to estimate adult size is to look at the weights of the parents. Most likely, the puppy’s size will fall somewhere in between their parents’ sizes. Also, the puppy’s overall looks can give you a hint of which parent breed genes are more dominant.

For example, these two siblings are very different. Their mama is 18 inches tall at the shoulder and 30 pounds. Their dad is about 12 inches tall and 11 pounds.

The female puppy has much curlier hair and is quite a bit smaller than the male. She definitely carries stronger Miniature Poodle genes. I would estimate her adult size to be around 14-15 inches and 15-20 pounds.

The male has the broader head and snout of a Golden Retriever and is stockier than the female. He will most likely be much closer to or even the same size as his mother, because he seems to carry more dominant Golden Retriever genes. My guess is he will grow to be 16-18 inches tall and 20-25 pounds.

Q. Will my Miniature Goldendoodle shed?
A. The best way to tell if a Goldendoodle will shed is by looking at their hair. If they have curly hair like a Poodle, they will not shed. If their hair is wavy or only loosely curled, then they will probably shed a little. Most Goldendoodles are much lighter shedders than Golden Retrievers, but they are not all guaranteed to be shed-free.

Q. What will my Miniature Goldendoodle’s temperament be like?
A. Both Golden Retrievers and Miniature Poodles are friendly and intelligent dogs. They are both very social and easy to train. Golden Retrievers tend to be more gentle than the high-strung Poodles, so Miniature Goldendoodles can have either or both of those traits. Whatever combination of genes a puppy gets, Miniature Goldendoodles are adaptable to nearly any kind of family. They are great with children and other animals, but they can also be happy in a quieter home.

Q. What are the grooming requirements for this breed?
A. These dogs do require quite a bit of grooming and maintenance. Frequent brushing is necessary to keep their fur clean and free from mats and tangles. They will need regular trimming around their ears and paws and haircuts to keep their overall look at whatever length you desire.

Q. What is a Miniature Goldendoodle’s energy level?
A. These are active and excitable dogs, but their energy needs are not as intense as some breeds. They will need regular play time and walks, and they enjoy spending time outdoors swimming and exploring. As long as they are given time to run and play, they can also be well-suited to apartment life.

If you have any other questions, leave a comment, and I will do my best to answer!

The world is expanding. New tastes, new smells, new places. There is now solid food to try to eat, water to drink, corners to explore, and a wide sampling of things to chew. They know there is a lot of space outside their pen, and they are learning ways to escape and explore. They wrestle, bark, growl, run, and jump with their little tails wagging furiously the entire time.

Mia’s little munchkins are growing up.

Now, when I try to take pictures, I often end up with results like this:

As you can tell, they are fully mobile and always in motion. You can see the blue and white rope in these pictures. I went to the bother of buying soft, new toys for the puppies to play with. Instead, they found their mother’s old, dirty rope, and this has since become their favorite play thing. Go figure.

Since candid photos no longer produce quality results, my husband and I staged a photo shoot in a basket in an attempt to keep them contained and possibly still for a moment or two. It turned out fairly well!

There is a pile of clean laundry to be folded, and I’m trying to forget about the dirty laundry that’s piling up in the hamper. I have good intentions of getting my housework done… but I just keep getting distracted.

The past two weeks have been very exciting! It’s been amazing to watch these tiny, helpless puppies grow and develop. In this past week and a half, they have opened their eyes, begun to walk, and begun to play with each other. The more they grow, the more their personalities show.

I am starting to see wagging tails and hear little puppy barks. Now, Mia is doing more than just feeding her babies, she is teaching them to play. As she lays on her side, the puppies crawl over her and bite her ears. She playfully nips them and rolls them away. Today, during one of their first adventures outside, Mia brought them toys to play with like a stick and a Frisbee, although they are bit too small to play with those things yet.

It was interesting to observe the puppies on their first times outside and away from the familiar smells of their nest. Zoe is our brave and curious one. She was the first one to walk; and when she is in a new place, she is the first to wander and explore. Hammie is a bit more cautious. For the first few minutes, he is quite content to sit right next to mama and observe a new environment from a place of safety.

{Zoe looking brave}

{Hammie cuddling close to mom}

It is becoming much more fun (and difficult!) to take pictures of these two. They get cuter every day, and I am loving every minute of it! 🙂

The puppies are now 1 week old, and they are both doing very well! They have been growing and gaining weight. They both doubled their birth weight at five days old, which is great! They have round, pudgy bellies now, and their eyes should be opening sometime in the next week.

You can see in the picture above that the pigment is beginning to come into their noses, turning them black instead of pink.

It’s also interesting to note the differences between the two of them. As with any litter of mixed breed puppies, you are guaranteed to have variety. Not every puppy will get exactly the same combination of genes. In this case, there are some very clear differences. Hammie definitely has stronger Golden Retriever traits with his broad head and snout. Zoe, on the other hand, has the desired poodle fur. Even from birth, I could tell her fur would be curly (it looks like wrinkles right now). Hammie’s is straighter. Although it’s a bit early to tell for sure, I would guess that Zoe will be completely shed free, while Hammie will be a very low-shedder. In this picture you can easily the see the different coat types. Hammie is on the left, and Zoe is on the right. Notice that Zoe’s fur looks more “wrinkly” than Hammie’s.

And here are some special blooper pictures! I learned it is quite difficult to take pictures of puppies while the attentive mother is hovering nearby. In the first picture, I had just told Mia to “sit” and “stay” away from the puppies. This was her response.

She kept checking on her babies during the photo shoot.

Check back next week for another update and more pictures!

I would like you to meet Zoe and Hammie, born on August 25.

This was one of those experiences where I am again amazed by God’s extraordinary creation. He instilled in each and every animal the necessary instincts to survive. Without having to be taught, mother dogs know just what to do to care for their puppies. They don’t need books, reference guides, or Google. They only need what God has already given them. It’s beautiful to watch a mother dog deliver and care for her newborn babies. It’s amazing to see the details of God’s creation at work, and we are praising God that He blessed us with a healthy litter.

These two little cuties are named after the two oldest MacPherson children in the Baby Blues comic strip. Both the puppies and the mother are doing well. Mia is a wonderful mother! She is very attentive and very watchful of her two little babies.

I am enjoying the new additions to our household and am looking forward to watching them grow in the next couple months! I am also excited to experiment with puppy photography. Who can resist those darling faces?

For individual information and photos of the puppies, check out our Available Puppies page.

It is a happy morning at the Martin house! Mia safely delivered two beautiful puppies during the night. Even for a first time mother, she is doing very well! She needed very little assistance. Both Mia and I are exhausted from a wakeful night; but, so far, everyone seems to be doing well.

I will post more details and some pictures in the next few days!