Goldendoodle Puppy Socialization: Key to Lifelong Wellness

Video Testimonials

About Our Beloved Pups From Their Forever-Home Families

We Adore Our Pups and Their Families, Who Share Updates as Our Pups Become Fantastic Adults. Watch and Learn About Their Experience.

image description

We Feel Blessed Raising Goldendoodles. Meet Charlie and Moose, the Bissell Family's Two Amazing Goldendoodles from ABCs Puppy Zs.

Socialization Highlights - Its All About Momma

Our approach to Puppy Culture starts with the moms. At ABCs Puppy Zs Top Goldendoodle locations, every mom receives VIP treatment, especially during pregnancy. We provide balanced nutrition, regular vet's office (They should be members of the American Veterinary Society) for check-ups, a stress-free environment, and ample affection to ensure optimal health. This care sets a strong foundation for the puppies' growth and happiness.


In our family-raised Goldendoodle puppy socialization period through and through and ready for their forever household, and our moms are our family. They enjoy a comfortable life environment, nutritious food, and plenty of love and attention. Our moms have access to private, quiet spaces and are closely monitored throughout their pregnancies.


With strong relationships with local veterinarians and access to advanced medical technology, we ensure every pup is born safe and healthy. Veterinary medicine plays a crucial role in ensuring the health and well-being of both the mother and the puppies. From conception onward, each puppy dog receives top-notch prenatal and postnatal vet care, ensuring they are healthy, energetic, and ready for life's adventures.


Alongside socialization, we conduct breed-specific health checkups for our pups and their parents via AKC parent clubs. These evaluations monitor health risks, ensuring our puppies and their parents live long, healthy lives. Please take some time to go through our Goldendoodle FAQ section of the website as we detail our all health and genetic testing we perform on our Puppy Moms and Dads. This is recomended and then we go over and beyond which will allow you take note of our tests and use those as a tool to compare and see how little actual testing is done my the majority of breeders out there. For ABCs Puppy Zs, the minimal, just never has made the cut.

Goldendoodle Puppy Socialization and Positive Experiences During the Critical Puppy Socialization Period

Socialization is crucial in Puppy Culture, offering lifelong benefits to any breed. The first 12 weeks of a puppy's life are a sensitive developmental period, ideal for fostering socialization as puppies are surrounded by people and other pups. The critical early months of a puppy's life when socialization occurs significantly influence their future behavior and temperament.


Socialization typically starts at 3 weeks (Early Neurological Stimulation, ENS, begins in Week 1) when puppies react to sounds and stimuli. This continues until around 20 weeks, by which time they adjust to various sights, sounds, and experiences. It is essential to socialize your puppy as soon as they come home to enhance their social skills during these early developmental stages.


Proper socialization brings significant benefits: emotional wellness, better communication, effective habituation, strong bonding with humans and animal species, mental and physical enrichment, improved puppy dog training performance, and overall life health. This period shapes a well-adjusted dog, confident adult and ideal kind of dog. Proper socialization leads to a more confident dog. If you have any doubt just read our Goldendoodle Reviews to learn just how serious we take the socialization process here at ABCs Puppy Zs.

Early Neurological Stimulation

Early Neurological Stimulation is a proven technique to enhance a puppy's developmental health into adulthood. The optimal time for ENS is within the first few weeks of life, making it the breeder's duty to perform it regularly. With all we now know about ENS there should not be a breeder out there that is not conducting these essential exercises. You will be able to find plenty of information regarding ENS when you have found and are working with a reputable breeder.


ENS benefits include improved cardiovascular health, stress tolerance, and stronger immune systems. The process is safe and simple, involving holding them in specific positions and tickling their toes.


At ABCs Puppy Zs, we perform all ENS exercises to boost our puppies' development and overall life well-being. These exercises, including toe tickling and various positional and thermal stimulations, are done daily for a few seconds when they are most calm, ensuring a positive reinforcement and overal positive experience throughout.

Introducing Solid Food

Goldendoodle puppy socialization at ABCs Puppy Zs follow a scheduled transition to solid food for optimal nutrition and development. They start with nutrient-rich goat milk and raw weaning, laying a healthy life diet foundation.


Puppies are monitored as they move from goat milk to a gruel of organic meats, banana, and canned pumpkin. Over several weeks, their diet adjusts to their life needs until they can chew large bones by 8 to 10 weeks. This supervised transition ensures healthy eating habits and a strong start.

Distributed Learning

Goldendoodle puppy socialization for those under 16 weeks benefit from various training activities like crate training awareness, potty, and chew training. Taking your puppy to a pet store can help them get used to various stimuli and environments. Enrolling your puppy in a puppy socialization class is crucial as it provides a structured environment where they can learn social manners and interact safely with various stimuli, including other dogs and people. These activities teach good desirable behavior modification and social norms. Thus avoiding potential behavior problems or behavioral issues common in most puppies where puppy class socialization important proceedings never took place.


Our training sessions are timed to the puppy's mood and energy, with breaks to prevent fatigue and treats to reinforce good calm life behavior with verbal praise given for enough time and from various people and young age to really have great positive associations and positive interactions too (positive reinforcement at its finest)! We also include massages to keep them relaxed all throughout puppyhood. This comprehensive approach fosters progress and strengthens the bond between the puppy dog and dog owners alike.

Three to Four Weeks (Explorers)

This exciting period for puppies involves life exploring new objects. Just take a look at our Goldendoodle Puppy Essentials and you'll be able to see some of the more advanced aged toys and stimulation type items that are great for your Pup once they get to their Forever-Home.


You will want to continue to light a spark under any and all mental stimulation and adadability exercises that you go through as your Puppy gets older so as to allow them to be socialized accross countless potential environmental stimuli new situations that they could come accross. They also begin to feel secure and attached when held lovingly.


With professional care, this stage includes startle/recovery exercises to develop their senses, responsiveness, and adaptability, crucial for their growth. By four weeks old, they will begin to engage in problem-solving socialize type activities, encounter new objects daily, meet new dogs and people, and play interactive dog training games, making their development enriching and delightful.

Five Weeks (Curiosity)

At about five weeks old, puppies start socializing and it is key puppy parents to be aware of potential fear imprinting as their fear response instincts emerge. This sensitive period is best managed professionally to gently trigger their fear response, helping them adapt and grow into confident and well socialize adult dog or older dogs.


Fear imprinting exercises are brief socializing designed to give puppies mild apprehension or surprise with changes in their surroundings, such as a tarp over their playpen, the rustling of crinkly bags, loud noises or shiny and different surfaces. These controlled socialize experiences help them adapt to new stimuli without causing undue stress.


Each Exercise is followed by a recovery period, respecting their comfort to prevent distress. Goldendoodle socialization with strong fear reactions are handled individually and at their own pace until fear imprinting is safely achieved.

Six Weeks (Lively Ones)

At six weeks old, puppies begin socializing to overcome their initial fear and become curious. This first round is an ideal time for them to meet new people and animals, building the foundation of their social and basic obedience skills.


We create positive experiences to make socially inclined and ready for socializing time with furry friends. We organize activities like puppy parties with playtime, rotation games, and ample company to help them get used to new faces and smells, fostering a friendly temperament.

Eight to Ten Weeks of Age (Playtime Puppies)

By 8 to 10 weeks, puppies may experience brief, strong, or unnoticeable fear. We closely observe them, removing fear triggers and maintaining a safe environment. By 10 weeks, this fear should subside, allowing for socialize supervised during Socialization. At this age, they are readying for their forever homes.


Puppies are usually ready for new families between 10 and 14 weeks, having developed an immune response to vaccines and having had proper socialization. From 14 to 20 weeks, they are in a critical socialization process period, and new families should ensure positive social experiences and avoide improper socialization.

Body Handling

Early body handling makes puppies comfortable with belly rubs as they grow. We gently handle their ears, tails, and toes daily from birth, helping them accept future touches from adults and children without surprise. This is a great time for car rides, dog park or dog parks (big favorite in a dog's life) meeting other animals, busy parks, busy streets, new sights sounds, socialize new puppy play with other puppies and pet parents and friend's house that have fully vaccinated dogs as well.

Biting Behavior

At ABCs Puppy Zs, we use gentle, proven methods to have them learn bite inhibition early and help them grow it quickly. While chewing is vital for strong teeth and jaws, unchecked nipping can become a bad habit. Our training includes chew toys, positive reinforcement, and calm interactions to naturally curb biting throughout the Goldendoodle who attend puppy classes, socialization classes or puppy classes with training ongoing.


Puppies under 10 weeks can exhibit resource guarding, or animal behavior like protecting food, toys, bones, or their owner's lap. We use treats and positive reinforcement to teach that sharing is caring and positive association socializing is key.


We love evaluating our pups at 7 weeks with a temperament test to confirm our socialize efforts are effective. These evaluations occur between milestones, like before fear imprinting, to accurately gauge Goldendoodle Temperament. The test involves introducing the puppy to a stranger in an unfamiliar setting to assess fear, aggression, or shyness. A well-socialized 7-week-old should respond happily and comfortably to new people and surroundings.

Obedience Training and Puppy Classes

Our Goldendoodle puppy socialization includes receiving light basic commands with us during training before joining their new family members, including recall, crate, and advanced auto-sit training. Early training and socialization are crucial throughout a dog's life, significantly affecting their behavior and overall well-being. As they continue to socialize and grow, continue the training (start reading over our Goldendoodle Puppy Training before Go-Home!) to ensure a well-behaved dog. Find useful socializing resources on our website to help you raise a loyal and loving companion. We also offer hundreds of Goldendoodle Blog articles covering all Trends Goldendoodle.

Leash Walking

At 8 to 12 weeks, we can't promise much, but they will have worn a leash! All our Goldendoodle pups try short, fun, basic leash walking over short walks in our Family-Raised Puppy Residence and taking in all the different socializing sights while avoiding frightening experiences. Some pups take to the leash naturally, and we'll let you know if yours does.

Running with the Older Dogs at Dog Parks

With close supervision, vast benefit is achieved from interacting with friendly, well-mannered adult dogs, avoiding other dogs as most puppies need a good first few impressions of any dogs they meet with socializing besides their Momma. Your Goldendoodle from ABCs Puppy Zs will have had ample playtime with our trusted adult dogs and socialize well managed those of our friends and relatives. We ensure our pups feel safe and only encourage these interactions when they show no fear and during key developmental periods.

Potty Training + Crates

Puppy dog potty training should start after 12 weeks of age, but early socialization attentive care is beneficial with many dogs' with baby steps and introductions to the outside world as well. Caregivers play a crucial role in establishing positive routines and associations. Puppies show signs before needing to potty, and consistent socializing through observation helps caregivers recognize these signals, allowing them socializing and to associate potty time with being outdoors.


Professional breeders and caregivers can help socialize young puppy safe so dogs develop good habits early on, laying a foundation for structured training throughout our time with all of our Goldendoodle Puppies for Sale they are constantly and consistently introduced to moderate and steady increases to puppy dog safe socialization levels as they get older and are capable of more complex tasks and learning activities and games.


Around six weeks, it is time to move to a larger weaning pen. We observe their potty needs based on activities: 10 minutes into play, 15 minutes after eating, upon waking, or when they suddenly stop and sniff around. This helps them associate potty time with being outdoors in a safe environment.

Size Variations

At ABCs Puppy Zs, we have taken our two decades worth of raising and breeding goldendoodles and put our practice into the focus of breeding down in size. Nothing can make your day like a Teacup Goldendoodle (Until your Micro Teacup Goldendoodle Upstages them!). We offer a variety of sizes as noted below:


  • Mini Goldendoodle for Sale: Perfect size for those wanting the largest variation, but smaller than the potential medium or standard goldendoodle averaging 60-80 pounds.
  • Micro Goldendoodle for Sale: The best size for families with small children that want a gentle furry friend to add to the family.
  • Toy Goldendoodle for Sale: These are ideal for the Globetrotters as they will stay under 20 pounds and therefore are Go-To Travel Buddies that are super plane friendly.
  • Teacup Goldendoodle for Sale: These were our smallest offerings for many years and offer that adorable Goldendoodle in an oh so tiny package perfect for those who wish to carelessly life their babies everywhere.
  • Micro Teacup Goldendoodle for Sale: An ABCs Puppy Zs exclusive and averaging less than 10 pounds. These are the ultimate in Micro Tiny perfection for any owner out there needing the ultimate smallest Goldendoodle Perfection.

Key Takeaways

Puppies learn best through conditioning and positive reinforcement, not punishment. We follow gentle training guidelines and encourage all future Goldendoodle owners to do the same. This builds trust, loyalty, and a well-mannered personality.


Training requires lots of and with that enough time, a consistent routine, patience, and treats, but the journey is worth it, and your dog will benefit in the long run. You can train your puppy dog yourself or enroll them in a socialize class if you're busy. Learn more about Goldendoodle training classes or contact us for advice on training with or without a professional.

Frequently Asked Questions


At what age can you socialize a puppy?

Puppies can start socializing as early as 3 weeks old, ideally between 3 to 14 weeks, during their critical socialization period. Early exposure to other puppies and to various environments, people, and other dogs helps them grow into well-adjusted adult dogs, minimizing future behavioral issues.

What Size Are Goldendoodle Puppies full-grown?

Goldendoodles vary in size based on the Poodle parent. The main sizes include (with available Goldendoodle Pictures):

What is the rule of 7 puppy socialization?

The Rule of 7 in puppy socialization involves exposing puppies to 7 different types of surfaces, toys, locations, people, challenges, and meal containers by 7 weeks of age. This method promotes adaptability, helping them become well-adjusted adult dogs, reducing behavioral issues.

What is the socialization period of a puppy?

The socialization period of a puppy spans from 3 to 14 weeks, a key phase for experiencing new environments, people, and other dogs. Proper exposure during this time is vital for a confident, adaptable adult dog, ensuring they grow up well-adjusted and free of behavioral issues.

Is 12 weeks too late to socialize a puppy?

Starting socialization at 12 weeks isn't ideal as many dogs, but it's not too late. While the prime socialization period is 3-14 weeks, you can still expose your puppy to new experiences, people, and other dogs. Focus on creating positive experiences to help them become a well-adjusted adult dog.

ABCs Puppy Zs

ABCs Puppy Zs Ensures Healthy, Lovingly Raised Goldendoodles, for an Exceptional Experience in Pet Ownership.

Could you ask for more? You bet: