First-time dog owner: Is my 5-year-old Goldendoodle sick or normal?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be him reacting to the new pup. This is not uncommon and it is usually transient. However, this could of course be due to a medical condition so if this does not improve or resolve in the next week, have Tucker evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. The vomiting may be related to it or not, but a physical examination will be needed to establish it. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hello. What a sweety Dixie is. Puppies do sleep quite a bit, so as long as she has a good appetite & there is no vomiting or diarrhea, then she will be fine to wait for your appointment where she will receive a good exam to make sure she is perfectly healthy. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Congratulations!! Bruno is adorable! Bruno needs to start his puppy vaccines. He should receive a DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parvo and parainfluenza) vaccine every 3-4 weeks starting around 7-8 weeks of age until he receives two past 12 weeks. He should get his rabies vaccine between 12-16 weeks. He can start being dewormed as well. Having him dewormed and Rabies vaccination will protect your family. Keep up with his vaccinations into adulthood as they do have expiration dates. Deworm yearly. I recommend puppy food until 1 year of age. I like Purina proplan, hills science diet and Royal Canin. As a puppy his energy level is like a new born. Play for a bit then sleep. Around 4 months they are awake more. So playing with him when awake and 2-3 walks a day are appropriate. Distance can increase with age and endurance. See below for links on training. I wish you and Bruno the best! https://www.petcoach.co/article/basic-dog-puppy-training-rules/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/rewards-are-necessary-when-training-dogs-and-puppies/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/training-fitness-for-sporting-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/interacting-with-your-pet/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-obedience-commands-every-dog-should-know/

Hello. I would start with having a good health exam done by your veterinarian. He/she will recommend any diagnostic tests such as a fecal, starting appropriate vaccinations, recommend when to neuter ( if you desire ), & heartworm preventative. Congratulations on your new puppy. Hope for many happy & healthy years. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, sorry to hear about Harry. Its likely that he is having skin allergies which are making him very itchy and thus very anxious. He may need to have allergy medications such as Benadryl or other more aggressive medications if his itchiness doesn't resolve. Please have Harry evaluated by his veterinarian if his itchiness does not resolve or if his anxiety gets worse. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi there! Congratulations on your new puppy, Genisis. I would first start by having Genisis in to have a vet visit. This way, the veterinarian can make sure Genisis appears healthy, doesn't have any heart murmurs, or other abnormalities that need monitoring. Puppies can start with their distemper vaccine at about 8 weeks, which also includes an inoculation for parvovirus, which is a very dangerous and contagious gastrointestinal virus that puppies can acquire. Depending on the recommendations for the number of boosters in your area, your vet will let you know how many of these vaccines Genisis will need until being able to be safely let out into the environment to walk around outside and socialize with other dogs. Until he is fully vaccinated, I'd definitely keep him inside, and away from other animals, especially those with unknown vaccine histories. Your veterinarian will also recommend de-wormings and a fecal test at some point to make sure that your new puppy is parasite free. All puppies will have roundworms, and these worms can be transmissible to people, so I always recommend using good sanitary practices - ie wash hands after handling feces, and avoid kisses on the mouth and face. There is also the bordetella vaccine for kennel cough, and the canine influenza vaccine for the influenza virus. I will usually recommend those in my area. What isn't very prevalent in my area, is the leptospirosis bacteria, but I think in Arkansas it can be an issue, so I'd definitely ask the vet about that. Aside from that, I recommend a small breed puppy food for the first year of life - nutro, nature's recipe, royal canin, science diet, or purina are great brands. And I would also have Genisis neutered around 6 months of age to avoid health issues later in life, like an enlarged prostate. I'd look in your area too and see if there is a reputable dog trainer who can come to the house to start some puppy classes for you as well! I hope you find this information helpful! Best of luck!