Piko Planning Guide

Context

• Piko: Mini goldendoodle, 19-24 lbs. Litter born Monday, July 13, 2026 (2 boys, 4 girls). Pickup day confirmed: Friday, September 4, 2026 (~7.5 weeks old) — family gets 90 minutes to select a puppy from those available.
• Breeder: Homestead Doodles LLC (parents Lulu & Theodore, litter LM-326).
• Daytime: Pickup (Fri) + weekend + Labor Day (Mon Sep 7) gives four days off before anyone’s back to work/school — the breeder’s “first 48 hours” bonding window fits naturally inside it. Tue Sep 8 is a transition day, not a work day: vet exam at 8am, then setting up the office pen. Piko’s first real office day is Wed Sep 9. Momo (16) is in school, so she helps evenings and weekends.
• Two offices: Nick splits time between HQ and CRN. Set up one office fully first and work from that one while Piko settles; duplicate the kit for the second office only once the first is proven.
• Nights: crate in Momo’s room from night one — still crate-trained, just kept near family for bonding. Keep the crate routine identical everywhere so the “den” travels well.
• Overnight potty (first ~2 weeks): Nick takes weeknights (so Momo can sleep for school); Momo takes weekends.
• Workshop kennel (heated, with shower): used for daytime crating, grooming, eventual full-day use as she matures, and night sleeping when Nick travels.
• Doggy door → self-service potty (goal): the workshop kennel has a doggy door to a secure outdoor run. Once Piko is reliably house-trained and mature (~6+ months, after full immunity), she can let herself out — easing the scheduled-break / commute dependency. Introduce only after solid house-training and only with the run confirmed fully secure.

1. Timeline (Sep 2026 – Jul 2028)

2. Setup Checklists

Buy List — Needs Only (pickup Fri Sep 4, 2026)

Essentials only; nothing here is optional.

Labels:

• [HD] — from Homestead’s pickup email. Where their guidance differs from generic advice, follow theirs.
• [GIFTLY] — on Momo’s Giftly list. Buy it from her link.
• Unlabeled — nobody has this covered. These are the ones to buy yourself.

Duplicate the cheap consumables (bowls, bags, cleaner, treats) rather than shuttling one set between home, workshop, and office.

On Piko — buy first, needed pickup day

• Flat collar (adjustable, puppy size) + engraved ID tag: name + Nick’s cell
• Y-front harness (puppy size — she’ll outgrow it by ~5 mo, expect a second)
• 6 ft leash (flat, non-retractable)
• Car restraint: crash-tested carrier or crate strapped in — daily office commute, not just pickup day

Feeding — [HD] follow the breeder exactly

• Blue Buffalo chicken & brown rice puppy — their food. Buy at least one bag even if switching later; changing food on day one causes diarrhea
• Slow-feeder / “food maze” bowl — they specifically recommend it; fast eating causes digestive issues [GIFTLY]
• Measuring cup — she arrives on ½ cup twice daily, morning + early evening
• Bone broth (optional) — kibble can be moistened with water or broth before feeding

Potty — [HD] she arrives litter-box trained

• Dog litter box + paper pellets (So Phresh or equivalent) — she uses one in her play area now. Continuing it at home bridges house-training and cuts indoor accidents. Get one per confined space (home pen + office pen)
• Poop bags [GIFTLY] · enzyme cleaner + paper towels (not on her list) — every location
• Potty pads as backup only [GIFTLY]

Home (night crate + living areas)

• Wire crate w/ divider — [HD] they prefer wire: collapses for storage and travel
• Lightweight blanket or sheet to drape over the crate, one end open — [HD] makes it dark and den-like
• Bedding: old blanket, towel, or crate bed + scented blanket from the breeder
• Baby gate(s) for stairs / off-limits rooms
• Food + water bowls (non-tip) [GIFTLY]
• Lidded trash can
• Chew toys, frozen Kong, snuffle/lick mat [GIFTLY]
• Pet first-aid kit (gauze, vet wrap, tweezers, digital thermometer, styptic powder)

Confined space — [HD] their setup is deliberately small: room for bed, litter box, and a food/water tray, and nothing more. A puppy given a large area will pick a corner away from her bed to soil. Build the home pen and office pen to that spec.

Workshop kennel + grooming — see checklists below; crate, pen, bowls, thermometer, camera, grooming tools

Office #1 only — needed by Wed Sep 9. Buy one kit, not two. The second office gets duplicated later, once the first setup is proven.

• 36"+ exercise pen + crate that fits, floor tarp/mat
• Second set: bowls, bed/towel, litter box + pellets, bags, enzyme cleaner
• Chew toys / frozen Kong, treat pouch
• Leave the pen assembled at that office — don’t plan to haul it back and forth

Training treats — [HD] their list, and it’s cheap

• Hot dogs, cheese sticks, goldfish crackers; broccoli and lettuce also work
• Cut into tiny pieces — a little goes a long way — and rotate flavors so she doesn’t get bored

Not purchases, but required before or at pickup

• Register microchip in Nick’s name (breeder implants; registration is on us)
• Pet insurance enrolled before the first vet visit — anything found becomes pre-existing
• Vet exam booked — Tue Sep 8, 8:00am, Queen Anne Animal Clinic. $110 new-client deposit paid Jul 20 (invoice 329201, applied to the visit); client #58892, Dr. Heather Fraser DVM
• Send breeder records to the clinic ≥24 hr before the appointment — Homestead sends vaccination info the week before pickup
• Seattle pet license

Cross-check: Momo’s Giftly wishlist

The “Other” section of Momo’s Giftly list covers a lot of what we need. Everything below is tagged [GIFTLY] above — we buy these from her list:

Three to swap out:

• Fida retractable leash, $20 — needs to be a flat 6 ft instead; retractables teach pulling.
• Wood Dog Crate & Side Table, $505 — the crate has to be wire, per the breeder, and ours moves between house, office, and workshop.
• Portable carrier / travel car seat, $88–$195 — these are carriers, not restraints. The car one needs crash-test certification (Center for Pet Safety).

Not on Giftly — buy these first: collar + ID tag, harness, flat leash, crash-tested car restraint, Blue Buffalo food, measuring cup, litter box + pellets, wire crate + cover, baby gate, exercise pen, enzyme cleaner, paper towels, lidded trash can, first-aid kit, metal comb, styptic powder.

⚠️ Do NOT buy — [HD] contract condition: any oral flea & tick medication. Per Homestead, oral flea/tick products carry an FDA neurologic-side-effect warning and using one voids the 24-month health warranty (Section 8 of the contract). Buy topical only, and say so at the first vet visit.

Defer until actually needed — adult-size crate/harness, long line for recall work (~4 mo), puppy class fees (book in Sep for Oct start). Baxter & Bella online training is breeder-partnered with code HOMESTEAD25 for 25% off if we want it — optional, not a need. The yard and run are already built; only the doggy door hardware and a puppy-scale fence audit remain (§ below).

Workshop Kennel (daytime crating, grooming, full-day use)

• Heating to 65-75°F + backup space heater + thermometer
• Crate (sized, with divider) + exercise pen + baby gate
• Non-tip water bowl, food bowl, potty pads (backup)
• WiFi camera, phone charger

Doggy Door & Outdoor Run (self-service potty)

Already built: fenced yard, new astroturf + gravel areas, natural dirt/grass. The yard is usable for supervised potty breaks from day one — it’s her own fenced ground, so it’s safe pre-immunity in a way sidewalks and parks are not. Only the self-service part waits for house-training.

Remaining — a puppy-scale audit, not a buildout:

• Walk the fence line at puppy scale: an 8-week mini doodle is ~5 lbs and fits through gaps an adult dog can’t. Check gate bottom clearance, gaps between pickets, and where turf/gravel edges meet the fence — new hardscape often leaves a soft seam that’s easy to dig under
• Gate latches self-closing and puppy-proof; nothing stackable near the fence to climb
• Gravel size — puppies eat gravel, and small/pea gravel is a real obstruction risk. If it’s small enough to swallow, fence that area off or supervise until she’s past the mouthing stage
• Turf: confirm pet-grade with draining backing and non-toxic infill (avoid crumb rubber). Urine doesn’t soak away like soil — plan a weekly hose rinse + enzyme treatment or it will smell by month two
• Turf surface temp in direct sun — synthetic runs hot; make sure she has a shaded route to the potty spot
• Pick one potty zone (dirt/grass is the natural choice) and take her only there, so the cue attaches to a surface
• Shade/shelter + outdoor water bowl
• Doggy door: sized for adult Piko, lockable — install/verify
• Doggy-door training treats on hand
• Unlock the door for self-service only after reliable house-training + full immunity (~18 wk)

Night Crate (Momo’s Room)

• Crate (sized, with divider) + comfortable bedding + scented blanket
• WiFi camera angled on crate (watch from Nick’s room)
• Night-potty kit by the door: slip-on shoes, flashlight, leash, treats, bags
• Phone alarms for 12am + 4am breaks (Nick weeknights, Momo weekends)
• Enzyme cleaner + paper towels nearby

Office

• Tall (36"+) exercise pen + crate that fits in/near it + floor tarp/mat
• Water bowl, bed/towel, scented blanket
• Potty pads, poop bags, enzyme cleaner; outdoor potty spot near entrance
• Chew toys, frozen Kong, snuffle/lick mat
• High-value treats + pouch, clicker (optional)
• Vet contact info posted

Grooming Station (Workshop Shower)

• Non-slip mat, handheld sprayer
• Detangling puppy shampoo [GIFTLY] + conditioner, quick-dry towels, pet-safe blow dryer (low heat)
• Slicker brush [GIFTLY] + metal comb (not on her list — a doodle mats at the skin without one)
• Nail clippers/grinder [GIFTLY] + styptic powder (not on her list)
• Ear wipes [GIFTLY], eye wipes [GIFTLY], cotton balls, treat jar
• Dog toothbrush + dog toothpaste [GIFTLY] — never human toothpaste (xylitol is toxic)

Home Safety

• Cables secured, chewable hazards and toxic items removed
• Enzyme cleaner (Nature’s Miracle), lidded trash can

3. Night Potty Transition

Piko sleeps in the crate in Momo’s room throughout — not a phase to graduate out of. Only the break frequency changes as she can hold it longer. Breaks shared: Nick weeknights, Momo weekends. When Nick travels, she sleeps in the workshop kennel.

Tips: carry her out (no walking/sniffing), potty only with minimal interaction, praise for going, then quiet return to crate. Keep it identical every night.

4. Daily Schedule

Same core schedule every day, whoever’s on duty — consistency is critical. Piko is at the office with Nick on weekdays. Pickup day (Sep 4) is an exception: pickup is midday, so the day starts at noon (Lunch + potty) and runs through the evening; the full 5:30am wake cycle begins the next morning, Sep 5.

Office days: potty every 1.5-2 hr (under 4 mo), stretching to 2-3 hr as she ages. Frozen Kong for meetings, enforce a midday nap, keep the pen out of high-traffic areas, pack backup potty pads.

Weekends: Sat 8am puppy class, 9am full brush (20 min), 1pm socialization outing. Sun 10am bath (workshop shower), 11am nail trim + ear cleaning (every 2 wk). Also: car-ride practice, new surfaces/sounds.

5. Training Milestones

[HD] house rules that apply from day one:

• Always pair a hand signal with the voice command — every command, from the start.
• “Come” is never angry, never used for discipline. She should learn that coming always earns attention, praise, or a treat.
• Separate potty time from play time. Outside → business only → back inside for a few minutes → back outside to play. Otherwise she learns that going potty ends the fun and starts stalling.
• Watch for excessive sniffing or circling — that’s the tell, take her out immediately. Also always after waking, after eating, and after heavy play (activates the bowels).
• First 48 hours: most house rules are suspended except the potty routine. Keep it low-key — no large gatherings, no overstimulation. Expect poor appetite, loose stools, and whining at night; all normal while she adjusts.
• Expect ~6 months to be housebroken, with occasional accidents for months after. Not a sign anything is wrong.

By 12 weeks (early Oct 2026)

• Name recognition, sit (lure), crate = positive, potty on cue
• Handling: ears, paws, mouth touched calmly
• Collar/harness on, leash attached (not walking yet)

By 16 weeks (early Nov 2026)

• Sit (verbal), down, come (5-10 ft), loose-leash intro, wait at doors, leave it/drop it started
• Socialization: 100 people, 50 dogs
• Exposure: surfaces (grass, gravel, metal, tile), sounds (traffic, vacuum, doorbell), places (stores, lots, parks)

By 6 months (mid-Jan 2027)

• Sit/down with 10-sec stay, come from 20 ft, loose-leash 80%, place, settle on cue
• Polite greetings (no jumping), leave it with food on floor
• House-trained reliably (prerequisite for doggy door) → start doggy-door training

By 1 year (Jul 2027)

• All commands proofed with distractions, off-leash recall in enclosed areas
• Uses doggy door to self-serve potty (supervised → unsupervised)
• Alone 6-7 hr, walks past dogs nicely, calm at cafes, reliable car travel, tolerates full grooming

6. Family Training (With Momo)

We train Piko ourselves with Momo as a co-handler — group classes + a few private sessions to support our daily work, not a board-and-train.

Momo (16) as co-handler: old enough to teach the harder behaviors (stationing, leave-it, heel, recall), not just sit/down. Positive reinforcement suits a teen — no strength or correction-timing needed. Her training time is evenings + weekends, exactly when classes meet. She owns specific behaviors (e.g. recall, leave-it, a trick) so Piko sees her as a leader.

Layered approach:

1. At-home daily practice from day one — the bulk of training, and free (Sections 4 & 5).
2. Group puppy class, whole family — proofing + dog-dog socialization; enroll once 2nd vaccines are in (~12 wk). Momo handles in class.
3. A few private/in-home sessions — trainer coaches us on specific issues, then we maintain it.
4. Optional day training if office logistics get hard — trainer works the day, teaches us the handoff.

Class options (Seattle, positive-reinforcement): Seattle Humane Dog Training Center, Seattle PuppyWorks, Paws 4 Training, Got Sit, Sharp Dogs Seattle, Dog’s Day Out / Karma.

Adolescent push (Spring 2027, ~9-12 mo): the teen phase brings boundary-testing and regression. Enroll in an advanced/proofing class, add private sessions as needed, split daily reinforcement Momo/Nick, use good weather for outdoor proofing.

Consistency rules (everyone): same cue words (post on the fridge), same rules (furniture, jumping, begging — no exceptions), same hand signals, short sessions (10-15 min), positive reinforcement only.

7. Grooming

Doodle coats mat easily — the workshop shower makes weekly home grooming easy.

• Daily (7:30pm, 10 min): quick brush, eye wipe, paw check. First month: extra paw/ear/mouth handling.
• Wed (7pm, 15 min): extra brush — check behind ears, armpits, collar.
• Sat (9am, 20 min): full brush, ear check, teeth brushing (work up to daily).
• Sun (10am): bath in workshop shower, blow dry fully, deep brush/demat, face trim as needed.
• Every 2 wk (Sun, after bath): nail trim/grind, ear cleaning, sanitary trim.
• Every 6-8 wk: professional or full home groom (body clip once adult coat is in ~6-8 mo, sanitary, paw pads, face/ears).

Milestones: 8-10 wk handle paws/ears/mouth (treats only) · 10-12 wk introduce soft brush, nail file, dryer sound · 12-16 wk first grooming appt (face/feet/sanitary) · 4-6 mo first home bath · 6-8 mo adult coat, more brushing · 8+ mo regular 6-8 wk groom.

Tips: brush before bathing (wet mats tighten), use conditioner, dry completely, work mats from ends toward skin, keep it positive.

8. Vet & Health

Before pickup: schedule a vet exam within 48 hours of coming home — validates the breeder health guarantee, sets a baseline, catches issues early.

Primary vet: Queen Anne Animal Clinic (Seattle Veterinary Associates), 1800 Queen Anne Ave N — (206) 284-2148. Dr. Heather Fraser DVM, client #58892.

First exam: Tue Sep 8, 8:00am — booked, $110 new-client deposit already paid (applied to the visit). Momo comes along before school.

That’s day 4 after pickup, not 48 hours — unavoidable, since the clinic is closed Sun Sep 6 and Labor Day Mon Sep 7, leaving only Sat Sep 5. Worth confirming the breeder contract’s exam deadline (the health warranty is Section 8): if it requires a vet visit within 48 or 72 hours, move to Sat Sep 5 — rescheduling carries the deposit over at no cost. If it’s “3 business days” or similar, Tue Sep 8 is fine as-is.

Vaccination Schedule

[HD] Homestead gives a 4-in-1 (Distemper, Adenovirus, Parainfluenza, Parvovirus) at their vet’s well-check a few days before pickup, plus several doses of de-wormer. Two more boosters are needed at 3-4 week intervals. Exact booster dates come from the breeder before pickup — confirm against this table then.

Bordetella and Lepto aren’t mentioned by the breeder — ask Dr. Fraser whether she needs them, especially Bordetella before any group puppy class.

No dog parks, store floors, or unknown dogs until ~18 weeks (2 wk after final DHPP). Carry her in public before then.

Add-ons: microchip, heartworm prevention, pet insurance (enroll before any issues).

⚠️ No oral flea & tick medication. Per the breeder, oral flea/tick products (isoxazolines — Bravecto, NexGard, Simparica, Credelio) carry an FDA neurologic-side-effect warning, and using one voids the 24-month health warranty under Section 8 of the contract. Use a topical instead, and tell the vet at the first appointment so it goes in her chart.

Vet visits: 48 hr after pickup · 11-12 & 15-16 wk (vaccines) · 6 mo (spay/neuter, dental) · 1 yr + annual (wellness, vaccines, bloodwork).

Call the vet immediately: not eating 24+ hr · repeated vomiting/diarrhea · lethargy · breathing trouble · swollen abdomen · limping/crying · blood in stool or urine.

9. Quick Reference

Emergency contacts:

• Primary vet: Queen Anne Animal Clinic — 1800 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle WA 98109 · (206) 284-2148 Mon-Wed & Fri 8-6 · Thu 8-1, 3-6 · Sat 8-5 · Sun closed. Closed major holidays incl. Labor Day.
• After hours / emergency: Veterinary Emergency Group Seattle — 1827 15th Ave W Suite A16 · (564) 888-4898 (closest to Queen Anne)
• Backup emergency: Emerald City Emergency Clinic — 4102 Stone Way N · (206) 634-9000
• Poison Control: (888) 426-4435
• Breeder: Homestead Doodles — Daniel & Leonnora, 253-736-5289, happiness@homesteaddoodles.com
• Pet sitter: ___

Feeding — [HD]: Blue Buffalo chicken & brown rice puppy, ½ cup twice daily — breakfast 5:30am, dinner 6pm. No midday meal. Kibble can be moistened with water or bone broth. 20-minute rule: put the bowl down, pick it up after 20 min even if unfinished — round-the-clock access encourages grazing, which causes loose stools and lethargy. Increase portions as she grows, per the vet.

(Generic advice often says 3 meals/day at this age; the breeder says 2 and knows this litter. Following theirs. Worth one confirming question to Dr. Fraser on Sep 8.)

Key rules:

1. Potty first — outside immediately on waking/uncrating.
2. Enforce naps — puppies need 18-20 hr sleep.
3. Nothing in life is free — sit before meals, doors, etc.
4. Redirect, don’t punish.
5. Consistency is everything — same rules, same words, every time.