Meet Finn!
I’m so happy to officially introduce you to our fun-loving, hilarious and bright-eyed pup, Finn.
Nathan and I have talked for years about how much we’ve wanted a puppy. Nate grew up with pugs and always thought how fun it would be to have one again, and I had my mind set on a Frenchie after falling in love with my friend Kelsea’s sweet pup Henry in NYC. Either way, we knew we’d be happy with any dog, and we couldn’t wait until the day we would bring one home. We even purchased our future pups’ first toys while living in Austin a few years back. We were so ready to add a puppy to our family!
Rewind to a trip that Nate and I took together to Bentonville, Arkansas the fall of 2018. I was there with a few other content creators on a sponsored trip, and Nate came with as my photographer. On our last day in Bentonville, we stopped at a home decor shop in town to browse before our flight back home. The shop we walked into had the absolute sweetest surprise. Upon entering, we were greeted by the biggest and cuddliest teddy bear of a dog and quite possibly the cutest animal I had ever seen. He walked beside me the entire time we were browsing and then quietly laid at my feet while we paid for our finds. From that moment on, I knew I needed this dog in my life. This adorable Irish Setter Goldendoodle was going to come home with me one way or another. If not that day, then someday.
And as fate would have it, little did we know that a pandemic move to Colorado (something we never thought we’d do in our life) would lead to our new best friend Finn three years later. After searching for a while, Nate located a breeder in Idaho whose specialty was doodles (Lazy Day Doodles) – including Irish Setter Goldendoodles! We paid a deposit in February, and drove to meet them in Utah in April to pick up our little friend! The rest is history. I couldn’t recommend Erin from Lazy Day enough. She was so wonderful throughout the entire process.
Our world completely changed when we brought Finn home. But oh boyyy are puppies hard work! The amount of googling we did to make sure we were on the right track with our little guy was quite comical. We read so many books too. I love gathering as much information and insight as possible when embarking on something new. (hehe) We both found this one (Before & After Getting Your Puppy) to be very helpful in learning what to expect with Finn.
Things to Note + Top Tips:
Puppies and dogs, in general, thrive on routine, and we found that giving Finn set mealtimes, playtimes, and bedtime each day, helped him adjust more easily to his new home and environment. I recommend purchasing a puppy gate too in order to keep them out of certain rooms in the beginning while still teething!
We kept him busy with lots of puppy puzzles (we ordered this puppy teething puzzle, this puzzle feeder, this treat dispenser, & this treat toy ball. He loves them all!) They helped so much in the first few weeks of teething and having fun at home together. We also took Finn to puppy socialization classes here in Denver and paw school to ensure he had as much exposure to the outside world, other dogs, and other humans while still a puppy. The book and our vet (Denver Animal Hospital near WashPark whom we LOVE so much!) stressed how important it is to give them as many puppy firsts as you can in those first few months.
We were strict with crate training too within the first weeks. Crate training helped with potty training and getting him to sleep through the night. Thankfully it only took about two to three months for Finny to sleep through the night and be fully potty trained! He’s a very smart pup! Now he sleeps on his bed in our room with us. (But remember, every puppy is different. Consistency and patience are KEY when raising a new puppy) 🙂 We’re slowly introducing him to being alone at home so that we can get him used to us being out of the house. It’s best to try with small increments at a time and then expand as you go. Doodles suffer from separation anxiety, so we’re trying to be extra gentle with this one.
Finn will be 5 months on July 11th, and I can’t believe how quickly time is flying. He’s already grown so much too! While I must admit, the first few months with a brand new puppy were a lot of hard work, filled with lots of sleepless nights and even a few tears, Nathan and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Our Finn injects so much happiness and joy into our everyday life, and we couldn’t imagine our lives without him.
He currently loves peanut butter, car rides, grabbing brunch on the weekends with his mom and dad, playing with other puppies, going to the park, watching Friends, and showing off the many tricks his dad taught him! If you’re on the fence and considering adding a fur baby to your home, know that they are the biggest blessing and sweetest companion and 100% worth it. We love our Finn so very much.
Enjoy the photos of our little family of 3 below! Taken by my sweet friend, Taylor.
See more of Finn of and his adventures!
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photography by Taylor Prinsen.
