Raising a Doodle: Heartwarming Stories from Dog Parents Around the World

By Theresa Piasta and Audrey Courchesne

● This Audience Is Growing: Dog ownership has skyrocketed 77.2% across high income households that earn $150,000/year in the last 10 years, with a 26% increase in the last 2 years alone.



● This Audience Is Spending More: Consumer spending on the pampering and ‘humanization’ of pets has become a lucrative trend, with the US pet market estimated to be worth over $72 billion.



● Women Lead This Trend: 60% of women between 18-44 years old in the US have a dog. 68% of women would choose their dog over a significant other, and 91% would sell a prized possession to pay for her dog’s surgery.



● Doodles Are Most Popular Breed: Seven of the top ten most common mixed breed dogs in the world are poodle mixes. On Instagram, #doodlesofinstagram has 3.4 million posts, while #goldendoodle has 4.5 million posts and #Labradoodle has 2.4 million posts.





AUDIENCE:

Women doodle (poodle-mix breed) owners

People thinking about raising a doodle

New doodle owners

Spouses and relatives of doodle women owners - will buy as gifts

• Language: English
• Publisher: SparkPress
• Release date: Nov 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781684630219

Theresa Piasta

Theresa Piasta is the Founder and CEO of Puppy Mama, a pet-tech company enhancing the lives of dog moms. Together, the Puppy Mama community is advocating for a more dog-friendly world and for the healing power of canine therapy. Before founding Puppy Mama, Theresa Piasta was a Vice President at JPMorgan and an Army Captain. From 2008-2009, Theresa served 14 months in the Iraq-War, earning the Bronze Star Medal for her leadership. Theresa attended the Stanford GSB Ignite program in 2016 and received a BA in Economics from Wellesley College in 2006.

Book preview

Preface

Dear Reader,

I have an (embarrassing) confession.

Being a Puppy Mama wasn’t exactly Plan A.

After college, I spent four years active duty in the U.S. Army, did a fourteen-month tour in Iraq, then headed to Wall Street. (Basically, I traded one high-stress job for another.)

My life situation in Manhattan—the cramped apartment, the early morning rush to the trading desk, the evening networking events—just wasn’t conducive to properly caring for a dog. So it wasn’t in my plan.

However, in 2014, my husband and I moved our lives to San Francisco. On those brisk, beautiful mornings, I would walk to work from South Beach along the Embarcadero waterfront and see dozens of people running, playing, and laughing with their dogs.

I stopped to chat with them, I started learning the breeds, and before I knew it, I wanted to be the one running, playing, and laughing with a puppy of my own.

Enter The Waffle.

Waffles, San Francisco, CA

Theresa and Waffles at a dog-friendly Giants game

My cavapoo, Waffles, is a thirteen-pound ball of pure joy. She has never failed to put a smile on my face. Her love is contagious — she spreads laughter and happiness to everyone she meets. Just watching her proudly twirling and dancing on her hind legs to win smiles and affection from others fills my heart with happiness. She reminds me every day to embrace life and to make each day count.

Most importantly, she inspired me to build a community of women who love their dogs like family. I wanted the community to be judgment-free, empowering women to live the lives that make them the happiest and healthiest—lives that include their pups. The women in the Puppy Mama community understand how special this relationship is. And some of the most passionate members of our community are our doodle mamas! They share amazing stories, post beautiful pictures of their adorable pups, and connect with each other in person and over social media. For many women, sharing their experiences online has led to friendships with other dog moms offline.

Doodles help their moms in so many ways. Women share that they are happier and more fulfilled with their pups in their lives. Many have expressed that their doodles fill voids in their hearts that they did not even know were there in the first place. Their pups get them out to exercise and to meet and connect with new people, and help them to focus on the present. Even during bad days, doodles help women to forget their troubles with their playful antics: from showering them with kisses to looking like they found heaven in an exciting new stick. Coming home to a doodle is never lonely, with a ball of fluff running at you with so much love and excitement because you finally made it back home to them.

In 2014, I witnessed the happiness my neighbors were experiencing with their dogs on the Embarcadero. Today, seeing all of our members share their joy in our Puppy Mama community is truly beautiful. I am so excited to help you on your journey as you experience the remarkable love that dogs can bring to our lives.

Theresa Piasta

Founder of Puppy Mama

Introduction

There are few things more rewarding than nurturing an unbreakable bond with a fluffy companion. Whether you’re about to embark on the adventure that is puppy parenthood or you’re an old pro, we’re so glad you’re here!

If you’re just beginning your journey, you might feel daunted as you imagine how your life will change in the days, weeks, and months ahead. The puppy phase is marked by hills—Is there anything more adorable than a puppy?—and valleys—Will I ever sleep or be able to leave my apartment again?

When we were in those shoes, we had so many questions! How will I survive potty training? How will I know what my puppy is trying to tell me? Will my pup change my relationships with my family or friends? With the help of an experienced community of puppy parents from around the world, we wanted to share some of the lessons we’ve learned about how to raise a happy and healthy doodle who will steal your heart (and not your shoes)!

If you’re nervous, you’re not alone. We were right there with you! We are confident you’ll see that any angst you may be experiencing will quickly be eclipsed by the bright light your doodle will bring to your home and community. And we are so excited to share the experiences and collective wisdom our community members have contributed in creating this book.

At Puppy Mama, we’re working to create a more dog-friendly world. We want to experience the world with our pups, whether that means bringing them to our favorite coffee shop, with us to work, or on planes, trains, and automobiles!

While we’re making great strides toward this goal, there is still a long journey ahead. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, only 9 percent of workplaces identified as pet-friendly—although that’s up from 4 percent in 2014,¹ we still have a long way to go. As doodle parents, we all have a role to play in helping our society to accept (and embrace!) our canine companions. If your doodle is socialized and well-behaved when you bring him or her out and about, he or she will be an incredible ambassador for the breed and for dogs in society as a whole.

That’s where this book comes in! In these pages, we will provide you with some of the tools and tricks that you’ll need to raise a companion who is ready to be by your side, both in and outside of your home. No doubt there are challenges ahead, but we think you’ll soon agree that your decision to become a puppy parent is one of the best you’ve ever made.

Already tackled the puppy stage? We hope this book will bring you joy as you look back at where you’ve been, and excitement to learn new tips on how to keep your dog happy and healthy as you think about all the adventures that are still to come. If your pup isn’t quite ready for those adventures, many of the socialization and training tips for puppies are still applicable for older dogs. It may take a bit more time to teach an old dog new tricks, but it can be done!

In Part One, you’ll get to know fellow puppy parents whose doodles have grown their hearts and changed their lives. You’ll also learn about the vast array of doodle breeds and some of the reasons these special dogs have taken the world—and social media—by storm. Part Two will guide you through what to expect in the early days with your doodle, with tips on everything from crate and potty training to speaking your pup’s language. Finally, in Part Three you’ll learn how to continually grow your bond with your doodle, and you’ll see how doodle mamas are living their lives to the fullest with their pups by their sides.

Nothing quite compares to being a doodle parent. We’re so happy you’re with us!

Lola, Atlanta, GA

Part One

DOODLEMANIA

Michelle and Riply, Chicago, IL

Doodle Love

Stories of unconditional love and joy

from our Puppy Mama community

Moco, Tokyo, Japan

Ralphie, Sydney, Australia

The members of the Puppy Mama community who grace the pages of this book hail from cities and towns around the world. From students, to doctors, to lawyers, to teachers, to full-time mamas, they’re tackling puppy parenthood on their own, with their partners, and with their families. They’re experienced dog parents and first-timers. They’re united by their shared passion of loving and caring for their doodles.

Just ask doodle mamas why they’re so invested in puppy parenthood, and their enthusiasm will touch your heart.

Just ask doodle mamas why they’re so invested in puppy parenthood, and their enthusiasm will touch your heart.

Shelby and Lola, Atlanta, GA

After meeting my Charlie girl, I get it, I totally get it, and I am one of them! I get why dog accessory options are endless, expensive couches stand no chance, beds seem to shrink in size, and why people rush home from work, leave parties early, turn down plans, FaceTime while honeymooning in Hawaii, go to the groomers more often than the hairdresser, and go to the dog park more often than the bar. When something loves you so much and has so much faith in you, you can’t help but want to be the BEST person you can be. Charlie has brought so much joy and happiness into our lives, I can’t even remember what we did before her! says Kate from Glastonbury, CT.

Willa’s my real-life teddy bear. She’s the best cuddle bug in the whole world. Seriously, every single day is brighter with her, says Alexis from Fayetteville, AR.

When we got Peyton, it was the best day ever! I think I cried a few times watching her, and my heart felt like it had burst into a million little pieces. I was just so excited to take care of this precious little pup, and she brought a whole new meaning to my life. She is everything we have ever wanted and more, says Jen from Walnut Creek, CA.

When we ask puppy parents about the experience of raising a doodle, they’re thrilled to talk to us about crate training, socialization, and grooming. Their pups are so special to them, and they’re excited to share their experiences with other members of the Puppy Mama community. It’s the tips and tricks they’ve learned along the way that provide the foundation for this book.

But if you really want to know what it’s like to be a puppy parent—if you really want to know why so many women are willing to commit to the hard work that it takes to raise a doodle—just ask them about the bond they share with their pups. Ask them to tell you about their favorite part of being a doodle mama, and you’ll hear the same phrases again and again: unconditional love, pure joy, adventure, my best friend, my everything. The list goes on. Before we dive into what we’ve learned about the day-to-day ins and outs of raising a doodle, we want to give you a peek into the forever-changed lives of some of the women who make up the doodle parent community.

Teddy, Ann Arbor, MI (top and bottom)

When we got Peyton, it was the best day ever! I think I cried a few times watching her, and my heart felt like it had burst into a million little pieces. I was just so excited to take care of this precious little pup, and she brought a whole new meaning to my life. She is everything we have ever wanted and more.

—Jen, Walnut Creek, CA

Teddy

Saya

Willa

Willa’s my real-life teddy bear. She’s the best cuddle bug in the whole world. Seriously, every single day is brighter with her.

–Alexis, Fayetteville, AR

Waffles

Pax

Cha Cha

"My mini labradoodle