Where Labradoodle & Goldendoodle Owners Connect!
Decisions, decisions...
I have narrowed my decision down to Goldendoodles. I was debating between Cockapoos, Goldendoodles and Cavapoos. Goldendoodles appear to be more intelligent and seem like they will be a great companion during long walks and when I have an empty nest in two years. I was also told that since I have mild allergies that I would be able to tolerate them better than dogs that are heavier shedders. I am a working mom and I am currently doing research and trying my hardest to find a reputatable breeder. However, I do not have experience with dogs or selecting breeders. The few that I've contacted using petfinder.com and a couple of others made me suspicious. Why do they have so many breeds? Why can't they communicate via email? Why are there such a large range of prices? So I will ask you experienced doodle owners...how do I find a reputatable doodle breeder whom I can trust and will not cost me a years tuition? Regarding doodles, is there a difference in temperament, trainability and appearance between females and males? Regarding F1b's and F1's is there a difference in grooming, appearance and viger? When looking at puppies how can I determine what the adult size will be since I do not want a doodle that will grow to be over 55 lbs. I live in northern NJ. Help!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by susan kaput on -
I have a mini goldendoodle (3 yrs old, 34 lbs.) that I got from the PawPad in Deer Creek,. Ill. He is absolutely wonderful. I am a widow and he is my little buddy. So smart, energetic, but also calm. The breeder, Christine Phillips, was so helpful to me in choosing a puppy. He is everything I wanted, and more. No matter what kind of puppy you get, the time you put into training it is the key to what kind of dog you end up with. He is an F1, by the way.
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Permalink Reply by Native New Yorker on -
Yeah! My first response on DoodleKisses. So if I want a goldendoodle that's not more than 55 lbs should I get a mini doodle? 34 lbs. sounds perfect and your doodle is gorgeous. That's just the coat that I'm looking for. Did you use a professional trainer or did you train it on your own? Is there a difference in behavior between the females and males? I apologize for so many questions, I'm a newby and I am a little anxious about making the right choice.
Thanks.
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Permalink Reply by susan kaput on
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I can relate to your enthusiasm - they are wonderful dogs. Minis come in a range of sizes, my dog, Angus, is about mid-range. My son has a full-size doodle who weighs about 75 lbs. and the two dogs are the best of friends, like Mutt and Jeff. His coat is usually kept trimmed to that length or even shorter in the summer, for his comfort. Also, if not trimmed, his hair gets SO long, it's a real pain to keep it mat-free.
I trained him myself, along with puppy kindergarten classes and a slew of books. He is very well-behaved, but, as with anything else , the more time you put in, the better your results are likely to be. Consistency is so important. No, he is not at all yippy or hyper - my son's big dog barks more than mine. Can't answer the question about the difference between males and females, though I've been told that males are more loyal (?). When he was 8 wks. old. Christine flew him out to me (Chicago to Providence - It's only about 21/2 hrs) Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Jane, Sherlock & Noah on -
Hi and welcome. You will find a lot of information here. Here is a link that discusses what to look for in a reputable breeder.
http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/what-to-look-for-in-a
You could also look in the owner recommended breeder group. Click on the "Groups" tab and it should be one of the featured groups.
If you are looking for a dog that will not be over 50lbs, I would suggest a mini goldendoodle (golden retriever and mini or toy poodle). Most will stay under 35lbs. It is difficult to predict exact size and I have heard of some minis that are 50+ lbs, but I think this is pretty rare.
If you have mild allergies, I would suggest a curly f1b goldendoodle. However, there is no guarantee that the dog will not shed or that it won't aggravate your allergies. I would try to find a breeder that you can visit with and check out the adult dogs and see if they trigger a reaction.
There really is so much variety among these dogs, but they all seem to be mild-tempered and devoted companions. I have a mini f1b goldendoodle (17 months old and about 25lbs) and he is a wonderful, loving dog. We did a lot of training in his first year and he's a therapy dog and is so friendly and loves people.
I would contact several breeders after you do some research. Those that are willing to speak with you in length and are very enthusiastic about these dogs are worth looking into more. Those that are too difficult to contact or you get a bad vibe from, stay away from.
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Permalink Reply by Native New Yorker on
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What wonderful and valuable information. You doodle lovers are awesome. I have soooooo much to learn. Thanks a million. BTW, is there a difference in temperament and trainability between mini's, mediums and standards? I was told that mini's were snippy.
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Permalink Reply by Jane, Sherlock & Noah on
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I really haven't noticed much of a difference in temperament between the sizes. My mini is not yappy/snippy at all. He is very calm and laid-back. He is gentle and so friendly towards all people.
I think it would be hard to determine if there are significant different temperaments because there is so much variety with these dogs. Socialization and the amount of time you spend training really makes a big difference. I haven't met a doodle yet that has had a bad temperament though. I would encourage you to attend a doodle romp so you can see for yourself the temperament of these dogs. Try to find a breeder near you so you can visit and meet the parents. That will help a lot with determining your puppy's predisposition.
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Permalink Reply by Karen & Jack on -
You aren't looking at Petfinder...that's only for dogs available through rescues & shelters. You must be looking at one of those puppy find sites, or next day pets, or that kind of thing. THOSE ARE ALL PUPPY MILL BREEDERS. You have to look at individual breeders websites, not big conglomerates of advertising. That's why they have so many different breeds, they're commercial mill breeders. Stop doing general searches, you have to look at individual breeder's websites.
Start with the Groups here "Goldendoodles for Sale" and "Labradoodles for sale". Also "Owner Recommended Breeders". Click on "Groups" at the top of the page above and you will see them. Start looking at the breeder's websites and get an idea of what a real breeder's site looks like, versus an internet puppy mill. Start reading some of our discussions here...all of your questions have been discussed and answered here before. Male vs female, the allergy issue, the size issue...everything. You can search the forum for all of this and more. You also need to read up on the grooming requirements of non-shedding dogs and doodles in particular...they are very high maintenance. Read through the "Puppy Madness" group discussions and see what kinds of problems people have had with training, housebreaking, nipping, chewing, barking, destructiveness, and the list goes on. All the tools are here for you...educate yourself before you get a dog, not afterwards.
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Permalink Reply by Native New Yorker on
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You're correct, I was communicating with breeders from puppyfind.com. and nextdaypets.com. I had no clue, but I was suspicious. I am so grateful that I found this blog. My first puppy experience could have been horrible. A sick puppy would break our hearts and our bank account. I will now be an educated consumer. Unfortunately, Northern New Jersey does not have ANY breeders. It looks like most of the breeders are in Pennsylvania (a little over 3 hours from me) where there are also a great many puppy mills. Thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Adina Pearson on -
It's possible some better breeders might advertise on puppyfind.com -- but you'd need to find their specific websites and talk to them individually to see if their program meets your needs.
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Permalink Reply by Karen & Jack on
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No, Adina. I've checked that out thoroughly. All internet mills.
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Permalink Reply by Karen & Jack on
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Pennsylvania is full of Amish puppy mills; there are also legitimate breeders there, but you need to start researching so you can tell the difference.
I'm positive there are breeders in NJ, or at least very close...definitely in the Northeast. Again...you are not going to find breeder listings on the sites you've been looking at. You need to check listings with breeders' associations, in addition to those here at your disposal. Try this, also:
http://www.goldendoodles.com/breeders.htm
Another question I would ask you, since you seem to want to be sure of certain characteristics in a puppy, is why you are only looking at mixed breeds? Mixed breed dogs have a lot of variation from one dog to another. In doodles, you could have a litter of 8 or 10 puppies, and no two will be the same size, coat-type, color, temperament, etc. Have you considered any of the purebreds, where you have an assurance of size, non-shedding, etc., even before the pups are born?
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Permalink Reply by F Parker,Calla & Luca on -
There is a breeder I've spoken to, but for labradoodles in northern NJ and I suspect there may be for goldendoodles but I haven't looked. I'm sure there are some in NJ or nearby. I did end up getting both my dogs shipped tome but with your allergy problems you probably would do better to be able to visit the breeder.
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