Family Thanksgiving...the bad

[Margaret M Pitts]

I have been wanting a labradoodle/goldendoodle for over two years. Had some health problems to take care of (specifically knee replacements) and now I am so ready to make a new friend this spring or summer!!

This year at our Thanksgiving my husband's brother and his wife, who are both vets, started in on what terrible crazy dogs doodles are.  Did not have one good thing to say about them and said they wouldn't recommend them to anyone!!  Then one of the young girls visiting started in too.  She grooms dogs and said doodles were the worst, she hated doing them, they were such a pain. Needless to say I was crushed!  I have been so down ever since and can't seem to get out of this blue fog.

I have researched for several years and think particularly a goldendoodle would be perfect for me. I am retired, home alone almost all the time, have so much love to give and have always loved dogs.  There is a good groomer in our town and a lovely young lady who has started a business training dogs. She is highly qualified and I will be looking to her for help.

So guess I am just needed some positive thoughts on doodles and I thought members here would be able to give me honest, first hand, actual life experiences on living with a doodle. Please and Thank You!! 

[Margaret M Pitts]

Good advice and I plan on doing lots of exercise although not sure I will be running with my dog LOL  Lots of walking will work the same I hope!  One thing I have always had is lots of patience, got that trait from my Dad who was the sweetest most patient man in the world. And usually I can be pretty consistent too and will be extra careful to do this right!  Thanks for the positive advice!

[BG and Gavin]

Lol oh I don't run! The dog does. I just launch the tennis balls that cause the run! :)

[Margaret M Pitts]

Whew!! Good to know, had me worried there for a bit!!!

[Lindsey Holt]

We have an F1B Goldendoodle, Jake.  He is about 10 months old and we have had him since 9 weeks.  We have had him to the vet multiple times and to the groomers multiple times and they both say he is a gem.

He is very energetic and has some listening "issues" but that is to be expected of any puppy.  He is super smart and knows sit, stay, come, and can ring the bell to go potty.  He walks on a leash quite well and would be a model canine if he would stop stealing things and playing keep away and counter surfing!

[Margaret M Pitts]

Jake sounds like he is what I had hoped a Goldendoodle would be like and so glad to hear that he is a reality!  Not just a dream!  Our Golden Retriever used to steal things but she would always bring them to me. Since my boys were young then I didn't always pay enough attention to take her gifts. Then she tended to assume whatever was meant for her and she would chew it up!! Sort of needed to train me better to pay attention. LOL  All alone now (husband still busy) so should be able to pay attention to a new puppy/dog! Thanks for sharing about  your sweet Jake!

[Ginny Nightingale]

I have three labradoodles, raise labradoodle pups for a breeder and groom about a dozen of them for clients (as well as two portuguese water dogs and that is all, so most of my clients are labradoodles). Can't say a bad word about ANY of them--all wonderful dogs! Of course, all pups nip and act crazy sometimes--training is the key but more important is choosing a good puppy in the first place....I would say that there are some BAD breeders out there--puppy mills etc who do not care about temperament--so make sure you find a good breeder and do your homework! 

[Margaret M Pitts]

Good to hear such positive remarks about so many different doodles!  Makes me think I will be fine!! Thank you for sharing, it is a comfort to hear such a good report!!

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I think that the reason a lot of groomers don't like them is because there is no set standard for the way a doodle is groomed.  Every coat is different and every owner likes them just a little bit different.  One wants them short, another long etc.  The key is keep the doodle brushed out between groomings.  This includes getting all the way down to the skin when you are doing this.  Then go over them with a fine tooth comb to make sure there are no mats.  Then lastly find a groomer that loves doodles to do your grooming.  As for why your friends that are Vets had such negative things to say, I'm not sure.  Just like any type dog, there are owners that don't put any time into their dogs and they aren't the greatest.  With that being said though just like everything else there are different opinions.  If your friends were Doctors and they told you children SUCK, would that keep you from having children if you really wanted children ... NO, so do what you want, then make sure you work really really hard at training when the puppy comes and PROVE THEM WRONG.   P.S.  I'd be curious to know what the Vets thought process was with doodles and why they hated them so much.

[Margaret M Pitts]

All good points!! I am beginning to think the comments were made by people that had not seen enough doodles to make their negative observations true!  Now that I know the truth from so many kind people here at DK that is my plan...prove them WRONG WRONG WRONG!!  The good news is that they will not be my vet or my groomer as we don't live near each other. So at family gatherings I will be sure to have the best behaved, sweetest, most well-groomed buddy they have ever seen!!  And if my dog isn't quite as perfect I can always skip the negative Nellies and find a doodle gathering!! LOL Appreciate your pep talk!!

[DonMarie and Picco]

Those are some bad folks you hang around with!  Just kidding....I'm glad you are still pursuing Doodles otherwise you would be missing out on some excellent love!  They are fun loving and do NEED attention. 

Yes, their grooming is harder than most because doodle coats are so different and unpredictable but most groomers love working with them and part of the Doodle charm is shaggy uneven coats so no perfection needed!  (BTW I do my own grooming).

All dog breeds have there varied temperaments and you don't always know what to expect. And the same goes for dog owners!

[Margaret M Pitts]

Laughed when I read your comment then thought about it a minute and decided there was some truth to the mention of  "bad folks".  When I think about it the in-laws, especially my husband's brother, is always raining on my parade. From loving to decorate for Christmas, to worrying about getting everybody at a reunion and so many things over the 40 years of knowing him that he is negative on that I love, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. And his wife always agrees with everything he says so no surprise there.  I was so down after listening to their opinions, which are given with much expertise, if I had a tail it would have been dragging!!

So I am really happy that so many here have given me honest appraisals of a great dog breed (even though both of the vets said they are just mutts!) I am really excited about getting my own Doodle!!  Thank you Thank you Thank you!! 

[Lynda Kamrath]

Yes, they are mutts.  That just means they are not pure bred dogs recognized by the AKC, but that makes them even better in my eyes.