Goldendoodle puppy (11 weeks) can get it today. Has not been around ANY children! I have 3 young ones.

[Greg Scott]

Hi, first time poster here.  I've been searching through the posts but can't quite get the answer I'm looking for.  We are a family of 5.  Have raised dogs our entire lives.  We have a 6 year old, 18 month old, and a 6 month old at home.  We know we are ready to adopt a golden doodle puppy - some think we're crazy (only 10 weeks, ready to go) but the puppies have not been around any children at all.  I've read about puppy-kid socialization and it seems the "standard" time frame is up to 12 weeks of age, after that, it becomes increasingly difficult to socialize your pet.  Obviously, the last thing we want is to have an aggressive, or even standoff-ish dog with the children.  

So a question to everybody out there:  Is it too late, or too much of a risk, to get this puppy?  Or are their natures generally great around kids regardless? Is anyone able to speak of personal experience in a similar situation?

Thanks for listening :)

Greg

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's another tip for finding a responsible breeder. Don't look at ad sites like Puppy Find (not to be confused with Petfinder) Next Day Pets, Kijiji, etc. There is not a single reputable breeder who advertises puppies on these sites. They have their own websites, with lots of photos of their breeding dogs, not just puppy pictures. 

Here is an example of the type of "breeder" who advertises on Puppy Find:http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/07/18/georgia-suspec...

This puppy mill was busted Friday, and 350 dogs were seized. From the article:

"The investigation into Wise was begun earlier this year when a North Carolina woman bought a Yorkie-Chihuahua mix online that died days after she brought it home.

Recently, Wise had puppies of four different breeds offered online with prices from $350 to $750 at PuppyFind.com. Her information there stated she has been a breeder for 35 years, had been selling on the site for almost eight years and now was specializing in "designer" breeds." 

I assure you that nobody who talked to her on the phone about one of her puppies would have been able to know the true situation. 

[Lynda Kamrath]

I would wait until the children are older.  It is just too much with puppies and children.  Goldendoodles are great dogs and you might start looking at them, but don't be in any rush to get a new puppy.  You might go to some local doodle romps and talk with people who have doodles.  There might be some appropriate breeders out there for puppies going to homes with children, but small children is another question.  As I said, I would wait.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I borrowed an untrained young Boxer when Sophie was 8 years old and nagging me for one...after a couple of hours being dragged around the park and into a pond she decided she needed to be 'at least 30 years old' for one of those dogs !!!!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Great strategy!

[BG and Gavin]

Just to add my Gavin is the calmest and sweetest guy going, but as a puppy we needed to put a ton of exercise and training into him. The biting as a pup nearly drove my husband over the edge. I cannot imagine doing it with a child around even though it was just perfectly normal big athletic teething puppy behaviour.

[Greg Scott]

Thanks for the tips everyone!!