I love my Lab sooo much i wanted another so I bred her with a Poodle!!! OY! Making Labradoodles!!!

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

What was I thinking!  So, my girl is in her 7th week and now I'm getting nervous!  Gotta build that Whelping box and prepare!  I made a vet appointment to see how many pups she will be having.  I keep one, give one to her Stud, and the rest of the babies! Oh my! What to do with my babies babies??? Suggestions?

 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

You are probably not going to like what I have to say, but I don't think anyone should be breeding dogs that is not a qualified breeder. Now that you have, you have a responsibility to find wonderful homes for all the puppies that are left or turn them over to the DRC (Doodle Rescue Collective) to make sure that applicants are screened and the best homes possible are found for these puppies and then I would follow that by getting your female lab spayed. There are enough unwanted dogs and puppies in this world. Good luck!

[Jane Smith]

Well said Laurie.  I whole heartedly agree.

[Adina P]

Puppy mills are bad because of the neglect and abuse of the breeding parents and lack of deep thought into the breeding, lack of health testing and the HUGE AMOUNT OF PUPS they mill out in such conditions.

 

But even a nice person like yourself could be doing dogs a disfavor by breeding without indepth study of the breeds and indepth attempt to match two health tested dogs.  Without hips, eyes, DNA testing behind your dogs (and on their parents) ... you can still be passing on major genetic defects and problems in the pups created.  Even if your dog and the stud appear healthy so far.  A lot of things are recessive and are just waiting for the right (wrong) pairing.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, I don't understand what puppy mills have to do with somone breeding their pet dog. If someone wants a labradoodle, there are plenty of responsible and reputable breeders with litters from health tested parents available, and there is also some experience in knowing what the breeding will produce in terms of coats, size, etc. I don't see how bringing more F1 puppies with no health testing behind them into the world has anything to do with hype about puppy mills.

[Linda, Webber and Seda]

Sorry to disagree with you.   If you were in it "for the love" you would be breeding hip, eye, heart and genetically tested breeding pairs.  Please accept any help the breeder community can offer you at this point.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well said, Laurie. I agree 100%.

If the puppies are sold or given away, you must also make sure that there is an agreement in writing with the adopters to spay and neuter them by a certain date. A legitimate rescue group will also take a spay/neuter deposit to be refunded when the adopter provides proof of desexing, in addition to spelling this out in the adoption contract.

If you choose to place these puppies yourself, you must carefully screen the purchasers or adopters to make certain that they are not going to end up in a puppy mill as breeding dogs themselves, or sold to labratories as guinea pigs. You must also have a return clause in writing so that they don't end up dumped in a kill shelter by someone who finds they cannot keep the dog for whatever reason. As we see every week here in the forums, this is always a very real possibility.

 

 

[Camilla and Darwin]

YEP.

[BG and Gavin]

Does not sound like a very well thought out decision :(  But, what's done is done.  You now need to find out everything that you can about how to care for the mom and the pups when they come.  Perhaps you can make acquaintance with a breeder to mentor you through this important and difficult process.  You also will need to find out what questions to ask and how to properly screen perspective buyers.  Good luck to you.

[Adina P]

Yeah probably not the best choice to casually breed your own dog just because you want more of her.  You won't get more of her...you'll get a mixed breed that could be like her, a little like her, not at all like her.  But what's done is done and now you have to be careful that these pups get a good start in life and excellent homes.  I would say:

 

--Don't charge a lot because unless the mom and stud came from health tested parents and were health tested themselves (OFA/PennHIP hips, CERF eyes, PRA, vwd, DNA, etc) and unless you can provide a long term health guarantee then they really aren't worth more than a random accidental litter. 

--Be extremely picky about who they go to.  Get vet references from potential buyers, make sure they have fenced yards, don't sell to people with little kids UNLESS they have had LOTS of dog experience as adults, don't sell to anyone who plans to keep their dogs outdoors, don't sell to anyone who has never owned a dog.  BE VERY PICKY.

--Most first generation labradoodles will shed so please don't suggest to any buyers they will get a non-shedding dog.  Some will be super high energy.  Some will be mellow.  You won't be able to promise anything to buyers because they are a mixed breed and unless you have raised many litters before you won't know for sure which pup will have which temperament.

--DO NOT sell them before they are 8 weeks old.  Those last couple of weeks (6-8) weeks puppies learn a lot from each other and their mom.  They learn important doggy social behavior.  Even if your vet says "oh they're weaned and can go to new homes now" before 8 weeks...don't listen to him.  Health-wise they might be ready to be away from mom.  But developmentally they are NOWHERE near ready to be in a home.  They will be BETTER dogs if they have more time with their littermates.

 

Good luck.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I so glad you said about the puppies not being outside dogs. Our neighbor has at least four dogs tied up outside 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in all kinds of weather and there is nothing anyone can do. In our state as long as you provide food and shelter, you can tie them up all day. You must make sure this does not happen to your puppies. Since you are not in it for the money, I would turn them over to the DRC after 8 weeks and let someone who is more experienced handle this part.

[Leah S.]

I agree. And most people have no idea how stressful it can be caring for those puppies once mom is done with them. Once those puppies are walking, mom only wants to go in to feed and clean them up a little, then she's OUTA there. At 5 weeks she doesn't REALLY want to be in there because they're chewing on her nipples, etc, so going in there to clean up and everything is painful for her. But 6 weeks she's pretty much DONE being chewed on! The mess, the smell, the time, the noise, is always a nice little reality check. LOL

 

You are not the first person to do this, and certainly won't be the last. While some of us have had a moment of irritation that you've done it, we'll get over it and help you any way we can. There will probably still be some "I told you so" moments ahead for you though. LOL 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Great advice!