Lil Doods by dazzle doodle

[Christina]

Hello,

I am new to this group. I am getting my goldendoodle next Saturday from lil doods in Mattawa, WA. I am wondering if any of you have gotten your goldendoodle from that breeder or know anyone else who has? Any info would be great, thank you!

Christina

[Christina]

Thank you for taking time to provide a detailed response. This is what I need to know. It's one thing for me to be concerned, and it's another to reach out and get affirmation. I have been diving into learning more and more about golden doodle breeders. The website claims do seem too picture perfect and the medical guarantee is not complete and sound agreement. Whew, thanks for looking!

[Christina]

Thank you for your response, I am also concerned about the puppy chow and the 4 current litters. Thanks, that reinforces my concerns. In regard to health records, she hasn't been responsive to provide documentation for weeks. As the date for selection approaches, I am getting cold feet. Thank you again!

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Christina,
Don't feel pressured or rushed into choosing a puppy from a breeder you aren't certain about. Find another one who is reputable and more transparent. I lost a deposit with one breeder who wasn't what they should have been once I learned more about what to look for in a breeder from this website. I am so happy I did, it was hard to be patient, but the doodle I waited for was well worth it ;-)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Actually, if you count the standards, I think there may be 5 or 6 litters.

Also, if you are relying on this breeder's website, or any breeder's websites, for information about goldendoodles, that's a mistake in itself. For example, this breeder says they don't need a lot of grooming. I assure you that every DK member who reads that last sentence is choking back laughter and maybe some tears. You would be hard pressed to find a breed or mix who needs more grooming, unless you plan to keep your dog shaved to the skin full time. 

Here's some better information on goldendoodles (and labradoodles) from those of us who know, and have no ulterior motives, lol:

Are You Ready For a Doodle?

Considering a Doodle?

[Valarie]

Karen,  This is such good info.  I try to share these basics when people fall in love with Sophie and ask about getting a doodle.  They have heard all the hype about "non-shedding" and "hypoallergenic".  While I love, love, love Sophie and most other doodles I have met, people need to be realistic going into adopting a puppy so that it will be a "forever" home.  Doodle parents can help correct these misconceptions by educating others when the opportunities present themselves.

Christina, I'm sure you will find a wonderful puppy.  Welcome to DK and keep us posted.  Valarie

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sharing this info is just about the best way to eliminate the need for doodle rescue, Valarie. Thank you. 

[Leslie J]

I counted 50 puppies! Plus about 22 adults dogs!

[Christina]

I noticed that! Huge payday for the breeder. I spoke to her today, no word on medical records. I plan to go down there on Saturday and see what it is all about. I will let this community know what I find out.

[Ginny Nightingale]

If you go on Saturday is it supposed to be for the purpose of taking the pup home? It may be hard to leave him or her behind and you may have a hard time making a rational decision once you see that cute puppy face...good luck with that! :)

We have a section here  called what to look for in a breeder--reading that over may help you to make a better judgement come Saturday. Usually reputable breeders have similar prices as they spend a lot of money making sure the dogs and their pups are healthy and well cared for--so the cheaper price you mentioned could be a bad sign.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/notes/What_To_Look_for_In_a_Breeder

[Christina]

Thank you for the link, I have read similar breeder selection info. I originally went with this breeder, because a local breeder recommended her after telling me that she currently had no available litters. I felt like that was a good sign. At this point it is hard to say if I will get a puppy on Saturday (I informed the breeder of that). I still plan on taking the trip down there to get a better idea of the actual operation. I do agree that I may not be able to resist a puppy knowing that I can provide a healthy home for her. I am grossed out at the breeder feeding the dogs puppy chow, but I can't control that

[Ginny Nightingale]

No and you can SLOWLY switch the food--that is not a big deal and not unusual either--if the parents are there and you can see that it is a clean, well run kennel with healthy pups, then you are probably OK--but again, you do not know how many health clearances were done with the parents--

[Wendy and Myla]

Please don't make a decision based on the fact that you can provide a healthy home for her.  We got our first doodle eight years ago from a backyard breeder.  She had a retriever and her friend had a poodle and they thought it would be fun to breed the two and sell the puppies.  They did no testing of either of the parents.  Zak was a beautiful, wonderful doodle but at the age of two she got really sick and it took a few months of expensive testing to find out that she had EPI (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency).  She went very quickly from 55 pounds to 35 pounds before we knew what she had.  We had her for another three years before she passed away.  We were devastated!!!! I still cry when I post about her.  We did get another doodle (Myla) but we decided that we were going to make sure that we got a puppy from a breeder that did all of the testing possible so that we would be better protected from going through that heartache again.  Of course there are no guarantees, but I would never ever get a puppy from a breeder that did not have full testing done - a health warranty to me is useless - most dogs don't get any issues until after the age of two. Even if Zak had a health warranty, they only cover the cost of the dog and we spent well over that amount just in testing to find out what she had, let alone treating her for the remainder of her life.  Another lesson that we learned with Zak was to get health insurance.  I know puppies are cute and adorable and hard to resist once you have them in your arms but there are a lot of very reputable breeder out there who do the proper testing and that is definitely what I recommend you look for.  We got Myla from an awesome breeder in Washington but she only breeds F1 and F1B's, not mini's but she might be able to recommend someone who does - if you want her name and number, send me a friend request.  Good luck!