Questions about Goldendoodles

[Andrew Davis]

I'm looking to get a goldendoodle over the summer before I start my new job. I'm getting married in September and want to surprise my fiancee with a doodle as sort of a wedding gift. We've always wanted a dog but just haven't been able to get one until now.

 

Both of us will be working, and while I want a Goldendoodle, I don't want to be unfair to it if it's going to be seriously affected by our absence during the day.

 

So for you owners, mind answering a few questions for me?

 

• Do you live in an apartment? How does your Goldendoodle handle it?
• How long is your Goldendoodle left alone each day?
• How much exercise do they need?
• How much do they bark? Can you train them to stop barking?
• How difficult was the training period?
• How big has yours gotten?
• Where did you get your Goldendoodle?
• How much does it shed?

For the most part I think that aside from the time away from home issue, we'll be able to provide the right environment for the dog.

 

It's killing us that apartment life and work life seems to interfere with having a four legged companion, so it'd be great to hear from some owners.

[Lindsey, Lee, Whopper and Simba]

My husband and I live in an apartment with two doodles, a goldendoodle and an australian labradoodle.  While my husband was home with them more often for a stretch, currently they are alone (but have each other) from about 7:45 until 5PM.  However, we have a dog walker come around 1:30 and she takes them for a walk and plays with them for about 30 minutes. We don't have an issue with space and find that our dogs just want to be with us.  Because we have no yard though they require a lot more effort in terms of potty trips and exercise.   As far as your other questions...doodles in general love to be around people, need a lot of exercise (a good puppy is a tired puppy) and are easy to train because they are smart but their intelligence can also make them a challenge because they can be mischievous.  I recommend you join the puppy madness group and just read a lot of posts in there.  It will give you a good idea of what to expect.  Our goldendoodle is about 47 pounds at 2 1/2 and our Australian labradoodle is about 36 pounds at 9 1/2 months.  Neither sheds but we got lucky as especially with an F1 goldendoodle, there is no guarantee.  We cannot recommend breeders in the main forum so I'd also suggest you check out the recommended breeders group or ask members directly when you see a goldendoodle that has the look you are after. 

[Adina P]

Here's a good past discussion that will give you some ideas of the potential downside of doodle ownership -- or keep you at least realistic about doodle ownership: Are You Ready for A Doodle?

 

Now to answer your questions from my perspective:

 

-- I don't live in an apt but several members here do and they do fine -- the difficulty will be during the house training stage since you'll have to take your pup out on leash and if you have to go up and down stairs or elevators it can be a bit trying.

 

-- I have labradoodles but they are similar enough.  Mine are rarely alone for more than 4-5 hours and rarely that long.  However, older pups and adult dogs can last alone a work day.  The important thing is that you really spend time exercising and training them before and after work.  A lot of our members take their dogs to doggy daycare during the day or have a dog walker come in half way through the work day to walk and potty their dog.  Keep in mind that a big reason people end up having to find their dogs new homes is 'not enough time for my dog'.  While dogs can do fine with a person/family that works during the day...if you have an active social life, go out a lot after work, etc....you may start to find that you don't have time for a dog.  So keep the REST of your life in mind before you decide.  It's not as simple as "we're gone this long for work" but how busy you are in general outside of work too.

 

-- Exercise needs really vary.  Some find if their dogs don't get at least an hour of hard exercise they are quite out of control. Others are quite chilled out regardless.  Both golden retrievers and poodles are moderate to high energy dogs.  And puppies are just plain more high energy than adults.  So there's no way to know what YOUR dog will need in advance with any certainty.

 

-- Barking also varies from dog to dog.  Most pups don't show off their barking skills for a few months. So you won't know with a new pup how likely he or she is to bark at things.  Typically unless a dog has separation anxiety when left alone, they will be quiet if they are crated in a quiet room without view of things outside (while you are away from home that is).  Some will bark at people passing by the door, some won't.  You CAN train a dog to be quiet on command while you are home.  It does take some concerted work and lots of repetition.  It's really REALLY hard to impossible to keep a dog from barking that FIRST alert bark, but you CAN train it to stop on command. 

 

--Training: Doodles tend to be intelligent.  This means your pup will learn things like 'sit' 'down' 'come', etc very easily.  BUT ... just learning how to perform a command does NOT mean a dog is done training.  One of the BIGGEST complaints I have noticed doodle owners have is that their dog "KNOWS" what things mean and will do them at home but everything goes out the window when they have guests or go out in public.  That's PRETTY DARN NORMAL for most dogs.  So I wouldn't consider training done until at least 1 year of age--provided you stick to classes, practice regularly (in and out of your home), and choose an awesome trainer.  ANOTHER huge complaint is that doodles (well LOTS of dogs really) jump on people and guests and pull on leash.  It is just another thing you have to train for but it doesn't happen in a few weeks or months.  Most people struggle with this for a long time.  It's really important that you start training right away and keep to it and be consistent for MANY months.

 

-- Your goldendoodle will be as big or slightly bigger than its parents.  There are minis, mediums, and standard sized doodles.  So what someone has as far as 'size' won't mean anything about what size YOURS will be until you choose a breeder and litter to pick from.

 

-- Members are not allowed to advertise their breeder on this site. But some might try to contact you privately.  Most important is that you read this article on choosing a breeder: What To Look for in a Breeder -- it will give you ideas and links to breeders.

 

-- Shedding varies.  Some shed just as much as a golden retriever.  Some shed a little bit.  Others don't shed at all.  There's NO guarantee unless you get one that looks like a poodle =)  Usually the F1b generation (where the dog is 3/4 poodle statistically) will have more chance at low shedding.  But it all depends on the experience of the breeder in helping you choose coupled with blind luck.

[Lynn D.]

I do not live in a apartment currently. I have lived in houses, apartments and rental houses.

Echo isn't left alone but for a couple of hours maybe 3 x a week. He is very spoiled at this point.

He gets at MINIMUM 2- 1 mile walks every day, rain, snow or shine! And he is still antsy if we don't spend about an hour at the dog park 3 x a week he is a bit of a wreck (he paces around the living room without a purpose). Even though I was told that the English Goldendoodles are more mellow, not really needing as much exercise but they do!

If ANYTHING is wierd, out of place, new, etc. Echo barks. 2 nights ago his kennel was in the kitchen and it snowed (Grappel) and the sound of it hitting the skylight caused him to raise the alarm. If there is a car parked in front of my house, he barks. If someone is in our unfenced back yard, he barks. All that being said, he doesn't bark at the Shih Tzu and Chi out for a potty break in thier yard (they bark constantly). He doesn't bark when the door bell goes off or someone knocks on the door.

Training is on going right now. He is about 10 months old still pulls on the leash, he peed on his dog bed just last friday, he likes to steal non-chewables but gives them up SUPER easy. I am never sure what he has in his mouth but when I tell him "Out" he spits it out and waits for the "ok" command to pick it back up. He charges after our next door dogs and won't come back when called. Training never stops. I got a private professional trainer as I needed the classes to be scheduled around my time and weather conditions. This has helped get me through some of the teenager stage (I know what you want me to do, but I am not going to do it "just cause"). We had him trained to come, sit, down, stay, roll over and go potty easily before we got the trainer. My daughter even taught him 3 commands with hand signals.

Echo is a medium GD whose weight was estimated to be around 30-50 pounds. He is about 50#.

I got him from a very reputable breeder. Not local, we went to pick him up.

He sheds way more than I want him too. But doesn't shed nearly as much as a Golden Retriever.

 

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Lots of things to think about before getting any dog.  You need to know what you are going to do with the Doodle when you travel (Honeymoon).  None of us are big on "boarding or kenneling them" so you would need to have arrangements all set up ahead of time.  We got our Gracie Doodle when she was 6 weeks old.  I do not work and at the time was playing golf about 4 times a week.  I basically put my golf on hold for 6 months so I could stay home with Gracie. There is a lot of commitment to training and socialization of a pup.  Do you have enough time on your hands to commit to this?   We crated her (till 6 months) and in the beginning I would run her out to the lawn about every 2 hours to go potty, encouraging her with a word she could relate to for the command.  We have a house and yard.  Also a doggie door that Gracie can use to go to the fenced patio part of the property.  The use of that came much later.  Gracie is an F1 Standard Apricot Goldendoodle.  She does not shed.  Some hair comes out when I brush her but it would be the same as a human brushing their hair.  She is a very tall and long girl for a Doodle.  She is 28-29" tall from the withers and is very trim and slim at 73 lbs.  She has a wavy fleece coat and even though she is an F1 (50/50) when she is wet takes on a little more of the Poodle body frame and looks.  Gracie never has been a barker but when she does I respond immediately to see what is causing it and try to tell her it is OK and no need for barking.  Though my neighbor across the street has one that barks all the time...even when playing.  I think it is just how you address the barking as to how much your Doodle will bark.  We got Gracie from a local breeder.  I am not one to want to have a puppy shipped to me on an airplane.  I want to make all the mistakes with her and not have her arrive with possible "extra baggage" by possibly being traumatized.  Doodles love to be with their family and be included in everything you do.  Exercise is nice long walks and in our case...retrieving the tennis ball!  Gracie is obsessed with the ball.  Also, trips to the back country to run free or to the beach to retrieve her ball in the water.  Training is totally up to you.  Doodles are very smart and will learn quickly if you are diligent with the training.  We had a trainer come to our house when Gracie was about 10 weeks old and WE were trained on how to work with her.  You are the deal breaker on whether or not your dog is going to train well.  And...you need to remember that they are never completely trained and then you are done.  You are always reinforcing and working with the training their entire life.  The one thing that you really need to think about is the grooming.  Doodles may not shed but they blow out their puppy coats as the adult hair comes in.  The puppy hair just sort of sits there and creates horrible mats. You need to keep your Doodle combed and brushed and mat free.  They have hair so it grows and you will need to have him groomed every few months or so depending on how long you want the hair to grow.  Their coats are constant upkeep but I don't mind because it is also bonding time when I am working on her.  So, you need to find a really good groomer who is realistic in their prices.  So, to sum it up...your pup will not be able to be in a crate for more than a few hours initially,  I think you add an hour for each month older they get.  Others will respond to this since my Gracie is now 4 and don't remember the formula.  If you do not have a dog sitter then you are going to be pretty tied down for 4-6 months.  The training period has no duration...it is ongoing.  Puppy stage can try your patience...nipping, sharp toe nails, chewing things up, counter surfing...etc.  You just need to really look at the entire picture of your life as a newly wed, working schedule, lifestyle and a Doodle all at the same time.  My neighbor got her doodle while she was pregnant with her first baby...big mistake.  The Doodle is sweet but totally wild and untrained.  Everything is one step at a time.  Good luck with your choices and with your upcoming wedding!  GoldenDoodles are the best and we love the big ones because we can hug them like a person!!!!

[Camilla and Darwin]

I 100% agree. Darwin's daycare boarding facility is clean, professional and he LOVES it. The dogs sleep in their own kennels with beds during the night, and play together during the day. I understand that kenneling/boarding may not be right for some owners and dogs, but there is nothing wrong with it. And many dogs do enjoy it. We take Darwin to daycare for no reason at all, besides him loving it some days.

I honestly believe he would prefer his boarding facility, with all of his dog friends to a single person coming to stay with him at our apt.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I think it depends on where in the country you live.  I seem to see a trend with the DK people and daycare.  The people who live in the East seem to have better facilities.  I am purely basing it on here in Southern California so I guess my statement was a bit too broad.  I toured and visited facilities here and would never subject my dog to them.  I think it has to do with seasons and weather.  The nicer facilities seem to be in the areas that have "weather" and so they are really outfitted to keep the dogs happy and exercised.  Ours are not that way.  No play equipment and they are all together in a room the size of a bedroom for "play" time!  Or they are outside in a dirt yard with the only shade being an open garage door type set up.  Very little human interaction and they get two visits outside a day from their kennel.  We DO board Gracie but she goes to a Dog Ranch where she is with a family and is included in the 'pack".  She is allowed to run free with all the dogs and is always supervised and can swim, dig, run, play or laze around.  This is a very unique situation too.  Regardless...before getting a dog this stuff should all be completely checked out and decided on.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Wow, it must be extremely varied based on where you live then. I live in Utah, and we have multiple boarding facilities that are large, clean, and have separate areas for large and small dogs. Ours actually has two areas for each size of dog, so that the areas aren't over crowded. It's a huge building, with indoor/outdoor in each play section, complete with kiddie pools and play equipment. They have a max dog to employee ratio, and even do a doggy webcam. And when they are boarded overnight, each dog gets a peanut butter kong and a "tuck in". :-) he really does love it and the employees are very nice. I'm so glad to have it!

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Camilla...you are lucky to have found such a great facility.  As I said, I think it is based on they climate.  You are in Utah and you have "weather" as well.  I think because of that more attention is paid to making facilities fun, entertaining, and a happy place.  Like I said, here I have toured many of them and I refuse to put Gracie in one.  There is a great one that is owned by a former Charger football player and his wife...but who is going to pay over $100 a day?  Plus each amenity that you want, i.e., swimming, extra one on one time, extra outside time, etc. you have to pay extra for.  Each one is $15-25 as an add on.  At first when I saw the webpage and the pool I got so excited but when I did the math...it was outrageous!!!  They also get different rooms that have doggie furniture and TVs in them.  A bit over the top I would say.  All I would like is a happy medium to a ghetto and a 5 star resort!!!  San Diego is considered to have year round perfect weather (not so much this year) so I think there is zero emphasis placed on facilities for dogs. I have seen photos and videos that people have posted on DK of their facilities and I agree...I would love it if there were ones like that here.  Those of you who have them consider yourselves blessed!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Nancie - there is a need and you know what the need is.....come on, looks like you could be a solution :-), have you ever considered it?

I am with you on boarding....thankfully I won't be doing it cause I have enough friends relatives in various places that will take Daisy Doodle for a week, including my boss.

 

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

Well there you go Caitlin...that is a perfect arrangement!!!  But, it is not the common arrangement you will find everywhere.  That is a very unique set up and I would love it if I had a place like that to send Gracie.  Because of the uniqueness of what you described, new owners need to understand the worst case scenario so they know what to look for.  My trainer used to come to our house and a few years ago at Christmas time she was attacked by a dog and couldn't come sit.  It was 2 days before were were to fly to Boston for 12 days.  Airline tickets had been purchased 6 months in advance.  Can you imagine the mess and at that point I was looking for any place I could find to leave Gracie...every kennel is booked 6 or more months out for Thanksgiving and Christmas!!  I never wanted to be in that situation again.  If you board them then there is no last minute cancellation like the trainer did!  I think your boarding facility for Albus is absolutely perfect but I certainly would not call it a boarding "kennel".  The ranch I send  Gracie to is much the same. It is on 4 acres of back country and the family lives on the property.  The dogs go into a bunk house and have choices...crates with open doors, with closed doors, hammocks, pads, blankets or just the floor.  The only time they are in there is at night.  Otherwise they are outside exploring and being dogs.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I don't think Nancie actually meant "NONE of us" as in no one, but more in terms of some of us.  While I completely agree with you that there are excellent boarding facilities out there, and working in one definitely gives you an advantage, I think I would have an anxiety attack at the thought of having to board Lucy and Sophie at a facility.  I think telling these folks that they really need to think this through ahead of time is a good point as it was probably the one thing that I really didn't think through completely.  While I have many family members that have dogs and love dogs, the majority of the have little dogs.  There is a whole lot of difference between a little dog and taking care of Lucy and Sophie.  When I originally got them I thought my Mom would be happy to watch them for me, and she actually would, but I won't leave them with her because I think they are too much for her to handle.  I can make them behave, but someone that hasn't trained them isn't as able to control them.  Also, some dogs love the Daycare concept and others not so much.  Lucy and Sophie would much rather have a big ole yard to play in by themselves than go to daycare.  Sophie is a slobber queen when in the company of a group of other dogs.  While she doesn't seem stressed in any other way when we go to the Indoor dog park, the slobber tells me that she is just not completely comfortable, and that is with me there ..... I can't even imagine if I weren't there.  They show no interest in the other dogs and don't seem to enjoy the other dogs checking them out.  They stay very close to us when we are there.  If I took them and left them I'm not sure how they would react.  I was hard enough for me to just leave them at the groomers for a few hours .... no way could I board them overnight!  Obviously that is me, but I think that the options that one has are based a lot on their own dog so you have to be prepared if you get a dog that doesn't enjoy daycare, or doesn't like being in a crate ..... you couldn't board them if they won't go in a crate or have separation anxiety. There are many situations you have to be prepared for.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Like my chihuahua, who will NEVER be boarded. I think he would just die from stress. Really!

 

But this is a good topic to bring up because if you are a big vacationer, you will have to really think about what to do with your dogs. Luckily my parents live 2 miles from us and are obsessed with our two dogs.  We actually plan our vacations around each other so we can watch each other's dogs while we are away.....