Selecting a breeder for temperament

[Josh Adams]

Hi everyone!

I am new to the site and so happy I found it. Our family is on our journey on finding the perfect pup. 

We’ve always loved the Golden Retriever, but since we have mild allergies, we feel the Goldendoodle is a good choice for us.

One thing that’s important to us in selecting a breeder is a solid record addressing temperament. We recently spoke with a professional dog trainer who has seen a big increase in doodles with aggression and fear issues. We’ve also read some stories online of Goldendoodles who developed aggressive behavior from 6 months to a year old.

I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts on what specific questions we can ask potential breeders?

Meeting the parents is a must for us. But we’ve noticed quite a few of the breeders on the recommended breeder lists (including the “premium” breeder list) don’t allow visitors prior to selecting a puppy. We understand parvo is a serious concern, but how are potential owners supposed to feel comfortable with selecting a breeder? This makes the process of finding a breeder very overwhelming. 

We appreciate any advice anyone can offer us. Also, if someone knows of a breeder on the east coast that specifically addresses temperament issues (and allows home visits), please send us a private message.

Many thanks!

[Ginny Nightingale]

I love a happy ending!! Takes work sometimes to get a good dog! 

[Diane and Alma]

Ask if they do temperament testing on the puppies.  There are several online that you can read about.  And find out if the breeder lets you pick or if they select the dog based on your family and a set of questions that they ask.  Good luck.  We are happy with Alma.  I wanted a female so she wouldn't mark.  But on walks, she stops dozens of times to pee and even lifts her leg!  Go figure she would be the one we ended up with.  Love her!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

"Marking" is a dominance issue that really doesn't have anything to do with sex. Neutered males are no more likely to "mark" than females.