Utah: one fine Goldendoodle up for adoption

[Ryan]

I've decided to give Utah up for adoption. He is a little over two years old. I got him when he was 8 weeks old. It's been very tough arriving at this decision. If there is anyone who can help Utah find a new home or knows of some method that can help him get to that point it would be really great. 

My rationale for keeping Utah up to this point has always been that he is a very good dog ... by all standards. 

1. he is very house trained. I have, on occasion when it has rained hard, left him inside the house four 8-9 hours at a time without an incident, either an accident or any chewing of anything ... baby toys included. 

2. he is a kind animal, ended up getting Utah around a year before I had my first child. He's been really good with her, she loves him and she likes to pat him on the stomach and back, and totally grabs him in all the wrong places (and is told not to, of course) and Utah never seems to mind. He's never nipped at a human. 

3. Because the house was already too busy, I would take Utah to work with me. He would wait in the car until lunch time and then we would play fetch at a park. 

I have to give him up because the house is too small and we are having another baby, if we had a larger house or yard then it would not be a problem but as is, I think this is for the best. 

Like most doodles Utah loves fetch more than anything. In fact that is how I have trained him. His obedience is pretty good. He will sit, lie down, roll over, and responds to "here" from long distances, say a hundred feet. Utah is socialized with other dogs. We have one other dog, "Ozark" they have always gotten along well, though either I think would be happier without the other ... they are close to the same age, and play like siblings. 

Utah is an F1 first generation golden doodle. I have him groomed every 2 months. He is around 50 pounds. His mother was a large golden, his father a small poodle (30 pounds). 

Best, 

Ryan

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Hi Ryan, I got my Winston from a family in the exact same circumstances as yours. I can tell you from experience that Utah may have a difficult time with the change and adapting to a new home. My Winston was very sad for a while, he missed his family and didn't really understand what happened to him. To this day every time he sees a couple with a stroller he takes a double take, hoping it's them. Rehoming a doodle, although sometimes for the best, can be really really difficult for the dog. But in time, with the right home, they can flourish and be very happy again in their new life (maybe even happier), just like Winston is.

 

The absolute most important thing is to find the right home. The right home needs to be his *forever* home - with a person or family that has the time in their lives and love in their hearts to give Utah everything he needs and more. It will be difficult for you to find the right home for Utah on your own, certainly giving a dog away on the internet can result in some very harmful, if not dangerous consequences. At the very least, even with the seemingly nicest adopters, Utah is it risk of being rehomed again, not treated well, or even dumped at a shelter. You never know, he could luck out and all will be well, but it is a gamble that is not worth taking.

 

The very best thing you can do for Utah is to go through a reputable rescue organization. The Doodle Rescue Collective, as others have pointed out, is the best. They will take the time and effort to make sure that Utah finds the best possible home and they go to great lengths to do so by checking out the family and the household in detail. All adopters sign contracts that ensure the doodle will be well cared for and if circumstances are such that they are unable to keep him, he will be returned to the DRC for safe rehoming.

 

Please consider using DRC. It is gorgeous Utah's best hope for a safe and happy future.

[Adriana + Copernicus]

Your story about Winston made me tear up.  I'm so glad he found your family, though, and now has all the love he can take.  My doodle is in the midst of his nipping / barking / pottying-everywhere phase (oh, puppyhood!) but I love his so much that I could never imagine losing him.  I hope Utah finds a good home.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Adriana, The amazing thing about Sherri is she took on the responsibility of Winston all on her own. Winston landed in exactly the right place and it was a journey we all followed.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

awe. I too landed in the right place with DK. The support I received was amazing, especially from you Laurie. Winston still loves the bed you bought him (and Sophie too!).

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thank you, Sherri :)

[Ryan]

yeah he's not as neurotic and high strung as some poodle doodles I've seen, there's a lot of love and goofy retreieverness in him and i think he'll be pretty happy, though one time we traveled to san luis obispo and he was unhappy and he wouldn't interact at all, just stared at the hotel wall for two hours or so, when i brought him home from watsonville when he was eight weeks, he cried the whole way to Oakland, but anyway now a days where there is a ball he is happy, i have really had myself convinced that i am the only one who could be trusted with him, the only one who loved him enough ... and i think that's a big thing with finding him a home - it's gotta be a good fit, he does need a lot of love and he needs to be run once a day,  and even though the situation has become tougher and tougher i have given him everything he needs to be happy. 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I'm sorry you feel you have to rehome your dog. It sounds to me that you really care about him.

[Willow and J]

What you said about Winston breaks my heart... he never forgets. I'm so happy to know that he's in your good hands (and in your new house with a yard!)

[Christine & Camus]

This will be a very sad time for Utah.  Please go to DRC Rehome.  I got my Camus from DRC, they make every effort possible to ensure permanent placement in an appropriate, loving home.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Ryan, I agree with the others, DRC is your best option both for you and Utah, the only thing I can add is that your dog goes to a foster home while he is awaiting his new family and does not spend time in a cage at a shelter where he may or may not be safe. You also need to be very detailed with any and all of Utah's behaviour both good and bad, it helps the DRC to find the best match with a committed caring home.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Ryan, It has been a tough week on DK and I was hoping to go into the weekend with my head stuck in the sand and not have to worry about any more dogs.  I think your mind is made up and you came here to find help, which is a great start. Now, we need to help your dog find the best home possible so he is never ever put through the stress of being re-homed again.  Utah sounds like a great dog and there are many people willing to adopt dogs with many issues and concerns, but they need to know about all of those things before being adopted.  It is the right thing to do and helps avoid surprises down the road and makes the transition all the easier for Utah. I feel like there are some parts of your explanations about Utah that are open to interpretation and I urge you to be totally honest if there are other reasons for re-homing Utah.  This is a dog loving site and we always want the best possible outcome for any dog and want to see him go to a great home. I am a little curious, too, why you decided to just re-home one dog and not the other. PLEASE contact the DRC. They screen applicants and work hard at finding the best possible outcomes for the dogs that end up there.

[Jennifer and Jack]

I agree with everything everyone said... DRC.. I would beg you to please never get another dog. I know you may wonder who the heck I am to tell you what to do.. but dogs really are not disposable. They are so loyal, you can beat a dog to near death and when it is able to stand it will get back up and lick you..

I know you made your mind up and I am glad that you came here for help.... Just so you know, like others said, this dog will spend a lot of time trying to readjust to a new home and DRC will give it an amazing home where even if it lived in a shoe box the new owners would move themselves out before the dog.

Just in the future..... think before you get a dog they are at least a 10-15 year commitment... We on DK see the cutest dogs that have done nothing wrong sent away from the only family they know, they can't understand.. and the foster homes are left trying to comfort your bad choices of getting a dog when you were not committed.