Where do breeders get their dogs from?

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

I was just thinking about how breeders get their dogs.Not me but a lot of people especially pure bred breeders are against mixed breeds unless they are from a rescue then its okay to adopt one.So if breeders are only looking for the betterment of their purebred dogs and to only improve that particular breed.Why would they sell a breeding dog to a breeder that breeds mixed breeds? No reputable breeder of a pure bred dog that cares about their breed and improving upon that breed would ever sell breeding stock to a breeder that breeds mixed breeds.It makes sense to me.So where are these premium  labradoodle  breeders and goldendoodle breeders getting their quality stock from.Once again im confused.What am i missing here?Please keep an open mind these are not my opinions and is not a stab at the awesome LD and GD.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am glad some breeders have joined the discussion. I carefully researched labradoodles when I was about to get mine. I found out much later on there were questions behind some of records and health of the original breeding stock from Australia. My thoughts about what is important in my dogs are  purely about being of good temperament, being good companions and being healthy. Thankfully my dogs, both of whom were bred in the US, and who are only 3 and almost 4, have fit all my requirements so far. Titles are meaningless to me if they don't support these traits. Some of the purebred dogs have significant health problems and a champion with syringomyelia in offspring is truly scary. I am very happy that there are breeders who are truly concerned about the health and temperament of doodles. There is a lot of elitism amongst breeders, which doesn't seem to foster anything good.

[Andrea Brewer]

It would be easy to get my feathers ruffled at all of these posts, but its not really worth my energy. I do wish to say that many purebred breeders have "come to the other side" so to speak and happily sell their dogs to most of us long time episode breeders who have good reputations and do the required testing on oh dogs. Many times its more than the purebred breeders do. It makes no difference if I'm believed or not, just understand that just because they don't announce it on their website doesn't mean that they don't sell to doodle breeders. This is the prejudice that we have come to live with. Hey, after breeding only doodles for 10 years I have a sticks and stones attitude about this subject and many, many happy owners to put a smile on my face. Just my opinion, of course.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

this conversation got me thinking. Imagine if people had to meet such stringent qualifications to be allowed to breed. It would be a strange world. Just a random thought.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, but people don't breed for profit. That's the difference. There are unscrupulous breeders of every kind, pure and mixed breed alike, just as there are good ones. The only way to weed out the ones who are causing harm is to have stringent criteria.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I just think of show dogs like people who are in beauty pagents. We don't make decisions on having kids based on how likely they are to win a beauty pagent. I know it's a different thing, but my point is that being title or championship worthy doesn't make one superior to others who do not to engage in those activities. We are all equally intrinsically valuable as are our dogs. That's just how I see things.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sherri, I don't think you can compare people having children to people breeding dogs. It's an entirely different thing. Again, nobody is having children to sell them, to get a champion, etc.

When I was in my 40s, I participated in fitness competitions, and I do have a couple of titles and trophies from those competitions. I am very proud of that accomplishment, not because it meant I was superior to anyone who did not engage in those activities, but because it was something I accomplished solely through the kind of commitment, dedication, and extremely hard work that I had not previously thought I was capable of. Yes, I could have been happy with just looking fit and being fit, but I wanted to challenge myself, to push myself and test the limits of what it was possible for me to do. And I suppose some people could have looked at those competitions as "beauty pageants", but please believe me that it takes a tremendous amount of very hard work and discipline, and goes way deeper than surface appearance, especially at 40+.

I think that the pursuit of excellence in anything is to be admired. An artist who wins an award, a musician, an athlete, a nurse, a teacher, anyone who challenges themselves in any field, anyone who creates something worthy of an honor, to me is someone to be admired.

I cannot see the downside to anyone doing the same with a dog they love, whether it's in agility, obedience, or even conformation.

Does that mean I think less of anyone who doesn't feel this way? Of course not. And it doesn't make sense to me that anyone would think less of those of us who do feel this way.

I think it's a shame that in a community as large as DK, we cannot debate an issue without people taking offense simply because everyone does not think the same way that they do.

 

 

 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I completely agree with you. I didn't mean to say that winning a championship isn't worth pursuing. Just that I hate the whole elitist "my dog is better than your dog because he is pure and won a championship" mentality that some folks in those circles seem to have.

I would love nothing more than to have Sophie win an agility title - I'm no expert but something tells me she has it in her.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't think that anyone here has said anything like "my dog is better than yours" because he is whatever . I think that once again, some people are feeling insulted or defensive because someone has a different opinion than they do.

That kind of elitism goes on even among doodle owners. There are many doodle owners who seem to feel that their ALD is superior to someone else's F1, etc. It goes on with mixed breeds, too.

Jack is about as far from a champion of anything as it would be possible for a dog to be, and I would knock the block off anyone who said that he was not every bit as wonderful as any other doodle on the planet. (And one of those trophies was for weight lifting, so don't think I can't do it, even now, lol.)There never was, and never will be another dog who is more perfect or more loved.

But I will tell you that because of my own personal experiences with both purebreds and mixed breed dogs, I will never again own a dog who does not have proven champions in his background, and not just in conformation, either. This is a feeling born of loss, heartache and hurt, and I do not expect anyone else to agree with it or understand it. But I do expect people to respect it for what it is, my own personal feeling based on my own personal experience, and not a judgment of anyone who feels differently. I know many people who have had the opposite experience, and now would say they will never own a dog who does have a conformation background, and I respect that as well.

Does that mean I don't love doodles? How absurd. I adore them. Does that mean I don't like doodle breeders? I  consider several of them my friends and respect them greatly, including some who have particpated in this discussion.. I refer would-be doodle owners to them and turn to them for advice regularly. Does that mean that I think anyone who buys a dog without a championship pedigree is bad, or stupid or wrong? Not on your life. And I would rigorously defend anyone's right to feel differently than I do, because that's what makes the world go around.

 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Karen, I'm sorry you feel this way but you have to wonder who is feeling defensive here. I never meant anything against anyone who posted on this string of emails and I'm sorry it came off that way. I simply stated a silly thought that popped into my head and it somehow spiraled. My comment above wasn't directed at anyone. Sorry to have offended.  But for the record, I too am allowed to state my own beliefs and feelings just like everyone else.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sherri, I apologize for making it seem that this was directed to you. Not at all. I should not have posted it as if it was all a response to your comment.

And you are absolutely allowed your own beliefs like anyone else.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

oh, well ok then. :)

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

 

The question of "titles" is an interesting one.  Sully, Boomer and Mariners bilogical brother, is one of the most decorated (titled) agility champian.  He has survived cancer and is semi retired.  There is some info about him on Ann's website.

 

http://www.annsdoodlechat.com/

 

Remember he has not and will not father any puppies. 

 

I don't think any of us on DK are looking for a show animal we are looking for companions.  Sully's exploits demonstrate the potential ability of the Doodle.

 

I do beleive that respecable doodle breeders do not advertise the pedigree of their breeding stock so as not to "embarass(Sp?)" the purebred breeders (and therefore lessening the pool of available stock).