Where have all the good breeders gone?

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

My journey:

I first found my first puppy in Indianna, I was going to get him shipped, he was affordable, too good to be true.  Such that a after googling the breeders name , found out they were part to the "top 100 worst puppy mills in the US." WITH a USDA report of grotesque conditions dated in 2010 (the breeder tried to justify that they had fixed it, where there should have never been anything to fix in the same place)

Then I found another pup that was relatively close that I was suppose to go pick up on the 18th.  I posted pics and you knowledgeable people warned me that the coat would most likely shed because it was from the f3 line.   When I asked the breeder she assured me she wouldn't have matched me with a dog that shed knowing my personal choice and so I decided to keep him for better or for worse.

Only by sheer luck, I was looking at some pics and saw a familiar picture.... the dog she said was Nimby's mom is listed as a stock folder on :

http://www.greatdogsite.com/hybrids/details/Goldendoodle/

AND

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Goldendoodle_puppy.jpg

I asked he if this dog was Nimby's mom to give her a change to explain and she admitted it was.  Well, Wiki gives credit to the picture as can been seen in the 2nd link.

I have since requested that she cancel the adoption.....

LESSON: do you research.  I thought I had hit all my bases but twice , I'v had deceitful people try and pass a dog that just isn't.  If I wanted a dog that shed I would def. rescue, so here I am , puppy less and looking again, for a breeder who has pups STILL available.

I hope this will help future people from the heartache and the deceit I am feeling right now.

big bad bummer for me :( 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Are you using the What to Look for in a Breeder article as your minimum guidelines? This is very important, and should be taken seriously. If some breeder doesn't measure up, don't ask them for an explanation, move on. Either the parents are health tested or they're not. If they are, the breeder has proof of that. If she can't show it to you on first request, move on. Don't accept any excuses, don't even give the opportunity for excuses. Move on, period. 

No matter what it costs, you really do have to go see the facilities and meet the parents before you place a deposit. Or at least find someone you know who lives in that area and have them visit. 

Google not just the breeder's business name or personal name, google the phone number, too. If you get ads for puppies on multiple listing sites (Next Day Pets, Puppy Find, Kijiji, newspapers, whatever), move on. Reputable breeders do not advertise on ad websites.

In addition to the requirements in the What to Look for in a Breeder article, I would look at the following:

How old are the parents? I would not buy a puppy from parents less than two years old, minimum. 

At what age does the breeder send the pups home? If it's younger than 8 weeks, move on. 

If the health warranty/purchase agreement requires you to feed a specific food or give a specific vitamin, move on. 

Don't ask for explanations, don't try to negotiate, just move on. 

Do not accept personal recommendations, especially from strangers. They are meaningless. And if you do accept them, accept only those from people whose dogs are older than 2 years old. ALL puppies are healthy, or appear to be. 

And don't google things like "goldendoodle puppies for sale". You are going to get every puppy mill in the world that way. Use the breeder registries as a starting point. Use people you know here. Use other doodle sites where the people seem to have knowledge and experience. (For Dog's sake, NOT Facebook). Don;t rely on random google searches to guide you to the right place.

Your puppy is out there. You just need to try a different method of finding him.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Good advice!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Also, most good breeders have their litters sold before they are even born. That's just the way it is. If you want a healthy dog from a reputable breeder, you may have to wait. 

And, no matter what generation you buy from what breeder, there is always a chance the dog is going to shed. 

A truly reputable breeder will tell you as much. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I don't know if the sold before is as true now as it was. I do know of one labradoodle breeder with lots of guardian homes who has litters sold long before they are conceived though. A good breeder generally charges at least $2500 for a pup.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Sold before they are even born?  I can go beyond that.  I have ordered a pup that has not even been bred yet because the parents are still being tested and are too young to be bred.  So it will be at least a year.  But this is a breeder that I know and trust.  Find your breeder first through recommendation from somebody who has one of the pups and then start looking at the photos.  Good breeders also post photos on line but that is not how they get buyers for their pups.  Do your homework so you will not be disappointed in the end.  Good job of doing your research, Loveadoodle.  Keep it up and you will get the pup you want and deserve.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I can also tell you that there is absolutely no question in mind that not only would Nimbus have shed, he had an "open face" and would most likely have never "doodled" out and gotten the facial furnishings and fluffy doodle look that most people want. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here are a couple of starting points to look for a breeder:

http://www.goldendoodleassociation.com/home.aspx

http://goldendoodles.com/breeders.htm

By no means do these listings guarantee you a reputable, honest breeder, especially the second one. But it is a good place to start. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I know what it is to live with a dog with genetic health problems. I would do anything to help someone else avoid that.

I found Nimbus's breeder on Next Day Pets. Her first name is Cheryl, correct? She has no mention of health testing on her website. You won't find puppies from health tested breeding dogs for $1000. :( You won;t find puppies from health tested parents on Next Day Pets at all.

What is scary is that you have to wonder what the parents actually look like (or what they are)  if she had to use photos of other dogs and pass them off as the parents. 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I researched for six months until I found Riley's breeder and waited a further nine months before he was born. I used the time to save the money up which was a lot! but he is healthy as can be and absolutely exactly what was promised. Boris on the other hand is a long story.... caveat emptor was never more important than when it comes to purchasing puppies. I believe you will find the right doodle for you though it may take more time than you planned on. Use the time to dip in and out of here and by the time you have your darling puppy you will be very well informed and able to avoid lots of other pitfalls along the way. This site is invaluable.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

I guess on the bright side, you can consider yourself lucky! You found out the " true story" before you invested your heart and money. It would have only gone downhill from there.
Your little one is out there...I know it's frustrating, but due diligence will pay off.
Have you joined your area 's Group...maybe someone can give you some leads on nearby or at least driveable, reputable Breeders. Good luck! And please, keep us posted.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am soooooo impressed that you are doing your research and learning what you really need to look for to find 'your' pup.  He/she is out there, it just might take longer than you wish to find him/her.  The pup you showed us a picture of was darling, but it wasn't going to look like that scruffy, fluffy mop that most people think of when they think doodle - and this would be fine if it was from a reputable breeder and that is the look you wanted.

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

It's sad, but I know how you feel.  I put a deposit on a golden doodle pup and canceled the day before I was to pick her up when I found out the breeder was guilty of mistreating her breeding dogs.  They can be very clever.  I think you're lucky though to have found out.  I found it particularly difficult to judge breeders unless I could visit. I met Finn's breeder through an Open House where I was able to meet many of her guardian families and breeding dogs. Everyone was so helpful. Like a mini DK.  The doodles were romping and they were friendly and sweet. Now I'm familiar with a small network of good Australian Labradoodle breeders, so if you decide you want to go in that direction, I'll be happy to provide you with some people to contact. If interested, you can friend me and I'll PM you. You will pay more for the necessary health testing, travel arrangements (pup flies in cabin), etc but ALDs are more predictable re: shedding. There is a trusted Goldendoodle breeder in MI but I don't think she'll have any pups for awhile.  You would need to reserve.   But that's pretty much the case for any good breeder.  You'll find a pup --be patient.