Decisions, decisions...

[Native New Yorker]

I have narrowed my decision down to Goldendoodles.  I was debating between Cockapoos, Goldendoodles and Cavapoos.  Goldendoodles appear to be more intelligent and seem like they will be a great companion during long walks and when I have an empty nest in two years. I was also told that since I have mild allergies that I would be able to tolerate them better than dogs that are heavier shedders. I am a working mom and I am currently doing research and trying my hardest to find a reputatable breeder.  However, I do not have experience with dogs or selecting breeders.  The few that I've contacted using petfinder.com and a couple of others made me suspicious.  Why do they have so many breeds?  Why can't they communicate via email?  Why are there such a large range of prices? So I will ask you experienced doodle owners...how do I find a reputatable doodle breeder whom I can trust and will not cost me a years tuition?  Regarding doodles, is there a difference in temperament, trainability and appearance between females and males?  Regarding F1b's and F1's is there a difference in grooming, appearance and viger?  When looking at puppies how can I determine what the adult size will be since I do not want a doodle that will grow to be over 55 lbs.  I live in northern NJ.  Help!

[susan kaput]

I have a mini goldendoodle (3 yrs old, 34 lbs.) that I got from the PawPad in Deer Creek,. Ill. He is absolutely wonderful. I am a widow and he is my little buddy. So smart, energetic, but also calm. The breeder, Christine Phillips, was so helpful to me in choosing a puppy. He is everything I wanted, and more. No matter what kind of puppy you get, the time you put into training it is the key to what kind of dog you end up with. He is an F1, by the way.

[Native New Yorker]

Yeah! My first response on DoodleKisses. So if I want a goldendoodle that's not more than 55 lbs should I get a mini doodle? 34 lbs. sounds perfect and your doodle is gorgeous. That's just the coat that I'm looking for. Did you use a professional trainer or did you train it on your own? Is there a difference in behavior between the females and males? I apologize for so many questions, I'm a newby and I am a little anxious about making the right choice.
Thanks.

[susan kaput]

I can relate to your enthusiasm - they are wonderful dogs. Minis come in a range of sizes, my dog, Angus, is about mid-range. My son has a full-size doodle who weighs about 75 lbs. and the two dogs are the best of friends, like Mutt and Jeff. His coat is usually kept trimmed to that length or even shorter in the summer, for his comfort. Also, if not trimmed, his hair gets SO long, it's a real pain to keep it mat-free.
I trained him myself, along with puppy kindergarten classes and a slew of books. He is very well-behaved, but, as with anything else , the more time you put in, the better your results are likely to be. Consistency is so important. No, he is not at all yippy or hyper - my son's big dog barks more than mine. Can't answer the question about the difference between males and females, though I've been told that males are more loyal (?). When he was 8 wks. old. Christine flew him out to me (Chicago to Providence - It's only about 21/2 hrs) Good luck!

[Native New Yorker]

What wonderful and valuable information. You doodle lovers are awesome. I have soooooo much to learn. Thanks a million. BTW, is there a difference in temperament and trainability between mini's, mediums and standards? I was told that mini's were snippy.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You aren't looking at Petfinder...that's only for dogs available through rescues & shelters. You must be looking at one of those puppy find sites, or next day pets, or that kind of thing. THOSE ARE ALL PUPPY MILL BREEDERS. You have to look at individual breeders websites, not big conglomerates of advertising. That's why they have so many different breeds, they're commercial mill breeders. Stop doing general searches, you have to look at individual breeder's websites.
Start with the Groups here "Goldendoodles for Sale" and "Labradoodles for sale". Also "Owner Recommended Breeders". Click on "Groups" at the top of the page above and you will see them. Start looking at the breeder's websites and get an idea of what a real breeder's site looks like, versus an internet puppy mill. Start reading some of our discussions here...all of your questions have been discussed and answered here before. Male vs female, the allergy issue, the size issue...everything. You can search the forum for all of this and more. You also need to read up on the grooming requirements of non-shedding dogs and doodles in particular...they are very high maintenance. Read through the "Puppy Madness" group discussions and see what kinds of problems people have had with training, housebreaking, nipping, chewing, barking, destructiveness, and the list goes on. All the tools are here for you...educate yourself before you get a dog, not afterwards.

[Native New Yorker]

You're correct, I was communicating with breeders from puppyfind.com. and nextdaypets.com. I had no clue, but I was suspicious. I am so grateful that I found this blog. My first puppy experience could have been horrible. A sick puppy would break our hearts and our bank account. I will now be an educated consumer. Unfortunately, Northern New Jersey does not have ANY breeders. It looks like most of the breeders are in Pennsylvania (a little over 3 hours from me) where there are also a great many puppy mills. Thanks.

[Adina P]

It's possible some better breeders might advertise on puppyfind.com -- but you'd need to find their specific websites and talk to them individually to see if their program meets your needs.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

No, Adina. I've checked that out thoroughly. All internet mills.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Pennsylvania is full of Amish puppy mills; there are also legitimate breeders there, but you need to start researching so you can tell the difference.
I'm positive there are breeders in NJ, or at least very close...definitely in the Northeast. Again...you are not going to find breeder listings on the sites you've been looking at. You need to check listings with breeders' associations, in addition to those here at your disposal. Try this, also:
http://www.goldendoodles.com/breeders.htm
Another question I would ask you, since you seem to want to be sure of certain characteristics in a puppy, is why you are only looking at mixed breeds? Mixed breed dogs have a lot of variation from one dog to another. In doodles, you could have a litter of 8 or 10 puppies, and no two will be the same size, coat-type, color, temperament, etc. Have you considered any of the purebreds, where you have an assurance of size, non-shedding, etc., even before the pups are born?

[F, Calla & Luca]

There is a breeder I've spoken to, but for labradoodles in northern NJ and I suspect there may be for goldendoodles but I haven't looked. I'm sure there are some in NJ or nearby. I did end up getting both my dogs shipped tome but with your allergy problems you probably would do better to be able to visit the breeder.

[Adina P]

Karen is right. Petfinder is just rescues and shelter dogs...there are NO breeders there.

Because doodles are popular there are LOTS of people breeding them...including those who should NOT be breeding them. So you have to be extremely picky and selective or else you can easily get duped by a pretty website hiding a puppy mill or poor quality breeder. READ the article Jane linked you to several times over before you choose your breeder.

Some myth busting and critical info:
1) NO dog is truly 'hypo-allergenic' -- dogs who shed tend to be more allergenic but whether or not you are allergic to a non-shedding dog depends on your allergies. Poodles don't shed. Retrievers do. When you combine the two to create a mixed breed each puppy in the litter will be different. Some will shed plenty, some will shed very little, a few won't shed at all in any noticeable way. BUT the only way to for sure get a 100% nonshedding dog is to get a pure breed that is known for not shedding like the poodle.

2) Dogs that don't shed have hair that grows and grows and grows (like human hair which doesn't shed--yes some falls out and breaks but it doesn't just drop constantly like a retriever's coat). Hair that grows and grows and grows tend to be a major grooming commitment. You'll see a lot of discussions from doodle owners in desperate need to help reduce their dogs matting. Be prepared for this if you want a non-shedding dog. It's work.

3) Size. Remember height is part of size. And remember that in a mixed breed there is no way to predict with certainty what size YOUR pup will end up. So 45 lbs might be a small dog, not very tall. Or 45 lbs might be a fairly tall dog, appears big.

4) We LOVE our doodles here and can't imagine too many other breeds or mixes we would like as much. But you know that saying "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get"??? Substitute "Doodles" for "Life" and if that is okay with you...go for it!

[Adina P]

P.S. yes prices vary. From typical responsible breeders the F1 generation is about $1200-$1500. F1b is typically $1500-1800 and higher generation doodles (not as common in goldendoodles) it can be $2000-$2500. Those rates seem to work for those breeders so they stuck. In the meantime, be wary of those who charge significantly less...often they are the backyard breeders and puppy mills or people who seem like "nice families" who may indeed by 'nice' but have no clue about breeding and don't meet very high standards.