Potential Doodle Owner

[Sarah]

Hello everyone,

I am new here and would love to hear your opinions. I am thinking about getting a two-month old goldendoodle. However, since I have never owned dogs before, I would like to get your opinion on what doodle-ownership is like. I plan to get a puppy from a reputable breeder who does all of the required health testing. Does it take a long time to train the puppy? Will I need to supervise it constantly, will I have time to do my school work? I am a college student. Please give me any information that you may have on your experiences. I thank you in advance because each of your answers will help me get an idea if dog ownership is for me.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Anything and everything has to be kept out of the puppy's reach when he is not confined or supervised. No socks on the floor, no closet doors left open, no open wastebaskets...puppies can and will eat anything they can get. There are dozens of posts here about dogs who had to be rushed to emergency vets and/or have surgery because they had gotten into something they shouldn't. A swallowed sock can cause a life-threatening obstruction. In addition to destroying every kind of household object from shoes to baseboards, puppies have grabbed and swallowed pills & vitamins that were dropped on the floor before the person could pick them up. They have necessitated a trip to the emergency vet from eating grapes or Halloween candy left out in bowls on tables. Dogs have eaten people's asthma inhalers and eyeglasses. Dogs have gone into purses left unattanded in their reach and poisoned themselves from the Xylitol in sugarless gum. They must be supervised even outdoors; you must be prepared to go outside with them at all hours and in any kind of weather. Reading through the "Puppy Madness" group here will give you an idea of what to expect.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Interesting question. Although it is possible to raise a puppy in pretty much any environment, some environments are better than others. The first question I would have is that you said you delayed getting a puppy because your family was scared of them, but you mention your mother will be taking care of the puppy while you are at school? My second concern is that ones time in college is normally pretty hectic, schedules change drastically, lives change (when you meet new friends), and you have no idea where you are going to be in the next few years, what your job will be, and even where you will be living. A puppy comes with about a 15 year contract. Additionally, if you are a college student, who is going to pay the bills. I gotta tell you, GoldenDoodles are not cheap even after the initial purchase price. There are groomer fees, vet fees, toys, food, treats, leashes, collars (they keep outgrowing them in the beginning). There are training classes and even heartworm and flea and tick meds. All of these things add up to a lot of money. I can remember getting my first puppy when I was young, and I remember thinking this isn't what I signed up for. When the rest of my friends were going to happy hour after work, I was going home to let the puppy out and walk the puppy etc. I was getting up earlier in the morning. My life changed a lot because of this one little puppy. My schedule was so hectic, I worked long hours, and because of those things, that puppy never was 100% reliably potty trained. This time, with our GoldenDoodles, they are perfectly potty trained because I was at a different place in my life, I had the time to always be there for them in the beginning. We were on a schedule that they could understand and get used to. With you living at home and being partly responsible for the puppy, and mom being partly responsible for the puppy, you could easily lack the consistency that is required to give the puppy a solid foundation on which to learn what is required. Also, trust me, if the puppy does not get the proper amount of exercise, and that isn't one or two little walks a day, by proper exercise I mean an hour or so in the morning and another hour or so in the evening of being able to run around outside or somewhere with some space and work off that energy, the puppy is going to get into mischief and by that I mean he is going to chew up things that he is not supposed to. Puppies also want out all hours of the day and night. Much of college life can be very demanding, sleep is at a premium to begin with. Are you going to want to get up several times during the night in the beginning if that is what is required. Every puppy is different. Some sleep through the night from the beginning. Other, like ours, were wanting out several times a night for months. There are college students who have gotten GoldenDoodles and raised them perfectly and everything worked out wonderfully. But since you asked the question, I just wanted to give you some things to think about before you make your purchase. It does sound like you have done your homework (and I like that), but just be sure that the time in your life is right to bring something into it that comes with possibly a 15 year or more commitment. Good Luck.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Excellent points!

[Adina P]

My current doodle is my first dog ever as an adult. It was quite a learning curve. I read one of the most recommended puppy books, got toys, chew toys, treats, bowls, crate and all the necessities. Had a plan for everything, more or less. But some things reading doesn't prepare you for...only experience. As long as you have the time and willingness and commitment you could do great. But it all depends on being flexible and being committed to it all. The first few months can be VERY time consuming. I was lucky that my job is an 8-12 min drive away from home so I would come home at every lunch and my-then-boyfriend-now-hubby would stop by between morning and lunch and again between lunch and when I came home. So my pup was rarely left for long extended periods alone.

Because I lived alone and didn't have a tremendous amount of possessions and furniture, it was easy to puppy proof. ANY TIME I wasn't willing to supervise Rosco I would crate him. He was crated a lot. But he also rarely chewed up much and never anything of value. But some dogs DO! Some dogs are like little termites and their wood is anything with human scent on it. I seriously think I got lucky with Rosco even though I confined him lots to prevent bad behavior.

With most pups you turn your back for a second and they've cut the cable cord with their razor sharp teeth, or devoured your homework (Good excuse though for turning in a late assignment!), or eaten your new pair of shades. So yeah you do need to watch your pup very closely for a while initially...to prevent them from DEVELOPING bad behavior. The more they practice bad behavior...the more it gets ingrained and harder to change.

But it's a VERY delicate balance between confining enough and over-confining. From 8 weeks to 12 weeks is that critical socialization period where they learn what they should/should not be afraid of. They need LOTS of safe exposure to different people and situations so that they are comfortable in the world they live in. Will you have time for that? Are there kids you can expose your puppy to? Can you take him/her to school with you to visit the campus and meet lots of different students?

What about money? Can you afford the costs of dog ownership even if the dog develops bad hips or disease-of-the-month? Can you afford quality food? You don't have to answer this aloud, but to yourself.

My Rosco was also a house-training nightmare. I swear his bladder didn't expand from grape-size until he was about 3 years old. He house-trained fully by 10 months but then started drinking boat loads in the evening and would have an accident if we left him for 2 hours! Not common...most pups don't take more than 4 months. But you never know.

Training...the first 4-6 months is mainly just management training, socialization, and basic teaching of things. But few dogs are really 'trained' by that time...and they get more unruly till about a year...and THEN starts the hard core I-want-a-really-obedient-dog training if that's what you want.

[Leslie J]

Oh... one last thing- I gather that you are currently living with your mom. If you are planning to move out at some time into an apartment it could be very difficult to find housing that will allow a dog- especially a large one. Where we live (Los Angeles) most apartments don't allow dogs. The few that do tend to be substantially more expensive or are in less desirable locations. Since you are still a student, it is important to look into the future and how you will continue to care for your dog after you have moved out and start your career.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Sarah, Everyone has a lot of really good points and information. My daughter is also a college student finishing up her PhD this summer. Last year, she wanted a dog more than anything else in the world. She researched and researched dogs for her lifestyle and decided on a French Bulldog. I thought it was a dumb idea and tried to talk her out of it....however, I was looking for our labradoodle at the same time and the two of us were in a dog getting frenzy. I am a homemaker and settled, but I felt my daughter had so many experiences ahead of her and a dog would tie her down. Of course, she did not listen to her mother and got her French Bulldog and I have to say, I am very proud of her as a dog owner. I think if you would ask her, she would say it was one of the best things she ever did. Your lifestyle will change with a dog and especially a puppy, and they are very time consuming, but I feel the pay off is worth it in every way. Also, consider the expense of a dog and the fact that it is a commitment you will be making for years to come. Good luck to you and let us know what you decide.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Sarah, I have two kids in college, so I have a couple of questions for you to think about. I do not know the stability of your living situation so...... my daughter is actually 32 and went back to college after losing a job. She wanted a dog of her own for years but lived in apartments, moved a lot etc so dog ownership was out. When she went back to college she moved into a house we own that has a yard. She got a rescue dog that was close to a year old but had pretty much lived in his crate. This dog needed a lot of attention and training but was past some of the puppy things. She knows that her plans for grad school are going to be limited because of the dog - she has to be able to live where there is a yard. She feels that she can do this. Our son desperately wants his own dog. But at 21, he rents a room in a home near the college. This changes each year. There is NO way he could provide a stable home for a dog. He comes home or spends nights at friends a couple of times a week. What would happen if he was the sole owner of a dog?? He does take one of our dogs for 'sleep-overs' every couple of weeks and both he and the dog love it. Like I said at the beginning, I just want you to think about your living situation for the foreseeable future, and make sure that you could provide a stable living environment for a dog. Then, you need to think of what realistically you could provide in time and energy towards a dog. You might find that a smaller quieter dog would be a better choice for your first dog. You might want to go to your local humane society and see if there is a dog that has a bit of maturity and a calm temperament that would fit into your lifestyle.

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

I am pretty much agreeing with what everyone is saying. I wonder why now your mother is willing to help take care of the puppy and won't be scared. What changed since you said your "family" was scared of dogs?

My children are grown and married and don't live near by. I got my Gracie Doodle to fill up a big hole in my heart with my grand babies living on the East Coast. She has been the best therapy for me. Calmed me down and actually made me a better person..at least I think so. I don't work but was playing golfy up to 4 times a week. When we got Gracie I put my social life pretty much on hold for 6 months. I wanted a dog that was trained correctly, well disciplined and I wanted to totally bond with her. Our previous dog was a Lab and he was forced on me by my husband who found him as a puppy on a golf course. Our kids were in high school and one heading to college. I didn't have the time nor wanted to make the time to be tied down to a dog. Rodney became my husband's dog and because my husband went to work every day, he did not get the discipline and training he should have received. We lost Rodney 11 years later to cancer. We then waited 5 years before getting Gracie Doodle. I was ready to take the time to do what was necessary to make her a "good citizen". My 32 year old daughter just got her first dog. She and her husband have finally settled after moving to San Jose from NYC. They bought a house and both have full time jobs but my daughter works out of the house. She is able to split her time with work and Luna. Though, I have had to fly up a few times and help out when things got too overwhelming in the earlier stages. They are still working on a good place to leave her when they travel. So far, it has been me flying up.

You have lots to think about. My two kids while in college and after graduating were no where ready to be pet owners. They didn't live at home so they were completely on their own. When you start your career you are working long hours. They never got home much before 10:00 every night. They worked in big cities (Boston and NYC) so there was no way they could just run home at lunch time to take care of the puppy. Then, what little time you have left at the end of the week you want to have a social life. Your mother is not always going to be there to help you out. Eventually you will be on your own and what then? Personally, as much as you love and want a puppy, I think in the end, it will end up living with your family and not with you. Also, during the training someone needs to be the Alpha person. Everyone in your home who is going to be involved with the puppy needs to be trained with you and you all need to be on the same page when disciplining. It truly is a full time job raising a puppy to be a good family friend.

I have new neighbors who just moved in across the street. They have bit off way more than they can chew!! They are in their early 30s, have a new house that needs major add ons and work, she works at home and is having their first baby in September and they just got a Goldendoodle puppy. What were they thinking!! She is a sweet girl but a bit of a Princess and is afraid of the puppy teeth and nails. You should see my hands and arms. I have steped in and tried to help. I did set them up with my trainer who comes to the house and that has been a huge help. They have not thought through a Doodle at all. Totally not aware of the grooming. I had to give her a brush and tell her to keep the puppy brushed because she is starting to mat at 4 months. She is afraid to brush her. She doesn't get the "hands on" of a puppy where you have to desensitize them by playing with their ears, mouths, paws, tail and anything else you can think of. You need to introduce them early to the brush, clippers, groomers and all things that become their every day life. I have already offered to bring the puppy over in September to my house to hang out with Gracie when her baby is born for a while. I have given her DoodleKisses web site and told her to join. She will get so much out of our different groups and she really does need help. She didn't even know what a "foxtail" was! You need to know about dogs and the natural dangers that are outside as well as inside your house. There are everyday foods that we eat that are toxic to dogs. Also, as a puppy you can't just leave it out in the back yard while you are at school. Depending on the size of your puppy and where you live, there are hawks and such that have been known to fly down and pluck a pet rabbit, puppy or cat right out of the yard.

So many people just really don't think it through the entire 12+ years of a dog's life. There will always be Doodles out there waiting to be loved and find thier forever home. So please don't just get a puppy on your emotions and the fact they are cute. Look ahead to where you will be in five years and what you will be doing. Do you see a dog in your life then? Good Luck with your decision. Keep us all posted.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I agree with Jane. I waited until right after college to get Taquito - and he is a chihuahua that was already 8 months old. Toy dogs are just plain easier to deal with as puppies. I then waited until my husband and I had been married for a while before getting a mini goldendoodle - last summer - late 20s. Peri has really changed our social life. Aside from everything else members are telling you, really keep in mind that you will have to sacrifice hanging out with friends for staying home with your dog. Seriously, the first 4 months, we basically didn't do anything after work. Ever. No eating out - we can directly home during lunch, after work, etc...to be with Peri to train, play, etc....
At 13 months, things are of course better, but we take her to daycare on days we have plans at night. If we have dinner plans Friday, she definitely is in daycare all day long so she is tired and lazy while we are gone. These are just some things to think about.
I would never, ever trade her for even $1million, but it has been a life change. Doodles are AWESOME dogs, but require lots of training, attention, grooming and love (and money as all dogs do!). If you are ready for that, truly ready, then you can do it. But you still might want to consider waiting until you graduate. But that depends on your lifestyle.
This is only my opinion - coming from someone who is only a few years ahead of you and remembers those early 20s!