Having a Breeder Choose your Doodle For You

[Nicole H.]

Hello Doodle Owners-

  We are awaiting the birth of our doodle- this will be our 1st family dog!-and we are working with a highly experienced, professional breeder who, like many, will choose which doodle puppy best suits our family. I have total trust in our breeder, and yet still wonder how it goes for people, in general, having someone else select the perfect puppy for you- often without ever meeting the family! I would rather have her choose- I'm sure she knows best- but I would still love feedback on others' experience having their puppy chosen for them and whether this was a positive experience for people. My breeder has been in the business for many years and has the best reputation. I just hope it ends up being the right one for us!

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

We actually chose Hunter from descriptions and photos from our breeder. At the time I thought the breeder selecting for you completely was just crazy but now I really see how it could be really a great way to do it. Since Hunter is home all day long with just me (except when the kids are off school) and I work from home that I wanted a more "mellow" appearing pup. The she told me which of the liter were the most mellow and the more high energy. Hunter ended up being a perfect fit for us so it worked out. How old will they be when she lets you know which she has selected for you? Do you chose male or female? Whatever it is I am sure you are just going to fall in love :-)

[Nicole H.]

Hi Denise and everyone else who has chimed in on this topic! We will probably get a male, as my husband really wants one of the larger pups (he would have wanted a big standard but as I am the one home with the kids and working part time from home, I insisted we go with a medium-size doodle) So, we'll get a larger medium boy, and I hope to end up with a mellow guy like your Hunter. He sounds awesome! I do think it will turn out great- all of your stories inspire me- and, as Adina pointed out earlier today- it's not as hard as picking out a husband!
Did you pick your puppy up yourself, Denise? Or was he shipped to you? My breeder has said this is not traumatizing to them.

[Bodie Bear]

Our breeder, along with an animal behaviorist who did puppy temperment testing, helped us choose our puppy. I was lucky enough to be there to see the temperment testing done, and I 100% agreed with the pick. Funny thing is that before the testing was done, Bodie was my last pick because he was the smallest and lightest red of the litter. But, he was the best temperment and suited well for a family with kids.

I'll admit, I worried about it for months, since I was on a waiting list for him before he was born. We are in California, and our breeder is in Colorado, so I traveled out when the puppies were 7 weeks to meet the breeder and puppies. We then flew out to pick him up and bring him home at 11 weeks. I think as long as your breeder sends you a survey like ours did (it was 5 pages!), and takes the time to ask what your family life is like and what you are looking for in a puppy, you should be fine.

[Nicole H.]

Cool- a 5 page survey! Maybe that's coming up still... I hope so, because that's a great way for breeder to do a good job matching pup to family! I would welcome that!

I doubt I'll fly out to meet the puppies at 7 wks, but I hope to go out for pick up at 8-9 wks. It is a true adoption and I want to celebrate that!

So far, no one has blogged in a horror story of being ill-matched to their doodle, so I am finding this very reassuring!
How old is Bodie now? He is very very cute!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I think a good breeder let's you have SOME say in the matter, especially if you can visit the puppies while they are little. In our case, I told her I didn't care about sex, coloring, coat, basically anything. I just wanted a pup that would fit in with our lifestyle (kind of go, go, go) and be good with a little chihuahua. She was keeping a few of the parti colored siblings for guardian families (for her breeding program), so that eliminated some of the choice. Then some other families had allergies, so they were matched based on their coats (some had more of a curl and breeder thought they might shed less). The remaining pups were so similar, we really leaned toward Peri. Breeder said she thought the other sister would be more laid back and she wanted to match her to a girl in NYC. I just went with it - we totally bonded with her off the bat (but breeder helped by narrowing the choice down to only a few). So that is my story - we could not be happier, we are thrilled with Peri and she is PERFECT for us. After all, each puppy was adorable - I didn't really care in the end :)

[The Berry Oaks Doodle Ranch]

Hi and you are welcome to doodle kisses of the very best info..... our 1st doodle we did not pick, the breeder decided for us. As it happens the breeder was right in this case, when I first saw all the pups I was hoping to be able to pick out the one that maybe came to me or was very snugly....but that didn't happen. But, as I said Guinness has proven many times over to be the best Doodle ever..of course there was alot of work to make him into the best DoodleBug ever but whose counting...he knows his commands, will do almost anything we ask...and than some....Good Luck!

[BG and Gavin]

We did the choosing ourselves - but I really felt that from the 5 males available, I could not have gone wrong with any of them. They were all very similar in temperment. There was however one male left from an earlier litter who we were considering before we met him, but he was much too shy for me. What would a breeder who is making the matches do in that case? Would it just go to someone, even if no one was looking for a very shy dog? What if a high energy dog was left over and no one requested a high energy dog? There can't always be a match for what everyone wants. Not trying to controversial here, but the breeder selecting the dog for you would be one way to ensure that every dog in the litter gets a home; which would benefit the breeder and I guess the dogs, unless an improper "match" was made just to get rid of the dog. What do people think?

[Nicole H.]

This is a very good point, and one that I have heard "blurred over" to a certain extent when put to breeders. I have been told by more than one breeder I've talked to (emailed, actually) that things just have a way of working out with placement of puppies. But I do wonder how that is so if, as you point out, the only pup left is very shy or very high-energy or whatever...
I have been told that in the case of this litter- the one we are expecting a puppy from- (a repeat litter)- that the puppies' temperaments were very consistent the previous times, thus making placement easier! Maybe very experienced breeders are trying as much as possible to find these "consistent" combinations, genetically speaking... not just for coats and looks, but for temperament as well. It is not an exact science though, is it, so there must be kinks every now and again.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Nicole, It certainly sounds like your breeder is very above board and you will not have a problem such as Brucegirl described. I feel stongly about researching and knowing your breeder well enough to be comfortable and then just being able to sit back and "TRUST".
My Murphy was picked by my breeder who had a very detailed list of what my preferences were and like Adina, I did want a certain color and like your husband, a certain size, but temperment was far and above either of these. I wanted calm but energetic enough to run and hike, but still chill out when we did, friendly and sociable without being too shy around people and other dogs. (BTW: I wanted cream color and got apricot, 45-50 pds and got 62 and growing. Now I LOVE that he is apricot as we live around a lot of red dirt and I could not imagine a smaller dog anymore)
I got the perfect dog for us and I happen to know his brother litter mate very well and knew what his owner wanted for her pup and this same breeder chose for her and she got exactly what she wanted as well. (The brothers were shipped together in the same crate from Mich to Az. by plane. and did FINE!)
i also know that had the two gotten confused at the airport, we still wouldv'e each been thrilled with what we got and it seems others from this litter are just as happy, so you really can't go wrong with a good breeder, good parents and good faith that the dog you are meant to have will be just perfect for you and you will love it to pieces!!!!!
PS. Cute side note....I KNEW this was the perfect dog for us when he started sleeping through the night and not waking up until WE did. Whether it was 6 am or 8 am. The first night he did that I said to DH..."He is SO MY DOG!!!!!" AND he would go to bed as early as 7pm if we did too. Murphy's brother was and still is an early riser and late to bed type dog, which would totally not suit us. So have faith ! Please keep us posted?

[Nicole H.]

Hi Sue,
Thank you for sharing your experience- yet another reassuring story with a happy outcome! I will keep you posted (but not until November for forever homes!) Good things are worth waiting for! Best- Nicole

[Susan and Sasha]

Hello Nicole...
Isn't it wonderful to be able to ask questions of experienced people who own Doodles?
I know that I've been very grateful for that opportunity!
As for our experience...we also worked with a wonderful breeder...who helped us every step of the way.
I had continual correspondence with her...was able to see her Mom and Dad...and then all of the siblings...and was fortunate enough to have the first pick of the litter.
The breeder did recommend Sasha to me...after I told her what I was looking for in a dog...but...when it came down to the final choice...that choice was mine to make.
My understanding is that an important thing to do is to have the temperment tests...so you would know what type of temperament your dog would have...such as...would they be an Alpha dog...etc...
I did have a moment of concern when Sasha came out to be the Alpha of the litter of nine...but...after much thought and prayer...and the breeder telling me that an Alpha in a Doodle is "not" like an Alpha in another breed...such as a German Shephard...etc...I made my choice to go with Sasha anyway...since she is the girl I wanted all along!
I'm certainly not an expert in this area...but...I did have a wonderful experience...and I love my girl...who my breeder suggested to me from the very beginning!
It seems that she was right in matching me up with the right Doodle!
Can't wait to see your new Doodle...

[katie St Marie]

I had my breeder choose my puppy for me. I told her what i wanted and she gave me 2 options based on coat, and temper and sex, i was third on the waiting list of 9 puppies. I wanted a blonde curly/fleece female and when i went to pick her up i got to spend time with all the puppies and pick 1 out of the two. She said that they were both calm and that is was really then the decision of curly curly or curly fleece. I ended up with ruby who still has a lot of curls but not as much as the other female. Let me tell u i got exactly what i wanted. A calm gorgeous doodle. I sometimes think she is too lazy!!! My breeder did an amazing job. A wonderful experience good luck with your new puppy.