How did you choose your dog? Or was it the dog who chose you? Are you happy with your choice?

[Camus]

I wonder how you guys chose your doodle? Did you have a chance to see and choose from several puppies or dogs observing them when playing and interacting with them? What were the signs that indicated you that that one was yours? Or did you just choose one by picture and couldn't see any personality in him yet? Did the breeder guide you? Are you happy with your choice? 

What is your opinion about PAT or Volhard test and other similar tests?

Choosing a puppy is as difficult as choosing a wife, isn't it? Or do I complicate things too much?

[Camus]

Phoebe is such a serious señora! I like her photos. Thanks for the story. It is so interesting to read the story and watch pictures.

[Anne & Mr. Haley]

The breeder emailed me pictures of the puppies and there was one blond male that stood out to me. When DH and I went to pick up our puppy Haley came up to me immediately. All of the litter were in a long hallway with a baby gate across the end. We were invited to sit at the kitchen table and the puppies were let loose for us to watch. Haley kept coming to us. The breeder said that he was a “sweet boy”. I was in love. Haley was the blond male that I had picked in the picture. He came home with us and has been perfect. There have never been any regrets.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

We were actually waiting for a Labradoodle but when we check our breeders website we saw she had Goldendoodles so we looked. I fell in love with her picture but actually didn't commit till we drove up to meet her at 4 weeks. She put her little paw on my hand and just sat there....love happened. The daughter of the breeder said "that one always has to touch you" and you know what, it's true, she likes her paw touching you if you are near by.

Nothing could have changed my mind and we adore Daisy.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I only chose out of three puppies, but as soon as DH and I saw the litter, we knew we wanted Darwin. He was more wavy, less curly. Darker apricot, rather than his two white brothers. And he was so sociable and calm towards us, while his brothers were wrestling, yapping and generally ignoring us. It was an easy decision and we've never regretted it!

[Brandi]

With my oldest doodle Magnet, I searched and searched and searched for her.  I didn't want to have a pup flown in an airplane, and I didn't want to drive hrs and hrs to get one.  So I searched and searched.  The day I gave up and said forget it....I did one more search on KIJIJI and found her.  1 1/2 hrs from home and reasonably priced.  I was skeptical because of the reasonable price.  Yes, some would call this family a BYB, but they were responsible BYB's if there is such a thing.  I was impressed with what I found.  They had 13 puppies in the litter, and had just posted that post 15 minutes before I called.  She said I was her first call, so she would save pick of the litter for me till I got there.  I jumped in the car and zoomed there with my BFF.  I knew I wanted a female and so we separated all the males and I played with all the lil girlz for quite a while.  Somehow Magnet just came up to me and I picked her up and carried her around while I played with all the other pups.  It was cross between her and another female who was quite darker caramel color.  I had a hard time choosing, but I kept the one in my arms.  I DO NOT regret any of her at all.  She is perfect for me, she was the most perfect puppy to raise, never put in a kennel.  She ran the house while I worked 9 hrs a day.  (she had potty breaks of course from my sister) but never chewed and wasn't really a true puppy in a sense.   She was almost 8 wks when I got her and she was potty trained pretty much within 3 wks.  She was very easy to raise ;)  

Smudge was a OMG moment.  Woke up, opened the newspaper, and there was an add for doodle pups.  I called the lady originally for a family member who wanted one, and when the lady told me she was black, I had to have her.  I drove 2 hrs, and well the rest is history.  She was last of a previous litter, leftover, so I snatched her.  She was 12 wks old, and she too was a dream to raise too.  My BFF decided on a doodle, so I called Smudge's breeder back to see if she happened to have any pups, and she did, so my BFF got Bentley from her then 2 wks later my sister went back to her and bought Bentley's littermate she named Mable.  I am just sooo addicted to Doodle's now I want one of every color ;)  (i can't help it) lol

[Camus]

Great story! Good luck with the next color. haha.

[Leigh & Allie]

I had been on a waiting list forever! I wanted a mini, non shedding cuddle buddy. I even had to switch breeders. My original breeder recommended another breeder because the original breeder did not have what I was looking for. Then the wait began. I was on a list even before the dog was bred. Finally we had a pregnancy. Yeah. Finally the puppies were born. I went to visit twice before the choice was made. I just knew my Allie was meant for me from the beginning. She just had the sweetest face and the sweetest personality. The day before I was to go pick her up, my breeder called and told me Allie had a heart murmur. I was devastated to say the least. We had a family discussion with my 10 year old son. I needed him to understand that our Allie might not make it, worst case scenario or she could be very sick all of her life. My son said "Allie is our puppy and I would not want her with anyone else but us because we would give her the best home possible". I have never been so proud of my son. The rest is history, but the best part is that Allie outgrew her heart murmur!!

[Camus]

I love the end of the story! 

In our area it was hard to find a standard one. Everyone seems to be breeding mini and midi. 

[Coco Chanel and Cheryl]

I chose Coco based on pics and breeder help. I was down to 2 based on pics and the breeder said orange collar would be better for my lifestyle! She then became known as Coco Chanel and was the best choice. She is my snuggle girl and the breeder was right on about her disposition!!

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

Well Clover was a foster and the first doodle I had ever seen.  When I started fostering Clover I was still grieving over the loss of Cali the previous fall.  A few months before losing Cali we had started looking for a lab to adopt, but just didn't meet the right one.  Everyone else was ready to add to the family I just wasn't ready yet.  Well within a couple of weeks Clover had totally won my heart over and helped it heal.  Clover knew I needed her, I just didn't know it.  Clover picked our family and I wouldn't want it any other way.

[Camus]

This is touching.

English dog names are so intriguing. When I read your story and was sure till the last moment that Clover was a boy. 

[Lisa and Summer]

When we were at the breeders there were two females left in the litter and they were the same size and the same color. One had slightly more wave to the hair so i had the hardest time deciding. A lady that was there observing the dogs said that when they pick a puppy they always hold it in their arms on their back and see how calm or agitated they become. So I did that with both girls and the first one struggled to try and sit up and then the second one looked at me and then became limp as a noodle and fell asleep.  I took that as my sign and choose her. For weeks after we were home she slept on her back all the time so I thought well that theory only proves she likes to sleep on her back,  then about eight mo. old she relaxed so much and became this really laid back and easy going puppy. Now she is two yrs. old and is still very calm and relaxed (unless someone comes over for a visit). That is exactly what we wanted so we are very happy with her.