New Here!!! Getting a Australian Labradoodle questions.

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Hello to all 

My wife and I have decided on getting a Australian Labradoodle we are from Ontario Canada. Can anyone recommend a good breeder, or provide me with some insight on the following two breeders.

We are try to keep the cost down on the actual purchase.

Since when did owning a dog become for the rich only???? (Joke) some breeders are asking crazy amounts of money..

After reading some info here and on another web page i have already eliminated one of the breeders on my list.

The two in question are:

GoldenBelle Kennels 

and 

Pawpaws poodle also known as Arrow Head 

Second question 

When we get a dog i'm thinking this raw diet makes a lot of sense. any have any cons about this method of feeding ???

Thanks for your time 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Welcome to our doodle loving community!

Breeder recommendations are not permitted here in the forum. DK Guidelines

For help in evaluating a breeder, it is very important that you read What To Look For For in a Breeder.

This is the most important article you can read before choosing a breeder.

There are varying opinions on what kind of diet is best; we have a Raw Feeding Group here, as well as a general Food Group where you can get information on feeding your puppy. One caveat I would give you is that you really need to stay with whatever food the puppy has been eating with the breeder for at least two weeks after he/she comes home, for a variety of reasons. Since you have not yet chosen a breeder, let alone a puppy, you have time to research this issue.

I can tell you that your puppy's purchase price is only the tip of the iceberg, and in general (not always) you get what you pay for.

Take your time. Christmas is not the best time to bring home a new dog anyway, so do your research without urgency. This dog is going to be a member of your family for 12+ years.

Welcome aboard the "doodle train", lol!

 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

Just to add to what Karen has said below.  The prices can seem very high but if you do your research and find a first class breeder who adheres to all the guide lines (they are the gold standard)  in the What to Look for in a Breeder Group here then you will find that the puppy is actually not that expensive all things considered.   There are of course lots of rescue Doodles who were bought without thought or for other reasons and end up needing good homes so perhaps it's worth considering too. Your local DRC  is the place to start and there are lots shown on the main page here on DK.

[Adina P]

It's OKAY to ask about breeders, it's just not okay for members to give reviews in the forum.  You are totally okay in what you did.  But if members have something to say they need to contact you privately with their responses.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Karen covered it all - definitely check out those other groups on here.

WELCOME!

And my final thought is:  you get what you pay for.  I know it seems pricey, but ANY good breeder (pure breeds also) is typcially more than the costs breeders charge that advertise in, say, your Sunday paper.  I paid virtually nothing for my chihuahua and for a host of reasons (some genetic), he is truly my "designer" expensive dog.  I have spent thousands.  My doodle, knock on wood, was quite pricey on the front end but thus far, is superiorly (don't think that's even a word) healthier than my chihuahua.    Plus I like knowing I didn't support a bad breeder with Peri.

[Elizabeth & Cosmo]

It's not a dumb question at all. I am not an expert on this (others on Doodlekisses are, and I know they will chime in), but I was interested in this testing for two main reasons:

1. Some of these conditions/diseases don't show up until a dog is an adult--such as problems with hip dysplasia or other joint conditions. So, if you buy a puppy without knowing its genetic heritage on these issues, you are not making the most informed choice and you could run into painful surprises as the dog gets older. A parent's passing the testing is not a _guarantee_ that the puppy won't develop some issue later in life, but you know you're doing your best to ensure that the puppy you choose has a good potential to avoid some future problems.

2. Knowing a breeding animal's status with regard to all of these tests is part of being a responsible breeder. If a breeding animal is positive for a genetic disease, I would hope that the breeder would breed that animal very carefully or not at all, because of the possibility of passing down those genes to the puppies.

I hope this helps! Best of luck with your search!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You would be paying thousands of dollars to test the pup for these things, some of which, like the hip issues, cannot be tested for until the dog reaches maturity anyway. The cost of testing the breeding dogs is part of what makes the price of the puppies from responsible breeders so high. And why would you want to put a pup through testing, some of which requires anesthesia, if you didn't have to?

[Pat and Traveler]

I had that same sticker shock when I decided to look for a Labradoodle.  I'd never had a dog and being an older person, was more used to the concept of a box of puppies outside the grocery store with a crookedly printed sign saying 'free puppies.'  I hadn't found DK at that time, and did quite a bit of wandering through breeder websites, and various dog forums.  I wanted a medium-sized dog, preferably chocolate, healthy, home-raised, well-socialized, etc., etc.  Figured as a novice dog owner, I should give myself as many pluses as possible right from the git-go.  More by chance than design, I found exactly what I was looking for on Christmas eve day a couple of years ago.  The breeder was kind enough to let us visit that day to see the puppies, and the rest is history.  Traveler has been worth every one of the many pennies involved.  I haven't tried raw feeding, although Trav did sniff at a dead squirrel.  He didn't seem too impressed.  LOL 

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Welcome and good luck! You came to the right place for info!!

[Leslie J]

Good luck finding the right doodle!  You can learn so much here... I knew very little about doodles before I got one!  One thing I didn't know (if budget is an issue) is that Australian Labradoodles are very expensive to keep groomed.  I had no idea before I got Cocoa that it would run me about $80 a month for the groomer.  That wonderful, fleecy fur has a tendency to mat and it is quite high-maintenance.  But she is also the most amazing dog I've ever known and is well worth every penny!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Well, My Sophie was $2500 and everyone told me I was crazy and paying way too much for my puppy. Yes the prices are too high and most breeders are exploiting their popularity, but these dogs had all the qualities I was looking for and more and the breeder was highly recommended. Sophie was absolutely the best thing ever. She's smart as heck, so beautiful that I get stopped at least once or twice on every 10 minute walk to and from the park. She doesn't shed, at all, is extremely calm and well behaved for a puppy, and just the happiest, sweetest thing.

Winston was a re-home from a family who no longer wanted him. He is an F1 Goldendoodle (I think), born in a puppy mill, and right on the crumpled certificate his owners gave me it says "we make no claims that our dogs are health tested". I kid you not. He cost $400. He is 5 years old and has a whole slew of health issues including a thryoid condition, chronic ear infections, a serious skin condition, and possibly there might be something going on with his hips. While he is awesome, he is also sometimes, well, a little bit like a cross between Eyore and Winnie the Pooh, unbearably loveable albeit a little... slow :-\

He is an absolute sweet heart and I love every inch of his sensitive soul, but his parents should never have been bred. I acquired him for free, but by the time my first year is up of owning him I will have shelled out far more money in health care expenses than I paid Sophie's breeder.

All this being said, I don't think I'll ever buy a puppy again. Rescue is the only way to go. It is incredibly rewarding in so many ways. If you really don't want to pay the price a high quality breeder will charge for an Australian Labradoodle, then consider the rescue route, you won't regret it.

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

Welcome. You've come to the right site to learn everything you need to know about doodles. I also had sticker shock when looking for a doodle. have you considered a goldendoodle?

[Adrianne Matzkin]

My girls are both from Puppy Mills. My only advice is that you do research on any breeder you might be considering. Make sure they will let you come and visit the parents and puppies. If you are not allowed to visit, I am not sure of what age they are considered safe to be around from your germs, do not contact that breeder again. If a breeder is breeding more than 1 breed, steer clear. There are so many PMs that have the most wonderful sites that you can be fooled.

Good luck on whatever you decide to do!!