What breed should they get?

[Adina P]

Someone who is having trouble signing up for DK has a question for our members.  They are looking to get a goldendoodle and live in Utah.

He and his wife are in their late 40s.  He is a University teacher and his wife works full time too, but he has some flexibility.  They have three kids who are all in school.  He also says:

"We have a fenced yard and live near miles of trails that are three blocks away.  I would like a calmer dog, 35 to 40 pounds, which enjoys walks and hikes.  We also skate ski in the winter and would love to take the dog too. My kids would be very affectionate with the dog.  That said, some days the dog would be home alone for at least five hours."

His wife also has allergies, but they don't want a poodle.  So they were recently looking into a goldendoodle, but are open to other breeds that fit their lifestyle and needs.

What would you advise them?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

If non-shedding, size, and calm demeanor are their priorities, my suggestion would be to research breeds that fit those parameters in that order. There are actually websites where you check the boxes and breeds that might suit pop up.  Then they could do the research to see which ones really suit their lifestyle.

Many dogs are calm in adulthood but have a 'wild child' puppyhood. Do they feel that they could handle this? They might want to check with shelters who do temperament testing and adopt a young adult dog. The thing is that an active family probably would do best with an active dog who is always 'ready' to go. I would also think that they would want a dog of at least 40 pounds if they want it to run beside them without tiring out.

I grew up with dogs; my husband grew up with dogs, but we didn't get our first family dog until our oldest two were 5 and 8.  We had no problems integrating the dog into our family.  The kids were taught how to handle a dog and that, if they wanted to keep their toys, they had to pick up. She went with us when we could take her and she stayed home when we couldn't.

I honestly don't think home alone for 5 hours is a big deal.  Most people  work outside of the home, and most dogs deal with it. 

It really boils down to do they really want a dog and are they willing to put in the time to make the dog one they can take on hikes.

[Chloe, Finley & Mama Shelley]

A mini, or medium Goldendoodle.. and my breeder lives in Utah, and she breeds minis mediums and standards!

= )

[Tamar]

Are you willing to share the name of your breeder?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Breeder recommendations are not permitted in the forum. People can private message each other or leave a comment on a member's page.

[Katherine]

Sounds like a Goldendoodle is pretty spot on for them.

Very much support that they as a family define some of the qualities more detailed. My sister considers a German shepherd to be a calm dog, as opposed to her pointer. My Golden Retriever she considers comatose, while I consider her lively as she's really playful and active when we're outside. The reference to all their activities makes me thing they mean calm as in Retriever, Doodles, Poodles (calm inside, lively outside) and not the next band down (Basset Hound etc). The UK Kennel Club has a great "test" to find the right breed for you through a series of questions. Mind you, it wont include Goldendoodles. 

http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk/services/public/findabreed/Defaul...

I'm on the fence about puppy vs adult. Especially with kids the bonding created by having them grow up is important. It also makes it more likely that they get the adult dog that best fits with their activity level, their routines, etc (50% nature, 50% nurture)

Make sure they choose a breeder very focused on breeding on personality, and check out that this is verified by owners who have bought from that breeder.

[Camilla and Darwin]

I'd advise a poodle. LOL. Maybe an f1b Goldendoodle. 

[Katherine]

You know, I used  to not like poodles before - they seemed too aloof and prissy. But then I started getting to know the breed through looking at Goldendoodles and have now come to really like poodles. Discovered that the prissy and aloof poodles were a result of their owners, not the breed. This is my favorite picture of a poodle, and reflects the poodles I've come to like and respect.

[Ron Carnes]

If you are looking to buy from a breeder have them cut some hair off a pup and your wife can carery it around. It may give an indication if she has an allergy to that particular dog.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Unfortunately, while that might help with an adult dog, it won't help with a puppy, because their coats can change dramatically. Some information from the Labradoodle Trust:

http://www.labradoodletrust.com/allergy_info.html

" You may also be ok with a Labradoodle puppy as tiny puppies don’t shed, but when the coat changes in adulthood, he could cause a life-threatening allergic reaction. Obviously, this would be tragic for you and tragic for the puppy you now love, who will need a new home.

We cannot stress strongly enough that allergy testing with puppies is futile."

 

[Ron Carnes]

Great article

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

The calmer, 35 to 40 pounds makes me think "NO goldendoodle!"  LOL!  Peri is 4 and I would still not use the word "calm" to describe her.  Hmmm....I would still probably look at a poodle.  I know some great poodles that are so calm and wonderful, plus they don't have to have that poodle cut (although it's easier to manage) and I think the cut sometimes turns people off.  Other non-shedding dogs like terriers would not be good with kids, IMHO.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree. There are a couple of terriers that are known to be better with kids, like Westies, but they're much smaller than 35 lbs.

There's also the point that there is no way on earth to know for sure that any doodle puppy will be between 35 and 40 lbs.