Labradoodle & Goldendoodle Forum
NEW BUYER IN NEED OF SOME OPINIONS
Hey everyone!
Thanks in advance for taking the time out to read this.
I am currently in the process of shopping for a mini-small goldendoodle that I will be surprising my new wife with for her bday in February.
I'm looking for as small a doodle as we can find, but of course quality before size.
I have narrowed my search down to two breeders; Tropico & Swissridge
So at first I found Tropico, and they have this AMAZING little boy available who when full grown will be between 5-12 pounds! His dad is 8 and his mom is 11 - and they're both BEAUTIFUL DOGS!
What makes me skeptical about them tho is that they do not have any health or test info on their website regarding their dogs.
I see other websites showing DNA tests, CERFs, Hip & Elbow clearances, Heart, ect..........when I mentioned to them the fact that many other sites have all these health tests ect, the breeder to me that mostly larger dogs are prone to these ailments - and because the pup I'm looking at will be so small, he wont have problems like hip dysplasia. She also mentioned how many dogs she sold, how many facebook followers they have, how many pups they sold in my area that I can go see, ect.
So my first question for my new friends here is - is that true?
Are small goldendoodles way less prone to these issues than larger GDs?
Then this morning I spoke to Swissridge, who also has tiny GDs available BUT - theres will be larger at 18-25 lbs - however, they have all these tests, and health info about ALL of their dogs.
So I'm kind of stuck deciding between these two breeders and any info you guys provide will surely help me make up my mind.
On the one hand, I think the smaller pup from Tropico looks wise is more what I like, and after looking at his parents - they both are very small and BEAUTIFUL dogs.....and he could very well be a healthy pup with out any issues what so ever.
And on the other hand, I have more piece of mind, and confidence quality wise with swiss ridge.
Sorry for rambling on, but its a big decision, and any input at all would help!
THANKS!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Ricki and Tara (doodle) on
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Welcome to DK! Since you are new to the site you may not have found the "What to Look for in a Breeder" page yet.
http://www.doodlekisses.com/notes/What_To_Look_for_In_a_Breeder
I would urge you to stick as closely as you can to these guidelines when purchasing your puppy, they could save you a lot of future heartache.
I can't help but wonder why the breeder whose dogs never get genetic illnesses doesn't offer a guarantee. It just seems like she would have nothing to lose and it would give her customers peace of mind. Hmmm....
My Tara is a 20lb Labradoodle and she is a wonderful size. Small enough to hold on your lap but big enough to keep up when hiking and with other outdoor activities. Good luck in your search!
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Permalink Reply by Jane, Guinness and Murphy on
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I feel the same way about my 20 lb mini Labradoodle. I think it's a wonderful size.
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Permalink Reply by F, Calla & Luca on
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Breeder recommendations cannot be made on the main page. People may message you etc. privately. That said I know nothing about these breeders but the first one sounds very sketchy and I personally wouldn't have anything to do with them. Health testing on breeders should be done period.
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Permalink Reply by Alex/Mindy/Georgia/Coral on
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Georgia is 20 pounds and Coral is 16 pounds. Everyone that meets them says how Georgia in particular is the perfect size. She's not limited jumping up on the bed, into the car, and I think her being a little larger makes her a little less frail. My wife can easily pick her up with no problem, so I wouldn't worry about a 18-25 being too large for what you want to do. Georgia still sits on the middle arm rest of my Hyundai Santa Fe.
It's true that the larger the dog, the more plausible hip and joint problems will be, but in my opinion not so much higher that she shouldn't have some health records on the dogs. I do think you're right, though, that if she appears to be a reputable breeder that you will probably never have any of those kinds of problems with your pup.
This is a tough one. I think you need to go with your gut. Don't over-think it and I'm confident you won't be disappointed.
Good luck and post pictures when you get him/her.
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Permalink Reply by LarryL on
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thanks, I just want you guys to know that the first breeder DOES offer a guarantee - I'm just saying that she doesnt have all these certifications and clearances that you see on other breeders sites.
She is from California, with lots of celebs buying from her, and there are plenty of happy healthy pups on her facebook page that im sure are just fine.
The thing that worried me is JUST the fact their she doesnt have things like CERF eye examines, and clearances on hips and elbows ect.
I am not looking for specific breeder recommendations, just opinions on my dilemma - although i over think things a lot
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Permalink Reply by Adina P on
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When I wrote the "What to Look for in a Breeder" info page others have linked you to above, I wrote it with standard sized dogs in mind. A good breeder, of any breed (large or small) will have some kind of health testing done on their breeder dogs. Each breed will have susceptibility to a different set of common diseases. I don't know toy poodles or miniature poodles and what their health issues might be. One of our members, Karen, is a lot more knowledgeable about poodles and I'm sure she'll be able to give you a list of what is common in poodles of all sizes. I have a faint memory of smaller poodles possibly having knee problems...? My point is that small dog or large dog is irrelevant. All breeds have their set of recommended testing and small poodles have their list of recommended testing just like standard poodles.
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Permalink Reply by BG and Gavin on
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No testing = no good. A health guarantee is not going to do you a speck of good a year and a half down the line when your young dog could have a "defect" (read expensive illness) and the breeder offers you your money back if you surrender the dog back to them. What would you do? It is not better to have the most assurance possible beforehand that this will not likely happen? If a breeder is making excuses, that is a red flag. Celebrities likely have less of a clue about responsible breeders as common folk do. So despite sounding glamorous, that would not be a selling point IMO. I would also do a search of Swiss Ridge on this site to see what you find out ;)
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Amen.
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Permalink Reply by Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle on
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Double Amen.
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I lived with toy and miniature poodles for many years, and I can tell you that without question they are absolutely prone to elbow and knee problems as well as genetic eye diseases, particularly PRA, and heart diseases, especially mitral valve dysplasia. I wouldn't go near any puppy with toy or miniature poodles in the pedigree whose parents did not have testing for these things. I had a dog with PRA, and it was heartbreaking. If the breeder told you that small breeds are not prone to them, he/she is either ignorant about dogs or a liar...either way, not someone from whom you would want to buy a puppy. Puppy mills have lots of Facebook followers, too.
Here's the proof:
Inherited diseases Miniature poodles: http://ic.upei.ca/cidd/breed/poodle-miniature
Note the two most serious genetic diseases for miniature poodles are patellar luxation (knees) and mitral valve dysplasia (heart). Not to mention the long list of other health issues, which include several types of eye diseases.
Inherited diseases Toy poodles: http://ic.upei.ca/cidd/breed/poodle-toy
Same issues, basically. Knees most of all.
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thank you guys for all the advice.
I actually think they're both great breeders - the issue was just one advertised their tests, and the others didn't readily provide that info.
In any case, I've decided to stick with my instinct and go with SR.
Super excited - and lots of good advice her as well.
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