puppy.... in ohio

[Stephanie]

Hello, i am new to this site and it has been very helpful.  I am looking for a new addtition to our family and we love the American goldendoodle...probs mini... i am feeling overwhelmed with websites and all the info.  I did read the blog on choosing a breeder and found it helpful, i am cautious because we lost our 10yr old cocker spaniel this winter to genetic health issues.  Any tips or recommendations would be helpful.. We live in ohio....but are willing to seek other states for the perfect addition to our family.  Thanks

[F, Calla & Luca]

Welcome to DK. Recommendations for breeders are not allowed here but people can PM you. Good luck.

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

You would be the second time this morning, I can refer someone to my breeder in Mich. She has a litter of Mini;s due in April and has a few spots on the waiting list. She is one of our Recommended Breeders here. I have 2 of her standard doodles and they are wonderful and I know of many others who have gotten her lovely doodles. I can't recommend names on the main site (per DK rules) but if you would like more info, you can PM me. All of our recommended breeders do health/genetic testing on the parents, so there is less of a chance of problems down the road, but of course, so things do just come up regardless. Mine are 5 and 3 and have not had any major health issues at all. Good luck

[Stephanie]

Thank you ..i will PM you...after i figure out how..LOL

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Hi Stephanie -- I have sent you a friend request.  Please respond back to me and then I'll give you some input via PM.

[Miss Ellie]

Good Luck Stephanie...you have some wonderful people offering to help you...we are from Canada...so not much help to you...hope you will find that special puppy soon:)

[Stephanie]

Thank you

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

In addition to the things mentioned in the What to Look for in a Breeder article, here are a couple of other things that I would be looking at if I were buying a puppy.

If the sales contract and/or health warranty requires you to feed a specific brand of food or give a specific brand of vitamins, look elsewhere. 

Ask the age of the parents. It has recently come to my attention that many so-called "reputable" breeders are breeding dogs younger than 2 years old. In a couple of cases, much younger. Be aware that in a dog younger than 2 years of age, any OFA scores for hips are only preliminary scores and don't really mean much. And lots of other health issues will most likely not have shown up in a dog younger than 2 years of age. A one year old doodle or sporting breed dog is really still a puppy and and is too young to be bred, IMO.

If the breeder wants to send the puppies home before they are 8 weeks old, that's a red flag. There is a reason that it is actually against the law in many states to sell a dog younger than 8 weeks. And dogs who are taken from the litter before 7 weeks old have not developed bite inhibition yet. If the breeder's convenience is more important to her than what is best for the pups' development, look elsewhere. 

[Stephanie]

Great info! Thanks

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

Good points Karen, maybe these things could be added to the "What to look for in a breeder' post. Very good information.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I agree with Sue that these things should be included on the "what to look for" list. A family friend recently brought home a Vizsla puppy that was a few days shy of 6 weeks old. Tore me apart. 

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

Oh dear! Poor puppy to be taken from it's litter and mother that soon.

[Kathy Janes]

Karen and Jack have given you some great advice.  I would even wait until a pup was 10 or 12 weeks, as the socialization they get from their mom and siblings is really critical in their development.  The thing I think I would consider most is the testing of the parents and the health of previous litters (if there have been any) from the same parents.  Both breeds have their own genetic problems, and you want to try to avoid them.  And you might consider that, generally speaking, the larger the dog the calmer it will be.  Although not always true, think of the various poodle sizes and what each size is known for, then consider that in selecting the size of your pup.  Have fun searching and researching!  You want to keep this family member for a long time, so spend time up front to make a good decision.  Then get ready for the Doodlekisses!