What are your thoughts on this color?

[DJ]

Hi, I'm new and we have been planning on getting a doodle for a year now. I'm sure we all have in our mind what the typical doodle dog looks like. After finally finding a breeder I trusted the dog mom and dad finally had pups. It was a white doodle mom and red miniature poodle dad. I though for sure one of the pups would be that beautiful light tan color. All the pups came our medium apricot, which looks very dark to me. Also the breeder recently changed her allocations to 100% temperament testing. So she matches the puppy up with the family. So we no longer get to pick gender, coat, size. We can pick one characteristic but she said mainly we will get the puppy she says fits best with our family. So now I am having reservations about this litter. Not only it isn't the color I like but I'm paying $ 3,000 and get no say in what puppy I get. What is everyone's thoughts on this process? Thanks in advance!!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Truly color and sex are not more important than temperament, but they are the main things one sees first, so it's hard to put those things on the back burner.  My son bought a standard poodle puppy recently (she is red, LOL), and it is working out quite well with his four children ( 7, 6, 6, 4) however he is totally in charge of both the puppy and the kids. Their puppy was temperament tested to make sure that she would be suited to a young family.  He works constantly training both the pup and the kids and monitors their interactions.  I think all the pups in that litter are great looking - color, coat, body conformation, so all that is left is temperament.  Good luck! Let us know what you end up doing. My labradoodle has faded from medium apricot to lighter apricot.  My goldendoodle has darkened from cream with a red undercoat to mostly apricot!  Go figure!

[DJ]

I'm glad to hear it's working out well with his 4 kids! We get to put one request down. Like size gender etc. I keep changing my one request! It's so hard to have no control when you are purchasing something. It is odd, but I guess I can see why.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I replied to this but it ended up in a different part of the discussion. :-}

[JACKS MOM LORIE ANN]

Personally I would NOT  be able to let anyone else choose for me.

I know my family, our routines, our lifestyle etc.

[Stella]

It is usually a sign of a good breeder if they want to select the puppy for you. They know the pups well and have watched their personalities develop. If you have been honest about your family and lifestyle, and if the breeder is experienced, they are absolutely the person you want selecting your pup for you.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

I do think the breeder knows the puppies quite well by 7 weeks and if she is using sensor testing she has an even better idea which puppy might be better in a family situation than say with an older couple.  After filling out an application for a puppy, and answering various questions about our living situation, family, preferences on coat & sex.  We wanted a blocky head & body, and a laid back boy.  We were told from the onset that if the puppy they chose for us was not the sex, or color we wanted, we did not have to take it, but could move our deposit to a future litter without a problem. .  We received update photos on the litter each week, and at 7.5 weeks, were sent an email with a copy of the sensor test results and why they chose that particular puppy for us.  We were thrilled - it was actually one of the males we fell in love with in photos - but the breeder did not know we had a favorite from the photos.  Both times we were happy with the breeder selection and our doods are now nearly 5 yrs & 7 yrs.  Time flies when you are having fun.  I have some new neighbors that have 7 (ages 16 down to twin 2 yr olds) and they got a puppy 6 months ago (cockapoo), and he has adjusted to the fun big family life!  Good luck to you and your family that all works out well.  Just remember puppyhood is trying at times even if you have the best puppy in the whole world.  Be sure to join the Puppy Madness group - lots of info there.  

[DJ]

Thank you! Yes I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for this landshark,lol!! Expect the worst and hope for the best with both newborns and puppies:)

[Beth & Cheddar]

We brought our puppy home last August when my kids were 10, 8, 5, and 4. We chose to go with this breeder because of the mellow temperament of the parents and the consistent results from previous pairings. It has turned out to be a wonderful thing for our family.

I did have to teach my kids proper puppy handling and continually reinforce proper behaviors for both kids and puppy, but 8 months later things are still going great. Our boy Cheddar is a sweet mellow pup who fits well into our home and enriches our lives. Yes, it takes time and you definitely have to be proactive in training both the dog and kids, but it can be done.

As for the coat color, we were hoping for a dark red as Cheddar's whole litter was darker at birth. But they have faded to a lighter red. Your puppy's litter is considerably lighter and will most likely lighten quite a bit more.

[DJ]

I'm glad it worked out for you! Yes we are in the same position with kids and ages. I was beginning to get cold feet until I read your positive post! Let me know of any tips! Yes I agree the kids have to be trained just as much as the puppy. I beginning to think temperament is the first priority especially when kids are involved.

[Christine]

Hi :). I'm chiming in late here but couldn't help myself as I am the proud owner of one awesome red doodle. Lol. But I totally agree with what Karen said and I never realized it before I had gotten my dog Nala. Nala is an F1b mini Goldendoodle. We were last pick. We feel in love immediately. Nala looked poodly when she was a baby. We fully expected a doodly doodle. but now she is a stunning little retriever. Lol. Who sheds and looks nothing like the Goldendoodle everyone pictures in their mind. So I guess my point is if you are hung up on a certain look, it may be best to go with a pure poodle. Nala is 75 poodle but doesn't look it. She does have many poodle qualities, but to me looks retriever.
But we got so lucky. We have 3 boys and she is just awesome with each one. She is such a happy, intelligent, playful, sweet, athletic dog.
. Can you tell I am proud? Lol. Kind of meant to be ours. But I wish you the best of luck deciding! I think the temperament is key, so that is great the breeder does that. Mine didn't.
Good luck! Christine

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I think I'm probably going to be the exception here.  The one thing I'm going to agree with is that the color will most likely fade.  I personally think that in this situation I would be asking for my deposit back since the rules have changed since you made your deposit.  I'm don't know the breeder, so please know I'm not speaking about a particular breeder, just my opinions on the things that you have said.  I personally have not seen a GoldenDoodle breeder charging $3000.  Granted, I haven't sat on line in a few years searching breeders and looking for a puppy, but if they have gone up that much in the 4 years since I got AnnaBelle, that is crazy.  AB came from what I consider one of the, if not the, best breeders out there and she was no where near $3000.  I've seen Australian Labradoodles in that price range, but not goldendoodles.  We have had some conversation here recently on the whole temperment testing.  I know there are a lot of breeders that claim this is wonderful and it works great, however, to me, it is just a way for the breeder to be sure they can place all of the puppies in their liter.  Not letting you specify what you are looking for is insane.  There is no way I would agree to these conditions.  There are just specific things that we look for.  Yes, temperament is important, particularly when there are children involved.  However, I think that what goes into the puppy once it comes into your home and the training it receives and the environment it is in is going to have more of an affect on what type puppy you have.  There is no way that a breeder can take let's say 12 puppies and 12 families and have the perfect puppy for each families needs.  I'm sorry, I just don't agree with that process.  Can they provide input and observations yes, certainly, but you should have more say in the process.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree with you, Sheri. I have been looking at goldendoodle breeders websites, for research purposes, and I haven't seen anyone asking $3000 either. Unless it's one of those deals where the pup stays with the breeder longer for "training".