A few more weeks till we bring home our newest family member!

[Valery]

One of these cuties will be ours soon. I must be crazy adding a puppy to our family of 2 young kids (and a cat!) :)  I've been waiting a  long time and am excited but starting to get cold feet. I barely remember how stressful a new puppy was in the beginning with our last. Someone give me reassurance that I'm not off my rocker! Hahaha!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

It is a lot but the sure are cute. You need to be sure though to be fair to the pup.

[Stacy]

They are so cute! They're a ton of work, but they are so fun! And the really hard part doesn't last forever.

[Barbara, Zoey and Zeke]

I am sure you will do fine.  You have done your homework to get the best puppy you can get.  Love the Parti ones and the blue merle!  When I brought my last dog home from the shelter it had been decades since I had a dog.  The first thing he did was get out of my newly built fence.  He found a space under the deck that had not been blocked off and went through my side flower garden.  I was horrified and sure I was a terrible pet parent!  That night he had so much gas that he almost ran me out of the room!  What had I done?!!!

Well, what I had done was change my life - and it was wonderful!!  He became the best dog I ever had.  ( This was after I patched the fence and changed him over to a better dog food.)

So good luck!  Wishing you the best.

[Valery]

Thanks! Sounds like you had fun that first night! LOL. We are going to be working on our fence too! So I'll have to be sure to check all the little spots. 

[Cathy and Daisy and Harper]

It is a ton of work in the beginning but I am also in my late 50's! For the first month or two I questioned my sanity. My goldendoodle is now 5 months and I see an amazing dog in my future. I do recommend as much training as possible. I hired a personal trainer and we go to group classes once a week and have since I brought her home. By the way, according to my trainer, it is ok to use a crate to gain some sanity. I also kept my puppy tethered to me in the beginning to keep her out of trouble. All the hard work is now paying off though and she is like my child to me. I love the black and white one on the far right! Good luck and enjoy the puppy because they grow so fast!

[DonMarie and Picco]

Cute! Cute! Cute!  What a mixture of colors!  I do love the black/white up front.  Puppyhood goes fast!   The first week I had Picco I wondered what I was doing with a pup again after many years.  After that week I was so in love and everything was fine then next thing you know they're full grown!

[Valery]

Yep just like kids growing up! I know it will go by fast. We will prob end up with one of the black/white ones. They are cute!

[Amy and Annabelle]

Oh my gosh, they are so adorable. When my kids were 5, 3 and 6 months, my neighbors mini Schnauzer had puppies. I couldn't resist and bought one, they were so cute. I had never had a dog in my life, so to say I was unprepared is an understatement. At least I had my neighbor for any questions. This was 35 years ago, so way before google. But in spite of having the cards stacked against us, somehow it all worked out. He was an easy going puppy, so that helped. Sure there was chaos and tears with 3 small kids and a puppy. Just be prepared, make sure the family is all on the same page with rules. Maybe have a trainer come to the house for dog and kids. I did that with my grand daughter and Annabelle. Maybe get some guidance from your breeder in choosing your pup, to help with the right fit for your family. The crate can be your friend to help get things calmed down. There were times when my grandkids were over and Annabelle put herself in her crate. She was over it.

[Valery]

Thanks! good advice. We are thinking about training. We did pet smart in the past with our last pup. So I am reviewing that info. I have a friend who has a trainer she told me about that will come to the house. Might be worth the cost! We have been working with the kids the past few months when dogs come walking by our house. But of course the little one still will have no clue! He has been biting lately, so maybe the puppy will teach him whats it's like! J/K of course. We are waiting on temperament testing before we pick so hopefully that will help in picking one that is calmer for the kiddos. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I can see why you are smitten with these puppies.  They are absolutely adorable. Some breeds are easier than others - i.e. some are less energetic, less smart, need less interaction with people than doodles, but all puppies are LOTS of work and trying to teach your children and the puppy proper ways to interact takes time.  It really depends on your dog experience, your patience, and your determination to continue training (both dog and kids) as to how well it works. My son has a 10 month old poodle and 4 children between ages 4 and 7.  It is working out well, but he devotes untold hours to making it so. I am impressed.  You can make a dog an integral and welcome part of your family, you just need to realize that it won't be easy and it won't be fast. The biggest question, and only you can answer it, is do you have time? Good luck!