Recommended Breeder: Hales Labradoodles

[Jerry Kandel]

If you want a puppy where you aren't allowed to ask questions - where the breeder will not respond to you with proper answers - where the breeder is almost a puppy mill (close to ten litters at any given time) - and where she puts up a difficult front - then if this is the kind of breeder you want to deal with -then be sure to contact Heather Hale.

This became one of the worst experiences of my life - and what should have been a pleasurable experience became anything but! We had lost our Golden Retriever to cancer six months ago - so I waited a while and then began researching puppies - we felt that the Labradoodle was our best bet. After deciding on the dog we decided to buy a puppy from Hales - which is located in Bakersfield and about two hours away. I explained to her immediately what we went through and that we wanted to be very careful on the health of the dog. Yes, in the beginning I asked the type of questions that anyone in our situation would ask - which Ms. Hale became very defensive and seemed to get frustrated with each question I asked. She actually told me that since I asked a lot of questions that she wasn't the breeder for me! But she took my money in October for a litter to be born in November.

About two weeks ago I joined a forum on this site that was on the subject of desexing puppies at six weeks. There are a lot of discussions about this - some favorable and some not so favorable. One person attached a document that spoke against early desexing - so I sent the article to Hale and asked her for a comment. The next I get is a note from her that she was canceling my deposit and informing me if I wanted a Labradoodle Puppy - I needed to look elsewhere. My wife and I were heartbroken - we had plans to go there in a few weeks to select the puppy and we already had begun to buy toys - as well as selecting a name. On top of all this - she chose Thanksgiving eve to send me this note! We are now over this heartbreak and we have plans to look at another future litter - where the breeder lives within an hour of us.

My wife told me not to write anything and to let sleeping dogs lie (so to speak) - but being a terrible experience that we just went through and knowing that this is a Labraddole site - I wanted to make sure that no one else suffers the same heartbreak that we did.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jerry, I'm very sorry for the loss of your Golden Retriever, and for this latest disappointment.
My philosophy is that the right dogs come into our lives at the right times, if we do our homework, keep our hearts open and let things happen as they're meant to...I guess you could apply that to a lot of things in life. But I know that the surest way to get a bad match is to act in haste or force the issue in any way...whether you are adopting from a shelter or purchasing from a breeder. This time, it just wasn't meant to be; it just wasn't the right dog or the right situation for you. I think in the long run you will look back on this and feel that it was for the best... with the doodle who is meant to be yours sitting by your side.
Good luck, I know the right puppy will find you.

[Jerry Kandel]

Thank you - that was exactly what my wife said.

[Kyoko]

I am so sorry for the terrible experience. Karen is right.... The right puppy will fall right onto your lap at the right time from the right breeder! :-)

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

Jerry, I do feel it is important to inform others of our experiences with breeders, good or bad. I like being an informed consumer with all the facts. We have had a terrific experience with our breeder and a year later, continue to have her in our dogs life. However, as much as I express my gratitude and praise, I would do the same should our experience have been a negative one. We only get to do this so many times in our lives and being well prepared for it is a must.

Yes, I agree with Karen and your wife, you will recieve or pick THE dog just meant for you and your home. The dog angels will see to it. I hope you have every bit as nice an experience with whichever breeder you end up with as we have. And this will all be a faded memory as soon as you hold your new puppy. Keep us posted as to when you get him/her. BTW...what name did you decide on?

[Dan, Judi, & Timbow]

I know you must be so sad Jerry, but I agree with the others. This was just not meant to be. Keep looking at recommended breeders and I'm sure you will find the right puppy at the right time and it will be perfect. :-)

[Heather Hale]

I must say I am very disappointed to see this. I am very sorry you took this route to vent frustrations you have from my not placing a dog in your home.Your first email to me was on 6-27-09 and I have been working with you since then (countless phone calls and emails). You had nothing but praise about myself and my breeding program after visiting my home and my dogs in October. It was only after my decision not to place a pup with you, that you said these hurtful things.

It is my belief that you are so grief stricken over the lose of your Golden, Oliver, that your emotions and judgement are clouded. I can understand and appreciate the pain you are in. Which is why I felt all along it was not a good time to get a dog and that I was not the breeder for you. which I stated to you countless times. It was never the questions. As I read this letter I am certain I made the right choice even though this will bring myself and my breeding program negativity. Again, I was doing what I thought was best for the both of us.

I will ask all to please read between the lines. If I were what he said, then, I would have taken his money and given him a puppy despite all the red flags I had. Not done what was truly hard and returned ALL of his deposit even though he did not want me too.
Sincerely,

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Jerry,
I am so sorry for both of the heartaches you have suffered!! As disappointing as this 'breeder' has been, In my heart I believe in the long run it is for the best! She obviously is not a reputable breeder and does not put the health and best interests of her puppies and their families first! It could only bring you more heartache.
Your puppy is out there!! And with a breeder who will answer all your questions and give you the support that you and your puppy deserves!!
Thank you for sharing your experience - it will help the next family!
Adrianne

[Jerry Kandel]

Thank you everyone. It's been a trying morning: first, we are retired and don't get up early but at 6:55 today we got a call from this breeder (who added a note above) - I didn't answer the call because I didn't need to start arguing with her this early. However, I just wrote her a note after reading what she stated above. I told her that I would like everyone to read between the lines and make their own judgement. I do have every message that I sent her and which she sent me - I told her that she is not a pschologist and is in no position to gauge my mental capability as to whether I was ready for a dog (as a retired Foreign Service Officer with the State Department - and having lived all over the world - I am use to making decisions where a thought-process is first used) - I am not trying to hurt her business - I just want the next person to know what I went through and then they can be an enlightened consumer. I will say one final thing about her: she was the coldest individual I have ever encountered in my life - and, yes, we are happy (now) that we're going in a different direction.

For Sue and Murphy: we picked out the name "Bailey"!

[Lynn D.]

Hi Jerry-
Bailey is a GREAT name! SO cute.
I think you will find that going in a different direction is in your best interest.
All the best,
Lynn D.

[Jerry Kandel]

Thank you Lynn - I appreciate the encouragement!

[Kayla Jean Ashley]

It seems like you went through the same thing I just went through a few months ago except with a different breed and breeder. We had just lost our dog to illness in March of last year (2008), he was a huge part of our lives. My younger siblings grew up with this dog and he was the most lazy and gentle dog around. After we lost Shadow it took us a while to even look at another dog. In July of this year I decided to start look at puppies adn research breeds. At first I chose a labradoodle just like you and started to look around our area. To put ti simply, my parents just didn't want to spend more than a thousand on a dog. I switched breeds and looked into just labs. We found a breeder after a lot of research and scheduled a visit. As it turns out EVERYTHING this lady said, did, and wrote was lies. She didn't do any of the health testing she said she did, she was a puppy mill but claimed to be a dog rescue, (people would leave their labs to her and she would freaking BREED them!!!), she let people into her home to visit the puppies when they weren't even safely vaccinated, she kept the dogs in kennels outside and birthing mothers in a garage.

We never got to see where the puppies were being raised, we didn't get to see the parents. I sent her a letter telling her that I had all of these expectations but once the visit came and went she failed on everything. I even joined a lab community, picked out names, and just generally started to get ready just like you. Then I looked at the dates that she gave us, even after all of that I wanted to look past it and just hope that we could get this puppy. The puppy was going to come to us having just turned five weeks old. It was way to young. I asked people on the board what they thought.

Other people messaged me similar experiences and I was heart broken. I packed up the puppy toys and basically became very depressed. I was mortified that she could do this and that people actually believed all of the lies that she told. I was even more upset about the lives these puppies were going to live because of her. Everything about her was shifty and very cold and sometimes just rude. One person sent me an e-mail where she basically told her potential customer off and that she was the breeder and knew what was best and for the lady to close her trap, in some not so nice words.

I begged my mom to look into goldendoodles again. I wanted a dog badly. I knew that it would help our family get through some of the issues we were having. We searched, found a woman about half an hour away. We chose Bella. Brought her home two weeks later and couldn't be happier. It's been great. Don't lose hope. Keep looking and know that you will find a dog and a breeder that's right for you.

[Jerry Kandel]

I need to clarify something I mentioned yesterday after reading the post above me. Yes, my wife and I are extrememly angry and hurt over this situation but I should not have labeled Hales Labradoodles as a "Puppy Mill". In truth, I am not even too sure what would constitute a Puppy Mill. Hales breeds a lot of puppies and does have quite a few planned - but from the one time I visited there it did appear that the puppies were well taken care of (albeit outside in various sized cages). While my anger got the better of me in stating this yesterday - it buy no means deflects how she treated us - and, again, anyone getting a puppy from Hales who might be grief stricken over the loss of a previous dog or would like to ask a lot of questions regarding health, etc. - should definitely look elsewhere.