Doodles after loosing my Poodles

[Heathm]

You were so nice to respond to my question about hybrid vigor since I've lost 3 S.Poodles in the past 5 yrs. My sis also lost hers 2 weeks ago at age 5. We are both researching poodle mixes. How do you explain the differences temperment and otherwise between Goldendoodles, Labradoodles and maybe even the Cockapoos. I realize size with the Cockapoo. Are the F1's the most healthy, but the least predictable when it comes to coat? We've both incurred huge vet bills trying to save our Poodles and are having a hard time finding reasonably priced breeders in the Kentucky, Southern Indiana, Cincinnati...area. I would be open to an older puppy or young adult. I want to wait to find a healthy dog. We may have to wait to collect more money. It's difficult when you loose such a big part of your family. Right now we are collecting as much info. as we can. It's hard to determine the best mix.

[movistar]

you should talk to a breeder I know of, please PM me and I'll send you the information- she wouldnt be too far from you in southern illinois - very reputable and great dogs


Edited by Jac to remove kennel name...please send any comments naming kennels or breeders via PM. Thank you

[SadieFern]

Have you tried petfinder.com or IDOG? Right now I have a LD but plan on getting a cockapoo next. The only reason is the size difference. I'm sure you can find a very healthy poodle mix in any of these breeds.

[annabelles mom]

Welcome !

I LOVE my doodle, Annabelle is an F1B and looks more "poodley" than some F1's who are also adorable. I went with an F1B because I wanted the least chance of shedding

here's the link to Shannon's rescue site, they have several doodles listed looking for homes in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio http://www.idog.biz/Rescue.html

and check out www.petfinder.com put in Poodle under type of dog to search and you will get pooodles and poodle mixes you can also put in your zip code

Good luck and keep us posted

[Jac]

Hello and welcome...I am so sorry that you and your family have suffered such loss.
I own standard Poodles, as breeding stock, and I love them soooo much! They are the breed (in my opinion) that brings the wonderful, happy, graceful, playful side to Doodles.
The difference between Labradoodles and Goldendoodles is not that dramatic...it is pretty much the same difference as between Labs and Goldens...their temperaments are similar which is why we promote the two breeds equally. I own both and honestly don't find a huge difference in temperament and personality. The F1 coat of a Goldendoodle is generally more thick and lush that that of the F1 Labradoodle, but when you get into F1Bs they begin to look/feel similar.
Please don't rely solely on hybrid vigor...not every Poodle/Lab or Poodle/Golden mix will be healthy. As in all breeds, Doodles are only as healthy as their parent breed. So, please, first research the breeders and find someone who tests for genetic soundness and one who will offer reasonable warranties and support.
You can, of course, get a rescue dog and that is an admirable thing to do...and many of the owners on this forum have rescued their dogs...but given the losses you have already incurred, you risk getting a puppy mill dog or a back yard breeder dog and the chances of illness or early death climbs with that risk.
The cost of a good dog, from a reputable breeder is high...but let me try to put it into perspective for you...
1) you can get a rescue (free-$800)
2) you can buy from a back yard breeder/puppy mill ($300-$1000)
3) you can buy from a reputable breeder ($500-$2500)
4) you can rehome a breeding dog ($800-1500)
With a rescue, you may get a perfect dog...or you may get a very sick or socially problematic dog, it is a gamble because you simply don't know and can't find out where/how this dog was raised.
With a back yard breeder/puppy mill you get a good price, but you could end up paying much, much more for vet bills and training specialists and you still could get a dog that has major issues.
With a reputable breeder, you pay more up front but the dog is usually raised with love and guideance and is socialized to be around other people, children, pets, etc. Since no one, not even good breeders, can guarantee complete good health, you get a warranty that if your puppy does get a serious genetic disease the breeder will either replace the puppy or refund your complete fee for adoption.
With a rehome, you usually get a proven healthy dog that has been used for breeding and is now ready to be retired.
Since you have already suffered much loss, I strongly suggest that you spend the extra money and buy from a reputable breeder...this not only helps you get a healthy dog, but it discourages profits for back yard breeders and puppy mills.
Whatever you decide to do, please know that we (on this forum) support you and care...please do share your happiness with us, once you find your new baby!
Also, please feel free to PM me if you would like to discuss this further.

[Heathm]

Thanks again for all of your support! I had the 3 poodles and the first was a rescue. I thought I learned my lesson and would get great breeders whose dogs had all the great testing. I still lost the other 2 dogs as well. Maybe I've just had a string of bad luck. I chose puppies over tha adults so that I could socialize and train them. I agree my relationship with my breeders was very important. One of my breeders tragically became diagnosed with cancer and doesn't breed at all anymore, and the other stopped breeding poodles and went to Giant Schnauzers. I'm trying to be patient and weigh all of my options. It's difficult to decide between Labradoodles and Goldendoodles. Does one demand more exercise than the other? Is one more mouthy than the other?

[Jac]

I understand...
Now about your specific questions...
Rather than to ask if Labradoodles or Goldendoodles differ a lot (honestly, they don't) I'd suggest that you ask the breeder if they have bred the parents before...if so, get the names and contact info from families who adopted the previous puppies. Then you will get a true background of this particular mating.
It is so easy to generalize with dog breeds but with Golden Retirevers and Labrador Retrievers you will find that they both like to chew, dig, run, etc. Both are very active and social breeds. They are best suited to a "pack", meaning that they are good with the family but not suited to being left alone for long periods. They do like and need exercise.
The biggest difference is in their coats. F1 GDs have less shedding and generally tend to mat. F1 LDs are easy care but do shed slightly.
Again, the temperament of the parent will determine the temperament of the pup. So, maybe if you can meet the parents, you will find it easier to choose.

[Pip Pip Doodley Doo]

I understand your grief over the loss of your dogs. You have my sympathy. We lost our standard poodle in November and she was 15. We loved her dearly, but honestly she was not without her issues! She was the most amazingly loving and kind dog. But she was a relentless counter surfer & garbage stealer. She also had ulcerative colitis. She was incredibly smart and great with people and kids. As she advanced in age, I started researching other dogs besides poodles. I knew that once my Marley was gone it would be hard to have another big poodle. The "replacing" idea was just too much to bear for us. I seriously started looking at doodles. We love the poodle breed and did not want to give that up, in addition, we have allergies and I just didn't want a dog that shed. Doodles seemed to fit the bill. Our poodle weighed 75 lbs in her youth, and we did not want a dog that big. Through my research, I found that doodles come in ALL shapes and sizes. I know a golden doodle who weighs 106 pounds! I have also met s. poodles that weigh close to 100 lbs. So, it is really important when you find a breeder to "meet the parents" if you are looking for a particular size. Our breeder has started with a Moyen Standard Poodle so they are smaller. Our labradoodle, Bailey, is a multigen. She is almost 9 months and weighs 32 pounds. She does not shed at all. She is VERY playful and has a funny personality. I think she has a sense of humor. We really think that is the Lab in her. So far, she has been very healthy and hope she doesn't develop any issues over time. Her parents were thoroughly tested, so there should not be any genetic problems. Whatever dog you decide, get to know the breeder.

As for grooming, so far I think the labradoodle is much easier than my poodle. I am pretty fussy too. Both coats require brushing and maintenance, but for me, the fleecy coat of our labradoodle is much easier than our curly coated poodles coat. The fleecy coat dries much faster and as long as I keep her brushed a couple of times a week, we have been mat free.

[AdinaP]

The low predictability of coats in an F1 is more of a litter issue. IN any given F1 litter the coats will come out in all sorts of range comparing one puppy to another. BUT there is enough predictability for a given puppy for a breeder to help steer you in the right direction depending upon what type of coat you want. You will VERY LIKELY have some shedding with an F1...that's a given with a few exeptions. But depending upon what type of coat you prefer for looks I think most experienced breeders can help you pick the right pup out of a litter (although you never want to pick JUST based on coat).

Even doodles can have hip dysplasia and cancer, etc. The goal though is to both diversify the gene pool AND screen for diseases that are screenable...a good pure breed breeder should do that to..but nothing is 100% when dealing with unknown genes.

Adina