From health to trainability to personality there are many things you need for your records.
Here's a list of frequently asked questions we receive as well as additional things you may want to know about our dogs.
1. Do the dogs/puppies shed?
Poodles are known to be a non-shedding breed of dog. We have been breeding standard poodles and labradoodles for many years. We have saved the "pick of the litter" many times to perfect the coats of our family bred multi-generational labradoodles. There is a great variation in labradoodle coats. Multi-generation is the only proven and consistent coat in the breed established after years of perfecting the coat. Our coats are perfect! They are soft, wavy curly with no coarse or wiry hair. Our dogs/puppies are classified as a True non-shedding breed. We bathe and groom the dogs and puppies often and there is very little hair ever noticed in the tub at the end of their bath. Pet hair in our house, and on our furniture or clothes is mostly non-existent. You will not find this consistencey in a first/second crossing. It takes years to get a true multi-generational labradoodle.
2. Are the dogs/puppies registered?
We do have all of our adult dogs registered with the American Kennel Club and /or the Contintental Kennel Club. Belonging to a kennel club is an important part of being a responsible breeder.
3. How big will my puppy get?
Many factors play into the mature size of your pet. The amount of feed provided(controlled or automatic feeding), the amount of exercise the pet gets and the quality of feed provided(enough protein for maturing bones,muscles, etc.). As with people nutrition and exercise help to determine size in dogs. We breed standard size poodles and multi-generational labradoodles.
4. Do we sell our puppies/dogs for breeding?
We do not sell our puppies with breeding rights-only to approved homes. We require a spay/neuter contract and enforce this contract accordingly.
5. What should I feed my new puppy?
We provide each family with a bag of starter puppy food. This is the only food we feed to your puppy besides the mother's milk.. We feed all of our adult dogs and puppies a top quality food that has NO FILLERS and is 100% all - natural. We feed Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb, Rice & Vegetable Formula. Providing your puppy with a top quality puppy food is very important for that first year of rapid growth and development.
6.How much does a labradoodle cost and why is there such a big difference in pricing?
Breeding is expensive, if it is done right. It is expensive to breed, whelp and raise a litter. But the question still remains, "Why are some Doodles more expensive than others?” It's a fact that you can find listings on the internet and in newspapers where labradoodles sell for $700, or even less, and then there are some in the range of $1500-$3000. There is a HUGE difference in labradoodle crossings-early crosses DO NOT consistently pass desirable traits to EVERY puppy in the litter. You can see this by looking at the entire litter-some may look cute and wavy while others will be wiry and straight. You will also notice a variance in sizing. We breed only standard size multi-generational labradoodles and ALL of our puppies look the same in structure and coats, you only find this after YEARS of investing time and money into breeding the best dogs to produce the best puppies. Our parents are all registered with CKC/AKC kennel clubs.
Quality varies in anything that can be bought, and that is true for dogs just like it is true for anything else. When it comes to dogs, it IS possible to get a great dog for not much money, or even for free, if you adopt a stray. However, there is a level of uncertainty that exists in that kind of scenario. The health of the puppy's parents is usually unknown, and that inexpensive dog is not such a bargain if it turns out to have health problems. There is also the unknown of socialization and temperament. This is crucial and critical in getting a well adjusted dog/puppy-one that can be exposed to new situations and stress and behaves in a positive, safe manner. Especially for homes where there are small children-our puppies can have their tails pulled, ears tugged etc. etc. and NEVER give a snarl or growl -they have been hand raised in our home with sounds, other pets and tons of handling! We take great time and effort in the biosensor training as well as daily handling and socialization for your puppy-this is VERY time consuming.
So one big difference between an inexpensive dog and a more expensive one is the level of certainty or level or risk you accept. A breeder that does their job well, starting with buying healthy, tested breeding lines, feeding high quality food, and hand-raising the puppies, MUST charge more in order to cover their costs enough to continue breeding.
In addition to the basic costs of breeding carefully and well, there are other costs depending on the situation. Sometimes, for various reasons a female will need to be inseminated rather than becoming pregnant through a 'natural ' breeding. This can cost from $500-$2000 between progesterone testing and either artificial insemination or surgical implant. In addition to that fee, there may be veterinary costs related to insemination that can range from $300-$1000. So simply attempting a pregnancy can cost thousands of dollars, and that cost can be a complete loss if, after all that, the female does not become pregnant. I guarantee that the dogs that are being sold for under $1000 are not being bred with the level of care I describe above, and the owners of $1000 puppies are not receiving that level of service. It's just not mathematically possible to breed 'cheaply', and bring in enough money to pay for breeding over the long term. The average 'career' for someone breeding dogs is under five years. It is incredibly difficult, both physically (being up all night is a regular event) and emotionally.
Many people find that it sucks them dry financially because it is so expensive!
Finally, I must point out that just because a labradoodle is expensive does not mean it is bred well. Sadly, I know of breeders who charge very high prices for their pets but do not have quality parents or have not raised the puppies well, Some breeders represent their dogs as multi-generational or australian labradoodles and they do not have documentation to prove it. We do have documentation back 12 years proving our journey into creating what we believe are the best MULTI-GENERATIONAL labradoodles out there! 'Buyer Beware' is a very appropriate approach. Ask a lot of questions- make certain the breeder owns Sire & Dam and that they are onsite. View BOTH parents and say to yourself is this how I want my puppy to look and act. Often high volume breeders will have "foster families" or use stud dogs they do not even know. How can you guarantee a dogs temperament and suitability for fathering/mothering a litter-YOU CANNOT! Look at past litters and the families feedback who do get puppies there. A good, reputable breeder should have LOTS(not a couple of the same puppy) of puppy pics and feedback. This proves and shows their level of commitment and dedication to the breed and shows that their puppies are consistent and true in the best traits. Do your research by asking detailed questions and understand that there is HUGE differences in labradoodle crosses and also in their Raising. You are adding a member to your family and this is a big deal! In many cases you get what you pay for.
7. Has my puppy had its shots, wormings etc.?
All of our puppies get the appropriate age related vaccinations and wormings prior to coming to your home. All puppies are vaccinated and wormed by our veterinarian as well as a full health examination with paperwork in your puppy kit to take and give to your veterinarian. We also start your puppy on heartworm prevention and flea prevention when it is appropriate for the time of year/season. We do provide you with a health guarantee and your puppy will be certified to be in excellent health by our vet prior to you taking it home.
8. It says you provide a puppy kit-what is in this?
We provide all of our families a puppy starter kit with all the essentials. This is a significant added cost that you will not find with most other breeders. Our kit includes a collar/harness and leash. A starter bag of top grade no filler puppy food. A puppy toy. Fetch toys/balls. First dose of heartworm prevention and flea prevention medicine. An AKC approved chew toy. Waste dispenser and bags. Literature on raising a puppy, potty training and emergency forms. We also provide you with the puppies registration once proof of spay/neuter has been received.These items may change at any time or be switched out for other items that we feel are beneficial to your puppy. We are always looking for new/great products for our dogs/puppies.We spend a great deal of time with each family answering questions and giving detailed information on how to quickly and efficiently train your puppy. We have a great deal of experience and have learned many do's and don'ts over the years and take the time to pass this info on to all of our families. Our goal is to have your new puppy transition with ease and excel in their new homes! We take great pride and commitment in producing amazing companions.
9. Where can I find answers to my puppy questions?
We provide lifetime support to our puppy parents! You are welcome to call, text or email questions. We love getting puppy feedback and are always happy to provide you with answers or resources to any questions you may have.
10. When can I bring my puppy home?
All puppies go home at 8 weeks of age or after. We do not allow puppies to leave earlier. Studies show that there are imperative lessons learned from remaining with their pack until this time. The mother also teaches the puppies many lessons about manors and acceptable behaviors that benefit the puppy in interactions with humans. Puppies also have a great deal of growth and development from ages 8wks-16 wks and this is a great time for learning and training your puppy.
11. How Does Your Wait List Work?
We start a wait list prior to the litter arriving. We do this by a Security deposit through our site. The Security deposit is $250 and holds your spot in line for a puppy. Once the litter is born, selection takes place by our families, in the order the deposits were placed. Confirmation will be sent to you after your deposit is received confirming your spot in line. We reserve the right to select pick of the litter from any of our litters at any time.
12. What is the process for picking my puppy?
We start a "wait list" prior to every delivery and accept a $250 deposit to hold your spot in line. This ensures you will get a puppy from one of our litters/advertised litter. If you have preferences of gender or color we mark this down and if when we get to your number in line this is not available we can transfer your deposit to the next litter or you are welcome to choose another available puppy.
13. How do I know when to pick up my puppy?
Every litter goes home at 8 weeks of age. Studies have shown this is the best time to learn and bond with their new families. We set aside a 3 day period at this 8 week mark and schedule pick up times/dates with every family on the wait list. Puppies must be picked up on time. Any puppy held over past this 3 day set period will be charged an extra $30 per day.
14. How often can I get pictures of my puppy?
We take a litter announcement pictures and individual pics of each puppy sometime between birth and 3 weeks of age. We then will take individual pics again ONCE between ages 4wks-7wks at our discretion. We do not do on request/demand pictures. We understand this is an exciting time and everyone loves puppy pictures. Our MOST important task is handling/socializing and preparing your puppy for their permanent home. This requires HOURS daily. Just to explain a picture taking process so you can understand..
Each and every picture taking is a minimum of an hour PER PUPPY. Puppies play, wrestle, chew on each other, roll in the grass and dirt, get puppy food and milk all over their mouths DAILY, get wet in our pond as they get a bit older etc.etc. etc. The process of keeping them clean is a FULL TIME JOB. We do not send out "quick" pics or just take a quick snap. That is not how this works. We only send pics that represent the beauty and quality of our puppies. We take a lot of pride and effort into raising perfect puppies and therefore only perfect pics. Which means every puppy is bathed and blow dried for pics. Then trying to get a pic that isn't blurry of a moving active puppy takes TIME. It takes 40-50 snaps to get 4-5 good visible pics. Then these have to be gone through for EACH puppy. So an extremely time consuming process. The hour minimum to take the shots per puppy-then hours of reviewing photos and uploading or sending them to individuals. So hopefully this puts things in perspective and you understand that when you ask for daily or weekly pics it just isn't realistic, especially considering we often have a dozen families requesting the exact same thing. We aren't trying to be rude or difficult but taking care of your puppy is our number one priority.
