FAQ
What's the difference between "hypo-allergenic" and "allergy-friendly"?
The term "hypo-allergenic" means completely non-reactive for allergy sufferers. No dog is completely “hypo-allergenic. There are some dogs, however, who tend to be more "allergy friendly". People who suffer from allergies and asthma tend to be more tolerant of dogs who have coats that are more like human hair. The Labradoodle is one of those dogs, although even among Labradoodles there is quite a variation in coats. It is important to work with your breeder to determine the right coat for you. For more information about coats click here.
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Is it true that Doodles don't shed?
Some doodles are non-shedding, others shed slightly and still others shed quite a bit. Generally, multigenerational labradoodles (labradoodle x labradoodle) and F1B's (labradoodle x poodle) are less likely to shed because there is a higher percentage of poodle in the mix. But if you are considering adding a labradoodle to your family it's important to realize that any labradoodle may shed. As hybrids, labradoodles can have non-shedding coats like the poodle side of the family, and others can have shedding coats like their lab relatives. It's important to note that there isn't necessarily a correlation between whether a dog sheds and whether he/she will be allergy friendly.
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Will my Doodle need grooming?
Depending on the coat type, some dogs may need more grooming than others. The flatter coat pups will most likely have some continuous hair growth like a Poodle, but may be manageable with a quick trim at home. The fuller coated, thicker pups will need to be groomed every few months and possibly brushed out daily or every other day, so please figure this into your daily and financial schedule.
Healthy ears are clean, free of debris, and without odor. Hair growing in the dog's ear canal needs to be removed to help prevent infection and make it easier to clean. Ear powder makes the ear hair easier to grab and remove. To remove the hair, apply a small amount of ear powder into the ear canal, making sure the hair is covered with powder. Hold the earflap back with one hand while you gently pluck the hair with your thumb and forefinger of your other hand. After you have pulled the ear hair, wipe the ear out with a dry cotton ball, or one slightly moistened with mineral oil. Healthy ears will not need a lot of cleaning. Cleaning a dirty ear, one that is filled with wax or debris, is another story. Fill the ear canal with ear cleaner. We find Derma Pet to work great (Your Vet will have this) or you can make this ear clearer yourself: 16 oz. isopropyl 4 tablespoons Boric Acid Powder 16 drops gentian violet solution 1% Mix well (very important) in bottle and shake before each use. Flood ear with solution, gently count to 60, wipe with a tissue or cotton ball. For an infection treat 2x day for the 1st week to two weeks. Treat 1x day for next week-2 week. Treat 1x moth or less frequently. Fill the ear canal completely with fluid. Massage for 30 seconds, and then let the dog shake their head. This helps flush any dirt out. This can get a little messy so maybe do it outside. Whip out the ear with cotton balls. Don’t be fearful of getting your finger deep into the canal, you won’t puncture anything. Repeat if necessary. If there is very little dirt, just dampen cotton ball with cleaner and whip. This should be done every week or so to prevent ear infections.
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Is a Labradoodle for everyone?
No. These dogs require a lot of mental stimulation and challenge. They are extremely smart and need to feel challenged or they will get bored. And boredom can result in a variety of undesirable behaviors (barking, chewing and digging). Doodles are extremely social animals who thrive on companionship. They will not do well if they are relegated to the position of "outside dog" They need to feel that they are part of their "pack" (your family). Doodles require moderate exercise, the amount of which varies depending on your living space.
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Are Doodles good for children?
 Doodles by their nature are friendly, non-aggressive, loyal and loving. But it is important to note that as puppies, doodles exhibit all of the behaviors that you might expect from any young, un-trained dog: puppy nipping, jumping and excitability. This is why training is absolutely necessary in helping your puppy learn how to behave within your household. It is also important that children be taught how to interact with puppies/dogs to insure the safety of both child and puppy. If your family has never lived with a dog or raised a puppy before then attempting to do so when you have toddlers/young children may not be the best choice for your family or for the puppy.
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Which make better pets...males or females?
Most behaviors that people associate with one gender or the other are influenced by hormones (marking, humping, wandering etc). Since our pups are spayed and neutered before they go to their new homes, gender is irrelevant. We try to match our pups to their new families based on their temperaments and the level of experience that their new family has with raising dogs. We find that the best puppy-family matches are made when folks are flexible around the gender and color of their new canine family member.
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Can we pick out our puppy?
Yes, "first come first serve" 1st deposit gets 1st pick and so forth. When the litter is 5 weeks old we identify the prospective breeding pups that we will be retained for our breeding program. When the pups are 6 weeks old we then invite the families from that litters' wait list to come and meet the litter. We are want to know which puppies each family is drawn to and we do our best to meet each family's requests regarding gender, color, coat type all the while trying to make the best fit with regard to temperament.
Since we live with the pups and have had the opportunity to observe them in many settings, we work very closely with each family to make sure that there is a good puppy/family match. To this end we ask that families try to be open with regard to gender and color...sometimes folks have their hearts set on a particular color or gender but there may be other pups whose temperaments might be better suited for their family. If we have several families on the wait list who are requesting the same type of pup (e.g. 3 families request a caramel female pup but we only have one caramel in the litter), all other things being equal....we then defer to the family's place on the wait list to make the final determination.
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Do you ship?
Yes, we ship within the continental United States. (For International shipping please contact us).
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