# First time dog owner. Golden retriever vs goldendoodle



## Hanksm10 (Jun 6, 2020)

I’m sure this is a very common topic, but my husband and I are so torn on whether we get a golden retriever or a golden doodle as we will be first time dog owners, and would love some guidance. At this point, I think I’m about to just flip a coin!! 
We love the temperament, personality and overall look of a golden, but we are nervous about the excessive hair in our house. I’ve heard some golden owners say the shedding its manageable, but some say it is out of control. What is your experience? Our neighbors down the street have a golden retriever (he’s 3 yrs old) and a goldendoodle (she’s 6 months old). So we’ve been able to kind of get a taste of both dogs, as we had never considered a doodle until we met their dog and saw the low shedding as an appealing factor. They’re both so similar but so different at the same time. Whenever we’re around the doodle, we get swayed that direction (because of the low to no shedding) but then we see the golden retriever, and our hearts melt. My neighbors golden is an absolutely amazing dog, very gentle and well mannered. The doodle is a sweet little goofball but as soon as anyone comes through the door, she becomes very high energy, jumps on people and almost seems neurotic. She eventually calms down, but it does scare me that that trait may be hard to train? She is 6 months though so it does make me think that it’s a puppy stage? But I’ve also read that that is typically how they are even as they age, which makes me a little nervous.
We love to travel to the beach a lot, go to breweries, go to family/friends houses, and we plan to take our dog to mostly everywhere we go! With that said, I’ve leaned towards a doodle in that aspect because some people can get annoyed and aren’t as “welcoming” to a shedding dog in their house.
I feel like my husband and I would be happy with either dog, but would love to know your experience and your opinions!


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## Ivyacres (Jun 3, 2011)

I think doodles are cute dogs but you just don't know what you're going to get because it is a cross breed. 

Serious golden breeders are working to breed sound animals and improve the desirable traits. This would be my choice.

As for hair, yupper, golden's sure do shed. With regular grooming and brushing the hair is usually tolerable. 

I'm sure others will chime in soon.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Something to consider while you decide. Doodles are a mixed breed dog, they are not a breed... they don't have any consistency in their breeding. Not sure I have ever seen a doodle breeder that test their breeding dogs for the genetic problems that run in either breed. This means your doodle will be extremely vulnerable for hip or elbow dysplasia or the many genetic problems that run in both goldens & poodles. You can review the list for both breeds on akc.org... 
Because doodles are mixed breed dogs you never know what you will get as far as temperament, size or coat. Some doodles shed just as bad as goldens, the ones that have a more poodle coat must be groomed every 4 to 6 weeks. Be sure and talk to the local groomers and see what the cost for this is. 
I would also consider the cost of the puppy. Most doodle breeders charge more for their mixed breed dogs than a quality golden or poodle breeder that screens their dogs for all the inherited problems. If you want a dog that shed less, get a poodle. Mixing the two extremely different coats and personalities is a crap shoot. The pounds are full of them, they have puppies too  Why spend $$$$ for a mixed breed dog and not now what you will end up with when it's grown. Why not rescue and save a life?
All puppies are cute but they don't stay puppies long.... you have to consider the entire lifetime of the dog you will be living with. In the DFW area of TX the cost of grooming/clipping a doodle can be about $100+ a visit. Not sure where you live but certainly get some input from grooming places near you.


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## Pytheis (Mar 17, 2016)

If a dog that doesn’t shed is important to you, get a dog that doesn’t shed. I’ve met plenty of doodles that shed _more_ than either my golden retriever OR my German Shepherd, and that’s saying something. Because doodles are mutts, there is no consistency, and you’ll have no idea if you’re getting one that sheds like crazy or one that doesn’t shed at all.

Have you considered what will happen if you wind up with a puppy that not only sheds, but is nothing like a golden retriever temperament-wise because the pup took after the poodle parent? Do you want a poodle? As mentioned earlier, maybe 1-in-1,000 doodle breeders do the appropriate health testing for both breeds. Health and temperament almost always fall behind the most important factor to the breeder — money. Think carefully and realize that the doodle you end up with will be nothing like the doodle you’ve met.


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## 153330 (Dec 29, 2016)

If you're looking for a dog with a good temperament, go for the Golden. So long as we hoover a couple of times a week, you wouldn't know a Golden lived in our house... ...Until you met him 🤣 
If we _don't_ hoover enough, we get whispy 'dust bunnies' that collect in the corners of the rooms. They're not hard to deal with.
Our Scott was the first family dog we had, and we were also worried about the hair, but it's been fine. We love him so much that even the hair we do deal with is just part of our lives now - which are infinitely better for having him - and his hair - than not.
😃


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

The problem is you've come to the wrong place to get any encouragement on buying a doodle  Sorry, this will be along read but you're hit a topic I'm passionate about. We are Golden people here for a reason. I want to give you a giant 'attaboy' for actually taking your time and doing research before making a 12 year commitment to a dog. If more people took the time and care you are on this, we'd have fewer dogs needing to be rehomed.

I'm 50 years old and I'm from a family of dog loving people. I grew up with Shelties and because of extended family I also spent a lot of time with Labs, poodles and a wide variety of sporting breeds. All purebred dogs. The ability to observe the inbred traits of the working dogs and see how they really behave in real life like they need to in order to perform their intended job is the most amazing thing. If you're a kid running in the yard, herding breed dogs really do run in circles around you, barking and nipping at your heels - not because they were trained for it, but because it is innate instinct. They are constantly on alert, watching and warning their 'flock/family' of danger. I have a rough collie right now and he is honestly the loveliest temperament, sweetest dog. I have a dear friend who shows them and has several - every single one of them has such similar mannerisms and sweetness. And they all bark at anything moving near their home. It's inbred. You can try to train it out, but it's a very deep trait. I adore my boy, but won't have another one unless I have huge property.

The same thing with the Goldens and Labs, there are personality/temperament differences that are hard to describe. But they love water, and want to be close to their people. The bird instinct is incredibly fascinating to see in the dogs where the breeder has worked to maintain hunting traits, the mouthy/teething stage for the puppies is way longer and more intense than any other breed I've raised. It's pretty amazing. That's the neat thing about purebred dogs - if you have generations of dogs with good temperaments and strong working traits, those are the puppies you will get. There are going to be exceptions with living creatures - a bad temperament or a Golden who doesn't love water but that's because someone in the past didn't make excluding those traits a priority. They thought the dog was so pretty that it was more important than risking passing a bad trait along. 

A well bred poodle is super smart. But if they've been bred for 20 generations by people who only care about how they look in the show ring, they may have lost some of those smarts. You have more genetic probability that your puppy isn't as smart as the original dogs. Going with a poodle breeder who also likes to compete with their dogs in obedience trials or actually does hunt tests with them (yes these people are a real thing - poodles were water dogs who would retrieve but it's been lost in many). 

So if you have a breeder who is breeding doodles just for pets (there is clearly a huge market) you have absolutely NO idea where the parents came from because high quality poodle or Golden breeders NEVER sell their puppies to doodle breeders, it's against the code of ethics. So you're starting out with dogs who may not be the best representatives of their breed. The doodle breeders, in all my years of research for friends, NEVER are doing the complete clearances for Goldens and Poodles. That means they are not screening to get rid of some very serious and debilitating diseases like elbow dysplasia for instance, and their puppies are at a higher risk now for having them. (FYI surgery to fix a painful elbow runs at least $3,000 per joint and the recovery is brutal for the dog and the owner.)

As someone mentioned above, if you want a low shedding dog, get a standard poodle from a breeder who is committed to producing dogs that are competitive for dog sports like obedience or hunt tests. They are out there. They will not act like Goldens or Labs though. Doodle breeders who have the highest rate of puppies born with the low shedding fluff will also have more poodle genes for all other traits. There is no guarantee. Read up on doodle genetics (it's a thing) the multi generation breeders who say they can guarantee the fluffy doodle fur, have more like 3/4 poodle and only 1/4 Retriever. That doesn't just express itself in fur traits, it's also there in temperament and personality traits as well. Poodles are a more intense personality type and you see it in Doodles like your neighbor's dog.

I strongly encourage you to reach out to you regional poodle and Golden clubs, they should have facebook pages. Ask for someone to let you meet up with their dogs and spend some time getting to know some really nice representatives of each breed. Then think about which traits mean most to you. Either way, a well bred standard poodle or a well bred Golden will be much easier to train as a new dog owner (you really need to take classes for the first couple of years with either breed) and you will end up with the family dog of your dreams. You will get out of this what you put into it. Best of luck


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## DblTrblGolden2 (Aug 22, 2018)

The short answer is that good Golden breeder won’t breed doodles and good poodle breeders won’t breed doodles. You won’t be getting the best of either breed. You will likely be getting an expensive mixed breed from someone that is good at marketing and sales.
My neighbor rescued a golden doodle last year because her kids love my Goldens and she thought same dog less shedding. It was surrendered by its original owner. My son has been to her house multiple times to help them with basic obedience training. He handles hunting dogs and is pretty good with training. If this doodle gets out of the house without a leash on it bolts. We have none ever seen anything like it, but we are use to Goldens and labs.
One other note my Goldens shed less then either of my sons labs.
Best of luck in whatever you decide.


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## Emmdenn (Jun 5, 2018)

My aunt and my grandmother both have female golden doodles, adopted from a breeding situation after their breeder had no use for them. They are both neurotic, hyper-vigilant and DO shed. One of the girls has bitten my uncle and broken skin. Granted they were undoubtedly not living in a home as family pets so we don’t know what exactly they have been though. My sister has a “cobber dog” (aka an Australian labradoodle) and she is a sweet dog but she has more energy than any dog I have ever met. And she is very well trained....but she just literally bounces off the walls.

When you mix a Golden with a poodle, you can get any combination of the golden undercoat, tight curly poodle coat and straight/wavy golden outer coat. Both of the doodles I mentioned above have the golden undercoat which DOES shed. When combined with their low-shedding wavy top coats, mats form all over the place if not brushed thoroughly every single day, because the shedding of the undercoat gets trapped in the curly/wavy hair and it’s a nightmare to groom once a mat has started to form. Doodles have to be groomed every 3 weeks to keep them mat free, and can cost $200 each time if there are mats (unless you do it yourself). Often people think that they are getting a low maintenance dog that doesn’t shed...but all doodle coats are more high maintenance than a golden.


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## SoCalEngr (Apr 11, 2020)

Hanksm10 said:


> We love to travel to the beach a lot, go to breweries, go to family/friends houses, and we plan to take our dog to mostly everywhere we go! With that said, I’ve leaned towards a doodle in that aspect because some people can get annoyed and aren’t as “welcoming” to a shedding dog in their house.


I'll echo one comment that many others have already made. If you're considering "doodle" because you're thinking "it'll be the best of both breeds", that's a genetic crap-shoot. You could also end up with "the worst of both breeds".

We wavered between a golden and "some other breed" for quite some time. "Shedding" was a concern, but so was overall health. We finally decided "we want a golden, and anything that comes with that decision we will/can deal with".

At one level, it really sounds like you're almost ready to make a decision on "what dog" based on "what will other people tolerate in their businesses/homes?" We decided on a golden, and we'll adapt our lifestyle (okay, not really that much "adapting" needed) to accommodate our new family member. Some places are dog friendly, others are not. Personally, even though we now have a dog in our house, I don't know how "welcoming" I would be to other people bringing their dogs into our house...shedding or not.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

I own both a golden retriever and a poodle, and I cannot for the life of me think why anyone would deliberately mix these two breeds.

Let's start by debunking the myth that a non-shedding dog is easier to care for. It ISN'T. My golden's coat is a breeze to care for: occasional brushing (not even once a week), an occasional bath (optional), occasional trimming of his feet, and he's good to go. Yes, he sheds a bit. But the hair is easy to pick up and it's nowhere near the level of shedding of the Labrador we used to own. But the poodle: his wool has to be combed and brushed extensively and regularly, in depth, to stop him from matting. At least a couple of times a week, and at least an hour each time (he's a toy poodle; a friend with a standard poodle spends upwards of three hours a week on his dog's coat). He needs regular baths, otherwise he becomes very smelly. Every six weeks or so, he has to have a full trim, either by a professional groomer or by someone who knows what they are doing. If you go the professional route, it's expensive. If you do it yourself, you need equipment (electric trimmer, etc.) and lessons. If you don't do it, the coat becomes straggly, matted and smelly.

For doodles: when you combine the fine undercoat of a golden with the wool of a poodle, you get a coat that might shed (most doodles do shed, at least a bit), and that will absolutely form mats, big ones, unless you groom them in depth, often. Our poodle's groomer often gets severely matted doodles and has no option but to shave them. She hates it. Most doodle coats are difficult to care for properly.

So, if you choose a doodle, be aware that the non-shedding coat you hope to get (but will not necessarily get) will be a lot more complicated to care for than a golden's coat.

And, as others have said, you are not necessarily going to get the golden temperament either. Poodles are ... different. Ours has no doubt that he is the king of the world. We are experienced dog owners, but I can tell you that this dog was a challenge for us. We got him to be my daughter's agility partner; she was 9 years old at the time. Even as a puppy, the poodle did not want to belong to the child of the house and would bite her if she tried to get him to do something he didn't want to do. We trained him out of that, but it wasn't easy and in an inexperienced home he would probably have been euthanized in the end. He and my daughter have been the national agility champions in both the junior and senior classes for the last three years - they have become an amazing team - but I can't over-emphasize the amount of time and effort it took to get to that point. We love our poodle to bits, but he's definitely an acquired taste and at almost 10 years of age is still a challenge to live with. Poodles are not easy dogs, and if you mix that "king of the world" attitude with the golden's goofiness, you risk getting a dog that is a lot harder to train than a golden, and a lot less easy-going.

For me, the choice of golden or doodle is no choice at all. I would take the golden every time. Period.

And if shedding is a real problem for you, there are other considerations that come with every dog, especially if you start with a puppy. For example, puppies are not reliably clean in the house until they are five to six months old. So you will have an animal that will urinate and defecate in your home for many weeks, if not months, until he has control of the muscles that regulate elimination, and until he has been properly trained. Also, when a dog goes outside, it gets wet, it gets dirty, it rolls in stuff, it carries sand and soil into the house, it makes muddy footprints, etc. Even if it doesn't shed, it is going to make your house a lot dirtier than it was in your pre-dog days. And it's going to chew stuff, vomit, drool, scratch your floors and leather furniture, and so on. For example, this morning our golden had a swim in our pool. Someone had left the back door open, and when he came out of the water, he dashed inside, up the stairs and rolled all over my bed to dry himself off. So all my bedding is now in the washing machine ...! On the way through the kitchen he shook the water out of his coat, all over the kitchen cabinets. So, this morning, shedding is the least of my problems ...!!!

As for taking your dog to other peoples' homes, I think you will find training to be the main dividing factor, not shedding. My dogs are welcome at all our friends' homes because they are well-trained. They will lie quietly when asked to do so. They do not run around knocking furniture or small children over. They are not allowed to steal food off the table. They are polite. It takes effort - regular formal training classes and lots of practice at home - to achieve this. If you don't train your dog properly, you are going to end up with 70 lbs. of goofy, undisciplined muscle that will not be welcome anywhere at all, and not because of the shedding.

Best of luck, hope things work out for you!


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## JulesAK (Jun 6, 2010)

Mats, yes!! For some reason, there seem to have been a lot of doodles around the time I got Maggie. I know at least 4 people with similar age doodles. All of them complain about the grooming. They say the mats are terrible and the level of effort to ensure you don't get them is something they never factored in. 
I think this part of your original statement speaks volumes: "but then we see the golden retriever, and our hearts melt. ".
I too was a bit fearful of the hair. It is way easier to deal with then I imagined. I came armed for bear when we first brought Maggie home. I vacuum every other day and I find my house looks better because she is here 
Jules


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

I would not recommend the purposeful purchase of a Golden/Poodle cross to anyone for several reasons.

Behavior - Behavioral issues are very common In these mixes that are amplified beyond either souce breed. Personal observation of several including those in obedience classes are that these mixes are often hard to train and reactive. I have never been in an obedience class where these mixes perform any where near a Golden and the variation away from a well bred Golden’s performance is vast. Here is a paper showing these Golden/Poodle mixes do display more stranger fear, dog fear, dog aggression and separation anxiety.Expression of Behavioural Traits in Goldendoodles and Labradoodles

Quality - No responsible preservation Golden or Poodle breeder would ever let their dogs be used to create mixes. Both the GRCA and PCA have the same veiw that Golden and Poodle breeds should be protected and not used to create mix breeds. This means that the mix breeders don’t have access to quality dogs and these programs are going to be built on pet store and puppy mill dogs. These poorly bred parent dogs are very likely to be lacking the fundamental traits associated with each breed. When mom and dad are not good representactives of Golden and Poodle to begin with the puppies are not going to magically be better than either parent.

Health- This ties back in with quality because the parents are acquired from poor breeding programs, their is a lack of verifiable health certification. Instead mix breeders will just spout hybrid vigor nonsense. That is not an accurate term since dogs are dogs, a hybrid would be something like wolf x dog or horse x mule. To be a hybrid they need to be to related but seperate species and breeds are not species. In reality Poodles and Goldens share several herditary issues such as Hip Dysplasia, eye disorders like PRA and Cardiac issues. Most mix breeders are not testing for the standard issues for Goldens or Poodles And they should be doing all the tests for both breeds. Also, you are not going to find appropriate health certifications with any consistent depth in the ancestry behind these dogs.

Non shedding - You have no real guarentee on this. Mixes could get Poodle coat, Golden coat or the awful fluffy blend that is a nightmare to maintain. Even if you get a non-shed coat, the maintenance grooming is expensive. A large breed mix with Poodle coat will need to be groomed every 4-6 weeks and that could be up to $150 depending on where you live, the quality of the grooming and the care you give to the coat between grooming sessions.

It you want a non-shedding dog, find a true breed (AKC registration is the litmus test on real breeds) that fits for your family. Look at well bred Poodles (they can be groomed to look like mixes if you like that look), Barbet, Bichon Frise, Irish Water Spaniel, Logotto Romagnolo or Portuguese Water Dog.

Or of course you can get the best dog ever! A Golden Retriever. 🙂


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## Emmdenn (Jun 5, 2018)

LJack said:


> Quality - No responsible preservation Golden or Poodle breeder would ever let their dogs be used to create mixes. Both the GRCA and PCA have the same veiw that Golden and Poodle breeds should be protected and not used to create mix breeds. This means that the mix breeders don’t have access to quality dogs and these programs are going to be built on pet store and puppy mill dogs. These poorly bred parent dogs are very likely to be lacking the fundamental traits associated with each breed. When mom and dad are not good representactives of Golden and Poodle to begin with the puppies are not going to magically be better than either parent.


This. Perfectly stated.


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## SoCalEngr (Apr 11, 2020)

Hanksm10 said:


> I’m sure this is a very common topic, but my husband and I are so torn on whether we get a golden retriever or a golden doodle as we will be first time dog owners, and would love some guidance. At this point, I think I’m about to just flip a coin!!
> ...
> ...
> ...
> I feel like my husband and I would be happy with either dog, but would love to know your experience and your opinions!


I'm curious to know your reaction to the feedback you received, and how/if this may have influenced your thoughts.


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## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

There is no guarantee that a Golden Doodle will not shed. They are a mixed breed dog, and there is no way to predict what traits the dog will have. We have had 4 Golden Retrievers. All four shed, some more than others. But they are wonderful dogs, and more than worth the trouble of some shedding. Get a Golden. You will not regret it.


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## Flounder (Jan 19, 2019)

I have one of both. Some good points are made by the Golden Breeders. Our Golden/Doodle is 9 yrs old. Very athletic and the sweetest dog i have owned. Very little shedding. Some big differences in behavior as the Golden/ Doodle is not great with kids. Also, when we go on vacation she will not eat for the first day and has trouble adjusting. (high rise condo) I will hand feed her to get her to eat. May have to walk her for 30 minutes to get her to use the bathroom. Awesome dog but the Golden has no issues anywhere i go. I would suggest a Golden and deal with the shedding. We have a robo vac that runs at night and bought a regular vac from costco that had a picture of a golden on it. I think it cost around 400 but it does great.


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## Dunmar (Apr 15, 2020)

My mother had a Golden doodle. It didn't shed much but looked like a Golden s a puppy and a Poodle as an adult. 
She also was neurotic, wild and pretty "poodley " until she died of a liver disease at the age of 8.

I would not recommend this mix after seeing the easy matting and upkeep of my mothers


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## Kenpup (Feb 1, 2020)

We are on our third golden now. Yes, they shed. Is it something that is uncontrollable? Definitely not, unless you are fixated on not one hair in the house. 

I would go with the golden. Their temperament is unbeatable and that is what is most important day after day. ❤


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

We boarded dogs for 15 years until recently. Boarded a lot of golden doodles. Several were rescues given up by people who didn't get what the "breeder" claimed they were getting, in terms of shedding and/or temperament.
Most shed (89% of first generation doodles if you want to get technical). Some not only shed but need to be groomed as well.
They run the gamut in temperament. One of very few dogs ever we had to send home due to unmanageable aggression was a golden doodle. Many we got were just plain not sound in temperament.
If it's the shedding you are worried about, get a purebred dog that doesn't shed, but be aware they will need regular grooming.


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## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

I echo the sentiments of everyone here and recommend a Golden retriever instead, after all we are a Golden Retriever forum and might be biased, but they are the best breed ever!

the grooming requirements of a doodle add up, temperaments & size are unpredictable and of course no good breeder that does health testing is to be commonly found for this because they are essential a mix.

I have 2 goldens and yes they shed, but it's really quite manageable. the fur just clumps together and form tumbleweeds that I just pick up and throw if the vacuum does not get it. it's not like your house will be covered in a layer of fine hair all over, so don't let that scare you. get a golden retriever, and a good vacuum (both handheld + a robo vacuum)!

you mentioned that the the 6 month old doodle was crazy and jumping etc, a golden puppy of the same age might exhibit that behaviour as well, but honestly it's a training issue, and goldens are very trainable & biddable. 

No need to toss a coin, get a golden!


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## Rastadog (Oct 24, 2006)

Get a standard poodle if shedding is a deal breaker. They’re cool dogs. Goldens shed. Twice a year it can be bad when they blow coat. There are some really good vacuums on the market. Buy sticky roller lint things in bulk. Get a golden.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

What the comparison reminded me of when I read it the other day. 

Purebred golden retriever (from a good breeder, crappy breeders basically don't count) vs mutt 

A purebred golden from a good breeder is everything you expect to have in a golden on flipping through a "Golden Retriever" breed book at the pet store or library. 

A mutt is what it is. Usually mixed bag of unknown things that randomly pop up.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Here's another comparison...

Purebred Golden Retriever (from a good breeder) on the left....

Ugly poodle mutt on the right...


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Oh and here's a more specific comparison. 

Thanks to the 3 month long shutdown and recently opening of grooming shops through the US - FB had a lot of pictures resembling the top pic showing what they had to deal with after 3 months. 

The bottom pic is a picture of fur that came off all 3 of my dogs. And I provided a "before" pic showing what they looked like after I bathed and blew out their coats (blew loose coat out, no body clipping necessary or done)


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

You have had some great advice here. One thought I will leave you with... once you have your Golden and love him or her so much, you won't care about the occasional fur bunny under the table or fur on your bed or couch. It's just part of life. I vacuum once a week - only more during times when she is tracking in leaves into the front hall and onto the stairs. I brush my dog pretty much daily - but like, 1-2 minutes at a time. When you do it regularly, it is easy to keep the fur under control.


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

I have worked with doodles. While there are a few that make nice pets, the majority are hot messes mentally. I'm pretty sure someone probably mentioned it but there are more possibilities for health issues since the different breeds can have different problems. You could end up with a genetic poodle disease AND a genetic golden disease especially since no good breeder of either breed would dream of intentionally mixing them. I have owned a poodle. Taking care of that non shedding coat is 10 times more difficult than a golden coat. 

I 100% recommend golden over doodle.


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## Jeff s. (May 5, 2019)

Hanksm10 said:


> I’m sure this is a very common topic, but my husband and I are so torn on whether we get a golden retriever or a golden doodle as we will be first time dog owners, and would love some guidance. At this point, I think I’m about to just flip a coin!!
> We love the temperament, personality and overall look of a golden, but we are nervous about the excessive hair in our house. I’ve heard some golden owners say the shedding its manageable, but some say it is out of control. What is your experience? Our neighbors down the street have a golden retriever (he’s 3 yrs old) and a goldendoodle (she’s 6 months old). So we’ve been able to kind of get a taste of both dogs, as we had never considered a doodle until we met their dog and saw the low shedding as an appealing factor. They’re both so similar but so different at the same time. Whenever we’re around the doodle, we get swayed that direction (because of the low to no shedding) but then we see the golden retriever, and our hearts melt. My neighbors golden is an absolutely amazing dog, very gentle and well mannered. The doodle is a sweet little goofball but as soon as anyone comes through the door, she becomes very high energy, jumps on people and almost seems neurotic. She eventually calms down, but it does scare me that that trait may be hard to train? She is 6 months though so it does make me think that it’s a puppy stage? But I’ve also read that that is typically how they are even as they age, which makes me a little nervous.
> We love to travel to the beach a lot, go to breweries, go to family/friends houses, and we plan to take our dog to mostly everywhere we go! With that said, I’ve leaned towards a doodle in that aspect because some people can get annoyed and aren’t as “welcoming” to a shedding dog in their house.
> I feel like my husband and I would be happy with either dog, but would love to know your experience and your opinions!


Golden’s are great but you need to be prepared for the shedding. Brushing daily or at least every other day helps. Be prepared to use your vacuum more than usual. However, they shed mostly this time of year and fall. Mine is not bad during winter months or once she sheds her winter coat. Again if you have the time and energy to keep after your dog than it’s no big deal


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## GoldenLabMix (Dec 3, 2015)

We have a 5 yr old lab golden cross and an almost 1 yr old 'mini' golden doodle. They are both awesome. The older one sheds like nothing else but because he's not full golden he doesn't need to be brushed to prevent matting and tangles like a full golden would - he just needs it for shedding. The doodle does not but he's our first dog that needs grooming and it is a lot more work/money than I realized. I do it myself mostly and a pretty good because I've have considerable volunteer and side work animal experience for 20+ years. I bought clippers and a grooming table. I bathe both dogs about once a month. The 'puppy' is actually much dirtier than the lab when I wash them because the lab is fairly water and dirt repellent. Around here (suburban Philly) it was around $80 the two times I've had the puppy professionally groomed, at different places. He needs it every 4-8 weeks depending on the cut he gets. We don't let him get too long, even though he's cuter that way, because he seems really hot and it absolutely needs regular brushing to keep out the matts. I tend to trim his whole body about every 6 weeks and trim his face and feet in between. Nails get done on both dogs every couple weeks. Oh, our doodle's mom was 50 lbs and his dad was a 15 pound gray merle poodle. Our doodle is gray because we already had a yellow dog. Our doodle is full grown and is 50 pounds. He was the biggest of the litter. My daughter wanted a smaller dog (our lab/golden is 75 pounds). But then of course she fell in love with the biggest one. It was fine for us because he's still the smaller dog and the dogs are more evenly sized to wrestle and play. Just keep in mind that you could end up with a much larger one than you expect. He was huge but then his growth curve has followed more of a poodle (stopped growing when he was around 9 months instead of over a year like labs and Goldens). If he had continued on a golden growth curve we'd be looking at more of a 70 pound dog, lol. Our doodle is calmer than the lab/golden because .... well half poodle makes it calmer than half lab. A full golden would be somewhere in between. I LOVE the golden face and wanted a golden bth times but I compromised the first time because DH (never had owned a dog) was afraid of the golden fur) when the reality is that the shedding is maybe worse with a lab and the second time because of the size and no shedding. But oh well, between the 2 I have a full golden. That was all over the place, so I hope you can get whatever pros and cons you need out of it. Good luck!

Side note, DH is now mega best friends with he lab/golden that it took me nearly 2 decades to talk him into. He completely switched from being a cat person to a dog person. The lab/golden sleeps in our son's room. 3 years ago we lost our 18 yr old grey kitty who slept with my daughter. The puppy is hers, and mine, and sleeps in her room. The puppy was more chestnut brown when we got him but most or all (except black) doodles get lighter in color as they get their adult coat, where as Goldens actually get darker. So now we have a completely gray pup with a few faint black spots - but we says it's our old kitty (who was the best most loving chill cat ever) coming back to us


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## Everlore (Mar 27, 2008)

Hanksm10 said:


> I’m sure this is a very common topic, but my husband and I are so torn on whether we get a golden retriever or a golden doodle as we will be first time dog owners, and would love some guidance. At this point, I think I’m about to just flip a coin!!
> We love the temperament, personality and overall look of a golden, but we are nervous about the excessive hair in our house. I’ve heard some golden owners say the shedding its manageable, but some say it is out of control. What is your experience? Our neighbors down the street have a golden retriever (he’s 3 yrs old) and a goldendoodle (she’s 6 months old). So we’ve been able to kind of get a taste of both dogs, as we had never considered a doodle until we met their dog and saw the low shedding as an appealing factor. They’re both so similar but so different at the same time. Whenever we’re around the doodle, we get swayed that direction (because of the low to no shedding) but then we see the golden retriever, and our hearts melt. My neighbors golden is an absolutely amazing dog, very gentle and well mannered. The doodle is a sweet little goofball but as soon as anyone comes through the door, she becomes very high energy, jumps on people and almost seems neurotic. She eventually calms down, but it does scare me that that trait may be hard to train? She is 6 months though so it does make me think that it’s a puppy stage? But I’ve also read that that is typically how they are even as they age, which makes me a little nervous.
> We love to travel to the beach a lot, go to breweries, go to family/friends houses, and we plan to take our dog to mostly everywhere we go! With that said, I’ve leaned towards a doodle in that aspect because some people can get annoyed and aren’t as “welcoming” to a shedding dog in their house.
> I feel like my husband and I would be happy with either dog, but would love to know your experience and your opinions!


Read the Golden Retriever Club of America's stance on goldendoodles You searched for goldendoodles - Golden Retriever Club of America


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## GoldenLabMix (Dec 3, 2015)

Abeille said:


> I have worked with doodles. While there are a few that make nice pets, the majority are hot messes mentally. I'm pretty sure someone probably mentioned it but there are more possibilities for health issues since the different breeds can have different problems. You could end up with a genetic poodle disease AND a genetic golden disease especially since no good breeder of either breed would dream of intentionally mixing them. I have owned a poodle. Taking care of that non shedding coat is 10 times more difficult than a golden coat.
> 
> I 100% recommend golden over doodle.


As with any dog, this is dependent on breeding. Our doodle is actually a lot easier than the lab/golden in many way. So incredibly easy going and smart and lovely. And with ours we hope to benefit from the hybrid vigor of them both being first generation mixes.


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## KK Taos (Mar 19, 2020)

Hanksm10 said:


> I’m sure this is a very common topic, but my husband and I are so torn on whether we get a golden retriever or a golden doodle as we will be first time dog owners, and would love some guidance. At this point, I think I’m about to just flip a coin!!
> We love the temperament, personality and overall look of a golden, but we are nervous about the excessive hair in our house. I’ve heard some golden owners say the shedding its manageable, but some say it is out of control. What is your experience? Our neighbors down the street have a golden retriever (he’s 3 yrs old) and a goldendoodle (she’s 6 months old). So we’ve been able to kind of get a taste of both dogs, as we had never considered a doodle until we met their dog and saw the low shedding as an appealing factor. They’re both so similar but so different at the same time. Whenever we’re around the doodle, we get swayed that direction (because of the low to no shedding) but then we see the golden retriever, and our hearts melt. My neighbors golden is an absolutely amazing dog, very gentle and well mannered. The doodle is a sweet little goofball but as soon as anyone comes through the door, she becomes very high energy, jumps on people and almost seems neurotic. She eventually calms down, but it does scare me that that trait may be hard to train? She is 6 months though so it does make me think that it’s a puppy stage? But I’ve also read that that is typically how they are even as they age, which makes me a little nervous.
> We love to travel to the beach a lot, go to breweries, go to family/friends houses, and we plan to take our dog to mostly everywhere we go! With that said, I’ve leaned towards a doodle in that aspect because some people can get annoyed and aren’t as “welcoming” to a shedding dog in their house.
> I feel like my husband and I would be happy with either dog, but would love to know your experience and your opinions!


I couldn't be more undecided than you! I get it. I've had 4 Goldens and the hair is a major drawback. But doodles. Have you researched the classifications of them? There are several depending upon the % of poddle and the generation of puppy. Obviously that tells you a lot. Looks and behavior. I personally do not like the narrow poodle nose. I can't find a golden doodle from a top breeder under $3K.

I also can't find a golden retriever from a top breeder anywhere near me, they are not available right now. And their waiting lists are extensive. The demand for dogs went sky high when the virus created our isolation behaviors. The rescue dogs too.... mostly gone, adopted. 

The only thing I saw still available for adoption were out bull mixes.

So I don't know what to tell you. The hair is real. In the house, in the car, in your clothes, particularly black clothes. It's an issue but I think the ONLY one. There is not a sweeter dog. They're wonderful.

Good luck!

kktaos


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## Sweet SaraBelle (Feb 4, 2020)

There is no substitute for a Golden Retriever. Once you have one as part of your family, there will be more. It's a wonderful breed for children as well as a companion. 
Don't overthink it. Just get one!🐾


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## StarBright (Nov 11, 2015)

I think it’s better to decide on a single breed rather than a mix. A good breeder gives you predictability in temperament, grooming requirements, etc. With mixes you could end up with anything. As for shedding poodles require lots of brushing and regular trips to the groomer. If you spent the same amount of time brushing and grooming a golden that would greatly cut down on the amount of loose fur in the house. But the great thing about goldens is they require very little grooming. My two field bred goldens require just a quick combing through of their feathering, ears & rears, a couple times a week and they’re good to go. I do also run a brush over them to get any dirt. But the are constantly in their little pool so other than cleaning the mud off their feet they are pretty maintenance free. Though they do need nail trimming and ear cleaning. I also have a mostly show bred golden. He is so beautiful and he has a great coat, though lots of it. It doesn’t matt and if he gets in the mud once he dries everything easily brushes out. I do run a brush through his coat most everyday to help with shedding. If I wanted less hair in the house I would need to get more serious about grooming. But I don’t like grooming, one of the reasons I love goldens. I used to have two small poodle mixes. If they were not brushed and/or clipped regularly it was a disaster. I would go with the breed that best fits with what you are looking for in a dog. I know several people that have great standard poodles, but they are different than goldens. And with both breeds most important is finding a good breeder to discuss what you are looking for in a dog and getting the right fit for your family. Just know with a poodle have to do a lot of grooming. With goldens you can decide how much hair in the house is acceptable and adjust your time spent grooming. Though goldens can be like potato chips, you can’t have just one, ha ha. And the more you have, the more golden fur everywhere.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

StarBright said:


> I think it’s better to decide on a single breed rather than a mix....


Excellent post.... and you took a lot of words right out of my mouth. 

We got into goldens ages ago because they do not require professional grooming. 

I have show goldens and they do not shed too much, they are not heavily coated, and in general grooming is pretty basic with them. 

Right now I have a pool set up in our backyard (it's a big pop up swimming pool) and I think it's pretty adorable when all 3 dogs randomly disappear one by one and when I go out back, I find them all splashing around in the pool. This is a couple times a day. They air dry with no matting, no skin problems, etc. That's what you get when you buy dogs from a good breeder.


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## North021884 (May 16, 2020)

Hanksm10 said:


> I’m sure this is a very common topic, but my husband and I are so torn on whether we get a golden retriever or a golden doodle as we will be first time dog owners, and would love some guidance. At this point, I think I’m about to just flip a coin!!
> We love the temperament, personality and overall look of a golden, but we are nervous about the excessive hair in our house. I’ve heard some golden owners say the shedding its manageable, but some say it is out of control. What is your experience? Our neighbors down the street have a golden retriever (he’s 3 yrs old) and a goldendoodle (she’s 6 months old). So we’ve been able to kind of get a taste of both dogs, as we had never considered a doodle until we met their dog and saw the low shedding as an appealing factor. They’re both so similar but so different at the same time. Whenever we’re around the doodle, we get swayed that direction (because of the low to no shedding) but then we see the golden retriever, and our hearts melt. My neighbors golden is an absolutely amazing dog, very gentle and well mannered. The doodle is a sweet little goofball but as soon as anyone comes through the door, she becomes very high energy, jumps on people and almost seems neurotic. She eventually calms down, but it does scare me that that trait may be hard to train? She is 6 months though so it does make me think that it’s a puppy stage? But I’ve also read that that is typically how they are even as they age, which makes me a little nervous.
> We love to travel to the beach a lot, go to breweries, go to family/friends houses, and we plan to take our dog to mostly everywhere we go! With that said, I’ve leaned towards a doodle in that aspect because some people can get annoyed and aren’t as “welcoming” to a shedding dog in their house.
> I feel like my husband and I would be happy with either dog, but would love to know your experience and your opinions!


I may have a unique perspective as we’ve owned numerous dogs over the years, including 3 Goldens & a standard poodle. I’ll never own anything but a golden again.
Our standard poodle was a sweet boy & goofy but dumb. Every day with him was like the movie ‘50 First Dates’ “Sit? What’s that?” I know they are said to be smart & we got him from a very reputable breeder, but he was not. More importantly, he didn’t have that innate desire to please that goldens have. If what you wanted him to do coincided with what he wanted to do, great. If not, oh well. He also liked hanging with us but he didn’t love hanging with us the way goldens do. He was always playful, he was always high energy. Didn’t have a mean bone in his body. Many of them can be aloof, and dignified. Goes with the breed. We deliberately picked one who was inquisitive and came over to us when we saw them so he did not have that distant quality that some of them do. We loved him of course because he was our dog but he was most definitely not one of my favorites.
Conversely, our first golden whom we got at age 6 months, is the standard by which all four of my grown children measure their dogs. He has been dead for 15 years and they still talk about him & have pictures of him in their homes.
As has been stated elsewhere, because this is a mixed breed, you really don’t know what you’re going to get. Are you going to get a dog that has more golden characteristics or one that has more poodle characteristics? I don’t ever want another poodle, despite the fact that he did not shed very much and Goldens do. 
I think keeping the hair in check is a small price to pay for the love and companionship you get from one of them compared to other dogs.
I’m actually in the hunt for a golden puppy right now...


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## 153330 (Dec 29, 2016)

...I think our intense love of Goldens may have frightened off the OP.... 🤣🤣


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

Or we answered the question  I hope they understood the problem is not with the doodle but with the people that breed them... and the horrible amount they charge for what is basically a mixed breed pup that can be purchased on any street corner or shelter.


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## clancyscorner (Feb 21, 2019)

Hanksm10 said:


> I’m sure this is a very common topic, but my husband and I are so torn on whether we get a golden retriever or a golden doodle as we will be first time dog owners, and would love some guidance. At this point, I think I’m about to just flip a coin!!
> We love the temperament, personality and overall look of a golden, but we are nervous about the excessive hair in our house. I’ve heard some golden owners say the shedding its manageable, but some say it is out of control. What is your experience? Our neighbors down the street have a golden retriever (he’s 3 yrs old) and a goldendoodle (she’s 6 months old). So we’ve been able to kind of get a taste of both dogs, as we had never considered a doodle until we met their dog and saw the low shedding as an appealing factor. They’re both so similar but so different at the same time. Whenever we’re around the doodle, we get swayed that direction (because of the low to no shedding) but then we see the golden retriever, and our hearts melt. My neighbors golden is an absolutely amazing dog, very gentle and well mannered. The doodle is a sweet little goofball but as soon as anyone comes through the door, she becomes very high energy, jumps on people and almost seems neurotic. She eventually calms down, but it does scare me that that trait may be hard to train? She is 6 months though so it does make me think that it’s a puppy stage? But I’ve also read that that is typically how they are even as they age, which makes me a little nervous.
> We love to travel to the beach a lot, go to breweries, go to family/friends houses, and we plan to take our dog to mostly everywhere we go! With that said, I’ve leaned towards a doodle in that aspect because some people can get annoyed and aren’t as “welcoming” to a shedding dog in their house.
> I feel like my husband and I would be happy with either dog, but would love to know your experience and your opinions!


On our street, there is a labradoodle and a golden doodle. They look very much alike, but their behaviors are very different. The labradoodle is playful, sweet, and friendly. She will sit in her yard across the street from our house and watch as I walk down our driveway toward our mailbox. I talk to her as I walk and she cocks her head from side to side as though she is listening intently. She is a very nice dog. When her owners got her as a puppy, they put a great deal of time and effort into her training and it has paid off. There is a mobile grooming van that comes to their house regularly to groom her. 

The golden doodle is not friendly. She is not well trained and she is not kept in her own yard. She will come into anyone else's yard and bark at them. It is difficult to walk our dogs when she is outside. She will walk toward us as we are walking, right down the middle of the street, and square off at us while barking constantly. We live on a short dead end street and she acts like she owns it.

We are longtime golden retriever lovers. We have 2 now. Yes, they shed a lot. We are accustomed to finding clumps of fur on the floor. We don't even think about it; we just bend down and pick them up. They will often appear right after we have finished vacuuming....We try to give our dogs a brushing each day, and whenever they come inside with grass clippings stuck to their fur. When it is time for us to get another dog, it will absolutely be a golden. We wouldn't have it any other way. 

As others have noted, with a well bred golden you will benefit from a predictable temperament. Training and socialization are necessities when adding a dog to your family. If you put in the time and effort, you will be rewarded by establishing a strong bond with a golden companion you will love forever.


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## StarBright (Nov 11, 2015)

I just love sticking my face in and snuggling with all that Golden fluff! So who cares about a few golden fuzz balls floating around the house. I’d never give this up to go fuzz free, haha! My Fame is such a lover boy!


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## Cathyjean (Mar 5, 2020)

Hanksm10 said:


> I’m sure this is a very common topic, but my husband and I are so torn on whether we get a golden retriever or a golden doodle as we will be first time dog owners, and would love some guidance. At this point, I think I’m about to just flip a coin!!
> We love the temperament, personality and overall look of a golden, but we are nervous about the excessive hair in our house. I’ve heard some golden owners say the shedding its manageable, but some say it is out of control. What is your experience? Our neighbors down the street have a golden retriever (he’s 3 yrs old) and a goldendoodle (she’s 6 months old). So we’ve been able to kind of get a taste of both dogs, as we had never considered a doodle until we met their dog and saw the low shedding as an appealing factor. They’re both so similar but so different at the same time. Whenever we’re around the doodle, we get swayed that direction (because of the low to no shedding) but then we see the golden retriever, and our hearts melt. My neighbors golden is an absolutely amazing dog, very gentle and well mannered. The doodle is a sweet little goofball but as soon as anyone comes through the door, she becomes very high energy, jumps on people and almost seems neurotic. She eventually calms down, but it does scare me that that trait may be hard to train? She is 6 months though so it does make me think that it’s a puppy stage? But I’ve also read that that is typically how they are even as they age, which makes me a little nervous.
> We love to travel to the beach a lot, go to breweries, go to family/friends houses, and we plan to take our dog to mostly everywhere we go! With that said, I’ve leaned towards a doodle in that aspect because some people can get annoyed and aren’t as “welcoming” to a shedding dog in their house.
> I feel like my husband and I would be happy with either dog, but would love to know your experience and your opinions!


You can bet on one thing, the folks who breed goldendoodles, or any other “designer” mix for that matter, are NOT using the best of either breed To produce offspring, and they are charging a premium for what is often a disappointment in terms of the best of both breeds. Stick with a proven, do your homework to locate a great breeder And choose the Golden! I’ve had 5, And they have all been great dogs. With regular brushing and grooming, the shedding is manageable. Use regular brushing to bond with your dog. If you start early enough, both of you will grow to enjoy the routine.


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## Hanksm10 (Jun 6, 2020)

Thank you all SO much for your feedback!! I read each and every one of your comments and they truly helped validate our decision and made it so much easier for us to go with the breed that we wanted all along. Some of your stories definitely made me laugh! We have decided to go with a Golden Retriever and we put down our deposit down the other day! We will have our sweet bundle of joy in late September/early October!! We cannot be more excited  thank you all for your help!


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Hanksm10 said:


> Thank you all SO much for your feedback!! I read each and every one of your comments and they truly helped validate our decision and made it so much easier for us to go with the breed that we wanted all along. Some of your stories definitely made me laugh! We have decided to go with a Golden Retriever and we put down our deposit down the other day! We will have our sweet bundle of joy in late September/early October!! We cannot be more excited  thank you all for your help!


 Congratulations on taking your time and doing the research. Looking forward to the day you come back here and start a thread to introduce your new puppy - we will need lots of photos!!!!


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## SoCalEngr (Apr 11, 2020)

Hanksm10 said:


> Thank you all SO much for your feedback!! I read each and every one of your comments and they truly helped validate our decision and made it so much easier for us to go with the breed that we wanted all along. Some of your stories definitely made me laugh! We have decided to go with a Golden Retriever and we put down our deposit down the other day! We will have our sweet bundle of joy in late September/early October!! We cannot be more excited  thank you all for your help!


Congratulations. If you haven't already done so, take the time to check up on the health histories of the dam/sire for the litter you've put a deposit on. Doing this now will potentially save headaches/heartaches later.


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