Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Contrary to the assumption made by many inquiries from our neighbours in the USA , it is not an abbreviation for Los Angeles. My husband often refers to me as “L.A.” (an abbreviation of my name Laurie-Anne) so, when choosing our name, my family suggested L.A. Doodles.
What is a Goldendoodle?
Doodles are a designer or hybrid breed. This means they are the result of an intentional breeding of two different purebreds. While there are many types and sizes of doodles out there, we breed Standard Size Goldendoodles – a mix between the Standard Poodle and the Golden Retriever weighing anywhere between 50 – 80+ lb. A few words that best describe a goldendoodle are: intelligent, friendly, active, gentle, and, affectionate.
Are Goldendoodles a good choice for “first time dog families”
and children?
Yes, Goldendoodles are a great choice for first time dog families. They are intelligent. sensitive dogs that want to please their owners. These traits make them easy to train. The best training method for a Goldendoodle is “positive reinforcement”.
Goldendoodle are also a good choice for families with children. Goldendoodles are affectionate and loyal to their humans. They are an active, playful, companion dog that love to spend time with their family.
Are Goldendoodles Hypoallergenic?
The term “Hypoallergenic” when used to describe a goldendoodle means ” Goldendoodles are less likely to cause an allergic reaction than Golden Retrievers. Goldendoodles are considered “allergy friendly” meaning people with mild allergies can tolerate the Goldendoodle. Our family has mild allergies to dogs and have had great success with Goldendoodles.
Allergies occur when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance such as pollen, mold, or pet dander. A dog’s dander is composed of tiny skin particles that are shed by the dog. These bits of skin can cause reactions in people who are specifically allergic to these allergy triggers. The proteins which cause allergic reactions to a dog can be found in skin cells, saliva, or urine. Although Goldendoodles are considered “allergy friendly”, if you have allergies to dogs, there is no guarantee you will not be allergic to a goldendoodle.
I have heard that Goldendoodle do not shed; Is this true? Shedding Explained
Answer is no, every dog sheds, even the poodle. Below is Shedding explained:
Golden Retriever are High Shed Breed (5) : Shed SD/SD and Furnishing IC/IC
Poodles are Low Shed Breed Low (1): Shed sd/sd and Furnishing F/F
Goldendoodle: Shed depends which genes they inherited from the parents. Each parent passes one of their two genes to each puppy. Therefore each puppy in the litter can have different amounts of shed.
F-1 Generation = F/IC; SD/sd = (3) moderate shed
F-1B Generation: F-1 bred back to a poodle = F/IC or F/F; SD/sd or sd/sd
F-2 Generation & F-2B: ( Two F-1 or F-1 bred to F1B): = F/F, F/IC, IC/IC; sd/sd, sd/SD or SD/SD
Mutil-Gen = F/IC or F/F ; sd/sd, SD/sd (these generations are aiming for a Moderate Low – Moderate – (2-3) – and Lower shed (1)
The chart below (taken from Paw Prints Genetics) rates the shedding from 1 (low shed) – 5 (high shed).
PARENT DOGS
Our tag line is “Home Is Where The Dog Is”. Goldendoodles are companion dogs and thrive in loving families! Our parent dogs are first and foremost beloved family pets living in our home or the home of their Guardian Family.
Do you health test your parent dogs?
YES, our parent dogs receive a full genetic health testing which allows us to offer a two year Health Warranty. Health testing done by either Paw Print Genetics or Embark.
PURCHASE INFO
Our goal at L.A. Doodles is “To Raise Healthy, Calm, Confident, Well-Adjusted Puppies”. Running an ethical breeding program costs money. It starts with health testing parent dogs and, making sure they stay healthy, happy and loved. Providing them veterinary care, feeding high quality food and treats, and grooming are are all an important part of making sure our dogs are well cared and in turn gets past onto our our puppies. Whelping and hand raising litters is a 24/7 job. We love what we do – we put our heart into it! We want to give your puppy the best start of a happy, healthy life.
I have had people ask: “I see puppies for cheaper on Kijiji” Can I get a discount on your puppies? ……. My answer to them is NO.
When do I pay my deposit?
Waiting List Deposits: $250.00 After telephone call and application has been approved.Deposits are accepted
Litter List Deposit: $250.00 When puppies are born
Please note that all Deposits are non-refundable
How does puppy selection work?
We schedule selection day on a Saturday when the puppies are between 6 to 7 weeks and their personality have started to developed. Puppy selection/viewing takes place in-person in our home and is scheduled in the order of deposits. We always look forward to Puppy Selection Day – it is so exciting introducing our puppies to their forever families. Although it is always preferred that puppy selection takes place in-person, some circumstances don’t allow this. In these cases, we can set up a Virtual Selection for your family.
When can I take my puppy home?
- Puppies will go home between 8 and 9 weeks of age
- You will be notified after the puppies are born and well in advance, of the pick-up dates. Please make every effort to clear your calendar and make preparations for the arrival of your new puppy
- This will allow forever families to continue the next critical socialization period 8 – 12 weeks in the puppy’s new home environment
Can I take my puppy home early?
Sorry, the answer is NO! We believe that a mother dog’s teaching is an invaluable experience. This is why puppies cannot leave for their forever home until they are at least 8 weeks of age.
What happens if I cannot take my puppy home during the scheduled pick-up date?
Please make every effort to take you puppy home during the scheduled pick-up date. It is in your puppy’s best interest and will allow forever families to continue the next critical socialization period of 8 – 12 weeks in the puppy’s new home environment.
However, if unforeseen circumstances arise and it is not possible to take your puppy home during these dates, arrangements must be made with L.A. Doodles well in advance. Please note that your puppy must be paid in full by the original scheduled pick-up date and there will be a $25.00/day surcharge for each extra day the puppy is in our care.
HELP – what do I do if I have a question after I take my puppy home?
I know it can be an overwhelming time taking your puppy home. No worries, we are here to answer any questions that may arise. Just email us or give us a call. We are always here to support you after you take your puppy home. After all we have loved and cared for them first – they have a piece of our heart!
ABOUT GOLDENDOODLES
L.A. Doodles breeds Standard Size Goldendoodles weighing anywhere between 50 – 70+ lb. We produces two types of Goldendoodles. Teddy Bear Goldendoodles with furnishings (beard) and Flat Coat Goldendoodles with open face (retriever type). Both types can have either curly, wavy or straight coats.
See below to view the different types of Goldendoodles that L.A Doodles has produced. I thank their amazing forever families for the updates and pictures of their dogs!
Coat types, Colours, patterns
Below are pictures of the different types of goldendoodle puppies produced by L.A. Doodles
What are the different coat types?
Teddy Bear Type
Teddy Bear Goldendoodles look just like their name suggests, a Teddy Bear. They are fluffy all over including the face. Grooming requirements are brushing daily to prevent matting and a trip to the groomers every eight – twelve weeks for a haircut.
Curly Coat Goldendoodles
Wavy Coat Goldendoodles
Straight coat goldendoodle
Flat Coat Types
Flat Coat Goldendoodles look much like a Golden Retriever with an open face. Just like the Teddy Bear Goldendoodles, their coats can be straight, wavy, or curly. There are less grooming requirements for Flat Coat Goldendoodles – No trip to the groomer as they do not require a haircut. Brushing, deshedding and bathing as required to help reduce shedding.
What Colours are Goldendoodle?
Goldendoodles come in a variety of colours – what ever colour poodles come in the same is possible for the goldendoodles.
- Cream/Apricot/Red
- Blacks: Black, Blue (Black at birth clearing to muted black), Silver (black at birth clearing to silver/grey
- Browns: Chocolate, Café au lait (chocolate at birth clearing to mute brown), Silver-beige (chocolate at birth clearing to silver-beige)
- Brindle
- Sable
What is a Parti Goldendoodle?
Parti is a pattern of colouring observed in the coat of the dog and is characterized by a white base colour of at least 50% with random patches of another colour such as black, brown, apricot, red, merle, etc. Parti is different than abstract which are white patches on a solid colour. Both parents must carry the parti gene to produce a parti goldendoodle.
What is a Merle Goldendoodle?
Merle is a pattern observed in the coat of the dog. Merle is not a colour but a gene that causes fur to lighten in areas while leaving patches of dark colour pattern on the dogs coat. Only one parent has to carry the Merle gene to produce Merle puppies. We do extra testing to make sure only one parent carries this gene as double merle will most definitely produce blindness, deafness and other health issues in puppies.
What is an Abstract Goldendoodles?
Abstract is a pattern of colouring observed in the coat of a dog characterized by solid or Merle base colour with white patch markings. These markings are often observed on the paws, chest, head and tail. Dogs that carry the parti gene will have white markings.
What is a Phantom Goldendoodle
Phantom is a pattern observed in the coat that consists of two colours in specific locations. The coat of a phantom goldendoodle consists of a primary colour (black or brown) with markings of a secondary colour (i.e. tan) located on the eyebrows, muzzle, chest, lower legs, and sometimes under the tail
Photo courtesy of Delilah Poodle Doodles
RAISING OUR PUPPIES
We raise our puppy with lots of love! We are not Kennel Breeders! We are “Home Breeders”. We have a hands-on approach to the breeding process right from the start and choose to raise our puppies in our home and part of our family and the happenings of a busy household. Our puppies are raised using protocols from the Puppy Culture program including ENS – Early Neurological Simulation. For more in-depth information on our puppy raising process, visit Raising Our Puppies page.
What is the Puppy Culture Program?
Puppy Culture is a program developed by Jane Killion, professional dog trainer and breeder. The first 12 weeks of a puppy’s life are incredibly important. This is an almost magical time when a breeder has the power to change the outcome of a puppy’s life by what we choose to teach them. By doing just the right things at just the right time, we can give your puppy the best start possible. For more detailed information, visit Puppy Culture Program page.
Will I receive updates on the puppies as they grow?
YES, we love to share updates with the forever families with lots of pictures, videos, and updates on how the puppies are doing! We supply this information through our BLOG which the “Forever families” can subscribe to through our website. We also post pics/video’s on our Instagram page. It is exciting for our families to watch the puppies grow.
HEALTHCARE
Puppies visit our veterinarian at 7 weeks of age. At this time, they receive their microchip, first set of vaccinations, and a full wellness checkup.
Do you deworm your puppies?
We do a fecal check for worms and deworm our puppies using Strongid®T dewormer on a schedule as prescribed by our veterinarian at 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age.
When should I take my new puppy to the vet?
As stated in our Health Warranty – To confirm your puppy is in good health, you are advised to take your new puppy to your veterinarian for a wellness examination no later than 72 hours, or three business days, after departure from L.A. Doodles. NOTE: The 72 hour is in place allowing you to return your puppy if you or your vet feel it is in poor health and receive a full refund. You can choose to forgo the 72 hour vet check . If you choose to forgo the vet check, you are agreeing that you have received a healthy puppy as our vet has stated. (This choice does not void our health warranty.)
How often should you bathe a Goldendoodle?
A general rule of thumb is to bathe a Goldendoodle every 4 to 8 weeks. For optimal coat health, Goldendoodles should not be washed more than once a month unless absolutely necessary! Bathing your puppy too frequently will remove the natural oils that help keep skin and coat healthy.
At what age should we Spay/Neuter our puppy?
Note: Our Health Guarantee will be null and void if the puppy is spayed/neutered before 15 months of age.
Spay/Neuter your puppy between 15 – 18 months of age. Your puppy is a large breed puppy and should not be altered before their growth plates have closed which is somewhere between 12 – 18 month of age – see chart below of different growth plates and approximate time that each close.
Website: http://www.wizardofpaws.net/
Why does L.A. Doodles require delayed spaying/neutering of their puppies?
I am a firm believer in waiting until the puppy’s growth plates have closed before you spay/neuter your puppy. Large breed dogs’ growth plates close somewhere between 12 – 15 months of age. Delaying spaying/neutering your puppy until their growth plates have closed offer many health benefits. There has been recent research supporting that physical health issues are directly associated with altering a puppy before the growth plates close and their body has matured. High on the list is a significantly heightened risk of certain joint disorders. Researchers say the reproductive hormones have important systemic roles. These hormones influence muscle mass, tendon, and ligament strength – and YES, they tell the puppy’s bones when to stop growing. Altering a puppy too early (removing these hormones) can cause the puppy’s legs to grow longer, produce less muscle mass, weaker tendon and ligament strength and early weight gain. All this puts undue stress on your dogs’ joints. Please research for yourself the benefits of delaying spaying/neutering your puppy until his growth plates have closed.
Exercise
Your puppy take-home package will include the booklet written by Jane Messiness Lindquist titled “Puppy Fitness” with age-appropriate exercise guidelines as your puppy grows. Below is an example of exercise guideline for an 8 – 12 week old puppy
Example of Exercise Guideline for 8 – 12 weeks old puppy
(taken from Puppy Culture Book “Puppy Fitness that fits the puppy” by Jane Messiness Lindquist)
| Exercise | Rules |
|---|---|
| Sustained and Continuous Walking | |
| Sniff ‘N Stroll | |
| Running | |
| Chasing | |
| Tugging |
Why does L.A. Doodles require you to avoid repetitive exercise for puppies and limit all exercise?
Exercise is important – It not only helps your puppy build a strong healthy body, it also helps build a strong mind. Age-appropriate exercise is the key to helping your puppy grow strong. The best form of exercise for your puppy is short free-play sessions in the yard. This will allow your puppy to let you know when he is tired.
Puppy Culture states “Probably the biggest cause of growth plate and soft tissue injury is repetitive exercise with a young puppy. So, until he’s about 18 months old, long hikes and walks are out and lots of free-play sessions are in.”
