WHY DOODLES?
Doodles - get all the affectionate, lovable companionship of a Golden Retriever/Labrador/Irish Setter with the bright intelligence of a poodle. Labradoodles, Irishdoodles, and Goldendoodles are notoriously easy to train because they are smart, eager to please, and incredibly loyal. They make great family pets - as well as emotional support animals and service dogs - because they tend to get along well with people of all ages and other types of animals (we’ve had cats, sheep, chickens, chinchillas, guinea pigs, and even alpacas!).
LABRADOODLES vs. GOLDENDOODLES vs. IRISHDOODLES
One question we are often asked is, “What’s the difference between Labradoodles and Goldendoodles?” Great question!
Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, and Irishdoodles share a lot of similar traits due to their Poodle genetics, but there are some distinct differences between the two.
Labradoodles were first bred in Australia for a very specific purpose - as the perfect service animal for a blind woman whose husband suffered from dog allergies. Long before then, Labrador Retrievers were initially bred to be hunting and sporting dogs, and by nature, they tend to be more energetic and need more activity. They are intelligent and when trained, can be very focused on their ‘jobs’ - whether that job is lounging on the couch watching kiddos play, playing fetch in the yard, or making sure that nothing is left on the floor while you’re cooking. Like Labradors, Labradoodles are higher energy and love to explore, play, run, and “do their job.” They are extremely playful and need a good amount of exercise each day to keep them happy and healthy (and out of mischief), so they make great running or hiking partners. They do, however, tend to be more reserved than Goldendoodles, and tend to stay closer to their person or family. Because of their tendency to bond deeply with their owners and their desire to ‘help’ and have a purpose, the right Labradoodle with the right training and certifications can make an excellent service dog.
With the success of crossing a Poodle and Labrador, breeders began crossing poodles and Golden Retrievers, resulting in the popular Goldendoodle. Goldendoodles are more ‘chill’ than Labradoodles, pulling their laid-back but still friendly and playful nature from their Golden Retriever genetics. They still love to adventure and play but tend to be a little more mellow than their Labradoodle counterparts. Often described as having “sunny” personalities, Goldendoodles are friendly and outgoing, and they love making new friends. There is no such thing as a stranger to a Goldendoodle! If you are looking for a therapy dog who can feel comfortable greeting people in all sorts of environments, a Goldendoodle is the dog for you. Even-tempered and gentle by nature, Goldendoodles are also great with children (Labradoodles are too, but Goldendoodles really shine in this arena).
Irishdoodles are among the newer members of the Doodle family, but they are becoming hugely popular with their agreeable temperaments, sense of loyalty, and striking looks! Because of the relative newness of the breed, most Irishdoodles are first-generation (meaning one parent is a Setter, the other a Poodle). Irishdoodles are clever, gentle, and make incredible family dogs. They are attentive, alert, intelligent, and tend to have happy-go-lucky personalities. With their trainability and eagerness to please, they make excellent companions for everyone in the family. Irishdoodles tend to have a love for the water, and are graceful movers (we love watching Willow, our Irish Setter mama, do her rounds in the yard - she’s beautiful!). Additionally, once an Irishdoodle learns something, they are unlikely to ‘unlearn’ it, meaning they are excellent dogs for advanced training like agility, trick training, and flyball.
SHOULD I GET A BOY OR A GIRL?
The internet and a million other sources all have an opinion on whether a male or female dog is better. It’s important to note that behavior comes from how a puppy is raised, as well as the temperaments of its parents. Some dogs can be more aggressive or affectionate than others because of the environment in which it was raised (this is why we work so hard on socialization and do Early Neurological Stimulation).
That being said, the major difference between male and female dogs is the rate at which they mature. Because female dogs tend to be smaller in stature than males, just like in humans, females tend to mature more quickly than males. A female’s earlier maturity gives it an advantage when it comes to training, but that doesn’t mean a female dog is more intelligent than a male - just that a male dog of the same age might take a little more patience and training to master the same skills and commands.
(Good thing we strive to breed highly intelligent puppies so you don’t need to worry too much!)
DO THEY SHED?
Non-Shedding vs hypoallergenic: Hypoallergenic means that a dog either does not shed their hair (or sheds very little), and have the same pH as human hair. Doodles have hair, not fur, which makes them hypoallergenic. They are considered “non-shedding” dogs because they lose about as much hair as you or I do in an average day — in other words, hardly any. Because they don't shed, the allergy-causing dander that sticks to their fur doesn't get released into the air or onto the floor as much as with a shedding dog.
This does mean, however, that your Doodle will require regular grooming to keep them clean and tidy. Check out our health and grooming resource page for more information on grooming your doodle.
Our Labradoodle and Goldendoodle puppies are classified as F1B doodles, and we are currently breeding F1 Irishdoodles (with plans to build up our program to breed F1B Irishdoodles within the next few years).
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN F1 & F1B?
*using Golden Retrievers as a reference:
Poodle + Golden Retriever = F1 Goldendoodle (1st generation)
Goldendoodle + Poodle = F1b Goldendoodle (2nd generation), 75% Poodle/25% Goldendoodle
Goldendoodle + Golden Retriever = F1b Goldendoodle (2nd generation), 75% Golden Retriever/25% Poodle
HOW BIG WILL MY DOODLE GET?
Mini: 13-20 lbs
Micro Mini: 8-13 lbs
DO YOU SHIP?
We ship out of state and charge the cost of the ticket, the price of an airline-friendly kennel, and the vet visit (approximately $75) required to allow the puppy to travel with the airline of your choice.
If you are anxious about the idea of your puppy flying alone, we will fly with your puppy if you provide the round-trip ticket from the Salt Lake City, Utah airport. Thus far we have flown with our puppies to Colorado and California, hand-delivering them to their forever families.
As of April 2023, we will be offering a discount for out-of-state families who are willing to transport an additional puppy to their local airport for friends or family who would also like to purchase a puppy. This is a great opportunity for families or friends who are both purchasing a puppy to mitigate some of the costs of transportation. Please reach out for more details!
WHEN CAN MY PUPPY COME HOME?
Our puppies are available to go home with their new families at 8 weeks old. Refer to specific litters for what that date is.
CAN WE BRING HOME 2 PUPPIES FROM THE SAME LITTER?
A question we get often is if we will send 2 puppies from the same litter to the same home. We understand that people love the idea of bringing home siblings - it gives puppies a companion, someone to play with, and can be comforting. While bringing home two pups from the same litter can work, more often than not, it causes a number of behavioral issues that keep your puppy from really thriving.
Littermate Syndrome (sometimes called Sibling Aggression or Littermate Aggression) refers to the behavioral issues that can result from two or more littermates being raised together in the same household beyond the usual 8-10 weeks.
When 2 puppies are placed together, they learn to rely on each other rather than their people, which can impede their development and social skills. This can often result in one of the puppies becoming far more dominant than the other to the point of bullying, as well as codependency that results in extreme distress if the dogs are separated (for a walk, for a vet visit, for grooming purposes, etc.). This can cause reactivity, anxiety, dog and people aggression, as well as serious issues when it comes to training.
Because the health and happiness of our puppies is so important to us, we are firm on our policy regarding two or more littermates in the same household. We do, however, fully support puppy ‘cousins!’ We’ve had several extended families bring home puppies (siblings bringing puppies to separate homes, parents and children, etc.) to great success. And we always love getting puppy reunion pictures!
More information on Littermate Syndrome can be found here and here.
WHAT VACCINATIONS DOES MY PUPPY HAVE?
The puppies will have their first round of vaccines and deworming before they go to their new homes, as well as dewclaws removed as early as possible. The second and third rounds of vaccines, which occur at 12 weeks and after, will need to be done with their new family.
We know deworming sounds a little scary since they’re puppies, but a pillar of proper puppy care along with vaccinations is deworming. It’s assumed that all puppies have worms, so dewormer is administered to help keep them healthy. They are more vulnerable to disease, parasites, and sickness in general, so deworming is an extra step in keeping them safe. We deworm them for as a preventive, just as you would an adult dog.
We advise not taking your puppy out to public spaces where other dogs are until they are fully vaccinated to protect against communicable diseases (this includes the dog park, pet store, dog-friendly stores, and restaurants, etc.).
DO YOU SOCIALIZE AND TRAIN?
All our puppies are raised using The Puppy Culture Protocol. It is a professional and proven training course, starting at birth, that dramatically shapes a puppy's personality, intelligence, demeanor, and health.
We also use Early Neurological Stimulation which has been proven to increase/strengthen puppy's
Strengthen cardiovascular performance
Strengthen adrenal glands
Increase tolerance to stress
Increase resistance to disease
In addition, all of our puppies are well socialized and handled from day one. They spend time with our family learning to interact with children from toddlers to teens, adults, other dogs of all sizes, and even our cat (who is known to hop in with the puppies for naps and playtime)! As they get older, they are introduced to different sounds and sensations, spend time on our puppy “obstacle course” developing their balance and coordination, and spend time both indoors and out.
We do our best to give your puppy the absolute best start to training. We litter train them, which helps with potty and house training down the road. We also provide free access to a kennel so that they learn that a kennel is a safe space for them to be in, which makes kennel training world easier. We have also compiled some training tricks and tips that are available to you on our resource page, including potty and kennel training.
HOW MUCH DO YOUR DOODLES COST?
Mini/Micro F1B Mini Goldendoodles = $2,500
Mini/Micro F1B Mini Labradoodles = $2,500
Mini F1 Irishdoodles = $2,500
The purchase price includes:
Puppy from breeding stock with great temperament
Great socialization (see Puppy Culture Protocol above)
A great start on house-training
A great start on crate-training
Age-appropriate vaccinations and deworming (including dewclaw removal)
A sample of food
A “security blanket,” a toy or two, and a chew toy with mother and siblings’ scent
We require any potential household to fill out a free application. Reserving your pup requires an application and payment of a non-refundable deposit of $500 that does go towards the final price of each puppy.
WHAT DOES YOUR BREEDING PROGRAM LOOK LIKE?
When purchasing a puppy, people need to be aware of the difference between puppy mills and legitimate, human breeders. Unfortunately, puppy mills have tainted the reputation of legitimate breeders. Some red flags that denote that someone is running a puppy mill include not allowing you to visit their facility, not allowing you to meet the puppy’s parents, and that they can’t or won’t give you the medical history or genetics of their breeding stock. They won’t really care where the puppy ends up because they’re just in it for the money. This is why we are completely transparent about our breeding program and welcome prospective owners into our home to meet not only the puppies, but also their mama and the whole gang (hopefully you don’t mind a kid or two sitting in and giving their two cents about what puppy you are currently holding).
All of our dogs are first and foremost members of our family. They hang out with us in our home and are only kenneled for bedtime and meals (only because we have a few who like to steal food from the others and we want to make sure they all get enough), and are showered with love and attention. We learn their quirks and habits, what they like and don’t like, and they all have their favorite humans they love best. Even their kennels are personalized! For example, Willow loves having a little nest, so her kennel is filled with blankets!
We have dedicated spaces in our home for raising our puppies so that they receive the absolute best care we can give them. We ensure that they have enough (age-appropriate) space to play and learn, that they are warm and clean, and we weigh them daily to make sure that each puppy is receiving the amount of food they need. Mama is closely monitored to make sure she’s eating and drinking enough, as well as getting time to play and cuddle with her people to de-stress. We make sure that moms and pups receive proper vet care, no matter how expensive it is - we refuse to cut corners. We are invested in the litter as a whole, but more importantly, in our puppies and mamas as individuals. We give them names instead of referring to them by collar color, and each of our kids end up with a favorite puppy from each litter. We are dedicated to finding the absolute BEST homes for our doodle pups, and work to find you the best match for you and your family!
