We have been breeding Goldendoodles for almost a decade. Choosing the Golden as the dam was important. As I stated I wanted a wavy coat, and the Dam contributes more then 65% of the influence on her pups. Mind, size, and health of the ladies were paramount to us.
We looked and looked before finally finding Ivan. I am a Golden Retriever lover and was a little hesitant about the Poodles. Ivan is absolutely amazing. He is kind, well conformed and athletic. Ivan is a distinct color, he will not cook in our Texas summers as the black poodles do, and he has a beautiful face. The thing I love the most about Ivan is his devotion to my family. He is intelligent and trainable.
Breed standards
The Standard Poodle:
Size,
Proportion, Substance
The Standard Poodle: is over 15 inches at the highest point of the shoulders.
Ivan is a beautiful Standard Poodle. He is absolutely the very best conformed Poodle we have ever seen. Strong, healthy, athletic and hardy, there was no doubt that he was to be our sire the minute we laid eyes on him!!
The Golden Retriever:
Size,
Proportion, Substance
Females 21½-22½ inches. Dogs up to one inch above or below standard
size should be proportionately penalized. Length from breastbone to point
of buttocks slightly greater than height at withers in ratio of 12:11.
Dora is a soft and gentle four year old Golden Retriever. Hahn is a beautiful five year old, and Dolly is our Three year old girl.
A note about my breeding program.
It is confusing for the new Goldendoodle owner when they read F1 and F2, then they see many different looking doo's on various sites, size, colors, and coats. I can't tell you why other breeders do what they do, but I can tell you why I don't.
I breed F1 Standards. This means Golden to Poodle, a first generation cross. They are perfect, great coats, great minds, and hopefully all the health benefits that come along with a F1. They just do not shed, this is wonderful and amazing. I breed the Golden as the Dam, I do not enjoy the maintenance of curls, I breed for waves. The ones you see that are so different and still called F1's are usually a cross with the Poodle as the Mom, she contributes about 15% more to the pup, depending on many variables, this is a generalization.
Speaking of generalizations, I want to talk about Poodles.
Yes, the temptation of getting a smaller Poodle and trying a cross for a smaller dog is there. Everyone should own a Doo, some people just have to have a small dog, why not cross a Mini Poodle to a Golden and have a cute little Doo? It seems reasonable, but for me it is not. You can find a Moyen or Klein poodle(a Cross between a standard and a Mini Poodle)and not have as dramatic a size difference in Mom and Dad, but here is why I do not, and remember, these are generalizations and may be uncomfortable for some people to read.
Standard Poodles are gentle, soft and kind. I am sure there are some out there who are wild and even a grumpy one or two, but generally they are careful, and wonderful, almost like a Golden. When they downsized there had to be a mix in there, either different blood or just inbreeding for size control. I am sure there are millions of wonderful Toy and Mini Poodles, but so many of the ones I meet are quivering, nervous, or overactive. Forgive me, I know they are wonderful, all dogs are wonderful, but I am breeding for a very specific mind and attitude. The dog I want is calm, loving and safe. I think the F1 standard cross with Golden as Mom is unbeatable. We need to breed "Like To Like" in order to preserve our health benefits.
My last comments will be about the Goldendoodle to Goldendoodle breeders. What the heck are people thinking? I assume people just do not want to purchase new breeding stock. Finding great Golden's is tough stuff and it would be easier to just keep a pup here and there to breed back. They are not registered, so you could line breed(inbreed)as you pleased and no one would know. I am not impressed. Again, not saying this does not produce excellent pups, but the health benefits that are so important can be lost, and why is it human nature to take perfection and push it until it is in ruins. I speak rather harshly, but to say they shed even less, is ridiculous. To get hair out of most F1's you have to pull it out, just the same as a poodle.
I am a very small breeder, I have very few litters per year and do not depend on the babies for my income, I think in a more competitive breeding atmosphere, you probably have to make some concessions, please find a breeder who can explain why they do what they do, other than financial reasons.
Lastly
There are sites on the net that will find you a pup in your area and have it shipped to you pretty much instantly. Most people who get the puppy bug have a hard time waiting for months to get their new baby, but I ask you to please not use these services. They do not allow you to talk to the breeder, I do not want to make unfounded accusations, but although they guarantee no puppy mills, I have my own fears and doubts. You would probably still get a Wonderful pup, but you need to know the Moms are loved and cared for properly.
