Goldendoodle Draft

Two weekends ago, we made the trek to Oklahoma to compete in the draft for our goldendoodle!  As you can imagine, the anticipation for the day had been building up for weeks.  Earlier that week, Jeff slipped a dog toy into my schoolbag with the guise that "Milton" stuck it in.  Likewise, I have been amusing Jeffery with my "dog impressions" about the house.  Hence, we were both positively giddy upon rising that morning. 

I decided that Jeff and I should give a bandanna with our scent to the goldendoodle, so he could remember us during the two week separation period before we officially took him home.  See this was just a picking visit not a taking one.  So, Jeff promptly wore the bandanna around his neck, slathered it with both of our deodorants, and proceeded to stuff it down his shirt for the entire two hour car drive to OK.  Obviously, we felt terribly
awkward dragging the smelly thing in there and left it in the car.  It is best not to weird the little guy out too early on.

Let's back up here and explain how the draft works.  Each family-to-be gives a down payment to the breeder when they decide to buy a pup.  Depending on when you pay, is the order that you pick your puppy.  For us, we were the third to pay our fee, so we stood a good shot of getting our first choice puppy out of the six litter mates.  Even if you were the last viable pick of the dogs, you were still guaranteed a precious doodle. It is just so easy to get carried away with the sense of "love at first sight" that you start to think a certain puppy is destined for you.  Luckily we were not an eleventh or twelfth pick due to the number of pups that sadly died.  These folks were reallocated to other litters. 

Overall, Jeff, his mother (Momeaux), and I spent a grand total of two and a half hours deliberating over puppies.  Each one was an adorable fur ball, so it was certainly a difficult choice.  We went in with initial thoughts from the online photos, but these did not compare at all to seeing them live.  As much as I boasted to my mom about their uniqueness, they all looked strangely similar.

I immediately sought out the biggest dog, Colton, but he had already been chosen.  Barnett, the next milk gobbler, was very uninterested in being held by either of us.  We endlessly picked up puppy after puppy seeing if they struggled, rested their head, or let us touch their paws and ears. 

Ultimately, we decided on Drake as our first pick and Evan as our second.  These pups were docile yet feisty and enjoyed cuddling.  Both goldendoodles were on the small side, but they will certainly grow.  The way I figure it is if they are small now, maybe they will eat less and save us some cash!  We found out later that week that we got... Drake - the darling puppy in the picture at right!

Of course the road trip ended on the high note of Dairy Queen just like every other one we seem to take!  DQ needs to infiltrate the North.

Milton Arrived April 7th!

After all of our eager anticipation, our little puppy finally entered the world on April 7th!  This is a very special date because my childhood dog, Brutus, was born on the same day.  The mother, Sally Jo, had a rather unusual, long labor producing a total litter of twelve puppies with a few stillborns mixed in.  The little pups were doing well initially, but some had a bit of trouble regulating their temperature and getting enough milk.

Unfortunately, the litter had more than a few casualties and only six remain, which is not a terribly unusual occurrence.  There are now five boys and one girl. 

Here are the most up-to-date posted photos:



Stroodles Doodles

Choosing a breeder is a pretty big decision especially due to the cost of these "designer mutts" which can range from $700 - $1,800.  $1,800 tends to be the price tag for the mini-goldendoodles because to form a mini, it cannot happen naturally for sizable reasons, and artificial insemination comes into play.  We are a research centric family which means we delve into subjects until nausea or exhaustion whichever comes first.  So, we began to pore over the Internet. 

All throughout the Web, there are uncertified breeders trying to hawk their dogs.  Buyer beware.  One thing we learned is that when buying a dog, you really want to assure that they are coming from a good environment and not a "puppy mill."  We were encouraged to visit the breeding facility to make certain that it is clean - check that water bowls are fresh, assure the sleeping area is adequate, and clarify that the dogs have access to the outdoors and fresh air.  In our case, our breeder did not want to chance visitors bringing in any sort of germs, so we called references that she gave us.  When one woman with doodles declined my offer to visit her home, she told me that she would meet me in a Starbucks parking lot with the dog.  It felt like a clandestine drug deal, and I promptly said no. 

Along with a clean facility, Jeff wanted to make certain the dog's parents were certified against hip and elbow dysplasia.  Large purebred dogs can easily fall prey to this condition and require multiple, expensive surgeries to correct it.  One lark we almost embarked on was me driving a 14-hour round trip to Kansas to purchase a $750 doodle (a virtual steal), but when the breeder could not satisfy our inquires, we nixed the whole idea which was probably for the best, although I was looking forward to seeing the sights in Kansas.  It was important enough to us to pay a little more upfront to get some assurance for health in the later years.

We began to pore over this website, http://goldendoodles.com/breeders.htm to find a local breeder who was within driving distance.  Breeders will fly a dog to you, but this of course is an extra cost and could prove to be traumatic.  Jeff and I were willing to drive to basically any state that surrounds Texas - Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, or as far north as Kansas.

We finally settled on Oklahoma-based Stroodles Doodles - www.stroodlesdoodles.com.  After discussing the dogs via phone, Jeff was impressed by how knowledgeable the breeder, Niki, is and her good record on dysplasia.  So, we paid a $350 down deposit to put towards a grand total of $1,300 for our dog.  I know, I know.  It is pricey, but this is our very first child.  With both of our traits eventually swirling into a kid, we can't guarantee what he or she will be like.  At least with a puppy, we can handpick him a bit more. 

Our puppy's parents are the lovely Sammy Jo (golden retriever girl) and Bo, a rogue shark (standard poodle boy).  The names are a bit back country sounding, but wait until you see the final product!