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trcy
03-14-2017, 11:16 AM
Background: Our current dog is absolutely wonderful. We all love her. But she was not thought out and was an emotional, impulsive shelter adoption when our previous dog died unexpectedly. She is getting older and I would like to have put some thought into our next dog when she passes.
I want something that sheds very little or not at all. I had thought a greyhound would be perfect. But DH wants something "fuzzy". I never had considered any of the doodles because I can't justify paying thousands for a mix when shelter are full of mixes. I worked in animal shelters for a while, so I have a hard time with paying a breeder for a pet in general. But I understand there are good breeders out there that are not contributing to the massive pet overpopulation problem.
I have seen many of you post about your love of the Australian Labradoodle. Are they an actual, recognized breed? What's good about them? Bad about them?
There is a breeder not far from me. The cost is $2800, which seems crazy to me. But from what I have seen, that's the going price. Am I correct? This breeder is a 'Golden Paw breeder' with the ALAA. That good, right? Their breeding dogs all have been tested and cleared for hips, elbows, eyes, heart and a bunch of other things. Does this seem like a good breeder? What else should I look for?
TIA!


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baymom
03-14-2017, 01:19 PM
We have an ALD, so I may be a bit biased, but they are the BEST dogs ever. Ours is just over 2 years old and her breeder sells them $2,800 as well. That really is pretty much exactly the going rate here. We were a bit sticker shocked by the price (like you), but honestly, after just taking her to the vet a few times, we quickly realized that it would be the LEAST of our expenses with dog ownership. Our breeder is also with the ALAA.

We specifically wanted an ALD, and not a labradoodle, because her parents, grandparents, ect. for many generations are all ALD, so we had a better idea of her temperament, adult size, ect. In that way, while she isn't purebred, we feel like we got the 'history' of her in the way that one would get with a purebred dog.

One thing I'd really encourage you to do is go to "doodlekisses"--it's an active community of really helpful doodle owners and I've learned so much from them. They can't post directly about good breeders, but many will PM you about their experiences with breeders (good and bad) so it's a great starting point. They also have specific boards on there about puppies, training, ect. and tons by geography, too, for doodle meet-ups/romps. I'm still a lurker on that board--but as a first time dog mom, I've learned so much.

Our ALD doesn't shed at all--I loose more hair then her! But, because of that, requires a lot of brushing (3-4 times a week). She LOVES people and other dogs and seemed to have been born with good manners. I'm realizing that maybe we exercise her more than the 'average' dog owner, but she is always really chill inside the house. It's probably because she's tired! All she does is follow us around from room to room and then just lie there and watch us cook/work/watch tv/do homework/ect. But, outside, she loves fetching and tug of war and playing with her neighborhood dog friends and just walking/running along side us. She never barks or begs for food and is so gentle with even the youngest kids that come to our house. She has these beautiful, soulful eyes and is just absolutely gorgeous. We take her with us everywhere, and everyone always wants to pet her. You will LOVE this breed--they are amazing dogs and make wonderful pets.

mmsmom
03-14-2017, 02:39 PM
There was a recent thread I will try to find that may answer some of your questions. I will try to link it later. In the meantime: Australian Labradoodles are not a recognized breed. None of the "doodles" are as they are a me. Of usually two breeds sometimes more. There is no guarantee they will be non-shedding. Many doodles do shed. You can Google lists of questions for reputable breeders and get lots of suggestions. One thing that has always stood out to me is that reputable breeders do not breed dogs to make money. They do it as a hobby for the love of the breed. Reputable breeders only have 2 maybe 3 litters a year and the fees for the puppy cover their expenses only. This aspect makes it difficult to sort out good breeders of designer breeds, like doodles, because there is no breed standard they are striving for.

Also the health clearances are important to have but still no guarantee for health. I had a purebred golden retriever with all health clearances from one of the best breeders, Westminster Champion father and he died of cancer at 9 years old.

ETA: Here is other thread:
http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?498851&p=4240134#post4240134

MSWR0319
03-15-2017, 12:18 PM
I have a mini Australian Labradoodle. She is a wonderful dog. I was very, very hesitant to pay $2500 for a dog. But we need a low/non shedding dog because of DS's allergies. After a lot of research and a visit to the breeder, we decided to spend it and it was a wonderful decision. I don't think people know enough about Australian Labradoodles and just assume they are the same as any ol' labradoodle. I wouldn't spend that much on a regular labradoodle. Australian's were bred for their temperament and aren't crazy like some labradoodles. They are also much more likely to be shed free. A true Australian labradoodle has lineage back to Australia where they intentionally bred these animals to create a new purebred dog. You have to make sure you're getting an Australian vs someone just calling their dog an Australian. I think in order to be part of the ALAA, they have to trace back to the proper lineage. Our papers show the lineage. They also have to have the proper health clearances. Our breeder is an officer of the ALAA and she explained to me what you have to do to be certified. It costs a lot of money, so I don't think any old breeder would join it unless they are passionate about their dogs. Our breeder also does temperament test to make sure they have the temperament they are supposed to and does a program with them to make sure they are socialized and their temperament is good.

As pp stated, I shed more than my dog. The only time I see hair from her is when I brush her. Occasionally I'll see a tiny ball of hair that was a matte and came off. We keep ours a medium length, and honestly I don't brush her that often at all. Her hair just doesn't matte once we got past the puppy fur. However, if I wanted to keep her long, then I'd have to brush her much more often. We get her groomed about every 6 weeks. The groomer told me she can tell a difference between an Australian labradoodle and a labradoodle. In fact, she won't groom a regular labradoodle because she says they are too crazy or high strung usually and their fur isn't as easy to take care of. Our vet also told us the same thing as far as temperament, fur, etc. Our friends have a labradoodle that they got after meeting ours. She didn't want to wait for an Australian from a breeder because most have waiting lists. So she went with a labradoodle and she regrets it. She said it's a lot more high strung and sheds more.

I am wondering if maybe the ALAA doesn't set a suggested price or something. When we got ours a few years ago the price everywhere we looked was $2500. Then about a year or so ago I noticed the price went up to $2800. Just an observation I had noticed. Also, our breeder has probably 6-8 litters a year. However, she doesn't own any of the mothers. They live with their families and just come to be bred, get their health checks, and while they are having and taking care of their puppies. She only has 2 litters at her house at a time. The mothers only have 2-3 litter their entire life and are then "retired". So I think you really need to do research if you are concerned about the amount of puppies a year. Yes, they are probably making a good amount off of me, but those puppies are very well taken care of, socialized, bred well, etc. They weren't at a backyard breeders home where they have puppies, feed them, and that's it. There's lot of socialization going on and making sure the puppies are good quality. I love our dog and wouldn't hesitate to get another one. She loves to cuddle on my lap and follow us around. She's a really great dog. I don't think you'll regret it.

hillview
03-16-2017, 12:29 AM
we have 2 from different breeders and LOVE them

Pilotbaby
03-16-2017, 03:44 PM
We have an ALD, so I may be a bit biased, but they are the BEST dogs ever. Ours is just over 2 years old and her breeder sells them $2,800 as well. That really is pretty much exactly the going rate here. We were a bit sticker shocked by the price (like you), but honestly, after just taking her to the vet a few times, we quickly realized that it would be the LEAST of our expenses with dog ownership. Our breeder is also with the ALAA.

We specifically wanted an ALD, and not a labradoodle, because her parents, grandparents, ect. for many generations are all ALD, so we had a better idea of her temperament, adult size, ect. In that way, while she isn't purebred, we feel like we got the 'history' of her in the way that one would get with a purebred dog.

One thing I'd really encourage you to do is go to "doodlekisses"--it's an active community of really helpful doodle owners and I've learned so much from them. They can't post directly about good breeders, but many will PM you about their experiences with breeders (good and bad) so it's a great starting point. They also have specific boards on there about puppies, training, ect. and tons by geography, too, for doodle meet-ups/romps. I'm still a lurker on that board--but as a first time dog mom, I've learned so much.

Our ALD doesn't shed at all--I loose more hair then her! But, because of that, requires a lot of brushing (3-4 times a week). She LOVES people and other dogs and seemed to have been born with good manners. I'm realizing that maybe we exercise her more than the 'average' dog owner, but she is always really chill inside the house. It's probably because she's tired! All she does is follow us around from room to room and then just lie there and watch us cook/work/watch tv/do homework/ect. But, outside, she loves fetching and tug of war and playing with her neighborhood dog friends and just walking/running along side us. She never barks or begs for food and is so gentle with even the youngest kids that come to our house. She has these beautiful, soulful eyes and is just absolutely gorgeous. We take her with us everywhere, and everyone always wants to pet her. You will LOVE this breed--they are amazing dogs and make wonderful pets.

Now I really want to see a picture of your dog:) Can you post a picture? lol

baymom
03-16-2017, 06:03 PM
Now I really want to see a picture of your dog:) Can you post a picture? lol

Haha! I'll try tonight if I remember--I've never posted a pic to this board before, so not even sure how to go about it!

ArizonaGirl
03-16-2017, 07:29 PM
We have a Golden Doodle and I would really recommend Doodle kisses it's a great resource.

Jake is 13 months old and a complete doll.

He isn't crazy like some say, he does shed a bit (I find figure dust bunnies), but we have a black couch and it's not that noticable.

4584

4585

baymom
03-16-2017, 09:20 PM
Jake is a cutie!!! ❤. I tried posting a pic of our girl but couldn't figure it out.

trcy
03-16-2017, 09:39 PM
Thanks all! Jake is adorable! I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around paying so much for a mix, but it's great that there's so much love for these dogs.


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ArizonaGirl
03-16-2017, 10:04 PM
We have a Golden Doodle and I would really recommend Doodle kisses it's a great resource.

Jake is 13 months old and a complete doll.

He isn't crazy like some say, he does shed a bit (I find figure dust bunnies), but we have a black couch and it's not that noticable.

4584

4585

We paid $1200, which is a lot but he is amazing.

He is so good with my oldest who is autistic and has ADHD and ODD.

So gentle and loving, we think he is pretty great :heartbeat:

pastrygirl
03-17-2017, 08:27 AM
☹️ Now I want one... husband is still firmly NO DOG.

mackmama
04-11-2017, 12:39 AM
We paid $2600 for our miniature Australian Labradoodle. Our dog is a nightmare. I say this with difficulty as I am one of the biggest animal lovers in the world. She does not shed at all, is super sweet and absolutely adorable and gets stopped all the time because she's so cute... but she is SO high strung and barks **constantly.** We have worked with trainers and behaviorists and allergists etc. Nothing helps. She is now over 8yo. It's been very hard, but we adopt dogs for life so are dealing with it- but she truly has affected our life in many negative ways sadly. We did our research before buying her, know a ton about dogs, I've worked with animals all my life, bought from a very reputable breeder, etc.


So my honest opinion is to proceed with extreme caution... esp if you have a child that would be negatively impacted by a high-stress dog.