The World of doodles

Makemebad Turns into a sick stalker (In a fun way)

2011-08-21T16:48:00.001-07:00

The Earth Song

2011-06-10T00:14:00.001-07:00

Goldendoodle World's TwitWall

2009-06-07T20:32:00.001-07:00

Goldendoodle World's TwitWall

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Does the Goldendoodle make a good hunting dog?

2009-05-18T09:07:00.000-07:00

Does the Goldendoodle make a good hunting dog?

Author: Dee Gerrish

Does the Goldendoodle make a good hunting dog? Over the years, many people have contacted me asking if the Goldendoodle would make a good hunting dog and my answer is yes and no. Yes, because both the Standard Poodle and the Golden Retriever breed has been used for hunting and retrieving since both breeds have been known to exist. No, if the owner leaves the Goldendoodle's coat long and full providing this hybrid is a curly coat or a shaggy coat. Unlike the Standard Poodle, a curly coat Goldendoodle's coat does not have tight curls. The curls are more relaxed allowing briars, sticks and other particles to become entangled inside the coat. This will also occur if the Goldendoodle is a shaggy coat. I feel that the best coat type for hunting purposes would be the smooth coat Goldendoodle since the coat is very similar to the purebred Golden Retriever. Hunting is a very exciting hobby for many people across the world. Taking a trained canine into the field for hunting purposes has gone on for centuries. Originally, hunting with one's dog was for survival purposes only. Now it is simply a pleasurable sport and an activity someone can enjoy with their dog. The Goldendoodle hybrid can make a wonderful companion in the field for gaming purposes providing its coat is kept trimmed short if not a smooth coat doodle. Like the Standard Poodle and the purebred Golden Retriever, the Goldendoodle hybrid has a keen sense of smell. They enjoy the water and they enjoy retrieving. Although there are many types of canine who also enjoy hunting and retrieving, many people are unaware that the Standard Poodle was also used for retrieving and hunting centuries ago. The Goldendoodle can easily be trained as a "gun" dog or a "bird" dog. They are highly intelligent and eager to please. They are also considered to be a soft mouthed canine. It has been my personal experience since 1999, that our own Goldendoodle puppies show an enjoyment for playing in the water at a very early age. This may not be the case for other breeders, but it is the case for our own doodle dogs. The lineage of my Standard Poodles comes out of Bel Tor, Wycliffe, Dassin and Eaton lines. The history of these ancestral lines dates back to the early 1930s with many of our Goldendoodles' having master hunters and utility dogs for ancestors. The instinct for hunting and retrieving comes natural for our particular Goldendoodles. While some theorize that selecting a canine that has been genetically bred for gaming and hunting activities is the ideal way to have a canine for these purposes, many breeds are used for these activities and the Goldendoodle is no exception. The Goldendoodle hybrid can make not just a wonderful family companion, but he or she can also be trained to become an exceptional master hunter or utility dog. This terrific hybrid is very versatile and easy to work with. I have no doubt in my mind that should someone desire to include the Goldendoodle hybrid as a field companion, that they will be thrilled to have this dog by their side. * About the author : Dee Gerrish has written about the Goldendoodle hybrid since 1999. Dee is a founding breeder for the Goldendoodle dog and is one of the original goldendoodle breeders in the southern region region of the United States. Dee Gerrish was the first breeder to register the Goldendoodle hybrid with a ligit kennel club in the United States. More information about the Goldendoodle can be obtained at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/does-the-goldendoodle-make-a-good-hunting-dog-923832.html

About the Author:
Dee Gerrish has been a private, professional breeder for 13 years as of Jan. 2009; She was a respite and foster care provider in Mannheim, Germany and won many community awards for her dedicated service. Dee has written very popular Goldendoodle articles that are listed across the internet.

Goldendoodle Puppies video

2009-04-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

Goldendoodle Puppies

Does your Goldendoodle have an ear infection?

2009-04-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

The Goldendoodle is a wonderful, low shedding, low dander hybrid who is terrific with children of all ages. They do, however, have their issues. With all that cuteness comes the long, low hanging ears with lots of hairs covering them. Because the hairs are long and thick surrounding the ears, infections can occur.
Since 1999, we have come to know that the Goldendoodle hybrid comes in three coat types:

Shaggy. Curly. Smooth.

Among the three coat types of the Goldendoodle dog, the curly coat doodle seems to have more issues with their ears. The simple reason? Hair growing deep within the ear canal traps moisture and can cause bacteria to grow. Most Goldendoodles also enjoy swimming. Whether at the lake, swimming pool or the beach, water can become your Goldendoodle's enemy. The design of the ear itself, for the Goldendoodle dog, can be one of the problems they suffer these issues.

The fact that the Goldendoodle has multiple hairs covering the ear flap, is the perfect environment for creating ear infections! Bacteria thrives on moisture, especially in warm, dark, enclosed areas. Bacterial ear infections can cause your Goldendoodle tremendous pain and suffering.

Because the Goldendoodle has such thick, long, hairs over the tops of the ears, the ear itself has a difficult time drying out. It doesn't help matters much if hairs are also growing from deep within the ear canal. The curly coat Goldendoodle seems to have more issues with hairs growing deep within the ear, which is very similar to the Poodle. The shaggy coat and the smooth coat Goldendoodle do not seem to have these issues, although they can still suffer from ear infections should moisture build up or a yeast infection occur.

Another reason Goldendoodles can have ear infections is due to what is called, "ear mites". These are pesky little bugs that leave brown matter within your doodle's ears and can leave a very foul smell. Although ear mites can easily be killed with medicated drops, you will want your vet to ensure this is what is causing the problem before treating.

If we look at the design of the canine ear itself, you will see that the canal begins right at the opening of the Goldendoodle's ear and there is almost an immediate drop followed by a slight angle going straight down to the ear drum itself. It doesn't take much for moisture to build up within the ear.

What are the signs that your Goldendoodle may have an ear infection?
Your Goldendoodle may paw at his or her ears or shake their head quite a bit. Ear infections are very painful. You may notice that your Goldendoodle is rubbing his head against objects trying to relieve the pain. While your Goldendoodle is unable to directly speak to you, their body lanquage is letting you know something is wrong.

It is also possible to mistake an ear infection for a tooth problem! I once thought one of my dogs had an ear infection but after taking her to the vet, it was discovered that she needed a tooth to be pulled. So its very important to take your lovely hybrid to see your vet if you are witnessing the signs above. Your canine can lose its hearing if an ear infection is left untreated. The ears can become red and swollen. Skin infections can occur from constant scratching.
Sometimes your doodle may tilt his or her head to one side as well. Yeast infections can occur for multiple reasons. Dogs who do a lot of swimming at the lake can suffer from yeast infections within their ears because there is a lot of bacteria within the water itself. Yeast infections can be controlled with medicated ear drops provided to you by your vet.

If you notice any of the signs mentioned above going on with your Goldendoodle, please make sure to schedule a vet visit. Immediate treatment will prevent a simple problem from becoming worse.

*About the author: Dee Gerrish founded Goldendoodle World in 1999. She has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog through various blogs and articles. Dee is a private, professional, hobby breeder and began with purebred Golden Retrievers in 1996. Dee Gerrish is one of the original founders for the Goldendoodle dog in the southern region of the United States. Dee was the first breeder to register the Goldendoodle dog with a ligit kennel club, Universal Kennel International.

Does your Goldendoodle have an ear infection?

2009-04-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Does your Goldendoodle have an ear infection?

The Goldendoodle is a wonderful, low shedding, low dander hybrid who is terrific with children of all ages. They do, however, have their issues. With all that cuteness comes the long, low hanging ears with lots of hairs covering them. Because the hairs are long and thick surrounding the ears, infections can occur.

Since 1999, we have come to know that the Goldendoodle hybrid comes in three coat types:

Shaggy. Curly. Smooth.

Among the three coat types of the Goldendoodle dog, the curly coat doodle seems to have more issues with their ears. The simple reason? Hair growing deep within the ear canal traps moisture and can cause bacteria to grow. Most Goldendoodles also enjoy swimming. Whether at the lake, swimming pool or the beach, water can become your Goldendoodle's enemy. The design of the ear itself, for the Goldendoodle dog, can be one of the problems they suffer these issues.

The fact that the Goldendoodle has multiple hairs covering the ear flap, is the perfect environment for creating ear infections! Bacteria thrives on moisture, especially in warm, dark, enclosed areas. Bacterial ear infections can cause your Goldendoodle tremendous pain and suffering.

Because the Goldendoodle has such thick, long, hairs over the tops of the ears, the ear itself has a difficult time drying out. It doesn't help matters much if hairs are also growing from deep within the ear canal. The curly coat Goldendoodle seems to have more issues with hairs growing deep within the ear, which is very similar to the Poodle. The shaggy coat and the smooth coat Goldendoodle do not seem to have these issues, although they can still suffer from ear infections should moisture build up or a yeast infection occur. Another reason Goldendoodles can have ear infections is due to what is called, "ear mites". These are pesky little bugs that leave brown matter within your doodle's ears and can leave a very foul smell. Although ear mites can easily be killed with medicated drops, you will want your vet to ensure this is what is causing the problem before treating.

If we look at the design of the canine ear itself, you will see that the canal begins right at the opening of the Goldendoodle's ear and there is almost an immediate drop followed by a slight angle going straight down to the ear drum itself. It doesn't take much for moisture to build up within the ear.

What are the signs that your Goldendoodle may have an ear infection?

Your Goldendoodle may paw at his or her ears or shake their head quite a bit. Ear infections are very painful. You may notice that your Goldendoodle is rubbing his head against objects trying to relieve the pain. While your Goldendoodle is unable to directly speak to you, their body lanquage is letting you know something is wrong.

It is also possible to mistake an ear infection for a tooth problem! I once thought one of my dogs had an ear infection but after taking her to the vet, it was discovered that she needed a tooth to be pulled. So its very important to take your lovely hybrid to see your vet if you are witnessing the signs above. Your canine can lose its hearing if an ear infection is left untreated. The ears can become red and swollen. Skin infections can occur from constant scratching.

Sometimes your doodle may tilt his or her head to one side as well. Yeast infections can occur for multiple reasons. Dogs who do a lot of swimming at the lake can suffer from yeast infections within their ears because there is a lot of bacteria within the water itself. Yeast infections can be controlled with medicated ear drops provided to you by your vet.

If you notice any of the signs mentioned above going on with your Goldendoodle, please make sure to schedule a vet visit. Immediate treatment will prevent a simple problem from becoming worse.

*About the author: Dee Gerrish founded Goldendoodle World in 1999. She has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog through various blogs and articles. Dee is a private, professional, hobby breeder and began with purebred Golden Retrievers in 1996. Dee Gerrish is one of the original founders for the Goldendoodle dog in the southern region of the United States. Dee was the first breeder to register the Goldendoodle dog with a ligit kennel club, Universal Kennel International.

Bringing home your new Goldendoodle

2009-04-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

Bringing home your new Goldendoodle

This article offers a few helpful tips regarding what you will need to know after bringing home your Goldendoodle. I had always assumed everyone has owned a dog at some point in time throughout their life, but I was mistaken after becoming a breeder and meeting so many new people through the sales of my Goldendoodles. I was surprised to learn that there are plenty of people in this world who has never owned a dog before. If you are an inexperienced doggie person or if owning a dog is new to you, perhaps you will find this article of some assistance.

CRATE TRAINING

Expect your Goldendoodle puppy to cry a lot. This is very common. Even if your Goldendoodle puppy is weaned away from its mother, he or she is still use to sleeping and hanging out with its litter-mates. Separation anxiety occurs with every puppy regardless of breed or hybrid. Separation anxiety with young puppies can be lessened, however, especially with Goldendoodles who love having constant companionship when there are lots of kids around or other pets to help keep them busy.

This anxiety will last sometimes just a few days, but can last for up to 2 weeks. Every day that you have your new Goldendoodle….puppy or adult…will get better and better. When bringing home a young adult, re-training is common because you are new to the dog and the dog is new to you, your family, your pets, your home, your friends, your environment. Time is necessary for the dog to settle in and become acquainted to a new life and for you to learn about your new pet.

1. Before putting your Goldendoodle in his or her crate, make sure that you have taken your new Goldendoodle outside for a potty break. If you don’t, your Goldendoodle may think that the crate is a place to use the bathroom.

2. Your Goldendoodle may whine, cry or bark after you place him or her in their crate. This is normal. So long as you know that your Goldendoodle has been fed, had enough water to drink and has already used the bathroom, let them whine, bark or cry. If you cater to the noise that your Goldendoodle is making simply to get your attention, this will reinforce the behavior that its acceptable to do these things in order to get you to pay attention to him or her.

3. Some Goldendoodles are not crate trained or need to be re-trained for crate training. Start slowly. This means to allow your Goldendoodle to stay in his or her new crate for a short amount of time in the beginning. I never recommend using a crate as a way to house any dog for hours upon hours. This is not what a crate is for. Crating your Goldendoodle or new doggie should only happen if you are leaving home for an hour or two and you do not have a fenced in yard or secure area where your Goldendoodle can be safe when you are away from home; a safe place for your Goldendoodle to sleep at night; a safe place to spend time when he or she can not be supervised when you are busy. A crate is NOT a place for your Goldendoodle to spend every single day, for hours on end. This can lead to serious health problems including damage to your Goldendoodles’ joints and bones. As time goes by, you can increase the time that your Goldendoodle can spend inside of the crate and eventually, you can just leave the door open and your Goldendoodle will go into the crate automatically on his or her own.

What type of crate should you use?

Goldendoodles and most social dogs can become claustrophobic if they are housed in a plastic crate with few openings to see out of. The best type of crate to use is a powder coated metal crate where your Goldendoodle can see all the way around. Most Goldendoodles will whine or cry less if they can see you. Make sure to place your Goldendoodle’s bedding in the far back of the crate and put newspapers to the front. Do NOT use a divider inside of the crate to create a smaller space inside of the crate. It is NOT true that a dog will be less likely to use the bathroom inside of a crate if their area is smaller. What will happen is that your Goldendoodle will use the bathroom if an accident happens and they will not have any where to move out of the way. This will cause your Goldendoodle to step or sit in urine or feces and you’ll be doing a lot of bathing. Give your Goldendoodle as much room inside of his or her crate as is available. I always tell my doodle customers to buy an extra large crate and let the Goldendoodle puppy grow into it. If you buy a small crate just because your doodle is small at the time….you will be buying a new crate in a short amount of time. Crates can become expensive if you do this and you can save yourself unnecessary expenses by just buying an extra large crate right from the start!

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave a collar on your Goldendoodle when crating! I can not even stress this enough. Accidents happen and your Goldendoodle can accidentally choke itself if the collar gets tangled on the crate somehow. This can result in death. Keep the collar close by and you can always keep your leash close by as well. Do not put your Goldendoodle inside of his or her crate with a collar on.

Crates are great for teaching your Goldendoodle to become housebroken. Ensure that your Goldendoodle has used the bathroom before placing him or her inside of the crate. Unless you are going to be away from home for longer than four hours, do not leave water or food dishes inside of the crate. Goldendoodles love to play in water and they won’t hesitate to use the dishes as toys. This can create quite a mess. Giving your Goldendoodle a couple of toys to keep him or her busy while you are away is a better idea. DO NOT leave any toys inside of the crate that has buttons, bells, bows or any type of plastic that can be easily removed by sharp teeth. Before letting your Goldendoodle out of the crate, do not create excitement. Simply open the door and make your Goldendoodle sit quietly while you place his or her collar around its neck and then immediately take your Goldendoodle outside for a potty break. Do not play with your Goldendoodle while outside until AFTER he or she has used the bathroom.

This continuous motion will teach your Goldendoodle to wait until he or she is let out of the crate to use the bathroom. This will also help your Goldendoodle to associate the outdoors with going to the bathroom. Repetitive motions with your Goldendoodle helps your Goldendoodle learn new things quickly. If you create excitement upon leaving your home or coming home, your Goldendoodle can become anxious. Staying calm and not creating excitement helps keep your Goldendoodle calm. Remaining calm and being consistent is the key to pawsitive training!
Our next article will discuss helpful tips on housebreaking!

About the author:

Dee Gerrish established Goldendoodle World in 1999. Dee is prior military and has owned dogs all of her life. Dee became a private, professional, hobby breeder for Golden Retrievers in 1996 and began her Goldendoodle breeding program in 1999 after falling in love with her first Goldendoodle litter. Since 1999, Dee Gerrish has written extensively about the Goldendoodle hybrid. She has researched, photographed and documented the Goldendoodle hybrid since 1999 of which she enjoys sharing with others on her website and through many articles and blogs. Visit her website at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com/ to view more information about the Goldendoodle dog.

Opray Winfrey's puppy dies of parvo virus

2009-03-18T08:34:00.000-07:00

Oprah Winfrey's puppy dies of Parvo Virus

Imagine that! A celebrity's puppy contracting parvo virus! I don't know why so many people assume that the parvo virus is a breeders' fault when it can clearly happen to puppies and dogs owned by anyone, anywhere and at any time. When a canine contracts the parvo virus, it is not the fault of a breeder or owner. Parvo can attack puppies and dogs alike who are of any age, even if they have had vaccinations. According the Entertainment Tonight:

Oprah Winfrey's new puppy perishes

March 17, 2009, 7:41 PM EST
Entertainment Tonight
ET has learned that one of Oprah Winfrey's two newly-adopted puppies has passed away.
Ivan, a golden cocker spaniel mix that Winfrey adopted earlier this month, passed away late last week from parvovirus. Winfrey adopted Ivan shortly after adopting his sister Sadie earlier this month. In the March 6 episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Ivan was held up by "Oprah" show panelist Alexandra Wentworth.

ET has learned that Sadie also has parvovirus, an infectious disorder that can cause diarrhea and vomiting in dogs. Sadie is currently in stable condition.
"I'm saddened by his passing though we only had him for a weekend," Winfrey tells ET. "I remain hopeful that Sadie will pull through."

End of ET story...................................................................

I'm not glad that Oprah Winfrey's puppy contracted parvo and died. I am, however, very glad that this incident has come to light and that it happened to a celebrity such as Oprah Winfrey who is a huge "rescue" advocate. The reason I'm glad that it happened to someone like Oprah Winfrey...if it was going to happen to anyone...is because she is known to "rescue" dogs from shelters or rescue agencies and has, over the years, taken jabs at breeders and makes the claim that people should not buy puppies from breeders because they are "puppy mills" and the list goes on at the jabs she and her other advocate celebrity friends of hers has taken towards breeders over the years. So imagine my surprise to hear that one of Oprah's puppies that she more than likely adopted from a shelter....contracted parvo virus and died!

A lot of these rescue advocate snobs who sit upon their self made, soap oprah box to voice their personal opinions about breeders point fingers at breeders when an issue like parvo virus hits a puppy that someone has adopted. Here me now, people, parvo virus can attack a dog or puppy regardless of how terrific the breeder is. Many people do not realize that shelter dogs come with their own health problems and that parvo virus can attack dogs and puppies even in the cleanest environment. I am quite certain that advocate nuts will twist the reasoning around so that the blame still falls back to where Oprah's puppy originally came from......a breeder...because that's how they roll.

But let's learn a little somethin' somethin' about the deadly canine communicable disease called Parvo Virus:

WHAT IS PARVO VIRUS?

Parvoviruses are a large group; almost every mammal species (including humans) seems to have its own parvovirus. Fortunately, each virus is pretty specific about what animals it can infect (i.e. the pig parvovirus will not infect people, the canine parvovirus will not infect cats etc.) The canine parvovirus will affect most members of the dog family (wolves, coyotes, foxes etc.) and there is a new mutation that can affect domestic cats.

Parvoviruses are smaller than most viruses and consist of a protein coat (a "capsid") and a single strand of DNA inside. It is hard to believe that such a simply constructed organism could be so deadly; however, this virus has proved especially effective at infecting rapidly dividing host cells such as intestinal cells, bone marrow cells, cells of the lymph system, and fetal cells. Parvo viruses are difficult to disenfect away and very difficult for a puppy or dog to over come.
There are many parvo virus species have been well known for decades in our society, but the canine parvovirus is a relative new, when it comes to viruses. The original canine parvovirus, discovered in 1967 and called "CPV-1" or "the minute virus of canines," did not represent much of a medical threat except to newborn puppies. However by 1978, a new variant, "CPV-2" appeared in the U.S. This newer version seems to represent a mutation from the feline parvovirus (which is more commonly known as the "feline distemper virus"), though there is some controversy regarding what the parent parvovirus actually was. Because this virus was (and is) shed in gigantic numbers by infected animals and because this virus is especially hardy in the environment, worldwide distribution of the virus rapidly occurred. At this time, the virus is considered to be "ubiquitous," meaning that it is present in EVERY ENVIRONMENT unless regular disinfection is applied. More about parvo virus can be found on this link,

http://marvistavet.com/html/what_is_parvo.html

However, it's important to note that even "regular disinfection" can not prevent the parvo virus from attacking puppies and dogs. A bleach solution is really the best disinfectant to use if their puppy or dog has contracted parvo. But too many people assume that all they have to do is bleach their floors. All areas of your home must be cleaned with a bleach solution. The solution must be mostly bleach mixed with a little bit of water. Wiping counters, door knobs, floors and most surfaces will help kill the virus. Items that were used for your puppy or dog should be thrown away. Many people assume that they can just go right out and obtain another puppy or dog after the one they had, died of parvo. This is not recommended. A person who has lost a puppy or dog to parvo virus should ensure they have bleached every area, including the bottoms of their shoes, that their canine has been around. Many make the mistake of using the same toys, the same food dishes, the same crate, etc; Germs from the parvo virus can remain on these items and I definitely would not risk it by keeping these items for your next canine. Germs are not visible to the naked eye and who is to say if the virus still remains even if you have bleached them?

Parvo virus is NOT a breeder's issue. Parvo virus is everyone's issue. In 1978, there wasn't a single dog or puppy who had protection against this deadly disease. They had no immunity whatsoever. An epidemic happened which proved quite disastrous. By 1979 a second mutation called CPV-2a occurred and this particular virus was even more aggressive. Many veterinarians used the feline vaccine on dogs because back then, vaccinations were at a premium and not that affordable. Thirty years went by and a new virus began attacking dogs. This virus was CPV-2b. Virtually all dogs at that time were exposed to that particular virus. In 2000, an even newer virus hit the United States and this particular virus was able to attack even cats! CPV-2c was even deadlier than the CPV-2b. Cats who were vaccinated against feline distemper were protected.

In 2004, an even deadlier version of the parvo virus became known to not just breeders but to everyone who owned a dog in the United States. Vaccinations that puppies and dogs had been given didn't even protect them against the new strain that happened that year. Many puppies and dogs, that particular year, were hit with this new deadly strain even though many dogs were older dogs who had years of vaccines that was suppose to protect them. It was a known fact that in New York, many Goldendoodles and Labradoodles who attended a "doodle romp" that year, had been hit by the new virus and many of them unfortunately died and could not over come the disease even with hospitalization by top vets. We, ourselves, had been contacted by just a couple of customers in 2004, whose Goldendoodle pups had contracted this particular deadly strain and had passed away. It was devestating for not just our customers, but for us as a breeder. We knew the pups had been checked out as healthy by our veterinarian and we knew for a fact we had given them the proper vaccinations. We could not understand how or why a couple of our puppies had contracted this deadly disease especially given the fact we have always taken every precaution possible to protect our pups and dogs from deadly canine communicable diseases. This deadly strain of parvo virus happened to many breeders and dog owners alike, in 2004. This disease was wide spread through the United States and it was not particular of what dog or puppy it attacked. It is a known fact that even some veterinarians who were breeders themselves, had been hit with the virus that was new in 2004 and even they were unable to save all of the puppies or dogs who had contracted that particular strain of parvo.

What WE did, as a breeder who never wanted this to happen...hopefully...to us again, was contact several laboratories who made the parvo virus vaccine and find out everything we could as to the best way to protect our puppies and dogs from this deadly virus. We switched our vaccines to a newer version called "NEO-PAR" and we were told to use a "high titer", low passage vaccine in the beginning and then reverse the vaccine during the second phase of vaccinations by using a "low titer", high passage. This way, our puppies would receive the best protection possible. We have now also included a new vaccine that has come out for distemper and we add this vaccine as the third "puppy" vaccine so that our young puppies receive at least three sets of vaccines while still nursing with their mother, which also helps boost their immune system. So far, the changes we made in the vaccine types that our puppies and dogs receive as well as implementing our "no browsing" policy, has been completely effective in protecting our puppies and dogs from parvo. We have not had a single incident of parvo since 2004. Which of course, we are simply delighted over, but we know that a newer strain of parvo can happen at any time. Breeders and shelters alike always need to be diligent in their practices regarding vaccinations but also in how they allow people to come into contact with the animals in their care. Vaccines do not mean much if breeders and shelters allow the general public to handle their puppies and dogs simply for the asking. Parvo virus germs attach themselves to every article of clothing that a person wears. They attach themselves to your shoes, hair, clothing, even car tires! Anything that you have on your being at the time of visiting puppies and dogs of any age, can become deadly due to harboring parvo germs. Without you even being aware of it. We've been ridiculed by some for our strict "no browsing" policy since 2004.......but any breeder or dog owner who has suffered a financial loss, not to mention the emotional loss, of a puppy or dog, understands why our policy was put into effect. It is because of our strict policy and our vaccination changes that we have been very fortunate to not have a recurrance of parvo attacks and we do not apologize for the changes that we made.

There is an old saying....those that mind don't matter and those who matter, don't mind.

*About the author: Dee Gerrish has been a private, professional, hobby breeder since 1996. She has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog since 1999. Dee Gerrish has photographed, documented and researched the Goldendoodle dog since 1999. Dee was the first breeder to register the Goldendoodle dog with a ligit kennel club in the United States and Dee is one of the original founders for the Goldendoodle dog in the southern region of the United States.

Goldendoodle and other dog facts

2009-03-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

When it comes to Goldendoodles, they are a dog that is now the most loved, adored and also the most misunderstood canine of all. For instance, did you know that there are 701 pure breed dogs and that the Border collie, Poodle and Golden retriever are claimed to be the smartest of dogs? I do not know why just these three breeds were listed because I am sure there are other smart breeds of dogs out there and the person behind the poll definitly didn't include the Goldendoodle! Fact 1: The Goldendoodle dog is highly intelligent.

Goldendoodle dogs also have a superior sense of hearing and smell, but of course when it comes to documented evidence, the bloodhound is so trustworthy that it is the only dog whose evidence is admissible even in court of law in the United States! There are alot of Goldendoodle as well as other dog facts are very interesting. For instance, it is claimed that the Great Dane is the tallest of all dogs, while the Chihuahua is the smallest dog of all. But are they really? As a breeder of Goldendoodles since 1999, I know for a fact that one Goldendoodle we created some years ago turned into a 150 pound "small pony" ! And while it is claimed that the Chihuahua is the smallest dog, we own a tcup sized LhasaPoo (a different type of hybrid dog) who weighs three pounds or less and I've heard of some tcup Yorkies as well as Tcup Poodles weighing even less!

Goldendoodle dogs are usually very attached to their families. Some are even heroically so. Goldendoodles can even take care of their invalid or handicapped family members on a daily basis, if properly trained. Over the years, we've had some of our past customers train their Goldendoodle dogs as therapy dogs or assist dogs. Many rescue organizations and policing organizations use Golden Retrievers as well as other types of dogs as a part of their regular team. Some Golden Retrievers are used as narcotic dogs. While it is doubtful that a Goldendoodle can be used as a guard dog, I see no reason why they could not be trained as hunters, draught animals, drug and explosive detectors, and even as a dog who seeks out weapons.

In the Middle Ages, dogs wore spiky light armors and ran into the battle grounds to attack mounted knights. The Rottweiler was one such breed used in medieval battles. The German Shepherd dog has been used in the field with every day soldiers for many centuries. There are many fun facts regarding all dog types, but the Goldendoodle dog has not been around long enough to have a lot of facts written about them. The Goldendoodle dog was first known as a "Goldendoodle" sometime around 1997. This hybrid was first created by the Australians who were looking for a low shedding, low dander assist dog for those who had allergies. Goldendoodles in Australia are used for other purposes and make wonderful family pets for children of all ages. There are only three coat types for the Goldendoodle dog.

1. Shaggy.
2. Curly.
3. Smooth.

The Goldendoodle does not have any rare colors and actually can have markings anywhere on its body, of any color. The Goldendoodle dog also can have various eye colors such as brown, blue, green or multi colors. Since beginning our Goldendoodles in 1999, we have seen some Goldendoodles born with one green eye and one blue eyes or one brown eye and one blue eye. In 2010 we hope to create Duetche Kurzharr Doodles which is a German Shorthaired Pointer mixed with a Goldendoodle. Since we do have a sire with blue eyes and our German Shorthaired Pointer has lovely amber colored eyes and multiple freckles, we hope that we will see offspring coming out with not just lovely light colored eyes, but with spots and freckles. The German Shorthaired Pointer is extremely intelligent! Our own girl, Merry-Belle, is fascinated with squeeky toys and carries them all over the house. She loves to have someone hold a ball up in the air and anxiously awaits it to be tossed in her direction so that she can jump high up in the air to catch it.

Before purchasing any type of dog, you should attempt to learn all the important facts that pertain to the breed you wish to own. Many families make the mistake and hurry up to get a dog because their children have been insisting on having one. Many parents buckle under pressure. But the problem is, people who purchase a Goldendoodle under the assumption of knowing the facts, find out that the dog isn't for them. Sure enough, after the dog arrives home and the initial excitement has quieted down, the chore of actually taking care of the dog and molding its character begins. This is when the honeymoon is over and when most families realize that their Goldendoodle is really a bundle of work, like all dogs!

Children find out that the dog can't just let itself out to use the bathroom and many will gripe about having to constantly take their new dog out for bathroom breaks. Most of the chores of caring for a Goldendoodle or any dog for that matter usually falls to the parents after a few days. A puppy is cuddly and sweet until it poops or pees on the floor or has to be supervised at all times or when it howls and howls for attention from its human family. The Goldendoodle dog has become the most popular of hybrids because other dogs with long and short hair, shed profusely. Many people who buy a Goldendoodle are told by their breeder that the dog doesn't EVER shed and that they are "hypoallergenic". Imagine the family's horror when they realize that indeed their Goldendoodle dog sheds and not only does it shed, but it needs constant, regular care! This is just one example of how some doodle breeders try and use the "non shedding", "Hypoallergenic" key words to bring in a customer. An inexperienced breeder can lead someone to buy a Goldendoodle dog for the wrong reasons. Since 1999, we as breeders have watched the Goldendoodle hybrid go through 10-15 different coat changes. We know for a fact that the Goldendoodle dog does indeed shed. BUT, they shed like no other dog we've ever seen.

The Goldendoodle will lose a strand or two of hairs and not gobs of hair or clumps of hair. Unless your Goldendoodle has a hormonal imbalance, his or her coat is not going to just completely fall out. Unlike a dog with a double coat, the Goldendoodle dog has a single coat and sheds very, very little. As the Goldendoodle dog changes from a puppy to an adult, there will be coat changes and you may see its coat do the most shedding during this "growing up" phase. When the Goldendoodle dog turns a year of age, their owners will see the least shedding.

Goldendoodle facts become very important if you really want to understand your doodle. Knowing as much about your doodle dog will also help you with training. Some dogs are quick to learn, while others need more time. Regardless of breed, dogs are individuals and training needs to be specifically geared toward the individual dog itself and not by breed type or generalization. Just as human have their own unique way of responding to learning things, dogs are the same way. They are individuals just like we humans are. Most dogs respond well to rewards and praise, while a few breeds need firm commands and rigorous discipline. Goldendoodles do not learn well with negative training. Positive reinforcement works very well for getting your Goldendoodle to comply and respond to training commands. Some dogs like the Dalmatian, need a lot of exercise and are not very suitable to small living quarters, while others like the Poodle have a lot of grooming requirements. Shaggy and curly coat Goldendoodles have a high grooming requirement. All Goldendoodles, regardless of size, would do well indoors so long as he or she is taken for daily walks. Goldendoodles enjoy being where ever their human family members are. They are happy to run beside you if you are jogging or on your bicycle and they are just as happy to sleep at your feet if you are sitting down watching television. Goldendoodle dogs are snugglers. They usually are not independant dogs. They can become lonely if left for long periods of time without human companionship. Depending upon coat type, some Goldendoodles can tend to be barkers or high drive. It has been our own experience that the shaggy coat and smooth coat Goldendoodle has the best temperaments of all three coat types. The curly coat Goldendoodle can tend to pick up some of the quirkly traits of the Poodle. Those experienced with the Golden Retriever will want to stick with either the shaggy coat or the smooth coat Goldendoodle. Those experienced with the Poodle will want to stick with the curly coat Goldendoodle.

Many people believe that certain dogs inherit certain disorders like hip dysplasia and cataract based on breed type. Many people believe that some breeds are prone to getting fat if they are not exercised regularly. Genetic ailments can happen to any type of dog regardless of their breed and all dogs can become fat and lazy if they are over-fed and are lacking in exercise. Dogs who are inbred or backbred or come from a genetic bottle neck (lacking in a wide genetic gene pool) will be at a higher risk for having genetic ailments. Age also plays a direct role with health issues in dogs. It is not known why some dogs die from health issues and others can go through their entire lives not ever having a health issue. Just as people die from various types of health issues or just simply pass away in their sleep, dogs are very similar in this way. Goldendoodles who come from a first generation breeding seem to be the hardiest of dogs. Goldendoodles can be a long lived dog under ideal circumstances just as the Poodle is the longest lived dog of all dogs.

One of the most important dog facts most overlooked by many is that every purebred has been originally created with a particular purpose in mind. While the Lhasa Apso was originally created as a palace guard dog, the Poodle was used for multiple purposes such as retrieving, swimming and just being a companion. The German Shorthaired Pointer makes a wonderful gun dog and many Rottweilers and German Shepherds or Doberman Pinschers make excellent guard dogs. Depending upon the history and lineage of your Goldendoodle, he or she may have a wonderful compilation of traits that would be suited for multiple tasks or would simply just make a wonderful house pet.

If you expect a breed of dog to completely forfeit its inherent tendencies and don a new mantle, you are asking for trouble. Never expect a Goldendoodle to guard you or your possessions and don’t be surprised if your Pit Bull bristles with anger and ultimately attacks a stranger. Some traits are deeply rooted and instilled in particular breed types. With our own Goldendoodles, we do know that their lineage holds multiple companion dogs, Utility dogs, show dogs, Master Hunters as well as having a deeply rooted love for playing in the water. Training your Goldendoodle or entering them into obedience classes can help you to bring some discipline to your doodle as well as even enhance their natural tendencies. Training does not replace them.

Anyone deciding to purchase a shaggy or curly coat Goldendoodle must also need to learn basics in grooming unless you are going to have someone else groom the doodle. Being knowledgeable about the Goldendoodle will help you become a better doodle owner. Goldendoodles can participate in fun competition dog trials, even fun dog shows. Their are other important dog facts which also include a need to know such information like neutering, spaying, vaccinating and de-worming your doodle at regular intervals. You will want to have your vet place your Goldendoodle on a vaccination and deworming schedule and let your vet get to know your dog. It is also very important to know that owning a Goldendoodle as with any other type of dog can be expensive. Know before you buy, that you can afford the upkeep that your doodle will require.

In a nutshell, knowing your doodle facts will help you, the new doodle owner, to truly appreciate your Goldendoodle's uniqueness and will allow your doodle to happily spend its entire life with you.

**Author/breeder: Dee Gerrish.@2009.
**About the Author: Dee Gerrish as been a private, professional hobby breeder since 1996. Dee Gerrish has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog since 1999. Visit her site at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com/

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Let's talk doodle

2009-02-27T20:09:00.000-08:00

Back when I started with my Goldendoodles in 1999, many people here in the United States had never heard of them. "What is a Goldendoodle?", they'd ask. Even though the truck I drove had photos of a Goldendoodle all over it. My husband and I would have to explain to everyone that a Goldendoodle was exactly as what was visually seen on our truck.
Many years has passed since I first began creating Goldendoodles. Yes, I said, "creating", simply because back then I didn't "breed" them. We had to first create them....see if we liked them.....before we could keep some and place them into our breeding program. Back then, I was a purebred Golden Retriever breeder and would have never considered mixing any of my Golden Retrievers with a Poodle. Don't get me wrong. The Poodle is a fantastic dog, but there is far too much coat maintenence required of this breed and I had no desire to own a dog that I'd have to spend countless hours maintaining the coat. I wasn't even sure I'd like the personality of a Poodle, much less own one. But in 1999 I fell in love with a Poodle that I eventually named Scisco's Kid. I would later add another terrific boy that I named Darby. He has since crossed the rainbow bridge in his sleep, but I was very glad that I had kept a couple of Goldendoodles from his last sired litter back in March of '07.

Both of my original Standard Poodles helped begin my Goldendoodle breeding program. Scisco's Kid is still with me, but he is neutered and retired. Both dogs have produced some of the finest Goldendoodles out there. A couple of our past doodles live in Europe, with the remainder living in the United States. It has been a "learn as I go" experience with the Goldendoodle dog, which is why alot of the information on my Goldendoodle World website has changed over the years.

I've had to update my information as I've come to know it, experience it and see it for myself. What I've come to know and what I've already discussed quite a bit on my website, is the fact the Goldendoodle dog comes in three coat types. JUST three coat types. If a breeder has told you otherwise, then they have not educated themselves properly or learned enough about the Goldendoodle dog to tell you the facts. There are only three coat types for the Goldendoodle dog: 1. Shaggy 2. Curly 3. SmoothI want to talk a bit more about the shaggy coat because alot of people seem to be confused and I can see why. Indeed, many photos on the internet may show you Goldendoodles who have been trimmed down...so it isn't easy to tell what type of coat the dog has. Many photos may show you various types of hair cuts and so you can't get an idea of what the coat really looks like untrimmed. The shaggy coat Goldendoodle has lots of wispy hairs that go in every direction, all over its body. There will even be waves or slight curling at the tips of the shaggy strands of hairs. So, let's get a closer look at the shaggy coat Goldendoodle.

The shaggy coat Goldendoodle starts out looking like a purebred Golden Retriever puppy. Their body coat is soft, short and every doodle pup has a lovely round head. They are oh, so adorable! I've come to know that the more ripples about the coat within hours of birth, the shaggier the coat will be. A Goldendoodle puppy that is going to be curly as an adult will have multiple ripples from its head to its tail, within four hours of birth. You could literally take your finger and feel the ripples because they feel like little tiny bumps along the coat. But this article is about the shaggy coat Goldendoodle. When I had my first litter, I was confused after seeing the puppies as newborns. I wasn't sure what had happened because they looked just like Golden Retrievers. But an amazing transformation began to happen by the time the pups were just four weeks of age.

My Goldendoodle puppies began to look like fuzzy little teddy bears! Every day their coat continued to become thicker and shaggier and the hairs around the face began to peek out. By the time these little doodle buds were eight weeks of age, their coat was very fluffy. Now the one thing people need to remember is that a Goldendoodle puppy's coat is never the end result of what the coat will look like as an adult. I've had many people look at a Goldendoodle puppy and make the remark, "Oh...I thought it was going to be shaggy." But I had to explain to them...yes, of course they are going to be shaggy. Goldendoodles are never as shaggy in the puppy stage as they are an adult. The coat of a Goldendoodle will go in phases. I've literally counted 10-15 coat changes from the time a Goldendoodle is born up until the time they turn one year of age.

The shaggy coat Goldendoodle will look scrawny and as though they have stuck their paw into a light socket by the time they are six months of age. Like a teenager, they are going through a growing phase. Some shaggy coat Goldendoodles will have long, thin legs similar to the Standard Poodle and some Goldendoodles will have short legs and a stockier body. There is no way for a breeder to actually "breed" for either physical appearance, so don't ask your breeder for one "body type" over the other. A Goldendoodle, regardless of coat type, will literally take after any one of their ancestors because all of their ancestors play a 100% role in what or whom they become as an adult. Unlike the purebred dog, hybrids have not been refined down through the years to look exactly this way or that way....but as a Goldendoodle breeder since 1999, I can definitely tell you that all three coat types do have the same exact coat traits or similarities regardless of what breeder your dog has come from so long as the breeder sticks to the golden rule of creating first generation dogs only. Don't get confused. Stay with me here. Many people do not understand what the term, "first generation" means. The term "First generation" implies parent to child...not dog type. When I say that it's important for the breeder to stay with the golden rule of creating only first generation dogs, I mean that in order for the Goldendoodle to have very similar coat traits per coat type, the breeder must not breed two related dogs together. For example, a breeder must only pair up two dogs who do not have the same exact parents or same exact pedigree within the first three generations. The two dogs used for breeding should not have shared parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. They should not breed a brother and a sister together; a mother and a son together; a father and a daughter together or a grandchild to its grandparent.

Many show breeders do this, which is why the purebred dog has so many genetic health issues running through its bloodlines. So, Goldendoodles who come from a Goldendoodle/Golden Retriever mixture or two Goldendoodles or a Goldendoodle/Poodle mixture can still be first generation dogs if the parent dogs do not have shared, direct ancestors in the first three generations of their pedigree. If the children come from two parents who have different parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, those children are first generation. Many breeders will tell you that their Goldendoodles are "F1b" simply because they bred a Poodle to a Goldendoodle and they imply to you that their Goldendoodle pups are "backbred" simply because the Goldendoodle was bred back to a Poodle. This is not the correct meaning of "F1b". The correct meaning of "F1b" is that it means a Goldendoodle was bred back to a Poodle who shares the same ancestry or parentage as the Poodle within the Goldendoodle. They are really saying that they have possibly kept a Goldendoodle puppy out of one of their past litters and bred the dog back to its Poodle father or mother or possibly grandparent. Many show breeders for purebred dogs do this because they are trying to pull specific traits out of the dogs they create for show purposes. I'm here to tell you that a breeder can not have their cake and eat it too. Something will be lacking, some where, if their dogs are back bred or inbred. There's a reason that people should not create children if they themselves are directly related. There's a huge risk for genetic issues and that's why it isn't recommended. So is the same for dogs.

Every single shaggy coat Goldendoodle will have very similar features, as an adult. A shaggy coat Goldendoodle will have a full facial beard, a nice plume tail and a body full of shaggy hairs. The coat can grow quite long, so its difficult to say for certain, how many inches out from the skin the hair will actually grow. We do, however, recommend that if you are going to trim your Goldendoodle's coat short, leave at least an inch to an inch and a half out from the skin so that there is hair to help protect your doodle from getting a sunburn or from insect bites while outdoors.

Every Goldendoodle, regardless of coat type, has a single coat. The coat hairs on a shaggy coat doodle, itself, sprouts away from the body, the tail, the legs and the face in every direction. The hair can become very thick and the shaggy coat Goldendoodle does require alot of coat maintenence. This is the only downside to owning a Goldendoodle who is NOT a smooth coat. A doodle with a shaggy coat or a curly coat, who lives outside or enjoys many outdoor activities is going to be one messy dog if the coat isn't kept trimmed, washed and brushed on a weekly basis. If your doodle does alot of swimming at the beach, lake or inside of a personal pool, you may not want to have your doodle's coat remain long and shaggy. Of course if you don't mind all the coat requirements, then the coat can remain as long and thick as you personally like. The shaggy coat Goldendoodel can also have blue, brown, green or multi colored eyes and their body coat can literally come in all different colors!

The Goldendoodle in the photo up above has its coat trimmed short, by me, and this particular dog is an adult dog. The tail of a shaggy coat Goldendoodle is actually much thicker and longer if left untrimmed and this goes for the body coat as well. Every Goldendoodle, regardless of coat type, has a tail that rides high up over the back. Their tail curls up over the back because believe it or not, the tail of a Poodle also rides high up over the back if left undocked. I had never known this, myself, until I purchased a Poodle who for some reason, never had its tail docked. I later had my vet dock the tail and I will tell you that I will never have another adult dog's tail docked. It was a painful experience for my Poodle, for about two weeks. All dogs should have their tail docked when they are two days of age, if their tail is going to be docked. It is virtually pain free and little to no bleeding whatsoever when docking the tail of a newborn pup when done correctly. A show breeder with 25 years of experience had shown me many years ago, how to properly dock the tail of a newborn pup. I recommend to every breeder to have a mentor with multiple years of experience if you want to become a successful breeder. Their experience is invaluable to you. I would never personally recommend anyone dock the tail of an adult dog. If their tail has not been docked as a newborn, leave it natural. I have no idea why the breeder of one of my Poodles had not docked the tail. In Europe, it is against the law to dock tails or crop ears. Not even vets will perform such procedures, in Europe. All dogs in Europe have a natural appearance, including show dogs. I had not known this until my husband and I had visited a couple of dog shows while stationed in Germany. It was then that I learned that they do not permit any dog to have its tail or ears altered in any way, shape or form. We found this out when we purchased a Boxer dog and asked our vet to crop his ears. His tail was naturally short. Had he been born with a natural tail, he would have been a funny looking Boxer dog...according to American standards. The American Kennel Club is the ONLY kennel club that requires purebred dogs to have ears cropped and the tail docked of specific breeds. I'm not sure why they require this. I also feel that AKC is wrong for not allowing neutered or spayed dogs compete in dog shows. That to me is quite hypocritical considering the fact they promote the altering of dogs. I believe they should allow dogs who have been spayed or neutered to compete in champion dog shows. I see nothing wrong with that and I'm sure many people will agree.

There's a reason the Goldendoodle has become so popular and it isn't just because it's a low shedding dog. The Goldendoodle is soft, cuddly and incredibly sweet. The Goldendoodle, regardless of coat type, is a very happy, outgoing dog who loves affection and enjoys being with their human family members. The amount of love a Goldendoodle has to offer is simply unbelievable. Most Goldendoodles work out for children of all ages, but we have found that the smaller the doodle, the less likely it would make a good candidate for children. Many Toy sized dogs are nervous around children or a large group of people. I'm not sure why this is, but it just seems to be a fact. It seems to me that the very small Goldendoodle would prefer to be a lap dog and usually gravitates towards only one person and not an entire group. Goldendoodles 20-25 pounds or more are better able to handle a lot of activity and seem to be more suited for children. Especially small children. I've never recommended any family obtain a toy sized dog if they have small children. For some reason, many people want to buy their small kids toy sized dogs. As a breeder, I never thought this was a good idea. I have found that many breeders of toy sized dogs feel the very same way. Some will not even allow their little dogs to be adopted by families with small children. It just isn't a good match.

The shaggy coat Goldendoodle has alot of love to offer. They are very funny to watch as young puppies and they will certainly give you alot to laugh about. But puppies are not always a laughing matter. They are a lot of responsibility and require a lot of work. Many people assume that it is very easy to house break or potty train a puppy rather than a young adult dog. Well, I will be the first person to disagree with that notion. Young puppies have absolutely no self control whatsoever. They do not have a fully developed sphincter muscle and physically can not hold their bowels in check for very long. Puppies also have a very short attention span. They literally do nothing as a puppy, except eat, pee, poop, play and sleep. Playtime for a puppy is generally high activity for about 30 minutes and then off they go for a very long nap. This is why I don't understand why so many people have the idea that training a young puppy is much easier than training a young adult dog. I've completely found it just the opposite. As I write this article, I have a German Short-haired Pointer that I obtained as a five month old puppy. She had never been exposed to the indoors of a home...no potty training experience and was afraid of everything because she had not been exposed to anything other than other puppies. Smart and incredibly loving, her intelligence springs out through her eyes. She's a very high activity level type of dog, so getting her to calm down and relax has been a challenge. We are still working on self control. Since I'm not a trainer whatsoever, I've been teaching myself how to train this particular puppy. I want her to learn to live indoors, so working with her every single day is very important. Personally I will share with you what has worked for me, for housebreaking a puppy who was never exposed to any type of potty training. Every day gets better, so let me get that out there right now. Some people have the notion that they are going to get a puppy and within a few short days, housebreaking will be a thing of the past and their puppy will magically become housebroken over night. If you are one of these people who thinks like that, you'd better make sure that the dog is one hundred percent housebroken or you will be looking to find your dog a new home very quickly. Impatient people will need to hire a professional dog trainer or farm out their dog to a professional dog trainer who keeps the dog until they are fully trained. This type of nonsense is for lazy people who want instant gratification. Trust me...those type of people exist and they are out there. Yelling, screaming, getting upset and freaking out won't help your puppy or dog learn how to use the bathroom or behave while inside of your home. Positive reinforcement works and I will be the first person to tell you that you should always keep your puppy or dog on a retractable leash if you want the housebreaking to go quickly. I learned this from experience.

Let's talk about potty training for just a few seconds and then we'll get back to the shaggy coat Goldendoodle. What I personally discovered is that placing your puppy or dog on a retractable leash and taking your pet to the same exact area, each and every time, will make the process go faster. A retractable leash is nicer than a standard leash because you can allow your dog to move further out away from yourself and you can also retract the leash to give a short, quick jerking motion if your pet isn't doing what he or she is suppose to be doing. You must have control of the leash and its movements for the sake of potty training. If your puppy or dog wants to start taking off in a direction that you do not want him or her to go, just jerk back on the leash by releasing the lock and letting the leash retract back into the handle and give a slight jerk at the same time, with a very quick, short command of "NO" at the same time. Unless your puppy or dog is a toy sized dog, make sure you purchase a heavy duty retractable leash. Release the leash to allow it to come back out of the handle so that your dog can continue to do what it was that you wanted him or her to do in the first place after giving it a few short jerks.
I used a harness on "Merry-Belle" (my German Shorthaired Pointer) and not a collar. It was easier to control her movements with a body harness. I kept the harness on her all the time for about a month. After she began to associate the harness and the leash with going outside to potty, I was then able to graduate her to a neck collar. Now I can simple take the end of the retractable leash and wrap it around her neck and clip the leash unto itself and not even worry about a collar if I am going to take her outside in the yard. You will want either a harness or neck collar if you take your dog out in public. But for simple front or back yard trips, you don't have to place the collar on your pet every time.

I never leave collars on my dogs full time. Ever. Dogs have a strange way of getting caught on something and this can be deadly if you are not supervising your pet or at home. Never leave a collar around your dogs' neck if you are not at home or supervising your dog. The consequences can be deadly and I can't stress this enough to people who have never had this unfortunate experience. If you have been lucky enough to never experience the consequences of your dog hanging itself from getting its collar caught on an object while you were not at home, then your one of the lucky few and it could just be a matter of time before you will experience this horrible tragedy. Believe it or not, even crated dogs can hang themselves with deadly consequences if you place it inside of the crate with its collar on.

I began to notice with Merry-Belle that if I took her outside for potty breaks while on leash and to the same exact area each and every time, she would do her business immediately. However, if I simply asked her if she wanted to go outside and I opened the door for her to zoom outside, all she wanted to do was run around the yard to play. So, its important that you place your dog on the leash each and every time you are taking it outside for potty breaks. With a puppy, it seems like you've had to take the dog out every ten to fifteen minutes! It can become exasperating and sometimes frustrating.

With Merry-Belle, no sooner than I brought her inside from using the bathroom outdoors...it seemed she had to go again. Literally within minutes! Or at least it seemed like minutes. Another important thing to remember is that your dog can not talk to you through yelling, "Hey, You! Take me outside!" . Your dog will look at you as if staring. Your dog will sometimes whine. It will sometimes constantly come up to you as if wanting to play...when it really is asking for you to take him or her outside for a potty break. Since you just came back inside, you will think they want to play. Not! They want to go back outside. So...learning the signals to communicate with your dog or puppy is essential. As the days go by of bonding, both of you will soon learn to speak each others' lanquage. Think of your dog as being a person from another country. They don't speak your lanquage nor do you speak their lanquage. You wouldn't yell at the person if you could not communicate...even though it would be frustrating to not understand what that person was telling you. So, through body lanquage and other signals, you have to teach each other how to get your messages across. Merry-Belle will now bring me her toy and drop it at my feet if she wants to play. If she needs to use the bathroom, she will come and sit next to me or stare at me or whine at me. She now knows it is important to communicate to me that she needs something. I've also learned how to communicate with her and understand her signals. So, it's really important that you teach your dog or puppy how to communicate with you if he or she needs something and if you pay close enough attention to your dog, you will see that they also are teaching YOU how to communicate with THEM through their own body signals.

I discovered that Merry-Belle loves to play with specific toys. She loves to carry around anything that squeeks! She particular enjoys toys that has something for me to grab onto at the other end so we can tussle with it. So, you can use a simple favorite toy as a "treat" when your puppy or dog has done what you wanted him or her to do. Giving food treats isn't always a good thing because your canine can become very over weight which is not good for its joints or heart or other internal organs. What I did with Merry-Belle for housebreaking, was that I released her from the retractable leash after she did her business and then I tossed her favorite toy for her to play fetch with. She soon learned that playtime was AFTER she did her business and not before. Releasing your pet from the leash soon AFTER he or she has used the bathroom outdoors will teach him or her that play time comes after and not before pottying and by playing with your dog AFTER it has done its business and not before, also teaches your dog to associate the outdoors with pottying and not for playing. Dogs are relatively simple creatures if we learn how to communicate with them. Repitition is also key to learning. Doing the same thing, at the same time, every single day over and over again helps your dog learn faster. As I said, I'm not a dog trainer nor do I claim to be. But I can share with you what has worked for me and perhaps what I've learned will help YOU too.

Now, if you want to learn more about the shaggy, curly or smooth coat Goldendoodle and your on a doodle quest....take the time to visit our website at http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LmdvbGRlbmRvb2RsZXdvcmxkLmNvbS8= as I've spent since 1999 writing about the Goldendoodle and taking hundreds of snapshots of not just the dog itself, but of various coat phases and changes! Plus, since 1996, many of our fantastic customers have shared with us, photos of the dogs they have purchased from us and by sharing their photos with us...we've turned around to share them with you. Our Goldendoodle World website is the most comprehensive, educational, extensive doodle site on the internet and we hope you'll enjoy not just our website....but join us too! We ship worldwide and we welcome everyone to personally come to our home to pick up their next doodle dog.

**About the author: Dee Gerrish has been a private, professional breeder since 1996 but has owned dogs all of her life. Dee Gerrish is one of the original founders for the Goldendoodle dog in the southern region of the United States. She has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog since 1999. Dee Gerrish was the first breeder to register the Goldendoodle dog with a ligitimate kennel club in the United States...."Universal Kennel Club".

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Goldendoodles come in three coat types

2009-02-26T08:13:00.000-08:00

Since creating the Goldendoodle (we began in 1999), we have witnessed the Goldendoodle dog as having three distinct coat types:

1. Shaggy (The shaggy coat always has waves about the hair ends) 2. Curly 3. Smooth

Many people do not know that much about the Goldendoodle dog but we have studied this terrific hybrid since 1999. Since 1999, we have created the Goldendoodle in just about every way imaginable, except for AI (artificial insemination). We will proceed to tell you how we achieved our three coat types in our Goldendoodles and we will proceed to tell you what we know to be a fact and not rumored guesses. Since we achieved the smooth coat doodle in 2007, we don't have any photos of smooth coat adult doodles to show you.

By the end of 2008, the smooth coat doodles that we created in 2007, will be adults and we'll have photos of their coat changes as well as information about their coat changes at that time.The majority of our Goldendoodles are a 50/50 mix of Poodle and the Golden Retriever. Our Goldendoodles who are a 50/50 mixture (Golden Retriever/Poodle) allows the majority of our doodles to have the shaggy coat. Every Goldendoodle that has a shaggy coat, regardless of breeder, will have waves at the end of each strand of hair giving the coat a "messy" appearance with the coat hairs going in all directions. Let's say "messy" but very cute!

All Goldendoodles with a shaggy coat have the same features (regardless of breeder) which includes a full facial beard; thick plume tail that rides high up over the back; low thick, hanging ears; almond shaped eyes and a near constant smile on their face. We would like to add that some shaggy doodles can and do have short ears that tip over at the top with the coat hairs being much longer than the actual ear. Regardless of coat type, Goldendoodles come in an assortment of colors and markings. There are no rare colors or markings for the Goldendoodle dog. The most common colors for the Goldendoodle are cream and apricot. While some people assume that the Goldendoodle has this lovely thick shaggy coat as a puppy, we will factually tell you that this does not occur all the time with every single doodle or litter of doodle pups. Some doodles become quite shaggy by 8 weeks of age while others must grow into their coat. Some doodles do not become very shaggy until six months of age.

Regardless of coat type, the doodle is considered fully grown by the age of one year and the coat thickness as well as length they have at age one year, is the coat they will have for life. The features of the facial beard are evident at approx. 4 weeks of age. This feature at age four weeks of life is in the shape of an upside down "V". Most curly doodles do not have a facial beard, rather their coat is curly from their head down to their tail. Smooth coat doodles are completely void of the facial beard entirely. A breeder will know at an early age whether or not their Goldendoodle puppy will be curly, shaggy or smooth in coat type. It is quite rare to have an entire litter of smooth or curly coated doodles unless the parent dogs are specifically smooth or curly themselves. Offspring from a 50/50 pairing are mostly shaggy with perhaps 1 or 2 pups in any given litter as being curly. All Goldendoodles are fully mature by a year of age. 98% of the time, we see the shaggy coat type from a 50/50 mix. The other 2% have curls about the coat. We never saw a smooth coat Goldendoodle until 2007.

This is mainly because we were not sure about taking the risk of breeding a Goldendoodle to a Golden Retriever due to not knowing what to expect out of the coat. Since most of our Goldendoodles were either a 50/50 mixture or came from a Poodle/Goldendoodle mixture, we had to do more research regarding genetics before delving into a Goldendoodle/Golden Retriever type pairing.(Tucker...above photo... is a 50/50 mix but has the curly coat that we see in 2% of our 50/50 Goldendoodles.)In 2007, we discovered that pairing two Goldendoodles together (both of whom were NOT closely related on the Retriever side and both had different Poodle parents), that the majority of the offspring would be smooth coated doodles.

The two Goldendoodles we paired up had blue eyes and this is why we elected to breed them together. It was our hope that we would achieve blue eyed offspring that had a smooth coat so that if we chose to keep one for our breeding program, we would then use the selected dog as a mate for a non-related Poodle. This pairing would then create shaggy offspring but would also instill the blue eyed recessive gene further increasing our chances for more doodles with blue eyes. The pairing up above did not give us an entire litter of smooth coated doodles or an entire litter of blue eyed doodles. Although both parents have blue eyes and both carry the recessive gene for blue eyes, only 2 of the pups had blue eyes. Both were smooth coated doodles.

Of the four pups that were born to that particular litter, 2 had blue eyes; 1 had the usual brown eyes (and the usual shaggy coat) and 1 had green eyes (as well as a smooth coat.).

We felt that because both parents had more Poodle within their DNA structure given the fact they both came from a Poodle/Goldendoodle mixture and both had the curly coat (the usual indication that the doodle has more Poodle DNA.) that this would keep the low shedding factor for any smooth coats that would be produced but we had also thought that we'd have a 50/50 chance of having half with a smooth coat and half with a shaggy coat. This was not the case for the coat type or eye color. 4 pups were born to the litter and only 1 of the pups had the usual shaggy coat. The other three had a smooth coat. At 10 weeks of age, the smooth coat doodles in this litter are void of the facial beard (and will be forever) but have maintained thus far a low shedding coat. I am going to say that it is safe to say that should a breeder pair up two Goldendoodles for mating and if both of those Goldendoodles have more Golden Retriever traits with the shaggy coat instead of the curly coat with more Poodle traits, their offspring may not be so lucky as to have a low shedding coat and technically the offspring may not produce one single shaggy coat type in the entire litter. I may be wrong, but I think I'm more right. All of the offspring could be a smooth coated doodle with similar shedding as that of the Golden Retriever.

I personally would have never considered breeding two Goldendoodles together but because we specialize in blue, green and multi-colored eyed doodles, we wanted to increase our chances for lighter eyed doodles for the future by integrating the blue eyed recessive gene. We are getting more requests for Goldendoodles who have a near identical appearance of a Golden Retriever but MINUS the shedding. It is a fact that breeders will NOT have smooth coated doodles who have a near identical appearance of a Golden Retriever unless they breed a Goldendoodle sire (who has more Poodle DNA) to a purebred Golden Retriever or unless they breed two Goldendoodles together who have more Poodle traits. In our case, just this year (2007), we achieved our first doodle who had a near identical appearance as that of a purebred Golden Retriever through the pairing of a Goldendoodle who had more Poodle DNA and a purebred Golden Retriever. Our Goldendoodle sire had enough Poodle in him to allow the entire litter to stay low shedding that we normally we see in our 50/50 mix doodles. Even so, it appears that our Golden Retriever genes are quite strong and more dominant than the Poodle genes. In this pairing, we achieved a smooth coat Goldendoodle who had an identical coat appearance as that of the purebred Golden Retriever but has thus far remained low shedding.

She was the only doodle in her litter to be a smooth coat. Her brothers had the shaggy coat. (see below.)(the doodle above left has a near identical appearance as that of the purebred Golden Retriever while her brothers (pup to the right) had the usual shaggy coat.)What is a "smooth coat" Goldendoodle? A smooth coat doodle is a Goldendoodle that has a soft coat similar to the purebred Golden Retriever. Some can have the same exact texture in the coat as a purebred Goldendoodle and some can have sort of a short fluffy texture with a bit of fluff about the ears. As the doodle ages, their ears will have evidence of some Poodle DNA, most of the time......meaning that the ears will be fluffy (sometimes thick with some curls) and their face will be void of the facial beard. The coat is smooth upon the legs, body and tail. Little hairs will stick away from the legs, body and tail but it will not be as long as the Golden Retriever nor will it feather like the Golden Retriever.

A smooth coat Goldendoodle will have some indication of Poodle in its genetic make up by having some curls or a bit of fluff about the ears, Possibly the legs and tail tip. They will still sport the hanging ears as well as the almond shaped eyes. The muzzle is somewhat slender, similar to the Poodle's facial structure. Most smooth coat doodles have nice long, slender legs that is also a Poodle trait. The majority of its entire body will be void of any curls or shag but the texture of the coat is not always identical to the purebred Golden Retriever. Sometimes a smooth coat doodle will have a fluffy, short coat. It is really dependent upon how many retriever genes have been picked up. If the parent or parents have the blue or green eyed recessive gene or they themselves have blue or green eyes, the offspring can pick up either blue or green eyes and if the dominant eye color is brown, then a smooth coat doodle could very well resemble quite closely the purebred Golden Retriever along with having brown eyes.

Should the breeder match a Goldendoodle sire who has more Poodle DNA, to a purebred Golden Retriever dam (which is what we did), the majority of the litter will sport the usual shaggy coat with the exception of 1 or 2 pups who will have the smooth coat type. The nice thing about this type of pairing is that the breeder will achieve the Golden Retriever personality traits while forfeiting the shaggy coat by 1 or 2 pups. It's a nice sacrifice and works out terrific for those seeking a smooth coated doodle that has low shedding and yet a Golden Retriever appearance.The only way the entire litter would have a smooth coat is for the breeder to pair up 2 smooth coated doodles for mating and unless the breeder has a request for quite a few smooth coated doodles, I would not recommend this sort of pairing. It has been our experience that the majority of those seeking a doodle are seeking the usual fluffy, shaggy coat. I don't even know if it is possible to have low shedding in the offspring of two smooth coated doodles bred together, nor would I personally want to find out. The entire purpose for the doodle is the have low shedding and I'm certainly not going to take the risk of having doodles that shed like Golden Retrievers. For all actual, honest purposes, if a breeder was going to pair up two smooth coated doodles for mating, why not just then breed 2 purebred Golden Retrievers together. The outcome will generally be the same in the offspring. No beard. No curls. No shag. No fluff. High shedding.

Breeders are able to achieve more doodles with the curly coat type by pairing up a Goldendoodle sire to a Poodle dam or vice versa. We literally saw Goldendoodles pick up more of the curly coat type with this sort of pairing, not to mention the fact the offspring had a very different personality than that of our Goldendoodles who picked up more Golden Retriever traits. Goldendoodle offspring who come from a Goldendoodle/Poodle pairing generally have a near identical appearance as that of a purebred Poodle right down to the personality, slender face, slender body type and long legs. It has been our experience that this type of pairing is not that desirable when families are seeking a Goldendoodle for their children or if a family is very active and has a lot of contact with strangers. A Goldendoodle with more Poodle DNA seems to be more reserved around strangers than doodles who have more Golden Retriever traits. We did see a complete difference in temperament and behaviour between the doodles with more Poodle traits and doodles with more retriever traits.

We saw fewer doodles born with a shaggy coat if one of their parents was a Poodle and the other parent was a Goldendoodle. Often they had the same slender build, curly coat, slender facial features and long slender legs as that of the purebred Poodle. The difference in the coat is that a Goldendoodle with a curly coat will not have the same "tight" curls as their purebred counter part. Their curls are relaxed and when brushed out, their coat is very fluffy like cotton candy. A curly coated doodle also does not sport the facial beard since their entire face is curly and thick. Even their tail is thin where the coat is concerned, very similar to the Poodle. When shaved down, they will resemble a purebred Poodle with a long tail and they too will sport the long, hanging ears. Their tail will be thin and in this case, docking of the tail may be more desirable.Some breeders dock the tail of Goldendoodle offspring who have a curly coat and this is because their tail will not sport the usual PLUME that is seen in a Goldendoodle who has more Golden Retriever traits. A Goldendoodle with a curly coat will usually have a thin tail that some may find unattractive due to the coat not being as thick in this region of the body. Docking the tail that is not going to exhibit the usual plume does make the tail more attractive, but this is just personal preference and not something all breeders do.

Generally we do not dock the tail unless the buyer has paid for their doodle in full by the time the doodle is 2 days of age and this is what they have requested. Since we now know, after all of our years of research, that the Goldendoodle does have three coat types, some will ask does the different coat types make a difference where shedding is concerned and my answer to this is, yes and no. While many believe that multi-generation doodles shed less than first generation doodles, we know that to be completely false just because we have only created first generation Goldendoodles since 1999 and we have created first generation Goldendoodles in nearly every imaginable way and know for a fact that all first generation Goldendoodles will still be a low shedding dog so long as the breeder pairs up their breeding dogs properly. This means that if you want to have low shedding offspring, don't pair up 2 Goldendoodles that have more Golden Retriever traits. Also do not pair up a Goldendoodle with more Golden Retriever traits to a purebred Golden Retriever.

While you'll get a terrific personality and temperament, you will have to forfeit the low shedding coat! Rule of thumb is that in order to keep the offspring low shedding, there has to be enough Poodle genes instilled into the genetic structure of the offspring. The breeder has to decide what is more important in what it is they are attempting to achieve. If coat is the issue, then they have to focus on coat type. If temperament is the issue, they will have to forfeit something in order to keep temperament. We'd love to say that as a breeder we can have our cake and eat it too, but that's not reality. That's a dream. I personally prefer my Goldendoodles have more Golden Retriever traits because we see them have the highest adoption success rate over the ones who have more Poodle traits. I don't buy the theory that "perhaps its the temperament of the Poodle parent" causing the issue. Nonsense. If the Poodle parent was causing the "reserved" traits, then all of our Goldendoodles would have quirky temperaments. As it is, we only see the doodles with twice the Poodle have unusual reserved issues with strangers. Those who have more Golden Retriever traits would probably help a burglar load up the car with YOU stuff.

Author/Breeder: Dee Gerrish has been a professional, private breeder for 12 years as of January, 2008 and has researched the creation of Goldendoodles extensively. Check out her website at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com/ for photos and more terrific doodle news!

*Photo courtesy: Lori and Goldendoodle Marley. Marley is a shaggy coat Goldendoodle from Goldendoodle World. He has a personal page on our website at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com/

Marley is also a Goldendoodle/Golden Retriever mixture.

*Goldendoodle "family" advertisement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT7fiEZywmA

What is a smooth coat Goldendoodle?

2009-02-26T08:03:00.000-08:00

What is a smooth coat Goldendoodle?

A smooth coat Goldendoodle is of course, a Goldendoodle......but, a Goldendoodle with a very easy coat to maintain and a Goldendoodle that has a very similar appearance to the purebred Golden Retriever. There are, however, differences.The smooth coat Goldendoodle may seem to have a similar appearance as that of a purebred Golden Retriever, but you will notice their legs may be long like the Poodle.....their muzzle may be slender like the Poodle........they may have some fluff about the ears and neck and of course, their bone structure may be more petite, similar to the Poodle.Since creating Goldendoodles in 1999, we know now that there are three coat types for the Goldendoodle dog:A. ShaggyB. CurlyC. SmoothWe obtained our very first smooth coat in 2007 when we decided to breed one of our blue eyed, curly coat Goldendoodles to one of our purebred Golden Retrievers. "Meeryn" (as seen up above in the photo) was our very first smooth coat Goldendoodle. Our intention of the pairing for her parents was to attempt to have at least one blue eyed doodle pup or one with multi eye color. It did not happen with this pairing. We found it interesting as well that there was just 1 smooth coat doodle born in a litter of six.

The rest were males who had a shaggy coat. We were pleased to find out that the Golden Retriever temperament was set in the offspring. Some breeders have asked us how can you tell if their Goldendoodle puppy is going to be a smooth coat, curly coat or shaggy coat and our answer has always been, you'll have to wait until the puppy is closer to six weeks of age. There are particular signs to look for that go with the three coat types. An experienced breeder will know over time that if they have Goldendoodles paired up in a particular way, they will have one or more of each coat type. The inexperienced breeder has to wait for the puppy to become closer to six or eight weeks of age.With the smooth coat, their body coat will appear to turning fluffy but there will be no evidence upon the face of the usual signs that a facial beard is forming. All Goldendoodle puppies, except for the smooth coat, will have what we call an "upside down V shape" with the facial coat hairs, between the eyes down to the nose. If you are looking at the puppy directly, start looking between the eyes and you should notice what looks like an upside down "V" shape that starts between the eyes and spreads outwards away from the muzzle. As a young puppy, the hairs will still be short, but there will evidence of the facial beard forming from little hairs sticking out and away from the face. As the puppy matures, the hairs will continue to grow outward until it forms a facial beard. The smooth coat doodle is completely void of this usual facial beard. The curly coat Goldendoodle has a facial beard as well, but their coat is curly from the nose to their tail and the beard, while there, is not as pronounced as that of the shaggy coat.The inexperienced breeder has difficulty at times, understanding the coat changes all Goldendoodles go through.

A Goldendoodle will go through as many as ten to fifteen different coat changes from the time they are born up until the day they turn one year of age. The smooth coat Goldendoodle will go through fewer coat changes than the shaggy coat doodle and the curly coat Goldendoodle will seem to be curly up until around ten to twelve weeks of age and then their coat will seem to have "flat" patches...but this is merely a coat change. As the curly coat Goldendoodle continues to mature, their curls will reappear once again. The Goldendoodle's coat will stop maturing at the age of one year. The coat the doodle has at the age of one year, is what it is. Some inexperienced breeders tell their customers that their doodle who is void of a facial beard, will grow it by the time they are a year old. This is not accurate. A smooth coat Goldendoodle will never have a facial beard at anytime during its life. A Goldendoodle that does not have any evidence of a facial beard by the time it is eight weeks of age, will never have one. We have come to know that the facial beard, even if the hairs are short, will be evident at a very young age.The shaggy coat Goldendoodle's facial hairs sprout out and away from the face even at the age of eight weeks. The smooth coat Goldendoodle will appear to have a fluffy coat at the age of eight weeks, but they will have no evidence of a facial beard.

The body coat will eventually slough off through its multiple coat changes and will become very similar to the purebred Golden Retriever. However, there will be evidence of feathering around the legs, underbody and the tail that is very similar to the purebed Golden Retriever. A family had sent us the photo up above who had purchased their doodle from a different breeder and had questions about whether or not their doodle was a smooth coat or shaggy coat. Because I was not sure of the exact age of the doodle in the photo up above, it appeared this doodle was approx. four to six months of age. In our particular shaggy coat doodles, we would have already seen evidence of a facial beard and a much shaggier coat. The owners to the doodle up above told me that their doodle was a 50/50 mixture...meaning, one of his parents was a Poodle and the other parent was a Golden Retriever. If this was the case, then my answer to them would be that perhaps their doodle is a late bloomer. I have personally never seen a Goldendoodle be completely void of a facial beard by this age, coming from a 50/50 mixture but I do remember that a doodle we had sold many, many years ago...Riley....did take longer to get a shaggy coat and his facial beard because he had picked up so much Golden Retriever that he himself was a "late bloomer".

We saw further evidence from photos the owner had sent to us (and those photos can be found at our Goldendoodle World website under the link "Meet Riley") that he did indeed finally get his facial beard and his shaggy coat, even though his shaggy coat was shorter than we usually see in our shaggy coat Goldendoodles. When genetics sway closer to the Golden Retriever side, it is possible for the doodle to obtain a facial beard and shaggy coat later as a puppy....but if it has not appeared by the age of one year, it will never happen. There are many people who want a Goldendoodle that has more of a Golden Retriever appearance, so this look is always acceptable. There will of course be some shedding issues with Goldendoodles who pick up more Golden Retriever genes. We have found, however, that the shedding is still by far less than the purebred Golden Retriever.....but it is more than a shaggy coat or a curly coat.Paden, up above with his blue toy, is a green eyed smooth coat Goldendoodle from our Goldendoodle World who has a chocolate colored nose, eye trim and pawpads. He resides with his happy family in Maryland. Paden came out of a litter of three smooth coats and one shaggy coat. Surprisingly enough, we did not get a single curly coat from the litter that came from two curly coat blue eyed doodles we had paired together. Theoretically, a breeder would assume that if they paired up two curly coat blue eyed doodles, that they would obtain curly coat blue eyed offspring.

This was not the case in our experience. What we did see was one brown eyed shaggy coat, two blue eyed smooth coats and one green eyed smooth coat (Paden). The brown eyed shaggy coat male was our typical Goldendoodle that we generally see coming out of our 50/50 Goldendoodles. We were very surprised to see three smooth coats coming from two curly coat Goldendoodles. We did, however, see two of the smooth coats have blue eyes and the one cream smooth coat, Paden, have green eyes. The Goldendoodle dog has always fascinated us because they seem to break every genetic rule we've read thus far. It does prove our point that we've said since 1999, that the parents of a Goldendoodle does NOT play a 100% role in the outcome of the doodle offspring, rather the entire lineage of the doodle offspring plays a very important role in their appearance, their coat type, their eye color and so on. We have literally seen offspring turn out to look very different from each other and we've seen offspring turn out to look nearly identical. A Goldendoodle breeder can never say for sure, before the offspring matures, what exact appearance their doodles will have because Goldendoodles break every rule that we purebred breeders have come to know from years of experience. It is also the same that the Goldendoodle breeder can never say that all of their doodle offspring will be the same exact size...per litter...based on the size of the parents. They will be wrong every time. Goldendoodles can vary in height and weight amongst each other in any given litter and the weight difference can be dramatic or it can be slight.

This is why Goldendoodles can never be placed into size categories. Purebred dogs can be lumped into size categories because it has been the general experience of purebred dog fanciers that the offspring of purebred dogs will generally turn out to be very close to the size of one parent or the other, regardless of gender. Because it is true that males and females are not particular sizes based on gender, it has always bewildered me as to why most kennel clubs will show the males being larger than the females when in fact, we've seen some purebred females weighing more than their brothers, as an adult dog. With Goldendoodles, every individual puppy in any given litter will either weigh more or less than each other, regardless of gender. We did, however, see that doodles will be closer in size to each other if they come from two Goldendoodles being bred together or if they come from a Goldendoodle bred to a Poodle or a Golden Retriever. Why this is, we can only assume that its because the Goldendoodle already has both breeds in its genetic make up and when paired up with another purebred dog that is already in its DNA, this may be why the doodle offspring stay closer to each other in size. Only a true DNA analysis of each individual puppy would reveal the actual answer.We do know for a fact that the smooth coat Goldendoodle can be of any color; can have any eye color and will only occur with the following pairings:1. Two Goldendoodles bred together, regardless of coat type.2. One curly coat Goldendoodle bred to a purebred Golden Retriever.3. One shaggy coat Goldendoodle bred to a purebred Golden Retriever.A smooth coat Goldendoodle will never occur from a 50/50 pairing. We do know that the temperament seems to beset that is very similar to the purebred Golden Retriever for a Goldendoodle that comes from a Goldendoodle and a purebred Golden Retriever pairing. We, ourselves, prefer the temperament of Goldendoodles that come from a Goldendoodle/Golden Retriever pairing simply because we are Golden Retriever fans and enjoy the temperament of the Golden Retriever.

More can be read about the smooth coat Goldendoodle by visiting our website at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com

Author/breeder: Dee Gerrish of Goldendoodle World. Copyright protected 2008/About the author: Dee Gerrish of Goldendoodle World is one of the original founders for the Goldendoodle dog for the entire southern region of the United States. She has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog since 1999.

About Blue Eyed Goldendoodles

2009-02-23T16:31:00.001-08:00

Monday, February 9, 2009

About blue eyed GoldendoodlesBlue eyed GoldendoodlesOne of our clients recently said it best, " people still can't believe we have a goldendoodle with blue eyes. They truly are one of kind!"Indeed, blue eyed Goldendoodles are truly one of a kind. Our first blue eyed Goldendoodlewas born to us in 2005. We named her Star Burst.We also kept her brother who was born with green eyes. Since 1999, wehad only seen a handful of light eyed Goldendoodles born to us and wewere thrilled that we had several light eyed doodles in a single litter.We then placed Amber in our breeding program. We were once more thrilled to see a couple more doodles born with blue eyes. "Camper" (photo to the left) is a very special blue eyed Goldendoodle. She was purchased by her new family from us as a tribute to their latebrother, Jonathan, who passed away unexpectedly. Camper has, indeed, turned into a beautiful blue eyed doodle who has also stayed on the small side. She is a cream, curly coat and her coloring along with those brilliant blue eyes are something to behold. We were very glad that her family sent us additional photos of her just recently.Goldendoodles come in all sizes and unfortunately due to erroneous doodle information over the internet, many assume that Goldendoodles are like purebred dogs in that they come in several "size categories". However, they do not. Goldendoodles DO come in all sizes, but they are a hybrid dog and can literally have various sized puppies in any given litter regardless of the size of the parents. With the Goldendoodle hybrid, their entire lineage plays a 100 percent role in what size they turn out to be. With Camper, she turned out to stay on the smaller side and we have come to learn through experience that Goldendoodles seem to stay closer to size to their littermates when they come out of other pairings than a 50/50 mix. For example, when we breed a Poodle to a Goldendoodle, we've seen the offspring stay closer in size to each other than when we breed a Poodle to a Golden Retriever. But we also will then see predominantly curly coats rather than either a mixture of curly coat and shaggy coat or just shaggy coats.Star Burst (photo to the left) was our first blue eyed Goldendoodle and here we are in 2009 with another litter of blue eyed babies. Since 1999, we've only had fewer than 10 Goldendoodles born to us with blue eyes.......so indeed, they are one of a kind. No other breeder has blue eyed Goldendoodles and for now, they remain exclusive to us as a Goldendoodle breeder. In October of 2008, we bred one of our purebred Golden Retrievers, Jayda, to Star Dust......a male curly coat Goldendoodle with beautiful blue eyes who is also a small doodle. He weighs approx. 35-38 pounds. Because we had bred one of our Goldendoodles, Mara, to Star Dust back in 2007 and didn't have a single blue eyed doodle born in the litter....we were not sure if we'd be fortunate enough this time around. However, after doing a bit more research on eye color and genetics, I went through my Golden Retriever pedigrees and found that Jayda had several green eyed Goldens in her lineage and I knew this would enhance our chances.The most common color of eyes for the Goldendoodle dog is brown eyes. Since 1999, we've had a handful of doodles born to us with green eyes and since 2005, we've had a few born with multi colored eyes...ie...one brown eye/one blue eye or one green eye and one blue eye.....but it is definitely the blue eyed Goldendoodle that is the show-stopper!Camper was our first cream colored, blue eyed Goldendoodle and I can't tell you how many people fought and clamored over buying her! It was Jonathan's story that filled my heart and I knew immediately that his family was the right family for Camper. She now resides in California and her family is just filled with joy at having her. We appreciate all of the photos that our customers continue to send to us of the Goldendoodles we have placed into their homes and that were born to us. Star Dust (see photo above) is an absolute beauty. He is a light apricot, curly coat.We have eight generations of Golden Retrievers. Our original founders were 13 and 15 years of age, when they crossed the rainbow bridge. Our Golden Retrievers have turned out to be extremely healthy, hardy dogs with a very loving temperament. It is of no wonder that our Goldendoodles have such a terrific temperament along with great personalities. We do own several Goldens out of our eight generations, who have green eyes. The fact that our Golden Retrievers carry light eyed genes has enhanced our ability to have further blue eyes and green eyes in our Goldendoodles. Brown eyed Goldendoodles are beautiful too...but this particular blog is just to brag about our blue eyed doodles and tell you how beautiful they are. If you are looking for a canine that you won't find any where else, you should consider a blue eyed doodle or a doodle with multi colored eyes.Our newest litter, which is the FIRST litter we've had since July of 2008.....which was our green eyed chocolate doodles....are exceptionally beautiful because they are light apricot and dark apricot in color. So far, all seem to be a shaggy coat. Valentine's day is coming up very soon and we believe these lovely babies will be ready for personal pick up on that day! If you require shipping, we will be letting them leave by Feb. 22nd, 2009. Make sure to visit our website at http://www.goldendoodleworld.com%20to/ watch videos of these little cuties and to see further photos of them.
Our puppies are very spoiled and very well cared for. We offer more amenities than any other Goldendoodle breeder and of course, we've had entirely more doodle experience than most breeders in the United States. We began our Goldendoodle program in 1999 but we were purebred Golden Retriever breeders in 1996. You will find our website the most extensive, comprehensive, educational Goldendoodle website on the internet! All of the photos ARE of our beautiful dogs that we either still have as well as are photos that our previous clients continue to send to us. We are very grateful to all of our very happy clients who continue to this day to submit stories, photos, birthday cards and emails to us regarding their doodles that came right from our home. Make sure to give us a call at 704-278-DOGS (3647) if you are ready to make one of our special doodles a part of your family!

Author: Dee Gerrish at 7:04 AM
Labels: blue eyed goldendoodles, genetics and goldendoodles, puppies

2009-02-23T16:29:00.001-08:00

Potty Training Your Goldendoodle

2009-02-23T16:17:00.000-08:00

Monday, October 27, 2008

Potty Training Your Goldendoodle

My Goldendoodle dog urinated Inside, Now What do I do?The issue has been happened and now you can't go back after your Goldendoodle has urinated inside of the house. When your lovely Goldendoodle companion decides to use your carpet as a toilet, it can be disturbing and confusing for both you and your doodle. You've got to do something about what has transpired, but what should you do? Should you spank him or her? Should you tell him or her no? Or will punishing him or her damage your poor doodles' psyche? Never fear! Like any other challenge, this one is surmountable, with time, love, and a whole mountain of patience.Step 1: Go OutsideThe first thing you should do when your doodle urinates on the carpet is to take him or her immediately outside. Yes, that's right, even before you clean up your doodle's nice mess you need to take your lovely companion out to the yard. If you can catch your doodle and stop him or her in the middle of its business this is even better, because your Goldendoodle will have enough urine left over for the outdoors. Taking your doodle outside after an accident is a crucial step because your Goldendoodle needs to associate going potty with the great outdoors. If your doodle immediately urinates when you take him or her out to the yard, its important that you praise him or her generously. This will give your Goldendoodle the positive reinforcement that will make him or her want to go outside again to use the bathroom. Try hard to avoid scolding your dog for accidents in the house. It's sometimes frustrating training a young puppy or retraining an adult dog, but you must exercise restraint and be patient. Becoming angry or upset could lead your doodle into thinking that you hate to see elimination at all, which could cause your dog to start hiding his or her potty all over the house. If it's going to happen inside, you at least want it in plain sight where the mess is easily cleaned up.Step 2: Clean the CarpetOf course, now your next step is to clean the carpet. If you have family members or a partner living in the home with you, make sure to assign one person to potty-outside duty and the other to carpet cleaning to ensure both get done in a timely manner. You can always make a schedule for your Goldendoodleand rotate family members to be responsible. With children, this teaches them responsibility for their new pet. You want to remove the scent of the accident as completely as possible, because the scent will attract your doodle to eliminate in the same place again. Instead of scrubbing the spot, gently pat it with a towel to soak up the excess accident. Then use a carpet cleaning agent of your choice, usually sprayed on and left for a couple minutes. When this has soaked in, gently pat the area again. Never rub, because this will spread the scent around.Another alternative to manual cleaner is to buy a steam cleaner. If you have multiple pets this is probably a good idea, because they also tend to track in a lot of dirt. Sometimes the cost offsets the time you would have spent manually cleaning the area. There are many great cleaners to remove urine scents.

Visit OMAHA VACCINE COMPANY for various products.Tips and TricksOne thing you must remember is that small puppies have small bladders and bowels and can not wait too long before having to use the bathroom. Puppies have the most difficult time in the beginning at potty training. They have to go mutiple times during the day and this is something that small puppies simply cannot help. Their sphincter muscle has not completed in development which is why it is difficult for them to hold the urge to use the bathroom right after eating.Make sure to feed your puppy nutrtional food such as PEDIGREE. Make sure to place your Goldendoodle on a routine and schedule. In addition to helping your doodle grow to become big and strong, quality meals will also help keep your growing Goldendoodle's system regular which will in turn help keep the potty needs regular. High quality food also helps preserve the health of your doodle in the long run, resulting in less vet bills and a longer life.Just like a real baby, puppies and young adult dogs do best when put on a schedule. Feed your Goldendoodle at the same time(s) every day and make sure your doodle is on a potty schedule. Reptition is the key to success! A good basic schedule would be when you wake up in the morning; after the first meal; in the afternoon; after the dinner meal and right before bedtime. This way your doodle will be on a routine that feels comfortable for him or her as well as lets your doodle know when to do business.The final trick is simply to have patience. Dogs are complex beings, not just dumb toys bought for our amusement. Like any person, all Goldendoodles will take time to learn something new. Do NOT expect miracles over night! Nothing will happen overnight. There will be multiple accidents and sometimes you may want to tear out your hair. Resist the urge to swat your doodle in frustration and think about the fun your parents must have had potty training you.In the end it's simply a phase that will fade with time. Enjoy your Goldendoodle and your Goldendoodle enjoy you!

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potty training + Goldendoodles

Author: Dee Gerrish at 6:37 PM

Labels: dee gerrish, golden doodle, goldendoodle world, goldendoodles by dee, housebreaking your doodle, how to housebreak a goldendoodle, poodle hybrids, potty training, training your doodle

Patellar Luxation in Goldendoodles

2009-02-23T16:07:00.000-08:00

Monday, October 27, 2008

Patellar Luxation in Goldendoodles

What is Patellar Luxation? Patellar luxation is usually a congenital condition in which the kneecap or patella, dislocates outside of its normal trochlear groove. The dislocation clinically referred to as luxation, can occur on either the medial or inside surface or the lateral. Sometimes even on the outside surface of the knee. There are varying degrees of patellar luxation that are graded by canine specialists, depending on whether the patella is intermittently or constantly luxated. This abnormal displacement of the kneecap results in pain for your Goldendoodle as well as causes cartilage damage and arthritis. There are varying degrees of severity of this disease and surgery may be needed depending upon the severity of the ailment. This condition is common occurs on cats and humans but can sometimes even occur with Goldendoodles even if the parent dogs have been tested and given a clearance. With canine, this condition typically affects small and miniature breeds such as the poodle, Pomeranian, Chihuahua, Schipperke, Bichon Frise and Pug. These breeds are not the only ones that can be affected. Sometimes large breed dogs can be affected as well.

This condition is also seen in the Cocker Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever as well as hybrids and mixed breeds। On rare occasions, if this condition affects larger dogs, the kneecap is as likely to move to the outside (lateral) side of the legs as to the inside.Clinical signs of medial patellar luxation are lameness that is often intermittent and can be unilateral or bilateral. You may notice that your Goldendoodle has thick, swollen stifles; pain on range-of-motion; crepitus; palpable luxation; has an inability to jump or walk normally; medial displacement of quadriceps muscle group; lateral bowing of the distal third of the femur. Common symptoms with your Goldendoodle may be intermittent or it can cause consistent lameness; bowlegged stance; reluctance to walk or jump; occasionally holding a rear leg out to the side when walking.Medial patellar luxation, or MPL, is a very common disease of small or toy as well as miniature breeds in which the kneecap occasionally rides on the inside of its normal groove. Patellar Luxation is thought to be congenital, but this disease can also be caused by trauma or injury to the kneecap or knee area. MPL causes lameness in one or both rear limbs. The degree of lameness is determined by the severity and duration of the disease as well as the extent of existing arthritis. Patellar luxation is graded on a scale from 1 to 5 with 5 being the most severe. The disease can progress from the less severe to more severe grades over time. The more severe forms are often accompanied by malformation of the femur and tibia, as well as varying amounts of arthritis and requiring enough rest on dog crates.Some veterinarians and medical experts can identify dogs with this condition as early as eight weeks of age through x-ray. Many vets explain that the problem may be a genetic defect and if this condition is discovered in adult dogs, it is best not to use them for breeding. However, it is very important for a breeder to understand that just because their vet claims the ailment is genetic, the vet has no way of knowing this to be 100%. It is highly recommended that if you have discovered a breeding dog with this ailment to have a DNA test conducted so that a canine genetic lab can tell the breeder whether for sure the ailment has been inherited or if the canine obtained the disease through trauma. This condition should be treated, when discovered, by your veterinarian, however on occasion, no treatment is necessary especially if the condition is only intermittant. No surgery is necessary and no medicines need to be administered if your vet has observed the issue to not be severe or constant. When the knee locks up frequently or the Goldendoodle exhibits pain it his or her knee, then surgery is required.There are a number of surgical techniques that attempt to fix this problem. Some veterinarians relocate the patellar ligament and a small portion of bone (the tibial tuberosity) where it attaches to the tibia or shinbone. Others remove a portion of the medial patellar ligament and reinforce the lateral patellar ligament with suture. Often, the groove in which the patella rides is deepened. Because it is impossible to clean and maintain an animal as aseptically as a human being, the vet may begin all orthopedic cases on a broad-spectrum antibiotic several days prior to surgery. They continue this medicine for a week following the surgery. The affected leg or legs are bandaged for three days following the surgery and the pet is limited to short leashed walks for an additional two weeks. Because the surgery is relatively straight forward, few post surgical complications occur. Vet will try to do both legs at the same time even if the current problem is confined to a single leg. This is because left unattended, problems with the lesser-affected knee or sub clinical problems will lead to arthritis of that knee. Since 1999 and becoming a Goldendoodle breeder, we have never had any issues of Patellar Luxation with our Poodles or our Golden Retrievers.About the Author: Dee Gerrish of Goldendoodle World has been a private, professional breeder since 1996. Dee Gerrish is one of the original founders for the Goldendoodle dog in the southern region of the United States. Dee has written extensively about the Goldendoodle dog since 1999.

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