| Author | Message | ||
     Kustomklassix |
Reepicheep - "... neat dogs, but a LOT of dog..." Those are the standard poodle females, golden retriever males. They get MUCH bigger. My 2 doodles are miniature poodle father, golden retriever mother. They top out at around 25-30lbs (Bailey is about 34lbs but he is the tubby one hehe, Rupert is 23-24ish). They are some of the softest dogs I have seen and their size and temperment and huge paws seriously turn them into a live teddy bear. A ton of people who have met them make the 'just like a teddy bear!' connection LoL. | ||
| Spatten1 |
This one is very trainable and obedient. Our vet recommended doodles when we asked for a good pet that is safe with small children and babies. We asked the breeder for a submissive one.   | ||
| Drkside79 |
Not sure if this helps or not as I've never seen a poodle hybrid in person. However i was raised with poodles mostly min and all of them were highly intelligent very well trained and very lovable. That is with the exception of my most recent Sam. When it came to training she failed epically but she was the nicest dog I ever had. That being said unless the cross breeding ruins that I would assume that a Lab or retriever crossed with IMO one of the smartest breeds could only yield good things. | ||
| Spatten1 |
However i was raised with poodles mostly min and all of them were highly intelligent very well trained and very lovable. That is with the exception of my most recent Sam. When it came to training she failed epically but she was the nicest dog I ever had. That being said unless the cross breeding ruins that I would assume that a Lab or retriever crossed with IMO one of the smartest breeds could only yield good things. Our breeder believes that the poodles are much smarter than the labs. Our dog has all of the good lab personality characteristics. I've always been around labs and they are my favorite breed due to personality, loyalty, and trainability. I wanted to go with a lab when my wife decided on a doodle (she is the boss). I'm currently sold on the doodles being as good as labs, but that's just based on our one dog. | ||
| Court |
I got spoiled. My first Chocolate Lab was trained by military trainer Will Harper. The dog, on command, could either be docile or intimidating. I could throw a filet on the floor and it I told him to stay he'd be there 10 minutes later when I returned. The mutt we have now, which seems to be part lab and part golden, is perhaps the most docile (if you forgive him the little "incident" with Buell's cats) and trainable. My bet is that everyone pretty much favors what they own or have experience with. I know I do, hence the quest for another lab/golden. I'd prefer a mutt (like the ones in the photos above) if I can find one. | ||
| Drkside79 |
Court i agree with you on the Mutt part i will from this point on in my life most likely always adopt from a shelter as i have with my cats. As for my poodles they were bought by my P's. So i was just trying to help with the Poodle side of the Labradoodle question. | ||
| Bads1 |
I don't agree at all with Mutts being smarter or easier then pedigree dogs. Its all in understanding the particular breed you chose. I'm a Buell fan but the other side of me is I'm very much so into dogs. Lots of people get into a breed just because its Big or cool, or what they are capable of..... WRONG REASON. Understand the breed,know what your getting into and it will come easier in training. | ||
| Pammy |
My opinion on this subject is that no one should "breed" dogs. Is there a shortage of dogs? No. There are so many worthy animals that are "disposed" of daily. I take just about anything that comes along.... If you have a need to get a pure bred animal, check the rescues first. Please don't perpetuate the act of farming/harvesting animals for profit. Unfortunately, some pedigreed dogs are predisposed to health issues due to limited blood lines. You will receive no less love and companionship from a so called mutt than you would a pedigreed animal. | ||
| Bads1 |
Pammy nothing wrong with breeding. If your dealing with a true breeder then its not for profit. Thats why you do your homework. I like pedigree dogs. Labs,Akita's,Dobermans,Old English Mastiff's and now Boerboels.In which this breed I feel I'll never be without one. And yes I do feel more devotion from this breed then any other I have had. Its the characteristics of this breed that intrigue me. Its there demeanor.... everything about them. If your heart is into adoption at a local humane society that is awesome. If your heart is into a particular breed then you need to be alittle more aware of what your buying,why your buying, and do you have that right home for it. | ||
| Pammy |
"Pammy nothing wrong with breeding. On this we will have to agree to disagree. There isn't a shortage of animals. It's not like you are trying to pass on your own family genes..... I have had MANY animals. Some mutts, some pure bred(rescues). I haven't noticed a discernible lack of intelligence nor loyalty with either. The appreciation one is shown when one has given a good home to a mistreated or neglected animal is well worth the price paid(monetarily and emotionally). I rescued a Neopolitan Mastiff (one of 3 total)that was so abused/neglected that he was blind and had not the mature bone growth of a dog his age. He was days from death and blind as a bat and less than a third of the weight of a dog of his breed and age. This was a purebred and very expensive dog, that this owner PURCHASED from a breeder. Did the breeder check references on the new owner? NO. You see, all that matters with a domestic animal...dog, cat, etc...is the owner/companion.My opinion will NEVER change. | ||
| Bads1 |
Good on you for that.... neither will mine. BTW I have rescued 3 dogs in the past. Yes they were pedigree animal's. (Message edited by bads1 on December 28, 2009) | ||
| Ustorque |
Thanks to all for the helpful info. | ||
| Kustomklassix |
As promised, pics of my pups. They go roughly from older to newer. And yes, I know it's alot of pics but I love my dogs! For reference, they are biological brothers, same mother and father, they are some of the smartest dogs I have met, and they do NOT shed AT ALL. Bailey is 2 years older than Rupert, 34lbs and is the overall less-fluffy one, Rupert is 26lbs and the fluffier one (it has no realation to their fur type or body size, we just keep his hair longer because it fits him) And yes, in the last pics rupert has a mowhawk LoL                (Message edited by kustomklassix on December 29, 2009) | ||
| Spatten1 |
How are those smaller doodles' personalities? Do they have more energy due to the smaller poodles in the mix? Will they lay around a lot like the big doodles and labs? | ||
| Kustomklassix |
They both are super high energy dogs when they want to be. When I get home from work they are nuts to see me and will keep it up and play as long as I will, but give them 5 minutes after I sit down and turn on tv and they will just lay there and relax. Jump off the couch though and they're ready to go. They will play all day with other dogs or people and then lay around all night napping LoL. They are also very good guard dogs (or alarm dogs I should say, they're not overly threatening haha). They will definitely let you know if there is someone in the yard or if they hear something they dont like (like me sneaking in the house at 3am). They don't have small dog barks though, they both sound alot bigger and scarier than they are. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Kustom- that sounds perfect. You done good with them dogs! I'll look into the smaller ones next time. | ||
| Court |
Great looking dogs ! How are they to bathe? I admit I've become spoiled. Jack loves to shower. I walk in and he walks in right behind me. . loves to be lathered up until he looks like a big marshmellow. Then I take him to the basement, where I have 4 old quilts stacked, a 24" fan next to them and a hairdryer. I crank up Steely Dan as loud as I can on the sound system, he falls sounds asleep and I "fluff dry" him. When we are done he loves being vacuumed with a shopvac. The Lab/Golden mix obviously sheds a lot. Dogs are amazing . . you can darn near teach them to talk. | ||
| Crackhead |
Pammy, my aunt use to breed German Shepherds and she checked out the future owners before she let them "borrow" her dog. Her contracts included surprise checkup visits, inspection of vet records, ect. Breeders like her are breeders, there are "breeders" that are puppy mills and give breeders a bad name. Part of the reason for the checkups is to diagnose the blood line. If there is something wrong with the puppies then there is something wrong with the bitch and stud combined genetics and they should never breed again. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I don't agree at all with Mutts being smarter or easier then pedigree dogs. Its all in understanding the particular breed you chose. I'm a Buell fan but the other side of me is I'm very much so into dogs. Lots of people get into a breed just because its Big or cool, or what they are capable of..... WRONG REASON. Understand the breed,know what your getting into and it will come easier in training. That's the truth. Some breeds are easier to train than others, but by being a "mut" doesn't increase or decrease that ability. There's the possibility that many "muts" have Lab in them (being the Lab is the most popular breed in the U.S. I believe), and Labs are generally known to be the most trainable dog. My opinion on this subject is that no one should "breed" dogs. I don't agree with this. Adopting an animal is a great thing to do - we have two adopted animals in our house currently. But adopted pets aren't for everyone, especially those with little pet experience. For instance, a cat we adopted was about 9 months old when we got her and turned out to have MANY bad behavior habbits that have taken years at this point to break. Had she been a kitten when we got her, bad behavior could have been corrected early and never become an issue. I think this is more so with dogs, especially if you're an owner that wants certain things out of a dog. Take my current breed of choice, the Dalmatian. There are a number of Dlamatian rescue groups out there with abanonded dogs and I looked hard for a rescue, but they were all completely deaf or VERY old. A deaf dog should only be taken in by someone with a LOT of training experience. In fact, the Dalmatian Club of America even suggests that all bilaterally deaf dogs be humanely euthenized and not given to a new owner. As far as what you'll find at a typical shelter, it's been my experience that most of what's there are Pit Bulls. Now, I personally, have no problems with owning a Pit Bull. But, I'd be willing to bet that I'd have neighbors who wouldn't be happy about the dog regardless of how well it's trained, how it acts, etc. I don't want that headache for myself. If you don't get a Pit, you'll likely end up with a Lab mix of some sort. GREAT dogs, but they have problems, most noticably is hip dysplasia. That can be an expensive and heart-breaking condition. There can be other "unknowns" with shelter animals, including a lot of behavioral issues that may need to be corrected. My ex got a puppy from a shelter wanting a larger-sized dog (I think home security was a reason or something) and the dog has topped out at 35 lbs. Again, this is all just from my personal experience. We a had a rescued Lab growing up that was an awesome dog, but it was tough watching her health fail when it did due to common issues with labs. For me, a Dalmatian fit too much of what I wanted in a dog to get something from a shelter at this point. For a second dog, if that ever comes, I wouldn't hesitate on a shelter dog. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Crackhead - +1. I have met with some lousy breeders and some great ones. BTW - a pet store is NO place to buy a puppy. Court - my neighbors just got a 4 1/2 month old golden/black lab mix and she's adorable. Looks like a black golden retreiver, thought surprisingly the vet things she won't grow past 35 lbs or so, which would be small for either breed, | ||
| Crackhead |
FYI: my German Shepard came from the animal shelter and she was an older dog (~3years old) but i am also experienced with dogs and know how be be the alpha dog too help control any bad behaviors from prior ownership. She has 3 problems: the trash can, refuses to be crate trained and she gets aggressive when there are a lot of people in her house. Her vision issues I think are a contributing factor. | ||
| Pammy |
http://www.facebook.com/#/photo_comments.php?aid=1 23690&id=540202967 This dog will make someone a wonderful companion. | ||
| Pammy |
The Mohawk is cool. | ||
| Strato9r |
After having Labs for years, I must say I have a soft spot for them, although my buddy Chester, who passed away this summer, was an awesome dog, and was half Golden Retriever/ half Lab. I run into a Labradoodle quite often at the off leash area, and he is really a cool dog, and his owner got him from one of the seeing eye programs. (He just didnt't make the cut; most programs are very comprehensive and this guy was an insufferable social butterfly) That being said, I'd have to side with Pammy and consider adopting an animal that needs a home, regardless of pedigree. This summer, one of the techs at the local dealership was forced to give up his Border Collie/Red Heeler cross because of where he and his fiance were living, and it was to the point where they were going to have to turn her over to a shelter. Anyway, they sent out a mass communication to all their customers, hoping to find her a loving home, and here she is now, begging me for a carrot. She is a ridiculously fun dog, affectionate, non-stop energy, and scary smart. Plus, she gets to go visit her old family once a week or so, and everyone down there is always happy to see her. | ||
| 99savage |
Best damn dog that ever existed was a $5 Lab/Golden mix we had about 15 years back. (Not just the best dog we ever had, the best dog that ever existed.) Woke up in the morning & looked for something to retrieve. - Nothing to retrieve, expect chaos where least expected. Warrior son cried when he passed. I dragged these old bones up a tall hill to plant him where he would never be disturbed. Labradoodles? - Goofy looking but both sides are water retrievers & very trainable. Try to work w/ a breeder that makes both parents available of inspection. - If you are paying money for a dog they should provide a certification against hip dysplasia. But then again I found Zeke for $5 in a "Penny-Saver" ad. If you aren't going for a working dog why not take a chance on a shelter mutt? | ||
| Court |
>>>Best damn dog that ever existed was a $5 Lab/Golden mix I'd agree. Vickie brothers brought this one to us from a bar in Brooklyn one night . . . someone was going to give them away or put them down. . . . he'd had too much to drink and we ended up with a dog. We've had purebred German Shepherds and Chocolate Labs before and this is the most amazing dog of all. I've never had one more likable, lovable or trainable. They truly become part of the family and almost to a humorous level with the kids grown and gone . . stuff they would NEVER have gotten away with years ago . . . .well . . they just do. He sleeps in the middle of the bed all night . . . sleeps in the chairs and pretty much does as he wants. He could care less if we leave at 6am and come home at 10pm . . .he's just laying there, either on the bed, in the chair or under the piano . . . happy and carefree. Funny thing about these guys . . . and I'm sure you guys know the drill . . . if there is a ball upstairs and a bone downstairs and you tell him "bone" or "ball" . . . he immediately knows which way to dash off. Ticks me off that his memory is better than mine. I want to come back as a dog now that I think of it.       | ||
| Vampress |
These threads give me so many mixed emotions. I am such a dog person! I WANT those puppies Court. Think you could post-pack them? (kidding). Over here it's very hard to find a pure dog in a shelter. We have bought both of our dogs from breeders (sorry Pammy) because we couldn't get a puppy from our local shelter at the time, and we needed to know the temperament of the dog. It's not a question of money, as the shelters here charge as much as a breeder does for any dog. Maybe if they reduced their prices more people would consider them before going to a breeder? I am a big dog person. Love rotties, Malamutes, mastiffs, labs and anything else you can wrestle or chase. My rottie was kind of saved in a small way though. He was the 'clearance puppy' in his litter, as he has a scar on his back he was born with so they couldn't show him. They were just going to 'get rid' of him. He's so awesome. I couldn't do without our dogs. I will miss them sooo much when we come over for Homecoming! | ||
| Court |
>>>>I will miss them sooo much when we come over for Homecoming! Hahahaha . . . well . . if you get to NYC you are welcome to take Jack to Central Park to walk and play for the day. We're going to be having some Aussies here soon and, since they've been here several times, Jack will be happy to see them. After we had Buell owners from 6 countries here for Christmas in 2006 . . . well, Jack has gone "global". Here he is with one of his best pals . . Erik and Jack have a "Cat Pact".  | ||
| Spatten1 |
That mix is a damn good looking mutt. I thought my lab/red bone mix should have been a breed. Looks, sounds the same for your mutt. | ||
| Court |
>>>That mix is a damn good looking mutt. Thanks. He's a great guy, loyal, easy to have around, doesn't shed much and . . . . he's an excellent engineer and likes dogs. |
