[NicoleK]

Dear all,

I have been looking around this site for quite some time now and believe I am prepared to ask the right questions.

I am looking to buy 2 medium sized Australian multi-generations or perhaps a F1Bs. I am of course looking for a great disposition but I would also like to reduce shedding as much as possible and have that soft fleece teddy bear look.

My first requirement for a breeder is that they open their doors and make their breeding dogs available for me to meet. For me, this is much to personal a decision to make like I am buying a car. “Yes, please order me the medium sized tan male one.” I need to meet the breeder, see where the dogs are born and socialized, meet the parents and get references from owners of prior litters of the parents I am considering and posibly meet them also.

Can some one make any suggestions for me. I would like to start around the San Francisco Bay area and, if I am not successful in finding the right breeder/dogs moving south and out of state. But no matter where I end up buying a dog, I will need to visit first.

Also, can someone explain to me how the “picking” process normally works. Again, I do not want my dog picked on “cosmetics” and sex alone. I know there is the breeder and other buyers to consider so, how would I go about actually being able to pick my dogs?

Thanks

Nicole

 

[Maureen]

welcome Nicole......there are breeders from CA who post here.....find posts by Jacque....backporch Labradoodles, in No. Cal. or Deb ( lieverdmom) with Sky View Labradoodles....they both post here openly and are in opposite ends of CA, and are reputable breeders for you.

Jacque has puppies due very shortly, and Deb has puppies now, I think.
If all else fails, I'm up the road in CO, altho I'm almost all sold out.
I tell anyone who asks advice that finding the BREEDER FIRST will help you really find the best puppy for your home, and future. You know you have an ally in your corner if you are satisfied with the breeder, before you choose or take home your puppy.
Every breeder has their own practices for "picking" puppies, so that is part of the process of being comfortable with the breeder of your (future) puppy.

I hope this helps......Best wishes!!!

 

[Paintsmeblue]

Hi Nicole! I know that there's also Sierra Vista Labradoodles. They're in Davis. Jac is in Whilits(hour or two outside of Santa Rosa)- I butchered it, but I'm not a native Californian, so please excuse me. I also know of a few others in the Bay area. There's quite a few Australian multi-gen's in the area. If you look at Sierra Vista's website, she's got quite a few of them listed. There's also Harmony Labradoodles, which are in South Bay area. There's also a breeder of mini labradoodles in Brentwood, East Bay.

As you can see, I've done a lot of research. I haven't gotten a puppy from any of them, so I can't give you any opinions. But Sierra Vista hosts a Doodle Romp quite frequently in Davis. I went in April, they had quite a few of their dogs there, and dogs that they have breed. I also heard one of the breeders from Sierra Vista tell someone that they should go meet the parents. I also know that most of their dogs are in guardian homes. I'm not sure when exactly their next doodle romp is scheduled for, but I do know its soon.

I can try to get you a few more names rather than saying "there's a bunch" but that's all I've got right now.

Best of luck!

Kristen

 

[Paintsmeblue]

Ok, here's some:

http://www.almondblossompoodles.com/ They're in Central California. It says about 1.5 hrs outside of San Francisco.

http://www.sutterbutteslabradoodles.com/

http://www.sierravistalabradoodles.com

http://www.harmonylabradoodles.com/page/page/2728741.htm

http://www.californialabradoodles.us/01_home.html

http://www.darbyparkdoodles.com/

http://www.backporchlabradoodles.com/ this is Jac's site.

That should get you started!

Good luck![/url]

 

[Jac]

Hi Nicole, welcome!
You have come to a good place to start your search.
The Doodle Romp mentioned in Davis is actually coming up at the end of July! If you could make it to that, you would get a great idea about the various generations, coats, colors and breeders. It is a nice first step.
As mentioned, it is hosted by Sierra Vista and they do have a great reputation. Brandi at Sutter Buttes in Yuba City is also very good. Kiley is in San Francisco she is with Harmony Doodles...but if you want to look at this forum for posts from Deb at A Sky View Labradoodles and from me at Back Porch Labradoodles, you will find out a lot about our programs, about how we feel about our dogs and you will even hear about the not-so-great things that doodles do!
I think that a good breeder is someone who selects breeding stock based on temperament, intelligence and good health first, then makes decisions based on coat quality. That breeder is fair and honest with their clients and is true to their word. Many of the breeders mentioned here are those types of breeders.
You will want to contact each of the ones you are considering and talk with them. Ask them questions....and if you get nothing but praise of their dogs, you might want to step back a bit...although these dogs ARE really great, they are not without faults...they are, afterall, dogs. They like to dig and chew and bark ... and it takes a commitment from the buyer to properly and consistently train the puppy in order to have a good quality pet.
Although I'd love to talk to you about our upcoming litters, I'd be just as happy to know that you have selected any of the fine breeders listed on this forum.
It is important to me that all of the breeders stand behind their commitments, to the dogs, the puppies and the families. So I firmly support quality breeders and will highly recommend any that I know who do follow through in the best interests of their animals and families.
Some of my puppy families have written on this forum too, look for Kari (who has raised one of our guide dogs) and talllady and jettsmom. They write often and you will get a feel for the type of business I run.
Deb is a new breeder, she has some LOVELY multigens available and they are priced very reasonably.
I would be very happy to tell you more about what makes us unique, please feel free to contact me!

 

[movistar]

start with Jac.

she is knowledgable and cares beyond others I have met. she will be an excellent bar to compare others against.

have fun puppy searching!

 

[Jac]

Thanks, Micky...what a humbling compliment. I appreciate it!

 

[kari]

All I can say about Jacque and my BackPorch Pepper is that they are the BEST!!! As a breeder, Jacque is considerate to her dogs first and foremost!! Their health and well being is utmost of importance, which I respect and love!!! We communicate all the time, which I think is helpful for her so she gets good info on how her puppies turn out. And my Pepper... well, I think she not only is the smartest, sweetest girl, but also the most beautiful!! She is the 4th dog my family has raised for Guide Dogs of America and my favorite!!! She is very loving (we have a 3 1/2 year old son, 2 other dogs (retired guide and breeding stud and 2 cats) , her obedience is great (of course, we work on that together, which I think everyone should do. A great dog can be a rotten dog w/o it and proper socialization!) and fun to be with!! Jacque and Dave are honest and kind folk and I am so glad that I searched them out after I got Pepper as I am grateful to now be able to call them my friends as well!! Even if you go with another breeder, Jacque will give you straight up answers to any and all questions doodle!! Best wishes on your search for a great family member!!

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u146
Here is my girl when she came to us at 4 months and now with her hair cut!!!

 

[Jac]

Aw, Kari, thanks! It has been a while since I have seen this great picture...my how she has changed, not to mention that handsome young man! (Your current picture of her did not come through...but I know, I know! :wink: )

 

[kari]

well, here she is!![im

g][/img]

 

[momoftwo]

Hi Nicole,

I too wanted to meet both parents and have time to observe the puppies so I totally understand what you are looking for! I am in Colorado so I can't help you in finding a local breeder but I can tell you a bit about how the process works once you do!

Some breeders will begin taking deposits before the litter is born, others won't take a deposit until the litter actually arrives. The order in which your deposit is received is typically the order in which people get to pick puppies. So if you put the first deposit down you would get first pick of the litter (however most breeders do reserve the right to keep a puppy for future breeding).

My breeder allowed us to come weekly and spend as much time as we needed visiting until 5 weeks which is when she required puppy picks. At that point we were able to determine coat type and you could really see the individual personalities starting to come out. Although the more weeks you can wait to make your pick the better. I read a couple really good books that helped us pick the right puppy for our family. He was not the color I was wanting but when it came to which puppy was the best fit for our family personality wise it was a clear choice. After we picked our puppy we were still allowed to visit weekly until it was time for him to come home.

If you don't mind me asking why are you looking for two? I have heard that getting littermates as puppies is not always a good idea as they will bond more with the littermate then you and it can make training much more difficult.

Hope this helps - good luck!

Heather

 

[Jac]

Hi Heather,
I appreciate your input and I know that others will find it very helpful. Thanks for sharing...
I wanted to mention that, although this is a suggested practice, visiting the pups...some really good breeders (sometimes the best of them) have a no visitor policy. I know that everywhere you see advice about selecting puppies, they say not to buy from the internet and to always visit the home, meet the parents, etc. Good advice, in theory...but the reality is that most breeders, if they do allow visits, are extremely cautious.
I will only allow serious buyers to come to see my pups. The reason is that 1) My pups are raised in my home, not a kennel, so we are not able to sanitize our puppy area the way kennels can be sanitized.
We are extremely worried about Parvo and, frankly, breeders who are not fearful of Parvo worry me far more than those who limit visits.
There is really no reason that you would need to visit more than once, generally. If you have a good breeder, that breeder will take your application, knowing what it is you are searching for, and since we can observe our puppies every day, we learn to match personalities with people. Now, what I do is take a first, second and third choice (without a deposit) and I try my best to match the family with their first choice. But if they want a mellow puppy and the one they think is "cute" is really a wild pup, I will tell them that I don't think the pup matches their needs.
I don't want my pup to be returned, I want them to be loved and to fit in, so even though I limit visits, I think that I make sure that the new families know their puppy. I stay in touch often and tell them all of the new things happening.
I sort of got lax with my visitation policy, feeling like I owed it to the buyer, and both times my dogs (entire litter) came down with horrible sickness...thank goodness it was not Parvo. But each time, I prayed and promised that I'd be more careful next time.
So, I am just saying that people should not automatically eliminate a breeder who balks at visits, or restricts them. We are not hiding anything, we are just protecting our babies lives. :wink:
Deposits are also a bit different with various breeders. Personally, I only require a deposit to hold a specific puppy. Once the family says, "I want that one." then I need a deposit to hold it. I've had folks say that and when I turn away other buyers, the first change their minds...but you are right that many breeders do require a deposit up front and it ensures a certain pick level...but I know lots of breeders who don't operate that way too...so I just wanted to clarify...
Sounds like you had a great breeder and were able to bond with your puppy well. That was a nice gift to be given. I am glad it worked out so well for you.

 

[momoftwo]

I totally understand no visitation or limited visitation policies. We were asked to remove our shoes before coming into the house and to wash our hands before handling the pups. It was also understood that we had no other dogs at home and were not to visit another breeder or a pet store within two days prior to visiting the litter. All precautions to protect the puppies but I agree not at all foolproof.

I personally am not sure I could have let a breeder pick the puppy for me as I wanted to observe the interaction with my young children. This puppy was to become a member of our family for the next 15-20 years. (The only dog in our house for the next 15-20 years) Any puppy from that litter probably would have been an okay fit but I truly feel the dog we brought home was the perfect fit for us.

Heather

 

[ellabee]

Kari, what a GORRRRRRRRRRRRGEOUS girl Pepper is!! Ack that FACE!

 

[kari]

Thanks for thinking Pep is a beauty!! Whether furry or clean shaven, she above all is a sweetie!!We could not have asked for a better Guide Dog Puppy to train!! Her intellegence and temperment, sweetness and gentleness are the best!! Jacque and Dave are her gracious breeders who not only donated this love, but 6 others (from 2 littlers) as well!!! Generous and caring breeders....what else could someone ask for in chosing a breeder for their new family member ???

God,I love this dog!!! She is going to rip my heart out to give back!!

 

[MaxandMe]

Kari, when the time comes something tells me everyone's hearts here will go out to you and we'll all be holding kleenex in our hands. Pepper and you are special.

 

[River Rat]

God,I love this dog!!! She is going to rip my heart out to give back!!
_________________
Kari

Kari, no way could I do this! Don't understand how people can take foster kids for the same reason. Maybe she'll flunk out of guide dog school and you'll get to keep her! Although she sounds too wonderful to do that.

Perhaps getting a forever pup of your own from the same parents of Jac's is the answer?

Leslie

 

[kari]

If Pep does not make it as a guide, we have discussed with Jacque and Dave that we would like to send Pepper to Canine Support Teams in Temecula. We really think she has the right stuff, if not for guide work (which really is the hardest and takes all the "regular" dog instincts out of them) then as a support dog, turning lights on/off, opening/closing doors, retrieving items, etc. She will bring us what ever we ask, I can send a screwdriver in her mouth over to my husband (haven't tried a beer yet!! and she is SOOO loving!!! She is so calm while working and so fun when she is "off" and out of jacket!! She just wants to be with people!! (OK, really she wants to be with me!!! hehehehehehehe!!! I like it that way!) I could not have asked for a better dog!! I know that if she is this special to me, how incredible will she be with one who really needs her, not only for the physical stuff, but for what she brings to the spirit as well!! Gotta stop now as I'm crying! K

 

[Jac]

Kari, you are the best! And I love Pepper so much too...it has been a blessing to watch her grow up with you and your sweet family.
I don't think I could watch you and Pepper part ways...it will be awful!
I know that she is meant to have a job...but it is just impossible for me to think of her saying goodbye to you, and you to her. UGH...

Enough of that!

Heather, I absolutely understand what you are saying and I appreciate that you see why I do what I do...and you know, that is what makes this all so great...there is a breeder and a dog for everyone...and I love being a part of the process!
I am thrilled that your experience was so positive. This is how it should be. I was, in no way, being critical...just wanted to show the other side of the coin...thanks for understanding!

 

[lieverdmom]

Hi, Nicole.

I've been AWOL for quite a while, see I shouldn't have gone missing. Thanks, Maureen, yes I do have puppies now. They are authentic Australian multi-gens, both parents were imported direct from the breeding programs with the breed founder and co-founder, where they produced puppies.

If you are still looking, I have one chocolate boy and two chocolate girls for sale, four months old now, all DHPP shots are done, about to do rabies.