Frequently Asked
Questions
The Most Common McDoodle Questions
As you may be aware, Doodles have become quite the popular breed due to the gain in coat quality (low to non shedding). They are great for people with allergies, non aggressive, loyal and social . Not to mention, great with other pets and children and one of the easiest breeds to train.
The petite goldendoodle is smaller and lighter in body than the mini. Usually petites weigh between 10-18lbs and range from 10-16 inches at the shoulder. The petites are an excellent size for people wanting to scoop a dog up in their arms or those that travel by air and need a dog to fit in a crate under the seat. They also are a great size for condo or apartment living. Although they are smaller than the minis, they are very athletic, active and high energy little dogs.
Our mini’s are similar to the petites but are a little bigger. Not always in height but definitely in body weight. They are more substantial and can weigh in between 18-30lbs and are usually 16-20 inches at the shoulder. Many people like this size as it is not too small or too big. They make an excellent fit for any family.
We often get asked if there is a difference between a male or female, and which one makes the better pet. In general we all agree that the males seem to be easier going than females. Both genders are loveable, very smart, and easy to train. However the females can be a little bossier and more possessive of their people, and are more likely to let you know this. These differences are minimized when dogs are spayed and neutered. When we take hormones out of the picture the male/female personalities are pretty similar. Take the typical marking behaviours of males and females (yes females mark too although it is not as obvious as they do not lift their leg like a male). If these dogs are spayed and neutered by 6-7 months these behaviours will often not occur. The biggest difference between male/female is that our males can be a little larger than the females. As all our pet dogs are sold on non-breeding spay/neuter contracts the gender difference is usually not an issue where personalties are involved.
We do allow people to choose their puppy with our help and guidance. We ask that you give your preference for gender and colour. We try to get some feedback on your family to help us match you with the perfect puppy. Our puppy picks are finalized when the puppies are 4-5 weeks old. To adhere to Covid-19 guidelines, we will schedule a virtual appointment using your preferred platform (FaceTime, Skype, Zoom) to make final choices. Puppy picks are made in order of deposits received.
Your puppy can be picked up between 7- 8 weeks old. When your final selection is made we will schedule an appointment for pick up. If you cannot pick up your puppy at the scheduled date, there is a boarding charge of $30.00 per day.
At seven weeks of age, all puppies are given a thorough health examination and their first puppy booster by our veterinarian. Puppies have been dewormed and stool samples have been checked for parasites. They are microchipped. They are also bathed and fully groomed. On pickup day, they go home with a bag of our puppy kibble, NuVet™ probiotic samples, collar along with several of our preferred puppy toys. Your puppy will also have a certificate for a one month free trial health insurance from Trupanion™. We also provide you with a brief puppy education session and take the time to answer all of your questions.
Before pickups, we provide all our families with a wealth of information on everything you need to prepare for your new addition. You will be sent documents via email, that cover everything from puppy socialization, house training, puppy behaviour, puppy proofing your house and a list of things needed for your new puppies homecoming.
Bringing a new puppy into the family is a financial and emotional investment. Whether you are a professional dog breeder or simply a careful buyer, a Canine Genetic Health Certificate™ from Paw Print Genetics can help you understand the potential genetic threats to your dog’s health. When breeding, this information will help you select the proper mate to produce the healthiest puppies thereby increasing the value of your breeding program.
All dogs participating in the McDoodle breeding program possess a Canine Genetic Health Certificate™ from Paw Print Genetics. We have chosen two separate panels for our goldendoodles and purebred poodle parents.
Goldendoodle panels include:
- Degenerative myelopathy
- Ichthyosis
- Neonatal encephalopathy with seizures
- Progressive retinol atrophy
- Progressive rod-cone degeneration
- Von Willebrand disease I
Poodle panels include:
- Degenerative myelopathy
- GM2 gangliosidosis
- Osteochondrodysplasia
- Neonatal encephalopathy with seizures
- Progressive retinol atrophy
- Progressive rod-cone degeneration
- Von Willebrand disease I
We have recently taken first steps towards adding OFA Certifications™. This is a timely process as there is specific criteria to successfully complete the testing such as age and estrous cycle. This is a work in progress that we plan to have completed by end of year 2021 and will continue with all new dogs participating in our breeding program.
OFA Certifications™ will include:
- Hip Dysplasia
- Elbow Dysplasia
- Patellar Luxation
New research seems to indicate that breeding females every heat cycle is more beneficial to the health of the dog. Skipping heat cycles can lead to complications such as false pregnancies, which causes hardening of the uterus wall, and can lead to mammary gland tumours. Or Pyometra, a life threatening uterine infection, that will result in an emergency spay.
When breeding our females back to back, it means they are younger and less likely to have problems with whelping, but more importantly that we can retire them earlier. There are many times when we have chosen, for various reasons, to skip a heat cycle however if they are good moms and healthy we will most often choose to rebreed at each cycle.
There are definitely many ways to go about training a dog, we do provide educational material to assist our new puppy families with this however have learnt over the years that not all training models are best suited for Doodles. They can be soft and sensitive little dogs and they have taught us to shift our training techniques to a more play driven, rewards based curriculum.
We have found an excellent online resource that has been paramount in teaching us new methods of training and we have had much success with our Doodles.
Susan Garrett’s online programs are the absolute best for homeschooling your new puppy. Her programs are positive, interactive, and upbeat. Turning learning into play will make training something you and your puppy look forward to doing together.
