I'm planning to adopt

Doggies!  LOL

This has nothing to do with human adoption, sorry!  I’m going to gush on about the doggies hubby and I are going to be adopting next year.  Here’s a few pictures of the breed to whet your appetite.

 

This is a Goldendoodle pup.  They are a cross between Golden Retrievers and Poodles. 

I really like the coloring in this one – it seems to be a cross between an apricot and a red.

Look at that face!

Awwwwwwwww

Hubby and I plan to bring two male Doods into our family next spring.  Even though we’re looking for a rental house right now while we become familiar with our new area, we don’t want to bring home the boys until we have a house (of our own) with several acres for them to romp on.  I’d prefer at least 4 acres, lots of room for them to run and play.

We are absolutely in love with this breed.  We’ll be looking for two males (litter mates), preferably F1B generation.  The F1 generation is a cross between a pure retriever and a pure standard poodle.  An F1B is a backcross between an F1 dood and a pure standard poodle.  Poodles have hair, not fur, making them more hypoallergenic.  That’s not a problem for hubby and I, though.  I just like the  “curly shag” you get with an F1B.  Some breeders have begun to cross two F1’s making an F2 generation.  That’d work for us, too.  In actuality, I don’t care as much as it sounds like I do – I care more about the personality “fit.”

I love poodles and I love retrievers – a Doodle is the perfect mix for us.  Typically, I’m big on rescues – like our cats were both rescue cats.  Every dog I had growing up was a rescue as well except one – and we only got him because he was the runt in an AKC line that no one really wanted.  We did, though, and I loved him dearly.

So for once, I’m going to go the totally selfish route.  The Doods will probably cost around $3,000 for the pair and I’ll gladly pay it.  The funny thing is, I don’t even feel remotely guilty about buying from a breeder.  It’s funny because I’ve always been vocally AGAINST most breeders.  Fortunately, I’ve been able to spend a lot of time learning about reputable Doodle breeders.  Because they are a relatively new breed, it seems breeders and such are very well documented.

Doods are extremely social dogs.  They thrive in an environment where they are “part of the family.”  They are generally easily trained and obedient yet playful.  They don’t take well to being left alone for extended period of time.

During the years we were driving all over the country for hubby’s job, our cats went with us.  We have a wonderful soft-sided dog crate in which we’d place their beds, litter box and food/water.  We’d put it in the back of our van or blazer and they’d curl up in their beds and happily snooze the miles away.  Even though we won’t be traveling for his work anymore, we still enjoy traveling for vacations.  We have an “if we can’t drive, we don’t go” attitude for the most part.  Keep in mind, given enough vacation time, we would drive to Alaska without a second thought!  LOL  It’s not that we’re not interested in international travel.  We will do some on a limited basis.  And in those circumstances, we have family/friends who would house & pet sit.  But our pets are family, we like taking them with us.   That’s not going to change once we get the Doods.  They’ll learn from puppyhood to be good passengers. 

One of the breeders I’m looking at is in Ohio.  They’re a few hours from us which is great – we’ll be able to drive down and “meet” the sire and dam and “meet” the litter before they’re ready to come home.  I’m looking forward to that.  I’ve actually sent a letter to the breeder asking for more info because I want to be totally educated about the breed before we bring them home.  I’m hoping the breeder will be open to us making a visit this summer to meet the sires and dams and spend a little time with their newest litters. 

I find it strange that you can actually SHIP a puppy?  This boggles my mind.  Even if we went with a breeder across the country, there’s no way I’d let my Doodbabies be shipped on an airplane!  I’d happily drive out to pick them up and drive them home.  At least this way, they become acclimated to being in a car from early on.

Hubby and I are already talking names.  Here’s a few candidates.  Feel free to make suggestions!!! Remember, we’ll be bringing home two brothers.  And they’ll lean towards the apricot, red, cream colorings. 

Londo & G’kar (Lonnie and Jack) – from one of our favorite shows, B5.
Banichi & Jago (Bean and Yaggie) – from one of our favorite book series, even though in the book, Jago is female.
Xavier & Zander (Zave & Zand) – just two names we like.

I know we have a few others but I’m drawing a blank right now!  I’ve got doodle brain, what can I say? LOL