So you have probably thought, oh it will be great to have my dog or puppy at the family holiday events.   Some dogs will love it - most!   But, some might be better off without the stress of a party.   

Some are put under pressure to be "good boys" and not mind the little kids hanging on them, taking their toys, or trying to lay on them, or stepping on their tail.   Is this the best for your dog?  

The other warning for the turkey holiday is that many dogs are not good with turkey.   Sometimes poultry is something they are allergic to, or too much turkey in general, can hurt them.   

Be thoughtful in your approach of Thanksgiving for your doggo!   

​

Okay, so you have this cute fluff ball that you recently adopted and you want to socialize and take them everywhere and wait!  It's summer, right before the 4th of July where there are Fireworks.   What do loud booms to a new puppy mean?  The END of the world.   It is a fact that the day of the year that the most dogs panic and run off (and get hit or hurt) is July 4th.   

If you have a new puppy, please do the right thing and consider that they are still unsure about you and their new home.   Taking them out to meet new people during the day is fine, but taking them during fireworks is not going to build a POSITIVE ASSOCIATION with new people.   Think about it - imagine you are a young child, a toddler perhaps.   Your parents take you out to a really busy place, where there are a ton of people.   You've only met a few dozen people in your life.   You are small - these people are big - you can't see over them.   You are probably in a bag (and hopefully not on the germ filled ground when you have a stressed low immune system).   People are nice but your parents forgot to bring treats to give you when people pet you so you can associate good things when strangers come at you making loud noises and putting their stranger hands on top of your head (and effectively reinforcing dominant behavior).   THEN, the world starts to end.   You hear these loud BOOMS and you are freaked out and shaking - or if you feel the inside of them like some dogs do, you are having a serious panic attack.   You jump out of your bag, you pull so much you slip your collar, and you're off running because your new parents don't seem to understand the world is ending - and WHY doesn't that hurt their ears so much too?!   

Stay HOME!   Turn on a loud fan, turn the TV on....give your pups HIGH VALUE treats (this means meat or dried meat - see Plato Pet Treats small bites) while the fireworks are going off.   

Also, don't forget to do this during thunderstorms.  

We do not allow visitors to see the puppies that have not committed and shared sufficient identifying information with us -and even if so, not until the puppies are past time for their first set of shots to settle into their systems (so not until 7 or 8 weeks old).  

Why?   Summer of 2015, we allowed visitors when we had some young puppies - and 2 ended up getting very sick.   Over $5k in emergency vet and round the clock care, 1 died and 1 survived with long term kidney issues.   When new people or dogs come in, they bring in "new" germs.  Puppies basically have little to no immunity.   New germs can give them a cold or serious bacterial infection.   Your hands, shoes, feet, arms, everything, has germs on it - your own ecology.   

The 2nd reason is that our friend, a poodle breeder in another state, was recently robbed and murdered in her kennel.   

We have also received very shady inquiries - and several counterfeit checks.   

We know that our Instagram account makes this look like a puppy heaven and a place to come hang out at - but, it is not.   Our homes are our homes.  We take care of the puppies, and we have lives - we also value our safety and more than that, value that our puppies' health is going to be stable while with us.   

Some of you may know already, but I was involved in dog rescue for many years.  I saw all sorts of things - abuses, starvation, aggressive, food issues, potty training problems, over energy - and many really good dogs without issues too.  

We have chosen to breed for a 'breed' that is naturally a kind, funny, lower than average shedding dog.  They are amazingly smart - so smart, they often get into trouble as puppies.  You don't often see Goldendoodles in shelters - and if they are, they are scooped up within hours.   With that said, any puppy, especially a really smart breed/mix, is a TON of work and will out smart you in a hundred ways.

I was just yesterday talking with one of my friends that is still helping out with rescues, and she said something that was really impactful.  She said she never worries about the puppies being adopted.  The puppies are always adopted at the shelters.  The real issue is that they often come back as adults with behavioral issues because people don't set up training!   Some people think they know it all already and others want to save money and do it themselves.    

She said people will get a puppy and then days later call the staff at the front desk (who are not dog trainers) and ask them questions - "how do I get puppy to stop nipping the kids?", "how do I potty train?", "I didn't realize they needed this much exercise to be calm", "it's been a week, I want to quit - nevermind that I am disrupting this poop puppy's life by bouncing her around, but I need to bring her back."  

But she said they RARELY ever ask for recommendations of a trainer's name/number.    

We don't want this to happen to our puppies.  We state on our website and within our application and contract agreement, that a trainer is a MUST.   Puppy socialization classes AND an in home set of visit sessions.   Goldendoodles and doodles in general are very smart - so smart, they know how to get what they want. Even if you grew up with dogs, you still should get a trainer.  

We were born with dogs, and we still have a trainer at least once a month work with us.   It's worth the money.  We use a bunch of different ones - as they all have different philosophies and talents.  

Your puppy is a family member.   Shouldn't you pay for your puppy's schooling like you would your child's?   Shouldn't your children also learn how to work with puppy in the house?    Shouldn't you make sure that your puppy can be the best dog he can be?  

Have you asked or said any of these things?
"How do I get my puppy to stop nipping?"
"My dog pulls on a leash - how do I get her to stop?"
"Puppy won't calm down."
"Potty training isn't working."
"Crate training isn't working."
"My dog jumps on people - how do I get him to stop?"
"The puppy growls at the kids (never mind that the kids have been too rough or challenging to the puppy)."

It's YOU - not the dog.  

99% of the time it is not enough exercise and not enough practice with rules/structure.

Before you get a puppy, think - do you have a bunch of kids that are running around to sports games?  Do you really have time to add in puppy training classes?  Is everyone in the house on board with meeting with a trainer that comes to house? Do you go out with your friends a lot?  Do you travel a lot?  Are you not into exercise and walking a lot?   If the answer is yes, please do not get a puppy.  It's not fair to the puppy who could have a life with someone else that will invest time and money into their long term well being.  
 
The other thing to consider about training is that nowadays it sure is fun. Contemporary times mean that games are now being played (dogs LOVE games), positive reinforcement is the primary reward, and socially, dog people are a lot of fun to meet up with.  

Your puppy or dog having parasites is like a human having a cold in that everyone wants to find a source 'to blame'.....oh, so and so gave me his cold, or gee, that kid sneezed on me and now I have a cold.  

Just like cold viruses, parasites and opportunists like fleas and ticks, are everywhere.  They are on the ground, on blades of grass, on people's hands and shoes that come into your home, on the vet floors and tables, etc.  

Why are puppies more likely to have them?  Because puppies are together in a bunch.  One will pee or poo, another will step in it (no matter how clean a breeder is, this is definitely going to happen with a litter), then the pup decides to clean his paws off with his mouth - bam, passed on a little friendly.  Or, they'll step in something good outside on the ground, then come in to their pen and play and wrestle and step in their water bowl.  That branch or leaf your cute puppy has in her mouth?  Yep, has coccidia on it.  That mulch your puppy keeps digging up and chewing on?  Yep, has roundworms in it.  That puddle or stream that your pup took a drink of while out on a hike?  Yep, has giardia in it.  

It's going to happen!  And, they will pass it on to your other pets and maybe even you or your kids.  

Sometimes, you will not see symptoms AND fecal analysis will return a false negative.  So, they could live with an opportunist forever, and you might never know. 

If that is the case, why should we try to control it?  Because some can get quite sick from having parasites.  Also, it could give them a sore tummy and make it hard for potty training.  They also can pass things along to kids - and vice versa.  Plus, treatment is relatively easy - so why not just try and control it.  

In addition to treatment, clean all toys and bedding and bowls with soap and bleach - frequently.  Whether you think your dog has any fun critters or not, you should do this every week at least to negate the chances of harboring opportunists.  

Also, use monthly heartwormer that your vet prescribes.  It not only protects against heartworm, it also has dewormer for parasites baked into it.  Also, use a flea and tick med that covers your dog BEFORE a tick bites (right now, the current product to use is Advantix, not Advantage or Frontline); and consider the Seresto collar during the summer months for additional protection.

And - yes, I am biased here - it does not mean that your puppy came from a "bad" or dirty breeder.  Not at all.  I would like to know if there has ever been a breeder that has never had any parasites within their pups because I would say it's impossible.  Puppies are just silly - they love getting into things, chewing on dirt or grass, and then stepping in bowls and mouthing at their siblings.  Unless you want your puppy to be in a bubble, it's going to happen.   And, as a breeder, I don't think you're a bad owner if your dog gets a parasites - no, not at all - because I know it's going to happen.  

It is a fact and an expense you have to account for if you want a dog in your life.  

Goldendoodle Puppy tips for newbies:  
1.  Keep the backend area trimmed or you'll end up with a poop dam when they get super fluffy.
2.  Eye boogers should be swiped by your finger or a baby wipe every morning and then they won't build up.  (super pet peeve of mine...dogs with eye boogies - I even by instinct clean the boogies off stranger's dogs that I say hi to - I just can't help myself!)
3.  If you have kids, have THEM feed the puppy....use your hand when they are little....me and the guardians put our hands in the puppies' food just so they know it's ok and keep food aggression at bay.  Sometimes puppies will growl when taking away something very special to them (like a bully stick) - my vet says, "why are you giving them something and then taking it away?" - so be realistic with your expectations.  If you ever try to take my creme brûlée, I'm going to growl at you.  
4.  If you are not comfortable trimming nails (I am not), drop in on your groomer or vet - they will usually do this on a drop in basis for a small fee.
5.  Do not give your puppy the chance to see that you don't mean it when you use the word "come" - don't use the word unless you know they will succeed - set your puppy up for success by keeping him/her on a leash during the first month or so at home (if you want more detail on this, dm or email me).  Dogs that have high prey (squirrel chasers, ahem Benji) instinct will be harder to get to come back to you than those that are loyal.  When in an emergency, run AWAY from your pup...most the time they will freak out that you're leaving them and run to you.  Chasing your puppy teaches them it's a game and they'll never come to you after a good game of chase/keep away.  If you have kids and your kids enjoy chasing the puppy, good luck training "come."
6.  Trust me...even though you may have had dogs before and you might know a lot about dog training, take your pup to puppy school.  It's more for the puppy's growing mind and social development than anything else (although it is good for you - and your kids if you have them - to learn or be refreshed).
7.  Many of you have asked about the balance of keeping the puppy inside while young and not having all shots and getting socialized - the advice is conflicting.  If your puppy does not have all of her/his shots, be careful in public places.  Do not put your puppy on the floor at the vet.  Do not let your puppy go into areas that lots of other dogs pee.  Most will tell you that you should socialize your puppy more than worry about shot coverage - I think you need to socialize but be smart and thoughtful.  Lepto can be found on a drop of rabbit pee on a blade of grass - so be careful.  
8.  If they have runny mushy poo when they go home to you, they might just be nervous...use a scoop of canned pumpkin in their food - they will love it.  
9.  Dogs with floppy ears (goldendoodles) are susceptible to ear infections...clean them weekly with Eptioptic solution.  If you take your dog swimming, definitely clean with the solution after.  
10.  If a puppy is biting....I promise you, it is just a stage.  There is a lot of advice out there how to stop it, but the best is "be patient and persistent."  Say "no biting" and don't engage in rough play.  Try replacing your hands with a toy.  And don't swat at their face, even in play - their mouths are their hands and they love to use their mouths to discover things and for play.
11.  If you want your puppy to pee immediately upon going outside (a handy trick if you live in the city and for during storms), do not play with them or even talk to them...stand with  your arms folded and don't make eye contact.  When they pee, be so super excited...like you won the Powerball.  This is also handy if you are potty training and need to get up at 3 am....do not play or they'll think it's always playtime.
12.  Do not give up on crate training.  Do not. ;-)
13.  Use Nature's Miracle (see the list of what to get your puppy on this site)
14.  If you are in the city and having trouble getting your puppy to go potty outside, find grass.  Puppies naturally like to pee on grass.  This is not scientific information, this is just my observation from taking many pups outside.
15.  If you have bought your pup a big fluffy dog bed, don't use it while they are little.  Many of them love to pee on fluffy things - and to chew the stuffing out.  Get a small, flat one or use towels that are easy to wash and you don't care if they get chewed on.  I use a towel and they are so much easier to throw in the wash than a big dog bed and I don't have to worry about them swallowing stuffing.  When they are somewhat house trained, then try giving them a fluffy dog bed.  I am definitely saving you some money here!  They like to chew - it's fun and makes their teeth feel good.  

Here at the RVD Ranch, we try to be more than fair with our prospective puppy owners.  We had a few policies that were different from other breeders, but now we see why breeders had those policies in the first place.

Collars
Your puppy will come with a collar on from now on.  It is hard to tell you what size to get before you pick up, as all the pups are different sizes and we have no idea how big they will be when you pick them up.  So instead of answering collar size questions and possibly giving you a wrong answer, your puppy will come with an adjustable collar on to give you time to find one that you like and fits.

Deposits
Deposits are fair because we spend a lot of time answering questions, marketing/advertising ($$), and emails AND we turn away prospective owners if spots are held by people with deposits. Deposits are for our time and for turning away people that want your spot and starting up ads again if needed.  While there are some exceptions, we are becoming more tight on the deposits because we've turned away good, interested owners for spots that were taken.

Delivery Fees
We feel that sometimes the delivery is not appreciated.  It is a big ordeal.  We get up at 5 am to let the puppies play before the trip, we pack all their stuff, we drive up to 6 hours one way, with 12 hours being round trip, and hit tolls and crazy thruway gas prices.  We have not ever charged for our room and board.  Going forward, travel/delivery fees will be going up to include a room charge if it is too far and we need a hotel.  Also, we need you to be flexible on the day of delivery - and on time. It is a far drive usually and things can come up.  Also, we have not had good experiences delivering into NYC because of the amount of people and no safe, legal spot to park and let the puppies out/down. We prefer Newburgh, NY - and that is still saving you 10 hours of driving time!  Delivery situations will be on a case by case basis and depend on our schedule.  You are welcome to come up and pick up your puppy at our home!

Puppy Purchase Payment Due
Payment for puppies is due by the time the puppies are 7-8 weeks old, if applicable, whether you've picked them up or not.  If your puppy is boarding a few more days with us, it is a $20-$30/day charge.  Training charges are additional and to be determined upon expectations.  It is not fair if we are not paid for a puppy that is yours but has been with us an extended period, just because the pup is boarding or in extended training.  You must also reimburse us for any vet charges - sometimes the pups are due for boosters while they are here.  We do not charge for our time to take them to the vet - this is a courtesy service.

Rehoming Fee
There is no refund for return.  Yes, we can easily find a home for them.  In addition, you are responsible for driving to us to return the puppy.  If you have changed their food, we will also need a bag of this; any other items that are familiar to them should come along with them so they can transition more easily.  It is our time AND if you are returning because of buyers remorse, you make it appear that something is wrong with the puppy, whereas, in most cases, that is not true. Then, we have to explain to others what happened and they wonder if something is wrong with the pup.  It is not fair for the pup and not fair to us - so we really want our puppies back so we can home them, but you need to make it right.  This is not to deter you from returning the puppy (you are required by the contract to never put our pups in a shelter), but deter you from getting one in the first place.  They are hard work, costly, and take up a lot of time. We know the puppies leave us healthy, loving, and as far as an 8 week old can get. We spend more time with our puppies than other breeders - we know this!  We cannot help that a puppy is 60% of its environment - we cannot control what you have or have not taught your puppy once you get him/her....therefore, we are also adding into our 2 year agreements that puppy owners must sign up their puppy for puppy socialization and basic training. Even if you have extensive dog training background (especially if), because the PUPPY needs socialization classes - it is not about your capabilities as a dog owner, it is about what is best for the mind of the puppy.  If you cannot commit to this, perhaps it is not the right time for a puppy...it is only fair that the puppy gets the best start that it can in the world.  We have had dogs since we were born and we still work with dog trainers ourselves. We are NOT professional dog trainers and it is helpful for everyone in the household to be reminded by a pro how it is done.

Thank you
We appreciate everyone's support and hope that going forward, we have smoother processes and a better understanding from everyone what is expected of each other.  

THANKS!

Celebrities and sports stars do not always share much of their private lives with their fans.  But when they do, and it includes a dog in their life, we like to watch them. We get especially excited to a star share with us their favorite friend in the world, the Goldendoodle.  We love how this story calls the dog, "a golden retriever-poodle mix" and not Goldendoodle - ha ha!

10 photos of Anze Kopitar with Gustl, his ultra-photogenic dog:  http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/606845

We often get requests for 'therapy dogs' or 'service dogs', and while we think we have great puppies, it is not so simple to discover who has the special traits needed to go through the training to become a service dog.  Many people think that just because the breed is smart, kind, and low shedding, it is a perfect dog for their family that might need some 'therapy' dog assistance - but, it is a complicated test that is best left to the experts.  If you are looking for such a dog, consider signing up for one of the programs that are offered - these experts not only pick a puppy out of her/his siblings, but also take them through special training to get them where they need to be.  Puppies are puppies - they will bite, nip, chase, bark, eat things, and cause all sorts of trouble and laughs.  They do not come "therapy trained".  

Here is a great story we found about a Goldendoodle puppy that was picked by the experts, and trained, for special work!  Bertie alerts his diabetic owner, who is a judge in the British courts, when her blood sugar is too low or too high.  This is interesting, cute, and should be read all the way to the end:

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/t-bark-court-Bertie-diabetic-Hull-barrister-8217/story-23061368-detail/story.html

We recently helped to get some of our puppies to their new owners in NYC.  We were quite frustrated with the lack of space to put a puppy down.  Because of all of the activity (traffic and human) and lack of grass (which is what our pups are raised to go potty on), there is really not a safe, peaceful place (with good parking - we need good parking to unload heavy crates).  We are considering discontinuing puppy deliveries directly to NYC.  After such a long car ride, we need a safe place to put the puppies down so they can 'do business'.  The grass and sidewalks in NYC we have been told is not safe for such young puppies - especially when we usually have a few of them at once and trying to guard them from random people coming up wanting to say hi to their cuteness, while talking with the new owners picking up, doing paperwork, and traffic and parking stress - ......as you can ascertain, we are quite frustrated.  We like going and visiting the city and also offering the delivery service.  We are doing some work with a map and trying to figure out a better option.  While it is probably a big inconvenience for everyone in the city, having to travel out and get a zip car and pay tolls and deal with traffic, etc. etc....we are just very stressed and concerned about not having a good location.  We also always appreciate the offers to use someone's apartment, but having the puppies run around and pee on someone's floor after such a long car ride (6 hours!), while I'm trying to answer questions and do paperwork, is just not my idea of giving everyone a good puppy picking up experience (and not a good experience for me).

In the meantime, I will put on my list to do - 'put together a page on tips for big city puppy owners' - how to care for them, a list of vets, things to consider, and the parks, etc.  For now, here is a link that I found that does a great job listing a lot of the rules and parks:  Guide To Owning a Dog in NYC

Louie has got into trouble in the past for jumping up on the furniture. However, this time it is a good thing he did, as he saved not only Janelle Giannetta's life, but also that of her unborn baby.
Janelle's husband, Richard Giannetta, became alarmed when he heard Louie barking incessantly upstairs in the room where his wife Janelle was sleeping.

“I heard the dog barking like crazy, like I’ve never heard him bark before,” he said. On entering the bedroom he found Louie on the bed, barking at Janelle. “Just an agitated bark like something was wrong. I could just tell.”

When Richard turned his wife over, he found that she was in the middle of a seizure and was foaming at the mouth.

Richard immediately phoned 911 and Janelle, who was 26 weeks pregnant, was immediately rushed to Nassau University Medical Center. Paramedics said that they had trouble pulling Louie away to take her to hospital.

Doctors diagnosed Janelle with eclampsia, a potentially deadly condition which causes seizures due to very high blood pressure and which can sometimes lead to a stroke. Reportedly eclampsia occurs in one in every 2,000 births.

Janelle immediately underwent a Caesarean section to save the baby, Charlotte Marie, who weighed a mere 1 pound 7 ounces.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/347238#ixzz3Cubfk0t5

The young girl "suffers from tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), lives in Suwanee, Ga., with LilyBelle. TSC is a rare genetic disorder which can cause seizures, developmental delays, and epilepsy."

Huffington Post, August 2013: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/09/goldendoodle-nut-allergy-meghan-weingarth_n_3727032.html


Do you know a Goldendoodle that has a 'helping' story to tell?  Let us know and we would love to do an interview and write up a story.  Email us at RiverValleyDoodles@gmail.com

For those of you interested in learning more about hip dysplasia, we recently reviewed some research and pulled some insights for you.  From what we gathered, it is important to keep your dog 'on the lean side' and not overweight. 

Facts from the source:  http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/saortho/chapter_83/83mast.htm

- Hip dysplasia is a complex range of environmental and body conformation and hereditary factors.  Hip dysplasia in dogs has no clear-cut pattern of inheritance (although it can be greatly reduced by attempting to control it with breeding stock without HD). Environmental factors must be considered with body conformation as causes.

- Heritability (in a study) has been shown at a rate of 25%.

- Most dogs will be between the ages of 5 months - 12 months at first presentation.

- Hip dysplasia affects humans and other domestic animals.  1.3 human children out of 1000 are affected.

- In humans, females are 4 to 8 times more likely to have hip dysplasia.  In dogs, it is equal by gender.

- In a study, pups that overate and ate 'aggressively' (pushing hard with back legs to latch to the mother) - the majority (63%) were dysplastic at 1 year of age.

- The body conformation of breeds with the lowest prevalence is slender and trim.  Overweight and giant dogs have the highest.

- Hip dysplasia has not been reported in wild animals such as wolves and foxes.  The pups are slow growing and of late maturity.

- Past pedigree history is of little relevance, since many generations may be normal and still produce dysplastic progeny.

Facts from source:
http://www.4germanshepherds.com/Dysplasia.htm

- The rate of growth in a puppy is a primary factor in the development of hip dysplasia.

- No breeder can eliminate ALL risk of hip dysplasia.  The average 'german' German Shepherd will show 10 to 15 generations of clean hips before 1 shows with hip dysplasia.


NOTE:  We are not veterinarians and the above information was pulled from the cited sources.  Check with your vet for advice if you are concerned about your dog's movement.

Dewclaws are probably the least controversial of cosmetic amputation options - from tail docking, ear cutting, and even nipple grind downs - they are all traumatizing to the puppy (and you, if you're there during the procedure).  Some dogs have ripped their dewclaws while they were adults and that has made 'dewclaw removal' a procedure that many breeders do to the pups when they are just a few days old.  Personally, we have not seen too many dewclaw snags to justify cutting a piece of our puppies' bodies.  Some people say, 'oh, it's just a minute or two of pain...' and we reply, 'bullsh1^'.  Watch the above YouTube video and perhaps you'll decide to not support this procedure. The owner in this video went to a vet to have the procedure done (some owners skip paying a vet and do it themselves at home - true information)!  When I worked at a vet's office, I saw all sorts of poor puppies suffering from homemade amputations. Puppies that were sick from infection because their owner decided to have their tail docks by putting a tight rubber band on it for months; ears that were ragged and infected from being cut by a dirty box cutter; and, other things that would make most people sick and enraged.

We do not have the dewclaws of our puppies removed.  We have never had an issue with dewclaws getting snagged during our lifetime of dozens of dogs over the past almost 40 years.  Could a dewclaw snag still happen?  YES!  But, we'd rather not risk our puppies mobility and emotional stability for a procedure that if you really want done, you can have done while they are fully under anesthesia and being spayed/neutered.  

We also tried doing microchipping on our puppies, but once we saw how enormously thick the needles were, we decided if you want it done, it's a procedure that you can ask your vet to do during spay/neuter while they are under anesthesia. We are pro-microchipping - we are just too wussy to do it to our little puppies.  We are not vets - so please consult your vet on any procedures and medications.

While we support most breeders and their mission, there are many that do unfair things.  We have read many articles about what to look for in a breeder.  We disagree with some of it, and we agree with most of it.  

Here is a list of our ideas of things that are not necessarily standard advice of what 'to look for' in a breeder:

1.  How quickly and thoroughly does a breeder respond to your inquiry?  If they are truly passionate about dogs, they will respond to you even if they do not have any puppies available.  We have often heard that the reason people sometimes choose us is because we respond quickly and thoroughly - and we show a passion for our dogs.  We can't help but want to share pictures, stories, and insights.

2.  Read the contract!!  Several years ago, we purchased a goldendoodle from a large breeder.  We were not astute to contracts or health guarantees at the time, and we just wanted the pup so bad - it didn't matter what it said.  We have since reviewed the "health guarantee" provided and we were very surprised with what we found.  The breeder's health guarantee was only good if we fed the dog food she recommended, and ordered from her account (that she was a retailer for) - WHAT!?!?  While we highly recommend feeding high quality dog food, we don't know of any genetic health issues that are brought on by the type of dog food that is fed.  This is a nonsense string attached.  

3.  How many litters does the breeder do at a time/per year?  Even if the place is not a puppy mill, many large breeders do not hire the staff to properly socialize and work with the puppies.  Come meet our Benji someday (from a large breeder), and you will see what social issues can come from a pup from that environment.

4.  What are their breeding policies?  How many times and in what frequency do they breed their ladies?  If they are not open to you about this, run away.  Do you really want to support an operation that has bred their females every cycle until they are 8 years old?  That will be 9-12 litters!!  Yes, dogs are quite a bit different and can handle more little beings than humans - so we won't humanize them (too much ;-).  While we agree that the research out there about how often one can breed dogs is a bit scattered, we still believe a dog should have a life beyond puppies all the time - no matter the scientific evidence.  We breed back to back, skip, back to back, done - or some close variation of that - basically, we would like 3-5 litters and no more from each lady (sometimes it will be less).  We start early, at 2, so they can be done by the age of 6 - during their breaks, they go on trips with us and have adventures.  We also do not have a lot of litters - just one or two a year.  We are not a full-time breeding operation and we do this for the fun and satisfaction.  Dogs should have a life with the humans and world that they've become domesticated into.

5.  What food is the breeder feeding their pups?  This isn't necessarily a deal breaker, but if your breeder is buying cheap puppy food - you can bet the pups are getting the cheapest care as possible.  That means probably not a lot of worming or vet visits or cleanliness (although there are exceptions).

6.  Do they sell many different breeds?  This is a sign of a puppy mill or large breeder - a couple different breeds, especially if related (like poodles and doodles), is fine - but, those doing more than a few breeds will find it hard to specialize and be really good at one or two breeds.  They could also just be a puppy broker and know nothing about the puppy that you are looking at.

7.  Ok, this one is a little off in the clouds, but....do they have a barn?  We are not against barns - many are great locations for pups to grow.  If you get to go in the barn and it's all clean - then disregard this advice.  But, we ran into a puppy mill recently that said they were raising pups in their house, and we saw 4 different mamas in their house - all nice and clean and cozy.  We later heard that they were raided and over 40 different mamas were found in their barn!!

There are also the standard things to watch out for, but these are some different telltale signs that we thought we would share with you.  

Things you shouldn't be concerned about:  

1.  In this day and age, you do not need to be concerned about there being no phone number on a breeder's website.  We do not share our phone number or our address until we've conversed a bit with you.  We do this for our privacy, but mostly for our and our pups safety.  We will start with email and call you from there.  You can visit the pups after you have committed to getting a pup.  This is our home, and we value our privacy, as much as we do like to share the puppies.

2.  No adult pics of puppies from the litter you are interested in.  By the time adult pictures of puppies are available, the mama should be working towards retiring. And, if it's the first litter, then showing you pics of adults that they've had from other mamas and dads, doesn't do any good - right?

3.  If you don't get to meet the dad.  Many small breeders pay for sire services and do not keep the male in the house.  If you feel energetic, you can get the location of the sire and go visit him at his home- but, it is unlikely that both parents will be available for you to meet.

4.  With the digital world, it is perfectly fine and thorough to chose a pup off the internet without meeting them or seeing the home.  You can see from the website and pictures if the pup is in a decent living environment.  As long as you get enough visuals and feel comfortable with the level of communication and service from the breeder, you should be fine picking a pup out online.  We have picked out pups online and have had wonderful experiences.

5.  If the breeder ships.  We have shipped and have received several puppies via airline shipping.  We have never had a bad experience.  The pups sometimes mess themselves, but if it's a long flight, that's certainly expected.  Usually, the breeder will stuff the crate with paper or bedding and this helps keep the pup clean.  The airlines are very attentive and we've always received great service.

That's it for now - we'll bring more to you later.

Please do not support puppy mills!!!

Starting a few weeks before a dog is going to have puppies, you can see her puppies moving inside her belly.  As she gets closer to having her puppies, the puppies get very active.  They are getting in "position" to come out into the world. We enjoy feeling them and thought you would enjoy watching them moving around.

Here is a quick video of the puppies moving in our Jada's belly:

Ew. Gross. Really?!

Yes.  That's correct.  Your dog is rolling on worms.  And sometimes even eating the tasty earthwormy morsels.  They'll dig holes in the yard while on 'hunting expeditions' for earthworms.  They know the squirmy, lubricated brown beasts are out more often after a good rain.  And, yes, your dog even knows that it bothers you (from all the crazy noises you're making) - and doesn't really care.  

Ever think your dog smells 'earthy'?  Think your dog is just scratching his back on the grass?  Yea right, try, more like, rolling on worms; preferably, dead, squishy, messy worms.  

There are conflicting reports if earthworms are harmful for dogs to eat...so, our philosophy is if we don't know if it harms, the answer is 'no, no'.  Some people report that earthworms digest bacteria that could harm our dogs.  Others report their dogs often eat worms, with no issues.  Here, we don't want to find out.  

How do you get your dog to stop rolling on worms?  While your dog is obviously hunting or trying to roll, clap your hands or make a loud 'psst' noise to distract them from their worm hunting, eating, and or rolling.  Replace the behavior with a toy and try to actively engage the dog in a game of fetch or play to distract them from their earthy desire.  

Besides, we're sure you really don't want to get a face full of 'worm burp' later on, or let your furry kids on the couch if they have smashed earthworm guts on their fur.  

So, one thing we puppies do here at River Valley Goldendoodles is sit around with our feet up, sip a little wine, smoke some Swisher Sweets, and attempt to solve some of the world's problems. (Ok, so no one here will leave us alone long enough to even sneak that stuff, but it's ok to pretend!)

Here is a serious problem that we are working on solving:

For a little while now, our friend, Miz Cheri, has been doing her 'getting on a soap box' thing and complaining about how hard it is to find a good vehicle for her dogs. She started out with a Jeep Grand Cherokee in 2000.  That worked really well, with the seats down, for driving her Mutt, Boxer, and Great Dane around town. Next, she got a Mini Cooper Convertible - she was glad she kept the Jeep because only the Great Dane could ride in the Cooper (with the top down).  After her Great Dane passed, she moved to a few different cars over the years - a VW Jetta, then a Nissan Altima.  And, now, she's auto shopping.  While there are some auto manufacturers putting out vehicles in Europe that are great for dog families, there really aren't any ones in the U.S. worth considering.  In addition to having features that would be good for those with dogs, her other requirement:  an auto that is still for 'her' (so not a van, like the dog pound uses).

She has done a lot of research and the best advice out there only rates current autos with no new 'dog features or technology'.  She wants options that go above and beyond the typical SUV or Crossover.  And we agree - we think the auto industry can do a lot better for us canines!

So, we're not talking about stuff that should be standard - such as, cargo room, windows that roll down, restraint options for safety, and easy in and out hatches. We're talking about things that perhaps they haven't thought of before.

Here is a list of requests that we have for auto makers out there (trust us, Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, BMW, VW, Nissan, etc., you will have plenty of buyers for these specially outfitted vehicles!):

(most of these fit best in an SUV or Crossover)

• special windows, with a film technology that is clear, but deters 'nose prints' from being constantly smeared on them (windex is a staple in the trunks of dog owners)
  
• if an SUV, a back that can be hosed out without getting the rest of the auto wet, and also provides traction for dogs to have their balance (there is an SUV that offers the washable back, but it is very slippery - Nissan Xterra)
  
• passenger seats that fold all the way down flat (many manufacturers are cheaping out and just allowing the top of the backseats to fold down, leaving an incline and not a totally flat back)
• special 'resistant to dog fur' carpet and upholstery, whether it be on the floors or wrapped in the back of an SUV cargo space, that does not hold little dog hairs like velcro (!)
  
• the ability to leave air conditioning on for the times that an errand needs to be done and dogs must be left in the car (this will save doggies' lives too!) - we know you can do this now with most remote keys, but the car has to be running
  
• a special air filter that cleans doggie smell out, especially right after a dog swimming adventure
  
• water and food bowls setup for those tailgating moments
  
• a preinstalled, lightweight ramp for the back of an SUV to accommodate old dogs that can't jump in and out (you can buy these separately, but we think they should be an option already in the vehicle)

So, there are some ideas that go above and beyond the standard offerings of vehicles out there!    What ideas do you have?

We like to share information from experts and expert sources here.

Cesar Milan is THE dog training guy - that is 'hot' right now - his methods make sense and are effective.  His advice is sought after.  He has books, a TV show, and occasionally travels on road shows.  

Here is a link to why he thinks mutts are best:  http://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/new-dog/How-to-Pick-a-Healthy-Pup

Answer:  "hybrid vigor" 

The purebreds we have had, well, we got tired of losing them to their breeds' health issues at ages way too young. Our mutts (ask us about our Mr. Mo) lived the longest, and had the least amount of vet trips out of all of our dogs.  But, we love all dogs anyway ;-)

Fun, Unusual, Interesting Facts About Dogs that You Might Not Know
May 11, 2014

• Dogs can remember up to 250 words, count to 5, and do math:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/5994583/Dogs-as-intelligent-as-two-year-old-children.html
  

• Some Russian dogs have figured out how to use the subway system to get to more populated areas with food:  http://englishrussia.com/2009/04/07/smartest-dogs-moscow-stray-dogs/
  

• No idea if this one is true, but apparently there were two locally famous stray dogs in the 1860s in San Fran and the local media obsessed over following their exploits:  Bummer and Lazarus  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bummer_and_Lazarus
  

• This is a favorite because our old mutt used to have the best ‘frito feet’.  Apparently, dogs' feet that smells like corn chips, is really the equivalent of  ‘dog B.O.’ – and to think we liked smelling it! http://www.sentinelsource.com/online_features/pets/the-mystery-behind-frito-feet/article_ba5b880e-f855-11e0-bfd6-001cc4c002e0.html
  

Breeding

• From conception, the mother carries the puppies between 61-65 days – that’s only two months!
• Females can have puppies in the same litter that are from different sires. (WOW!)
• Females' heat cycles can last almost an entire month!  Of that time period, only a few days are prime time for conception.
• Some (perhaps many) full (AKA ‘pure’) breed dogs are experiencing high levels (higher than healthy for the puppies type acceptable) of inbreeding.  For example, some popular poodle sires have been used so much that breeders have had to trace lines carefully to reduce the instance of inbreeding.  All full breed dogs were at some point in their ancestry other types of dogs.
• Hybrids (mixes) are statistically healthier than full breeds – because they are not genetically inclined to have issues that the breed is susceptible too (ie, Great Danes and wobblers, Boxers and bone cancer, Poodles and eye issues, Shepherds and hips, etc.)
• It is better to breed dogs young (between ages of 2 – 6) and back to back – NOT to skip and breed until they are older.  Some breeders who show their dogs, do not start breeding until 4 or 5 years old and skip cycle because sometimes they want to enter a show – this has been shown to not be healthy for a variety of reasons (we do not accept feedback/comments without cited, credible sourcing) http://dachshundaustralia.com/revisiting-back-to-back-breeding/242 - Dr. Kate Schoeffel
  

Anti-Puppy Mill

• 60% of your dog is a product of its environment and training!  Only 40% is genetic!   We do not believe that puppy mills or large kennels are a good environment for puppies.  Besides the fact that we have a our own real nutcase (that we love) that came from a very large kennel/borderline puppy mill without socialization for 6 months, we have studied research that clearly indicates that the long term prospects of a “good” dog are much less likely with a dog that comes from a puppy mill or large kennel.  60% is from environment and training!
• “Nature and nurture both count. Using Dr. Famula's analysis, Mrs. Phillips estimated that 41% of those qualities could be bred for; the remaining 59% come from environment and training. Because Guide Dogs' colony is now more than six decades old, she was able to trace character traits and qualities generations back. "Each individual dog carries the wealth of its ancestral history," she says.  http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052970204846304578090683395043530

Hip Dysplasia

• Hip dysplasia is still not understood.  It takes THREE (yes, 3) vets to VOTE on the results of x-rays submitted for hip and elbow testing.  From there, it is a rating system.  Fair, Good, and Excellent are all considered Normal for hip results.  They say the older a dog is, the more accurate the tests are.  
  
• Just because a dog rates Excellent, does not mean that your pup will not ‘get’ hip dysplasia.   It is still likely.
  
• There are a number of dogs with dysplasia that function fine – run, jump, play, with zero issues.  http://www.offa.org/hd_info.html
• Hip dysplasia is not just genetic.  It can occur to any dog, at any age, through physical activities (usually before 18 months).
• With this kind of accuracy (sarcasm), don’t trust or bother with any dysplasia test results.  It is a biased (you pay the organization that ‘votes’ on the results), inaccurate process.
• Your best dysplasia prevention is to control exercise (especially of the young) and keep your dog from being overweight.

I took a call from someone that had puppy questions that tipped me off that she had a bad puppy experience.  At first, I thought she was worried about the puppy being bad to her kids, then, I realized she was concerned about how her KIDS were going to be with the puppy.  I finally got out of her that they had a puppy this past summer and the kids squished it and it died.  Her kids didn't know any better (very young), and were, unfortunately, unsupervised - it only took a few minutes for the disaster to happen.  Yes.  Wow.  My stomach hurts thinking about it.  

I looked on the internet for stories of kids accidentally killing puppies.  I was shocked how many stories there were.  While I don't have kids, I know a ton of kids and, yes, I know most little kids are not naturally gentle with puppies or cats or little animals.  They need taught to be gentle.  My sweet 3 yr old niece is an example.  She tries to carry mom's huge cat around (much to his dismay), she wants to help feed the fish and will dump the whole container of flakes in the aquarium, and while she was very good with the puppies when they were tiny, as they got bigger she would try to carry them.  She's just a bitty thing, so carrying anything more than a few pounds is way too much for her to do safely.  She just doesn't understand that an accident can happen - it does not mean that she's a mean kid.  She's a sweetie.  So, we don't let her off a chair or the couch when she is puppy playing - and she is NEVER unsupervised.  

You all might be wondering what I said to the woman that called me.  Well, perhaps a surprise due to my love for puppies and dogs, but I was nice to this woman because I felt it was a sad, bad accident and she wanted to make it right.  Of course, I had to lecture her that puppies are babies - they are not resilient and able to handle kids' rough housing.  They haven't seen anything of the world yet.  Everything is brand new.  The first things they learn of humans shouldn't be rough handling.  They are fragile, they have tendons and bones that are growing, and they also need gentle handling so they don't think kids are toys and learn rough habits that are dangerous for all (and not fair for the puppy who is being hurt and defending itself by snapping).  Their mouths are their hands.  They don't know what is toxic and they shouldn't eat.  They don't automatically know to stay off roads away from traffic.  They don't know the kitty is not a toy, or that not all humans are nice (and some are just outright dangerous).  They don't understand why we put a collar on them and why we keep them tied with a leash.  It is our responsibility to introduce them to the world, to show them how to walk and run on a leash without pulling, one step at a time - and give them the same consideration and gentleness and patience that we would our human kids.  Puppies are babies!

So when people call me and ask, "are your puppies good with kids?" - I'm going to ask them, "are your kids good with puppies?".  All of my puppy owners are so good with their puppies - but no matter how good everyone's intentions are - Accidents do happen to good people and good kids (and good puppies)!  

I don't judge good people on accidents (but, that doesn't mean I won't lecture and if you've made a mistake - like I have many times - be big enough to stand for the lecture and learn from it).  When I was in college, my stepdad accidentally ran over a puppy as he was backing out of the driveway.  He's been tortured about that forever.  

Of course, this doesn't mean we're going to allow one of our puppies go to a home that has questionable supervision and consideration.  This woman is going to take awhile to heal and she knows that she's not going to be able to get the dog of her life that she's been waiting forever for until her home and kids and life are 'puppy safe'.  She's taking the right steps and having a dog trainer come over and teach them about animal care BEFORE they ever consider getting another, and she's going to wait until they are older and get an older puppy/dog (probably one over 3 years old).  A very hard lesson to learn, but the horizon is bright for her and her family!