What kind of coats do your puppies have?

My Goldendoodles have mostly wavy to slightly curly coats.  My reds, golds, and creams shed very lightly to not at all.  I have seen this in person by attending Doodle Romps where my puppies have grown into adults.

You read and hear of so many classifications of coats, such as fleecy, flat, wavy, woolly.  Generally, these terms fit the Labradoodle and not necessarily the Goldendoodle.  For the most part, my Goldendoodles will be soft to the touch and wavy in appearance.  I have found that the male Poodle contributes very much to traits and not all Poodles are cut out to be Doodle Dads.  The Golden Retriever will play more of minor role in the determination of the coat, but generally I look for Doodle Moms who have a decent amount of feathering.

What vaccinations, dewormers, etc do you give?

Here is a link to our schedule, which will accompany your puppy.

Do you remove dew claws?

Yes, they are removed when are puppies are only a few days old.

Do you dock the tail?

No, I feel this is the barometer of what your dog is thinking and is too important to remove.  Of course, you could have it removed at any time, but I would not encourage you to.

What size will the puppies be?

Royal Standards will range above 70.

Standards will range from 40-65 pounds for most of my puppies.

Minis will range from 25-40 pounds.

What is your philosophy on breeding doodles?

All of our Doodle puppies are first generation (F1) crosses.  The F1 hybrid is the healthiest cross possible due to “hybrid vigor”.  It is our desire to raise and promote this hybrid.  We carefully select each purebred parent for the characteristics that would result in puppies with the most desirable pet qualities.

Our goal in breeding F1 puppies is to breed a very healthy puppy with the desirable companion traits found in their purebred parents.  We do not breed multigenerational Doodles as we have no desire to produce a “pure breed” Doodle and we don’t want to see the Doodle hybrid begin to have the inbred genetic problems found in the purebreds.

What testing do you do?

Hips - Canine Hip Displasia (CHD) merits concern by all doodle breeders and its prevalence may be reduced with selective breeding.  CHD is caused by a poorly formed ball-and-socket joint in the hip.  The quality of this joint may be screened by x-ray and can then be certified by either the OFA or PennHip organizations.

To select for new parents at Sunshine Acres, we only use those who rank within the top 50th percentile on their PennHip scores with most of our parents ranking in the 80th and above.

Heart - A second health issue affecting doodles are heart murmurs.  Heart murmurs come in two different forms.  Many puppies, like human babies, can have heart murmurs that go away around 16 weeks of age.  A more severe heart murmur may not go away and develop into an adult dog health issue.  If adult parents have heart murmurs, there is a good chance that a percentage of their puppies may also have heart murmurs.  

All the parents at Sunshine Acres have had their hearts screened.

Blood - von Willebrand is a bleeding disorder that is prevalent in the Poodles.  If you are considering your puppy for breeding, it is important that the Poodle background is clear so you do not pass this down from one generation to another.

All my Poodle parents have been tested for this disease.

How are your puppies socialized?

The training your puppy receives in its first 8 weeks can last a lifetime.  Thus socialization is not taken lightly at Sunshine Acres.  Following is a general schedule each litter follows while here:

• 0-3 weeks -- The puppies are maternally socialized.  This simply means they are cared for and taught by their mother.  Human contact is limited to healthcare and frequent but short contacts.

• 3-6 weeks -- The puppies are imprinted to human contact with petting and light play as well as continued training from their mother.

• 6-8 weeks -- The puppies spend time meeting different aged humans (primarily children) and are placed in different environments to accustom them to change.  They will also interact with other adult dogs and see and hear various other animals.

• 8-12 weeks -- The puppies are now ready to go to their new homes and start their skills training.

Socialization never ends.  As puppies join their new packs, they will instinctively seek their level in the family hierarchy.  Although we love them dearly, they must be trained and taught that they are at the bottom of the family hierarchy.  A very big help to learn how to communicate with your puppy is to enroll him or her in a puppy basic obedience course as early as allowed by the instructor.  Classes are offered at most pet supply stores and canine schools in your area.  This class not only teaches your puppy skills, but continues your puppy's socialization to you, other people, and other dogs.

Following is my recommended schedule for your puppy once he/she is in your care:

• 8-16 weeks -- Take your puppy to its veterinarian for a wellness check shortly after your puppy comes home (within 3 days).  Start to potty train your puppy.  I recommend the crate-training method.  Teach your puppy to sit and stay.  Take your puppy for short walks, but limit interaction with strangers and their pets until his or her immunizations are complete.  Finally, enroll your puppy in an obedience class.

• 16+ weeks -- Once a puppy is trained, he or she will occasionally relapse or possibly start an undesired behavior.  Review the basics with your puppy to remind them of your expectations.  There are many additional courses and training that is offered and you may consider more classes.

What do your Doodles Do?

My doodles have been involved in search and rescue, hunting, and therapy work.  With their socialization skills and intelligence, they are the most suitable for therapy and companion-assistance type of work.  I have personally seen lives touched by my doodles and it does make a difference.

Mostly though, my doodles are acting silly, happy, loving and doing their best to make family ties stronger.  Of course, they still need training.

What do you mean __-Mart mentality?

Be prepared!  Our society has taught us that all we need to do is take our purchases out of the box, put in batteries, and away we go.  Real live puppies p__p and pee where we do not want them to, chew on your belongings (especially through teething time), and require a part of your busy schedule.  They in turn reward you with unconditional love, much happiness, and relief of stress.  

It is so so important to train them up in the way you want them to go or else they will be the biggest menace in your life!  You must learn how to communicate with them.  Read the books and attend a Basics class of your choice.  I do recommend the formal class setting for at least the first part of training so your puppy may continue to socialize with other puppies and people.                                          

Where is Sunshine Acres?

We are located in northwest Indiana, about halfway between Indianapolis and Chicago off I-65.  Here is a link to driving directions.

Where do you advertise?

http://www.pets4you.com/dog_links.html -- A puppy classified page

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com -- A puppy classified page