Websites, Emails, and the Like

We've always wanted a dog; it was just a matter of which breed and when. It took us a few months to do some background research to whittle down some of the tempting choices out there.

I was honestly surprised at the amount of willpower it takes to give up on "the type of dog you like most" in exchange for more realistic options. How many folks fall in love with a pretty face and want to take it home, right? In any case, my husband and I talked it over for months and months and have narrowed it down to a dog that is medium-sized (about 30-45 pounds), easier to train, allergy-friendly, and more independent, among other features. Hence the goldendoodle (golden retriever + poodle). As this breed comes in 3 sizes (standard, mini/medium, and toy), we'd really like to take home a mini/medium puppy to be a part of our family.

We've been looking into several breeder sites, such as Goldendoodles.com, and delving into private websites from individual family breeders. There have been a couple of disappointments (e.g. puppy we wanted was already sold), but we're learning.

It's going to be interesting in meeting our goals this summer: 1) finding a reputable, caring breeder within a few hours' driving distance radius, 2) finding a litter of pups that will be 8 weeks old by the time my summer job ends, 3) finding in said litter a male, apricot, mini/medium pup, 4) socializing the puppy early to our pet birds, 5) educating ourselves about puppy feeding/care/training, and 6) making initial vet appointments. There is a ton to think about, and we're expecting a couple of email inquiries to return this week, but I couldn't help twisting up a soft fleece tug-toy for our future pup (pic). So here's to finding the right dood for us!