About the puppies…

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What is an F1b Labradoodle?

• An F1b labradoodle refers to an F1 Backcross.

• This is an F1 labradoodle bred back to a poodle.

• Some of these pups have lovely silky fleece / wool coats

• Some will have a more wiry feel like a lab.

• Some pups will be more curly like a poodle

• Some pups will have a flatter coat like a lab.

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What is an Australian Labradoodle?

Australian Labradoodles have six parent breeds: Labrador, Poodle, English Cocker Spaniel, American Cocker Spaniel, Curly Coat Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel

 

We categorize Australian Labradoodles by generation the same way we do with other Labradoodles, but as opposed to the F1, F2, F3… terminology, we use ALF1, ALF2, ALF3…  etc.

(ALF refers to ‘Australian Labradoodle Foundation’.)  After the ALF3 generation, they are considered multi-generation since the coats are so consistent and there is so little difference.

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Which generations of Labradoodles do you breed?

F1b Labradoodles

This cross is when we take an F1 Labradoodle and breed it back to a Poodle. This creates a 75% Poodle and 25% Labrador puppy. These dogs will quite often look very similar to the F1 Labradoodles in that many still keep that nice, fleecy coat type. The litters normally have a few with the fleecy coat types and a few with the curly coat types. The fleecy coat typed F1b puppies are typically extremely low to non shedding. The ones with curly hair don’t typically shed at all and if they do it is very minimal. The F1b is an excellent choice for those who suffer from allergies.

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ALF3 Australian Labradoodles

Through our years of experience, we have now come to the point where we use our trusted genetics and we will mate our F1b labradoodles with our multigen Australian Labradoodle stud.  We do all the proper DNA testing to ensure that we are getting the low to non shedding offspring from these matings. We have found that the F3 are just as good as the F1b for those with allergies as they are also low to non shedding. The advantage of breeding Australian Labradoodles and F1b Labradoodles here at Doodle Sweethearts is that we are able to get more of the colours we are looking for in our puppies such as the tri colour, black and white, brown and white, or the merle.

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What sizes do you breed at Doodle Sweethearts?

We breed medium and miniature labradoodles. The estimated size of your Labradoodle is determined by the size of both parents.

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Medium Labradoodles (35-50 pounds and 18-21 inches tall) - We have Medium Labradoodles here that we breed to miniature poodles or labradoodles. This results in a nice medium sized adult dog. They come in the F1b generation.

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Mini Labradoodles (25-35 pounds and 16-19 inches tall) - This is the result of mating a Miniature Australian Labradoodle with a Miniature F1b Labradoodle. We breed our Mini Labradoodles in ALF3  generations.

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What are the personality differences between adopting a male or a female?

This is a very popular question! The reality is that in the F1b Labradoodle and Australian Labradoodle breed there is very little difference between a male and a female.

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Sometimes the males are slightly larger than the females but we also occasionally have females within litters who turn out larger than some of the males. It just depends on the genetic traits they pick up in their DNA.  WE have a pretty good indication of this by looking at the size of their feet.  If they have big feet, they will most likely be on the bigger end of the scale (25-35lbs or 30-45lbs).  If they have smaller feet compared to their litter mates, they will probably be on the smaller end of the (25-35lbs or 30-45lb) scale.

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As far as personality, there is virtually no difference between males and females in our Labradoodles if they are spayed and neutered before their gender related hormones are developed.  For males this can be as early as 7-10 months old and for females this can be as young as 11-15 months old. We always tell our clients that it is far more important that you are getting a puppy from parents who have sound temperaments than being concerned whether you get a male or a female. We put a lot of thought into matching the right parent dogs to make sure we are getting good temperaments consistently.

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However we realize that most people have a preference... either they have had experience with a certain gender in the past or they want to balance out their family with a certain gender; so we are happy to oblige.  Just realize that the more open minded you are about colour and gender, the more options there will be for you to choose from!

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Are Labradoodles hypoallergenic and non shedding?

While no breeder is able to guarantee you a non shedding dog in the Labradoodle world, there are many who do not shed. We have found in the past that most people with allergies do very well with tolerating Labradoodles.

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Everyone has different types of allergies though, and that is something to consider. If you are allergic to dog saliva, you will likely not even be able to tolerate Poodles. If your allergy is the hair or the dander, the Labradoodles are typically a great fit and many clients have reported that they do not react to our labradoodles.

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An experienced breeder should be able to tell differences between their puppies. We have had great success in the past placing puppies with those who have allergies. We are able to tell at 6 weeks old what type of coat they will have, through DNA testing that we do at through Paw Print Genetics. If we know you have allergies, we typically will recommend an F1b curlier coat or F3 Australian, to be safe, as they have non shedding coats but even the other coats we have had people report no allergic reactions.

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What are the different colours available in your Labradoodles?

Doodle Sweethearts is unique in that we offer a whole host of different colours and colour combinations. This has taken several years of careful trial, ensuring that we maintain the temperament and personality traits while breeding different colours into our Labradoodles.

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Following are the colours we breed at Doodle Sweethearts:

• Cream

• Apricot

• Apricot/white (Parti)

• Caramel

• Caramel/white (Parti)

• Black

• Black/white (Parti)

• Black tri colour (black/white/tan)

• Chocolate

• Chocolate/white

• Chocolate tri colour (chocolate/white/tan)

• Blue Merle

• Blue Merle/white (Parti)

• Blue Merle tri colour (blue merle/white/tan)

• Chocolate Merle

• Chocolate Merle/white (Parti) 

• Chocolate Merle tri colour (chocolate merle/white/tan)

 

*Most poodles (in fact almost all) experience fading in their coats as they age and this is somewhat carried through on the Labradoodles. We cannot guarantee colour will stay exactly the same in your adult labradoodles.

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Do Labradoodles need to be groomed and how often?

Labradoodles have hair, not fur and so it grows continuously. Here at Doodle Sweethearts our F1b Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles are groomed once every 8-10 weeks.  We cut and keep their coats pretty short so it is easier to maintain.  The longer shaggy look is adorable though!

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It really depends on the look you want, as to how often you groom. If you like that long shaggy look, you do not groom as often, but you will need to brush regularly.  Daily if you do not want mattes.  If you like the well groomed look, you will need to groom and brush more often; every 6-8 weeks.

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When finding a groomer, make sure you find one who has Labradoodle experience! Take lots of photos of freshly groomed Labradoodles so your groomer knows how you want your dog to look.  Find a groomer that your neighbours, friends or family trust in your area.  Labradoodles can look very different depending on the groom!

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Bathing doesn't need to be done more than every 6-8 weeks, when they are groomed. Too much bathing will dry out their skin and cause itching and possibly hot spots if itching is excessive.  

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See more on grooming here

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How much exercise do Labradoodles require?

As puppies, labradoodles will need more interaction and exercise.  We consider the puppy stage to last until approx 18 months old.  We find that when the dog gets to be 18 months old, they really ease off in their energy levels. 

 

Labradoodles are playful, energetic breeds and they love to go with you wherever you go. They are found to have moderate energy levels for the most part and therefore two 30-45 minute walks daily will be sufficient. Remember, the more time you spend with your dog, the more the dog will bond with you and feel satisfied. 

 

Having said that though, it really does depend on the environment they are in.  If they are in a busy household with lots of noise and action, they will adapt to that, and you can expect your dog to be more energetic as well.  If they are in a quiet structured household, they adapt to that and often are more quiet-natured.

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What is a Labradoodle’s life expectancy?

The F1b Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles tend to be healthy breeds over all and we have seen very few health issues. The average lifespan of the Labradoodle is 12-15 years.  Just like humans, realize that  food, exercise and environment all have big implications in overall health of your puppy and dog as well.

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Do Labradoodles do well with cats?

Labradoodles are a very adaptable breed and most will adapt to other pets within a household. Most Labradoodles do very well at adjusting to a cat if they grow up with one as a young puppy. We recommend to introduce them to each other, slowly, for short periods of time, and in a space that the cat has not claimed as their own (eg. introduce them to each other outside in the yard, not where the cat sleeps.)   We are not at all concerned if our clients have cats in the house when they purchase one of our puppies.

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About the breeder…

 

 

How do I choose a breeder I can trust?

 

Take your time and ask the right questions!

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• Health Testing – What testing, if any, has been done on the parents. The highest standards of testing would be hips, elbows, thyroid, heart, eyes and relevant DNA genetic disease testing. Health testing will not guarantee the health of your dog, but it will increase the likelihood you won’t have issues.

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      Annual health checks with the local Vet are not the same as rigorous health testing.​

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• Health Guarantee – Does the breeder provide a health guarantee, what is covered, how long does it last?

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• Prenatal Diet – What kind of food did the mother eat while pregnant?

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• Puppy Diet – What kind of food will the pups be eating?    

​       Look it up on: Dogfoodadvisor.com

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• Some Breeders feed 1 star food and some feed 4/5 star. It is proven that the quality of nutrition the mother receives while pregnant affects the pups.

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• Get the Complete Price – What does the cost of the pup include? Vaccines? microchips? health exam? health tested parents? If the breeder incurs them, you don’t have to, but the purchase price will be higher.

 

It is important to understand that the more the breeder offers, the higher the purchase price will be. That is because health testing is expensive, building a breeding program of quality lines is expensive, good food and good health care is expensive.

 

Some of these things may not be important to you and that’s perfectly fine. You will be able to find breeders that offer a range of ‘services’ and a range of prices. You need to find one that offers those that are important to you.

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OUR COMMITMENT

1. To provide open and honest communication. Honest details about all of our dogs.

2. To support you through the entire journey, from puppy hood to when old age sets in.

3. To honour our health guarantee.

4. To have done our research and be knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge.

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CURRENT BREEDING PRIORITIES

Good breeders will make sure their dogs are well cared for. They will do their due diligence to ensure clients will provide their puppies with good homes.​​

 

 

Breeding healthy and well tempered dogs is very important to us.

We select our breeding stock with great care and strive to provide you with an informative experience at Doodle Sweethearts.​ 

 

Breeding prospects are selected at 8 weeks of age based on their temperament and an initial health exam that will confirm no heart issues.

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Between the ages of 9 and 14 months, the breeding prospects are subject to more rigorous health testing: 

• X-rays of their hips and elbows are rated by E-Vet diagnostics. 

• Genetic disorders are tested via DNA submitted to Paw Print Genetics.

• At 2 years of age, final x-rays of their hips and elbows are preformed and rated again by E-Vet diagnostics.

• Breeding prospects that don’t meet our standards are spayed/neutered and live out their lives as treasured pets to their guardian families.

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There are a number of things we do that provide evidence of the good reputation we have worked hard to build at Doodle Sweethearts. Some of these principles include:

• providing puppies from health tested parents

• provide copies of all health testing reports done on the parents (posted as links on the profile pages of all our parent dogs)

• properly matching parent dogs to provide the best temperaments possible

• vet check all the puppies and administer first vaccinations

• microchip the puppies

• every puppy leaves with a two year health guarantee with the option to extend it if desired

• staying in touch with clients needing support after taking their puppy home as well as years into the future

• we ensure our puppies are going to good homes by having each prospective client fill out an Application prior to adopting

• we assist clients in the choosing process to be sure they are getting the puppy that suits them best

 

 

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How do I reserve a puppy from you?

After you've made the decision to purchase a puppy from Doodle Sweethearts, the next step would be to fill out our online Application and submit it to us. We ask that you fill out our Application as accurately as possible so we are able to determine which of our doodle litters will best suit what you are looking for.

 

As a breeder, it is our responsibility to ensure that each of our puppies find loving homes and the Application process helps us with that.

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After reviewing your Application, we will then get back to you with further details regarding the completion of your reservation. If you are approved, we would then ask for a $500 non-refundable deposit. This can be sent via e-transfer.  When we receive the deposit, we will place you on the reservation list of your choice.

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Do you offer a genetic health guarantee on your puppies?

Every breeder who takes the health of their dogs and the puppies they produce seriously will definitely offer a health guarantee. Our guarantee will cover any genetically proven illness should the disease appear within the duration of the health guarantee signed and agreed upon at the date of sale. We offer a standard two year genetic health guarantee with the option to extend it to a three year guarantee should you continue on with the TLC Dog Food we recommend.

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Please note that puppies are very prone to parasites such as roundworm, tapeworm, pinworm, giardia, coccidia, etc. We have taken every precaution possible to eliminate these parasites in our puppies through proper deworming protocol.

 

But since the mothers tend to be more susceptible to parasites while they are nursing, they may pass these parasites on to the puppies. Depending on the life cycle of the specific parasite, your puppy may go home with a parasite. This is why it’s important to have your puppy’s stool checked within the first few days at your vet. A puppy under the stress of moving to a new home will often have a weaker immune system and parasites are more prone to attack.

 

We do not cover parasites within our genetic health guarantee.

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Do you do genetic health testing on your parent dogs?

Being responsible, ethical breeders, we do our best to ensure you are getting a healthy puppy. This process begins by making sure we are breeding two healthy dogs to produce the litter we want to offer. We do a lot of research into the dogs we purchase for our breeding program and one of the most important aspects of that research is ensuring we are purchasing healthy dogs with a healthy lineage as well.

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While the F1b Labradoodle and the ALF3 Australian Labradoodles are hybrids and tend to be healthier than their purebred ancestry, they can still be prone to the same genetic illnesses. This is why it's important to have all the breeding dogs tested for these specific illnesses.  We use a reputable company, Paw Print Genetics, for our health testing.

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Below are some of the health tests we conduct on our parent dogs prior to adding them to our breeding program.  If you wish for a further explanation for each disease, please see our health testing page.

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• Centronuclear Myopathy

• Cystinuria (Labrador Retriever Type) 

• Degenerative Myelopathy 

• Elliptocytosis 

• Exercise-Induced Collapse 

• GM2 Gangliosidosis (Poodle Type) 

• Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis 

• Hyperuricosuria 

• Myotubular Myopathy 1 

• Narcolepsy (Labrador Retriever Type) 

• Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures 

• Osteochondrodysplasia 

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Cone-Rod Dystrophy 4 

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy, Golden Retriever 2Degeneration

• Progressive Retinal Atrophy 

• PRCD 

• Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (Labrador Retriever Type) 

• Retinal Dysplasia/Oculoskeletal Dysplasia 1

• Skeletal Dysplasia 2 

• Von Willebrand Disease I

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Health testing will not guarantee the health of your dog, but it will increase the likelihood you won't have issues.

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Can I choose my own puppy and how does that process work?

Yes, we allow our clients to choose their own puppy! Choice of puppies is given in the order we have received deposits.  See our Adoption Process Page for more details.

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Having said this, we do help all our clients find the puppy that suits their needs best. If they are looking for specifics in personality, looks, coat type, colour, etc. we are here to help. It is in everyone's best interest to find a puppy that will match expectations of the client. Here at Doodle Sweethearts, we take this seriously and do our due diligence in guiding families to the right companion.

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Do you allow visitors to come see the dogs and puppies prior to purchasing?

We do definitely allow potential clients to come meet with us as breeders and see the dogs puppies!!!  Being a family of 7, our family life is very full and we try to be flexible through the week... for those who have deposits and are coming to choose their puppies! 

 

So prior to reserving, we only make appointments on Saturdays for potential clients to come meet us and the dogs.

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Do you ship puppies and is it safe?

We have shipped puppies for many years and have clientele across Canada. We have found shipping to be very safe and a very good travelling experience for the puppy.  There are certified veterinarians at the airports to care for puppies if there is a layover etc.

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It's exciting to be able to bring joy to families no matter how far the distance and our informative site is geared toward making this decision as easy as possible. We present all the facts about all the puppies in an open and honest manner to ensure clients are happy with the dog they are not able to meet in person. Don't hesitate to contact us because of distance; we will do our best to help you!

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What are your prices and why are they higher than some other breeders?

For a full pricing list, visit the Pricing page. When it comes to the prices of our puppies, they are a direct reflection of the high standards we hold ourselves accountable to here at Doodle Sweethearts. The prices may well be above what many other breeders are charging but there are a number of reasons for this.

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We invest a lot of money into bringing top quality lines in from North America. This is a very costly venture as breeders with top quality dogs do not sell them cheap. Our breeding dogs can cost anywhere from $4000-$10,000 before they ever produce a litter. It’s a costly way to add lineage to a breeder’s kennel but we feel it is the proper way to do it in order to create the best possible F1b Labradoodles and multigen Australian Labradoodle puppies for our clients who have trusted our breeding practices since 2009.

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A lot of money is invested into health testing our dogs and bringing puppies to you that only come from health tested parents. We take pride in going the extra mile and testing our parents thoroughly at Paw Print Genetics whom we have come to trust and appreciate topnotch customer service!

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All of the above factors along with the years of experience we have breeding Labradoodles play into why our prices may be higher than other breeders you have noticed online. It is a buyer beware market and you typically get what you pay for. Ask questions and be sure you are making an informed choice when you pick a breeder to work with in finding your Labradoodle.

 

• Do you feel they are honest and forthright with you?

• Are they willing to share health testing results on their dogs?

• Do they have testimonials to share with you from clients who purchased puppies from them in the past?

• Go with your gut feeling and make sure you feel comfortable with your breeder of choice.

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Do you offer support after we have purchased our puppy from you?

Yes, we answer every email and get back to every telephone message. If we are extremely busy over the time you have called or messaged us, it may take time to get back to you but we will be here for support!

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We are here to back you up from the time you purchase your puppy all the way through your dogs life. We care about the dogs we provide homes with and we want to do our part in helping people have the best experience possible. We provide a whole host of information to every new puppy owner but if there are things you still need help with that we didn’t cover with you, we’ll do our best to help you. We are well established breeders and we have many breeder friends who can help us answer any questions you may have!  We will share our knowledge with you.

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