Cesar Millan is a world-renowned dog behavior specialist, known as the "Dog Whisperer". We highly recommend getting his books, watching his TV show and learning his techniques for transforming your dog and your life by understanding canine psychology and establishing pack leadership.

Golden Doodles

There is an informative wiki site that makes a great place to start.

Our Veterinarian implants an M4S ID chip  in each of our puppies. We have already had a happy Doodle reunion using this method. The company was professional, helpful and followed up with us to ensure the puppy was safely with his family.  Please remember to have your doodle scanned with each Veterinarian visit.

PetHub™ Link tags allow YOU to choose what is displayed when your pet's collar is scanned with a smartphone (iPhone, Android, etc.). It's modifiable as often as you like through your free PetHub.com account. You can even receive emails with GPS data when someone scans your pet's tag. Collars link to a free PetHub.com subscription to store your pet's data.

Standard Poodles:  The Canada's Guide to Dogs website was launched in January 2004. The web site is not affiliated with any organization or business, nor does it recommend, endorse or support any one breeder, group, organization, or other. One of the primary goals is to build the most comprehensive online resource for Canadian dog enthusiasts, a site that encompasses all aspects of the dog world and provides a portal of sorts where important and pertinent information is merely a click away.

Golden Retrievers:  The Canada's Guide to Dogs website provides an excellent resource to research the two foundation bloodlines creating the Golden Doodle hybrid.

This website lists an amazing number of optional hybrid dogs.

This site has plenty of general information you would find interesting when you are researching the topic of Golden Doodles.

This site has very useful information on all aspects of the Golden Doodle lifestyle, ranging from play time to chow time.

Hybrid Dogs

Another wiki site that makes a great starting place for researching hybrid dogs. The term 'hybrid' is preferred to 'mixed breed'; read here to understand what each term means.

Where to go?

Doodles are wonderful companions and they are welcome in many settings.  Dog parks are often a great way for your doodle meet playmates but remember that a puppy must have their vaccinations and the " go ahead" from your Veterinarian, prior to visiting one.  We recommend using a leash to keep your puppy within arms length so you and they can learn the lay of the land.  Doodles are very sweet, loving and often submissive to dogs with dominant personalities.

Always gauge the mood of the dogs in the park when introducing your dog to a new "pack".  Safety first!

Many of our doodles enjoy visiting dog day care facilities and some have routine play days.

Dog parks in the local Winnipeg area are listed on the City of Winnipeg website.

Q: What is a Golden Doodle?

A: A Golden Doodle is a hybrid dog, created by breeding a Golden Retriever with a Standard Poodle. Normally the Retriever is chosen to give birth, as they are more robust and make excellent mothers. Golden Doodles are somewhat different from a "Labradoodle", which is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle.

Q: Is a Golden Doodle a purebred dog?

A: No. Hybrids are crosses between two different breeds. Many people (we call them "dog snobs") think that its inappropriate to mix pure stock - they have their reasons; we think those reasons are generally self-serving.

Q: What is the advantage of a purebred dog?

A: To breeders, the narrow genetic definition means that all of the litter-mates will be very similar. This means that purchasing a purebred puppy is pretty simple - like getting a burger at a fast food franchise - every choice will be the same. The franchise prides itself on customers getting predictable outcomes. Ideally, the outcome should meet a "standard". For French Fries, the standard is for salt content, colour and oil temperature. With dogs, it's the "breed standard".   Is there anything wrong with breeding to a standard? That's a subtle question. You need to consider the answer from two perspectives - ask two more questions:

• Is the breed standard appropriate? We'd answer that by saying that a breed standard that corresponds very closely to healthy performance and longevity makes sense. For example, a Golden Retriever's desirable characteristics are geared to fetching ducks and snuggling by the fireplace. Those are normal dog attributes. However, you'll see some quirky results. Check out the Retriever's tail; it is thick, strong and rope-like. Why? Good Retrievers are powerful swimmers - ducks land in open water some of the time - so Retrievers must swim quickly to be worthy of being bred. Therefore qualities that enhance fast swimming are selected - Darwinian concept of natural selection being applied by the breeder instead of mother nature. Does this matter? Well, when your Retriever walks happily past the coffee table wagging their tail, you better not have a hot cup o' joe waiting! What about other breeds? The most frequent issue which crops up is the selection for qualities that are designed to fulfill ill-advised, arbitrary standards. This results in dogs with health issues. For example, breeding to a standard for narrow hips means that dogs can't give birth naturally. For us, this means that a purebred dog selected towards a performance standard, rather than an arbitrary, unhealthy 'human' standard of attractiveness, is preferable. Why choose a dog with a snout that's too small to permit breathing? Both Retrievers and Poodles are sporting dogs, bred to perform naturally, and we think that makes sense.

Q: How does a breeder seek out the standard?

A: A breeder wanting to win in the ring needs to produce the largest number of puppies that most closely match the ideal standard. From these, the best of the best are selected to breed to other dogs which show the 'best of the best' qualities. The offspring compete, and the cycle continues. With purebreds, there is a finite number of available mates. Of these, there is a fraction which demonstrate the ideal characteristics. These are the ones that are bred most frequently. Over time, all pure breeds trend towards genetic commonality. Even without taking shortcuts such as inbreeding, the effect is inevitable. The result is a breed with an increasing probability for inheritable diseases and a decrease in longevity. How can you avoid this? Hybrid dogs solve the problem by uniting bloodlines that have never met.  What's the catch? Isn't this too good to be true? In a way, yes! Purebred pups all look alike, they all act alike, they all sound alike. They are the franchise standard on commonality - if you purchase "off the rack", you'll get what you expect. Imagine walking into your neighbour's home, the kids look like siblings, because they're genetically related. By contrast, imagine walking into a classroom at school, the kids look different because they're genetically different. When you adopt a hybrid, the litter-mates are not all the same, they vary in many qualities. Is that a problem? Not for the people adopting a puppy, but it is the reason for how we need to conduct business. We raise our puppies in the house, under foot. We live with them daily. We watch them from the moment they're born until the moment they're adopted. We can match a pup to a family. Yes, we need to get to know you, but that's not a huge intrusion. The result is a healthy dog being adopted by the right people for the right reasons. You can therefore expect us to ask you as many questions as you ask us about the puppies.

Q: How large will he grow to be? Will she shed?

A: Golden Doodles come from two breeds that each grow to be 24 inches tall at their shoulders. But complicating the picture somewhat is that their offspring are "hybrids" and will generally grow to be at least as large as either parent, and generally slightly more. Expect a Golden Doodle to be 24 to 25 inches tall over their shoulder, with a weight very similar to a Golden Retriever, or around 55 to 65 pounds.

Many people wish to purchase a Poodle hybrid in order to achieve a 'low maintenance' dog, and all Golden Doodles would qualify in that respect. We've found with our previous litters that the creamy coloured pups shed very lightly, or not at all. If absolute cleanliness is the goal, however, the black pups have never shed (to date) as it seems they have taken after their father, a non-shedding, black, Standard Poodle. Actually, Poodles do lose their hair just like people.

Q: Will my new puppy bother my allergies?

A: No dog can be said to be 100% hypo-allergenic. We have found that visitors with allergies (one of the reasons people choose to visit) are not affected by our puppies. However, allergies can be unpredictable. If you have an allergy to grass or certain plants, you may still suffer from the puppy as it will love to roll around in the outdoors and then bound back into your house. Whatever you're allergic to can therefore be brought indoors with your puppy.

Q: Can I visit the puppy before I decide?

A: We encourage potential clients to visit with the puppies. We do ask that people make an appointment and we do have some restrictions. In order to protect our puppies from unwanted health risks, we ask that you do not bring other pets with you and that you do not visit pet stores, animal shelters or boarding facilities prior to any visit. All shoes must be left outside of the puppy's whelping area. Very young puppies are not to be handled by equally young children, but kids may play with a puppy while seated and monitored by an adult. *please note: we must and will follow all provincial guidelines with respect to visitation. Currently, in home visits are not permitted. We are pleased to visit via FaceTime or Zoom.

Q: What is an 'F1', an 'F1B'?

A: First off, the 'F' stands for filial, which comes from the Latin word for 'son'. It means either son or daughter - the first-generation offspring of two parents of "closely related species or strains". Plant breeders have learned that the resulting plants are usually more vigorous than either parent and also have other desirable qualities. Dogs are very similar, with first generation hybrids being strong, healthy, vibrant animals. The '1' describes the first generation of offspring - in this case, the mother is a Golden Retriever and the father is a Poodle. (The Doodle could have the mom and dad reversed, but since Goldens make much more robust mothers, its the norm.) If a Golden Doodle was bred to another Golden Doodle, the number would switch to '2'; it's that simple. This would be described as a second generation Doodle. At this point, you would want to ask about the breeder's bloodlines. Why now? Clearly, a Poodle and Retriever cannot be related, so an F1 Golden Doodle cannot be "inbred" or "line bred". However, two Golden Doodles could be related to each other. Finally, the combination of two F1 dogs cannot produce anything other than an offspring that is equally 50/50 - hence, there is no advantage. What's all this mean? You likely won't find an F2 on the market, and if you do, ask who the parents are, and why they were bred.

The addition of the B refers to Backcross - as in a Golden Doodle being bred back to a Poodle - which makes those offspring 25% Golden Retriever, and 75% Poodle. The result is a litter of puppies that will have more of the Poodle's characteristics, specifically the non-shedding hypo-allergenic coat. If shedding (home cleanliness) or allergies are your main reasons for searching out this type of dog, but you still cherish the Golden's warmth and lovingkindness, this offers a desirable option.

Some breeders will refer to an F1B as the puppy from a Golden Doodle mother that was bred 'back' to a relative (commonly a father/uncle from the Poodle side of the family). This is referred to as "line breeding", and is one of the most common ways to produce litters with 'uniform' characteristics - something that occurs inside the purebred bloodlines on a frequent basis. The result is a narrowing of the gene pool with a virtual certainty of a (slight) reduction in the offspring's genetic health. Carried on generation after generation, you get a very narrow gene pool making litters that all appear desirably similar. Voila, you've arrived at a purebred; call the Kennel Club and get signed up.

We have two Golden Doodles named Stella and Maggie that we've bred 'back' to a Poodle - NOT their father - an unrelated Poodle. This produced F1B puppies, some of which appear on our website. The term F1B is used to describe a hybrid mother bred to an ancestral breed - NOT a parent. The term "line breeding" describes the F1B bred to her relative. Since this cross offers no benefits (other than convenience for the breeder), and marginalizes the gene pool hiding inside the puppies, (something you don't want!) this is something that we do not do. What's all this mean? When you find F1B's on the market, ask who the parents are, then ask who the grandparents are... and why they were bred.

Q: Can I give my Golden Doodle treats?

A: It is very tempting to bring home treats for you puppy and adult Doodle.  Doodles are so loving its hard to resist their adoring eyes when they are offered food of any kind. Treats are often high in fat and calories, low in nutritional content and often contain ingredients that contribute to illness and obesity.  Regardless of whether the treat is labelled organic, nutritious, healthy, or having medicinal benefits treats are unnecessary and we do not recommend giving any treats to your dog and especially your puppy !

Q: We're frequently asked if Doodles enjoy playing with cats?

A: The answer is : YES, from day one!  Once they've been wormed and immunized and are playing outdoors, they getour with our cats. We have found that our Golden Doodles are very  adaptable andreceptive to newpet " friends". Many of our Golden Doodles live in families with other dogs, cats, and even a rabbit!  

Q: Do I need to get my Golden Doodle clipped?

A: Quick answer, yes. It makes the Doodle more comfortable for the warm summer climate. Secondly, if you're taking a Doodle into the lake, a long coat will carry more water back into the cottage. Thirdly, do you wear your winter coat in the summer? Lastly, a shorter coat means that you'll have more awareness of wood ticks

Q: What are the annual requirements for the dog?

A:  REQUIREMENTS

• GROOMING :Most people get the Doodle a clip at their groomers in the early spring. It gets the dog ready for the summer. Some people like to get a second clip late in the summer to keep the hair easier to groom in the fall.

• VACCINATIONS: In the first year of ownership, you'll need their second set of puppy shots at 11 weeks, basically a month after you get the puppy. There is another set at 15 weeks. This will give them their full compliment of immunizations. Booster shots from the vet get done annually after that.

• HEART WORM: Many areas of Canada require heart worm pills during the mosquito season - that depends on where you live. The link will give you detailed info and has a list of FAQ specifically on the issue. Our puppies are raised in Manitoba, land of mosquitoes, and so the puppy goes home with their first dose. However, we recommend you follow up with your vet when you get your puppy home.

• FLEA AND TICK: It is highly recommended that your doodle have an annual regiment of Flea and Tick medication. Prevention of illness is always far more affordable and safer option than treatment.

• SPAY AND NEUTER: As part of the adoption agreement we require that your doodle be spay/neutered at 6-9 months of age. Doodles are very gentle by nature and an intact dog will attract unwanted attention when they are greeted in public by other dogs. As well, a Doodle's bloodline brings with it a Poodle characteristic. The breed standard describes a Poodle's tail as: "Set on high, carried up, and may be docked. The tail set is distinctly ahead of the pinbone. Never curled nor carried over the back." That translates into a tail that points upwards, while a Retriever's tail points horizontally. Why is this important? When a dog is "on guard", they will bring their tail up to present a larger image of themselves in order to look impressive. But, when a Doodle's brain is active and alert, their tail will make the same motion. The result - Doodles will inadvertently send very inappropriate messages to neigbourhood dogs! Add that to the scent of an intact dog, and tempers can flare, and the Doodle will suffer needlessly. Imagine walking into a tough neighbourhood wearing a jersey for the wrong team. That might work if you're a Pit Bull; not a good idea when you're a Doodle!

Q: What do I feed my Doodle?

A: Let's break this down into two parts: What do I feed the puppy when I bring it home, and what do I feed the adult Doodle.

Puppy Needs: An 8-week old Doodle is very much a baby. They nurse until 4 weeks of age. They are then slowly transitioned off of their mom for two more weeks. They are weaned completely by 6 weeks. Their 7th and 8th week is still a transition, as they move from softened food (the consistency of porridge) to dry kibble and a bowl of water. When the puppy gets to your home, it will need 3 meals per day for several more months. The Doodle's body and Poodle bloodline restricts the dog from eating large meals. By the time the Doodle is six months old, it will be mature enough to thrive on 2 daily meals. We feed our Doodles at breakfast time and again at supper time.

Adult Needs: Doodles eating twice daily generally need between one and one and a half cups of dry dog food at each meal. Lower quality food will mean that you have to feed more volume, so you generally won't save much money. Plus if you feed more food, you'll clean up more poop. That's the corollary to "what goes up, must come down".

It is fairly common that we hear these problems:

feeding tips ..when is enough is enough

• Tip #1: Observe your Doodle's poops. They should have a certain thickness about them. They'll retain their shape when they're deposited. If they're too soft, the food is going through the digestive tract in a rush. This could be due to food quality or quantity.

• Tip #2: Doodles are part Retriever. They race through meals because they're Retrievers - that's what Retrievers do! The majority of Doodles inherit this trait, others inherit the more laid back Poodle mentality: "My food will be there later, I'll take my time. Why rush something so good." A Doodle that eats quickly is not starving. Do not confuse a dog's behaviour with a teenage boy. An hour after the Doodle has finished eating, the dog food will have swollen in the tummy and the urge to binge will have passed. Your dog's distant ancestor had to eat quickly before competitors came and robbed the meal. Genetics and survival of the fittest have given Retrievers a mandate to eat as fast as they can - they are a slave to their DNA. Somewhere along the line Poodles moved beyond this behaviour.

• Tip #3: Doodles are part Poodle. If the Doodle does not eat quickly, it may not be sick. Many people who have enjoyed large breed pets will assume that eating quickly is normal, and a dog that shows little compulsion to scramble through their meal must therefore be ill. Remember that a Poodle will eat slowly. You need to get to know your dog. Call us.

• Tip #4: Kibble from the hand is a treat - kibble from the bowl is a meal. If you want to give your dog a treat, or reward good behaviour, simply use the same kibble as they'd eat at mealtime. The dog will react to kibble from the hand in the same fashion as they would react to fancy treats. Some Doodles love getting kibble by hand as a reward. Other Doodles don't find treats as fascinating, but enjoy being rewarded with affection.

• Tip #5: Monitor your Doodle's weight gain. Obeying the instructions on the dog food bag can be tricky; it can trigger a vicious circle. The more you feed the Doodle, the more you need to feed your Doodle, because it gains weight. We've found that dog food companies encourage you to feed generous amounts, frequently more than necessary. Perhaps it has something to do with them earning more money when they sell you more food? The dog gains more weight than needed. Which bumps up the daily recommended feeding regimen. A Doodle should gain approximately one pound per week. The best defence for this problem is to follow tip #1, and observe your Doodle's poops.

Q: What brand of dog food should I buy?

A: Many people have tried different brands and found they worked out just fine. However, we have found certain things in common. As a puppy, the Doodle should get a good quality "Large Breed - Puppy". At first, the puppy will eat 2/3 of a cup, three times daily. As they grow, this will go up slightly, to about a cup, three times daily. As they get to be mature, around 6 months old, switch over to a good quality "Large Breed - Adult" dog food. The adult dog will actually have the quantity of their rations decrease over time as they mature, and stop gaining weight. If you don't cut back, they'll gain weight and get chubby. You'll need to rub their ribcage to feel the weight gain, as their fluffy coat will disguise their shape. You'll feel the ribs as the puppy grows, as they won't put on fat until they mature. When they gain too much weight, the ribs won't be apparent to the touch. When the pup is small enough, some people will pick up their Doodle and stand on a scale, then put the puppy down and subtract to find the pup's weight. This isn't practical with an adult dog, unless you play in the CFL.

We've had some bad experiences along the path with various brands, so our level of loyalty is measured on a month by month basis. Our conclusion is that dog food is best used "with caution". Here's a food analysis if you'd like to do some research.

Q: Which ingredients should I look for in dog food?

A: The higher an ingredient is on the ingredient list the higher the percentage of that item is in your puppy’s food. The higher quality foods will have a protein such as chicken or lamb as the first ingredient. There are many foods that offer whole eggs, fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals. You will see fats listed and yes ,in the right proportions your puppy does need them. A good rule of thumb is to avoid bi-products. We have found that the most expense food does not guarantee the best food but the lowest cost food is always the poorest choice.

How do you know if your choice is working? Most frequently, a poor choice will show up with the dog being itchy. They may chew on their feet, or scratch themselves. If the dog food is really not working, they may have other reactions that are best described as "allergic". Lastly, a brand that has been working consistently may have a bag that doesn't work. You may want to try a different bag of the same brand, after discussing the problem with your pet food store. Generally the shop keepers will be sympathetic to your cause and you should expect them to refund the purchase of the bad bag, in order to keep you as a customer. If a different bag isn't solving the problem, feel free to call us! You may need to change to a new brand after all.

Q: What is a 'mini-Doodle'?

A: A mini-Doodle is a Golden Doodle bred from a Golden Retriever mother (because you need a larger scale mother than father when it comes to carrying puppies internally) and a Miniature Poodle father. The desire is to produce smaller dogs, able to live in condominiums which place size restrictions on their pets. Note, however, that a Miniature Poodle is a very different dog from a Standard Poodle - it is much more than just their size that matters! Standard Poodles and Golden Retrievers have both been bred to sit quietly and obediently with their master while they await their prime task of retrieving. As such, Golden Doodles are very quiet, rarely if ever barking. We do not breed "minis", but we would try our best to refer you to someone who is breeding them. Many condominiums have limitations such as height (16 inches high across the dog's shoulders - Doodles grow to be 24 inches tall) or weight (40 pounds - Doodles grow to weigh 55 to 65 pounds) that are just not in the ballpark for a Doodle. We do not have any desire to breed minis, as they deviate from the type of dog that we enjoy having in our house. We love the quiet, cuddly, playful, gentle dogs that Doodles embody. Once you get used to having a 60 pound lap dog that loves to wake your teenagers in the morning with a friendly smile, you'll never go back to anything less!

Considering a puppy ?

Buying a Dog Online - Lots to Consider

Many of our customers voice a concern about purchasing a dog they've never seen, from people they've only met over the internet. Of course this carries with it a host of questions.

Should I pick a boy or a girl?

Most people have a fairly confident idea in mind when they initially contact us. Often, people wish to replace a previous pet with one of the same gender, which is something that we completely understand and appreciate. Sometimes men wish to have a male dog to achieve a form of balance, when they have a wife and several daughters - we understand that too. However, we also frequently hear from people that they want a Doodle that's either male or female based upon perceived personality traits. We believe that's an incorrect assumption to make, as Doodles generally do not display gender specific characteristics (aside from their posture while visiting the outdoors). People interested in finding a confident, outgoing pet should describe their desire by saying they're "interested in finding a confident, outgoing pet". We've found that some litters have a male pup with this personality, while other litters it's a female puppy. The same can usually be said for any trait that people link to gender. Take it from us, when you sit on the kitchen floor with an armload of puppies trying to nibble on your ears, the only way to know who's who is to lift their tail!

How will I choose a puppy when I haven't seen the litter?

Good question. Our goal is to match the right puppy for the right home. We have a questionnaire that we will ask you to fill out. The questions are to determine what you're like, what your family is like, what you like to do, etc. For example, do you plan on taking the dog on vacation or to work? Will the dog be expected to greet strangers frequently? Do you have energetic young children? Are you looking for a companion dog for a special needs child or a retired individual? These questions will help us guide you to choosing the best puppy to suit you.

We have been very successful assisting families that live outside our local area in adopting puppies. We have also been able to utilize video conferencing to introduce our puppies and their parents for local families unable to visit during pandemic restrictions.

I live in a condominium - will this puppy be happy?

Yes, Golden Doodles adore being with people and size of their home or the fact they must take an elevator to go outdoors does not occur to them as usual. Owners who live in condos must consider where and when they walk their puppy safely and within good neighbour guidelines. Doodles are adaptable, eager to please, playful, intelligent and sweet. Our Doodles have been noted for their quiet manner - they rarely bark. We have Doodle families sharing their adventures with us and we have discovered that our Doodles like to boat, fish, go the cottage, drive in the country, go to the beach, romp in the dog park, and several even go to work. The age range of our Doodle families encompasses a broad spectrum from newborn to nearly 90!

 However, we've had several people learn, after getting their hearts set on a puppy, that their condo rules do not permit a dog above a specific height - so we recommend that you read the fine print before you make a decision. Of course, we also find it ironic that Doodle owners meet their neighbours and explain that they've had a dog living with them for months, without others even noticing. It might have something to do with the dog's gentle, easygoing, quiet nature, but then we're a little biased!

What is a dewclaw?

You certainly wouldn't be the first person who asked that question. The dew claw is essentially like a thumb . This will likely leave you with the question of why our puppies have their dewclaws removed when they are two days old. We do not believe that it is cruel - the procedure is on par with having your child vaccinated. We believe that dewclaws offer a dog minimal benefit, while leaving them at risk for injury. And yes, we have had an adult dog (Border Collie) that caught her dewclaw and suffered. Since the puppies have their dewclaws removed 48 hours after birth, we treat them all as if they were going to be ours forever, and proceed with what we believe is in their best interest.

Will I get to see pictures of my puppy before I receive it?

Yes. We strive to take as many pictures of the puppies as we can. The litter will initially be photographed mainly in group shots, typically when they are nursing. After the first month, their activity level expands, permitting their personality to shine through. This is when we start to develop an idea for the type of family that each puppy is likely to require. During the following 4 weeks of growth, we will try to keep up to date pictures either moving through emails or onto this website. One word of caution: if you have ever tried to photograph a 6 week old puppy, you'll know that it isn't easy! Frequently, their expressions or their personality are either not captured, or they are captured incorrectly, so it is tough to accurately extract a feeling from the picture. We try to balance your desire for an updated picture with our ability to capture a focused image. We microchip each puppy when they receive their first immunization. This microchip is individual to your puppy. When it comes to personality, you're better off listening to the various descriptions over the phone or allowing us to set up a FaceTime or Zoom session !

TESTIMONIALS

Calgary:  Happy New Year to you! I hope you had a wonderful holiday. We were very blessed over Christmas, we had wonderful times with lots of good food and family and friends. We took Chanel up to the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis with us and boy is that a dog's dream! There must have been at least 50 dogs in the hotel and around 10 - 15 in the lobby at any given time. Chanel was in heaven - playing in the snow, meeting new people...I have to say, she puts on quite the show! She was even able to take part in singing Christmas carols with us - that's the first picture attached I believe. Anyway, we took some new photos of her so I'm attaching them for you to take a look at. I'll probably add some more to FB as it's easier to upload to there then my email.

We'd love to see you and have you visit with Chanel! You are welcome to come by anytime you are in Calgary. I'm not sure if even you would believe how cuddly and loving Chanel is! Everyone thinks she's one of a kind because no one who has met her can believe how loving she is - I always say, she's a human in a dog suit but even that's wrong...I don't know another human who shows this much affection - it's crazy!!

Winnipeg: We really appreciate the time you took out of your day to open your home to us and teach us about your furry family. We admire the partnership you and Katie (and to a lesser extent Lucas) have in raising the little ones.

Wisconsin: We are home safe and sound! Very uneventful drive. Jethro was a PERFECT puppy all the way home. The ONLY vocalization we heard the whole time was one tiny growl at a toy he was playing with when we stopped for a supper break (for us and him!) It was only long enough and loud enough for both of us to turn our heads and say "huh?". He stayed perfectly on our laps the entire way. He even sat in the passenger's seat all by himself when we stopped at the gas station to fill up and one of us ran inside! We've been home for a little less than an hour. He's being perfect here, too. Not one accident the whole day! We couldn't have asked for a more perfect first day with our puppy!

Calgary: Busy today as I had yesterday off to spend with the puppy so just a quick update. She is doing great - a little bit lonely first thing in the morning but I also think she is hungry!! Good thing for the notes as she is RAVENOUS and I would have fed her more. The kids think I'm starving Her but I told them to read your instructions.

She loves the cats - she is ALWAYS talking to them saying "Come and Play". But they still have their noses out of joint. A lot of petting has been going on as everyone is feeling a bit jealous! :o)

She is sleeping good thru the night and making the transition well. We all love her dearly already our busy goofy girl! 

Calgary: He is totally gentle, and doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He is people oriented, and not food driven - and sure wants to please. On that basis, he demands attention out of a sense of guilt. As a result, he and I have gone back to cross country skiing and running regularly this winter, and can't get away as much as when we were 'dogless'...

He certainly is not a food hound the way I remember my pure retrievers - and so far is not interested in garbage or manure. He will always put a cookie treat on the floor and inspect it before nibbling. I am sure he could eat with the queen, and she would be impressed with his table manners. 

He is soooo athletic! and is a joy to behold as he races down the fairways through the snow with a stride that is almost as long as the cougars that have been frequenting this area this winter...

Winnipeg: Pippa's family writes: "Well it's been one full week @ home and Pippa has fit in so well with our family. Her transition was seamless and she didn't cry once. She loves her crate for bedtime and enjoys playing outside and finding many sticks! She is learning to walk on a leash and is getting better every day and she has learned some of the basic commands. We are each working with repetition every day for consistency. She is truly a joy and our friends can't believe how well socialized and calm she behaves. She is very quiet and has only barked about 3 times @ her toys, the first time of which Sierra jumped! We will keep you updated, but so far absolutely no problems, just great fun! Thanks and keep up the great work :)"

Winnipeg: Bauer`s family writes:  Bauer is amazing!!!! He loves the water, jumps off the boat and into the lake with the kids. He is very happy and very loved by all of us. We take him for walks at least 3 times per day. He has many friends that he plays with both at home and lake. He is about 68 lbs now and is very well mannered. We are very thankful that we met you guys and you have given us a very important member of the family. Cheers!!!!

Winnipeg: Stanley's new owner writes: "Weekend update. Stanley is so smart. We hung small bells at the back door and showed him how to nudge them with his nose to let us know when he needs to go outside and he caught on right away. He has learned to do his business at the side of the house on the rocks and is so attentive. His favorite toy is his tiger and he is always such an easy going pup.

Bobbi ( who never did learn to play with other dogs) doesn't mind him and they sleep well together in the kennel. More updates next week!"

Stanley can now fetch a ball, release it and sit for the next throw ! He has yet to turn 9 weeks old !

" So the past week has been great. Since Monday Stanley goes for 2 long walks a day. He walks super on the leash...never fights it or pulls. He just follows where Bobbi walks and its great. He gets excited like Bobbi ( dog sister at his new home) when we ask them if they want to go for a walk. He sleeps almost through the night without a bathroom break. If we could keep him up till 10 or 11:00 pm it would help but he is usually ready for bed at 9-9:30 He easily entertains himself with his toys and loves to play fetch outside and inside..."

MEET THE PARENTS