The struggle is oh so very real in my house!!!
My poor husband is terrified to eat anything out of the fridge because he doesnt know if it's chicken feet bone broth,  venison, dog food and sweet potato slurry or a leftover stir fry!!
All of my dogs get homemade bone broth daily but when I've got new momma's in the house,  there is a WHOLE NEW LEVEL of doggy dinners in the fridge!

My motto is "keep the momma's happy and they will keep the puppy's happy"  It's worked so far and Im sticking with it!

Don't worry,  It's a mistake you only make once!!!!   

Gotta go,   lunch time!!

...........everyone is heading to the vet today to get their first vet check and dew claws removed.  
I hear some people use their vacation days to do things like go to the beach? 
Crazy them!!

Peace out!
Sherry 

To say that adding a 4th big dog to our household was a little crazy, is an understatement.  We definitely do not regret it!  Leigha quickly became part of the pack and our lives.  She is affectionate, good natured and very smart.   We are so excited to meet her puppies and to see her as a mother!
Stay tuned,  they are due in a few days.
​ 
.............because she wants to climb into your pocket!!

Peace out!
​Sherry 

The F1b doodle combination seems to really be growing in popularity. 

They have a more curly coat, will tend to have less shedding and should be more tolerant to allergy sufferers due to less dander. They also have enough of that retriever in them to keep that nice calm demeanor and more of a stocky build. 

Willow and Rogan's puppies should be in the Red, light brown, cream color spectrum.  Willow's mom, Macey is a very dark gold retreiver and her Dad is a true white poodle.
Rogan is a true red poodle and that color will dominate.

Their coats should  be curly with the 3/4 poodle but the 1/4 retriever will add some looseness to the curls.

These puppies will also have a fuller build like Willow does.  She has a nice full head, broader shoulders and big paws. 

This is Willow as a new born puppy. 
As you can see,  she definitely changed color as she matured.

​It can take as much as 10 months to a year for the coat color and curl to fully develop.  

I wanted to talk a little about our upcoming litters.

As we showed you,  Leighla will be having Cream English Goldendoodles. 
When I was first asked about whether our puppies were from English or American Golden Retrievers,  I thought that the person I was talking too was crazy.......
....THEN I googled it and couldn't stop reading and WANTING!!

An English “Teddy Bear” GoldenDoodle is a hybrid breed between a Poodle and an English Creme Golden Retriever. The Goldendoodle is an affectionate and gentle dog that has gained popularity since he was first developed in 1990s. ... EnglishGoldendoodles are typically very easy to train and make great companions.

This comparison article is the best that I can find that is not,  I hope,  proprietary content and ok to share on our website.  It really goes into great depth about the two, very similar but different dogs. 
https://pethelpful.com/dogs/the-truth-about-English-Cream-Golden-Retrievers

The #1  piece of information that I kept on going back to was the fact that every article that I read kept saying that they were such great animals around kids.  Most of the families who buy puppies from us have kids......kids, jobs, friends, families, stress, schedules  and now a puppy.  We want everyone to be happy with the new addition and this breeding combination seems to be the very top for that success.
 
The #2 piece of information or fact that kept on bringing me back to wanting to know more about the English Retriever was simply their looks.  Lets face it folks--Looks really go a long way! Your kid is 100 X more likely to take a dog outside to play on a hot day that's cute and playful rather than stern and grumpy. 

So I started looking.  I sent messages to a few breeders and quickly learned that that was not going to make me any friends or get me any puppies!   Then, it occured to me to contact English Doodle breeders,  people who were already mixing the breeds.  That's when I stumbled upon Kimberlee from Kimberlee's Kennels in Decorah Iowa.  I explained who I was,  what I was looking for and a little about our farm.  Altough she does not publically breed other dogs,  she agreed to breed Leighla and 2 days later I was on my way to Iowa in a snow and ice storm!!! 
Dont get me started on the how's and why's of how new people show up in our lives!!  Im just going to say,  again,  I am grateful for the chance to raise a litter of these puppies, to meet them and to find some deserving, loving and respectful homes for them!!

The second topic that we discuss a lot while talking to families about our puppies is their coat.  Will it shed?  Is it hypoallergenic? Will it be curly?
Maybe   Maybe   Maybe  ------------   Joking,  but not really. 
One has to really embrace the famous saying of my sweet daughter at the wise age of
two which was........................................
"you get what you get and you dont have a fit"  
most impactful if said in a high pitched little girl voice!
The F1 Goldendoodle will be most likely to have a wavy to curly coat, be light to little shedding and will have less dander therefor be more tolerant to those with allergies or asthma.  

The third topic that comes up is color.   I think that these puppies with all be a light cream color.  Leighla has some cafe au lait coloring on her head, back and tale but her genetics point to her offspring being a solid color.  We may get a marking or two,  but it's doubtful.............we'll know soon enough!!!

I hope this information is helpful in deciding whether or not an English Goldendoodle is in your family's future

Peace out!
​Sherry 

 

Willow wouldnt even go outside with me to take some pictures.  She just looked up and put her head back down and looked away!!!

Next time you hear from me..........the Sun will be shining and there will be puppies to talk about!!  Fingers Crossed!!

Peace Out!
​Sherry 
​

It would seem that we are now living a "be careful what you wish for,  you might just get it" situation! 
When we realized that Willow and Leighla were both on the same cycle we had to decide which one of them we were going to breed to have puppies.  Willow didnt get pregnant last time and we didnt have a male for Leighla so we were left to figure it out.
​
One.   None.  or possibly    Two.
Well......we've got TWO!!!

We're so excited to meet the new puppies and to get our happy canine family back together again.   The next few months are going to be really exciting around our house.  We've got the logistics down pretty well of keeping everyone in their own space. 

Now we're just keeping these two new mom's as happy, safe and well fed as possible to get ready for their new adventure as
Puppy Mom

Peace Out!
​Sherry

I just called a groomer to see if I could get Willow and Leighla in for a professional grooming in mid-March.  Guess what,  she's booked until the end of May and is not taking new clients. 
I usually keep them maintained myself but I just wanted them professionally done for some photos for our website.  If you haven't had a dog groomed before,  it's going to cost (in our area at least)  65.00 plus tip. This is well worth the money but Im not inclined to have 2 dogs who roll in the mud, run through burr invested fields and eat cow shit groomed on a regular basis!!
So,  what do you do???   
START DOING IT YOURSELF WHEN YOUR DOG IS YOUNG!!!!
There are so many small things that you can do throughout the week to make sure that your doodle doesnt end up looking like Chewbacca! 
​Get some supplies and start!
You can get these things anywhere!
Nail clipper, small electric clippers, scissors, shampoo and conditioner, leave in conditioner or matt detangler.  From your vet, get some ear cleaning solution.   
Then........just start playing with your dog.  Get them used to having their feet touched and nails clipped. Trim the little hairs out of their ears, clean the inner ear with the solution from the vet.  Use a scissors to trim any tangles or hair around their muzzle. When they start looking shaggy,  use the clippers or scissors to give them an overall trim. It's OK if they dont look perfect.  The idea is to keep them from getting matted and gets them used to grooming. Your dog loves attention,  this is just productive attention!!

See the little hairs in front of this dudes eyes?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE  keep these little hairs trimmed away
so he's not constantly looking through that hair. 
Give the little dude some clear vision! 
​Using a small beard clippers,  you can not only keep your little one's vision clear but really do a great job of keeping his inner ears clean and also.........TRAINING!!
​Yes,  yet another opportunity for training for the big day when he does go to a groomer or vet. 

This is our beloved Hank.  As you can see,  I repurposed a goat rack for doing our dog grooming,  and look at his smile!!!   He loved it--NOT.   

Then there are times when all you can do is seek professional help!! 

​​So whether you are going to have your dog groomed once a month,  once a season or once a year is totally up to you. 
I recommend doing some work at home no matter what your grooming schedule is. 

You need your dog to be used to being poked and prodded.  This is just another great way to ensure that you have a well adjusted pet that you can trust with anything!! ----or anyone!!



Peace Out!!
​Sherry 

Our puppies are going home this week and the reality of having a curious new critter sniffing and running around the house is a reality.  We not only want our puppies to have found great new families and to be in a healthy safe environment but we also really want their owners not to be overwhelmed by the transition process from our house to yours. 
There are so many puppy training tips and suggestions online.  All you have to do is google  "Puppy Biting" or "Puppy Potty Training" and if you're anything like me......
                                                      All of the sudden,  you're late for work!!

Confinement/Containment for safety and security:
When you're making dinner, giving the children a bath or putting them to bed,  all the normal things you do around the house,  you now also have to keep an eye on a very curious puppy.  They are going to chew on stuff, try to eat things that they shouldn't and  are not potty trained.  If you do not have a place to put your little friend--Your dinner is going to definitely get burned!!  There are so many confinement products on the market.  One that was recommended to me last week by Kimberlee @ Kimberlee's Kennels in Decorah Iowa  was the Midwest Puppy Playpen.  She said that a large majority of her puppy families purchase one.  It's safe, large enough for the puppy to play in and the bottom try pulls out for easy cleaning.
For a standard dog, buy a 4 foot one and you've got a pen that they can use for life. 
​
https://www.petsupplies.com/item/midwest-puppy-playpen-w-1-2-grid/110167/

You can also build something simple that you can keep in your home for just these times when you dont want to crate your puppy,  you just need him in  safe place while you go check the laundry or do the dishes.  Obviously you wont need an elaborate system like we have for an entire litter of puppies but the idea is,  you can be creative and very inexpensively have easy access to a secure spot for your pet without completely separating them from the family or household activity.   I made that box for Macey and the puppies with 4 shelves on clearance at Menards, some used pool noodles from my friend Tony, some zip ties and a few corner brackets.  For the bottom, I found some pieces of laminate wood flooring that were left over from a project or I could have bought a 4ft piece of linoleum too. 
It was less than 20.00 and impressed the hell out of my husband!!

However you devise to keep your puppy contained, Please Please Please do not take your eyes off him or her.  They will chew, swallow or potty the second you turn away.  Remember,  that is your mistake and not theirs and they should never be punished for that. 

SAFETY TIP:  Remove door stops if they have a cap that can come off. Your puppy will find these on a hot second!!!  Also,  if the toilet screw caps are not secure, take those up too,  they are the perfect size to choke your puppy.

https://thedogtrainingsecret.com/ ---This website is amazing for tips, training ideas and suggestions.  


Time for work!!
Peace out.
Sherry 

If someone has the answer to this,  please seriously comment or send me a note through our contact us icon because I would really like to know.  Although I love me THREE female dogs,  I would never EVER trade the "laid back-- take life as it comes" attitude of Duke, Cody or Hank.   
Duke is protective, but that's not the same thing and also why he lives here!
I decided to do some google searching to see what the internet has to say: 

Whatever the preconceived ideas are about male vs. female pets,  I can guarantee you one very important thing: 
Your dog's behavior is going to be unique and reflect how it is treated and trained!!

We recently took in Leighla.  She was sent back to our poodle breeder by the family who bought her because she is hyper, jumps and is "mouthy"...meaning she grabs at your hands with her mouth.  Yup,  she totally is and does all those things.  Guess what?? She's a 1 1/2 year old poodle who needs a lot of attention, exercise and patience.  She's getting better and better by the day.  We give her attention, exercise and are firm with her.  We don't toss her in a kennel when she is does something that we don't like.  We get her to calm down by taking her outside or aside and asking her for some changes by sit, stay, calm commands.  I dont know the family who had her or what their circumstances are,  I just know that her behaviour if purely environmental.  Remember,  whether you                                                       have a male or female pet   
It is one hell of a lot easier to TRAIN a           behavior than to CHANGE it!!
...yes i can swear   it's my blog!!  ;p)

Peace out!!!
​Sherry 

I thought I would make sure and update my postings on social media for today.  My thought is that everyone will be sitting around on their phones in between commercials and getting plates of chicken wings. 
I am still looking for some homes for a few of our puppies.  I know that we will connect with the perfect families for these guys soon,  but in the meantime I spent a couple of hours yesterday  bringing each puppy in the house,  trying to get the perfect portrait photo of their individual markings, coat and features

​.............Here's a little idea of how that actually went

So.  Yeah,  just come and see these guys in person!!
They are adorable, friendly and love attention. 
After the latest Doritos commercial or Terry Bradshaw's rant about how cold it is in Minnesota this eventing,  take a moment to appreciate how those perfect photo's got on not only my ads but everyone else's........and   BUY THE PUPPY!!!!


Peace Out!!
​Sherry