Dooley The Labradoodle's Story

Breeder Judy Hickey of Snug Harbor Labradoodles owns an F1Labradoodle, Dooley and breeds Australian Multi-Generational Labradoodles. Here is part of our conversation regarding her dear Dooley.

Judy Hickey: "I have a first cross and when I got him, I was very much like you, I could surround myself by dogs. I love the idea of breeding but I bought him really just as a pet; he was never intended to be a breeding dog.""The non-shedding thing was huge for me, I thought it was great.

Motivation of the non-shedding what made me really interested in the Labradoodles. But then when I got Dooley and he was shedding and he looked nothing like what I expected him to.

The reality of the pictures they show are all of these fluffy little, fluffy, fluffy dogs. He's got a flat coat. He looks like a lanky Lab with a poodle head. He is a funny-looking guy, we love him. But he is a funny, funny, funny-looking guy.

Edie Mackenize: And, guess what? This person is selling Labradoodle puppies for $600, and this one selling them for $1500. I'll just go with the $600 dog.

Judy Hickey: Yes, because the people expected a non-shedding, allergy-friendly dog. I mean that's exactly the bill that was sold to me. Edie: You were told that when you bought Dooley then?

Judy Hickey: Yes, I was. You know it was interesting because I remember talking to the Multi Gen people and at that time thinking, "Oh! The cost was really prohibitive and how could I talk to my husband into that." But when I see the difference in the temperament, I mean Dooley is very sketchy, he has got a temperament issue. Now, that's my fault.

I didn't do the research I should have. I didn't meet his parents. He is very high strung. He is hard to control. He is frightened of people, he is frightened of other dogs to the point where he looks like he is going to attack them, but then he like, runs away. Like, "Oh, I'm really scared. I'm going to act really meaningful so they don't hurt me."

Edie Mackenzie: And you've had him from a puppy, so this is definitely not something that is an issue of socialization, since he has been raised with children and other dogs.

Judy Hickey: We did get him from a puppy. We got him from Virginia, and we paid to have him delivered by a car, okay. The poor thing! This couldn't have helped, but on the other hand it couldn't have caused two years worth of temperament issues, I don't think.

You know what I mean, the trauma of it - He was in that car for so long! I think she left Virginia at 8 o'clock in the morning. She had to drive to New York City, drop off a dog, go all the way out on Long Island, then all the way up here to Massachusetts.

I want to say, it was 11 o' clock at night before we got Dooley. And he was shaking when he came out of the crate. I'm sure if you have an insecure dog or bad parentage anyway, you are surely not going to help the puppy out by doing that. I think his temperament is because of bad parentage and it was my fault.

Unfortunately, you believe what you want to believe when you are buying a puppy.

I think F1s have a lot of potential though. I've met them where they look similar to Dooley, but they have got the exact mellow temperament you would want. The ones I met did shed, but really had a fabulous temperament.

So, I think there is a place - there is a wonderful place for these dogs. I think if you can meet a breeder that has dogs with the temperament and all, it's worth every penny that's spent to get a well-tempered dog.

I think we here in America, these American crosses, are fabulous pets, some times. But the public should just do their homework on it.

With Dooley being so skittish, he is very, very bright. He is very bright. Like we always say, 'He is the brains and she is the beauty.' Polly, my Australian Multi-Gen is also very smart and very trainable, but she does it in more of an intuitive way rather than just rote intelligence.

I can look at Polly and just say, all right, come on in here. And she will do it, not because she was trained to do it, but because she knows that I want her in here.

Dooley is very easy to train, he is very smart because I think he is so on edge all the time. He fears everything, sees everything. He doesn't miss a trick. So, I think he is pretty bright. But it is rote and it's a trained intelligence.

It's different, it's totally different. It's a big difference! And it's a completely different training and mindset. He is a lot more work for me because of that. I knew there was a difference between the Multi Gens and the Lab and the first crosses. I didn't know at the time when I got Dooley, I didn't know there was a genetic difference. So again, I think it has to be a buyer beware kind of thing.

I spent $1500 on Dooley and he is very poorly tempered. I don't have a problem saying it to anybody who walks in the door. His parentage was just not what it should have been.

He is a good pet, and I think he is intelligent and I think he is the sweetest guy to me, but he is very nervous. I feel so sad for him, the poor dog lives in a very scary world.

He looks at me like are you upset with me, are you happy with me? It is as if he has ADD for dogs or something.

Finding the right breeder is especially critical with doodles, because there are so many backyard breeders claiming to be Labradoodle or Goldendoodle breeders.

They are obviously in the business solely to make money and are not concerned with the betterment of the breed. Do not settle for this type of "breeder!"

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Article written by:

Edie MacKenzie