Q: Where are you located?

A: Our farm is about halfway between Bowling Green, KY and Nashville, TN, just off I-65 near the KY/TN state line.  4466 Kummer Rd.  Franklin, KY 42134. 270-776-0292

Q: Are you a puppy mill?

A: Might as well be direct from the start.  I consider a puppy mill a place where puppies do not get the chance to socialize and are in small accommodations and left to themselves except for giving them food, vaccinations and deworming.

We do not run a puppy mill.  Conditions vary with each breeder, especially family breeders like ourselves.  We believe that dogs should be dogs, especially in the puppy stage.  They have space to run with dirt and grass to play on and kids to mess around with.  They spend their early weeks in an outside pen and house with appropriate temperature control for the season.  We bring them inside to play and to become accustomed to indoor living.  We take them out to potty, but sometimes we miss and they have an accident inside.  We take them out immediately and clean up so the others don't get the idea they can go there, too.

Q: What does F1 and F1b mean?

A: When you mix two different purebreds, the result is called a hybrid.  The different ways you can mix them have a different combination of letters and numbers.  The first generation, F1, is when one purebred dog is bred to a purebred dog of a different breed.  The result is a variety of looks, but pretty much in the middle range between the two breeds.

Then, when you take one of those F1 puppies and breed to a purebred dog of either breed (backcross), the puppies are called F1b, the b for backcross.  You can backcross to either breed, but in doodle crosses, the F1b almost always means backcross to a Poodle. These puppies also vary, but the average leans more toward the Poodle traits, but with enough Golden to see those traits, also.

There are various other designations such as F2b, F3, and other multiples of generations, but we like to keep life simple and only raise F1 and F1b puppies.

Q: What is the difference between F1 and F1b puppies?

A: That is a question that has no answer, because the individual differences between the puppies are greater than the general difference between litters. Each one of the puppies will inherit each trait of each parent to a different degree. So in general, the F1b puppies and the F1 puppies are very similar in their range of coats and features. In the F1 puppies you will have more straight, loose and shaggy coats, and in the F1b puppies you will find more curly coats, but still have a few straighter ones. Most families who have allergy and asthma issues will look for an F1b puppy because virtually none of them will shed. However, in the F1 litters most of the puppies won’t shed, either. One or two of the straighter-coated puppies in the F1 litter may shed, but none of the F1b puppies, even those with straight coats will shed.

Q: What are your hours?

A: That’s a good question, lol. Breeders are on call all the time for their dogs and puppies.

Visiting hours vary because we recognize that everyone’s needs and schedules are different. We can be available at varying times, so we have no set hours. We understand that families traveling have time constraints and we work around those, as well as our own crazy life. Call to find out what times are open for a particular week or day if you would like to come by. Saturdays are open mostly, and Sundays we have limited hours since we are active in church obligations that help rejuvenate our spirits. If you need to come on Sunday we can almost always fit you in.

Emails are answered at least once a day, usually in the early afternoon. If you have an urgent question, please try to call or text if you can. 270-776-0292

Phone calls are accepted at any time during the day or evening as long as we are not in a meeting, on the phone with someone else, or trying to dress little ones running around naked. We love to talk about our puppies, and in fact, we require a phone conversation before adding anyone to the wait list. We love the convenience of technology, but the old-fashioned person-to-person connection cannot be replaced when we’re talking about the life and health of a puppy.

Q: How do we get on the wait list?

A: We ask that you call (or let us know what time is good to call you) to go over a few things on the phone. There are a few things you have to know about Doodles before you can be sure they are the right dog for you. Look at the grooming and exercise questions below:

Q: How often will my Doodle need grooming?/Can I groom my own dog?

A: The Doodle coats vary a little in grooming needs, but ALL of them need grooming attention. Poodle hair grows long everywhere, including under the tail, in between the toes and inside the ear canal. As you know from caring for your own hair, everything that has hair will lose some here and there (this is NOT the same as shedding). The Doodle hair will get trapped in the coat as it is released, and will cause matting and attract burrs and dirt. A good home brushing once a week will be suitable for normal care, but if you go hiking or have bushes or fields that your dog can run through, you will need to check more often. The longer you keep the coat, the more time you will need to set aside for necessary grooming at home.

A full grooming should happen at least every two months or 8 weeks. Some of the curlier coats will need at least a hygiene trim more often than that (some groomers call this the potty patch). A good groomer knows how to address each of these needs, in addition to an great all-around cut that keeps your dog looking great. If there is a reason you can’t get to the groomer, then you can take some good scissors and trim VERY CAREFULLY under the tail. Leave the hair short; don’t try to cut right next to the skin. If you are interested in 100% home care, there are many youtube videos and good books that can help you learn how to trim each area without nicking the skin or damaging the coat.

Q: What kind of exercise do I need to provide?

A: Goldendoodles are fairly calm and mellow among dog blends. Our parents are especially chosen for their easy-going temperaments. Your growing puppy will need a chance to stretch his legs and work the joints twice a day. Once he has stopped growing, around 1 1/2 years old, you can get by with 1 good walk each day. One word of caution about exercise is that excessive exercise makes it more likely that your fur baby will have joint trouble. Up until almost 2 years old, the joints are still forming and still susceptible to damage. Going up and down a flight of stairs a lot, jumping obstacles or all-out running excessively are recommended only after that.

Q: How often do you breed your females?

A: Our girls are very important to us, as their health and happiness helps guarantee that our puppies are healthy, content and sociable.  A female dog cycles about twice a year, or every six to eight months.  Each time, her body completes a full pregnancy cycle, whether she is carrying puppies or not.  Taking advantage of this cycle is important because if missed, a breeder has to wait a full 6 months or more for the next opportunity.

We look to the health of each of our girls to know their needs.  Generally we breed each one for two to three cycles and then let them rest a cycle.  After each litter we carefully evaluate how quickly they bounce back and what their coat quality is like, and we decide how often and when to breed each of our girls.  If there is any sign of trouble, such as an infection, then they automatically have a rest cycle.  Our girls love to be mamas and give the best attention to their puppies when they are in good health.

Q: Will my Doodle puppy shed?

A: Most of our Goldendoodles will not shed.  Keep in mind, though, that everything that grows hair will lose it here and there, including you and me.  A Poodle traps the loose hair in the coat because of the nature of the hair shaft.  It's a pretty strong trait, and most of the Goldendoodle offspring will also be nonshedding and hypoallergenic.  But if you think about a family that has two very different parents, each of their kids will lean more toward one parent or the other.  A litter of puppies will be the same.  Some will lean toward one parent's traits and some toward the other.  Sometimes a puppy will lean a little too far toward the Golden and will end up shedding a little.  It won't be nearly as much as a Golden, though, and is much easier to keep up on.

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