FAQ

You are welcome to set up an appointment to come visit, just let me know what day and time is convenient for you?  We are on Eastern Time zone.  Address 1059 E Jasper Dubois Road, Jasper, IN  47546.  We have a street sign in our driveway for Eckert Lane.

Your point of contact for driving or flying your puppy to you as a private service is Mary at 812-604-3028.

Eric Clark at 765-759-9798 does route service and plans weekly routes of pick up and drop off.  Eric may cost less as your puppy will be in transit longer and with other puppies.

Both Eric and Mary have been offering and excellent service to us for 20+ years.

We will meet you at the Louisville Kentucy airport which is 80 miles from our house for $50.

You are welcome to fly into Louisville Kentucky our closest international airport; rent a car and drive to our house. We are on Eastern Time zone.  Address 1059 E Jasper Dubois Road, Jasper, IN  47546.  We have a street sign in our driveway for Eckert Lane.

For extended training of your puppy, there is a trainer that our customer has been using for 15+ years Andrea Bauer, Loogootee, IN ph.  812-444-9435.  She will come to our house and pick up your puppy to keep at her house.  You will need to contact her for information. 

First thing every breed is different. The positive of  two puppies coming home at the same time is they keep themselves busy, so you don’t have to be playing with them every minute of the day, such as when my oldest child was the only child for six years. She demanded my attention and was bonded like glue to me.The negative when you research articles about only having one dog in the house is it only the perception of one person interviewing a few other people that own various different breeds such as unsocial breeds examples: pit bulls, chihuahua, Weiner dogs, etc.  Goldendoodles are very social people pleasing dogs and we start training our puppies at 3 days old with Early Stimulation making our puppies very laid back, gentle, people pleasing dogs that love human companionship. 

Putting two puppies in the same crate the first weeks helps them feel safe, so they don’t cry all night. Once they have gotten past the sleeping just the two of them together then you can move to the next step and put them in separate crates next to each other.The final step would be having them sleep in separate rooms.   If you are every concerned that separation is an issue.  Our clients have done it both ways whether keeping the puppies in the same crate or separate crate they have not had any issues. The only time I advise not adopting two from the same litter is when they are sisters, cousins are fine together.  The dogs seem to know when they are full blooded sisters and can fight.  To brothers get along great and brother - sisters combo.  I had a customer that had three children each wanting a female puppy of their own.  Considering sister syndrome, we thought it best to adopt a female puppy from three different litters and they all went home at the same time.  They had no issues what so ever and still keep in touch and send pictures.   Then next week put the crates in separate rooms. Possibly people writing articles on sibling syndrome are not taking sister syndrome in to prospective.

My three dogs are together all day they play together and follow each other around. But as soon as they see me sit down or come outside they run right up to me. So, your puppies will always have a strong bond to each other. But they should always bring running up to you for attention too. The best place to ask for input on adopting multiple puppies at the same time is on the Hilltop Pups Owners page where there are over 1,200 people that own our dogs.

The milestone for these pups is seven months; that’s when I don’t crate my dogs at night anymore. 

Deposits are $400.00, which is applied to the balance of the puppy.  Deposits are not refundable under any circumstances.  Please understand Pay Pal takes their fees from the deposit for processing, I then enter the information into Quick Books, transfer the money to my checking account, add your information to my tracking system, and then add your reservation information to my website so you can verify I am tracking your deposit and your selection.  After you submit your deposit I will also be emailing you valuable information so you are well prepared and comfortable raising your puppy. I do allow people to transfer their deposits to another litter or I will keep record of the deposit for future use.

First understand the Breed. English Goldendoodles, because the English Retrievers do not have regular heat cycles like Poodles or American Golden Retrievers that cycle ever 6 months.  This is why most Breeders stay away from English, especially puppy mills that want to pump puppies out every 6 months.  The English cycle varies; most average around 9 months.  Daisy goes every 13 months. A very few cycle every 6 months.  Each develop their own schedule.  My logic in this situation is the Mom will go in heat when her body is ready.  I have been breeding the English for 15 years, so I am fairly accurate in predicting future due dates, still I could be off a month as environmental changes can affect their cycles as well. If several females in close vicinity go heat it a Dam can sync up with their cycles and go in heat. 

Recent Breeding studies reflect the best Breeding practice for a Dam is to breed each cycle and then retire the dog young, by 5 years old. 

There have been several studies done on what is healthier for a breeding female and the results of these studies conclusively show that it is healthier for a female to be bred every heat instead of every other heat (I have attached articles below). While we do breed every heat, we never breed first heat and sometimes not on second heat either depending on the age in which they have their second heat is. Sometimes a female does not come in heat the first time until they are close to a year and a half old, others will come in heat when they are 8 months old for the first time. We do not believe that because you breed every heat that you should continue to breed as long as those that don’t breed every heat, which means that our breeding females retire earlier than those breeders that breed every other heat. Our girls are usually retired at 5 years old, spayed, and adopted out.  If you would like to be considered for a retired adult please complete and application and join our wait list.  This way they are breeding in their prime when it is healthier and safer for dam and puppies. While it is healthier to breed every heat we also think that breeders need to use common sense and make sure that their females are back to a healthy weight before breeding again, as well as, judging on a case by case knowing what is right for your female and her health.

Here are a few articles:

Back to Back Breeding and Pseudopregnancy
The Australian Journal of Professional Dog Breeders

February 5, 2011 By Dr Kate Schoeffel

It is frequently claimed that breeding dogs on every heat or “back to back breeding” is bad for a bitch’s long term health and well being. However the research in canine reproduction shows that not breeding a dog when it comes into heat can in fact be bad for its health. Scientist have shown that pseudopregnancy [‘phantom pregnancy’] increases the risk of mammary cancers which are the second most common cancer in dogs after skin tumors and are 3-5 times more common than breast cancers in women

1: Pseudopregnancy often occurs when a bitch is not bred. She will show signs such as nesting, weight gain, mammary enlargement and lactation – usually about 6 to 12 weeks after oestrus. Pseudopregnancy represents the extreme of the changes which normally occur during the oestrus cycle and it is suggested that it is a hang over from dogs evolution from wolves. Subordinate nonbreeding pseudopregnant female wolves in a pack can help to raise pups by nursing the litters of other females”

2 In 1994 Donnay and his associates showed that there is a relationship between the number of pseudopregnancies a bitch goes through and the development of mammary cancer

3. Verstegen and Onclin (2006)1 have also studied canine mammary cancer and found that a large number of bitches presented for mammary tumours also show pseudopregnancy, that a large percentage of these females had frequent pseudopregnancies and that the bitches with recurring pseudopregnancy at each cycle tended to develop mammary tumors significantly earlier than other animals. Both of these authors say that there is need formore research but clearly bitches which don’t breed are likely to become pseudopregnant and pseudopregnancy increases the risk of cancer.

Skipping cycles in breeding has been linked to mammary cancer Pregnancy protects against life threatening uterine diseases. The most common uterine disease in the bitch is cystic endometrial hyperplasia. It is linked to several serious uterine diseases including the potentially life threatening disease “pyometra”(literally – a uterus full of pus) which affects nearly one quarter of dogs under 10 years old which are not desexed

4 . According to canine reproduction specialist Dr S. Romagnoli “bitches whelping regularly throughout their reproductive life almost never develop pyometra, while those who whelp rarely or never in their lives have a greater chance of developing this condition”. Furthermore a standard textbook of veterinary internal medicine notes that uterine diseases are less common in kennels where bitches are bred and conceive regularly indicating that pregnancy has a protective effect on the lining of the uterus or “endometrium”

Given that artificially restricting bitches, which haven’t been desexed, from breeding is bad for their health, it is not surprising that many breeding dogs bred have reproductive problems. If they are show dogs they often don’t start breeding until they are three years old, and have finished their show career, and then kennel club rules and even government regulations require that the bitch is only bred on every second season. Frequently older bitches need veterinary intervention to reproduce, and good bitches may end up being bred well beyond 6 years of age when their fertility is beginning to decline.

No responsible breeder who cares about their dogs would breed their bitches until they are exhausted, and rules certainly need to be in place to ensure that irresponsible breeders don’t exploit their dogs, however the current regulations in place in some states do not take into account the biology of the bitch. Breeding should be regulated by limiting the number of litters a bitch can breed or the age at which they should be desexed and retired. Breeding dogs regularly while they are young,followed by desexing and rehoming them early is in the best interest of the bitch and a good pet breeder can use this knowledge to work with the natural biology of their animals. Breeders must be aware of and comply with any government regulations regarding dog breeding in their state and unfortunately in Victoria, NSW and QLD current regulations do not permit this approach to dog breeding.

1.J.P. Verstegen III and K. Onclin. Prolactin and Anti-Prolactinic Agents in thePathophysiology and Treatment of Mammary Tumors in the Dog. NAVC Proceedings2006, North American Veterinary Conference (Eds).

2.Canine Pseudopregnancy: A Review (Last Updated: 23-Aug-2001). C.Gobello1, P. W. Concannon2 and J. Verstegen III3, Recent Advances in SmallAnimal Reproduction, Concannon P.W., England G., Verstegen III J. andLinde-Forsberg C. (Eds.)

3.Donnay I, Rauis J & Verstegen J – Influence des antécédents hormonaux surl’apparition clinique des tumeurs mammaires chez la chienne. Etudeépidémiologique. Ann. Med. Vet. 1994, 138, 109-117

4. Simón Martí Angulo Clinical aspects of uterine disease in the bitch and queen.Proceeding of the Southern European Veterinary Conference Oct. 2-4, 2009. S.Romagnoli, How I Treat… Pyometra. Proceeding of the SEVC. Southern European Veterinary ConferenceOct. 17-19, 2008 – Barcelona, Spain

5. Davidson AP, Feldman EC. Ovarian and estrous cycle abnormalities. In: EttingerSW, Feldman EC (eds) Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine. WB Saunders,2004

6. Johnson CA. Cystic endometrial hyperplasia, pyometra, and infertility. In: Ettinger SW, Feldman EC (eds).Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine WB Saunders, 1992, pp. 954.

Recently at an AKC Dog Breeding Discussion held at Michigan State University with key note speaker Dr. Claudia Orlandi Ph.D. (AKC’s breeder of the year and author of The ABC’s of Dog Breeding) shocked many breeders when it was disclosed that there have been scientific studies to show that it is detrimental for dams to skip heat cycles. It was shared that once you have begun to mate a dam that you should NOT skip any heat cycles until she is completely finished breeding. A dam is said to be “finished” breeding when her litter size is drastically decreased. The study involved following females that were bred every heat cycle and females that were bred every other heat cycle. After they were “finished” breeding, the dams were spayed and their uterus dissected.

Those showing most stress, and damage of the uterus were the females that were bred “every other” heat cycle. Part of the rational that skipping heat cycles is harmful stems from the fact that with consecutive heat cycles there is no “flushing action” of the uterus, which normally occurs by having a litter of puppies. The female will go through Estrus no matter if she is bred or not and by breeding a healthy dam back to back, can lessen the chances of the female experiencing pyometra, infections and false pregnancy. The choice to breed or not, should be contingent upon the goals the breeder has and for sure the mental and physical health of the female, above all else.

To help alleviate stress on both the puppy and another dog or cat, keep the older dog or cat in a different part of the house for say 45 minutes and let the puppy roam around and smell everything in the house.  Take puppy outside to potty and put the puppy in its crate for a nap. Then let the older dog or cat out to roam and smell the puppies scent. When Pup awakes from its nap take puppy directly outside to potty.  Then back inside to meet the older dog or cat, let them approach each other and just stay close by to watch them.   The puppy will want to go up to the dog or cat and smell them. A slight snarl from the older dog is normal as the older dog is giving a warning not to get too rough with them.  You will start to notice the difference between a snarl and a mean snip.  Cats nay take a little longer to warm up to the puppy.

Pros for a female - Cling to the person taking care of them and follow them around endlessly. Good for single people.

Pros for a male - Bounces from one person to another for attention.  Good for family with children.

I have seen the trend over the last 10 years that families are finding out that male dogs make the perfect companion, just need to be neutered before teenage hormones kick in at 8 months old and they will squat just like a girl and never learn to lift their to pee.

Children will beg for a puppy and promise they will take care of the puppy/dog and train it; because they see their friends adult dog that is already fully trained. In the child's mind they think its easy, just fill the food and water dish daily and that's it.  Thus, most of the care is still going to fall in the hand of an adult.  Most little girls are going to request a female puppy, because they don't like boys in general yet and believe a girl will be sweeter.  

It is easier to train a male dog; you give them a command and they jump in excited without thinking.  Give a female a command and she wants to think it through first, deciding if there is something in it for her. Females are a little more guarded, when they meet someone for the first time they will stand back and check the person out first.  Males tend to just want to make a new friend and get attention.

I myself have female dogs in the house now, because they are or were breeding dogs.  Back when it was just two dogs my husband was not so excited to have a dog in the house yet and complained that the dogs ignore him and for me around everywhere; he called them shadows. My dogs even waited outside the bathroom door for me to come back out.  I told my husband I was their only care giver and he needed to start taking care of them more. He said, "I go to work at 4:00 AM how can I take care of them."  I said, "Let them outside and fill up their food and water dishes at 4:00AM."  He followed my instructions and ever since he now has three dogs that are his buddies and he is able to love them as much as they love him.  

If you are getting a female puppy take the story to heart as it is the most important thing you can learn about a female Goldendoodle.  You are working with a highly intelligent animal they think and they remember.  Give affection and they will give it back two fold.  A female dog can be affectionate to everyone in the family if everyone in the family is taking part in providing care for the puppy.

This is a good time to point out accidents happen, adults and children can step on a puppy, trip over it and such.  Puppy may cry out and wonder off with its tail between its legs.  If this happens that person should pick up the puppy and love all over it until it starts wagging its tail again.  Puppy and dog's can get their feelings hurt; they need to know they didn't do anything wrong and they are not getting punished or they may shy away from that person.

This was my schedule when I house trained four 8-week old puppies and worked full-time. 

I would wake at 5:30 AM and as soon as puppy hears you are up it wants to potty, so take puppy out as soon as you get up.  I had to rush to the bathroom first of course, as quick as I could, and then take puppies out. Then brought puppies in to eat, drink, and play with the kids. Then I let pup out to pee and put back in crate at 7:10 and off to school and work.  At lunch I came in the house and let puppies outside immediately then back inside to eat, drink, play and then out to potty and back in their crate all in 40 minutes.  The kids came home from school and let pups out to potty and they played with them until I got home and then I let them outside again.  Take food and water away at 6:00 PM each night, so they can sleep better on an empty stomach.  Place crate where puppy can see you at night, crate on your bed, nightstand, or chairs.  Let puppy wake you when it needs to potty so it can gradually hold its bladder longer and longer through the night.

I do not like using the pee pads if I don't have to; the larger the area you have the puppy in the more it will be up playing and need to potty.  If you keep puppy in the crate it will get the needed rest it requires as it is growing an inch taller a week and need lots of rest.

What the latest genetic research can tell you

Embark Testing Lab July 14, 2020

How do you best apply an Embark health variant test result to your breeding program or to an individual dog’s health care? When our veterinary geneticists and professional services team at Embark field questions like these, our answers are always based on the scientific research behind the health variant in question, as well as the breed of dog tested. We asked our experts to share answers to common questions about the tested variant for Degenerative Myelopathy (SOD1A).

What is Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)?

A disease of mature dogs, DM is a progressive degenerative disorder of the spinal cord that can cause muscle wasting and gait abnormalities. Affected dogs do not usually show signs until they are at least 8 years old, where the first signs of neural degeneration appear in the nerves that innervate the hind limbs. An affected dog may scuff the tops of their hind paws or walk with a hesitant, exaggerated gait. 

In advanced cases, lower motor neurons are also affected leading to weakness and muscle wasting. This variant is reported to have incomplete penetrance, meaning not all dogs with two copies of the variant will go on to develop clinical signs and other genetic and environmental factors will contribute to whether a dog develops DM. Furthermore, this variant is only known to increase the risk of DM in certain breeds. Other breeds where this variant occurs but is not associated with DM risk likely have genetic factors protecting them from this disease.

My dog has two copies of this variant and is listed as having increased risk for DM; now what? 

First, it is important to remember that the SOD1A variant is incompletely penetrant, so even in breeds where DM is a problem, many dogs testing at-risk from the variant will live long lives and never develop the disease. 

If your dog is considered at-risk, this should open the door to a discussion with your veterinarian. As DM is a late-onset condition and genetic risk does not mean that clinical signs are guaranteed, drastic measures should not be an immediate concern. However, there are supplements and lifestyle modifications that may be of benefit to your dog.

Some non-medical things that can help with mobility and secondary injury to the feet include a harness (Help ‘Em Up Harness is a popular option) as well as using booties to minimize damage to nails from scuffing. Be sure to take the booties off when not in use as they can trap moisture and lead to infection. 

My dog has two copies of this variant but is not listed as having increased risk for DM; now what?

For some breeds, research indicates that the SOD1A variant is not likely to increase the risk that a dog will develop DM. The SOD1A variant is found in many breeds of dogs, but researchers have only observed histopathological (microscopic) changes with this variant in a small number of breeds. 

When determining whether or not a variant is expected to have a clinical impact for a breed, we have taken into account research either published, internal, or otherwise presented by a subject matter authority as our primary criteria. For breeds where clinical risk from this variant is not likely, this genetic result should not be the primary factor in breeding decisions.

What does it mean if my dog is a carrier?

As DM has an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, dogs with one copy of the variant would be termed “carriers” and not be expected to be at clinical risk. However, in breeds where the SOD1A mutation is associated with DM risk, carriers should not be bred to other carriers (or at-risk dogs) as this will lead to the production of at-risk puppies. You can visit our website and search for your breed. If the “Embark Recommended” icon appears next to Degenerative Myelopathy (SOD1A), then there is a known risk based on the current literature, and this result may need to be considered in breeding decisions. 

For all other breeds, while it is still important to track the incidence of the variant and clinical disease within lines to inform on future research, it is not recommended that this variant be used as the primary factor in breeding decisions, at this time. (Also, please note that the OFA will register DM results for any breed, so an OFA icon only indicates that it can be registered with the OFA and does not confer impact to the breed.)

Guidelines for Breeding Dogs Who Are Carriers or At-Risk for Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

Owners with dogs testing as Carriers (A/N), or At-Risk (A/A) are strongly encouraged to share these results with their attending veterinarian and seek genetic counseling when making breeding decisions.

The “A” (mutated) allele appears to be very common in some breeds. In these breeds, an overly aggressive breeding program to eliminate dogs testing A/A or A/N might be devastating to the breed as a whole because it would eliminate a large fraction of the high-quality dogs that would otherwise contribute desirable qualities to the breed. Nonetheless, DM should be taken seriously. It is a fatal disease with devastating consequences for the dog and can be a trying experience for the owners that care for them. A realistic approach when considering which dogs to select for breeding would be to treat the test results as one would treat any other undesirable trait or fault. Dogs testing At-Risk (A/A) should be considered to have a more serious fault than those testing as Carriers (A/N). Incorporating this information into their selection criteria, breeders can then proceed as conscientious breeders have always done: make their breeding selections based on all the dog’s strengths and all the dog’s faults. Using this approach and factoring the DM test results into the breeding decisions should reduce the prevalence of Degenerative Myelopathy in the subsequent generations while continuing to maintain and improve upon positive, sought-after traits.

We recommend that breeders take into consideration the DM test results as they plan their breeding programs; however, they should not over-emphasize the test results. Instead, the test result should be one factor among many in a balanced breeding program.

English Golden Retrievers and their offspring do not have a dependable heat cycle like American Retrievers and Poodles which cycle every 6 months.  That is why most Breeders do not like to breed English Golden Retrievers, especially puppy mills as they like a Dam to produce a litter early 6 months.  English Golden Retrievers heat cycles range on average 7 to 12 months apart.  What I have seen is each dog develops its own cycle; one dog may cycle every 7 months and one ever 13 months. Thus, I like breeding the English Golden Retriever bloodlines, first and foremost for their exceptional health record and long life expectancy of 13-18 years, compared to 8-13 years for the American Golden Retrievers.  Also, my belief is the dog will cycle when its body is recovered from their last cycle, healthy, and ready to breed again.  I retire Moms early at 5 years old; adopting them out to their fur-ever homes.

Hilltop Pups only breeds English Teddy Bear Goldenoodles using their DNA coat typing to breed all our puppies for non-shedding and allergy friendly coat types, no guess work here.  Most of our dogs are from many generations born here, all with health testing including OFA, hips, elbows, cardiac, patella, and DNA testing for a full panel of diseases which can be eliminated through DNA testing. Plus, I can continue downsizing properly to maintain body proportions.  You want the body length from base of neck to base of tail to equal height from floor to the withers. The withers is the highest point of the dogs shoulder blades. As dogs get smaller they have smaller litters, for obvious reasons, smaller dog equals smaller litter size that they can carry. Plus, we only breed dogs with exceptional personalities that we like to have around; sweet, calm, loving, and service working capabilities. Training:  We start training our puppies at 3-days old, thus you are receiving two months of puppy training included in your price.  Making our puppies very easy for you to train and we will be sending training instructions home with you as well as a gift bag full of toys and their baby blanket scented with the familiar smells of their first home to make them comfortable. Taking all of this into consideration our prices are listed below; some litters may be priced differently and prices are listed on each litter page. English Golden Retrievers are bigger boned than American, yet they are shorter with more compact square bodies making them look more like a teddy bear with short snouts and the black pigment inherited from English around their eyes, lips, and their noses makes their features pop. English Golden Retrievers are far healthier than American and the life span is 13-18 years. American Golden Retriever life span is 8-11 years with 80% developing cancer by 8 years old.  Hilltop Pups strives to give you a healthy adorable companion for a very long time. My puppies want to be part of the family and want to be where you are.  If you are in the kitchen, then they want to be in the kitchen.  If you go to the family room, then they will follow you into the family room.  They think their job is to keep watch over you.  They are not a breed known to run off on you, because they will not go anywhere they can not see you. We added in an Irish English Goldendoodle Breeding line as well. Irish for that deep red color and English for their incredible health record.

We are slowly going out of business we are making some amazing price reductions, just because due to medical reseaon Bev can not handle the puppies once they start getting bigger.

Whether you are visiting in person or long distance puppy selection, I am here to guide you.  You can watch the 5 week videos of the puppies and listen how I describe puppies, please turn on sound as I am always speaking on any difference in puppy personalities I see or puppy education.  What is exceptional hard for me anymore is picking out different personalities.  In a video what you would look to avoid is a scared puppy, one that keeps to themselves in a corner (not just tired and wanting to take a nap as that is just timing).  Or an aggressive puppy, not to be confused with puppy play as they only have mouths and growling sounds to play and investigate.  You can tell when they actually get mad and warn another puppy they are playing to hard, that will last for a second and one of the puppies will walk off. This interaction teaches the puppy that they have played to rough, which is a good teaching tool to teach each other to have a soft mouth and not play so rough. What you do want to look for are puppies with a toy drive and being investigative.  If a puppy is walking around the edge of the room sniffing the floor and checking the place out, this is a good action for working class dogs such as bomb sniffing, drug sniffing, airport working, etc. Look for puppies that you can hold on their backs and they don't squirm and they make good eye contact with you. If they squirm for a second or two looking at the floor at their litter mates that is normal, but you want them to give in and lay still after a few seconds as the puppy realizes it can not get down.  This is a good training tool to continue when you take your puppy home to teach them you are the Master, the Boss and puppy must listen and obey you.

I start training my puppies at 3 days old with Early Stimulation Training. If I see a puppy more shy, hyper, or aggressive then I work with that puppy for lengthier times, each time until they give in to the training.  I am addressing this behavior at 2-3 weeks old.  Thus, by 5 weeks old each and every puppy can qualify for working class dog, therapy dog, or perfect companion.  

By 8 weeks old when you take the puppy home it has already had 2 months of training, this is what sets Hilltop Pups' Dogs apart from other breeders.  Early Stimulation Training makes puppies more intelligent, calmer, and laid back.  All the aspects for making training easier and faster. It takes 20 minutes of repetition to teach a dog a new trick, then you must repeat daily for the puppy to remember it.

Years ago I was performing a written test on 5 week old puppies for temperament and personality. It was a 7 point scoring tool; what I found was all my puppies were scoring between 3 and 4, which was perfect pet to working class.  Thus, a waste of time and paper.  After 18 years with the Goldendoodle Breed I can tweak a puppy early on for whatever I want the puppy to be and I aim for every puppy to be a perfect pet companion to working class as both are easy going and easy to train for anything you want. Armed with the information I am giving you here, you should be able to watch all the videos I take and find some crumb of information that sets a particular puppy apart from another.  If it is your turn to pick and you can't visit in person and you narrow your puppy choice down to two puppies, ask me for a video of just those two puppies. Not all the puppies again as you need to start the process of elimination.  In a video with just two puppies it may be easier to find some nugget of difference between the two that can better suit your needs and I can assist in the video with pointing out a differences that I see.  Turn the volume on in my videos, as I am always speaking about what the puppies are doing, pointing out anything I see that is different, or just speaking on puppy education. 

This video is a perfect explanation of breeding for diversity and not to remove a Carrier from a Breeding Program.  A Carrier Breed with a Clear dog increase Breed Diversity. 

https://www.facebook.com/embarkforbreeders/videos/596727741276891

Ideally, you are working with an incredible breeder who knows these puppies well. They have observed them from the moment they were born and know the individual personalities & qualities of each one. In this case, I strongly recommend you let your breeder match your preferences with a puppy. Have an open conversation with your breeder about what you are looking for in a puppy and allow them to make the best suggestion for you. At Hilltop Pups you are welcome to visit and meet the puppies. So you don't feel a little alone in the decision making process, here’s what we suggest... As it is with most things in life, there are a handful of leading indicators you can specifically look for when choosing a puppy from a litter, which will help ensure a happier and healthier canine companion who will be easier to train and make for a better family pet. Begin by watching the puppies play together. You will want to choose the puppy that is both curious and friendly toward you. Also, watch for a puppy holding its ears high and wagging its tail... signs of a very happy puppy. Pick up each puppy, cradle it in your arms and look for the one who settles down quickly. All of them may struggle initially, but note those that calm down sooner than later. Avoid choosing the one that continues to struggle until you put it down, as well as the one that is shy towards being picked up in the first place. Sit on the floor, make noises, talk to the puppies and pay particular attention to the reactions of each of the puppies. Take special note of the ones that curiously go to investigate the cause of the noises and whom is talking. That’s a good thing. Handle each puppy from head to tail, spending particular attention to how they react when you play with their paws, their ears and their mouths. Comfortable puppies won’t mind at all and that’s a good thing. Moreover, healthier puppies will have cleaner eyes, ears, mouths and noses, brighter and shinier coats, gums and teeth. It’s a good idea to avoid puppies with discharge in their eyes or other dirty appearances. Similarly, sample test the vision and hearing one puppy at a time by clapping your hands and then rolling a tennis ball along the floor. Watch for each puppy’s reaction. Make sure puppy sees the ball and focuses on it before rolling it out a few feet; young puppies can't follow a ball thrown across the room yet.  Make sure you choose one who shows signs of hearing by responding appropriately to the clapping and follows the rolling ball with their eyes. Finally, after all of that, there are likely multiples to choose from, especially if you have a good breeder, so follow your heart and pick the one who will be that ideal canine companion for many years to come. After all, you’re going to be together for a very long time – so pick the one that you absolutely adore and definitely loves you back! If you are looking for a service quality puppy then take the above advice and add in the puppy with the most toy drive and treat driven.  We use NuVet vitamins and break each wafer into 6 pieces, so you can ask for treats to give the puppies.

If you can not visit the puppies in person, that's OK too.  If videos of the puppies are not posted on line request them.  If you narrow your choices in the litter down to between 2-3 puppies have the breeder make a video of those two or three separate so you can narrow down your choices.

The exceptional care we give our dogs, the intelligent sweet calm personalities of our dogs, breeding many generations of only healthy health tested bloodlines, our experience.

The shed and allergy factor of a Goldendoodle can be different from Breeder to Breeder depending on the Coat Type their Goldendoodles have inherited. At Hilltop Pups we DNA test the coat type of all our dogs so we can create the most non-shedding hypoallergenic coat as possible.  When breeding a Goldendoodle to a Goldendoodle the parent dogs need to be DNA tested for "IC" Improper Coat, which determines the dogs shed factor.  If one of the Goldendoodles in the pairing is F/F gene carrier for Furnishing and the other is F/F or is a carrier for IC then none of the puppies will shed.   I have three males that are IC clear with F/F.  I follow this DNA rule when breeding to make sure my dogs are non-shedding.  No guess work involved here;)

Next we only breed with English Retrievers which produce a softer less shedding less matting coat than the coarser American Golden Retriever coats.

Next we consider the color genetics behind the poodle:  Reds, browns, and cream colored poodles produce soft non-shedding coats.  White, Gray, and Black poodles produce shredders even in the curly dogs; thus, they have been removed from Hilltop Pups breeding program. 

In 2017 we started breeding the Irish Goldedoodles. I am very pleased with what I have seen in the Irish Goldendoodles. The American Golden Retrievers are very unhealthy and have a life expectancy of 8-13 years with 80% of them having cancer by age 8.  Therefore I only breed English Golden Retrievers as their life expectancy is 11-18 years and very few ever have cancer. It takes a few generations to build the dark red poodle color back into the English Goldendoodles since the EGR are only white to cream.  We started with breeding wit a health tested American Golden Retriever breed to a health tested Irish Setter to get the hybrid vigor and dark red color; then bred that with a health tested male poodle and then back to another health tested poodle creating the F1b Irish Goldendoodles to insure the hypo allergenic non-shed coats plus get the dark red color and fabulous coats.

Some of our favorite resources are listed below.

• Video on grooming techniques:
  • www.youtube.com/watch?v=szIij_zknNs

• Video on cleaning your dog’s ears:
  • www.youtube.com/watch?v=99x64TF8ppU&feature=related

• Video on removing hair from your dog’s ears:
  • www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mi3Aouu3e4

• Free E-Book, Your Doodle Puppy’s First Year:
  • http://www.fortheloveofdoodles.com/files/Your_Doodle_Puppys_First_Year_For_Lakeshore.pdf

Our club affiliates also offer useful information regarding Goldendoodles:

• www.goldendoodle.com
• www.goldendoodle-labradoodle.com
• www.continentalkennelclub.com

As per the Health Warranty and Purchase Agreement, the dog must be spayed or neutered by nine months of age.

My Veterinarian has the best saying, "You need to weigh the options that are best for you and deciding what is best for you and your dog." I can't think of a reason why I would not neuter at male dog at 9 months old if I was keeping it as a perfect pet.  Below are my reasons why I would neuter by 9 months old.  

At 7 months old the dogs is as tall as it is going to be; so the dogs has it hormones levels during the heavy bone growth stage.

At 7-8 months the male dogs will learn to lift his leg to pee; during his adolescent hormone stage.  If you neuter before he learns to lift his leg he will squat to pee the rest of his life.  If you neuter after he learns to lift his leg then it is a habit and he will continue to pee on things to mark his territory; furniture, bushes, etc.

At 7-8 months the male dogs during his adolescent hormone stage he will start to sniff out female dogs in heat which dogs can smell several miles away, thus you risk the male dog running off after the scent and being injured or lost, hit by a car, etc.

Females can go in heat at 8 months old and about a month before they go in heat they get uncontrollable. You will think you will never be able to train her.  thus, many people give up and re-home their dogs and you find many females young adult dogs in Shelters.  

We do not participate in Early Spay and Neuter procedures done at 8 weeks old on our puppies, because our experiences has been that it sets the pups’ weight gain back a week, which is not good during this rapid growth period. Keeping the puppies’ nutrition level up is a huge concern of ours, and we do not feel that young puppies have sufficient body weight to sustain lower levels of food consumption following the procedure. That being said, the research on early spaying and neutering has been inconclusive, so discuss the options with your vet and make the decision with which you’re most comfortable. Research shows puppies that were spayed or neutered early age have offset bone growth. Some have longer weaker legs than their breed standard.  Showing us that the dogs need their hormones for strong bone growth during their first 7 months.

To recap:   There are countless studies out there back to 1950 that say the best age to spay a dog is six months, time and time again through the ages 6 months has come up more often.  Many say 7-9 months; as a dog's bones are finished growing at 7 months old and then they pack on a little more fat and muscle. Thus, going for the 7 month mark the dogs' have their hormones for bone growth.  There are a few studies showing wait for the first heat cycle.  Why the different results in studies?  Because, Grant Money is provided for studies; ever study can not come up with the same result or it would look like someone embezzled the money and didn't do a study or why do new studies to only come up with the same results. Do what is safest for the dog and the safest would be for the female dog to not accidently get pregnant.  Oh yes, people think it is cute to have a litter of puppies.  When I was young our little poodle got pregnant ,which we lived in a neighborhood and didn't know which dog was the father.  She died giving birth, a big puppy was stuck in her. A lot of knowledge and learning goes into having a healthy litter of puppies.  I have heard from a novice breeder that they lost an entire litter of newborn puppies to hyperthermia and they had studied and read a lot on having a litter of puppies and had had 3 previous litters. To purchase the correct equipment to successfully have a litter of healthy puppies takes for more money than one litter of puppies, so why go through the risk. You say you have a fenced back yard, lol, any horny male could scale a fence. When a female dog accidently gets pregnant you will not know it until about 2-3 weeks prior to delivery when she starts showing signs of being pregnant, so you do not know the due date.  Is someone going to stay with the dog 24/7 to help her go through delivery?  No taking a shower or running to the grocery store, because that is when they are going to go in labor.

S0 aim to spay or neuter at 7 months old and make sure it is done by 9 months old is the best advice I can give you.

The following article goes over some of the most important basic commands to teach your puppy, including its name and the commands of come, stay, sit, no/leave it/stop, lay down, and no bark. These commands are critical in that they may help protect your dog (and potentially your property) in dangerous situations such as running into traffic or chewing inedible objects. The article can be found here: http://www.dogshow.com/the-first-7-lessons-for-puppies/

Chicken Soup for the Soul has been the best puppy food that we’ve tried because it fits the breed’s digestive system well, turning out nice, formed stool. It provides the nutrition required for puppy learning, growth and development, digestive health, immune system health, lean muscle development, and healthy skin and coat maintenance.

The bags have daily feeding guidelines, though your puppy might need more food depending on its age, activity, and temperament. Remember to have clean, fresh water available for your puppy as well.

We ask that you do not switch food for the first few weeks that you have your puppy. If you do switch foods, the transition should be done over several weeks.

For treats, we recommend fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables such as carrots, green beans, and broccoli. You can also use the NuVet Supplements as treats (one supplement daily); they’ll help build your pup’s immune system, plus your pup will love the taste!

This is a trick we learned from a trainer. When the pup jumps on you, gently step on its hind paws and say “no.” Do this each time it jumps and eventually you should be able to transition to jus saying “no” and putting your hand out flat as a hand signal. Be sure to stop this behavior at a young age because it will be a difficult habit to break as your pup ages and grows.

The puppy will most likely cry the first night because it has learned that whining earns attention. Regardless of the whining, you should still be crate training. It is important not to give into the whining so that your puppy learns that it’ll have to stay in the crate; in other words, do not get your puppy out of the crate while it’s whining! If the puppy starts to whimper after a few hours of sleep, however, it’s is most likely telling you that it needs to potty. Take it outside and straight back to the crate so that it does not think it’s time to play. Don’t worry – in most cases, the whining only lasts for one or two nights.

To make the puppy more comfortable, you can fill an empty two-liter soft drink bottle with warm to hot water, wrap it in a towel, and place it in the crate so the puppy feels like it’s sleeping next to a litter mate. Other than the water bottle, however, I do not recommend putting anything in the crate, lest the puppy plays rather than sleeps.

We believe it is best to crate train your dog until you are completely satisfied that it will not get into trouble when left alone. Whenever you are not able to watch your puppy for signs of needing to go outside, such as when you are cooking, eating, showering, or sleeping, you should crate the puppy. The puppy will regard the crate as a safe zone, such as a wild animal would its den. For that reason, the crate is not and should not be treated as a punishment area.

On the first day you have your puppy in its new home, take it outside to its designated potty area every half hour. On the second day, take it out every hour. If there are no accidents, you can adjust to every hour and half on the third day, and to two hours by the fourth day. Two hours would be the maximum amount of time not to go out during the day if the young puppy is running about and playing. If the puppy is alone in a crate it will mostly sleep, since it doesn’t have water or food he can hold his bladder longer. To help reduce nighttime potty breaks, take food away after 6:00 PM and water after 7:00 PM. In the morning, take the puppy outside immediately, since it’s been holding its bladder all night.

We recommend that you tie a large bell or two to your doorknob with ribbon, low enough for the puppy to reach with its nose, and teach it to ring the bell each time before you let it outside. This works great in a large home or very active homes where you are not always aware of the poor puppy patiently waiting by the door.

Potty training normally takes around a week. Do not blame or punish your puppy if it does soil in the house, for it is just a baby and will not know why you are upset. Plus, an accident also means that you missed the signs that your puppy needed to go outside.

We suggest crating the puppy or layering old towels three or four deep on the car seat or on your lap. It is not necessary for you to buy a small crate simply for transporting the puppy, however, as it’ll outgrow it quickly; but I strongly suggest it.

You can a small purse type soft sided carrier for the trip home and for the first week or so, when you first get the puppy home.  When I travel over night with puppies and want a good night; I place the travel above my pillow on the bed.  The first few nights the puppy has lost its litter mates to sleep with, so they will feel much more comfortable knowing you are not leaving them.

The car is a new environment and your puppy will most likely just sleep. If the puppy wakes up and wants to move around, it probably needs to potty. Use the collar/leash combo for stops during your drive. Some puppies will get car sick, so take a trash bag, paper towels, and wet wipes as a precaution. You can additionally layer the bottom of the crate with shredded paper (which I’ll happily provide upon request) to keep the puppy clean if it does get sick.

In addition to what we provide with your puppy, you will need to buy a crate and playpen, food and feeding supplies (buy stainless steel bowls for bacteria control) , grooming supplies, cleaning supplies, and a variety of toys. For a detailed list of needed supplies, please visit the “Puppy Essentials” page. This page highlights the Puppy Essentials Package, which includes all of the necessities at a wholesale price, shipped to your home; it’s a very convenient option!

Basic obedience training is so critical that it is actually stipulated in the maintenance section of the “Warranty and Purchase Agreement”. While we do start to teach our puppies manners such as sitting and not jumping, they are incapable of learning much else at such an early age.

Goldendoodles are easy to train, but you still need to take the time to train them, lest you end up with unwanted behavioral problems. Training will help you earn your dog’s respect and will also protect your dog (and potentially your property) in dangerous situations such as running into traffic or chewing inedible objects. We recommend the following article, which discusses the importance of teaching your puppy its name and the commands of come, stay, sit, no/leave it/stop, lay down, and no bark. The article can be found here: http://www.dogshow.com/the-first-7-lessons-for-puppies/

Early Neurological Stimulation is a practice developed by the U.S. military for their canine program. The practice boosts intelligence, instills trust, enhances training, increases tolerance to stress, and improves health. The practice consists of a series of daily exercises conducted from the third day through the sixteenth day of the puppies’ lives. The exercises stimulate the puppies in ways that do not naturally occur during this early period of life. The exercises include tickling between the toes; holding the head erect; holding the head pointed down; holding the pup on its back; and placing the feet on a cool, damp towel.

In addition, we advise owners to hold their puppies on their backs and to rub their paws, snout, and belly. This daily routine will further instill trust between you and your puppy and teach them to be obedient.

For more information on Early Neurological Stimulation, please refer to the following site/article: http://breedingbetterdogs.com/pdfFiles/articles/early_neurological_stimulation_en.pdf

I have learned over the years that young puppies should not be over-stimulated; some breeders raise puppies inside their busy homes and such stimulation can result in hyper, crazy dogs. Considering, we have a separate nursery building that has a controlled environment for the puppies. As they age, we gradually introduce them to people, children, other pets, radio, startling noises, etc. We also use an Early Neurological Stimulation Practice with our puppies to boost intelligence and enhance their training. This practice is described in further detail in the following question.

We say that we breed for temperament because we are very intentional about breeding dogs that have desirable personalities. We focus on breeding dogs that are friendly, reliable, eager, alert, trustworthy, and self-confident; we deliberately avoid breeding dogs that are hostile, timid, or nervous.

Personality and temperament are affected by genetics, which is why Goldendoodles are known for being calm, affectionate, and intelligent, reflecting the best traits of Golden Retrievers and Poodles. If the parent dogs have bad personalities, however, even if they’re not representative of the breed as a whole, the offspring may develop similar traits. For example, the smaller poodles have more personality quirks due to the rapid downsizing of the breed. In our breeding program at Hilltop Pups, we take the time to develop smaller poodle lines to avoid such quirks.

Nuvet Plus is an immune builder supplement that provides your pet with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. We begin giving our puppies the supplements at six weeks of age, around the time they receive their first set of vaccines. The efficacy of the vaccines depends on the strength and response of the immune system, so the supplements help with that process. We have witnessed health transformations in our dogs with the assistance of NuVet Plus, including improvement in coat color and in OFA hip test scores. Considering, we firmly believe that the supplements will help increase your dog’s longevity and quality of life.

Dear New Puppy Parent,

As a dog breeder, animal health is my top priority.  That’s why NuVet Plus immune system builder is required as part of your pet’s Health Guarantee extension. 

Initially your pup is receiving most of his immunity from his Mom through the milk, but once weaned he needs help to build his own immunity to protect him in his new environment (see attachment). NuVet was specifically formulated with potent antioxidants to assist your pup during this trying period and for years to come. He is already enjoying it as a treat and will be looking forward to it at your home.  Please order prior to receiving your pup

Hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are using NuVet to protect against most ailments (from back yard pesticides, pet food allergies and hormones, toxic formaldehyde in furniture and carpeting, ailments transmitted from dog parks and the vet’s office, etc), while maintaining a beautiful skin and coat.

This is not just a vitamin. It’s an immune system builder with a precise balance of vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, amino acids and high-potency antioxidants. That’s why it works so well through all three stages of a dog’s life.

P For younger dogs (under 2 years old), it strengthens their immune system, while building and strengthening the cardiovascular, skeletal and nerve systems.

P For dogs in their prime (age 2-8), it improves the luster of their skin and coat while protecting against allergies, skin and coat problems, staining from tears, digestive problems, etc.

P For older dogs (over 8 years old), it helps protect against, tumors, premature aging, cataracts, heart conditions, diabetes and many types of cancer, while extending the life and improving the vitality of many dogs.

I highly recommend NuVet Plus to keep your pet on the path to perfect health! It’s not available in stores, and is only available to the general public with an order code from an authorized pet professional.

For your convenience, you may order directly from the manufacturer by calling 800-474-7044 and using Order Code: 91606, or ordering online at www.nuvet.com/91606 .  You can also save an additional 15% and assure you never run out of NuVet by choosing the “AutoShip” option at check out. 

Please order prior to picking up your pup.

Sincerely,

Beverly Eckert

Hilltop Pups LLC

Buying from an experienced breeder will increase the chance of buying a physically, genetically, and emotionally healthy puppy. Here at Hilltop Pups, we have conducted exhaustive research on breeding strategies and on the health of Poodles, Golden Retrievers, and Goldendoodles. Additionally, we use our experiences with past litters to guide and alert us to any health issues that could arise out of our bloodlines. We invest significant time, energy, and resources into making sure our parent dogs are well cared for and in the best health possible; we do not breed parent dogs that do not meet our health standards.

Maintaining health standards is particularly important for breeds mixed with Golden Retrievers, as they are in the highest risk group for hip concerns. The Golden Retriever’s rapid rise in popularity in U.S. households led to a reduction in the integrity of the breed’s health as puppy mills and backyard breeders increased production to meet the demand. We test all of our parent dogs’ hips and guarantee the hips of our puppies in our 2 year warranty.

We are proud to offer a comprehensive 2 year health warranty for all of our puppies, which may be extended to 3 years of coverage with the continuous provision of NuVet Supplements to your pup. Qualifying genetic defects for reimbursement include those related to the hips, heart, elbows, and eyes, as well as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD). Puppies are also guaranteed against fatal viruses, including distemper, parvo, and corona, for 72 hours from the time of purchase. Additionally, in the rare case of death by genetic issue, puppies under 2 years of age will be replaced. Our warranty can be reviewed in full on our “Warranty” page.

At two weeks of age, we start our pups on a stringent deworming schedule and at six weeks of age, we vaccinate our pups against distemper, adenovirus, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. Please note that your pup will still have to go through a couple more rounds of vaccinations at your vet before it is fully protected against these diseases. As such, be sure to take precautions against exposing your puppy to unfamiliar dogs or places where dogs have frequented.

Proof through parentage is a method of confirmation that a dog does not have an inheritable disease. It means that, although a dog was not directly tested for a disease, it has been cleared of the disease because its parents were tested and were cleared of the disease.

Health testing at Hilltop Pups is ongoing as new DNA tests become available. We prioritize breed-specific diseases, targeting those that cause early death such as autoimmune, moderate heart disease, progressive retinal atrophy, von Willebrand disease, Osteochondritis, and Ichtyyosis).  The world of DNA testing is developing quickly and we strive to keep up with new developments; Optimal Selection is our current go to testing facility as they test each dog for all canine diseases, just in case some breeder way back in the pedigree didn't fully disclose or didn't know the dog had a different breed mixed in, just because they register the dog full blooded doesn't mean another dog didn't sneak in. Do not be alarmed if the DNA Health Report shows a disease as CARRIER.  Carrier means the dog carriers the gene for the disease, the dog will never develop the disease. A carrier dog must be bred with a dog that is tested clear for the disease or the pair will give birth to puppies with the disease. Thus, the importance for all breeders to DNA test their dogs to make sure the breeding pair is paired to rule out any diseases, its that easy.

Parent dogs at Hilltop Pups are tested by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for the health of their hips, elbows, hearts, and patellae (knee caps). Yearly eye certification by a board certified ophthalmologist is conducted to verify that the parent dogs are clear of 32 eye diseases. Additionally, DNA testing is used to determine whether parent dogs carry breed-specific diseases such as canine degenerative myelopathy (DM), multidrug resistance to cancer (MDR1), progressive rod-cone degeneration (prcd-PRA), and von Willebrand disease (vWD). You can view the health test results for each of our dogs on the “Meet the Parents” subpages.

We have spent a lot of time researching and seeking out the healthiest dogs to breed – dogs with strong pedigrees and long, healthy ancestry records. Our search has taken us worldwide and has led us to import dogs from Russia, Ireland, Germany, and France. We know our dogs, their health history, and their ancestors; in fact, many of our dogs are now third and fourth generation Hilltop Pups.

In an effort to limit the prevalence of cancer in our dogs, we breed English Golden Retrievers as opposed to American Golden Retrievers. Our Golden Retrievers and many of our Poodles come from bloodlines that are registered through the Russian Kynological Federation (RKF), which requires the dogs to have been health tested back 20 years into their ancestry.

In addition to lineage, we also health test all of our parent dogs. Whenever we have a potential breeding dog that has a negative health test result, we place it in a loving forever home or donate it to serve as a therapy or service dog. We only keep the healthiest bloodlines going in our breeding program.

We use health test results to determine which dogs are best for our breeding program. Knowing the status of our dogs’ health and their lineage helps us decide which matings are most appropriate for producing the healthiest offspring. While testing parent dogs does not guarantee that the puppies will be free of disease or health complications, it does significantly decrease the chance of them developing such health concerns. Of course, quality of life and health also depend on lifestyle, healthy foods, and exercise in addition to responsible breeding.

Hybrid vigor is a phenomenon in animal breeding referring to the fact that the first cross between two unrelated purebred lines is healthier than either parent line; with each successive generation, vigor is decreased.

Even with the benefit of hybrid vigor, the importance of responsible breeding in creating healthy dogs should not be underestimated. At Hilltop Pups, genetic testing starts with the first mating of a Golden Retriever to a Poodle. Furthermore, future generations are only bred from the healthiest parents so as to produce long, healthy bloodlines. So while F1s have the greatest hybrid vigor, all generations of Hilltop Pups are expertly bred to be of excellent health and temperament.

Parent dogs at Hilltop Pups are tested by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for the health of their hips, elbows, hearts, and patella (knee caps). DNA testing of 150+ genetic health conditions, which is used to determine mating dogs considering what genetic markers the parent dogs carry.  The testing includes breed-specific diseases, coat types, and color genetics.

Some diseases require both parent dogs to carry the gene for the offspring to develop the disease; in those cases only one parent dog needs to be tested clear, of course it is excellent to have the dogs clear of all genetic issues which is rare to not even have a carrier of something. You can view the health test results for each of our dogs on the Dams and Sires' pages by clicking on the document.

Yes, there are many organizations that register Goldendoodles, the Continental Kennel Club (CKC) is our preference with the highest standards and most recognized second to AKC.  CKC is used to verify pedigrees to ensure that the Goldendoodle can be traced back to the original poodle and golden retriever breeds; in fact, their pedigree history tracking is very similar to the AKC’s process. The purpose of CKC is to document the breed’s ancestry so as to protect and standardize the breed, ultimately enabling Goldendoodles to become an official breed and enter show rings.  In order for the Goldendoodle to become an official breed of its own, they will need to be at least 5 generations down of Goldendoodle bred to Goldendoodle for breed standards to be formed and the Goldendoodles to have a standardized appearance. Many breeders are still breeding the first cross of the Poodle and Golden Retriver or the F1b second generation which is the Goldendoodle breed back to a poodle hoping for less shedding and more hypo allergenic. We DNA test our parent dogs for their coat types to insure puppies past the first generation will be non-shedding and hypo allergenic.  With each generation breed down the puppies start to have the same coat types eliminating the flat coats of the retrievers and the super curly coats like poodles have.

You may register your Goldendoodle with CKC using the registration application sent home with your puppy.

Our puppies’ coats come in white, cream, gold, red, gold with white markings, red with white markings, and parti-colored (white with spots). The darker colors are more common in second and third generation pups, where the English Golden Retriever bloodline is not as prominent. While we do try to estimate coat color based on our years of experience, please be aware that the color of Goldendoodles, just like Poodles, can change as they get older; some get darker and some get lighter.

Teddy Bear Goldendoodles have an English Golden Retriever bloodline, as opposed to an American Golden Retriever bloodline. English Golden Retrievers are smaller in size and shorter in body and leg length. They have large square heads and short thick snouts. As a result of their lineage, English Goldendoodles have beautiful boxy heads that give them a “teddy bear” appearance.

GANA recognizes the adult measurements listed below, though they are still only approximations as several factors go into determining a dog’s size. Note that the height measurements are taken at the withers, or the front shoulders.

• Petite: height below 14 inches; weight less than 25 pounds
• Miniature: height range of 14 to 16 inches; weight range of 26 to 35 pounds
• Medium: height range of 17 to 20 inches; weight range of 36 to 50 pounds
• Standard: height range of 21 to 24 inches; weight range of 51 to 75 pounds

The shed and allergy factor of a Goldendoodle can be different from Breeder to Breeder depending on the Coat Type their Goldendoodles have inherited. At Hilltop Pups we DNA test the coat type of all our dogs so we can create the most non-shedding hypoallergenic coat as possible.  When breeding a Goldendoodle to a Goldendoodle the parent dogs need to be DNA tested for "IC" Improper Coat, which determines the dogs shed factor.  If one of the Goldendoodles in the pairing is F/F gene carrier for Furnishing and the other is F/F or F/IC a carrier for IC then none of the puppies will shed.   I have three males that are IC clear with F/F here.  I follow this DNA rule when breeding to make sure my dogs are non-shedding.  No guess work involved here past the first generation; as first generation is the crossing between the Golden Retriever and Poodle the coat types will vary widely in the litter;)  You can brush them and not even get hair to pull out.

Goldendoodles have 4 main coat types: flat, straight, wavy, or curly. The flat coat is also called the “improper coat” type of a Golden Retriever which will shed.  These are the Coat Types of my Goldendoodles, per my DNA testing of the coat types.    This is not true of other Breeders that do not DNA test the coat type of the dogs they are Breeding and match them up correctly.

First generation (F1) coats:

• Curly: no shedding; appropriate for severe allergies
• Wavy: light shedding; appropriate for mild and some moderate allergies
• Flat and straight coats: moderate shedding; appropriate for those wanting the look of a Golden Retriever with less shedding

First generation backcross (F1B) coats:

• Curly: no shedding; appropriate for severe allergies
• Wavy: no shedding; most appropriate for mild and moderate allergies

Multigeneration (F2, F2B, F3, F3B) coats:

• Curly: no shedding and minimal grooming; appropriate for severe allergies
• Wavy: no shedding and minimal grooming; appropriate for severe allergies

What sets Hilltop Pups apart from other breeders is DNA testing of the coat types of our Goldendoodles, thus any of the coats of our Goldendoodles past F1 geneartion will be non-shedding, because the parent dogs of our multi generation breeds have been DNA tested for the coat types. We only breed dogs with FURNISHING factor combinations OR F/F bred to F/F or F/IC bred to F/F; both produce the F/F and F/IC which mean they have Furnishings like a poodle.  So even the wavy to curly puppies do not shed:)  Most of the multi generation Goldendoodles have the thick shag "wavy" coats and a few may have curly coats, at the multi gen level the Goldendoodles all start looking more similar; a beautiful thick wavy to curly shag coat.  

Keeping that in mind to explain the IC/IC coat of the Golden Retrievers and most poodles have an F/F coat for the F1 = first generation being the wild card.  You could have 9 puppies in a litter and 3 different coat types with the odds being that 1/3 of the litter will shed.  So the further you are up on the pick list the better chance of getting the coat type you desire as some people do want the flat wavy coats as those are known as Comfort Retrievers a smaller less shedding version of the Golden Retriever.  Basically in the F1 you are not going to get a Goldendoodle that looks like a Golden Retriever and be non-shedding.  If I list a puppy as wavy it will shed.  Wavy to curly in the F1 category means it may or may not shed.  Curly in the F1 will not shed but there may only be one or two in the litter.  That is about the shortest explanation I can give on the genetic makeup of non-shed DNA testing; as I have went to seminars where a speaking can speak all day on the subject and have your head spinning. 

Example of Wavy Coat:  

Example of Curly Coat:

Goldendoodles have wonderfully calm, loving, and intelligent personalities, as do their parent breeds.  We highly value these traits in our goldendoodle puppies and therefore ensure that our breeding dogs have desirable personalities in addition to excellent health.  We further boost the intelligence of our puppies by using the Early Neurological Stimulation Practice developed by the military.  It is my belief that the practice builds trust between man and animal, allowing the puppy to trust and obey.  The stimulation consists of rubbing the bottoms of their feet, bellies, noses, and ears.

We wholeheartedly recommend goldendoodles as family pets because of their intelligence, obedience, and patience.  They are easy to train and to socialize with children, and they have an innate desire to please their families.  They are not aggressive in nature and are very calm and patient with children.  Even so, it is prudent to provide your dog with basic obedience training and to teach your children how to respectfully interact with your pet.

The terms F1, F2B, etc. specify the generation of the Goldendoodle, as detailed below.

First Generation (F1) Goldendoodle: Golden Retriever + Poodle
First Generation Backcross (F1B) Goldendoodle: F1 Goldendoodle + Poodle
Second Generation (F2) Goldendoodle: F1 Goldendoodle + F1 Goldendoodle
Second Generation Backcross (F2B) Goldendoodle: F1 Goldendoodle + F1B Goldendoodle OR F1B Goldendoodle + F1B Goldendoodle

All further crossings are simply referred to as multigenerational.

Depending on the coat types of all the parent dogs in a breeding if they have the wavy thin coat such as a lot of F1b wavy coated dogs have; then they are crossed back to a poodle to get the fuller coat and still be the wavy to curly shag looking coats; the F2b coat types have quickly become the preferred coat type of my customers as 95% of the F2b puppies get the wavy to curly shag looking coats and illuminates the curly coats.  Its all in the genetic testing to design the coat type and figure out if the parent dogs have inherited more GR or Poodle.

Additional information on generation breeding is available at http://www.goldendoodles.com/faqs/generations.htm

• Clean, microchipped puppy, with dewclaws removed
• Prepaid application to transfer your contact information onto the microchip
• Signed copy of the Health Warranty and Purchase Agreement
• Veterinarian record of your puppy’s vaccinations and deworming schedule
• Application for 30-days of free health insurance
• CKC registration application
• Sample of  puppy food - Chicken Soup for the  Soul dry puppy food
• Sample of NuVet immune builder supplements
• Leash/collar combination
• Gift Bag including baby blanket, door bell, and various toys

The information on the web is vague regarding the health beyond the breeding of F1’s because it varies so much depending on breeder practices.  If a breeder is not health testing their dogs they are crossing their figures and praying to produce puppies with hybrid vigor; which refers to the mating of two different breeds to decrease inherit traits as in the F1 Generation.  In regards to diseases such as PRA, vWD, and GR-PRA both parent dogs must be positive or both carriers for the offspring to have the disease.  This is why DNA health testing is important as only one parent dog needs to be negative of the disease for the off spring to clear of the disease.  All Hilltop Pups’ dogs are fully DNA tested ; so all future generations produced at Hilltop Pups are as healthy as the First Generation “F1”.