Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Doodle?
To best understand the crossbreeding of two purebred dogs, you must first consider genetics. Basically a Doodle is any dog crossed with a poodle.
Understanding genetics is required to create the best Doodles. That is what responsible breeding means. Having extensive genetic testing and interpreting it correctly, leads to a better end result…..the puppy you want!

Why Doodles?
Initially Poodles were crossed with another pure breed large dog with the intent of extending the life and health of the dogs. The cute, jovial Doodle, that lived 12-18 years, was produced and popularity soared. They are the most popular hybrid (mixed breed) dogs in the world, at this time. Doodle literally means a Poodle is bred to either a full blood Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, or Bernese Mountain Dog or many other combinations to get a great Doodle.

What is the “F” talk all about and what is meant by Multigen?

An F1 is two pure breeds together (i.e.Golden Retriever + Poodle= F1 doodle puppy.)
An F1b is an F1 Doodle (Goldendoodle, Labradoodle, Aussiedoodle, etc) bred back to a Poodle
An F2 is two F1 Doodles bred together (Goldendooodle + Goldendoodle).
A Double Doodle is a Labradoodle + Goldendoodle, or a Bernedoodle bred to a Goldendoodle and so on. Doodle + another breed Doodle=Double Doodle.
A Multigen is anything beyond the F2. A dog that has more than one generation that is Doodle to Doodle breeding.
Some people think multigen Doodles are mostly Poodle–it’s true they will be more than 50% Poodle, but how much more can only be determined by DNA testing. Every pup in the litter will have a different percentage of Poodle.

Do Doodles shed?
Some people believe an F1b Doodle (a Doodle crossed back to a Poodle) will be 75% Poodle and therefore have less shedding. This is not always the case. Shedding is determined by GENETICS, not GENERATION. We have had F1bs that shed a small amount and F1s that don’t. In any case, a Doodle will shed less than a pure Retriever, Cavalier, Australian Shepherd, etc. Most Doodles shed in tumbleweeds rather than single strands of hair.

Are your puppies hypoallergenic?
There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Even if a dog doesn’t noticeably shed hair, the dander and oils can be a problem for allergy sufferers. For severe allergy sufferers we recommend a purebred Poodle or skin testing prior to purchase.

What is skin testing?
If someone in your household has severe allergies, but wants a puppy, we can offer skin testing. We take a t-shirt or blouse and wrap the puppy in it for several hours over 2-3 days. We then mail the shirt to you, so the allergy sufferer can wear it for a few days. If there’s no reaction, you may determine the puppy will possibly work in your situation. Though there is never a guarantee that someone won’t develop an allergy, this at least adds an extra prevention for allergy sufferers. If you are interested in this service, private message us for more information. It is very disappointing if you get a dog and have to return it due to allergies. Be very careful to consider this if people in your family have severe allergies. We want to have happy families with wonderful puppies.

Do you have a breeder’s license?
In Texas, anyone who sells 20+ dogs in a calendar year is required to have a breeding license. Having a license means the home or facility is monitored by the state and required to uphold certain standards and agree to yearly inspections. We do not have this number of puppies each year. All new puppies are raised in our home and our standard of care exceeds most expectations. Our breeder adults live with us or in Guardian Homes. We believe that NO dog should live in a kennel, and ALL dogs deserve the love of a family. We follow the protocol of early neurological stimulation and feel our newborns get the BEST treatment to prepare them to go home to their forever family.

What kind of health testing does this program provide?
Genetic testing determines whether a dog has a disease or is a carrier for one. Yes, we genetic test all breeder dogs and can show you testing results upon request. All puppies have a vet exam prior to going to their forever home. We also require that the buyer have a vet exam within 72 hours of picking up their puppy. This activates the 1 year health guarantee.

What is a puppy mill?
Typically, a puppy mill is a large facility that has dozens of breeding dogs and breeds hundreds of puppies a year. Puppy mills usually are not clean, the puppies and/or the breeder dogs are often not health checked nor tested, and there is no early neurological stimulation for the puppies. A puppy mill is not the place to buy a good dog.

There are large breeder programs that are clean, and treat their dogs well, and feed them appropriately. That is not a puppy mill; that is simply a large volume breeder. If a breeder does not allow on site visits to their facility, this may be a red flag as to what the operation is really like. Be sure to check out your breeder and how the puppies are treated while in their care.

Other terms for breeder programs: Backyard breeder, Boutique Breeder, Family Breeder. Each of these terms means something different to each breeder program. What a buyer wants to know is simple; are you a responsible breeder?

What is a responsible breeder?

A responsible breeder is one who treats their breeding dogs as pets. The dogs are given good nutrition, regular grooming, fresh air and warm/cool places to sleep.
A responsible breeder LOVES their dogs, sees their dogs as part of the family and treats them as such.
A responsible breeder will research and learn as much as possible about breeding, always seeking to better their program.
A responsible breeder will health test and learn the temperaments of puppies, carefully matching them with potential buyers. Buyers will be screened and must show proof of the ability to provide a safe, loving, forever home to their dog.

Why breed more than one type of Doodle?
A better question is have you ever met a Doodle that wasn’t adorable? Just like some people want a small dog, some want a big dog, and others just want a loving and calm dog. Producing a variety of Doodles, helps to meet the needs of each person who is seeking to buy just the right Doodle to add to their family.

How do you determine pricing for a puppy?
Prices are based on the program including health testing, genetic testing, as well as market demand. Often a rare coat color will increase the price, or great demand for a certain color may also increase price.

We breed because we love dogs and enjoy the happiness that matching puppies with their families brings. The market needs educated, ethical breeders to provide quality pups to quality people and we want to be a part of that group. After seeing both our son and daughter get dogs that did not meet their needs, we thought about how they could have had a better outcome. It is a long story, but suffice it to say, a dog with natural aggression should not be in the home with small children. A dog with high energy should not be matched to a family that works long hours and kennels the dog all day. We want to match a dog’s temperament and family lifestyle as much as possible. We love to have our puppies go to families who need a support dog. So, we price our dogs according to situations and we work with families to make the right choices.

Why breed when there are so many dogs in shelters?
Most dogs in a shelter are the result of irresponsible pet owners. The reality is there is no correlation between ethical, responsible breeding and the number of dogs in shelters. Breeders who selectively breed for both health and temperament and who screen applicants never contribute to the shelter population. Shelter dogs are often in the shelter because they were not treated well in the beginning. This can lead to destructive and difficult behaviors which cause people to give up on the dog. However, some shelter dogs end up in the shelter through no fault of their own. Having a dog is a lot like parenting, If you are not in it for the good, the bad, and the ugly, you should just not undertake the responsibility. There is room at the table for good ethical breeders of purebred and crossbreed dogs. There is also a place in many homes for a shelter dog, just try to know what you are getting and make sure it matches your family. My Texana Doodles supports fostering, adoption, and responsible breeding. We believe EVERY dog deserves the best. AND of course every family should have a dog!