terry f Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Spoke to a woman last night who is very keen to get a spoodle pup. She is thinking of getting this puppy spoodle from a breeder called"Rivergum Designer puppies" The idea of any kind of oodle pup is far from my choice but this is what this woman wants and all I am trying to do is steer her to the right breeder away from pet shops, bybs, or puppy farmers. As most of us know these kind of pups are not in pounds or rescue and if so are very rare. I have an opportunity to steer this woman in the right direction. Maybe there is no need as I know nothing about "River Gum Designer puppies"and they may be indeed reputable. Does anyone know if they are a reputable breeder and if not who should this woman go to. She wants a 6 week old spoodle, no argument about it as her family has decided. This family has never owned a dog before and talking to this woman she admitted she is frightened of working breed dogs. Any positive suggestions? Terry PS I hope I am posting in the right forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 (edited) Six weeks is far too young for starters, and it is against the law in some states to sell pups before eight weeks. Rivergum are puppy farmers... I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole. There is nothing rare about "spoodles", they are a cross breed, you will struggle to find anyone even remotely reputable breeding them. Does she know much about Poodles or Cocker Spaniels? ETA: There are plenty of designer mutts in rescue. Edited February 28, 2010 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 At least convince her that any breeder of any breed who will place a 6 week old puppy with her is definitely not ethical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerojath Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 There is NOTHING reputable about Rivergum. They are puppy farmers no less. Suggest to your friend she watch some footage of puppy farms - plenty on youtube. People are often thinking they are buying safely due to flash websites which make proprietors LOOK responsible, but behind this cover is a very sad place and a sad life for breeding dogs and puppies alike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Yep - make sure she understands that anyone placing pups at 6 weeks doesn't have the good of their puppies at heart. Make sure she understands that a cross between a Standard Poodle and a Springer Spaniel is a "spoodle" but could well end up the size of a hairy horse, while the cross between a Toy Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is also sold as a "spoodle" and will be a bit smaller. I would be directing her to the multitude of websites which explain the health issues of both breeds mated together (assuming she can get the "breeder" to identify the breeds used) and making sure she gets health clearances for all the commonly occuring conditions in both breeds for the relevant parent. Does she understand that Poodle crosses are not invariably "non shedding" and anyone who tries to tell her otherwise is plain flat lying. She could end up with a dog with Poodle wool and a Spaniel top coat and nothing but matts and trouble. Why have they decided on a "spoodle" - does she understand that her puppy could well end up with the temperament of a Poodle (if she likes the Spaniel temperament) or vice versa? Does she understand that anyone who names their business "designer" puppies is got to be after only one thing $$$ because the term "designer" is not used by ethical breeders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfin Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Do they test for PRA? Both Poodles and Cocker Spaniels can be affected by, or carry the gene for PRA. Does she want a dog that is blind at 4 years of age? And do not accept "oh, both parents can see just fine"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becky thatcher Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Reminds me of this dill on cooking forum who said that the lab she bought from a pet shop was from a 'Breeder" not "Puppy Farm" because "The lady in the pet shop said so" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlet Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 They are not reputable-they are puppy millers. http://www.wheredopuppiescomefrom.com.au/ http://www.thepuppymill.com.au/ Just a couple of sites to look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Perhaps if you explain that this kennel is raising approx 400 puppies a year. In which case what sort of attention is paid to each litter.... that it sounds more like a production line..... This might make her feel that perhaps she isnt getting something quite soooo rare.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 The pounds & the newspapers have lots of spoodles, some even give away. Which are not a breed. Many are got rid of due to false claims about everything from size, coat, temperament & misleading people into thinking they are a proper breed. 6 week old puppies, no pedigree so who knows what breeds with what dog, no testing for PRA, do they know what a luxating patella is ? Puppy farm. Tell your friend to Run. There are heaps of nice purebred breeds out there to choose from. Spoodle is a fashion fad & a bad choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash30Aus Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I'm no expert, but even looking at the Rivergum website makes my skin crawl. The mumma dogs look so scared and skinny in some instances. These are the staged photo's where the dogs are plonked down infront of a curtain. So these are the "good" ones. Makes me ill. Christie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieDog Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I don't understand the fascination with these Designer Dogs. I think most of them are odd looking, even verging on ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 We have a Malt/Poodle and a Schnauzer/Poodle at NSW Animal Rescue. They are young adults and very even tempered - maybe this woman could be steered towards rescuing a dog that once came from a place like Rivergum? We also have 2 pure Poodle pups (16 weeks - white)... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 My brother and his wife have two oodles from this particular establishment. The dogs seem healthy enough although one clearly lacked socialisation with humans when very young. The biggest thing ive noticed about his dogs is how incredibly stupid they are, seriously. They eat ANYTHING and do mean anything. This has results in 2 emergency surguries, once after the dog ate a magnetic pool game, second time after one of them ate a skewer off the barbie - wooden skewer and all. They are brainless and not terribly attractive dogs although as puppies they were cute and fluffy. They dont have much personality and tend to yap. I could not live with dogs as brainless as these two are! Poodles in particular are intelligent dogs, they have clearly bred the brains out of their dogs. Unless she wants an unattractive, stupid dog with unknown health/behavioural problems, I would steer clear of buying an oodle from this puppy farm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Please please tell them not to get a puppy before the age if 8 weeks- any breed!! And they must do some reading on critical periods of development to ensure they choose a breeder that cares about the pups socialisation needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edslaine Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Show her some photos of the gorgeous Lagottos. Pure bred with some great reputable breeders on DOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kchogan Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I have just had a quick look at rivergum website and there are a couple of things i noticed that shouted no to me. 1. in a couple of the photoes the lady holds out the pups with the face of someone who does not even like dogs 2. they have a lot of animals to look after (how are you ment to look after that many animals and give the pups the individual attention that they need, let alone deserve) 3. in the about us page the first thing you see is a COMPANY PROFILE these are people doing it for the money 4. they have the same cavalier king charles in two different breed types ( sorry but this screems back to back breeding to me) everyone has different oppions on what a reputable breeder is (designer dogs or not) here are a couple of my pointers on what i would look for. 1. no pup sold before 8wks 2. someone who would have the time to care for each and every pup 3. someone who would ask questions of future families 4. someone who does right by the bitch and dog (appropriate testing and health checks) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry f Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 I am so pleased I posted on this topic as one of my main hates is puppy farmers. Thank god this woman has not paid them anything yet, but I do know the price Rivergum want for this pup is $850.00. I won't be able to talk to her till tomorrow as she was at a mutual friends house warming party when she approached me about her intending purchase as she knew I owned dogs. Having never heard of Rivergum I said I would check them out and get back to her via this mutual friend, which I will do and let you all know how I get on. Do any of you think it might be a good idea to give her dogsonline address so she can read all your comments. I personally think it would be very persuasive. My sole aim in this post has now become to stop this purchase from Rivergum. I agree, if this inexperienced family is to own a pup it should be 8 weeks and preferably a cocker spaniel, poodle or a king charles spaniel. The thing is they are inexperienced and this will be the main hurdle. I don't know the make up of her family, but where she lives in Sydney oodle type dogs are popular. If they are to get this particular type of cross I don't think it wise to get a pup from the clasified section of the papers, because I might be putting them onto BYBs. In an ideal world I would love for them to get a rescue, but I know she wants a puppy. Kchogan your points are very clear and I will use those points in trying to get her to change her mind,especially about the pup being 8 weeks old. Will keep you all informed as to what happens. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I had a very quick look at the site and the very sad faces on those bitches breaks your heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrie Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Just a note... there are PLENTY of those kind of dogs in rescue, they are NOT rare at all and you will find she'll probably pay less to rescue a desexed, vaccinated, vet checked dog from a rescue even if she pays freight! I have seen MANY "spoodles" on petrescue in the past! There are 501 small dogs listed on pet rescue at the moment, MANY are poodle crosses! Here's a cavalier cross.... super cute! http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/66340 Wilbur the pug x shih tzu is adorable too! - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/56672 Bella and Beau are poodle x's that look kinda "spoodle"-y - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/63438 Ellie the Moodle - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/66399 Pasquel the Maltese x Shih tzu - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/66352 Jaffa and Meeka the Poodle x's - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/62396 Piper the Moodle - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/66398 Mollie the Moodle - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/66339 Daniel the Maltese x Shih tzu - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/66290 Riley the Poodle x - http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/66256 Still think their rare? You'll find everything in rescue if you look long enough. And if she really wants a puppy, purebred is the way to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now