Life With Two Goldendoodles - From a Walk in the Park to Dog Skin Conditions and Beyond

I was never a dog person, I never really wanted a dog, but here I am the owner of two goldendoodles and writing a blog about them. How did it come to this?

Ruby and Bailey, two Goldendoodle dogs.

Several years ago my wife and kids kept trying to convince me that it would be fun to have a dog. It didn't sound fun. To me having a dog sounded like a reason to go to the vet more, deal with dog skin conditions, and fleas, and poop in the back yard. New chores do come with dog ownership, but I have found they have been worth it to experience the joy the dog brings.

I never really liked other people's dogs and I am allergic to many animals. Even before we started "looking" for our own dog I decided to spend some time around dogs so I got the chance to see what it was like. I didn't spend enough time with any dogs to bond with them, but I did find that there were some dogs that I would have an allergic reaction to and many I did not have problems with.

When the time came to start looking for a dog we decided to limit the search to breeds that were considered non-shedding or hypo-allergenic. We spent about five months browsing web pages, local shelters and petfinder.com looking for a hypo-allergenic dog to adopt. We went to see many dogs during this time but none of them worked out.

Bailey as a puppy

 Our search for a dog ended after about five months when we found a local dog groomer helping to place an older goldendoodle puppy (4-5 months old) for a down-state breeder. This puppy was the last of the litter and the breeder was having trouble selling her as she was no longer the perfect "puppy" age. So, enter Bailey, a female F1B goldendoodle.

Ruby as a puppy

It didn't take long for the whole family to fall in love with Bailey. She was great with the kids from day one and learned quickly. For our second dog we decided to get a dog similar in age and size to Bailey. We found a breeder with two litters of Goldendoodles near our home. They had about 12 puppies, about half of which were pre-sold. So enter Ruby, a female F2 goldendoodle

Bailey on a hotel room cot

We have had countless good times with our goldendoodles from vacations, to regular neighborhood walks, playing catch, going to the dog park and more. They have been an integral part of our family and continue to be. But, is it all a walk in the park? Of course not. Dogs are easier to raise than kids but they come with their own set of challenges.


Taking care of a dog's health involves a lot more than a once a year visit to the vet. For starters, we had to address dog skin problems and dog food sensitivities. Then there is grooming. Grooming for two large non-shedding dogs can be time consuming and expensive. To save on expenses we do most of the grooming ourselves. Then there are the little things, and luckily, our doodles don't resist when it's time to use their dog toothpaste or clean their ears. My wife even made some helpful dog care videos that you can find on youtube, like the video about cleaning your goldendoodle's ears below.

Overall, how is life with two goldendoodles?

Exhilarating!
I highly recommend it, even if you're not a "dog" person.

 

Please visit the Skyenimals Dog and Skyenimals Goldendoole pages for more dog pictures, facts and activities for kids. And remember, if you would like to share any of your dog or pet pictures with kids and animal lovers around the world you can upload them at Skyenimals.com.