Are you searching for a Goldendoodles for adoption through a rescue service but aren’t sure where to begin?
There are various ways of finding Goldendoodle rescue dogs that need a loving home. But finding them can prove difficult and take up quite a lot of time. You may have to spend hours searching online for “Goldendoodle rescues for adoption” before you find your perfect pet.
But, adopting a Goldendoodle gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you have given a home to a dog who needs it. Plenty of animal shelters, local rescue centers, and non-profit organizations have Goldendoodles who are looking for loving owners.
Below, we’ll tell you exactly how to start the process of looking for Goldendoodles for adoption.
Finding a Goldendoodle to Adopt Near You
Occasionally, you may find that some of your local rescue organizations or shelter facilities will have Goldendoodle puppies or adult dogs that need to be rehomed.
Plus, these days, you will find various organizations that specifically work to find new homes for Goldendoodles and other unwanted Doodles.
Such Doodle rescue facilities might have an agreement with their local shelters that allows them to place their dogs in foster homes before they are made available to the general public.
But you shouldn’t just limit yourself to looking for Goldendoodle rescue and adoption services only. Also look for any dog rescue service that specializes in helping to give loving homes to Golden Retrievers and Poodles.
You will often find that such a nonprofit organization will be looking to help golden retrievers and poodle mixes find new homes as well.
Understanding What a Goldendoodle Rescue Dog Is
A Goldendoodle or mini Goldendoodle is made through the cross-breeding of the highly intelligent Poodle with the fun and loving Golden Retriever.
Golden Retrievers have long been considered the perfect family dog. They love to be around people and lead an active lifestyle. Even as they get older, this dog remains young at heart and ideal for an active family.
Poodles make great family dogs, even if they seem a little aloof. They love to be around their pet parents and anyone close to them. They are also always up for an adventure.
So, when you choose to cross these two breeds together, what you end up with is a fun, loving, high-energy dog that any family would love. If the dog is a Golden Retriever that has been crossed with a Standard Poodle, then it will be quite large. In most cases, such mixed breeds tend to be bigger than either of their parent dogs.
The Different Goldendoodle Generations
There are several different generations of Goldendoodle. The ones you are most likely to find available for adoption are those classified as F1 Goldendoodles.
Sometimes you may find a rescue service with F1B, F2, or even F2B Goldendoodles that they are looking to rehome. All of these are mixed breed dogs that are around 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever.
Why Do These Dogs End up in Rescue Doodle Facilities?
There are various reasons why these dogs appear on the waiting list of rescue facilities and are available for families who don’t want to buy from a breeder. But most of the time, it isn’t the dog’s fault that they need to find a new home.
Below we look at several reasons these popular dog breeds are looking for new permanent homes.
1. The Dog’s Owner Has Passed Away or is Sick
This means that the dog does not have anyone who can look after them anymore. This is one of the main reasons Goldendoodles are put up for adoption by a nonprofit organization.
As these dogs make such great pets, they tend to be owned by older people. Unfortunately, it leads to the dog outliving its owner(s) in some situations.
2. They Have High Energy Levels
Both Poodles and Golden Retrievers have a great deal of energy and love to be around people. They are often seen as the perfect dog, but in reality, these dogs you see up for adoption through a Doodle rescue need to be provided with a lot of physical and mental stimulation. This will prevent them from becoming bored or developing separation anxiety.
3. They Haven’t Been Provided With the Proper Training
These highly intelligent dogs need consistent training carried out by their owners or training classes. Failure to follow the right training program can lead to numerous issues later on and can make these puppies insufferable.
4. The Dog’s Owner Starts a Family
Due to their high energy levels, young Doodle dogs are not always ideal pets in families with small or young children. Unfortunately, as these dogs are pretty boisterous, they can accidentally knock a child over, even though they didn’t mean to. Instead of seeking out help to calm the dog down, the child’s parents will put the dog up for adoption.
5. The Dog’s Owners Have Gone Back to Work
Throughout the last couple of years, many of us have found ourselves stuck working from home or furloughed due to Covid 19. Also, the US government urged us to exercise more, which caused an increase in the demand for bikes and dogs.
But now, things are returning to a more normal state, and more people are going back to work. Many dogs are now being left home alone after being around people all the time. This can cause the dog to develop issues, including suffering from separation anxiety when left alone for long periods.
Once they start to get stressed out, Doodle dogs can become destructive or may choose to bark constantly. It can sometimes reach a point where the owner feels they have no choice and cannot keep the dog, so they hand it over to their local animal shelter or Doodle rescue service.
6. The Owner Has Allergies
Though these dogs are classed as hypoallergenic breeds, this isn’t always the case. Any pet owners who suffer from allergies and find that they’re allergic to their canine companion will look to get them rehomed.
7. The Dog Has Come to the End of Its Breeding Career
As soon as a breeding mum or stud dog is no longer seen as being able to provide litters of puppies, the breeders will put them up for adoption. Reputable breeders will ensure that their dogs will be able to enjoy a happy life after they have retired.
You may often find that local rescue or animal shelters have mixed dog breeds that have been seized or rescued from puppy mills.
What is so sad is that many of these dogs will never know what life is like outside of a cage.
So be aware that such dogs you see up for adoption through a Doodle rescue service will need time to adjust to being free and leading a normal life with a family.
But once these dogs have got acclimatized to their new life and undergone the correct rehabilitation training program, they will make wonderful family pets.
Why Should You Adopt a Goldendoodle Instead of Buying One?
There are plenty of reasons why many pet owners today choose to go through the adoption process to get a dog from a rescue facility.
Below we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of adopting rather than buying from a breeder.
Advantages of Adopting a Goldendoodle
1. You Are Doing the Right Thing
The main reason so many people go down the route of adopting pets from a rescue facility or animal shelter is that they feel good knowing that they are providing the dog with another chance to enjoy a happy life. After you’ve brought them into your home, you’ll find that these dogs can be just as loving as any well-bred pedigree animal.
2. Cost
It may surprise you to learn that puppies from a reputable breeder can cost upwards of $2,000 for a single animal.
Of course, some unscrupulous breeders run puppy mills that charge less. But be aware that dogs from such facilities may suffer from health and temperament problems, leading to them requiring special medical care.
If you would love to be the owner of such a dog but don’t have the money to spend, then adopting one through a rescue service is a much better option. It is crucial to note that they will still ask you to make a donation or pay an adoption fee that will help to cover their running costs.
The adoption fee you pay shows that you are committed to providing the dog with a beautiful life, and it helps the rescue facility cover the costs of caring for any other dogs they have in their foster homes or shelter.
This fee does vary from one rescue service to another, so make sure to ask what it is.
3. Training
Many Goldendoodles that end up being handed over for adoption will have already been house-trained. This means you don’t have to do it yourself! They may also have undergone some puppy socialization training to be comfortable around humans and other dogs.
You might find that your new Doodle rescue knows its name and can understand a few basic commands.
Goldendoodles are highly intelligent, making them highly trainable. They love to work closely with their owners to learn new skills. So a dog that already understands basic details relating to training provides you with the perfect platform to continue with it.
4. You Help to Put Puppy Mills Out of Business
As we mentioned, when Covid 19 hit, the demand for dogs skyrocketed. People all around the world found themselves either working from home or furloughed, which made owning a dog a lot easier. This, in turn, resulted in a higher demand for certain breeds, especially those classed as hypoallergenic breeds.
As a result of this, backyard breeding operations could take advantage of this demand. They would produce as many puppies as they could without taking into consideration the health of the parent dogs.
Not only are the conditions in which the breeding dogs live terrible, but poor care results in the puppies suffering from health issues.
Choosing to go through the adoption process will indirectly help stop puppy mills from carrying on with this appalling business.
Disadvantages of Adopting a Goldendoodle
There are several disadvantages you need to be aware of when looking at choosing to adopt a dog through a Doodle rescue facility.
1. Uncertain of Their History
Sometimes the rescue facility may not be able to provide you with detailed information regarding what life the dog led before it came to them. In some cases, you may not be able to find out why the dog was surrendered in the first place, or it could have just been abandoned.
2. It Might Have Training Issues
If the dog hasn’t been properly socialized or learned even the basic commands, you may have to deal with ongoing training issues. So you need to be prepared and willing to commit both time and energy to help train or retrain the Goldendoodle you’ve chosen to adopt.
3. That Might Be Nervous Around Strangers
This can be an issue if you have young children who tend not to realize just how boisterous they are. You may need to take the time to help an adopted dog relax and teach your children to be calmer around them. If you do, they will start to lose some if not all the anxiety they are feeling over time. They will then become a very valued member of your family unit.
4. They May Come With Existing Health Issues
You will need to carry out relevant research to understand how to manage such issues. You will also need to factor in how much it will cost to provide them with the best health care possible.
Having said all this, if you choose to adopt through a reputable rescue center, you might find that they will allow you to bring the dog home on a trial basis. This way, you can see whether the dog will settle into its new home with you or not.
Should you find that the dog you’ve chosen isn’t suitable for your family, rescue centers will work closely with you to find one that is.
Now, we will look at what you should expect to take place when you decide you are ready to look more closely at the Goldendoodle for adoption process.
What to Expect When Adopting a Dog
Even if you want to provide a new home for a rescue dog, be aware that the facility you’ve chosen to get one from may not see you as a suitable candidate.
Yes, there are plenty of Poodle rescue and Golden Retriever rescue services for dogs that need rehoming. But each one of these will carry out several checks to ensure that the people going through the adoption and approval process are suitable pet owners.
The main aim of these facilities is to ensure that each puppy or dog placed up for adoption will end up in a happy home with a loving family. They want to ensure that the new owners are a good match for the dog’s personality, and the dog will not be returned to them or another shelter in the future.
When it comes to adopting a dog through any rescue facility, they tend to follow the same rules, which look something like this:
Start By Submitting an Application
Before the adoption process commences, you will be asked to complete an application form. It will ask you to provide certain information about yourself and your family. It will also ask questions about what kind of dog you are looking to adopt.
Interview Takes Place
If your application to adopt a dog through the facility is approved, they will arrange to interview you next. You may be asked to visit the facility, or they may arrange to interview you at your home. Rescue services that take this extra step will be able to better understand what kind of pet owner you will be.
The kinds of questions that they will ask you during the interview include the following:
- What is your family situation? How many children and adults are in the household?
- What is your housing situation? Do you own your home, or are you renting one? Also, what kind of property do you live in?
- What is your previous experience with owning a pet? Also, do you have any other pets? This is important as they need to ensure that the dog you choose will get along with the pets you already have.
- What is your current work situation? Can you provide financially for your new pet, and will it be left home alone for any length of time?
Meet the Dogs
If you pass the interview stage and the rescue agrees that you can adopt one of their dogs, they will arrange for you to meet ones that they feel are suitable. Often, they have space available where you can spend time with the dog to see if they are a good fit or not.
Pay the Adoption Fee
If you find a suitable dog and the rescue facility agrees that you can take them home, you will need to pay their adoption fee. Often, this is a small sum compared to what you would have paid if you were to buy a Goldendoodle through a reputable breeder.
Conclusion
If you are intent on adopting a Goldendoodle, then a rescue or animal shelter would be the ideal place for your search to begin.
Even though these dogs are usually sold through breeders, some end up being placed up for adoption through no fault of their own. It is true that finding Goldendoodles for adoption may be time-consuming. But at the end of the day, you can feel good with the knowledge that you have provided a lonely dog with a loving home as opposed to giving money to possibly sketchy breeders.