Meet Kate! This beautiful Goldendoodle is a retired breeder momma and is getting ready for her forever family and home. She has been out of a commercial breeding situation for less than two weeks. Kate is a sweet girl who is learning about a world with humans who want her to enjoy life.

Kate tries new things on her terms. She is always watching what is going on around her, seeming to assess the situation. She watches my resident dog to see what her reaction is to people and situations. This is why she needs a medium to large confident dog to learn what living in a loving family is about. She now accepts pets and attention without trembling!

Kate does not like to be left alone in one part of the house when her people and dog are away from her. She ventures out to see where everyone is, and then skedaddles back to her safe spot once she has been discovered.

After a few nights in her foster home, Kate began to howl at night. We think she figured out she didn’t want to be alone! Now that she gets to join everyone in the bedroom at night (in her night-time kennel), she sleeps silently and happily through the night.

We have a webcam set on her and have seen her do some pretty interesting things! One week away from the breeder situation, we left her kennel door open to see what she would do. She went out of her kennel, gathered up some toys, and, one by one, brought them into her kennel.

She also batted a ball around the floor and chased it! She moves rather quickly when there are no humans around to see her. Then, when I walked back toward the kitchen where her kennel is she would quickly go into her kennel and look at me like, “I’ve been in here the whole time!”

Kate enjoys being brushed—or at least tolerates it well. She is shedding a lot right now which could be due to recently weaning a litter of pups but could also be due to the stress of a new home. Some Goldendoodles shed their whole lives and others do not.

Goldendoodles require a lot of grooming. They need to go to a professional groomer every 6 to 8 weeks. Kate’s forever family will need to brush her often. Without regular brushing—every day or every other day—their hair/fur can become matted. Matting is VERY painful for the dog, can lead to hotspots, and will require a “shave down.”

Kate is dealing with a major ear infection right now. She’s being treated for that and is patient and accommodating while getting her ears cleaned and her medication put in her ears. She will be spayed soon.

Kate wags her tail when she sees her people. She doesn’t live with kids currently. She startles easily so it is recommended that kids be 10+ years of age who will respect her fears and needs.

She is not very active yet but she wags her tail while taking a stroll in the backyard, seeming to enjoy stretching her legs and smelling new smells.

This dear girl has not yet been on a walk as she tends to crouch down and appear scared to go near the front of the house. She also has vomited in the car the few times she has been in a car. She needs to get used to the motion of a car. We are hoping this is something she gets over, just like she is getting over her fears!

When Kate arrived, she continually crouched down and cowered. In less than two weeks, she holds her head up and will look at me without putting her head down. She is learning to trust and needs a stable, loving, and patient home where she can continue to blossom.