Meet Erin and J.P. Ruppe of Doodles of N.C.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin and J.P. Ruppe.

Hi Erin and J.P., please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We fell in love with Goldendoodles in 2006 while at college and dreamed of owning one of our own. In 2011, that dream came true when we added Bella Ruppe to our family! Bella, our apricot F1 Goldendoodle, was our first “child” and accompanies us everywhere, even our frequent escapades to the beach.

With so many people complimenting her personality, color, and attributes, we decided to give others the opportunity to experience the same unconditional joy by starting Doodles of NC. Since then our family has grown to include our two talented, beautiful daughters, Abigail and Aubrey, over 15 doodle moms and dads, and Bella got promoted to our “mother hen” in 2017.

Many people ask us what made us decide on the Goldendoodle breed. Goldendoodles incorporate the best of both breeds: the intelligence & trainability of the Poodles and the lovable personalities of Golden Retrievers. Their loyalty, affection, and non-aggressive temperament make them great family dogs – especially families with children. This was incredibly important to us given our dedication to raise the puppies in our home. Goldendoodles are the perfect breed to trust around our two young daughters.

Throughout the growth of our breeding program, our dedication to raising healthy, happy, socialized puppies from the heart of our home stays at the center of every decision.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When reflecting over obstacles we’ve experienced in owning Doodles of NC, two came to mind. In terms of emotionally challenging, there have been a few times when anticipated pregnancies have not happened. The calls to expecting families to let them know we don’t have a puppy for them yet, is gut wrenching. Our business is all about bringing joy to these families and these moments are not joyful! As our program has grown, this challenge has been alleviated to some extent, but growth brought on a whole new logistical obstacle. Our dedication to maintaining high standards for quality of life for our moms and dads, from an in-home breeding setup, led to the need for guardian families. All of our dogs are first and foremost a family pet and, unlike many dog breeders, we expect every dog to live with the same family throughout its entire life. A guardian home ensures that our breeding parents enjoy life to the fullest, being able to develop their loyal, friendly and outgoing personalities alongside a loving family. Our growing number of puppy moms all stay with their puppies, in our home, for the first 5 weeks. Then they transition back to their guardian homes as the puppies are weaning and preparing for their forever families. During this time Bella, now retired from breeding, moves in to act as pseudo mom (or “mother hen” as she is far too young to be “grandma”)! Bella teaches the puppies important socialization, grooming and play skills the last three weeks prior to puppy pick-up day. Without these challenges we wouldn’t be where we are today. So we are thankful for the growing pains that have connected us with wonderful families throughout the nation.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
When I (Erin) was in grade school, I begged my parents for what felt like forever for a dog. I jumped through hoops to prove I was responsible enough for him! But, when I earned my puppy, Phantom, I honestly did not like him that much! I didn’t have anyone who could teach me how to handle a dog, so he would nip and jump on me. As we grew up together, my love for him grew exponentially. I learned how to train and give him what he needed from me to be well-behaved and enjoyable to tag along anywhere I went. Having the opportunity to help families learn how to enjoy their dog is such a gift.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Www.doodlesofnc.com
• Instagram: Doodlesofnc
• Facebook: Doodlesofnc

Image Credits
Heather Pinho