Getting to Know the Goldendoodle

I first want to start off with the importance of rescuing dogs instead of purchasing them from a breeder. There are so many good dogs out there waiting for good homes. I feel - since the mixing Poodles with other breeds such as Golden Retrievers, Labs, Cooker Spaniels, etc has become so popular - more puppy mills are taking advantage and capitalizing on this demand. You can find amazing dogs (as well as other animals) from shelters and rescue organizations. How do I know? I'm one of them! I'm a rescue dog from an amazing organization called RAGOM (Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota). 

So please Adopt don't Shop.  

First, lets start by looking at the two breeds individually:

Golden Retriever

• Originated: England and Scotland
• Best known for their hunting
• Golden Retrievers come in three colors
• Dark Gold, Gold, and Light Gold
• Great Behavioral Skills and Personality for:
• Children
• Other Pets
• Time Alone
• Training
• Field Trials, Hunting, Obedience, and Guide Dogs/Service Dogs
• Large in Size
• Medium Energy
• Goldens are a very active breed. Goldens are a active and energetic and need daily exercise.
• Care Required:
• Grooming
• Goldens have a water-repellent double-coat that sheds seasonally. They require regular brushing.

Poodle

• Originated in Germany
• Great Behavioral Skills and Personality for:
• Children
• Other Pets
• Training
• Poodles come in 10 colors
• Apricot, Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Cray, Red, Silver,Silver Beige, and White
• Three Different Sizes
• Standard, Miniature, and Toy
• Medium Energy
• Poodles are enthusiastic walkers, runners, and swimmers.
• Care Required
• Regular Professional Grooming
• Poodles don't shed which makes their coat hypoallergenic; it may reduce allergic reactions.

5 of my litter mates and me! 

Now we are going to look at the two breeds combined or - as they are commonly called - Goldendoodles. Goldendoodles are not a breed of by itself but, rather, a hybrid (basically a mixture of two purebred dogs). 

Please refer to this chart.

	Parent	Parent	Result
F1 (first generation)	100% Golden Retriever	100% Poodle	50:50 split of attributes, some pups in the litter will shed while others won’t.
F1-B	F1 Goldendoodle	100% Poodle	25:75 split of attributes
F2	F1 Goldendoodle	F1 Goldendoodle	50:50 split of attributes
F3	F2 Goldendoodle	F2 Goldendoodle	50:50 split of attributes
Multi-generation	F3 + Goldendoodle	F3+ Goldendoodle	Etc. etc.

First Generation

First Generation (F1) Goldendoodles have one parent which is 100% Golden Retriever while the other parent is 100% Poodle. In my case, my mom was a Golden Retriever and my dad was a Standard Poodle. F1 doodles split the attributes of their parents 50:50. Most of the F1 Goldendoodles either don't shed or shed lightly.

First Generation Backcross

First Generation Backcross (F1-B) is where you mix a F1 Goldendoodle with a 100% Poodle. These dogs have a higher success rate for non-shedding.

Second Generation

Second Generation (F2) is where you mix two F1 together.

Multi-generation

Here you mix together Third Generation (F3) or higher (F3+) with a F3 or F3+.

Myth: Goldendoodles don't shed.

Fact: F1 Goldendoodles CAN shed. Half of my litter mates shed. It all depends if they get more of  the "shedding" attribute from the Golden or the Poodle.

My eight liter mates and me. From the left Maggie, Spencer the Goldendoodle, Tanner, Charlie, Leia, Gideon, Sebastian, Abby (RIP), and Kraelyn.

Goldendoodles

• Life Expectancy is about 10 - 15 years old
• Size
• Standard - 45 pounds or more (some have grown to more than 100 pounds)
• Medium - 30-45 pounds
• Miniature - 15-30 pounds
• Characteristics
• Adaptable to family, kids, pets, strangers, and weather changes
• Trainable, Intelligent, Playful, and Loyal
• Energy Level is high so daily exercise is recommended as well as mental stimulation
• Most of them have hypoallergenic coat which may reduce allergic reactions
• Grooming is a must
• Whether you keep their coat at a manageable length or allow their coat to be longer and more natural looking they both will require lots of brushing. You are looking at brushing anywhere from once a week to once a day.
• Expensive
• Professional Groomer - If you decide to pay a professional groomer to manage your Goldendoodles coat, you are looking, on average, $50-$150 per trip. However, they can also clip the nails and clean the ears during that time as well.
• Personal Grooming - If you choose to groom your Goldendoodle yourself, it can be cheaper. However, you have to take into consideration the cost of the supplies and your time because it is time consuming. 
• May suffer from separation anxiety if left for long periods at a time.
• Goldendoodles also make great therapy dogs. 

I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I had writing it. Remember, every dog is unique and different in their own way.

If you have any questions, please leave me a comment and I will try my best to answer them.

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Sources:

American Kennel Club the Golden Retriever

American Kennel Club the Poodle