About the Breed
A Goldendoodle is a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. They're extremely smart, they're pretty and they are lovable.
Because of their parentage, Goldendoodles are intelligent and obedient family companions. They are friendly towards children, other dogs and pets, and are generally kind to strangers. They are extremely social and love to be with their humans. Their intelligence, eagerness to please, and love of learning make them very easy to train.
Most Goldendoodles shed lightly or not at all and are compatible with most families with mild to moderate allergies.
Goldendoodles display what breeders call "hybrid vigor," meaning the mixed-breed pups are actually healthier than either parent lines. Mixing purebred dogs is a good way to encourage genetic diversity and to make sure a litter avoids pesky genetic disorders that are so common in purebred dogs.
Because the Goldendoodle is not purebred, it is not recognized the American Kennel Club (AKC) but can be registered with the Continental Kennel Club (CKS). Despite a lack of formal recognition, breeders of the lovable dogs have created their own set of rankings or generations.
A Goldendoodle puppy can be:
- F1 = Purebred Golden Retriever and purebred Poodle
- F1b = Puppy of a F1 Goldendoodle and a purebred poodle. F1bs have the best chance of having a low to non-shed coat.
- F2 = Puppy of two F1 Goldendoodles. Best for genetic health.
Goldendoodles range from shaggy-looking retriever to relaxed-curl poodle, but usually somewhere in between. The coat, when left unclipped, grows to about 4-8 inches. The color of the coat can be cream, red, white, gold, apricot, brindle and parti-colored, a mix of as any of the above colors with a majority of the coat being white. This color variation is because of the genetics in the Poodle and the Golden Retriever.
Genetics do not work on a percentage basis. So, by breeding an F1 to an F1b you get an F2b which in theory you will get 62.5% Poodle and 37.5% Golden Retriever, but in reality, you could have one puppy in that litter that took on a majority of the Poodle traits and one that took on a majority of the Golden traits.
Shedding
Most F1 Goldendoodle puppies are light to moderate-shedding, and most live easily with families with MILD allergies. Families with moderate to severe allergies often find that Goldendoodle backcrosses (F1B) or higher to be the best because the shedding is not as prevalent.
Generations
The first generation (F1) is the product of a pure-bred Poodle crossed with a pure-bred Golden Retriever. Most first generation doodles vary with shedding (some more than others) and have very inconsistent coats as far as shedding goes.
The backcross Goldendoodle (F1b) is produced by crossing an F1 doodle with a Poodle. F1B doodles will have a higher success rate for non-shedding and are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
The second generation Goldendoodle (F2B) is produced by crossing the F1 doodle with an F1B doodle. They also have a higher success rate for non-shedding and are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
The third generation Goldendoodle (F3) is produced by crossing the F1B or F2 with another F1B or F2 doodle. They are like the F1Bs and will have a higher success rate for non-shedding, and are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.
The Multi-Gen Goldendoodles is produced by crossing an F3 (or higher) Goldendoodle with another F3 (or higher) Goldendoodle. Their coats can range from silky waves of fleece to a curly wool. Multi-Gen Goldendoodles are very allergy friendly and consistent in terms of coat quality. They are the best bet for someone who suffers from dog related allergies. Multi-Gens are virtually non-shed dogs.