Marietta, GA
All About Goldendoodles
History of The Goldendoodle
The original Goldendoodle was a hybrid cross of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. The exact date of conception is unknown as a handful of breeders emerged in the late 1990’s marketing this new breed. The idea was no doubt inspired by the creation of the Labradoodle and its success as a compatible dog for many people who experience mild allergies to dogs. The gorgeous low to no shedding coats were attracting those who loved the temperament of the Golden Retriever, but detested the amount of hair left behind and/or the allergy issues it presented. Thus, the Goldendoodle became a universal hit!
As the breed continued to develop, requests for different sizes became common and breeders answered. The public’s immediate adoration of the standard Goldendoodle (a standard Poodle crossed with a Golden Retriever) led the breed originators to look at size variations to accommodate different lifestyles.
There are now four categories for sizes – petite, mini, medium, and standard. They also come in a variety of colors and coat patterns.
Did we mention “Hybrid Vigor”? Hybrid vigor, the increased health benefits of crossing two completely unrelated breeds, gives the Goldendoodle the health and vitality that makes them, on average, outlive either one of their parent breeds. It should be stressed, however, that the general health and vitality is enhanced dramatically when parents have been genetically tested for the inherited diseases that both parent breeds share in common.
Given their wonderful disposition, intelligence, health and low to no shed coats, it’s no wonder why Goldendoodles are ever increasing in popularity.
Goldendoodle Coat Types and Colors
COLORS
Cream * Apricot *Red *Chocolate * Black
Goldendoodles come in a rainbow of colors. The Golden Retriever ancestry brings only shades of cream, apricot and red to the breed. These colors are all controlled by the same gene, with the shade of color determined by the intensity of the inherited gene. While the Poodle heritage also includes creams, apricots, and reds; Poodles alone lend the black, chocolate (dark brown), silver and gray coloring (and the color patterns) to the Goldendoodle coat.
For even more variety, there are patterns of these colors found in the Goldendoodle, including parti, merle, phantom, and brindle. A parti colored Goldendoodle is at least 50% white, with solid patches of any other color. A solid color Goldendoodle with white markings that cover less than 50% of the body are known by several names: abstract, mismarks, or chrome. Merle is a varied coat pattern. While a beautiful color, the merle gene can cause blindness and deafness if two parents carrying the merle gene are bred together, so merles should be bred only by very knowledgeable breeders who test for the merle gene and understand the genetics involved. Phantom’s have a specific pattern of markings on a solid background above each eye, on the sides of the muzzle, chest, inside the legs, and under the tail. Brindle patterns appear as stripes, the color and the width vary with each dog.
COAT TEXTURE AND APPEARANCE
Goldendoodles can be curly, wavy, or straight.
The primary concerns for any dog breeder must be health, temperament and conformation; but who can deny that the outward appearance of a Goldendoodle pulls at our heartstrings! With careful breeding, breeders can now produce litters with predictable coat types and shedding propensities.
One of the things that many people find attractive about the Goldendoodle is the low shedding and hypo-allergenic qualities of the coat, and the adorable ragamuffin look of the Goldendoodle.
Note: Even a Goldendoodle with a shedding index of zero does not guarantee that you will not be allergic to a particular dog. Allergies are very complex and shedding is just one of the components that factor in the equation. Consider that dander, saliva, proteins, and allergens carried on the dogs coat, etc., all contribute to each individual’s allergic reaction.
Goldendoodle Generations
F1 = Golden Retriever x Poodle
F1B = F1 Goldendoodle x Poodle
F2 = F1 Goldendoodle x F1 Goldendoodle
Multigen = Two Goldendoodle parents – One parent has to be an F1B or multigen. A Poodle bred to a multigen Goldendoodle also constitutes a multigen.
Goldendoodle Sizes
Petite range: Height: below 14 inches, typically 25 lbs. or less
Miniature range: Height: over 14 but under 17 inches (35cm to 42cm) at wither, typically 26-35 lbs.
Medium range: Height: over 17 but under 21 inches (43cm to 52cm) at wither, typically 36-50 lbs.
Standard range: Height: over 21 inches (53cm to 63cm) at wither, typically 51 or more lbs.