Goldendoodle FAQ

Goldendoodle

GOLDENDOODLE FAQ

What is a goldendoodle? It is a mix breed of the purebred golden retriever and the poodle.  We do NOT breed the first generation or standards.

Do goldendoodles shed? Usually NO. It does depend on the generation. F1 and F2 will shed slightly where the F1b, F2b and so on shed very minimal if at all. This is why we recommend the F1b , F2b and Multigen doodles for people with allergies.  We do not raise F1 or F2.

What does F1, F1b etc mean? F1 is the first cross of the retreiver and the poodle. F1b is the first cross bred back to a poodle (75% poodle) F2b is an F1 bred to an F1b. F3 and higher is called a Multigeneration.  

​How big are goldendoodles: There are different sizes in them.   MicroMinis are under 20lb, Miniatures (Mini's) are from 21-30, Mediums are 35-50lb and Standards are 50lb and up. We mostly raise miniatures and mediums.

What coat types are there? As a general rule the coats can range from coarse to very fine and soft. A coarse, slightly wiry coat is common in the F1 but not always. Sometimes we see a fine fleecy coat (goldendoodles with this coat matt very easy). We have seen this fleecy soft coat produced by some fine coated poodles with the tiny kinky curls. We try to use a poodle with a good thick curly coat that has a strong guide hair. A wavy to curly coat is the most common and desired coat. As a general rule, the curly coats do not shed and the straighter coated varieties can shed. We strive to produce the wavy to curly coats with medium texture (not too soft and not coarse).

Why is my pup shedding? Some pups will "blow" their puppy coats. It can be caused by change of season, vaccinations, anesthesia, poor diet or stress. But it will shed off until their adult coat comes back in. We suggest nuvet vitamins to help block the free radicals that can cause hairloss and hot spots.

What are goldendoodle health concerns? Just like the miniature poodle as compared to the standard poodle, there are varying breed faults. The smaller goldendoodles in the petite and miniature sizes are prone to the same genetic tendencies that toy and miniature poodles are prone to: luxating patellas, seizures and eye disorders. The larger medium and standard size is more prone to hip displaysia. We do our very best to breed out these genetic traits.

How long does it take to house train a goldendoodle? We have found that the larger the breed of dog, the quicker they train. Mostly this is because instead of a piddle of pee, you have a lake and the larger the breed, the more the bladder can hold. But in general goldendoodles are very intelligent and easy to train. This of course depends on how diligent you are with your training. As an average you could guess that it would take from 2 -6 months to house train any dog. I've trained some doodles in a week or so and some take a month or so. They are a mix of the two most intelligent breeds, so with diligence they will train quickly.  

Why does this pup have a smooth retriever -like face? Some F1 pups may have more of the retriever face with the smooth muzzle. This is a gene trait called Improper Coat Gene. There can be smooth faced pups even in F1b and F2b doodles. Some pups will shed their puppy coats and have a smooth face but as a general rule, if they have little tufts of hair under their chin or on the sides of the lower lip area, they will get their facial coat back. We test for this trait and don't breed carriers to carriers for this gene.

What is OFA? OFA is the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. They are a database for all the canine health testing. Veterinarians will do the required testing and paperwork so that we can "Certify" the dog as clear for these specific faults. After the results come back normal, OFA will send us a certificate on that dog. Like for the hips, our vet will xray the dog under sedation and then send the xrays and paperwork off to OFA who then has a panel of vets judge the xrays and give them a score. Then they will mail the breeder the certificate for hip dysplasia-- if it passed. You can test for just about anything. But the most common diseases are what we test for. In the miniatures and petites we test their hearts and their patellas. In the dogs over 50lb we do hip xrays to rule out hip dysplasia. We will also be doing PRA testing for eye disorders.

Are Goldendoodles good with kids and other pets? The answer is undoubtedly, YES! Doods LOVE human interaction and also adore the company of children, including other animals. Of course, some kids can ruin it for others, as well as some grouchy old cats ;-). Doods love to fetch, hike, swim, and just play with kids. My boys LOVE everyone!  I have a mini and a standard for my neutered house babies and we couldn't love them more!  They just adore visitors and just aim to please their family!  SOOO SMART!   Charlie and Rocky are definitely spoiled!

Are Goldendoodles AKC registered? No. Most all of our parent purebred dogs are AKC registered but when you have a designer mix litter, you can't register them with AKC. I hope in my lifetime this will happen and AKC will recognize them as a breed all their own! Currently we use a registry service by CPR (Certified Pet Registry) who has copies of the parents AKC papers and will provide registration papers for each litter and you will receive one too!

How long do goldendoodles live? Depending on the sizes, the mini and mediums tend to live longer than the standards. On average from 12-17 years. Premium nutrition, vitamins like Nuvet and regular exercise is key to longevity. Other things that can extend their years is good preventative vet care. Spaying and neutering also adds years because cancer is common in the reproductive tracts.



​Here is a great resource for information on goldendoodles! CLick Here to see Goldendoodles.com our motivation to raise the breed and they highly recommend PJP's and have for over 10 years!  They are located in Canada!  

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