Goldendoodle facts for kids
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| Common nicknames | Doodle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Origin | Australia & United States |
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| Foundation stock | Golden Retriever & Poodle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Breed status | Not recognized as a standardized breed by any major kennel club. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Goldendoodle, also known as a Groodle, is a type of dog that is created by mixing two other dog breeds: a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Think of it like getting the best traits from both parent breeds! They were first widely bred in the 1990s.
These dogs are bred in three main sizes, which usually depends on whether the Poodle parent was a Standard, Miniature, or Toy Poodle. This means you can find Goldendoodles that are quite large, medium-sized, or even smaller!
Goldendoodles are known for their friendly personality and often wavy or curly coat.
History
The story of the Goldendoodle becoming widely known really picked up speed in the 1990s. This is when dog breeders, particularly in places like Australia and the United States, started intentionally crossing Golden Retrievers and Poodles on a larger scale. They began using the name "Goldendoodle" to describe this new crossbreed. Sometimes, people just call them "doodles," which is a nickname used for several Poodle crossbreeds.
The name "Goldendoodle" is a bit of a mix itself! The "golden" part comes from the Golden Retriever parent. The "doodle" part comes from the name "Labradoodle," which is another popular crossbreed made by mixing a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. So, the name Goldendoodle is kind of inspired by the Labradoodle name.
Interestingly, the idea of mixing Golden Retrievers and Poodles wasn't completely new in the 1990s. There were instances of this crossbreeding happening even before then. For example, back in 1969, a woman named Monica Dickens, who was the great-granddaughter of the famous writer Charles Dickens, actually crossed these two breeds.
One of the hopes behind creating crossbreeds like the Goldendoodle is that sometimes, mixing two different purebreds can result in a healthier animal overall compared to either of the parent breeds alone. This is because they might inherit a wider variety of genes, potentially reducing the chances of inheriting certain health problems that are common in one specific purebred line.
The original goal for breeders creating Goldendoodles was to offer another option similar to the popular Labradoodle. At first, Goldendoodles were mostly bred using Standard-sized Poodles, which resulted in larger dogs. But soon, breeders started using smaller Poodle varieties, like Miniature and Toy Poodles, to create smaller versions of the Goldendoodle.
Breeders have also developed Goldendoodles beyond just the first cross (called an F1, which is a Golden Retriever crossed with a Poodle). They now breed Goldendoodles with other Goldendoodles. These are called multigenerational or "multigen" Goldendoodles, and they can have different characteristics depending on the mix of genes over several generations.
Appearance
One of the exciting things about Goldendoodles is that their appearance can vary quite a bit! This depends a lot on which generation of breeding they are (like F1 or multigen) and what type of Poodle parent was used (Standard, Miniature, or Toy). While many Goldendoodles share some common features, each one can look unique!
Generally, Goldendoodles often have round-shaped heads, muzzles that are fairly wide, tails that have a lot of fur (called "feathering"), ears that hang down (called "drop ears"), and eyes that are oval-shaped. Because they have Golden Retriever in them, their bodies tend to be long and muscular. They often have a deep chest and stand with their legs set wide apart.
As mentioned earlier, Goldendoodles come in different sizes based on the Poodle parent:
- Standard Goldendoodle: These are usually the largest, standing about 20 to 25 inches (that's about 51 to 64 centimeters) tall at the shoulder and weighing between 51 and 80 pounds (about 23 to 36 kilograms).
- Medium Goldendoodle: These are in the middle size range, typically standing about 17 to 20 inches (about 43 to 51 centimeters) tall and weighing around 36 to 50 pounds (about 16 to 23 kilograms).
- Miniature Goldendoodle: These are the smallest, usually standing up to 20 inches (about 51 centimeters) tall (though often shorter) and weighing between 15 and 35 pounds (about 6.8 to 15.9 kilograms).
The Goldendoodle is known for its long hair, and their coat type can also vary a lot! There are three main types:
- Straight Coat: This coat is more like the Golden Retriever's coat.
- Wavy Coat: This is a mix of the Poodle's curly coat and the Golden Retriever's straight coat. It has loose, shaggy waves or curls and is the most common coat type for Goldendoodles.
- Curly Coat: This coat looks more like a Poodle's coat – it's thick and has tight curls.
Goldendoodle coats come in many different colors! The most common ones you'll see are cream, red, black, gold, apricot, brown, or sometimes a mix of colors (called "parti-colored").
You might have heard that Goldendoodles are "hypoallergenic" or "non-shedding." This is something that is often claimed, especially because Poodles are known for shedding very little. However, research has shown that it's not really possible for a dog breed to be officially "hypoallergenic." The AKC also states that there's "no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog." While some people with allergies might react less to Goldendoodles, it's not a guarantee, as all dogs produce dander (tiny flakes of skin) which is what usually causes allergic reactions.
It was once thought that the more Poodle a Goldendoodle had in its background, the less it would shed. People also thought that Goldendoodles with curlier coats tended to shed less and produce less dander. While some Goldendoodles do shed very little, it's important to remember that it can vary from dog to dog.
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Cream goldendoodle
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Apricot goldendoodle
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Brown goldendoodle
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Black goldendoodle
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Behavior
Goldendoodles are generally known for having wonderful personalities. They tend to inherit the friendly, loving, trustworthy, and excited nature of the Golden Retriever. At the same time, they often show the intelligence, friendliness towards others, and trainability that Poodles are famous for.
Most Goldendoodles have lots of energy, are very loyal to their families, and love to play. They are often very good with children and are considered to be excellent family pets because of their gentle and playful nature.
However, this strong friendliness and loyalty can sometimes mean they are prone to feeling anxious when left alone, especially when they are puppies. This is called separation anxiety.
Because both Golden Retrievers and Poodles were originally bred for jobs like retrieving things (like birds for hunters), Goldendoodles often have strong instincts to retrieve objects. This means they might enjoy carrying things in their mouths and love playing fetch!
A study done in 2019 looked at the behavior of Goldendoodles compared to purebred Golden Retrievers and Poodles. On average, the study found that Goldendoodles sometimes showed more rivalry with other dogs, more aggression towards other dogs, and more fear towards strangers compared to the purebred Golden Retrievers or Poodles in the study. It's important to remember that this was just one study, and a dog's behavior is also shaped a lot by how they are raised, trained, and socialized from a young age. Proper training and socialization are key for any dog breed!
Health
Like all living things, Goldendoodles can have health considerations. Because they are a crossbreed, they might avoid inheriting certain diseases that are common in just one of the parent breeds. However, they could also be more likely to have health issues if their parent dogs weren't healthy to begin with. This is why responsible breeding practices are important for any type of dog.
One specific health issue that Goldendoodles can be prone to is called megaesophagus. This is a condition where the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach) doesn't work properly, making it hard for the dog to swallow food.
Overall, while crossbreeding can sometimes lead to healthier dogs, it's still important for potential owners to be aware of potential health issues and work with responsible breeders who screen their parent dogs for common problems.
Popularity and Uses
Goldendoodles were primarily created to be companion dogs – loving pets for families and individuals. And they are very good at this job!
Beyond being wonderful companions, Goldendoodles have also been successfully trained for various important roles. Their intelligence and friendly nature make them suitable for jobs like:
- Therapy dogs: Visiting hospitals, schools, or nursing homes to provide comfort and joy.
- Guide dogs: Helping people who are blind or visually impaired navigate the world safely.
- Nut-detection dogs: Trained to sniff out nuts in food for people who have severe nut allergies.
- Other forms of assistance dogs: Helping people with various disabilities.
In some parts of the United States, the Goldendoodle has become one of the most popular types of dogs! They are also very popular in other countries, like Australia. In 2020, they were named one of the top twenty most popular dog types in Australia. The demand for pets increased a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic, and because of this high demand, the prices for Goldendoodle puppies in Australia rose significantly. For example, prices that were around $3,500 AUD before the pandemic went up to as much as $15,000 AUD by September 2020!
Their popularity isn't just with families; even famous people have shown interest. In 2012, the American musician Usher reportedly paid US$12,000 for a Goldendoodle puppy at a charity auction!
Despite their growing popularity and their use in important assistance roles, as of 2025, Goldendoodles are still not officially recognized as a breed by major canine organizations like the American Kennel Club (AKC) or the British Kennel Clubs. This is because they are considered a hybrid or crossbreed, not a purebred dog with a long-established breed standard.
See also
In Spanish: Goldendoodle para niños
