Goldendoodle
| Goldendoodle | |
|---|---|
 A male Goldendoodle. | |
| Other names | Groodle Curly Golden Goldenoodle Goldenpoo Dood |
| Foundation stock | Golden Retriever, Poodle |
| Dog (domestic dog) | |
A Goldendoodle is a mixed-breed dog, crossbred between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Poodle hybrids have become increasingly popular and it is likely that the combination of Golden Retriever and Poodle has been duplicated by breeders in various countries. They are very friendly dogs and are very energetic.
Purpose
Goldendoodles are often favoured by people who suffer from allergies to hair and/or dander. However, not all Goldendoodles will exhibit the low shedding coat type of the Standard Poodle. They are a hybrid dog, and therefore while most Goldendoodles will shed less than a Golden Retriever, the degree of shedding can vary. While some breeders claim that the Goldendoodle is a hypoallergenic dog, many allergists believe that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic animal, and there have been no studies to date verifying whether any canine is completely hypoallergenic. Goldendoodles also make excellent bird dogs.
A Goldendoodle's size is generally somewhere between a Standard Poodle and Golden Retriever, and usually ranges from 40 to 60 pounds for females, and 60 to 70 pounds for a male . However, weight in excess of 100 pounds have been reported. Goldendoodles also have different coat types, and can be curly, wavy or straight. Coat colours can also vary, and may be white, caramel, ginger, blond, tan, cafe, chocolate, red, black, silver, parti-coloured, phantom coloured, or a mix, and variety of different colors can come from the same litter.
The sizes of the goldendoodle: Standard - predicted to be 45 lbs or more at adulthood. Medium - predicted to be 30-45 lbs at adulthood. Miniature - predicted to be 15-30 lbs at adulthood.
Temperament
These are lovable, well-mannered, intelligent dogs with a great charm. These dogs are highly intelligent and one of the most trainable breeds. Loyal, confident, sweet and eager to please, the Goldendoodle tends to be a bit calmer than the smaller variety of poodle crosses, although they tend to be moderately high-strung. Goldendoodles enjoy pleasing their masters, so obedience training can be fun. They need to be with people and dislike being alone. Friendly with everyone, including other dogs, the Goldendoodle has very little, if any, guarding instincts. The Goldendoodle is good with other dogs. This breed needs to be around people to be happy. They can be exuberant and easily distracted. These dogs also love to swim. They weigh from about 50 to 70 pounds for both females and males.
Breed status
See also: Selective Breeding
The Goldendoodle is not a purebred; rather, it is a hybrid: a specific type of mixed-breed dog or crossbreed. As such, it is not accepted for registration by mainstream registries of purebred dogs such as the American Kennel Club or United Kennel Club.
There is no universal consensus as to whether breeders should aim to have Goldendoodles recognized as a breed. Some breeders prefer to restrict breeding to first generation (F1) dogs (i.e. bred from a purebred Golden Retriever and a purebred Poodle) in order to maximise genetic diversity, and thus avoid the inherited health problems that have plagued some dog breeds. Other breeders maintain that a Backcross (F1B) Goldendoodle (i.e. bred from a Goldendoodle backcrossed with a purebred Poodle) is less likely to shed, and may therefore be more suitable for people with allergies to fur and/or dander.
There are also currently several breeders attempting to develop the Goldendoodle as an actual breed. This requires formation of a sufficiently large breeding stock as identified by previous breeding history, number of animals, geographic dispersion, etc. and accepted by the registration entity. After breed formation, only offspring from pairings of animals within this locked set are considered to represent the breed. Some breeders maintain that risk of future genetic problems from such selective breeding can be reduced by the early establishment of a varied, original, gene pool. Even with these precautions by the registry, the subsequent, aggressive, breeding practices that are often pursued amongst the most popular breeds can produce problems that might only reveal themselves as the dogs mature. On the other hand, all modern breeds have been developed in exactly this way--by limiting the parental pool in order to isolate targeted characteristics of structure, color.
Health
Both the Poodle and Golden Retrievers breeds can suffer from hip dysplasia. Therefore an OFA or PennHIP exam is required to check for this problem before dogs are bred. Both breeds can also suffer from a number of inheritable eye disorders, so it is important that a CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) exam is also performed before breeding.
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