60-85 lbs
22-25"
North America, Australia
As you can probably guess from their quite fun name, Goldendoodles are a hybrid dog — if you were to look at their family tree, one of their forebears will have been a Golden Retriever and another a Poodle. Both of these original breeds are quite popular by themselves, so why intermix them, you might ask?
Well, anyone who’s spent any time around a Goldendoodle can vouch for the fact that this mixed ancestry is nothing if not complementary and the resultant offspring is playful, friendly and generally upbeat — that’s not to mention completely adorable to look at, too.
Hybrid dogs like the Goldendoodle have their own specific set of needs when it comes to health and maintenance — so it’s sensible to get them covered under a wellness plan from one of the USA’s top insurers. Compare some of the top choices here.
In our one-stop introduction to the Goldendoodle, you’ll learn:
When it comes to Goldendoodles, you can tell which side of the family their attributes come from. The affability and energy derive from the Golden Retriever, a former working dog turned trustworthy family companion. The Goldendoodle also inherits the Poodle’s smaller frame and prized hypoallergenic coats, not to mention their fierce intelligence.
They’re the sort of dog that thrives with a ready supply of attention, whether that’s in the form of long walks, training sessions or snuggles on the sofa. This desire for companionship can sometimes manifest itself in separation anxiety, but this can usually be averted with a few preventative measures.
Although they’ve quickly become a popular addition to many families, the Goldendoodle can be put to work, too — in some cases, they’ve been trained to serve in therapy, service and even nut-detection roles.
Although the Goldendoodle has only been around for the past few decades, their lineage can be tracked back way further.
The Poodle was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1887 and they have long been coveted for their adorable appearance, as well as their acumen and performance at shows. Many will have simply been well-groomed companions, but some were put to work as waterfowl hunters or circus performers.
By comparison, the Golden Retriever only made the AKC’s books in 1925, but they can be traced back to mid-19th-century Scotland. Due to their loyalty and boundless energy, they established a reputation as great working dogs, be that in hunting, search-and-rescue or seeing-eye roles.
Now, while there will inevitably have been instances of interbreeding between these breeds throughout this time, the practice really took off in a big way during the last two decades of the 20th century.
You may be familiar with the name Wally Conron. The Australian is often credited with breeding the first modern Labradoodle back in 1989 after receiving a request from a blind woman in Hawaii who wanted a guide dog that wouldn’t interfere with her husband’s allergy to pet hair.
The Poodle has long been famed for their non-shedding qualities and the variety of sizes make it a good dog for breeding. By contrast, the Labrador is a stalwart of the seeing-eye trade. In this specific case, it was a marriage made in heaven.
This new creation soon found an army of admirers and it didn’t take long for dog breeders to look into replacing the Labrador in the equation with a Golden Retriever, one of the most popular breeds in the USA. The Goldendoodle was born.
Today, there’s a variety of Goldendoodles available to bring into your family — puppies with purebred Golden Retriever and Poodle parents, a cross between two Goldendoodles, or hybrids that are roughly 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever in make-up.
We’d be lying if we were to say there’s a huge amount of difference between Goldendoodles and Labradoodles. As well as sharing a common Poodle ancestor, Golden Retrievers and Labradors are pretty similar when it comes to appearance and personality.
The fact that a Labradoodle will have a Labrador parent or ancestor does mean that you can find them in a wider variety of colors — white, black and chocolate pups are more commonly found than in Goldendoodles.
Labradoodles tend to be slightly larger than Goldendoodles as well, but the Poodle genes also play a large part in dictating the height and weight of both adult breeds.
All in all, there are more similarities between a Labradoodle and Goldendoodle than differences — both are usually curly in coat, tireless in stamina and sunny in disposition.
As with many hybrids, the appearance of a Goldendoodle can differ quite substantially depending on which side of the gene pool asserts more influence.
As mentioned before, the size of Goldendoodles can vary wildly and this ultimately comes down to the type of Poodle. The biggest Standard Goldendoodles can reach up to 24 inches tall and 90 pounds in weight, while it’s possible to find Miniature Goldendoodles that are only 13 inches tall and as light as 15 pounds.
When it comes to build, they tend to have round, broad skulls, long muzzles, and oval-shaped eyes in brown, blue or green, along with long, well-built and muscular bodies.
There’s a similar level of diversity when it comes to potential coats, too. This generally tends to be long in length, but can range from tight curls to loose waves. As the dog’s name suggests, this will often be a golden color, but depending on the Poodle’s genetic influence, you can see red, blue, silver, black or brown Goldendoodles.
The fact that many Goldendoodles have a hypoallergenic coat is one of the big perks for many prospective parents, but that’s not to say grooming isn’t necessary — in fact, the opposite is true.
As the coats are usually long and dense, it’s highly prone to trapping dirt or getting matted. Parents will need to use a slicker brush on their fur a few times a week to keep it manageable and looking respectable.
A professional trim every 8-12 weeks is also recommended, but fur around the eyes, ears, footpads and hind end might need to be snipped at home in the meantime to keep it from irritating your pet. This generous coat means Goldendoodles are more suited to living in cool and temperate environments, lest they overheat.
Don’t mistake the Goldendoodle for a diva, though — they love running, swimming and playing games in the great outdoors. They need to be active for around an hour a day, so they might not be a suitable companion if you can’t guarantee this time.
In addition, a bit of mental stimulation is needed to keep their big brains occupied — this could be through frequent training sessions or even trying agility courses.
As a relatively new trend in the dog world, there’s a lot of talk about crossbreeding. Proponents of the practice defend it by pointing to the concept of heterosis, also known as hybrid vigor.
This scientific theory states that cross-bred organisms tend to display improved outcomes than equivalents bred from the same gene pool. When applied to dogs, this could mean a reduced likelihood of developing certain diseases or living to a longer age.
While there are many breeders that swear by this natural effect, there are others who have found reason to cast doubt on crossbred puppies being healthier than purebred relations.
One thing that can be said for sure is that crossbred puppies can still inherit genetic conditions — if both parents carry the necessary genes, the condition can still develop even if there are two different breeds involved.
Parents interested in getting a Goldendoodle or another hybrid dog should take the same precautions as those seeking a purebred pup — only deal with reputable breeders who carry out health screenings and are totally transparent when it comes to your enquiries.
In the USA, the AKC doesn’t recognize the Goldendoodle as a breed due to its mixed lineage. However, the Goldendoodle Association of North America carries out a similar role in its place and offers a list of trusted breeders, as well as the opportunity to register your own dog to help further the pedigree of Goldendoodles.
If you do decide to bring a responsibly-bred Goldendoodle into your life, it’s important to be aware of some of the health conditions that are more likely to affect Golden Retrievers or Poodles, which might flare up in your dog — here are a few of the main examples.
Hip Dysplasia is a common issue for larger dogs, including Golden Retrievers and bigger Poodles. It starts early on in puppyhood and sees one or both of the hip joints develop abnormally, often leading to pain, limited mobility and even Arthritis in later life.
It’s thought to be hereditary and a responsible breeder will be carrying out screening on their dogs to prevent puppies from being born with the condition — ask for OFA or PennHIP test results. It’s not a failsafe method, but it certainly lowers the odds.
If your Goldendoodle is diagnosed with Hip Dysplasia, it can be treated with a combination of anti-inflammatory medication, joint supplements, weight management or surgical interventions.
As well as this, Elbow Dysplasia is sometimes observed in Goldendoodles and is similar when it comes to symptoms and treatment.
If your Goldendoodle is smaller in size, Patellar Luxation is something to keep in mind, too. This is something often spotted in Toy or Miniature breeds and happens when the kneecap dislocates regularly. The most obvious signs are short bouts of limping or stiffness.
It’s important to diagnose this condition as early as possible, as it can lead to continual pain or Arthritis if left untreated. Depending on the severity, your vet might recommend physiotherapy or surgery, as well as pain relief to help with the worst instances of discomfort.
Many dog breeds are susceptible to eye issues and the Goldendoodle isn’t an exception, sadly.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a particularly serious one. This comes from the deterioration of the retina (or lens) either during the early or late stages of a dog’s life and can lead to blindness — sometimes just at night but also at all points of the day in more serious cases.
PRA can’t be treated once it develops, so, again, the chances of it occurring can be reduced by responsible breeding. Ask to hear about your breeder’s screening measures and also to look at the puppy’s parents, as well — if a breeder doesn’t let you look at a dog’s relatives, ask yourself why that might be.
Other nasty eye conditions sometimes spotted in Goldendoodles are Glaucoma and Cataracts. Fortunately, there are more treatment options your vet can pursue if these problems are spotted in their early stage and more often than not, blindness can be avoided. Ask your vet about regular eye exams for your Goldendoodle.
More commonly known as bloat, this condition tends to affect larger Goldendoodles as their chests are deeper. However, it’s something that all dog parents should be aware of due to the potential risk of fatality if left untreated.
GDV happens when a dog’s stomach fills with air and starts to twist, which can end up cutting off the blood flow to different parts of the body — if no blood is allowed to reach the pancreas, this can result in some toxic hormones traveling around the body.
The symptoms to look out for are a swollen tummy, retching, salivation and restlessness. If caught early enough, a vet can carry out surgery to relieve the twist and tack the stomach to hopefully prevent it from reoccurring at a later date.
Although it’s a dangerous condition, there’s no clear veterinary consensus on why it happens. The usual advice offered to parents is to spread mealtimes out over the day to prevent overeating and to not exercise dogs during the half-hour after they’ve eaten to allow for digestion.
Given there are health conditions from which Goldendoodles are prone to developing, it’s good practice for a parent to cover their pet under a wellness plan that will come to the rescue in times of need — you can compare some of the best options with WAG!
Goldendoodles come in a massive range of sizes — if you were to line up a Mini Goldendoodle next to a standard one, you would see what we mean.
As a result, there’s no hard-and-fast rule as to how much you should feed a Goldendoodle. A parent needs to bear in mind both their dog’s weight and the amount of activity they undertake when deciding how much to put into their bowl.
Golden Retrievers have an infamous reputation for being greedy creatures, so don’t be surprised if your Goldendoodle has inherited this trait — if this is the case, special care needs to be taken to ensure they don’t become overweight. You can always ask your vet for advice when it comes to your dog’s weight management.
As well as the quantity, the quality of the food you choose will have a large bearing on the health of your Goldendoodle. Our partner, Dog Food Advisor, has compiled a list of the very best meals for a Goldendoodle, which you can check out here.
If you’re after a guard dog, a Goldendoodle isn’t a great candidate. These are usually friendly dogs, whether that’s with children, strangers, or even other dogs — this does rely on an effective socialization period during puppy years, though.
That being said, hybrid dogs are sometimes referred to as ‘work-in-progresses’, which means it’s hard to pinpoint exact behavioral traits common to the breed since they are still quite new. If you’d like more certainty, you might be better off looking at purebred options instead.
Written by Joe Holyoake
Published: 11/28/2017, edited: 01/03/2024
More articles by Joe Holyoake
Hi! I'm considering get a new Goldendoodle puppy. What size crate should I get for a standard female goldendoodle?
How do I stop her from jumping on people or running and not listening? I don't have her mind of energy
