The term Goldendoodle (Golden Doodle) describes a hybrid dog, crossbred between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. This hybrid is often said to have begun in Australia, along with the Labradoodle; U.S. fanciers challenge this assertion. 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.

Purpose of the Goldendoodle

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The Goldendoodle, like the Labradoodle and many other Poodle cross breeds, was bred to produce a very low shedding assistance dog for challenged individuals who need such a dog, but who suffer from allergies to shedding hair or have other problems with excessive shedding. While the Goldendoodle is typically a low-shedding hybrid, it does shed to some degree. The Goldendoodle hybrid works well for many allergy sufferers; however, one can be allergic to an animal's saliva or its dander. While some breeders claim that the Goldendoodle is a hypoallergenic canine, allergists believe that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic animal. There have been no studies to date verifying whether any canine is completely hypoallergenic.

Appearance

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There are currently no size classifications for the Goldendoodle. It is difficult for a hybrid litter to "breed true"; that is, it is difficult to know exactly what size a Goldendoodle or Labradoodle will grow to as an adult, regardless of parental size. However, Goldendoodle sizes can vary if they are standard or mini. A standard Goldendoodle is the result of crossbreeding with a standard-sized Poodle. A standard Goldendoodle can get fairly large. A mini Goldendoodle is the result of crossbreeding with a miniature Poodle, although some mini Goldendoodles grow beyond their intended size. The mini Goldendoodles usually come about one foot tall. The Goldendoodle can come in many different colors, depending on the poodle genes passed onto the pup. Truly golden Goldendoodles are more popular than other colors, and are more expensive. However, Goldendoodles can be tan, black,silver, or a mix. Black Goldendoodles are fairly common and less expensive than golden offspring. A mix of colors can come from the same litter.

Temperament

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The Goldendoodle is a loving, loyal dog and has a keen sense of smell. They can be taught to enjoy swimming, as both the retriever and Poodle elements of their heritage normally enjoy water. Goldendoodles are intelligent, friendly, and great with kids, just like their Golden Retriever and Standard Poodle parents. They are easily trained, highly social, and by nature are easy with strangers and other dogs. They love to play, and retain the strong retrieving instincts of the Golden Retriever.

Breed Status

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The Goldendoodle is not a purebred; rather, it is 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. A true club will only register dogs with a provable pedigree.

Some breeders allege that the Goldendoodle standard is a first generation (F1) pairing between purebred Poodle and Golden Retriever parents. Other maintain a looser definition and include under the classification what is known as an F1-backcross Goldendoodle, or F1-B. This dog results from a union of Goldendoodle plus Poodle or Goldendoodle plus Golden Retriever parents. Those marketing F1-B puppies resulting from an F1 paired with a Poodle typically maintain that such animals achieve the same hypoallergenic qualities as the purebred Poodle.

There are currently several breeders attempting to stabilize 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 parings of animals within this locked set are considered to represent the breed. The risk of future genetic problems from such selective breeding is best answered by 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, and aptitude. To date, no major all-breed registry recognizes the Goldendoodle as an official breed.

See also: Selective Breeding

Gallery

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Dog breeds