All About Goldendoodles
In order to learn about the Goldendoodle, you have to first learn about its parents, the Golden Retriever and the Poodle.
About the Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever originated in Scotland, and was developed beginning in 1835 by Lord Tweedmouth, whose goal was to breed the perfect dog for both hunting and companionship. The breed quickly gained popularity and is now recognized worldwide. Today, Golden Retrievers are often used as hunt dogs, service dogs, mobility aids, therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, and pets.
Golden Retrievers have a thick, water-repellant double coat that requires brushing biweekly, or daily during spring and fall, peak shedding seasons. Golden Retrievers are heavy shedders and are not considered allergy friendly. They can range in colour from a faint cream to a deep red, the deep red being the rarest colour. Golden Retrievers are typically short and stocky in shape, and have an average lifespan of 10-12 years.
​
Golden Retrievers are highly social, friendly, and affectionate dogs, who love people of all ages, from babies to the elderly, as well as other dogs of all sizes, and even cats. They truly are everyone's best friend! Golden Retrievers are also known for their intelligence, adaptability, and loyalty, making them well suited for service work, and all different types of family dynamics. These dogs are active, doing well in sports and agility training, and love to spend time outdoors. While Golden Retrievers have a relatively low prey drive compared to other hunting breeds, they still enjoy the classic games like fetch and tug of war. Golden Retrievers are a soft-jaw breed. This means that they are very gentle and have excellent bite control, making them well suited for therapy work and families with children.
About the Poodle
The Poodle, named after the German word "pudel" meaning "to splash", was historically used as a water fowl hunting dog, military dog, gun dog, and circus dog. It is believed that the Poodle originated in Germany in the middle ages from a dog similar to today's Standard Poodle. Poodles have been recognized in paintings as early as the 17th century. Today, Poodles are most often used as service dogs, show dogs, gun dogs, and pets.
​
Poodles have thick, curly, non shedding coats. This coat is what makes the Poodle so allergy friendly and soft. They require grooming every 4-8 weeks, as well as brushing every other day to maintain the quality of their coat. Poodles have a lifespan of 10-18 years, depending on their size. Smaller Poodles tend to outlive larger ones. No matter the size, Poodles tend to be tall, lean, leggy dogs, and can come in every colour and pattern.
Poodles are athletic, active and sociable dogs who are deeply loyal to their families. Their high intelligence allows them to be easily trained in a variety of activities. This also means that Poodles require more mental stimulation than the average dog, such as daily walks, enrichment feeding and toys, continual training, etc. Thanks to their hunt origins, Poodles are a soft-jaw breed. This means that they are very gentle and have excellent bite control, making them perfect for service and guide work, as well as families with young children.
About the Goldendoodle
Goldendoodles are a designer dog that was first bred in the 1960s, and gained popularity in the 1990s. The intent of this pairing was to combine the friendly, outgoing nature of the Golden Retriever with the high trainability and allergy friendly coat of the Poodle. Today, Goldendoodles are used as service dogs, therapy dogs, and pets.
Goldendoodles can come in a variety of different sizes, coat qualities, and colours, depending on the parents. In our breeding program, we focus on deep red colouring, as well as white tuxedo markings. Goldendoodles can vary from low shedding to non shedding, depending on the generation. Goldendoodles typically require grooming every 2-4 months, as well as brushing every other day to maintain the quality of their Poodle-like coats.​​
​
Goldendoodles typically retain the friendly, enthusiastic, good natured personality of the Golden Retriever, as well as the intelligence and trainability of the Poodle. As both of its ancestors are soft-jaw breeds, the Goldendoodle is also very gentle, perfect for families with children and people with disabilities. Because both the Golden Retriever and the Poodle are hunting breeds, the temperament of the Goldendoodle is guaranteed, as the dog will not have conflicting instincts. Crossing two purebreds also allows you to get the best health from both lines, and encourages genetic diversity. Goldendoodles are playful, active, and athletic dogs who require about 1 hour of daily exercise, as well as mental stimulation. They are also cuddly, affectionate, and easy going, like a living teddy bear!