GOLDEN DOODLE COAT TYPES/WEIGHTS/F whats??? EXPLANATION
I am sharing information I have read from multiple sites and have seen in my own experience. I don't pretend to be an expert but this information has proven to be very helpful in explaining coat changes you may observe and determining how your doodle will end up looking. It may help you in choosing the pup that will best meet your preference
There are basically 3 coat types: Flat or Smooth, Curly, and Wavy. The amount of ripples in the coat of the newborn pup are a great indicator of how they will turn out. As the pup gets older the coat becomes fluffy. At around 8 weeks the baby coat may shed and this continues periodically as the coat changes. It is not the shedding you see in other dogs where hair flies as you pet them. It is generally minimal and is just a phase the pups go through until they get their adult coat. The curly coated doodles tend to go through fewer changes. As with all predictions there are no guarantees but the law of averages applies.
Most doodles have a classic V-shaped appearance in the face. Very curly, more poodle like doodles may not have this. No matter what coat type you have, grooming choices will vastly alter the dog's appearance so you do have lots of control over how your doodle looks. Shaggy doodles with the hair trimmed around their eyes (so they can see!) are my preference however I do groom the coat very short in the warmer months. The shaggy and longer coats must be monitored for mats and a good brushing once or twice a week is a big help and also a great bonding time for you and your dog.
Here at 3-doodles we have only had one litter of F2's (F1's bred to each other). Those pups had just as much variety in the litter as our F1b's but more of them were smooth/wavy. We had one complaint of shedding from the F2 litter but the pup may have been shedding his puppy coat as per the norm. We may not have anymore F1 or F2 litters as the non-shedding more allergy friendly coat is our goal. We have had a couple of pups shed from our F1b litters and it has been the more retriever like coats but lots of folks prefer that look and shedding is not an issue for them. They just want a great dog. As we have had the opportunity to see many of our previous pups grow up I have compared the adult look to the puppy look and have been surprised and pleased to see how they turn out.
Also I am going to address size and the adult weight prediction. A standard golden retriever averages 70-100+ lbs and a standard poodle averages 70-90 lbs per my internet research. A 50 lb retriever is consider very small. There are many opinions regarding the acceptable size for a mini golden doodle and despite what you may read, there is no hard and fast rule. Some breeders consider a toy size (under 25 lbs) to determine this. I tend to compare to a standard size and therefore I consider under 40 lbs a mini and 40-55 lbs a medium. Our parent dogs are all under 55 lbs at this time and some are as small as 22 lbs. Weight estimate is obtained by adding the two weights and dividing by two. So far this has been accurate with the exception of one very large pup with a current predicted weight of 60-70 lbs. I never guarantee weights (no one should) but I try to give my best guess.
Finally the F WHATS?? This is a way to identify the golden doodle crosses. An F1 is a golden retriever x poodle and may be 50% of each but as with any living thing may pick up more traits of either parent. This is true of all crosses. An F2 is an F1xF1. An F1b is an F1 (Golden doodle)x a poodle. We cross our F1 doodles with a miniature poodle or an F1b, when crossed with an F1b there is a little more poodle than golden retriever chance but not quite the 3/4 poodle. We have noticed the looks of each cross do not differ much. Not surprisingly there are opinions about this as well however since there is not yet an official organization that determines definite guidelines, we doodle breeders try to use the same terminology and breed standards.
Here at 3-doodles we look at the coat types and colors of our parent doodles to determine the most desirable matches. We also consider the personalities of our pets. So far the doodles have a predictable personality and that is the perfect combination of the loveable and gentle golden retriever and the exceptionally smart and easily trainable poodle. These dogs are beyond loveable and smart and we think they are one of the absolute best choices of any dog.
A word about allergies: All coat types are generally allergy-friendly with the curlier coats having a reputation of most allergy friendly and the straighter coats more likely to have some shedding so not great for those folks. There is no absence of dog dander in any breed so if you or a family member have severe allergies to dogs, even the doodles may not be tolerated. I have had several customers do fine with a golden doodle but again there are no guarantees. I suggest that the sensitive individual go and spend some time with a doodle to see how they react. It's just so heartbreaking to bring home a pup and then have to give it up. I'd hate to see that happen to anyone so be cautious.
Hope this was helpful information and best of luck in finding your pup!
Bentley as a puppy and at about one year. He has the STRAIGHT/WAVY coat. No shedding.
From left to right: Darcy with smooth-slightly wavy, Nicholas with wavy-curly, Nala with wavy coat. Below Simba with curly coat.
Bruno as a puppy then around 6 months, and then a year. He has a wavy/shaggy coat.
EXAMPLES OF SOME COAT TYPES IN OUR LITTERS
SEE EXAMPLE PICTURES BELOW
Our Liesl at 5 months then 10 months, and at 20 months. She has a shaggy/wavy coat.
This is Griffin at about 7 months. He is an English Cream wavy coated pup and has gone through a coat change.
We rarely get these coats but the beautiful Golden Retriever coat and look sometimes appears. They may end up shedding a little more but no one seems to care.
