What is a Goldendoodle / Labradoodle?

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The Doodle gets its name from its mixed heritage - golden / labrador  retriever / spaniel and poodle.  Doodles are hybrid dogs, a first generation cross, and as such they exhibit "hybrid vigor". The term used to describe the burst of fertility, good health and growth that is seen in the progeny when two unrelated breeds are mated.  Since goldendoodles are a hybrid breed, they do not qualify for registration with some major kennel clubs such as AKC. Their non/light shedding coats and ability to live with families with allergies has made them very popular companions. The hybrid cross between these parent breeds are terrific family dogs, friendly, intelligent, affectionate and easy to train.Many poodle crosses inherit the fur qualities of the poodle, but not the texture. This means that most don't shed, or shed lightly, and may not produce an allergic reaction.

 

What is a F1, F1b, F2 or Multigen?  

 

Initially, many people are confused by the use of terms such as F1, F1b, F2, etc... These are genetic terms referring to how the two breeds were crossed.
An F1 (or first generation) is a Poodle bred to a Labrador Retriever or a Golden Retriever. The resulting puppies are 50% Poodle and 50% Retriever.

An F1b is also referred to as a Backcross. In this case, an F1 is bred back to a Poodle. The puppies are 75% Poodle and 25% Retriever. To make things more confusing, an F1b is also referred to as an F2.

An F2 is a second generation, an F3 is a third generation, and so on. These pups would be produced by breeding dogs together that have multiple generations of Doodle in their background, thus the shortened term Multigen.

Except for the F1's and F1b's, there are a lot of combinations that can be produced. The higher percentage of Poodle doesn't necessarily produce more 'Poodley-looking' puppies but it does consistently produce a more low to non-shedding, allergy-free coats in the litters.


ARE THEY REALLY ALLERGY FREE?

 

Do not believe that all doodles are allergy friendly, some are and  some  are not. First, you must determine if you or a family member are in fact  allergic to dogs (hair and dander) and that is best determined by a doctor.  If you believe you are allergic to dogs the best  way to determine if you are allergic to doodles is to be around one for  at least 24 hours or more. The fur in an F1B is more consistent than the F1 (first generation).

GROOMING

You will be required to have your Doodle groomed. Some owners prefer to  have their body shaved all over twice a year to about an  inch and their head trimmed. This does not mean this is the only time you give  them a bath or trim. Most owners give them a bath, nail trim and body  trim about 4-5 times a year, if they can keep the mattes down between trims on  their own.  Depending on which genes your goldendoodle picked up more of, they could have a straight, wavy, or curly coat type. This means that there's no one way to groom goldendoodles. Some may have smooth, easy-to-maintain coats while others may require daily brushing, bathing and in some cases, even drying.