There are oodles of doodles in the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex, but it seems that I photograph 10 Goldendoodles for every Labradoodle (Labrador Retriever and poodle cross) that I meet, so I'll focus on the popular Goldendoodle in the post.
Since I used the generic term "doodle", it's worth mentioning that every Goldendoodle is a "doodle", but not every "doodle" is a Goldendoodle. There are many other popular poodle crosses out there today such as the Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain Dog and poodle cross), Cavapoo (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and poodle cross), Aussie Doodle (Australian Shepherd and poodle cross), Sheepadoodle (Old English Sheepdog and poodle cross) and more. I had an Irish doodle in one of my training classes (an Irish Setter and poodle cross) and I've heard of Clumperdoodles (Clumper Spaniel cross) and even a Newfiedoodle (Newfoundland cross).
When we think of Goldendoodles, three things immediately come to mind: friendly, easy to train, and hypoallergenic. Goldendoodles are a cross between a golden retriever and a poodle, and there are varying levels of crosses (more on that below).
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Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Goldendoodles
Goldendoodles come in various sizes; a miniature Goldendoodle is a cross between a golden retriever and a miniature poodle and typically weighs between 15-30 pounds. A medium Goldendoodle is a cross between a golden retriever and a medium-sized poodle, they weigh between 30-50 pounds. The largest of the crosses would be a standard Goldendoodle, resulting from the breeding of a golden retriever and a standard poodle with a weight range of 50-75 pounds.
After sizing, generational ancestry comes into play next with the following classifications (you may have seen this alphabet soup in the past and wondered what it all meant):
- F1 Goldendoodle: 100% golden retriever x 100% poodle
- F1b Goldendoodle (first generation backcross): 100% poodle x F1 Goldendoodle
- F2 Goldendoodle: F1 Goldendoodle x F1 Goldendoodle OR F2 Goldendoodle x poodle
- F2b Goldendoodle: F1 Goldendoodle x F1B OR F2 x poodle
Because of their poodle heritage, Goldendoodles also come in a variety of colors, also presented in the images below:
- Red
- Apricot
- Cream
- Chocolate
- black
- Parti (multi-colored)
- Merle (varying, naturally faded colors)
- Phantom (a pattern of markings)
Coat types also vary greatly due to the parents' heritage as well as the generational denomination. Goldendoodle coats can range from straight to wavy to curly. The poodle has a curly coat bringing curly traits to the gene pool and the golden retriever brings a smooth or straight coat. Put them in a DNA blender and see what happens!
So why are Goldendoodles so popular? As direct descendants of the ever-popular golden retriever, Goldendoodles are known for being friendly and affectionate dogs. They can be the perfect family dog or entertaining companion for singles and empty nesters.
Dog trainers call a dog that is easy to train, biddable, and the Goldendoodle fits that bill to a tee. They're typically easy to train and want to please their owners which makes them great candidates for service dog work, therapy dogs, and of course, a family pet.
Probably the most desirable aspect of Goldendoodles is their coat. It's widely thought that Goldendoodles are hypoallergenic, meaning they don't shed as much as other breeds of dogs and therefore are less likely to trigger allergies.
However, the Mayo Clinic recently released an article stating, “There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, although some individual dogs can cause fewer symptoms than others.” So bad news folks, since no dogs are hypoallergenic, then Goldendoodles aren't hypoallergenic either.
But let's dig a little deeper into that. Goldendoodles have hair, not fur. Fur is usually shorter and denser than hair. This is because dogs with fur have more hair follicles. Dogs with fur can also have double coats that are made up of a top coat and an undercoat (think Huskies and German Shepherd Dogs). Hair, on the other hand, only has one layer and is much smoother and finer.
So it boils down to, do you want to take your dog for regular trimmings? Or would you rather shed them yourself (and give your vacuum a workout in the process)?
All Around the Pet Photography Blog Circle
We're talking Goldendoodles this week in the pet photographer's blog circle so let's kick things off with Las Vegas dog photographer, Nicole Hrustyk, of Pawtraits by Nicole covers 7 things to consider before getting a doodle and then continue clicking on the link at the bottom of each post until you land right back here, then you will have completed a tour of stunning pet portraits featuring Goldendoodles from around the world.
Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography is a Certified Professional Photographer with the organization Professional Photographers of America (PPA); a designation held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry, and professionalism. After a 2-year journey in pursuit of a higher photographic education, Tracy earned her Master of Photography degree from PPA in January of 2023.
Penny Whistle specializes in both on-location and studio photography providing pet, equine, family, couples & engagement, and high school senior portraits as well as corporate headshots and commercial photography services in her studio located in historic downtown Carrollton as well as on-location in Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and surrounding communities in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas.
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