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A DOODLE IS AS A DOODLE DOES

Description of the Goldendoodle

Breed: GOLDENDOODLE Country of Origin: Australia Height: Height can range from 12"-32" from the withers.

Weight: Weight can range from 9 lbs-150 lbs.

Color: Cream; Light/Dark Apricot; Red; Chocolate; Chocolate phantom; Silver; Silver Frost; Silver phantom; Silver with gold hues; Black; White; Goldendoodles can also be of parti or Tri-Color and have white markings with any combination of the coloring listed above.

Coat: First Generation Goldendoodles always sport a long, thick, shaggy and wavy coat as an adult. Goldendoodles bred back to a Poodle can sport more curls in the coat. Goldendoodles who sport more curls in their coat are not less shedding. They will just have a thicker coat than those who have fewer curls. Goldendoodles bred back to a related Golden Retriever will shed just like a Golden Retriever and will sport more of a flat coat. More than likely, this type of pairing will result in the doodle NOT sporting a facial beard.

Character: The Goldendoodle is a very low shedding dog that works out very well for those with mild allergies. ANYONE who has severe allergies should be tested PRIOR to the purchase of a Goldendoodle and consult their allergist. The Goldendoodle is a family oriented dog and is very sociable with other pets. The Goldendoodle has a "V" shape appearance in the face that resembles a beard and because the coat is quite shaggy and wavy, it does require weekly coat maintenance from 1 year of age, on. The Goldendoodle can have ear issues if the dog has frequent water contact and has long, heavy hanging ears. Goldendoodles who have shorter ears that flip over at the top have fewer ear issues than those with the long, heavy, hanging ears. The Goldendoodle has beautiful almond shaped eyes that can be brown, green, blue, amber or have multi colored eyes. The intelligence of the Goldendoodle shines through their very bright, happy eyes. The Goldendoodle has no "rare" markings or colors because of the wide range of colors within their Poodle heritage. Goldendoodles have a very wide range in size and weight because they are a Poodle hybrid. Goldendoodle puppies in any given litter can be of various sizes regardless of the size of their parents. On occasion, the Goldendoodle can have allergy issues that are similar to the Golden Retriever; Can on occasion have dry skin and can, on occasion, become suddenly sensitive to canine vaccines. With regards to puppy vaccines, it has been our experience that the Goldendoodle dog is more fully protected from Parvo and distemper when the vaccine NEO-PAR is used as its first two puppy vaccines. NEO-PAR is the "cadillac" of all puppy vaccines and seems to provide the Goldendoodle puppy with a higher protection rate than other name brands. The Goldendoodle is an over-all, healthy and hardy dog that can live up to 15 years in an ideal situation.

Temperament: The Goldendoodle, when created as a first generation and weighs 25 pounds or over will behave like the Golden Retriever. It will be very friendly towards strangers as well as get along with other family pets. Goldendoodles enjoy water sports and being active but their best trait is being a "family" companion. The Goldendoodle enjoys human interaction and enjoys alot of personal attention. The Goldendoodle is great with children of all ages providing the dog weighs 25 pounds or more. Goldendoodles who are under 25 pounds in body weight as an adult will behave more like a Toy breed and can sometimes be less friendly with strangers or people they are not familiar with. Smaller Goldendoodles tend to gravitate towards a single person rather than the entire family and prefer to be lap dogs rather than outdoorsey, sporty dogs. If a Goldendoodle is purchased as a child's pet, a larger doodle should be considered.

Care: As a young puppy, The Goldendoodle will go through many coat changes. The coat requires little care other than an occasional bath and brushing until it reaches the age of one. From one year of age, the coat is longer and thicker and does require regular brushing. The coat maintenance can be reduced by having the Goldendoodle trimmed on a once every six month basis. If you have your Goldendoodle trimmed, ensure that the groomer leaves at least 1 1/2 " of coat out from the skin so your Goldendoodle's skin is protected from insects while outdoors. Attention to the ears is a must if the Goldendoodle has alot of water contact.

Training: The Goldendoodle is very easy to train and should be trained with positive reinforcement. Consistancy as well as repetition in training will allow your Goldendoodle to pick up commands very quickly. Keep commands simple with alot of loving praise.

The Goldendoodle is a very loving, sensitive dog who does not respond well to negative training.

Activity: The Goldendoodle is not an over-active dog or a hyper-active dog. A Goldendoodle is happiest when with its family. A Goldendoodle does not mind laying at your feet or running along beside you if you bicycle. Keep in mind the smaller Goldendoodles are not able to keep up with certain activities. Small Goldendoodles work out better for those who are not very active and larger Goldendoodles work out better for families who are always on the go or who enjoy outdoor activities. A Goldendoodle enjoys playing and is happiest when interacting with its family. It is important, however, to note that Goldendoodles 25 pounds or over will take on more of the Golden Retriever characteristics in behaviour where as a Goldendoodle that is under 25 pounds, will sport more of the quirky traits as that of the Toy Breed. Goldendoodles under 25 pounds prefer to be a lap dog; are not recommended as a pet for small children because Toy sized Goldendoodles tend to gravitate toward a single family member, are not stranger friendly and can be difficult to socialize with "outsiders". Goldendoodles under 25 pounds are considered to be "diva" dogs and work out better for older couples without children or a family who has older children in the household.

Description: The Goldendoodle began to become popular in 1997 in Australia and began to become popular in 1999. The Goldendoodle's original purpose was as an assistance dog for those who had allergies to shedding canine hair. Being a very friendly dog and very sociable to other pets, The Goldendoodle makes for a great pet for those who have children of all ages. Because the Goldendoodle is a Poodle hybrid, its size can range far and wide. When a Toy Poodle is bred to a Golden Retriever, the puppies can range from 9 pounds to 18 pounds as adults.

When a Miniature Poodle or small Standard Poodle is bred to a Golden Retriever, the sizes will literally range anywhere from 25 pounds up to

55 pounds or more, depending upon the size of the Golden Retriever.

Puppies will be various sizes in any given litter and not all of the puppies in any particular litter will weigh a particular amount based on the size of the parents. Even if both parents are very large dogs, Goldendoodle offspring will be of various weighs in any given litter.

The Goldendoodle is very popular because of the coat not shedding as much as typical purebred dogs. Because many families have children, the Goldendoodle works out very well because of their friendly disposition.

Over all, the Goldendoodle is a very hardy dog who can have a long life span of up to 15 years. Health issues are usually minor as the Goldendoodle does not always possess the same health issues as that of the purebred dog. This is because neither parent is related and creates what many hybrid breeders consider to be "Hybrid vigor". However, Goldendoodles that are inbred or backbred to related ancestors may not have the "hybrid vigor" and may be more prone to having health issues as that of purebred dogs who are highly inbred or backbred to close ancestors. There are no "rare" colors or markings for the Goldendoodle since the Poodle has a very wide range of colors and markings in their heritage. Goldendoodles can even sport green, amber or blue eyes or a combination of those eye colors. Most Goldendoodles sport brown eyes.

The Eye color on all Chocolate or Chocolate phantom Goldendoodles is always green or amber with liver pawpads, nose and eye trim.

Goldendoodles are considered to have a two-toned effect in their coat.

Many Goldendoodles of color will have silver or gold hues inside of their coat hairs. Goldendoodles who are cream can appear to be white when outdoors and apricot Goldendoodles who are indoors will always appear to be darker in color than when outdoors. Goldendoodles will always lighten in color from the time they are born until the day they turn one year of age. They will never darken. Goldendoodles of color are always born darker than what they will be as an adult. Many black Goldendoodles can turn silver and some black Goldendoodles can turn into a silver phantom with lighter silver legs, face and chest. Nearly all light colored Goldendoodles, to include Goldendoodles who are red, have white hair follicles. This comes about from the Poodle genes. Many dark Goldendoodles sport Golden hues and this comes about from the Golden Retriever. All in all, regardless of color or size, the Goldendoodle makes the perfect pet for those seeking a friendly and very outgoing, comical dog.

Courtesy of Goldendoodle World

How to determine how big your doodle will become?

We are asked on a near daily basis by those on a Doodle quest, "How can I determine how big or small a Goldendoodle puppy will be as an adult? Do I rely on the size of its parents?"
Well, if you want the brutal, most honest answer, it would be "You'll have to wait until your doodle turns 1 year of age!". Depending upon whether or not he or she has been spayed or neutered, you will have to take a few pounds off because nearly all altered pets gain weight AFTER being fixed. Hence, their weight at the age of 1 year would then NOT be genetic.
On a more serious note, It's very difficult to say with exact certainty what size your Goldendoodle will be as an adult and NO....its parents CAN NOT AND WILL NOT determine the size of Goldendoodle offspring. We have seen it time and time again where very large parent dogs produce a litter of Goldendoodles and we find out later down the road, one or two of them out of any given litter, has turned out to be small doodle dogs.



We had asked the same question to our original vet, Dr. James, when we first started creating Goldendoodles back in 1999. Here is a method he gave me to determine size:

(Our original veterinarian, Dr. James (Who passed away in April 2006) had given us the method below that he used to determine the "adult" size of a puppy. He provided this method to us back in 1999. So far, it has held as a good formula for not only our purebred pups....but for our hybrids as well)

AT THE AGE OF 2 MONTHS: MULTIPLY THE WEIGHT BY 4
AT THE AGE OF 3 MONTHS: MULTIPLY THE WEIGHT BY 3
AT THE AGE OF 4 MONTHS: MULTIPLY THE WEIGHT BY 2

Puppies go through a rapid growth spurt from 2 months to 4 months....but you should see some slowing down by the age of six months. Smaller to mid-size breeds are usually considered fully grown by the age of one year....while your larger breeds such as the German Shepherd, Mastiff & Rottweiler can continue to grow until the age of 2 yrs. Small boned dogs generally stop growing by the age of one year.

An international team of scientists, including researchers from Cornell University, has found a mutation in a single gene that plays a key role in determining body-size differences within and among dog breeds and may be important in determining the size of humans as well. The research, published in the April 6 issue of the journal Science, "is one of the first demonstrations that if you look at different dog breeds that share the same trait (such as large or small size or short legs or scrunched-up faces) due to human-directed selection, you will find genes that are likely to affect the same traits in humans," said co-author Carlos Bustamante, assistant professor of biological statistics and computational biology at Cornell. The researchers began by comparing the DNA of individuals within a single dog breed that shows great variation in skeletal size -- Portuguese water dogs -- and identifying regions of the genome that differ between small and large individuals. One of these regions included a gene that codes for a protein hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), which is known to play an important role in growth, body size and longevity in mice and in body size in humans. The researchers then analyzed this region in hundreds of dogs from 14 small dog breeds, such as Chihuahuas, toy fox terriers and Pomeranians, and nine large dog breeds, including Irish wolfhounds, Saint Bernards and Great Danes. Does this play a role for hybrids too? One can only wonder. "It is staggering to think that so many of the small dog breeds came about through selection on the same mutation in the same gene. These results suggest that while there are invariably differences among breeds (even in genes for size), IGF1 has played an important role in the evolution of many small breeds by being a gene that consistently affects body size," said Bustamante. "The research points to the utility of the domestic dog model system to identify genes that have a large effect."

From a personal standpoint and by experience since 1999, we have literally watched many of our large sized Golden Retrievers and Poodles produce small Goldendoodles. This can be attributed by the fact that the Miniature and Toy Poodle originated from the Standard Poodle. This was completed over time by breeders who "downsized" the dogs over many years. Breeders simply bred smaller Poodles to smaller Poodles until even Tcup Poodles were produced. The same could occur for the Golden Retriever or any breed for that matter. If a breeder were to have a small Golden Retriever from one litter and then use another small Golden Retriever from another litter that was not too closely related to the other dog and then bred them together, it is very possible for one or two...even more...of the offspring would be even smaller. Would this be logical? Depends on what the breeder is trying to accomplish. The same holds true for the Goldendoodle. If a breeder has a small adult Goldendoodle...lets say 26 pounds....and then breeds this small Goldendoodle to either a Toy Poodle or a Miniature Poodle, much smaller offspring could be produced. Just keep in the back of your head that NOT all of the offspring will be small. One or even several of the offspring could surpass the size of either parent. The reason for this is because you have to take their lineage into consideration and the fact that the small Goldendoodle parent had normal sized parents and ancestors and the same with the Miniature Poodle. Because of the fact Toy Poodles and Miniature Poodles originated from the Standard Poodle, size differences can occur even amongst the purebreds. This is why we now see "small" Standard Poodles. Some Miniature Poodles bred to other Miniature Poodles can have a puppy or two that exceeds "kennel standards" for their size category, thus they are deemed as "small Standard Poodles". With Goldendoodles, since 1999 we have seen two large sized parents produce a couple of small Goldendoodles within any given litter (and it doesn't matter if the dam is the Poodle or the Golden Retriever or vice versa) and we saw disparity in the sizes of the doodle siblings even when a Toy Poodle was naturally bred (Not AI) to a Golden Retriever. More can be ready about that pairing on our Goldendoodle World website. We created our smallest Goldendoodles (which we jokingly call the "World's first toy sized Goldendoodles" ) in 2006 by using a 13 pound Goldendoodle to a 6-8 pound purebred Toy Poodle. Every single puppy in that created litter has turned out to stay under 15 pounds as an adult. This particular litter is essentially a Toy sized litter...falls into the category of the Toy breed but because they are hybrids, we don't call them TOYS, only in jest! They are just simply very small Goldendoodles. While we did not see the disparity in sizes between that particular pairing, we do see it when one parent is a Poodle and the other parent is a Golden Retriever. We see LESS disparity in sizes between the siblings of a created litter, when a Goldendoodle is bred to a Poodle that is smaller than the Goldendoodle and is not closely related. So drum role please..............bbbbbbbbbbbbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....is there a way to determine sizes in a Goldendoodle? The answer is YES...and NO. An experienced breeder who has created Goldendoodles for many years, using the same breeding stock can give you a much better "guesstimate" than a new breeder who has not had their breeding stock for very long. Keep in mind that even an experienced breeder must have feed-back from those who buy from them in order to help those who are in the "looking" and "deciding" phase, over many years. We have been very fortunate that many buyers of our Goldendoodles have stayed in contact and has been so kind as to send us photos and updates. Many people do not stay in contact with a breeder; they just purchase their pet and off they go to live their lives with their purchased pet. I would assume it is pretty much like a person adopting a baby. Some want to stay in contact with the birth parents and some don't want any contact...they just want to live their lives with their adopted child/ren and that's it. The same holds true for purchased pets. A person on a doodle quest is going to find a wide range of hybrid information with much of it clashing. Some breeders have on their websites that Goldendoodles are "X" height and "Y" weight if a male or female; Some breeders will claim that a Goldendoodle dog will vary in size and height that is dependent upon whether a Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle or Toy Poodle was used. I nearly fell off my chair with laughter when I even stumbled upon on site that claimed they created the "World's first true Miniature Goldendoodle" because both parents were back-bred doodles. I know that people actually believe this sort of stuff and its no wonder they do. This sort of erroneous information is literally everywhere on the internet! Dogs have been with humans since prehistoric times. Over the years they have performed various services. Dogs have been various sizes since the beginning of time. They have pulled sleds over snowy tracts. They have delivered messages; herded sheep and cattle, and even rescued persons trapped in the snow. Dogs have served as a source of food in China and in Asian countries, too. Dogs have served as coats, handbags and souvenirs in Asian countries who kill them for marketing purposes. The ancient Romans are said to have prized certain types of dog stew. The Aztecs of ancient Mexico raised tiny dogs, thought to be the forebears of the Chihuahua, to feed the large carnivores in the private zoos of the Aztec rulers. In the past, dogs have even been worshiped as gods. Recently, they have been used in drug research, medical experimentation, and space science. Soviet scientists launched dogs into space to test the ability of mammals to survive the rigors of space travel before people were sent up. As you can see, dogs have served various purposes since the beginning of time. It has been said that the dog traces its ancestry back to a five-toed, weasel like animal called Miacis, which lived in the Eocene epoch about 40 million years ago. This animal was supposedly the forebear of the cat, raccoon, bear, hyena, and civet, as well as of the wolf, fox, jackal, and dog. Miacis, undoubtedly a tree climber, probably also lived in a den. In the evolutionary line from Miacis, was an Oligocene animal called Cynodictis, which somewhat resembled the modern dog. Cynodictis lived about 20 million years ago. Its fifth toe, which is called the dewclaw on canine, showed signs of shortening. Cynodictis had 42 teeth, just like dogs, and similar anal glands just like dogs have, today. Cynodictis was also developing feet and toes suited for running. The modern civet--a "living fossil"--resembles that ancient animal. The evolution of the dog moved on to the extremely dog-like animal called Tomarctus, which lived about 10 million years ago during the late Miocene epoch. Tomarctus probably developed the strong social instincts that we see in the dog and most of its close relatives, excluding the fox. The Canidae, the family that includes the true dog and its close relatives, stemmed directly from Tomarctus. Members of the genus Canis--which includes the dog, wolf, and jackal--developed into their present form about a million years ago during the Pleistocene epoch. As dogs became imbedded into the lives of humans, dog breeders and fanciers began mixing various breeds of dogs together to serve a purpose.
Whether working, hunting, companion or guarding....each "breed" of dog created by dog fanciers had a purpose. As their popularity rose, with various breeds of dogs created and becoming refined, dog fanciers then decided to form "Kennel Clubs". As the popularity of Kennel Clubs grew, the clubs (like breeders) began to pop up everywhere, all over the world. Unlike many breeders, kennel clubs were on the same sheet of music where sizes, categories, temperament and "breed type" was concerned. They all agreed that this and that breed would be defined by "X" height, "Y" weight; they would vary in size as per their gender; They would be defined by coat texture and so on. Kennel Clubs then decided what would best define the ultimate "show" dog for dog fanciers who wanted to show off their breed to the world and compete against each other and as such, kennel clubs then broke off into club groups. One of the largest, most well known kennel clubs is the American Kennel Club. While they were NOT the first kennel club to have ever began, many believe that unless a dog is registered with AKC (the American Kennel Club) that the dog is somehow not suitable for breeding, buying or somehow doesn't represent its breed group. However this myth began, I'll never know. AKC however, laughs itself all the way to the bank by raking in millions of dollars in revenue by those who hold dearly to this myth. Other kennel clubs around the world would disagree that AKC is the only kennel club that represents the canine and I also disagree with the notion that a dog has to be registered with AKC in order to represent their breed group. After all, AKC does not breed dogs nor do they have anything to do with breeding. They are merely a canine registrant service and when a breeder who participates with AKC has an issue, this kennel club will be the first one to tell them that this is what they are. They are NOT there to represent or assist the breeder, in anything other than providing registration documentation and the history/lineage of their registered dogs.
Size standards began when dog fanciers began to separate the canine by size groups. Lets take the English Springer Spaniel and the American Cocker Spaniel as an example. Originally, both dogs were one and the same. Dog fanciers eventually decided to separate the dogs by "name", "origin" and "size", thus calling the large Spaniels, "English Springer Spaniels" and the smaller ones "Cocker Spaniels". The spaniels who were larger but not as large as the English Springer, who had longer muzzles and were born in Europe were then named "English Cocker Spaniels". Those spaniels who were born in America...had shorter muzzles and were smaller than the English Springer Spaniel, were named "American Cocker Spaniels". It is no doubt that when dog fanciers began mixing various breeds together to create the ultimate purebred dog that there was alot of arguments about what made the ultimate purebred dog; What defined the ultimate purebred dog and how they were going to be classified. The same arguments are occurring with hybrid dogs and their breeders. Centuries past before dogs were refined and defined by size groups and breed type. The same will hold true for the "ultimate" hybrid. It is my personal opinion that a hybrid should always be a hybrid and this is what makes the hybrid stand out from the purebred dog. It serves no purpose to move the hybrid dog into the same path as that of the purebred dog. The original intention for the hybrid dog was NOT to follow the same path as that of the purebred dog, but here we are in 2007 watching many hybrid breeders lead their hybrid dogs down that dreary, horrendous path the purebred dog has been on for centuries. By this I mean that these breeders are backbreeding, linebreeding, inbreeding their hybrids as an attempt to define them into size categories causing the offspring to eventually see the same genetic flaws the purebred dogs have issues with today. They are creating a genetic bottle neck with their hybrid dogs just like the dog fanciers have done with their purebred dogs.
The sole purpose of the hybrid dog...ie...the Goldendoodle....was to have a dog that had fewer genetic issues by having a wider gene pool. This is achieved when two parent dogs come from two separate breed groups and no matter how far back a breeder goes back through researching their dogs' pedigrees, they will not find related ancestors. Well, perhaps if they go back to the origins of the "wolf", they'll find an eventual genetic link. This is where the term "hybrid vigor" came from. There's no scientific evidence that "hybrid vigor" exists....but it does make common sense that offspring who come from unrelated parents would be entirely healthier than offspring from related parents. So now that I've taken you down the historic road of the canine in general, the question still abounds "How can I tell if my Goldendoodle will stay small or become a large dog?" and "Can I tell how big or small my Goldendoodle will be if I look at the size of their paws?". For those who have just stepped into the Goldendoodle arena, I can only tell you what I know from experience. Regardless of the size of the Goldendoodle's parents, the entire litter will vary in size per sibling. I've personally seen puppies have as much as a five pound weight difference amongst themselves when one parent was a Golden Retriever and one parent was a Poodle. I've seen Goldendoodles be much smaller than either parent and I've seen some Goldendoodles become much larger than either parent and I'm talking about individual puppies from the same parents. Again, I'm talking about my own Goldendoodles and my own personal experience since 1999. I'm not talking about those created or bred by other breeders. I have witnessed Goldendoodle puppies varying in size and temperament widely when a Toy Poodle was bred naturally to a Golden Retriever. (yes, it can and has been done. We did it.). When I bred a Goldendoodle to a Poodle whom were not closely related, in 2006, I saw LESS size variance amongst the siblings and each had more of a similar Personality and disposition within the same litter. There was a variance in coat style (Some were shaggy and wavy and some were shaggy/wavy with loose curls), but I did notice that as far as size and temperament was concerned, each were closer in similarity. With one of the litters I created in late 2006, some seven months later, I have watched the remaining siblings stay close in size....close in coat type....close in temperament and so far, all have remained smaller than I had originally anticipated. This is not a bad thing. It's actually a good thing. When puppies sell and leave a breeder by 8 weeks of age, it doesn't help the breeder where research and documentation is concerned. While I wish every single puppy ever created would be out the door by 8 weeks of age (this is every breeder's hope and desire), the fact that I am able to still have some puppies available by 6-9 months of age actually helps me in my hybrid research and studies. I am able to take more and more photos of their coat changes and phases; I am able to personally observe the puppies for my research on the Goldendoodle and I am able to document more accurately my observations as time passes and the dogs begin to mature. A breeder who creates hybrids can't fully appreciate the dogs they create unless they are able to personally witness and document, research and observe every aspect of the dogs they bring into this world! I am able to personally witness, observe and document everything from coat, temperament, sizes to color changes each may go through. I am able to personally share with the general public who are on a doodle quest, what I have come to know through personal experience, over many years of just "doing". I've been called many things by hateful people across the internet (breeders, their groupies and forum mongers alike) but no one can take away my experience, knowledge and expertise on a subject that I have invested many years on nor can anyone take away the popularity of all the articles that are read by thousands of people, over the internet, that I have written over the years. Even when I retire from the breeding world, I do intend to continue my passion for writing....so all of the naysayers can continue to say "nay". My articles and written knowledge and experience will be carried on well past the day I die.

The only true thing I can say to anyone who desires to own a Goldendoodle and who is on a doodle quest or mission, is to NOT be a stickler for size. Unless you live in a condo situation and have size restrictions where you reside or you have other issues that would prevent you from keeping your Goldendoodle should he or she NOT stay small, you are going to fall in love with your doodle no matter how small or large that dog turns out to be. If you do have to be a stickler for size, then purchase a Goldendoodle that is 6 months or older. A Goldendoodle who is six months or older is half way to their genetic weight and height and its much easier to determine whether or not the dog will be the size that you desire to own. Too many breeders advertise "Miniature Goldendoodles" when in fact what they mean is that you will wind up with a dog that can range from 35-50 pounds and I don't consider that to be a Miniature sized dog. True miniature sized dogs do not weigh more than 25 pounds in genetic body weight. Not by Kennel standards anyway. Many Goldendoodle breeders have created their own size "standard" and I'm not sure how they got there. It certainly wasn't by "doing". If they create a size standard then it means that each puppy, out of the same litter, would fall into a different size category...per litter. Purebred puppies all fall into the same size category when coming out of the same litter, in general. As I said earlier, we saw less size disparity between siblings when a Goldendoodle was bred to a Poodle that was not closely related to the Poodle in the Goldendoodle and perhaps if each individual puppy out of the same litter were extremely close in size, they then could be placed into a size category...but we've always seen a very wide variance in size when a Golden Retriever was bred to a Poodle, with the offspring, thus making it impossible to place the pups into a particular size category. I personally believe that the Goldendoodle dog is the ultimate dog on the face of this planet, regardless of size and while some will disagree with me, those who have fallen in love with the Goldendoodle like I have, will agree with my feelings about this terrific hybrid. Too many people have expectations that are unrealistic after buying a Goldendoodle, thus, these are the people who have issues with their ability to own, train or fall in love with the Goldendoodle dog they purchased. If you do have size restrictions or personal issues that is your reason for owning a small Goldendoodle, then you should attempt to locate a Goldendoodle puppy that is 6 months or older. From a personal standpoint, It is easier for me to determine what size a Goldendoodle puppy will be when they are past 6 months of age or if the puppies are coming from parents who have been paired before. I have had great success over the years in determining sizes with younger Goldendoodle puppies, but I have still been fooled on occasion! This will happen with any hybrid breeder.

How to groom your Goldendoodle

Many people assume that grooming a Goldendoodle would be difficult or time consuming work. No so, my friend. This article will provide detailed information on how to groom your doodle, if you already own one or are thinking about purchasing one. Goldendoodles have alot of fine hair and in reality, the coat is not as thick as one might think. The Goldendoodle dog also sheds entirely different than any other dog. Yes! I said they DO shed. However, they are low allergen dogs who shed very little and when they do shed, they shed in phases. Much more about the Goldendoodle dog can be located on our "Goldendoodle World" website.

There are many different ways you can groom your Goldendoodle. As a puppy, most do not need but a slicker brush ran through the coat

once a day. Maybe a bath, once a month, unless your puppy has gotten him or herself into a messy situation. Young puppies only need to be

trimmed around the anal area, the front and back paws and in front of the eyes. Clipping the coat in front of the eyes prevents the growing hairs from turning inward and causing a corneal abrasion on the eye itself. Unlike the Poodle, a Goldendoodle should never be shaved down completely to the skin. The reason for this is because the Goldendoodle has very fine hairs that appear to be thick and its coat actually protects him or her in the heat as well as in the cold. If you are going to have your Goldendoodle shaved down, we recommend leaving at least 1 1/2" - 2" of the coat out from the skin.

Unless your Goldendoodle has extensive Poodle within its DNA genetic make-up, the doodle coat is never as thick as a purebred Poodle. As your Goldendoodle becomes a teenager, you will have noticed he or she has gone through many coat changes and phases. This is why only scissoring to even up the hair and remove any straggly hairs may be the only necessary "grooming" at this age. The Goldendoodle's coat will thicken and become shaggier as your doodle nears its first birthday. We recommend using a slicker brush during the Goldendoodle's coat phases and changes because the slicker brush has different lengths of bristles inside of the brush and the bristles will remove any dead hairs or lingering "baby" hairs. It will also help your Goldendoodle's coat from matting. Leaving an upside down "V" shape about the face is the most popular trim for a Goldendoodle.

While there are many fine canine shampoos on the market, I never recommend using them because many canine shampoo products have harsh chemicals that can cause dry skin with the Goldendoodle. I always use either baby shampoo or Pantene that has a conditioner inside of the shampoo. Non-tearing shampoos work out fine for your Goldendoodle dog as well. Lets discuss the matter of bathing and then we will discuss trimming. When bathing your Goldendoodle, using either a large utility type tub or your own tub is recommended. This is dependent upon the size of your Goldendoodle. If he or she is too large to lift, you can even use your shower. With my own dogs, I will sometimes put them in the tub with myself or the shower and I never have to worry about getting wet! Any time you bath your Goldendoodle, you want to make sure that you do not use any soap or shampoo on the face or near the eyes. I am sure that you know what it is like to have soap or shampoo in your eyes and its the same feeling for your lovely dog!

I always use a wet washcloth to clean the face, that is just wet with water. To clean the ears, I recommend a "spritzer" bottle that is one part white vinegar and one part hydrogen peroxide. This helps clean your Goldendoodle's ears and also helps them smell better. Never use Q-tips! A Q-tip can cause damage to the ear canal. You can use cotton balls or a thin washcloth and use your finger or pinky to clean inside the ear as far as you can reach. Depending upon whether or not your Goldendoodle has hairs growing inside of the ear, you may feel more comfortable having your vet clean its ears.

Grooming is one of the biggest expenses in owning a Poodle hybrid. If you can afford it and don't have the time or knowledge on grooming your Goldendoodle or don't want dog hair in your bathtub or shower, have them groomed by a professional groomer. It's very important to Pick your groomer as carefully as you would pick your own hairdresser. There are many lazy groomers who use anesthesia or other sedatives on dogs when they groom and this is highly inappropriate as well as dangerous! If a groomer has a problem with you watching them work on your dog or waiting while they work on your dog, I'd find another groomer. Unfortunately, many canine deaths have been linked to lazy groomers or those who are not experienced. Grooming your Goldendoodle is not as hard as one might think. It usually takes the coat approx. 2 hours to completely dry, depending upon the thickness of the actual coat. Even using a blow-dryer, your Goldendoodle's coat will take two full hours of drying time.

When bathing your Goldendoodle, it's important to work up a good lather from the back of the head on down. I always use a fine comb to go through the coat while I have the Goldendoodle all lathered up. This helps remove anything small debris that might be in the coat or little tangles that can occur while lathering. You have to remember that shampooing your Goldendoodle is a great time to bond with him or her. I always gently massage their legs, back, belly and neck as I lather the coat. This not only feels good to your Goldendoodle, but it helps him or her know that this is a pleasant experience and not one to be afraid of. Some Goldendoodles may not like being groomed at first, but over time, they do learn to accept it and like it. After working up a good lather, using a shower nozzle or sprayer will make it easier to rinse the coat. You'll want to rinse your Goldendoodle's coat several times to make sure you have removed all of the shampoo. Never rinse the shampoo towards your Goldendoodle's face. Always towards the back.

When drying your Goldendoodle, you have to remember that the loud noise from the dryer may scare him or her. While holding your Goldendoodle, you may want to start with the slow speed and then increase the speed once your doodle gets use to the sound. I personally use a commercial dryer for my dogs but they can be very costly ($400 and up). For family pets a good hand dryer will work just as well. If the weather is warm you can partly air dry them and just use the hand dryer to fluff and brush the coat out but NEVER, partly dry your Goldendoodle in the winter and then allow him or her to go ouside until your Goldendoodle's coat is COMPLETELY dry! If you do use a commercial cage dryer make sure that your Goldendoodle does not get to hot especially if they are a senior dog. Some can can get heat prostration even from a dryer. When using dips, I always recommend partly drying the doodle's coat and then allowing the coat to "air" dry. This prevents the dip from being blown off of the coat.

If you decide to groom your Goldendoodle in the winter, make sure that you pre-heat the room that your Goldendoodle is going to be bathed in as well as dry in. We all know how cold we feel AFTER getting out of the tub or shower. You don't want your Goldendoodle to catch cold or shiver after his or her bath is complete. Assuming that you are using a blow dryer after your Goldendoodle's bath, if you use the slicker brush while blow-drying, you will help remove any dead hairs inside of your Goldendoodle's coat. The slicker brush will also help prevent your doodle's coat from tangling. Never allow your Goldendoodle to go outside until he or she is completely dry, especially in the winter.

Bathing your Goldendoodle can either be a nightmare or a pleasant experience. I have a raised bathtub (it's easier on my back) with a non-slip mat inside of the tub. This prevents my puppies from slipping and becoming injured during the process. It is necessary to have a long shower hose with good water pressure if at all possible. The biggest mistake most home groomers make is not getting out all the shampoo in the coat. This is why I recommend rinsing your Goldendoodle several times after a good lathering. Leaving soap in the hair will dry out and irritate your Goldendoodle's skin; perhaps you have seen your Goldendoodle scratching even after you checked his or her coat for fleas. Speaking of fleas, regular shampoo will not kill fleas or their eggs. You must use a shampoo specifically for ticks and fleas or you can use "Equate". This is a human "lice" shampoo that has pyrithins that will help kill fleas, ticks and lice that may get into your Goldendoodle's coat. Make sure to Read the label on any flea and tick shampoo or preventative. Some canine flea and tick preventatives will kill only the fleas on the dog and some will kill the eggs and adult fleas as well as the ones that may jump on later. While you can certainly use a light cream rinse on your Goldendoodle's coat, make sure to use it sparingly. Creme rinses can cause your Goldendoodle's coat to lay "flat". If you decide to towel dry your Goldendoodle, don't rub the coat against the grain or this will encourage knots and tangles. Also do NOT towel dry your Goldendoodle if you use flea and tick dips. This will remove the dip and be a huge waste of money. Just squeeze the coat out with your hands if you have dipped him or her or if you have not used any dips, squeezing the coat with good absorbent towels will help, should you want to "airdry" your Goldendoodle. I do recommend NOT bathing your Goldendoodle but once a month unless he or she really requires a bath. Bathing more than this can cause your Goldendoodle to have dry skin.

Cleaning the ears of your Goldendoodle is very important, each and every time he or she is groomed. Some Goldendoodles tend to have ear problems for a number of reasons. Many tend to have very long, heave ears and the long hair that drapes over the ear prevents air flow to help prevent moisture build up. This causes the ears to become a perfect environment for breeding bacteria. It seems that once you have ear problems with your Goldendoodle, they are very hard to clear up and they seem to re-occur. While Goldendoodles generally do not have the issue of the hair growing inside of the ear, some will if they have more Poodle DNA. Goldendoodles who have more Poodle DNA and have hair growing in their ears prevents their ears from "breathing". Cleaning the ears and keeping the hairs plucked or pulled out of the ear canal is a must each and every time you groom or have your Goldendoodle groomed. Checking the ears frequently, if you only groom your Goldendoodle once a month, is important. I remove unwanted ear hairs by "plucking" any hair I can reach in the ear canal with my fingers. Hairs that can not be reached with my fingers, I personally use small canine forceps that clamp so that I can clamp onto the hairs and in a twisting motion, gently pull them out of the ear. While this is not a pleasant experience for your Goldendoodle, it will help him or her from getting an ear infection later down the road. I then wipe the ears out with one part white distilled vinegar and one part hydrogen peroxide. It's important to make sure the ears are dry when you are done. If you think they are damp inside (after bathing this could happen) use a hand dryer to dry them out. (Wet ears grow bacteria easier then dry ears). As I mentioned before, never use Q-tips to clean the ears. Q-tips can rupture the ear canine as well as drive ear wax, if any, further into the ear canal. If your Goldendoodle dog does have an ear infection or issue, talk to your vet about the best way to treat it. Excessive shaking of the head can cause the ear canal to rupture and ear infections, as we may well know, are very painful.

Now that your Goldendoodle is dry, lets discuss how to trim him or her. If you can't afford expensive sheers, you can check the sewing section of any department store and purchase a good pair of scissors. You can generally find a very good pair for under $20. Canine grooming scissors are very expensive and can run into the hundreds of dollars. Be very careful with a new pair of scissors as the blades are sharp and you can severely cut your Goldendoodle's skin if you are not careful! Trust me! I've had a few pups get nicked because they would not sit still and one quick turn will cause YOU or your doodle to get cut. Your Goldendoodle should have a fuzzy face or an upside down "V" shape to the front of its face, from the forehead down to the nose. Above its eyes you can create bangs or just trim the hair so that the hairs are not sticking towards the eyes. I usually trim the hairs close underneath the eyes and in an upward motion so that I can keep the "V" shape between the eyes down to the nose. Some Goldendoodles tend to have dirty mouths because of all the hair around the face, so you can even trim the hair around the mouth if you like. Trimming is really not only to keep your Goldendoodle comfortable, but to help him or her keep as clean as possible. It's also a personal preference of whether you trim or leave your doodle shaggy. Every Goldendoodle should sport a full facial beard by the time he or she is a year old. This facial beard is generally in the shape of an upside down "V". Looking at the eyes in a frontal position, and then glancing at the nose, you can visualize the upside down "V" and this helps you maintain the appearance of your Goldendoodle, if you decide to trim him or her on your own. Sometimes the coat will mat underneath the armpits, so you may want to check there as well as behind the ears. Little tangles that can't be brushed or combed out can be trimmed off. Your Goldendoodle should also have paws shaped like the Golden Retriever. I personally trim the coat around the paws closely and I also trim the hairs in-between the pads but care is the be taken so that you don't accidentally cut the pawpads of your Goldendoodle. While trimming the coat, you can also clip your Goldendoodle's nails. I use the guillotine type of nail clipper but they all seem to work well and if you want, you can even use a sharp pair of scissors if you are trimming a Goldendoodle under the age of one. Young puppies can have their nails trimmed with simple nail clippers. The most important thing to remember when trimming the nails is to not get them to short. Remember, cutting your own nails too short is painful! Take off a little once a week because this will help the quick stay short. If you do plan on grooming your own doodle regularly have some "quick stop" on hand in case you nick your Goldendoodles "quick". You can purchase this at most pet stores or feed stores. The "quick" is a small blood vessel running through the nail, similar to our own nails. The pink portion on our nails is where we feel the pain if we cut our own nails too short. Clipping the nail too short and hitting the quick is not life threatening to your Goldendoodle, but it will make it harder to do his or her nails the next time. Trust is an issue here! It is painful for your Goldendoodle if you cut into the quick and should definitely be avoided.

Your Goldendoodle is more than likely a very shaggy dog. All dogs that have a thick coat or a shaggy coat will have an issue of fecal matter becoming inbedded into the coat, if this area is not kept trimmed. Special attention underneath the tail is a must with any Goldendoodle! He or she will also thank you because fecal matter that builds up around the anal area can cause your Goldendoodle to have constipation issues or rectum issues. This should definitely be avoided. While there is no wrong or right way to actually trim your Goldenododle dog, I do find that the Goldendoodle's skin is sensitive to the sun if he or she is light in color. You must remember that your Goldendoodle can be harmed by the sun's rays just like we can.

Keeping your Goldendoodle's coat trimmed no less than 1 1/2"- 2" out from the skin will also help protect his or her skin from insect bites as well. During the wintry months, you may want to allow your Goldendoodle's coat to stay shaggy. Remember that unless he or she wears a sweater when going outdoors, that shaggy coat is all they have to weather the elements. Having grooming equipment will help with coat maintenence if you plan to groom your Goldendoodle yourself. Good clippers are costly and should be very well cared for. They will last longer this way and your clipper blades will stay sharper. A good set of Oster clippers costs about $175 and blades can be anywhere from $2 to $40 or more. Never use clippers on a very dirty dog or you will have to sharpen the blades quicker. Clippers must be oiled and greased inside regularly. They will break if you drop them and it always seems that they get kicked off the table by your doodle, so never leave them on the table. It is convenient to have a number of blades for your clippers. I generally have about 10 blades on hand with some still in the package in case I forget to send them out to be sharpened. They can be changed in the midst of clipping if they get too hot but I do recommend using a blade wash as this helps prevent the blades from getting too hot. Whatever size blade you choose to use is always ready if you have several sizes. I personally use a 10 medium on my Groom Master clippers by Oster. The blades should be changed rather often, since a dull blade pulls the hair and tends to leave the coat ragged. Not only this, but a dull blade will eventually stop cutting and only pull the hair. The small carbon brushes and springs wear out quickly in an old clipper, making the machine rattle when it runs; They are easily replaced by unscrewing the small knobs on the side of the machine and its important to always have these extra parts around in case you suddenly find yourself in need. As I said, grooming equipment isn't cheap, but paying a Groomer over time can become more expensive.

*Article written by author Dee Gerrish, from Goldendoodle World. Dee Gerrish has been a creator of Goldendoodles since 1999 and is one of the original Goldendoodle founders in the United States.