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Image by Mia Anderson

About Doodles

Courtesy of Red Rock Golden Doodles

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STANDARD POODLES, GOLDENDOODLES AND LABRADOODLES

When the tail is not docked, and if the dog has a teddybear hair cut, it is actually hard to tell them apart!

Thus the need to look at the breeds and traits:

STANDARD POODLE

Standard and Moyen Poodles are athletic, moving with a light, springy gait.  They enjoy obedience and agility competitions or other challenges like a fun game of "hide and seek" at home.  (Ivy's favorite game!)

Although most Standard Poodles will let you know when someone comes to the door with a few barks, it is not an aggressive breed.  

Poodles, Goldendoodles, and Labradoodles are all sociable, intelligent dogs that are friendly, loyal, and easy to train. They get along well with children and pets and love to be with others.  

GOLDENDOODLES 

Golden Retrievers influence the Goldendoodle often making them more energetic than Poodles.  (We have specifically chosen an extremely mellow Golden Doodle for the sire to avoid highly active pups.) They can also be mouthier than Poodles as their natural desire to retrieve keeps their mouths engaged.  As pups, they often need more direction in how to use their mouths properly.

LABRADOODLES 

Labradoodles can be a bit more “bold” and, although not “watchdogs”, they can serve more in this capacity than either Golden Doodles or Poodles.

WEIGHT

Goldendoodles and Labradoodles tend to be stockier than Poodles.  If a Standard Poodle and Doodle are the same height, the Poodle will usually be much lighter.  As one groomer stated, "Poodles are hollow!"


ENERGY

Goldendoodles and Labradoodles are generally more energetic and can need significantly more exercise than poodles. Poodles are fine for just staying in the house and going for a 20-30 minute walk twice a day. Golden Doodles and Labradoodles do well with longer brisker walks, jogging, swimming, and/or vigorous play sessions to keep them fit and calm indoors.

GROOMING

All Poodles and most Doodles require regular clipping.  This might seem like a hassle, but I find it a lot easier than continual vacuuming and fur removal from clothes with other breeds.  A professional clip will often cost between $60 and $80, but a good pair of clippers (approximately $150) will last you your dog's lifetime if you decide to do the clipping yourself.  (But it does take quite a while!)

Poodles' ears require special attention as they tend to have ear hair that needs to be removed or kept clean and dry to avoid ear infections.  


STANDARD POODLE COATS

A Bit on Coats

Poodles' fur tends to be thicker and curlier.  In general, poodles’ fur can mat quicker than a doodle and can require a bit more attention.  On the other hand, with the poodle, you have the hypoallergenic guarantee which you don’t always have with a doodle.  If you have significant allergy problems, we recommend a poodle or a poodle-golden doodle mix (F1B).

Poodle = curly in coat, non-shedding, hypo-allergenic.

Poodles are the best breed for allergy sufferers.

TYPES OF GOLDENDOODLES

Golden Retriever X Poodle =F1 Goldendoodle

  • Usually wavy in coat and typically very light shedders.

  • In the same litter, some can have a tightly waved coat while others can have a loosely waved, less thick coat.

F1 Goldendoodle X F1 Goldendoodle =F2 Goldendoodle

  • F1 Goldendoodles can be an even mix of each parent or may lean much more towards the poodle or golden in appearance

  • Thus coats can be wavy, curly, or even straight.

  • The amount of shedding depends on the characteristics of each puppy.

F1 Goldendoodle X Poodle = F1 (F1B) Backcross Goldendoodle

  • F1Bs usually have the poodle’s curlier coat, but may also be wavy.

  • They are typically non-shedding and hypo-allergenic.


THE LABRADOODLE COAT

Labradoodle fur tends not to be nearly as soft as a Poodle or Goldendoodle.  Many F1 Labradoodles have a Hair Coat that looks shaggy and even wiry.  The good news is that this hair does not require grooming/clippings nearly as often as a poodle.  The bad news is that F1 Labradoodles sometimes are significant shedders and are less suitable for allergies.


WHAT ABOUT HYBRID VIGOR?

Hybrid Vigor is achieved when breeding two unrelated breeds or two different lines within the same breed.  Although I love both poodles and doodles, there is no real evidence that doodles will have fewer health problems than purebred ones.  To avoid health problems, make sure that both parents are fully tested for all health issues within the breed.  There is no magic “hybrid vigor” which will eliminate a Labrador with hip problems and a Poodle with eye issues from passing down these health problems to their Doodle offspring!  Also, aim to get a puppy from a litter where the parents come from two different lines.  Those different lines may be from different breeds such as in a doodle mix or the same breed.  To understand the science behind this, read http://www.instituteofcaninebiology.org/blog/the-myth-of-hybrid-vigor-in-dogsis-a-myth

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