If you like the gentle character of the Golden Retriever but prefer a dog that does not shed as much hair, the Golden doodle is your ideal companion. For this reason, it is ideal for all those who have allergies.
They come in different sizes: large, medium, and minis. This variable will largely depend on the weight of their parents, although we should not be guided solely and exclusively by it. If you want to know the main characteristics and facts of the Golden doodle, keep reading this article.
- The breed of dog is especially sociable, sweet, and affectionate
They love to be around people and even other animals, which is why they are not exactly good watchdogs: they will make friends with thieves instead of driving them away. They tend to have behaviour problems if their owners leave them alone for a long time. They are also faithful, loyal, and obedient, which makes them easy dogs to train if they receive good training.
- One of the easiest hybrid dogs breeds to train
Golden doodles tend to gnaw everything they find on their way, so it will be necessary to train them correctly to remove this mania. They also have a great sense of smell, so we can play with them to hide certain objects so that they can find them. They are dogs that have a lot of energy, so we must give them long walks or even go for a run with them. Some Golden doodles love to swim.
We will start when it is a puppy with the socialization of the dog, introducing him to all kinds of people, animals, and environments. This will help us to guarantee a stable and positive character in adulthood, as well as the lack of fear or aggressiveness. Also in his puppy stage, we will teach him to urinate on the newspaper and, once he has his vaccinations up to date, to urinate on the street.
Once they are young, we will teach the dog the basic puppy commands, basic dog commands, essential for good control and communication with the owner. It should also be noted that these dogs have a marked sense of smell, so they can easily be taught to track odours. For this we can develop tracking games, they will enjoy them greatly. Finally, remember that it will be essential to use positive reinforcement at all times, avoiding punishment and yelling, thus betting on tasty rewards, caresses, or kind words.
Consistency is the key to any training. Do not throw in the towel if your dog does not pay attention to you during the first days, some find it more difficult than others, but if you are persistent and insist you will surely get good results.
- They are very friendly
They are usually chosen as companion dogs in homes where there are children, since they are very affectionate, although they are also suitable to help people who suffer from some type of visual impairment. They are also very intelligent, they learn orders with little effort.
- Their life expectancy is around fifteen years
During all that time they are usually in good health, although we must be especially vigilant when our dog reaches an advanced age since it can suffer from hip dysplasia. You also have to be careful with your eyes and ears. Golden doodles are prone to diseases in these areas, so it is essential to keep them very clean to avoid any type of infection.
- There must be a good food regime
Adult Goldendoodles have to eat a couple of times a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Their dog food should have a high protein content, in this way we make sure that they receive all the energy they need, and they should also rest after meals, to avoid a stomach twist. Our dog must eat special feed for puppies up to the first year of age, from there we can introduce adult food. We will have to have a container full of water to avoid dehydration, especially during the summer.
- They are a Designer Breed
Its origins date back to 1992, at which time the Golden Retriever and Poodle breeds were crossed to obtain guide dogs capable of helping blind people. This beautiful little dog was conceived in the United States and Australia. His elegant bearing led the English to baptize him as “the designer dog.” The sociable nature of this friendly animal made it later become the ideal companion for young and old.
- Hypoallergenic and considered as guide and therapy dog
these dogs began to develop to have more breeds considered ” hypoallergenic “, a virtue that the poodle has, which loses very little hair. In this way, they compensated for the exaggerated hair loss of golden retrievers. On the other hand, the breed is praised for its skills as a guide dog and therapy dog, something it inherits from the golden retriever, famous for traditionally performing such tasks.
- Good character and very intelligent dogs
Goldendoodle can be proud of their good character, as they are usually incredibly sociable, affectionate, and very very sweet and delicate. They get along great with everyone, dogs, cats, children, seniors, families, single people … Ideal for almost any home and family. Although, it is not so much for those who usually spend a lot of time away from home, as they can not bear prolonged loneliness. Given their kindness and outgoing character, they are not suitable as watchdogs or guardians, as they do not reject strangers.
- Requires a series of daily care
The Goldendoodle requires a series of daily care, such as receiving a diet adjusted to its nutritional and energy requirements. They mustn’t be over-fed, because they will not stop eating even if they are already full, they are very gluttonous, which can lead them too easy to become overweight and obese. Along with their diet, we must also take care of their hydration, which is even more important, so we must always leave fresh and drinkable water at their disposal.
- Very active Dogs
These dogs need to exercise daily. For this, we can take long walks or practice sports with them such as running or swimming. Games are also recommended if there are children in the family both parties can have fun and play together. Also, we will make a minimum of between 3 and 4 walks a day so that they can relieve themselves. They are very active, so make sure they get enough physical activity daily. If this is not fulfilled, there may be cases of naughty Goldendoodles that turn their energies into the destruction of various kinds or excessive barking.
- Easy fur care
As for its coat, it requires frequent brushing, and it is recommended to brush at least once a day, as this prevents the formation of knots and dirt that may have accumulated can be easily removed. The bath can be done every 1 or 2 months, depending on your levels of dirt.
- Different types of crosses
When adopting a Goldendoodle, we must know that there are different types of crosses, which are:
- First-generation or F1: direct crosses between pure poodles and pure goldens.
- F1b medium crosses: one of the pure parents is crossed with a Goldendoodle
- Second generation F2: crossing of two Goldendoodles
Knowing the cross is important if we want to have a little more security in terms of the characteristics and possible general health of the puppy. F1s are argued to be more robust than F1bs, while F2s are more predictable and better guarantee their hypoallergenic characteristics.
