Miniature Goldendoodles are a mixed breed between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Good breeders have bred the dogs down in size to get the small size. Then, after breeding the Golden Retriever's down in size, they then breed them to a Miniature Poodle. This is the best way to get a more consistent size in the puppies. However, sometimes, there is still a puppy that will get bigger than those that are usually produced (they do carry the bigger genes way back in their pedigrees). Because they are a mixed breed, AKC does NOT recognize them, and they are not registered. There are some lesser registries that have begun registering them, but for the most part, they are not a registered breed.
F1's are a 50/50 cross, meaning that one parent is a Poodle, and one parent is a Golden Retriever.
F1b's are a cross from one parent being an F1 Goldendoodle and one parent being a Poodle.
F1bb's are a cross from one parent being an F1b Goldendoodle and one parent being a Poodle.
We ONLY have male Miniature Poodles and female Miniature Goldendoodles (we do not have any Golden Retrievers), ensuring that our puppies are more Poodle than Golden Retriever. This gives us coats that are less likely to shed and should be more wavy to curly (we LOVE curls!). Typically, the curlier the dog the less they will shed.
SizeOur Miniature Goldendoodles should be 15 - 35 pounds, depending on the parents, and most will be in the 15 - 25-pound range. They should stand 14 - 15 inches tall at the top of their shoulders when full grown. Once in a while a puppy will be bigger or smaller than this, due to their ancestry, but most will stay in this range.
ColorsGoldendoodles come in all different colors and patterns including parti, phantom, brindle, merle, abstract, silver, blue, and the traditional colors like red, apricot, cream, black, etc., among others. They get their wide variety from their Poodle ancestors. We love all the different colors, especially the parti colors! We also have some that have the fading gene and will lighten up in color as they mature. Colors that we often see in our puppies are red, apricot, cream, brown (chocolate), black, silver, blue, parti, abstract, and phantom. Occasionally we do see a puppy with brindle markings, too.
TemperamentThe temperament of our dogs varies greatly. We have some that want to be with us ALL the time, love to cuddle and play with us, and do not even want us to go to the bathroom without them tagging along. Then, we have some that "follow their noses" and insist on checking out what EVERY smell is outside... I am sure they would make good hunting/seeking dogs. We also have some that have a lot of energy and others that even though they have energy, they would love to spend time napping in the sun every day while stretching out on the couch. These dogs love going for walks and playing fetch. They make great family pets. They are smart and can learn all sorts of tricks and commands. Some of them even make great service and therapy dogs.
Both Poodles and Golden Retrievers are water dogs and most Mini Goldendoodles absolutely LOVE water! They love playing in a kiddie pool, pond, lake, or even a sprinkler or water bowl.
They need groomed regularly. Brushing should be done often. If you like their coats left long and fluffy, you will need to brush them daily to keep the mats away. A slicker brush, followed by combing down to the skin with a metal comb will ensure you will not have to shave your pet down to the skin. The mats like to develop down close to the skin, so they can look nice and brushed, but unless you take that comb and get down to the skin, you may find your groomer has had to shave them to get the mats out. We usually keep our dogs clipped short. We let them do chores with us and they love running through the sheep/goat/horse pens where the stickers and co*ckle burrs are. If you keep them short, grooming is much easier. Just brush their tail and head/ears occasionally and you are good to go! Using an ear powder after baths or swimming can help to dry out the ears and help to prevent ear infections. You can also use it regularly, about once a week, as a preventative to help keep the ears dry and decrease the chances of them getting ear infections. Using a good conditioner and a spray on, leave in detangler can help to make brushing out their coats a little bit easier. Make sure to use shampoo, conditioner, and other products that are made for dogs as they are PH balanced for them and won't be too harsh or dry out their skin and coats.
