by Lake Ridge Kennel

First of all, I know there are some of you scratching your head and saying “Doodle what?” Yes — a Goldendoodle!

No one doodles like Lake Ridge Kennel Doodles! We have already been fortunate enough to have one of our Goldendoodles make waves in FORBES magazine (July 5th, 2004 issue for those interested in viewing). And we’ve been interviewed for an article on allergies and pets with WEBMD. Our website, www.lakeridgepets.com, receives an enormous amount of hits regarding this new and very popular hybrid.

So — what is a Goldendoodle, you ask? When bred the way it was intended (according to the standards of breeders in Australia), a Goldendoodle’s the best-kept secret for a family pet! They’re loving, loyal, affectionate, extremely light shedders, naturally sweet and very low-key dogs.

Yes, it is true they have so much hair on their bodies that they seem like a shaggy, wavy mess at times, but the Goldendoodle can range from 30 pounds to 125 pounds, depending upon their bloodlines and their genetic make-up. Their coat is very silky-soft, wavy, thick and shaggy, and our doodles are sometimes born with beautiful green eyes!

Goldendoodles originated out of Australia, made their way to Canada and are now a huge hit in the United States because of so many allergy issues cropping up not only with children, but adults too. Goldendoodles do not have fur like many dogs. Instead, they have hair and they do shed, but extremely lightly.

Due to their gentleness, the Goldendoodle is a wonderful family pet for children of all ages. I personally do not like to lump all doodles in one group, because if a breeder has bred a doodle poorly or if the doodle has poor bloodlines, the risk is high for totally avoidable problems like early organ failure, poor body structure and nasty disposition.

There are many inexperienced breeders out there who are breeding doodles to doodles — back-breeding them or line-breeding them, and this is causing quite a few problems where health and temperament is concerned. Avoid these breeders!

Also, those who artificially inseminate their Golden Retrievers with sperm of a Toy Poodle are creating doodles they call “Miniatures” or “Toys,” and some of the puppies have very bad body structures as well — poor “bites” with their teeth, internal organ problems and so on. This is because in nature, this pairing would never happen. And if the dam were the toy poodle and the sire were the Golden Retriever, the dam would most likely die from a ruptured uterus.

Goldendoodles can also range from 20 inches to 29 inches at the shoulder. They are “mid-size” dogs who are very versatile! They love the water…they love to play…they love to be where “YOU ARE” no matter what you are doing or where you are going.

Although the doodle will alert you that someone is coming, they have very little propensity to be an actual “guard” dog. This type of hybrid has very little talent for being aggressive.

With the inexperienced breeders placing ridiculous information on their websites or in their ads, the novice person can have a really hard time deciphering what is real and what is NOT real information. Just go to our website if you desire honest, accurate information and facts regarding the Goldendoodle. The one thing we are, is very upfront and open about the expectations of a Doodle.

About the Author
Lake Ridge Kennel is a small, family operated/owed Kennel who is the leading breeder for Goldendoodles. We began breeding for doodles in 1999.

More About Goldendoodles

The term Goldendoodle (Golden Doodle) describes a hybrid dog, crossbred between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. This hybrid is often said to have begun in Australia, along with the Labradoodle; US fanciers challenge this assertion. Poodle hybrids have become increasingly popular and it is likely that the combination of Golden Retriever and Poodle has been duplicated by breeders in various countries.

Purpose of the Goldendoodle
The Goldendoodle and the Labradoodle were bred to produce a very low shedding assistance dog for challenged individuals who need such a dog, but who suffer from allergies to shedding hair or have other problems with excessive shedding. While the Goldendoodle is typically a low-shedding hybrid, it does shed to some degree. The Goldendoodle hybrid works well for many allergy sufferers; however, one can be allergic to an animal’s saliva or its dander. While some breeders claim that the Goldendoodle is a hypoallergenic canine, allergists believe that there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic animal. There have been no studies to date verifying whether any canine is hypoallergenic.

Appearance
There are currently no size classifications for the Goldendoodle. It is difficult for a hybrid litter to “breed true”; that is, it is difficult to know exactly what size a Goldendoodle or Labradoodle will grow to as an adult, regardless of parental size. However, Goldendoodles are usually described as either Standard or Mini. A standard Goldendoodle is the result of crossbreeding with a standard-sized Poodle. A mini Goldendoodle is the result of crossbreeding with a miniature Poodle, although some mini Goldendoodles grow beyond their intended size.

The Goldendoodle can come in many different colors, depending on the poodle genes passed onto the pup. Truly golden Goldendoodles are more popular than other colors, and are more expensive. However, Goldendoodles can be tan, black, or a mix. Black Goldendoodles are fairly common and less expensive than golden offspring. A mix of colors can come from the same litter.

Temperament
The Goldendoodle is a loving, loyal dog and has a keen sense of smell. They can be taught to enjoy swimming, as both the retriever and Poodle parts of their ancestry normally enjoy water. Goldendoodles are intelligent, friendly, and great with kids, just like their Golden Retriever and Standard Poodle parents. They are easily trained, highly social, and by nature are easy with strangers and other dogs. They love to play, and retain the strong retrieving instincts of the Golden Retriever, and love fetching sticks, balls, Frisbees, etc.