Goldendoodle Puppies: The Ultimate Guide for New Dog Owners

When you combine one part Golden Retriever and one part Poodle, you get the best of both worlds! Goldendoodles are considered “designer” dogs for a reason: they’re a crossbreed of pups with a great attitude, striking features, and an affectionate nature.

Goldendoodles were created in the early 1990s, making this breed very new. Due to their short history, it’s rare that Goldendoodles crossbreed with each other, and many owners are still breeding with Poodles and Golden Retrievers directly.

After the successes of the Cockapoo (Cockerspaniel and Poodle) and Labradoodle (Labrador Retriever and Poodle), breeders wanted to combine two of the UK’s favourite breeds to see what physical and personality traits emerged. Not surprisingly, many Goldendoodle puppies end up having the intelligence of the Poodle, and the loyalty of the Golden Retriever.

Goldendoodle puppy facts

Goldendoodles are becoming increasingly popular, especially in Australia. In fact, they have their own version called the Australian Goldendoodle, combining an English Goldendoodle and an Australian Labradoodle. Here are some facts about this amazing breed.

Size	Medium. Adult Goldendoodles weigh between 22-40kg (50-90lbs). They usually measure 50-61cm (20-24in) tall at the shoulder. They tend to come in miniature, small standard, and large standard, depending on what type of Poodle (miniature or standard) was bred with the Golden Retriever.
Breed Characteristics	The Goldendoodle generally has a wavy to curly coat and will have longer hair around the tail, body, ears, and legs. Goldendoodles come in a wide variety of colours, anywhere from black, copper, cream, golden or even red. The most common colour is golden.
Temperament	Goldendoodle puppies are dedicated to their families but also very amiable with others. They enjoy human company and many experience separation anxiety when not engaging with their humans. Early socialisation, puppy obedience classes and exposure to diverse situations are important for this breed. They tend to want to say “Hello” to everyone they meet.
Grooming and Health Needs	Goldendoodles are generally healthy, however, finding a good breeder is important to ensure the puppy’s health and safety. Weekly brushing is important, though some owners may want to get their Goldendoodle regularly groomed due to the long fur. Goldendoodles are prone to ear infections and hip dysplasia and their ears and hips should be checked regularly.
Training	Goldendoodles are easy to train. They’re usually eager to please, which makes them a good choice for first-time dog owners. Make sure you stick to positive reinforcement training. Early socialisation classes are recommended, so your Goldendoodle can socialise well with other dogs and humans. They also love swimming and can be a perfect lake companion!
Energy Level	Goldendoodles are moderately energetic, preferring 20-30 minutes per day of daily exercise. They need room to roam, so having an outdoor fenced space is very helpful, though they primarily will want to be inside next to their owners when you are home.
Life Span	Goldendoodles live between 10 – 15 years on average.

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Who is the best human for a Goldendoodle?

Goldendoodles are happy in either urban or rural environments but are not great flat dogs. They do best when they have a back garden to roam around in and shouldn’t be put in a kennel. Suitable for families with children, Goldendoodles are delightfully easy to train, and highly social animals, so if you can’t be around as much as you’d like to be, you can find a local sitter on Rover.com who offers dog boarding and can give your dog all the attention they deserve while you’re gone.They’re great working dogs too, suitable as service or therapy dogs. Due to their agreeable demeanour, however, don’t expect your Goldendoodle puppy to grow up to be a guard dog.

Getting a Goldendoodle puppy

Whether to adopt or to work with a breeder for your new Goldendoodle puppy is a personal choice that requires research. Thankfully, there are many resources out there to help you find a rescue or breeder that offers healthy, ethically-sourced Goldendoodle puppies.

Knowing what you’re in for when you get a Goldendoodle puppy is an important step in being a responsible pet owner. Whether you find a responsible breeder or are planning on adopting, prepare yourself for an energetic and friendly addition to your household.

Finding a Goldendoodle breeder

It may be surprising to know, but adopting a Goldendoodle puppy is possible. Most breed rescues report that a majority of their rescue dogs come from individual owner surrender, with the most common reasons being a change in lifestyle or the breed not being right for them. This means that there may be many dogs and puppies out there that are looking for a new forever home.

The main difference between a breeder and a rescue is that a rescue may not always have young puppies to choose from. The benefit, however, is that most are mandated to only adopt out dogs that have been microchipped and spayed/neutered. This means you may end up with a dog who’s already been housebroken and doesn’t need these common medical procedures. You may also find a Goldendoodle mix who has all the traits you want from the breed, but with a little extra thrown in.