What is a Goldendoodle?

A Goldendoodle is a hybrid breed of dog which is also sometimes known as a Groodle. By hybrid, we mean that it is one of many designer cross-breeds which have become very popular in the past few years.

Like many of these hybrids, the Goldendoodle breed includes a poodle as one of the parents, as poodles are often used for their hypoallergenic fur, and the fact that they do not molt much.

Alongside a poodle, the golden retriever breed is used. 

For a lot of people, this seems like a strange combination, especially when you consider the size difference between golden retrievers and poodles.

But, what many people forget is that there are 3 different size breeds of poodle. Due to this, you will also get 3 different size breeds of Goldendoodle.

This is because the Golden Retriever breed will be bred with either a toy, standard, or king Poodle. 

As you would expect, a Golden Retriever x Toy Poodle is the smallest variation of this breed, and they are often referred to as ‘Mini Goldendoodles’.

Then you have the Golden Retriever x Standard Poodle mix, which is usually a medium-sized dog, whereas the Golden Retriever x King Poodle mix is usually on the larger side.

So, if you are looking to buy a Goldendoodle, you have quite a few different options to choose from. But, in short, a Goldendoodle is simply a mixed breed dog which was designed by breeding a Golden Retriever with a Poodle. 

What Does F1 Goldendoodle Mean?

If you are looking to buy a Goldendoodle, and have done some research, then you have likely noticed that there are often seemingly random letters and numbers associated with this breed.

These letters and numbers aren’t actually random, instead they have a meaning. So, let’s start by taking a look at what ‘F1’ means. 

So, the ‘F’ in ‘F1’ stands for filial. If you look for a dictionary explanation, you will find that this word means “denoting the offspring of a cross”.

This means that the term ‘F1’ refers to the parents of a dog breed. In Goldendoodles, the term filial is used to differentiate between generations, so what does this mean for F1?

Well, in short, ‘F1’ stands for first generation. So, as you might have expected, an F1 Goldendoodle is a first generation Goldendoodle.

This means that the puppies in this litter have been bred from a purebred Golden Retriever and a purebred Poodle (of some size).

Based on everything we have said so far, you might have actually expected all Goldendoodles to be bred in this way. But that isn’t the case. 

As time has passed, Goldendoodles have started to be recognized as their own breed. This has meant that breeders do not have to breed a Golden Retriever with a Poodle to get puppies.

Instead, they can breed Goldendoodle puppies by breeding 2 Goldendoodles. If a breeder were to do this, the puppies would not be F1 Goldendoodles.

Puppies can only be categorized as such if their parents are a Purebred Golden Retriever and a Purebred Poodle. 

What Does F1b Goldendoodle Mean?

As you likely expect, ‘F1b’ Goldendoodle puppies are another variation of this breed. The term ‘F1’ refers to the use of pedigree breeds in the creation of these puppies, but as the letter ‘b’ is attached to the end of this, it changes things.

If one parent were a Golden Retriever and one were a Poodle, then they would simply be ‘F1’ puppies. So, what is the difference between ‘F1’ and ‘F1b’ Goldendoodle puppies?

F1b Goldendoodles are puppies which are usually bred to be smaller. Generally speaking, most Goldendoodles are smaller dogs, and it is rarer for a King Poodle to be used in this breed combination.

But F1b Goldendoodles are even smaller again. This is because they are not bred using a Golden Retriever and a Poodle, instead they are bred using a Goldendoodle and a poodle. 

Most of the time, F1b Goldendoodle puppies are bred using an F1 mini Goldendoodle, and a Purebred standard or toy poodle.

This means that the puppies are actually around 25% Golden Retriever and 75% Poodle, so the puppies are usually a lot smaller.

But this isn’t the main reason why this variation of the breed has been created.

Instead, they are bred in this manner to boost the hypoallergenic aspect of their breed, making these puppies even more suitable for those who love dogs but suffer badly with allergies. 

What Is An F2 Goldendoodle?

Aside from these two variations of the breed, the next most common filial connection which you will find is the ‘F2’ Goldendoodle.

F1 Goldendoodles are first generation Goldendoodles, so as you likely would expect, F2 Goldendoodles are second generation Goldendoodles.

This means that they are not bred using a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Instead, they are bred by using 2 Goldendoodles. 

Some people expect F1 Goldendoodles to be better than F2 Goldendoodles, but this isn’t necessarily the case. In both cases, the offspring will be 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle.

So, they are essentially the same as each other in terms of genetics. The only thing that is different is the parents. F2 Goldendoodles are becoming more and more popular.

Especially since this hybrid breed has started to be recognized as its own breed. 

The main difference between F1 and F2 Goldendoodles is that you tend to get more unpredictability with F2 puppies. By this, we mainly mean that there is no guarantee what these puppies will look like.

They could follow their Golden Retriever bloodline and have flat and straight fur, or they could follow the Poodle bloodline and have curly fur. In both cases, the puppies will have excellent temperaments, and they will be the perfect mix of both breeds.

While Goldendoodles are popular for their hypoallergenic properties, it is worth noting that all Goldendoodles will still molt. They will simply molt a lot less than most dog breeds, and this is why this type of dog has become so popular.