Question for the veterans with Goldendoodles

[Josie]

We picked our puppy or should I say she picked us. We are going to love her regardless but just trying to determine if she looks like she will be a shedder? We bring her home in 2 weeks.

[Frank & TeddyToyDoodle]

No way to tell....genetics count along with coat....looks like Teddy my Toy GD and I haven't seen any hairs from him yet and his coat looks more like Golden than Poodle despite him being more Poodle.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There's just no way to know whether any doodle puppy will shed as an adult. An F1B with a curly/wavy coat is your best bet, but still not a guarantee. Your pup is adorable, and is going to be very "doodle-y" looking, but even some of the waviest/curliest, fluffiest adult doodles here do shed; and some don't. Even pups who do not shed as puppies sometimes end up shedding after they get their adult coats. The bottom line really is that if shedding would be a deal breaker, a doodle is not the right choice...any doodle. 

[Frank & TeddyToyDoodle]

Are there any breeds or hybrids that absolutely do not shed, Karen ?  And wasn't the reason for breeding hybrid Mini and Toy doodles partly to increase their non-shedding abilities ?

It's very strange that genetically a Toy Doodle like Teddy can be more Poodle than Golden yet his coat looks 99% Golden.  So far, I haven't seen any hairs but he is still a puppy.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There are all kinds of breeds that absolutely do not shed; and mixes of two breeds that don't shed also absolutely don't shed. Poodles, Wheaten Terriers, Portugese Water Dogs, Bouviers, Bichons, Maltese, Havanese,  I could go on and on. But when you put heavily shedding breeds like Goldens and Labs into the mix, all bets are off. 

The original "reason" for breeding doodles (it has nothing to do with minis or toys, or sizes period; in fact, the original doodles were Standards. Whether or not a dog sheds has nothing to do with size. There are three sizes of Poodles, ranging from teeny tiny to large, and all have the same non-shedding coats. A "toy" doodle is no more likely to be non-shedding than a Standard, or any other size) was to try to develop a non-shedding dog with the qualities to do guide dog work. It failed miserably. Out of every 10 dogs in the program, only 3 were non-shedding (so a 70% shedding rate) and only one had the necessary temperament/qualities to do service/guide dog work. After that, the only reason anyone started breeding doodles was strictly about making money, and that's still true as far as I can tell. 

I don't think Teddy's coat looks like a Golden Retriever's at all. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Teddy looks nothing like a golden retriever.

[Amy and Annabelle]

I agree, I don't think Teddy's coat looks golden at all. I had a GR years ago and his coat was mostly straight with a little bit of wave. A huge shedder. He was a rescue, so I don't know his full genetic make-up. But the vet thought he could have been a pure bred.

[Frank & TeddyToyDoodle]

Karen, Amy.....thanks for the posts.  I learn alot from reading your stuff.

Look at my avatar....Teddy's hair is certainly closer to a GR than a Poodle, no ?  Saw a GR yesterday at the dog park so yeah, it's not "like" a GR's coat...but it's certainly straight and long strands rather than curly, close to the body, and puffy/fluffy.

Months ago we met a Standard Doodle...female...about 5 months old...and her coat was like foam insulation sponge...definitely Poodle-like...and she was 50-50 GR/Poodle.  Teddy is more Poodle than GR.

Maybe it will change, but if someone looked at Teddy and I said "Guess if he is more Golden or Poodle ?" I think 9 out of 10 would say Golden given his hair (on another thread I have pics before and after grooming and also at 2 months when it was curlier and more Poodle-like).

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

No, Teddy's coat is not Golden Retriever-like at all. You have a beautiful wavy Doodle. I have three Doodles including one who looks like a tiny Golden Retriever. You can see photos of her on my page. You can also take a look at the group "Wheres the Poodle in my Doodle" to see those that look more retriever like. Please post more photos of Teddy. He is adorable!

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/wheresthepoodleinmydoodle

Actually my Daphne, the small white one in the center of my photo, looked quite a bit like Teddy when she was younger (except for the color of course) 

[Frank & TeddyToyDoodle]

Beautiful pic, Lori.  Yes, Teddy's coat looks like hers.

Maybe it's just me but given hair like that -- white or reddish brown like Teddy's -- and calling it Retriever-like or Poodle-like, I just think it looks more like the former.

But as this is my 1st dog, WTHDIK, right ?  :-)  LOL

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Teddy, it isn't the color but mostly the texture and curl that make the coat more retrieverish or poodlish.

[Frank & TeddyToyDoodle]

I'm Frank....Teddy's the guy on all-4's.....LOL.....no, I know color is irrelevant but to me GR coats are wavy or straight hair and Poodle coats are curly and/or spongy.

Met a Standard Goldendoodle and her coat was like insulation sponge.  Like white bubble-wrap.  That to me is very Poodle.

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Frank, GR hair is a totally different texture. I have had poodles and I still have GR. It is just a different feel completely. Daphne's hair (and most likely Teddy's) is much softer and feels more like hair whereas GR's have fur. I cant say I ever had a poodle with a spongy or bubble wrap feel but what you have is somewhere in between. The best of both worlds.