Help, is he too huge?

[Marion Kirchner]

Hey everyone!
Our puppy Robin has always been the tallest. Even when we first saw him he was bigger than his siblings and he still seems gigantic. We are strictly following the food plans, so it's not that we are giving him too much. But he doesn't just seem to be heavy, it's mostly his height that makes me go OMG.
He is already 15 inches tall at 11 weeks and judging by the growth chart for doodles that I found...this is only 50% of his height, which means he'll be 30 inches? Is that even possible? I read the maxium height for both Golden Retrievers and Poodles was around 25 inches?
I am really getting a little worried because I wasn't planning on getting a 30 inch dog. I would've bought a mastiff instead then. *haha*
I hope his growth is normal and someone can calm me down.
Greetings
Marion

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

Sometimes you get a super-sized goldendoodle! I seriously doubt if your baby will be 30", though. In a few months, you will see his growth slow down dramatically. There are 98lbs goldendoodles whose parents are just regular size goldens and poodles, but I think "average" for GDs is 55-65 lbs. The standards are large dogs, but not generally giant. :-) And I do agree with Megan, not all growth charts are correct.
My standard ALD was 17" tall @ 16 weeks. He is full-grown @ 23" tall, which is breed standard for standard-size Australian Labradoodles (smaller than American LDs). My goldendoodle is 3 years old and has been his full height since he was about 14 months old. He is 26 1/2" and weighs around 75 lbs. He is just a big, mushy, sweet teddy bear. :-)
No reason to panic. You can't overfeed him into growing taller than what his genetics determine. As soon as he finishes him immunizations, make sure to get him into obedience classes and continue with them as long as possible. Even if Robin grows into a really big doodle, he will still be a delight if he is well behaved and knows positive ways to channel his energy. :-)

[Adina P]

It's not uncommon for a first generation doodle to grow bigger than either parent. But tall doesn't necessarily mean heavy or 'mastiff' like at all. My friend's poodle mix dog is probably 28" tall (all legs) but weighs half of what my doodle weighs (who is just a half inch shorter). Weight charts tend to be more accurate than height ones.

[BG and Gavin]

Aww, don't worry the bigger the better! Gavin is 29 inches at the shoulder and 66lbs. He has very long legs and a slim poodle build. I won't lie, people on the street think he is huge. He looks alot heavier than he is with his coat longer. But they always smile because he is such a sweet boy.

[Lynda Kamrath]

What is too huge? You know the old saying, "You can't be too thin or too rich". When you are talking about the maximum height for breeds, that is for showing them or breeding them. 25 inches is the maximum "normal" size for purebreds, but doodles are something else. I think it is called "hybrid vigor". I have a 30 inch goldendoodle and right now he weighs 82 pounds. He lost some weight when his companion, Hondo, passed away and he was depressed. Hondo was only 27 inches tall, but he weighed 105 pounds. But he was the best dog I have EVER had. Never in the least aggressive and very responsive. He loved to work and would bring in the mail, the newspaper, and even groceries. So don't worry, I am sure you will be very pleased with your Robin, no matter what the size.

[Gary Rossbach]

Well, Dazee, our two-year old is 25" and 60lbs. +/-. She is an F1 Goldendoodle. However, two of our neighbors have doodles that are XXL. Steeler is probably 27 inches, and he weighs 105 lbs. Other neighbors around the block have a 6 month old from that breeder, and their gal, Yankee, at 6 months is already Dazee's size. They are both wonderful dogs. It's just that much more to love...Doodles are major attention sponges.

[Adam, Emily and Butters]

Our puppy is the same age and size, he is about 14-15lbs. He was the runt of the litter so we figured he would be on the smaller end, but our puppy trainer said that he still may grow full size. Like you, we did not realize how big he was going to get, the breeder listed him as a medium sized dog.... yeah right. This means more exercise but we have seen that with a regular potty training and exercise schedule he has been a wonderful dog. Even though he is growing so much I still take him everywhere with me like he is a little lap dog, I plan on doing that when he is big too.

[Maureen]

My 6 month old labradoodle is 22" tall and weighs about 68 lbs.