The Goldendoodle is considered to be one of the newest of the “Doodle,” or Poodle mix, breeds. Breeding began in the 1990s after both the Cockapoo and the Labradoodle gained footholds. The theory behind the Goldendoodle’s development was to create a larger Doodle that maintained the desired low-dander, low-shedding coat and that possessed the intelligent and friendly nature of the Golden Retriever.
The fact that the Goldendoodle is still a fairly young cross means that most pups are the result of first-generation breeding. That is, most are Golden Retriever and Poodle mixes; as of yet, breeding rarely occurs between pairs of Goldendoodles.
Despite the fact that the Goldendoodle has gained some popularity, especially in Australia, there is still no breed club or registry in existence. There are, however, several online communities for the Goldendoodle lover and owner. The Goldendoodle’s popularity is still on the rise, and many believe that it will surpass that of other Doodle breeds.
Size
Goldendoodles vary in size. This is because, at this stage, they’re rarely the result of multigenerational breedings (in which one Goldendoodle is crossed with another), and there are no breed standards that Goldendoodle breeders are aiming for.
However, the Goldendoodle tends to come in three different sizes: Miniature, Small Standard, and Large Standard.
The Miniature Goldendoodle is the result of a Miniature or Toy Poodle crossed with a Golden Retriever. These dogs tend to range in size from 13 to 20 inches in height and 15 to 35 pounds in weight.
The average height for a Small Standard Goldendoodle is 17 to 20 inches; the weight is 40 to 50 pounds.
The Large Standard Goldendoodle averages 20 to 24 inches in height and weighs 50 to 90 pounds.