The Goldendoodle (Groodle in Australian English) is a cross-breed dog, obtained by breeding a Golden Retriever with a Poodle. The name, which alters "poodle" to "doodle" by analogy to "Labradoodle", another poodle cross, was coined in 1992. The Goldendoodle was first bred by Monica Dickens in 1969. Popularity for the goldendoodle grew in the 1990s when breeders in North America and Australia began crossing Golden Retrievers with Standard Poodles. The original purpose of the cross was to develop guide dogs suitable for visually impaired individuals with allergies. Poodles are considered to be hypoallergenic. Their coats do not shed, which reduces dander. Dander is shed skin cell flakes that can cause allergic reactions. The goldendoodle is referred to as a designer dog. The Encyclopædia Britannica traces the term "designer dog" to the late 20th century when breeders began to cross purebred Poodles with other purebred breeds in hopes of obtaining a dog with the poodle's non-shedding coat, (but there is no guarantee they will inherit the coat of the poodle), along with various desirable characteristics from other breeds. In regards to goldendoodles, golden retrievers are considered a great family dog, which is why they have been used to cross breed with poodles. Over time people made different kinds of Goldendoodles. A male Poodle bred with a female Golden Retriever produces an F1 Goldendoodle. A male Poodle bred with an F1 Goldendoodle is called an F1B (F1-back cross).
SheddingAlthough not all goldendoodles exhibit the hypoallergenic coat type of the Standard Poodle, most goldendoodles do have a low to non-shedding coat. While the degree of shedding varies from dog to dog, overall, the goldendoodle exhibits less shedding than other dogs. Grooming requirements include regular brushing, occasional bathing and some fur trimming. Due to minimal shedding, Goldendoodles tend to have less dander, reducing allergic responses.
CoatThere are three main coat types. There is the straight coat, which is flat and resembles more of a golden retriever coat. The wavy coat type is a mixture of a poodle's curls, and a golden retriever's straighter coat. The last coat type is curly, which tends to look more like the poodle coat. A goldendoodle's size is generally somewhere between that of its poodle parent and golden retriever parent. The ranges of size include standard, medium, and miniature (if the poodle parent was miniature). Upon reaching adulthood, a standard goldendoodle will often weigh 60 to 100 pounds. A medium goldendoodle will weigh between 30 and 45 pounds and a miniature goldendoodle will weigh approximately 15 to 30 pounds. The standard in height at the shoulder for a male goldendoodle is about 24-26 inches. For females, it is 22-23 inches. Often, taller goldendoodles inherit more from the golden retriever and will weigh substantially more. It is very common for the goldendoodle to inherit the "golden retriever bump" on top of his/her head. Common coat colors include white, cream, apricot, gold, red, and sometimes gray and black (also called phantom). Goldendoodles may also be black, a light sandy brown, or merle. Breed statusEstablished breed associations such as the AKC, the UKC, and the CKC, do not recognize this hybrid, nor any other designer cross, as a breed. However, some major kennel clubs do accept registration of crossbreed and mixed-breed dogs for performance events such as agility and obedience such as the Continental Kennel Club. The Continental Kennel Club will accept and grant a pedigree on a goldendoodle as long as the parents have registration.
The F generational designation provides understanding of a dogs linage and how much golden retriever or poodle is in the mix. An F1 (first generation) is the direct offspring of a golden retriever and a poodle giving 50% golden retriever and 50% poodle mix. An F2 (second generation) is the offspring of two F1 goldendoodles which also gives a 50% golden retriever and 50% poodle. Breeders can produce a higher percentage of curly and soft coats found in the poodle by breeding an F1 goldendoodle back with a poodle which is known as backcrossing. This is a F1B goldendoodle which is 25% golden retriever and 75% poodle. An F2 goldendoodle can be bred back with a poodle giving F2B offspring that are 25% golden retriever and 75% poodle. Alternatively, F2B can refer to the offsprings of an F1B parent with an F1 parent, resulting in 37.5% golden retriever and 62.5% poodle. Breeders can also produce small goldendoodles by breeding a miniature poodle with a miniature goldendoodle (a mix of a full sized golden retriever and a miniature poodle). These F1B goldendoodles weigh between 15-25 pounds.
F3 generation usually is a catch-all for anything beyond the F2 with or without the "B" backcross indicator. Some breeders prefer to restrict breeding to the first generation (F1) and first generation cross-back (F1B). This is done in an attempt to maximize genetic diversity and avoid the inherited health problems that have plagued many dog breeds. Info from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldendoodle