What is the Difference between the Labradoodle and the Goldendoodle some people ask…
As far as genetics go…A Labradoodle is the result of a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. A Goldendoodle is a cross of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle.
In my opinion there is not a HUGE difference between these two dogs besides appearance. All dogs are born with different personalities and it is up to you to socialize them and train them and help them to be all that they can be. Both dogs can be amazing companions, love children and are all around great family dogs.. One is not better then the other.
Standard Goldendoodles tend to be larger then the Standard Labradoodles. Some Standard Goldendoodles have grown to more than 100 pounds but average at 60-75 while Labradoodles average at 50-65 with males being larger then females in most cases but not always… there is no always when it comes to dogs.
The size of the Doodle like all dogs depends on its parentage. A general rule of thumb is to add both the parents weights together and divide by 2 to get an average adult weight on the puppies. Within any litter there may be puppies that fall above or below the projected adult weights. Make sure the Poodle in your Doodle is a size you can handle because they might be as tall or taller.
The difference in temperament…
Some say.. if you’re a Lab person then you’ll like the Labradoodle better and if you grew up with a Golden then the Goldendoodle is the one for you. I believe they’re so similar that either dog could make a loving companion.
REMEMBER THESE ARE ALL PERSONAL OPINIONS NOT FACTS
One Labradoodle breeder who lives close to a Seeing Eye Dog training school was curious as to why 90% of the dogs being trained were Yellow Labs. When she called, they explained that all the puppies in their program must pass a series of tests to qualify. One of the tests is a stress test, which includes a variety of loud noises, such as honking car horns, back-firing cars, gun shots, screeching brakes etc. They said most breeds will panic and run at some or all of these kinds of sounds. The Yellow Labs consistently did the best in these stress tests for staying calm and in control and remained the most stable and dependable. This obviously is extremely important to the ultimate owner, who must depend entirely on his dog for his life when he is making his way thru busy traffic. It was the mix of poodle to labrador that was originally developed for Seeing Eye Dogs in Australia that started the whole story of Labradoodles.
Goldendoodle and Labradoodle breeder Michael Waggenbach, of Sunshine Acres feels, “For a therapy dog, the Goldendoodle is the better choice. I’m not sure what it is, but they don’t tend to dust all the tabletops when walking into a hospital or an elderly home, where the Labradoodles’ tails are going back forth so fast they dust every thing off.”
During an interview with Indiana Doodle Owners Group founder Beth Line, she said, “There’s a very distinct difference between Labradoodles and Goldendoodles,” Beth said. “As an owner and observer of behavioral traits I see a big difference.
It takes more to convince the Labradoodles to come into your environment – into your space. Labradoodles evaluate you before they walk into your area.
Labradoodles are very loyal, friendly, all the things Labs are, but they need to be convinced that walking into your space is a good idea. They won’t come right in.”
“They’re also strong. They have very strong necks and they’re going to pull more. And their coats are going to be different. I tell the difference between F1 Labradoodles and F1 Goldendoodles by their coat.
It stands to reason a labs coat is short. Add some poodle to it and it’s going to have some length and weight. However, you aren’t going to find a six inch long wavy, curly coat on F1 Labradoodles because there’s nowhere for that 6-inches to come from genetically. A lab has a short coat and the poodle has curl.
Labradoodles (F1) are also going to tend to be more wiry, like a terrier. They also are weightier and their body shape is a little boxier.”
However, this description COMPLETELY changes if we’re discussing a F1B Labradoodle or Multigeneration Labradoodle. The difference between an F1 Labradoodle and an F1b Labradoodle is HUGE in regards to coat and shedding. They look completely different as well. They are much more like a Teddy bear look and the F1 looks more like a scruffy dog. Some people really like the look of the F1 Labradoodle. Most Labradoodle breeders no longer breed the F1 generation Labradoodle due to the higher incidence of shedding in the F1 Labradoodle coat. Most Labradoodle breeders now breed the F1B generation Labradoodle which is the F1 Labradoodle bred back to a Poodle, this is called a backcross. While other breeders breed the multigeneration Labradoodle which is a Labradoodle bred to a Labradoodle.
Retriever folk like to say: “You tell a Lab; you ask a Chessie; you negotiate with a Golden”.
The Goldendoodle on the other hand, when they reach their adult coats, their hair is going to grow 4 to 6 inches long and has a wavy look or a curl to it because of the poodle. It’s the same formula, more curl equals less shedding and more wave equals higher shedding. The Goldendoodle does not need to be bred back to the poodle to improve their coat. The first generation Goldendoodle has a very nice fleece coat. While some breeders still breed the backcross Goldendoodles like the F1B Goldendoodle and the Multigeneration Goldendoodle, it’s just not as necessary to improve the coat as it is in the F1 Labradoodle.
Conceptually, Golden Retrievers influence the Goldendoodle making them more energetic. They’ll come into your space immediately. They don’t sit back; they’re happy to visit with you. They are happy, affectionate, and love to roll on you. They don’t have the delay of making a decision. They make their decision well before they decide to come to you.” Goldendoodles are mouthier.
Their mouth is more active when they are puppies and you have to train them not to be mouthy, because they’ll use it on you somewhere! That’s where they get their information. I have trained my Goldendoodles not to put their mouths on people by simply taking one of their other natural tendencies (retrieving) and replacing the mouthing with retrieving a toy. Their natural desire to retrieve keeps their mouths occupied with a toy.”
“So, they are mouthier than Labradoodles. I referred to the Goldendoodle as a very zestful and happy with life kind of dog. Labradoodles have a sense of loyalty and appreciation, whereas Goldendoodles have a wonderful, life of the party, personality.”
Which one is better depends on whether you and your family want a dog with a more life of the party personality (Goldendoodle) or a quiet, loyal personality (Labradoodle).
Both doodles share similar temperaments (smart, family-friendly,easily-trained). Both doodles come in various sizes (mini, medium and standard) and colors (white, cream, red, silver, black and chocolate). Both are loyal, loving family members.
As for which doodle would work best for you… we find is that people who are loyal to labrador retrievers generally want a labradoodle and folks who have grown up with golden retrievers typically want a goldendoodle.
The great thing this is, you get to choose and enjoy seeing as many puppies of each type of dog as you want. Enjoy!
In intelligence and allergy friendliness, both Doods are about par. Both are half retriever and half poodle and are intelligent and moderately active dogs. Read the breed descriptions for each of these breeds, and believe the breed descriptions. Doods are not usually low energy lapdogs.
For an insightful article on the differences between a Goldendoodle and a Labradoodle in training and temperament, please read the article by Gwendy Joysen, author of The Balanced Canine – Link to Article
Health Concerns in both breeds:
As a hybrid cross they both grow healthier and live longer than either parent line. The only genetic diseases they can be prone to would be those shared by both parent breeds. The Goldendoodle and Labradoodle both tend to be a rather healthy dogs, but Poodles, Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are all susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia. They can also suffer from a number of inheritable eye disorders, so it is important that annual CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) exams are performed before breeding. Both are prone to ear infections (and yeast infections in the ears) from moisture in the ears. It is important to make sure to pluck out the hair in their ears and keep them dry.
Health Concerns in short – Hip dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, CHD, PRA, VonWillebrand’s, Addison’s Disease, Inherited Heart Disease, Sebaceous Adenitis (SA), Ear infections, Allergies and hot spots
Generations is also something that makes a HUGE difference in picking a Doodle. It’s a little confusing at first but to make it simple… the First Generation Labradoodle or what’s call an “F1” Labradoodle is half Labrador and half Poodle but and then the F1b generations would be half Standard Poodle and half Labradoodle. So 75% Poodle…. the F1b generation basically means when you breed the labradoodle or the goldendoodle back to the poodle.
The F1b Generation in the Labradoodle is much curlier and less likely to shed. There are however straighter F1b Labradoodles as well. So it all depends on what you like in regards to curl and how much grooming your willing to pay for.
First Generation Goldendoodles and Labradoodles have proven to live successfully with most families with mild dog allergies. For families with moderate to severe allergies or asthma, the F1b or Multigen Labradoodle/Goldendoodle is recommended.
(see the stats in the Dood Database)
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I am not the only one who found it useful to try to answer this question.
If you wanna see the difference between a Goldendoodle… A standard Poodle and an Aussiedoodle? Watch this.. the biggest guy is a Goldendoodle.. the Medium guy is an Aussiedoodle and the little chocolate girl is my standard Poodle Daisy.. Their almost the same temperment wise in my humble opinion. Haha! They all LOVE to play together. This was after not seeing eachother for awhile. They were overly excited for sure. They grew up together and love each other.
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