The Goldendoodle is a Golden Retriever and a Poodle cross. There are Standard Goldendoodles, which is the result of a Golden Retriever bred to a Standard Poodle (over 15 inches at the shoulder - most are in the 22-27" range). There are also Mini Goldendoodles, which are also sometimes referred to as Medium Goldendoodles, which is the result of a Golden Retriever bred to either a Toy Poodle (10 inches and under), or a Mini Poodle (over 10 inches and not over 15 inches). The Goldendoodle gets it's name from it's mixed heritage. The Goldendoodle is a hybrid cross, a first generation cross, and as such they exhibit "hybrid vigor", this is a phenomenon in animal breeding referring to the fact that the first cross between two unrelated pure bred lines is healthier and grows better than either parent line. The Goldendoodle puppies take on the best traits of both parent breeds. The need for dogs that are good with children and other pets, but that are also healthy and shed less, has inspired breeders to cross breed two of the most intelligent and popular breeds of our time.
The Goldendoodle's ancestry along "both" parents lines are water dogs and hunters, so the Goldendoodle naturally love the water and retrieving. Everyone knows that Golden Retrievers were bred for hunting and retrieving and love the water, but what most people don't know is that Standard Poodles were also water dogs used for retrieving and their conformation and the texture and pattern of their coats to this day reflect the purposes for which they were bred. Miniatures and Toys have been bred down from the larger Poodles and they exhibit the same general characteristics.
The appearance of the Goldendoodle looks anywhere from a shaggy looking Golden Retriever to a curl relaxed Poodle, but usually falls somewhere in between. The color of the Goldendoodle coat can be white to cream, golden, apricot to red, and brown or black. Like many Poodle crosses most Goldendoodles don't shed, or shed only slightly.
