Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Goldendoodle?

A Goldendoodle is the result of taking an old favorite dog breed, the Golden Retriever and crossing it with the Poodle. In the case of the Goldendoodle, the desired attributes of the two come together to give the hybrid a fantastic combination of the loyal, friendly, obedient Golden Retriever, with the longer lifespan, high intelligence, low shedding and allergy friendly characteristics of the Poodle. Another added benefit is that the classic flaws of each root breed can be largely alleviated by the hybridization (crossbreed) of the two, leading to the elimination or minimization of many genetic problems (with thorough testing).

 

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What types of Goldendoodles are there?

Goldendoodles come in all colors and sizes.

Most of the time you see F1, F2b, Mulitgen, etc. These indicate what generation or type of goldendoodle you are getting.

 

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**We prefer to breed our dogs to keep the genetic makeup as close to 50/50 as possible. We want to avoid breeding out too many of the Golden Retrievers' awesome qualities. **

 

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How big will my Goldendoodle get?

Goldendoodles are across between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Since Golden Retrievers are fairly standard in size, the determining factor of the size comes from the Poodle side. The Poodle comes in 3 different sizes: toy, mini, and standard. Poodle sizes are determined by their height, measured from the highest point at the shoulders, down to the floor. When determining the weight of the litter, it is typical to add the weights of the Mother and Father and then divide by 2. The adult weight of the puppy should end up within 10lbs of that weight. That is why it is so critical to know exactly who the parents are to get the best estimate. 

 

**Ultimately there is no way to exactly determine this amount, but we try our best to approximate a range**

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How old does a puppy need to be to go home? 

Puppies are required to be at least 8 weeks old before they can leave their mother. Not only is it a law, but the best breeding practice because it allows puppies to learn specific life lessons from  their mother and littermates.

 

What is a Backyard Breeder? Are you one?

This is a great question. We are glad you asked! The truth is it means different things to different people. But since it is a term you are likely to hear sometime during your search for the right puppy, it is worth exploring. 

 

The term's original use was likely appropriate and referred to people who would breed dogs irresponsibly, harming individual dogs and tarnishing established breeds because of their lack of care or knowledge about the quality of their breeding dogs. Think "small scale puppy mill" and that is what would have been described as a backyard breeder back when the term first came into use. It would have also meant that the breeder wouldn't stand behind their pups with a guarantee or would mislead buyers regarding the puppy's parentage, etc. ​

 

Unfortunately, the term has expanded its usage over the years and is now used by some larger breeding operations to disparage those breeders who work their operation out of their home or who only produce a few litters of puppies per year. If you travel around the websites, you are sure to see the term used very broadly and you might get the idea that only a full-time, dedicated, staffed breeder facility could possibly turn out quality puppies. And that is most certainly not true.

 

Our program is small, and we do run everything out of our home, but that doesn't mean we don't produce the best puppies you are going to find. We are continually health testing our dogs to make sure that they are physically and genetically sound. We are responsible for every single individual animal that comes through our home, and we stand behind what we produce. Having these magnificent creatures reside within our home from birth till they are ready for their forever homes, means these puppies are getting personalized care and attention that will benefit you and them in the future. We give each individual puppy buckets of love from the time they are born until the time when your love for them takes over.

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Do your puppies come with a Health Guarantee?

Yes! Our puppies come with a 2-year Health Guarantee. Please feel free to look at our puppy contract to learn more about that!  We also send our puppies home with 30 days of Trupanion Pet Health Coverage. 

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What makes a Merle Goldendoodle so unique?

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Are Goldendoodles Hypoallergenic?

The short answer is NO! This is a common misconception. There is no such thing as a completely hypoallergenic dog. A person that does have allergies to dogs is almost always allergic to pet dander, which is the skin particles that come off a dog. Dogs that shed a lot release more dander, which is the skin follicles that are attached to the hair that is shed, and this, in turn, makes allergic reactions occur. Goldendoodles have a unique genetic makeup that they get from their poodle parents that prevents them from shedding very much. That means that they create much LESS pet dander overall, creating fewer allergy reactions. Goldendoodles require daily brushing and regular groomings to avoid becoming matted. This prevents the dander from building up and keeps your dog allergy friendly. 

 

• So then why do many breeders claim their dogs are hypoallergenic? It is sad to say it is just to sell puppies. If a breeder is telling you that their puppies are 100% hypoallergenic, I am sorry, but they are lying to you. Our goal at the Goldendoodle Barn is to educate and be transparent in our program. 

 

• Have we helped families with allergies find their pup? Yes, we have! We provide grooming instructions to keep your pup as allergy friendly as possible!

 

** All dogs will shed their puppy coat around 6 months, this is totally normal. Once their adult coat is in, the shedding will drastically reduce!**

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