Goldendoodle 101 Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Timberidge Goldendoodles

Goldendoodle Haircut Pictures

Posted on March 2, 2017January 23, 2022 by Timberidge

Because goldendoodles' coats grow long like human hair rather than shedding like many other dog breeds, the look of your goldendoodle can be drastically altered by a haircut. From being clipped to look like a lion to being completely shaved face, head, and all, your options for your goldendoodle's haircuts are numerous. Images of different goldendoodle clips are pictured below. The first two sets of photos are of the same dog (Junie), likewise the middle two are of the same dog (Penny), and the last three sets of pictures are of the same dog (Abria).

(Dogs shown using DexDog leashes & harnesses)

Goldendoodle groomed to have even length body and legs with a full tail

Full chin & cheeks with close clipped muzzle center & short feathering to short length ears

Goldendoodle groomed to have an even length body blended into longer legs

Close clipped muzzle (without a beard or mustache) & short feathering to short length ears

Golendoodle groomed to have even length body and legs with a full tail

Terrier style face: donut mustache (shaved center of muzzle) & shaved ears (no feathering)

Shorn style goldendoodle clip with tail shaved half way and tip of tail scissored short

Goldendoodle short ear, short top knot, terrier style face

Goldendoodle with short ear, short top knot, and terrier-style face

Goldendoodle groomed to have a 1" body blended into longer legs and a full plumed tail

Bear style full face with medium feathering to short clipped ears

Goldendoodle groomed to have 3/4" body and legs with full plumed tail

Short clipped face with short ears and short top knot

Golendoodle groomed to have a 3/4" body blended into slightly longer legs (same haircut as the photo to the right with ear length shortened)

Medium length beard with long ear feathering and a short top knot

Don't Poodle My Doodle!

Compare the above goldendoodle haircuts to a standard poodle clip shown below

Poodle with 1" body and legs (notice the clean "poodle" feet)

Shaved muzzle, long fluffy ears, and medium length top knot

Be sure to view Goldendoodle Grooming Part 1!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no additional cost to you we may make a small commission if you click on the link & make a purchase. Thank you for your support!

Goldendoodles Trump Other Breeds

Posted on December 16, 2016May 28, 2017 by Timberidge

The word is out: the next first dog just might be Patton the goldendoodle puppy. Anyone who has had the pleasure of owning a goldendoodle isn’t surprised that President Trump would select such an excellent breed. After all, Trump wants nothing but the best, right? There is no doubt that the goldendoodle trumps all other breeds.

The poodle emerged in centuries ago as a water retriever in Europe and has long been praised for its intelligence and eagerness to learn. The poodle is perhaps best know for its distinct, non-shedding coat. The golden retriever, also a water retriever, boasts a favored reputation for being smart, easy to train, and willing to please. The golden retriever practically invented the term “family dog.” With two such popular, wonderful parent breeds, the goldendoodle couldn’t help but arise as a spectacular dog. Thousands of Americans are enthralled with this remarkable breed known as the goldendoodle. It has rightly earned a spot in household after household because of the inherent versatility, trainability, and family dog reputation. A true goldendoodle boasts a gregarious personality, eagerly accepting (and expecting) belly rubs from anyone willing to offer a pet. Goldendoodles really never meet a stranger. They get along well with children of all ages and animals of all kinds. These enthusiastic, upbeat dogs are adaptable and will happily participate in any activity you throw their way. From high-energy activities like running or hiking to relaxing with their chin resting on your foot while you lounge on the couch, goldendoodles are ready for anything you throw their way. “Aloof” and “recluse” are two words unfamiliar to the goldendoodle. Their utmost desire is to just to be with their family. Though true goldendoodles aren’t hyper, they do expect to be included in family activities and benefit from daily exercise (and they’re always, always ready for a belly rub!). Like golden retrievers and poodles, goldendoodles are very trainable. In fact you’ll find that goldendoodles love being trained. They welcome the opportunity to work and are people-pleasers by nature. The non-shedding coat is simply icing on the cake for this wonderful breed! Owning a goldendoodle doesn’t necessitate a high tech vacuum because these dogs shed very little if at all. People enjoy the opportunity to love a dog that doesn’t exacerbate pet allergies or breathing issues. Honestly there is nothing but wonderful things to say about goldendoodles. The goldendoodle simply trumps other breeds. I can’t think of a better breed to represent the dog lovers of America than the loveable, happy, friendly, adorable goldendoodle. He’s destined to steal the hearts of millions of Americans. Welcome to the White House, Patton Trump!

Goldendoodle Pedigree

Posted on August 4, 2016January 3, 2022 by Timberidge

Goldendoodle pedigree. That statement itself seems a bit like an oxymoron. Since goldendoodles are a hybrid breed, they do not qualify for registration with major kennel clubs such as AKC, which means they don’t technically have official, certified pedigrees. This doesn’t mean that their pedigrees aren’t incredibly important, especially for breeders. A goldendoodle’s pedigree is story of its family history, telling volumes about a dog and it’s heritage. Let’s examine Junie’s pedigree to see what all we can learn about her.

1. Titles – The CH in front of a dog’s name represents a confirmation championship title. A confirmation title indicates that the breeders invested time, money, and deliberation into improving their breeding stock. The titles behind a dog’s name (such as CGC, RL1, RATI, etc.) are working titles. They show that the dog is trainable in obedience, agility, and so forth and that the breeders invested time working with the dog for specific events. In Junie’s pedigree, her dad (Buckwheat) has earned a confirmation championship title as have many of her ancestors and Junie herself has earned a CGC (Canine Good Citizen title). Keep in mind that, being a hybrid breed, goldendoodles themselves do not qualify for participating in confirmation events since they are not a breed recognized by AKC.

2. Coefficient of inbreeding (COI) – Investigating a dog’s pedigree reveals the number of times that an ancestor is repeated in that dog’s line. In the case of Junie’s pedigree, no inbreeding occurs for at least 4 generations. Low inbreeding is a good thing! Research indicates that a low COI is related to a longer life expectancy (for more information, see John Armstrong’s research on poodle inbreeding).

3. Kennels of Origin – The kennel name usually appears in a dog’s registered name, either at the beginning (i.e. Timberidge’s Juniper Blue Star CGC) or at the end (i.e. CH Wavir Vivant of Versace). Knowing the kennel of origin for each dog allows you to delve further into the history. For instance Junie’s mom is named English Meadow’s Wish Upon A Star. A quick internet search of “English Meadow Golden Retrievers” pulls up their website, which allows further research into their breeding practices, values, and so forth.

4. Health Testing – Knowing the names on a pedigree allows you to search the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) database. This is not an exhaustive list as owners must pay extra for their dog to be listed and some health testing may be done elsewhere (i.e. the Penn hip or most DNA testing). OFA is nonetheless a valuable resource, especially for investigating the health testing results of extended relatives. Searching for “English Meadow Wish Upon A Star” in OFA’s database reveals not only her results but also those of her dam, daughter, and various half siblings enabling research of her relatives’ health both horizontally and vertically.

5. Registration – The registration number for at least the sire and dam appear on a pedigree. Only a purebred dog can receive a registration number, so seeing that provides confidence that no other breeds slipped into the heritage. Some ancestors may be listed in more than one registry (i.e. English Meadow Wish Upon A Star has both an AKC registration number as well as a CKC registration number).

6. Goldendoodle Generation – Junie’s dam (mom) is a golden retriever and her sire (dad) making her an F1 goldendoodle.

Poodle x Golden Retriever = F1 Goldendoodle Puppies
F1 Goldendoodle x Poodle = F1b Goldendoodle Puppies
F1 Goldendoodle x F1 Goldendoodle = F2 Goldendoodle Puppies
F1 Goldendoodle x F1b Goldendoodle = F2b Goldendoodle Puppies F1b Goldendoodle x F1b Goldendoodle = F3 Goldendoodle (multi gen)

7. Access to Further Information – Internet searches of the different ancestors often reveals additional information. For instance an internet search of “All My Dreams in Famous Family” reveals his pedigree as well as photographs.

8. A Few Last Tidbits – Pedigrees also supply information about the different ancestors’ coat colors and dates of birth.

A pedigree provides a wealth of knowledge, and it is vitally important that breeders research the ancestors of their parent dogs. Even if goldendoodles aren’t technically a breed, their pedigrees are still incredibly valuable.

Goldendoodle Haircuts & Goldendoodle Grooming

Posted on June 1, 2016January 3, 2022 by Timberidge

Your cute, fluffy goldendoodle puppy is turning into a long haired, hot goldendoodle puppy… but you keep putting off that first hair cut because you’re not exactly sure how to have your goldendoodle groomed.

The groomer will bathe your goldendoodle, trim her nails, pluck the hair out of her ear canals, and give her a sanitary clip (trim under her tail & under her belly to keep the potty areas clean) each time you bring her in for grooming. How you want her hair styled is completely up to you! The good news is, hair grows back! If you don’t like a particular clip, you can try something completely different the next time. When you take your goldendoodle for her first grooming, be prepared that you’ll drop off a puppy and pick up a dog that looks way too grown up!

Faces, Ears & Topknots

Timberidge Goldendoodles Poodle — Clean Face with Medium Topknot & Full Ears

Timberidge Goldendoodles Junie — Fuzzy Face with Short Topknot & Ears Clipped Close

Long Face, Beard with Long Topknot & Long Ears

Tails

The style of tail clipping that looks best depends largely on whether you goldendoodle carries her tail like a golden retriever or whether it curves over her back like a poodle.

Feet

You can choose to give your goldendoodle clean feet or round feet. Round feet are more commonly seen on goldendoodles but clean feet track less dirt into the house. You can also ask for “tight feet” (aka cat feet), which is in between clean & round feet.

Body & Legs

Lamp Clip: 3/4″ body blended into longer legs

For more example pictures, see Goldendoodle Haircuts & Grooming Part 2

Start by trying either an “all over clip” or “lamb clip” on your goldendoodle. In the all over clip, your goldendoodle’s fur is clipped the same length everywhere (excluding the head, tail, ears & feet). An all over clip can be done at any length. Keep in mind that the longer the hair on your goldendoodle’s body & legs, the more frequently she will require brushing to prevent matting. You can also try lamb cut, where the body is one length blended into longer legs. Unless you already know your preferences, try short clipped ears (rather than shaved or fluffy ears) and round feet.

We recommend waiting 6 months before taking your goldendoodle puppy her first full clip down grooming. The wavy, curly adult coat will start replacing the soft, fluffy puppy coat around 5-7 months of age. Waiting to cut the hair until the adult coat makes its debut beneath the layers of puppy fur helps ensure that the adult coat remains soft. Shaving a goldendoodle down before her adult coat starts coming in could damage the adult coat, affecting the texture. There isn’t any hard scientific proof that shaving down a goldendoodle puppy impacts that adult coat quality but many poodle fanciers and groomers swear that doing so will cause the adult coat to be more “terrier-like.” That doesn’t mean that your puppy might not benefit from a puppy clip in the meantime. And waiting 6 months for the first full clip down does not mean you’re off the hook for grooming at home! You should regularly groom your puppy: brushing her hair, cleaning her ears, brushing her teeth, clipping her toenails, and checking her for any anomalies (i.e. ticks, cuts, etc.). What tools do you need for this regular maintenance grooming?


Metal Comb	Slicker Brush	Grooming Rake	Dremel

A slicker brush is handy for fluffing your goldendoodle’s outer coat. A quick run over with a slicker will make your goldendoodle’s coat look soft and puffy. Slickers aren’t great at detangling your goldendoodle’s undercoat though. That’s where the metal comb and grooming rake come into play. A metal comb works best for curly coated goldendoodles while a grooming rake may work well for wavier coated goldendoodles. It’s also important to trim your dog’s nails in between grooming appointments. Either a cordless dremel or nail clippers can be used for this, whichever you prefer.

Your goldendoodle will need to be taken to the groomer regularly for the duration of her life, so regular handling when she’s young will help her become familiar with it as a part of life. You may choose to take you puppy to the groomer for a bath, nail trim & sanitary clip prior to 6 months just to familiarize her with the routine, people, and smells.

When you bathe your goldendoodle at home, it is important to ensure that all of the shampoo is washed out to avoid drying your dog’s skin. It’s also vital to keep your goldendoodle’s ears dry! Since goldendoodles have ears that hang down, they are prone to ear infections if water is left in their ears or if their ears are not cleaned regularly. Your groomer will clean your dog’s ears with each grooming visit, however your dog will benefit from you cleaning her ears in between grooming appointments.

It’s never a bad idea to bring a picture to the groomer. You can even pull this page up on your phone to reference when you drop your goldendoodle off. Once your goldendoodle is all groomed, be sure to post a picture to our Facebook group for other people to use as a reference!

Goldendoodle Puppy Shopping List

Posted on May 1, 2016May 30, 2024 by Timberidge

As the time approaches to bring home your new English goldendoodle puppy, the excitement & anticipation are certainly building. One thing you can do to prepare for your new bundle of fur is to go shopping! Here are some suggested items to purchase for your goldendoodle puppy:

Please note: although the pictures are links to products on Amazon, we don’t necessarily recommend that specific product over a similar one. A picture is worth a thousand words, so the pictures and product links are there simply to serve as examples to assist you in preparing for your new goldendoodle puppy.

Food & Water Bowls

Look to purchase stainless or ceramic bowls, as they are healthier for your puppy and easier to clean than plastic.

Collar

Your mini puppy will likely need a 14”-16″ collar when full-grown (the collar will probably adjust from 13″-19″ like this medium one) but may benefit from a smaller collar at first. She has been wearing a collar that is adjusted to about 9″-11″ during her last few weeks with us. Be sure to browse through the myriad of gorgeous and unique handmade collars on Etsy!

Flat Leash

Pick out a sturdy flat lead that is 3/4″ wide that’s 5′-6′ long. Flexi leads are not the best choice for young puppies. We have leashes made by Kakadu and DexDog that we use regularly, and we have been happy with them both.

Identification Tag

Your puppy will go home with a microchip, but it’s always a good idea to have a tag on her collar to make it easy to identify her (without a microchip reader!).

Dog Crate with Divider

Metal is preferable over plastic, as it is easier to clean and allows your puppy to watch everything going on around her. Consider purchasing a 36″ crate with dimensions with a moveable divider for medium puppies (mini goldendoodles may be comfortable in a 30″ crate). You may prefer to use a smaller crate can be used while your puppy is little rather than using the divider.

Dog Treats

Treats should be soft, small, and easy to chew quickly. Purebites dog treats are a good option. They are made with just one ingredient (i.e. lamb liver) and don’t contain ingredients such as BHA that you don’t want your puppy to consume.

Metal Comb or Grooming Rake

A metal comb is a great tool for curly coated Goldendoodles and a grooming rake works well for wavy coated Goldendoodles. These will help keep in undercoat free from tangles. For more information on grooming, check out our goldendoodle haircuts post.

Slicker Brush

A slicker brush is handy for fluffing the outer coat on your goldendoodle.

Nail Clippers or Cordless Dremel

We like to use normal human toenail clippers for trimming our dogs’ nails. Either nail clipper or a cordless dremel will work for trimming your puppy’s toenails as well – it’s a matter of which you prefer. Your puppy will have had it’s nails trimmed prior to going home and your vet & groomer will likely offer to trim her nails when you take her in for appointments, but it’s still important for you to trim her nails at home.

Styptic Powder

It’s a good idea to have styptic powder on hand just in case you trim your puppy’s nail a little too short. Styptic powder is located next to the nail clippers in the pet store.

Doggie Toothbrush

You may find that the finger toothbrush is easiest to use when your goldendoodle is a puppy.

Carpet Cleaner (Stain/Odor Eliminator) & Paper Towels and Clorox Wipes

To clean up those inevitable puppy accidents…

Bell for Housebreaking

A bell is handy for housebreaking, so your goldendoodle has a way to tell you when she needs to go out. Any bell will work, it doesn’t have to be a bell specifically for dogs.

Toys

When your goldendoodle puppy is young, she will enjoy soft toys, but keep in mind that her sharp teeth will eventually allow her to chew through stuffed toys quickly. As she gets older, Jolly Balls, chew ropes, etc. will last longer. Food dispensing toys are a fun way to encourage your puppy to channel her energy into something productive. Look for toys that specifically say “non-toxic” on the label.

A Book about Puppies

If you’re interested in doing a little preparatory reading, The Art of Raising a Puppy by the Monks of New Skete is a great choice. You’ll find this book is a handy reference as you tackle housebreaking, etc

Baxter & Bella Online Training Program

Baxter & Bella is a unique online puppy raising resource that helps new owners with everything from preparing your home to basic manners to make a socialization checklist. Use the code Timberidge for 25% off Baxter & Bella!

puppy food

You puppy will be used to eating TLC Puppy Food, so order a bag from TLCpetfood.com and they’ll ship it to your home, where it will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of your newest family member

Misc. Items:

A piece of material to hold the mamma dog’s scent (i.e. a wash cloth) and/or a Snuggle Puppy
Old towels or small blankets for the crate
Pure Pumpkin paste – Going to a new home can be stressful and some puppies develop runny stool in response. If your puppy starts having runny stool, give 1tbsp/serving of puppy food.
Baby gate(s) – you may need a gate or two to section off your house during housebreaking
Chew Toy – It’s good for teething puppies to have something to sink their teeth into. Split elk antlers (use the code TRGD15 for 15% off at RidgeRunner Antlers) and yak chews are great options. Avoid raw hides, as they are not healthy option for your puppy, and never give your dog poultry bones, as they can splinter easily.

Curious what your puppy will look like as an adult? View our goldendoodle puppy time lapses to see goldendoodle puppies with different hair types grow up before your eyes! Also learn about how big your puppy might grow up to be.

Shedding

Posted on March 20, 2016January 3, 2022 by Timberidge

Shedding. Usually that word refers to dogs loosing their hair. At Timberidge Goldendoodles our dogs don’t shed quite like that. Around here, “shedding” has a totally different meaning. Moses, Abria & Junie hopped in the car this afternoon and drove down to New Richmond with us to some family land in search of whitetail deer antlers. Each winter male deer (bucks) shed their antlers in preparation for growing a new larger set in the spring. They leave their old rack lying in the woods, waiting for a lucky person (or dog) to happen upon them. We enjoy traversing through the woods, relishing in the beauty of nature and enjoying the treasure hunt activity of seeking sheds. Today we found both antlers from a 7 point buck! At the end of deer hunting season a lot of hunters walk through the woods very slowly looking for where their elusive bucks lost their antlers that year. Finding shedded antlers gives hunters information about the type and number of bucks traveling through the area. For dog owners like us, shed hunting is great because it provides our dogs with an all-natural, preservative-free chew toy. Our dogs love chewing on deer antlers! Like bones, antlers are high in certain minerals like calcium. Since they are very hard (hard enough for bucks to use when fighting each other), they last a long time and the chances of one splitting are slim. The points of the antlers are sharp though so blunting them is beneficial. Like any bone, there is always the chance of a dog injuring a tooth while chewing on an antler and the ends can become sharp as a dog gnaws on it. Because of this, we only allow our dogs to chew on them while we’re home and keeping an eye on them. Chewing on an antler is always an exciting treat for them.

English Goldendoodles

Posted on March 18, 2016January 3, 2022 by Timberidge

American Goldendoodle Vs. English Goldendoodle

The golden retriever breed originated from gun dogs in Scotland. While all golden retrievers descend from the same distant ancestors, the breed took on different characteristics from country to country. English golden retrievers, which come from European bloodlines, tend to have a stockier, more muscular build than American golden retrievers and are also generally lighter in color (more of a light cream color rather than gold or red). While there are some cream colored American golden retrievers, physical appearance alone doesn’t make a dog “English.” The European bloodline is what truly makes a golden retriever English. Both the American and English golden retrievers exhibit the same wonderful temperament, they just look a little different. Many people prefer the cute teddy bear look of the English goldendoodle. In addition to that adorable teddy bear face, the most desirable aspect of using English golden retrievers verses American golden retrievers is their health. Cancer is the number one killer of American golden retrievers, causing many to die before 9 years of age. Some research suggests that cancer is less prevalent in English golden retrievers than American golden retrievers. Pictured here is Junie’s mom, Star, an English golden retriever owned by Doodle Creek. As you can see, her stocky appearance varies slightly from the American golden retrievers you might run into around the park.

Goldendoodle Generations

An F1 goldendoodle (first generation) is created by crossing a pure bred golden retriever and with a pure bred poodle. An F1b goldendoodle puppy is born when an F1 goldendoodle is then crossed back to a poodle. The advantage of an F1b goldendoodle is her very minimal to non shedding coat. Because of this, the F1b goldendoodle is usually the better choice for people with allergies.

If you’re considering a puppy that is an F1bb, F2, F3 or multi-gen goldendoodle, ask about the percent poodle and golden retriever the resulting puppies will be.

Goldendoodle Sizes

What about sizes? Mini goldendoodles have an estimated adult weight of 15-35lbs. Medium goldendoodles have an estimated adult weight of 30-45lbs. Because goldendoodles are a hybrid breed, the exact size of each puppies varies and pups may even vary in weight by 25lbs in the same litter. Sometimes hybrid puppies can even be larger than either of their parents.