You would think that a hybrid of a Poodle would still have all the same characteristics of the Poodle, but you couldn’t be more wrong with the Goldendoodle. What are the differences between the Goldendoodle vs Poodle?
The Goldendoodle is a perfect blend of both the Golden Retriever and the Poodle, giving it unique character and abilities. A super hybrid if you will. Today we will dissect the differences between the Goldendoodle vs Poodle, and investigate their similarities. Our goal is to help you choose the right breed for your home and family.
Temperament
Goldendoodles are the most loyal and understanding dogs ever to be bred. They are smart, and intuitive, and live their lives to please us.
Goldendoodles make great family pets and can conform to any active lifestyle. Like to go running or mountain biking?
No problem! Take your Goldendoodle with you! Love to cuddle up with a good book on the weekends?
They love to move and play, cuddle, and become big lap dogs. Goldendoodles have a personality that can fit in any home.
Poodles are highly intelligent dogs that have an eye and ear for detail. They are alert and as bright as a Border Collie despite being thought of like a fancy prissy girl dog.
These dogs love to run in the water and chase. Since their background comes from hunting and retrieving, so they are hyper-alert dogs that miss nothing.
Standard Poodles are known to be great with kids and have a kind and gentle spirit, while smaller Poodle sizes are known to be spitfire. They love to play and to have attention all day.
Training And Exercise
The Goldendoodle and the Poodle are highly intelligent dogs that are easily trained. Poodles learn quickly, while Goldendoodles strive to make you proud.
If training is started at a young age, there are no limits to what either breed can do. If your puppy is too excited to focus on training, try scheduling a training session right after a long walk or hard playtime.
Training either of these dogs doesn’t have to be fancy. They naturally love to please and are easily bribed with a small treat or words of affirmation.
Both breeds also need a lot of activity and mental stimulation. Dogs with higher intelligence typically get bored quickly. They like challenges and adventure.
Exercising your dog twice a day for at least an hour will keep their bodies in shape. While alone, giving them puzzle toys to keep their minds stimulated is also essential.
Both physical and mental exercise will keep your dog feeling and looking young.
Size and Lifespan
Golden Retrievers can be bred with various Poodle sizes to create miniature, small standard, or large standard Goldendoodles.
A miniature Goldendoodle stands 13-20 inches tall and weighs 15-35 pounds, while the small standards are 17-20 inches tall and can weigh 40-50 pounds.
The large standard Goldendoodle stands 20-24 inches at the shoulder and weighs 50-90 pounds.
The average lifespan of a Goldendoodle is 10-15 years, with smaller-sized Goldendoodles living longer than larger-sized ones.
Poodles come in toy, miniature, and standard sizes. A toy Poodle stands 10 inches tall and weighs no more than 9 pounds. Miniature Poodles are 11-15 inches tall and weigh 15-17 pounds.
The Standard Poodle is the most recognized size at 22 inches tall and 45-60 pounds. Poodles have a lifespan at 12-15 years, and many of the smaller breeds live longer than that.
With so many different sizes, it doesn’t matter if you live in an apartment or on a farm. There is a Goldendoodle or a Poodle that can fit into your life without sacrificing space and sanity.
Regarding the size of a Goldendoodle, they all tend to have the same temperaments. But, with Poodles, this can be different. Smaller breeds of Poodle are known to be spunky and hard-headed.
If you have small children under the age of 7, a Goldendoodle or Standard Poodle is a better choice.
Grooming
Goldendoodles and Poodle have high-maintenance grooming requirements to keep their coats healthy. The Goldendoodle can have one of three coat types: curly, wavy, and straight.
While Goldendoodles have been bred to be hypoallergenic like the Poodle, they do still have some shedding.
A good rule of thumb is that the curlier the coat, the less it will shed. Curlier coats must be brushed daily to prevent matting and skin problems.
This brushing will remove all shed fall that remains in the coat all day, and it will detangle. Straight coat types won’t need to be brushed as often.
But, brushing regularly with a slicker or de-shedding brush will help eliminate hair accumulating around the house.
Poodles have very kinky curly coats that need to be brushed daily. The longer the hair on a Poodle, the more it will need to be brushed too.
So those adorable topknots will need daily brushing, while short or shaved hair won’t need brushing as often.
The Goldendoodle and the Poodle will need regular trips to the groomer every 8-12 weeks.
The primary purpose of this visit is to get a haircut or trim, trim sanitary areas, and shave the hair between the paw pads.
This must be done for all non-shedding dogs because their hair will grow without stopping.
Every 8-12 weeks is reasonable because it reduces the likelihood of a complete shave down if the hair is not kept up.
During this visit, they will also have a bath and their nails trimmed at the least. Grooming salons have a wide variety of services available.
Ask your groomer about packages and realistic expectations regarding your dog’s haircut.
Health Concerns
With any dog, many factors can contribute to health problems. Diet and exercise are the primary keys to keeping your dog healthy.
But, there are some medical conditions that some dog breeds are more prone to due to the breeding process.
Always ask your breeder for parental medical history and if the parents or puppies have been genetically tested for common diseases that can be passed down.
A good breeder would never knowingly breed dogs with a high potential of being sick. Therefore, reputable breeders are here to better the breed standards.
Goldendoodles have been known to be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia that can lead to arthritis. Therefore, they are also likely to develop eye diseases and cataracts with age.
And Goldendoodles are known to have common skin allergies and chronic rashes associated with them.
Also, poodles commonly develop Addison’s disease for which there is no known cause. So, it has many symptoms that can easily be mistaken for other common illnesses, so vet testing is necessary if
Addison’s is suspected. Bloat is also common in Poodles. You can prevent this by feeding your dog smaller portions several times daily.
Other diseases that Poodles are prone to are Cushing’s and epilepsy, which can not be prevented but can be controlled with medications.
Knowing common health concerns of a breed that you are considering is vital to allow you to save money for an emergency vet fund.
It also allows you to do more research to determine if your dog has one of these illnesses it can be afforded.
Looking at local vets specializing in these diseases can help you understand the average costs. So, it can also help you in choosing a pet insurance policy.
Price
Goldendoodle puppies can run anywhere between $500 to $1,500. The top breeders in the USA can ask for up to $2,500 for one Goldendoodle puppy.
Price all depends on locations and the quality of breeding done. A reputable breeder is likelier to charge more because of genetic testing and responsible breeding.
Puppy mills are usually cheaper dogs with a little background to them and tend to be bred irresponsibly.
The average Poodle can cost as low as $1,000 and as high as $5,500 for a purebred pedigree with papers and strong backgrounds.
This is all subject to location and individual breeders. Always ask questions to your breeder and ask to view the breeding site to determine its legitimacy.
If these are out of your price range, look into your local animal shelters or breed-specific rescues. You can often find purebred dogs in these places because no one tends to look there first.
Therefore, these dogs will always cost less, give the same love and affection, and have the classic temperaments you expect.
In Conclusion
Goldendoodles and Poodles have a lot of similarities and a lot of differences too. Choosing the right fit for your family can be challenging, considering so many traits.
But we hope that with this information, you can make a more informed decision. So, no matter your choice, you can’t lose in picking a Goldendoodle or a Poodle.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Doodle Board!!
