A Few Things to Know about Goldendoodles

People ask about Winston all the time, so I thought the blog might be a good opportunity to share a little bit about him and the breed in general. Here are my answers to some of the frequently asked questions I get:

• Do they shed? Short answer: yes. Long answer: kind-of. Winston sheds a little bit, but nothing near a normal retriever. It is a great dog breed if you have anyone in your family with allergies. However, no dog is completely hypoallergenic. Some goldendoodles shed a lot and some shed a little. In general, the curlier the coat, the less it will shed, but there is no way to know for sure until they are about a year old and the puppy coat is gone. 
• How often do you have him groomed? Not very often. Our personal preference is that his fur stays somewhat long (side note - groomers will want to make your goldendoodle look like a hideously-trimmed poodle... no matter how much you communicate "all one length."). We have him trimmed once every six months, but he gets bathed (in the shower) at least once every two weeks. This is all about personal preference though. 
• How big do they get? Winston now weighs about 85lbs, however, a female will probably be between 50-70lbs. We really wanted a BIG dog (Eric keeps trying to get Winston to eat more so he'll be "huge") so he is perfect for us. Winston definitely has a "big dog" personality - he's pretty laid back. There are goldendoodles that are bred with smaller poodles - there is a medium size (25-50lbs) and a small size (10-30lbs). However, these are WAY more expensive and, in my opinion, have a small dog personality (yippy, somewhat jealous). 
•  Are they really smart? YES. Winston is VERY smart. And I don't say that in a prideful way. I say that in a "he's very difficult to train" way. Winston has his own will and while he is so loving and loves to be around people, he makes his own (rational) decisions. He cannot be tricked or manipulated. You might think I'm exaggerating... I'm not. DO NOT get a goldendoodle if you don't have a lot of time to train your dog.
• I'm not that active. Can I still get a golden doodle? Um, no. See above comment. They need A LOT of exercise. Wear. Them. Down. Or at least spend a lot of time with other people. Winston will wear himself out just trying to entertain our guests. 
• I'm not home much. Do they do well left alone? No. Eric and I both work 9am-5pm, but Winston gets a walk every morning and we come home every day at lunch for an hour. Goldendoodles love people. They're ultimate is goal is to be with you. They want to be touched and loved at all times. Also, goldendoodles are NOT outdoor dogs. If you leave your dog outside it will feel neglected and their coat will be matted. Golden doodles are inside dogs.
 

I know this was kind of a random post, but I figured it might be interesting to a few people. Feel free to ask if you have any more questions!