In the past several years, mixed breeds have grown in popularity. And when it comes to choosing an ideal mixed-breed dog, you cannot get much better than a Goldendoodle. This mix between Poodle and Golden Retriever is among the most popular. But should you get a cross or a purebred dog? What is the difference between Poodle and Goldendoodle?
That is our topic of discussion today. Before purchasing a puppy, you need to understand aspects of its personality, trainability, health, and everything in between.
Both breeds are entertaining and loyal, but there are some nuances between them. Which one is better? We cannot say for sure. That is for you to decide after reading the article.
Breed History
If you want to learn about the personality traits of your puppy, start by looking at its breed history. In this case, as you can assume, the Poodle came first. But let’s find out more about your future puppy by looking at history.
When it comes to the Standard Poodle, a lot of people mistake it for a French dog breed. In reality, yes, the Poodle is now considered the National Dog of France. But its origins are in Germany. Its vague history shows they date back 400 years, but some people think it is a lot more.
Considered one of the oldest dog breeds, they were first bred to be hunting service dogs. Nowadays, however, their hunting instinct has been domesticated to the point they are cuddly companions. But early on, they did the same work as Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. They were water dogs for retrieving.
The name comes from the German word “pudel”, which translates “to splash in the water”. They were bred to have a curly and low-shedding coat, helping them stay afloat while hunting in the water. As you can see, their signature lifestyle was not just for a dog show. It served a purpose.
The Goldendoodle is a designer dog that is a relatively young mixed breed dog. Breeding started in 1969, yet popularity grew in the 1990s. Why would people mix two popular dog breeds? Well, breeders wanted to mix the friendly and gentle nature of the Golden with the low-shedding coat and intelligence of the Poodle.
Goldens have a long history, dating back to the 1800s. The first Golden Retriever to appear in a dog show was in 1908. The popularity of the Golden Retriever dog breed grew in the 1970s.
Nowadays, Poodles and Goldens are in the top 10 in popularity in the United States. Both of them are recognized by The American Kennel Club.
But that is not the case with the Goldendoodle, or with any doodle breeds. So, if your goal is to have a purebred dog that you can take to dog shows, opt for the Standard Poodle.
Appearance Breed Comparison
Here is a fun fact. Poodles come in different sizes. The American Kennel Club recognizes three sizes, Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle, and Toy poodle. The same three come in a doodle version, Standard Goldendoodle, Miniature Goldendoodle, and Toy Goldendoodle.
Speaking of size, Standard Poodle stands at more than 15 inches at the shoulder, while a Miniature is between 10 to 15 inches. Anything lower than 10 inches is considered a Toy Poodle.
Goldendoodles come in the same three different sizes, but slightly smaller. As for weight, Poodles can weigh between 40 and 70 pounds, with Goldendoodles between 25 and 75 pounds.
Before we look at coat colors, it is worth noting that the Goldendoodle has slightly longer fur than its parent breed. That is because of the genetics of the Golden Retriever.
With that in mind, the breed standard for Poodle is apricot, black, cream, gray, blue, dark gray, brown, chocolate, Cafe au Lait, red, auburn, silver beige, and white.
Goldens have a lower variety of colors. Yet, when mixed with a Poodle parent, their offspring can take on a multitude of colors. In a way, Goldendoodles can have all the coat colorings of their Poodle parent.
And when looking at these two side-by-side breed comparisons, you notice the similarities. They are related. But there are slight differences as well.
For example, the Poodle fur is tighter compared to the longer texture of the Poodle mix. They have a distinctly rounded crest of fur on top of their head, while Goldendoodles do not. And the snout of the Poodle is far more pointed. Finally, their legs are skinnier.
Temperament
The overall temperament of your dog is quite important. Any dog owner should consider the temperament and trainability of their prospective puppy, not just the appearance.
Now, the Standard Poodle is prideful and aloof. They are not as friendly as the Golden Retriever. Poodles want their alone time and can become tired of other animals and small children constantly seeking their companionship.
The misconception about Poodles is that they are couch potatoes and cuddly companions. They are far more independent and prideful than we give them credit to. Yes, they do love cuddles and playing with their family, but not to the point they can be constantly grabbed and touched.
That is something that the Goldendoodle puppy thrives in. Same as with its Golden Retriever Parent, the Doodle Mix craves attention and affection. And they do not care if children grab them by the nose, ears, and tails all day long.
This dog has inherited the goofiness of the Golden, resulting in a unique personality. They are fun-loving and friendly. Some would say they are a huge people pleaser with endless patience.
The problem is that because they are so dependent on their dog owner, Doodles can suffer from separation anxiety when left alone for prolonged periods. That is not the case with the Poodle.
Training
Both of these breeds are highly intelligent and easy to train. But there is a small difference. Poodles are more independent, while Goldendoodle puppy is eager to please.
Of the two, the Doodle breed is easier to train. Both have the desire to please their owners and seek approval.
Yet, at the same time, Poodles are more intelligent than their Golden Retriever rival. With early puppy training, both breeds can be trained to be perfect companions.
With a Goldendoodle puppy, you need some crate training as well to combat their separation anxiety problem.
Your approach should be slightly different in training these two. With Poodles, because of their higher intelligence, you need to mentally challenge them over and over again. Play challenging games and incorporate them into your training. Purebred Poodle has more potential for learning new stuff and more tricks. This dog breed will also learn faster.
Yet, the Golden will be more obedient and eager to please you. Same as their parent breed, Goldendoodles can be used as therapy dogs, guide dogs, service dogs, and more.
Exercise Needs
Both dog breeds are high-energy dogs that crave physical activity and mental stimulation. You will need to invest a lot of time in tiring your dog. Frequent walks, indoor playtime, outside games like fetch, and more are needed to keep your dog happy.
At the very least, they need 60 minutes of exercise, physical or mental per day to thrive. Anything less than that, and you might experience some destructive behavior in the home.
If you live in a big yard and your dog is outside, take them for a swimming session. Both these dogs will love it. After all, they are water dogs. Just be ready for cleaning their precious fur after that.
Health
Let’s talk about health issues. You probably didn’t know it, but the Golden Retriever is one of the worst dog breeds when it comes to health. Why? Because they are prone to so many health issues and risks.
This is one of the reasons why breeders wanted a mix. They improved the health of the Golden Retriever and made him hypoallergenic.
With a classic Poodle, you have risks like anemia, thyroid disease, epilepsy, and gastric dilation volvulus. But they are generally healthy breeds.
Goldendoodles have inherited hip dysplasia from their parent dog breed. Other risks include eye conditions and cortisol disease.
To make sure you have a healthy puppy, get your dog from a reputable breeder.
Life Expectancy
Of these two, Goldendoodles have a lower average lifespan. Standard Poodles live between 12 and 15 years, with Goldendoodles live between 10 and 13 years. That is still better than the Golden Retriever.
It is worth noting though, that with proper care, exercise, a healthy diet, and getting your dog from a reputable breeder, you can have a dog living more than its average lifespan.
Grooming
When it comes to grooming, be ready for brushing and high grooming bills. That is what you need to keep your dog’s precious and silky fur healthy and good-looking. Both these dogs are high-maintenance breeds.
Visits to the groomer should be scheduled every 4 to 6 weeks. And daily grooming, like brushing, falls to the dog owner.
But do not look at brushing as a chore. Think of it as a bonding time with your puppy.
Which One To Get?
Besides everything we talked about, including temperament, trainability, exercise needs, health, and so on, there are two more factors that can decide which puppy is the right for you.
The first one is the price. Poodles are more expensive, ranging between $1,000 and $4,000. A Doodle mix like Goldendoodle can be had for $500 to $2,000.
The second factor is breed acceptance. Purebred Poodle is accepted by The American Kennel Club, while Standard Goldendoodle is not. You cannot take the latter to a dog show.
With that in mind, any of these dogs will be great family dogs. The Poodle versus Goldendoodle debate comes down to your preference.
