Which Dog Should You Get: Golden Doodles or Labradoodles?

Do you love the exuberance of the Labrador retriever? What about the gentleness of the golden retriever? How about the intelligence and helpfulness of the poodle?

You may not be able to get all three dogs home at once, but today, you have Doodle breeds that will allow you to celebrate both the Poodle and the retriever.

Both Golden doodles and Labradoodles are renowned for their friendliness, helpfulness, and intelligence, making them great pets. However, just like their parents, both the Labradoodle and the Golden doodle have their own uniqueness as well.

So, which breed is the right for you? Let’s find out.

  • Size

Golden doodles are the larger of the two breeds, standing between 22 and 25 inches in height and weighing 45-100 pounds. If you’re looking for a smaller dog, Labradoodles might be better, since they stand at 21-24 inches in height and weigh about 45-70 pounds.

  • Physical appearance

The Labradoodle has beautiful brown or hazel eyes deeply-set in an elongated face. They come in a range of different colored coats, including black, brown, beige/parchment, coffee, red, lavender, apricot, golden and grey/blueish-white. Depending on their genes, labradoodles can also have dual-colored coats.

Golden doodles have gorgeous green or blue eyes and a round, broad face compared to labradoodles. Their coats are predominantly golden, cream, white, silver, or sable in color.

  • Grooming

If you prefer your pet to have a long, silky coat, then choose a labradoodle. Their single fleece/wool coats gently cascade down their body, making them look very classy. However, if you’re the kind who prefers to give their pup a makeover, then the golden doodle is a better option. These dogs have dual-layered coats with different hairstyles and textures, from smooth to wavy to ringed curls.

Both dogs rarely shed, despite their thick coat, and you can use simple pet grooming kits to take care of their coat health. Plus, the best part about their coats – they’re completely hypoallergenic

  • Barking tendencies

Neither dogs are huge barkers. However, your labradoodle might bark more often than the golden doodle, especially if they see someone new in your home.

  • Family-friendliness

Just like their retriever parents, golden doodles and Labradoodles are both family-friendly. Like the Labrador, Labradoodles are ideal when you have kids, as their energy and child-like personality make them great playmates.

Golden doodles take after their sedate golden retriever parents and can work well in families that have elderly residents as well.

  • Health

Both doodle breeds are diagnosed with a variety of health conditions. The Labradoodle usually is diagnosed with hip or elbow dysplasia, retinal atrophy, hypothyroidism, and ear infections. Golden doodles suffer from Von Willebrand’s disease, skin allergy, epilepsy, patellar luxation, and elbow/hip dysplasia.

In terms of lifespan, Labradoodles live for 12-14 years, and golden doodle live for 10-15 years.

  • Socialization & trainability

Since both parent breeds – poodle and retriever - are renowned for their easy trainability, you won’t have to struggle to socialize and train labradoodle and golden doodle pups.

However, given their poodle-inherited intelligence and retriever energy, it’s important to stimulate their minds and keep them engaged to prevent them from being bored and exhibiting destructive behaviors.

  • Diet

Both dog breeds require, on average, 1200 calories per day as adults. This should be split into 2-3 meals over the course of the day. You get a variety of pet products in the form of dry or wet dog food, bones, soft chews, etc., which you can purchase for your pup.

  • Exercise requirements

Both dog breeds require moderate level exercise, and you’ll need to take them out for walks or runs for 30-60 minutes each day.

Although these breeds are small enough to be kept in an apartment, they need plenty of space to move around outside for exercise.

  • Weather compatibility

Their thick coats make Labradoodles and golden doodles better suited for cold climates. If there’s hot weather where you live, be sure to groom their coat before summer starts and give them plenty of water to avoid heatstroke.

 

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