You will typically see a lot of different names thrown around when speaking about Goldendoodles generations, F1, F2, and so on, but what exactly does it mean?
Goldendoodle generations briefly explained: F1 is the first generation, F1b means the second generation, and F2 is the third generation. From the third generation and onward they are called Multi-gen Goldendoodles. That’s quite a bit of different names to remember
Allow me to give you the exact definition of all the generations in the following article.
F1 Goldendoodle
An F1 Goldendoodle is the name of the puppies from the first hybrid of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. These F1 puppies will typically get quite large. Usually over 20 inches, and they will shed.
The coat on an F1 Goldendoodle can be smooth like a Golden Retriever, curly like a Poodle or shaggy like an Irish wolfhound.
Usually, these dogs will shed a decent amount, but even in the same litter of puppies, they can vary quite a bit when it comes to the type of coat and their physical appearance.
So if your main concern when looking for a dog is that it’s hypoallergenic or allergy-friendly, with less to no amount of shedding, you MUST look for a Goldendoodle that’s at least F1b and beyond.
As a first-generation mix, the F1 Goldendoodle typically has a good and healthy advantage when looking at hybrid Dogs, but make sure that the parents have been thoroughly tested for all health-related diseases.
The optimal thing you can do when looking to buy a puppy would be if you could get the genes of both the parents behind the puppy checked, so as for their pedigree if possible. This will allow you to know if there are other types of dog breeds in your puppy.
Sadly you can find a lot of puppies on the market which are being called Goldendoodles but actually aren’t, which is why you should be really thorough when searching for a puppy.
Ask your breeder of choice to also give you a proof of all the required health checkups, and that you check the dogs’ pedigrees. Doing that will leave fewer risks of a surprise when your puppy doesn’t have the qualities you were searching for.
To Summarize F1 Goldendoodles
- Coat Maintenance: Low need
- Coat Description: The coat will typically usually grow 3-4 inches and will require occasional grooming.
- Shedding: Most will shed quite a bit.
- Allergy-friendly: Can work in a family with mild allergic reactions. If it’s a family with moderate to high allergy, you should look for an F1b Goldendoodle instead.
F1b Goldendoodle
The F1b Goldendoodles are about 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever.
What this means iS that it’s an F1 Goldendoodle mixed with a Poodle that it isn’t already related to.
The F1b Goldendoodles puppies will normally have quite a lot of “wow-factor” as their coats often look quite incredible.
Within a litter of F1b Goldendoodles, you will find both wool and fleece types of coats. If you have any allergies, if if you just generally prefer a dog with almost no shedding, you should look for the ones with a fleece coat.
But do remember that no dog is 100% guaranteed to be allergy-friendly towards every single person, as the gene which is the cause of the allergic reactions might just as well be found in the dogs’ saliva and not only in dandruff from the coat.
There are also people who will have allergic reactions towards a purebred Poodle who is generally considered a hypoallergenic dog.
If you get one with a wool coat you should know that it is a quite demanding type and will require a thorough brushing once a week.
They will also have to be trimmed more often than other types, so it’s something you will have to consider carefully if you’ve set your sight on this type.
A great thing about this version is that the shedding will be at a minimum, but the downside of that is is that they require quite a bit of grooming instead.
Taking your F1b Goldendoodle to a groomer every month can quickly get expensive, so if you get one, I would advise that you just learn it yourself!
You should also expect to pay more for this type of coat, as they are normally in very high demand.
To Summarize F1b Goldendoodles
- Coat maintenance: Moderat to high
- Coat Description: Usually a bit thicker and curlier than an F1 Goldendoodle, and with a curly or wavy coat.
- Shedding: Low to none
- Allergy-friendly: The F1b Goldendoodle should be the preferred type for families with moderate to high allergies.
F2 Goldendoodle
The F2 Goldendoodle is the cross between two F1 Goldendoodles.
While they are technically still 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle, the genes are further mixed, and they can be found in several different color variants than an F1 Goldendoodle.
There is a growing trend to breed the F2 Goldendoodles just for the possibility of a specific color or to get a fleece fur.
With an F2 puppy litter, you will normally be able to see a lot of different variants of fur, all the way from the extremely curly poodle’ ish fleece to some very short-haired versions.
The fleece furred puppies will have the quality from an F1b’s fur, that I will go into further detail on in a bit, and the short hair types will offer the same qualities as the F1 Goldendoodles mentioned above.
These Goldendoodles are known to be extremely tender and very loving dogs.
To Summarize F2 Goldendoodles
- Coat Maintenance: Moderate to high needs
- Coat Description: The coat will continue to grow even if it by the first appearance looks like an F1 Goldendoodle.
- Shedding: Won’t shed as much as an F1.
- Allergy-friendly: Normally recommended to families with moderate allergies.
Multi-Gen Goldendoodle
Multi-gen Goldendoodles is when the Goldendoodle is the third generation or later.
This allows a savvy breeder to really refine and optimize the physical attributes and personality of the Goldendoodle.
Multi-gen Goldendoodles are normally very allergy-friendly and their coat is very desirable when looking at quality and texture.
Multi-gen is what most breeders strive for so they can use them for further breeding, and that’s a process that will take years and a bunch of different few litters before they get to the multi-gen version.
To Summarize Multi-gen Goldendoodles
- Coat Maintenance: Moderate to high.
- Coat Description: The coat will keep growing in length, and demands frequent combing and grooming. The coat thicker than an F1 Goldendoodle and can have a fleece or curly/wavy coat.
- Shedding: Almost all multi-gen dogs are completely non-shedding.
- Allergy-Friendly: Multi-gen Goldendoodle is highly recommended for a family with moderate to high allergies.
General Summary
There is quite a lot to consider when getting a Goldendoodle, and even more so if you want to find one that doesn’t shed as a method to minimize the risk of any allergic reactions.
Hopefully, this list has helped you gain some knowledge into what type you should look for, but if you have any further questions, dont hesitate to ask, and I will help you find the answer you’re searching for.
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