A variety of different hybrid breeds of dogs have been bred in recent years, largely in reaction to the increasingly unhealthy and even inhumane breeding of purebreds that we have recently seen. Dog-lovers may love these breeds, but they love the dogs themselves more, and hate to see them suffer. As such, many breeders are turning to the breeding of hybrid or “mixed” breeds in order to help mitigate the congenital defects that many of these dogs suffer from. Perhaps the most popular hybrid dog is a combination of two already very popular purebred dogs, the Golden Retriever and the Poodle. That’s right – we’re talking about the Goldendoodle.

Dogs By Design

The portmanteau of “Goldendoodle” gives away the “designer dog” status of the breed, but don’t let that put you off; Goldendoodles have a lot to offer their owner. It’s important to note that as a hybrid breed, the Goldendoodle was bred to have the best qualities of both the breeds that “went into” it. In this case, the friendliness and obedience of the Golden Retriever is mixed with the hypoallergenic coat and the high intelligence of the Poodle. As you can imagine, a highly intelligent, obedient, and friendly dog is just about the best kind of canine companion you can hope for.

Owing to their intelligence and high level of trainability, Goldendoodles are ideal working dogs, and thus are often brought into training programs to serve people in various capacities. Goldendoodles can be found working as guide dogs, service dogs, therapy dogs, and even sniffer dogs.

A Great Friend and Companion

Despite their incredible ability to be trained in a variety of different professional capacities, Goldendoodles remain one of the friendliness, most affectionate, and most gentle breeds you can own. As highly social dogs, they are not very well-suited for watchdog or guard work, nor are they very well-adapted to living in an apartment. Goldendoodles want to spend as much time as possible around other dogs and people, as well as have plenty of room in your fenced yard or even out in the park or the country.

If you are a first-time dog owner, or perhaps you are a bit timid with a dog, then a Goldendoodle may well be the perfect dog for you. Thanks to their high intelligence and obedience, Goldendoodles are remarkably easy to train. Furthermore, they have no truly aggressive traits, unlike some breeds, and so you needn’t be concerned that a Goldendoodle would ever snap or growl at you. Of course, as a very social breed, they will want plenty of time to socialize with other dogs and people if they’re to avoid developing a shy or fearful nature. If you think you can provide this, then a Goldendoodle will be a great friend and companion to you in the years to come.