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You’re enchanted by the Teddy-bear-like Goldendoodle, but you’re curious how much this Golden Retriever and Poodle hybrid sheds. I’ll tell you everything you need to know ahead! Do Goldendoodles shed a lot? Goldendoodles can shed a lot if they’re more Golden Retriever than Poodle, but the ones with a Poodle coat are very minimal shedders. If you want to reduce Goldendoodle shedding, regular grooming is a must, as is keeping your dog healthy and their diet balanced. In today’s expansive guide, I’ll discuss Goldendoodle shedding, whether the breed has hair or fur, and whether the sweet, adorable Goldendoodle is hypoallergenic. There’s lots of great information to come whether you’re thinking of adopting a Goldendoodle or you already have one! Are Goldendoodles Heavy Shedders? Goldendoodles are hybrid dogs and depending on which breed your new four-legged friend takes after more, its rate of shedding can be very low or considerably higher. Golden Retriever Lineage Let’s begin by talking about the breed that puts the Golden in Goldendoodle, the Golden Retriever. The Golden Retriever is pretty much the epitome of man’s best friend, right? Yet there’s one trait about this faithful, loyal breed that’s not so great and that's how much they shed. That’s right, Golden Retrievers shed moderately to heavily throughout the year. Golden Retrievers are double-coated canines, which means the dog has an insulating undercoat and a layer of guard hairs on top for repelling dirt and grime. Being double-coated causes the Golden Retriever to shed with the seasons, namely the summer and winter. In the summer, the Golden Retriever will shed its double coat for a lightweight look that will keep the dog comfy in the heat. Before the year ends, as winter approaches, the dog sheds again to grow a bulkier coat for protection in the cold. Both periods of shedding culminate in weeks of golden fur everywhere. It’s quite an uptick in shedding from the Golden Retriever’s usual shedding habits. If your Goldendoodle takes after its Golden Retriever mom or dad, you’ll notice that it has a straighter, shaggier coat, no Poodle curls here. The dog will shed about as much as a Golden Retriever does. Some Goldendoodles with stronger Golden Retriever lineage are even double-coated and will shed more than the Goldendoodles with Golden Retriever lineage who have a single coat. Poodle Lineage Now let’s switch gears and talk about the other parent of the Goldendoodle, the Poodle. Poodles come in several sizes, from the tiny-but-cute toy breeds to miniatures and standard-sized Poodles. All have the same tightly-wound curls throughout. It’s those curls that make the Poodle exceptionally low-shedding. As a Poodle sheds, its curls will catch the hair that’s falling out and entrap it. The hair will still release when you groom your dog, but it’s not coming out otherwise. This makes the Poodle seem almost non-shedding. The texture of the Poodle’s coat is another reason the dog is low-shedding. Poodles have wiry coats. Although some dog breeds are the exception to this rule, most dog breeds with wiry coats shed minimally. Further, the Poodle is single-coated. At no time of the year will the dog blow its coat, so the Poodle’s already low rate of shedding never gets worse. If your Goldendoodle is more Poodle than Golden Retriever, it will shed as minimally. You’ll be able to tell because the hybrid dog will have the aforementioned Teddy-bear-like curls that make the Goldendoodle so sought-after. Do Goldendoodles Have Hair or Fur? Sometimes, you may hear of a dog’s coat referred to as hair, and other times, it’ll be called fur. Is there really a difference, and if so, does the Goldendoodle have hair or fur? There’s a minor difference, in that fur is more densely-packed and usually not as long as hair, but people typically use the two terms interchangeably. As for whether the Goldendoodle has hair or fur, that depends on which parent has the more dominant genes. The logic is that a single-coated canine will have hair, so if your Goldendoodle is more Poodle than Golden Retriever, technically, it would have hair and not fur. A Goldendoodle that’s more Golden Retriever than Poodle can also have hair if the Goldendoodle is single-coated. That said, a double-coated Goldendoodle with more dominant Golden Retriever genes would technically have fur and not hair. Are Goldendoodles Hypoallergenic? Another popular topic that comes up all the time in relation to the Goldendoodle is this dog’s hypoallergenic status. Many people tend to misconstrue what it means for a dog to be hypoallergenic, so allow me to clear up any inconsistencies first. Then I’ll delve into whether the Goldendoodle is hypoallergenic. When a person has a pet allergy, they often assume it means they’re allergic to the dog’s (or cat’s) fur or hair. They think that if they adopt a dog that doesn’t shed much that their allergy symptoms will be controlled and sometimes even eliminated. However, that’s not what a pet allergy is. If you’re allergic to pets, it’s not their fur that makes you congested and sneezy. It’s their dander, which is dead skin. Every dog breed has skin, so thus, no dog is truly hypoallergenic. That said, some dog breeds are known to reduce the severity of allergy symptoms in sufferers, even if those symptoms will never go away completely. Usually, for a dog to qualify as hypoallergenic, it needs to meet two criteria. The first is that the dog must be low-shedding. The second is that the dog is usually smaller. The reason that size matters is that a smaller dog has less surface area than a bigger dog. There’s less to shed. Now that you know all that, I can discuss where the Goldendoodle is on the hypoallergenic scale. As you might have guessed I was going to say, whether a Goldendoodle is hypoallergenic depends on the dog’s lineage. Goldendoodles come in several sizes. Small standard Goldendoodles are between 17 and 20 inches and weigh no more than 50 pounds. Large standard Goldendoodles are 20 to 24 inches and weigh up to 90 pounds. A small standard Goldendoodle would be somewhat hypoallergenic while a large standard Goldendoodle wouldn’t quite fit the bill. A Goldendoodle that’s more Poodle than Golden Retriever would also be considered more hypoallergenic than one with a stronger Golden Retriever lineage. Do Teacup Goldendoodles Shed? You fell in love with a Teacup Goldendoodle. Now you have to know, do Teacup Goldendoodles shed a lot? Well, a Teacup Goldendoodle is still a Golden Retriever-Poodle mix, so the dog will shed as much or as little as its dominant genes would suggest. Given that Teacup Goldendoodles are so much smaller than even small standard Goldendoodles–they grow eight to 13 inches and weigh about seven pounds–you can expect that a Teacup Goldendoodle will shed less than a regular Goldendoodle regardless of whether the lineage contains more Poodle or Golden Retriever. Remember what I said before about surface area? The Teacup Goldendoodle has a lot less of it to go around, which means a neater home for you. That’s not to say that a Teacup Goldendoodle can’t blow its coat, especially if it’s a double-coated canine. You just won’t have as much hair to clean up compared to a small standard or large standard Goldendoodle. How to Reduce Goldendoodle Shedding Do you feel like you’ve bitten off more than you can chew with your Goldendoodle’s shedding? You don’t have to spend hours cleaning up heaps of dog hair every week. The following methods can help lessen how much hair your sweet crossbreed dog sheds! Brush Your Dog Often How often are you grooming your Goldendoodle? If the answer is less than once a week, then you need to treat your Goldendoodle to more regular grooming sessions. You can use an assortment of grooming tools for this hybrid dog depending on its coat. A rubber grooming glove will help you comb through your Goldendoodle’s fur quickly and provide a nice massaging sensation as well. If your Goldendoodle’s fur is knotted or tangled, a pin brush should be able to detangle the knot without causing your dog pain. Bristle brushes are great for everyday brushing as well. Brushing your Goldendoodle lowers the dog’s propensity for shedding. How? Let me explain. When you brush your dog, you’re pulling out the loose, dead fur before it gets a chance to fall off the dog naturally. All the hair you accumulate when brushing is hair that won’t end up on your couch, your clothes, and the rest of your house. You’re also spreading skin oils by brushing your Goldendoodle. This prevents dry, itchy skin that can cause a dog to scratch and lick to the point where they shed more. Bathe Only When Necessary Unless your Goldendoodle is outside rolling in the mud every week, then you shouldn’t bathe the dog weekly. Instead, you want to keep it to at least once a month but perhaps longer depending on how clean your dog looks and smells. Goldendoodles are known for their skin sensitivity, and so the last thing you want to do is plunk your dog in the bath too often. Even if you use a shampoo formulated for dogs, all the frequent bathing will dry out your dog’s skin. Keep Your Dog on a Well-Balanced Diet Dogs need a well-rounded, balanced, nutritious diet with protein, fiber, carbs, and healthy fats. Your Goldendoodle will have the energy to grow strong and healthy nails, coat, and skin. If your dog’s diet is comprised mostly of preservatives, additives, and other sources of empty calories, then they’re lacking in the nutrition department. When a dog is nutritionally deficient, hair loss can be one of the consequences. Should your Goldendoodle be allergic to the preservatives in its food, that too will contribute to the dog’s rate of shedding. Canine allergies can cause skin irritation and thus itching. It’s worth consulting with your veterinarian about what your dog is eating now and what they could be eating that’s better for them. Then make the switch! Regular Vet Checks for Pet Health To ensure your Goldendoodle is free of fleas, ticks, and other parasites that can cause itching, pain, and general misery, make sure you’re taking your dog to the very at least once every year. Once your pup is on anti-flea medication and their itching subsides, their heavier rate of shedding could as well!

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