Ridge & Valley Farm- Goldendoodle Genetics Explained

Some Doodle Definitions

AND GENETICS

EXPLAINED

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SOME DEFINITIONS

FURNISHINGS EXPLAINED

OPEN FACE

A dog without furnishings or long facial hair (like a golden retriever or lab).

In Goldendoodles we call this an improper coat or incorrect coat since longer facial hair is desirable and gives the “doodle look”.

IMPROPER/

INCORRECT COAT

A dog that does not have facial furnishings including a beard, eyebrows, mustache. Although an open face is considered breed standard for a golden retriever it is considered an improper coat in Goldendoodles since it is linked with higher shedding and these dogs don’t have the “doodle look” because they don’t have the long fluffy face!

FLAT COAT

This term unfortunately is used differently by different breeders. It is sometimes used to refer to a dog with an improper coat/no furnishings (this is also how WE use the term). Some breeders use this term as a synonym for straight coat! Straight coated dogs DO have furnishings but they just have straight hair.

FURNISHINGS

The longer hair on the face including the beard, eyebrows, mustache on Goldendoodles. This is desirable in Goldendoodles to give them the “doodle look.”

We only breed dogs that will have furnishings.

IMPROPER COAT/FLAT COAT

Goldendoodle

Photo Credit: Shelly Everts McGeough

WITH FURNISHINGS

F1B Goldendoodle from Molly and Rudy's Litter

All Poodles are F/F (two copies of furnishings), all Golden Retrievers are open faced so they are IC/IC (no copies of furnishings, 2 copies of Improper Coat- note that for Golden Retrievers this is the breed standard). Luckily this gene is dominant so Goldendoodles only need to have one copy of it to have furnishings.

Furnishings are associated with lower amounts of shedding. This is why we test our dogs. We only breed pairs that will result in all puppies having at least one copy of the furnishings gene!

All Poodles are F/F and all Golden Retrievers are IC/IC

All F1 Goldendoodles will have one copy of furnishings (F/IC) so all F1 Goldendoodles will have furnishings on their face.

F1Bs have a 50% chance of having one copy F/IC and a 50% chance of having two copies F/F like their Poodle parent. Scientists now believe that there is a link between having two copies of the gene and being completely non-shedding. There are of course other genes involved in this trait.

F2s and Multigens- Beware of SOME F2 Generations (there are several kinds). Breeding two parents with visible furnishings does not mean that their puppies will have them! They may be carriers for IC. An F1 X F1 breeding would result in 25% of the litter having no copies of furnishings known as a flat coat. These Goldendoodles will likely shed like a Golden Retriever. This is why we never breed this combination. We do however breed other F2s including F1b X F1b since this eliminates this issue (provided they have been tested for this gene)! All F3 and multigenerationals also require parent testing to ensure furnishings. We test all of our dogs for their coat traits to ensure that all of our puppies have the "doodle look."

(If you need an explanation of the different generations, click here!)

Sadie F1B- Ridge & Valley Farm

Points

CAN BE EITHER BLACK OR BROWN

The colour of the lips, nose, eye rims and paw pads (can be black or brown depending on their B gene.

Black Points- These dogs are genetically Bb or BB since black is dominant. These dogs will have black lips, nose, eye rims and paw pads. They will also have deep brown eyes.

Brown/Tan/Liver Points- These dogs are genetically bb since brown is recessive. These dogs will have brown lips, nose, eye rims and paw pads. There eyes are usually a hazel or amber colour (as adults).