When Allergies are an issue

Yes, Goldendoodles are wonderful dogs and have qualities that have won them a a  growing place in the hearts of dog lovers world wide. It’s a fact. Their cheery, funny and warm personality is not the only reason! I get more people asking about their hypo-allergic qualities more than anything else.  A typical phone call will most likely include a variation of the question, “Goldendoodles are truly allergy free dogs, right?" It’s a good question as it seems allergies are taking a toll on so many of us and it can be hard when you love dogs or the kids are begging for a pet. Browsing web sites, you will run into people that will makes claims that will contain misleading information about the Doodle,  both good and bad. When allergies are an issue, it is important to have a good understanding of what to expect when you are considering a Goldendoodle addition to your family.

To start off, there is no 100%  hypo-allergenic dog. When you hear the term hypo-allergenic, it simply means less allergens. It is not synonymous with non-allergenic. Some dogs and other animals just have a lower incidence of causing allergies. Where dogs are concerned, Poodle mixes have become more popular because of their low shed qualities. They have made it possible for many people, that have mild to moderate allergies, to enjoy having a dog in their home. If you suffer from allergies and have a question about pet allergies, is always very important to check with your doctor before purchasing a Goldendoodle. Breeders can not and should not take responsibility for a person’s allergic reaction as there are so many types of allergies and most breeders are not qualified to answer. I invite people to visit my home to interact with my puppies before hand but generally I would not take that responsibility either. A person considering a poodle mix, can always try and locate a Doodle through a Vet , visiting a dog park, Dog Rescue group or groomer.  Visiting with adult Goldendoodles can give you an idea of how you will do with the mix. They are very popular and not hard to find.
F1, F1b and F2
Our puppies are all F1 . Our parent dogs are  AKC registered Golden Retrievers or AKC Standard Poodles. The puppies from these parents are known as  F1 Goldendoodles. They can have either a wavy coat, wavy shag, soft wave with a curl or occasionally a flat coat.  When a Goldendoodle is bred back to a Poodle, these pups are called F1b. They will most likely have more poodle qualities. When 2 Goldendoodles are bred together, the puppies are known as F2. With this combination, the coat is less predictable and F2 puppies often tend to take on more Golden Retriever qualities.  Concerning our puppies, we do try and stay in contact with our families that have our Bleustone Goldendoodle puppies. We check up on how they are doing with training, shedding and grooming issues, behavior etc.
As newborns, Goldendoodle pups resemble newborn Golden Retrievers.  Some newborns will have a barely perceptible  ripple to their coat. These puppies will most likely have more curl in their coat. Doodle pups will quickly get their fluff and are cuddle magnets. Around 2 months old, they will start to loose their  fluffy puppy coat. Some will lose their coat quicker than others but will usually continue to  shed somewhat, for the first year. Don’t be alarmed as once the Doodle adult coat comes in, there will be very little shedding.  As we  follow the progress of our puppies when they go to their new homes,  we are told our puppies are consistently  low shed . Doodle puppy hair usually does not come out in clumps but more often hair by hair over their first year, releasing less dander.  However, some people that have a reaction to the puppy coat will do a lot better with the adult coat. The pet dander that is released when hair is shed, is what can cause the allergic reaction although some people are also allergic to dog saliva or urine.
Just as  a side note, if a dog plays outside, they can also bring  pollen indoors which can cause an allergic reaction. Keeping your dog washed and well groomed is also important.