Black Goldendoodle: What You Need to Know

The Goldendoodle is one of the two most popular doodles available.

Goldendoodles are often referred to as a great family pet thanks to their easy going nature.

Plus they are easy to train and promise to be a low shedding dog. All of these qualities translates in to making them a highly sort after pup.

So much so that it’s not uncommon to meet one or two Goldendoodles on a trip to the dog park.

As wonderful as the Goldendoodle is you may not want the same exact dog that your neighbor has.

After all isn’t part of the allure of having a designer breed is that your dog is different? Introducing the Black Goldendoodle.

Black Goldendoodle: What You Need to Know

Oh, in case you are wondering the other most popular doodle is the Labradoodle with the Bernedoodle and Aussiedoodle starting to catch-up.

The black Goldendoodle has all the same great traits as the red, cream or apricot colored Golden doodle but in a less common color.

Is the Goldendoodle the right dog for you? Join us to find out why the Goldendoodle is not for everyone.

All About the Black Goldendoodle

What Makes a Goldendoodle Black?

Goldendoodles come in an assortment of colors, with the most common colors being; cream, red, and apricot. The main reason for this is that these are the colors that Golden Retrievers come in. But also because these are the colors that are in high demand for doodles.

Since Goldens only come in red based colors, the genes that make a dog black come from the poodle. In case you are wondering, cream is considered a very faded red and apricot is a less faded red.

The thing with dog color genes is that it’s not just one gene that controls the color of the fur. It is a series of genes that together determine the color.

Also the world of dog genetic is forever changing as they discover new genes in the sequencing.

Since I am not a genetic specialize we are going to leave the science to the experts. But if you want to learn more about dog color genetics you can find some resources listed at the end of this post.

To get a black Goldendoodle you need to cross a Golden Retriever with a poodle that carries the right set of genes to have black puppies.

Since black is a recessive gene a poodle can have the gene without being black. The first generation of doodles will typically not produce many black doodles. So most are second generation doodles.

Goldendoodle Breed Standard

There is a common belief that the Goldendoodle does not have a Breed Standard because it’s a cross breed. Although this may have been true back when the Goldendoodle was first bred in the 1990’s, with their growing popularity breeders are looking to standardize the breed.

This is why the Goldendoodle Association of North America (GAMA) created the breed standard a few years ago. All members of GAMA must agree to follow the standard.

The standard covers the four available Goldendoodle sizes including; the Petite, Mini, Medium and Standard, plus features like general appears, colors, and temperament.

The Official Goldendoodle Breed Standard list five standard Goldendoodle colors which include: Cream, Apricot, Red, Chocolate and Black.

Are Black Goldendoodles Rare?

Goldendoodles that are black are still relatively rare. At the time of this writing there are only a few breeders that specialize in Goldendoodles that are black.

This is mainly due to demand. Most people who want a Goldendoodle are still looking for the lighter colors.

However this may change in time as more people may want something that is a little bit different than the next person. Its more likely that a breeder will have a few black doodles that came from a litter of mainly light colored ones.

Also you can find Black Golden Doodles at a rescue or local shelter. These pups were probably not breed to be black but due to genetics ended up with the black recessive genes.

Just a note: black Labradoodles are more common than Goldendoodles that are black, but they may look very much alike.

Do Black Goldendoodles Shed?

The answer to does a Black Golden Doodle shed is not much. Since F1 Black Goldendoodles are rare, most are multigenerational doodles.

In order to get the two black recessive genes both doodle parents need to have at least one black gene. As I mentioned early this gene generally comes from the Poodle.

Therefore there are more Poodle traits in a black coat than Golden Retriever traits.

But coat colors alone do not indicate whether a doodle will shed. Shedding is associated with the genes that also control the fur on a dog’s face. Dogs with a beard and long eyebrows are more likely to carry the non shedding gene.

However in order to “not shed” you need a doodle that inherits two non shedding genes, one from each parent. Unfortunately this gene is also dominate for long hair, meaning you could have a dog with long facial hair that does not have the two shedding genes needed to “not shed”.

But the good news is that having at least one no shed gene greatly reduces that amount of fur your Goldendoodle will shed.

But everything sheds

All dogs shed some hair. It’s just that dogs with non-shedding coats shed less than dogs with two genes for shedding.

Plus, since doodles require regular brushing any hair that would normally fall out is generally caught in the brush.

Doodles that are not brushed regularly will end up with mats from the hair that falls out and becomes caught in their fur. If you truly want a non-shedding dog you must brush them often.

Are Black Goldendoodles Hypoallergenic?

Pet allergies are believed to be caused by proteins that are found in a dog’s skin cells, saliva or urine. For some people with pet allergies, their allergies are triggered when they are exposed to a dog’s skin cells (also know as dander) that are released into the air when a dog sheds.

So the theory goes if a dog does not shed or sheds minimally there is less dander (skin cells) to be exposed to.

Since Goldendoodles can be bred to shed minimally there is less chance that they will cause an allergic reaction due to being exposed to the dander in the air.

The trick is to have a doodle that is low shed. The best way to do this is to find a breeder that does the genetic testing for the shedding genes.

Also, just because a dog does not shed much, it does not guarantee that you will not be allergic to them.

Shedding dog dander is only one of the ways people come in contact with the protein that causes allergic reactions. Being licked by a dog, petting them, brushing them or cleaning up after them are just some of the ways you can be exposed to the protein.

It’s best to spend time with the dog or their parents to see if you will have an allergic reaction before you bring home the dog.

Does a Black Goldendoodle have a good temperament?

A Goldendoodle that has black fur will have the same great temperament as their lighter colored kin. The intelligence of the Poodle and super friendly nature of the Golden will shine through too.

Since both parent breeds love the water you can be sure your pup will also love to splash around in it.

You may already know that Poodles are considered to be highly intelligent, but did you know that Golden Retrievers also land on the top 5 smartest breeds list? This combined smarts will translate into a dog that is easy to train and one that will want to please you.

The down side of these very social dogs is that they don’t like being alone. Leaving your Goldendoodle alone for long periods of times can lead to separation anxiety.

Also if you get a mini Goldendoodle they may bark more than a larger dog would. It has less to do with the breed and more to do with fear. Therefore it is important that you properly socialize

What Size Do Black Goldendoodles Come In?

The Black Goldendoodle can be found in the same size ranges as a light colored Golden doodle. All of which is stated in the Goldendoodle Breed Standard.

Black Goldendoodle Sizes

Petite: Height: up to 14 inches. Weight: Typically 25 pounds or less
Miniature: Height: between 14 inches and 17 inches (35cm to 42cm) at wither, Weight: typically between 26-35 pounds.
Medium: Height: between 17 inches and 21 inches (43cm to 52cm) at wither, Weight: typically between 36-50 pounds.
Standard: Height: over 21 inches (53cm to 63cm) at wither, Weight: 51 pounds or more.

Do Black Goldendoodles have Health Issues?

Goldendoodles are an overall healthy breed and the color of a Goldendoodle does not affect their health. But like all crossbreeds the Goldendoodle can develop health conditions that are associated with both the Golden Retriever and Poodle.

Goldendoodle health concerns include:

Ear Infections: Goldendoodles are prone to ear infections, thanks to their long hairy ears that can reduce air flow and increase moisture.
A skin disease called Sebaceous adenitisae
A heart condition called Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis,
Hip dysplasia: This is a condition in which the thigh bone becomes displaced from the hip joint. It has a strong genetic component and can be avoided through genetic testing
Addison’s disease
Progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and glaucoma – These are all types of eye disorders
Von Willebrand’s disease which is a blood condition that affects clotting

To minimize the risk of buying a dog with health issues ask your breeder for proof of health testing on parent dogs.

Do not buy a puppy from a breeder that cannot provide you with written, verifiable documentation that the parents were cleared of health problems that affect the breed.

Are Black Goldendoodles high maintenance?

Yes, all Goldendoodles can be considered high maintenance regardless of their color. But it really depends on your definition of high maintenance.

One one hand they shed much less that a Golden which means less time cleaning fur off floors and clothes. But on the other hand they require more time spent grooming them to keep their fluffy coats in good shape.

This includes brushing your doodle every few days to keep them from matting. Goldendoodles with long hair will need to be brushed daily. Of course if you keep their hair short you will have less required maintenance.

In addition to the frequent brushing Goldendoodles need to have their hair trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks.

Professional grooming costs for a Goldendoodle can start at $75.00 and go up from there depending on how big your Goldendoodle gets and the amount of matting. Some groomers charge a de-matting fee on top of the regular cost of grooming.

You can also choose to groom your doodle at home. It will take 2 to 3 hours every 6 to 8 weeks to keep your doodle looking their best.

Another option to reduce the cost and time to care for your doodle is to get a mini doodle.

In addition to the grooming requirements, Goldendoodles are high energy dogs that need a couple hours of daily exercise to stay happy and keep them out of trouble.

Black Goldendoodle in rescue – Petfinder.com

Where can you find a black Goldendoodle puppy?

Breeder –

There are some breeders that specialize in Black Goldendoodles, but most breeders still aim to have lighter colored pups.

But depending on the recessive genes the dogs may carry even breeders will light colored parent dogs may have a few black pups.

When looking for a breeder you want to do your best to look for a reputable breeder that does genetic health testing. You can look for them on Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA) breeders list.

Please do not buy your puppy from “puppy for sale” websites or puppy stores. They are commonly used by puppy mills to hide who they really are.

These puppies often have underlying health conditions that may not be detected by a veterinarian. Plus breeding dogs and their puppies are kept in inhumane conditions at puppy farms. Please help stop puppy mills by not buying from them either directly or indirectly.

Rescue Groups-

Another option is to look for a rescue organization that has doodles. In “The 9 Best Places to Find a Goldendoodle Rescue” we list the rescue groups with the best chance of having a Goldendoodle.

Local Shelters-

While finding a Goldendoodle at a local shelter may be rare it does still happen. Keep an eye on your local shelters website and Facebook page if they have one.

How much is a black Goldendoodle?

You can expect to pay anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 for a genetic health tested black Golden doodle. Prices are determined by size, location, fur type and popularity.

Do black Goldendoodles change color?

It is possible for a Black Goldendoodle to inherit the dilute gene (also known as melanophilin gene (MLPH)). This gene causes the dilution of the black genes, turning black fur to a “blue” or a gray color.

The dilute gene is common in poodles and can be passed on to its offspring. When this happens a puppy that is black may grow to have gray fur when they are adults.

If you like Black Goldendoodles you may also like Black Labradoodles. To learn more check out our post on Goldendoodle vs Labradoodle; Which is better?