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F1 Mini Goldendoodle: What You Need to Know

It’s common when looking for a Mini Goldendoodle to hear terms like F1 Mini Goldendoodle, F1B Mini Goldendoodle or a multigenerational Mini Goldendoodle.

But if you are new to the world of mini doodle dogs, you may be wondering what these terms mean.

You may also be wondering how to decide which of the mini doodle options is right for you.

We are here to help. Join us as we review the F1 Mini Golden doodle and what F1 really means.

In addition to explaining the generation classifications, we will also go over the pros and cons of the F1 Mini Goldendoodle and help you decide if an F1 is the best choice for you.

Why was the Mini Golden doodle created?

The first widely known doodle was the 3 Labradoodle puppies bred by the Royal Guide Dog Association in Australia. The crossbreed pups were bred in response to a woman’s request to find a guide dog that would not trigger her husband’s allergy to dogs.

At the time, the world of canine genetics was not as advanced as it is today, but the breeder knew that Poodles shed less than other dogs and that they were considered to be hypoallergenic.

F1 Mini Golden doodle: What You Need to Know

So a Standard Poodle was bred to one of the Labrador Retrievers used in the seeing eye program. The idea was that a crossbred pup would inherit the best of both breeds. Resulting in a hard working guide dog that the husband would not be allergic to. In the end one of the three puppies proved to be hypoallergenic for the husband and the idea of designer cross breeds began.

Once the word got out about these adorable, low shedding dogs, breeders started to breed poodles with other popular dog breeds like the Golden Retriever. Hence the F1 Goldendoodle was born.

The Goldendoodle proved to be extremely popular with families with allergies, but they only came in one size; Large Some Goldendoodles grew bigger than their parents.

So people started searching for a smaller doodle dog. In time the demand for a smaller Golden doodle was met with the creation of the Mini Goldendoodle.

Designer Crossbreeds

The original Goldendoodle was a Golden Retriever breed with a standard Poodle. This is considered an F1 Goldendoodle. The F1 mini was bred by using a smaller Golden Retriever with a mini poodle.

F1 Mini Goldendoodle
F1 Mini Goldendoodle

What does the term “F1” mean

The F in F1 states for filial. In biology, filial denotes the generation or generations after the parental generation. So in the case of the Goldendoodle, F1 stands for the first (1st) generation of the Golden Retriever and Poodle union.

Goldendoodle Generation Classifications

You may have heard of other filial types like the F1B or F2. These stand for the various combinations of Poodle, Golden Retriever and Goldendoodle.

As we already mentioned above a F1 Mini Golden doodle is a first generation cross so the puppies are 50% Mini Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever.

If you mate a F1 mini Goldendoodle with a mini poodle you get an F1B mini Golden doodle.

The F1b Goldendoodle is believed to have less of a chance of shedding than the F1 because in theory the puppies will have more mini poodle genes in them than Golden Retriever genes.

If the F1 puppies inherit too many traits from the poodle a breeder may choose to cross the puppy with a Golden Retriever to balance out the mix of Golden and Poodle traits. This would also be considered a F1B, just in reverse.

Generation Charts

You will often see percentage charts on breeder’s websites that represent the % of poodle in each filial category. You may also notice that the percentage of poodle does not always match from breeder to breeder. This is because once you get past the first generation, the only way to truly know what has been passed down to the puppies is through genetic testing. So the percentages are a guess based on what is known.

Example a F1b may be 75% poodle and 25% Golden, since a poodle was used twice in the breeding process.

Are F1 Mini Goldendoodles Good dogs

Both the Golden Retriever and the Poodle have many desirable traits which is why they are consistently in the top 10 of the most popular dogs.

The Golden Retriever is known for their friendly, playful nature, They are also intelligent and affectionate. Goldens love to be around children and are always up for adventure. While they can be active, they have the ability to be chill after a day of fun. It is said the Golden has never met a stranger, just a friend they have yet to meet.

Poodles on the other hand are considered to be more aloof to strangers, but adore their families. Second only to the Border Collie, the poodle is a highly intelligent breed. This makes them easy to train, but they need more mental stimulation than the Golden. Poodles are also known to be the class clown and like most class clowns can get into trouble. But what you can do with these athletic dogs is endless. Agility? No problem. Fly ball or tracking? You bet.

So when you bring these two breeds together you get a friendly, fun loving, energetic pup that loves to be around people and is ready for anything.

But a word of caution. Only carefully bred dogs will be the best of both worlds. Puppy mills puppies or puppies that are bred for pure profit are known to have more behavioral issues, are harder to train and have health problems. Be very careful with who you get your puppy from. Only buy from a quality breeder that you have personally spoken to.

Happyoodles.com - Get to know the Mini Goldendoodle
Mini Goldendoodle

F1 Mini Goldendoodle: Pros and Cons

First let’s start with pros for the F1 Mini

  • F1 Mini Goldendoodles are friendly, intelligent pups that are eager to please.
  • They are adorable
  • They make great therapy dogs and service dogs
  • Their smaller size makes it easier to go places
  • They can comfortably fit into a smaller apartment
  • As long as they are properly socialized and get enough exercise they are equally comfortable in a city or suburban area.
  • They adore kids and will play for hours with them.
  • Goldendoodles are loyal
  • If properly bred they can be healthier due to the mix of genes between the breeds.
  • Less chance of breeding in recessive genes.

Now for the F1 Mini cons

  • The biggest con with the F1 mini Golden doodle is the unknown.
    • You may get a curly puppy that does not shed or
    • You could end up with an adult dog with straight fur that does shed.
  • Both the Poodle and Golden share some of the same health conditions, like hip dysplasia, which means they can still end up with the condition. Many of these health concerns can be bred out of the dogs with Genetic Health testing.
  • The mini might not be so mini. Since they use a Golden retriever to breed with a mini poodle the puppy can grow to any size in between the two.
  • Breeding large and small dogs together can also cause oddities, like having a long body and short legs.
Happyoodle.com - Mini poodle with curly coat - Canva
Mini Goldendoodle is curly coat

More About the F1 Mini Goldendoodle

Do F1 Goldendoodles Shed?

The allure of the mini Goldendoodle for many people is the idea of a non shedding dog, rolled up in a rough and tumble, cute package.

Let’s face it, most low shed dogs tend to be companion dogs. You don’t really see that cute little Yorkie in a Flyball tournament? Do you?

But most F1 Goldendoodles will shed more than a poodle but still less than a Golden Retriever. Take it from someone that lived with a Golden, they can shed a lot.

The reason they will shed is that although the poodle only carries low shedding genes and the golden only carries shedding genes. Each parent will pass down one gene to the puppies. Unfortunately, the non shedding gene does not override the shedding gene.

You may have picked up on the fact that I said “most F1 Goldendoodles will shed” That is because there are Goldendoodle parents out there that say their dog never sheds.

This can happen for one of two reasons. First they regularly brush and line comb their doodles, which pulls out the loose hair. So instead of it being all over the floor it gets caught in the brush.

The other option is that they do not brush their doodle regularly and the fallen hair is caught in their curly coat forming mats.

Trying to decide between a mini Goldendoodle and a standard Goldendoodle. Check out our post in the subject to see which one might be a better fit.

What is the Size of a F1 Mini Goldendoodle

The average size of a miniature Goldendoodle is between 13 and 20 inches tall at the shoulder and 20 to 50 pounds. But this is the range for all mini Goldendoodles.

F1 Goldendoodles will be on the bigger side of the range. As I mentioned above, due to the large size difference between the Poodle and the Goldendoodle, you will not know the true size of the dog until they are full grown goldendoodles.

Due the large size difference between the Golden and mini poodle, some breeders will use a Moyen poodle (small standard poodle) instead of a mini poodle. They may also use a smaller sized Golden Retriever to breed the mini Goldendoodle. In these cases the mini will be on the larger size but they will be more in proportion. Some breeders may classify these doodles as medium Goldendoodles.

Where to find a F1 Mini Goldendoodle

These days it is harder to find an F1 Goldendoodle then it used to be. This is because reputable breeders prefer the predictability of later generation Goldendoodles than the unknown of the first generation crossbreeds.

But first generation Goldendoodles can still be found when a breeder is looking for a fresh genetic start.

Another place to look for F1 goldendoodles is at Goldendoodle Rescue and Poodle Rescue Groups. This is due to people rehoming their F1 doodles after finding out they shed or are allergic to them.

The cost to adopt an F1 mini Goldendoodle from a rescue group averages between $450 and $850. The cost at a local city shelter is generally less. Puppies under a year old will cost more than an adult dog.

How much is a F1 Goldendoodle

The cost of a Mini Goldendoodle puppy can range from $500 all the way up to $4,000. How much you pay for a mini will depend on where you get them. But the average cost of an F1 mini Golden doodle is around $2,500 to $3,500.

What’s the difference between an F1 Goldendoodle and a F1B Goldendoodle

A F1 Mini is a cross between the Golden Retriever and a Mini Poodle. A F1b Mini is a cross between a F1 mini Golden doodle and a mini poodle.

This difference means that there is more poodle than Golden Retriever in the F1B puppies. Chances are good that they will shed less, but they will also have a curlier coat and their personality may be closer to a poodle than a Golden.

F1 MinI Golden Doodle Pin - Happyoodles.com

What is Better a F1 Goldendoodle or F1b Goldendoodle

Which is better depends on what you’re looking for. The F1 Goldendoodle will have a straight to wavy coat and shed more, but they will have less of a chance of inheriting a breed specific health condition. Plus they will retain more of the Golden’s friendly personality.

On the other hand the F1B Goldendoodle will have a curlier coat but will shed less. They may also pick up more of the poodle’s high energy and personality. But F1b Goldendoodle may also inherit the poodles longer lifespan.

To learn more about how long a Goldendoodle lives, check out our post on the Goldendoodle Lifespan.

Alternative to the Mini Golden doodle

If you are not sure if a Mini Goldendoodle is right for you, check out our list of mini doodle breeds to see other poodle crossbreeds that will melt your heart.

Importance of health testing an F1 Mini Golden doodle

Regardless of which Goldendoodle generation you pick I can’t stress enough to only buy a doodle from a breeder that does genetic health testing. This is testing that is done on the puppies parents before they are bred. These tests can uncover genetic health conditions that can be passed down to their offspring.

Breeders are also able to test to see if the parent dogs carry the genes that give the doodle the teddy bear look and if they will shed.

F1 Mini Golden doodle Resources