Updated: 03/24/2023 – Whether you are looking to get a F1b Goldendoodle or you simply want to learn more about them, you have come to the right place.
A quick internet search for the Goldendoodle will return results for the F1, F2, F2B, F3, and F1B Goldendoodle. You may also see listing for the Australian or English Goldendoodle.
Understanding all the different “types” of Goldendoodles, is difficult at best.
On top of that these popular pups come in an assortment of sizes including toy, mini, micro mini, medium, teacup and standard.
It’s easy to be confused by all the Goldendoodle options you have to choose from. Plus, there is a lot of misinformation circling around these adorable teddy bear pups.
Here we will try to clear up the misinformation and provide you with the most up to date researched information on the F1b Goldendoodle.
In this post we will cover:
- What is a F1B Goldendoodle?
- Types of Goldendoodles
- Temperament
- Size when full-grown
- Health concerns
- Best places to look for one
- Cost of a F1b Goldendoodle
- Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s get Started!
What is a F1B Goldendoodle?
The F1B Goldendoodle is the result of pairing a poodle and a F1 Goldendoodle. The “F” denotes the dog’s generation in the breeding process. “F1” indicates the first time a poodle is mated with a Golden Retriever. While F1B indicates that an F1 was bred back to an unrelated dog that was one of the original breeds.
Quick Facts About the F1B Goldendoodle
| Description | |
| Mix | F1 Goldendoodle and Poodle |
| Sizes | Petite, mini, medium, and standard |
| Lifespan | 10 and 15 years |
| Traits | Affectionate, playful, goofy, loyal, highly intelligent and easy to train |
| Colors | Cream, apricot and red, black, chocolate (dark brown), silver and gray |
| Grooming | Haircuts are required every 6 to 8 weeks and combing a few times a week. |
| Exercise | Twice daily walks and off leash time |
Types of F1B Goldendoodles
You can find three types of Golden Retriever/Poodle Mix breeds; the American, the English and the Australian Goldendoodle. The differences between the three affect their build, colors and maybe even health.
American Goldendoodle
The American Goldendoodle is a mix between the American Golden Retriever and a Poodle. It’s the most common variety of Goldendoodle in the states.
The American Golden Retriever is taller and thinner than the English Golden Retriever. They also have a higher rate of cancer.
The preferred colors of the American Golden Retriever are dark golden, golden or light golden. This typically results in a golden colored Goldendoodle. But the American Golden Retriever can also come in lighter colors like cream or apricot.
English Goldendoodle
The English Goldendoodle is a mix between the English Golden Retriever (aka a European Golden Retriever) which can be cream in color and a white or cream-colored Poodle. This results in a cream or white colored Goldendoodle.
In addition to a lighter color, English Golden Retrievers are bred to be a little shorter and stockier than the American Golden. Their fur is also shorter with more of a wave.
English Golden Retrievers are portrayed as being healthier than the American Golden Retriever, because they have a lower rate of cancer. Though compared to other breeds, the rate of cancer in European Golden Retrievers is still high.
The English Goldendoodle is often portrayed as being better than the American Goldendoodle, but that is up for debate. However, the cost of an English Goldendoodle tends to be higher.
Australian Goldendoodle
Unlike the American and English Goldendoodles you will not find a F1b Australian Goldendoodle. This is because the Australian Goldendoodle is multigen doodle.
Instead of crossing a Golden Retriever with a Poodle, Australian Goldendoodles are a mix between an English Goldendoodle and an Australian Labradoodle. The Australian Labradoodle is known to have up to seven different breeds mixed in.
F1b Goldendoodle Sizes
Goldendoodles come in four size ranges: the petite goldendoodle, mini goldendoodle, medium goldendoodle and the standard goldendoodle.
The size of the doodle is generally dictated by the size of the poodle. Hence a standard Goldendoodle is bred using a standard poodle. A mini poodle is used for a mini doodle.
For medium sized doodles a breeder may choose to use a Moyen poodle or a large mini poodle. Petite doodles are typical bred using a toy poodle and a small mini doodle.
Goldendoodle Breed Standards
Unlike the other designer breeds the Goldendoodle has a breed standard that followed by members of the Goldendoodle Association of North America. Included in this standard are the Goldendoodle size ranges as shown below.
GANA Goldendoodle Size Chart
| Size Range | Height Range | Typical Weight Range |
| Petite | Below 14 inches | 25 lbs. or less |
| Miniature | Over 14 but under 17 inches at wither | 26-35 lbs. |
| Medium | Over 17 but under 21 inches at wither | 36-50 lbs. |
| Standard | Over 21 inches at wither | 51 or more lbs. |
While the size ranges listed above are the desired outcome, the F1b Goldendoodle’s full-grown size is still unpredictable. Especially for the smaller size ranges.
Ultimately, the size of your full grown Goldendoodle, will be determined by the breeding parent’s size, plus any genes that might be passed down from the grandparents.
F1b Goldendoodle Colors
Goldendoodles come in an assortment of solid colors since they can inherit any of the coat colors of either the Golden Retriever or Poodle. You can even find a black Goldendoodle
| Golden Retriever Coat Colors | Poodle Coat Colors |
| Cream | Cream |
| Apricot | Apricot |
| Reds | Red |
| Black | |
| Chocolate (dark brown) | |
| Silver | |
| Gray |
Goldendoodle can also inherit the various color patterns that are common in poodles such as Parti, Phantom, and Tuxedo.
Plus, poodles can carry a “dilute” gene that can turn darker fur, light. In the case of a black puppy, their fur might fade to a light gray.
What’s new
New in the last few years are Goldendoodles with a Merle pattern (aka a dapple coat).
Per the American Kennel Club, “a merle coat is characterized by irregular blotches of fur set on a lighter background of the same pigment, such as solid black on gray (called blue merle) or solid brown on tan (red merle). Blue and partially blue eyes are often seen with the merle pattern, as well.”
Although beautiful and unique, this color pattern is associated with health problems if a dog inherits two copies of the Merle gene. Possible health issues includes: deafness, blindness and physical defects.
It’s important to note that the Merle gene is not associated with either the poodle or Golden Retriever. Instead, it needs to be introduced by another breed where it naturally occurs, like the Australian Shepherd.
F1b Goldendoodles Temperament
The F1B Goldendoodle is a friendly, intelligent, fun loving pup that wants to be close to their people. Their easy-going attitude makes them ideal for families with kids and other dogs. While they like to be active, they are also affectionate, and love to cuddle when playtime is over.
The down side to these very social pups is that they don’t like to be alone. This can lead to clingy behaviors and even separation anxiety when left by themselves.
When does the Goldendoodle settle down?
You may be wondering when your Goldendoodle will start to settle down. This will happen around 3 or 4 years old. One of the fun things about the Golden is that they remain very puppy like longer than other breeds.
The F1b’s Exercise Requirements
The F1B Goldendoodle is an active pup that likes to be outside. They excel at retrieving and can play fetch for hours. They also enjoy daily walks and long hikes.
To meet your young Goldendoodle’s exercise requirements, plan for a couple of moderate walks a day and daily playtime in the backyard. As they age one walk a day and some off-leash playtime will do.
They will also need mental stimulation in addition to physical activity to keep them happy and out of trouble. This can be done with some hide and seek type games or teaching them new tricks.
Tip: All dogs are different. If you find that they are getting into trouble, you may need to adjust the amount of daily exercise to meet their needs.
F1b Goldendoodle Appearance
When a poodle is breed to a F1 Golden doodle, the result is a F1b Golden doodle that has a curly or wavy coat. They will also have the teddy bear look that includes long facial hair around their eyes and muzzle.
The long facial hairs are referred to as furnishings. It’s a dominate trait that is carried by the poodle. The only time a second generation Goldendoodle may not carry the genes for furnishing is when a purebred Golden Retriever is used for breeding instead of the poodle.
Is the F1b Goldendoodle Easy to Train?
As a very intelligent dog that wants to please, the F1B Goldendoodle is easy to train with the right motivation. Goldendoodles are social dogs that look for your approval. Plus, they are highly food motivated. This means they will quickly learn new commands as long as training comes with some tasty treats and belly rubs.
To make training your new puppy easy, train often and be consistent with your commands. If you avoid common puppy training mistakes your Goldendoodle puppy will be trained, including potty training, in no time at all.
Tip: The Goldendoodle can be a sensitive dog. They do not like to be scolded or given negative reinforcement. Doing this will only make them timid. Instead, make all of your training sessions fun.
Is the F1b Mini Goldendoodle Hypoallergenic?
The F1B Goldendoodle is bred to be hypoallergenic. This is done by reducing the amount of fur a dog will shed. You see, pet allergies are caused by proteins in a dog’s skin that become air-born when the fur falls out. Since poodles are low-shed dogs, when you mate them with Golden Retriever, the offspring will shed less therefore reducing the allergens in the air.
How do they reduce shedding?
The degree of shedding in a dog is determined by the combination of the MC5R and RSP02 genes. The poodle carries a combination of these genes that result in low to no shedding. But the Golden Retriever carries a combination of these genes that result in high shedding.
When you mate a low shedding poodle with the high shedding Golden Retriever you end up with off-spring that sheds. But in most cases, they will shed less than a Golden Retriever. To reduce the shedding further they breed a F1 Goldendoodle back to a poodle in hopes that the puppies will only inherit the non-shedding combination of genes from the F1 Goldendoodle and poodle.
There is a catch.
The allergy inducing protein is also found in a dog’s saliva or urine. This means you can still be allergic to a dog just by being licked or cleaning up after them.
Tip: The best way to know if you are allergic to a dog is to spend time with them or the parents. Another option is to ask for a piece of clothing that the dog has worn for a while. If you react to the clothing then you will most likely react to the dog. But this option is not foolproof.
Is the F1B Goldendoodle Low Maintenance?
There is a myth about the Goldendoodle that they are low-maintenance dogs. This is simply not true. Due to their curly coats, the F1b Goldendoodle requires daily brushing and frequent haircuts to keep their fur mat free.
Even Goldendoodles with wavy coats are prone to matting. The matting tends happen close to the skin where it is harder to see. This is the reason why many doodles need to be shaved. It’s also the reason why you need to line-comb a Goldendoodle after they have been thoroughly brushed.
Allowing a dog’s fur to mat is painful for the dog. Matted fur will pull on their skin.
The F1b doodle will need to be groomed every six to eight weeks. The price of professional grooming can range between $50 to $150 depending on where you live, size of the dog and if their coat is matted.
In addition to frequent haircuts they will need to brushed and line combed every day or two.
You can choose to groom your doodle yourself. This is what we do. The cost to buy the required grooming equipment is between $200 to $1000. There are DIY Doodle Grooming Facebook groups that can help you get started.
Goldendoodle Health
Goldendoodles are an overall healthy breed but they can develop health conditions that are common to both the Golden Retriever and Poodle.
Some Goldendoodle Health concerns include:
- Ear Infections – This is due to their long hairy ears that can reduce air flow and increase moisture that can cause infections
- Skin issues
- Hip dysplasia – This is a condition in which the thigh bone becomes displaced from the hip joint. There is a strong genetic component with this condition, which can be avoided through genetic testing
- Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis – A disease which causes a narrowing at the aortic valve of the heart
- Addison’s disease – Also known as hypoadrenocorticism, this disease decreases hormone production from the outer part or cortex of the adrenal gland
- Various eye diseases – Common eye diseases include progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and glaucoma
- Von Willebrand’s disease – a blood condition that affects clotting
- Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) also known as Bloat – this is a common condition in both the poodle and Golden Retriever. GDV occurs when a dog’s stomach fills with gas, food, or fluid and subsequently twists
To minimize the risk of getting a dog with health issues, ask the breeder for proof of genetic health testing on both the parents.
Possible Health Testing includes:
- Hip certifications from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals,
- OFA heart clearance
- Certification from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation that the eyes are healthy
- An OFA elbow clearance for standard Goldendoodles,
- An OFA knee clearance for small or medium-size Goldendoodles
- A DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy
For more information on health testing, see the Ribbon Requirements at the Goldendoodle Association of North America.
F1b Goldendoodle FAQ
1. Where to find a F1b Goldendoodle?
There are a few ways to get a F1b Goldendoodle. The most common way is to buy from a breeder, but there are other ways that you may not be aware of.
1. Breeder
Going to a local breeder is the most common way of getting a Golden doodle puppy. Make sure to buy from a goldendoodle breeder that performs health testing on their breeding dogs. The Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA) offers an award program that indicates the level of health testing done by a breeder.
2. Rescue Groups
Another option is to look for an organization that specializes in Goldendoodle Rescues. Many of these groups are national with volunteers in all states.
3. Guardian Home Program
You can also look for a breeder that offers a Guardian Home Program near you. With Guardian Home Programs the dog lives with you, but the breeder maintains the breeding rights of the dog.
You have to agree to breed the dog for a specified number of times or years. Once you fulfill the contract obligations the dog is fixed and released from the program.
For more detailed information on where to get a Goldendoodle, visit our post Best Places To Find a Goldendoodle Puppy.
2. How much does a F1b Goldendoodle Cost?
Based on our survey of breeders, the cost of a F1B mini Goldendoodle ranged from $2,500 to up to $4,000. The cost of a F1B mini Goldendoodle from breeders that follow the GANA guidelines on health testing ranged from $ 3,250 to $4,000.
3. Why you should choose a F1B Goldendoodle?
If you are looking for an easy to train pup that is great with kids and loves to be active the F1b Goldendoodle is a great option. Plus, if you have a family member with mild pet allergies their low-shed coats should result in less airborne allergens.
4. Are F1B Goldendoodles good dogs?
The F1B Goldendoodle is a great family dog. Thanks to their friendly disposition, high intelligence, and easy-going attitude they make ideal companions. These dogs are not only easy to train, but when play time is over they are always up for some cuddling.
5. What is the difference between F1 and F1B Goldendoodles?
There are three differences between the F1 and F1b Goldendoodle. First, the F1b is less likely to shed and more likely to be hypoallergenic. Second, a F1b will have a curly/wavy coat where the F1 will have straight/wavy coat. Lastly, the f1 will retain more of the Golden Retriever’s personality than the F1b.
6. What percentage of poodle is an F1b Goldendoodle?
If an F1 Goldendoodle is bred with a poodle, the resulting F1b Goldendoodle is 75% poodle and 25% Golden Retriever. However, if a Golden Retriever is used in the cross-back, the F1B Goldendoodle is 25% poodle and 75% Goldendoodle.
7. Are F1b Golden doodles easy to train?
The F1B Goldendoodle is both highly intelligent and has a desire to please. This makes them very easy to train.
8. Do F1B Goldendoodles change color?
F1B Goldendoodles can change color but not all do. Goldendoodles that start life with dark brown, red or black fur, can fade to a lighter shade. This is due to the “dilute genes” that are carried by the poodle. The fading process typically happens between three months and two years.
9. Are F1B Goldendoodles hyper?
The F1B Goldendoodle is an active dog, but is not considered to be hyper. While they like to play hard they are can also settle down nicely when playtime is over.
10. Do F1B Goldendoodles bark a lot?
The F1B Goldendoodle will bark to let you know someone is at the door or on the property, but is not considered to bark excessively.
Pros and Cons of the Goldendoodle
The positive qualities of the Goldendoodle is that they are a friendly, intelligent, and playful companion that are easy to train, relatively healthy and doesn’t shed much. The negative qualities of the Goldendoodle is that they are expensive to buy and own, are high maintenance, require a lot of social interaction and can experience separation anxiety.
Is the Goldendoodle the right dog for you? Join us to find out why the Goldendoodle is not for everyone.