When the Doodle craze started in the 1970’s the only size option for these designer dogs was LARGE, On occasion, you could find a smaller Goldendoodle that fell into the medium size range. But this was the exception, rather than the rule.
At the time, designer dog breeders were simply following conventional breeding practices. That was to mate two dogs that were close in size. Of course back then most breeders only bred purebreds.
So when the first Labradoodles were bred in Australia, a standard poodle was used. Breeding the Labrador with a Standard Poodle made sense on a few fronts. Not only were they close in size but they were also close in temperament.
The Labradoodle became wildly popular and it didn’t take long for the Goldendoodle to follow suit.
But then something surprising happened. The union of these two large breeds sometimes resulted in very large off-spring. Even though most male Goldens top out at a healthy 75 pounds and male Poodles are considered large at 70 pounds., a full grown Goldendoodle weighing over 100 pounds is not unheard of.
For many people the full sized Goldendoodle was just too big, so breeders started experimenting with mating a Goldendoodle to a mini Poodle to create the mini Goldendoodle. It didn’t take long for the mini Goldendoodle to become a popular choice for many.
However, the mini Goldendoodle was too small for some people. This left anyone who was looking for a medium sized Goldendoodle, either hoping to find a small standard or a large mini.
But in the last few years more breeders are striving to breed medium sized Golden doodles to meet the demand.
Medium Goldendoodle Questions
What is a medium sized Goldendoodle?
A medium Goldendoodle weighs between 36 and 50 pounds and is 17 to 21 inches tall at the shoulder. Larger Goldendoodles that are 50 pounds or more fall into the standard size category and a Goldendoodle that is less than 36 pounds will fall in the mini or petite size categories. See chart below.
These size categories are based on the Goldendoodle Breed Standard created by the Goldendoodle Association of North America.
Goldendoodle Association of North America Breed Standards for Size
| Size Range | Height Range | 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. |
How is the Medium Golden doodle Breed?
Medium Golden doodles tend to be multigenerational doodles. Meaning they are bred using two Golden doodles as opposed to two purebreds. Multigenerational Goldendoodles allow the breeder to breed down to the desired size overtime.
Breeders that try to shortcut this process may use a Golden Retriever and a mini poodle in the hopes that they will get medium sized dogs. This breeding practice often ends up resulting in a litter with a wide range of sizes. Meaning your medium sized dog might end up being either a large dog or a mini.
It’s also important to take the time to breed down a dog in size to avoid structural defects in future generations. Structural defects include having a body shape that is out of proportion. An example of this is a dog with short legs compared to their body. Dogs with disproportionately long backs are prone to back injuries.
F1 Medium Golden doodle
If you prefer to have an F1 Goldendoodle, some breeders will use a Moyen Poodle to breed to a small Goldendoodle. Moyen poodles are between the standard Poodle and the mini Poodle in size, but they have the standard Poodle personality. True Moyen Poodles are found in Europe, but some breeders are importing them to the USA. The American Kennel Club does not recognize the Moyen Poodle.
Beware of breeders that cross a mini and standard poodle to create a medium sized poodle. They potentially will have the same structural issues as mentioned above.
An F1 Goldendoodle vs F1b Goldendoodle
The downside of an F1b Goldendoodle or multigeneration doodle is that they have more poodle characteristics, since most breeders breed back to the poodle in hopes of a non shedding coat.
If the breeder is using a Mini Poodle to breed down the size, the pups may inherit the high strung personality of the mini poodle. If this is an issue for you or if you want to keep as much of the Golden personality as possible, look for a F1 Goldendoodle.
How to know if your Golden doodle will be a medium sized dog?
The first thing to do is find an experienced breeder that has been breeding medium sized Golden doodles for at least four generations, but the more the better. This will allow them the time to fine tune the sizes.
Next, ask about the parents, grandparents and great grandparents sizes. Genes that affect a dog’s size can be handed down from past generations. If any of the past generations are outside the medium range there is a chance that your dog can be outside the range too.
Finally, owners of medium sized Golden doodles reported that their pups that were 8 to 9 pounds at 8 weeks old grew to 40 to 50 pounds when full grown. However, this was just a small sampling and may not be accurate for your puppy.
How accurate are size estimates for Goldendoodles?
In a recent survey, Mini Goldendoodle owners were asked if their doodle grew to the expected size. Here are the results.
- 58% of responders stated that their mini Goldendoodle did not fall within the expected weight range of their adult size.
- 45% expected their pup to be smaller
- 13% expected their pup to be larger
- 42% grew to the expected size.
When does a medium Goldendoodle stop growing?
Since the Goldendoodle is a mixed breed there is little information on the breed still. So to find the answer to when a medium sized Golden doodle stops growing we looked to the Golden doodle community. Medium Goldendoodle owners reported that their pups reached their adult height by the time they were 9 months old, though some continued to gain weight up until 18 months old.
Keep in mind each dog will have their own growth rate and it is not unusual to have a dog that stops growing sooner or later than these times.
The Medium Golden doodle vs The Mini Golden doodle
As I mentioned above some medium Goldendoodles are just large mini Goldendoodles so you may be wondering if you should just look for a large mini.
This will really depend on the type of personality you are looking for in a dog and how accurate you want the sizing to be.
If you truly need a medium sized dog that is in the proportions of a poodle, then a medium Golden doodle that is bred using a Moyen poodle may be the best option. This is due to the medium size of the moyen. They will also be less hyper then a dog bred using a mini poodle.
But true Moyen poodles are still rare in the USA, which means pups bred using one may be more expensive. Also they may be a larger size compared to a pup bred using a mini poodle.
Are Medium Goldendoodle Good Dogs?
The medium sized Golden doodle is a very versatile dog. They are small enough to cuddle up with, and big enough to go on hikes without worrying about them. Plus their medium build means that they are sturdy around kids but not too big to run small children over.
Depending on the breeding, medium Goldendoodles may be more relaxed as compared to a mini Golden doodle.
Do Medium Goldendoodles bark a lot?
The answer to this will depend on how they are bred. Medium Golden doodles that are bred using a mini poodle will have the tendency to bark more than one that is bred with a Moyen or small standard poodle.
That is because the mini poodle does not have the same personality as the larger poodles. Mini Poodles have the tendency to bark. Also F1b Goldendoodles that are a cross-back to the mini poodle will also be more likely to bark.
How much exercise does a medium Goldendoodle need?
Both the Golden Retriever and poodle are high energy dogs, especially in their first few years. Goldens are known to keep their playful ways until 8 or 9 years old. Though they should stop getting into trouble by two or three years old. Poodles love attention and will try their best to keep you entertained.
Daily walks and interactive playtime a few times a day are a must for these energetic pups. Just remember that all dogs are different and you need to figure out what is the right amount to exercise for your pup.
Look for clues. A tired dog will be reluctant to bring the ball all the way back to you or they will be slow to get up when called. A content dog will not be destructive.
How much are medium Golden doodles?
The average cost of a medium Goldendoodle is between $2,000 to $ 4,000. You can find them for less through puppy brokers, but I suggest staying away from them. These pups are typically not from health tested parents and often come from puppy mills.
You will find that some breeders charge extra for rare sizes like the medium.
The true cost of your goldendoodle will depend on where you get them. To learn more about a goldendoodle cost check out our post What Does A Goldendoodle Cost?
Where to find a Medium Goldendoodle
Look for local Golden doodle breeders in your area that have medium sized doodles. Buying from a local breeder is your best option to getting a well bred, health checked Goldendoodle. Once you have selected a couple of breeders, call each one to ask detailed questions about the puppies, puppy’s parents and any concerns you may have with the breed.
Stay away from breeders that use a puppy broker or that will ship the pup to you. While some breeders may be ok, many are going to rely on the fact that you can not visit their site to see what living conditions are like.
Reputable breeders care for their dogs and want to make sure each pup goes to the best home possible therefore they will want to talk to you directly.
