Dogs have been bred over the centuries to perform tasks and to keep company. In fact, humanity has been living with dogs for about 14,000 years, using them as hunters, guards, soldiers, shepherds, guides for the blind, and pets. The friendly Golden Retriever / Labrador Retriever and Poodle breeds were bred to create a dog with a shedless coat that was smaller in size; were further reduced in size by producing a hybrid from a mini poodle, resulting in tiny and tiny Goldendoodles and Labradoodles. The minis weigh between 35 pounds and the little ones between 12 and 18 pounds.
The retriever and poodle crossbreed called Labradoodles and Goldendoodles were first bred in 1989 by the Australian Guide Dog Association for See-Through Dogs which were also quite hypoallergenic with low-drape or no-down coats that would be comfortable for owners with allergies. Soon after, their reputation as low-maintenance, healthy pets spread to North America. Cute and friendly small dogs can live happily in tight spaces, so apartment dwellers would do well to consider the Goldendoodle and Labradoodle miniature breeds when purchasing a pet. Tiny Goldendoodles are even less fiddly to care for with low food consumption and cleanliness.
The coat types and shedding qualities of these hybrid classes have been formalized in a table by owners and breeders. Done in numbers, 1 to 6 is the category “no shed”, 7 to 15 is “very light shed”, 26 to 35 is “moderate shed” and more than 36 indicates “heavy shed”. Coats come flat, wavy, or curly. When it comes to allergies, family members should check for sensitivity to dog dander, saliva, or urine before making a purchase. There really are no 100% hypoallergenic dogs, but Lab and Golden Doodles are very close. One method of testing the amount of shedding is to brush the dog thoroughly and, the next day, put your hand in water and shake off the excess. Next, stroke the dog from neck to rump three times with your wet hand, applying gentle pressure. Then see how many hairs have fallen out on your hand.
To test aggression, you can roll the puppy onto its back and gently pat or scratch its belly. There will often be some problems at first, but as the puppy gets used to petting, he should relax and calm down. When you stop petting, the puppy should stay there for a short time before getting back on its feet and running off to play some more. If the puppy has acquired aggressive traits, he will continue to fight and will not relax.
Poodles and golden retrievers share a common characteristic – they come in a wide variety of colors. Poodles come in shades of dark brown, white, red, cream, and gold. Similarly, Golden Retrievers come in gold, copper, red, and light cream. The color and size depend on the parents; size is primarily determined by the parent Poodle, and smaller sizes would result from Miniature Poodles rather than the standard size. Regardless of size and color, these dogs are uniformly adorable, affectionate, and intelligent.