Congratulations! You welcomed a new Golden Doodle into your life. These fluffy furry teddy bears are the best companions. If caring for your new doodle is harder than expected, you are not alone! Here is everything you need to know about caring for a doodle or poodle mix. From energy levels, to separation anxiety, to the tricky curly coat, Dr. Sniff has you covered.
Golden Doodles are popular for many reasons. They are great family dogs, they have hypoallergenic coats that don't shed, they are intelligent, friendly, and trainable.
Oftentimes, pet parents are surprised by the level of maintenance doodles require.
A downside of Golden Doodles' sweet social nature and spunky energy level is susceptibility to separation anxiety. This causes an issue because most pet parents need to work, and simply cannot be home with their dog all day. Some ways to combat separation anxiety include playing with your Golden Doodle as much as possible. Socialize them with other dogs on play dates, at the park, and on walks. Introduce your pup to as many new experiences as possible early on including dog friendly restaurants, shopping, and parks.
Golden Doodles are a hybrid of two of the most intelligent dog breeds: the Golden Retriever and the Poodle. They are very trainable dogs so it is important you take the time to train them in the home, on a leash, and in areas where leashes are not required. Committing to training, and exposing your pup to as many atmospheres and social settings as possible can nearly eliminate any risk of aggression in uncertain situations. Golden Doodles have an innate instinct to chase, thanks to their Golden Retriever genes. Training them off a leash and playing games such as fetch, tug of war, and hide and seek can help avoid dangerous situations where you pup may take off running and get hurt.
Many people choose Golden Doodles for their hypoallergenic coat. It is hard to predict if a Golden Doodle's coat will be more similar to that of a Poodles, or that of a Golden Retrievers. If your pup's coat is more coiled and curled like a Poodle's the hair may shed and get trapped in the coat, which can lead to tangles and painful matting. It is very important have your Golden Doodle professionally groomed every 4-6 weeks, and regularly brush your pup's coat in between. Dr. Sniff Waterless Shampoo and Detangling Spray are the perfect tools for quick, mess-free coat maintenance. Check out Dr. Sniff's Doodle Starter Pack for everything you need. You can avoid an embarrassing shave-down by taking care of your Golden Doodles Coat at home, in between professional grooming appointments. Golden Doodles hair around their eyes can grow very long and impact their vision, so it important to keep that area tidy.
Golden Doodles make excellent family dogs and companions, but they do have innate needs to be aware of to live their best, happiest, healthiest life.