The Goldendoodle is a popular golden retriever and poodle crossbreed sometimes referred to as a designer dog. They are an excellent choice for family pets.
For those bemused by the letters and numbers applied after this dog’s title, there are many types of Goldendoodle and we’ve compiled a full but concise explanation of each. First, what does F1B Goldendoodle actually mean?
An F1B Goldendoodle means a dog is the offspring of an F1 Goldendoodle and purebred standard poodle. As an F1 Goldendoodle is 50% Golden Retriever and 50% poodle, an F1B Goldendoodle is 75% poodle. The B in the generation signifies that a puppy is a backcross, produced by being bred back to a purebred dog.
As we talk about the different generations of doodles, the phrase hybrid vigor often crops up. This term is applied when a cross-bred dog shows qualities superior to those of both its parents.
Goldendoodle generations
There are many generations of Goldendoodles and all are denoted by a code consisting of F, a generation number, and one or 2 Bs. F is short for filial and denotes a dog is the offspring of a cross. The generation number is generally 1, 2, or 3. The lowercase b signifies a backcross to a purebred poodle has occurred.
For example, F1 means first generation and F1B means a first generation backcross.
F1 Goldendoodle: Golden Retriever and Poodle cross
Parent 1: Golden Retriever Parent 2: Poodle Result: Puppies that are 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle Generation code: F1
An F1 dog is the first generation of a cross. Therefore an F1 Goldendoodle is the result of crossing a purebred Golden Retriever and a purebred poodle. It is basically half Golden Retriever and half Poodle. You’ll often hear these referred to as F1 doodles.
An F1 Goldendoodle puppy results from breeding purebred parents. These can be a combination of a female Golden Retriever and male poodle or vice versa. An F1 doodle will have some traits of both breeds and tends to retain much of the beloved personality of the Golden Retriever.
A first generation Goldendoodle tends to have the loose, wavy coat type of a Golden Retriever rather than the tight curly coat of a poodle and it can shed a fair bit, and a shedding coat makes it less suitable for allergy sufferers than a hypoallergenic dog such as a poodle.
F1B Goldendoodle: F1 Goldendoodle and Poodle cross
Parent 1: F1 Goldendoodle Parent 2: Poodle Result: Puppies that are 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever Generation code: F1B
Parent 1: F1 Goldendoodle Parent 2: Golden Retriever Result: Puppies that are 75% Golden Retriever and 25% Poodle Generation code: F1B
As F1 Goldendoodles still shed a fair amount of fur, it became apparent that they were not ideal for people with severe allergies. In search of a dog that would not invoke severe allergic reactions, an F1 Goldendoodle was crossed back to a purebred poodle and the F1B doodle was born.
F1B Goldendoodles can have a more hypoallergenic coat than F1 doodles. These F1B dogs have tighter curly hair like a poodle so their fur does not shed as much as an F1.
This is the main difference between F1 and F1B doodles. They may still cause mild allergies, as no dog is guaranteed to be totally hypoallergenic.
F1BB Goldendoodle
Parent 1: F1B Goldendoodle (75% Poodle) Parent 2: Poodle Result: Puppies that are 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% Golden Retriever Generation code: F1BB
Parent 1: F1B Goldendoodle (75% Golden Retriever) Parent 2: Golden Retriever Result: Puppies that are 87.5% Golden Retriever and 12.5% Poodle Generation code: F1BB
An F1BB Goldendoodle is created by crossing an F1B doodle with either a purebred poodle or purebred Golden retriever.
As you can see above there are two types of F1BB, one has more Golden Retriever and one has more Poodle, depending on the purebred dog that the F1B is bred back to.
F2 Goldendoodle: The result of crossing two F1 doodles.
Parent 1: F1 Goldendoodle Parent 2: F1 Goldendoodle Result: Puppies that are 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle Generation code: F2
Cross an F1 Goldendoodle male with an F1 Goldendoodle female and the result will be F2 Goldendoodles also known as second generation Goldendoodles.
F1s and F2s are 50% Golden Retriever and 50% poodle so it’s easy to think there’s no difference between the two.
Breeders don’t tend to produce F2s because they are second generation crossbreeds and not as profitable as F1s.
Anyone purchasing an F1 doodle should have their dog spayed or neutered if they are not a registered dog breeder.
Most breeders will insist on this and the pups should be on the non-active register. This is to prevent unethical breeding that veers from good standards,
F2B Goldendoodle
Parent 1: F2 Goldendoodle Parent 2: Poodle Result: Puppies that are 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever Generation code: F2B
Parent 1: F2 Goldendoodle Parent 2: Golden Retriever Result: Puppies that are 75% Golden Retriever and 25% Poodle Generation code: F2B An F2B Goldendoodle has the same percentage of Golden Retreiver and poodle as an F1B but does not have as much hybrid vigo. It's not a generation you will find bred by a reputable breeder so proceed with caution if you are thinking of buying one as it could well be a risky purchase.
F2BB Goldendoodle
Parent 1: F2B Goldendoodle (75% Poodle) Parent 2: Poodle Result: Puppies that are 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% Golden Retriever Generation code: F2BB
Parent 1: F2B Goldendoodle (75% Golden Retriever) Parent 2: Golden Retriever Result: Puppies that are 87.5% Golden Retriever and 12.5% Poodle Generation code: F2BB
An F2BB Goldendoodle is created by crossing an F2B doodle with either a purebred poodle or purebred Golden retriever.
As you can see above there are two types of F2BB, one has more Golden Retriever and one has more Poodle, depending on the purebred dog that the F2B is bred back to.
Again this is not a generation that a trusted breeder produces.
F3 Goldendoodle: Multigenerational Goldendoodles
Breed an F2 Goldendoodle male with an F2 Goldendoodle female and the result is F3 Goldendoodle puppies. And there are many other combinations that also produce what’s referred to as an F3 generation doodle.
F3 generations area also referred to as mulit-generational or multigen Goldendoodles and are not something you should expect to be produced by registered breeders.
F1 Goldendoodles vs F1B Goldendoodles
People often ask which is better: F1 or F1B Goldendoodle and there isn’t a definitive answer. It depends on what you are looking for in a dog.
There are pros and cons for F1 and F1B doodles and you can use the following information to help you decide which is better for you.
An F1 doodle is 50% poodle and 50% Golden Retriever. It has good hybrid vigor but can still shed a fair amount. This means you get a hardy, healthy dog but it isn’t necessarily ideal for allergy sufferers.
An F1B doodle that’s 75% poodle might have a curlier coat that tends to shed less and be more suitable for allergy sufferers.
An F1B doodle that’s 75% Golden Retriever may have a looser, wavier coat and not by ideal if you’re allergic to dog fur.
F1B Goldendoodles have less hybrid vigor because they are a second generation crossbreed, bred back to a purebred dog.
When it comes to temperament, an F1 and an F1B Goldendoodle can be very similar.
A comparison of F1 and F2 Goldendoodles
Is an F1 or F2 Goldendoodle better? Both of these generations are 50% poodle and 50% Golden Retriever but the F1 doodle is a better dog with more hybrid vigor.
Reputable breeders rarely produce F2 generation doodles so they don’t come with the health guarantees that first generation pups are sold with.
F1 doodles tend to shed less than F2s so are more suitable for allergy sufferers though no generations can be guaranteed to be hypoallergenic.
A comparison of F1B and F2B Goldendoodles
Is F1B or F2B better? Both of these generations are either 75% poodle/25% Golden Retriever or 75% Golden Retriever/25% poodle so genetically there is no difference.
In terms of hybrid vigor, the F1B is better than the F2B and it also tends to shed less.
As breeders don’t tend to breed F2 generation Goldendoodleyou will not get the guarantee of good health with an F2B doodle that you’ll get with an F1B sourced from a reputable breeder.
Mini Goldendoodles
When a Golden Retriever and a mini poodle are crossbred, the result is a Mini Doodle.
A mini poodle is officially known as a Toy poodle or miniature poodle and as this dog is much smaller than a Golden Retriever, artificial insemination is essential to prevent accidental injury.
Goldendoodle breeders are able to use kits in their breeding programs.
The same generations are possible so it is possible to have:
- F1 Mini Goldendoodles
- F1B Mini Goldendoodles
- F1BB Mini Goldendoodles
- F2 Mini Goldendoodles
- F2B Mini Goldendoodle
- F2BB Mini Goldendoodle
- F3 Mini Goldendoodles or Multigenerational Mini Goldendoodles
These generations are created in the same way as for standard poodles so you can refer to the details above. Wherever you see Poodle, just substitute Miniature Poodle.
Is the Goldendoodle a hybrid dog?
A hybrid dog results from the deliberate and controlled breeding of two purebred dogs. Therefore it is true to say that the Goldendoodle is a hybrid.
An F1 or first generation Goldendoodle has hybrid vigor.
There are no clearly defined metrics for measuring hybrid vigor in dogs, but a first generation cross created from two purebred dogs generally has robust health especially if both parents are healthy and have no genetic diseases.
What health issues can Goldendoodles have
There are health benefits to gain from cross-breeding two healthy purebred dogs, but health issues can still arise.
Goldendoodles may suffer from certain conditions that can affect a variety of breeds including:
- Patellar Luxation.
- Hip Dysplasia.
- Atopic Dermatitis.
- Cranial Cruciate Ligament Rupture.
One disease that Goldendoodles in particular are prone to inheriting is a cardiovascular condition known as subvalvular aortic stenosis.
Affected dogs have a narrow aorta meaning their heart has to work extremely hard to pump oxygenated blood around their bodies.
Subvalvular aortic stenosis is congenital and is often passed down from the Golden Retriever parent.
The condition can be diagnosed with a scan and any breeding dogs who are found to have this should not be bred from as life expectancy is drastically shortened.
This disease can affect F1, F1B, F1BB, F2, F2B, F2BB, and any other multigenerational Goldendoodle which only serves to emphasize how important it is to buy any doodle from a reputable breeder who scans all their breeding dogs.
In summary: What does F1B Goldendoodle mean?
An F1B Goldendoodle is a first generation doodle that’s produced by breeding an F1 dog with a purebred poodle or Golden Retriever.
It’s one of several codes used to label the various doodle generations. The ideal doodle for robust health is an F1 dog as it is 50% poodle and 50% Golden Retriever.
It was hoped that an F1B doodle created by breeding an F1 and poodle would produce a dog that shed less fur and so was hopefully ideal for allergy sufferers.
An F1 or an F1B can be purchased from a breeder but they don’t offer breed F2s and other multigeneration doodles.
Goldendoodles are lovely family pets, preferring company to being left alone.