Curious about Black Goldendoodles? The Golden element of the Goldendoodle has been taken quite literally, and the cream and gold variations of these pooches have been most prevalent, but you may not know that contrary to its moniker, the Goldendoodle also comes in black. Keep reading to find out 5 things you probably didn’t know about black Goldendoodles!
As you probably know by now, a Goldendoodle is a cross between a Poodle and a Golden Retriever, and despite the many arguments against this mix (many of which are valid – they aren’t actually hypoallergenic, there are none-to-very-few ethical breeders that do all the correct health testing, and the prevalence of puppy mills is rife in the ‘designer dog’ business) they have remained popular over the last few years.
Want to know more about Goldendoodles? See our Complete Guide here!
1. Black Goldendoodles Get Their Colour From Poodles
The genetics of canine coat colours is actually very complex, with some colours being ‘dominant’ (requiring a parent of the same colour), or ‘recessive’ (meaning a colour can ‘hide’ and skip a generation). Golden Retrievers only come in variations of their signature ‘gold’ or cream coat, but Poodles come in many colours, including black, and this is from who the black Goldendoodles inherit their black coat colour.
2. Black Goldendoodles Can (And Probably Will) Shed
All dogs shed, it is a natural process that occurs either all year round or as the season’s change. Although it has been said many times that “oodles” don’t shed, due to their poodle genes, this isn’t true.
Poodles lose their coat like all other breeds of dog, but due to their curly coat the hair becomes ‘trapped’ and doesn’t fall out naturally. If the dog isn’t groomed often (a full groom every 6-8 weeks and brushed daily) this hair will form matts, which are very uncomfortable for the dog.
Because a black Goldendoodle is only part poodle, there is a great chance they won’t inherit the coat gene from the poodle parent, meaning they will shed like a non-curly coated dog.
3. Black Goldendoodles Aren’t Hypoallergenic
The Mayo Clinic recently released a statement declaring there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, as most people are actually allergic to a protein in a dog’s saliva, not their fur. The AKC reiterates this, and a study published in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy found that there were no significant differences between allergens in homes with “hypoallergenic” breeds and other breeds of dogs, debunking the myth that Goldendoodles are a hypoallergenic breed of dog.
Curious about the difference between a Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle? Read more here!
4. Black Goldendoodles Aren’t Healthier Than Purebreds
One of the promoted benefits of Goldendoodles, and crossbred dogs, in general, is that due to greater genetic diversity they will be healthier and less likely to suffer health problems that are common in a purebred dog – a very simplified explanation of ‘hybrid vigour’. In fact, several studies have proven this to be a myth.
Due to the very strict health testing requirements of purebred dogs, many of the health issues affecting purebreds have been eliminated or drastically reduced through responsible breeding by ethical breeders, but since there are no requirements for health testing of crossbred dogs (including Goldendoodles) they are often more likely to suffer from genetic health issues.
One recent study provides an example of negative actual hybrid vigour: when compared to purebred Retrievers and Poodles, the Goldendoodles in the study had a higher prevalence of multifocal retinal dysplasia than the average prevalence in their purebred parent breeds.
5. Black Goldendoodles Can Also Be Parti Coloured
Not only can you get black Goldendoodles, but you can also get black and white or black with white markings! Like the black coat colour of the Goldendoodle, the white markings also are inherited from the Poodle parent.