BRRR...BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

Sweater and boots. Let’s talk about them. But first, let’s learn more about the Goldendoodle’s parental lines, where they originated from, what their coats are like and why they have the coats that they do.

A Goldendoodle’s parental lines are born hunters. Golden Retrievers and Poodles were developed specifically to be waterfowl dogs. Both lines hunt ducks. Duck hunting season is during the fall and winter months, so these dogs will hunt ducks in very fridge temperatures. They have good insulation from the cold weather since their coats were developed to handle the coldest of temperatures.

The exact origin of the Poodle is a mystery but the development of the breed is credited to both Germany and France. The Poodle is a descendant from the Barbet, a dog that originated in France. However, their name is German, Pudelhund (Puddle hound). “Pudel” means puddle in English. Pudelhunds were known to “splashed about” in water. It is believed that the Poodle originates in Germany, but was bred to a standard in France. The French cultivated and refined the Poodle into the water retrieving hunting dog it is today.

A Poodle’s coat is unique! Not only is it hypoallergenic, but it protects against the cold and is water resistant. The Poodle needs to be groomed often because their coat will continue to grow and when it gets wet, it mats. A Poodle puppy’s coat is soft and thin but as they age, they begin to develop dense thick curls, which is water resistant and insulating. When a Poodle is not brushed or groomed regularly, they will mat. Because of their thick dense curls, the hair that they shed gets trapped in their coat and mats are inevitable.

The Golden Retriever was developed in Scotland near the English border, by Dudley Coutts Marjoribanks During the 19th Century, black sporting dogs were the trend. So much so, that any puppy born with a lighter coat was disposed of. Marjoribanks came across a cobbler that owned a gold-colored wavy coated dog named Nous. Nous was born of two black sporting dogs. He was given to the cobbler as a debt settlement. If it were not for that, Nous may never have survived and Majoribanks would not have acquired him. Nous was bred to Majoribanks liver-colored Tweed Water Spaniel named Belle in 1868. This pairing began the world’s first Golden Retrievers. Interesting fact: Tweed Spaniels are now extinct.

A Golden Retriever’s coat has a classic double-coat. As a young pup they have what is known as an insulating fluff coat. As they age, their guard hair layer develops, also known as their overcoat. Both these coats work together to protect their skin from cold. This double coat not only protects them in the winter from the cold, but it sheds in the spring to cool them in the warmer months. Their undercoat (pups first fuzzy coat) is nearest to the skin and helps to repel water. It also offers a thermal insulation against the cold.

So, what does this mean for our family oriented little goldendoodle minis? Their parental lines give a goldendoodle a unique coat that is resistance to cold. A Goldendoodle will have a coat that keeps them warm and dry during the colder months. The F1 goldendoodle bred back to a Poodle creates the beginnings of something wonderful, an F1b. The additional back breeding helps to eliminate the undercoat of the Golden Retriever. Good breeders will do genetic DNA coat testing to make sure that the coat that their line carries act like a Poodle’s coat but maintain some of the workability of the Golden Retriever.

Goldendoodle breeders are working on developing multi-gen lines. The multi-gen goldendoodle is the best of both parental lines in one. F1b and F1bb Goldendoodles are the generations that carry wavy, curly, or wavy curl coats and are the most desired parental lines for multi-gen goldendoodles. They have very poodle-like coats but without the tight dense curls that Poodles are known for. Quiz: If an F1b is an F1 Goldendoodle bred back to a Poodle, what is an F1bb?

Now on to the original question, are sweaters and boots necessary for a goldendoodle? I think we have answered that, no, but they do just look so adorable in them! Plus, there are so many patterns and colors. I love putting my goldendoodles in them, but I only do it in extremely cold weather, or if they have had to be shaved down in the colder months because I wasn’t a good doodle mommy.

There is one more thing you need to know before this blog ends. Wet snow is a goldendoodle’s winter nemesis. Wet snow and a goldendoodle’s coat do not mix well. Wet snow LOVES to attach to your goldendoodle’s coat and it is very difficult to remove. It weighs them down, makes them miserably cold, and creates a wet mess when they come inside. The best way to combat wet snow and to protect your goldendoodle’s coat is to put them in a full-bodied suit. They are much more protective than a sweater and boots because it protects their entire coat. A full-bodied suit will be an invaluable aid on wet snowy days! You can find one on Amazon: full-bodied snow suit. Thank you for hanging in to the end, I hope you found this information informative and interesting.