Goldendoodles are perhaps the friendliest family dogs. Their cheerful disposition has helped them work as therapy dogs as well. Their active genes make them the perfect family dog. However, they do not have just breed type. They come in different colors and coat types. We will first begin by understanding the different coat types of a Goldendoodle.
Goldendoodle Hair Types
When they are a few days old pups, it’s hard to identify the coat type they will have in the future. So, let’s educate ourselves by summarizing the different coat types of Goldendoodles. We have a dedicated guide that explains Goldendoodle coat types and colors. You can check that out for more information.
1. Wavy Hair
Wavy Hair is longer in length and softer to the touch. Also known as the shaggy hair type, brushing through it is relatively easy. They do require regular grooming so that the hair remains untangled. Doodles with wavy hair have one parent who is a poodle with curly hair and one parent who is a Golden Retriever with straight hair. And you end up with a dog that has soft and wavy hair that sheds very little. When they are groomed, they look like teddy bears. That’s another name for them.
2. Straight Hair
Generally, this hair type is rare if one of the parents is a poodle. But if you breed two Goldendoodles you get Goldendoodle straight hair pups. There are pros and cons to this coat type. It’s easy to maintain and doesn’t require everyday brushing. However, straight hair means they lack the teddy bear look which is the signature look of this breed. On the upside, no beard grows around their muzzle. But on the downside, they shed a lot of hair. In fact, they shed their summer coat for a thicker winter coat. Their hair doesn’t get tangled easily, but it’s fairly common for them to collect mud, debris, and sticks when they roll on the ground.
3. Curly Hair
Doodles generally, have tight curls close to their skin or barrel type ringlets. Either way, curly hair sheds the least because whatever hair that breaks get caught in the curls. So, people with pet allergies have found it easier to own a curly Doodle. However, thick curly hair means it gets matted easily. So regular brushing and 6 to 8 weeks of grooming are a must. The curls give them the famous ‘teddy bear’ look they inherit from their Poodle parent.
4. Mixed type hair
This hair type is challenging to maintain because your dog will have curls around the face and their ears or body have curls, while legs have long straight hair. This means each hair type requires different grooming.
Adult Goldendoodles generally have one hair type from the kinds mentioned above. However, be prepared for surprises because your dog may have more than one hair type. For example, it may have the famous curly hair around the body, but its face may have waves.
When Does a Goldendoodle’s Hair Get Curly?
Goldendoodle pups aren’t naturally born with curly hair. As puppies, they have soft, silky, and straight hair. If you are too keen on determining whether your pup will have a curly coat as an adult, then carefully examine the hair around their mouth and nose. If it appears curly to you, then there is a good chance of them developing a curly coat. However, Mother Nature has its own ways of working. Do remember, when a pup develops inside its mum’s womb its DNA gets structured. It is DNA that determines the coat type and color.
It’s true that people get a Doodle for their signature curly coat. However, it’s only when they shed their puppy coat and develop an adult coat that we get to know whether it’s curly, wavy, or straight. Plus, their puppy coat may be quite different from the adult coat. This transition happens when they reach the age of one. As they keep growing, their coat can change. Their adult coat may be way different from what they had as a pup.
This piece of information might be new to you. Especially because the general perception of a Goldendoodle is that they are an innocent looking curly fur ball. However, there are wavy and straight hair versions too.
But all is not lost. There are some signs to look for that may help you determine the future coat type of your pup.
How To Tell What Type of Hair My Goldendoodle Has?
To help us answer this question let’s look at some tell-tale signs. Basically, signs Goldendoodle puppy will have curly hair. Breeders have formulated a few signs that can help us determine the coat type of an adult Doodle while they are still a pup.
1. Hair around the nose and mouth
how to know whether you have a curly hair Goldendoodle puppy? To get a fair idea about the type of coat your pup will have, examine the hair around the nose and mouth. If their mustache and beard region has tight curls, they may grow up to have a curly coat. If the same region has straight hair, your pup might have wavy or shaggy hair as an adult dog. No beard and short hair on the muzzle indicate straight hair in an adult pup.
2. Breeding
parents’ and grandparents’ coats can help determine the coat type of your dog. After all, genes play an important factor in determining the type and color of the coat. For example, when a Golden Retriever and Poodle are bred together there is a 50% chance of pups with curly coats. However, if a Goldendoodle and a Poodle are bred together then the chances increase to 75%. So, it’s actually the breeders who can intervene and have more litters born with curly hair. But like I mentioned before, ultimately Mother Nature and Science have their own way of working. In the same litter, there can be wavy and straight hair pups too.
Breeding A Doodle with the Desired Hair Type
Yes, this is possible because their hair type develops depending on their parents. Genetically speaking, Doddles are a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Further, Goldendoodles can also be bred just like a Poodle with Doodle, or a Doodle with Golden Retriever can be bred. So, the resulting hair type depends on what mix is bred.
On the note of genetics and mixing, let’s see how we can crossbreed to get the desired coat type.
1. First Generation Cross F1
as I said, a Doodle is born when a purebred Golden Retriever breeds with a purebred Poodle. The resulting offspring is a curly or wavy Goldendoodle. It’s called the first generation or F1 and is perhaps the most popular type. Here on, you have different breeding options to get different cost types.
2. Breeding F1 Doodles
when we crossbreed two F1 Doodles, we get second-generation Doodles or F2. The resulting breed has short straight hair and resembles a Golden Retriever. Although, they shed way less than a Retriever.
3. Breeding F1 with Poodle
when a first-generation Doodle breed with a pure breed Poodle, the resulting offspring is called F1B. They carry more characteristics of a Poodle. They have tight curls resembling a Poodle and shed less fur.
4. Breeding F1 with Golden Retriever
the resulting offspring is also called F1B but, it will have more traits of a Golden Retriever. That is to say, their coat will be straighter like a Retriever. They tend to shed more and are not considered suitable for people with allergies.
Do Goldendoodles Shed their Puppy Coat?
Yes, they do. As I mentioned before, Doodles are born with a soft, silky, and straight coat. They start to shed around 6 or 7 months. As they grow into healthy and strong dogs, they shed their coat too. So, around 8 months of age you can start guessing the final coat type your fur baby will develop. It’s more of a gradual process and not an overnight one. Therefore, you must keep the grooming up to date so that the puppy hair falls out properly giving way to the shinier adult coat.
Generally, Doodles have a fully grown adult coat by the time they are a year old. The adult hair is longer, denser, and coarser. However, this process doesn’t stop, and can the color of the coat can continue to change.
Does the Coat Color in Goldendoodles Change?
Yes, it does. You will notice that the adult coat color is slightly lighter than the color they had as puppies. The opposite is true as well. That is, if the puppies had dark colored fur, they may develop a lighter shade as adult dogs. By the time they reach 2 years of age, the coat color has settled and will remain so till they reach old age. In fact, just like humans, Doodles experience greying of hair and hair loss or loss of color, along with thinning and changes in texture as they age.
There are several different coat colors. Some of these are Apricot (the most common one), Lavender, Black, Cafe, Chocolate, Chalk, Silver, Cream, Red, and Parchment. It’s common to have your Doodle have more than one coat color. For example, a dark colored dog can have patches of cream color on its arms or legs. Remember, the rare the color type, the more expensive they are. For example, a tri-colored Doodle is very rare and expensive.
It’s common for Doodles to have a double coat. By double coat we mean, your dog has two hair types. They will have a short haired undercoat and a thick long coat on the top. Such hair type is quite challenging to maintain as it can mat easily. It requires regular and quite long grooming sessions. So, if your dog appears fluffy then you have yourself a double coat dog. The best way to maintain their thick and high maintenance coat is to keep it short.
What if Your Goldendoodle Doesn’t Have Curly Hair?
Well, the most common type is curly and wavy, but if your dog has neither, then it has a straight style coat. It will look more like a Golden Retriever but carry all the characteristics of a Goldendoodle.
How to Make Your Doodle’s Hair Curly?
Once you bathe them, let their fur air dry instead of blow drying. Don’t brush the hair. This way they will have tighter curls. Don’t forget to use a conditioner so that their hair doesn’t mat. You can even fluff up your dog’s fur by blow drying it once it’s completely dry. Use a slicker brush as you comb after a bath.
Keeping the Goldendoodle’s Coat Clean and Healthy
Whichever coat type it is, your Goldendoodle requires maintenance and grooming. They tend to shed quite a little, but regular grooming is necessary. By brushing them every day, you avoid matting and help keep their coat healthy and shiny. Give them regular baths to keep infections at bay. As far as the grooming products are concerned; consult a Vet or a professional groomer before experimenting with any on your pup.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How Do You Tell If a Goldendoodle will be Curly?
To predict whether your Doodle puppy will have curly hair, closely examine the hair around the face and the nose region. If it appears to have tight curls, there are higher chances of them growing into a long curly hair Goldendoodle. Plus, if one of the parents was a Poodle or a first generation Goldendoodle, the chances of a curlier Doodle are higher. But, yes, these signs aren’t 100% sure. Because, ultimately, it’s Mother Nature that decides the coat type of your pup.
2. Why is My Goldendoodle’s Hair Not Curly?
Since a Doodle is a cross between a Poodle (known for curly hair) and a Golden Retriever (has straight hair); it has the genetic makeup of both parents. A Doodle can have three types of coats- curly, wavy, or straight. If your pup doesn’t have curly hair, it will have straight or wavy hair. Also, if a first generation Goldendoodle is crossed with a Golden Retriever, there are higher chances of your pup having non-curly hair.
3. Will My Goldendoodle Puppy Get Curly?
There is no guarantee, and one can’t do anything to change a coat type after the puppy is born. Basically, you can’t control it. What you can control is to increase the chances of getting a puppy with curly hair if you breed them accordingly. For example, a Poodle plus a Golden Retriever means a 50% chance. But if you breed a Goldendoodle plus a Poodle, the chances increase further.
4. Why is My Goldendoodle’s Hair Straight?
If your Goldendoodle has straight hair it means both parents contributed the non-curl gene. The straight hair type coat is often also called a loose coat type. Additionally, it won’t have a beard either. The pros of having a straight-haired Doodle are that they will shed way less than a Golden Retriever and the hair won’t mat that easily.
5. How Do I Get My Goldendoodle to Curl?
There is no one way of ensuring that a curly hair coat a Goldendoodle is born. If you breed a poodle with a first generation Goldendoodle, there is a higher chance of getting a curly coat Doodle. Alternatively, a Poodle plus Golden Retriever also produces the first generation F1 curly Goldendoodles.
Concluding Thoughts
From the article, it’s quite clear that the question we started with- when does a Goldendoodle’s hair get curly? is answered to satisfaction. One can examine the facial hair of the puppy to ensure it will have a curly adult coat. Secondly, by ensuring the correct parent mix you can increase your chances of getting a curly pup. However, looks are just one thing in a pup. Owing a healthy and active pup is equally essential. So go beyond just the looks. But if you are still stuck on the looks, then buy an older Doodle. This way, you know you are getting a Goldendoodle dog with curly hair for sure. It’s because they have already shed their puppy coat, and there aren’t any surprises!!!
