What is a Groodle and Where Did it Come From?

The Groodle and Goldendoodle are causing ripples across the internet with their popularity. Groodle and Goldendoodle puppies cost anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 at the time of writing. But what is a Groodle or Goldendoodle dog anyway? And why are they so in demand…. what’s so special?

Firstly, the Groodle and Goldendoodle are recent developments in the world of designer dog breeds. In the last decade, designer dog breeds have taken off in popularity and there’s a lot to this. PD Insurance dives into what makes this dog breed so popular.

What is a Groodle?

A Groodle is a hybrid or designer dog breed. That means it’s not an officially recognised dog breed in the world of pedigree dogs, but rather, it’s been bred from two dog breeds that are. The breed’s provenance is two of our favourite canine companions: the Golden Retriever and the Poodle!

Charles Dickens’ great-granddaughter, Monica Dickens, is the first person to have bred a Groodle. This happened in 1969.

By crossbreeding two dog breeds, a dog can have a wider range of genetic material or genetic diversity. This tends to have a positive effect on the health of the dog, because genetic diversity makes for good building blocks.

On the other hand, a Groodle dog could stand to inherit hereditary conditions from both parent dogs, so it can still be more prone to certain health concerns (which we mention further down). Happily, good dog breeders will do health screening to avoid passing on genetic problems from parent to pup.

Now that you know what a Groodle is, you also know some of the potential health benefits of this hybrid dog breed. Let’s find out more.

What is the difference between a Goldendoodle and a Groodle? 

Now that we’ve looked at what a Groodle is, what’s the difference between it and a Goldendoodle? (A common question – if you’ve asked or wondered, you’re not alone). The answer is surprisingly simple: Ab-suh-lutely nothing!

They’re the exact same dog, known interchangeably as a Groodle or Goldendoodle. If you combine the first part of ‘Poodle’ and ‘Golden Retriever’ you get ‘Goldendoodle’. Shorten that even further, and you get ‘Groodle’. Some people also call them Doodles!

Groodles originate in Australia and America and were only bred seriously from the 90s.

Sometimes the name Goldendoodle is also used to describe the generally recognised golden coloured colour fur of this dog breed. However, a Groodle dog or puppy can be a range of different colours, ranging from cream to black.

Are Groodles a good dog? 

If you’re browsing Groodle / Goldendoodle puppies, you’re not alone. They’re gorgeous puppies that grow into great best friends for us humans. Both Groodle dog parent breeds are known for having good temperaments. Anything one lacks is said to be balanced by the other.

For example, the Poodle is prized for its low allergy fur and high intelligence while the Golden Retriever is known for being affectionate and happy. Take all of these and put them in one dog and you have a marvellous member of the family.

Dogs give us oodles and oodles of love. Perhaps that’s why Groodles and other Poodle crosses are sometimes known as ‘oodles’.

The Groodle dog is known for being loyal and loving with family and that includes children and other pets. However, in exchange for love and loyalty, separation anxiety in pets is something to safeguard against in this breed.

Like Golden Retrievers they enjoy picking up and retrieving things, so make sure they have lots of toys and games of fetch.

How much does a Groodle cost in Australia? 

Groodles aren’t cheap, despite not being recognised by kennel clubs as pedigreed pups. (Read more on pedigree vs purebred pedigree for the lowdown). Like all things designer, they come with a price tag, which as we mentioned upfront can commonly range between two and five thousand dollars each.

However, some Groodle / Goldendoodle puppies are advertised for less. Sometimes they’ll start in the $1,000 region. You can also see an occasional puppy listed for more, in the region of $6,000. So, what should you do?

Buy ethically

If you’re buying rather than adopting from a shelter, be sure to get your pooch via an ethical dog breeder. This way, you won’t fall prey to puppy scams.

Ethical dog breeders are less likely to charge the lowest fees, but you won’t be tricked into paying for a puppy that you don’t receive or buying a puppy that will cost you more in vet bills because of health problems.

Groodle / Goldendoodle puppies can also be found in pet shelters – yes, really. Though you likely won’t get any paperwork explaining its breeding background. Of course, adopting still has a price tag (which covers admin and a range of health procedures) but it’s a lot lower.

If you’re adopting, here’s your dog adoption checklist, plus the 333 rule for bringing home an adopted dog.

How big do Groodles get? 

Just like their Poodle parent, the Groodle can comes in three sizes, Miniature, Medium and Standard.

Here’s how they differ in size and weight:

Size	Height	Weight
Standard	51 to 64 cm	23 to 36 kg
Medium	43 to 51 cm	16 to 23 kg
Miniature	Up to 51 cm	6.8 to 15.9 kg

This diversity is a big positive for prospective puppy parents. If you’re browsing Groodle / Goldendoodle puppies, then you can tailor your puppy’s size to your home environment.

Do Goldendoodles shed? 

One of the reasons Groodle / Goldendoodle puppies are soooo popular is their low shedding qualities. The Poodle is a hypoallergenic dog so combining it with the Golden Retriever is a stroke of genius. You get the lovable qualities of a Golden Retriever and (in part) the hypoallergenic qualities of the Poodle.

Poodles are considered hypoallergenic because they have hair that grows and grows, like the hair on own heads. This contrasts with most members of the canine clan that have fur which only grows to a certain length before shedding.

Note that even if your pet doesn’t shed its furry bits, they still shed skin, otherwise known as dander, and this can cause allergies. Find out more about the truth behind hypoallergenic dogs and hypoallergenic cats.

How long do Groodles live? 

Generally speaking, bigger dogs have shorter lifespans than littler ones. We’re not sure why that is, but there you have it. When it comes to the Groodle dog, here’s its lifespan and other facts.

Life span	10 – 15 years
Litter size	Around 3 to 6 puppies
Coat style	Curly, straight, wavy
Coat colours	Apricot, black, brown, cream, gold, red, white (or combo)
Eye colour	Brown or light blue (less common)

Breed health

Despite the overall health benefits of being a mixed breed dog, the Groodles can still get ill (or injured). They can also be more prone to health conditions that Poodles and Golden Retrievers are susceptible to.

Some health conditions to safeguard this breed against include hip dysplasia, skin allergies, cancer, vision problems, sensitive tummies and ear infections. Read more about common dog health problems by breed.

Pawsome pet insurance

While you can give a dog good quality of life through training, socialisation, diet and exercise, sadly you can’t predict when they’ll get ill or injured. Thankfully, you can still put a soft landing in place with dog insurance.

By helping pay a wide array of vet bills for unplanned visits (from X-rays to surgery and more) pet insurance can set your mind at ease. That gives you more energy to focus on your new pup and fewer concerns about potential dangers and the price tag that comes with them.

Choose PD Insurance and you’ll get one or more months of FREE pet insurance. Click below (that button leads to your pooch’s safety net) and start your quote.