F1 Goldendoodle? What does F1 mean, anyway? As the mom of an adult Goldendoodle, aunt to two F1 Goldendoodles, and super fan of all Doodle dogs, I remember back to the days when I was trying to wrap my head around all the F1, F1B, F2 lingo.
Since you’re stopping by Happy-Go-Doodle®, you may be caught up in sorting through all the lingo too. But no need to go down the Google rabbit hole searching for answers, we’ve gotcha covered! My Goldendoodle dog and I (the hands and paws behind our award-winning dog blog) are happy you’re here!
By the end of this article, you’ll have a Goldendoodle mom’s (a.k.a. research hound’s) answers to all your questions about the F1 Goldendoodle including:
What is an F1 Goldendoodle?
What’s F1 mean?
Does an F1 Goldendoodle shed? What are their traits? Coat colors?
So without further “adoodle,” 😉 let’s meet the F1 Goldendoodle.
What is a Goldendoodle?
To spill the tea on everything about the F1 Goldendoodle, let’s first breeze through a quick “Goldendoodles 101.”
Goldendoodles are a cross between the friendly purebred Golden Retriever and the intelligent purebred Poodle.
“Goldendoodle” is the name coined for these hybrid dogs.
In Australia, “Groodle” is the more common name. You may have also seen the name Golden Doodle.
These smart, friendly teddy bears are one of many types of Doodle dogs.
The Goldendoodle is not a purebred dog, and is not recognized by the American Kennel Club as a registered dog breed. (That’s why you won’t see them flaunting their fluff at all-breed dog shows or conformation events like the Westminster show.)
Purebred dogs have a long history of parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. from the same breed.
This difference between the purebred dog and the crossbred dog is where the numbers and letters “F1” come in.
Let’s uncover what the fluff “F1” means next.
What does F1 mean?
Interestingly, the term “F1” is not specific to Goldendoodles or even dogs.
Rather, it’s a term used in genetics and breeding. F1 stands for “filial 1 hybrid” or “first filial generation.”
The definition of F1 hybrid is:
The first filial generation of offspring of distinctly different parental types.
The most common example of a filial one hybrid is the mule, which is an F1 hybrid between a horse and a donkey.
Since the Goldendoodle is a cross between two very different parental types—the Poodle and the Golden Retriever—this generational naming system is often used in describing the Goldendoodle.
What is an F1 Goldendoodle?
An F1 Goldendoodle is a cross between a purebred Golden Retriever and a purebred Poodle.
In other words, the F1 Goldendoodle is half Golden Retriever and half Poodle. This is also called a “first cross.”
(The terms “F1” and “first cross” are often used interchangeably.)
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the image below best describes the term F1 Goldendoodle…
What is the meaning of F1 Goldendoodle?
As a recap, the meaning of F1 Goldendoodle is essentially this…
Purebred Poodle (100%) x Purebred Golden Retriever (100%) = F1 Goldendoodle (50% Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever)
Meet the F1 Goldendoodle
Now that you have the terminology down, you’re probably wondering why Goldendoodles are known as such great family dogs.
What’s their personality? What about physical characteristics such as shedding, coat type, and coat color?
To get a better understanding of the F1 Goldendoodle, it’s helpful to have a snapshot of the two parent breeds, the Poodle and the Golden Retriever.
The AKC describes the Golden Retriever as friendly, intelligent, devoted, and an eager-to-please family dog. The AKC describes the Poodle as extremely intelligent, athletic, eager, friendly, and ready-to-please family companions.
While every dog is unique, you can start to see how the F1 Goldendoodle may have qualities from the parent breeds that make them friendly, amiable companions who want to fit in with their families.
I’m lucky to have two F1 Goldendoodles in our extended family pack! And the personalities of the two parents breeds shine through in their intelligent, friendly, and admittedly comical personalities (as you can see in the photos throughout this article).
Next, let’s take a look at the F1 Goldendoodle’s physical traits.
Does an F1 Goldendoodle shed?
You may have heard the sweeping statement that Goldendoodles don’t shed. Is this true?
First of all, every dog does shed to some degree.
Second, because there is so much variation in a crossbreed dog, there is no hard and fast rule about the amount an F1 Goldendoodle sheds.
The amount of shedding will depend on whether the Goldendoodle “leans” more to the Poodle (low shedding) side of the family or the Golden Retriever (high shedding) side of the family.
(For more facts about Goldendoodles and shedding, check out my article, Do Goldendoodles Shed?)
What does an F1 Goldendoodle’s coat look like?
Since there is so much variation between the Golden Retriever coat and the Poodle coat, the F1 Goldendoodle can have a wide variation in coat type.
Some Doodles will have a straight coat, some will have a wavy coat, and some will have a curly coat. I believe that’s part of the fun of parenting a Goldendoodle—you never quite know what you’re going to get.
As I mentioned, there are two F1 Goldendoodles in our extended family pack— a cream Goldendoodle and a red Goldendoodle. As you can see in the photos below, their coats are very different.
The first photo shows how an F1 Goldendoodle can have a curly coat. The second photo shows how an F1 Goldendoodle can have a wavy coat.
Both are F1s, yet their coat types are vastly different.
What color is an F1 Goldendoodle?
No matter the generation (F1, F1B, F2, etc.), the adorable Goldendoodle can be seen sporting coats of many different colors.
Goldendoodles get their wide variety of coat colors from the parent breeds.
The Poodle breed sports black, red, cream, and ivory coat colors.
The Golden Retriever breed brings a wide variety of golden coat colors (from light golden to a dark golden red ) to the mix.
Popular colors include ivory, cream, red, apricot, chocolate (brown), parti or multi-colored, and black Goldendoodles.
What’s the difference between an F1 Goldendoodle and an F1B Goldendoodle?
So you’ve got the F1 Goldendoodle down. But you may be wondering why some Goldendoodles are described as “F1B.”
The F1B Goldendoodle is a cross between a Poodle and an F1 Goldendoodle.
The “B” stands for “backcross.” (For more details, please read my article on the F1B Goldendoodle.)
If the amount of shedding is a concern to you, as you’re comparing the F1 Goldendoodle vs F1B Goldendoodle, the F1B Goldendoodle may be a better option for your family.
The cutie pie (yes, I’m biased) in the photo below is a red Goldendoodle, my sidekick, and my inspiration.
She is an F1B Goldendoodle who is quick to share happiness with everyone she meets.
Doodles are “Golden”
Thanks for stopping by our cozy little online spot for Doodle dog friends and fans. As you’re doing your homework on whether an F1 Goldendoodle is the best choice for your family, I hope that I’ve rounded up the information you need to help you have a clearer picture.
While every Goldendoodle has his or her own personality, I can tell you that the Goldendoodles in our family (Chloe, Star, and Ruby) are priceless.
Through their comical personalities, they share countless smiles, through their friendly nature they share happiness, and through their hearts of gold they share endless amounts of love. They truly are “Golden.”
Note: I am not a breeder, veterinarian, or trainer. I AM a Doodle Mom who loves spreading Goldendoodle happiness and I am committed to researching and sharing all things Doodle so that others can enjoy these remarkable dogs and live the Goldendoodle lifestyle.
What questions do you have about the F1 Goldendoodle?
Please comment below.
