Australian Goldendoodle Vs Australian Labradoodle: Is There A Difference?

What Is An Australian Goldendoodle?

An Australian Goldendoodle is a hybrid dog breed mix of an Australian Labradoodle and an English Goldendoodle. They are often incorrectly called Aussiedoodles, but that is an Australian Shepherd and Goldendoodle mix.

This dog has been commonly known as the Australian Double Doodles, owing to the Poodle in both parent’s ancestry. The Australian identification is from the Australian Labradoodle.

The regular Double Doodle has a Labradoodle (not Australian Labradoodle) parent breed. This is just a Labradoodle/Goldendoodle mix, or three breeds: Poodle, Labrador Retriever, and Golden retriever. 

 The Australian Labradoodle mix is an ancestral mixture of up to six different breeds. Add the Golden Retriever from the Goldendoodle parent and you are up to seven breeds.

Choosing which Doodle breed to get can be hard. There are so many great designer breeds out there that it’s tough to pick one. But you need to know a little about each breed before deciding.

Are Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles the same?

No, the standard Labradoodle is a Labrador/Poodle mix where the Australian Labradoodle mix includes: 

• Standard Poodle 
• Labrador Retriever 
• Irish Water Spaniel
• American Cocker Spaniel 
• English Cocker Spaniel 
• Curly Coat Retriever

These dogs were developed over many generations to combine the best characteristics of each breed into one dog. They can be very calm, but also playful and energetic. They tend to shed less than other types of doodles, so they’re great for people who suffer from allergies. There are several varieties available, including mini, medium, and standard.

Wally Conron started a breeding program that developed the first Labradoodles for guide dogs, but Beverly Manners and her doughtier, Angela Cunningham, sought to improve this mix. They spent over 30 years infusing the other pure breeds into the Labradoodle and produced the service dogs they called “Cobberdogs”, now known as the Australian Labradoodle. 

Some breeders say that the inclusion of Cocker Spaniels to the mix has added a tendency toward nervousness to the normally “laid back” breed. For the most part, the public has had very few issues with this.

Do Australian Goldendoodles Shed? Are They Hypoallergenic?

Yes, all dogs shed, but because of the multi-breed parentage of the Australian Labradoodle, the shedding is minimal, and therefore they are high on the hypoallergenic scale. This means that they won’t cause as many allergic reactions as other breeds do.

Grooming an Australian Goldendoodle

Grooming any dog can take time. Some dogs, like the Australian Goldendoodle, have different coat types. The most common coats are curly or wavy. A regular grooming session for these types of coats takes more time and you need to brush them often to keep their coat from getting tangled.

Curly and wavy coats are similar to a pure Poodle. This means they don’t shed as much. But some Goldendoodles have straight coats that do shed more. If this is the case, the coat still needs to be groomed but it doesn’t need to be as intense.

You should brush an Australian Goldendoodle with a curly or wavy coat every week. When you brush, you will get out lots of loose fur. This is important because it will make your dog look nice and clean AND keep the allergens down.

How Big Do Australian Goldendoodles Get?

Mini, medium, and standard are the three sizes of Australian Golden Dogs. The chart below shows the average height and weight of each:

• Mini Australian Goldendoodle – Height 13 to 16 inches and Weight 14 to 25 pounds
• Medium Australian Goldendoodle – Height 17 to 21 inches and Weight 25 to 45 pounds
• Standard Australian Goldendoodle – Height 21 to 24 inches and Weight 45 to 65 pounds

What Goes Into Breeding Australian Goldendoodles?

When Goldendoodle breeders produce Australian Goldendoodles, they usually mate F1 Goldendoodles and F1 Australian Labradoodles. This means that the Australian Labradoodle and English Goldendoodle are first-generation crosses.

Do Australian Goldendoodles Make Good Family Pets?

Australian Goldendoodles are great with children, never aggressive, and have a high tolerance level when it comes to smaller pets like cats and other dogs. Australian Goldendoodle puppies can be socialized early are easy to train because of their intelligence and adaptability. Australian Goldendoodle puppies are very playful and make for an ideal pet.

Australian Goldendoodle Lifespan and Health Issues

Lifespan 

The Australian Goldendoodle has an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years. This average is, of course, subject to diet and overall health conditions for each dog. Healthy dogs can beat the average mortality rate

Possible Health Problems

As with most large breeds, there are genetic weaknesses that can manifest, but reputable breeders have screened for these issues and they are rare.

From the Poodle, Labrador, and Golden Retriever side:

Hip Dysplasia: This condition occurs due to abnormal development of the hip joint. It causes pain and lameness in large dog breeds and older dogs.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy: Affects vision by damaging retinas cells. Can cause blindness if not treated properly.

Skin allergies: Allergic dermatitis or Atopy is a skin disease of animals that manifests as an itchy irritation. The cause of this allergic reaction can be found in the animal’s environment, and treatment involves removal from these irritants until symptoms subside and prescription medication.

Ear infections:

Lymphoma: A malignant cancer that involves the lymphoid system.

From the Poodle parent breeds:

Von Willebrands disease: Caused by a deficiency of von Willebrand’s factor (vWF), one of the elements that allow blood to form clots. This occurs when your body cannot produce enough vWF or does not have an adequate amount for normal clotting, which can lead to excessive bleeding and prolonged wound healing time.

Addison’s disease: a common name for hypoadrenocorticism caused by decreased hormone production from the outer part or cortex of the adrenal gland.

Why Are Australian Goldendoodles So Expensive?

Designer dogs like the Australian Labradoodle parent are bred from specific breeds, which means they’re often genetically predisposed towards certain traits. For example, the Labrador Retriever has a long history of being used as guide dogs for people who can’t see well. So when breeders cross them with other purebred dogs, such as Poodles, they get puppies that look similar to each other but may be very different inside.

Add into this, the careful selection and screening from multiple generations take time and money to produce the perfect family dog. Designer breed generations are controlled and monitored to not only make for a well-tempered pet but to weed out the wide variety of ailments that could shorten their lives.

Conclusion

You’ll find that the Australian Goldendoodle is a great pet for families with kids. It has many of the qualities you want in a dog, such as intelligence, high energy level, and loyalty; but it also has some amazing characteristics that make it stand out from other breeds. If you’re looking for an animal companion who will be your best friend and entertainer at home all day long- look no further than the Australian Goldendoodle.