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What are F1b Mini Goldendoodles?

F1b Mini Goldendoodles are Doodle dogs and the most popular form of Mini Goldendoodles. The nomenclature “F1b” refers to the kind of parentage the offspring have.

A first generation offspring - a cross between a Mini or Toy Poodle parent and a Golden Retriever parent - is a F1 Mini Goldendoodle. If this dog is now crossed with a purebred small Poodle again, the puppies are F1b Mini Goldendoodles. (Instead of the Golden Retriever, one parent may also be an English Cream Retriever.)

The offspring are 75% Mini Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever. They are as such quite different from the original Goldendoodle who has 50% Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever.

This cross has become increasingly popular as it is more likely to have the Poodles non-shedding qualities, as well as an even smaller size than the F1 Mini Goldendoodles.

Let’s look in detail at the characteristics of Fi1 Mini Goldendoodles and answer the most common questions about this cross!

What do F1b Mini Goldendoodles look like?

Because an F1b Mini Goldendoodle is 75% Mini Poodle and only 25% Golden Retriever, these dogs look more like a Poodle than a Golden. Their coat tends to be very much like the Poodle coat - curly and non-shedding. They can come in a variety of colors, though most dogs will have the typical Golden, reddish hue.

A full-grown F1b Mini Goldendoodle is around 15-25 lbs, though their weight can vary depending on the size of the parents. Their ears are always floppy. This is much smaller than the typical size of a full-grown Goldendoodle and closer to the size of Miniature Poodles.

F1b Mini Goldendoodles have hypo-allergenic qualities and are very popular among owners with allergies.

How big will my F1b Mini Goldendoodle get?

Your F1b Mini Goldendoodle will most likely stay rather small at around 13-17 inches. The smaller the parents are, the higher the chances that your dog will not get very big either.

Many dog owner seek out F1b Goldendoodles specifically for their small size. If you want a very small one, you should ask the breeder for a female puppy - as with all dog breeds, females are around 1-2 inches smaller and 5 lbs. lighter than most males.

If your puppy's parents had other litters before, inquiring the size of their offspring can be a good way to get an idea of the size of your puppy. Size is - of course - genetically determined, so if your puppy has any half siblings or full siblings you can assume his size will be similar to theirs.

What is the difference between F1 and F1b mini goldendoodles?

An F1 Mini Goldendoodle has two pure-bred parents: a Golden Retriever and a Mini (or Toy) Poodle parent. Genetically, a F1 Mini Goldendoodle is 50% Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever. These dogs are what’s classically called “Mini Goldendoodle”.

An F1b generation is produced when a Goldendoodle is crossed with a Poodle. The offspring are 75% Poodle and 25% Golden. 

The main differences between the two are:

• How many generations the purebred ancestors are removed:
  In an F1 Goldendoodle, the parents were purebred. In an F1b Goldendoodle, one set of grandparents are purebred Poodles, while the other set of grandparents are a Golden and a Poodle
• The percentages of Golden and Poodle:
  A F1 Goldendoodle has 50% Poodle and 50% Golden in his pedigree. An F1b has 75% Poodle and only 25% Golden
• Reliability of hypo-allergenic qualities:
  Because an F1b Mini Goldendoodle genetically has more Poodle in him, the chances that the offspring are non-shedding and hypo-allergenic are much bigger.

What is an F2 Mini Goldendoodle?

An F2 Mini Goldendoodle is a cross between two F1 Mini Goldendoodles. That means that one Mini Poodle parent and one Golden Retriever parent have offspring (these are called F1) and then these offspring would be bred with other F1 offspring. The resulting puppies are genetically 50% Mini Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever.

Both parents of the puppies are mixes themselves, and the grandparents are two Mini Poodles and two Golden Retrievers. 

The puppies from a litter like this tend to be more homogenous in their appearance and temperament. While in every first generation litter the puppies can very quite a bit, with every breeding down the line the characteristics become more set and predictable.

Why are there so many different types of crosses?

As with every dog breed, the popularity of a certain type of color, temperament, coat texture etc. drives the breeders' decisions when breeding litters.

Doodles (also containing the Bernedoodle, Sheepadoodle and more) have become the most popular designer breed in North America and beyond. Breeders continuously received requests for smaller dogs with more reliable hypoallergenic qualities. They experimented with different types of parent dogs - a Golden and a Goldendoodle, a Poodle and an F1 Goldendoodle, etc. - to find out how to best meet the demand for small and non-shedding puppies.

If you are unsure which of the many Poodle mixes best fits into your family, take our quiz: Which Doodle breed is right for you?

How much do F1b Mini Goldendoodles cost?

F1b Mini Goldendoodles are very sought-after. You can expect to pay $1,500 for a puppy from an experienced breeder. Depending on your specific requirements for the puppy this price might increase.

Some breeders charge higher fees for dogs of a specific color (for example light blonde Mini Goldendoodles) or gender. 

You should not be a price shopper though! Breeders who do breed-specific health testing and raise their puppies with love and care will charge a higher price than breeders who put less effort into breeding and puppy raising. Keep in mind that you are getting a puppy who will be your companion for 12-17 years to come - and do not shy away to pay a slightly higher price for a puppy from a responsible breeder!

Finding dogs in rescue

Some future Doodle owners hope to find dogs through rescues. Because they are such a wide-spread breed, it is likely that you will find some Poodle crosses through your local shelter. Whether you will be able to get an F1b Mini Goldendoodle specifically is another question - it may take quite a bit of searching to come across one that was surrendered.

If you are not picky about which Poodle mix you get, going to a rescue is a good idea. If you have specific wishes for your future puppy however, approaching a responsible breeder is the way to go.

Are F1b Goldendoodles good dogs?

Goldendoodles in general can be a great fit for many families, but only if owners are ready to invest time and effort into raising, training, exercising and socializing the puppy.

Both Golden Retrievers and Poodles were originally bred to be working dogs. As such they have a lot of energy and require daily activities with their owners. These activities can come in many forms - you can teach your F1b Mini Goldendoodle tricks, take him hiking, try out a dog sport such as agility or make him a therapy dog - but the dog needs to be doing something.

Many owners are frustrated with the level of energy their dogs have and how it can manifest in destructiveness. As retrievers, F1b Minin Goldendoodles enjoy taking pretty much everything into their mouth. A bored pup will try out his teeth on furniture, hands and feet, shoes, houseplants … and as an owner you are not going to like that! These pups will need a steady stream of Goldendoodle-approved toys and chew items.

F1b Mini Goldendoodles are great for owners who are ready to devote time every day to their dogs. They are very smart dogs that excel at learning new behaviors and can be taught dozens and hundreds of tricks. As retrievers, they love to - of course - retrieve and run. You can try out frisbee or flyball with your pup, he will thrive when he has a fun hobby with you!