My name is Lacey, and I’m a Goldendoodle! You’re probably here because you’re wondering if my dog breed sheds. Well the question isn’t really whether or not a Goldendoodle coat sheds, as much as how much do Goldendoodles shed (hint: it’s not a lot!).
I’m going to walk you through how much I shed, how often I shed, and how to manage my shedding to avoid making a mess all over your house.
Let’s get started!
Introduction to Goldendoodles
If you’re wondering more about who I am, you will find your answers when reading the name of my dog breed. As you might guess then, I’m a mix between a Golden Retriever and a standard Poodle, two amazing dog breeds. My family reunions are definitely interesting and my light, curly coat shows my ancestry!
I think that my breed is very special. A standard Goldendoodle was initially bred to be a companion dog, but you humans soon found out that we’re capable of much more.
We’re easy to train and very loyal. For this reason, we make great therapy dogs, and we love having that job!
I get a lot of compliments on my fur coat! Thanks to my parents, my curly coat is a light chocolate brown and slightly curly. The look of my wavy coat isn’t even the best part, the minimal amount that we shed is the thing that you humans seem to love about us! We’re a dog breed that’s great for anyone who has a pet allergy!
How Much Do Goldendoodles Shed?
I hear you humans say sometimes that Goldendoodles don’t shed at all, but I don’t want to spread that misinformation.
As Goldendoodles, the amount we shed does not depend on how big we get. Our shedding actually depends on which parent we inherit our coat from.
Golden Retrievers are notorious high-shedders, so if we get our coat from that side, then watch out! However, Poodles are one of the dog breeds that shed the least, so if we get our coat from that side, you’re in luck.
Unfortunately, it might be hard to tell which side we get our adult coat on as puppies, but I’ll let you in on a trick.
When we’re puppies, look at our face, and our underbelly. If we seem to be developing a bearded appearance and a shaggier underbelly, we have a higher chance of having a longer but shaggier adult coat, just like our Golden Retriever parent.
So if we get our coats from our Poodle side, then we can still make good pets for humans who have the misfortune of having a pet allergy.
How Often Do Goldendoodles Shed?
Most of us are low-shedding dogs. For this reason, we aren’t technically considered hypoallergenic, but we definitely shed a lot less than other dog breeds — we’re definitely no Labrador Retrievers.
When Do Goldendoodles Shed?
Goldendoodles are considered year-round shedders, but there are times of the year where we shed more than others.
We’re double-coated dogs, meaning that we change our coats at certain points of the year. For that reason, if we do shed, expect to see more shedding in the winter and in the summer.
In the winter, we shed our summer coat and develop a new thicker undercoat to keep warm when the temperature drops. In the summer, we shed the additional fur we put on to keep us warm in the winter.
This might sound like a lot, but you’ll find that we shed less than other double-coated dogs, such as Great Pyrenees. Trust me, you will never get rid of the amount of hair that a GReat Pyrenees can sheed in the summer!
What Triggers Goldendoodle Shedding?
Most of my shedding is not preventable because it is done on a seasonal basis, but there are other triggers that might make me shed more. These triggers apply to all dog breeds to some extent, so even if you don’t have a Goldendoodle like me, you should watch out for these signs in your best friend!
Some of my shedding triggers include:
- Stress: I don’t function well under stress, and just like humans, one of the side effects from stress is losing our hair!
- Allergies: If I have an allergic reaction in my skin, I might begin to shed more.
- Nutrition: If I’m not getting enough nutrients or there is a sudden change in my diet, I may begin to shed more.
- Bathing: Dogs should not be bathed too much, and not just because we don’t like it! I can dry out our skin, and lead to more shedding. So bathing us less is a win win for both of us!
- Health: There are a number of health issues that may lead us dogs to shedding more than we usually do, such as skin conditions or parasites. If you suspect that this is the cause of shedding, take us to the vet as soon as possible.
- Shampoo: Some shampoos, such as cheap shampoos or human shampoos can lead to excessive shedding.
Avoiding these common triggers will help ensure that our hair stays off of your clothes and furniture.
Manage Your Goldendoodle’s Shedding
Because we generally shed so little, managing our shedding can be quite simple. You’ll want to make sure that you take proper care of us by having a good brushing routine, using the right shampoo, feeding us a nutritious diet, and maybe even giving us supplements, if necessary.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways that you can manage a Goldendoodle’s shedding.
Brushing
Because we usually shed so little, there’s no need to brush us as often as other higher shedding dogs. Even so, you should brush us Goldendoodles at least once a week.
I’ll be honest, as much as I like being brushed, sometimes you can get away with brushing me once every two weeks. Either way, we would need to establish a brushing routine in order to keep my coat looking shiny and tangle-free.
My human uses the Hertzko Self Cleaning Slicker Brush on me, and it feels so good! I love the way it penetrates my coat to get rid of my loose hair and knots without scratching my skin.
I recommend brushing all Goldendoodles on a weekly basis. We aren’t too picky with the brushes: it isn’t necessary to have a brush with hard bristles in most cases, as our coats don’t usually get matted or tangled too easily. No matter what type of brush you use, make sure that it is high quality!
Shampoo
When bathing us Goldendoodles, I recommend using a good quality dog shampoo that manages shedding. I personally love Burt’s Bees Oatmeal shampoo that my human uses on me. It’s gentle on my skin, and it sells great!
If you find that your Goldendoodle has more sensitive skin, then you will want to use a more specialized shampoo that is meant for sensitive skin.
The right shampoo will not only have our coats looking soft and shiny, but it should help keep shedding to a minimum. As I already mentioned, you shouldn’t bathe us too frequently or you might get rid of the natural oils in our coats that make us beautiful. We really only need to be bathed once a month, and I promise that I’m not just saying that because I hate bathes.
Nutrition
Sometimes, shedding isn’t an external problem, but an indication that something is wrong with us inside. Somes humans neglect giving their Goldendoodles a proper diet, then wonder why we begin to shed!
Then there’s some humans who give us any cheap dog food that we can find thinking that we don’t know or feel the difference, but we do.
If you should be feeding us the best quality dog food that you can afford, such as a high-quality dry kibble at least 2-3 times per day.
Nutrients like Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that are included in higher quality dry kibbles are great for our skin and coat, meaning they can have positive effects on the amount that we shed. These are the nutrients that you will find in better quality dog foods, so it is worth it. Not to mention, better quality dog food is much yummier to eat!
If you want to make sure that we are really healthy, try mixing fruits and vegetables in with our kibble. Just like young humans, we aren’t big fans of vegetables, but I understand the benefits. Veggies can add an antioxidant boost, as well as providing nutrients needed for our immune system and coat health.
A well-balanced diet is a must to keep your Goldendoodle’s coat in top shape.
Supplements
Although not always necessary, supplements can be another great option to reduce our shedding and maintain the look of our coat.
Supplements are good if, for some reason, we aren’t getting enough nutrients from our food. A good fish oil supplement can help if your Goldendoodle isn’t getting enough Omega fatty acids in their dry kibble. Fish oil supplements usually come in the form of a chewable tablet, or if you have a stubborn Goldendoodle (we exist!), you can get it in liquid form and squirt it into your puppy’s food.
There are a number of other supplements that blend fish oils with other nutrients to improve the texture of a Goldendoodle’s coat and promote the health of our skin. These can also come in the form of chewable tablets.
Goldendoodle Shedding Tips
I think that I’ve covered most of what you need to know when it comes to Goldendoodle shedding, but I’ve put together a summary with a few extra tips in case you still have some questions!
Do Goldendoodles shed?
Goldendoodles do shed, but the amount depends on our parents and our coat type.
Do Goldendoodle puppies shed?
Like many dog breeds, we do not shed a lot as puppies. As Goldendoodle pups, we shed our puppy coat once we hit one year old. At this age, you can expect to see our puppy coats start to disappear for our adult coats.
Which Goldendoodle looks like a teddy bear?
I’ve noticed that a lot of humans expect Goldendoodles to look like teddy bears. While I admit that some of us have quite fluffy coats, that isn’t the case for all of us!
Those of us who take after our Poodle side tend to look for like the teddy bears that you humans love to cuddle. But those of us that look like our Golden Retriever side usually won’t have that same teddy bear feel. That doesn’t mean that we can’t be cuddled!
Well, there you have it, human. I’ve taught you everything you need to know about how much us Goldendoodles shed, and what to do to manage our shedding. I hope after learning all this, you want to adopt one of my low-shedding cousins as a companion!