Can Goldendoodles Have Straight Hair? How To Tell!
One of the main reasons that Goldendoodles are so popular is due to their dynamic and unique coats, but can this breed have straight hair? Designer dogs like the Goldendoodle are on the rise and we are seeing more and more people preferring mix-breed pups over pure-breeds. However, if you want your Goldendoodle to have straight hair, you need to make sure that you are picking the right variation of this breed.
Can Goldendoodles Have Straight Hair?
Goldendoodles can have straight hair so long as they have balanced or dominant Golden Retriever genes. There needs to be at least a 50/50 mix between the Poodle and Golden Retriever for straight hair to be possible, which can be found in the F1 and F2 generations.
Breeders have realized that by combining different dogs, they can mix the best qualities of each pup, which is exactly what happened when the Poodle and Golden Retriever were bred together.
Both of these dogs have such amazing qualities to offer, but by mixing them, you get the loyalty and friendliness of the Golden Retriever and the cleverness and intelligence of the Poodle in one pup – making the Goldendoodle.
However, the Goldendoodle also shares the physical attributes of both of these breeds – with dynamic coat variations being a key characteristic of these dogs. If you are on the market for a Goldendoodle, you probably want to know exactly what kind of coat your pup will have before you make any commitments. To help you understand this better, we are going to take a closer look at whether Goldendoodles can have straight hair.
After extensively researching Goldendoodles, I have been able to gather enough information to determine if this breed can have straight hair. My research has indicated that the type of coat a Goldendoodle will have is greatly determined by the genetic makeup between the Golden Retriever and Poodle.
Goldendoodle Coat Types
Before you go picking out your canine companion, you should understand that Goldendoodles have more than one coat. This is a dynamic breed and they can vary in the type of hair that they have based on how they were bred.
The Goldendoodle is a mix between the Golden Retriever and the Poodle – with both breeds having very different coats. The Poodle is known for its curly hair and the Golden Retriever for its furry double coat. This results in Goldendoodle variations being seen with the following hair types:
- Straight
- Flat
- Curly
- Wavy
If you want your Goldendoodle to have a straight coat, then you need to be very specific with the type of breeder that you work with so that you know what you are getting. More on this next.
How to Know If Your Goldendoodle Will Have Straight Hair
Determining the exact coat type that your Goldendoodle puppy will have before the breeding process is next to impossible. When you mix two different dogs, the result is not always so easy to predict, as genes tend to have a life of their own.
However, there are some techniques that you can implement to influence your Goldendoodle’s characteristics. Let’s dive into how you can tell if your Goldendoodle will have straight hair.
Goldendoodle Gene Mixing
The main thing that will determine whether a Goldendoodle has straight hair is how it was bred. To get a straight coat, there need to be enough Golden Retriever genes in the Goldendoodle, as this is the parent that has fur.
The Goldendoodle needs to be at least 50% Golden Retriever for a straight coat to be possible. If the Poodle is the dominant breed in the Goldendoodle, the dog will not have a straight coat. With 50% Golden Retriever in the mix, the odds of straight hair will be very likely.
But you can increase your chances even more by having additional Golden Retriever genes.
When Goldendoodles are mixed, they are often classified based on their genetic makeup. This makes it easier for owners to buy the pup that they want. For Goldendoodles with straight hair, you want to choose one of the following generations:
- F1
- F2
Getting the perfect genetic makeup for a Goldendoodle is not easy and it requires a considerable amount of work. The breeder that you work with has to have a close connection to the ancestry of the Goldendoodle in order to achieve this kind of balance.
With that being said, always rely on a reputable breeder that has experience with Goldendoodle coat types.
Goldendoodle Snout Characteristics
Once the Goldendoodle puppy is born, it can still be challenging to determine exactly what kind of coat it will have. The reason for this is that the physical characteristics of puppies often change after the first 6 to 12 months – with hair types being a bit unpredictable.
Whether you are a breeder or an aspiring Goldendoodle owner, one of the physical characteristics that you should analyze is the snout of the pup.
Both the Poodle and Golden Retrieve have different snouts and if you look at your Goldendoodle puppy closely, you can tell which parent has the dominant genes.
If you want your Goldendoodle to have straight hair, the snout should be quite short. The hair should also be tidy and neat, as opposed to a curly-haired Goldendoodle that will have a mustache appearance.
Why Get a Straight Hair Goldendoodle
A lot of people want to buy a Goldendoodle with a specific coat because they like the aesthetic appearance of certain hair types. Usually, people that want their Goldendoodle to resemble a Golden Retriever more than a Poodle will go for the straight coat – given its furry nature.
However, each coat type does come with considerable benefits to an owner and a household, aside from having a nice appearance. One great thing about fur coats is that they do not require nearly as much maintenance.
Goldendoodles that have Poodle dominant genes will have curly hair that needs routine grooming and maintenance.
This requires a lot of work from your end, which is not only timely but costly as well. You will need to
In addition, a curly coat also needs to be trimmed. This means that you will have to take your Goldendoodle to a groomer every 4 to 8 weeks, depending on how fast their hair grows.
By getting a straight hair Goldendoodle, none of this upkeep is a requirement and you can save yourself time and money.
Drawbacks of a Straight Hair Goldendoodle
Although a lot of people prefer a Goldendoodle with straight hair, this coat type is not for everyone. Given the fact that you do not need to maintain your pup’s coat by going to a groomer, your Goldendoodle will end up shedding a lot.
Dogs that have fur and straight hair, are known for seasonal shedding, which can become quite a nuisance for a lot of households – particularly if you are allergic to dogs. A key selling point for Goldendoodles with curly hair is that they are hypoallergenic.
So, if you are allergic to dogs, a straight hair Goldendoodle is probably not going to be your best option. Lastly, shedding also implies that your home will get a lot messier – with fur getting all over your floors, furniture, and clothes.
Although you will not need to maintain your Goldendoodle’s coat, it may result in more cleaning around the house.