Are Goldendoodles Good with Kids? A Guide for Parents

Are Goldendoodles Good with Kids? A Guide for Parents Goldendoodles are becoming a very popular dog breed. These dogs have many wonderful qualities that people are looking for in a pet. This article will explain all of these qualities and help you decide if Goldendoodles are a good pet for your kids. Are Goldendoodles Good with Kids? Are Goldendoodles good with kids? YES! Goldendoodles make great pets for your kids and family. These dogs are very energetic and can keep up with the fast pace of families with kids. These dogs love to run and play with kids. Not only are these dogs very energetic and great with kids, but they also have many other wonderful qualities that make these excellent family dogs. What is a Goldendoodle? A Goldendoodle is a mix between a golden retriever and a poodle. This has become a very popular designer dog breed that many people have grown to love and enjoy. This dog breed was first invented in the early 1990s and has grown in popularity ever since. This dog was bred to have the wonderful no shed quality of the poodle with the great temperament of the golden retriever. The great genes that have been introduced with this crossbreeding have made these wonderful dogs for many different uses. Goldendoodles have been pets, agility dogs, seeing-eye dogs, therapy dogs, and search and rescue dogs. Different Size Goldendoodles Goldendoodles come in many different sizes. Since poodles come in different sizes, so do Goldendoodles. If a miniature poodle were bread with a golden retriever, you would have a very cute and small dog. This is great if you are living in an apartment and do not have space for a large dog. Goldendoodles can range in weight from 40 pounds to 80 pounds. If you have small kids, it may be better to have a larger dog. Large dogs can help small kids who are not always steady on their feet with support when walking. Many of these large dog’s kids will use to pull up on and help steady themselves before taking off walking. Larger Goldendoodles are not as fragile as the smaller version of this breed. If you have older kids, any size Goldendoodle will be great. Smaller dogs can easily cuddle on the couch, where larger dogs will want to run and play more. The size of the dog you get will all depend on what your needs are. Small dogs are great for apartments or small houses where a larger dog will love the room of a large back yard or even farmland. Small dogs can easily get stepped on or accidentally dropped cause major medical problems such as a broken leg or dislocated hip. What Qualities Does a Dog Need to Have to be Great with Kids? When looking for a dog to have around kids, you will want one with these wonderful qualities ActiveFriendlyPlayful Energetic Loyal All of these are qualities that you will find in a Goldendoodle, making this one of the best breeds to get for your kids. Benefits of Having a Golden Doodle with Your Kids There are many great benefits that make having a Goldendoodle an excellent choice for a pet for your kids. These qualities are: Low-shed/No-Shed: Goldendoodles do not shed or shed just a little. This makes this breed of dog great for kids who suffer from allergies. Most allergies to dogs are to the dander that they could shed around the house. Since this dog does not shed or rarely sheds, you will not have to worry about all the extra pet hair. Very Smart and Easy to Train: Poodles and Golden Retrievers are very smart and very easy to train. This makes the Goldendoodle a very easy dog to train. They love to do tricks and please their owners. These dogs love to run agility courses or participate in other training events. This is a great activity for your pup and kids to do together. Many kids love teaching their dogs a trick. These dogs can easily learn a fun new trick that your kids can show off to their friends when they are over visiting. Very Energetic: Goldendoodles are very active dogs. These dogs love going for a jog, playing catch, or swimming in the pool. This makes them a great family dog to keep up with the kid's many activities. Used as a service animal: Goldendoodles have wonderful traits that make the great to be a service animal. These dogs are very easy to train to do certain tasks such as leading the blind, opening doors, and alerting people that their owner is in trouble. This breed is growing in popularity as a service animal. A Goldendoodle would be a great breed to consider to be a service animal for kids. Very Social: Goldendoodles are very social and love to be around people. This makes them a great family dog. They are very easy-going temperament makes meeting new people with your dog easy. These dogs are not aggressive towards non-family members, which is a great trait to look for in a dog around kids. Having a Goldendoodle for your kids to grow up with is a built-in best friend. Most kids love snuggling on the couch, watching TV with the dog. This gives them a friend to help keep them entertained during the day. Help teach responsibility: Having a Goldendoodle with kids is a great way to teach your kid responsibility. You can assign even young kids' tasks. These can be as easy as picking up the dog's toys each night to refilling the water bowl or feeding the dog every day. As your kids get older, these tasks can change to taking the dog for a walk or making sure that your dog gets their daily medications. The Disadvantage of Having a Goldendoodles Grooming Appointments: Goldendoodles will need frequent haircuts. This means that you will have to take them to a groomer or learn to groom your dog at home. While this is not that big of a disadvantage, this is something else that you will have to schedule in with your kid's already busy schedules. Medical Problems: All dogs will need a visit to the vet for routine vaccines. Goldendoodles are predisposed to certain medical problems. Golden Retrievers are prone to cancer and heart problems, while Standard Poodles are known for Addison's disease. Both of these breeds can carry these traits over to their offspring. How to Care for your Goldendoodle Care and maintenance for a Goldendoodle can take a little work. Most of these tasks are great for you to assign your older kids. This not only teaches them how to care for the dog but also helps them bond with their dog. Grooming Goldendoodle's fur can greatly vary. If your Goldendoodle takes after the poodle, they will have tight curls. If their hair is more like their golden retriever parent, then they will have shaggy straight hair. They can even have a mixture of the two furs and be wavier. This wavy fur is the most common type of hair seen on the Goldendoodle. Poodles come in almost any color, even a mixture of colors. This allows you to have a Goldendoodle in almost any fur color. The different fur color and fur types give you endless possibilities on the look of your puppy. Even though your Goldendoodle will not shed a lot, they still need to be brushed to remove loose hair and keep them from becoming matted. To keep their fur clean, they will also need regular baths. Goldendoodle's also need their hair cut to keep it from growing over their eyes. Many people can learn to groom their dogs themselves, but there are many professional dog groomers that you can take your dog to for a full bath and trim every few months if you do not want to do this yourself Exercise Goldendoodles need to be taken for exercise each day. They have very high energy levels and love to go on long walks, for a run, a hike in the woods, or for a swim at the beach. This also makes these a great dog to have with your kids’ high energy levels. These dogs will spend all day running and playing fetch with the kids and have the energy level to keep up with all kids. You should plan to at least spend about 30 minutes each day exercising your Goldendoodle. This is a great task to assign your older kids to do each day. If you live in a house, it is best to have a fenced-in yard for your Goldendoodles to run around in. They should not be left in the backyard all day as they love to spend time with the family. Your Goldendoodle should spend a lot of its time inside with the family as they are very social animals. Socialization: Goldendoodles are very social and love to meet new people. They do great when introducing them to your kids’ friends and family. These would never make a great guard dog but will alert you when something does not seem right in their environment. These would make a great kid-friendly pet to have. This breed would never be happy left outside or alone for a long time. You will need to make sure that you include your Goldendoodle in family events as they love to be the center of attention and always around their family. Training Goldendoodles will need some training for them to behave properly. They are very obedient, athletic, and smart making training a breeze for this breed. Most Goldendoodles are very eager to please their owners. They are also very agile, which makes them great for agility training or other dog competitions. Agility courses are a great way for you to bond with your Goldendoodle and a way for them to burn energy. This is a great activity that your kids and Goldendoodle can participate in. This helps create a strong bond between your kid and your Goldendoodle. These dogs are not hard to train since Goldendoodles are very intelligent. Goldendoodles are very motivated and will do anything for a tasty treat. When training your dog, let your kids help when teaching your dog basic commands. This is a way that you can show them the proper way to train their dog and things not to do. How to Teach Your Kids About Dogs Younger kids or kids that have never been around a dog will need to be taught how to take care of their pet. Kids need to learn: Do not yell at the dog: Dogs cannot fully understand what people are telling them. Do not take the dog’s toys or food: Many dogs can become possessive of their food and toy and may quickly become annoyed with your kid. This could eventually lead to your dog biting your kid. Do not play rough: Kids need to learn to play gently with dogs. You will need to teach your dog how to handle and pet your Goldendoodle gently.Feed and water: you will need to show your kid how much to feed your Goldendoodle each day and to make sure that it has clean and fresh water. This is a great task to assign one of your kids to do each day. Goldendoodles are usually very gentle with kids, but teaching your kids how to interact with the Goldendoodle will help make sure that no one gets hurt. Common Health Problems Seen in Goldendoodles Goldendoodles, just like any other dog, do have certain health problems that they are known for. Goldendoodles do tend to be very healthy and have very few problems if you get a dog from a reputable breeder. The cross of the golden retriever and poodle should allow for only the best traits to be in their offspring, but occasionally the unwanted traits also come out. When a golden retriever and a poodle is bred responsibility, little to no hereditary issues are seen. Since poodles and golden retrievers are prone to diseases such as hip dysplasia, cancer, or heart disease, it is best to have your pet's parent check for any signs of these diseases before purchasing a puppy. Eye problems are also commonly seen in poodles and golden retrievers. It is best to have an annual exam with your veterinarian to make sure that there are no developing eye problems. Goldendoodles are also very prone to an ear infection. This is due to the extra hair that is growing in your dog's ear and the floppy ear. If your dog gets wet, water can easily get trapped in the ear setting up the perfect condition for an infection to set in. Goldendoodle owners should give their dog's ears extra attention and make sure that they are clean and dry after they get a bath. Goldendoodles can also be prone to bloat. Bloat is a condition where the stomach fills up with air and flips over. This is a medical emergency that will most likely require surgery to flip your dog’s stomach back over. Signs of bloat are swollen abdomen that has suddenly happened, vomiting and your dog will be uncomfortable. If you notice any of these, take your dog to your vet. While there are many medical conditions that your Goldendoodle can get, most of these can be easily prevented. Make sure your dog sees their veterinarian every 6 to 12 months for an exam. They can help you make sure that your pet stays healthy and happy for you and your kids to enjoy life with your Goldendoodle. What to feed my Goldendoodle Goldendoodles are very active and need a high-quality dog food to keep them healthy and strong. Finding your Goldendoodle a dry food that is high in protein and fat will help keep up with their high energy demands. This dry food is also helpful at keeping your dog’s teeth healthy by removing plaque and tartar. Some Goldendoodles have a sensitive stomach, so they may need to eat food that is easy for them to digest. Some Goldendoodles have food allergies and may need to be on a special type of dog food. Not only does your Goldendoodle need food, but they also need treats. If you are training your dog, make sure to get small treats, so they do not gain weight from eating too many treats. Limit the number of treats they eat to only a few a day to make sure that your Goldendoodle does not get overweight. Final Thoughts When looking for a dog for your kids, a Goldendoodle is a great choice. This breed of dog is usually very healthy and does great with kids. Since they come in many different fur types and colors, you can find almost any color dog you want. There are very little health problems that you must worry about. These dogs are very high energy and love to be around people, making this a great choice for a pet for your kids.