Are Goldendoodles Smarter Than Golden Retrievers?

Hey everyone, Jennifer here with my cuddly pups, Sasha and Max. Many people who look at the Goldendoodle dog breed don’t know a lot about their background. As a hybrid dog, they have two breed parents, one of them being a Golden Retriever. That being said, I have encountered some people who are curious about how they compare to their parents. Is anyone else interested in knowing how smart a Goldendoodle is when compared with a Golden Retriever? I hope so because I sure am! With the Golden Retriever being a parent, it definitely has me wanting to know more. Have a look at what I uncovered in my research! Are Goldendoodles smarter than Golden Retrievers? Yes and no. This can be a hard question to answer. Each breed is unique in skill, strength, and smarts. While there are many slight differences between these dogs, they are both highly intelligent dogs with the Goldendoodle coming in just slightly higher on the smarts scale. It must be understood that strengths and weaknesses can not solely be determined by breed alone; this is true in all areas of a dog's life. This being said, the Goldendoodle is reported to be a tiny bit smarter than the Golden Retriever as ranked by a North American Goldendoodle Association. The Goldendoodle being smarter than the Golden Retriever is looking at the breed as a whole. One Golden Retriever may be smarter than a Goldendoodle and vice versa depending on other factors beyond breeding. The Goldendoodle can be considered smarter but they also can possess other qualities that can make them somewhat more challenging to train than the Golden Retriever. Each dog is unique in its attributes, and this includes whether they are smarter or stronger. While both breeds are smart, with the Goldendoodle slightly higher, this doesn’t mean that every Goldendoodle and Golden Retriever will be the same. Training and mental games can also make a Goldendoodle OR Golden Retriever smarter like education for humans. This is provided that it is the right kind of training and mental games that stimulate the mind of the dog and learning regardless of breed. Both the Golden Retriever and the Goldendoodle are smarter dogs than perhaps some other breeds. They respond well to training, and use their smarts, empathy, and abilities to the best of their advantage, whether they are companions or fill other occupations in the community. How smart both dogs are, is what lends them well to professions where they are of services in the community, such as therapy or assistance dogs. The Goldendoodle was created by cross-breeding the Golden Retriever with another purebred dog, the Poodle. When comparing these two dogs, it is essential to remember that one is the parent and one the its puppy. Even though the Goldendoodle may be a tiny bit smarter, the Golden Retriever is a dog breed with a tremendous amount of smarts and many other redeeming qualities that make it an excellent companion dog in a family or service dog in the community. When the Golden Retriever was crossed with the Poodle, the Goldendoodle was created. The Goldendoodle took from each purebred parent a certain level of intelligence as well as other positive qualities. If we compare one parent to its puppies, it is easy to see that the puppy will have a slight advantage and be smarter because they gained from their intelligence from both parents' genetics. Had the Golden Retriever been bred with a purebred dog that was not smarter than the Poodle, this might not have been the case. Poodles like the Golden Retriever possess a high level of smarts. When we combine these two breeds in the litter of puppies, it is easy to see how they would be smarter and have an advantage in other areas of life too. Is it at all possible for a Golden Retriever to be smarter than a Goldendoodle? Yes, of course, it is. If a Golden Retriever parent from one family was compared to a Goldendoodle of another family it is possible for the Golden Retriever to be smarter than the Goldendoodle. Each dog and each family unit will be unique and individual. With the Goldendoodle coming from two brilliant parents, this will not vary too much, with only slight differences in the different levels of who is smarter due to breeding. How do you measure who is smarter in a Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle? There is no clear and straightforward method for measuring if the Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle is smarter for families and individuals, but it can be fun to try. Trial and error through various tasks and situations can help determine who is smarter. However, who is smarter can change over time, depending on the environment, situation, and lifestyle. Dog intelligence or cognition relates to how they acquire, process, and store information. It also includes what they do with this information once they have gained it. In general, dogs have the smarts to read body language and between the lines in certain situations. While some studies and tests have been done on dogs concerning intelligence in various situations, these are not commonplace and more for research purposes to understand dogs. They are not related to one particular breed of dog than another but all dogs as a whole. Measuring if a Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle is smarter can be somewhat determined by the success of executing tasks and responding to training. How they react to the world around them, how quickly they pick up or learn things will determine their smarts, skill, knowledge, and abilities at home. It should, however, be noted that temperament and personality can also factor in. Some dogs have strong personality traits that make them harder to train or disobedient due to a strong will. This doesn’t mean the Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle is necessarily smarter, just harder to train or stronger willed. These personality traits are determined by their environment and how they are raised, and who they are as a dog. Providing a positive, healthy environment that promotes learning and good behaviors goes a long way to effectively training any dog. Does training determine who is smarter, a Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle? No. training does not determine which dog is smarter between the Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle, but it can determine how smart they become. With the right training, even a dog with the disadvantage can become smarter and utilize more of its intelligence in everyday life while performing specific occupational tasks. Genetics determine what we get, even for a Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle, but training can help us utilize what we have effectively, allowing us to perform at our peak. What else determines who is smarter between the Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle? The main factor in determining who is smarter between the Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle would be their genetics. Genetics or genes determine such things as color or coat, height, temperament, and even intelligence. Beyond what a Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle is blessed with at birth, proper training, and the right environment and mental stimulation through games can make one dog smarter than the other. The earlier that proper training and mental stimulation are started, the better. Dogs, regardless of breed, like humans, learn better at an early age. Mental capacities are sharper, and they pick things up faster. Hence the catch phrase, you can't teach an old dog new tricks! You can teach an old dog new tricks, but it can be a little harder to do. If both the Golden Retriever and Goldendoodle can be smarter than the other, what occupations are they both good at? Both the Golden Retriever and Goldendoodle can be smarter than the other and can perform many occupations in the community or home that bring them in contact with people. Almost any work would suit them well. With this high level of intelligence, combined with empathy, friendliness, and their physically active nature, they can share these gifts and make a difference. As therapy and assistance dogs, the Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle would both have the emotion, mental abilities, and physical capacities to perform. They can form a close bond with those they care for while providing the needed service with strength and endurance, regardless of who is smarter. One such area is for those with illness, including people who have Diabetes. Both the Golden Retriever and Goldendoodle have the mental, physical and emotional capacities to anticipate when the diabetic needs something, retrieve it and be there for support during the difficult moments. Neither dog has to be smarter than the other in this area, both the Golden Retriever and Goldendoodle are intelligent. Many who suffer from chronic illnesses find these dogs priceless in what they offer to them and the community. Regardless of who is smarter, the Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle they both perform well. Other areas where both dogs would be of service in the community while utilizing their high level of smarts are search and rescue missions and dogs that sniff out drugs. They also happen to make excellent hunting and retrieving dogs, and of course, who could forget how wonderful both breeds are with being a friendly companion and member of a family. In Conclusion Whether the Golden Retriever or Goldendoodle is smarter only makes up one piece of the delightful puzzle that is a dog. Character, personality, appearance, empathy, and loving nature are equally important. Remembering how loving and giving our furry companions are should be all the knowledge WE need as humans to help us fall madly in love with them, regardless of who is smarter!