English Goldendoodle: Size, Personality & Facts (With Pictures)

The English Goldendoodle is an amazing mixed breed that bears the positive characteristics of its parent breeds.

It’s no secret that this dog is an adorable bundle of joy, but there’s so much more to learn about this Goldendoodle type.

With their rapidly increasing popularity, you shouldn’t miss out on getting new information about this one-of-a-kind pup.

To learn all about its appearance, origin, temperament, and other exciting facts, keep reading! This article will help you learn about English Goldendoodle before adding one to your family.

Breed Overview

What Is an English Goldendoodle?

An English Goldendoodle, commonly known as a teddy bear Goldendoodle, is a cross between an English cream Golden Retriever and a Poodle. This mix creates an intelligent puppy with a mellow disposition and a cute face to match. Its inquisitive nature also makes it a lovable hybrid dog.

Goldendoodles are loved in every corner of the world. The English Goldendoodle, in particular, is a type of Goldendoodle with an irresistible “teddy bear” look.

Over the years, more and more dog lovers are being mesmerized by these teddy bear dogs.

A mix between an English Golden Retriever and a Poodle is expected to be a good combination of both physical and behavioral traits. It’s no wonder why this hybrid breed is getting the attention it deserves.

Watch this video of English Goldendoodle puppies with their English cream Golden Retriever and Poodle parents:

English Goldendoodle Origin and History

There is no detailed account of when the first English Goldendoodle was developed. However, we do know that English cream Golden Retrievers originated in Scotland between 1854 and 1894.

Since the first Goldendoodle was bred in the United States in the 1900s, we can assume that Scottish breeders also became interested in producing English Goldendoodles around this time.

Goldendoodles were originally bred to serve as guide dogs for visually impaired individuals who suffer from allergies.

Later on, different size varieties were developed due to popular demand. Other colors and patterns also emerged, making the breed a universal hit. 

In fact, English Goldendoodles are the second most popular Poodle mixed breed based on a 2020 trend data survey.

However, since they are crossbreeds, they are not yet recognized by major kennel clubs like the American Kennel Club (AKC).

In recent years, they were not only kept as companions but also used as service dogs, agility dogs, search and rescue dogs, therapy dogs, and diabetic alert dogs.

English Goldendoodle vs. American Goldendoodle: What’s the Difference?

The first difference between the two Goldendoodle types has to do with their Golden Retriever parent.

An English Goldendoodle is bred from an English Golden Retriever while an American Goldendoodle is produced from an American Golden Retriever.

Coming from a more developed English cream Golden Retriever lineage, English Goldendoodles are considered more distinct and unique.

American Goldendoodles, on the other hand, are more typical looking and, thus, more abundant.

In terms of appearance, an English cream Golden Retriever has a stockier build compared to its American counterpart.

Their coat color is also much lighter, ranging from shades of cream and gold. The hair can be wavy, curly, or straight.

Here’s how a typical English Goldendoodle looks:

Meanwhile, American Goldendoodles are shorter and less muscular than the English versions. 

They can also have a variety of darker colors, including apricot, red, black, white, and other Goldendoodle colorations. Their coat is usually smooth, wavy, or curly.

An American Goldendoodle is shown in the photo below:

When it comes to temperament, both English Cream Goldendoodles and American Goldendoodles are intelligent, loyal, and great family companions. However, it is thought that English creams are sweeter and gentler.

English Goldendoodle Appearance

English Goldendoodles are real-life walking teddy bears. They have beautiful round faces and sturdy, structured bodies.

Their deep chest, elegant stance, and thick, muscular tails perfectly resemble an English cream Golden Retriever.

They have square-shaped heads where their long, floppy ears hang beside each cheek. Their cute, oval-shaped eyes are typically black, brown, or hazel in color. Their overall gaze suggests friendliness.

The medium-sized noses of this teddy bear Goldendoodle can either be liver or black. The same goes for the eye rims and paw pads.

One of the highlight features of teddy bear Goldendoodles is their coat color and texture. They can only come in cream, blonde, or golden colors.

They have a fleece-like, wavy coat that is gentle to the touch. However, some English Goldendoodles may have curly or straight hair, depending on the dominant gene.

If you have an F1 Goldendoodle, or the first generation offspring between a purebred Poodle and an English Golden Retriever, you can expect wavy, straight, or curly hair.

However, if you have an F1B Goldendoodle, you should always expect to have a curly English Goldendoodle puppy. This is because an F1B Goldendoodle results from breeding an F1 Goldendoodle parent and a Poodle.

English Goldendoodle Size and Weight

English Goldendoodles come in four different size variations due to their Poodle ancestry, as shown in the table below:

The standard English Goldendoodle is the largest of the four types, while the tiny English Goldendoodle is the smallest.

All these English Goldendoodle sizes typically reach their adult size between 12 and 16 months old.

When choosing the size of your English Goldendoodle, it’s important to consider your current living conditions and lifestyle, as larger dogs typically require more maintenance than smaller ones.

English Goldendoodle Temperament and Personality

English teddy bear Goldendoodles show positive personality traits as family pets. They are known for their gentle, loving, and easygoing character. They are also very eager to please their owners.

You can also expect a hybrid between English Golden Retrievers and Poodles to be a wonderful combination of intelligence and playfulness. They love being around people, making them the perfect companion dogs.

Teddy bear Doodles are also always up for an adventure. They are genuinely curious about their surroundings, making them the perfect dog for outdoor activities like hiking, trekking, or camping.

They will also most likely enjoy taking a dip in lakes and pools.

They are loved by many dog enthusiasts because of their adaptable nature. Whether you live in the city or a rural area, a teddy bear Doodle can easily adjust to its new environment.

Many English Goldendoodles are also trained to become therapy dogs since they can quickly bond and connect with their owners.

English Goldendoodle Lifespan and Health Issues

The normal lifespan of an English Goldendoodle ranges from 10 to 15 years. However, all Poodle mixes can develop genetic health problems just like purebred dogs, which can shorten their life expectancy.

You might also hear the term ‘hybrid vigor,’ a common term breeders use to describe the offspring of two unrelated breeds. This indicates the overall health and vitality of the English Goldendoodle breed.

Regardless, there are still health issues common to both Golden Retrievers and Poodles that can be passed on to their English Goldendoodle offspring.

Some of the common health issues of the English Goldendoodle are listed below:

• Hip Dysplasia: This is a hip deformity that develops as a puppy grows. This results in laxity or looseness of the hip joint. Hip dysplasia often progresses to degenerative joint disease (DJD) and osteoarthritis (OA), which can cause extreme pain to the affected dog.
• Sebaceous Adenitis: This is an inflammatory skin disease that results in hair thinning and eventual hair loss. The coat may also develop dry scales that can lead to infection. Sebaceous adenitis has no known cause but is associated with an auto-immune response of the body.
• Addison’s Disease: When a dog has decreased production of cortisol and aldosterone from the cortex of the adrenal gland, it may have a condition called Addison’s disease. Low levels of these hormones can cause an imbalance in essential body fluids and minerals. Luckily, this health issue can be treated successfully through medical injections.

To protect yourself from expensive vet bills in the future, you should invest in a good pet insurance policy. Make sure that it covers the health conditions indicated above.

How to Take Care of Your English Goldendoodle

Like other Doodle breeds, English Goldendoodles must be given proper care and maintenance by their owners.

After all, having a pet is much like having your own child. You must learn to feed, clean, and train them to live a happy and fulfilled life.

This guide will help you become the best fur parent you can ever be to your teddy bear Goldendoodle.

Food and Diet

Giving the right diet and amount of food is crucial in the development of an English Doodle puppy.

Choose your dog food according to your pup’s age and your vet’s recommendation. It should contain bone-building nutrients and lots of protein for muscle development.

As puppies, they should be given three to four meal servings per day which should be reduced to two meals as adults.

You may choose to switch to a raw or homemade diet but remember to introduce the new food gradually. You should also stick to a routine feeding schedule to promote discipline.

Cleaning and Grooming

Before establishing a grooming routine, you should know your English Goldendoodle’s coat type. If your dog has a straight coat or wavy coat, you can get away with not brushing their hair every day.

However, if your pup has a curly coat, you should make time each day to brush their hair to remove tangles and prevent matting.

Bathing should be kept to a minimum of once a month or every two months, depending on your dog’s activity.

A day of outdoor fun always calls for a bath, especially if dirt and mud are involved. Use pet-safe shampoo to prevent skin irritation.

Aside from coat maintenance, you should also include ear cleaning in your routine to prevent ear infections.

Nail trimming should be done once every two weeks or monthly, depending on your dog’s nail growth. Oral health should not also be neglected.

Training and Exercise

Training a teddy bear Goldendoodle comes easy as a breeze. The combined intelligence of a Poodle breed and the obedient nature of the Golden Retriever breed are ideal traits for early obedience training and socialization.

However, distraction is often a problem for this mixed breed. Because of their innate curiosity, they may shift their focus to anything that catches their attention.

Through positive reinforcement and enough patience, you can successfully reinforce discipline.

Both the Poodle and English Golden Retriever breeds are considered active dogs. They require at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise each day.

Without any form of physical activity, an English Doodle can get bored and develop habits like chewing, digging, and barking.

How Much Does an English Goldendoodle Cost? Puppy Prices & Expenses

The typical price range for an English Goldendoodle puppy is $2,000 to $4,000. This is because, in the United States, English cream Goldendoodles are less common than their darker-colored American counterparts.

Like other dogs, owning an English cream Goldendoodle requires some initial expenses. Regardless of its size, you should purchase essential items like food, toys, bedding, crates, and grooming tools.

Here are items that your English Goldendoodle puppy will need:

You can expect to pay less or more than the estimated total initial cost computed in the table, depending on your resourcefulness. Check out your local pet stores or browse online for discounts and promos.

Places to Find English Goldendoodle Puppies for Sale and Adoption

Following the English Goldendoodle’s sudden fame, many breeders started to specialize in breeding this mix.

Despite their abundance, it’s still advised to filter the sellers you see online and look for red flags. They may be advertising unhealthy puppies, or worse, they just want to take your money.

Luckily, you can go directly to these reputable breeders that offer top-quality English Goldendoodle puppies:

• Smeraglia’s Teddybear Goldendoodles – This breeder is dedicated to producing healthy, well-tempered, and well-trained English Goldendoodle puppies that can serve as beloved family members, service dogs, and therapy dogs. All interested customers will be on a waitlist and may wait until nine months.
• Euro Goldendoodles – This breeder based in North Carolina prides itself on its high-quality breeding program. They produce English Goldendoodles that come from the best pedigrees. All of the parent breeds are tested for their hips, elbows, eyes, and hearts. Meanwhile, all of their puppies come with a three-year warranty for genetic health defects.
• Appalachian Goldendoodles – The English Goldendoodles from this breeder come from European lines. If you’re from Tennessee, you can purchase an English Goldendoodle puppy from this breeder. They also serve other states, including Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Meanwhile, if you want to try your hand at adoption, there are also several rescues that cater to this breed. Here are some English Goldendoodle rescues you can contact:

• International Doodle Owners Group (IDOG) Rescue – This non-profit organization has been rescuing different Doodle breeds such as the Labradoodle and Goldendoodle since 2006. The rehoming process consists of several stages, which involve interviews, screenings, and home visits. A donation fee with no fixed amount is also required.
• Doodle Dandy Rescue – This rescue is committed to providing training and medical treatment to rescued Goldendoodles from various shelters in Texas. After two years of operation, they were able to rescue over 300 Goldendoodles. All of their adoptable dogs can be viewed on their website.
• NorCal Poodle Rescue – Aside from rescuing Miniature or Toy Poodle dogs, this rescue also rehomes and rehabilitates Goldendoodle mixes. All of their rescued puppies and adult dogs are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and groomed before adoption.

If you are not lucky enough to be approved by these rescues, you shouldn’t give up. You can find another rescue organization for these teddy bears by checking out Facebook groups and Reddit threads

Frequently Asked Questions

Are English Goldendoodles Smart?

All Goldendoodles, including English Goldendoodles and their Canadian cousins, are intelligent dogs. They are incredibly fast learners, which makes them highly trainable.

You should expect nothing less from a mix between a Golden Retriever and Poodle, which are both ranked among the top five smartest dogs in the world.

Do English Goldendoodles Shed?

English Goldendoodles, regardless of their coat type, are considered low to non-shedding breeds. This makes them low-maintenance dogs that require very little grooming. 

However, if you observe excessive shedding, you should seek pet medical advice immediately as this is unusual for the Goldendoodle breed.

Are English Goldendoodles Hypoallergenic?

Due to their non-shedding coat types, English Goldendoodles are considered allergy friendly. They may not be 100% hypoallergenic, but they produce very little pet dander that causes fewer allergic reactions.

The F2BB Goldendoodle is the most hypoallergenic generation because they have 87.5% Poodle genes.

How Many Types of Goldendoodles Are There?

There are three main types of Goldendoodles — American Goldendoodle, English Goldendoodle, and Canadian Goldendoodle.

Aside from their country of origin, these Goldendoodles have slight differences in size and appearance. The dog’s filial generation also influences their differences.

Final Thoughts

An English Goldendoodle is a hybrid dog that is full of admirable traits in both physical and behavioral aspects. Because of this, you shouldn’t think twice about getting a Goldendoodle as your next pet.

You don’t only get a smart and adorable dog but also a loving and loyal companion.

They are also very well-suited for owners that have an active lifestyle. Whether you love hiking, running, or swimming, the English Goldendoodle will surely enjoy any type of outdoor adventure.

Depending on your preference and current setting, you can also choose from a standard, medium, miniature, or tiny teddy bear Goldendoodle. Regardless, you can enjoy a lifetime of cuddle sessions with these dogs.

Ready to own an English Goldendoodle? Share your thoughts in the comments below!