How Big Do Goldendoodles Get?

The goldendoodle was created by crossbreeding a golden retriever with a poodle. Although goldendoodles are not considered a true breed, they are among the most popular dogs due to their gentle yet playful nature. They are also intelligent and highly trainable, making them well-suited as both family companions and therapy dogs. If you’re thinking about adopting a goldendoodle, you may be wondering how big they get. And that depends on the size of their poodle parent. Keep reading to learn just how big goldendoodles get.

Goldendoodle Average Sizes

Goldendoodles come in four main sizes: petite miniature, miniature, medium, and standard. This is because breeders have crossbred golden retrievers with different sized poodles. Therefore, the best indicator of how large your goldendoodle will become is the size of its parents.

The petite mini, or petite goldendoodle, results from crossing a golden retriever with a toy poodle. These dogs generally stand less than 14 inches from the withers to the ground. Petite mini goldendoodles usually weigh 25 pounds or less. A miniature goldendoodle is the cross between a golden retriever and a miniature poodle. Mini goldendoodles are typically taller than 14 inches but are under 17 inches from the withers to the ground. They typically weigh 26 to 35 pounds.

The medium goldendoodle, a cross between a golden retriever and a medium-sized poodle, measures over 17 inches but under 21 inches from the withers to the ground. These dogs typically weigh 36 to 50 pounds. The standard goldendoodle is a cross between a golden retriever and the largest poodle, the standard poodle. Standard goldendoodles are over 21 inches tall from the withers to the ground and generally weigh 51 pounds up to around 90 pounds. The Goldendoodle Association of North America notes that height is the most accurate way to determine size category, as weights fluctuate.

How Do Goldendoodle Generations Affect Size?

Your goldendoodle’s generation will also have an impact on its size. A first generation goldendoodle (F1) is 50% golden retriever and 50% poodle. F1 goldendoodle sizes tend to be more variable than other generations. The puppies of two F1 goldendoodles are second-generation goldendoodles (F2) and the puppies of two second-generation goldendoodles are third-generation goldendoodles (F3), and so on. However, after the F2 generation, most breeders refer to these dogs as “multigenerational goldendoodles.”

An F1b goldendoodle is bred with either a golden retriever or a poodle, a process referred to as backcrossing. This generation is most often 75% standard poodle and 25% golden retriever. With more poodle genetics, these dogs are usually smaller and more lightweight. F2 goldendoodles have less predictable sizes than F1b goldendoodles, as F2 dogs can inherit a broader range of traits from their grandparents. Multigenerational dogs from generations F3 and later have the most consistency when breeders ensure the dogs are bred from appropriately-sized parents.

Goldendoodle Growth

Goldendoodles also exhibit sexual dimorphism when it comes to size. The size difference between male and female goldendoodles is approximately 10% on average among dogs in the same litter. Males typically have larger bones, bigger muscles, and broader shoulders.

Although male goldendoodles tend to be larger than female goldendoodles, females generally mature faster than males. Like most dogs, goldendoodles grow the most rapidly during the first six months. However, females generally have a steadier growth pattern, while males are prone to growth spurts.

The difficult part about predicting goldendoodle growth is that, since they are a hybrid breed, there is no way to determine which parent a goldendoodle will take after in terms of growth patterns. For example, standard poodles grow faster than golden retrievers when it comes to height, but golden retrievers tend to gain muscle mass and weight more quickly than poodles.