The Flat Coat Doodle is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Flat Coat Retriever, making it a unique and lovable breed.
These dogs are known for their friendly and outgoing personalities, inherited from their Labrador side, which makes them great family pets.
Their intelligence is also a notable trait, with a high trainability level, allowing owners to teach them a wide range of commands and tricks.
As a result, Flat Coat Doodles are often used as therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, and service dogs.
Their coats are a mix of the two parent breeds, resulting in a medium-length coat that requires regular grooming.
They come in a variety of colors, including black, yellow, and silver, and can have a range of patterns, including solid, merle, and brindle.
Their size can vary, but they typically weigh between 40-80 pounds and stand between 18-22 inches tall at the shoulder.
Overall, the Flat Coat Doodle is a wonderful breed that makes a great companion for active families or individuals.
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Goldendoodle Coat Development
The Goldendoodle coat development is a fascinating process that can be influenced by genetics. Most experts agree that a Goldendoodle's coat will change between 4 and 8 months of age, with the vast majority of breeders expecting it to appear before the first birthday.
The coat change is comparable to losing baby teeth and replacing them with adult teeth. This shift occurs only once in the life of your Goldendoodle. Depending on heredity and other circumstances, the texture and color of the coat may alter.
A Goldendoodle's adult coat is typically heavier and more rigid than their puppy fur. The quality of a dog's coat will vary considerably, and you will know what your puppy's adult coat will be like once it is completely grown.
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Coat Stages in Goldendoodle Puppies
Goldendoodle puppies go through a significant transformation as they mature, and it's essential to understand what to expect. This change occurs between 4 and 8 months of age, with most breeders expecting it to happen before the first birthday.
Their coat will change as they mature into adulthood, just like losing baby teeth and replacing them with adult teeth. This shift occurs only once in the life of your Goldendoodle.
The texture and color of their coat may alter depending on heredity and other circumstances. Poodles have a fading gene, so they might be a different color.
Their adult coat is typically heavier and more rigid than their puppy fur.
It's natural to hope their fluffy, silky coat will remain that way as they age, but it will gradually transform.
You should inquire with the breeder about the coat qualities of the puppy's generation when selecting a Goldendoodle puppy.
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Why Do Some Doodles Have a Coat?
Some Doodles have a flat coat because of their genetic makeup.
A Doodle's genetic makeup determines whether they have a flat coat or not.
It's not the same as a straight coat Doodle, which can still have furnishings.
A flat coat Doodle will have a smooth face with no distinctive Doodle look around the eyes or muzzle.
Coat Types and Characteristics
A Goldendoodle's coat can change significantly as they mature, similar to losing baby teeth and replacing them with adult teeth. This shift occurs only once in their life.
Depending on heredity and other circumstances, the texture and color of the coat may alter. Poodles have a fading gene, so they might be a different color.
A straight coat, also known as weak furnishings, is when puppies are born looking flat coated but develop furnishings and a thicker, curlier coat as they age. This usually happens between 6 months to 1 year.
Straight coat Goldendoodles generally shed lightly to moderately and are less likely to knot and mat compared to wavy or curly coated puppies. However, they still require daily brushing.
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Straight
Straight coats, also known as weak furnishings, are a natural occurrence in some Doodles, especially in F1 generations.
They are born looking flat coated but develop furnishings and a thicker, curlier coat as they age, with the most drastic coat changes happening between 6 months to 1 year.
Daily brushing is still recommended for Straight coated Doodles, even though they shed lightly to moderately.
This coat type is not recommended for people with allergies, as it's not a low-shedding coat.
Straight coated Doodles are less likely to knot and mat compared to wavy or curly coated puppies.
This is because their coat is naturally smoother, making it easier to maintain.
A Straight coat Doodle can very well have furnishings, but a flat coat Doodle will come with a smooth face and no distinctive Doodle look around the eyes or muzzle.
The genetic makeup of a Doodle determines if they'll get an improper coat or a furnished coat, and even F2 Doodles can inherit a recessive improper coat gene from their parents.
This means that not all puppies in a litter will have furnishings, even if both parents are furnished F1 Doodles.
Coat Types in Doodles
A Goldendoodle's coat can change as they mature into adulthood, similar to losing baby teeth and replacing them with adult teeth.
This shift occurs only once in the life of your Goldendoodle, and the texture and color of the coat may alter depending on heredity and other circumstances.
A Goldendoodle's adult coat is typically heavier and more rigid than their puppy fur.
The quality of a dog's coat will vary considerably, and you will know what your puppy's adult coat will be like once it is completely grown.
Doodles can carry two copies of genes that indicate either furnishing or improper coat, and the furnishing gene is dominant.
Most Poodles have two furnishing genes, whereas Golden Retrievers carry two improper coat genes.
F1 Doodles almost always come with furnished coats, but it gets trickier with subsequent generations.
Up to 25% of puppies from two F1 Doodles who both carry F/IC genotypes will be unfurnished.
Backcrossing a Doodle (F/IC) to a non-Poodle parent (IC/IC) can result in up to 50% of the puppies having improper coats.
Straight coats, also known as weak furnishings, are when puppies are born looking flat coated but develop furnishings and a thicker, curlier coat as they age.
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These puppies generally shed lightly to moderately and are less likely to knot and mat compared to a wavy or curly coated puppy.
A straight coat Doodle isn't the same as a flat coat Doodle, and a flat coat Goldendoodle will come with a smooth face with no distinctive Doodle look around the eyes or muzzle.
Coat Issues and Rarity
Flat coat Doodles can occur even in litters produced by two furnished F1 Doodles, due to the recessive improper coat gene present in both parents.
It's not actually that rare to encounter a flat-coated Doodle, with up to 25% of puppies resulting from two F1 Doodles with F/IC genotypes being unfurnished.
Flat-coated Doodles have been gaining popularity thanks to their low-maintenance coats and non-Poodle looks, making them a desirable option for some dog owners.
If a breeder does not do DNA testing, some puppies in the litter can end up with flat coats, as there's no way of accurately knowing which genes are going to be more dominant.
Backcrossing a Doodle with a non-Poodle parent who carries the improper coat gene can result in up to 50% of the puppies having improper coats, increasing the likelihood of a flat-coated Doodle.
Consider reading: F1 Golden Doodles
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an improper coat on a Goldendoodle?
An improper coat on a Goldendoodle is a genetic condition characterized by short hair on the head, face, and legs, caused by a lack of the dominant RSPO2 variant. This condition can occur in Goldendoodles and other breeds, such as Labradoodles and Portuguese Water Dogs.
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