Groodle Generations Explained (F1, F1b, F1bb, F2, F2b etc.)

The Groodle (AKA Goldendoodle) is a cross breed dog, the resulting of breeding a Golden Retriever with a Poodle. As a cross breed, there are many different ways that breeders can mix the two breeds to alter the genetic make up of the Groodle. The most common Groodle generations are F1, F1b, F1bb, F2 and F2b where each generation has a different percentage mix of Golden Retriever to Poodle.

These somewhat cryptic letters that denote Groodle generations can become quite confusing so that is why in this article we will break down what each one means so you can decide which Groodle generation is best for you!

F1 Groodle

The “F” in F1 Groodle means “filial” and the “1” means first generation. “Filial” is simply a way to denote generation. An F1 Groodle is the first generation of the breed created by crossing a purebred Golden Retriever with either a purebred Toy, Miniature or Standard Poodle. An F1 Groodle is 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle.

F1 Groodle Appearance

F1 Groodles can inherit a straight-wavy coat from the Golden Retriever or a curly coat from the Poodle. Most F1 Groodles are golden in colour but they can also be black, brown, red, cream or grey. In terms of appearance, they are the most unpredictable generation as they are the first generation so they can look more like a Golden Retriever or more like a Poodle.

F1 Groodle Shedding

F1 Groodles are classified as non to light shedders as they do not shed much at all. They only drop a few strands of hairs here and there throughout the year. That being said, other generations of F1 Groodle shed even less such as F1b, F1bb or F2b Groodle as they have a higher percentage of Poodle genes. This is also the case for how hypoallergenic they are. F1 Groodles are considered to be hypoallergenic however cross-back generations such as F1b, F1bb or F2b Groodles are even more hypoallergenic.

F1b Groodle

The “F” in F1b Groodle means “filial”, the “1” means first generation and the “b” means back-cross. An F1b Groodle is the first back-cross generation of the breed. Back-cross means that the dog has been bred back to a purebred Poodle.

F1b Groodles are created by crossing an F1 Groodle with a purebred Poodle that is either Toy, Miniature or Standard sized. The resulting dog is 25% Golden Retriever and 75% Poodle.

F1b Groodle Appearance

In comparison to F1 Groodles, F1b Groodles are leaner and slightly taller. F1b Groodles also have curlier coats than F1 Groodles. Their coats are anywhere between loose waves and tight curls however majority of F1b Groodles have curly coats. Generally, F1b Groodles look more like Poodles than Golden Retrievers as they have a higher percentage of Poodle genes.

F1b Groodle Shedding

F1b Groodles are classified as light to non-shedders and shed even less than F1 Groodles. F1b Groodles like other cross-back generations of the breed shed less than F1 Groodles as they have a higher percentage of Poodle genes.

F1bb Groodle

The “F” in F1bb Groodle means “filial”, the “1” means first generation and the “bb” means double back-cross. An F1bb Groodle is the first double-back cross generation of the breed.

An F1bb Groodle is a cross between an F1b Groodle (Groodle x Poodle) and a purebred Poodle which can be Toy, Miniature or Standard sized. They are 12.5% Golden Retriever and 87.5% Poodle. F1bb Groodles are not very common.

F1bb Groodle Appearance

F1bb Groodles are even taller and leaner than F1b Groodles. They also have even curlier coats than F1b Groodles. Their appearance even more closely resembles a Poodle.

F1bb Groodle Shedding

F1bb Groodles shed even less than F1b Groodles. They are classified as as a light to non-shedding breed. This is because they have a higher percentage of Poodle genes than most Groodle generations. F1bb Groodles are also the most hypoallergenic generation of Groodle.

F2 Groodle

The “F” in F2 Groodle means “filial” and the “2” means second generation. “Filial” is simply a way to denote generation. An F2 Groodle is the second generation of the breed created by breeding a F1 Groodle with another F1 Groodle. They are 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle.

F2 Groodle Appearance

F2 Groodles look just like F1 Groodles. This is because they have the same genetic makeup (50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle). That being said, it is easier to predict the appearance of an F2 Groodle than an F1 Groodle by looking at the two parents.

F2 Groodle Shedding

F2 Groodles shed about the same amount as F1 Groodles. They are a light to non-shedding dog breed. One of the reasons why the Poodle was originally crossed with the Golden Retriever was to reduce the heavy shedding characteristic of the Golden Retriever whilst retaining its good nature and temperament.

F2b Groodle

The “F” in F2b Groodle means “filial”, the “2” means second generation and the “b” means back-cross. Back-cross means that the dog has been bred back to a purebred Poodle. An F2b Groodle is the second cross-back generation.

There are two ways F2b Groodles can be bred. In most cases they are created by crossing an F1 Groodle with a F1b Groodle. These F2b Groodles are 62.5% Poodle and 37.5% Golden Retriever. Other breeders create F2b Groodles by crossing a F2 Groodle with a purebred Poodle. These F2b Groodles are 25% Golden Retriever and 75% Poodle.

F2b Groodle Appearance

F2b Groodles closely resemble F1b Groodles. They look more like Poodles than Golden Retrievers as they have a higher percentage of Poodle genes. They also have curlier coats than F1 or F2 Groodles.

F2b Groodle Shedding

F2b Groodles are light to non-shedders. They shed even less than F2 Groodles. F2b Groodles shed less than F2 Groodles as they have a higher percentage of Poodle genes.

Multigeneration Groodles

Once a breeder goes past the second generation, the Groodle is considered to be a multigenerational Groodle e.g. F3 Groodle, F4 Groodle etc. Not many breeders breed past the second generation as the health benefits of cross breeding decreases which each successive generation.