Goldendoodles
I. GRCA’s Position on Goldendoodles
The Golden Retriever Club of America is dedicated to
the health and welfare of the Golden Retriever breed while
conserving the original breed function – that of a
“working retriever.” A purebred dog offers to his
owner the likelihood that he will be a specific size,
shape, color and temperament.
The predictability of a breed comes from selection for
traits that are desirable and away from traits that are
undesirable. When a breed standard or type is set, the
animals within that breed have less heterozygosity than do
animals in a random population. The Goldendoodle is
nothing more than an expensive mongrel. Because the
genetic makeup is diverse from the Poodle genes and the
Golden Retriever genes, the resultant first generation
(F1) offspring is a complete genetic gamble. The dog may
be any size, color, coat texture and temperament. Indeed
Goldendoodles do shed. Their coat may be wiry or silky and
may mat. Body shape varies with parentage but tends to be
lanky and narrow. Behavior varies with the dog and within
a litter with some puppies poodle-like in attitude and
others somewhat like the Golden Retriever.
The Golden Retriever Club of America is opposed to
cross-breeding of dogs and is particularly opposed to the
deliberate crossing of Golden Retrievers with any other
breed. These crossbreds are a deliberate attempt to
mislead the public with the idea that there is an
advantage to these designer dogs. The crossbred dogs are
prone to all of the genetic disease of both breeds and
offer none of the advantages that owning a purebred dog
has to offer.
Permission to amend the Labrador Retriever Club
statement to Golden Retrievers given by:
Frances S. Smith DVM, Ph.D.
LRC, Inc. Board of Directors
Diplomate American College of Theriogenology
Original Author of Labradoodle statement
Marianne Foote
Director, Labrador Retriever Club
II. GRCA Responds to a Goldendoodle Breeder
Letter to GRCA from a Goldendoodle Breeder:
December 2006
I am shocked and insulted by your information on the
Golden Retriever Club of America web site concerning
Golden Doodles. We breed these dogs with every caution
and 2 years of research and have had wonderful results.
In my opinion your bias and negative comments are
uncalled for, perhaps you should purchase one and find
out for yourself before you make such bold statements.
Nancy ________________
GRCA’s Response:
The Golden Retriever Club of America stands behind
the information on our Website. We are dedicated to the
preservation of the Golden Retriever breed as defined by
our standard, which is published on our Website.
You state that you have two years of research behind
your breeding program. We have over 140 years of
experience in our breed and can trace our entire
breeding program back to the mating of two dogs in the
1860’s with very careful notes and ledgers maintained
on every single breeding. The history of the Golden
Retriever is carefully preserved and documented.
You do not delineate what you mean by research. What
we do in the way of research is fund many bona-fide
grants designed to help identify and eliminate canine
hereditary disease — diseases that are, by the way,
passed on to your Golden-doodles. Are you aware of these
diseases?
In addition we request that all our members do the
basic genetic testing for hips, eyes, hearts and elbows.
We request that additional information be given to those
who purchase Golden Retrievers about the overall health
and longevity of the breed. We expect every breeder to
support genetic research not only in doing the four
major clearances but also by contributing to a DNA
databank available to researchers. The Golden Retriever
Club of America is responsible for collecting DNA on
over 1000 of our current dogs along with a detailed
health profile. There is no such pool of available
information on cross bred animals.
You mention wonderful results. That is a rather broad
statement. Golden Retrievers excel in multiple venues
— field, obedience, conformation, agility,
companionship, service, detection, comfort and search
and rescue. We have a long history of stable
temperaments, trainability and bidability carefully
preserved and monitored by conscientious breeders. These
breeders have the full resources of our club, our
foundation and our membership at their disposal.
The Golden Retriever Club of America also works with
the Morris Animal Foundation and The Canine Health
Foundation in providing support and samples for vital
research in genetics and health. We have never seen a
grant application for the health of the Golden-doodle.
We have never seen a donation by any Doodle organization
to the betterment of canine health, only undocumented
claims that their dogs have no health problems. We have
never seen anyone breeding doodles of any kind talk
about the basic genetic testing for both the Golden and
the Poodle. Instead we only hear of these dogs showing
up in rescue because the promises of lack of shedding
and allergies and stable temperament remain unfulfilled.
The Golden Retriever Club of America also has an
extensive rescue network and is among the first to
arrive on the scene during natural disasters to provide
shelter and assistance to the Golden. Where were the
Doodle people during Hurricane Katrina?
We do not condone actions such as the deliberate
production of litters from two different AKC recognized
breeds of dogs, which does not maintain the separate
purpose and integrity of each breed. We speak for the
Golden Retriever. We expect our breeders to demonstrate
honesty, integrity, and fairness in dealing with other
owners, breeders, purchasers of puppies and the general
public. We feel that the deliberate production of
“Golden Doodles” profoundly violates that trust. The
Golden Retriever, as a purebred dog, comes from
generations and generations of breeding dogs with a
common gene pool and a characteristic appearance,
temperament and function. “Goldendoodles” are
nothing more than mixed breed dogs.
If you are offended by our website, imagine how we
feel about the proliferation of boutique dogs taking
advantage of the public and misusing the careful and
selectively bred Golden Retriever.
The Board of Directors of the Golden Retriever Club
of America
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