F1 vs. F1B Generations: Choosing between the two most popular generations of Goldendoodles

Ok, so now you’ve narrowed it down, and you’re as sure as pigs are made of bacon that you’re getting a Goldendoodle dog. Congrats to you on that! You’re surely going to be in for years of laughter, joy, and companionship.

However, have you decided on the generation you’re going for? Oh, you didn’t even know there is something called a dog’s generation? Well, there is!

Remember those words, “F1” and “F1B,” you saw on those advert pages that made you fall in love with Goldendoodles? The advertiser didn’t just place them there because they love Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton, or the F1 sport. Those words represent the generation of Goldendoodle they sell.

But, of course, you may not have known this before now. Now that you know there is something called a Goldendoodle generation, how do you decide on the generation to purchase?

Here are some essential details on the two generations to make you decide on which to go for.

What does the word F1 mean?

Like we mentioned earlier, F1 in the Goldendoodle world doesn’t represent Formula 1. Instead, the F stands for “filial,” which typifies that the dog is a crossbred dog and not a purebred. The 1 tells us that this is the first generation of offspring from the cross between the two parent breeds – the Golden Retriever and a Poodle.

What is a F1 Goldendoodle?

If you see the tag F1 on a Goldendoodle dog, it simply means that that dog will be 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle genetically, as it is gotten from a cross between 100% Poodle and 100% Retriever.

As a mix of both, you’d expect F1 Goldendoodles to exhibit the best traits of a Poodle and a Retriever. But, in reality, the physical traits and personality of F1 Goldendoodles might not be a reflection of the good sides of both parent breeds. Since there is an equal contribution of genes from sides (Poodle and Retriever), there is no telling which gene will be more dominant and which might end up recessive. As a result, you can’t always guarantee how much this generation will shed and how hypoallergenic it will be.

Typically, the Poodle genetics will contribute to the dog’s high intelligence, smartness, and curly or wavy coat. And the Retriever side will be responsible for the smooth coat and loving nature of the dog.

Dogs from this generation benefit from the “hybrid vigor” – a phenomenon that guarantees that the dog only inherits health conditions that are common to the Poodle and Retriever and not conditions that are Poodle-specific or Retriever-specific.

What you get when you buy F1 Goldendoodle generation

• Coat Type: you could get a dog with a straight, curly, or wavy coat.
• Non-shedding: there is no complete guarantee that your dog won’t shed
• Hypoallergenic: Not guaranteed too
• Hybrid vigor: has the best hybrid vigor qualities

What does the word F1B mean?

Just like in the F1 generation, the letters F and 1, still represent the same things – a filial and the first-generation offspring between a Retriever and a Poodle. However, the B typifies that the dogs from this generation are a backcross. And by backcross, we mean that an F1 Goldendoodle has been crossed with a purebred parent breed (usually a purebred Poodle).

What is a F1B Goldendoodle?

Typically, most of the Goldendoodle dogs you find the tag F1B on are dogs that are 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever. Although an F1B dog can be a backcross between a Goldendoodle and a Retriever too, most breeders choose to go with a backcross between F1 and a Poodle because of the superior non-shedding and hypoallergenic properties. Unlike the F1 dogs, dogs from the F1B generation boast a far greater hypoallergenic property, with curly or wavy coats.

Due to the huge desirability of dogs that don’t shed amongst many pet owners, F1B has been in far more demand than their F1 counterparts.

However, there is a downside with them too. And their downside is that they get less of the hybrid vigor that the F1.

What you get when you buy F1B Goldendoodle generation

• Coat Type: Mostly curly or wavy coat
• Non-shedding: Yes, absolutely
• Hypoallergenic: Guaranteed
• Hybrid Vigor: Yes, but not as strong as an F1 Goldendoodle.