F1 Doodle vs F2 vs F1B vs F2B: Generations Explained + Infographic

F1 Doodle, F2 Doodle, F1b Doodle, or F2b Doodle…huh? It can certainly be a confusing topic! In this article, we’re going to discuss what those coded terms mean, why they are important, and how you can decipher them. Let’s get started!

F1 Doodles vs F2 vs F1B vs F2B

If you’ve got your heart set on a Doodle, you might be confused with all the different Doodle generations that are available out there. We have the F1 Doodles, then there are F1b Doodles, and some breeders even offer Multigenerational Doodles. But what do they all mean and why is that important?

To put it simply, since all Doodles are crossbreed dogs, there can be various combinations used to achieve a certain Doodle breed. On the other hand, if you’re after a purebred dog, you’ll just want to know if both of the parents used were the same breed. So, for hybrid breeds like Doodles, generations were introduced. 

Now, let’s break down the numbers and terminology.

The letter ‘F’ stands for ‘filial’, which means that the dog is crossbreed and not purebred. The numbers ‘1’ and ‘2’ refer to their generation. Lastly, the letters ‘b’ and ‘bb’ refer to backcross and backcross-backcross generations, respectively. For example, an F1b Doodle is a first-generation backcross Doodle. 

Doodle Generations Explained

What Is An F1 Doodle?

An F1 Doodle is a first-generation cross between a Poodle and another purebred dog parent. This makes the genetic makeup of an F1 Doodle 50% Poodle and 50% of the other original breed parent.

For example, an F1 Goldendoodle is 50% Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever. 

Here is a handy chart explaining the various Doodle generations, too:

	1st Parent	2nd Parent	% [Breed]*	% Poodle*
F1 Doodle (first-generation)	[Breed]	Poodle	50%	50%
F1B Doodle (first-generation backcross)	F1 Doodle	Poodle	25%	75%
F1BB Doodle (first-generation backcross backcross)	F1B Doodle	Poodle	12.5%	87.5%
F2 Doodle (second-generation)	F1 Doodle	F1 Doodle	50%	50%
F2B Doodle (second-generation backcross)	F1 Doodle	F1B Doodle	37.5%	62.5%
F2B Doodle (alternate cross)	F2 Doodle	Poodle	25%	75%
F3 / Multigen Doodle	F1B Doodle or higher	F1B Doodle or higher	Varies	Varies

What Is An F1b Doodle?

An F1b Doodle is a first-generation backcross between an F1 Doodle and a Poodle. The genetic makeup of an F1b Doodle is therefore 75% Poodle and 25% of the other original breed parent. Sometimes the other original purebred parent is used instead of the Poodle, but that’s usually a very rare find. 

For example, an F1b Aussiedoodle is 75% Poodle and 25% Australian Shepherd. 

What Is An F1bb Doodle?

An F1bb Doodle is a first-generation backcross-backcross between an F1b Doodle and a Poodle. As a result, we get a Doodle whose genetic makeup is 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% of the other original breed parent. 

For example, an F1bb Bernedoodle is 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% Bernese Mountain Dog. 

What Is An F2 Doodle?

An F2 Doodle, or second generation Doodle, has two F1 Doodle parents. Like the F1 Doodle, F2 Doodles have a 50-50 mix of the Poodle and the other original purebred parent.

For instance, an F2 Labradoodle is 50% Poodle and 50% Labrador Retriever. 

What Is An F2b Doodle?

An F2b Doodle is a second-generation backcross Doodle. Similarly to F1b Doodles, F2b Doodles have an F2 Doodle parent and a Poodle parent. Their genetic makeup consists of 75% Poodle and 25% of the other purebred parent. Likewise, sometimes the other original breed parent is used in the backcross instead of the Poodle, but it’s usually not as common. 

For example, an F2b Sheepadoodle is 75% Poodle and 25% Old English Sheepdog. 

What Is An F2bb Doodle?

An F2bb Doodle, or second-generation backcross-backcross Doodle, has an F2b Doodle parent and a Poodle parent. As a result, an F2bb Doodle has 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% of the other purebred parent in their genetic makeup. 

For example, an F2bb Pyredoodle is 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% Great Pyrenees. 

What Is A Multigen Doodle?

Additionally, there’s also the Multigenerational Doodle, which refers to two F1b or later Doodles. 

To help you visualize all this, here are the Doodle generations explained in a chart form:

F1 vs F2 vs F1b vs F2b Doodles: Which Is Better?

First, we have to clarify that none of the Doodle generations is better than the other. All Doodles, regardless of their generation, are wonderful companions and each of them hold many desirable traits. Nonetheless, different varieties of Doodles also possess different traits and characteristics. Let’s take a closer look… 

Physical Appearance

Probably one of the biggest differences between the Doodle generations is that F1 Doodles, F1b Doodles, and F2 Doodles can all have distinct physical features. Namely, their coat types. For example, the appearance of an F1 Doodle is more unpredictable than those of F1b and F2b Doodles. As the F1 Doodle is the very first generation 50-50 mix of the Poodle and another breed, they can lean towards either side. In addition to that, F1 and F2 Doodles might resemble more of the other original breed parent, instead of the Poodle. 

F1 Doodles usually have more wavy than curly coats, and they may or may not have an undercoat. However, with backcross Doodle generations like the F1b Doodle and F2b Doodle, we can expect there to be a greater chance of having more curly hair. Lastly, F2 Doodles have much more variety, as their coat types can range anywhere from straight, wavy, to curly. 

Hypoallergenic Coats

In terms of a Doodle’s coat and levels of shedding, there can be quite a difference between F1 Doodles, F2 Doodles, and their backcross generations. Here, their genetic makeup really comes into play. For instance, if an F1 Doodle has 50% Poodle and 50% of the other purebred parent, there’s a 50-50 chance of them inheriting either the Poodle’s hypoallergenic coat or the more shedding other purebred parent’s coat. Most likely, however, their hair type would fit somewhere right in between.

On the other hand, if you’re after a low to non-shedding, hypoallergenic Doodle, your best bet would be either an F1b or F2b Doodle. Since their genetic makeup consists of 75% Poodle and 25% of the other original breed parent, there’s a much higher chance that a backcross puppy will inherit more Poodle-like traits. Likewise, as F1bb and F2bb Doodles have an even higher percentage of Poodle in their genetic makeup, we can usually expect them to be hypoallergenic.

Diet

When it comes to a Doodle’s diet, there’s no difference between F1, F1b, F2, or F2b Doodles. Regardless of a Doodle’s generation, it’s important you feed them a healthy and balanced diet that’s full of nutrients. If you’re not sure what dog food formula to choose, here are some useful guides for various Doodle breeds. 

Activeness

Similarly, all Doodles within their hybrid breed have pretty much the same personalities. Of course, a puppy’s temperament is always unique and each pup in the litter can exhibit various levels of activeness, playfulness, or cuddliness. Usually, there isn’t much of a difference between an F1 Doodle and an F1b Doodle in terms of their temperament and personality. However, F1b and F2b Doodles may exhibit more Poodle-like temperaments than first and second-generation Doodles. 

Health

You might have heard that Doodles and other hybrid breeds are considered to be healthier than their purebred parental breeds. That’s actually not a myth and it all comes down to hybrid vigor. Hybrid vigor refers to a phenomenon that’s been observed in hybrid breeds, where combining two unrelated breeds leads to healthier dogs. As we’re combining two unrelated breeds, there’s a smaller chance of overlapping hereditary health issues. 

Hybrid vigor is the strongest in F1 Doodles and it may start to diminish with each consecutive Doodle generation. Nevertheless, ethical breeders always test their breeding dogs for various genetic health conditions to reduce the risk of unhealthy litters in any Doodle generation. 

Cost

Lastly, Doodle generations can also affect the cost of a Doodle puppy. Most commonly, an F1 Doodle is the least expensive option, as there’s more unpredictability involved. In contrast, you can expect to pay slightly more for F1b Doodles and other backcross generations, as there’s a higher demand due to their hypoallergenic coats. You should also keep in mind that a Doodle puppy’s cost is determined by your location, your desired Doodle puppy’s size, their coat type, and the breeder’s reputation and breeding standards. All in all, you can typically expect to pay anywhere between $1500 and $5000 for a Doodle puppy in the US. 

F1 vs F2 vs F1B vs F2B Doodles: FAQ

What Are The Doodle Generations?

Doodle generations tell us that a dog is a crossbreed, and it refers to their genetic makeup of each of the parental breeds. Doodle generations are termed as F1 Doodle, F1b, F1bb, F2 Doodle and so on. 

• F1 or first-generation Doodles are 50% Poodle and 50% of the other purebred parent
• F1b or first-generation backcross Doodles are 75% Poodle and 25% of the other purebred parent
• An F1bb or first-generation backcross backcross Doodle are 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% of the other purebred parent
• An F2 or second-generation Doodle are 50% Poodle and 50% of the other purebred parent
• An F2b or second-generation backcross Doodle are 75% Poodle and 25% of the other purebred parent
• An F2bb or second-generation backcross-backcross Doodle are 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% of the other purebred parent

Is F1 Doodle better than F1B? Is F1 Doodle or F1b Doodle better?

When you’re trying to decide whether an F1 Doodle or an F1b Doodle is a better fit for you, there are some things you should consider. First of all, both of their personalities are consistently the same throughout the Doodle generations. This includes their temperament, activity levels, cuddliness, etc. 

However, if coat care, grooming, and shedding levels are important factors, then that’s where you should consider the pros and cons of each. If you’re looking for a non-shedding, hypoallergenic pup then an F1b Doodle would be a better choice for you. On the other hand, it’s important to keep in mind that curly-haired Doodles do require more upkeep and daily grooming on your end. 

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To conclude, regardless of their generation, Doodles are well-known and loved for their great temperaments and hypoallergenic coats. If you’re planning to adopt a Doodle puppy with specific traits in mind, it’s crucial you understand how the different Doodle generations can affect the dog’s appearance, levels of shedding, coat grooming requirements, and more. We hope this article has helped you understand the differences between all of the Doodle generations, so you can make an educated decision before adopting your new furry family member.