Flat Coat Goldendoodle vs Unfurnished: What’s The Difference?

One of the many great things about Doodles is that they can come in all shapes and sizes, colors and coat types. There’s the curly-haired Doodle, flat coat Goldendoodle, then we have furnished and unfurnished Doodles. But what do all of those things mean exactly? In this article, we’re going to learn all about the differences between furnished, unfurnished, flat coat, and straight coat Doodles. Let’s dig in!

What Are Doodle Furnishings?

Doodle furnishings are longer hairs on a Doodle’s face that give them their signature scruffy look. Furnished Doodles have fluffy beards, eyebrows, and overall ‘hairiness’ to the face. Doodles get furnishing from the Poodle parent’s side thanks to a dominant gene called RSPO2. Since it’s a dominant gene, most Doodles come with furnishings. However, it’s not uncommon to come across an unfurnished Doodle, either. 

Unfurnished Doodles have smooth facial hair and they resemble more of the other original parent. Unfurnished Doodles carry the improper coat gene, and they’re often referred to as flat coat Doodles. But that’s not to say that furnished Doodles are better than unfurnished pups. In fact, unfurnished Doodles are becoming more and more popular. Many people prefer flat coat Doodles, as they resemble less of the Poodle parent, but still benefit from hybrid vigour and less shedding. 

How To Tell If Your Doodle Has A Furnishing Or Improper Coat?

The easiest way to determine if your Doodle has a furnishing or an improper coat is by looking at their face. Does your pup’s facial hair have smooth texture or do they sport more of that teddy-bear look? Do they have a distinguishably longer beard and eyebrows? For example, a Goldendoodle without furnishings would have a smooth face with no distinctive brows or mustache. A flat coat Goldendoodle also wouldn’t have the signature Doodle look.

Another thing to keep in mind is that puppies will change their coats once they reach adulthood. A flat coat Goldendoodle puppy might not show their real coat type once they’ve fully shed their puppy hair, which usually starts around 6 months of age. The most foolproof way of determining if your Doodle puppy has furnishings is by genetic testing and experience. If you adopt your pup from a responsible breeder, they’ll be able to tell you more about the genetic makeup of the parent pups, and how the puppies in each litter usually turn out.  

Flat Coat vs Straight Coat vs Unfurnished Doodles

Why Do Some Doodles Have A Flat Coat?

As you might know, Doodles are a combination of at least two different breed dogs. Naturally, this means that a Doodle can end up with a variety of traits and characteristics from each parent pup. Although most Doodles come with furnishings, it’s not uncommon that some puppies inherit the unfurnished look, a.k.a. the flat coat. It all comes down to a Doodle’s genetic makeup. 

Additionally, a straight coat Doodle isn’t the same as a flat coat Doodle. For example, a straight coat Goldendoodle can very well have furnishings. However, a flat coat Goldendoodle will come with a smooth face with no distinctive Doodle look around the eyes or muzzle. 

What Is An Unfurnished Doodle?

An unfurnished Doodle does not have any coat furnishings. This means that they’ll have a smooth face with shorter hair that grows only to a predetermined length and then shed. Also, the beard, eyebrows, and mustache are all pretty much the same length and not as distinguishable. For instance, an unfurnished Goldendoodle will resemble more of the Golden Retriever parent.

How Does A Doodle Get An Improper Coat?

As we mentioned, a dog’s genetic makeup will determine if they’ll get an improper coat or a furnished coat. Even if a litter of F2 Doodles is produced by two furnished F1 Doodles, it doesn’t mean that all the puppies in the litter will have furnishings. If there’s the recessive improper coat gene present in both parents, some puppies will get a flat coat. 

Doodles carry two copies of genes that indicate either furnishing or improper coat. For instance, most Poodles have two furnishing genes (F/F), whereas Golden Retrievers carry two improper coat genes (IC/IC). The furnishing gene is dominant and a dog only needs one copy of the furnishing gene to present the scruffy Doodle look. As a result, F1 Doodles almost always come with furnished coats. 

However, it gets trickier with subsequent generations, as both parent dogs can carry the recessive improper coat gene. For example, when combining two F1 Doodles who both carry F/IC genotypes, up to 25% of the puppies will be unfurnished (IC/IC). If we backcross a Doodle (F/IC) to the non-Poodle parent (IC/IC), up to 50% of the puppies will have improper coats. In contrast, backcrossing a Doodle (F/IC) to a Poodle (F/F) will result in furnished F/F and F/IC puppies.  

How Can You Prevent An Improper Coat On The Doodle?

Improper coat can be prevented by genetic testing. Specialized Doodle breeders who are after certain looks test their parent pups before breeding new litters. If the goal is to breed furnished Doodles, breeders will choose the Poodle parent that has two copies of the furnishing gene (F/F). If you’re after a certain coat type, find a breeder who conducts genetic tests before producing new litters. Based on the results, they’ll be able to tell you what genes are present, and what are the chances of some puppies being unfurnished.

How Rare Are Flat-Coated Genes?

Although most commonly breeders choose to produce furnished puppies for their very low to non-shedding coats, it’s not actually that rare to encounter a flat-coated Doodle. Curly-haired and furnished Doodles are loved by people who struggle with allergies. However, unfurnished Doodles have been gaining much popularity thanks to their low-maintenance coats and non-Poodle looks. 

All in all, it depends on the breeder and what type of puppies they specialize in. If a breeder does not do DNA testing, some puppies in the litter can end up with flat coats. Without genetic testing, there’s no way of accurately knowing which genes are going to be more dominant. 

Straight Coat vs Unfurnished Doodles: A Detailed Comparison

	Straight Coat Doodle	Unfurnished Doodle
Coat Description	Straight and fluffy hair on the body. Facial hair is longer with more distinctive eyebrows, beard, and mustache.	Straight or slightly wavy hair that sits flat on the body. The face is smooth with shorter hair. No distinctive Doodle look.
Coat Maintenance & Grooming	Moderate to high maintenance, as the hair keeps continuously growing and will therefore need regular grooming.	Low maintenance, as unfurnished Doodles aren’t as prone to tangles and matting, and their hair only grows to a predetermined length.
Shedding	Some to light shedding.	Might shed more than straight coat Doodles.

Flat Coat Goldendoodle FAQ

What Does A Furnished Doodle Mean?

Simply put, a furnished Doodle has longer hairs on the face and ears. You’ve probably noticed that Doodles come with a distinct teddy-bear looking face with longer eyebrows, mustache, and beard. This is thanks to the dominant gene named RSPO2 from the Poodle parent’s side. A furnished Doodle will require regular grooming, as the hair keeps growing. However, some Doodles can end up with flat coats without furnishings. Unfurnished Doodles don’t have the famous teddy bear look that most Doodles have. Their facial hair is smooth, much shorter, and they resemble more of the non-Poodle parent breed. In addition, flat coats only grow into a predetermined length.   

How Do You Tell If A Goldendoodle Puppy Will Have Furnishings?

Many breeders do genetic testing to see if a dog carries either a fully furnished or improper coat gene. This will determine the puppy’s genetic makeup and give a pretty good idea of what to expect. However, if the breeder does not test the parent pups, there’s always a chance that they carry the improper coat gene, and some puppies in the litter end up with flat coats.  

What Is The Difference Between A Furnished And Unfurnished Bernedoodle? Do Unfurnished Bernedoodles Shed More?

A furnished Bernedoodle would have a very Doodle-like look with longer and fluffier facial hair, and more prominent beard and eyebrows. On the other hand, an unfurnished Bernedoodle would have very smooth and short facial hair with no distinctive eyebrows or beard. They won’t sport the typical Doodle look and resemble more of the Bernese Mountain Dog. Unfurnished Bernedoodles tend to shed more than furnished pups, but usually still less than their purebred parent. 

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In conclusion, whether your Doodle is furnished or unfurnished, you can always be sure that you’ll end up with the most wonderful companion. Both furnished and unfurnished Doodles have their pros and cons. If you suffer from allergies, you might want to opt for a furnished, curly-coated Doodle who is usually the least shedding out of them all. Or if you prefer a low-maintenance pup that doesn’t require much grooming, you’ll likely find an unfurnished Doodle the best choice. It all comes down to what look you prefer, and what type of upkeep is more manageable for you personally. We hope this article has helped you understand the difference between furnished and unfurnished Doodles, so you can make an educated decision before bringing your new four-legged family member home.