QUIZ: Should You Get a Goldendoodle?

With their cuddly appearance and genius IQ levels (among other desirable traits), it’s no wonder that everyone and their dog has a Goldendoodle (or other type of Poodle-mix dog) these days. So if you have been thinking about bringing one into your family so you can experience life with one of these living teddy bears for yourself, we hope that you have done ample research on what life with a Goldendoodle is really like. But if you’re still wondering if you should get a Goldendoodle, take our short quiz below to give you a better idea.

But among these desirable characteristics are certainly a few important factors that – if unexpected – may have you wondering what all the hype was about.

Take our quiz below to see if a Goldendoodle would really be a good fit for you and your family.

Are you allergic to dogs?

Goldendoodles and other Poodle-mix dogs are known to be little-to-non-shedding. They are classified as hypoallergenic, and many people who typically have allergies with cats and dogs have agreed that they don’t have many issues when there’s a Doodle around. This is one of the main selling points of Goldendoodles.

You’d rather deal with:

This is a really important aspect that you need to consider when thinking about getting a Goldendoodle.

• If you said “A LOT of grooming”, move on to the next question!
• If you said “dog hair everywhere”, a Goldendoodle might not be the best fit for you.

Regular and frequent grooming are NECESSARY when you own one of these dogs. And if you aren’t grooming your dog yourself, then you’ll need to be prepared to fork over A LOT of time and effort to maintain the dog’s coat on top of the ~$100 that will go to your groomer every 2-3 months. If you aren’t interested in DIY grooming, then you will really need to put extra effort into maintaining the dog’s coat, otherwise you’ll be labeled as “NUTS” by the groomer.

You like people who are more:

• If you said “energetic”, move on to the next question!
• If you said “mellow”, a Goldendoodle might not be the best fit for you.

You know what they say: “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Those five people might indicate the types of people you like and get along with best.

Based on survey results from hundreds of Goldendoodle owners, most people reported that their Doodle had high or really high energy. They also evaluated their Goldendoodle’s intensity/hyper-ness and many people agreed that they can be intense with leash pulling, tend to “inhale” their food, etc. This is opposed to having a laid-back attitude about everything, which fewer people agreed with.

Does your home have a yard?

Trust us when we say that Goldendoodles are highly energetic, live an intense lifestyle, and are very playful. As such, their exercise needs are going to be higher than your average dog. A home with a yard – preferably one large enough for the dog to be able to run around – is going to be the best kind of home you can give a Goldendoodle. (Although, letting your dog play in your yard should be the least it does – you’ll still need to put in effort to meet their exercise needs. See next question.)

However, if you live in an apartment, condo, or townhome without a private yard, consider the following question…

Do you live an active lifestyle?

Again, Goldendoodles are HIGHLY energetic, and they will need a way to burn off all that energy. (Otherwise, they could become destructive around the house.) 

So if you don’t live in a home with a yard where they can play and run around to their heart’s content, there’s still hope for you yet…if you live an active lifestyle.

As fellow doodle owner Tracy Miller says:

“I knew I wanted a dog that retrieved (golden retriever) and with that I knew I wanted a dog that loved water, and hunting (poodle, golden retriever)…She is an active dog. She walks at least 3 miles daily, she knows more tasks and commands than most, she hunts (deer sheds), she loves adventures and hikes trails on our ranch several days a week.”

My Doodle Chloe is also very active, as most Doodles are. We’ve never lived in a house with a yard, and we’ve even lived in a small RV for a few months. When she was still a puppy, my husband and I recognized her love for the outdoors. We then made it a priority to get her outside as often as possible, so we all took up hiking and rock climbing as hobbies.

We also believe that because Chloe’s exercise needs were being met from an early age, that she’s never had a “need” to be destructive around the house.

Do you have young kids?

Most people in our survey reported that Goldendoodles are “excellent” at being affectionate with family and at being friendly toward children.

This final question on our quiz may seem unnecessary since both “yes” and “no” point to “Yes! You should get a Goldendoodle!” But we included it so that people will know that Doodles are simply amazing dogs, whether you have kids or not.

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Although quizzes like this are generally for entertainment purposes, we hope that this one has shed some light on what life is really like with a Goldendoodle. Though wonderful, Goldendoodles are not perfect dogs, so I think it is important to manage expectations…

“WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR GOLDENDOODLE?”

“Hair mats.”

“Barking.”

“Jumping on company.”

“He’s a runner. Inside the house, or fenced yard he recalls well. Outside, off leash he’s gone until he decides to return.”

“She gets bored easily and is a little destructive.”

“He talks (barks) to me as soon as I get on the phone or ignore him.”

“Energy can be a lot at times.”

“The grooming is a lot to keep up on. We do it ourselves to save some $, but it is an all day event for baths/ haircuts!”

“She barks at people, freaks out at other dogs, chases cats and squirrels like its her life mission to catch them.”

“High maintenance in most areas.. attention, activity, health, coat care.”

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Of course, you can take your quiz result with a grain of salt, especially if you’re already dead-set on getting one anyway. Either way, we will leave you with this 🙂

“WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR GOLDENDOODLE?”

“Everything, sweetest dog I have ever owned!!”

“Extremely affectionate and eager to please.”

“GREAT Personality, intelligence, lovingness, curiosity, low shedding, happy and adorable.”

“He is just a total member of the family.”

“He knew when anyone in the house needed comfort and my children and grandchildren grew up with him. He was my constant companion and never did wrong. Silly and goofy and always had that smile but had deep soulful eyes.”

“He shadows me everywhere and is affectionate in his own way, he’s my best friend.”

“His personality!! His only wish is to be included in everything.”

“Loyalty and acts like a human.”

“She can be super playful or a couch potato. She loves to cuddle.”

“She loves me unconditionally. She loves playing with me and often brings toys for us to play with. She’s always happy!”

“She understands my emotions and feelings.”