Labradoodles vs Goldendoodles

Last Updated on February 2, 2023

Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are two of the most popular Poodle mixes around!

And while they share many similarities, they are both different in their own way.

Today, we are going to dive deep into the differences between the Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle so you know which dog is the right fit for you!

What breeds are Labradoodles vs Goldendoodles

We know that any Doodle type dog is a Poodle crossed with something else, but what exactly are Labradoodles and Goldendoodles? Let’s find out!

Labradoodle

Labradoodles are a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle.

Goldendoodle

Goldendoodles are a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle.

In conclusion: Because both dogs are part Poodle, you can expect both a Labradoodle and Goldendoodle to be no to low shedding.

Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle Size

The size of either Labradoodle or Goldendoodle entirely depends on the parent breeds, but generally, Goldendoodles are smaller than Labradoodles.

There are usually three different sizes that Labradoodles and Goldendoodles come in: toy, mini, and standard. The below heights and weights are approximations and may differ from breeder to breeder.

Labradoodle

Toy Labradoodles are the smallest size of Labradoodle while Standard Labradoodles are the largest.

• Toy Labradoodle: 13-20 pounds and 14-15 inches tall
• Mini Labradoodle: 15-25 pounds and 14-16 inches tall
• Standard Labradoodle: 40-75+ pounds and 22-24 inches tall

Goldendoodle

Just like the Labradoodles, Goldendoodles usually come in three different sizes but will different among breeders:

• Toy Goldendoodle: 10-20 pounds and 10-16 inches
• Mini Goldendoodle: 15-35 pounds and 13-30 inches
• Standard Goldendoodle: 30-50 pounds and 16-25 inches

In conclusion: Goldendoodles are generally a bit smaller than Labradoodles.

Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle energy levels

Poodles are high energy and puppies usually inherit the Poodle’s energy. While most Doodles are energetic dogs, some require more attention and physical activity than others. Let’s see how the Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle compare in terms of their energy levels.

Labradoodle

Being part Labrador Retriever, the Labradoodle is an energetic working dog that demands daily training, exercise, and mental stimulation.

If you have an active lifestyle and you want a dog to accompany you on all your adventures, the Labradoodle would be a perfect companion.

Goldendoodle

Goldendoodles are more laid back compared to Labradoodles. Being part Poodle, they still require lots of exercise but Golden Retrievers aren’t as energetic as Labrador Retrievers. You can expect a Goldendoodle to be fairly active but not quite as active as their Labradoodle cousins.

In conclusion: Labradoodles are more energetic than Goldendoodles, but Goldendoodles still require lots of exercise.

Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle coats and colors

Both Labradoodles and Goldendoodles can inherit different coat types from their parents including:

• Straight: A straight coat Doodle inherits their coats from the dog being bred with the Poodle (in the case of a Labradoodle, a Labrador and in the case of a Goldendoodle, a Golden Retriever). Straight coat Doodles shed but are rare in F1 Doodles.
• Fleece: Fleece coats are slightly wavy. They aren’t quite straight but aren’t tight curls either. Fleece coat dogs generally do not shed, and if they do, it’s very minimal.
• Curly: Curly coats are tightly-coiled curls and take after the Poodle moreso.

Both Labradoodles and Goldendoodles can have these coat types. Let’s look at what colors each dog can be.

Labradoodle

Labradoodles come in a variety of colors: red, apricot, black, dark chocolate, blue (rare), silver (rare), golden, merle (rare), and white.

Goldendoodle

Goldendoodles come in the colors black, brown, apricot, cream, red, silver (rare), and blue (rare).

In conclusion: Both Goldendoodles and Labradoodles come in different colors, many of white are the same! They also have similar coat types. The main way to tell the difference between the two dogs based on their physical appearance is their size, but even then, you might not be able to tell the difference right away.

Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle price

The cost of a Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle ranges and depends on many factors like:

• the generation of the dog
• the color of the size
• the size of the dog
• your location

You can often find Labradoodles or Goldendoodles up for adoption, so it’s best to see if any are in need of a home before you reach out to breeders. When buying a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle, you should also take time to make sure you aren’t buying from a backyard breeder. Here are some tips when searching for reputable breeders:

Make sure your breeder:

• Gives puppies to their new homes when they are at least 8 weeks old
• Shows you health testing certificates
• Shows you vet records for all dogs
• Gives you a guarantee with your purchase
• Raises the puppies with the mom and dad dogs on site

The prices for Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are below.

Labradoodle

The price of Labradoodles from reputable Labradoodle breeders ranges from $1000-$2500+.

Goldendoodle

Goldendoodles cost anywhere from $2,000-$5,000. The price depends on the Expect it to be anywhere between $2000-$5000. 

In conclusion: Goldendoodles cost slightly more than Labradoodles, but this depends on the factors listed above and can change from region to region.

Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle temperament

To understand the temperament of a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle, let’s learn about the temperament of the three parent dog breeds: Poodles, Golden Retriever, and Labrador Retrievers.

Poodle

Poodles are known as being one of the smartest dogs in the world. Their intelligence comes at cost, however, and owners of these dogs must commit to keeping them mentally stimulated, otherwise, the Poodle will become bored and destructive.

On top of being extremely intelligent, they are also working dogs. You may not know this, but Poodles were once used as hunting dogs to hunt waterfowl. They are a working dog and on top of requiring constant mental stimulation, also enjoy lots of exercise including fetch, walks, and runs.

When trained properly, Poodles are calm, friendly, and playful.

Golden Retriever

Golden Retrievers make great family dogs! They are smart, fun, loving, and goofy. They want nothing more than to please their owners and have a job. Being that a Golden Retriever likes to work, it makes a wonderful guide dog or service dog.

Just like Poodles, Golden Retrievers were bred to retrieve waterfowl. They love to swim and need some kind of “job” to keep them satisfied.

Golden Retrievers enjoy going on long walks, running, and playing fetch. They are high-energy but are trainable.

Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retrievers were originally bred in Canada as retrieving dogs who could withstand cold water during the winter months! Labradors are high-energy working dogs who, like the Golden Retriever and Poodle, will need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation as they are highly intelligent.

Some people note that they have more energy than Golden Retrievers, which can be argued by some. However, it’s undeniable that Labrador Retrievers have lots of energy and need frequent exercise. You should aim to exercise a Lab anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours (or more) every day.

Labrador Retrievers are smart, trainable, and loving family dogs! And just like a Golden Retriever, a Lab is often used as a guide dog or service dog.

Labradoodle

Labradoodles are smart dogs with lots of energy, just like their Labrador Retriever parent, but each dog differs as some may take more after the Poodle and others might be more like a Labrador Retriever. However, we’re going to give you some general characteristics that many Labradoodles share.

Labradoodles are:

• Outgoing: Labradoodles are outgoing and friendly from being part Labrador Retriever.
• Wonderful family dogs: Both the Poodle and the Labrador Retriever love being near their families, and Labradoodles inherit this trait.
• Playful: Labradoodles love to play and when supervised, love to play with young children and other animals as well!
• High energy: As both parent breeds are high-energy, Labradoodles need lots of exercise. If you do not have a couple of hours per day to exercise and train your Labradoodle, they are not the right dog for you.
• Friendly: Labrador Retrievers will make friends with just about anybody. Poodles can be a bit more standoffish, but generally, Labradoodles tend to be more like their Lab parent and are very friendly.
• Highly-trainable: With both parent breeds being so intelligent, a Labradoodle will be easy to train as they can pick things up quite quickly.

Labradoodles make great agility dogs and love to Goldendoodle

Like the Labradoodle, Goldendoodles are smart, playful, and love to be near their families. On average, Goldendoodles are:

• Playful: Goldendoodles want to play with anyone and everyone, including other animals.
• Calm and loving: Like a Golden Retriever, Goldendoodles make great therapy dogs as they are eager to please and want to make sure those around them are at ease.
• High-energy: Goldendoodles have high energy and need a couple of hours of exercise and training every day to keep happy and healthy. Because they are part Golden Retriever, they may have slightly less energy than a Labradoodle but not by much.
• Friendly: Goldendoodles are very friendly, even towards strangers. Their friendliness hampers their ability to be good guard dogs, but with the right training, you may be able to train your Goldendoodle to be a good guard dog.
• Highly-trainable: Being so smart, Goldendoodles are easy to train but will get bored if you do not keep up their training and continue to challenge them.

In conclusion: Labradoodles and Goldendoodles share many of the same characteristics. Goldendoodles tend to have slightly less energy than Labradoodles, but that doesn’t mean Goldendoodles are a low-energy dog by any means. And even with less energy, Goldendoodles tend to be more excitable than Labradoodles.

Both dog breeds need lots of exercise and enjoy being challenged mentally!

Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle grooming

Grooming for a Goldendoodle vs Labradoodle is going to be more or less the same. As both dogs are low shedding (and in many cases, non-shedding) they require daily brushing at home and monthly trips to the groomers.

If you prefer to keep your Doodle’s hair long and shaggy, you can expect to brush for at least one hour per day to rid your dog of any painful tangles or mats.

There are many Poodle mix dogs. Click here to learn about the different kinds.

Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle health problems and life expectancy

Both Goldendoodles and Labradoodles face similar health problems being they share a Poodle parent. Note: the below list is not an exhaustive list of health issues—it’s a list of the main issues either dog could face.

Labradoodle

Labradoodles, on average, have a lifespan of 12 to 14 years. Smaller Labradoodles (like the Mini Labradoodle) generally lives to be around 14 to 15 years old.  

Typically, crossbreed can face less health issues than their pure-bred parents, but there are diseases and health issues Labradoodles may face such as:

• Hip and elbow dysplasia
• Food Allergies
• Ear Infection
• Sebaceous adenitis
• Hypothyroidism
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy
• Cataracts
• Cancer
• Bloat
• Seizures or epilepsy

Goldendoodle

On average, Goldendoodles (and Mini Goldendoodles) live to be around 10 to 15 years and have a similar lifespan compared to Labradoodles.

In terms of health issues, Goldendoodle’s are more prone to:

• Hip dysplasia (Hip dysplasia treatment can cost you $1000-$5000)
• Skin irritation
• Hyperadrenocorticism
• Canine hypothyroidism
• Ear infections
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy
• Cataracts
• Cancer
• Bloat
• Seizures or epilepsy

In conclusion: Both breeds are susceptible to hip dysplasia, eye disorders (such as cataracts), ear infections, hypothyroidism, seizures or epilepsy, bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus) and cancer. It’s best to speak to your breeder to make sure both parents have been tested and are free of any major health concerns.

Labradoodles and Goldendoodles: Which is a better dog breed?

Although the Labradoodle and the Goldendoodle are quite similar, there are some subtle differences between these two dog breeds:

1. Goldendoodles are slightly smaller than Labradoodles
2. While both dogs are medium to high-energy, Labradoodles have slightly more energy than Goldendoodles (but this isn’t always the case)
3. Both the Labradoodle and the Goldendoodle make excellent family pets
4. Goldendoodles and Labradoodles both require regular grooming
5. As they are low shedding dogs, Goldendoodles and Labradoodles may not produce allergic reactions in people who have dog allergies
6. Goldendoodles tend to be more expensive than Labradoodles

What do you prefer? A Labradoodle or Goldendoodle? Let us know in the comments below!