Are Goldendoodles High Maintenance? (They Can Be)


Are Goldendoodles High-Maintenance?

As a general rule, Goldendoodles are not a high-maintenance dog breed. Maintaining a pet Goldendoodle involves various aspects, ranging from grooming and training requirements to emotional support and diet. Goldendoodles require Grooming every 6-8 weeks

To this effect, whether your pet is high-maintenance or otherwise would depend on its genetic make-up as also its individual traits. While there are Doodles, which are described as being high maintenance by their owners, others are a lot easier to maintain.

Considering the Goldendoodles’ lineage, you would soon realize that the poodle parent is not high-maintenance. Contrary to their looks, poodles are not just sturdy health-wise, but also intelligent, athletic, and affectionate. 

Their grooming requirements are too moderate, and a daily romp outdoors usually suffices for them to expend their energy. The other parent – Golden Retriever – requires a little more maintenance in grooming and exercise, but otherwise is emotionally independent. 

Therefore, unless they might have inherited certain specific traits or the atmosphere at home might have triggered a sense of insecurity, Goldendoodles are not really high maintenance.

What Makes Goldendoodles Low-Maintenance?

Some of the reasons as to why Goldendoodles do not require as much maintenance are – 

  • Owing to being easy-going by nature, they adapt quickly to their surroundings and tend to take everything in stride;
  • Mentally and emotionally, the Goldendoodle is relatively stable, and this is courtesy of having been born of two balanced parent breeds;
  • Energetic that they are, some amount of daily physical and mental exercise is sufficient for them to feel expended and content without being exhausted;
  • With proper training, Doodles need not suffer from separation anxiety and can click well with working pet owners too;
  • Doodles thrive on attention and love but are not over-needy to the point of remaining snuggled to their owner 24/7;
  • They can be easily trained and socialized and excel in both aspects provided you make an early start;
  • Unless either of the parents may have been afflicted, there are no major health issues that Goldendoodles suffer from.
  • Individual grooming notwithstanding, Doodles do not require too much attention except for regular brushing and occasional bathing to appear beautiful.

High-Maintenance Goldendoodle Explained

Anything that requires a substantial amount of time, energy, dedication, and effort in terms of caregiving is regarded as being high maintenance. In the context of Goldendoodles, your pet could be considered as being high-maintenance if it is –

  • A fussy eater and does not eat anything other than a specific type/brand of food;
  • Prone to a variety of health issues, ranging from inability to handle strenuous exercises to regular tummy upsets, skin issues, and so on;
  • Might be picky about the spot for his rituals and end up walking for at least an hour before identifying one;
  • Demanding in terms of your attention and affection daily;
  • Likely to get its coat matted, tangled, and loaded with debris and dander in no time if not bathed or shampooed regularly;

What Causes Goldendoodles To Become High Maintenance?

Typically, Goldendoodles are not high-maintenance and quickly evolve into mature and benign pets. However, some owners complain about their Goldendoodle being high maintenance, thus proving that this could be the case in some circumstances. In-depth research has revealed specific triggers in the home atmosphere that cause Doodles to become high maintenance. 

These are – 

  • Physical discomfort and ailments, wherein the pet often requires frequent medical supervision;
  • The fragile emotional state of the dog, in which case the owner needs to be constantly worried about how the pet would react to a change in circumstances;
  • Stressful environment at home which triggers anxiety in the pet also, as they tend to echo the existing mood;
  • An improper diet that lacks nutrients in terms of both quality and quantity could cause a Goldendoodle to become hyper and difficult to control;
  • Missing out on daily walks or outdoor routine repeatedly, which would drive the Goldendoodle nuts or cause it to become bored and destructive;
  • Lack of proper sleeping place or the bed being dirty and not having been cleaned for days, which could disturb the Goldendoodle to the point of constant barking or whining;
  • Food/water bowl not being refilled as it should be, causing the Goldendoodle to take matters into its own hands;

All of the above reasons could cause Goldendoodles to act in unbecoming ways and are most often unpleasant for the pet owner. The next phase is anxiety for both the pet and the owner, often leading to therapy sessions, which is one of the high-maintenance pets’ requirements. 

Grooming Goldendoodles

Non-shedding that Goldendoodles are, there are other aspects of their coat which require attention. 

Discussed as follows are some coat characteristics which might contribute towards maintenance in varying degrees –
 

  • A curly coat, like that of the poodle, sheds minimally but requires to be brushed and combed daily since it can mat easily, with most tangles being around the tail, ears, and so on;
  • Goldendoodles can also inherit the straight coat of the Golden Retriever, wherein there would be a bit more shedding than expected, and hence more rigorous cleaning on the part of the owner;
  • Curly coats tend to grow very quickly, and the only way they remain neat and clean is through thrice-a-week bathing and a haircut every 6-8 weeks;

In this regard, Doodles might prove to be high maintenance. However, if you regard the time spent on grooming as a bonding session, it will serve the dual purpose of meeting the maintenance requirements and having a content and happy Goldendoodle that looks just as great.

Final Thoughts

People-oriented that Goldendoodles are, they can instantly sense the prevailing emotions around them and behave accordingly. That is why Doodles that live in a calm and balanced atmosphere evolve into stable pets, while those that live in an emotionally charged atmosphere tend to be hyper and demanding. So whether or not your Goldendoodle is high-maintenance depends on how you train it and the upbringing you provide. 

There are likely to be exercise and grooming requirements with a Goldendoodle around, but these are just as applicable to any member of the household. Rather than take it as a hassle, accepting these as part of caregiving can make all the difference in your relationship with the pet.  

Diane

Diane is a lifelong owner of Labs, Retrievers, a Poodle, Labradoodle, and, more recently, a Goldendoodle. She loves dogs and enjoy's taking her Goldendoodle Nala for walks in the woods with her daughters.

Recent Posts