Goldendoodles are designer dogs that have gained popularity in the past thirty years. Dog lovers seek these pooches for their smart, docile manner, and low shedding qualities – a result of the crossbreeding of two well-regarded breeds, the Poodle and the Golden Retriever.
The first person credited to breed Goldendoodles is Monica Dickens, great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens, in 1969. They were bred to be originally utilized as guide dogs for the blind. In the United States, Goldendoodles are classified into 3 sizes – the Standard, the Miniature, and the Toy. The additional classification, which was added in France, is the Moyen Goldendoodle.
We will learn about what makes the Moyen Goldendoodle different from other sized Goldendoodles in the following discussions. Do they have the same temperament and general appearance as the other ones? We will also discuss the maintenance and the health concerns we might encounter if ever you decide to adopt this pooch. But first, let us define what a Moyen Goldendoodle is.
What Is A Moyen Goldendoodle?
A Moyen Goldendoodle is a medium-sized Goldendoodle that is a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Moyen is a French term meaning “medium” and in France, they consider moyen to be an additional size classification for Poodles aside from Standard, Miniature and Toy variations.
The Moyen falls between the Miniature and Standard Poodles, thus, the Moyen Goldendoodle is slightly smaller than a Standard Goldendoodle but bigger than a Miniature Goldendoodle. Given that the Golden Retriever used for breeding is standard in size, the size of the Poodle is the determining factor influencing the size of the Goldendoodle.
A Moyen Goldendoodle stands at around 20 inches tall at shoulder level. It usually weighs around 25 to 50 lbs upon maturity.
Physical Appearance
The physical traits depend mostly on the breeding generation or the amount of Poodle gene it inherited. Medium Goldendoodles typically have a rounded skull, broad snout, heavily furred tail, drop ears and oval-shaped eyes.
The dense coat could be straight, wavy or curly and typically comes in cream, brown, red, black and apricot.
General Classification
The Moyen Goldendoodle is further classified into generation types determining the number of genes contributed by each parent. This is useful when you want to know if your pooch is more hypoallergenic which means the greater the Poodle gene, the more hypoallergenic it is.
The F1, or ‘First Generation’, Goldendoodle is 50% Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever. The F1B is 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever. Other generation classifications relating to the degree of their parental genetics include F1BB, F2B, F2BB and F3.
How Long Do Medium Goldendoodles Live?
A healthy and properly cared-for Medium Goldendoodles would have an average life of 10 to 15 years. Because Medium Goldendoodles are designer dogs with genetic diversity, they benefit from “hybrid vigor” which lessens the probability of inheriting purebred health issues.
One of the best things you can do before adopting this pooch is to find and research the reputability of the breeder. Knowing the health of the parents is the best indicator of your pet’s health. Still, it is best to learn about some health-related genetic diseases to better prepare yourself when the need arises.
Hip Dysplasia
This orthopedic condition is common among medium to large dogs and affects the ball and socket of their hip connection. Poor alignment of these joints prevents the smooth movement of the hips making it difficult to run and jump. Over time, it can lead to increased pain during mobility, and arthritis.
Von Willebrand Disease
This is a genetic bleeding disorder where the protein responsible for blood clotting is less than normal. Symptoms include frequent nose bleeding, bruising easily and continuous bleeding after an injury.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
PRA is a late-onset degenerative eye disease when the photoreceptor cells or retina deteriorate over time. An early sign is night blindness which causes your pet to bump into things when walking in a dimly lit room.
Megaesophagus
This is a condition when the esophageal muscles fail to dilate creating pockets in the esophagus trapping food and water. Dogs with this disease often regurgitate the food they eat.
Other health concerns are ear infections, yeast infections, canine cancer, skin diseases and obesity.
How To Take Care Of Your Medium Goldendoodle?
Exercise
Just like all Goldendoodles, the Moyen Goldendoodles need a daily exercise of at least 30 minutes a day. Take them for a walk and involve them in a variety of activities like playing frisbee, swimming, and hiking.
Medium Goldendoodles are highly energetic and athletic and love lots of fun playing. Introducing them to new sights and smells keeps them physically and mentally entertained plus socializing with other people and animals at an early age ensures that your pet would be a well-balanced dog all throughout its life.
Diet
Your Moyen Goldendoodle is very active and playful so they would need a well-balanced meal rich in protein and essential fatty acids to keep it in good shape especially during their growing years.
Pet Plate is one we recommend because it is specially formulated by veterinary nutritionists. It is made from human-grade and natural ingredients, and it is well-portioned depending on the weight of your pet.
Also, multivitamins are rich in minerals and antioxidants help in the overall health of your canine buddy.
Dental Water Additives
As your furry pooch grows old, its dental health will deteriorate. This is caused by problems, such as plaque and tartar buildup within your pooch’s teeth and gums.
One way of preventative maintenance is using dental water additives, which have natural or artificial ingredients depending on the brand, that kills bacteria in their mouth and keeps it smelling fresh at the same time.
This is also helpful in keeping the water in their bowls free from microbes that may otherwise get into their bloodstream.
Do Medium Goldendoodles Bark A Lot? Temperaments Of Medium Goldendoodles
Medium Goldendoodles generally have a quiet personality and are not known as incessant barkers. Worries about disturbing your neighbors are not an issue or a concern at all.
Occasionally, of course, they would bark if they want to alert you with something or if they want to communicate that they want their playtime.
Temperaments
As a crossbreed, Moyen Goldendoodles would display behaviors halfway between the temperaments of the Poodle and the Golden Retriever. With the Poodle’s intelligence with trainability and the Golden Retriever’s mild and docile manner, Medium Goldendoodles are excellent companion dogs and also as service and therapy dogs.
When it comes to lovability, you can never go wrong with the Moyen Goldendoodle. They are friendly, energetic, and playful. Medium Goldendoodles are good with children and great as a family dog and very unlikely to display aggressive behavior.
If what you want is a canine buddy that does not mind being cuddled a lot, the Medium Goldendoodles is an excellent choice. In fact, being affectionate is one of their endearing qualities.
Medium Goldendoodles will like to follow you around the house and very much enjoy having your company. Scratching their neck area while lounging on the sofa or just lazing around the bed are things that they certainly will not mind doing with their human families.
Potty Training
As an intelligent dog, Moyen Goldendoodles are easy to potty train. Twelve weeks old is the ideal age to start doing this. Puppies have smaller bladders so you need to take them out every two hours, and every five to six hours as they grow older.
Do Moyen Goldendoodles Shed? Grooming Tips For Medium Goldendoodles
Moyen Goldendoodles do not shed a lot and can be considered hypoallergenic, but this does not mean that they need less brushing.
As a matter of fact, they require daily brushing down to the skin level to prevent too much tangling and matting. Otherwise, their fur would have to be completely shorn if it is neglected for too long.
A good product we could recommend is Furminator Undercoat Tool. Frequent use of this product reduces shedding by up to 90% and its curved design follows your pet’s natural shape. You could also use a finishing comb from Furminator to remove any tangles and debris.
Fur Maintenance
When should I start grooming my Moyen Goldendoodle? It is recommended that you take your Moyen Goldendoodle to their first groom when they reach five months of age when they start to shed their puppy coats. At this age, you would know if their fur would lean more to the Retriever’s straight hair or the Poodle’s wavy fur.
Straighter hair means less maintenance and shedding, and curlier hair means more grooming but less shedding. Regular fur trim is needed to prevent knotting especially on their neck and mouth area.
Bathing Frequency
It is recommended that you bathe your pooch at least once a month or whenever they get too dirty. Bathing your pooch too much would dry out its skin and can cause itching. For a thorough cleaning of your pet, we recommend using Pro Pet Works All Natural 5 In 1 Oatmeal Shampoo.
Its natural formula is great for de-tangling your Medium Goldendoodle’s fur and it prevents dryness and itching of skin. Always remember to brush its fur before shampooing.
Related Questions
How Much Does A Medium Goldendoodle Cost? It costs from $1,000 to $3,000 or more depending on the reputability of the breeder and the bloodline of the parents. The first generation or F1 with a 50-50 genetic makeup would generally be cheaper than the F1B which is 75% Poodle because they shed less and thus are more suitable for people with allergies.
Do Medium Goldendoodles Swim? Both the Poodle and the Golden Retriever are natural swimmers so you will be pleased to know that their progeny would take to swimming like a duck to water. Inheriting the Poodle’s waterproof coats and webbed paws together with the retriever’s long and strong hind legs makes the Medium Goldendoodle tread in water easily.
Do Poodles Get Along Well With Golden Retrievers? Poodles and Golden Retrievers pretty much get along well. They are very compatible in their behavioral and personality traits and are widely known for their sociability, friendliness and overall good-natured quality. As with all pooches, early proper socialization is key to ensure that pets are comfortable and sociable with each other.
