Shakespeare wasn’t talking about Goldendoodles when he said, “2B or not 2B…that is the question!” 😉 But it definitely applies if you’re researching Goldendoodles and wondering whether the F2B Goldendoodle is the right match for you. Or, you may be the happy new owner of a F2B puppy and wondering what the fluff all the numbers mean.
Either way, we’re here to answer every question you may be contemplating when it comes to the second generation backcross Goldendoodle also known as the F2B Goldendoodle.
Note: Happy-Go-Doodle is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
By the end of this article, you’ll have a Goldendoodle mom’s (a.k.a. research hound on everything related to Doodle dogs) answers to:
- What is an F2B Goldendoodle?
- What are F2B Goldendoodles like—personality, characteristics, coat type, etc.
- What’s the difference between F2B and F1B?
We’re happy you’re here!
The Goldendoodle’s Golden Beginnings: A Golden Retriever and Poodle Cross
Before we discover the unique qualities of the F2B Goldendoodle specifically, we need to uncover the “golden” beginnings of the Goldendoodle breed. (BTW, I use the term “breed” loosely. As you’ll discover, a little further down, they aren’t a true “breed” of dog.)
The Goldendoodle (also known as a Groodle to our friends in Australia) is a hybrid dog—or some say a designer dog.
However, ask any Goldendoodle owner and they’ll probably refer to their Doodle dogs as “family members” or their “furry besties.”
Goldendoodles (regardless of their F1, F1B, F2, F2B, or F3 generation credentials) are all some sort of cross breed between Poodles and Golden Retrievers. Like their “cousin” the Labradoodle, they grew in popularity based on many owners’ desires for a low shedding dog suitable for people with pet allergies.
The term “Goldendoodle” was coined to describe these fluffy, lovable dogs. And as you’ve probably noticed, they seem to be taking the world by teddy bear storm.
According to Rover.com’s dog breed popularity annual report, the Doodle dog is the second most popular puppy breed after the number one choice—mixed breeds.
Next, you may be surprised to know that even with so much popularity, the Goldendoodle is not recognized as an official breed by the American Kennel Club. This is because they are not truly a purebred dog.
Rather, as mentioned above, they are an intentional crossing of the Golden Retriever and Poodle breeds.
But not to be “outdoodled,” the Goldendoodle community does have the Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA), which so far, seems to be the closest thing to the AKC.
According to GANA’s website, the organization was created for Goldendoodle enthusiasts who are committed to the future and betterment of the Goldendoodle.
Now that we have the basics down on the Goldendoodle, let’s dive into Goldendoodle generations to get a better idea of what the “F2B” in “F2B Goldendoodle” means by looking generations of Goldendoodles.
How many types of Goldendoodles are there?
Before we dive into the adorable F2B Goldendoodle, it’s important to point out that—and I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here—all dogs are individuals. Just as with other breeds of dogs, Goldendoodles have individual personalities.
One of the best ways to guarantee that a puppy has the temperament you’re looking for is by sharing plenty of love, heaps of positive parenting, and positive training from the time they are puppies through every day of their life.
With so many Goldendoodle generations and so much terminology zooming around the Internet about these teddy bear dogs, you may be evaluating the Goldendoodle pros and cons, and wondering, “What is an F2B Goldendoodle, anyway?” And where do they fit in within all those other generations like the F1B and F2?
Like a Goldendoodle in freshly mowed grass after a warm rain, let’s dig a little deeper into the subject to unearth more about these comical dogs.
There are many types of Goldendoodles— sizes, colors, and coat types galore. But to understand the F2B specifically, we need to focus on defining what the three number and letter combinations llke “F2B” stand for.
F2B, F2, F1B, F1: Generations of Goldendoodles
As you can see in the chart below, the numbers and letters (F1, F1B, F2, F2B) are a way to distinguish the generations of Goldendoodles.
The first letter, “F”, stands for “Filial.” The number, which comes next, represents the generation. For example, F1 means the dog is a first generation hybrid from two purebred parents.
Finally, some generations have a “B” at the end. It stands for “backcross.”
| Type | F = Filial | Number = Generation | B = Backcross |
| F1 | F | 1 | |
| F1B | F | 1 | B |
| F2 | F | 2 | |
| F2B | F | 2 | B |
| F2BB | F | 2 | BB |
| F3 | F | 3 |
“Filial” is the term used in genetics that pertains to the sequence of generations following the parental generation.
Each generation receives an “F” and then a number indicating the generation or sequence within. “F1” stands for first filial generation of offspring from two distinct purebred parent breeds.
In the case of the Goldendoodle, an “F1 Goldendoodle” is a first generation cross between a purebred Golden Retriever and a purebred Poodle.
By the way, if you happened to be listening during your high school science class, you’ll know this classification system isn’t specific to Goldendoodles. Nor is it limited to classifying all hybrid or designer dogs.
Rather, it’s common terminology used in science as a naming nomenclature for everything from cats to plants to living organisms.
So, now that we have that under our dog collars, hold on to your dog leash. 😉 We’re going to tackle the “B” in the term F1B or F2B next.
The third character, the letter “B” (i.e. the “B” in F1B, F2B, F3B, etc.), stands for “backcross.” This means crossing a first generation (F1) back to a pure bred dog. Let’s talk dogs rather than letters and numbers. Here’s an example:
My Goldendoodle is an F1B. Her dad is an F1 (50% Poodle – 50% Golden Retriever). Her mom is a purebred Poodle (100% Poodle). Therefore, my Goldendoodle is the result of going back or crossing back to a purebred Poodle.
You may also see the letters “BB.” This is a double backcross. In the case of a Goldendoodle, a”BB” would be a double back cross with the purebred parent breed, almost always a Poodle.
The F2B gets a little more compliated so we’ll go into more detail a few paragraphs on down.
Whew! So, putting it all together, there are many crosses or generations of Goldendoodles (F1, F1B, F2, F2B, F3, etc.) But the biggest takeaway is that the two parent breeds bring variety to the mix or gene pool.
So, for example, if you’re wondering how big your Goldendoodle will be, time is the best indicator. Since the Poodle heritage brings a variety of sizes (the toy, miniature, and standard Poodle), Goldendoodles are a variety of sizes too.
Same goes for coat type and coat color. Straight, wavy, and curly coats are all common to Goldendoodles.
Overall, crossbreeds are like Forrest Gump’s quote about a box of chocolates: You never quite know quite what you’re going to get.
Goldendoodle sizes
As a rule of thumb on size, for example, GANA includes a breed standards size chart. However, the final size is determined after the Goldendoodle puppy reaches adulthood.
According to GANA, Goldendoodle sizes are:
- Petite: about 25 pounds, below 14 inches from paw to shoulder
- Mini Goldendoodle: 26-35 pounds, over 14 inches but under 17″ from paw to shoulder
- Medium Goldendoodle: 36-50 pounds, over 17″ but under 21 inches from paw to shoulder
- Standard: 51+ pounds, over 21 inches
While we’re talking about variety, many Goldendoodles have “Golden” personalities and temperaments, but not all are golden in color. Goldendoodles Popular Goldendoodle colors include:
- Apricot
- Red Goldendoodle
- White
- Chocolate (Brown)
- Cream Goldendoodle
- Parti
- Merle
- Black Goldendoodle
What is an F1 Goldendoodle?
With the understanding that the “F” in “F1 Goldendoodle means “Filial” and the “1” means first generation cross of to distinctly different types, let’s look briefly at the F1 Goldendoodle.
It will help us get a better understanding of the F2B Goldendoodle.
An F1 Goldendoodle is a first generation Goldendoodle. In other words, the Goldendoodle puppy has a Golden Retriever as one purebred parent and a Poodle as another purebred parent.
The F1 Doodle, therefore, is half and half or 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle.
Since there is so much variation between the Golden Retriever and the Poodle, the F1 Goldendoodle can have a wide variety of traits. An example of how this wide variety of genetics from two different parent breeds plays out can be seen in the F1 Goldendoodle’s coat type.
Some will have curly coats, some straight coats, and some wavy coats. It also means there will be more variety in the amount of shedding.
Some F1 Goldendoodles will lean to the Golden Retriever side of the family, shed more, and have straighter coats. Some will lean toward the Poodle side of the family, shed less, and have curlier coats.
Summary: The first generation or F1 Goldendoodle can vary significantly in their physical traits like coat type and the amount of shedding.
Related: Meet the F1 Goldendoodle
What is an F1B Goldendoodle?
The next generation on our list is the F1B Goldendoodle.
The (F1B) Goldendoodle puppy has an F1 Goldendoodle as one parent and a Poodle as the other parent. This first generation backcross is approximately 75% Poodle and 25% Goldendoodle.
This generation is considered to be more “hypoallergenic” than the F1 Goldendoodle because they tend to have more Poodle genetics. (By the way, “hypoallergenic” is in quotes because no dog is truly hypoallergenic or has a hypoallergenic coats—in the strictest sense of the term. For more about this topic, please read Are Goldendoodles Hypoallergenic.)
In general, the F1B is thought to shed less and tends to have a curlier coat.
Related: Meet the F1B Goldendoodle
What is an F2 Goldendoodle?
Now, let’s take the next step toward understanding the F2B Goldendoodle by looking at the F2 generation of Goldendoodle. First, we know that the “2” stands for 2nd generation of offspring.
Therefore, the F2 Goldendoodle is a 2nd generation Goldendoodle. This Goldendoodle puppy’s parents are usually:
- An F1 Goldendoodle parent x F1 Goldendoodle parent = F2 Goldendoodle puppy
- An F1B Goldendoodle parent x an F1 Goldendoodle parent = F2 Goldendoodle puppy
Since the F2 Goldendoodle is approximately 50% Golden Retriever and 50% Poodle, this generation of offspring has more in common with the F1 Goldendoodle. This is because the second generation of Goldendoodles (F2 Goldendoodles) are basically half Poodle and half Golden Retriever.
However, the difference between the F1 and the F2 is that the F2 has hybrid parents and not purebred parents. As you’ll recall, the F1 generation has a purebred (100%) Golden Retriever and a purebed (100%) Poodle.
The coat traits and shedding are less predictable in an F2 Goldenoodle, so if these qualities aren’t important to you, the F2 may be what suits you.
Our Featured Dog: The F2B Goldendoodle
The F2B Goldendoodle is a second generation backcross. Generally, an F2B Goldendoodle puppy has an an F2 Goldendoodle as one parent and a purebred Poodle as the other parent. Or, they may have an F1 Goldendoodle as one parent and an F1B Goldendoodle as another parent.
Breeding back to the Poodle parent means that the F2B has better odds of being lower shedding and more allergy friendly for people who suffer from pet allergies.
This is due to adding back in the purebred Poodle (i.e. minimal shedding and allergy friendly). It also means F2B Goldendoodles tend to have curlier coats (translation: consistent Goldendoodle grooming will likely be important.)
As an aside, ALL Goldendoodles require frequent grooming no matter whether they are an F1, F1B, F2, etc.
If you like to look at percentages, an F2B Goldendoodle is approximately 62.5% Poodle and 37.5% Golden Retriever. As a side note, numbers are a genetic calculations only. Genetics aren’t mathematically accurate because genes don’t play out so clearly. (Just like humans, you can be from the same family, but have different traits.)
Some will also refer to F2B Goldendoodles as mulitgenerational Goldendoodles. This term is also used when referring to F3 (third generation) Goldendoodles, F2BB Goldendoodles, or any generation beyond.
What’s the F2B Goldendoodle like?
Like all generations of Goldendoodles, F2B Goldendoodles tend to be smart, eager to please family companions. With the Poodle intelligence, they are generally easy to train and eager to learn.
They tend to be playful from the time they are puppies and long into adulthood. This also means that they may enjoy daily walks or energy burns such as a game of fetch.
If you’re wondering about the characteristics of a specific Goldendoodle puppy, you’ll get clues from the two parents. Additionally, a reputable breeder will offer temperament testing on their puppies and be able to share information based on their learnings.
Are you unfamiliar with temperament testing or certification? In short, temperament testing or certification is a measurement of a dog’s or puppy’s behavior when certain situations are presented to them.
Finally, another way to know what your Goldendoodle puppy will be like as an adult dog is to pour your heart, your time, and your attention into providing positive training and teaching your puppy how to be comfortable in a variety of situations.
Goldendoodles tend to be intelligent, they want to please you, and they want to be part of the pack. With your love and attention, they will try their best to fit into your family.
Do F2B Goldendoodles shed much?
As the parent of a Goldendoodle, the question that I get asked most often is, “Do Goldendoodles shed?” The answer isn’t black and white since every person has a different idea of what shedding means.
From my perspective my Goldendoodle sheds much, much less than a Golden Retriever. There’s hair in my Goldendoodle brush when I groom her. There are random hair balls lurking in the corners of my wood floors, but hair doesn’t stick to the couch or to my clothes.
Similarly, the F2B generation Goldendoodle will likely have a lower shedding Goldendoodle coat since they carry more of the low-shedding Poodle genes. If you’re looking for the possibility of a lower shedding Goldendoodle, the F2B may be for you.
How does the F2B Goldendoodle compare to the F1B goldendoodle? What about the F2B Goldendoodle versus the F1B. Let’s break it down next.
F1B vs F2B Goldendoodles
Which is better, the F1B Goldendoodle or the F2B Goldendoodle? This is a tough one. Overall, the F1B Goldendoodle and F2B Goldendoodle share some similarities in being lower shedding since they are both back crossed with the Poodle.
Actually, more important than choosing between generation of offspring is deciding whether you’re working with a reputable Goldendoodle breeder who cares most about the health of the Goldendoodle puppy, the Goldendoodle puppy’s parents, and the future of the Goldendoodle breed.
Overall, it’s important to focus on a puppy’s health. A reputable breeder will put a dog’s health and temperament first.
They will focus on breeding Goldendoodle puppies that have desirable traits and the least risk of genetic issues such as hip dysplasia, common diseases such as eye diseases, or health problems like patellar luxation. Truly, all the Goldendoodle generations are only as good as the breeder that you’re working with.
The average lifespan of an F2B is like that of all Goldendoodles—approximately 10 to 15 years. But with a focus on good health and teaming with your veterinarian, wouldn’t it be amazing it we could up the Goldendoodle lifespan for all our Doodle dogs?
Where do you find F2B Goldendoodles?
This next section is the most critical part of all your research on Goldendoodles. Seriously. While it’s fun to consider all the different types of Goldendoodles, colors of Goldendoodles, Goldendoodle generations, the most important consideration is finding the best reputable breeder. A reputable breeder will put temperament and health testing first.
Here are some helpful clues to help you determine whether a breeder is legit. (Yes, as the popularity of the Goldendoodle grows, sadly there are more and more irreputable breeders and scammers trying to take your money. Beware.)
Here are some things to look for in a reputable breeder:
- Completes health tests or genetic testing on the parents
- Has health certificates
- Offers results of temperament tests
- Has puppies up on appropriate vaccines for their age
- Has de-worming records
- Answers your questions thoughtfully and welcomes your questions
- Has an application process
- Often has a waiting list
- Places utmost importance on health and temperament
You may also want to check out my list of questions to ask a Goldendoodle breeder.
While on the subject of reputable breeders, you may be wondering about the price of a Goldendoodle. The initial price you pay for a Goldendoodle is just one part of the equation.
Over the life of your puppy, there will be food, vet bills, grooming, nail trims, etc. To understand the “Doodles and cents” of caring for a pupper, check out my article on how much are Goldendoodles.
By the way, if you’re searching for a Goldendoodle puppy and you see the term AKC Goldendoodles, something is fishy and it’s not your Goldendoodle’s breath. You may have come across someone who is either not informed on the fallicy of AKC Goldendoodles (at best) or is using the term as marketing hype to scam you.
Finally, you may be able to adopt a Goldendoodle through a shelter, but you’ll need to be persistent and patient. Due to popularity, it’s challenging to find Goldendoodles available for adoption in shelters.
Not sure what generation of Goldendoodle you have?
Why not “Embark” on an adventure to uncover your Goldendoodle’s genetic history? A dog breed identification test like the Embark DNA Test can tell you about your dog’s mix. Also, some of the tests can give you a summary of health conditions or potential health issues so that you can talk with your veterinarian.
Doodles are Golden
Thank you for taking time to learn about the F2B Goldendoodle. In my book, no matter whether an F1, F2, or F2B, no matter the size or color, Doodles are Golden. And with your time, love and attention, they will be eager to fit into your pack.