Goldendoodles
The Golden Retriever Club executive committee read the article below, and fully support and agree with the statements made. Golden Retrievers originate from Scotland and we as a club totally agree with the Author and The Golden Retriever Club of America. We thank them and Marianne Foote, The Labrador Retriever Club, Inc. for allowing us to share on our web site.
I. GRCA’s Position on Goldendoodles
The Golden Retriever Club of America is dedicated to the health and welfare of the Golden Retriever breed while conserving the original breed function – that of a “working retriever.” A purebred dog offers to his owner the likelihood that he will be a specific size, shape, color and temperament”.
The predictability of a breed comes from selection for traits that are desirable and away from traits that are undesirable. When a breed standard or type is set, the animals within that breed have less heterozygosity than do animals in a random population. The Goldendoodle is nothing more than an expensive mongrel. Because the genetic makeup is diverse from the Poodle genes and the Golden Retriever genes, the resultant first generation (F1) offspring is a complete genetic gamble. The dog may be any size, color, coat texture and temperament. Indeed Goldendoodles do shed. Their coat may be wiry or silky and may mat. Body shape varies with parentage but tends to be lanky and narrow. Behavior varies with the dog and within a litter with some puppies poodle-like in attitude and others somewhat like the Golden Retriever.
The Golden Retriever Club of America is opposed to cross-breeding of dogs and is particularly opposed to the deliberate crossing of Golden Retrievers with any other breed. These crossbreds are a deliberate attempt to mislead the public with the idea that there is an advantage to these designer dogs. The crossbred dogs are prone to all of the genetic disease of both breeds and offer none of the advantages that owning a purebred dog has to offer.
Permission to amend the Labrador Retriever Club statement to Golden Retrievers given by:
Frances S. Smith DVM, Ph.D.
LRC, Inc. Board of Directors
Diplomate American College of Theriogenology
Original Author of Labradoodle statement
Marianne Foote
Director, Labrador Retriever Club
II. GRCA Responds to a Goldendoodle Breeder
Letter to GRCA from a Goldendoodle Breeder:
December 2006
“I am shocked and insulted by your information on the Golden Retriever Club of America web site concerning Golden Doodles. We breed these dogs with every caution and 2 years of research and have had wonderful results.
In my opinion your bias and negative comments are uncalled for, perhaps you should purchase one and find out for yourself before you make such bold statements.”
Nancy ________________
GRCA’s Response:
“The Golden Retriever Club of America stands behind the information on our Website. We are dedicated to the preservation of the Golden Retriever breed as defined by our standard, which is published on our Website.
You state that you have two years of research behind your breeding program. We have over 140 years of experience in our breed and can trace our entire breeding program back to the mating of two dogs in the 1860’s with very careful notes and ledgers maintained on every single breeding. The history of the Golden Retriever is carefully preserved and documented.
You do not delineate what you mean by research. What we do in the way of research is fund many bona-fide grants designed to help identify and eliminate canine hereditary disease — diseases that are, by the way, passed on to your Golden-doodles. Are you aware of these diseases?
In addition we request that all our members do the basic genetic testing for hips, eyes, hearts and elbows. We request that additional information be given to those who purchase Golden Retrievers about the overall health and longevity of the breed. We expect every breeder to support genetic research not only in doing the four major clearances but also by contributing to a DNA databank available to researchers. The Golden Retriever Club of America is responsible for collecting DNA on over 1000 of our current dogs along with a detailed health profile. There is no such pool of available information on cross bred animals.
You mention wonderful results. That is a rather broad statement. Golden Retrievers excel in multiple venues — field, obedience, conformation, agility, companionship, service, detection, comfort and search and rescue. We have a long history of stable temperaments, trainability and bidability carefully preserved and monitored by conscientious breeders. These breeders have the full resources of our club, our foundation and our membership at their disposal.
The Golden Retriever Club of America also works with the Morris Animal Foundation and The Canine Health Foundation in providing support and samples for vital research in genetics and health. We have never seen a grant application for the health of the Golden-doodle. We have never seen a donation by any Doodle organization to the betterment of canine health, only undocumented claims that their dogs have no health problems. We have never seen anyone breeding doodles of any kind talk about the basic genetic testing for both the Golden and the Poodle. Instead we only hear of these dogs showing up in rescue because the promises of lack of shedding and allergies and stable temperament remain unfulfilled.
The Golden Retriever Club of America also has an extensive rescue network and is among the first to arrive on the scene during natural disasters to provide shelter and assistance to the Golden. Where were the Doodle people during Hurricane Katrina?
We do not condone actions such as the deliberate production of litters from two different AKC recognized breeds of dogs, which does not maintain the separate purpose and integrity of each breed. We speak for the Golden Retriever. We expect our breeders to demonstrate honesty, integrity, and fairness in dealing with other owners, breeders, purchasers of puppies and the general public. We feel that the deliberate production of “Golden Doodles” profoundly violates that trust. The Golden Retriever, as a purebred dog, comes from generations and generations of breeding dogs with a common gene pool and a characteristic appearance, temperament and function. “Goldendoodles” are nothing more than mixed breed dogs.
If you are offended by our website, imagine how we feel about the proliferation of boutique dogs taking advantage of the public and misusing the careful and selectively bred Golden Retriever.
The Board of Directors of the Golden Retriever Club of America”