The straight hair Goldendoodle, also known as the flat coat Goldendoodle, is becoming increasingly popular in the United States and even around the world! Their straight hair which resembles that of a Golden Retreiver has just enough fluff to give the dogs a teddy bear look.
In addition, the Goldendoodle is relatively hypoallergenic, friendly, and non-shedding. This makes the straight hair Goldendoodle an excellent choice for families of all ages and sizes!
If you’re looking for a straight hair Goldendoodle, we recommend that you look at either a F1 Generation Goldendoodle or F2 Generation Goldendoodle as these generations contain 50 percent Golden Retriever genes. This maximizes your chances of selecting a Goldendoodle that will have a straight coat.
How does a Goldendoodle get a straight coat?
There is a dog gene called Cu locus (also known as the curly coat gene) which determines if your dog will have curly hair. The absence of Cu locus means that you will have a straight hair Goldendoodle.
The Cu locus gene typically comes from the Standard Poodle because they have an extremely curly coat. Cu locus prevents keratin from binding together structural components, resulting in a curly coat. This means that if you have keratin from your genetic structure, your Goldendoodle will have a straight or flat coat. You can get a DNA test to determine if this gene is present in your dog’s DNA.
In reality, most Goldendoodles will have a wavy coat and won’t actually have straight or flat coats. This is because they usually get a mix of the Cu locus gene because they are a hybrid dog breed of Golden Retriever and Poodle.
Which generation of Goldendoodle has a Straight Coat?
We’ve written an in-depth article of the Best Goldendoodle Generations. This article contains information about what the terminology of a Goldendoodle offspring means. In general, F stands filial and means that it is a hybrid dog, the # means the generation of dog, and the B means back cross.
If you’re looking for a flat coat Goldendoodle, then you typically want a 1st generation Goldendoodle or F1 Goldendoodle. In addition, there is also a high probability that you’ll get a straight hair Goldendoodle if they are an F2 Goldendoodle or 2nd generation Goldendoodle. In general, you want to pick a Goldendoodle generation that is 50 percent Golden Retriever and 50 percent Poodle in order to maximize your chances of a straight hair Goldendoodle.
Since most Goldendoodles are back-cross bred with a Poodle in order to become more hypoallergenic and non-shedding, you don’t want a back-crossed Goldendoodle. In addition, this means that the higher the number of generations and the more B’s in the name the curlier the coat will be. If you want a straight hair Goldendoodle, look for a dog with more Golden Retriever genetics.
As a quick recap, here are the most popular generations of Goldendoodle and what percent the genetics should be:
- F1 Goldendoodle: 50% Poodle and 50% Golden Retriever. The highest chance of a straight coat Goldendoodle.
- F1B Goldendoodle: 75% Poodle and 25% Golden Retriever. These coats are typically wavy to curly.
- F1BB Goldendoodle: 87.5% Poodle and 12.5% Golden Retriever. These coats are typically curly.
- F2 Goldendoodle: Created by crossing two F1 Goldendoodles. 50% Poodle & 50% Golden Retriever. The highest chance of a straight coat Goldendoodle.
- F2B Goldendoodle: 62.5% Poodle & 37.5% Golden Retriever. These coats are typically wavy to curly.
- F2BB Goldendoodle: 81.25% Poodle & 18.75% Golden Retriever. These coats are typically curly.
- F3 Goldendoodle or Multi-generation Goldendoodle: Several generations of Goldendoodle breeding typically back cross-breeding to the Standard Poodle. These coats are typically wavy to curly.
In general, try to get a Goldendoodle that is at least 50 percent Golden Retriever in order to maximize your chances of getting a straight coat. Otherwise, you can try to find a breeder that back crosses Goldendoodles with Golden Retrievers (this is rare).
Downsides of a Flat Coat Goldendoodle
Getting a straight or flat coat Goldendoodle does have some downsides compared to a typical wavy to curly-haired Goldendoodle.
- Flat coat Goldendoodles tend to shed a lot more than wavy or curly-haired Goldendoodles. This is because flatter coats contain less Poodle genetics, giving the dog a curlier coat. Be prepared for shedding, but do note that your dog will likely shed significantly less than its Golden Retriever parent.
- Straight Coat Goldendoodles tend to be less hypoallergenic. Due to having more Golden Retriever genetics and less Poodle genetics, straight coat Goldendoodles will be more likely to cause allergy sufferers to sneeze! The hypoallergenic feature comes from the curly coat and non-shedding features.
Please note that curliness generally correlates with non-shedding and hypoallergenic qualities. This is not always the case, however, as genetics play a huge role.
Specifically, you’ll want to look at the Furnishing Gene and Shedding Locus Gene to get a better understanding of whether your dog is non-shedding or hypoallergenic.
We recommend getting a DNA test on your dog if you want to figure out their genetic structure.
Why should you get a straight coat Goldendoodle?
Getting a flat coat Goldendoodle versus a curly coat Goldendoodle can be a tough decision. Primarily, people get a straight coat Goldendoodle because of their looks. Typically, dog owners want a Goldendoodle that looks like less like a Poodle and more like a Golden Retriever. In addition, straight or flat coat Goldendoodles tend to look “cuter” and more like a teddy bear.
At the end of the day, it’s all personal preference.
In addition, you will generally have to groom a straight coat Goldendoodle less than a curly coat Goldendoodle. Since a straight coat Goldendoodle sheds more hair, there is less upkeep with hair cuts and regular grooming. Additionally, your dog is less likely to develop mattes if you don’t brush them regularly. Shaving a Goldendoodle takes a lot of work, so this a huge upside.
Genetic Testing for a Straight Coat Goldendoodle?
Genetic testing of the Cu locus gene, also known as KRT71 gene, will determine whether or not your Goldendoodle will have a straight coat, wavy coat, or curly coat. In general, the less Cu locus gene your dog has the straighter their coat will be. Goldendoodles typically come from multiple generations of Golden Retrievers and Standard Poodles, typically back bred with the Standard Poodle. Therefore, it’s more likely that your dog’s coat will be wavy or at least have a recessive Cu Locus gene.
You can consult your veterinarian for a reliable DNA test for your dog to determine what kind of coat she will have. In general, you can usually determine whether or not your Goldendoodle will have a straight coat or curly coat based on their puppy coat. Typically, Goldendoodle litters will have a mix of straight coats, wavy coats, and curly coats. Once they lose their “puppy hair,” the adult hair or fur typically won’t change structure type.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if my Goldendoodle will have straight hair?
Straight-haired Goldendoodles are very low-maintenance and easy to groom. However, they shed much more hair than curly or wavy-haired Goldendoodles. They are not the best option for people who suffer from allergies because of how much they shed.
You can help to mitigate the shedding with frequent brushing and regular grooming. But how will you know whether Goldendoodle will have straight hair or not?
The snout of your Goldendoodle puppy is the best way to determine which coat type she’s likely to have. Straight-haired Goldendoodle puppies will often have short, neat hair around the snout. This is compared to curly-haired Goldendoodle puppies who tend to have mustaches or beard-like patterns around their snout.
If your Goldendoodle puppy is anything other than a first-generation dog, you should look to the parents to see what their coat looks like. If the parents have straight hair, it’s likely that their offspring will have the same type of coat.
Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut way to determine whether your Goldendoodle will have straight hair or not. The only way to really find out is to wait for them to grow up and mature!
Can Double Doodles have straight hair?
A Double Doodle is a mix between a Goldendoodle and a Labradoodle. As both of these dogs are already Doodles, they can have straight, wavy, or curly coats.
This means that Double Doodles can also have straight coats, although this is much less commonly seen than Double Doodles with wavy or curly-haired coats.
Any dog that has Poodle lineage will often be much more likely to have a wavy or curly coat than a straight-haired coat. While you can get straight-haired Double Doodles, they’re uncommonly seen among owners and breeders.
Again, you won’t know for sure what type of coat type your Double Doodle has until they reach an older age. The puppies will all have coats that are too short to know whether they will be curly or not for sure.
How rare is a flat coat Goldendoodle?
Flat coats come from Retrievers who often have black or liver-colored coats. Their fur is medium-length, thick, and sleek. The hair is straight without any curls and lies flat against the dog’s body.
As Goldendoodles have Golden Retriever heritage, there is the question of whether a Goldendoodle can have a flat coat or not.
With F1 or F1b Goldendoodles, flat coats are very rare. In fact, it is only possible for this generation of Goldendoodles to be flat-coated if the Poodle parent carries only one copy of the ‘F’ gene. If they’re carrying more than this, you won’t get an F1 or F1b Goldendoodle with a flat coat.
However, F2 and F2b Goldendoodles are much more likely to have flat coats. In these litters, flat coats are much more commonly seen.
Many people think that flat coat Goldendoodles are rarer than they actually are because many people don’t know what a flat coat is! Many people might adopt a flat-coated Goldendoodle without ever knowing that it is a Goldendoodle!
When purchasing a Goldendoodle, most people want the traditional curly-coated look. For this reason, flat-coated Goldendoodles are not bred as much or seen frequently among breeders’ portfolios.
Conclusion
We hope our straight hair Goldendoodle Guide was helpful to you! In general, if you want a straight hair Goldendoodle, you should focus on either finding a F1 Goldendoodle or F2 Goldendoodle.
When you visit a breeder to choose your dog, try to find a puppy with a flat or straight coat. Goldendoodles tend to grow into their coats and more or less keep them into adulthood.
No matter your dog’s hair type, we can assure you that the Goldendoodle is a great choice! These little teddy bears are smart, friendly, hypoallergenic, and near-perfect companions.
Articles that you would also like:
- Best Goldendoodle Generations
- Goldendoodle Guide
- How to Shave a Goldendoodle
- The Cutest Lion Haircut Photos
- How to stop a Goldendoodle from biting
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
Why Trust We Love Doodles?
At We Love Doodles, we’re a team of writers, veterinarians, and puppy trainers that love dogs. Our team of qualified experts researches and provides reliable information on a wide range of dog topics. Our reviews are based on customer feedback, hands-on testing, and in-depth analysis. We are fully transparent and honest to our community of dog owners and future owners.