When Is a Goldendoodle Full Grown?

If this is your first time raising a Goldendoodle puppy, you may have questions about its growth. 

You might be wondering, “when is my Goldendoodle full grown?”

You may not know what growth milestones to expect. When should your Goldendoodle puppy stop teething? When do the “puppy blues” end?

The Goldendoodle is considered a large breed dog. Most large breed dogs take almost two years to reach full maturity. However, a Goldendoodle is on the lower end of the large breed scale, and a puppy usually reaches its adult weight and height in around one year or so.

In this article, we’ll talk about the Goldendoodle puppy’s developmental phases, and what to expect at each stage. We’ll try to answer the question “when is a Goldendoodle full grown?” and learn how to care for a growing Goldendoodle puppy.

The Goldendoodle Breed

The Goldendoodle is a cross between a Poodle and a Golden Retriever. Because the Goldendoodle is genetically similar to the Golden Retriever, it is considered a large breed dog. People breed Goldendoodles by crossing a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle.

It is unusual to see a Goldendoodle with a parent that is a smaller breed of Poodle, as breeding a small dog like a Toy Poodle with a large dog like a Golden Retriever can be dangerous.

A Goldendoodle’s temperament and physical characteristics can vary based on the particular genes of its parents. Often, if the Poodle parent had the dominant genes, a Doodle will take after a Poodle.

If the Golden Retriever had the dominant genes, the Doodle puppy more strongly resembles a Golden Retriever.

The Goldendoodle Developmental Stages

The Goldendoodle is considered a large breed dog, so it is not fully grown until it is two years old. Most Goldendoodles reach their adult height and weight by the time they are around one year old.

Large dogs grow more slowly than small breeds because their bones and joints need more time to grow. Large dogs also live shorter lives than small dogs because they put more strain on their internal organs, joints, and bones by being bigger.

All breeds, both small and large, also go through behavioral changes as they grow. Behavioral and temperamental changes are crucial components of the developmental process.

Dogs go through several stages of growth: the neonatal phase, transitional phase, socialization phase, adolescence, and finally, adulthood.

Stage One: Neonatal Period

Weeks zero through two of the Goldendoodle’s life are called the neonatal period. During this time, the puppy is completely dependent on its mother for nutrition. The mother also cleans the puppy and provides warmth.

The puppy has no senses other than taste and touch. All it can do is sleep and eat.

When Goldendoodles are born, they weigh about one pound. They aren’t much bigger than tiny puppies like Yorkshire Terriers, who weigh about half a pound when they are born.

However, by the time the Goldendoodle puppy is one month old, it will already weigh almost four pounds! 

Stage Two: Transitional Period

The transitional period refers to the time between weeks two and four of a Goldendoodle’s life. The puppy’s eyes open, and it starts to develop its other senses. The puppy also begins to move around and interact with its littermates.

The puppy will also begin to develop teeth during this time and will grow to over four pounds.

Stage Three: Socialization Period

During the socialization period, a Goldendoodle puppy starts to learn about the world. It will begin to explore outside its litter. The socialization period is a critical time for puppy development as puppies start to learn to fear things. 

Treat your puppy carefully during this time and introduce it to the world thoughtfully and slowly. The puppy could develop behavioral problems down the road if you do not manage its socialization carefully.

When the Goldendoodle puppy is eight weeks old, it should weigh between four and nine pounds, depending on its genetics. The puppy will be around thirty percent of its adult size. Now is a good time to estimate your puppy’s size when it is fully grown.

To estimate the size of your full-grown Goldendoodle, take its weight at eight weeks and multiply it by three. This should give you a rough estimate of your puppy’s size when it reaches adulthood.

Stage Four: Testing Period

When the Goldendoodle is about three months old, it enters a stage called the testing period that lasts about three months. During this time, the puppy will start to “test” its boundaries in the world. It might challenge your authority and test the older dogs and other animals around it.

Your puppy will still be growing quite quickly during this time. Many Goldendoodle owners start to worry that their puppy will be much bigger than they thought it would be. However, your puppy’s growth will slow before it reaches its adult size.

When the Goldendoodle enters this stage of development, it will weigh about 40% of its total adult weight. By the time it reaches the end of this phase and enters adolescence, it will weigh about 75% of its adult weight. For most Goldendoodles, 75% of their adult weight is about 25 pounds.

Stage Five: Adolescence

Adolescence is one of the most taxing stages of puppy ownership. Your puppy is now almost fully grown, and it is big enough to destroy things, escape, run away, and do plenty of other damage. Unfortunately, your puppy is also still not mature enough to calm down.

Your Goldendoodle will have its last growth spurt during this time. Most Goldendoodle puppies enter adolescence weighing around 25 lbs and finish adolescence at their adult weight, or at least 90% of their adult weight.

Some Goldendoodles will continue to put on weight after they finish adolescence, but they will not gain any more in height.

Stage Six: Young Adult

Your Goldendoodle is considered a young adult when it is around one year old. At this time, it has completed most of its growth. However, since a Goldendoodle is considered a large breed, many do not consider it full-grown until it is about two years old.

Your Goldendoodle’s bones might still be growing even though the dog is not putting on weight.

An adult Goldendoodle weighs about 30lbs. A Goldendoodle is considered a young adult until it is four years old. Young adulthood refers to temperament more than physical size.

A Goldendoodle won’t continue to grow past two years old.

How To Care for a Growing Goldendoodle Puppy?

A growing Goldendoodle puppy needs proper nutrition and care to develop. Without adequate calories and nutrients, a puppy will experience growth issues and may have health problems down the road. Without adequate exercise, a puppy won’t learn how to tire itself out or how to settle or soothe itself.

Nutrition

Talk to your vet about the right food to feed your puppy, and about the right amount to feed it. Buy food recommended by your vet or that meets or exceeds AAFCO standards. Many foods are specifically developed for small or large-breed puppies at each stage of development.

Refrain from feeding your puppy a lot of additional snacks, treats, supplements, and vitamins. Unless recommended by your vet, supplements and vitamins are not necessary for healthy growth. Treats should be used for training only, and you should avoid foods high in carbohydrates or fat.

Exercise

Without exercise, your puppy will drive you crazy. Exercise is good for dogs of all ages and especially important for puppies who need to burn off excess energy.

Take care not to overexert your puppy. Most vets recommend that you do not do strenuous activities with your dog until their bones have finished growing. Avoiding overexertion is particularly important for large dog breeds that can end up with joint problems later in life.

If you want to take your Goldendoodle running or biking, make sure to talk to your vet first. Your vet will most likely recommend that you wait as long as two years before doing this, to give your puppy a chance to finish growing.

Conclusion

Although a Goldendoodle reaches its adult weight by the time it is a year old, it is not considered fully grown until it is about two. At this time, the puppy’s bones have finished growing, and the puppy has begun to calm down a little and gain a more mature temperament.

Follow your vet’s nutrition advice and exercise advice while your puppy is going through developmental stages. If you take care of your puppy during its early developmental stages, you will be rewarded with a happy, confident, healthy adult dog who will bring you joy for many years.