When Do Goldendoodles Stop Growing?

Mini Goldendoodles: Comparatively, these guys grow at a much faster rate. You can expect your mini to be halfway to its adult height and weight by the time it hits four months of age. 

How Long Will Your Goldendoodle Remain a Puppy?

Just as some humans grow old but never grow up, dogs can remain in their puppy phase for a long time.

On a more serious note, the puppy phase of your doodle begins after birth and ends anywhere after it has crossed nine months of age. It’s rather challenging to tell because your doodle’s size determines its growth. For instance, smaller Goldendoodles reach their adult size and weight by nine months of age. Physically, they have grown, even though they might still display puppy behavior.

Larger Goldendoodles finish their puppy phase at around 15 months, the same amount of time needed to reach their adult size and weight.

What to Feed Your Goldendoodle Puppy in their Growing Phase?

Puppies require a different combination of nutrients compared to adult dogs-just like baby food. Your large breed dog could develop certain health issues like bone and joint problems if they do not get the right nutrients for healthy growth.

Since nutrition has a direct impact on your doodle’s growth, you must be very careful. Even if your fur-baby has reached full size, you must keep feeding it puppy food.

If you cannot be sure of whether your doodle has reached adulthood, it’s best to take them to the vet. They’ll be able to advise you on age-related aspects, including when you should start feeding them adult food.

It’s always better to introduce Goldendoodle adult food gradually, or else the sudden change might shock their system and cause an upset stomach.

When Does Your Puppy Mature?

Like humans undergo many stages before reaching adulthood, even your Goldendoodle will gradually mature before becoming an adult – and by maturity, I mean mental, sexual, physical, and emotional maturity.

According to the Merck Manual for Pet Health, most puppies will mature sexually by six months while still in the puppy stage. That means he or she is capable of reproducing. This is the best time to get him neutered or spayed to avoid unwanted pregnancy or undesirable behavior like roaming or marking.

What is Roaming and Marking?

When male puppies reach sexual maturity, they start ‘roaming’ to look for a female companion to mate with.

As all animals are territorial, even dogs want to ‘mark’ their territory. They do this by urinating on the object they consider part of their territory. Experts are divided on the issue but generally suggest neutering male dogs at the right age to curb marking tendencies. If you must know facts, it is seen that only 40% of male dogs stop marking after being neutered, while you’ll see a reduction in marking tendencies in 60-70% of male dogs, but not a complete cessation. Please do your research thoroughly to understand the benefits and complications to your Goldendoodle before taking it for neutering.

On a mental and emotional level, you’ll know when your dog has reached its maturity when he stops acting like a puppy. Usually, emotionally and mentally mature adults do not get distracted easily, are better at obeying and listening, and become more peaceful and relaxed.

Mental maturity differs from dog to dog based on personality and other factors. Be safe and assume that your fur baby has reached maturity when it blows two candles on its birthday cake.

You’ll know when your Goldendoodle has matured when they become more receptive on a cognitive level as well. 

Before that happens, expect your Goldendoodle to throw tantrums and act rebellious. These are growing years, and just as a teenager acts out when they’re experiencing changes, so is your puppy. They can test your patience sometimes, but once they’re older and wiser, they’ll be less challenging to handle.

When do Goldendoodles ‘Calm Down?’

Is your Goldendoodle pup always running around? Do you find yourself chasing your pup around the house to settle it? In the first few months of a Goldendoodle’s life, you have to be careful and chaperone them around. God forbid, you leave them alone for a few hours and come home to your television face down on the floor!

Sometimes you just wish they’d sober up a little. So when do they?

If your Goldendoodle puppy has reached the middle of puppyhood, i.e., 8-14 months of age, then they’ll settle down, at least a little.

You’ll see a slow transition from a young dog to an old one from this point forth. The high-energy level around new people might never change. So, don’t be surprised.

It would take a very long time – years – for your dog to turn into a lazy dog. (If you want a lethargic pet, you might as well bring home a Persian cat. They won’t budge even if you need them around.) A Goldendoodle dog owner should expect an energetic dog no matter the age or size. A smaller dog or large breed dog will both get the zoomies and love to play. 

Because Goldendoodles are a highly intelligent crossbreed, they enjoy mental stimulation and play. And as time passes, you’ll notice that if the mental and physical stimulation isn’t enough, your Goldendoodle will become destructive and harder to control. But, yes, like all other breeds, they do tend to slow down with age.

Do Males and Females Grow the Same Size?

There is always a difference between a female’s and a male’s height and weight regardless of their species. Even in Goldendoodles, you’ll notice that the females are mostly smaller in size and weight than males. After puppy growth though – the size difference is not huge unless you go for a Standard Goldendoodle. There could be as much as 20-30 pounds worth of difference between a fully grown, healthy male and female Standard Goldendoodle.

So, if you’re considering a smaller dog, consider a female Standard Goldendoodle. 

Do Females and Males Grow at the Same Rate?

Researchers have found that males grow slightly faster than females and attribute this to the difference in their sexual maturity age.

Male dogs become sexually mature when they reach six months, whereas females only mature between 8-18 months.

Also, since a female Goldendoodle is slightly smaller than a male, any growth delay becomes noticeable.

The same study claims that a delay is expected if the dog has been neutered or spayed. If they’re fixed before turning nine months old, they grow somewhat faster and vice versa. 

Life Expectancy

Unfortunately, dog years do not equate to human years. By the time you can’t imagine life without them, they wither.

But that should not prevent you from letting a Goldendoodle into your life. They will enrich your life by filling it with joy and happiness for as long as they can.

But to answer your question, a Goldendoodle’s lifespan ranges between ten and fifteen years. A smaller dog will live longer (see dog years for small dogs calculator) than a larger dog. A Labradoodle or a Goldendoodle will live for around the same amount of time.

However, you must be vigilant and proactive this whole time as they are prone to some health problems at any age.

Any health issues can be delayed, or its effect is reduced by providing your Groodle with a healthy diet, physically active lifestyle, and regular check-ups with the vet.

And remember, your Groodle needs both physical exercise and a mental workout to remain healthy and happy.

So given the size is unpredictable – why are Goldendoodle so popular?

The Goldendoodle is a designer dog intended to have both parents’ adorable and lovable qualities. Unlike two negatives, these positives don’t cancel out one another. As a crossbreed, each batch of puppies is unique-some have more dominant Poodle traits, while others have more Golden Retriever qualities. 

Poodles are athletic and clever, while Golden Retrievers are adorable, fun-loving family companions. You put the two together, and you have perfection. 

Are you wondering why the two breeds were intentionally crossed? To find a solution for families or individuals with dog hair-related allergies. Surprisingly enough, it worked!

So what do you call them? They have earned affectionate nicknames like Groodles, Goldenpoo, and Doodles.

The breed is new, having made its first appearance only as far back as the 1990s, and is quickly becoming popular. Why? Because they are warm-hearted, intelligent, and do not shed much. They really do have the best of both parents. And that is reason enough for anybody to adopt a Groodle Doodle.

Considering their becoming traits and ease of training, they’ve quickly moved from companion dogs to therapy dogs, guide dogs, and more.

To Sum Up:

There is no definite answer to when your Goldendoodle will stop developing as several factors affect their growth, such as nutrition, gender, socialization, and a healthy environment.

As breeds differ, so do their growth rates – this is true for mixed breed dogs too.

Standard Goldendoodles will be the largest, while mini Goldendoodles will be the most common type of small Goldendoodle. But they’re all equally lovable.

Males and females are alike in most respects and seldom differ from each other in personality and traits. So you can go with either gender. None will disappoint.

As you enjoy the dynamism and hustle-bustle of your new Groodle pup, you must keep many things in mind to ensure that it remains happy while it matures. Feeding them the right puppy food and training them well will ensure that they grow consistently and in a healthy manner.