Are you looking for a loving family pet? A friendly pet who your kids can play with, hug, chase and have fun with? Or maybe you would like a dog to run or hike with? Well, GoldenDoodles make loving family pets that you will cherish forever.

A loving pet for the family is so important! They can bring peace, laughter, comfort, confidence, safety and so much more.

We have always had a pet in our home, and we are so very grateful and thankful for their time with us. Our experience with our Golden Doodle has been fantastic. We have an active family with 2 athletic kids, a medium yard, and plenty of time at home.

We would highly recommend any active family with active kids to consider this breed. They (most) are also good with other pets, friendly with people and love to cuddle. Their love for your family will rarely be matched.

Our son became allergic to dog dander after our first family dog passed away. So, we were also looking for a breed he could get down on the ground to play with, getting the fur in his face and be ok.

Also, we were looking for a dog big enough to handle our very loving kids, who would hug their first dog very hard. They like to run around the yard and were hoping for a playmate. I was hoping for a dog to wear the kids out.

This is what we were looking for in a family pet:

• Hypoallergenic, or as close as possible
• Happy & Playful
• Easy to train & wouldn’t run away
• Good with kids
• Huggable
• Loving
• Able to handle some wrestling
• Gentle even during wrestling
• Good in the car

Our Golden Doodle is all of these and more.

DISCLAIMER:  I am not a dog breeder or trainer except for training my own personal pets.  These are my opinions and should not be used as replacement for professional advice.

GoldenDoodles Make Loving Family Pets

We can only give you our experience with our golden doodle, and he has been magnificent.

He has brought joy, play, confidence and so much happiness. Our family would not be the same without him.

There are a few things you should be aware of, but the good BY FAR OUTWEIGH the bad.

Be aware that they require LOTS of attention. They will give you almost unlimited attention, but that also requires almost constant attention back.

So, it’s good if you have more than one “player” so you can take turns.

Also, get some “indestructible” dog toys  for them to play with, find some room for them to run, & create some rules & boundaries.

This link above is to FRED’s most favorite toy, the “indestructible dragon”.  These are so fun & can last almost a week.

(this is an amazon affiliate link. If you click on this and buy something, I may get a small commission with no extra cost to you)

Some links on this page are affiliate links and familyfitnesstravel.com may earn a commission if you use them.

Pros of a Goldendoodle as a family pet:

• Friendly
• Easy to train, they want to please
• Hypoallergenic (or close enough)
• Playful, a good wrestler, tug of war player, kid chaser, hide n seek finder, ball bringer backer & cookie lover
• Team player: understands and allows taking turns
• Shares food with visitors or 
• Gentle snack grabber:  has manners & takes treats gently
• Loyal
• Nice to Guinea Pigs, at least Fred is
• Very sensitive to sadness or anxiety
• Great huggers, loves to cuddle, grabs you with his paws & leans in
• Very patient to be read to or talked to for hours
• Stays close by
• Protects your kids from others
• Happy, not grumpy disposition
• Very healthy! Good hips, good teeth, athletic, etc. (Only went to the vet for shots)
• Ours doesn’t bark much

Pros of a Goldendoodle as a family pet:

• Stays close by: sometimes obsessively: in the bathroom, shower, garden, kitchen, etc
• They need to be groomed, which costs roughly $80/per time plus tip
• Playful all the time, especially as a puppy. They need lots of running and play
• They are very sensitive, not only to your emotions, but they don’t like to be alone, nor do they want anyone who was sad to be alone, AND, they are scared of the dark (ours and several friends report the same with their GD)
• –Gets into trouble if left alone without “chores” or **toys**  (or in a kennel)
  • (dog chores include watching the house, protecting the yard, and doing one job you give them like getting the paper, etc)
  • Our older GD’s chores include collecting all of his cookies for the entire day in a pile. He then takes one at a time and puts in somewhere in the house. Before he eats it, he returns to his stockpile and checks on it. He does this all day. I think golden doodles like chores or something to occupy their time. **Try this toy!**   Be creative. They are smart and like to figure things out.
• Very Attached. This can be hard as they age. Ours is anxious to be in another room, or if he can’t see me. He will pace until he finds me. As he gets insecure about loosing his sight, loosing control of his leg strength, he is more comfortable within a few feet of one of us, but quite anxious if we are away.

• Don’t like to be alone. When you go on a trip, get a house sitter who spends time with them, and spends the night with them. They don’t do well in a kennel or without someone at night.
• Anxious. I can’t stress this enough. Be ready for all their dedication to come your way in droves. You are their only focus. This can overwhelm some dog owners. Though it can take some planning and time, we choose his INTENSE LOVE & ATTACHMENT over the alternative

Here’s a good article about pros/cons of the GoldenDoodle breed:

What Are The Pro And Cons Of A GoldenDoodle Dog, 

Choosing a family dog is a big deal, and it can feel overwhelming about which breed to pick.

Look at your lifestyle and make a list of what you are looking for in a family pet. Do you want a lapdog? Or, company while you walk? Are you looking for protection? Or, maybe comfort? A playmate for the kids? Someone to throw a ball for? All of these matter.

GoldenDoodles Are Almost Hypoallergenic

I’m not an expert on what hypoallergenic is, so here are some articles that I think explain the differences really well.

For us, when we were looking for a dog, each time my son pet a dog at the shelters, he broke into hives and swollen eyes. We tried and tried.

So, we looked into finding a “hypoallergenic” dog to see if he would still break out in hives. My understanding is that you can still have an allergic reaction to certain dander but that it’s a lot less.

When we found Fred’s breeder, we first went to visit to see if our son would have a reaction. His skin reacted to several of the puppies, but not to Fred. Not one reaction ever to Fred. When we see other hypoallergenic dogs, his skin erupts! I can’t explain it, but he is NOT allergic to Fred.

So, if one puppy bothers you or your child, keep trying. You can find a match!

The hypoallergenic part makes a big difference, not only for allergies but for clean up!

I have owned many dogs. Zero were hypoallergenic. There is a HUGE difference in sweeping, vacuuming, hair on furniture, hair on clothes, etc.

We barely see a whisp of hair when we sweep our hard floors! There is NO hair on clothes, furniture or carpets. And, we have a black golden doodle and white carpet! (The carpet was here when we moved in!)

Here’s a helpful article to explain Goldendoodles being Hypoallergenic:
Are GoldenDoodles Hypoallergenic?

This Breed Of Dog Are Loving With Kids

In my opinion, there is no better dog than a golden doodle for families with kids. If you get your fur baby when your kids are around age 5-8, then hopefully they can be with them through high school.

Both kids and dog have oodles of energy, and they can keep each other company and occupied. Teach the kids how to respect a dog and the dog how to listen to the kids.

The BONUS for us (that I wasn’t aware of, and didn’t know my kids would need) was how much a golden doodle can comfort our family from anxiety.

The amount of hours my kids have spent hugging Fred on the floor, on the couch on their bed has been amazing. When they feel sad, worried, anxious, etc, he finds them. And they snuggle. He stays so calm, and will gently lick their tears away, or listen to them talk to him, like he is very interested.

My daughter especially went through some medical issues that were scary and Fred was her counselor, her stress relief, her friend. I had never REALLY seen service dogs in action. I had read and heard about them, but until I saw Fred calm my daughter down when nothing else would, I didn’t know that was possible.

From what I hear from other golden doodle owners, they are natural therapy and service dogs. Fred sure is. He lays in (almost) every massage session I do! Some of my clients tell me that they come just for Fred. He greets them gently, lets them pet him, walks with them into the massage room, and lays by the table sleeping the entire hour.

GoldenDoodles Are Easy To Train

Through the years, I have trained several dogs, using our local group dog training classes to help me. I also took one kid at a time, if the school allowed it. (Look for a school who allows it, if you have kids)

This was a game changer on how the kids treated Fred and treated dogs in general. They gained a deep respect for both the dogs and their owners. Plus, they learned to control their own excitement, because Fred would react to it.

Their commands were more clear and not so loud. They also learned not to repeat themselves over and over, but to be patient and wait for Fred to do what he was being asked to do.

Fred was playful and jumpy, but he was eager to please and would settle down quickly and pay attention. The other golden doodles in our training classes were the same way and all of them graduated at the top of their doggie training classes.

For us, it was good to get trained as a human on how to train a dog. Consider going to a puppy training class as soon as you can.

Another goldendoodle bonus: they are VERY good at agility, if that interests you. We have our own kid agility courses at home, so we didn’t go down that path. Though, Fred would have rocked at it.

GoldenDoodles Are Very Healthy

Another bonus that we were not aware of is HOW HEALTHY golden doodles are. His teeth still look wonderful, and his body is very strong.

He got kennel cough once when he went to a groomer. (We changed groomers) He buried a cookie and got dirt in his ear and got an ear infection. And that’s it.

We’ve never had his teeth cleaned and only get his shots. Also, we get him groomed 3-4 times per year, and that makes a big difference. Because they have hair like us, and not fur, you really need to get them brushed, bathed and groomed. It’s a good investment.

Conclusion: A Great Choice & Loving Family Pet

In summary, we, as an entire family, encourage you to choose a golden doodle as your loving family pet.

They are loving and kind, gentle and loyal. They are easy to train and are very healthy and playful.

Some bonuses about golden doodles include how athletic they are, and how intuitive they are. Our biggest bonus was how Fred would calm our kids when they were sad or had a bad day. He brings them his toy or his cookies.

Keep in mind that they are quite needy, they have lots of energy and need to move and play, or they can be destructive.

Plan ahead with smart toys, exercise time, “chores” and boundaries.

They will dedicate their entire focus to you, and in return, they want your entire focus. So, learn what boundaries work for you with a win-win attention vs no attention.

As they age, they will need more attention, just in a different way. Instead of playing and exercise, they will need reassurance and companionship.

Cherish every moment.