The simplest answer to this question is that we don’t believe any greater, more versatile dog breed exists. With a combination of Golden Retriever and Poodle, we truly have hit the jackpot, so the real question is “Why NOT Goldendoodles?”
According to the AKC website, Golden Retrievers are described as intelligent, friendly, and devoted. They have the highest possible scores in being affectionate with family, good with young children, and good with other dogs. 
They’re consistently among America’s most popular dog breeds, and with good reason! Goldens are fantastic hunting and field dogs, used as guides for the blind, in search-and-rescue, as therapy and facility dogs, and they excel in obedience and competition. But even if you’re not looking to use your dog in any of those areas, Golden Retrievers have a love of life that simply brings joy! Sounds like the perfect dog, right? Well, for some of us, not quite. You see, Golden Retrievers are pretty big dogs. And Golden Retrievers shed, and they shed a lot!
That brings us to Poodles. The AKC registers three sizes, which are called “Standard”, “Miniature”, and 
“Toy”. However, there’s a fourth size that’s becoming increasingly popular, the “Moyen”. There’s a decent size gap between the Standard and the Mini, and Moyens fill that gap. The AKC website calls poodles active, proud, and very smart. They score the highest scores in being affectionate with family, and good with young children, and only lose a couple points on being good with other dogs. Poodles are “eagar, athletic, and wickedly smart dogs of remarkable versatility”. Along with being available in several sizes, Poodles come in many different colors and patterns, and here’s the kicker: they’re low-allergen coats are NON-SHEDDING!
So what do you get when you cross a Golden Retriever with a Poodle? Well, even that isn’t quite as simple as it sounds, because that’s where an understanding of canine genetics comes in. But our goal at Gentry Doodles is to carefully and intentionally use our knowledge of those genetics, along with temperament testing and training to produce puppies that can heal hearts and bring joy. Puppies who are the best of companions, who have those low to non-shedding coats, and who we believe to be the most exceptional, most versatile canine companions you can find.
BUT WAIT, AREN’T GOLDENDOODLES STILL JUST “MUTTS”?
There’s a lot of fuss about Goldendoodles out there, have you noticed? So much love, and also a bit of “doodle hate”, as it’s called around social media. Why? Let’s talk about it.
Goldendoodles are currently considered a “mixed breed”, since they’re a combination of two recognized “pure breeds”, the Golden Retriever and the Poodle. There are a lot of people out there who believe it’s wrong to mix breeds, but we simply disagree. The fact is, every “pure” breed out there began as a mix of other breeds. For example, the Golden Retriever was created in the late nineteenth century by combining several different breeds including the Flat-coated Retriever, the Tweed Water Spaniel (now extinct), and others. After a period of time following an established standard, in 1932 the Golden Retriever was officially recognized by the AKC, and it has become one of the most popular breeds out there. Every year the AKC (American Kennel Club) recognizes “new” breeds, but do these “new” breeds just pop up out of nowhere? Of course not! Long before official recognition, there are dedicated breeders working hard to establish and follow a standard for characteristics in a dog that are desirable, but not yet available. That’s where Goldendoodles come in, and why they’re so popular. Goldendoodles give us the sturdy, fun-loving, friendly, sporty trainability of a Golden Retriever with the intelligence and low to non-shedding coat of a Poodle. Perfection to those of us who love them, and simply not available in any other currently “recognized” breed. (Of course the same thing goes for other Doodle mixes.)
In our program, we’re working for mini to medium-sized, low to non-shedding, wavy or straight coats. We stick to the Goldendoodle breed only, and focus on breeding multi-generational Goldendoodles who carry these (and a few other) specific genetic traits. This means we don’t breed back in any pure-bred Golden Retriever or Poodle, but breed Goldendoodle to Goldendoodle, and we use genetic testing to ensure those desirable traits in our future moms and dads.
So, are Goldendoodles mutts? We don’t see it that way. We believe if Goldendoodles are bred responsibly, from health-tested parents, with a goal and purpose in mind, they’re simply “not-yet-recognized”. But Goldendoodles are here to stay, so let’s all spread love, shall we?