Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle: Which is Best for You? (Comparison & Quiz)
Torn between the Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle? This is a common dilemma, especially for those who have decided they want a doodle but don’t know which kind. Both of these poodle mixes are popular choices and sure to offer you a whole bunch of love!
Adding a new dog to your family can be a daunting task. Where do you even begin? There’s countless breeds to choose from and that’s just the first step! It may be the most important step though! Finding the right doodle breed that fits your family’s lifestyle can make all the difference.
For example, if you live in an apartment and decide on a breed that’s high energy and requires ample exercise and training, that could end up disastrous. In my opinion, both the Aussiedoodle or Goldendoodle are great options, but there are some distinct differences between these two breeds that may help you make your decision!
Should You Get an Aussiedoodle or Goldendoodle? Take the Quiz!
Remember that this quiz is not meant as a comprehensive decision-making tool. Please read the entire article and do plenty of research to fully understand your options and make the most informed decision for yourself.
Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle: Puppy Selection
Availability / Popularity
First and foremost, a trusted, reputable doodle breeder is the most important factor, regardless of which breed you choose to go with.
Goldendoodles are considered the most popular doodle breed and will therefore have the largest number of breeders to choose from. While Aussiedoodles aren’t quite as widespread as Goldendoodles, they’re still one of the more popular poodle mixes and you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding local breeders. If you live in a more remote area, it may be a little bit easier to find a Goldendoodle vs Aussiedoodle breeder nearby.
A litter of Aussiedoodles averages about 5-6 puppies. Goldendoodle litters can vary more greatly in size, ranging anywhere from 2-10 puppies, but generally falls within the range of 4-8.
Price
Doodles tend to be expensive due to their “designer dog” status. Price can vary significantly based on a few factors. Some breeders charge higher prices for a specific gender, colorings, generation, or size. For example, “blue merle” Aussiedoodles are highly sought after and as a result often have a higher price tag.
The price of a Goldendoodle averages between $1,500-$2,500. The average range of Aussiedoodle prices starts at the same $1,500 at the low end but can go a little higher to around $3,500. If an Aussiedoodle or Goldendoodle is offered at a significantly lower price than average it may be a sign that it’s either a scam or they may be a puppy mill or backyard breeder. While this may not always be the case, you should treat it as a red flag and do more investigation.
Goldendoodle vs Aussiedoodle: Appearance
Size
Goldendoodle size can range considerably from “teacup” to standard. There’s a size for every family! Aussiedoodles also range significantly. There are three sizes of Aussiedoodles—toy, mini, and standard.
Overall, at each size level of the Goldendoodle vs Aussiedoodle, Goldendoodles tend to be slightly bigger and taller on average. The Standard Aussiedoodle weighs on average 45-70 pounds while the Standard Goldendoodle is a bit heavier averaging between 40-85 pounds.
As you get to the smaller miniature and toy sizes of the Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle, these size differences become much smaller and almost negligible.
Appearance
Outside of color and size, there aren’t too many stark physical differences between the Goldendoodle vs Aussiedoodle.
Colors
Goldendoodles come in a wide spectrum of colors like tan, white, black, apricot, cream, or chocolate. They can be single, bi-colored, or even tri-colored!
Likewise, the Aussiedoodle can come in a variety of colors as well. The unique thing about Aussiedoodles are the coveted blue merle and red merle color patterns, which are rare among doodle breeds. The merle pattern is where random blotches of dark pigment occur overtop a lighter shade of the same color.
In addition to merle patterns, Aussiedoodles can also be more traditional colors of white, brown, black, tan, or a combination of any of these colors! These dogs can also be single-colored, bi-colored, or tri-colored.
Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle: Grooming & Maintenance
Coat
The coat of the Goldendoodle vs Aussiedoodle both can range from wavy to curly. The coat’s curliness will be determined by their DNA, and how much Poodle they are in comparison to their other breed. The higher percentage of Poodle they are, the curlier their coat will typically be.
You can determine the theoretical DNA percentage of a Goldendoodle or Aussiedoodle by knowing their generation. We’ll talk more about doodle generations later as they’re also very important in determining how allergy friendly these breeds are.
When it comes to the Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle, the coat requirements are very similar. The curlier and more poodle-like the coat of your Aussiedoodle or Goldendoodle is, the more high-maintenance it will be. If you don’t have the time to dedicate to taking care of a high-maintenance coat, any type of doodle may not be for you.
Matting can be a nightmare for both you and your pup. While you may think it isn’t that big of a deal, you couldn’t be more wrong. Mats can actually cut off the air flow in your dog’s fur, which causes moisture to be trapped at the skin, this can lead to irritation and sores. In severe cases, matting and sores can lead to infection and costly vet bills. Even mild matting can be painful for your dog!
The best and easiest way to prevent matting is frequent brushing. Both the Aussiedoodle and the Goldendoodle will require brushing at least every other day, although a daily regimen is highly recommended.
My Goldendoodle is an F1BB, so he has an extremely curly Poodle coat. Despite my best efforts, it was always a challenge to keep his coat mat free before his next grooming appointment. I saw lots of recommendations for the Chris Christensen Big G Slicker Brush, and I finally decided to give it a try. I was hesitant because it is significantly more expensive than the average brush, but it works so much better than the average brush and is worth every penny!
The only way to 100% guarantee that a doodle will be hypoallergenic is if they have two hypoallergenic parents. However, both the Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle have one parent who is hypoallergenic (the Poodle) and one parent who is not. Because of this, there is no way to 100% guarantee that the resulting puppies will be hypoallergenic.
The factor that may help the most in determining how much the Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle will shed is the percentage of Poodle in them. There are certain generations that have a higher percentage of Poodle in them, and are therefore more likely to be hypoallergenic, and not shed.
The best generations of Aussiedoodles and Goldendoodles for allergy sufferers in order from best to worst are F1BB, F2BB, F1B, F2B, F1 / F2 / F3. Of course, while this can help make an estimate on how much they may or may not shed, it is not 100% foolproof, as DNA can vary.
Both the Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle have fun, friendly, loyal, and affectionate temperaments. They are playful and very social with their families and strangers alike. If you’re looking for a dog to protect you or your family, these may not be the ones for you. They both may bark at potential intruders…..but doodle kisses likely won’t scare off anybody!
Both of these breeds are very people oriented—they love their humans. This is a great thing, but it can also lead to separation anxiety. Separation anxiety can lead to destructive or dangerous behaviors. There are steps you can take to decrease this from happening, but if you’re often out of the house, neither the Aussiedoodle or Goldendoodle may be the best option.
One distinction between the personality of these two breeds is that the Aussiedoodle has a bit of a stronger personality. Due to the Australian Shepherd’s influence, they have a strong work ethic and extremely high intelligence. While this makes them adept at picking up tasks and tricks quickly, it also can have some downsides including some minor herding tendencies and prey drive.
Activity Level
If you’re looking for a laid back couch potato, neither of these dogs are the right choice for you. Both the Goldendoodle vs Aussiedoodle are high energy dogs, who need adequate exercise.
To stay happy and healthy. Goldendoodles need to be in families that are at least moderately active. Aussiedoodles, on the other hand, require highly active owners. Both breeds, but the Aussiedoodle especially, thrive with plenty of high intensity exercise. Long walks and games that allow them to run freely such as fetch should be on your daily schedule.
Both the Goldendoodle vs Aussidoodle are fairly easy dogs to train. However, the Goldendoodle may be a little bit easier for new dog owners to handle. While both breeds are eager to please and smart, the Aussiedoodle’s off-the-charts intelligence and strong personality can lead to a bit of troublemaking if not given enough physical activity and mental stimulation.
No matter which of these breeds you choose, make sure you’re giving them the mental stimulation they’re craving. These fun brain training activities can really help the training process go smoothly!
Good with Kids & Pets?
If you have young kids, this can be one of the most important factors when deciding on a dog breed. In the debate of Aussiedoodles vs Goldendoodles, there isn’t much difference in this category. They both tend to be great family dogs, loving, and loyal to your family.
The one downside of Aussiedoodles is that due to their herding history, they may be prone to trying to lightly nip, herd, or chase family members or other pets. This can be intimidating for younger children or shy cats or dogs. However, this can be improved upon with training.
Goldendoodles tend to be slightly better with children and other animals thanks to their cool, relaxed demeanor. While they’re still high-energy they’re less likely to have those herding or prey drive tendencies that could pose a problem to children and other family pets.
Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle: Health & Wellness
Life Span
The lifespan between the Aussiedoodle vs Goldendoodle isn’t a super drastic difference. The Goldendoodle averages between 10-15 years, while the Aussiedoodle averages between 10-12 years. Typically, smaller breeds tend to live longer than larger breeds, so a toy or mini may be on the upper side of the range.
Potential Illnesses
One of the big plus sides to doodles is that they’re not a purebred, which means they have a decreased likelihood of developing hereditary conditions. That being said, they’re not immune to the health conditions that plague their parent breeds.
All breeds have health issues. There’s no way to completely avoid them. Even if you get a very healthy dog, tragic accidents can happen. That’s why I recommend all new dog owners invest in quality pet insurance which can cover up to 90% of veterinary bills for accidents and injuries.
I use Healthy Paws Pet Insurance and have had a great experience with it so far. I was hesitant about pet insurance at first, as many are, but they offer a great combination of low prices and exceptional coverage and I couldn’t be happier with my decision to enroll.
Should you get a Goldendoodle or Aussiedoodle? The conclusion…
There are a lot of similarities between the Goldendoodle vs Aussiedoodle. However the subtle differences may be the deciding factor between these two breeds.
Goldendoodles are more common and slightly cheaper on average.
Goldendoodles tend to be slightly larger than Aussiedoodles.
Aussiedoodles come in the rare, merle color pattern.
While both high-energy, Aussiedoodles require more physical exercise than Goldendoodles.
Aussiedoodles tend to be a little bit smarter and catch onto tricks and tasks easier. They also require more mental stimulation on a daily basis to keep them out of trouble.
Goldendoodles tend to live just a little bit longer than Aussiedoodles.
Goldendoodles may be slightly more tolerable of young children and other family pets.
