Goldendoodles and Goldendoodle puppies are adorable dogs that make wonderful companions and are often successful guide dogs and therapy dogs. As a relatively new crossbreed of dogs, Goldendoodle puppies come in a range of sizes. However, they are not officially recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club or the United Kennel Club. They are a mix between a Golden Retriever and a Standard Poodle. As the name suggests, a Goldendoodle has the appearance of a golden retriever with a poodle’s wavy locks. Commonly known for their intelligence and appearance, these dog breeds often have minimal shedding and can be trained to become working dogs.

If you are thinking about owning a Goldendoodle or currently have Goldendoodle puppies, it’s important to know as much about the breed as possible. These dogs often present unique challenges for owners like stress and anxiety. Especially if you are thinking of traveling with your Goldendoodle puppies.

This guide will help you understand the breed as well as the unique psychological predispositions, symptoms of stress and anxiety, and treatment tools related to your Goldendoodle.

Goldendoodle Dog Breed Explained

The Goldendoodle breed comes from the cross of a poodle with the most popular breed of retriever. Also, Goldendoodles can be born from the crossing of a golden retriever-poodle cross with one or multiple other golden retriever-poodle crosses. When the dogs are left to mate with each other, their offspring will almost always be a puppy that is 75% retriever and 25% poodle. This is due to genetics, which makes it likely that the offspring, in this case, will be 75% one breed, and 25% another.

These dogs were originally intended to be born to a small group of pet owners looking to have hypoallergenic or non-shedding dogs. The original goal was to use the Poodle in these crosses because of its non-shedding coat and would be less likely to shed hair in the home. The poodle is considered part of the group of non-shedding breeds that includes Portuguese water dogs and Shih Tzus.

The Goldendoodle's coat comes in two different types—the curly variety or the wavy variety. The hair on both varieties tends to be thick and high maintenance, but it’s hypoallergenic so doesn’t shed as much as a normal dog’s coat would. Goldendoodles need to be brushed daily to keep their coats smooth and tangle free, but they don’t need to be bathed more than once every three months or so.

Goldendoodle puppies are usually between 20 and 25 inches high at the shoulder and weigh 35 to 75 pounds. A Goldendoodle adult generally weighs between 50-75 pounds and stands around 18-22 inches tall at the shoulder. Goldendoodles don’t have any particular health problems, although they may be prone to develop eye problems, stress, and anxiety. The life expectancy of the Goldendoodle is 12-13 years. They do well in cool or warm weather but shouldn’t be left outside in extreme heat or cold.

These dogs are very energetic, so they need regular exercise outdoors. This can make house-training challenging, as some Goldendoodle puppies may take longer than others to get the concept down. However, Goldendoodles can often be trained easily with their owners’ help. The AKC recommends Goldendoodles be trained using positive reinforcement techniques. This is because obedience training can become especially important as a way of keeping your dog from stealing food off the table or off the floor of your house during dinner parties.

The Goldendoodle is getting increased attention these days because of its popularity as a family pet and companion dog. These dogs are not recommended for families with children under 6 years old because of their size and energy level. However, Goldendoodle puppies get along well with other dogs, are great with strangers, and typically do well in obedience training. With proper socialization, they are loving and affectionate toward people.

A Goldendoodle has a reputation for being exceptionally friendly and affectionate with people, including children and other animals. If you get one of these dogs, expect to be showered with love and attention. They have a reputation for being intelligent and easy to train, making them good candidates for service work like assisting disabled persons if they are properly trained.

Psychological Predispositions of Goldendoodles

A lot of people do not understand the true nature of Goldendoodles or Goldendoodle puppies. They are very friendly dogs and love to be around people. They are not aggressive or protective like some dogs. They can sense when you are feeling down and will do anything to cheer you up. Overall, Goldendoodles are friendly, happy dogs that love their owners and keep an even-keeled mind.

They are social, gentle, and affectionate dogs who love to spend quiet time cuddling on their calming dog bed or by your side as you move. They have no problem making friends with other animals, people, and even strangers. This makes them a great family dog; however, they can be a little too friendly to other dogs. They are loyal to their owners and do not make good guard dogs because they will greet anyone who knocks on the door rather than bark at them.

Goldendoodle puppies are intelligent dogs who want to please their owners. This desire to please combined with their sociable personality makes them easy to train. However, they can be stubborn at times. This means they can be extremely hardheaded. This can also lead to digging. Be prepared to prevent them from digging up your flower beds or destroying your yard if they are outdoor running without supervision.

In addition to being stubborn, a Goldendoodle or Goldendoodle puppy can be a bit too smart when it comes to training. They are highly intelligent, which can make them easy to train at first; however, because they are so smart they also learn very quickly which behaviors get them what they want (e.g., treats). Goldendoodles make good family dogs because of their friendly attitude toward children and other pets. When properly trained, Goldendoodles even get along well with cats.

Goldendoodle puppies may seem a little on the energetic side at first, but they are very friendly and playful. The myth that these dogs are hyperactive may be true for some Goldendoodles, but it does not apply to all of them. The Golden Retriever was used as a hunting dog and the Poodle was used in water retrieval. This gave rise to the myth that all Goldendoodles will be hyperactive since their parents were such high-energy. Some owners find that their dogs are hyperactive and others find out they are showing some signs of aggression, discomfort, and exuberance related to stress and anxiety.

Lastly, there is a psychological predisposition that people need to be aware of with their Goldendoodle. A Goldendoodle can suffer from separation anxiety when its owner leaves the house because of their social tendencies (they want to be with their owners). It doesn't matter if you are going away for a year or for a week, leaving your Goldendoodle puppies alone can be a very painful experience for them and you. They tend to become highly anxious and destructive when you leave them alone for more than 4 hours at a time. A Goldendoodle is bred to be a loyal and protective companion dog. It is possible to raise Goldendoodle puppies in a way that will help prevent this behavior, but it's more difficult than with a different breed.

Stress and Your Goldendoodle

Stress in your Goldendoodle puppies can be a powerful force for good or evil. It is common to consider stress an unwanted and unwelcome experience. Often people say "I am stressed to the max," but stress doesn't have to be a negative emotion for your dog. Stress can motivate safety for your Goldendoodle or even help them identify personal needs.

Stress is a natural response of the body's nervous system to any situation that seems threatening or challenging. When they encounter a stressful event, a Goldendoodle triggers an autonomic nervous system response by increasing their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and muscle tension. The hormone adrenaline is released into the bloodstream and prepares Goldendoodle puppies for action. This preparation for action is called the "fight or flight response." Stressful events may arise from physical danger, conflict with people, or challenging situations at the park, walking, or at home.

Dog body language is worth studying because dogs primarily communicate using their bodies instead of their voices. As humans, we rely more on our voices to communicate so we often miss subtle signs from our pets. Dog body language is a key sign to diagnosing stress in your Goldendoodle puppies. For instance, if you notice that you are frustrated when you are trying to give your pet affection but he doesn't respond in kind (such as licking your face), it could be because he just isn't feeling it at the moment due to stress or anxiety. Other symptoms and signs include whining, growling, pacing, and freezing.

Whining or barking is a sign of stress that can easily be mistaken for something else. It can be difficult to distinguish between a whine and a bark because they are similar in volume and tonality; however, there are slight differences in pitch and length that can help you identify if the noises they make mean they are stressed or simply communicating with another dog or person in the vicinity.

Growling typically communicates that a dog feels threatened. If you notice your dog growling, immediately ask yourself what has made your dog feel threatened. The sooner you can address the cause, the better. You may want to contact a professional trainer or behaviorist for assistance in resolving the situation.

Pacing is a common sign of stress in dogs. A dog will choose one side of their enclosure to pace back and forth along after seeing something that has made them anxious or uncomfortable. If your dog is pacing, it may indicate that they are getting ready for a fight-or-flight response. Pacing can occur early on in stressful situations, such as when meeting new people or dogs, being introduced to new environments or animals, or before being taken out on a walk or car ride.

A dog that is freezing instead of pacing exhibits a submissive behavior in order to appease its more-dominant counterparts. Freezing also occurs during times of high anxiety and can be caused by stress or feeling threatened by another animal or human presence.

The importance of recognizing your dog’s stress signals is that once you learn how to read them, you can apply behavior training techniques to prevent your dog from becoming injured or hurting someone else.

Anxiety and Your Goldendoodle

Anxiety and stress are often combined and associated with each other when discussing disorders in Goldendoodles. The easiest way to distinguish between the two is that stress is typically the trigger for anxiety. Your Goldendoodle puppies experience stressful events that lead to the feeling of anxiety. For instance, when you leave the house to go to work (a stressful event for your Goldendoodle), they experience separation anxiety.

Anxiety in dogs is a very common condition. Anxiety in dogs can take many forms, from separation anxiety to noise-related fears, from phobias of specific stimuli to generalized anxiety. The most common causes are fear based, although boredom and loneliness are also important contributors. In extreme cases, anxiety can manifest as aggression toward people or other animals. It can also cause destructive behavior and repetitive or compulsive behaviors. Aggression is the most dangerous symptom of anxiety, but any of these symptoms can become more than occasional problems.

Goldendoodle anxiety can be related to traveling in vehicles. Many dogs become anxious when traveling in the car or on a plane. They may pace the vehicle, whine or bark when inside, or try to escape from the vehicle by jumping from it or clawing at its doors.

Many dogs have social anxieties which make them fearful around other dogs or people. In some cases, these fears can be lessened by desensitization training while in others they are lifelong problems. Dog social anxieties are a form of dog mental illness that usually needs professional attention. Some Goldendoodle puppies develop compulsive disorders where they exhibit repetitive destructive behaviors such as spinning, licking themselves excessively, or chewing on things that they shouldn’t.

As mentioned before, the Goldendoodle puppies are prone to separation anxiety when the owner leaves the house. In fact, separation anxiety is one of the most common behavioral problems in dogs. This is due to a psychological predisposition that makes them seek constant attention and need protection from the outside world. If left alone without a companion or in an unfamiliar environment, they may bark, howl, chew, and destroy objects in an attempt to get their owners' attention.

The symptoms of dog anxiety are often very similar to those of depression. Dogs who are anxious can appear depressed, but they are not the same thing. Other symptoms of anxiety include tail tucking, shaking or trembling, cowering, avoidance, stress-induced urinating or defecating, and excessive licking, drooling or chewing (often oneself).

Some of these symptoms may be the result of occasional anxiety-causing events, but any of these can become recurrent and therefore result in more serious issues. In general, if a dog's behavior changes drastically and an owner doesn't know why, it's a good idea to have him checked for anxiety by a veterinarian or a certified applied animal behaviorist (CAAB). Certain breeds of dogs have an increased tendency toward anxiety and, using a combination of environmental, therapeutic, and calming tools, you can help your Goldendoodle puppies relax and cope with stress and anxiety.

Treating anxiety in dogs depends on the underlying cause. For example, if your dog’s anxiety is related to a change in his environment or routine, you can help him transition by slowly introducing him to the new situation.

How to Relax Your Goldendoodle

Before adopting a Goldendoodle puppy or adult, consider your lifestyle to make sure that this dog will fit into it nicely. This in turn helps create a happier home environment for you, your dog, and everyone else in the house. To ensure that your Goldendoodle and Goldendoodle puppies have the best temperament and quality of life, you must be committed to relaxing your Goldendoodle.

First, understand the problem. Anxiety and fear are normal responses to potentially stressful situations. These are different from simple fear-based aggression, which is the result of frustration and annoyance with the source of the fear or anxiety. The best way to manage anxious Goldendoodle puppies is to prevent them from experiencing the triggers that set off their fears.

Treatments may vary depending on whether your dog is showing separation anxiety, social anxiety, or generalized anxiety. Depending on the severity of his condition, he may need professional help in addition to training at home.

As mentioned, they are energetic animals and need lots of exercises, but they aren't meant to live outside in a kennel or yard all the time. If you plan on walking your dog frequently on sunny days, then this would be an excellent dog for you to adopt because Goldendoodles love being outside in the sun. They require exercise as a release of energy, and without the release, a Goldendoodle is more likely to be stressed or anxious.

Keep distractions to a minimum during your dog's initial exposure to a situation. It's better for him to become accustomed to a small number of things at one time than being overwhelmed by too many things going on at once. Minimize any extra noise or commotion that may be occurring in the area where you plan to introduce your dog to something new. For example, if you are planning on taking him into an area that has a lot of people milling about while they wait in line, wait until there is a lull in traffic before introducing him. If your dog seems tense or nervous, leave the situation immediately before he has an accident or bites someone. When he is older, he'll be able to better handle these situations.

Keep your own emotions in check as you work with your dog to desensitize him to new situations and stimuli. It is very important for you not to show fear or anxiety when exposing your dog to new places and situations; this will only intensify your Goldendoodle puppy's anxiety or stress.

Treats and food rewards work very well with a Goldendoodle, so use them as rewards when training your dog. Positive reinforcement is always best with any dog as it makes life more enjoyable for both you and your pet. In addition, it’s important that you spend time with your Goldendoodle puppies. They crave attention from their owners and can suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for long periods of time each day or over several days in a row.

Trouble sleeping can also be a symptom of stress, and lack of sleep, like in humans, can cause irritability and excessive worrying. A tired dog is less likely to have the energy or inclination to get into trouble or become stressed-out because he's bored. In addition, simply making sure that they get plenty of sleep at night and a good nap during the day can relieve stress in your pet.

The key to a great night's sleep is creating a calming environment for your dog with a calming dog pet bed. If your Goldendoodle has a safe and comfortable place that is veterinarian-approved to reduce anxiety, stress, and hyperactivity in dogs, they will be able to find a great night's sleep. Purchasing a pet bed isn't just about comfort; it's also about safety. A dog bed that doesn't support your pup's body weight can lead to serious injuries, such as slipped discs and pinched nerves. That is why it is important to have a pet bed that has a sturdy frame and proper support.

If you're looking to get your Goldendoodle puppies a new bed, it's important to know that there are some key things every comfortable pet bed should have. A calming dog bed for pet anxiety helps your dog stay calm and relaxed. It also creates a special sanctuary for relaxation and sleeping. Also, a veterinarian-approved calming dog bed will help your dog live a more fulfilling life. Your dog will spend most of their time in bed, so they're going to want something that they can enjoy spending time in.

The first thing you'll want to look at is the size of the bed. This is especially important if you have a large dog or a puppy, because they may outgrow the bed before they stop growing. If you are planning on getting a larger pet bed, try giving them space to curl up and spread out as well. This is also a good idea if your dog has joint pain. You can use the small size for support under their belly, or lay down a thick blanket underneath them to give them extra padding if they need it.

You want to find ultra-plush cushioning, washable materials, and orthopedic foam that provides additional support for joints and bones as well as a cushy resting place for dogs of all sizes. You want to make sure you pick a bed that will be comfortable for your dog, no matter what position they like to sleep in.

A comfortable bed is made with a cooling surface and a non-stick pad on the bottom to ensure safety and comfort. Some come with an essence of natural herbs and spices (peppermint, lavender, camphor, melaleuca). When your pet lays on the bed with their body heat, their body temperature lowers naturally and creates a soothing effect. This lower temperature also stimulates blood circulation, which helps support organ function, alleviates pain, and promotes positive behavior.

Pets are family and should be treated as such. When it comes to soothing a nervous dog, remember that it's not all about the dog itself. You'll need to keep your pet healthy and happy by creating an environment that promotes restfulness and relaxation. This will help them avoid destructive behavior and stay positive while relaxing in their new calming dog bed.

Travel and Your Goldendoodle’s Psychological State

Traveling with your dog can be a lot of fun, but it can also be stressful for them. In fact, stress and stressful events are two of the leading causes of travel anxiety for your Goldendoodle puppies. As discussed earlier, stress is the event or collection of events that lead to anxious and fearful feelings for your dog.

Traffic is scary for dogs. There are loud noises, sudden movements, and fear of going somewhere new. All the new stimuli in a car with new smells and sights. But they often don’t tell us that they are uncomfortable. They may whine or show fear by hiding under the seat or in the car’s backseat. It's a good idea to stop every hour or so on longer trips to let your dog out to get some fresh air and exercise to help cope with the stress.

Your dog may be stressed because they need to relieve him or herself at some point during the trip. When possible, take them out before leaving home. This way, you know that they have emptied their bladder and bowels before hitting the road. If you want to wait until you reach your destination, stop regularly and walk them around if they need it.

A lot of dogs are frightened by the sights and sounds they experience while traveling. This fear can lead to anxiety and can make the trip even more difficult. Travel anxiety, or fear of travel, is a common problem for dogs and can be incredibly frustrating for pet parents. Any dog who is prone to car sickness, or who has a past experience of trauma while traveling can also develop travel anxiety. Dogs with a history of abuse are especially vulnerable to anxiety when exposed to unfamiliar people, sounds, places, and situations. The anxiety can also be caused by repeatedly going somewhere they don’t want to, motion sickness, feeling unstable while moving, or noise phobias. Anyone who has ever been stuck in traffic with a dog that's frantic in his carrier knows how upsetting this situation can be.

While not all dogs experience travel anxiety, it's important to know the signs in case yours does. The more you can identify these symptoms early on, the better able you will be to help your dog overcome them. Signs that your dog may be experiencing travel anxiety include: difficulty settling in the car with panting, whining, and pacing, increased vocal expressions at stops and through trips, and shaking or shivering during travel. Typical signs of travel anxiety include: trembling and shaking, panting and drooling, urinating or defecating in the carrier or transportation method, and whimpering, crying, and barking.

In some cases, the anxiety can reach a point where it is difficult for the dog to function normally. Travel anxiety can lead to car sickness and even potentially put the pet in danger. If you have a dog that suffers from travel anxiety, there are ways you can help them feel more comfortable. If you’re planning a trip with your furry friend, there are some things you can do to make the experience less stressful and more enjoyable for both of you.

If possible, schedule your trip when your dog is likely to have the most energy and won’t be suffering from any stressors like teething or change of seasons. Although it’s tempting to bring your dog along on every vacation and excursion, if your pup suffers from anxiety or gets motion sick, it may be best not to travel far with him at first until he is more comfortable in planes, trains, or cars.

Calming treats and sprays also help create a calming environment for your Goldendoodle puppies. These tools are good to have on hand because they will reduce stressors, making it easier for your dog to fall asleep and enjoy the car. You can get calming treats specifically designed for travel as well.

By far the best solution for your Goldendoodle puppies to fight travel anxiety is a calming dog carrier. A calming dog travel carrier is used to help reduce stress on your pet during long trips such as train rides or car rides. They can also be used for plane travel if necessary. There are many different types of these carriers available, however one thing is for sure, you will want one that will help soothe your pup during their travels.

These carriers come in various sizes and shapes depending on the particular needs of the owner and pet. It’s important to pick one that will fit both you and your pet comfortably because after all, you want them to feel safe and secure inside the carrier during their travels. A carrier can help keep a dog focused on its owner rather than its surroundings. This will help her feel more secure during the trip. You can also use a carrier for safe transportation if you plan on flying with your dog. Remember to switch up the location of the carrier if you keep it in your car. Changing things up will keep your Goldendoodle puppies (and yourself) from getting too comfortable with one location.

A calming dog carrier also keeps your Goldendoodle puppies from being able to see out and get motion sickness, or from being able to distract themselves by looking out the windows. Another benefit of a carrier is that your dog won’t be able to walk around the car, which can distract you and might make your pet feel less secure.

While it may be easiest for you to just put your dog in the backseat of your car and let them sit there unrestrained, this could actually make things worse. Goldendoodle puppies that are allowed to move around freely can become stressed when they look out the windows at what’s going past, or if they're riding next to another dog who is excited about the trip. In addition, if your dog is allowed to roam freely in the backseat of your car, it’s possible that you could lose control of them if something exciting happens outside. For example, if there is an animal on the side of the road, or another driver does something unexpected, your dog might lunge forward or try to jump onto your lap.