COAT QUALITY, SHEDDING, GENERATIONS & ALLERGIES

F1, F1B, F2….CAN SOMONE PLEASE EXPLAINTHESE TERMS?! AND, IS THERE ANY SUCH THING AS A HYPOALLERGENIC DOG ANYWAY?

Understanding Doodle Generations is simple once you understand the terminology. At Ponsonby, we breed F1, F1B and F2B Generation Doodles. Read on to discover what that means, especially where coat quality is concerned.

WE HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE 3 GENERAL CATEGORIES OF DOODLE-SEEKERS, ALL OF THEM DESIRING A FAMILY FRIENDLY, INTELLIGENT PET;

Once you identify the kind of “Doodle-Human” that you are, it will be easy to figure out your best match.

1. THE RETREIVER LOVER: Some folks have a deep love of Retrievers but……. they don’t love, or can no longer endure the overwhelming shedding all over their house & clothes. Thus they are seeking the greatly reduced shedding that a “retriever-style” doodle will provide. If this is you, the F1 or F2B Doodle will be a great match you. These dogs will sport a wavy coat and many of the characteristics you love so much about the Retriever, while the shedding will be reduced or eliminated.

   
   

2. THE ENCHANTED: Doodles are beautiful dogs. They are hard to miss in your neighborhood. They exude a joyful and exuberant energy and carry themselves with grace. They are fluffy, friendly, intelligent, and great with children. And, they barely shed. Allergies or not, who wouldn’t want a family pet of such versatility and beauty? If you fall into The Enchanted category, any generation of doodle could be a good match for your family, and your considerations may be more about size, and life-style when choosing the breed-hybrid that is best for you.

   
   

3. THE ALLERGY SUFFERER: This is a big subject. If you, or a member of your family experience dog-related allergies, it is critical to understand that all allergies are unique to each person, and each dog is unique. While there are trends toward some dogs being “allergy-friendly” not all people react the same way to all dogs. Before you make a commitment to a doodle, its vital to understand your allergy and what kinds of dogs trigger which symptoms. Some folks with allergies will be totally fine with an F1 Doodle. Other allergy sufferers may require a pure-bred poodle. Still others may react even to a poodle and will have to choose between allergy medications or no dog at all.

HERE’S ARE SOME IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT DOG ALLERGIES.

1. THERE IS NO SUCH THING A S A HYPOALLERGENIC DOG. THERE ARE ONLY ALLERGIES AND TRIGGERS.

2. ALL ALLERGIES ARE DIFFERENT. EACH HUMAN ALLERGIC REACTION IS UNIQUE TO THAT PERSON, TRIGGERED BY DIFFERENT VARIABLES

3. OFTEN, POODLES & DOODLES DO NOT TRIGGER REACTIONS IN ALLERGY SUFFERERS, THEREFORE THEY CAN BE CONSIDRED HYPOALLERGENIC TO THAT PERSON ONLY.

4. SOMETIMES, EVEN A POODLE WILL TRIGGER AN ALLEGIC REACTION

5. A PERSON WHO EXPEREINCES ALLERGIES TO CATS OR THE ENVIRONMENT, WILL NOT NECESSARILY BE ALLERGIC TO DOGS

I AM AN ALLERGY SUFFERER & I REALLY WANT A DOG. NOW WHAT?……

Ponsonby recommends that you get up-close and personal with different generations of Doodles, and as many different dogs as possible in order to better understand your own allergies. Do you have friends and family with dogs? Visit them, pat them, play with them, and let them be near you. If you know and trust a friendly dog, (preferably a Doodle) ask its owner if you can (respectfully & gently) expose your face, and neck to their pet, its hair and its saliva. This can be done by allowing the dog to lick you and then spreading the dog’s saliva on your neck or inner arm. Ewww, gross! From here you can gauge the reaction you have. A shedding dog MAY trigger a very different reaction to a non shedding dog. An F1 Doodle may trigger a small or large reaction, depending on the person. A Poodle or F1B Doodle may trigger little to no reaction.

IF YOU CAN’T FIND A LOCAL DOODLE TO BOUNCE AROUND WITH (when the pandemic restrictions are over)

DO: CONTACT US to schedule an appointment. You can visit Ponsonby where we can supervise an “allergen exposure” visit with one of our family-friendly dogs, outdoors in a controlled environment. This will enable you to asses a reaction to one dog at a time and accurately assess your response.

DO NOT: Enter a home or kennel with multiple dogs where dander and proteins will be concentrated in the environment. This could trigger an over-reaction or an inaccurate response.

THE NITTY GRITTY ON DOODLE GENERATIONS

Generations are not to be confused with Varieties. Generations refer to the percentage of different breeds in each doodle, which will indicate how much curl/shedding their coat will have. Varieties refer to what actual breeds are crossed, ie: Golden Retriever, Poodle, Irish Setter, Labrador and so on. For more on varieties, read on!

f1 generation

The term F1 can be applied to Goldendoodles, Aussie Doodles, Irishdoodles, Bernedoodles, Labradoodles and any other kind of Doodle you can think of. It simply means that Golden Retreiver, Irish Setter, or Labrador Retriever or any other kind of purebred dog has been crossed to another pure-bred dog. In this case; a Poodle. Ponsonby’s F1 Doodles are a first generation Poodle cross. It could be a Standard Poodle, a miniature Poodle or the less common Moyen Poodle cross. Any way you slice it the combination makes an F1 Doodle. When counseling families about F1 Generation Doodles we always emphasize that an F1 doodle will shed at least a little bit. If a family member experiences severe to moderate pet allergies, an F1 Doodle may not be the best match. Then again, if allergies are mild and reduced shedding is adequate, an F1 Doodle may make a great match! They sure are cute with their teddybear fur and and big doe eyes!

f1b GENERATION

The term F1B is applied to doodles that are 75% one breed and 25% the other. At Ponsonby, this refers to a doodle being 75% Poodle. This generation is achieved by crossing and F1 Doodle (see above) back to a Poodle. The cross could be made to a Standard Poodle, a miniature Poodle or the less common Moyen Poodle cross. Any way you slice it the combination makes an F1B Doodle.

F1B Doodles usually have more of a curl to their coat and shed less. Usually they shed a whole lot less, and are much better suited to families that experience pet related allergies. Often their build can be somewhat finer and lankier as they may take on more of the poodle gene. Despite this, they still carry the hybrid vigour of the breed cross and the inherent good health of the poodle. Besides, who couldn’t adore the curly mop and oodles of love heaped on them by an F1B Doodle?

F2B GENERATION

The term F2B is applied to doodles whose parentage is:

50% F1 Doodle and 50% F1B Doodle. (Find F1 & F1B described above.) This cross could be made to a Standard, Miniature or the less common Moyen sized dog. Any way you slice it the combination makes an F2B Doodle. This generation creates that same beloved teddy-bear look of an F1 Doodle, while (usually) creating a dog that sheds less.

F2B Doodles can have a wavy or curly coat, and, similar to an F1 Doodle and they carry the hybrid vigor of the breed cross and the inherent good health of the poodle. The F2B Doodle is the next stage in developing a breed that incorporates the coat quality, temperament and health of a doodle while also delivering a more consistent breed standard in the puppies. This generation is usually suitable for families who experience mild pet allergies.