Goldendoodle in art: why a new breed is already an art subject

Part 1

Why a breed this young already appears in art

Deliberate crosses of Poodles and Golden Retrievers go back further than most people expect, with one documented pairing in 1969. It was not until the 1990s that breeders in the United States and Australia began producing goldendoodles regularly, adopting the name to describe the cross. The breed's rise to popularity was helped along by its friendly, trainable nature and by comparisons to the earlier success of the Labradoodle.

Social media and the internet played a real part in bringing goldendoodles to wider attention, as owners shared photos of their dogs online. That visibility helped turn goldendoodles into a widely recognized, popular breed.

Part 2

How artists capture the goldendoodle's distinct look

Your goldendoodle's coat can vary a lot, from straight to wavy to curly. Goldendoodle coats come in three main types: straight, wavy, and curly, with the wavy type being the most common. Curly-coated goldendoodles resemble the thick, curly coat of a Poodle, while wavy coats blend that curl with the smoother hair of a Golden Retriever. Color adds another layer, since goldendoodle coats range from cream, red, and gold to black, apricot, brown, white, or a mix of these.

Part 3

The goldendoodle's short history compared with older art-subject breeds

Unlike breeds with long, documented lineages, the goldendoodle is not recognized as an official breed by major kennel clubs such as the AKC. That lack of recognition comes from its status as a cross rather than a purebred dog with an established, fixed standard. Breeds long recognized by kennel clubs have an established, fixed breed standard, something the goldendoodle lacks because it is a cross rather than a purebred dog.

Part 4

Modern ways people are putting their own goldendoodle into art

You can commission a custom illustrated piece built around your dog, choose a simpler print-on-demand portrait, or work with an artist who specializes in pet subjects. When picking an artist or service, it helps to look closely at how they have handled curly or wavy coats before, since that is the part of a goldendoodle's look that is easiest to get wrong. It also helps to send clear, well-lit photos of your dog, since an artist can only work from what the photo actually shows.