“A Little Dog Nerd Conversation 🤓🐾”

F1, F1B, F1BB, F2, F2B & Multigen — What Do All Those Letters Mean?

Okay, friends, today I’m putting on my science-teacher hat. 🤓

If you’ve spent any time looking at Doodles—or really many different hybrid or crossbred dogs—you’ve probably seen what looks like a secret code:

F1. F1B. F1BB. F2. F2B. Multigen.

And unless somebody has explained it to you, why in the world would you know what any of that means?

So today we’re going to learn a little breeder language.

Don’t worry. There will be no test. 😂

First: What does the “F” mean?

The F stands for filial.

That’s a genetics term referring to offspring or generations resulting from a cross.

The terminology isn’t unique to Doodles. These are genetics and breeding terms used when discussing crosses.

So let’s build one together.

We’ll call our two original parent breeds:

Breed A × Breed B

Simple enough.

F1 — First Generation

When you cross two different parent breeds:

Breed A × Breed B = F1

For example:

Golden Retriever × Poodle = F1 Goldendoodle

Or:

Schnauzer × Poodle = F1 Schnoodle

The same basic terminology applies.

F1 simply tells us we’re looking at that first-generation cross.

F1B — The Backcross

Now we add a B.

B stands for backcross.

If an F1 offspring is bred back to one of its parent breeds, the offspring are called an F1B.

For example:

F1 × Parent Breed = F1B

So an F1 Goldendoodle bred back to a Poodle could produce F1B Goldendoodles.

The important thing isn’t memorizing percentages.

It’s understanding what that B is telling you:

We went back to one of the original parent breeds.

F1BB — Backcross Again

Now you’re probably already figuring this one out.

That second B represents another backcross.

For example:

F1B × Parent Breed = F1BB

Look at you. You’re speaking breeder already. 😂

F2 — Second Generation

Now let’s go another direction.

Traditionally:

F1 × F1 = F2

That’s the second filial generation.

So rather than going back to one of our original parent breeds, we’re breeding two first-generation crosses.

F2B — There’s That B Again

Once you understand what the letters mean, this gets much easier.

We know F2 refers to the second generation.

And we know B tells us there’s a backcross.

So:

F2 × Parent Breed = F2B

Now you’re decoding the letters instead of simply memorizing them.

And that’s exactly what I want you to be able to do.

What About Multigen?

Multigen is short for multigenerational.

Now we’re talking about dogs produced from crosses that have already been bred through multiple generations rather than simply that original Breed A × Breed B pairing.

This is also where those simple little labels can stop telling the whole story.

Once you’re working through generations, the actual pedigree and the individual dogs behind a breeding become very important.

And here’s my breeder-teacher moment:

Don’t let the letters fool you into thinking they tell you everything about a puppy.

They don’t.

F1 isn’t a quality rating.

F1B isn’t a health rating.

Multigen doesn’t mean “better.”

These terms primarily tell you something about how the cross was produced.

They don’t tell you everything about health, temperament, structure, coat—or the quality of the breeding program behind that puppy.

That’s an entirely different conversation.

And you know what?

I think we may need another Dog Nerd class for that one. 🤓

For today, though, if you remember nothing else, remember this:

F = filial generation

B = backcross

Multigen = multiple generations

And the next time you see F1B, F1BB, F2 or F2B, hopefully it won’t look quite so much like alphabet soup.

Congratulations.

Science class dismissed. 😂🐾

Good dogs. Brighter days.

View our available puppies here!

(https://www.teddybeargoldendoodles.com/puppies/)

— Sherri Smeraglia
Smeraglia’s TeddyBear Goldendoodles, Schnoodles & Twoodles