The Poodle is a popular dog thanks to its high intelligence and hypoallergenic coat. For the same reason, Poodle mixes are also quite popular.
Did you know there are over 60 different Poodle mixes? They range from small to medium to large-sized dogs. Some are working dogs while some are companion lapdogs. In short; there is a Poodle mix for every requirement!
In this guide, we will cover 5 of the most popular Poodle mix breeds.
What Are Poodle Mixes?
Poodles crossed with other dog breeds give you designer dogs known as Poodle Mixes. These dogs are not purebred like Poodles. They are part Poodle and part another dog.
The first Poodle mix was the Labradoodle – a mix between the Labrador Retriever and Poodle. People loved this hybrid dog for its intelligence and low-shedding coat. This breed paved the way for other Poodle Mixes.
One must note that with cross-breeding, you can never know what you will get. There are no set standards for mixed breeds and the AKC does not recognize them. While most people want a designer dog with a Poodle’s intelligence and hypoallergenic non-shedding coat, one must not forget that the puppies could inherit the genes from the other parent.
Therefore, there is no guarantee of getting a non-shedding coat or high intelligence of the Poodle. Also, height, weight, temperament, and health issues are all question marks: particularly where multiple breeds or generations are involved.
Thankfully, the best oodle breeders DNA test their breeding dogs; this provides information on diseases, colour and coat traits. Having an understanding of what coat traits the parents carry, allows breeders and puppy buyers to understand if their puppy will have a teddy bear coat, smooth coat, hypoallergenic, low or high-shedding coat.
Responsible breeders inform puppy buyers of the coat types of their puppies. Breeding puppies that will shed and advertising them as non-shedding and hypoallergenic is highly unethical in designer dog breeding. Such poor practice poses a danger to families whose children suffer from potentially fatal allergies like asthma.
Some popular Poodle Mixes are Poodle-Chihuahua mix, Shih-Tzu-Poodle mix, Poodle-Terrier mix, Poodle-Golden Retriever mix, Pug-Poodle mix, Beagle-Poodle mix, etc.
Top 5 Poodle Mixes
1. Labradoodle
The Labradoodle is a Poodle-Labrador Retriever mix; clearly one of the most popular Poodle mixes thanks to their cute looks and versatility.
History
The Labradoodle was first created in the 1950s by an Australian breeder named Wally Conron. Conron worked with the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia. He was contacted by a woman named Pat Blum who needed a guide dog. She had limited vision. Blum and her husband lived in Hawaii. Pat’s husband was allergic to every breed of guide dog available in Hawaii. Wally recommended Sultan – a Labradoodle – who ended up guiding Pat for over a decade. This increased the Labradoodle’s demand greatly.
Physical attributes
Labradoodles vary in size depending on the Poodle parent. Some breeders use Standard Poodles while others use Miniature Poodles in their breeding programs. Accordingly, you could have Labradoodles varying in height between 12 to 26 inches (30 to 66 cm). Standard Labradoodles weigh between 50-90 lb. (22 to 40.8 kg), medium Labradoodles weigh between 40-55 lb (18 to 24 kg.) and mini-Labradoodles weigh between 20 and 45 lb. (9 and 20 kg.)
Labradoodles may inherit the hypoallergenic, single coat – which is good for people with allergies. Their coat can be curly, wavy, with tight curls or it could be short/medium/long. They are available in a variety of colours like brown, black, chocolate, apricot, cream, silver, parti-colour, phantom, merle or red.
Temperament
Labradoodles are highly-trainable, active, and energetic dogs. They may also inherit the calm temperament of the Labrador parent and the intelligence of the Poodle. Their affectionate nature makes them excellent family dogs.
They get along well with kids and other pets, if socialized from puppyhood. As mentioned before, Labradoodles make excellent therapy dogs, guide dogs, and service dogs. They are loving and outgoing dogs that love to do things with their family.
Price
Labradoodles can cost between $1000 and $5000 depending on the breeder, the size, and the coat colour.
Health issues and lifespan
Labradoodles live up to 15 years. They are susceptible to health issues like ear infections, PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), hip dysplasia, and skin issues.
2. Sheepadoodle
Part English Sheepdog and part Poodle, the Sheepadoodle is an adorable Poodle mix that lifts the spirits and lights up faces.
History/Origins
The Sheepadoodle might have only become popular in the USA recently but it has been around since the 1960s. The US Military first bred the Sheepadoodle as a dedicated military dog. However, they soon found out that the gentle Sheepadoodle was better suited for therapy work and as a family dog rather than a police dog. The breed became even more popular after celebrity figure skaters Meryl Davis and Fedor Andreev spoke about them in 2015.
Physical attributes
Because they can be bred from Standard or Miniature Poodles, the Sheepadoodle could vary in size from 13-27 inches (33 cm to 69 cm). They weigh between 45 and 80 lb. (20 to 36 kg). Sheepadoodles are referred to as Mini if the Poodle parent is of the Miniature variety.
Sheepadoodles have tight shaggy coats with varying degrees of curling depending on their genetics. These adorable “teddy bear” dogs are typically born black and white. Their coat colour might change to grey as they mature. They are also available in chocolate and white. Sheepadoodles are usually hypoallergenic and make excellent pets for people with allergies.
Temperament
Sheepadoodles are intelligent, hardworking, and affectionate. They love being a part of family activities. They are gentle dogs that get along with other dogs. However, they tend to have herding tendencies and might nip at the heels of other animals.
They are also fantastic with kids but won’t hesitate to herd them. It is very important that you curb this herding tendency from the start. Happy, loving, playful, and easy-going, the Sheepadoodle is also highly trainable. Most Sheepadoodles hate being left alone and are prone to separation anxiety.
Price
The price of an adorable Sheepadoodle is between $2000 and $5000 depending on the breeder.
Health issues and lifespan
The lifespan of Sheepadoodles is 12-15 years. Common health concerns in the breed are skin disorders, bloat, joint problems, hip dysplasia, and Addison’s Disease.
3. Cavoodle/Cavapoo
Cavapoo or Cavoodle is the mix between Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Poodle.
History/Origins
Cavapoos were first bred nearly two decades ago when more and more people wanted small dogs with friendly temperaments. Also, people started looking away from the usual small-breed dogs like Yorkshire terriers. Ever since the first designer dog breed – the Labradoodle – became popular, Poodle mixes were in great demand. Cavoodles may have been around for a long time although no dog breeder has claimed responsibility for the breed’s origins.
Physical attributes
The tea-cup size cavoodle weighs 2-3.5kg, small-sized Toy Cavapoo and Mini weigh between 8 and 25 lb. (3.62 to 11.33 kg). They measure between 9-14 inches (22.86 to 35.56 cm). Larger Cavapoos can reach between 40-70 lb. (18 to 31 kg). They generally have short, wavy, or curly coats. Colours seen in this mixed breed are black, white, chestnut, white, tri-coloured, merle, black and tan, caramel, blenheim, sable, apricot, tan, ruby red, phantom, cream, fawn, chocolate, brown, etc.
Temperament
Cavoodles are affectionate, friendly, intelligent, calm, playful, and good-natured dogs. Being friendly, they do not make good guard dogs. Their affectionate and loving nature is, however, very suitable for active families with kids and other house pets. Naturally, a Cavapoo puppy should be socialized with other dogs and kids from its puppyhood.
Health issues
Healthy Cavapoos live for 10 – 15 years. The breed is susceptible to some of the same issues seen in the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Poodles: Addison’s disease, Cushing’s syndrome, luxating patellas, hypothyroidism, diabetes, etc.
4. Maltipoo
If you want a dog that remains a puppy even in its teenage and senior years, then the Maltipoo or Moodle is what you need! The cross between a Maltese and a Poodle has a puppy-like behaviour and appearance.
History/Origins
The Maltipoo is estimated to have been created in the 1990s when the demand for small, cute, and hypoallergenic dogs was high. Crossbreeding an intelligent breed like the Poodle with a cute and calm dog like the Maltese created a sweet, highly-trainable, affectionate hybrid dog with fewer health issues.
Physical attributes
Depending on the parent dogs, typical Moodles measure between 8 and 14 inches (20-35 cm) tall, and their average weight is between 5 to 20 pounds (2 and 9 kg). If the Poodle parent is a Miniature (which is bigger than the Toy Poodle), then the Maltipoo will be bigger (between 5 and 15 lb. and standing up to 14 inches).
Maltipoos have scruffy or curly coats which can be cream or white in colour. Other colours seen in the breed are apricot, black, black-and-white, cafe au lait, red, grey, silver, cream, bronze, blue, and brown. The peach apricot colouring of Moodle is very popular.
It is common for Maltipoo puppies to change colours when they get to about 16 weeks of age. This “fading” effect occurs due to the Maltese and Poodle genes as both breeds show the coat lightening effect.
If the dog does not change colour the term is called “holding” and if it does change colour, it is called “fading”. In some Maltipoo puppies, the coat darkens. Some Moodles also change colour according to the season – for example, a black Maltipoo might appear to be more charcoal grey in the summer months.
Temperament
As companion lapdogs, Moodles have become very popular with elderly people or those with limited mobility who cannot take the dog outside too much. The playful, lovable, and affectionate Maltipoo can be easily entertained indoors with a ball or doggy games.
Maltipoos are often difficult to housetrain mainly due to their small size and cute looks. They are very fragile dogs, so it is important to teach kids to be gentle around them. Constant barking is often a reason why so many Maltipoos end up in rescue homes.
Price
You can adopt a Maltipoo from a shelter for about $500. Breeders tend to charge $1500-$4000 for Moodle pups.
Health issues and lifespan
The typical life expectancy of a Maltipoo is between 12 and 15 years. Common health issues in the breed are Legg-Calve-Perthes, luxating patella, White Shaker Syndrome, skin issues, and allergies.
5. Bordoodle
The Bordoodle is a cross between the Border Collie and Poodle. It is also called Borderpoo, Borderdoodle, or Border Poodle.
History/Origins
A Border Collie named Chaser is considered the World’s smartest dog with a vocabulary of over 1000 words. Other Border Collies have also demonstrated superior intelligence like Chaser. Also, Poodles rank at the 2nd spot in the list of Most Intelligent Dogs (while the Border Collie is in the first spot). Naturally, people wanted a dog as smart as a Border Collie with the same smarts as the Poodle that has the advantageous hypoallergenic coat. The Bordoodle was simply waiting to happen!
Physical attributes
Bordoodles come in 3 sizes: standard, toy, or mini depending on the Poodle parent. The Mini-Bordoodle grows up to 38 cm (14 inches) while the Standard-Bordoodle measures up to 56 cm (22 inches) at the shoulders. The weight, depending on the size is between 6kg to 25kg (13 to 55 lb.)
Bordoodle’s coat may be wavy, long, or stocky with a dense structure. First-generation bordoodles can shed quite a lot. F1b bordoodles tend to be low to non-shedding.
Coat colors are black/white, solid colors, merle, parti-color, red/white, brown/white, etc. The coat is prone to fading.
Temperament
Bordoodles are extremely intelligent dogs. While this can make training them easy, they also need constant mental stimulation. Without it, they can get bored and destructive. They are born herders like their Collie parents. Hence, some lines do best on farms where they have a job to do. Other border-doodles live happily in inner-city apartments if they are walked frequently and have a calm disposition from the show-line border collie.
Bordoodles make excellent guard dogs and will alert to the presence of strangers with loud barking. These social, playful, and fun-loving dogs love kids and get along with them.
Price
Bordoodle prices can vary significantly from cheap to very expensive; due to the high variation in coat types for this hybrid dog breed. They can cost between $1000 and $7000.
Health issues and lifespan
Progressive retinal atrophy, hip dysplasia, and epilepsy are common health issues in Border Poodles. They have a life expectancy of 10-15 years.
FAQs – Poodle Mixes
What is The Healthiest Poodle Mix Dog?
Most hybrid mixes are healthier than pure-bred Poodles because of the greater genetic diversity in the cross breeds. In general, Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, and Bernedoodles are considered quite healthy as far as Poodle Mixes go. Sheepadoodles, Cavoodles, and Schnoodles also have long lifespans between 12-15 years.
What is The Smartest Poodle Mix?
The Goldendoodle (a cross between the Golden Retriever and Poodle) and the Bordoodle are considered the smartest among the Poodle mixes.
Which is the Most Popular Poodle Mix?
After Labradoodles and Goldendoodles or Groodles, the Cavoodle and the Moodle are considered the most popular Poodle mixes. They are cute-looking companion dogs that are smart, affectionate, and gentle.
What is the Calmest Doodle Breed?
The calmest Doodle breeds are obtained by crossing Poodles with calm dog breeds. Some examples include Boodles (Bulldog Poodle mix), Maltipoo (Maltese Poodle mix), and ShihPoo (Shitzu Poodle mix).
As with any dog, the temperament of the pup’s parents, the breed traits and the individual puppy’s personality should be the main criteria for determining whether the dog will grow to be a calm family member. Puppy training and socialisation are also critical to the puppy developing good emotional regulation and impulse control.
Final thoughts
With over 60 varieties of Poodle mix breeds, there’s an oodle to suit most lifestyles. Ethical doodle breeding practices such as health screening (hip scoring etc), and DNA testing for diseases and coat traits; allow families to make an informed decision about the type of dog their poodle mix will grow to be.
Breeding poodle mixes blindly without DNA testing is commonly associated with producing puppies that shed heavily and suffer from diseases such as blindness.
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