The Sheepadoodle is a relatively new hybrid dog breed, resulting from crossing a Poodle with an Old English Sheepdog and creating an adorably cute and fluffy puppy!
Before purchasing a Sheepadoodle puppy keep reading below to learn some of the things that you should know to ensure this breed is right for you.
1. Sheepadoodles Don’t Shed
The Sheepadoodle is one of the only ‘doodle’ breeds that truly doesn’t shed. The Poodle has a tightly curly, non-shedding coat and the Old English Sheepdog has a long-haired double coat which sheds only seasonally, but these are both high maintenance breeds that require daily brushing and regular grooming to avoid matting. Most Sheepadoodle puppies have a long wavy coat, but you can also get straight and curly-coated puppies. Most breeders can tell from an early age what kind of coat each Sheepadoodle puppy will have, but this may change over time. There are two main types of Sheepadoodle coat:
- Straight “hair coat” – The straight coats usually shed the most and are the least hypoallergenic of the three coat types. Even though this coat is called “straight” or flat, it may actually have a slight wave to it. The length of the dog’s straight hair depends mostly on the length of the parent’s hair. Straight-coated Sheepadoodles are not very common; you’ll mostly find them with wavy coats.
- Wavy “fleece” coat – The wavy coat is probably the coat most seen on Sheepadoodles. This coat is very free-flowing and often has a kinked or wavy appearance.
2. Sheepadoodles Don’t Just Come in Black + White
A sheepadoodle most commonly comes in 3 colour choices, all black, black with white points, or full parti black and white. However, you can also get chocolate and chocolate and white parti Sheepadoodles, although these are far less common.
3. Sheepadoodles Need (a lot!) of Grooming
Contrary to popular belief, low or non-shedding dogs require far more grooming than those who shed naturally. Non-shedding dogs still ‘molt’ or lose their hair, however they require regular grooming to remove this hair and to prevent matts and tangles. This matting is not always obvious until the Sheepadoodle goes into the groomer for a thorough grooming session, and knots are often discovered which are very uncomfortable for the dog and can cause a lot of frustration when the groomer has no choice but to totally shave off your Sheepadoodle’s coat. It is very important to brush your Sheepadoodle daily, with the correct tools, down to the skin to avoid matting. “Puppy trims” are good options for Sheepadoodles, but they also require regular brushing between baths and haircuts. prepared to brush your Sheepadoodle daily and have him professionally groomed every 6-8 weeks.
4. Sheepadoodles Come in Many Sizes
The ultimate size of the Sheepadoodle can vary quite a lot. The Old English Sheepdog is a large dog reaching around 20-23 inches tall and 35-50kg at maturity, however the Poodle comes in three sizes – Toy, Miniature and Standard, so this will have some bearing on the size the adult Sheepadoodle will reach.
Being a crossbreed, the size a Sheedadoodle will reach as an adult is less predictable than a purebred dog. If you want a particular size of dog, make sure to enquire about the size of the Poodle parent, but be prepared that your Sheepadoodle puppy may be bigger or smaller than you hoped.
A Toy Poodle reaches around 8-10 inches in height and weigh around 5k and this cross should produce a miniature Sheepadoodle puppy. A Miniature Poodle usually matures between 11-15 inches in height and weighs 6-9kg. A Standard Poodle is the largest of the breed at around 20-23 inches tall and 25kg and this cross will produce a standard Sheepadoodle puppy.
5. Sheepadoodles Need Health Testing
It has been disproven that crossbred dogs benefit from ‘hybrid vigor’ and are less likely to suffer health problems. In fact, crossbred dogs are at risk of inheriting diseases and health conditions from both parents, which could result in a less healthy pup than a purebred.
When purchasing a puppy make sure you choose an ethical breeder who has done the recommended health testing for all relevant breeds involved in the breeding. In the case of the Sheepadoodle the following health tests are recommended:
Old English Sheepdog
• Hip Evaluation
• Elbow Evaluation
• Ophthalmologist Evaluation
• EIC (energy induced collapse) DNA Test
Poodle – Miniature
• Hip Evaluation
• Ophthalmologist Evaluation
• PRA Optigen DNA Test
• Patella Evaluation
Poodle – Standard
• Hip Evaluation
• Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Poodle – Toy
• Ophthalmologist Evaluation
• PRA Optigen DNA Test
• Patella Evaluation
6. Sheepadoodles May Not Be Hypoallergenic
Although Sheepadoodles are non-shedding, most people are actually allergic to dog’s saliva rather than their hair, so choosing a dog based on its coat type is going to be ineffective at preventing the allergic reaction. Consider seeing an allergist or testing your allergies with various types of dogs before making a decision on the kind of puppy that you purchase.
7. They Come in Different Varieties
F1 – is a first-generation cross, in which the pup is 50 percent Old English Sheepdog and 50 percent Poodle. The F1 cross is considered the healthiest, as the parents have the least likelihood of contributing genes for common inheritable diseases.
F1b – is a backcross in which a Sheepadoodle is bred with a Poodle. The puppy is 25 percent Sheepadoodle and 75 percent Poodle. In other doodles the F1b puppies are the most likely to be non-shedding and allergy-friendly, but both breeds in the Sheepadoodle are non-shedding so this isn’t relevant to this cross. Some breeders have backcrossed a Sheepadoodle with an Old English Sheepdog, which results in a dog with more of the Old English traits.
F2 – is a second-generation cross, in which an F1 Sheepadoodle is crossed with another F1 Sheepedoodle. If this is done for 7 generations a breeder could apply to register this dog as a purebred.
8. Sheepadoodles are Smart & Highly Active
Poodles are both very smart and very easily bored – they require a lot of mental stimulation and exercise in order to keep them out of trouble! Old English Sheepdogs are also intelligent but are known to be kind and playful housedogs, so you should have a non-aggressive Sheepadoodle. If your Sheepadoodle inherits more of the Poodle’s nature expect to have a very active puppy. They can also be highly strung and very sensitive, so take this into account when considering a Sheepadoodle. Both breeds are traditionally working dogs, so don’t expect your Sheepadoodle to be a couch potato!
9. Sheepadoodles Love the Outdoors
Both Old English Sheepdogs and Poodles love being outdoors. The Old English Sheepdog was originally bred as a farm dog that drove sheep and cattle to market. The Poodle is believed to have originated as a water retriever in Germany and is a hardy, intrepid dog that enjoys outdoor adventures despite their ‘precious’ reputation.
10. Your Sheepadoodle Might Herd Kids
Old English Sheepdogs usually have a natural herding instinct, due to their working dog heritage. Your Sheepadoodle puppy may inherit this instinct to herd children and other pets. If you want to encourage your Sheepadoodle to herd you can take him to special trainers and even consider training him for competition!