Sheepadoodle Dog Breed Introduction
A Sheepadoodle is a hybrid dog that was created by crossing an Old English Sheepdog with a Standard, Miniature, or Toy-sized Poodle. Depending on the size of the Poodle parent, Sheepadoodles may be Standard, Miniature, or Toy-sized. However, Standard Sheepadoodles are far more common. This crossbreed gained popularity in the 80s’ since they could be tolerated well among allergy sufferers.
Sheepadoodles are also popular for their teddy-bear like appearance and friendly personalities. This is a crossbreed and not a pedigree hence Sheepadoodle are not recognized by the major Kennel Clubs like AKC. A hybrid dog may tend to look more of one parent as compared to the other. Therefore, some Sheepadoodles may have a square face like the Old English Sheepdoodles while others may have a domed head like a Poodle.
Sheepadoodle Origin |History
A Sheepadoodles crossbreeds have existed naturally over the years. However, deliberate crossing started in the 80s’ after this hybrid gained popularity for its teddy-bear look, low-shedding coat, and friendly personality. Sheepadoodles have been created by crossing the Poodle with an Old English Sheepdog.
Sheepadoodle Lifespan
The average lifespan (life expectancy) of a Sheepadoodle is 12 to 15 years. According to a study conducted in 2006, it was confirmed that hybrids tend to live longer as compared to their parents for a year or two. An Old English Sheepdog has a lifespan of 10 to 12 years, although some may live up to the age of 15 years. On the other hand, a Standard Poodle has a lifespan of 11 to 13 years. Therefore, Sheepadoodles may live up to the age of 16 years.
Sheepadoodle Grooming
To set up a Sheepadoodle for a successful grooming process at home or with a professional groomer, get it accustomed to touch on the body, paws, ears, face, tail, etc. This is a crossbreed that may inherit the straight, long, and shaggy coat of an Old English Sheepdog or a lush and curly coat of a poodle. Some Sheepadoodles may have a combination of both coats known as fleece coats. Sheepadoodles that have inherited the coat of an Old English Sheepdog will tend to shed a little bit as compared to the other two coats due to the undercoat.
Straight-coated Sheepadoodles require a thorough brushing down the skin over the entire body at least once a week for a period of one to three hours using a slicker brush, comb, and a pin brush. Failure to groom this coat regularly will lead to trapping of moisture, dust, debris, urine, and fecal matter. Regular brushing also prevents matting. Fleece or curly coated Sheepadoodles require at least three brushings per week if not daily to prevent mats and tangles. Before brushing the coat, spritz it with a water conditioner solution or a detangling spray to prevent hair breakage.
A curly or fleece coat tends to trap the little shed hair which causes matting if the coat is not brushed on a regular basis. Use a bristle brush, comb, and a slicker brush. Regardless of the coat type, Sheepadoodles require a bath every 6 to 8 weeks unless the pet rolls into something stinky. Use a canine hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner to wash and moisturize the coat. Before bathing your pooch, brush the coat to remove any mats or tangles that tend to get messier when they are wet.
After a bath thoroughly rinse off the coat to prevent skin irritation using lukewarm water. Avoid use of soapy water to clean the face since it irritates the eyes. Instead, use a damp clean washcloth or friendly canine wipes. The coat of a Sheepadoodle should be trimmed every 8 to 12 weeks. Trim the nails of your Sheepadoodle every 3 to 5 weeks using nail clippers to prevent cracking, overgrowth, and splitting.
Brush the teeth of your pooch at least twice a week if not daily to remove tartar that causes a bad breathe. Make use of a dog-formulated toothpaste and finger toothbrush to maintain dental hygiene. Clean the ears using cotton balls and an ear cleanser solution on a weekly basis to remove excess wax, debris, or dirt. While cleaning the ears, check out for redness, odor, or a dark discharge that may indicate a Sheepadoodle is suffering from an ear infection.
Sheepadoodle Haircuts | Grooming Cuts | Styles
For easy maintenance of the coat, Sheepadoodle parents may utilize the following haircuts:
Puppy Cut – This is a simple grooming style that minimizes the number of brushings per week. To achieve a puppy cut, trim the the fur on the body to about an inch. The hair on the tail and the face is left a little longer than the fur on the body.
Teddy bear look – Sheepadoodles are popular for their teddy-bear like appearance. Therefore, this haircut will be suitable for them. To attain a teddy bear look, the fur on the face is trimmed in a circular manner while the hair on the body is trimmed to about 2 inches long.
Kennel Cut – This is like a puppy cut. However, the fur on the body is trimmed close to the body to about 1/2 an inch.
Sheepadoodle Grooming Tools
To fully groom a Sheepadoodle, a pet owner requires the following grooming tools: a grooming table, a comb, pin brush, slicker brush, and bristle brush, detangling spray or a water conditioner solution, hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner, lukewarm water, a dry towel, canine wipes or a damp washcloth, nail clippers, tasty canine toothpaste and finger toothbrush, cotton balls, and an ear cleanser solution.
Sheepadoodle Shedding
Sheepadoodles have a reputation of possessing a low shedding coat especially if fleece or curly textured. However, a Sheepadoodle that has an Old English Sheepdog coat will tend to shed at moderate levels since they have an undercoat.
Sheepadoodle Coat Types | Coat Change | Coat | Hair
A Sheepadoodle may either have a curly, fleece(wavy), or straight coat. The curly coat is inherited from the Poodle parent while a straight and shaggy coat is inherited from the Old English sheepdog parent. A combination of both straight and curly coat results to a fleece coat.
Sheepadoodle Hypoallergenic
Generally, Sheepadoodles are regarded a hypoallergenic hybrid due to the low shedding coat. The low shedding coat characteristic is especially true to fleece or curly coated Sheepadoodles. Straight-coated Sheepadoodle tend to inherit the Old English Sheepdog coat that shed moderately all-year round and heavily during seasonal change due to presence of the undercoat. However, there is no 100% hypoallergenic dog. Therefore, pet parents that want allergy friendly dogs should spend lots of time with the dog in question to ensure it doesn’t aggravate their allergies.
How To Train A Sheepadoodle | Sheepadoodle Training
Both Poodles and Old English sheepdogs are intelligent dogs. Therefore, Sheepadoodle will also inherit this trait. Poodles are also eager to please while Old English Sheepdogs don’t forget something that they learn. This makes a Sheepadoodle easily trainable. Socialization is recommended to ensure Sheepadoodles grow into well-mannered and well-adjusted dogs. This training starts from the age of 3 weeks while the pup is with the breeder, dam, and its fellow litter mates until the age of 16 weeks after the pup has settled in its new home.
Normally, parents take their pets home from the age of 8 to 10 weeks. Therefore, it is crucial to get a puppy from a responsible breeder who will prove he has been socializing the dogs. To socialize Sheepadoodles, expose them to a wide variety of people, surfaces, animals, situations, smell, experiences, sight, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, whistles, vacuum cleaners, sirens, lawn mowers, and washing machines. Enrolling Sheepadoodles in a puppy class will also be a form of socialization. Puppy classes provide a controlled environment where canines get to interact. These classes also help owners not only identify and correct bad behaviors like resource guarding but also have an access to training information and assistance.
Sheepadoodles thrive on positive reinforcements methods. Therefore, encourage positive behaviors through the use of treats, toys, petting, playtime, and verbal praise. Avoid use of harsh correction methods such as kicking, shoving, beating, or use of choke collars. This strains the relationship between the parent and the pet. This may also result to development of fear aggression hence the dog may bit or nip out of fear. Keep the training sessions short, fun, and challenging especially for Old English Sheepdog-like Sheepadoodles that easily get bored with repetition.
Teach for a span of 5 to 10 minutes distributed throughout the day. Teach basic commands words like come, sit, stay, leave it, lie down, heel, etc. one at a time until the dog is well acquainted before proceeding to the next command word. Sheepadoodles owners are cautioned against issuing a command word while too excited or frustrated since it doesn’t sound the same for their pets. Effectively housebreak a Sheepadoodle by creating a feeding schedule, potty training, and crate training. Patience and consistence is key while housebreaking.
Sheepadoodle Potty Training | How To Potty Train A Sheepadoodle
A Sheepadoodle is an intelligent dog and learns quickly which makes potty training relatively easy. It may take 2 to 4 months before a dog is fully housebroken. Before bringing a Sheepadoodle puppy home, choose a designated toilet area where the puppy will be doing its business. Owners should also decide whether the puppy will eliminate inside or outside especially for apartment dwellers who have a hard time accessing a yard or street. Indoor potty training uses puppy pads or litter boxes that are available for retail in the puppy stores.
A parent should not start indoor potty training if he or she will eventually want the puppy to eliminate outside at some point and vice versa. This is because it will make the puppy confused. For outdoor potty training, ensure the designated toilet area is far from the patio deck or BBQ spot. The rule of thumb when potty training is understanding that the bladder and bowel muscles of a puppy will strengthen as it matures. Therefore, an-8-week-old Sheepadoodle will be able to hold for a period of 2 hours before eliminating while a 12-week-old pup holds for 3 hours before eliminating.
A crate is an indispensable tool while potty training. It allows the Sheepadoodle parent to monitor the dog for signs that it wants to eliminate outside such as whining, circling, squatting, sniffing, restlessness, and trying to lift a leg against the crate wall. Owners should get a crate that will fit an adult-sized Sheepadoodle. The crate may be big for the puppy which may encourage eliminating in a corner. However, parents may get a divider to adjust the crate size accordingly as the puppy grows.
Some owners may be against the use of crates. They may utilize the umbilical cord method. This is where the end of the leash is tied to belt or pocket of the owner. This allows the parent to closely monitor the dog within a 6-foot range. To get positive outcomes while potty training a Sheepadoodle, take it to the designated toilet area immediately it wakes up, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, after naptime, every 2 to 3 hours, after an exciting activity such as playing and car ride, and before bedtime. After the age of 8 months, a Sheepadoodle goes for potty breaks every 6 to 8 hours.
Once you get to the elimination area, utter the command word “toilet” or “potty” to give the pet the cue to relieve itself. Avoid interchangeably using either of the command word to avoid confusing your dog. Remain in the designated toilet spot for a period of 15 minutes to allow the bladder and bowel muscles to relax. If the dog fails to eliminate, return it to the elimination area after a period of 20 to 30 minutes. Before a Sheepadoodle is fully housebroken, it may experience accidents in the house.
If you get your dog in the act, clap your hands to distract the dog and immediately take it to the preferred toilet spot. Once the dog eliminates, give it a treat so that it may associate the spot with elimination. Remember to clean the mess using an iodine solution or an enzymatic detergent to get rid of the odor. A retained odor, will encourage the dog to eliminate in the same spot once it sniffs. Before the age of 16 weeks, remember to set an alarm to take the dog to the elimination area at least once during the night.
Sheepadoodle Crate Training
A crate provides a sense of security for dogs contrary to the belief that it is a device for caging animals. It is a safe haven where a Sheepadoodle can retreat to. This device is also instrumental while potty training. It allows the sheepadoodle owner to monitor the dog for signs that it wants to eliminate. A crate also helps to keep a Sheepadoodle safe while in the house if the owner is not closely watching.
This tool also assist the dog to have confidence in staying alone for a few hours reducing the severity of separation anxiety. A crate makes it easier for parents to transport their pets by car or air for brief distances or long vacations. It should be positioned in a room where they are ongoing family activities so that the pet will not feel isolated. While in the house, a pet parent should always leave the crate door open if the pet is fully housebroken. This will make the pooch to understand that spending time in a crate is not a forced experience.
A Sheepadoole should not spend more 4 hours in the crate at a time. This device should also be positioned in a room that is neither too cold or too warm so that the pet can relax. Make a crate comfortable by lining it with a comfortable blanket. Throw favorite treats and toys into the crate while a Sheepadoodle is watching to entice it to get into the crate. Always remove any collar or harness when the Sheepadoodle is about to get into the crate for safety purposes. This pooch can also sleep overnight in the crate. Position it in your room so that it doesn’t feel alone.
Sheepadoodle Temperament | Traits | Personality
- Intelligent.
- Playful.
- Easygoing.
- Friendly.
- Easily trainable.
- Energetic.
- Alert.
- Eager to please.
- Lively.
- Loyal.
- Calm.
- Affectionate.
Sheepadoodle Exercise
A Sheepadoodle is an energetic and playful dog that needs daily exercise in form of daily walks with the owner, running alongside the parent, hiking, jogging, and playing game of fetch. Sheepadoodles can also enjoy the company of other dogs and taking part in playtime at dog parks. However, some of them can inherit the herding instinct from the Old English sheepdog parent and will occasionally try rounding up small children.
Sheepadoodle Barking
A Sheepadoodle is not a yappy breed but will bark at strangers and unknown noises which makes it an excellent watch dog.
Sheepadoodle Height
The height of a Sheepadoodle depends on the size of the poodle parent. Most of the Sheepadoodles are bred from the Standard Poodle and may have a height of 18 to 27 inches ( approx. 46 to 69 cm).
Sheepadoodle Weight
A Standard Sheepadoodle has a weight of 65 to 85 pounds ( approx. 29 to 39 kg). However, Sheepadoodles that are bred from the miniature or toy-sized Poodles will tend to be smaller.
Sheepadoodle Size
A Sheepadoodle may be toy-sized, miniature, or Standard-sized depending on the size of the Poodle parent crossed with the Old English Sheepdog. Most of the Sheepadoodles are bred from the Standard Poodle. They have a weight of 65 to 85 pounds ( approx. 29 to 39 kg) and a height of 18 to 27 inches ( approx. 46 to 69 cm).
Sheepadoodle Aggressive
Typically, a well socialized Sheepadoodle is neither aggressive or fearful. Although, if harsh correction methods are used on them, they will develop fear aggression.
Sheepadoodle Biting
Sheepadoodle biting and nipping is rampant during the puppy stage when the pet is exploring the environment, playing, or when teething due to discomfort. Puppy biting may seem adorable but no for long after the dog matures with serious biting issues. Sheepadoodle parents are urged to curb the behavior through redirection and bite inhibition training.
Sheepadoodle Health Issues | Health Problems
A Sheepadoodle is a mixed breed that benefits from hybrid vigour which reduces the risk of inbreeding depression while lower the chances of susceptibility to diseases. Although, Sheepadoodles may also suffer from the health issues that affect the Poodle and Old English Sheepdog. Some of the health issues that a Sheepadoodle can suffer from include eye disorders like progressive retinal atrophy, entropion, and cataracts, hypothyroidism, hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat, Sebaceous adenitis, etc.
Sheepadoodles Names
A Sheepadoodle parent may find a name for the puppy before it leaves the shelter or a few days after the puppy joins them home so that they can understand better the personality of the particular dog. Owners may get name inspirations from the coat color of the breed, personality, celebrity Sheepadoodles, movies, songs, books, historical figures, and nature.
Regardless of where you source the name, ensure it freely rolls off your tongue and will not make you embarrassed if uttered out loud in the public places such as parks and malls. Sheepadoodles and other dog breeds better understand a name that has vowels. Avoid giving your pet a name that rhymes with the command words to avoid confusion.
If the pet parent chose a long tedious name, he or she should find a cute nicknme for the puppy. If a Sheepadoodle shares a name with any family member or guests who frequent your household, it will cause unnecessary confusion.
Female Sheepadoodle Names
- Chloe.
- Maggie.
- Arya.
- Duchess.
- Melody.
- Gracie.
- Evie.
- Ivy.
- Bella.
- Phoebe.
- Ariel.
- Trixie, etc.
Sheepadoodle Colors
The popular coat color of Sheepadoodles is a mix of white and black which makes them look like Panda. However, some Sheepadoodles may be solid black, white, grey, white and grey, cream, etc.
Male Sheepadoodle Names
- Sammy.
- Archie.
- Winston.
- Thor.
- Cooper.
- Milo.
- Benny.
- Apollo.
- Finn.
- Bruno.
- Jackson.
- Max.
- Jackson, etc.
Sheepadoodle Food
The amount of food that a Sheepadoodle feeds on depends on its age, activity level, metabolism, size, and body build. Puppies tend to eat small portions of food 3 or 4 times a day due to high metabolism from when they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Sheepadoodles feed on two meals a day.
A Sheepadoodle may feed on dry food, wet food, home made, or a raw diet depending on the budget and time of the pet parent. Regardless of the food type, owners should ensure that the dog feeds on a balanced diet to maintain a good health eventually allowing it to develop cognitively and physically. If a Sheepadoodle parent decides to feed the pet with the commercial dry or wet food, he or she should ensure the first three ingredients are proteins from a known source.
The commercial pet food should neither contain preservatives, chemicals, additives, meat by-products, generic meat products, nor fillers. The same goes to the snacks. Dry or wet food should also be formulated for small-sized and medium to large-sized puppies, adults, and senior depending on the age and size variety of your Sheepadoodle. Check the physique of your pup to tell whether it is overweight or underweight.
If you can see the ribs, chances are the dog is underweight. Although, if the ribs are not visible but can be felt without pressing hard, a Sheepadoodle has an ideal weight. If the ribs can’t be felt, the pet is overweight and should be exercised. Owners who want to switch to another quality food should gradually do this over a period of four weeks by mixing both new food and old food. As the weeks progresses, the amount of old food reduces as the new food increases until the Sheepadoodle is only feeding on new food during the fourth week.
Apart from Sheepadoodle, other dog breed include:
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Sheepadoodle Types
Depending on the size of the Poodle parent crossed with the Old English Sheepdog, a Sheepadoodle may be Toy-sized, miniature, or Standard. The three size varieties may be bred into several generations. A cross between Old English Sheepdog with a Poodle produces first generation Sheepadoodles referred to as F1 Sheepadoodles. If the F1 offspring are crossed, they produce F2 Sheepadoodles. The F2 crossing to another F2 Sheepadoodle results to F3 generation. However, if an F1 Sheepadoodle is backcrossed to either parent, the offspring produced is known as F1B Sheepadoodles. If the F1B Sheepadoodle is backcrossed to either parent, it results to F1BB Sheepadoodles.
Sheepadoodle F1b
An F1B Sheepadoodle is created by crossing first generation (F1) with either parent. In most cases the Poodle parent is backcrossed with the offspring due to its characteristic low shedding coat. Therefore, most F1B offspring are 75% Poodle and 25% Old English Sheepdog. An F1B Sheepadoodle will have a curly or wavy coat that sheds at low levels hence considered allergy friendly.
Sheepadoodle Black
Although the most common color of a Sheepadoodle is Black and white, some may have a solid Black, white, or grey coat color. The solid black coat color is mostly inherited from the Poodle Parent which can have a solid coat of either black, white, cream, brown, apricot, red, silver, etc.
Sheepadoodle Vs Bernedoodle
Both Bernedoodles and Sheepadoodles are hybrids that have a Poodle as one of the parent. The two hybrids have shaggy faces, floppy ears, giant teddy bear vibe, and big fluffy paws. However, Sheepadoodles are produced by crossing a Poodle with an Old English Sheepdog while a Bernedoodle is created by crossing the popular Bernese Mountain Dog with a Poodle. Most Sheepadoodles are Black and White while Bernedoodles come in a variety of colors.
Sheepadoodle Vs Goldendoodle
Both Sheepadoodles and Goldendoodles are Hybrids developed from a poodle parent. They both live up to the age of 15 years. Sheepadoodles were created by crossing an Old English sheepdog with a Poodle while Goldendoodles were produced by crossing a Golden Retriever with a Poodle. Most Sheepadoodles have a black or white coat color, although some may have a white and grey, black, cream, or grey coat color. On the other hand, Goldendoodles have varying coat colors with the most common being cream, brown, black, gold, tan, silver, apricot, blue, and parti( a combination of two or three colors). A Sheepadoodle has a herding instinct and may have a tendency of rounding up small children.
Sheepadoodle Allergies
A Sheepadoodle is predisposed to various forms of allergies as discussed below:
Skin allergies – Sheepadoodles are predisposed to skin allergies due to contact, food, and environmental allergies. Some of the skin conditions such as Sebaceous adenitis makes this hybrid susceptible to skin allergies.
Contact allergies – This allergy causes inflammation once the skin of a Sheepadoodle comes in contact with the allergen. Some of the contact allergens that affect Sheepadoodles include bed linens, lawn chemicals, latex, grooming products, medications, carpet cleaning detergents, and plastics.
Environmental allergies – One of the environmental allergies that affect Sheepadoodles include flea. The saliva of this insect causes flea allergy dermatitis. Fleas normally bite the back legs and underneath the tail causing intensive scratching and biting until the skin around the bite area is raw. Apart from fleas, other environmental allergens that affect Sheepadoodles include pollen, grass, trees, ragweed, dust and dust mites, and house molds.
Food allergies – Although rare, a Sheepadoodle may suffer from a true food allergy which is accompanied with a wide range of symptoms including skin issues ( hives, lesions, sores, pruritus, and dermatitis) and gastrointestinal stress ( acute vomiting and diarrhea, and weight loss). Apart from food allergies, this hybrid may also be affected food sensitivities or intolerance.
Sheepadoodle Eyes
A Sheepadoodle may have brown, blue, or each of the eye color.
Sheepadoodle Tail
A Sheepadoodle may either have a natural or docked tail. According to AKC, both Poodles and Old English Sheepdogs should have a docked tail.
Are Sheepadoodle Hypoallergenic
Yes. Sheepadoodles are considered hypoallergenic especially if they have a fleece or wavy coat. These coats shed at low levels all-year round minimizing the mount of hair and dander released into the environment. However, pet parents are urged to spend lots of time with a Sheepadoodle before adopting to determine whether the dog aggravates their allergies.
Are Sheepadoodles Protective
No. However, Sheepadoodles will bark at unknown noises and strangers to alert the owner.
Are Sheepadoodles Aggressive
No. Sheepadoodles are neither aggressive or fearful. If properly socialized, they are friendly, easygoing, affectionate, loyal, loving, and calm.
Are Sheepadoodles Good With Cats
Yes. Sheepadoodles are calm, sweet-natured, and easygoing hence getting along with cats and other pets.
Sheepadoodles Quick Facts
- They are crossbreeds created by crossing a Poodle with an Old English Sheepdog.
- Sheepadoodles may be toy, miniature, or standard sized depending on the size of the Poodle parent used.
- Most Sheepadoodles have a black and white coat color which gives them the appearance of a panda.