Poodle Mix Breeds:
In Search of the Ultimate Doodle
There are heaps of Poodle mix breeds out there these days. Collectively known as the Doodle breeds, they have enjoyed escalating popularity in recent years with savvy puppy buyers.
And there are great reasons for that.
Advantages of Poodle Mix Breeds
No matter what kind of Poodle mix they are, the Doodles enjoy a number of advantages over their purebred ancestors:
- Less shedding… usually. Though you have to be a little careful here. While Poodles are well known for being hypoallergic, not shedding dogs, having 1 Poodle parent in the mix is not always enough to totally override any shedding inherent in the other parent breed. Breeders overcome this issue in a few ways. They can select only non-shedding Doodle offspring to breed from, or cross the Poodle mix breeds back to a Poodle again (called an F1B Doodle).
- Healthier than the parent purebreds… sometimes. If the Poodle Mix breeds are derived from two purebred but distinctly different breed parents this is called an “F1” Doodle. Only the “F1” Poodle Mix breeds are likely to have superior health to their purebred parents. This is due to a phenomenon called “hybrid vigour”. The more unalike the parent purebreds are, the stronger – in terms of general health and longevity – the resulting puppies are likely to be. However, as soon as you cross two of the same Doodle/ Poodle Mix breeds together, you lose the health advantage.
- Smarter and more trainable…most times. The Poodle is a highly intelligent breed and very trainable. As a result, Poodle Mix breeds also tend to be smart and easy to train.
What We Don’t Like About Most Poodle Mix Breeds and Doodles in General
Hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that… BUT the trouble with most Poodle Mixes and Doodles in general is they all look the same!
The Poodle ancestor tends to put it’s stamp on so what you end up – An undifferentiated conglomeration of charming, delightful but almost identical dogs.
No matter whether the non-Poodle component is a Schnauzer (the Schnoodle), King Charles Spaniel (the Cavoodle or Cavapoo), Golden Retriever (the Groodle or Golden Doodle), Cocker Spaniel (the Spoodle), Labradoodle (Labrador x Poodle Mix breed) or even Bernese Mountain Dog (the Bernadoodle) the result only differs in size and colouration:
Cavapoo Doodle/Poodle Mix Breed
Groodle Doodle/Poodle Mix Breed
Spoodle Doodle/Poodle Mix Breeds
Labradoodle/Poodle Mix Breeds
Bernedoodle Doodle
They’re great dogs, but thing about most Poodle mix breeds is they all look pretty much alike due to the curly coat.
We set out to mix it up a bit and breed a Doodle that was a bit different from the “ordinary”.
The result was a Poodle mix breed we call the Grauzer!
Why the Grauzer is the perfect Doodle
With the infusion of the Schnauzer, the Grauzer is the king of Poodle mixed breeds. What the Schnauzer adds to the Doodle mix that we like is:
- It’s cheeky and sassy nature – The Miniature Schnauzer infuses the Groodle with a dash of naughtiness and mischief that might not suit everyone. But we love a dog that is not boringly predictable and keeps us entertained with it’s antics. This is what keeps Miniature Schnauzer owners loyal to the breed.
- It’s lower risk of health issues – Poodle mixed breeds derived from ancestors that have health issues in common can also suffer those ailments. One example of such a Doodle is the Groodle. Both parent breeds – the Poodle and the Golden Retriever – are unusually prone to gastric torsion which is often sudden and lethal. Another example is the Schnoodle. The parent breeds – the Schnauzer and the Poodle – stem from the same ancestors and so are very close genetically. This negates the advantage of getting a designer breed in the first place which is “hybrid vigor”. Hybrid vigor is the improvement in longevity and health that comes from crossing two different breeds. The more unalike the breeds are genetically, the stronger the hybrid vigor produced, and the healthier and longer lived the progeny is likely to be.
- The Schnauzer adds a little dose of protectiveness – Most Poodle mix breeds are chilled out and sociable dogs. This is highly desirable in the urban setting they must live in. However, it’s nice to know that your dog will also alert you to intruders rather than licking them to death… and that’s where the Schnauzer comes in. Schnauzers are born and bred to act as sentries. On their own they may be a little too reactive for some people, but mixed in with the Groodle and we believe the mix is “just right”.