How Doodle You Do… Is a Doodle Right for You?
Is a Doodle right for you? photo: Brigid Wasson
I encountered my first Doodles in the early 2000s while pet sitting in San Mateo County. The dogs I saw then varied in size and color and mostly looked scruffy. I recall one reddish female, about 30 pounds, very shy, that I used to walk. When I asked the owner about the dog’s mix, she acted offended and huffily replied, “Third generation Labradoodle!” You’d have thought I was calling the royal family’s lineage into question.
In the years that followed, I remained equally unimpressed with the Doodle craze. Coming from an animal welfare background, I felt entitled to judge people who bred or bought dogs. I stuck with my rescues and called it good.
Fast forward to the 2020s when age and humbling life events gifted me more wisdom. Through my humane work, I had learned that pet overpopulation in shelters is often a lost pet problem. Thus, I had shifted my focus to consulting with shelters to improve their stray return-to-owner practices and later to educating owners about how to keep their pets safe with ID tags, microchipping, and the like.
But I began to seriously change my tune, as did many small business owners, after the Covid lockdown began. Pet sitting was no longer needed as no one was traveling, and dog walking went the way of the Dodo when folks started, and continued, to work from home. I had to pivot.
My good friend who is a certified Master Groomer had been nudging me for some time to learn the trade, and I finally gave in and let her train me. To my delight, I found that grooming came naturally to me. I already knew how to handle dogs safely and humanely so I was pretty much a shoo-in, and last year I opened my own shop in Sonoma County. That’s when I decided to specialize in - you guessed it - Doodles.
Rather than fading away like so many fads, Doodles have only increased in popularity over the years. From the original Labradoodles – a cross between a Poodle and a Labrador – sprang new types like Aussiedoodles, Bernedoodles, and Sheepadoodles.
More than once I heard the cry, “They’re doodling everything!” And it’s true. Today you can choose a Doodle of just about any size, color, coat type, and personality. Which begs the question: should you welcome a Doodle into your family?
One of the biggest pros to this breed mix is that they are generally adorable. With the right grooming, they resemble living teddy bears with soft round faces and button noses. By and large, they are also friendly. Many Doodle owners report that their dogs are very bonded to them, follow them everywhere, love to walk, hang out on the couch, or do anything together. They are clownish, funny, and playful. That said, every dog is an individual requiring love, exercise, and training to be their best self.
Doodles can also be a good choice for individuals with allergies. While no dog is truly hypoallergenic, dogs that don’t shed are often better tolerated by allergic folks. Poodles do not shed, but a Doodle’s other parent (Labrador, Golden Retriever, whatever) definitely does, so it’s a toss-up as to whether the offspring will shed or not. While everyone seems to want a puppy, buying or adopting an adult Doodle may be a better choice if you’re allergic as you can know for sure which type of coat the dog has.
You can also choose which size and breed type works best for your family. Because Poodles vary in size, Doodles can be bred - to an extent - in different sizes. Just be aware that, as with any mixed breed, adult size is a bit of a gamble. I have seen “mini” Doodles that end up weighing 50 pounds!
Breed of the non-Poodle parent plays a big part in temperament, as well as size. In my opinion, breeding Doodles with high-drive dogs is not a good idea. I learned this when I assisted in the rehoming of an aggressive Bordoodle who couldn’t handle a relaxed home life. Most people want Doodles for a sweet family pet, not a high-energy working dog. For that reason, Labradors, Golden Retrievers, and Bernese Mountain Dogs make better Doodles, in my experience.
As mentioned, I got into Doodles when I got into grooming, and there’s a reason for that. Like Poodles, they must be groomed regularly - no exceptions. Depending on where you live, this means you should be prepared to pay $150+ every six weeks at minimum. Ask your groomer to show you how to properly brush your dog’s coat to keep it clean and unmatted between appointments. Do not get a Doodle if you can’t afford regular grooming or can’t be bothered to keep up with it.
Eventually, in the “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” spirit, I welcomed a Bernedoodle into my own home, and I’ll bet you can see where this is heading. Maya is now the sweet and hilarious love of my (dog) life. Yes, I’m a convert.
But my search for a Doodle puppy opened my eyes to the perils of scams, puppy brokers, and puppy mills (to help others avoid these pitfalls, I created an article and video on the subject, which I encourage you to check out). Because Doodles have now become so widespread, there are often many available for adoption in shelters and rescues, so I encourage you to start there. If you do decide to buy a puppy, I strongly suggest you choose a local breeder so you can visit, interact with the dogs, and ask questions about health, temperament, and socialization.
Oh, and one more tip you’ll appreciate if you decide to share your life with a Doodle. Put your socks away!