The Doodle Debate

I first want to say that the heat for doodle breeding is on doodle breeders, never the dogs or the owners. As it’s commonly known, a ‘doodle’ is a mix of a poodle and another dog breed. It’s been all the rage because poodles are smart, and they don’t shed. It makes you think that a poodle mix will be the same, right? Not exactly. Most doodles have major temperament issues or health issues. The majority of reactive dogs I see are doodles.

Are doodles unethical because they are mutts? Not exactly. All dog breeds started as mutts or mixes. A giant schnauzer is a mix between a standard schnauzer and other breeds and is recognized by the AKC. The Curly Coated Retriever is another example that started as a retriever mixed with a poodle but then developed into a unique breed with standards.

Doodles, currently, are being bred for profit, and breeders are dishonest.

If you mix a poodle and a golden retriever, it can go many ways.

You could get a cute 50-pound apricot-colored dog with a soft, tangle-free, and silky coat that doesn’t shed. This dog can sleep all day, is willing and eager to please, and loves everyone. This dog will live longer like a poodle and be at a lower risk for congenital diseases. Both parents of the puppies are from amazing breeders and have fabulous temperaments! This is what breeders market their dogs as. It sounds great…

Most commonly, though, you get this doodle dog. A dog who was supposed to be 50 lbs turned out to be 70 lbs or even 35 lbs. This dog’s coat is fluffy and soft like dawn feathers, which try to mat every twelve hours. This dog needs daily line brushing or you’ll have to shave them, and they still shed almost as much as a golden. This dog has the high energy needs of a golden retriever, and they need two hours of exercise daily to relax. The dog has the sensitivity trait of a poodle and hates the kids because they tug at their fur. The doodle dog needs special food due to their allergies and pickiness brought on by the poodle. The dog has the clinginess of the golden and the sensitivity of the poodle, which causes severe separation anxiety. Most purebred poodle and purebred golden retriever breeders won’t give breeding rights to someone who wants to mix the breed, so the doodle breeder gets any dog that’ll give them breeding rights. Mental illness, like physical illness, can be inherited. The breeding dogs have unstable temperaments and medical issues as a byproduct.

This sounds harsh, I know. I say this as someone who owns two ‘doodles’ or poodle mixes. Bailey has swimmer’s feet, allergies, genetic reactivity, a heart murmur, patellar luxation ($8,000 surgery to correct), and a sensitive stomach. Orphic has allergies, a genetic disposition to separation anxiety, restlessness, and more medical issues. She needs daily brushing to stay mat-free, or she needs to be shaved down to the skin every 6 weeks. Both of these dogs walked into our lives without ‘loving’ doodles or adopting them for their looks. It is never the dog’s fault.

As of now, doodles are being unethically bred, but it begs the question: can we create an ethical standard for doodles? Doodles could, in the future, be bred ethically with a breed standard to ensure stable temperaments and healthy dogs.

While I feel there is still so much to learn about this topic, open discussion is the best way to learn. It is important to note that if you own a doodle (like us) or have just adopted one – it isn’t your fault or your dog’s fault. We should be able to trust that breeders are being honest about their dogs and prioritizing health and temperament.