In 2022 everyone is familiar with “doodles.” Most commonly you have goldendoodles and labradoodles which are poodles X golden retrievers and poodles X labrador retrievers. Most peoples’ claim when breeding these dogs is “you get the best of both worlds! The biddable family dog from the golden or labrador and the hypoallergenic coat of the poodle!” However, I am about to debunk both of those claims for you, plus some... Are you ready?
1. Well bred labradors, goldens, and poodles are all GREAT in their own sense. So wouldn’t mixing the breeds give you the best of both worlds? The first problem is the dam and sire parenting the mix are not good representations of their respective breeds in the first place. Do you think an ethical labrador retriever, golden retriever, or poodle breeder is going to sell a puppy to someone who is going to doodle it? This leads into the fact that a lot of (I am not going to use absolute language here, I know not “all”, but yes most) doodles are hyperactive with temperament issues. They are not predictable in temperament because they do not have generations of purposefully bred dogs in their pedigree to give them a solid base. They have poor representations of their breeds backing both sides of their already unpredictable pedigree.
2. Doodles are marketed as “hypoallergenic.” Anyone who has done any classes at all on genetics knows that this claim is absurd. Breeding two entirely different coat textures absolutely cannot guarantee a coat texture of a poodle who people call “hypoallergenic” especially when the breeders are rarely doing genetic testing on coat patterns and types.
3. When you talk to ANY breeder (whether they are a doodle breeder or not) you should be looking for complete and up to date health clearances. I am going to let you in on a little secret… a $170 DNA panel + a “vet check” is not complete health clearances. In doodles they are breeding two different breeds, so they should be doing the required health testing for both breeds. Some even have double doodles (you are 75% poodle now by the way), that means they have to get health testing for all three breeds. If a doodle breeder tells you they have health testing done on their dogs, ask for the OFA link to each and every one of their dogs. If they can not give you proof of complete health testing, run. Not to mention the structure differences of the breeds creating structural disasters. I will attach links to all three breed standards at the end, and take a look at the extreme differences in purpose and structure for each breed.
4. There is absolutely no denying that doodles are a craze right now. With so many people breeding them there is no shortage of puppies available. I think this is interesting too. Most ethical breeders of all breeds have waitlists that are months and even years long. Doodle breeders seem to always have puppies available or a litter on the ground. There is no purpose in the individual breedings besides sometimes they “have their own stud so they use him because it is cheaper.” They do not spend hours and hours selecting the right pairing to improve their program with every litter they whelp. It is sad to see the immense amount of dogs in shelters. Every single dog you see in a shelter is from a backyard breeder. You will not find an ethically bred dog in a shelter. If you do not care to have a mix breed dog with no health testing, please go to a shelter and adopt a dog that is already there.
5. The parent club of poodles even came out with a statement condemning doodle mixes! When the advocate of a breed urges you not to use their breed to mix with random breeds… I think you should listen to the experts of the breed. Here is a link to the Poodle Club of America’s stance on doodles (designer breeds) https://poodleclubofamerica.org/just-say-no-to-designer-dogs/
If you have any questions on how to select an ethical breeder contact me and I will do my very best to help you. I also want to add that if you have a doodle, love your dog, take care of your dog, and enjoy your dog. You absolutely can love your current dog and still advocate for responsible breeding. People are free to make their own decisions on what dog they bring into their family, I cannot force everyone to have the same mindset as me; however, I can hope to change some minds on what it means to be an ethical breeder. A lot of doodles breeders are dishonest (or sometimes even uneducated themselves) and do not give potential clients all of the information before selling them a puppy. I want to make sure people are given all of the facts before they pay to much money on a mixed breed, unpredictable, puppy bred with no attention to health or structure. I love dogs too much to see these wonderful breeds ruined. Adopt or shop responsibly.
I am providing links to the parent clubs of poodles, golden retrievers, and labradors retrievers so you can see the required health tests for each breed. I am also attaching the breed standards for each of the breeds.
Health test list labradors:
Breed standard labradors: https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/LabradorRetriever.pdf
Health test list poodles:
Breed standard poodles:
Health test list goldens: https://grca.org/about-the-breed/health-research/health-screenings-for-the-parents-of-a-litter/
Breed standard goldens: https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/GoldenRetriever.pdf
