Many people consider Sheepadoodles Muppets, and they are stinking cute. As my family has been looking through different dog options considering how long this pandemic has been stretching on for, the sheepadoodle ranks very highly on the list thanks to its hypoallergenic qualities.
While researching this potential dog, I figured that we would write this nice little blog post just so that other people can learn a little bit more about the sheepadoodle with us.
Find a quick list of the most important things to know about a super duty below.
1. What are Sheepadoodles?
Sheepadoodles are a cross between an Old English Sheepdog and a Standard Poodle. Now the sheepadoodle can come in a variety of sizes. But for now, the most common Sheepadoodle is going to be a big hypoallergenic dog. You can mix the breeds with smaller puddles breeds to get smaller dogs but this is something we will cover further down below.
2. Why do people like them as pets?
- So the Sheepadoodles have become more popular with different pet owners thanks to their non-shedding and hypoallergenic qualities. Many first-time pet owners with disposable income who are looking into expanding their family have been looking for different breeds of dogs that fit the non-shedding and hypoallergenic needs.
- Sheepadoodles are crazy cute, with the majority being colored black and white with Panda-like clack circles around their eyes. This look will definitely remind you of the childlike teddy bears you had growing up or at the very least remind you of a panda. There is some variety when it comes to coloring, with some also coming in grey, white or brindle.
3. What types of Sheepadoodles are there?
So must groups categories Sheepadoodles in four groups:
- F1 Sheepadoodle are bred with a purebred Old English Sheepdog and a Purebred standard Poodle
- F1b is when an F1 and a purebred old english sheepdog are mated.
- F2 sheepadoodle is created when two f1 dogs are bred they are generally less expensive than F1s and F2s.
- Mini Sheepadoodles are small hypoallergenic dogs born from an old english sheepdog and a miniature poodle. They are usually less than 50lbs.
4. Physical Attributes
Standard Sheepadoodles can range from 45 to 80 lbs and are from 13-28 inches paw to head tall. It is important to note that these are just general guidelines. If, for example, the parents of the dogs are on the larger side you can end up with a slightly larger sheepadoodle.
5. Cost of Sheepadoodle puppy
- The average cost of a standard sheepadoodle puppy from a good breeder with certificates and everything is about $2,000-4,000. Also, Most of the sheepadoodle breeders have waitlists that are over a year-long this is due to the high demand for the sheepadoodle. Most sheepadoodle breeders require a deposit in advance to be able to secure your spot for the Sheepadoodle.
- This does not include the typical cost of owning a dog, costs such as vet bills, food, dog training, etc… Also, you should be including the cost of grooming for this dog. Depending on your area, a visit to the groomers can cost anywhere from $80 to $120 every month to a month and a half depending on your frequency. We can talk about this a little bit more in a later discussion about sheepadoodle grooming.
6. Personality
- Sheepadoodles are playful, intelligent, loyal and friendly. These are great traits for the right family. Of course, all dogs are different so these are generalizations about the dogs. But when talking to the breeder, make sure to ask about the personality of the parents as a good way to better understand what you will get.
- If you are looking for a guard dog along with a family member, a sheepadoodle can act as a Guard dog. Their parent the Old English Sheepdog is an excellent dog and is known for “Sounding the Alarm” when an intruder comes into their area. This same trait can be taught to your sheepadoodle if you so choose. Thanks to this high intelligence this is something else that is possible.
- Since Sheepadoodles are very playful and friendly, they are generally willing to snuggle with you! But that does not mean all dogs will want to snuggle up with you. Thankfully since most Sheepadoodles want to be as close as possible to their parents, they generally will not mind getting squishies from their parents and even everyone else unless trained not to like them. The big guideline to remember is that they are going to be happy as a clam as long as they are near good people like yourself.
7. Energy Level
Sheepadoodles are considered high energy. Not surprising, since they will often inherit the sheepdog herding genes. This means you will have to do daily walks as a minimum requirement for your dog. Most of the time you will have to do multiple walks a day. A common expectation should be for an adult shepadoodle, that you walk your dog for a total of 60 minutes a day. Also, be aware that your sheepadoodle will probably like to go for a dip in the water when the opportunity presents itself. Be mindful, that having your sheepadoodle going swimming often can lead to coat/grooming issues so be aware of that.
8. Intelligence of Sheepadoodle
This pooch is considered to be very intelligent, thanks to both its parents being intelligent dogs. Thanks to their old English Sheepdog lineage, you will be able and in fact, encouraged to teach your sheepadoodle lots of different tricks. Teaching your sheepadoodle new tricks is a great way to help them bond with you and will help them burn off some of their energy. If you have not checked out some of the youtube videos of Old English Sheepdogs doing herding yet, we highly encourage you to do so. The displays of sheep mastery you will see will not only impress but give you a good sense of why giving your sheepadoodle new tricks to master and learn is super important. To see a list of different tricks you could potentially teach your sheepadoodle check out our post here about different dog tricks we recommend. Important to note, if you do not provide them with sufficient mental stimulation they can become bored and potentially destructive to property. Also, be prepared for a potentially sassy sheepadoodle who can do the training but in a way with a unique twist if not kept properly trained.
9. How much grooming do you need?
- By all measurements, the sheepadoodle is considered to be a high maintenance grooming dog. The sheepadoodle will require regular grooming to prevent mats. If you are not familiar with the term Mats, “Matting” is when dense clumps form on a pet’s coat. If a coat is not properly and/or frequently brushed to loosen the hair. The hair on the coat will become embedded in a large mass. Matts can generally be combed out, but if left too long, it is impossible to remove without seriously harming the animal. Because of this threat to your sheepadoodle, grooming this pet is a must with regular visits to the groomer every 4-6 weeks. Most owners recommend that you actually expose your puppy to brushing as frequently as possible so by the time they are an adult they will even enjoy the brushing that you should regularly.
- Also, outside of the coat, since the sheepadoodle is part Poodle you should be talking with your veterinarian about regular ear cleaning options for you. Some pooches need the hair in their ears to be regularly plucked out or removed to help prevent ear infections. This as you can imagine being no fun for you pup and for you as the parent. If you are thinking about doing ear hair plucking as an option please make sure you talk to your veterinarian before doing so as dogs do differ from one to the other.
10. Sociability:
The Sheepadoodle is super friendly. However, it is important that you do early socialization with your Sheepadoodle to ensure that there are no complications as they become older. It has been frequently established that well-socialized puppies are less likely to exhibit problematic aggressive dog behaviors stepping out of fear and anxiety. By early socialization, we need exposure to people, places or experiences from a young age as to not put them in pressure situations that will cause them to be extra nippy. As a general hole though, assuming that you do early socialization. The Sheepadoodles are wonderful. These dogs oftentimes will cuddle up with their owner and even cuddle up with perfect strangers. It is often said that once you get a Sheepadoodle, you forget what your personal space used to be like, even the personal space in your bed. Cuddles, from your sheepadoodle, are going to be imminent.
Conclusion
The sheepadoodle is a great pet if you are looking for a warm, smart family member. They are super cute and will often be size wise between 20” and 23” when fully grown. (Fully grown being between 18 months to two years old.) The weight will be between 60-75 lbs. They are super smart and goofy, if you are like my family that loves to laugh sheepadoodles are a match in heaven. Lastly, they are high energy so get ready to lose some weight! Call it the sheepadoodle weightloss plan :).
Let us know if you agree or if you think any additional information would be useful.