Meet the Doodle

The word “Doodle” generally refers to a purebred dog that has been paired with a standard, medium or mini poodle to produce offspring that have hair vs fur qualities to their coat. The offspring can be 50% poodle (F1), 75% poodle (F1b), 87.5% poodle (F1bb) or somewhere in between (multigen). You can see more info on the generations further down on this page. Doodles are low shedding and better for families that suffer from allergies than their purebred derivatives. There is MUCH that goes into ethical doodle breeding as the genetic components that make up their coats and even colors are multi-faceted.

A dedicated doodle breeder understands these underlying coat and color genetics and will be able to help those looking for a doodle to understand these components to some degree and will also be able to give their clients info to help them choose the best option for their family...whether it’s mild to severe allergy concerns, a strong aversion for shedding/hair in their home, basic hybrid vigor or simply that they love a certain look and are desiring a healthy, well adjusted dog with that classic teddy bear coat or even the super curly doodle look rather than the wavy teddy bear coat. A dedicated breeder should be able to guide families in all of these areas. I (Michelle) personally have been researching all of these things for nearly two decades and it’s become my passion rather than just a hobby or job. I will endeavor to shed some light on all of these things below.

TEMPERAMENT:

First of all, Goldendoodles and Irishdoodles alike are generally moderately energetic, silly, extremely affectionate dogs that LOVE to be with their people as much as possible. They are also highly intelligent and extremely loyal and can often be trained for therapy or service work. Their mini counterparts tend to be a bit more clingy and would prefer to go absolutely EVERYWHERE with their people but all usually adjust to a normal work/school day schedule as long as they get lots of love, attention and walks in between.

SIZE:

Doodles come in a variety of sizes...ours range from 10-75 lbs depending on the lineage. Doodle size ranges can vary but we go by these general size ranges:

Standard-50-75 lbs
Medium-35-50 lbs
Mini-20-40 lbs

Petite mini-15-30 lbs
Micro--8-14 lbs

You’ll notice there is an overlap with some size ranges. We are happy to discuss any specific upcoming or current litter with you to help you obtain the best size for you family. Standard puppies usually double (plus a few lbs) their weight at 4 months of age. The growth rate of minis can slow as they mature so they do not tend to double their 4 month old weight. ALL Goldendoodles and Irish doodles start with a standard size golden retriever or Irish setter, so, while we can estimate from the parents sizes etc, past lineage will also play a part in our adult size estimate. We never 100% guarantee the adult size of any puppy...but we can give a failry accurate estimate based off of years of experience with doodles as well as generations of experience with our lines.

GROOMING:

Doodles also have high maintenance grooming needs. Their hair must be brushed daily and they need regular grooming (clipping) appointments every 6-12 weeks depending on their coat type as well and the style of grooming that their people choose. Their hair never stops growing so this is a necessity rather than a suggestion. Grooming is a costly and pertinent part of owning a doodle. ENS: We start our puppies out with ENS (early neurological stimulation) as well as lots of handling and socialization which helps them to be prepared for a lifetime of grooming needs. They come to their new homes desensitized and tolerant to having their feet, face and ears touched and even their teeth/mouth “tampered” with. When a family brings their puppy home from us, we show them these things and encourage families to continue some basic desensitization policies to help their puppy not get stressed by brushing, grooming and even taking routine oral meds etc.

GENERATIONS:

F1: 50% golden retriever or Irish setter/50% purebred poodle

F1’s have traditional wavy/loose teddy bear coats (as long as the poodle has the proper coat genetics). They are low/minimal shedding and good for people with mild allergies

F1B: 25% golden retriever or Irish setter/75% purebred poodle

F1b’s have wavy to super curly coats very low to non-shedding coats and are good for moderate to somewhat severe allergy sufferers

F1BB: 12.5% Golden retriever or Irish setter/ 87.5% purebred poodle

F1bb’s have wavy to super curly non~shedding coats. They are the best option for severe
allergy sufferers

MULTIGENERATIONAL:

Percentages can vary based on the breeding. Coats can vary from minimal to non~shedding. Coat types can range from a very loose wavy to super curly within the same litter. We test all of our parents for furnishing as well as curl and pair our multigens based off of all of that info. Some of them have the most luxurious coats of all doodle combinations. Multigens can be good for people with mild to severe allergies depending on the combination.