Selecting a dog to be your home companion is an extremely crucial decision to make. Procuring a dog breed that doesn’t suit your lifestyle is usually stressful to you and the furry friend.
Most individuals usually find it challenging to decide which dogs are the best choice for their apartments, particularly designer dogs.
One of the most common mixed dogs is sheepdoodles. They are highly intelligent, tranquil, and loyal. However, most people usually want to know whether they should select a poodle mix or a pure poodle.
Deciding which dog breed to add to your home depends entirely on what you want in a dog since every pooch is an individual. So, are you stuck on whether you should buy a poodle or a sheepdoodle?
It must be a tough decision since both of them are highly intelligent and lovely.
However, if you familiarize yourself with their traits and appearance, deciding the one suitable for you is relatively easy. This article extensively explains the difference and similarities, temperaments, and appearance of these two dog breeds to enable you to select the best choice for you.
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What Should I Buy – Sheepdoodle vs Poodle?
Nowadays, doodles are some of the most popular designer dogs globally. They’re brilliant, fluffy, and joyful dog breeds. Unlike most dogs, doodles don’t shed much, making them hypoallergenic.
Sheepdoodles are crossbreeds of Old English Sheepdogs and poodles, which are both famous show and working dogs.
A combination of these two dog breeds was a huge success because of the better and appealing characteristics they have.
Poodles are highly trainable, intelligent, and sensitive, while the Old English sheepdog is highly playful and charming. Combining these traits provides a great dog genome.
The most common sheepdoodles color are solid black, a mixture of white and black, or sometimes grey. Due to their minimal shedding trait, they’re good companions for allergic individuals.
How Is a Poodle Different From a Sheepdoodle?
Originally, poodles helped their owners hunting; however, this is a rare case today where most poodles epitomize a luxurious and smooth life. Its believed that poodles originate in Germany, and they’re a result of crossbreeding various European water pooches.
Poodles are incredibly energetic, intelligent, agile, trainable, and willing to please. Their friendly and willing to please nature make them a good option for home companions.
There are several types of poodles; miniature, toy, and standard poodles. Standard poodles are the oldest among the three types, weighing about 35kg with a 38cm height.
Miniature poodles weigh about 7-8kgs, and they’re about 28-38cm tall. Toy poodles are the smallest, weighing about 6kg with a 24-28cm height.
French used standard poodles for hunting, miniature poodles sniffed out truffles, while toy poodles served as companions for wealthy merchants and nobles.
Full Comparison Between Poodles And Sheepdoodles
Some of the sheepdoodles traits resemble those of poodles since they have some poodles genes. Sheepdoodles are mixed breeds, while poodles are pure breeds. Below is a comparison of a poodle and sheepdoodle to help you know which is right for you.
Size of Sheepdoodle vs Poodle
Poodles are relatively more small and lightweight than sheepdoodles. Poodles can be standard, miniature, or toy, but it doesn’t mean they’re different breeds; it’s only the size that varies.
Miniature poodles weigh about 7-8kgs, and they’re about 28-38cm tall. Toy poodles weigh about 6kg with a 24-28cm height. A standard female poodle is approximately 45-60 pounds, and males can even reach 70 pounds and height of about 15-22 inches.
On the other hand, sheepdoodles usually weigh 60-80 pounds and stand 16-22 inches tall. A sheepdoodles size usually depends on the size of its parents. If it is a miniature or toy poodle, the litters will have a small size too. Poodles bred from standard poodles are usually bigger.
How Is The Personality of a Sheepdoodle Different From a Poodle
Both poodles and sheepdoodles are loving and lively; however, sheepdoodles love cuddling more than poodles. Some sheepdoodles who inherit the hunting trait from the English sheep can require to play and exercise regularly to burn off the energy.
Sheepdoodles are also very sensitive and connect more with their owners, making them excellent emotional support and therapy dogs. Poodles are a bit more active than sheepdoodles. They are eager to please, extremely intelligent, and mischievous. Such traits make poodles highly trainable and fun.
Due to their agility, poodles require frequent exercising and training to help them stay calm and have good canine manners. Poodles are good watchdogs and protective; they bark whenever they see a stranger.
The most outstanding character of poodles is their intelligence, and sometimes they even astound their owners. This trait can a drawback because dealing with intelligent dogs can be daunting, especially if you don’t teach them obedience.
Health of Poodles Compared To Sheepdoodles
Both of these dogs are susceptible to several doggy ailments. Sheepdoodles can inherit some health conditions from their parents. Therefore, it’s essential to take our dog to regular vet check-ups and ensure you buy pups from a reputable breeder.
Poodles are prone to more diseases than sheepdoodles. They can suffer from; Addison’s disease, bloat, Cushing disease, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, Legg-Perthes disease, patellar luxation, and sebaceous adenitis.
Sheepdoodles are more susceptible to bloat, hip dysplasia, joint issues, Addison’s disease, and sebaceous adenitis.
Feeding Comparison
These two dog breeds feed just like other dogs. You should measure your food so that you don’t under-feed or overfeed your dog. Since a poodle is more agile, it needs the correct food quantity and quality. You can consult with your vet to advise you on the best amount and food type to give your dog.
Usually, puppies eat 2-4 times daily, depending on their size, age, and activeness.
Care And Grooming of a Poodle Compared To a Sheepdoodle
Sheepdoodles shed less; therefore, they don’t need more brushing like poodles. A poodle needs grooming every 3-6 weeks. sheepdoodles require frequent brushing because they’re highly furry.
All dogs need frequent vet checks, exercising, training, and vaccination to be healthy and comfortable. You should carefully check their ears and skin for pesticides and injuries, particularly the sheepdoodles, which are extra furry.
Sheepdoodle or poodle, which is better? Deciding whether to select a sheepdoodle or poodle depends on the traits you’re looking for in dogs and your commitment level.
sIf you’re looking for a lovely designer couch potato, sheepdoodle can be your best choice. If you want a loyal and intelligent yet highly active dog, then a poodle isn’t a bad idea.
