Sheepadoodle - 7 Important Things About These Dogs

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The Sheepadoodle is a designer breed that was created by crossing the Old English Sheepdog and the Poodle. If you are like us, and you love teddy-bear-like dogs, you will love the shaggy Shepadoodle.

Getting one of these dogs can be the best decision you ever make, but before you do that, here is a list of 7 things you need to know before you get these adorable designer dogs.

1. Sheepadoodle size

These dogs are medium to large, depending on their Poodle parent's variety. Poodles come in 3 different sizes - the Standard, the Miniature, and Toy. Most of these pups were bred by Standards, so they are on the larger side.

It is interesting to know that most Sheepadoodles have Standard Poodle fathers and Sheepdog mothers. Old English Sheepdogs are larger, and it is considered that it is a lot safer for puppies to develop in the safe belly of a larger mom. Using a Poodle mother might be risky, especially the Miniature or the Toy.

Photo by: KirbyClarke

2. Temperament 

When getting any dog breed, the most significant part of your decision-making process should be understanding and assessing your and your dog’s character compatibility. If you are an active person, it might not be good to get a breed that is not active, like the Bulldog. If you prefer a peaceful life inside the house or apartment, getting an extremely energetic breed like the Foxterrier might not be advisable.

You will be happy to hear that Shepadoodles are generally an intelligent designer breed that inherits semi-active temperaments from their parents. These dogs are calm, obedient, and friendly. They are also very excitable and will let you know how happy they are when you return home. They love kids and are generally gentle and patient with them, especially with babies. Other dogs don’t bother them, and they are not protective or dominant.

3. Ideal living environment

This is another critical issue you need to think about. This modern world and busy, tight schedules often do not allow us to live in large houses or have too much free time on our hands, and getting a dog is a serious commitment.

Luckily, the Sheepadoodle is adaptable and can learn to live in different households. However, they are relatively large (16 -22 inches and can weigh up to 80 pounds), so living in tiny apartments might not be the best solution for them. These dogs will require a bit of space to move, so if you currently live in a tiny apartment, think about getting the smaller version of these dogs.

Photo by: David Mead

4. Mini Sheepadoodle

Mini or Miniature Sheepadoodles are a version of this designer breed, but unlike Standards, these dogs have a Miniature Poodle as a parent. Having a Mini as a parent will significantly reduce their size because Miniature Poodles are 10 - 14 inches tall and pass those genes to their offspring.

The Mini Sheepadoodle has the same characteristics as a Standard one; they only come in smaller packages. They are just as active, calm, obedient, intelligent, and friendly as their bigger cousins, but they are better suited for smaller living spaces.

5. Grooming and care 

Grooming and care needs are something every responsible owner should think about. If you cannot provide enough time for grooming your dog, maybe getting a breed that requires a lot of grooming is not a good idea. Most owners don’t like grooming their dogs constantly; it can be a fun activity you can do with your dog, but owners prefer playing or cuddling instead of grooming.

At first glance, the Sheepadoodle might seem like a breed with high grooming needs, but you would be surprised. They will require weekly brushing that will prevent their coat from tangling and matting, but the good news is that they are light “shedders.” Light-shedding is a characteristic these dogs inherit from their Poodle parents. They will require a bath every 3 months, regular ear checks, and occasional nail trimming if they don’t get worn out. All in all, they are not a breed that is hard to groom and maintain.

Photo by: Alyssa Durkin

6. Health and lifespan

This is a thing all dog owners hate to think about. We will all be heartbroken when our furry family members leave us, but it is good to know that these dogs have a relatively long lifespan for such a large designer breed. Larger dogs usually have a shorter lifespan, but Sheepadoodles have an average life expectancy of 12 - 15 years.

Designer breed breeders have made a term called “hybrid vigor,” and that term says that the first-generation crossbreeds have excellent health because of the gene pool’s widening. However, there are some health issues connected with the Sheepadoodle, and those are:

• Bloat
• Canine cancer
• Addison’s disease
• Cushing’s disease
• Joint problems

7. Sheepadoodle puppies for sale

You will likely have to buy one of these dogs if you want one. There aren’t many if any, Sheepadoodles in rescue centers. These dogs are carefully produced and quite expensive, so you can look for them in animal shelters, but you are unlikely to get across one. You will need to find the right breeder with good breeding practices and who takes good care of their breeding dogs, and the most important thing is that they have Sheepadoodle puppies for sale.

Sheepadoodle puppies can cost from $1.500 - $3.000, depending on their parents’ pedigree and the breeder’s quality and expertise. Mini Sheepadoodle puppies for sale can be even more expensive. They will cost around $400 - $800 more than the standard ones. It is not uncommon that a designer breed is more expensive than a pureblooded one. 

Find out other Poodle mixes here.

World Dog Finder team