Conron marketed his new designer dogs as Labradoodles, a term used for a mix between Labrador Retriever and Poodle, in Donald Campbell’s 1955 book, Into The Water Barrier. Through the brilliant publicity of proclaiming Labradoodles dogs who don’t shed, and because they could be a multitude of colors, Labradoodles’ popularity took off. There was a bit of deception in their marketing ploy, however, because while some Labradoodles are low shed, many shed almost as much as purebred Labrador Retrievers do! But the marketing ploy worked nevertheless.
It wasn’t long before other purebred dogs were crossbred with Poodles of all varieties. One of the major reasons for doing so was to create non-shedding dogs, but it has turned out that very few of them actually are non-shedding. Plus, much like their Poodle parent, they require professional grooming.
One of the reasons that Conron required so much time to create a Labradoodle who worked well as a service dog was that not all the Labradoodles he produced were of the appropriate character to perform the job of an assistance dog. There were a large variety of personalities in one litter, from super-hyper and unable to focus to outright fearful. A service dog must have confidence, intelligence, and the desire to work hard. Those traits are rare and require working with many dogs from puppy to adult to ensure that one can make the cut. That’s why you’ll come to know more dogs who have failed assistance dog training than those who have succeeded.
The current reasons for creating Doodles are their popularity, adorable appearance, and ability to fit well into most families. And although some (such as Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, and Bernedoodles) can be trained to be assistance dogs, most are able to be emotional support companions, which is basically why we have dogs in our lives anyway. There are still some Doodles, however, who can be outright fearful or reactive, usually due to lack of early training and socialization.
Overall, Poodle dogs of all varieties — Standard, Miniature, and Toy — tend to enjoy longer life spans than most other dog breeds. The smaller the Poodle, the longer they tend to live. It’s not unheard of for a small Poodle to live beyond 17 years, whereas there are few other purebred dogs who can achieve such longevity.
Having a Poodle parent improves Doodles’ possibility of living a long life, provided those great Poodle dog genes have been inherited. Unfortunately, because Doodles are a mix, you never know which genes will be prominent and in which capacities. For example, a Doodle can have a curly Poodle coat, instead of the straighter coat of the other parent dog, and have behavioral characteristics more like the non-Poodle parent, instead of the Poodle parent.
Toy-size Doodles
Toy-size Doodles weigh less than 30 pounds and are typically created by crossing a Toy Poodle with a Toy purebred dog. Examples of a Toy-size Doodle are Pekapoos (Pekingese x Toy Poodle), Maltipoos (Maltese x Toy Poodle), Shipoos (Shih Tzu x Toy Poodle), and Yorkipoos (Yorkshire Terrier x Toy Poodle).
Some of these Toy purebreds have straight coats, brachycephalic (broad and short) skulls, or bulging eyes, but mixing them with Toy Poodles creates offspring with curlier, lower-shedding coats; longer noses for easier respiration; and healthier eye placement. It can also serve to reduce the dog’s overall tendencies for behavioral reactivity. An example can be the Pekingese or Maltese breed’s tendency to resource-guard (using assertive behavior to guard an object or person). Toy Poodles rarely have the resource-guarding tendency, and they can pass this trait on to their Doodle offspring.
Toy-size Doodles make greats lap dogs, happy to play fetch in your home and relax with you on the couch. They enjoy outdoor play, too, but they don’t require as much activity as larger dogs do. A Toy-size Doodle is more likely to tire of activity within 30 minutes, whereas a larger dog typically requires several hours of activity every day.
Toy-size Doodles are great in homes with very young children, elderly residents, or family members who aren’t highly mobile. Because they’re small, teaching them to do their business on a pad may be more convenient than if the dog were a larger size. This makes them ideal in urban areas, where going outside to potty isn’t always possible.
If you live in a suburban area, a Toy-size Doodle can still be easier to care for than a larger dog, especially if you’re very busy. A smaller Doodle may be easier to take with you to work. If you work from home, a Toy-size Doodle can warm your lap as you type or attend Zoom meetings.
Toy-size Doodles also make great therapy dogs. They can easily sit on laps, beds, or chairs and soothe the soul just by being there. And traveling with a small dog can be easier than it is with a larger one. Toy-size Doodles fit under the seat on airplanes or in over-the-shoulder carrying cases. For those in urban areas who use public transportation where dogs must be held, small dogs make this a breeze — they’re lightweight and fit into a backpack, happy to look over your shoulder and watch the world go by!
Miniature-size Doodles
Miniature-size Doodles can weigh anywhere from 30 to 50 pounds and are typically created by crossing a Miniature Poodle with a Toy purebred dog.
Miniature-size Doodles aren’t small enough to be lap dogs, but they often want to be! They’re just so adorable that it’s tough to not hold them on your lap when they’re young puppies. Beware of setting a precedent, however — your Doodle pup is learning the rules the moment they enter your life.
Miniature-size Doodles require time outside to exercise, but they’re still easily manageable in an urban or suburban environment — you’ll just need to be willing to take them for walks five or six times per day. If you have a safely fenced yard for relief and exercise, all the better. Miniature dogs don’t tend to be as athletically inclined as the larger varieties, but they still need to run, and they thrive on having a job, whether it’s chasing off squirrels or meeting postal carriers and delivery people.
Standard-size Doodles
Standard-size Doodles typically weigh 50 to 100 pounds and are typically created by crossing a Standard Poodle with another large breed.