Choosing a new family dog? Why not a doodle?

Don’t you just love doodle dogs? What’s cuter than a springerdoodle, a shepadoodle, a scoodle, or a treeing walker coonoodle? What about a bark-a-doodle? Ok, so I made up that last one. There are just so many doodle dogs these days! How about a cockapoo, shar-poo, poma-poo, or peekapoo? It’s a Pekingese crossed with a poodle.

Q: What do you get when you cross a poodle with any other dog?

A: Enough fun-loving dog breeds to fill your life with joy!

Thankfully, there’s a fabulous new online community that can help you tell your huskydoodles from your yorkipoos: Doodle Dogs Utopia. Check out their doodle dog breed guides at https://doodledogsutopia.com/category/doodle-dog-owner-guides      

Why a doodle dog?

Did you know that doodle dogs are fast outpacing purebred dogs in the US as the preferred pet of choice? According to research by a sizable national insurance company, the ownership of dogs whose parentage includes one or more poodle breeds has increased by 160% since 2016. Why? Well, our adorable doodles’ fun, lovable, and energetic personalities, combined with their significantly lower tendency to shed, make them a popular choice for a family pet. Plus, there’s so much variety that you'll find a doodle to suit your lifestyle!

Doodle Dogs Utopia’s founder, Laura Ellsworth, explains it best: “By cross-breeding poodles with other dog breeds, a more diverse gene pool is created. This can mitigate the health conditions associated with certain breeds and often makes for a much happier, well-adjusted pet than the traditional pure breeds."

Laura is a real doodle dog lover! She owns two doodle dogs: Coco, a standard poodle, and Tweety, a mini goldendoodle (a poodle mixed with a golden retriever). She knows what doodle dog owners need and has been instrumental in creating the owners’ guides to each doodle dog breed, which can be accessed through the Doodle Dogs Utopia community hub.

“Our community celebrates these fun-loving dogs and offers support for both seasoned doodle owners and newbies with inspiring stories and owners’ tips.”

What’s in a doodle?

Successful breeding has created a great variety of doodle dogs, from the small doxiepoos (dachshund and poodle cross) to the larger rottle or rotti-poo (a rottweiler poodle mix). Each cross-breed will have its own dominant personality traits, energy levels, and care requirements.

The Doodle Dogs Utopia owners’ guides offer you the opportunity to learn about the needs of each dog type before you commit to owning one of these adorable pets. They’re full of things you might not have even thought about. For example, those considering a pug-a-poo (pug and poodle mix) are advised to look out for respiratory issues often associated with flat-nosed dogs. As a smaller breed, pug-a-poos may also require more dental treatments and have some joint issues, so you must commit to their care and know you can afford it. Guidance for how to care for and prevent these and other health concerns from occurring, like with good nutrition and grooming is detailed in the owners’ guides.

Making your choice

Doodle Dog Utopia’s owners’ guides have information on each dog’s personality and behavioral traits, as well as a fascinating history of your chosen doodle dog breed. All the practical things, like size, weight, and lifespan, are included so you can make an informed choice with your new doodle dog.

As for me, I think I’ll be picking a doodle dog that combines the hypoallergenic attributes and the intellect of a poodle with a cute havanese’s (sometimes known as a “Havana silk dog”) sociable and cheerful personality. It’s the perfect doggy companion for my joke-loving 7-year-old son.

Join the Doodle Dogs Utopia community and get all the owners’ tips, inspiring stories and pet care advice at https://doodledogsutopia.com/category/doodle-dog-owner-guides