If you are anxious about owning and maintaining a Sheepadoodle, you need to understand the benefits of having such a companion. The crossbreed is the simplest you can maintain regardless of your living space. Sheepadoodles can remain calm and disciplined indoors and herd livestock on the farm. In other words, there’s nothing on Sheepadoodles maintenance you need to worry about. 

What are Sheepadoodles?

A Sheepadoodle is a crossbreed of the German Poodle and the Old English Sheepdog. This breed emerged from an experiment conducted by the U.S Army to develop an intelligent and sociable dog in the 60s. The military sought to combine the character traits of both the Poodle and the Sheepdog. 

Sheepadoodles are known for their affectionate and friendly behavior, making them the best option for a family dog. The dog’s high intelligence makes it easy to train and socialize at a tender age. 

Guide to Familiarize with The Breed and Enhance Its Maintenance

Wide range of colors

Sheepadoodles come in different colors, which dictates their price and origin. The most common choices are part black and white, black with white points, and all black. Other colors, such as chocolate, are rare and usually have a higher price range. 

They Don’t Shed

This characteristic is inherited from the Poodle, a non-shedding coat, and the Old English Sheepdog that sheds seasonally. However, you will need to keep up with the maintenance and daily brushing to avoid matting. Some Sheepadoodles puppies come with some straight and curly coats, while others have long and wavy coats.

Be Ready to Regularly Groom

If you think that Sheepadoodles require less grooming than shedding dogs, you are in for a shock. Sheepadoodles still require regular grooming to prevent tangles from the lost or shed hair. Failure to regularly groom your pet would lead to the formation of knots and tangles which are uncomfortable for the dog.  

Note that it would be hard for you to discover mats on your dogs, and the groomer would have to shave off the dog’s coat. Therefore, it is important to find time and brush the Sheepadoodle daily with the appropriate tools. 

There are Different Sizes

The ideal size of a Sheepadoodle varies greatly. The best way to determine the ideal size of this breed is by looking at the parentage. The Old English Sheepdog reaches around 23 inches and can weigh up to 50 kg at maturity. On the contrary, the Poodle has three sizes, namely standard, miniature, and toy. These character traits must have some bearing on the size of the adult Sheepadoodles. 

The standard Poodle is the largest of the breed and attains a height of 23 inches and 25 kgs. Similarly, the miniature maturity height ranges at 15 inches and weighs up to 9kgs. Finally, the Top Poodle weighs around 5kgs and can attain a height of 10 inches at maturity. 

Since size prediction in Sheepadoodles is less predictable, you should expect your puppy to grow smaller or bigger than you had projected. 

Regular Health Checkups

Despite acquiring the hybrid vigor that protects against health issues, Sheepadoodles remain at risk of genetic health conditions inherited from both parents. Therefore, it is important to consider an ethical breeder who has conducted crucial health testing for all breeds involved. Specifically, the health tests recommended for a Sheepadoodle include elbow and hip evaluation and DNA test. 

There are Different Varieties

Sheepadoodles come in different generations determined by the parentage. The first generation is the F1 as a breed from the Poodle and the Old English Sheepdog. Moreover, the F1b is a Sheepadoodle bred with a Poodle to develop a friendly and non-shedding breed. There’s also the F2 which is a crossbreed between two Sheepadoodles and can be registered as a purebred after seven successful crossbreeds. 

Exercise and Intelligent Requirements

Sheepadoodles require robust mental stimulation to remain jovial and playful. Regular exercise also aids in indigestion and fat burn, enhancing the dog’s activity and development. Since both the Poodle and the Sheepdog are traditionally working dogs, you should plan to keep your puppy active most of the time. The dog would easily be bored if you dislike exercise or leave it alone for several days. 

Sheepadoodles like Outdoors

This character trait was also inherited from the parents who worked in the farms hunting and driving sheep and cattle to the market. Notably, the Poodle is popular for the water retriever-skills that portray it as an intrepid dog that enjoys outdoor adventures. 

Avoid spending much time on physical activity, which would be detrimental to the dog’s development and well-being. A few-minutes walk in the neighborhood or inside the house would do wonders. 

They Can Help with House Chores

The natural herding instinct common in the Old English Sheepdogs found its way to the Sheepadoodle. The Sheepadoodles could portray these instincts and help herd children and other pets in the house or outdoors. However, the Sheepadoodle should undergo robust training to boost confidence and efficiency. 

Taking Care of the Sheepadoodle 

Providing appropriate care for the Sheepadoodle means keeping the nutritional needs, health concerns, and temperament in mind. The nutritional needs include dog food that fits the dog’s metabolism, activity level, and size. For the adult dogs, meals are separated to 2 or 3 per day as putting all the meals only once a day would encourage overeating. 

The puppies should be fed with high-quality kibble daily to avoid obesity and stomach enlargement. Separating the meals intervals helps the Sheepadoodles to digest their food without stretching out their stomach. It is always advisable to feed puppies under six months four meals a day and later switch to 2 or 3 meals a day. 

If you plan to acquire a Sheepadoodle, you should be prepared for proper maintenance and upkeep. The best way to make the pet comfortable and in good shape is to understand its character traits. These traits guide your development plan to nurture a sociable, intelligent, and friendly Sheepadoodle.