5 Types of Doodle Dogs: The Pros and Cons of Each Breed

Author:
Mag
Updated:
Aug 23, 2024 7:23 PM EDT

Doodles make wonderful companions, and each breed has its own unique characteristics. If you're looking for a new four-legged addition to the family, here are five Doodle breeds to consider.
Photo by Seth Weisfeld on Unsplash

Picking the Perfect Doodle Puppy

Getting a dog is a big step. Food, bathing, bathroom, and exercise are all things you have to take care of daily. You're pretty much taking on another baby—only this one never grows up.

Allergies and fur types are also things to consider. Plus, dogs have shorter life spans than humans, so you might lose your puppy sooner than you'd like.

Understanding the characteristics of different breeds is an essential part of the choosing process; you want to make sure that you find the right companion for you and your lifestyle.

If you're considering a Doodle, a wonderful cross between a Poodle and another breed, then you're in luck, because this article covers five great Doodle breeds to consider for your family.

5 Adorable Doodle Types

The English Goldendoodle
The Teddy Bear Schnoodle Doodle
The Australian Labradoodle
The Cockapoo
The Twoodle

"The best therapist has fur and four legs."

— Anonymous

Full-grown English Goldendoodle
Google Images

1. The English Goldendoodle

The English Goldendoodle (EGD) is a cross between an English Cream Golden Retriever and a Poodle—or, occasionally, an Australian Labradoodle. This sweet-tempered, highly affectionate, gentle, patient, and loyal puppy has a soft, fluffy coat, dark eyes, and long eyelashes. Their size varies. The EGD has a low-to-no-shed coat and is hypoallergenic.

Common Health Issues: Hip dysplasia, sebaceous adenitis (a skin problem), sub-valvular aortic disease (a heart condition), Addison’s disease, and eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.
Life Expectancy: 10–15 years
Average Yearly Cost to Own: Between $1,000 and $1,100 for owning a 25lb EGD
Cost to Buy: Around $2,895
General Care (Fur, teeth, etc.): Brush according to fur type. Bathe once every three months. Brush teeth at least three times a week for healthy teeth and gums. More is always recommended.
Physical Needs: 20–30 minutes of exercise is enough to keep your puppy healthy, but more is always better.
Food: 1–4 cups of high-rate dry dog food per day. Change amount according to the weight/size of the dog.


Pros	Cons
Easy to train	Can suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for long periods of time
Wonderful companions, love personal contact	Seperation anxiety makes the EGD destructive
Make great service, therapy, and sniffer dogs	Too large for apartments or condos, needs a fenced in backyard and room to move/play
Low dander, low shed	EGDs are prone to ear infection

A full-grown Teddy Bear Schnoodle
Google Images

2. The Teddy Bear Schnoodle Doodle

The Teddy Bear Schnoodle Doodle (TBS) is a mix of Schnauzer and Poodle. This puppy is sweet, gentle, calm, smart, and obedient. Your TBS can be strong-willed and mischievous at times, but that can quickly be quelled by using reward-based techniques.

The Schnoodle has a round, fluffy head, a short muzzle, and almond-shaped eyes. The ear size and length vary according to the parents. These dogs are fine-boned and, size-wise, typically small. It is a non-shedder and a hypoallergenic breed.

Common Health Issues: Skin problems, Schnauzer comedo syndrome, patellar luxation, canine hyperlipidemia
Life Expectancy: 10–15 years. However, the larger the dog, the shorter the lifespan.
Average Yearly Cost to Own: First-year estimate: $500–$2,000. 2nd-year estimate: $500–1,000
Cost to Buy: Between $650 and $2,000
General Care (Fur, teeth, etc.): Coat needs weekly brushing, trim nails every week or two, keep ears clean and dry.
Special Care Notes: If the Schnoodle inherits "Poodle curls," take the puppy to the groomer every 4–6 weeks to prevent matting.
Physical Needs: Walks of 30 minutes to 1 hour is enough to keep the puppy healthy, but more is always encouraged.
Food: 3/4 cup of dry, high-rate food. Adjust the amount according to size.


Pros	Cons
Always cheerful	Have to be mentally and physically stimulated or they’ll become destructive and untrainable
Are dextrous animals	Tend to shake if in a situation that’s new or scares them
Very loyal and protective of family, but not prone to violence or aggressiveness	Are prone to jumping on people, but you can train them not to
Very trainable, and eager to please owners	Can get attached to one specific person in the family and can lead to separation anxiety if their “favorite” person isn’t around most of the time
Love to snuggle, and make wonderful companions	Some (not all) have a headstrong trait and may not tolerate poking and tugging from little children
Get along with everyone, great therapy and watchdogs	Poodles and Schnauzers are prone to obesity, so healthy diet and exercise are a must

Three full-grown Australian Labradoodles
Google Images

3. The Australian Labradoodle

The Australian Labradoodle is a cross between a Moyen Poodle and a Labrador Retriever, often with a few other breeds mixed in as well. This sweet-tempered, playful, confident, active, affectionate, smart social butterfly is a non-shedder. However, it is not hypoallergenic.

Coat colors can be black and tan, brindle, blackish blue, caramel, chocolate, red, cream, brown, apricot, gold, silver, blue, or golden gray. The puppy has a square and athletic body frame, a long muzzle with thick, fluffy coats, and large floppy ears.

Common Health Issues: Patellar luxation, hip and elbow dysplasia, Von Willebrand's disease, and progressive retinal atrophy.
Life Expectancy: 13 to 15 years.
Average Yearly Cost to Own: Between $2,250 and $3,550
Cost to Buy: Between $500 and 3,000
General Care (Fur, teeth, etc.): Coat requires regular brushing by a professional groomer. If not brushed enough, fur will mat. Go every 4–6 weeks.
Physical Needs: A minimum 45-minute walk would work, or shorter walks throughout the day. Also, 30 minutes of off-leash play isn’t necessary but is good for the puppy. Number of walks per day: 2–3. Total exercise needed per day: 45–60 minutes.


Pros	Cons
Great swimmer, loves water	High energy levels can be hard to manage
Works well as a guard, guide, or therapy dog	Constant expensive visits to groomer
Very smart, easy to train, likes to hike	Too sporty for some

4. The Cockapoo

The Cockapoo is a mix of Cocker Spaniel and Poodle. These low-to-no-shedding little pups have a sweet temperament and are loyal, affectionate, intelligent, social, and hypoallergenic. These sweeties are simply adorable!

General Health Issues: Cataracts, glaucoma, and painful hip and knee defects
Life Expectancy: 12–15 years
Average Yearly Cost to Own: Around $775
Average Cost to Buy: Anywhere from $900 to $2,500
General Care (Fur, teeth, etc.): Brush regularly, and bathe only when necessary (ex: covered in mud). Brush teeth at least two to three times a week.
Physical Needs: 15 minutes of activity. Games of fetch, walks, and good runs are enough to keep your pup healthy and spry.
Food: Adult Cockapoos should be eating around 1/4 to 3/4 cups of food, divided into two separate meals every day. Some Cockapoos are allergic to corn, soy, and wheat, so you may consider buying your dog raw food (preferably the ones that contain meat/organs/animal fats) according to your veterinarian's recommendations.


Pros	Cons
Known as a non-barker	So affectionate, you may find yourself sneaking away from the dog for some time alone
Very easily learns tricks, easy to train	Dog has very high energy levels
Super strong bond forms between owner and pet that is nearly impossible to break	—

Full-grown Twoodle
#SmeragliaTeddybearTwoodles

5. The Twoodle

The Twoodle is an adorable, super-intelligent, and loving mix between an English Goldendoodle and a Schnoodle. The puppy is a low-to-no-shedder and hypoallergenic. Colors are a range of chocolate, chocolate and tan phantom, black, cream, champagne, and parti. Their coat is soft and wonderfully fluffy. These pups are some of the smartest dogs of the Doodle type.

Common Health Issues: Hip dysplasia, sebaceous adenitis (a skin problem), sub-valvular aortic disease (a heart condition), Addison’s disease, and eye diseases such as cataract and glaucoma.
Life Expectancy: 10–15 years
Average Yearly Cost to Own: Between $1,000 and $1,100 for owning a 25lb Twoodle
Average Cost to Buy: $3,095
Physical Needs: 20–30 minutes of exercise is enough to keep your puppy healthy, but more is always encouraged.
Food: 1–4 cups of high-rate dry dog food per day. Change amount according to the weight/size of the dog.


Pros	Cons
Great service and therapy dogs	There is a limited amount of Twoodles being bred each year
Intelligent	Twoodles are slightly more expensive than other Doodle breeds
Adorable!	—

"When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I see a soul."

— A.D. Williams

Finding a Proper Breeder

Here are some of the breeder names and websites that I reviewed while researching this article. Enjoy!

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.