Mabel the Rescue Dog

3 min read (Articles narrated by Mabel)

Doodles (as in, any Poodle mix) are in high demand right now. Molly thinks they’re just as cute and sweet as any other dog, but she’s not happy about the Doodle industry. Since so many people are breeding Doodles, there are lots of poorly bred or overpriced puppies, many of which are from puppy mills. In fact, “designer breeds” are rarely from reputable breeders since a good breeder usually focuses on one breed instead of a mix. Most of that information is known by dog lovers, but what some humans don’t realize is that Doodles aren’t always low-shedding.

Poodle mixes are known for being a hypoallergenic breed, but as I’ve mentioned before, no breed is 100% hypoallergenic. However, Poodles are a great breed for people with allergies because they don’t shed much, so people tend to assume every Doodle is like that too. But since Doodles are a mixed breed, their appearance and coat type can vary more than people realize.

Why Do Some Poodle Mixes Shed?

Poodle mixes need to be bred a certain way to ensure they don’t shed much (the same is true for other mixed breeds). So, if you breed a random Poodle with another random dog, there’s no guarantee that the dog won’t shed. For example, a Goldendoodle could receive more Golden Retriever traits than Poodle traits. According to Web MD, Goldendoodles that have less fur around their faces like a Golden Retriever are more likely to shed than those who have mustache-like fur on their faces.

Goldendoodles that shed can be just as great as ones that don’t, but sadly, they’re often overlooked because people desire the low-shedding coats. Many Poodle mixes end up in shelters and rescues but aren’t always labeled as such because they might not look like a Poodle at first glance.

Take the cute puppy below for example. She’s listed as a “Poodle mix” at a our rescue, and many people were quick to say that label is wrong. However, the person who surrendered her had her DNA test done and the biggest percentage was Poodle even though she sheds and looks nothing like a Poodle. Technically, this puppy could be called a Doodle, but no one would consider her a “designer dog” because she doesn’t look like one.

Doodles are Just Mixed Breeds

Both a Goldendoodle and the Poodle mix pictured above are mixed breeds. But sadly, one is typically purchased for thousands of dollars from a sketchy breeder while the other is sitting at a rescue. If the puppy had a fluffier, low-shedding coat, she likely would’ve been adopted the second she arrived at the rescue.

So, yes, Doodles can shed, but that shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. The purpose of this post is to remind readers of something I mention in a lot of my posts: all dogs breeds are awesome. It doesn’t matter what they look like or how their coat feels because their personality is what should make them stand out. It’s heartbreaking that people keep spending so much money to breed more Poodle mixes when there are already so many dogs waiting for forever homes.

And if you do for some reason want a Doodle above a different mixed breed (like if you have allergies), please do your research. There are so many puppy mills breeding Doodles since they’re in high demand. Avoid breeders that don’t let you meet the parent dogs and have a surplus of puppies. Also, don’t forget to check at rescues and shelters first. Molly has noticed a lot more Doodles at rescues lately because people buy them and then surrender them when they realize that they’re too much work.

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