Poodles form the main familial DNA trait of any doodle breed. But sometimes when shopping for your next breed, and especially when considering a Doodle, getting a purebred Poodle may satisfy your preferences! Whether you choose to get a Poodle or a Doodle, you will find that both dog breeds are lovable, energetic, and loyal dogs. With this in mind, should you get a Poodle or a Doodle?
When deciding if you should get a Poodle or a Doodle, the similarities between the two breeds are more noticeable than any differences. Poodles are purebred dogs, and are one required parent of any Doodle breed, be it a toy Poodle or a regular Poodle.
It is important to note that a Doodle will carry some of the behavioral and appearance traits of the opposing purebred dog bred with the Poodle, so this is something to look out for.
Are you currently trying to decide between a Poodle or a Doodle?
This is a common decision among many potential dog owners who look into acquiring a Doodle. In this guide, we will tell you all you need to know about Poodles and Doodles.
You may find that purchasing a Poodle meets all the requirements that you are looking for in a new dog breed.
What is the difference between a Poodle and a Doodle dog?
First and foremost, a Poodle is a purebred dog breed. Doodle breeds are actually a cross-breed when you get to the specifics of their DNA.
A Doodle is the result of a Poodle parent and a parent of various different breeds depending on the dog you choose, such as a Golden Retriever – which makes a Goldendoodle.
Whether you decide on a toy or standard Poodle, the only significant difference between the two is breeding.
Apart from this, there will be some slight behavioral and temperament differences. Doodles, however, will carry some of the traits observed in the opposing purebred parent – or another Doodle breed with “b” generation Doodles.
But in our experience with Rosie, we have found that her behavior and overall demeanor are an even mixture of Poodle and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
But I suppose it is helpful that both of these purebreds are very similar to one another in terms of behavior.
So if you just want a Poodle, Poodles are not much different in behavior than any of their cross-breed Doodle offspring. So the big differences come down to appearance.
To fully grasp these minor differences, let’s take a closer look at Poodles and Doodles individually.
At a glance: Purebred Poodle
A standard Poodle, toy Poodles, miniature Poodles – as you can see, there are many different varieties of Poodles. As the national dog of France, this breed is also celebrated around the world.
No matter the specific breed, Poodles are energetic, beautiful, and very clever dogs. This breed is known for its curly and wavy coat, although not all breeds have the trademark curly coat.
White is the color most commonly associated with this breed, but Poodle come in many other colors.
When it comes to temperament, Poodles are loving, extremely intelligent, and loyal. However, some breeds can be a bit territorial, especially females in estrus.
Poodles enjoy being around their owners and families, but when they wish to rest or be left alone, it is a good idea to respect their boundaries and wishes.
As a family pet, Poodles blend a perfect balance between loyal companions and beautiful show dogs.
Grooming and maintenance
When it comes to grooming and maintaining a Poodle’s appearance, there will be some work and time required to keep them looking their absolute best.
A Poodle’s coat needs daily brushing to remove dog dander and unlike other dogs, this needs to occur every single day of the year.
Poodles do not shed seasonally, so maintaining their coat should become a daily habit for you.
The American Kennel Club recommends using a slicker brush, as it goes a long way in removing excess hair and conditioning a Poodle’s coat to its maximum potential.
Like any dog, Poodles should be washed with flea and tick shampoo at least twice a month. You may want to increase this to once a week during the spring and summer months, which are flea and tick seasons.
If you want to groom this breed on your own, you should also regularly inspect your dog’s coat to ensure it is not matting or tangling– which is common with Poodles.
These coat obstructions will typically not brush out easily, so you can use a pair of scissors to cut tangles and mats out of your Poodle’s fur.
When doing this, make sure you use your fingers and separate the dog’s skin from the coat. It is all too easy to sometimes miss doing, which can cause excruciating pain for your dog.
If in doubt, you can easily take your dog to a professional groomer.
Fitness/ health problems
Every reputable puppy breeder will likely tell you that this breed needs lots of daily exercise. This is because Poodles are highly energetic, although, like other purebred dogs, this will vary depending on age, type, and their overall lifestyle.
If you are deciding on getting a Poodle, Poodles need lots of daily exercise during the puppy stage and a decent amount of exercise during their adult years.
Once a Poodle reaches its senior years, it will still need a good deal of exercise; at least 30 minutes per day. Like any other breed or cross-breed, Poodles should be fed a well-balanced diet of dog food of the highest quality possible.
Feeding your Poodle a raw diet can also work wonders for their overall health.
Health issues with the Poodle include a range of hereditary issues such as cancer, hip dysplasia, vision problems, and a range of skin and coat issues.
The standard Poodle typically lives between 12-15 years, with 12 years being the expected lifespan, and 15 years being possible if a balanced diet and daily exercise are maintained.
Vision problems are by far the most common health issue observed in all varieties of poodle breeds.
Price
Poodle types can range anywhere from $500 to upwards of $2,000 to $3,000. It truly does depend on the individual breeder and the type you want.
A standard Poodle is usually a lot less when compared to toys and miniature types.
Types/breeds
There are a few different types of Poodle varieties to be aware of:
- Standard– The standard variety is the largest at roughly 23 to 25 inches in height.
- Toy– Toys are a bit smaller than standards.
- Miniature– The miniature breed is about the same size as a doodle breed.
- Medium– The medium breed of this dog is rare but is typically a few inches shorter than the standard variety.
- Teacup– Teacups are a hybrid breed that has been modified to maintain a very small size, hence the name.
At a glance: Doodle
In the Poodle vs. Doodle debate, you will find that Doodle breeds maintain many similarities and differences when compared to a Poodle.
By design, Doodles are cross-breed dogs between a Poodle and a carefully selected additional breed of dog.
For example, Goldendoodles are a Doodle bred between a poodle and a Golden Retriever. They maintain the golden coat of the other breed while maintaining the coat characteristics and stature of the poodle parent.
Doodle breeds are known for their wavy, curly, and hypoallergenic coats, and their small, yet compact size.
Additional generations of Doodle breeds can be achieved by breeding a Doodle parent (F1) and crossing it with another pure breed or even another breed of Doodle.
In terms of temperament and behavior, the Doodle is consistently lovable, loyal, and depending on the type, typically high energy.
Much of a Doodle’s energy characteristics will come from the other breed of dog used during breeding.
But no matter the type, you can expect a moderate amount of energy, and even some hyperactivity.
Grooming and maintenance
Grooming a Doodle takes some getting used to. It is wonderful that many of these dogs are hypoallergenic, but like Poodles, maintaining their coat is very important.
Daily brushing is a good idea, and you will also want to ensure your Doodle is regularly washed and any and all mats and tangles should be cut away if the obstructions cannot be brushed out.
Apart from these basics, you will find that maintaining your doodle’s coat is fairly simple.
Fitness/health problems
Doodles are types of dogs that can have a wide range of health issues. This is mostly due to this breed having two separate strains of genetic DNA from two different breeds.
Depending on the type of doodle in question, some of the most common problems are dysplasia and vision problems.
It all depends upon the hereditary health issues inherent in both parents.
Doodles are naturally fit dogs, and therefore, giving them enough exercise is important to keep their physical fitness in check.
Plenty of playtime and at least two daily walks should be enough to keep your doodle occupied.
Price
Since Doodles are classified as a designer breed of dog, the price range will vary between breeders and the specific type of doodle you want.
When it comes to doodle vs. poodle prices, you will find that poodles are not as expensive as doodles.
You can expect to pay anywhere between $1,250 to upwards of $6,000 based on the type of doodle. So this is another aspect to keep in mind when deciding between doodle vs. poodle breeds.
Types/breeds
Some of the most common types of doodles include:
Which dog is best for me?
So, Doodle vs. Poodle, which is best for you? You may find that the price range for Poodles is more attractive than what you can expect to pay for a designer Doodle.
But apart from this, there are really no discernible differences to be aware of between these two dogs and their many varieties.
Perhaps appearance is a good indicator when deciding between Doodle vs Poodle breeds? In that case, the hypoallergenic coat of many Doodles combined with the variety of colors may help you in your decision.
When deciding between a Doodle vs. Poodle breed, keep these differences in mind, and try and decide which of the minor differences mean most to you.
To find out more about what makes Doodle dogs so great, check out our blog on ‘What is an Oodle dog?‘
Conclusion
In the Poodle vs. Doodle debate, there are only a few differences that separate the breeds to a wide degree.
Poodles are by and large not as expensive as Doodles, so that is one important metric to keep in mind. But Doodles may also have a bit too much energy and coat requirements than what you are comfortable with.
Whichever breed you choose is a great decision overall – and although we are bias we can highly recommend a Cavapoo.