Aussie Doodle? Standard Aussie and Standard Poodle- personality and temperment?

[Gabriele Kennedy]

Anyone know a AussiePoo or Aussie Doodle. There are 3 sizes I am interested in any thoughts on the standard mix.. I met 2 pup recently. One might have had OCD ( at 8 weeks) very head strong and determined... One that was the mellowest pup I have ever met.. ( long legs and big feet - more std poodle? than Aussie) They were from the same litter...

Both BEAUTIFUL pup.. one blue merle one black with white chest..
I can't find too much on them.. These must be very smart dog.. 2 of the smartest breeds?
Any information would be appreciated.

I was looking if anyone already has one and would share about the personality and temperment?
How much like Aussie? How much like Doodle?

My goldendoodle is so mellow and loving I can't imagine I could get that lucky 2X

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You can find somebody who is breeding anything with a poodle...shepherdoodles, bernadoodles, Whoodles, the list goes on; the question you have to ask yourself is why? We know there are certain poo-mixes that are being bred by reputable breeders who do health testing...GD's, LD's, schnoodles, aussiedoodles are the ones I know of. These off the wall combos, you will be very hard-pressed to find anyone other than an on-line puppy mall (oops, or should that be mill?) who is breeding these things.

[Tegan]

That is a huge problem even with GD's and LD's. I'm attracted to the bernedoodles because of the size and personality of bernese mountain dogs. To be fair, I'm not why it would be so different than breeding an LD or a GD or any of the other more mainstream doodles... you want the personality of both breeds with the health benefits of a crossbreed and the chance of a low or non shedding coat.

[Adina P]

I think the main difference is that GD's and LD's are from the same breed family: retrievers...and are similar in temperament. They also have a large community that demands high standards. It doesn't mean other mixes can't be made with high standards....it is just FAR less likely.

For example, there are Labradoodle Associations on an international level and there is the Goldendoodle Association of North America. There are also more commonly known standards on health testing and certain expectations in the doodle community. We have a national rescue group for LD's and GD's...and some of our members have formed a second rescue group....there is even a UK doodle rescue group.
That community of people holding breeders accountable (to SOME degree) is an awesome thing but isn't readily available for other poodle mixes.

Also crossbreeding alone doesn't guarantee better health...only breeding from healthy lines does. There are LOTS of LD's and GD's with health issues.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And poodles with health issues galore. And it does NOT always take both parents carrying the gene for a disease to show up in the offspring. Many genetic diseases will show up if even one parent passes the gene. Jack's immune system problems are from his Labrador parent, alone.
Less "chance" of shedding, I still don't understand that. If that's all it is, a chance, who would take it? Either the dog sheds or it doesn't. I don't know, everyone says it's not as bad as a full golden or Lab, but boy, to me it seems pretty bad. If I wanted a dog that doesn't shed, this would not be acceptable to me because it's less than a full Lab would shed. I still have blonde hairs all over my house & clothes. If you want one that doesn't, don't take a "chance"... get a non-shedding breed.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

In my case, I adopted my doodle from a shelter and really didn't care about shedding. I wasn't looking for a doodle in particular, just a nice dog who would get along with my cat & grandkids, and I got what I wanted. My comments were meant for people to whom the shedding issue is very important. For those people, I will reproduce your first sentence here in bold letters:
Unfortunately NO breeder can guarantee a non shedding doodle, thats a given, they are all hybrids!!
When it comes to genetics, I have a fairly strong educational background in that area, and I will say again that there are many genetic characteristics, both good and bad, which have genetic dominance and will manifest in offspring if only one copy is passed from one parent.
An example of this is the disease which my dog has, atopic dermatitis. In his case, we know for an absolute fact, through extensive testing, that it is genetic and was passed from his labrador parent. Of course, he was originally purchased in a pet store, so this is not surprising.
There are also diseases like von Willebrands, which while it may require two copies of the gene, one from each parent, is common in both Goldens and Standard poodles, which illustrates the point that both Adina and I were trying to make that just breeding any two dogs of different breeds together is not going to make healthy puppies. I'm sure you will agree with that, but many uninformed people seem to think that only purebreds have genetic illnesses.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

von Willebrands absolutely runs in Goldens. In fact, labs are not mentioned in any of the reference materials.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_von_willebrand_s_disease.html
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1614&aid=488

[Adina P]

The Golden Retriever Club of America STATES that they can get VWD: http://www.grca.org/health/bigfour_bleeding.html

[Adina P]

All living beings do have issues, very true Nancy.
I think the difference between dogs and humans in this regard is that we humans choose to mate whereas a dog from a breeder was selectively mated. We wouldn't have 4,000+ members here, and another 4,000+ members spread through several other forums if breeders weren't actively choosing to mate a poodle and another breed. When that happens there is a different level of responsibility required, IMHO. Not saying that you don't take responsibility, but so many uninformed people actually believe that health disparities just 'vanish' by mixing two breeds. That's the myth I'm trying to dispel. And as to vwd--the other factor to consider is that even IF an F1 goldendoodle can't have it (only carry it) many people still breed dogs they shouldn't. There's no way to know for a breeder to know if one of their past customers hasn't breached contract and chosen to breed an F1 from you. Right? I mean you hope and pray and give your trust to your clients, but there are no guarantees that one may have decided "hmmm...i know i'm not supposed to breed my wonderful F1...but the breeder will never know!" So there is still that risk if pups go home intact and carriers for some disease that they may spread it around by virtue of irresponsible owners.

But that's my main point...hybrid-ness does not equal disease proof.

[Adina P]

Sorry your comment was the limit for the way the forum is set up so I couldn't respond directly to it..only above it.

I agree that a good breeder does not sell a breeding dog to the public. BUT if a pup goes home with all it's boy or girl parts...there is NO guarantee (contracts are just a piece of paper if you are not there to enforce it) that a pet pup won't be bred. I see people on Facebook, occasionally members here, and elsewhere who post asking to find a stud for their doodle. No permission from breeder, no testing, just wanting to breed.

I'm sure it has happened with pups from good breeders too. For example...let's say I buy a pup from you and nod and smile and sign the contract and when my pup turns 5 months I think..."he's sooo wonderful, I can't neuter him..I have to get a pup from him! Besides my breeder will never know, she's in VA and I live in Colorado now...she can't stop me!"

I personally know a person (not a member here) who bought her dream pup from a well known breeder (also not a member here) and within a week (I don't know the circumstances) had to give it up...but she didn't contact the breeder. She felt too guilty and instead rehomed it to a friend. This out-of-contract stuff happens.

[Tegan]

I wasn't saying that a cross bred dog is for sure going to have less health problems, but hybrid vigor does help.
As for the shedding issue... I've met tons of doodles that shed like crazy even f1bs, but with the curly coat type there does seem to be a decrease in shedding. My F1B GD doesn't shed at all but she's got a more poodle-ish coat type. For a lot of people just having a lower shedding coat is enough.

As an aside, I'm really not sure why my liking a certain mix of dog created so much heated argument. After all... our GD's, LD's, aussidoodles, etc. are just mutts themselves. Amazingly cute, with great personalities but still mutts. I know how hurt some doodle owners get when Poodle people or Lab or Golden people snub your dogs so why get so heated over another mix?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I wouldn't call the response "heated", but there is a need to educate people on the subject of these mixes by separating fact from fiction. I am involved in doodle rescue, and I can only speak for myself. There has been a tremendous increase in the number of poodle mix puppies being bred by the puppy mills, as well as an alarming increase in the number of these dogs that are being turned in to shelters. There has also been an increase in the number of sick doodles turned in because the owners cannot afford treatment. Much of this is the result of misinformation about "hybrids". It is a fact that most of the unusual poodle mixes are being bred exclusively by the puppy mills, and I for one would like to do what I can to keep people from supporting these people.

[Tegan]

I totally agree. Any dog can get sick or have health problems and if people aren't prepared or able to deal with they should NOT be adopting a dog. I've volunteered in a few animal shelters and despite trying to educate people on the expense/responsibility of owning a pet I've seen a lot of animals come back.
I think it's really sad that people aren't doing more to help abolish puppy mills. I've heard tons of people talking about how they "rescued" their dog from the pet store. Unfortunately that only encourages puppy mills to keep breeding more dogs. I can understand how they would feel that way but the only way to stop puppy mills is to stop buying puppies.

"It is a fact that most of the unusual poodle mixes are being bred exclusively by the puppy mills" I wouldn't go so far to say that. I'm sure it would be possible to find a good breeder but you would have to put the effort in to find one.