All About Sheepadoodles
The things you need to know about owning one of our puppies
What’s so special about our Australian Sheepadoodles?
“Easy going, laid-back … fun, goofy and playful!”
Our Sheepadoodles are known for being gentle, sweet, happy, affectionate and most of all, life size silly teddy bears. The Sheepadoodle is highly intelligent and very loyal to their owners, they are watchful which makes them a great family dog. They get on well with everyone of all ages, absolutely adore children and are very open to positive interaction with other dogs.
The Sheepadoodle owes a lot of its easy-going laid-back temperament to the Old English sheepdog, a beautifully natured, shaggy breed that is very fun, goofy and playful. There are few breeds that are better with children than Sheepadoodles. Getting along with other pets, alongside the tendency to play with kids, is part of the Sheepadoodle’s charm. They love to play and are not in any way aggressive. The friendly demeanour they display is irresistible to children. You may find your sheepadoodle herding your children, they are truly a protector, Old English Sheepdogs usually have a natural herding instinct, due to their working dog heritage.
Sheepadoodles are famously trainable as they inherit the intelligence and active nature of both parent breeds. They are incredibly expressive, especially when they see you – so you know you’ll always have a happy buddy for life who will always look forward to you coming home!
Due to their natural ability to read human emotions so well, they very often make great therapy or emotional support dogs. If you want a loveable, protective, intelligent and energetic family member who will always keep you entertained and your home safe, the Sheepadoodle may be just the right dog for you and your family!
Sheepadoodles & Their Coats
Sheepadoodle Coats
All ASA’s Sheepadoodle puppies have a fleece textured coat, it has a soft luscious silky texture which resembles the coat of an Angora goat. It can either have a straight wavy look or a soft looping curl. The fleece coat is a very low to non-shedding, low allergenic coat. Fleece coats rarely if ever shed, your Sheepadoodle will require clipping 2-3 times a year. You can do this yourself or take your dog to a professional groomer. Regular grooming will also make the coat more manageable. A good weekly brush should be sufficient.
Are Sheepadoodles Hypoallergenic?
There’s no such thing as a fully hypoallergenic dog breed, although some breeds of dogs may cause fewer allergy symptoms than others. The Poodle has a tightly curly, non-shedding coat and the Old English Sheepdog has a long-haired double coat which sheds only seasonally.
Many people think that pet allergies are caused by the dog’s fur, but the real source of pet allergies is often a protein that’s in the saliva and urine of the dog. This protein sticks to the dead, dried flakes (dander) from your pet’s skin. While no dog is considered fully hypo-allergenic the combination of the Old English sheepdog and the poodle results in a very low-shedding coat.
Because the Sheepadoodle has very minimal shedding coat the allergy-causing dander that sticks to their fur doesn’t get released into the air or onto the floor as much as with a shedding dog which results into a very low hypoallergenic dog breed.
Sheepadoodle Colours
Our Sheepadoodles come in a wide variety of colours and patterns. In each litter there is a mixture of traditionally marked puppies (Old English Sheepdog markings) Parti patterned (part white, part black/brown/red/blue) and block coloured puppies (full Poodle colouring). To be offered rarer colours or traditionally marked puppies (as they are the most popular) you will likely be placed on a wait list to get your desired colour/sex preference. It pays to register your interest early!
Traditional Black & White
Parti Black & White
Mostly Black
Traditional Chocolate & White
Parti Chocolate & White
Mostly Chocolate
Blenheim
Cream
Merle
Red
Tri-coloured
Breed Stabilisation
Over the last ten years, we have strived to produce a uniform breed that can be easily recognised as a Sheepadoodle. Just like Labradoodles and many of the other doodles, a third breed is infused to stabilize the positive characteristics and also create a breed standard. Initially we crossed the Old English Sheepdog to a Poodle. The results were that there were many variations in size and appearance. To eliminate some of these undesirable traits of the first cross we infused the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel into our Poodle breeding lines. This infusion stabilised the breed, producing consistency in the progeny and resulted in a more desirable coat and a well-rounded face, and not the long Poodle snout found in others. this infusion now constitutes a minor percentage of the poodle’s DNA. Australian Sheepadoodle Australia reserve the right to use other suitable breeds to stabilise our genetic lines at our discretion.
Sheepadoodle Sizes
Our Sheepadoodles come in Standard and Miniature Sizes.
MINI: Height at wither: 35-45cm / Weight: 10-15kg
MEDIUM: Height at wither: 45-52cm / Weight: 15-22kg
STANDARD: Height at wither: 52-63cm / Weight: 22-30kg
Being a cross breed, the ultimate size a Sheepadoodle will reach as an adult is less predictable than that of a purebred dog, ASA puppies may be slightly bigger or smaller than you had expected because of two different breeds involved. Like people, dogs inherit half of their genetic makeup from each of their parents.
Health
We strive to produce puppies of high quality, soundness and excellent temperament. It is our priority to ensure our puppies are happy, healthy, and free from genetic problems. All the dogs that join our breeding program undergo health testing, this is the best way to ensure our puppies are the finest we can possibly offer to both our clients and to our hybrid program. All our dogs are in excellent health and are regularly examined by our veterinary specialist.
Life Expectancy
Due to our Sheepadoodles being a cross between two/three pure breeds, genetic variation allows for a better quality of health. In general, the Sheepadoodle is a robust dog, Health problems in the breed are relatively low. Crossing two/three different gene pools creates hybrid vigour, which reduces the likelihood of heredity health conditions arising.
They usually live to about 12 to 15 years.
Exercise
Sheepadoodles need regular exercise. This phrase is often confused with ‘lots of exercise’ and frequently leads to too much exercise, particularly with young puppies. A 10-15-minute walk on the leash is ideal as daily exercise for a puppy.
Over exercise during the first 12 months of your puppy’s life can lead to lasting damage to your puppy’s developing skeleton. This includes but is not limited to the early onset of hip and/or elbow dysplasia. Therefore, it is not a good idea to take your puppy out as a jogging or cycling partner until they are fully grown. Excessive climbing up and down stairs should also be avoided.
Sheepadoodles are active and energetic as adult dogs and will enjoy accompanying their family in all of their play and activities. They need moderate levels of daily exercise – this can include a daily walk, backyard play, swimming, or a trip to the dog park. Sheepadoodles also enjoy socialising with other dogs.
Commitment of Owning a Dog
You shouldn’t take the responsibility of adopting one of our dogs lightly as they will be in your life for the next 12 to 15 years. We only want our puppies to go to the best of homes and will try our hardest to help you determine whether they would be the right dog for you and your family. If you choose to adopt one of our puppies we hope to have a close relationship with you over the coming years. We love progress reports and being updated with photos as they grow. We welcome any questions and are always available to give you advice. If for any reason you need to rehome your dog please contact us and we will be able to assist you in finding an appropriate home.