Shepadoodle Dog Breed Info: German Shepherd Poodle Mix

What is a Shepadoodle Dog?

Heritage:

German Shepherd Poodle Mix

Other Names:

German Doodle, Shep-A-Poo, Shepdoodle, Sheparddoodle, Sherdoodle, German Shepherd Doodle, German Shepherd Poodle Mix

German Shepherd Poodle Mix Breed History

German Shepherd Breed History:

In the 1800s, Germany had a myriad of herding dogs that varied from region to region. A German officer devoted himself to breeding the ideal herding dog, crossing various strains of German dog to create the early ancestor of the German Shepherd. This man, Max von Stephanitz, spent the next 35 years of his life breeding, perfecting, and popularizing the German Shepherd.

Now that the breed has spread across the world, it’s hard to remember that it was originally designed to be a herder. More recently, these dogs are synonymous with police and military activity. Their speed, stealth, agility, and intelligence help them protect our communities and some of the most important public figures across the world, including the President of the United States.

Their importance in military and public safety as well as their prominence in early-1900s moves like Rin-Tin-Tin and Strongheart, have made these breeds popular in both the United States and across the globe.

Poodle Breed History:

While commonly associated with the French, the Poodle actually originated as a duck hunter in Germany over 400 years ago. In German, “pudelin” refers to the splashing in water that the dogs would do to retrieve waterfowl. The Poodle’s curly, weatherproof coat as well as its natural swimming ability and high intelligence made it an excellent retriever.

Eventually, Poodles made their way from the lake to the life of luxury as they were the breed of choice by French nobles, and eventually royalty across all of Europe. To this day, the Poodle is still the national dog of France. The entertainment industry then caught on to the Poodle’s showy looks, intelligence, and ease of trainability and gave them a prominent role in circus acts across the world.

While the Poodle started out as the “standard” variety, eventually the miniature and toy variations were bred. The Toy Poodle started in the United States in the early 20th century to be a city-dwelling companion dog. Due to the many positive personality traits and its hypoallergenic coat, Poodles are now commonly bred with a wide variety of other breeds to produce the “designer” hybrid dogs known and loved by many as “doodles.”

Shepadoodle Breed History:

The Shepadoodle breed was originally developed in the 1960s to produce U.S. Army military police dogs.

German Shepherd Poodle Mix Appearance & Grooming

How Big Do Shepadoodles Get?

A Shepadoodle’s size is determined mostly by whether its Poodle parent was a standard, miniature, or toy. On top of that, the gender of the puppy and the genetics of the parents play important factors as well.

Shepadoodles are rarely, if ever, bred from Toy Poodles. A Miniature Shepadoodle will weigh in at around 30-50 pounds and stand roughly 18-22 inches tall. The largest of the three, the Standard Shepadoodle, will weigh approximately 50-90 pounds and stand about 22-28 inches tall.

Shepadoodle Dog Breed Coat & Grooming:

The coat of a German Shepherd Poodle Mix can be a single color or a mix of two or more colors, with the most popular being black and brown. Their fur can range anywhere from straight, like the German Shepherd to curly like the Poodle and usually is of medium length.

How curly your dog’s fur is dictates how often they must be brushed. A minimum of brushing once per week is required for Shepadoodles, with the ideal frequency being every other day if not every day for more curly-haired dogs.

Are Shepadoodles Hypoallergenic?
Do Shepadoodles Shed?

Due to the presence of the Poodle’s genes, Shepadoodle puppies are sometimes promoted as being hypoallergenic and/or non-shedding. While this can be true, due to the unpredictability of genetics, there is no guarantee that any particular dog, or litter of dogs will be hypoallergenic. Some individuals’ allergies are more sensitive to certain breeds than other breeds, but there is no scientific evidence that shows that certain hybrid breeds are universally more or less hypoallergenic than others.

With that being said, as a rule of thumb, the larger the percentage of Poodle is in a dog’s heritage, the more likely they are to be hypoallergenic or non-shedding. So an F1BB Shepadoodle (87.5% Poodle) is more likely to be hypoallergenic than an F1B Shepadoodle (75% Poodle) which is more likely than an F1 or F2 Shepadoodle (50% Poodle).

German Shepherd Poodle Mix Health & Wellness

Shepadoodle Dog Breed Lifespan:

A healthy and well-cared-for Shepadoodle dog should have a life expectancy of around 12-14 years.

Shepadoodle Dog Breed Common Health Concerns:

Shepadoodles may be susceptible to the common health problems of both the German Shepherd and the Poodle. However, due to the genetic diversity from crossing these two breeds, the result may be a lower chance of developing these inherited health concerns.

Some of the more common genetic disorders to be on the lookout for in the Poodle German Shepherd mix include Hip Dysplasia, Von Willebrand’s Disease, Panosteitis, Pannus, Hemophilia, Degenerative Myelopathy, Bloat, and Sabaceous Adentitis.

Due to the cost of treating these common health concerns, we highly encourage all dog owners invest in pet insurance. We recommend getting a free online quote from Healthy Paws Pet Insurance.

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German Shepherd Poodle Mix Temperament & Personality

Shepadoodle Dog Breed Behavioral Traits:

The Shepadoodle is a loyal and loving breed of dog. Good with children and pets alike, they are very well-mannered. An excellent guard dog, this breed will bark at intruders without doing so excessively. They’ll also be quite protective of their family without it turning into unwarranted aggression.

Not only are they fairly easy to train, but they’re also adaptable to many living environments. So while you may consider one in a small home or apartment, you still want to make sure you’re meeting their exercise requirements since they are so energetic.

Shepadoodle Dog Breed Activity Requirements:

While content to hang out with the family inside, Shepadoodles need plenty of exercise to be at their happiest. They don’t necessarily need a huge yard all the time, but daily walks of at least 60 minutes and/or regular playtime and fetches are important to keep them physically and mentally stimulated.