Why Not Just Get a Poodle?

It’s probably one of the most common questions asked about Doodles:

“If you want a dog with Poodle traits, why not just get a Poodle?”

Fair question.

And my answer is pretty simple:

Because a thoughtfully bred Doodle isn’t supposed to be a Poodle with a different name.

The entire purpose of intentional crossbreeding is to bring together traits from different breeds and then selectively breed toward a specific type of companion dog.

And yes — I love Poodles.

I breed Poodles.

They are incredibly intelligent, athletic, beautiful dogs. But loving Poodles doesn’t mean I believe every family who wants a Doodle should simply get a Poodle instead.

Breeding Isn’t Just Mixing Two Dogs

Responsible Doodle breeding is much more complicated than putting a Golden Retriever, Bernese Mountain Dog, Cavalier, Schnauzer or another breed with a Poodle and hoping something cute happens.

At least it should be.

The goal is selection.

Generation after generation, we evaluate temperament, structure, health, size, coat, furnishings, shedding traits and the qualities each individual dog brings to the next generation.

We know our lines.

We watch puppies grow into adults.

We watch siblings.

We watch parents.

We watch previous offspring.

And when we see something we want to preserve, we intentionally select for it.

That is breeding.

Genetics Give Us Information We Didn’t Have Years Ago

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding Doodles is that breeders are simply guessing what puppies will become.

Modern genetic testing has changed what responsible breeders can know.

We can test for traits associated with:

• Furnishings
• Curl
• Shedding
• Coat length
• Colors
• Patterns
• Numerous inherited diseases

DNA testing doesn't allow anyone to predict every detail of an adult dog. Biology doesn't work that way.

But there is a very big difference between saying something cannot be guaranteed and saying it is completely unpredictable.

Those are not the same thing.

Genetic information, pedigree knowledge, previous offspring and years of experience give breeders significantly more information than simply looking at a newborn puppy and crossing their fingers.

This Is Also Why Generation Labels Don't Tell the Whole Story

People love labels:

F1.

F1b.

F2.

Multigen.

Those labels can be useful because they describe ancestry.

But they don't tell you everything about the puppy standing in front of you.

Two multigenerational Doodles can be genetically very different from one another depending on the dogs and traits selected throughout their pedigrees.

That is why I care far more about the actual dogs being bred than I do about making decisions based solely on a generation label.

What are their temperaments?

What health testing has been completed?

What do their genetics tell us?

What have they produced previously?

What are we trying to preserve or improve?

Those questions matter.

Temperament Matters Even More to Me

Coats are easy to photograph.

Temperament is harder to put into an Instagram picture.

But temperament is one of the biggest reasons I am so passionate about intentional breeding.

Most of the puppies I raise aren't going to become show dogs.

They're going to become someone's family.

They're going to sleep beside someone's bed.

Ride in the car.

Meet the grandkids.

Go camping.

Walk through the neighborhood.

Curl up on the couch.

Sit beside someone during one of the hardest days of their life.

That matters to me enormously.

I want dogs that can live successfully in the real world with real families.

That means temperament cannot be an afterthought.

Health Testing Still Matters

Crossbreeding does not magically eliminate genetic disease.

Purebred dogs are not automatically unhealthy.

Mixed-breed dogs are not automatically healthy.

Responsible breeding requires knowing the health concerns present in every breed involved and testing appropriately before breeding.

DNA testing is one piece.

Orthopedic evaluations and other breed-appropriate health testing are another.

Family history matters.

Pedigree matters.

The actual health of the dogs matters.

There isn't one magic test that replaces responsible breeding decisions.

So… Why Not Just Get a Poodle?

For some families, a Poodle is exactly the right dog.

Wonderful.

For another family, a Cavalier may be exactly right.

Or a Golden Retriever.

Or a Bernese Mountain Dog.

Or a Schnauzer.

And for another family, the combination of traits found in a thoughtfully bred Doodle may fit their home beautifully.

That is the point.

There doesn't need to be one universally “best” kind of dog.

There needs to be the right dog for the right human.

I don't believe responsible breeding is about defending one breed while tearing down another.

It is about understanding genetics, knowing your dogs, completing appropriate health testing, evaluating temperament, making thoughtful breeding decisions and being brutally honest about what you produce.

And then?

You still have one more incredibly important job.

Finding the human who belongs at the other end of that leash.

Because around here, it has always been:

People Before Puppies.

Because exceptional dogs begin with exceptional relationships.

— Boise Doodle Co.