Australian Shepherd Poodle Mix: AKA Aussiedoodle Or Aussiepoo

The trend in designer dogs has snowballed over the last decade. Essentially, designer dogs are simply mixed breeds, created by mating two purebred dogs to produce a hybrid. The Aussie Poodle mix is no different. Crossbreeding is intended to take the best aspects of each parent breed to create the perfect mix.

The ever-popular Poodle has been used to create some of the U.S.’ favorite mixed breeds. In this article, we’re going to take a look at the “Aussiedoodle,” a cross between a Poodle and an Australian Shepherd.

These little pups can be buckets of fun and energy, but it largely depends on the parentage of each dog. Mixed breeds or “designer dogs” have become popular, so let’s find out why crossbreeding purebreds has become such a big deal over the last 10 years.

Parent Breeds

Purebred dogs tend to come with a whole host of genetic, breed-specific health issues. Crossbreeding two different breeds can help to create a dog with fewer health problems and a longer lifespan than a purebred.

The designer dog trend took off over the last 10 or so years when breeders decided to breed the “best” traits out of a specific breed and make a new breed that embodies what they want out of that breed. Some of these breeds have become AKC standards over time, and some of them are frowned upon by the purebred breeder groups and associations that breed purebreds on a regular basis.

However, if you opt for a purebred dog, you can be pretty confident in the temperament and looks of the adult animal. In crossbreeds, the puppies’ character and physical appearance are usually more heavily influenced by one parent than by the other. So, what you’ll end up with when your Aussiedoodle puppy reaches adulthood is anyone’s guess! So, to understand more about the Aussiedoodle, it’s important to know more about each of the parent breeds.

Australian Shepherd

The glamorously beautiful Australian Shepherd is one of the herding group of dogs. These popular dogs currently rank within the AKC’s top 20. The Aussie is a happy, friendly, loyal dog that has energy to burn. If you want a lively dog who’ll thrive on lots of exercise and play, this could be the dog for you.

The Australian Shepherd loves canine sports, especially flyball and agility, and these quick learners are the perfect partner for you if you have competitive aspirations. Aussies are quite large dogs that need lots of space, so they don’t suit apartment living. Also, access to a spacious garden is a must for these pups.

The Aussie can live for up to 16 years if he’s kept fit and in good health. Australian Shepherds can suffer from a few inherited health conditions. It’s important to note that a mixed breed puppy might inherit some of the Aussie parent’s health issues. So, you must always ask the pup’s breeder to produce written evidence to show that both parent dogs have been health-screened for the above conditions.

Aussies are live wires, and they do need plenty of exercise. You’ll need to have the time and energy to devote to walking your pup for at least two hours each day. Also, playtime and training sessions can form an important part of your dog’s exercise regimen.

Fully grown Australian Shepherds can grow to stand between 18 to 23 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 35 and 65 pounds. The Aussie has a very thick, dense coat that takes a fair amount of attention to keep it looking good and mat-free. Brush your dog twice a week to get rid of loose and dead hair.

Also, this herding dog is a continual shedder. In the spring and fall, the Aussie “blows” his coat too, which means that all the fluffy undercoat is shed and replaced by a fresh one that’s more appropriate to the prevailing weather conditions at the time of year. The Aussie makes a great mixed breed, and the Aussie Pom is a perfect example of that.

Poodle

The Poodle is a member of the non-sporting group. The Poodle is athletic and makes a wonderfully versatile, fun pet to own. One massive plus point for the Poodle is that the breed sheds very little, making these pups the ideal dog for a family with allergy sufferers.

Poodles are smart, and they learn very easily, making them pretty straightforward to train too. If you fancy taking part in canine sports with your furry friend, your Poodle will excel in many of the performance disciplines, including agility, flyball, obedience, dock diving & more.

A healthy Poodle has a life expectancy of up to 18 years, and while they do suffer from health issues, mixed breeds tend to suffer from less of them than purebreds. Poodles are very smart, high-energy pups that thrive on learning new skills and they’re generally straightforward to train and willing to learn.

To give a Poodle a fulfilled life, you’ll need to enjoy walking, jogging, and hiking; in fact, anything that involves being active in the Great Outdoors. These dogs need lots of exercise every day, including some playtimes too.

Of the three Poodle varieties, the standard Poodle is the largest at over 15 inches in height and weighing in at between 40 and 55 pounds. Miniature Poodles are a little smaller at between ten and 15 inches tall and weighing from 12 to 15 pounds. The smallest Poodles are the toys. These little guys stand under 10 inches high and weigh from five to ten pounds.

Poodles have fine curly coats that don’t shed very much, making the breed an ideal choice for pet hair allergy sufferers. They are also very high on the list for the perfect pairing with other mixed breeds, like the Bernedoodle, the Corgipoo, or when the Poodle is mixed to create a Labradoodle/Goldendoodle.

Aussiedoodle

The Aussiedoodle is a perfect blend of the two parent breeds. These lovely family dogs are very active, so you’ll need to have time to exercise your dog properly every day for at least an hour or so. Aussiedoodles are easy to train too, enjoying most dog sports.

Because the parent dogs are so very different, it usually ends up being a mixed bag of what you can expect temperament-wise from each breed. Often pups will take after more traits of one of the parent breeds. One thing is for certain, both the Australian Shepherd and the Poodle have high energy levels. This means it’s pretty likely that your Aussiepoo will end up with lots of energy and be a relatively high-needs dog from an activity perspective.

Breeders that regularly breed Aussiedoodles are likely to fetch a higher price for their pups, considering the breed is definitely taking off in popularity due to their looks and easy trainability.

Temperament

Your Aussiedoodle’s personality is affected partly by inheritance and partly by his environment. The temperament of his parents and the amount of socialization will heavily influence his behavior. Typically, Aussiedoodles are friendly dogs that are devoted to their families.

Aussiedoodles are very loyal and intelligent bundles of energy. They burn off this energy by playing hard, either in the yard by themselves or with kids. They are really fun to be around! Aussiedoodles make perfect pups for an active family with older children who can handle more vigorous playtime.

Because of the herding instincts they get from their Australian Shepherd parents, many Aussiedoodles nip at children as their way of herding them. This is a concern around younger children, toddlers, or infants who may be crawling around your home. These pooches are hyper-focused and enjoy performing tasks for their owners.

Size & Appearance

The size of your adult Aussiedoodle will be heavily influenced by which one of his parents he most takes after. So, basically, the size of your dog could range from around 10 inches right up to over 20 inches, weighing anything from 30 to 55 pounds.

The size of these pups vary, but generally speaking, it’s a medium-sized dog that isn’t too much to handle like larger breeds. A breed with as much energy as the Australian Shepherd Poodle mix has would be difficult to train and maintain if they were larger than a medium-sized pup.

Again, sizes can vary and you’ll have some pups on the higher or lower end of the spectrum, so just make sure to plan accordingly.

Coat & Colors

One of the most appealing features of the Aussiedoodle is the breed’s astonishing array of coat colors.

Aussie Shepherd Poodle mixes can have the traditional colors of the breed, including blue merle, black and red tricolor, and red merle. Thanks to the Poodle gene, Aussiedoodles can also be black and tan (phantom), sable, solid, and parti colors too.

It’s worth noting that many of the Poodle colors are considered to be “fading colors” that will automatically carry the fading gene. That means your dog could become lighter in color within his first year. Sable shows one of the most dramatic lighting effects of all the colors.

Exercise Requirements & Living Conditions

Aussiedoodles need quite a lot of exercise to keep them happy and healthy. They are high-energy dogs, and they can use consistent exercise to keep them happy and obedient. Dogs that aren’t exercised properly are much more likely to get themselves into trouble and develop bad habits over time.

Your dog will need at least an hour’s exercise each day and some playtimes too. A trip to the dog park or some agility training is a great way to burn off your pup’s excess energy. Or you might prefer to take your furry sidekick for a jog with you.

Aussiedoodles are pretty hardy types that could, in theory, live outside. However, they’re also friendly, family-oriented dogs that prefer to live in the company of their human owners.

Training

Aussiedoodle puppies are eager to please and are extremely intelligent learners. They learn quickly and react poorly to a heavy hand, so you must be careful not to train them in an aggressive fashion or raise your voice.

Training your Aussiedoodle should be a breeze. These pups are super bright and need to be kept interested during training sessions. Be sure to take your puppy to training classes as soon as he’s completed his course of vaccinations so that socialization can begin early.

Effective training techniques use praise, food, and play rewards. You should always take caution when using aversive methods in training. We typically do not recommend any aversive or punishment methods when training your pup, because it’s extremely hard to administer them at the proper timing.

With that being said, not all methods are effective for every dog, so there are times when aversive methods may need to be considered.

Health

In general, crossbreed dogs tend to be healthier than purebreds. That said, you should always ask your puppy’s breeder to show you the health screening certificates for both the pup’s parents. Aussiedoodles are known to be pretty healthy pups and have an average lifespan of up to 15 years.

They can inherit conditions from either of the parent breeds, but generally speaking, mixed pups genetically have different genes that more regularly combat some genetic defects that are common in different purebred lines due to the differences.

Nutrition

It’s a good idea to keep your Aussiedoodle puppy on the same food he’s been having since the breeder weaned him. That can help to avoid the gastric upsets that can occur when a puppy becomes stressed by being taken away from his mom and siblings to begin his new life as your family pet.

Keep your puppy on the same diet for his first six months, and then move him onto high-quality adult dog food. Choose a dry kibble diet that’s specifically formulated for medium to large breeds.

Follow the daily ration guide that you’ll find printed on the product packaging. For more advice on how much to feed your Aussiedoodle, ask your vet or contact your dog’s breeder.

Grooming

The Aussiedoodle can have different types of coat, depending on which parent breed dominates. Some Australian Shepherd Poodle mixes have the long, straight coat of the Australian Shepherd. Other Aussiedoodles carry more of the Poodle coat with loose curls.

Whichever coat type your dog has, he’ll be high-maintenance when it comes to grooming. You’ll need to brush your Aussiedoodle at least on alternate days, and you might also need to have your dog trimmed and clipped every eight to 12 weeks.

Breeders & Puppy Costs

The cost of a well-bred Aussiedoodle that comes with parental health-health certificates is around $1,500 to $4,500, but generally closer to $2,500. If the pup has a very unusual coat coloring or the bright blue eyes of the Australian Shepherd parent, the price may be higher. You may be able to find them for a lower cost, but in general, the Aussiedoodle puppy is an expensive investment and often rivals the cost of a purebred.

Ask around at local Aussie Shepherd and Poodle breed societies where you might make some useful contacts. You could also try putting the word out on social media.

All reputable breeders will be happy to show you written proof of the health of both the puppy’s parents. That should take the form of official veterinary health screening paperwork. If the breeder is unable or unwilling to show you such documentation, walk away.

Rescues & Shelters

Not everyone is keen to have a puppy. Although undoubtedly cute, puppies take a lot of time and effort to raise correctly, and not everyone wants to take on that mammoth task.

However, you can still enjoy the many pleasures of owning a dog without all the hard work of taking on a puppy. You could consider rehoming an adult Aussiedoodle from a rescue center or shelter.

On the downside, dogs from shelters usually don’t come with any history. That means you won’t know if the dog you’re considering adopting has been health-screened or has had his temperament assessed.

However, many shelters these days allow potential adopters to take a dog on a trial basis for a few weeks to see if the pup is a good fit for your family. That’s a great option, as it allows you to return the dog to the shelter if what you have to offer is not suitable for the dog or if he doesn’t settle with you.

As Family Pets

Now you know more about the Aussiedoodle, would he make the perfect family pet for you?

Let’s take a look at the breed’s potential for your ideal canine companion in summary:

• You’ll need to be prepared to spend time and energy exercising your Aussiedoodle.
• These are active, athletic pups who need plenty of walks and playtime to keep them healthy and happy.
• The Australian Shepherd Poodle mix is a good-natured, happy sort who will make an ideal family pet.
• These dogs generally get on well with kids and other pets too.
• You will need to spend lots of time grooming your Australian Shepherd Poodle mix.
• Despite the hypoallergenic reputation of the Poodle, the Aussiedoodle does shed.
• This breed won’t make a good housemate for someone with a pet hair allergy.
• Depending on the variety of Poodle that was used to create your Aussiedoodle puppy, the size will vary.
• The adult version of that cute little fur baby could turn out to be quite big!
• If you live in an apartment, look for a crossbreed that has the toy Poodle as one of the parent dogs.

Final Thoughts

If you and your family are looking for a friendly, outgoing, and sociable dog that enjoys plenty of exercise and fun times, an Australian Shepherd Poodle mix could be just what you’re looking for.

Aussiedoodles need quite a lot of exercise to keep them happy and healthy, and your dog will thoroughly enjoy playing games with your kids and perhaps learning the skills required to participate in canine sports.

Unfortunately, and despite their Poodle genes, Aussiedoodles are not the most suitable dog for a home where there are allergy sufferers, as they do shed.

So, if this dog sounds like the right choice of dog for your home circumstances, you’re now armed with all the information that you need to find the pet of your dreams.