“Oodle” Education

Hybrid is a commonly used term for a dog whose parents are of two different dog breeds, or even of two different species (puppies of domestic dogs bred to wolves have long been called “wolf-hybrids”.) Traditionally referred to as crossbred, mixed-breed, mutt, or mongrel, puppies whose parents are of two different pure breeds have recently begun being referred to as “Designer” dogs.

In this article I use the term “oodle” to refer to any first generation Poodle hybrid – a dog that has one parent that is a purebred Poodle and one parent that is any other pure breed, or even mixed breed, even though I could just as accurately refer to them simply as mongrels. Some of these Poodle hybrids have even been given made-up names by which they are now commonly referred; cockapoo (Poodle and Cocker Spaniel), labradoodle (Poodle and Labrador Retriever), goldendoodle (Poodle and Golden Retriever) to name a few. Mixed breed dogs are just that and no matter what fancy name is given to them or how much they cost, they are still just mixed breed dogs.

ANY dog, mixed breed or purebred, can inherit genetic conditions from one or both parents. Puppies also inherit other traits from their parents. In purebred dogs, these traits can be fairly predictable (coat type, shedding issues, etc.). Traits of puppies from “oodle” breedings are not as predictable as those from purebred Poodle breedings, and the “oodle” puppies may inherit unexpected or undesirable qualities from either of the parent breeds.

A cross between a non-shedding breed, such as a Poodle, and a shedding breed cannot reliably produce non-shedding puppies. Anyone that tells you differently is either mis-informed or deliberately deceptive. In “oodles” and other mixed breed dogs, there is NO way to accurately predict what characteristics will be inherited from which parent. Just because an “oodle” has one non-shedding parent (a Poodle), does NOT mean that all “oodles” are non-shedding; some shed, some don’t.

Although Poodles are considered one of the breeds least likely to affect allergy sufferers, NO breed, or hybrid, can be considered truly hypo-allergenic. There is always the possibility that an allergic person will be sensitive even to a Poodle or other purebred that is less likely to affect persons with allergies. As is the case with shedding, it is impossible to know if an “oodle” will be less likely to affect allergy sufferers.

Reputable Poodle breeders (and those of other pure breeds) put research (and money) into their breedings to help ensure that they will produce the healthiest possible puppies. This includes genetic testing on both parents, and probably on prior generations as well. Keep in mind that while selective, informed breeding greatly reduces the likelihood of genetic problems and increases the likelihood of inheriting the expected and desirable traits of the parents, even with all testing performed, there is no way to know with 100% certainty that any dog will not develop most health problems.

“Oodles” are not recognized by any major breed registry, because, as hybrids, they are not one breed, but a mix of two breeds. Even if both parents are registered purebreds within the same major breed registry, but are of different breeds, it is still not possible to register the puppies with that registry because, again, they are not one breed, but two.

In the United States, the AKC (American Kennel Club) and the UKC (United Kennel Club) are the only non-profit dog registries. There are MANY other registries that will register any dog for a fee, but they offer no guarantee of parentage or provide titling events to test conformation or trainability of the dogs they register. Some even allow registration of mixed breed dogs as “breeds”. There are some minor registries and several internet businesses that “register” “oodles” and other hybrid dogs, but most of these registries serve no purpose other than to make money off of people who wish to promote their hybrid puppies as belonging to a registry.

Producing a stable new breed of dog requires much more than breeding dogs of two different breeds and referring to the resulting puppies by a name that is a combination of names of the breeds of the parents. It requires an extensive commitment from many people all working together. It involves many years (30+) of study and planning to select the proper dogs to produce a breed for which there is a true and demonstrated need.

While I have adopted several wonderful mixed breed dogs in my lifetime (and known and loved countless others), I do not support nor condone the intentional breeding of “oodles“, hybrids, mixed breed, or “designer” dogs. Please do not ask me to participate in such endeavors. If you are considering adding a mixed breed dog to your home, I encourage you to please consider adopting one from your local rescue or shelter.

From Merriam Webster:

Hybrid – an offspring of two animals or plants of different races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera

Mongrel – an individual resulting from the interbreeding of diverse breeds or strains

Mutt – a mongrel dog