Breeds / Medium
Aussiedoodle puppies
The Aussiedoodle is friendly, intelligent and highly trainable, and gets on with other pets and children when well socialised. It needs at least an hour of movement a day plus a job to do, or it becomes destructive.
The facts
- Size class Medium
- A cross of Australian Shepherd and Poodle
- Adult weight 18 to 31.8 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 40 to 70 lb
- Adult height 46 to 63 cm
- Energy level Very high
- Grooming High
- Typical lifespan 10 to 13 years
A cross, not a breed. The Aussiedoodle is a cross rather than a standardised breed, so size, coat and drive vary and can favour either parent, and a first cross of two purebred parents is less predictable than a later generation bred back to a Poodle. Miniature Aussiedoodles bred from a Miniature Poodle top out around 13.6 kg rather than the standard figures given here, and merle to merle matings should be avoided because of the deafness and eye defect risk.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Aussiedoodle puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire it out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Multi-drug resistance mutation (MDR1) from the Australian Shepherd side, detectable by DNA test and important to know before certain drugs are given
- Collie eye anomaly and hereditary cataract, detectable by DNA test and by veterinary eye examination
- Hip and elbow dysplasia, screened by hip and elbow scoring radiographs
- Progressive retinal atrophy, detectable by DNA test in both parent breeds
- Autoimmune thyroid disease, diagnosed on a thyroid blood panel
- Sebaceous adenitis, suspected from flaking, scaling and hair loss and confirmed by skin biopsy
From Aussiedoodle breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/aussiedoodle. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Aussiedoodle puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Aussiedoodle.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 18 to 31.8 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other medium breeds
Previous: Anatolian Shepherd Dog · Next: Australian Cattle Dog
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.