When dog breeders become careless, the resulting crossbreeds are often called mutts. But there is a reason why Irish Doodles are designer dogs. You’ve probably seen one of them and fallen in love with it or heard about how lovely they are because you’re here. So, what is an Irish Doodle?
Irish Doodles are an incredibly smart, intelligent, even-tempered, and affectionate hybrid of an Irish Setter and Poodle. They have soft, long, and wavy fur that makes them appear teddy bear-like and super adorable. Irish Doodles ideally have red coats though they also come in a variety of colors.
They have pleasant personalities and make perfect companions for anyone who has a thing for a furry guy. A breed that can come in a small or medium size, Irish Doodles are tolerant of other pets and gentle towards kids, making them perfect family dogs. Because they are popular and internationally in demand, they can be costly.
What Is An Irish Doodle
Although the American Kennel Society doesn’t recognize Irish Doodles and the doodles have been around for only three decades, they are among the most coveted designer dogs. Before we delve into details about their origin and parents, let’s learn how designer dogs fascinated millions of people worldwide and attained such popularity.
History of Designer Dogs
Until the 1970s, the world had little interest in hybrids or mutts. But all that changed when Wally Conron, an Australian breeder, presented Labradoodle-a guide dog to the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia.
As its name suggests, Labradoodles were created by mating the gentle and trainable pure Labradors with low-shedding Poodles. The idea was to create gentle guide dogs for people who were allergic to fur and dander. Labradoodle was a considerable success, inheriting the positive traits of both parents.
The world saw the value of crossing purebreds and then began developing ‘designer dogs’ as tagged by media. Today designer dogs are much sought after for their superior traits and can cost more than their parents.
Origin of Irish Doodles
Exactly when the Irish Doodles came into existence is uncertain. But they do have an impressive history because of their parents, the Irish Setter and the Poodles. Both are popular breeds that have been around for centuries.
The Irish Setters came around in the 1700s in Ireland as gun dogs. Hunters required them to search for game birds and then come back into position, away from the fire line, to protect themselves. They were imported to the US as retrievers, where they became famous.
They are friendly, mischievous, obedient, affectionate dogs with beautiful rich mahogany coats. The Poodle is believed to have originated in Germany and developed its distinct breed in France. Initially water retrievers, Poodles are the second most intelligent dogs after the Border Coolie. So they are brilliant and A-plus students when it comes to training.
They come in three sizes-the standards, miniature, and toy. Irish Setters are mated only with standard and miniature Poodles.
Irish Doodle Appearance
Irish Doodles are 50% Irish Setters and 50% Poodles, and as with all other crossbreeds, their physical features can be unpredictable. Most of them are F1 generation dogs with varying characteristics. It can take after any of the parents, but they typically resemble their mothers’ long and wavy coats that do not shed much. They are generally considered highly hypoallergenic, although no dog can be 100% hypoallergenic.
Irish Doodles are gorgeous medium-sized dogs with elegant round heads and sturdy, square muzzles. Their eyes are deep brown and maybe oval or almond-shaped, while the ears are set low, plopping down to the sides of their faces.
Irish Doodles come in various coat colors, including white, black, cream, brown, blue, and peach. However, the traditional red coat is preferred over the others and is more expensive. In rare cases, some Irish Doodles can also have a white marking on their bodies, costing much more than those with regular coats.
How tall and enormous the Irish Doodles get will depend on the Poodle parent. For instance, mixing a miniature Poodle with Irish Setter will likely give rise to 15 to 20 inches tall dogs weighing between 20 to 35 pounds. But a standard Poodle parent will produce a larger-sized Irish Doodle standing anywhere from 20 to 26 inches tall and weigh up to 70 pounds.
Irish Doodle Personality
Irish doodles are highly intelligent and eager-to-please, fun-loving, and affectionate creatures. They are also friendly, mild-tempered, and easygoing. While they are not aggressive enough to be guard dogs, they are alert and can make good watchdogs.
Remember, its parents are both retriever dogs, so it is apparent that Irish Doodles, too, will be active and intelligent. They are perfect for any home and are gentle with kids and other pets. So no matter what kind of members fill up your home, they can quickly adapt to the environment.
There are some cons, though, with this adorable designer breed. Some Irish Doodles lines can be overly sensitive and get alarmed by unexpected noises, contact, or action. Some of the Irish Doodle owners who have their household bustling with kids may find that their new friend is not adapting very well.
But the good news is that they are highly trainable. Remember, their Poodle parents are the second most intelligent dog breeds and are straight-A students in training? They have their share of Poodle genes! If your dog exhibits such character, you can teach it to tolerate external stimuli and help it overcome this sensitivity.
Like their Irish Setter parents, they do not forget what they learn. This is great if it has learned good manners or lessons but can turn out to be problematic if it learns destructive behavior such as chewing on shoes and furniture or emptying your kitchen drawers.
Other than these, there are very few things that could go wrong when you bring an Irish Doodle home. They will play with you and entertain you (and/or your kids) for hours, often engaging in comical behavior. Whether you own a small apartment or a large bungalow with a yard, it will be happy to live with you.
Irish Doodle Diet
Irish Doodles are highly energetic and require high-quality food to maintain their health and active lifestyle. You have to choose the highest quality foods that are nutritious. You can feed dry, wet food, or a combination of the two. Generally, foods made of wholly natural products are preferable. If you aren’t sure which brands to buy, ask your vet for a recommendation.
How much to feed your dog depends on its size. A small-sized dog will make do with two cups of food per day, while larger ones will require around 3 cups of food to meet its energy needs. Irish Doodles are prone to obesity so take care not to overfeed them.
Irish Doodle Grooming
Like all designer dogs, each Irish Doodle will be different from the other, and how much they shed will depend on its inheritance of parental traits. The Irish Setters are moderate shedders and require grooming daily or every other day, while the Poodles are low-shedders and require lesser effort. Irish Doodles typically take after the Poodle coats, so you can expect grooming them to be less laborious. However, daily brushing their long, wavy hair will keep them from matting and knotting.
You can choose to keep your pup’s hair natural or clipped to lower maintenance. If the hair is clipped, brushing two to three times a week is enough to keep it looking its best. You can give your Irish Doodle a haircut yourself or visit a professional groomer. But the puppies are best left untrimmed till they are at least nine months old.
You will also want to know that Irish Doodles are prone to ear infections. Their long and hairy ears flop over the ear openings and accumulate dirt. Hence you must check and clean its ears regularly to prevent ear mites, wax buildup, and infections. Vets also recommend that you occasionally trim the hair inside its ears.
Irish Doodle Exercise Needs
Irish Doodles have a lot of energy, and they need at least 90 minutes of vigorous exercise to stay happy and healthy. They tend to get bored easily, which is not a surprise considering that Irish Setters are high-energy dogs trained in the open fields to retrieve game birds.
To meet its daily exercise needs, you can play fetch games with a tennis ball or a toy, go walking or jogging, or let it swim. If you have a yard, your Irish Doodles will be happy to run and goof around. You can also send it to daycare, a local dog park, or allow it to socialize with neighborhood dogs to help it stay on top. Enrolling your pooch in agility or advanced obedience class will also do you both a lot of good.
As you’re dealing with a highly intelligent animal, don’t forget to train and challenge their minds! This is something many dog owners forget when getting a dog, and it’s something that can easily lead to a misbehaving dog.
Irish Doodle Training Tips
These smart and intelligent dogs pick up training quickly like the Poodles and do not forget what they learn thanks to its Setter genes. But they also tend to be bored quickly and may not always cooperate readily. So before you add an Irish Doodle to your family, you might want to consider how important training is to you and how much time you can devote to the process.
You need a lot of patience and commitment when training an Irish Doodle. They are highly trainable, but because both its parents have stark differences in their personalities, like all hybrids, it is not a guarantee that every Irish Doodle will respond to training in the same way.
The key to practical Irish Doodle training is to understand your dog’s personality and start training right away from a young age. Train your dog with plenty of enthusiasm and reward it when it shows desired behavior. Make training seem fun, and it will excel at learning whatever you teach him.
Common Health Problems In Irish Doodles
Mixed breeds tend to be healthier than purebreds and are at lower risks for hereditary diseases. Irish Doodles, too, tend to be more resilient than their parents and have an average lifespan of 10 to 13 years. However, they are still susceptible to several diseases, and their owners must keep an eye out for any signs of health conditions.
Irish Doodles are at risk for health issues like bloat, epilepsy, Cushing’s disease, eye disorders, hip and elbow dysplasia, alopecia, and skin diseases. Occasionally conducting eye exams and visiting the vet for general health check-ups will help your dog stay healthy. Of course, you can’t prevent your dog from ever getting ill but being alert will help you give the right care to your pet and avoid most health complications.
Recognized clubs
Several clubs have recognized the Irish Doodles and have officially welcomed them. Some clubs that have recognized the Irish Doodles include the American Canine Hybrid Club, the Designer Dogs Kennel Club, the Designer Breed Registry, the Dog Registry of America, and the International Designer Canine Registry.
Irish Doodle Price
An Irish Doodle will cost anywhere from $1,300 to $2,500. The price varies from breeder to breeder and the market demand.
You will also need to get a crate, a collar, and a leash. If it isn’t already vaccinated, a visit to the vet for a shot, deworming, and blood tests can take another thousand. Adopting one from a rescue shelter will cost you much lesser so you might want to look out for that option if you are on a budget.
Conclusion
You will never regret bringing an Irish Doodle home. They are bright, beautiful, and intelligent.
They will charm you with their wits and vibrant personality, remain loyal and shower you with lots of affection. But being playful and energetic, leaving them alone for long hours can make them resort to destructive behavior, which is pretty much the only negative point that you might want to consider.
So if you are up for a furry friend and you have lots of time to devote to it, go ahead and get an Irish Doodle. If they don’t catch a severe illness, they will be around for a long time and fill your home with much love and warmth.
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