Irish Doodle: The most desirable of designer dogs?

If you haven’t yet encountered an Irish Doodle, you are about to fall in love with these cuddly canines.

I mean just look at the giant fluffy teddy bears! This designer breed may not have been around for long, but they’ve made a big impression on our hearts already, and by the time you’ve finished reading this article we are certain they will have earned a special place in yours too.

What is an Irish Doodle?

An Irish Doodle is a breed of intentional hybrid dog- often referred to as a designer dog- which is a cross between an Irish Setter and a Poodle.

Both Irish Setters and Poodles are known to be intelligent hunting breeds, so this dog was originally bred specifically for its exceptional hunting and retrieving skills. It was a happy coincidence that the result Irish Doodle turned out to be exceptionally cute and has thus become a popular family pet too.

What is an Irish Doodle?

An Irish Doodle is a breed of intentional hybrid dog- often referred to as a designer dog- which is a cross between an Irish Setter and a Poodle.

Both Irish Setters and Poodles are known to be intelligent hunting breeds, so this dog was originally bred specifically for its exceptional hunting and retrieving skills. It was a happy coincidence that the result Irish Doodle turned out to be exceptionally cute and has thus become a popular family pet too.

Recognising an Irish Doodle

The long, dense, and wavy coat of an Irish Doodle may be its most distinctive feature, and it is usually red, apricot, or black in colour, sometimes with patches of white.

How tall is an Irish Doodle?

A fully grown Irish Doodle would typically measure between 24 and 26 inches tall.

How heavy is an Irish Doodle?

The average size for a female dog is about 40 to 65 pounds, whereas a male dog generally weighs in between 50 and 75 pounds.

Irish Doodle Temperament

Irish Doodles are generally thought to be pleasant, playful, and “family companions.” They are also thought to be a very smart and active breed that requires a lot of stimulation—both mental and physical.

Poodles are considered to be one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the word, second only to the border collie, which mean that Irish Doodles are pretty smart dogs too, and should be easy to train. When cross breeds are created, the idea is to combine the best parts of two existing breeds of dogs, and so the poodle genes are credited for bringing a high IQ into the doodle mix.

From the Irish Setter side of their mix, Doodles get all the traits that make them great family pets. They are affectionate, kind, patient and playful, and fit well into all kinds of homes, with a reputation for being great with children and other pets.

The Irish Doodle is an incredibly sociable breed, they love to meet new people and will soon become everyone’s best friend. Due to both parent breeds having the original purpose of being retrieval dogs, it’s highly likely that Doodle’s will enjoy endless games of fetch.

History of the Irish Doodle

Designer dog breeds are a new concept, and the  Irish Doodle is one of the newest ones out there. It was only in the 1980’s that the rising popularity of the Labradoodle opened a new world of possibilities. Prior to this, cross-breeds, or mutts as they are often known, just weren’t as popular as their purebred counterparts.

We can surmise that the Irish Doodle was developed as an intentional mixed breed at some point over the last 30 years, although there may have been accidental litters around before that. We also know that it is likely to have been first seen in the United States, but their history is not well documented.

Amazingly, in this time, opinions have changed and many designer dogs, including the Irish Doodle, are now more coveted and expensive that their purebred parents!

Despite the unknown details of the exact origin on the Irish Doodle, through the parents breeds they do have a long history of sorts. The Irish Setter originated in 18th century Ireland, and the Poodle is an even older breed, with records stretching back as far as the 15th century in Germany.

Due to the inconsistency of the resulting pups, as some bare more traits from the poodle side and some from the setter side, there is not yet a recognised set of breed standards for Irish Doodles. This means they are not recognised by the Kennel Club and your pup cannot have pedigree papers.

Most commonly a standard poodle is used to create these dogs, but sometimes a miniature poodle is used as the stud and mixed with a smaller Irish Setter bitch. This produces the Mini Irish Doodle.

Irish Doodle Puppies

We may be biased, but we think Irish Doodle puppies might just be one of the cutest kinds around! Don’t you agree?

Like their parents, Irish Doodle puppies crave time and attention from their human families from a young age, and they will thrive in a bustling family home.

Although Doodles, as mentioned above, are usually bright intelligent dogs, they can sometimes be unpredictable. Irish Setters can be stubborn and easily distracted, so these crossbred pups will sometimes inherit their ‘deaf ear’. For this reason it is important to start puppy training as early as possible to combat this.

How much does an Irish Doodle cost?

These beautiful puppies can go for anything in the region of £1000 to £4000 from a reputable breeder.

Caring for your Irish Doodle

Irish Doodles thrive on company, in fact they need attention and stimulation more than they need vast amounts of physical exercise. They are not a breed of dog that would be happy to be left alone for any length of time. But if you put the time in with your dog you will be rewarded with an eternally loyal and loving companion.

Grooming

The exact texture of an Irish Doodle’s coat can vary from dog to dog, depending which one of their parents they take after more. Generally though the fur will be long and dense and is considered medium to high maintenance. If your pets coat is kept long and not regularly clipped it will need to be brushed daily. Fortunately most dogs enjoy this and it can be a fun bonding exercise.

If your Doodle’s fur is kept clipped, which most owners choose to do for ease of maintenance and to keep the dog comfortable, then brushing just a couple of times a week should suffice. If you employ a dog groomer to clip your dog they would probably suggest paying a visit around every 6 weeks.

It is recommended to not allow your Doodle’s fur to air dry after a bath due to the risk of tangling and knotting, so the groomer will treat your pooch to a blow dry.

Health

Like many other designer breeds, these dogs may benefit from what’s known as hybrid vigor. As crossing two breeds dilutes the gene pool, the resulting offspring often become more resilient than their parents.

Irish Doodles can still be susceptible to several potential health problems that you will need to keep an eye on throughout their lifetime, such as hip dysplasia and bloat. It is always worth keeping up to date with your vet check ups, especially as your pet gets older, to keep an eye on any potential issues developing.

Life expectancy

Most Irish Doodles live to between 10 and 15 years.

Quick Facts

• Most Irish Doodles would make the ideal pet for allergy sufferers. Poodles are generally considered as hypo-allergenic, and even though Irish Setters are not, most Doodles will be low shedding dogs.
• Before the name Irish Doodle stuck for these loveable dogs, a variety of other names were tried out, including Irish Doodle Setter, Irish Setterdoodle, Irish Setterpoo, and even Irish Poo Setter!
• These dogs are known for their memories- once a new skill, task, trick, or habit is learned, it is tough to get this mixed breed to unlearn it…. So make sure they learn the good habits before the bad!
• These are the perfect family pet because they LOVE children.