Are you looking for a dog that is always up for a good time? Then you may consider getting an Irish Doodle Dog. These adorable pooches are known for their playful nature and big personality.
They’re always happy and excited to see you.
They’re always ready for a good run around the block.
Their energy is also contagious, providing you with entertainment and fulfilment that is hard to find elsewhere.
But between all the jumping, licking, and running, having an Irish Doodle can be a lot of work. So, take your time learning a few key things that need to be in place for your pup to be truly active and happy.
Quick Facts: Irish Doodle
Height
24 - 26 inchesWeight
50 - 70 poundsLifespan
12 - 15 yearsBreed Size
medium (26-60 lbs.)Breed Type
mixedBreed Group
companion, hybrid, sportingTemperament
friendly, playful, protective, affectionate, active, intelligentGood With
families, other dogs, cats, strangersIntelligence
highShedding
infrequentExercise Needs
highBarking Level
lowEnergy level
highDrool Amount
lowCoat Type
single-layer, long, dense, wavyCoat Patterns
bi-colorColors
black, cream, gray, red, white, apricot, silver, reddish blonde, peachOther Characteristics
good for first-time pet owners, prone to health issuesIrish Doodle Highlights
- These designer dogs are created by crossing two pure breeds together — an Irish Setter and a Poodle. Irish Doodles often consist of an Irish Setter mixed with a Standard Poodle. However, some breeders cross Irish Setters with Miniature Poodles to create a smaller version of an Irish Doodle.
- They’ll be happy to snuggle up next to you on the couch, but they’ll also want to run around and go on adventures with you.
- Most Irish Doodle puppies have coats similar to the Poodle parent.
- As the Irish Doodle are needy, some may develop separation anxieties. This dependence on their families says much about how much these pets care for them. Most often, separation anxieties can be avoided if owners take the time and effort to train, socialize, exercise, and stimulate their dogs mentally.
- Older Irish Doodles tend to be easier to train than younger ones because they’re usually more intelligent and obedient. Still, young Irish Doodles can be trained to become calm and quiet by giving them lots of treats and praise.
- The curly coat of an Irish Doodle needs regular grooming to prevent matting. They must also be brushed regularly to remove excess dirt from their coats.
- Their ears should be checked for any buildup of waxy material, and if they get wet, they should be thoroughly dried up to avoid infection.
- As with any dog breed, Irish Doodles can suffer from certain health conditions. Hybrids may be less likely to get these conditions than purebreds, but they can still carry them.
History
We know this dog has been bred for decades, but we don’t know where and when they were originally bred. Nevertheless, we can certainly learn a few things from their breeding parents.
Irish Setter
Irish setters were initially bred as gundogs in Ireland, possibly from combining Gordon Setter, English Setter, Pointer, and Spaniel breeds.
Early Irish setters were selected for their ability to hunt rather than their color or conformation, which was considered secondary at best. It wasn’t until the late 1700s that hunters began selectively mating dogs for specific traits. This includes the early Irish Setters, slightly taller and more muscular gundogs.
Irish Setters can be either large or small, depending on whether they’re used for hunting or showing. Showing breeds are generally larger and heavier than hunting breeds. They also have thicker coats. Regardless of type, an Irish Setter must retain his natural ability to be an excellent hunter.
Beyond their talents in both the field and as pets, Irish Setter dogs are known for their warm personalities, which makes them excellent companions for people who suffer from anxiety. They’re also great for kids because of their playful natures and ability to bond with young ones.
Poodle
It has been suggested that Poodles descend from the Asian curly-haired dog breeds. However, Poodles weren’t originally bred to be companion animals; instead, they were bred to be retrieving dogs. Their personality and physical characteristics are ideal for water retrieval.
A hunter would kill a duck by shooting at it, then let the Poodle retrieve the dead bird. This way, hunting became more efficient because the hunter didn’t need to go out on the water each time he wanted to hunt.
Besides duck retrieval, these dogs had many other roles. But perhaps the most intriguing of them all was as a performing dog. By the late 1800s, waterfowl hunting was declining. As a consequence, fewer Poodles were being bred specifically for this role. Instead, they were often used as show dogs around Europe.
What’s more? While some people think Poodles are just fancy lap dogs for wealthy owners, these dogs had quite an illustrious past as military working animals. For example, during World War II, the American soldiers tried out 32 different dog breeds for use as war dogs, including Standard Poodles!
Appearance
When you see an Irish Doodle, you’ll notice that it has the following: medium to dark brown eyes, erect ears that hang down to the sides, just below the line of the eyes, long muzzle, elegant head, large chest, medium tails, and square build.
Read also: Mini Sheepadoodle Dog Breed: Behavior, Care, Diet, & More
Irish Doodle Size
When an Irish Doodle is fully grown, this dog weighs roughly 50 to 70 pounds and stands between 24 and 26 inches.
Because of their size and personalities, Irish Doodles might not be suitable for an apartment setting. Instead, they’d be happier in a house where there’s a spacious yard.
Irish Doodle Colors
Their coat can be apricot, silver, gray, brown, blue, black, white, peach tone, cream, red, and reddish blonde. Some also have white markings.
Coat
They usually follow the Poodle parent, but Irish Doodles have double coats instead of just one. Their coats are typically long, dense, and wavy, but they also vary from one Irish Doodle to another. But the most important thing is that Irish Doodles are hypoallergenic, making them suitable for allergy sufferers.
Personality
Don’t bark often
Good news — most Irish Doodles don’t bark often, so people who live nearby shouldn’t be too bothered by them. Although the dog gets its intelligence from its Poodle parent and an innate hunting drive from both sides, it doesn’t usually show these behaviors by constantly yapping.
Active
While the Irish Doodle is a friendly dog who loves everyone, he’s not suitable for every household. He needs plenty of exercise and attention and should live in a house with a secure fence around a big garden area. An energetic owner will keep him busy, and he may get destructive if he doesn’t receive enough stimulation.
Friendly
They’re friendly and playful puppies who enjoy interacting with people and other animals. They’re sociable and love to participate in activities with their owners or other pets.
Attached to owners
They are very attached to their owners and can suffer from severe separation anxiety. When they’re left alone for more than just a few minutes, they get agitated, and this unhappiness usually leads to destructive behaviors.
Health
Irish Doodles tend to be healthy, but like all dogs, they’re prone to various health issues. Some Irish Doodles may not develop any of these issues, but owners must know about them if they consider adopting one.
Medium-sized, deep-chested dogs who eat quickly, drink large amounts of liquid, or run around after eating may be at risk of developing Bloat. When the dog has Bloat, he cannot throw up because there is too much gas in his belly. His blood pressure drops, and he goes into cardiac arrest.
Without immediate veterinary care, the dog can die from this condition. Suspect Bloat if your dog has an enlarged belly, is gagging but not throwing up, and appears listless and sluggish. He may also be panting rapidly, have a rapid heartbeat, and be weak and limp. If you see any of these signs, take your dog to the veterinarian immediately.
Other general health issues could include deafness, eye problems, and ear infections.
Lifespan
As the owner, it’s up to you whether you want to take good care of your Irish Doodle. If you feed him properly, give him regular exercise, and get his yearly checkups from the vet, he may be able to enjoy a long life.
The expected lifespan for Irish Doodles is roughly 12 to 15 years; thus, you will have more bonding time with this dog if you keep one.
Care
In this section of the guide, we provide tips on how you can ensure your Irish Doodle is well-taken care of.
Training
Start training your Irish Doodle the moment you bring this dog. All dogs need routine training from an early age for them to be well adjusted and happy. And the Irish Doodles certainly aren’t any different.
Fortunately, the Irish Doodle is an intelligent and obedient pet who loves learning new things. But, unfortunately, he can get bored quickly if his training sessions aren’t fun for him or if they’re too long.
These dogs are sensitive and do well with patient and positive training methods. Punishments, fears, or scoldings are not recommended for them. Using aversive techniques when teaching your pet to obey commands is not the best way to teach them. Instead, focus on giving game-like training sessions every day. Try to keep them short, with small five-minutes time increments and frequent breaks.
To get your dog’s attention when he’d instead be playing, it is best to use treats that smell good and are small enough for him to eat quickly. These treats are called “high value” treats because they’re extra smelly and used to train dogs to perform certain tasks.
Early Socialization
Irish Doodles need to be exposed to new things from an early age. We suggest exposing them to as many different experiences as possible. These could include new people, new places, and other animals.
Remember that your pup must have positive first impressions when he encounters new situations, so don’t force him into a situation where you know he’s going to be stressed out. Here’s where your high-value treats can pay off! When you’re out walking your dog, give him lots of praise and delicious treats whenever he behaves well. Doing so will teach him to associate good behavior with rewards.
Exercise
The Irish Doodle is a medium-sized breed dog, and though he may not look like it, he has a lot of energy. He requires at least one hour of dedicated daily activity to keep him fit and active. It could be anything from a walk to a jog, a swim, a hike to a run.
A good place for your canine friend to get some exercise might be any type of off-leash park or a large, securely fenced yard.
But remember this: Until their growth plate development is complete, avoid excessive hiking, trekking, running, etc. These dogs develop skeletal issues if they aren’t exercised in moderation during their youth.
Mental Stimulation
An Irish Doodle needs exercise both physically and mentally. This breed is prone to becoming anxious if not given mental stimulation. Ensuring your dog has enough mental stimulation can help prevent behavioral issues such as excessive digging, chewing, barking, screaming, etc.
Mental stimulation could involve taking your puppy for regular training sessions, but it could also mean buying him toys and tools that stimulate his mind. Additionally, you can create your obstacle courses by hiding treats around your house or backyard and having your dog look for them.
We also recommend investing in puzzle toys that encourage your pet to play for extended periods.
Diet
Because the Irish Doodle tends to develop certain health conditions related to diet, it’ll help if you know which foods are best suited for him. As a medium-sized breed, he would do well on high quality, meaty, protein-based diet. This food should not contain gluten, wheat, soy, or corn.
Four types of pet foods are available: dry, wet, raw, and freeze-dried. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’ll be up to you to decide which one works best for your Irish Doodle.
We also suggest considering a slow feeder if you own an Irish Doodle. Again, this is because this breed can be particularly prone to Bloat.
Read also: Can I Feed My Dog Canned Chicken? Plus A Few Alternatives
Grooming
Because Irish Doodles don’t shed as much hair as some breeds, they’re easier to groom than others. Most Irish Doodles’ coats grow long enough to be clipped when they’re between 6 and 8 months old. We suggest allowing your dog’s coat to grow completely before cutting it.
If your Irish Doodles’ coats are clipped, they should be brushed twice weekly. However, if their coats are kept long enough to be groomed daily, they should be brushed daily.
If you want to keep your Irish Doodles’ coats healthy, you should brush their coats at least once per day and bring them to the groomers every 4 to 6 weeks. Also, still use a blow dryer when drying off your dogs after bathing. Their coats need to be dried instead of left to dry naturally.
When grooming your dog, clean his ears and brush his teeth three to four times weekly to prevent plaque from forming.
Irish Doodle Puppies
Most of their puppies are first-generation or F1 crosses. This refers to the parents being purebred. As a result, their offspring can range from looking completely like one parent to having characteristics of both parents. In other words, the traits and appearances of the F1 Irish Doodle puppies. Some people find these dogs healthier than others because they are not affected by genetic disorders.
Multi-generational breeding is rare, but a few F1b Irish Doodles (a mix of F1 Irish Doodle and non-related Poodle) are currently in production. The F1B variety features a hypoallergenic coat and a more Doodle-like appearance.
Despite the efforts of the dog breeders to standardize their appearance and qualities, these breeds aren’t recognized by the AKC, so your Irish Doodle puppy won’t have an official pedigree paper.
Fortunately, there is an alternative. Ask for a health guarantee and check whether you can meet the parent dogs. This will help you determine whether you’re purchasing from a reputable breeder.
Children and Other Pets
These dogs are very good with other animals and children. That should not be a surprise because Irish Setter and Poodle are excellent with children. These wonderful family pets can be watchful but are mostly too friendly for guarding purposes.
Rescue Groups
Irish Doodles are not as commonly found as other Doodle varieties. However, you may be able to find them at local animal shelters or the following rescue groups:
Irish Doodle FAQS
Do Irish Doodles get separation anxiety?
Yes. This mixed breed may experience separation anxiety just like any dog. This problem usually occurs when the owners leave the house or go away for some time. The result is constant yapping, howling or whimpering, destructive digging or chewing, and so on.
Do Irish Doodles shed?
Yes, but they shed moderately, making them a popular choice among people who don’t want a lot of dog hair lying around.
Are Irish Doodles intelligent?
Yes. Irish Doodles are clever because they inherit their intelligence from both parents. Most Irish Setter puppies are not as intelligent as Poodles, but most Irish Doodles are more brilliant than average.
Is it easy to train Irish Doodles?
Yes. Their intelligence makes them extremely easy to train. However, they require constant practice to retain their skills.
Do Irish Doodles need grooming?
It depends. Irish Doodles typically have wavy coats that can grow quite long, and owners must decide whether they’d like them to be trimmed regularly. They will require regular brushing to avoid matting if you leave their coat long.
Irish Doodle Fun Facts
- The Irish Doodle is also called Irish Poo Setter, Irish Setter Doodle, and Irish Setterpoo.
- This mixed breed is famous for having a red coat, but other colors are available too. They can also be apricot, silver, gray, brown, blue, black, white, peach, and cream.
- Irish Doodles tend to be hypoallergenic because they inherited their low-shedding coats from the Poodle parent.
References
Nash, H. Bloat (Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus).
Sherman, B. L. (2008). Separation anxiety in dogs. Compendium, 30(1), 27-42.
