The Labradoodle, the original "designer" dog, was bred in an attempt to create a hypoallergenic guide dog by mating a Labrador Retriever with a Poodle. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog, but that hasn’t slowed the popularity of this first "Doodle" dog. You are sure to have seen many of them romping around the dog park.
The hope of these special mixes — from the Labradoodle to the Puggle to many others — is that the pooch will have great qualities from two different dog breeds. Of course, with any crossbreed, you never really know what traits or characteristics will surface.
Want to know more about the Schnoodle, Goldendoodle and 16 others? Check out our gallery.
Aussiedoodle
As a mix of two breeds often known for their intelligence — an Australian
Shepherd and a Standard
Poodle or Toy Poodle
— the Aussiedoodle has the potential to be a canine scholar. This cutie also tends to be quite active. He’ll likely need
at least a good walk and active playtime each day — and you'll probably want to give him a
job to keep him busy. Otherwise, he tends to find his own ways to keep himself
entertained, and you may not like his choice. Weighing between 25 and 70
pounds, this super-smart and friendly breed can also be trained as a fantastic
therapy dog.
Basador
The lumbering Basset Hound and
energetic Labrador
Retriever seem like pretty different dogs. But they come together to create a dog that can potentially be a good-natured,
adorable mixed breed. The Basador often weighs 50 to 70
pounds and can have a wide range of personalities. She could be calm but
stubborn or very active and always on the hunt. She may have
both of her parent breeds’ love of food. A Basador may have the friendly personality of both breeds and may get along well with kids —
although she might be too rambunctious for families with toddlers.
Cavapom
The Cavapom
is a mix of the Cavalier
King Charles Spaniel and the Pomeranian. The breed can come in a
wide variety of colors, but let's be honest, they are all pretty cute and often have a sweet expression and an affectionate and playful personality. You could find yourself with a more independent dog if your pooch takes after his Pomeranian family, or he may be more of a lap dog if he is more of a Cavalier. The outgoing Cavapom is frequently highly trainable and may be good with kids ages 6 and
up. He can be as little as eight pounds and range up to 20 pounds.
Cavapoo
The Cavapoo — a mix of the Cavalier
King Charles Spaniel and Poodle — tends to sport a sweet expression on his face, but he can have either the curly coat of a Poodle or
the long, straight coat of the Cavalier. The often fun-loving Cavapoo, who weighs 12
to 25 pounds, has the potential to be a great companion for a child over age 6. Some are quite trainable, but they might prefer to cuddle rather than to work
on their skills.
Chug
This funny little guy is a cross between a Chihuahua and a Pug. Because those two breeds are
pretty distinct, the Chug’s
personality and appearance can vary widely. The 10-to-20-pound
Chug can be friendly and affectionate, but it’s best to socialize a Chug extensively to
help control the Chihuahua’s potential to be aggressive toward larger dogs, which can
put them at risk. While Chugs are likely to be smart and learn quickly, they
can also have a stubborn streak or a short attention span.
Cockapoo
The adorable Cockapoo
combines the Cocker
Spaniel and the Poodle
into a fluffy or scruffy, potentially happy and loving mixed breed. Puppies born into the same litter can look and act quite differently from each other depending on the genes they inherit. As full-grown dogs,
they can weigh from 10 to 30 pounds and often maintain their puppy charm — but they do require extensive grooming.
Doxiepoo
The Doxiepoo
is unpredictable — potentially more so than other designer breeds. With this
crossbreed, you might have a dog with the long body of a Dachshund and the curly coat
of the Poodle. Or he might surprise you with Dachshund-like fur and a Poodle-shaped body. Many do have the Poodle’s sense of humor and trainable nature to
temper the Dachshund’s stubbornness. Like any designer breed, though, the
Doxiepoo can be at risk for the genetic problems of both of his ancestors. He
normally weighs 10 to 30 pounds.
Goldendoodle
Likely among the better known of the designer breeds, the Goldendoodle is a mix of
the Golden Retriever
and the Miniature or Standard
Poodle. The Goldendoodle comes in three sizes: miniature (15 to 30 pounds),
medium (30 to 45 pounds) and standard (45 to more than 100 pounds). Just like
both of her parent breeds, the Goldendoodle tends to be smart, outgoing and quick learning. She often makes a good guide or therapy dog.
Labradoodle
The intelligent, friendly and highly trainable Labradoodle is another
better-known designer dog. He’s bred from the ever-popular Labrador Retriever,
who often loves to work with people and tends to have the smarts of the Poodle. He has a
shaggy or curly coat and is bred in the same three sizes as the Goldendoodle:
miniature (15 to 30 pounds), medium (30 to 45 pounds) and standard (45 to more
than 100 pounds). The breeds were first deliberately bred in 1989 by the
Australian Guide Dog Association.
Lhasapoo
The Lhasapoo
usually weighs 10 to 20 pounds and often has a cute, alert face with a sturdy little
body. This mix might have the Lhasa
Apso's long, straight coat or the Miniature Poodle's curls or
something in between — but her coat is almost always soft. Lhasapoos are known for being friendly and
affectionate but tend to be good little watchdogs, if a little yappy.
Maltipoo
The adorable little Maltipoo is almost guaranteed to
make you smile. The breed (who generally weighs five to 15 pounds) is a cross between a
Maltese and a Miniature or Toy Poodle. The result is often a
smart, sweet dog who keeps his puppy-like looks (and behavior) well into his
senior years. He tends to be clever, playful and affectionate, making him one of the
more popular designer dogs. When you get the best of both of the parent dogs' traits,
the Maltipoo is a loving companion who’s easy to train and just a little
mischievous.
Pekeapoo
The Pekeapoo,
a cross between a Pekingese
and a Poodle, is often friendly and affectionate but can have some of the superiority
of the Pekingese, which was once an imperial dog of China. She tends to be quite brave
for her small size (eight to 20 pounds) and can make a good watchdog. She can have
a curly or straight coat, and will usually have a cute and alert-looking face.
Pugapoo
The lovable Pugapoo
is a mix of the Pug and the Poodle. Believe it or
not, those two breeds have a lot in common — starting with the ability to make
their owners laugh. They’re not very consistent in their looks, however. A Pugapoo can
have a Poodle’s curly coat or a Pug’s short one, and he can range in size
from 10 to 30 pounds. This enthusiastic pup tends to be a people-friendly, trainable
companion.
Pomapoo
The Pomapoo
may have the Toy Poodle’s
friendliness but could also be more reserved like the Pomeranian. Weighing just five to 15 pounds, the little dog can be fragile and injured easily, which doesn’t make him an ideal
choice for small children. The
Pomapoo has a low-to-moderate activity level.
Puggle
The Puggle
combines the Pug and the
Beagle for a cute, sturdy and playful little dog. While she can have a sense of humor and a need
to please her owner, she can also be stubborn, uncooperative and not that
interested in her people. The Pug influence is meant to temper
the Beagle’s independent and roaming ways, though this isn't always the case. The Puggle weighs about 15 to 30 pounds.
Shihpoo
A cross between the Shih Tzu and either a Toy or
Miniature Poodle, the Shihpoo tends to have a cute and
alert facial expression and a sturdy little body. Just like his parent
breeds, he comes in lots of different colors and color combinations. Like many
small dogs, he tends to fare better with older children who know to handle him
carefully, so he doesn’t get hurt. The playful, affectionate and sometimes stubborn Shihpoo can weigh seven to
20 pounds.
Schnoodle
The charming Schnoodle is funny and
smart, and gets her usually alert nature from both parent breeds: the Miniature Schnauzer
and the Miniature Poodle.
That often makes her a fantastic watchdog despite her small size. The Schnauzer and
Poodle have a propensity to learn quickly, and they will hopefully pass that trait on to the 10-to-20-pound Schnoodle. She also gets her curly coat from both sides of the
family and must be clipped regularly.
Yorkipoo
The Yorkipoo
is one adorable little dog. Usually friendly, smart and playful, she’s a mix of the Yorkshire Terrier
and the Toy or Miniature Poodle,
and weighs eight to 15 pounds. The goal of this crossbreed is to combine the
Poodle’s intelligence, trainability and lower level of shedding with the
Yorkie’s bold independence and stubborn streak. She is often playful with a sassy attitude.
