Large vs small doodle insight please?

[doritodust]

We have had a cockapoo in the past and she was an amazing dog with the sweetest temperament. After losing her a few months ago I am slowly coming around to wanting another dog when I am fully ready and have started dipping my toe in and looking around a little.

I love cockapoos and originally thought I would probably stick with the breed but a few weeks ago I met a man with the most gorgeous goldendoodle and it has made me consider one.

The main question is the practicalities of the 2 quite different sizes, our cockapoo for a lack of a better word was quite portable and I can imagine it's not quite the same with a larger dog.
Also I have never had a dog this size in the house (as it will 100% be living inside the house with us) so I wonder if that's a big difference.

Last but not least I would love to hear some opinions and insight into the breed and what challenges they might pose.

Has anyone gone from owning a small breed to a large one?

@PollyRoulson

I love this list from the doodle trust well worth a read things to consider

These are some important considerations before you add a doodle to your family:

If you want a Golden Retriever or a Labrador that does not shed, DON'T GET A DOODLE. Most doodles shed to some degree and those that do not, do not look like either of these parent dogs.

If you are just not a Poodle person, DON'T GET A DOODLE. All doodles have Poodle in them and if the word Poodle makes you cringe, then do not get a Doodle.

If you are allergic to dogs, DON'T GET A DOODLE. Doodles go through coat changes and even if you are not allergic to your Doodle's puppy coat, you may be allergic to his adult coat. Doodles are often deemed hypoallergenic by the media, but for most, this is not the case.

If you want a clean dog, DON'T GET A DOODLE. Many doodles love water, mud and rolling in smelly things. Their coats can be like Velcro and will collect twigs, dirt, burrs, leaves etc.

If you want a low-energy dog, DON'T GET A DOODLE. Most Doodles require at least 30 - 60 minutes of real exercise a day. Simply letting your Doodle out in the backyard is not exercise. There are plenty of low-energy dog breeds that would be a better fit if you aren't overly active.

If you can't devote time and money into training, DON'T GET A DOODLE. Doodles are intelligent and want to please you, but they are not born with manners.

If you want an independent dog, DON'T GET A DOODLE. Doodles thrive on human companionship and most are Velcro dogs. They need your attention and will demand it.

If you want the perfect dog, DON'T GET A DOODLE. There is no such thing as a perfect dog, and just like other breeds, Doodles can have a wide variety of temperaments and health issues.

If you want a low-maintenance dog, DON'T GET A DOODLE. The look that attracts so many would-be Doodle owners requires a lot of time & money; there is major grooming involved.

If you want a dog 'for the kids', DON'T GET A DOODLE. Doodles need lots of time on a daily basis, keeping their minds stimulated and reinforcing their behaviours. Kids won't keep that commitment.

If you want a small to medium sized dog, DON'T GET A DOODLE. The average sized Doodle is about 30 kilos but they can be up to 45 kilos!

If you are still interested in a Doodle, that's great! But keep in mind that some of the pre-conceived notions touted by the media that have made Doodles so popular are also reasons why so many of these dogs are abandoned by their owners.

A Doodle can be a wonderful dog and will provide you with unconditional love but you must consider if this is the right type of dog for you.

Please do not break your Doodle's heart.

I agree with most of this but are “so many” really abandoned by their owners? I’ve been checking rescue centre (dogs trust/battersea etc) websites almost daily for over a year and have seen maybe one or 2 doodles on there in this time which is odd surprising the popularity of the breed. Mostly there are staffies, greyhounds, collies, huskies and the occasional Labrador as well as lots of non designer mixes. It seems like people either keep their doodles/most do work out as pets (or they sell on line or don’t even make it onto the rescue websites before they are rehomed).

In my experience, young and healthy golden retrievers are very boisterous, lively dogs and the poodles I’ve met have been considerably more energetic!
Absolutely bonkers to be quite honest, jumping and bouncing about everywhere.

That’s kind of behaviour is really cute in a sweet little toy poodle, it’s not so cute in a hulking great monster of a dog.

All the standard poodles I’ve met so far have been taller than a golden retriever and all the golden doodles I’ve seen very much take after the poodle parent in height, they are BIG dogs.

Very boisterous and excitable too.

Yep, as possible said. My standard puppy jumps like a kangaroo and tries to bear hug anyone willing to come over to her (She’s the height of a 7 year old when on her back legs). Recently she has also refused to continue some of our walks by lying down for 10-15mins, usually because she wants to go a different way, I end up trying to carry her (I’m short so it’s hard to see past her) until she decides to walk for me again. I am aware she is nuts and a puppy, but my miniature was certainly a lot better behaved.

At the start it should say PP* autocorrect fail

My brother has 2 labradoodles and they are amazing family pets, so clever and friendly. But big, I think people forget how big poodles actually are. They do need lots of exercise and regular grooming too. He got them from the same breeder a few years apart

We have now bought a puppy from the same breeder who so far is a total joy. Took to his crate so easily, sleeps through already, brain like a sponge. He is bouncy like puppies are but also sleeps loads.

I get pretty fed up of all the doodle snobbishness on MN. They’re a popular family pet for good reason.

@doritodust @Colourmylife1 this is our pheebs x

I have 2 goldendoodles, both from same breeder but not the same litter. They are totally different sizes, my boy weighs 32kg and my girl only 14kg. Both mums were standard poodles, but her mum was slightly smaller than his. So it is possible you won't end up with a huge dog.
I absolutely love them both, they are such loving dogs and mine were easy to train. I would say the only downside might be they need a lot of exercise, they have tonnes of energy !!

We've got a 5 year old labradoodle. His mum was 50:50 standard poodle/black lab. His dad was a miniature poodle (we met both parents) and I'm not sure how they managed the mating! He's come out smaller than his mum and not as stocky as a lab, he looks more poodly with a long poodle face. We keep him clipped quite short as when he gets long (first lockdown!) he sheds in clumps.

He's very intelligent and yes to those who talk about dog proofing upwards! The cat now gets fed on a shelf (from which she taunts the dog).

He was fairly hyper as a pup, and really until he was about 2, and we've noticed lately he seems to have gone down a notch again in bounciness. He needs 2 good walks a day and activities in between - anything food based like Kong, lickimat keeps him entertained. The rest of the time he's happy to sleep (or sit with his head on my knee). I'm disabled and pretty unsteady on my feet and it was very easy to train him to keep out from under me, but once I'm sat down he gets up wherever he can to be next to me (he's officially dd2's dog but really he's mine).

I don't know enough about the type in general (we met him through a friend who was breeding, and yes, his parents had health checks first and no, she wasn't a back yard breeder, she took 3 months off work to have the puppies and though they enjoyed the experience and mum was great, they had her spayed afterwards as couldn't afford to do it again. Very glad we got him when we did, given the way prices have gone,,). But I know our boy and he's been a great addition to the family. I don't think we'd have another dog (dh still isn't keen, and dc will be leaving home) but having him has been great for me!

Oh and here he is!

@Qwertyyui Thank you. She’s beautiful. I can definitely spot the Springer in her!

If I wanted a dog with a golden retriever temperament I would just get the retriever. Adding poodle into the mix is just adding more madness that isn’t required!

Family has a golden doodle. He is massively a Velcro dog. Very barky. Needs grooming a lot. Has had to have both ACL ligaments repaired. Eats non-food stuff if it isn’t out of reach - pens, clothes, shoes. Does the most gigantic shits. Sheds. Not allergy-free at all - always sets me off.