The golden sheepadoodle is a mixture of a couple of different types of dog breeds.
Its one parent is a sheepadoodle and the other parent can either be a goldendoodle or a golden retriever.
As the goldendoodle and sheepadoodle are already hybrids, the golden sheepadoodle is known as a hybrid of hybrids.
While this means they may vary a lot in size, coloration, and build, they are genetically quite healthy and have an even temperament.
Golden sheepadoodles are a relatively new designer hybrid and fairly difficult to come by.
However, when you meet one, you’ll surely fall in love instantly with their cuddly fur, their teddy bear-like appearance, and their overall dignity.
Read on to discover exactly what makes the golden sheepadoodle so loveable.
The Parent Breeds
To get a better understanding of how your golden sheepadoodle will look once it’s grown up, how it will behave, and why it behaves certain ways, it’s a good idea to get to know the parent breeds better.
Old English Sheepdog
The old English sheepdog is neither very old, nor completely English, nor a sheepdog.
The breed dates back to only the late 1700s, which isn’t very old when considering many other dog breeds.
While the old English sheepdog was bred in different parts of west England, it has strong ties with dog breeds in Scotland, Europe, and Russia.
Even though they are called sheepdogs, they were actually used to drive cattle.
Though the name is a misnomer, they are known and loved as the old English sheepdog (OES).
The OES is a very large breed sometimes weighing up to 100 pounds! Even though they are so big, they are gentle giants and have a very loving nature.
Poodle
There are three variations of the poodle: the standard, miniature, and the toy.
For the purpose of this article, we will only focus on the standard version as it is the one used by breeders to cross with the OES and create a sheepadoodle.
The poodle was bred as a hunting dog in France in the 1600s. It was a retrieving dog that would accompany waterfowl hunters.
Once the hunter shot down a bird, the poodle would dash off into marshy areas, dense underbrush, or lakes to retrieve the bird.
Poodles were bred to be hardy, strong dogs that could withstand the cold and water.
Their fancy pompons on their wrists, knees, and tail displayed in the continental coat cut were originally designed to protect their joints in the cold water.
Sheepadoodle
The OES and the poodle were bred together to create the sheepadoodle.
The perfect combination of the OES and the poodle, it is midway between the two sizes, has a luxurious coat best suited to cold weather, and is very energetic.
Golden Retriever
The golden retriever was bred in the 1900s in Scotland. They were bred as hunting dogs that accompanied their waterfowl hunting companions.
They were bred to have very soft mouths so as not to damage the bird’s body they were retrieving.
Check out our article on the history of golden retrievers if you want a little more information.
Goldendoodle
The goldendoodle is a combination of a golden retriever and a poodle.
Any of the three varieties of poodle can be used to breed a goldendoodle; the size of the poodle will determine how big the goldendoodle will end up being.
The goldendoodle is the perfect blend of the two dog breeds in that they are full of energy, are low shedding, love to cuddle, and are healthier than either parent breed.
For a closer look check out our article dedicated to the goldendoodle.
Golden Sheepadoodle
As mentioned above, the golden sheepadoodle has a sheepadoodle as one parent and either a golden retriever or a goldendoodle as the other parent.
The golden sheepadoodle has a significant amount of variation as different genes from the parent breeds will be expressed in different amounts throughout a single litter.
Two golden sheepadoodles in a single litter may look completely different because of this.
On average, they are 16 to 25 inches tall and weigh 50 to 80 pounds.
Thanks to their genetic diversity, they have a slightly longer lifespan than any of the purebred breeds in their ancestry and may live for 10 to 15 years.
What Is A Golden Sheepadoodle Like?
While the look of a golden sheepadoodle may vary greatly depending on who their parents are, their nature is fairly predictable.
Let’s take a closer look at what you would be getting into with a golden sheepadoodle.
Personality
Golden sheepadoodles are generally loyal and loving. They bond with their human families closely and do not enjoy being alone.
This means they are not suited to living alone as outside dogs and need to have contact with other pets and family members throughout the day.
The golden sheepadoodle is a lover — they will do everything in their power to please you to get cuddles and positive reinforcement.
However, this means their feelings are easily hurt if they’re scolded or feel neglected.
Trainability
Almost all of the parent breeds that could be mixed up in your golden sheepadoodle are very trainable and were bred specifically for their ability to follow orders as the OES, the poodle, and the golden retriever were all bred as hunting or working dogs.
However, the golden sheepadoodle can be a bit stubborn and take a while to pick up on training.
This means you will need to be consistent and patient with their training. Training should take place multiple times a day.
Training is essential as a full-grown golden sheepadoodle is a lot to handle if they don’t have a good recall command or jump up on people.
Exercise Level
The golden sheepadoodle is an energetic dog requiring a minimum of an hour’s exercise a day.
Not only are they full of energy but they are also intelligent, which means they need a lot of mental stimulation.
Using slow feeders, lick mats, snuffle mats, and puzzle games will enrich your golden sheepadoodle’s life and mentally tire them out.
Going for walks, hikes, and outings to the dog park, and playing retrieval games, are ideal ways to physically exercise your golden sheepadoodle.
Remember, an adult golden sheepadoodle with energy to spare will quickly become destructive so this is a necessary time investment on your part.
FAQs About The Golden Sheepadoodle
Why are doodles so popular?
In the last 20 years, the doodle has become a very popular hybrid or designer breed. A hybrid becomes a doodle when one of the parents is a poodle.
They are so popular because the poodle genes for a low-allergen coat are nearly always dominant.
Here is a break down of all the dog breeds that add their genes into the golden sheepadoodle:
| Parent Breed | Parent Breed | Hybrid Dog | Parent Breed | |||
| Characteristics | Golden Retriever | Goldendoodle | Golden sheepadoodle | Old English sheepdog | Sheepadoodle | Standard poodle |
| Height | 21 to 24 inches | 20 to 24 inches | 16 to 25 inches | 21 to 28 inches | 16 to 22 inches | 15+ inches |
| Weight | 55 to 65 pounds | 50 to 90 pounds | 50 to 80 pounds | 60 to 100 pounds | 60 to 80 pounds | 50 to 70 pounds |
| Lifespan | 10 to 12 years | 10 to 15 years | 10 to 15 years | 10 to 12 years | 10 to 15 years | 10 to 12 years |
| Coat color | Golden, dark golden, light golden | Golden, black, white, gray, cream, apricot | Any combination of the parents | Blue gray and white, blue and white, gray and white, grizzle and white | Black and white, black, gray | Apricot, black, clue, brown, cafe au lait, cream, gray, red, silver, white |
| Trainable | Very | Very | Good | Good | Good | Very |
| Good with children | Very | Very | Very | Very | Very | Very |
| High energy | High | High | High | Moderate | High | High |
| High prey drive | Moderate | High | High | High herding drive | High | High |
| Good with other dogs | Very | Very | Moderate to very | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
Wagging Away On The Golden Sheepadoodle
Golden sheepadoodles are loving and intelligent dogs. They have kind natures which, along with their low-allergen coats and teddy bear-like look, endear them to many people. Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of how high energy they are.
Golden sheepadoodles are excellent dogs to have around if you have a large family and, provided they are well trained and socialized, they get along with other pets well.
It is important to know your dog, whether it is a purebred or a hybrid, before bringing it into the home so you can decide if it is the right dog for you.
Do you have a Golden Sheepadoodle or do you want to get one?
Tell us about your experiences in the comment section below.
