A unique blend of Irish Setter and Poodle gives us a distinctive designer breed “The Irish Doodle“. Adored for their eye-catching features and astounding persona that can’t be overlooked, the Irish Doodle is all you need to make your house a home.

This Doodle dog is a complete family dog that loves to spend time with its humans. If you are planning to get an Irish Doodle puppy and looking for a comprehensive guide on the breed, you are in the right place. In this guide, we’ll cover everything about Irish Doodle including grooming guide, temperament, training, and health-related issues.

So, let’s explore this fabulous breed Irish Doodle.

A fantabulous mix of Irish Setter and Poodle

Irish Doodles didn’t just happen out of nowhere, their parents, Irish Setter and Poodle were crossbred intentionally due to their extraordinary traits.

The Irish setter is renowned for its strikingly sporty nature and its desire for companionship. They have always been in trend for their hunting nature. In comparison, Poodles are fluffy small dogs recognized for their warm nature and outstanding brilliance. They are well known for their less shedding coats.

Both the parents outshine other canine breeds due to their skillful hunting characteristics. Irish Doodles; a steady blend of athletic beauty with brains have been created somewhat in the last 30 years in the United States.

Related: Bernedoodle dog breed info

Introduction to their parent breeds:

Irish Setter:

The Irish Setter is a high-energy gundog from Ireland that is famous for its mahogany or rich chestnut red-colored coat. It is a friendly breed that does well with children and other pets (not the small ones). It is a highly energetic, active, and playful dog that requires lots of daily exercises and activities. Due to their affectionate and cuddly nature, they are being widely used as therapy dogs in hospitals.

By nature, they are hunting dogs so they are not an ideal breed if you have an infant and/or small pets home. They are highly intelligent and have an excellent sense of smell. If you are interested in getting an Irish Setter as a family dog, you need to socialize and train it well.

Poodle:

Poodle, the father of all Doodle breeds is the 7th most popular in the US and the second-most intelligent dog breed in the world. Few people know that Poodles have 5 different types; i.e., Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle, Toy Poodle, Klein or Moyen Poodle, and Teacup Poodle. The latter 2 are not recognized by AKC and other major Kennel clubs.

Poodles are famous for different traits some of which are their low-shedding coat, trainability, intelligence, affectionate personality, and excellent temperament. All these traits make Poodle an ideal family dog and that is why breeders prefer to cross them with other breeds to develop hybrid breeds.

If you are planning to get a dog for the first time and confused about which breed to get, Poodle is an ideal choice for you.

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How many types/sizes are there of Irish Doodle?

There are 2 types of Irish Doodle; Standard Irish Doodle and Mini Irish Doodle. Till now, the breeders have crossed Standard and Miniature Poodle with the Irish Setter that resulted in 2 different types/sizes of the Irish Doodle. The Standard Irish Doodle is a large-sized dog while the Mini Irish Doodle is the smaller one.

Irish Doodle Pros and Cons:

Irish Doodles have several positive and negative traits that you should know in detail before getting a puppy. Some of the common pros and cons of Irish Doodles are mentioned below.

Pros:

Intelligence overloaded:

Both of the Doodle’s parent breeds are highly intelligent and the Irish Doodle inherits intelligence in abundance from both the breeds. So, the Irish Doodle dog is more likely to pick up all the obedience commands without some extra-ordinary efforts.

Low-shedding coat:

All the Doodle breeds are known for their low-shedding coats, and similarly, the Irish Doodle also has a low-shedding coat. Still, this trait is unpredictable and it may vary.

Ideal family dog:

It does well with everyone in its family, especially the children. It is affectionate, cuddly, loving, playful and what not. Still, it is recommended to keep them supervised while they are playing around children.

Social and friendly:

You get lots of guests, right? Don’t worry, in the presence of Irish Doodle, you do not need to worry about their reception because this social pup is always ready to welcome your guests. Along with that, they are attention grabbers and party dogs because they get along with everyone around.

Excellent therapy dogs:

Last but not the least, they are capable of being ideal therapy dogs and can be used in hospitals, schools, and workplaces.

Read: What Makes an Ideal First Aid Kit for Dogs?

Cons:

High energy dogs:

Their parent; the Irish Setters were bred as bird hunting dogs and have a lot of energy, likewise, the Irish Doodles are also very energetic. They need to be exercised for more than an hour daily that means they are not an ideal breed for a person that cannot give them enough time daily.

Separation anxiety:

They are extreme lovers and if attached to their humans, they do not like to be without them even for a moment. And if they develop separation anxiety, they become destructive and aggressive. You should not get an Irish Doodle if you spend more than 3 hours out of the home.

Irish Doodle Generations:

Like all the other Doodles, the Irish Doodles do also have several generations. Have a quick look at them below.

F1 Irish Doodle:

The first-generation cross between Poodle and the Irish Setter is known as the F1 generation. The F1 generation puppies are 50% Irish Setter and 50% Poodle.

F1b Irish Doodle:

Also known as a first-generation cross back, it is a cross between the Irish Doodle and one of the two parent breeds; Poodle or Setter. An F2b Irish Setter would be either 75%-25% Poodle-Setter or Setter-Poodle depends on which purebred has been crossed with the first-generation Irish Doodle.

Usually, the breeders cross a Poodle with the Irish Doodle to increase the tendency of the low-shedding coat.

F2 Irish Doodle:

The cross between two F1 Irish Doodles is known as the F2 generation. It is also known as the second-generation cross. The difference between the F1 and F2 is that the F1’s parents are Poodle and Irish Setter while the F2’s parents are Irish Doodles.

F2b Irish Doodle:

A cross between an F1 and an F1b Doodle is called an F2b. It is also known as a second-generation cross back. The tendency of both the breeds in an F2b cross is 62.5% – 37.5%.

Which one is the best generation of Irish Doodle:

We can say that an F1b generation Doodle with 75% Poodle is the best one because of the high percentage of the low-shedding coat, hence, it sheds less than other generations of Irish Doodle.

Related: Bernedoodle Generations

Features

Well, that is quite obvious when two contrastingly mesmerizing masterpieces are crossbred, the offspring will carry exuberant genetic traits. Irish Doodle exhibits features that are spot on and irresistible.

So, we have enlisted the most charismatic features of the Irish Doodle for your convenience.

• Irish Doodles are famous for their obvious reddish-blonde densely furred coats. But at times, the shaggy fur may be white, black, or brown in color or a blend of these tones. The sleek, wavy texture of the hair adds to its beauty.
• The dark brown eyes, either oval or almond-shaped, will make your heart melt.
• They have a sporty built with medium height; mostly the size falls between 22 to 28 inches.
• The average Irish doodle weighs between 40 to 70 pounds.
• The catchiest feature is its perfectly elongated face that is well cohered to its athletic body.
• The floppy ears fall past the eyes close to their face.

Temperament and behavior

It won’t be wrong if we say that the Irish Doodle is a small package with surprising traits that amaze you. They are the most lovable dogs you will ever come across, so affectionate and loyal to their owners that it will make your heart flutter. They long for companionship to the extent that boredom and isolation will lead to separation anxiety if you leave this dog alone.

They are active and energetic to a time that their battery never dies. You need to keep them busy in productive cum adventurous activities, or else they are naughty enough to get you in trouble. If you have an Irish Doodle, you won’t be needing any television or PlayStation because they are at toes to keep you entertained.

Being intelligent facilitates them to learn at a speedy pace. They give you the comfort of enjoying the excellent ambiance at your place because of their quiet nature.

Grooming Guide to Irish Doodle

Grooming is core to maintain a dog’s outlook, especially if it’s a Doodle. Brushing is fundamental when dealing with these Doodles because of their double-coated fur.

Wondering, how often you need to brush your Irish Doodle? Well, it all depends on the thickness of the coat. In hybrid dogs, the coat is totally unpredictable and it may vary. Anyhow, combing its hair on a regular basis is the key to avoid unwanted knotting and matting. The brushes come in versatile designs including de-matter, comb, de-shedder, and clipper depending on your requisites.

Whilst petting dogs, the fur shedding is something daunting. But in Irish Doodles, you need not to worry because they are more likely to have a low-shedding coat. You can clip their hair after every 6-9 months; it will maintain its coat.

Keeping a check on its ears is crucial because of its vulnerability to ear infections, especially if it loves playing in the water. So don’t forget to clean the ears regularly. Last but not least, brush their teeth several times a week to keep them plaque-free.

Related: Things not to do while Grooming your Dog

Living with an Irish Doodle

Irish Doodles are fun to be around. Their endearing nature makes them well-suited for children and elders if trained and socialized appropriately from an early age. Besides family, they learn to live in harmony with other pets at home as well. Though they behave well with strangers and are quiet dogs, they do alarm you when something happens out of the box.

Nutritional Requirements

Never compromise on the food quality whilst feeding your dog. Significantly, the food should cater to all its nutritional requirements promoting its health and performance. You can add dry, wet, or raw food to your dog’s diet depending on its preference.

For a puppy, the best dose to start with is four meals a day in small portions to avoid overburdening its stomach. For adults, you can lessen up to 2 meals a day or more accordingly.

It is also better to take a piece of advice from your vet on your pup’s food.

Training

Patience and commitment are the two virtues that you need to practice while training any dog, and that is true in the Irish Doodle’s case too. At times, Irish Doodles can be challenging to train because they quickly lose their interest so you need to put some variety and rewards in their training sessions. The Irish Doodle lives for physical activity.

First, you need to build a repo with your dog. The training works on the principle of positive reinforcement. Once you learn to work out on the communication, the training becomes more straightforward. It would be best if you are interactive and adventurous to keep your dog involved in the activities. These Doodles love to hike, swim, play games and walk on long trails. They need 90 to 120 minutes of physical activity every day to maintain their sporty physique. They are renowned for their hunting and swimming capabilities.

Health Concerns

When it comes to their health, the Irish doodles are tough and more resilient than their parents because they are crossbreds and are less likely to inherit the genetic issue if bred well. But still, they are prone to health hazards that are common among their parents and other dogs.

Due to genetics, they may suffer from orthopedic issues developing skeletal disorders. They are vulnerable to develop epilepsy, both hip and elbow joint dysplasia – a condition where both joints don’t fit, luxating patella – a situation in which knee caps dislocate from the normal position, and eye problems. Therefore, a regular checkup from the vet is a must. 

The best practice to avoid such issues is getting a puppy from a well-reputed breeder and not a backyard breeder or a puppy mill.

How much do Irish Doodles cost?

Well, their prices may vary from breeder to breeder and state to state. Usually, an Irish Doodle cost you between $1400 to $4000 depending on the color, gender, the breeder’s reputation, and some other factors.

Along with that, you may be needing to spend between $500 to $800 every year for necessary puppy supplies such as a leash, collar, crate, and vet visits.

Related: Pomsky Dog Breed Info – A Comprehensive Guide

Irish Doodle FAQs:

How big is a fully grown Irish Doodle?

An adult Standard Irish Doodle may stand anywhere about 15 to 27 inches in height and weigh about 35 to 55 lbs. While a Mini Irish Doodle may grow between 12 to 18 inches and weigh between 25 to 35 lbs.

Do Irish Doodles bark a lot?

No, they rarely bark that is why they are considered an ideal family dog. But make sure to train them from an early age or they may develop behavior issues including excessive barking.

Are Irish Doodles completely hypoallergenic?

None of the dogs are completely hypoallergenic and they may shed a little amount of hair. And being a Poodle’s product, the Irish Doodle is more likely to inherit the Poodle’s low-shedding coat and shed very little.

Do Irish Doodles like to cuddle?

Yes, both of their parent breeds are affectionate and like to cuddle their owners. Similarly, the Irish Doodles have no problem in cuddling their owners.

Are Irish Doodles different than Golden Irish?

Yes, the Irish Doodle is an Irish Setter Poodle mix while the Golden Irish is a cross between the Golden Retriever and Irish Setter.

Recognition:

Most of the major kennel clubs in the world such as AKC and CKC don’t recognize the Irish Doodle because it is a hybrid dog and they do not recognize any of the mixed breeds. But there are several kennel clubs that recognize hybrid breeds such as the American Canine Hybrid Club ACHC, the Dog Registry of America (DRA), and International Designer Canine Registry (IDCR).

Summing it up

Nothing is cozier than your dog’s warm snuggles. And Irish Doodles are one of a kind that will give you so much affection and care that it will melt your heart. They live for you, and to your surprise, they are the most loyal family dogs you will come around. So pals, why the wait! Get this unique breed and give your home the warmth and positive vibes it misses.

Image credit: bubba.thedood / Instagram

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