Introduction

      A Doodle is the result of the intentional breeding of a Poodle with another purebred dog or, sometimes, a Doodle with a Doodle, or a Poodle with a Doodle (say that ten times fast!). Doodles are popular canine companions, and it’s easy to see why: They’re cute, sweet, athletic, and excellent family dogs.

      Poodles are the perfect parent breed to create Doodles because they’re intelligent, versatile, and social. In fact, Poodles were parent breeds for many of today’s current purebred dogs, such as the highly popular Labrador Retriever, who in an earlier version of its evolution was a Curly-Coated Retriever. When looking at a Curley-Coated Retriever, you can easily recognize the Poodle genes: It has a lanky, athletic body; long legs; narrow head; and, of course, a tight, curly coat.

      Doodle Dogs For Dummies explores the reasons for the popularity of Doodles, from their origins to living with them, and it helps you decide whether a Doodle is right for you and your family (and if so, which one).

      To narrow the choices, I explain which purebred dogs, mixed with a Poodle, might best fit in with your lifestyle. Awareness of the characteristics of each purebred parent will enhance your understanding of the possible appearance and behavior of their offspring.

      When you’ve made a choice and brought your new Doodle puppy home, you’ll need to ensure they quickly adjust to their new environment. I fill you in on everything from feeding and grooming to housetraining and health considerations.

      Keeping your Doodle healthy is only part of what it means to own a Doodle. These designer breeds require clear communication and consistency, which you can get through obedience training. Doodles are highly intelligent and active, so you need to know how to guide them in the right direction and stimulate their brains (in order to keep them on the straight and narrow). Socialization is also important — Doodles are very sensitive and aware of their environments.

      In this book, I explain how to address behavior problems before they occur and how to handle them if they become bad habits.

When you have a well-behaved Doodle companion, you may want to continue to spice up your lives with fun dog sports and activities. Doodles love action! The more you train your Doodle for activities such as agility, dock diving, or retrieving games, the happier and better adjusted they’ll become. Engaging in these activities with your Doodle will enhance your relationship in so many ways.

      In this book, I’ve gathered all the information you need to find, obtain, raise, care for, and train your Doodle. I also help you understand the needs of your senior Doodle and how to integrate a second dog into your family.

      Doodles