When you’re considering adding a dog to your family, you’ll likely find yourself asking, “What temperament does a (specific breed) have?” This is understandable since you’ll want to make sure that the breed of dog you bring home meets the individual needs of your family.
Let’s say that you’re considering adding a Sheepadoodle to your family and want to know more about the Sheepadoodle temperament.
In this article, you will learn about 10 common characteristics of the Sheepadoodle breed to help you determine if they’re the right breed to add to your family!
What Is a Sheepadoodle?
A sheepadoodle is a cross between an Old English Sheepdog and a Poodle. Before breaking down the temperament specifically for the Sheepadoodle breed, take a look at the temperament of each of these two breeds separately.
Old English Sheepdogs – These are considered to be a “herding” breed by nature. Typically, their instinct to hunt causes them to be independent learners. This means they often require a little more coaxing to train them. Bring on the praise and treats!
Poodles – These are considered to be a “hunting” or “performing” breed by nature. Typically, they are eager to learn new things, making them easy to train.
Now, taking all of that into account, you can learn more specifically about the Sheepadoodle temperament.
Sheepadoodle Temperament
- Temperament – Adaptable
What To Expect – Your Sheepadoodle can adapt to multiple types of living environments. This is good news for families who have to move around often.
What To Do – You won’t have to worry about your Sheepadoodle adapting to frequent changes in your living environment, so long as you are maintaining your responsibility of giving them regular mental stimulation and physical exercise.
You’ll want to keep giving your Sheepadoodle opportunities to play with those engaging toys and have a way to release their physical energy.
Tip: If you’re on a long road trip, you’ll want to make sure to stop frequently to let your Sheepadoodle walk around.
- Temperament – Affectionate
What To Expect – Due to the affectionate Sheepadoodle temperament, Sheepadoodles make wonderful family pets. They tend to bond closely to their family members.
What To Do – Since your Sheepadoodle is naturally affectionate, they will require a lot of love from you. You should spend quality time with your Sheepadoodle regularly.
- Temperament – Empathetic
What To Expect – The Sheepadoodle dog breed has inherited some of the best qualities of both the Old English Sheepdog and the Poodle. One of these traits is their ability to be empathetic.
They can read your emotions (which makes them great candidates for emotional support dogs).
What To Do – Just be yourself! Spend quality time with your Sheepadoodle and they will bond with you and comfort you in times of need.
- Temperament – Energetic
What To Expect – Due to the herding nature of the Old English Sheepdog and the hunting nature of the Poodle, the Sheepadoodle breed tends to be rambunctious. Don’t worry…they’re not considered to be “super-high energy” dogs, but they are full of energy and endurance.
What To Do – You will need to ensure that your Sheepadoodle is getting plenty of regular exercise. As long as your Sheepadoodle is getting enough physical and mental stimulation, you shouldn’t see any behavioral issues in them. (In other words, you shouldn’t have to worry about them being too much to handle).
The best way to ensure that your Sheepadoodle is receiving sufficient mental and physical stimulation is through training. Enroll your dog in a reputable training program, such as Deb’s Camp Doodle.
- Temperament – Intelligent
What To Expect – Both Old English Sheepdogs and Poodles are highly intelligent breeds, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that Sheepadoodle are also intelligent breeds.
Sheepadoodles love to work and learn new things. Positive reinforcement is a wonderful motivator for them, as they are also very motivated dogs.
What To Do – You should stock up on plenty of yummy treats for your Sheepadoodle and keep a wide variety of interactive toys to help keep them motivated and engaged.
Again, training is key here. You’ll need to be able to devote your time to ensuring that your Sheepadoodle gets proper training (especially between ages 2 months – 6 months).
- Temperament – Loyal
What To Expect – Sheepadoodles will naturally bond with their owners/families. They also love to impress their owners by learning new tricks/skills.
What To Do – You’ll want to give your Sheepadoodle plenty of opportunities to prove their loyalty to you, such as:
- Give them opportunities to learn new skills/tricks through training.
- Praise your Sheepadoodle every time they do something impressive. This will let them know you’re proud of them and encourage them to keep doing things to make you happy.
- Show your Sheepadoodle love as often as possible so they can give you their love in return.
- Temperament – Playful
What To Expect – This Sheepadoodle temperament makes for a very fun family-oriented dog. However, because of their size, they might knock over your child if you’re not careful.
What To Do – You should encourage play between your Sheepadoodle and your children (especially since this is a wonderful way for your Sheepadoodle to release some pent-up energy).
You need to provide supervision to your children while they are playing with your Sheepadoodle, though. This way your child isn’t accidentally knocked over and doesn’t become scared due to the larger size of your dog.
You will also want to make sure to teach your Sheepadoodle that herding your children is not necessary or appropriate. It’s their instinct, after all, so you can’t blame them.
- Temperament – Protective
What To Expect – Your Sheepadoodle will be protective by nature. (They could become overly protective in some cases).
What To Do – To keep your Sheepadoodle from becoming overprotective, you’ll want to introduce them to socialization with other dogs (and humans) from an early age. You can do this by making sure that your Sheepadoodle is getting ongoing training, including exposing them to other dogs and humans consistently.
- Temperament – Social
What To Expect – Sheepadoodles are very affectionate dogs. This means that they could become very attached to their owners. (So if you love dog cuddles, this is the breed for you)!
It’s very important to keep in mind that this level of affection could mean that your Sheepadoodle hates being left alone (especially when they don’t have anything to occupy them while you’re gone).
What To Do – When you are home, you’ll want to make sure you’re spending quality time with your Sheepadoodle.
When you aren’t home, you’ll want to make sure that you have things to keep your Sheepadoodle busy. Consider giving them some interactive toys (like dog puzzle toys or hide-a-treat toys. You could even leave various noise-making toys, soft/furry toys, and durable chew toys).
Leaving your Sheepadoodle with a variety of engaging and interactive toys to occupy them while you’re gone will also help to reduce the risk of them developing separation anxiety.
Tip: Since your Sheepadoodle may become anxious and lonely while you’re away, you may want to consider getting a dog sitter or dog walker to occupy them until you return.
- Temperament – Vocal
What To Expect – When necessary, you’ll want your dog to alert you when there is an intruder or some type of threat nearby, right? However, you don’t want your dog barking every time a person simply walks by.
Sheepadoodles are very alert dogs, making them more likely to be vocal in these types of situations (like even when someone just walks past the window).
What To Do – To counteract the vocal tendencies of your Sheepadoodle, you’ll need to make sure they have some type of outlet for their energy (again, this is where exercise and a variety of toys come in handy for you).
In addition to those tips, you can also rely on training to assist in preventing this unwanted personality trait. Proper training can teach your Sheepadoodle when to alert you to important situations and when not to.
Sheepadoodle Temperament Control
The difference between having your Sheepadoodle fall into the category of “high maintenance dog breeds” and “calm dog breeds” really depends on you and the amount of training you allow them to have, as well as the amount of mental and physical stimulation they regularly receive.
Training
Sheepadoodle puppies are very trainable and eager to learn.
If you want your doodle to get a headstart on their basic training and obedience training, a program like “Deb’s Camp Doodle” will work wonders for them. It is a 3-week board and train program designed specifically for doodle breeds. (This will allow them to get that social integration they need to experience early on).
If you find that an online training program is a better fit for you and your Sheepadoodle’s schedule, then check out BAXTER & Bella’s Online Puppy School!
Activities
In addition to training, here are some fun activities that you can introduce your Sheepadoodle to that will keep their energy level in check:
- Active Walking
- Active Running
- Agility Exercises
- Swimming
- Playing in the Snow
- Hiking
- Playing Fetch
- Catching a Frisbee
- Playing at the Dog Park
- Cuddling/Quality Time at Home
- Playing with Engaging/Enriching Toys
Conclusion
When you’re envisioning what temperament you would want your family dog to have, it is most likely one (or more) of the temperaments that the Sheepadoodle possesses.
Every common Sheepadoodle temperament qualifies them to be your ideal canine companion.
If you or your family are looking for a dog to devote a lot of time and attention to, and receive their love and loyalty in return, then the Sheepadoodle breed is likely the right fit for you!
Contact Deb’s Doodles to find the perfect Sheepadoodle to add to your family today!
