Everything you need to know about Sheepadoodles

• Maximum Height:  24 inches at shoulder (females); 26 inches at shoulder (males)

• Weight:  females approx. 50 - 70 lbs; males approx. 50 - 80 lbs

• Life Expectancy:  10 to 15 years (in other words - this is a big commitment!)

• Personality: Our dogs are gentle, calm but lively, alert & interested, friendly & lovable. They love to rest their heads in my lap or lie at my feet. They are happy to have some outside time to run around but really prefer being with "their people" to anything else. In short, they are a joy.

• Health:  One of the things we have found most fascinating in our research on the Sheepadoodle was the fact that crossing two purebred dogs of different breeds made them healthier. This is called hybrid vigor. It seems that the introduction of some new genetic material is quite positive. The result is that a first generation hybrid is very healthy, or as our vet says every time he sees our  dogs -- "disgustingly healthy."

• Noise Level:  below average. My Sheepadoodles bark for a reason, such as someone coming to the door, an Amish buggy driving by, an exciting game of let's chase each other around the yard. They do not bark for no reason.  In other words --no nuisance barking, which I find pretty incredible.

• Trainability:  High intelligence and an eagerness to please makes them fairly easy to train. My dogs understand a lot of phrases and are happy to comply. For example, If I say, "bedtime" or "kennel up," they run into their boxes. (Such good dogs.) At this time there are several programs across the country training Sheepadoodles as companion dogs and even as service dogs. I'm anxious to follow the results. If you know or hear anything about it, please let me know.

• Grooming:  The Sheepadoodle does not shed but needs regular brushing to maintain a long coat, which is soft and usually wavy. Please understand that the word "shed" means to lose the entire coat at once, as in the expression, "shedding her winter coat." In that sense, it is correct that they do not shed. They can however drop some hair around the house. Frequent brushing to remove loose hair is one way to prevent this and to also prevent matting. Another alternative is to keep a short, practical length of an inch and a half.  In the spring, we shave our dogs:  poodle, sheepdog, and Sheepadoodle alike. Not only does it look super cute, but they also stay cool in the summer and carry in a lot less dirt. The coat grows back in time to protect from the cold in winter.