The goldendoodle is a combination of a golden retriever and a poodle.Īny 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. They were bred to have very soft mouths so as not to damage the bird’s body they were retrieving.Ĭheck out our article on the history of golden retrievers if you want a little more information. They were bred as hunting dogs that accompanied their waterfowl hunting companions. The golden retriever was bred in the 1900s in Scotland. 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. The OES and the poodle were bred together to create the sheepadoodle. 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. Poodles were bred to be hardy, strong dogs that could withstand the cold and water. Once the hunter shot down a bird, the poodle would dash off into marshy areas, dense underbrush, or lakes to retrieve the bird. It was a retrieving dog that would accompany waterfowl hunters. The poodle was bred as a hunting dog in France in the 1600s. There are three variations of the poodle: the standard, miniature, and the toy.įor 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 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.

Though the name is a misnomer, they are known and loved as the old English sheepdog (OES). 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.Įven though they are called sheepdogs, they were actually used to drive cattle. The breed dates back to only the late 1700s, which isn’t very old when considering many other dog breeds. The old English sheepdog is neither very old, nor completely English, nor a sheepdog.

Golden sheepadoodle