15 Types of Doodle Dogs Explained, by Experts, Trainers and Me (a Totally Non-Biased Doodle Owner)

Some little girls dream of a prince coming to sweep them away, but I never did. I wanted a goldendoodle—a crossbreed of a golden retriever and a standard poodle that I could walk, pet and just you know, ride off into the sunset with. And, unlike all those disappointed little girls and their frog princes, my golden doodle Roy made me happier than I’d anticipated. I like to think that it’s his breed that really delivers in terms of intelligence, affection and handsomeness…so much so that, a year after Roy arrived, my family went to the animal rescue league and came home with a second doodle, this time a cocker Spaniel and poodle mix. Cockapoo Gus is a bit barkier and slower-witted than his older brother, but he’s a fetch-playing dynamo that always makes me smile.

In my experience, the gamble you take with your doodle trait expression—for example, I would have preferred Roy’s coat be smoother not curly—was more than made up for by the dog’s stylish gait, predilection for hugs and infectious grin

So, I’m qualified (or, perhaps way too biased) to weigh in on these types of doodle dogs, among the most popular dog breeds in the U.S. Unofficially speaking, that is, since the dozens of “designer dog” poodle mixes that have snowballed in popularity since the 1980s are not recognized as purebreeds by the American Kennel Club or the Westminster Kennel Club. That’s because successive generations of doodles don’t appear uniform, in other words, they can vary in size and coat from their forefathers. However, in my experience, the gamble you take with your doodle trait expression—for example, I would have preferred Roy’s coat be of the smoother variety as opposed to the curly coat he wore—all this was more than made up for by the dog’s stylish gait, predilection for hugs and infectious grin. So, while I never ran him through a dog DNA test, he was 100 percent doodle through and through. When he passed last month, after a long and happy life, I was gutted, but cheered that I still had another doodle to cheer me up—there’s Gus now, reminding me that there’s still a jaunty game of fetch I have to share.

So, in memory of Roy—and in honor of Gus and all the doodle lovers already sharing fuzzy, funny games with their mixed breeds out there, I’ve consulted experts and authorities for all the doodle stats and facts about their finer points. Ranging from 5 to over 100 pounds, in colors ranging from white to black and parti (that’s a special name for poodle coloration that’s part white, part black/brown/red/blue), here’s a look at some of the most popular poodle mixes in the U.S. today.

• Corinne Gearhart is founder and owner of The Doodle Pro, a Colorado-based dog training service that specializes in positive, research-based and doodle-specific behavior modification. She’s the author of Doodle Groomers Uncensored: Brushing and hosts a podcast for doodle owners.
• Steffi Trott is the dog trainer at SpiritDog Training, a New Mexico-based business that seeks to create a happy dog and help owners understand their dogs’ needs. Since 2013, she has traveled internationally and created tutorials online.

Besides an overarching propensity for intelligence and cuteness, personalities of types of doodle dogs are as individualized as the breeds they encompass. That is, they are not all gentle giants like my standard poodle golden retriever mix Roy was, and they’re not all anxious like my little cockapoo Gus. For example, according to Doodle Pro Corinne Gearhart, Gus is a shy doodle: “Your doodle is a little nervous around new people and places. They are highly sensitive to their surroundings and may be hesitant to try out different activities.” (I highly recommend taking the dog trainer’s speedy and insightful dog personality test.) Your doodle’s personality and preferences will be their own, but for a sense of their tendencies, look to their parent’s breeds.