‘Designer’ Doodles Have More Behavioral Problems Than Purebreds, New Study Says

Doodles and Poos — crossbreeds of popular dog breeds with poodles — are seemingly everywhere. They’re by far the most popular crossbreed out there and experts estimate that the doodle industry rakes in over $1 billion a year. People are attracted to Doodles for a variety of reasons, beyond just being super cute. They have reputations of being low-maintenance and easier to train than purebreds. However, there really isn’t much scientific evidence to support those claims, and now there is some that says the opposite.  

A new study published in the journal PLOS One dives into those beliefs. Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College in the United Kingdom specifically looked at Cavapoos (crosses between Poodles and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels), Labradoodles (crosses of Labrador Retrievers and Poodles), and Cockapoos (crosses of Poodles and Cocker Spaniels). 

The researchers, led by Gina Bryson, surveyed over 9,000 dog parents throughout the United Kingdom via an industry standard review known as the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (or, C-BARQ). They aimed to collect data on traits like aggression, excitability, and trainability. They compared the crossbreeds to each of the purebred dogs in their lineages. (So, a Cockapoo’s behavior would be compared to a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle). 

Apparently, in 44.4 percent of comparisons, the crossbreed had more undesirable traits than its purebred parents. Only in 9.7 percent of cases did crossbreeds have less behavioral problems. And in 45.8 percent of cases, there was no notable difference found.

Cockapoos demonstrated the worst behaviors overall, scoring worse than Cocker Spaniels and Poodles in 16 out of the 24 behaviors measured. These included owner-directed aggression, stranger-directed aggression, and excitability. All three crossbreeds exhibited significantly more “non-social fear” — that is, fear of inanimate things like traffic and loud noises — than their purebred counterparts, as well as more separation anxiety and general excitability. 

Possible problematic characteristics in parent breeds, such as high energy and excitability, were found to be amplified in the crossbreed in 82 percent of cases. For instance, as a hunting dog designed to flash out game in dense natural areas, the Cocker Spaniel was bred to have high energy. When bred with a Poodle, this behavior becomes more intense. 

It’s one thing if possible Cockapoo owners are prepared for such high energy. But given that Doodles and Poos are constantly advertised as chill and low-maintenance, it presents a huge discrepancy. 

“These aren't the kind of behaviors we want to ignore. They're not benign,” said Dr. Rowena Parker, one of the co-authors of the paper, to the BBC. "Preconceived beliefs, such as the idea that designer crossbreeds are naturally easy to train or are safe with children, can have serious consequences if they aren't supported by evidence." 

The researchers emphasize that because there was so much variability between the crossbreeds, it’s important not to consider Doodles and Poos as one homogeneous group. Both the Cavapoos and the Labradoodles scored better than the Cockapoos (12 and 11 out of 24 behaviors worse than their parent breeds, respectively). This indicates that each designer-crossbreed should be studied on its own, instead of lumped together as one group. 

The researchers also acknowledge that because Labradoodles are an older crossbreed than the other two, selective breeding might’ve tempered out some of the undesirable traits, which could’ve led to the Labradoodles scoring better than the other two crossbreeds. 

The study isn’t saying that you should not adopt a Doodle or Poo. Instead, the researchers want to make sure that potential adopters know what they’re getting into. Though these crossbreeds may be heavily advertised as being chill, low-maintenance, and good for first-time dog owners, they actually tend to have all of their parents’ behavioral problems and possibly even more. If pet parents have their hearts set on a Doodle, they should be prepared.