Is an F1 Aussiedoodle Puppy the right fit for Your Family?

Chocolate F1 Standard Aussiedoodle patiently waiting for her snuggles!!!

Standard F1 Aussiedoodles are beautiful, intelligent, and friendly dogs. They are a beautiful blending of their parents -a true testimony to the wonderful traits of their Australian Shepherd / Poodle heritage. While I truly love the F1 Aussiedoodle cross, I would be lying if I told you that they were the perfect family dog for every family. While some doodles easily blend into almost every family - I am thinking Labradoodles, Goldendoodles and Bernedoodles - Aussiedoodles do not. Perhaps you have fallen in love with the adorable way the Aussiedoodles cock their ears when they are curious, maybe you have seen the gorgeous Merle coats and think that you would love your very own Aussiedoodle puppy. Before you commit, I think that it is very important to look at the traits and needs of a Aussiedoodle and honestly assess if you are the right family who can handle the particular needs of an F1 Aussiedoodle.

As a recent puppy family told me when I asked what they were looking for in their puppy, they said that they had device on an Aussiedoodle because they wanted "a high energy, trainable dog with less shedding." I believe that this description does a great job of summing up the overall traits of an Aussiedoodle. As this family said, their Aussiedoodle is highly intelligent, which is a double edged sword, they are working to form her to make good choices, not use her intelligence to open backpacks and off limits doors. I have always joked that I have to a refrigerator lock not only for my toddlers, but also to keep my Aussies from helping themselves to my cheese. This is actually something they are capable of, they are masters of doors and watching and learning.

While considering an Aussiedoodle puppy, please consider, how many hours are you away from home/your dog everyday. Are you retired, mainly at home, able to take your dog to with you most places or do you have another dog as a playmate? You are potentially a great home for an Aussiedoodle, as they thrive on relationships and quality time. If you going to be leaving your dog behind for 4-8 hours a day, I would not recommend getting an Aussiedoodle as they will feel lonely, neglected and quickly become bored.

Consider your energy levels? Are you highly active or do you have kids who are highly active? Are you committed to an active lifestyle? Aussiedoodles love long walks, hikes and games of fetch. In my experience, they are less dependent on exercise than mental stimulation to keep them happy and well-balanced, but they love being your comrade and definitely enjoy the exercise.

Are you willing to set aside time everyday to mentally stimulate and train your Aussiedoodle? Aussiedoodles are very, very intelligent and extremely trainable. Honestly, it is this intelligence that makes them an incredible dog, but can become problematic if you aren't filling the needs of a very active brain. If you aren't directing that brain, then it is unpredictable how it will be used. Aussiedoodles love puzzles, interactive toys, their people and their training sessions. They really are capable of learning all the tricks and most tasks that you want to set them on, but you want to be the one directing those tricks.

Aussiedoodles really are an incredible breed and a wonderful family dog, for the right family! I love them because they are extremely loyal, friendly, happy-go-lucky, and they are wonderful, fun companions. But they do take a family with some experience with dogs and awareness that their intelligence must be directed towards the good! These incredibly beautiful dogs are looking for homes with the understanding of their incredible nature and a commitment to meet their particular needs.