Sheepadoodle

The Sheepadoodle is a popular designer dog, intentionally bred to combine the Old English Sheepdog, a large, shaggy dog employed to help guard livestock and to drive sheep and cows to market, and the Poodle, a versatile canine that was originally developed in Germany to retrieve waterfowl for hunters. The Old English Sheepdog was developed fairly recently, toward the end of the 18^th century, as a flock guardian for both sheep and cattle in England, and although many experts speculate that they were derived from Bearded Collies or the Russian Ovtcharka breed, their true ancestry is still a mystery. They became quite popular in the United States during the late 1800s and early 1900s, particularly among the extremely wealthy, and Old English Sheepdogs could be found in the homes of the Goulds, the Vanderbilts, and the Guggenheims, among others. The Poodle is equally comfortable in lush surroundings, with Poodles accompanying such esteemed individuals as Robin Williams, Winston Churchill, Lucille Ball, and Elvis Presley, and although Tony Curtis did not own a Poodle himself, he did work alongside a white Standard Poodle playing the role of Monsieur Cognac in the 1964 film Wild and Wonderful. Despite their ability to blend into extravagant environments, these dogs were actually developed as a durable retriever of waterfowl in Germany, helping hunters to retrieve their catch, and are often still utilized for that purpose. Along with being a delightful companion and an excellent retriever, this breed's adaptability has allowed it to branch out into several different roles as well, and they have performed admirably as actors, circus dogs, truffle hunters, and therapy dogs. While the standard sized Poodle is the logical choice for this hybrid, some breeders may attempt to make the cross with miniature and possibly even toy Poodles, which would have an obvious effect on size, as well as changing the animal’s temperament and overall health concerns.