Sadly, some breeders are misinforming the public about doodles. Whether this is to be intentionally deceitful or just a lack of research, one thing is clear… Two wrongs don’t make a right.  Many breeders will say that a doodle hybrid is healthier than their pure bred counterpart and that hybrid breeding ‘cancels out undesirable traits or genetic issues’. As an honest breeder, we wish to inform that the only way this is true is if you are breeding dogs that are genetically clear of all health issues. Common sense shows that if two people with a history of genetic health issues have offspring, then their offspring will not magically be void of either parents’ genetic anomalies. The same is with dogs. That is why Paw Haven Puppies will only breed health tested dogs, with excellent temperaments, and offers a health guarantee on all pups. Whether we have the perfect pet for you or not, PLEASE choose only to work with responsible breeders who health test their dogs. 

Moyen is the French word for the fourth size of Poodle in France, it simply means ‘medium’. The remainder of Europe, as in Germany, refers to them as Kleins meaning ‘small’ or ‘mini’. Commonly referred to by either term, the size falls between the Miniature and Standard Poodle, and contrary to false belief and advertising of many breeders who do so, it is NOT obtained by crossing the two. Kleins (Moyen) are less common than the Standard poodle in the United States. Because they are small, they are generally placed in pet homes as they cannot successfully compete in the AKC ring against their larger counterpart, the Standard. However, they can compete in the UKC conformation venue and many are champions. Here in the U.S., they are shown in the Non-Sporting Class. In the UKC ring, they show in the Gun Dog Group.

Mini

The Mini and Micro Mini poodle and doodle are clumped into this size and vary by breed

Height: 11-20 inches

Weight: 15-30 pounds 

Life Expectancy: About 15 years

Moyen/Medium

Falls in between the Miniature and Standard Poodle size. Not an official AKC size variation, however, as they are considered ‘standard-sized’ according to AKC.

Height: 15 – 20 inches

Weight: 20 – 30 pounds 

Life Expectancy: About 12-15 years

Standard

The largest of the breed size

Height: 21 inches+

Weight: 45-70+ pounds

Life Expectancy: About 12 years

*Paw Haven Puppies never breed poodles (or doodles) larger than the smallest end of the poodle’s standard size (45 lbs and smaller).

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Did you know that poodles and doodles come in all colors including black, blue, silver, gray, cream, apricot, red, white, brown, sable, merle and cafe-au-lait? While it does not make the written ‘show’ standard for a poodle, we often breed parti-colored poodles. Also referred to as ‘Party’, this rarer and often favorable poodle coloring can be identified by the bi-colors or tri-colors. Ticking, another coloring variance found in many breeds refers to flecks of color in the coat. Both the dam and sire must carry these recessive genes to be present in their offspring. Those who are educated in this beautiful coloring know that this rare genetic coat arrangement is variable and is NOT associated with health issues not typical of a poodle. Notwithstanding, poodles and doodles with MERLE (an even more rare color variation on a coat) coloring (which is described as mottled patches of color in a solid or piebald coat, blue or odd-colored eyes present) require responsible and educated breeding so as to not tamper with potential offspring issues. There is much conflicting information regarding the merle color pattern. We highly suggest if researching this topic that you go directly to reliable sources such as genetic labs and not off of unprofessional opinions. Here at Paw Haven Puppies, we aim to offer something a little extra. We take great care to breed responsibly with genetically health tested dogs. We love to provide an outstanding and unique color for that ‘WOW’ factor for all our pups while protecting the integrity of their health.

Poodles grow hair like humans and not fur. Therefore, this needs to be considered and adjusted to determine the level of grooming pertaining to doodles. For a poodle, they must be brushed and bathed regularly and clipped every six to eight weeks. Clean and check the ears frequently for wax or mites or infection and pull out hairs growing inside the ear canal. The teeth need regular scaling. Since the poodle coat does not shed it needs to be clipped (for doodles, shedding varies on the generation and genetics *see further down for more on this). Haircuts and styling can be an area of fun and expression as there are several different types of poodle and doodle clips to choose from. The most common clips for pet owners is an easy-care clip called a “pet clip,” “puppy clip” or “lamb clip,” where the coat is cut short all over the body much like the “doodle clip”. Popular show clips are the English saddle and the Continental clip: the rear half of the body is shaved, bracelets are left around the ankles, and pom-poms are left on the tails and hips. The AKC poodle standard allows for a dog under a year old to be shown in a show-style puppy clip which has special requirements such as a pom-pom on the end of the tail. Other clip styles are the modified continental clip, town and country clip, kennel or utility clip, summer clip, and the Miami or bikini clip.

Poodles (and doodles varying on the care and proper attention paid to genes and coat-type) are fabulous for allergy sufferers. While the hair coat of a poodle has superior hypo-allergenic properties to a doodle and does NOT shed, here at Paw Haven Puppies we aim for the highest level of a genetic and coat tendency for hypo-allergenic properties in all our doodles.

*Please ask for a t-shirt test for any allergy concerns.

Health testing is necessary in breeding to make sure that all parents are healthy and sound and not carriers of any specific genetic diseases that they may pass on to their offspring. DNA testing is important to show that the dog is indeed a purebred dog, in the case of hybrids, it will show the dog’s genetic breed background to confirm the dog’s breed.

Coat testing is important particularly when breeding doodles. Testing shows the coat characteristics of each parent to ensure the coat characteristics of their offspring. Responsible doodle breeders know that coat testing is absolutely necessary since they are specifically bred for hypoallergenic qualities. To ensure the highest hypoallergenic properties in a coat, PawHaven Puppies will only breed dogs with proper coats.