Aussiedoodle vs Australian Labradoodle: Differences Explained

You could be forgiven for thinking that the Aussiedoodle (or Aussiepoo as they are also known) and the Australian Labradoodle are one and the same breed. However, you would be very wrong as they couldn’t be more different! In fact, the Aussiedoodle doesn’t even have any Antipodean origins at all.

The Aussiedoodle is part Poodle and part Australian Shepherd. The Australian Labradoodle is a mix of three or more approved breeds consisting of Poodle, Labrador Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel, Curly Coat Retriever, American Cocker Spaniel, and English Cocker Spaniel.

Both beautiful Doodles in their own right, whilst they share one parent in the elegant Poodle there are many differences that set them apart from each other. In this article, we hope to arm you with all the knowledge that you could ever need to be able to differentiate between the Aussidoodle and the Australian Labradoodle.

The Aussiedoodle (or Aussiepoo)

Aussiedoodle Size

The Aussiedoodle is a Doodle mix made from the Poodle and The Australian Shepherd. The Standard, Miniature, and Toy Poodles are all used to make this cross so they can vary quite considerably in size. They are usually considered to be a medium-sized dog but when you take into account that all three sized Poodles can be used, their weight can range from 10lbs to 70lbs and their height from under 10” for a Toy to over 22” for a Standard.

Aussiedoodle Coat

The Poodle comes in a plethora of colors and the Australian Shepherd has a lovely combination of colors and patterns. This leaves the Aussidoodle with vast possibilities when it comes to their color. However, Aussiedoodles will most often be particolored, black and tan, sable, blue merle, red merle, or black and red tricolored. They also, albeit more rarely, present in a solid color.

Their coat will typically be low shedding if they inherit the Poodle curls. However, should the Australian Shepherd genes be dominant then you may find that their coat will be longer with more of a wave than a curl. Either way, your Aussiedoodle’s coat is going to need lots of brushing, washing, and clipping to keep them clean and looking their best.

Aussiedoodle Temperament

The Aussiedoodle is a mix of the goofy, playful, yet sometimes aloof Poodle and the smart and energetic Australian Shepherd. This makes for a lively Doodle who will need lots of stimulation, both mentally and physically.

The Australian Shepherd was bred to work alongside its master on a daily basis and this need for companionship is inherent in the Aussiedoodle. They make strong bonds, want to please, and are loyal and loving.

Their high energy and penchant to herd may not make them the best pet for families with younger children or smaller pets unless introductions are made steadily, and training is thorough and consistent with lots of positive reinforcement.

They make great therapy dogs due to their intuition for human mood and will crave to be your best friend. Their high intelligence may not always make training easy and don’t underestimate their ability to pull the wool over your eyes. You need to be alert with this clever pooch, but they will bring fun, laughter, and love into your lives.

Aussiedoodle Exercise Needs

There is no doubt about it, the Aussiedoodle has high exercise needs. They need a long daily walk with playtime added in. This can be a simple game of fetch or even agility training, but they are best suited to an active family who is able to meet their needs.

It’s important to remember that mental stimulation is also extremely important to this breed. They are super smart and keeping their mind active is as necessary as attending to their physical routine. Puzzles, games, and interactive toys are all ways to keep that grey matter ticking over and preventing your Aussidoodle from becoming bored and making mischief.

Aussiedoodle Health

Although quite robust there are breed-specific issues related to the Australian Shepherd and therefore potentially the Aussiedoodle too. Epilepsy is one to be aware of but the most important of all is the issues that the merle gene can cause.

It is extremely important that generations beyond F1 are DNA tested for the merle gene as two copies can cause deafness and blindness. You can read about the merle gene in Aussiedoodles in further detail in our article How are Aussiedoodles bred: Can you breed two Aussiedoodles?

Problems from the Poodle side that you need to keep on your radar are hip and elbow dysplasia, PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy), and Addison’s Disease.

The Australian Labradoodle

The Australian Labradoodle was first created using a Labradoodle (Poodle and Labrador retriever) and the Irish Water Spaniel. This was to primarily introduce the striking chocolate color of the Water Spaniel without compromising the low shedding advantages of the Labradoodle.

The Curly Coat Retriever was then introduced with the objective of reintroducing Retriever features back into the mix. The Cocker Spaniel (both English and American) was then introduced in order to aid the Miniature sizing as using the Miniature Poodle alone was not sufficient. You can read more about the creation of the Australian Labradoodle and the grading system that is used to determine their generation in our sister article the Australian Labradoodle grading system explained.

Australian Labradoodle Size

Like the Aussiedoodle the Australian Labradoodle comes in three sizes. These are described as Standard, Medium, and Miniature. Their average weight, therefore, has quite a range of between 15lbs and 65lbs, and the height can be from 14” to 24”

Australian Labradoodle Coat

The Australian Labradoodle can also be found in a variety of colors, shades, and patterns. Black, chocolate, apricot, cream, and red are all popular colors. Pattern examples can be parti (at least 50% white) and phantom.

The development of the Australian Labradoodle is to eventually aim for two types of coat. Wool and fleece. The fleece coat is lower maintenance and is soft. It varies between straight, wavy, and curly. The wool coat is coarser and similar to the Poodle’s coat. It will also require more grooming and clipping.

Australian Labradoodle Temperament

Similar to the Aussiedoodle in that they have an aptitude to tune in with their human the Australian Labradoodle is also used regularly as a service and therapy dog. The goal for the breed standard of the Australian Labradoodle is for a calm, intelligent and eager to please dog.

Australian Labradoodle Exercise Needs

Whilst not at high maintenance as the Aussiedoodle the Australian Labradoodle will still need daily exercise in the form of walks and trips to the dog park. Extra playtime will also help them to use up any excess energy and also help to develop and strengthen the bond between you.

Again, they are intelligent so mental stimulation cannot be forgotten. Rotate their toys and introduce treat puzzle toys that will help them channel their intelligence for a tasty reward.

Australian Labradoodle Health

Like with all mixed breeds hybrid vigor should go a long way in preventing many predisposed concerns that are seen in parent breeds. However, this is never a given, and taking care of your Australian Labradoodle’s health should be high priority.

With that in mind, possible conditions that you may find in your Australian Labradoodle are hip and elbow dysplasia, Von Willebrands disease, PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy), and in larger dogs who have a deep-set chest, bloat.

Easy to View Guide: The Difference Between an Aussiedoodle and an Australian Labradoodle

 AussiedoodleAustralian Labradoodle
Parent Breeds:Poodle and Australian ShepherdPoodle, Labrador Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel, Curly Coat Retriever, American Springer Spaniel, English Springer Spaniel
   
Size:Standard: 15” – 22” 45lbs – 70lbsStandard: 21” – 25” 50lbs – 60lbs
 Miniature: 10” – 15” 15lbs – 45lbsMedium: 17” – 20” 30lbs – 65lbs
 Toy: <10” 10lbs – 15lbsMiniature: 14” – 17” 15lbs – 25lbs
   
Coat maintenance:HighMedium to High depending on coat type
   
Temperment:Loyal, loving, playful and smartCalm, intelligent, easy to train with a willingness to match
   
Health concerns:Epilepsy, PRA, Hip / Shoulder Dysplasia, Blindness and Deafness due to implications of the merle geneLuxating Patella (especially in smaller breeds), PRA and Hip / Shoulder Dysplasia
   
Exercise Needs:High. Mental stimulation is imperativeModerate to high
   
Best suited to:Active families, homes in the countryside or with large outdoor spaces, homes with older childrenFamilies, homes with a yard