Sheepadoodle Stud Dog Guide: Health Tests, Sizes & What to Look For

The Sheepadoodle — a cross between an Old English Sheepdog and a Poodle — has grown rapidly in popularity as a large, low-shedding family dog. Selecting the right stud dog for a Sheepadoodle litter involves understanding both parent breeds' health requirements and coat genetics.

Sheepadoodle Generations Explained

F1: Old English Sheepdog × Standard Poodle — 50/50 hybrid, most genetic diversity, coats range from wavy to loosely curly.

F1b: F1 Sheepadoodle × Standard Poodle — 75% Poodle, curlier and less shedding, popular for allergy-sensitive homes.

F2 and Multigen: Two Doodles bred together — coat and size become more predictable in established lines, but requires careful selection to avoid increasing COI.

When selecting a stud for your Sheepadoodle program, the generation you're targeting determines whether you need a purebred Poodle or another Doodle.

Size Matching for Sheepadoodle Studs

Old English Sheepdogs typically weigh 60–100 lbs. Standard Poodles weigh 45–70 lbs. Most Sheepadoodles target 50–80 lbs at maturity. If you're targeting a Mini Sheepadoodle program, the dam must be a Standard or Mini Poodle × OES cross, and the stud should be a Miniature Poodle — never put a larger male on a small dam.

Health Tests Required for Sheepadoodle Studs

From the Poodle side:

• Hip evaluation (OFA or PennHIP)
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (prcd-PRA) — DNA test
• Neonatal Encephalopathy (NEwS) — DNA test
• Von Willebrand's Disease type I — DNA test
• Sebaceous Adenitis — OFA evaluation

From the Old English Sheepdog side:

• Hip evaluation
• MDR1/ABCB1 drug sensitivity — DNA test
• Hereditary Cataracts (HC) — DNA test
• Cerebellar Ataxia — DNA test
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy — DNA test

For a multigenerational stud, confirm the panel covers both breed contributions. A Sheepadoodle stud who has not been tested for OES-specific diseases can still pass those genes to the litter.

Coat Genetics for Sheepadoodle Breeders

The most important coat gene for Sheepadoodle breeders is the furnishings gene (RSPO3). Furnished dogs have the mustache, beard, and eyebrows typical of Poodles and low-shedding Doodles. Unfurnished dogs have a short, flat coat and shed more.

For F1b and multigenerational programs, select a stud who is FF (furnished/furnished) to guarantee all puppies will be furnished. A stud who is Ff (one copy) will produce some unfurnished puppies when bred to another Ff dog.

Curl gene (KRT71): Homozygous curl (cc) produces tighter curls. Heterozygous (Cc) produces a wavy coat. Straight coat (CC) is common in F1s.

What to Ask a Sheepadoodle Stud Owner

1. What generation is the stud dog?
2. What is the stud's weight and expected mature size?
3. Has he been tested for both OES and Poodle genetic diseases?
4. What is the furnishings and curl gene result?
5. What is the return service policy if the litter doesn't take?
6. How many previous litters has this stud produced?

Finding a Reputable Sheepadoodle Stud

A reputable Sheepadoodle stud owner will have Embark or PawPrint Genetics results covering both parent-breed disease panels, documented size, and furnishings genetics. Avoid studs listed with only a "basic traits" panel — that is not sufficient for a responsible breeding program.