Irish Doodle – A Complete Breed Guide

Irish Doodles are amazing dogs and possibly one of the most beautiful mixed breed pups there is. They’re a cross between the Irish Setter and the Poodle – both of which are considered 2 of the prettiest dogs in the world, so you can imagine just how special these pooches are.

Tolerant of kids and other pups, these hunting dogs are loyal family members that need a good amount of daily exercise. They’re fun, energetic, affectionate, and hard-working. But is the Irish Doodle the dog for you?

In the complete breed guide, we’re going to take you through everything you need to know about these fantastic dogs so you can decide if one would fit well into your family or not!

What Is an Irish Doodle?

An Irish Doodle, also called an Irish Setter Doodle, Irish Doodle Setter, Irish Poo Setter, Irish Setterdoodle, or Irish Setterpoo is a hybrid dog breed and a cross between an Irish Setter and a Poodle.

They’re stunning dogs that often have a golden red coat that has the potential to be hypoallergenic (thanks to the Poodle in them). They’re playful, active, highly intelligent, and a great choice for families.

Parent Breeds

The trouble with mixed breeds is that there are no breed standards for pups to be bred to. This can mean that the appearance and temperament of your Irish Doodle can vary quite a lot. One of the best ways to understand these dogs is to have a look at the parent breeds.

Irish Setter

Irish Setters have been around for more than 200 years. They’re brilliant gundogs that work closely with hunters to trace game birds. Because of their close bond with humans, Irish Setters make great family pets that are affectionate towards adults and happy playmates of children. Although hunters, they’ll be happy to spend much of their afternoon retrieving a tennis ball from a willing child!

Irish Setters are stunning dogs that are famous for their beautiful coats. The color ranges from deep mahogany to red. Irish Setters have moderate grooming needs and will need to be given a good brush twice per week to keep their coats sleek and beautiful.

As active dogs, Irish Setters need lots of time outdoors and to be part of an active family. They enjoy hiking and playing in the park. But don’t forget to keep their brains active too! They’ll excel in canine classes and will really benefit from puzzle toys and fun games to keep them entertained.

Poodle

Poodles are iconic dogs that are recognized in three different sizes: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. There’s also the Moyen Poodle that’s a kind of mixture between a Miniature Poodle and a Standard, but they are not recognized but the AKC.

Just like Irish Setters, Poodles were bred to work closely with hunters, retrieving waterfowl. Whilst many think of Poodles as being French, they’re actually native to Germany. From the Standard Poodle, the Miniature and Toy Poodle were further bred for different reasons. Miniature Poodles were used to hunt truffles and Toy Poodles were bred to sit on the laps of noble women and keep them company.

Poodles are highly intelligent dogs and need to keep their brains active. Bored Poodles can easily become destructive.

These dogs are adored by many pup parents because of their hypoallergenic coats. Those tight curls don’t shed, which is why they’re so popular as parent breeds for mixes. They can even be mixed with notorious shedders to create more hypoallergenic mixes such as the Mini Goldendoodle, Mini Bernedoodle, and Sheepadoodle!

History of the Irish Doodle

As is the case with most mixed breeds, no one knows for sure when the first Irish Doodle puppies were born. It’s quite possible that they were born naturally before anyone registered them.

However, it’s likely that these half-Irish dogs were first officially bred in the 1990s. During this decade, there was a great demand for new, hypoallergenic breeds and Poodle-mixes became very popular. Not only were they practical but they were also seriously adorable!

Appearance of An Irish Doodle

Irish Doodles are medium to large-sized dogs that usually inherit a wonderful red or red-golden coat. It can, however, also be black, gray, cream, or blue. If you’re lucky enough, you might even get a golden Irish Doodle. The coat can be curly like a Poodle’s or wavy. Irish Doodles usually have adorable floppy ears, kind oval eyes that are light brown, and a long-ish muzzle.

Poodles have single coats that are often groomed into a particular style. Irish Setters, however, have dense double coats which need to be brushed more often. Irish Doodles usually inherit a coat that’s more like a Poodle’s, but some may inherit a double coat.

How Tall Do Irish Doodles Get?

Standard Irish Doodles will usually grow to be between 22 and 28 inches tall. Females are generally smaller than males.

(A mini Irish Doodle, however, will be smaller. But more on them in a moment!)

How Much Do Irish Doodles Weigh?

A full-grown Irish Doodle will weigh between 40 and 70 pounds. Again, females tend to be the lighter ones.

Temperament of an Irish Doodle

The Irish Setter Poodle Mix is exactly that – a mix of both these wonderful breeds. Like their parents, they’re energetic, loyal, affectionate, and very playful. They’re really good family pets for active homes and will enjoy accompanying you on any activity.

These pups are sweet-natured and can be a little sensitive at times. Positive reinforcement and lots of affection will make them happiest and it’s the easiest way to train them. Poodles are known to react to loud noises, raised voices, and quick movements and it’s possible your Irish Doodle will do the same. Kids should always be taught to respect dogs in the house and give them their space when needed.

As far as pups go, they’re pretty docile and happy-go-lucky. They enjoy activities and time spent with their favorite humans but are also happy to curl up on the couch.

Do Irish Doodles Get Along With Kids?

Yes! Irish Doodles get along well with children and love having someone to play with. Care should be taken when introducing Irish Doodle puppies to kids so that they both learn how to play with each other safely.

Do Irish Doodles Get Along With Other Dogs?

Both Standard and Mini Irish Doodles are sociable dogs that get along well with other dogs. Socialization is very important so that they learn good behavior and doggy rules. Some pups may be a little reserved around other dogs but should warm up a bit after time. Likewise, dogs that find loud noises or too much stimuli overwhelming may not love to play with other bouncy dog breeds.

Training an Irish Doodle

Both Poodles and Irish Setters are highly intelligent and very trainable dogs – so you can expect the Irish Setter Poodle mix to be too. They’ll react well to healthy treats such as pineapple, blueberries, or strawberries and cheese is always a favorite for little puppies learning.

Irish Doodle owners should make training sessions fun and full of rewards. For instance, when training dogs to roll over, start simply so that they don’t get bored or lose interest.

Does The Irish Doodle Dog Bark?

No, Irish Doodles don’t bark much. They’re intelligent so may alert you to exciting things or dangers, but they’re certainly not a yappy breed.

How Much Exercise Does An Irish Doodle Need?

Poodles need a good amount of exercise a day, as do Irish Setters. This means you can expect to take your Irish Doodle out for plenty of walks and spend lots of your time playing with them. They need around 90 mins of exercise a day.

It’s important they maintain a healthy weight, so exercise is really important. As well as long walks, time playing in a dog park, games of fetch, and toys, your Irish Doodle may love swimming. Standard Poodles are big swimmers and they may inherit that!

Can Irish Doodles Live in Apartments?

Irish Doodles are active dogs that can be quite excitable. Ideally, they’d live in a house with a fenced-in backyard that they could play in. This would help them to use up some of their energy and would mean you’d have to do less.

Smaller and calmer Irish Doodles may be able to live in an apartment with an owner who is willing to take them out often.

A Mini Irish Doodle (pups bred specifically to be small) will adapt to apartment life more easily.

Health of an Irish Doodle

These pups are usually healthy and robust dogs. Like any dog breed, you should always adopt your pooch from a reputable breeder who can provide you with all the necessary health checks and paperwork.

Even then, this breed can suffer from a couple of health concerns:

• Hip dysplasia
• Bloat (a slow-feeding dog bowl can help with this)
• Eye disease
• Von Willebrand’s disease
• Addison’s disease
• Epilepsy

Regular checkups at the vet, as well as familiarising yourself with the common signs of illness can help to catch problems early on.

How Long Do Irish Doodles Live?

A well-cared-for Irish Doodle can have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years – which isn’t bad for a medium-sized dog!

What Should You Feed an Irish Doodle?

These pups are active dogs and require enough calories per day to maintain a healthy weight. It’s best to feed them good-quality, dog-specific food. If you can, try to swap out unhealthy dog treats for healthier alternatives.

Fresh dog food is a popular choice for Irish Doodles. It’s pre-portioned to help with weight control and is specifically designed based on your dog’s needs and activity levels.

Grooming an Irish Setter Doodle

How much grooming your Irish Doodle requires really depends on whether they inherited their Poodle parent or Irish Setter parent’s coat type. Many Irish Doodles have a single coat which doesn’t require much brushing. It will, however, need to be regularly trimmed to keep them looking good and the coat healthy.

If your pup inherits the Irish Setter’s coat, you can expect more brushing.

Neither coat type requires regular bathing. In fact, you’ll probably be alright with just a couple of times a year. They have little doggy odor – unless they roll in something!

Do Irish Doodles Shed?

Again, this really depends on which type of coat they inherit. In all likelihood, your Irish Doodle will shed minimally and may even be considered hypoallergenic. Pups with a double coat will shed more, though.

What Is A Mini Irish Doodle?

If you’re looking for all the good qualities of a Standard Irish Doodle but in miniature form, then a Mini Irish Doodle might be perfect. They’re the result of breeding smaller standard Irish Doodles or, in some instances, using a Miniature Poodle as the parent dog.

They look very similar to Standard dogs, just even cuter (if that’s possible) because of their size!

How Much Does an Irish Doodle Cost?

The exact price of one of these adorable pups will depend on a number of factors. These can be breeders in your area, demand, and coat color. Red pups are the most common and therefore are often cheaper. Black, blue, or cream dogs are rarer and can be more expensive.

And yes, they can be expensive – especially for a mixed breed. Red dogs can cost anywhere upwards of $1200 and other colors upwards of $1400.

Irish Doodle Breeders

If you want to adopt an Irish Doodle puppy, it’s important to research a breeder well. They should provide you with health checks for the puppy as well as the parent breeds. Avoid breeders that won’t offer health certificates or that sell their puppies for much less. They’re likely to be puppy farms or unethical breeders.

Of course, you can also check in your local shelter. This is a great way to give a dog in need a second home.

Conclusion – Is an Irish Doodle the Dog for You?

These dogs are amazing and the whole package for someone looking for a friendly, sweet-natured, and playful dog that’s also very pretty.

Depending on their unique genetics, many of these pups will also have a hypoallergenic coat, which helps enormously if you have allergies.

They’re fun, loyal, intelligent, and their coat can have many different colors. What’s not to like?