Why You Shouldn’t Get a Sheepadoodle (Pros + Cons)

Last Updated on June 4, 2024

Sheepadoodles and Mini Sheepadoodles are an incredibly cute type of Doodle and are low-shedding dogs, but they certainly aren’t for everybody.

While Sheepadoodles make great family pets, there are several reasons why someone might not want to get a Sheepadoodle.

As someone who owns a Sheepadoodle myself, I want to make sure that prospective Doodle owners know exactly what they are getting into. Many Sheepadoodles and doodle-type dogs end up in Doodle rescues and shelters every year.

To avoid this, it’s important to be fully transparent about the Sheepadoodle so if you decide they are the right dog for you, it will be for life!

And as I am not a breeder, you can be sure that my advice has absolutely no bias whatsoever.

So, what are some reasons why you might not want to get a Sheepadoodle?

1. Sheepadoodles puppies can be expensive

The cost of Sheepadoodles has risen over the years. Sheepadoodle puppies can be upwards of $2,000 from a Sheepadoodle breeder and mini Sheepadoodles can go for more than $3,000 (side note: when we got ours back in 2015, we didn’t pay even close to those amounts).

Solution: You can always adopt a dog from a Doodle rescue if you’d like to provide a home for an adult Sheepadoodle and save on the initial cost! While you may not find a Sheepadoodle, you can often find Poodle mix dogs in Doodle rescues!

2. Sheepadoodles Require Lots of At-Home Grooming

Sheepadoodles are generally a low-shedding dog and need to be combed and brushed often!

If you want to keep your Sheepadoodle’s hair long, you will need to set aside roughly 30 minutes every other day (or even daily) to brush, comb and groom your Sheepie.

This is done to prevent the hair from matting. Mats can be very painful and unfortunately, groomers are often wary of doodles as their owners often bring them in full of mats.

I personally think it’s a lack of knowledge because most of us would never want our dogs to be in pain! This is why I always try to make future-doodle owners aware of the time commitment needed to keep their fur-babies knot-and-tangle free.

If you don’t have time to brush that often, your alternative is to send your pooch to the groomers every few weeks.

Each location is different for the price, but I’ve found that groomers usually charge $100-$150 for a full doodle groom and about $50-$100 for a tidy. It would be a great idea to call groomers in your area and see what the going rates are.

Solution: Start brushing and combing your puppy the moment you get them just so they can get used to it. Give them lots of treats while brushing so they have a positive-experience with the brush. This makes brushing and combing so much more enjoyable for everyone once they get bigger. Some dogs run and hide at the sight of their brush. Ours runs to me, lays down and falls asleep as I brush her!

3. Sheepadoodles Require Frequent Trips to the Groomers

As I mentioned above, Sheepadoodles need frequent trips to the groomer.

Unlike dogs that shed, Sheepadoodles need to see a groomer often in order to keep them knot, mat and dirt-free.

This can be quite costly depending on where you live, so it’s important to factor the cost of grooming into your budget when planning for a new puppy.

Solution: To save on trips to the groomers, learn how to groom your Sheepadoodle yourself.

4. Sheepadoodles Can Have Lots of Energy

The Sheepadoodle is a medium to high-energy dog. This might be a pro or a con. For me, it’s a pro! I want a dog with lots of energy to go on long walks with.

But some people would rather a lazy dog. It depends what you’d like.

Even though Sheepadoodles can be quite cuddly, they still need to burn off their energy.

Dog daycare is a great option for tiring your dog out if you work away from home.

Most Sheepadoodles require a couple of hours of exercise (walks, fetch, runs) per day. Your new mantra after you get your Sheepadoodle is going to be, “a happy dog is a tired dog” which couldn’t be more true for the Sheepadoodle.

Like any dog, when a Sheepadoodle becomes restless from lack of stimulation and exercise, they can become destructive.

Solution: If you don’t have the time to properly exercise your Sheepadoodle it might be a good idea to look into a low-energy dog breed. You can use this amazing dog training resource to help you learn how to properly train and tire your dog out through mental stimulation. We LOVE tiring our gal our this way because it’s beneficial for her mind.

You might also be interested in this comparison between Sheepadoodles and Bernedoodles. Bernedoodles (and Mini Bernedoodles) tend to have a bit less energy than a Sheepadoodle. They still require lots of attention, but can be a bit calmer.

5. Sheepadoodle puppies tend to nip more than other breeds

Sheepadoodle puppies have earned the nickname “land sharks” for their nipping and puppy biting. As Sheepadoodles are part Old English Sheepdog (which is a herding breed) they want to nip and herd anything and everything! It requires patience and training to teach them to stop.

Lots of puppies nip, so this isn’t unique to Sheepadoodles, but Sheepadoodles seem to nip more than other breeds.

We ended up hiring a private trainer to help us with our pup’s nipping, and with his advice, we were able to get it under control; it just took some time and a lot of patience from us.

If you have the patience and you can deal with the nipping, then it isn’t too bad. Sheepadoodles grow up to be very loving dogs if they have the right training and guidance when they are puppies!

Solution: Be consistent with training and join our private Sheepadoodle Facebook group to ask for help when it comes to nipping.

Should You Get a Sheepadoodle?

At the end of the day, you know you (and your family) best! If a Sheepadoodle seems like the perfect dog for you, it’s time to find a Sheepadoodle breeder by searching through our list and looking up breeders in your area!