What’s a designer dog? In a nutshell, a designer dog is the result of a purposeful breeding of two dogs of different breeds to create a new mix that brings out the most desired features in the two original breeds. The most popular designer dog breeds today include Poodles, which tend to be smart, athletic, and friendly. They’re also widely considered low-shedding dogs. Poodle-mix dogs are often grouped as “Doodles.”
Doodle dogs can be mixed with many different breeds, but the most popular are:
- Labradoodles (Poodle and Labrador Retriever)
- Goldendoodles (Poodle and Golden Retriever
- Sheepadoodles (Poodle and Old English Sheepdog)
- Bernedoodles (Poodle and Bernese Mountain Dog)
- Schnoodles (Poodle and Schnauzer)
Other popular dog breed mixes include:
- Pomsky (Pomeranian and Husky)
- Puggle (Pug and Beagle)
- Chiweenies (Dachshund and Chihuahua)
- Yorkiepoos (Yorkshire Terrier and Toy Poodle)
- Boxadors (Boxer and Labrador)
- Cockapoo (Poodle and Cocker Spaniel)
Most of these mixes are adorable, especially as puppies, which is why they are so popular. The public wants cute dogs, and that’s fine, but we must add that you can find cute dogs and puppies in shelters, too.
While many designer dog breeders promote the puppies as a “new breed,” they are, of course, just mixed breeds. The American Kennel Club recognizes 202 breeds as of 2025, and getting a breed officially recognized is not easy. It requires a national breed club and breed standard, at least 300 to 400 dogs with a three-generation pedigree (all the same breed), and a solid geographic distribution of the dogs.
Mixed designer breeds can be registered with the AKC for the purpose of competing in AKC sports. Registration with the AKC does not mean that a dog is a purebred. One must look at the type of registration.
Expensive Dogs
Ethical breeders perform health testing based on the individual breed and choose breeding animals for good temperaments and genes. Not all breeders of designer puppies care about health, good structure, and temperament when they breed two dogs, and they put high price tags on the pups. Note: Scientifically, there is no such thing as “hybrid vigor,” so mating between two different breeds isn’t going to automatically boost the resulting pup’s health. With most designer dogs, there is no mention of the lack of predictability of traits or genetic testing for disease, such as through the Canine Health Information Center.
The prices of designer dog breeds are largely inflated, often costing more than a true purebred dog. The puppies are often sold on generic websites with little solid information for the people looking for a cute puppy.
All Those Designer Doodle Dogs
If you’re buying a Poodle or a Doodle, you should know how crucial regular grooming is. Many of these breeds are also promoted as hypoallergenic. That is not the case. Families looking for a lack of shedding and minimal effect on breathing in allergens are often not given accurate information.
Additionally, Poodles are working breeds, which means they are active, intelligent dogs. With many Doodle mixes, this can mean that their energy levels rival the Energizer Bunny. Not all of them, of course. There are Doodles who are calmer than average and have stellar temperaments. They tend to be bred by someone who breeds for temperament and health and spends time training and socializing before a puppy goes to their new home. Good breeders are also available to provide information and support and potentially take back a dog (if the buyer cannot keep the dog for some reason) for the puppy’s lifetime.
Designer Dogs Are Mixed Breeds
The bottom line is that mixed breeds are just as lovable as purebreds. If you are not looking specifically for a purebred, you can often find what you are looking for in one of the many shelters and rescue groups in any given area. There are many Poodle mixes already in existence. Your veterinarian will be happy to put you in touch with ethical, legitimate shelters that will work with you to find the best dog for your family at a very low cost.
