18/07/2024
𝗕𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗕𝗨𝗬 𝗠𝗘, 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗘 & 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗠𝗘
They're cute right! Oodles became a fad over a decade ago, it started with the Lab x Poodle that was called a Labradoodle, a dog bred to be a Guide Dog for those allergic to dogs back in the early 80's, as you could probably fathom by the lack of Labradoodle Guide Dogs, the project was not successful for various reasons relating to the dogs suitability.
What happens when a type of dog becomes a fad is they become a money-making opportunity, inexperienced individuals, some with hearts of gold and others only with $$$ in their eyes jump on board and start breeding for demand - right now we're seeing that with French Bulldogs who for now seem to have overtaken the Oodle craze.
Inexperienced or simply unethical breeders went ahead and started breeding programs without understanding structure, coat genetics, disease genetics, genetics in general and temperament so what we started to see was dogs with poor structure that meant many would end up with expensive surgeries to fix conditions such as slipping patella's - this is where the kneecap of the dog dislocates, they were also being affected by conditions such as Hip Dysplasia and that's just the start of it.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 '𝗛𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝗴𝗼𝗿' - consumers were led to believe that by crossing 2 breeds you would get rid of the genetic conditions associated with those 2 breeds but what they were effectively doing was potentially doubling up on problems because they had very little understanding of those issues and the mode of inheritance so they would breed for an example, a Poodle to a Cavalier that were either affected by the same condition or came from a bloodline where that problem occurred.
Take-home point, if you breed a dog with a structural fault to another dog with the same structural fault then you're not creating hybrid vigour, you're creating a problem.
Let us have a look at one of the most common Oddles, the Cavalier x Poodle commercially named the 'Cavoodle' (there is no such breed) and what conditions they are more prone to:
𝗣𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗟𝗘 (𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗜)
Diabetes Mellitus
Cushings Disease
Allergies
Atopic dermatitis
Otitis Externa
Pododermatitis
Sebaceous adenitis
Sebaceous gland tumour
𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗹𝘂𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Periodontal disease
𝗣𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗟𝗘 (𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗗)
Allergies
Atopic dermatitis
Sebaceous adenitis
𝗛𝗶𝗽 𝗱𝘆𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗮
𝗣𝗢𝗢𝗗𝗟𝗘 (𝗧𝗢𝗬)
Diabetes Mellitus
Cushings Disease
Allergies
Atopic dermatitis
Sebaceous gland tumour
𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗟𝘂𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Epilepsy
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) (X-linked)
Periodontal disease
𝗖𝗔𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗥 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗦 𝗦𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗘𝗟
Chronic Valvular Disease (CVD)
Keratitis sicca
𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗹𝘂𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Atopic dermatitis
A**l sac impaction
Otitis externa
Syringomyelia
You may notice that '𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗟𝘂𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻' occurs in both breeds so breeding 2 breeds together with the same issues does not make it Hybrid Vigor, it just increases the risk of that condition occurring, no different to breeding 2 purebred dogs of the same breed together who are affected or come from lines with dogs affected by that same condition.
This condition is often seen in dogs with straight stifles, the dogs rear legs don't bend at the knee in a standing position as much as they should, this also means that they are at an increased risk of knee injuries. Cruciate ligament injuries are always one we worry about in such dogs whether it be from a strained cruciate to a fully torn one that needs surgery.
If a Poodle x is a dog you really really want to buy this would be my advice:
- Don't buy from an individual who doesn't do health testing for the conditions the breeds they are using are affected by - these are not tests carried out by the local vet, they are often DNA tests, Imaging and so forth - I strongly suggest you do a lot more research into this before looking at any Poodle x.
- Ask what the grades are of the Patella's of both Dam and Sire - Patella's are graded 1-4, anything 2.5 and above is generally considered a surgical case. If they can't answer this question, I would suggest you look for a different breeder, I would also encourage you to consider a registered ANKC purebred breeder who does all the relevant tests for their breeds and does not breed on with dogs with structural issues.
- A crossbreed should not cost you more than what a purebred does, so please don't pay thousands of dollars, especially for one whose Dam & Sire have had no genetic & health screening.
- Please never buy one from someone you can't meet in person and see the conditions the dogs live in - Oodles are often overbred in large-scale breeding facilities and sold online and through pet shops.
- If you're looking for a low/no shedding dog then a Poodle x is not necessary for you as it cannot be guaranteed what their coat will be like - they may shed a lot and need a lot of grooming.
- Get Pet insurance before you go to your first Vet visit so nothing can be called an existing condition by your insurance company.
- If your dog is diagnosed with slipping patella's or another ortho conditions, please ask your Vet for a referral to an Animal Physio, here in Sydney we recommend Whole Family Health at St Mary's - they may be able to help you avoid surgery or if surgery is required, they can help prepare your dog for this and help them recover as well.
No matter how lovely the breeder of your current or future Oodle is, if they're not genetic testing, health screening then they're not doing the right thing for the dog and they don't deserve your money.
Whilst Mother Natures gives no guarantee's, selecting a breeder who is trying their hardest to breed healthy puppies by doing all the relevant tests is the right place to start.
There's plenty of very adorable and unique purebred dogs you may like to consider and talk to breeders about the screening they do and if they are a suitable match for you, such as:
Affenpinscher
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/affenpinscher.asp
Bedlington Terrier
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/bedlington-terrier.asp
Bichon Frise
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/bichon-frise.asp
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/cavalier-king-charles-spaniel.asp
Chihuahua (Long Coat)
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/chihuahua-long-coat.asp
American Cocker Spaniel
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/american-cocker-spaniel.asp
Finnish Lapphund
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/finnish-lapphund.asp
Griffon Bruxellois
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/griffon-bruxellois.asp
Havanese
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/havanese.asp
Japanese Chin
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/japanese-chin.asp
Japanese Spitz
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/japanese-spitz.asp
Keeshond
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/keeshond.asp
King Charles Spaniel
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/king-charles-spaniel.asp
Lhasa Apso
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/lhasa-apso.asp
Lagotto - Check this one out
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/lagotto-romagnolo.asp
Lowchen
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/lowchen.asp
Maltese
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/maltese.asp
Papillon
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/papillon.asp
Pekingese
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/pekingese.asp
Pomeranian
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/pomeranian.asp
Miniature Poodle
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/poodle-miniature.asp
Toy Poodle
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/poodle-toy.asp
Schipperke
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/schipperke.asp
Yorkshire Terrier
https://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/yorkshire-terrier.asp
Important note about this post: This post is not a beat up on the Oodle, it is simply putting a myth to bed about Hybrid Vigor and outlining how you can make safer choices. We still have a long way to go to understand the mode of inheritance in a lot of diseases but we can first start by not supporting breeders who breed 2 dogs together who have the same defect/fault.
