10/25/2026
Coffee & Conversation — Day 6
Hey, friends! Welcome back! Grab your coffee and pull up a chair because today we're going to talk about something that really gets people talking in the dog world.
Doodles!
Oh, goodness! If you thought merle Poodles stirred up some strong opinions, just mention doodles in certain dog circles and watch what happens!
Now, I know there are people who absolutely love doodles, and there are others who wouldn't own one if you gave it to them. And you know what? That's perfectly fine! We all have our preferences.
But somewhere along the way, the conversation seems to have shifted from simply not preferring doodles to suggesting that breeding them is automatically unethical.
And that's where I have to disagree.
I love Poodles. Obviously! I breed them, I appreciate their intelligence, their personalities, their versatility, and everything that makes them such wonderful dogs. I also have tremendous respect for preservation breeders who have dedicated years to maintaining and improving established breeds. There's a great deal of knowledge, work, and commitment involved in doing that well.
But I also believe there's room for thoughtfully bred companion crosses.
Here at By Design, I raise both Poodles and Cavapoos, and I genuinely love what each brings to the table. I don't see those two things as being in competition with one another.
One of the arguments I hear most often is that doodles are unpredictable. And there's some truth to that! When you combine two breeds, especially in first-generation crosses, you can see more variation in coat, size, structure, and temperament. That's simply how inheritance works.
But here's the thing. Responsible breeding isn't about pretending those differences don't exist. It's about understanding them and being honest about them.
I would never suggest that every doodle will inherit only the most desirable qualities of both parent breeds. Genetics doesn't work that way! And I certainly wouldn't promise a family that every doodle is completely hypoallergenic or guaranteed not to shed.
That's where education, experience, thoughtful planning, and realistic expectations become so important.
Another thing I hear quite often is that doodles aren't a recognized breed. And for most doodle crosses, that's true. They're crossbred dogs, and I don't have any problem acknowledging that.
But I don't believe that automatically makes them lesser dogs or that breeding them is inherently irresponsible.
There are absolutely doodle breeders who cut corners, skip necessary health testing, make unrealistic promises, or breed without fully understanding the dogs they're working with. Those concerns are legitimate, and I believe they deserve attention.
But let's be fair. Those same problems can exist in purebred breeding programs, too.
A pedigree doesn't guarantee responsible breeding any more than a mixed pedigree guarantees irresponsible breeding.
And I think that's something worth remembering.
I don't believe we have to diminish one type of dog to appreciate another. You can be passionate about preserving purebred dogs and still recognize that thoughtfully bred companion crosses can have a place.
You don't have to want a doodle. You don't have to breed doodles. You don't even have to agree with my decision to raise Cavapoos.
But I do hope we can agree that a breeder's ethics should be evaluated by their knowledge, their practices, their honesty, and the responsibility they take for the dogs they produce.
Because whether we're talking about Poodles, Cavapoos, or any other breed or cross, the health and welfare of the dogs should always come before our personal preferences.
And really, isn't that what this whole series has been about?
We don't all have to agree. We don't all have to breed the same dogs or make the same choices. But we should all be willing to learn, ask thoughtful questions, and hold ourselves to standards that put the dogs first.
Well, I think we've stirred the coffee pot enough for one day! ☕😂
Until next time, enjoy your coffee and give those pups some extra love!
