What’s a Sheepadoodle? Breed Overview

Finding the right dog that fits your lifestyle, allergy needs (if applicable), and personality can be difficult, especially when searching for one that will also be a good Emotional Support Animal (ESA). Looking for a great ESA that combines the allergy-friendly coat of a poodle with the calm, sweet temperament of a sheepdog? Then the sheepadoodle might be right for you.

What is a Sheepadoodle?

The sheepadoodle is a cross between a poodle and an Old English sheepdog. Therefore, they combine the playful, energetic, intelligent personality of a poodle with the sweet, calm, obedient personality of a sheepdog. We can’t think of a better dog to suit a family or someone living on their own.

Because this breed is a cross between a poodle and another breed, it belongs to the classification of “doodles,” which are also considered a “designer dog.” Due to the designer label, you can expect to pay more for a puppy, which can range anywhere from $1000-3000. However, their price tag is worth every penny – especially if you are allergy prone.

So, how are these pups so allergy-friendly you ask? Their coats tend to shed less, because of the poodle aspect. They can come 50% poodle and 50% sheepdog (also known as a F1 doodle; a cross between a purebred poodle and a purebred sheepdog) or 75% poodle and 25% sheepdog (also known as a F1B doodle; a cross between a poodle and a F1 doodle). For those that have more severe allergies, an F1B doodle is probably the better option.

However, no matter what, if you have allergies, it is important to meet any dog, before purchasing, at least twice. Since everyone’s allergies are different, yours may be more severe than others, so while a sheepadoodle might be perfect for someone else with allergies, it might not necessarily work so well with yours. When you go to see the puppies, make sure to meet the parents, as well, and keep an eye out for any signs of allergies, especially for hives or a rash on the insides of your arms and wrists.

What Makes Up a Sheepadoodle?

The two breeds that make up a sheepadoodle, poodle and Old English sheepdog, are well known breeds across the world. From movies to the streets, we’ve seen them everywhere. They’re well-loved breeds, and so, it’s no wonder they work so well as a doodle.

Every breed has its pros and cons, though, and so, it’s important to know what each breed brings to the table. While mixed breeds dogs tend to be healthier and not have as many genetic health issues as a purebred dog, each breed still has the potential to pass on genetic diseases, such as hip dysplasia.

Poodles, which provide the more hyper side of the sheepadoodle, are an energetic, yet good-natured dog. They make terrific family pets, are excellent hunters, and love to play. They’re known to be extremely intelligent and are rated as the second smartest dog breed in the world. However, because they are so intelligent, they can be somewhat stubborn during training, though that can also come as an aid when training, as they catch on quite easily and retain knowledge well.

With poodles, their life expectancy can range from 12 to 15 years, and they can come in a variety of colors, including white, black, apricot, cream, red, brown, silver, and parti (a mix, such as black and white). They also come in a variety of sizes: toy, miniature, moyen, standard, and royal. Crossing a larger dog with a small poodle can create a medium-sized doodle that’s around 25 to 35 pounds, but other doodles can be upwards of 60+ pounds. Most poodles are very healthy, especially if the parents were tested for genetic diseases and cleared by the vet and breeder. However, common diseases associated with poodles are hip dysplasia, epilepsy, liver failure, and hypothyroidism. Poodles can also have sensitive stomachs, and if not fed often enough, they may vomit due to excess acids in their stomachs. Lastly, their coats can be a bit of a hassle to groom, so it’s best to invest in a good set of grooming shears or locate a good groomer. With the proper care, a poodle can be a happy and loyal companion for many years.

Moving on, the Old English sheepdog is well-known for its overly fluffy coat, sweet and calm personality, and herding ability. They were bred to herd, but they are a great family pet that isn’t too energetic. Like the poodle, they are also very smart and extremely gentle, especially with children.

Sheepdogs usually live 10 to 12 years, and they come in either black and white or gray and white. They are huge dogs, ranging from 60 to 100 pounds, with a giant coat, to boot. They should be brushed regularly, and even though they tend to be calmer dogs, it’s still important to give them plenty of exercise. They tend to have less genetic diseases than a poodle, but just like the poodle, they can be susceptible to hip dysplasia and thyroid issues. Therefore, it’s important to make sure they’ve also been cleared by the vet and breeder before bringing home a puppy.

When combined, these two dogs create a lovable, furry puppy with an intelligent, sweet, calm, and loyal disposition. Because poodles come in different sizes, you can find sheepadoodles ranging in sizes from 25 to 70 pounds. And since both breeds need regular grooming, you should make sure to have grooming supplies on-hand or find a groomer that can keep their coat manageable. For both breeds (poodles and sheepdogs), shaving their feet (also known as “poodle feet”) is a great way to prevent any mud from getting tracked into your house, so this would work great for sheepadoodles, as well. Their coats typically come in black and white, though black and gray or tricolor is available, too, however, you can expect to pay more for them. Like any doodle, some can have coats more like a sheepdog or a poodle, so their coats can be anything from soft and wavy to curly (so most aren’t totally non-shedding). However, they’re considered to have low-shedding coats.

Overall, a big, furry sheepadoodle is a great breed for a family or individual, because of their calm, good-natured personality.

What is an ESA?

An ESA, or Emotional Support Animal, helps people who have a disability. The disability can be anything from PTSD to a physical disability that restricts your ability to perform daily tasks without help. That’s where an ESA comes in.
Dogs are great ESAs because of their ability to understand and perform commands or tasks and come in a variety of sizes and breeds for nearly every purpose, meaning there is a dog for nearly everyone that can fit their needs. There are no breed or size restrictions, either, so from small chihuahuas to a Labrador retriever, they can all help a person function.

Would a Sheepadoodle be a Good ESA?

A good ESA dog depends on what you need it for; any dog can be a good ESA, but a sheepadoodle’s personality makes it a great candidate, due to its intelligence, calm demeanor, and loyalty.

Sheepadoodles can be easily trained and are fiercely loyal dogs because of their hunting and herding ancestors. They are smart, too, so your furry friend should be able to catch on and remember lots of commands and signals.
Because of their tendency to be quiet, they’re a perfect dog to have with you, as well, since they won’t bother people around you. However, because of their size, they might be a bit cumbersome when traveling, especially on airplanes or busses. Regardless, transportation services are still legally obligated to help any patron with an ESA, provided they have the right registration and paperwork.

How Can I Register My Dog to be an ESA?

So, you finally found the right dog—perhaps a sheepadoodle—or maybe you already have a little fuzzball at home that means the world to you and helps you with your disability already. If you have a physical or emotional disability that significantly limits your principle life activities, you are entitled to a service animal, or ESA. This can be nearly anything, from PTSD, to anxiety, depression, and more.

Once you’re ready to register your dog to be an ESA, we make the process easy! All the information you need to know is easily laid out on our registration page, which addresses your personal information and your personal pet’s data. All this information will be printed on your emotional support animal’s ID tag, along with their name and photo.
We will also provide a card that entails all your rights as a physically, emotionally, or psychologically disabled person with an emotional support animal, just in case you are ever questioned for your validity. This helps you to be prepared for any situation that arises.

Also, on the ID card is all your pet’s information, spanning from their date of birth, to their breed, and registration number. Additionally, it also includes your information, including your registration number, your name, and your address. We take care of it all, so you don’t have to worry about a thing!

The Perks of Registering Your Dog as an ESA with Us

– You not only get a card, but a certificate, as well. The certificate acts as an official document that confirms your animal is registered as an ESA in our database, and contains all the necessary information, such as the date of issuance and the animal’s name.

– You and your animal are entered into the largest online database of U.S. service animals.
– We supply numerous resources to help you secure a support animal, or a licensed medical professional, should you need an official letter for a landlord or airport.
– If you register with us, you can get up to $60 off your consultation with any medical professional in our network, when you seek out an official letter for your housing or travel.
– Registering your animal allows you to also carry all the necessary equipment and accessories needed for your animal, such as a leash, collar, tag, vest, and so on.
– We can help connect you to our on-staff attorneys who are there to protect your rights as an ESA owner.
– You get access to our ESA kits and products.

We offer so many perks, so all you have to do is BYOA (bring your own animal)!

Other Useful Background Info You Should Know

ESA owners find trouble everywhere nowadays, it seems. From facing legal issues with landlords to being denied transport with an animal, we want to do as much as we can to help you legally. That’s why we try our best to educate ESA owners of their rights. Here are some acts / laws we want you to be aware of:

Fair Housing Act

Are you planning to register your ESA to move into a new living space? Great! We want you to be aware of the Fair Housing Act. Under this act, landlords are required to permit the resident to keep any animal that provides a benefit to persons with disabilities, including emotional and psychological, even if they otherwise restrict animals on the premises. Your task is to only register your ESA and procure a letter confirming its role in your treatment from a licensed medical professional. At, U.S. Service Animal and Support Animal Registry, we are here to help you with every step of the process.

Air Carrier Access Act

This act prohibits carriers from practicing discrimination in public air travel, whether domestic or international, as it pertains to persons with physical or mental impairments.

American Disabilities Act

The ADA requires entities that providing public goods or services to provide “reasonable accommodations” to persons with disabilities in order to satisfy the provider’s regulations, procedures, rules, and policies. The American Disabilities Act extends from government agencies, to private enterprise, and non-profit organizations.

Your Privacy

We care about your privacy and want to help you protect it. No person or business is allowed to invade your privacy by asking about your disability or requiring medical documentation, a special identification card, training documentation (in the case of a service dog, for instance), or a demonstration of your ESA’s service to you (i.e., perform a task). You should never be required to disclose any details about your disability. While boarding a flight or applying for housing, however, the proprietors and agents will have access to the basic information provided on your emotional service animal’s ID card and in your letter from a licensed medical practitioner.

Disruptive Presence

While you have the right to live and travel with your emotional support animal, if your ESA escapes your control to the extent of disrupting others, proprietors or their staff members can request your animal be removed from the premises. Therefore, all service animals must be either harnessed, leashed, tethered, or confined to a carrying container while in public places, unless such containment interferes with the animal’s task or role as it pertains to the disabled person, including the emotionally and psychologically disabled.

Lastly, we want you to beware of scams! Just like any other industry or company, there are imposters everywhere. Therefore, if you have any questions about anyone acting or pretending to conduct business on behalf of U.S. Service Animals or you have suspicions about the actions of any person claiming to be a service animal authority, please don’t hesitate to contact us. At U.S. Service Animals, we are here to protect, help, and support both you and your ESA.

Ready to Register Your ESA?
Contact Our Amazing Team of Professionals Today at:
U.S. Service Animal and Support Animal Registry