Are Sheepadoodles Good Guard Dogs?

A Sheepadoodle is a type of Doodle cross created from an Old English Sheepdog and a Poodle. As a mixed breed, their temperament can vary quite a bit. You never know exactly what you’re going to get with this breed, as they can inherit either trait from either parent. Mixed breeds are far less set-in-stone than purebred dogs.

For this reason, temperament questions can be a little complicated. In general, the Sheepadoodle tends to be a bit protective. The level of this protectiveness varies, though some are much more territorial than others. However, at the same time, these dogs are typically also friendly around people. They are a very people-oriented breed.

Their level of territorial behavior will vary widely. Some of them will be more territorial and good at guarding than others. It truly varies and can depend a lot on the dog’s level of socialization when they get older. If you’re looking for a guard dog, we don’t necessarily suggest purchasing a Sheepadoodle. Some are very good at guarding, while others aren’t.

Can a Sheepadoodle be a Guard Dog?

In theory, some Sheepadoodles can make good guard dogs. It largely depends on what traits they inherit from their parents, as well as what their socialization is like. Dogs that are better socialized are likely to be more friendly than protective. They may bark at new people when they walk by the door. However, they aren’t likely to actually do anything about an intruder.

You may be able to train your Sheepadoodle to be a guard dog. However, it depends widely on what traits they inherit. They likely won’t make as good of a guard dog as a German Shepherd or Doberman, as they simply weren’t bred for this purpose.

Some of them are still quite devoted and territorial, though. If raised without much exposure and socialization, Sheepadoodles can even become somewhat aggressive.

We generally don’t recommend these dogs for those looking for guard animals. You simply don’t know how a particular dog is going to react to strangers. However, you may find yourself with a good guard dog in a Sheepadoodle – just don’t plan on it.

Are Sheepadoodles protective?

Sheepadoodles are naturally protective. The Old English Sheepdog was once bred to guard flocks of sheep, and these behaviors are very prevalent in this mixed breed. The Poodle is a very devoted canine. While they aren’t particularly known as guard dogs, they aren’t super friendly towards strangers either.

Because they are naturally protective, these dogs can sometimes be used as guard dogs. However, some of them are a bit too friendly towards people to accidentally do anything against an intruder. They do make good alert dogs, though, and are usually reactive towards anything that seems “suspicious” to them.

This makes them somewhat noisier than other dogs as well, so be sure to keep this in mind when deciding if this is the correct dog for you.

Are Sheepadoodles Aggressive?

These dogs are not known for being overly aggressive. They can be a bit protective towards their family, which can make them a bit suspicious around strangers. They don’t always warm up to strangers as quickly as other animals. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are aggressive.

Just like any dog, though, the Sheepadoodle can become aggressive if they are not socialized properly. Abuse and neglect can also trigger aggressive behaviors. It is important to socialize your dog from a young age so that they are not scared and unsure of strangers. Fear often leads to aggression, so you want your dog able to feel comfortable around a wide variety of people.

This isn’t necessarily a specific trait of the Sheepadoodle, though. All dogs require socialization to avoid aggression, even some of the friendliest dog breeds out there. If dogs aren’t introduced to a variety of people and situations, it is completely normal for them to become scared and show aggression.

Do Sheepadoodles Bite?

Sheepadoodles aren’t particularly more prone to biting than any other dog. They usually aren’t included in biting statistics, as they are a mixed breed. For purebred dogs, we typically have more specific biting statistics. Often, this breed is simply included with a bunch of other mixed breeds or written down as a Poodle-mix. This makes it difficult for us to determine the exact bite statistics of this breed, as they tend to be lumped in with other mixed breeds.

However, there is nothing about this breed that would make it bite more than others. They are protective, but this typically doesn’t lead to biting.

Socialization is essential for this breed if you’re looking to avoid biting. Most biting is fear-based. The dog becomes scared due to a new situation or person and then bites because of it. If you introduce your dog to a whole bunch of different people and situations at a young age, they are less likely to be scared of new things when they become older. This reduces the chance of biting.

With that said, these dogs do tend to be a bit nippy. These bites aren’t driven by fear and typically aren’t serious. They’re most common in playful puppies. Usually, puppies nip in an attempt to play. They simply haven’t learned that biting hands is not an appropriate way to play with people. They often try to play with people as they play with other puppies.

You’ll need to train your puppy not to nip. Luckily, these dogs are extremely smart, so they typically catch on quite fast. Still, it is important to put time into this training, as it can lead to your dog being a little too friendly with their mouth when they get older.

What’s The Most Protective Doodle?

Poodle hybrids have become very popular over the last few years. There are now many “doodles” out there, allowing many families to choose the correct mixed breed for them. Most doodles are very carefully bred, which means that aggressive traits are not very common. There are a few breeders out there that do not pay as much attention to temperament, though. These breeders may provide dogs with the most aggressive, protective traits.

Most doodles, including the Sheepadoodle, are likely to bark and become anxious if something strange is going on outside. If they spot a stranger near your house, you can expect your dog to bark at them. However, this doesn’t mean that the dog will necessarily make a good guard dog. They likely won’t do anything once the person comes into the house.

Generally, any herding dog or guard dog mixed with a Poodle is going to have guarding traits. This includes the Sheepadoodle, as they were originally bred to guard livestock.

Conclusion

The Sheepadoodle probably isn’t going to be the best guard dog out there. However, they do often have some guarding instincts. Their intelligence may allow these traits to be brought to the forefront. For instance, you may be able to train them to guard a specific area.

However, they usually won’t make as good of a guard dog as some other breeds. For instance, the Doberman was bred specifically for guarding. Therefore, they’re pretty good at it. While the Old English Sheepdog was bred for guarding to an extent, the Poodle wasn’t. Therefore, when you mix these breeds together, you typically get a sub-par guarding dog at best.

If you’re looking for a guard dog, we don’t necessarily recommend this breed. They can have guarding instincts, but these aren’t necessarily going to be as prevalent as with other breeds.

Author: Kristin

Kristin was born in Tennessee and currently lives there with her husband and children. She is passionate about educating pet parents and helping them make the best possible decisions for their pets. She currently owns one dog, two cats, a lizard, and a variety of fish.