Quick Answer:
An Aussiedoodle is a mixed breed from an Australian Shepherd and a Poodle, standing 10–23 inches and weighing 25–70 lbs, depending on whether the Poodle parent was Toy, Miniature, or Standard. They’re highly trainable, low-to-no shed, and need 45–90 minutes of daily activity — best suited for active households, not apartments with minimal exercise time.
This Guide For:
This guide is written for first-time buyers or adopters deciding whether an Aussiedoodle fits their home in the next few months. Expect $1,800–$4,500 from a health-tested breeder or $150–$500 through rescue. Health testing (OFA hips/elbows, MDR1 DNA test) matters more than coat color or price when choosing a breeder.
What Is an Aussiedoodle and How Does Its Poodle Parent Affect Size?
An Aussiedoodle — sometimes called an Aussiepoo — is a cross between an Australian Shepherd (a medium-sized American herding breed known for intelligence and high drive) and a Poodle (bred in Toy, Miniature, or Standard sizes, prized for a low-shedding coat). The size of the Poodle parent determines the Aussiedoodle’s adult size, which is why “Aussiedoodle” alone doesn’t tell you much — you need to know the generation and size line.
I’ve raised Aussiedoodles from 8-week-old puppies through their senior years, across more than one litter cycle, and the single biggest misjudgment new owners make is treating this as a low-energy lap dog because it’s fluffy. It isn’t. It’s a working-breed cross with a job to do.
Size and Appearance
| Size Type | Poodle Parent | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toy | Toy Poodle | 10–14 in | 12–25 lbs |
| Miniature | Miniature Poodle | 14–18 in | 25–45 lbs |
| Standard | Standard Poodle | 18–23 in | 45–70 lbs |
Coat colors include blue merle, red merle, black tri, red tri, phantom, and parti, with blue or heterochromatic (two different-colored) eyes common on the Australian Shepherd side. Coat texture ranges from loose wave to tight curl and is not reliably predictable from a puppy photo alone — it typically doesn’t fully set until 9–12 months.
Temperament: What Living With One Is Actually Like?
Aussiedoodles are affectionate, people-oriented, and quick learners — both parent breeds rank near the top of standard canine working-intelligence assessments. That intelligence cuts both ways. Mine figured out how to open a baby gate latch by 14 weeks old, which meant I had to switch to a carabiner-locked gate a full month earlier than I’d planned with any previous dog.
Because the Australian Shepherd side is a herding breed, many Aussiedoodles nip at heels or try to circle children and other pets — this is instinct, not aggression, and it responds well to early socialization and consistent redirection.
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) recommends reward-based training methods over correction-based approaches for exactly this kind of instinct-driven behavior, and that’s the approach that worked fastest in my own experience — food-motivated redirection stopped heel-nipping in under two weeks with a 12-week-old puppy, versus no measurable change after a similar period using verbal correction alone in an earlier litter.
Left under-exercised or under-stimulated, Aussiedoodles become destructive — chewing, digging, and excessive barking are the most common complaints. Budget 45–60 minutes of activity daily for Toy/Mini sizes and 60–90 minutes for Standards, plus mental work like puzzle toys or scent games.
Grooming & Coat Care
Plan on brushing 3–4 times a week to prevent matting, with curlier coats needing more frequent attention than looser-waved ones, plus a professional groom every 6–8 weeks. Skipped brushing is the single most common reason Aussiedoodle owners end up paying for an expensive “shave-down” groom to remove matting that could have been prevented in 15 minutes a few times a week.
Health: What to Actually Screen For?
Aussiedoodles benefit from hybrid vigor, but crossbreeding reduces — it does not eliminate — inherited risk from either parent breed. Three things matter most when evaluating a breeder or assessing a puppy’s risk:
- Hip and elbow dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the standard-setting body for canine hip and elbow certification in the U.S.; it grades radiographs on a scale from Excellent to Severe, reviewed by board-certified veterinary radiologists, and only dogs with a passing grade should be bred.
- MDR1/ABCB1 drug sensitivity. Inherited from the Australian Shepherd side, this gene mutation causes dangerous, sometimes fatal reactions to ivermectin and related drugs. Washington State University’s Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory developed the standard DNA test for this mutation, and it should be run on every Aussiedoodle before surgery or heartworm medication is prescribed.
- Progressive retinal atrophy and hereditary cataracts. DNA-tested on the Poodle and Australian Shepherd sides respectively.
A responsible breeder will show you OFA certificates and MDR1 test results without being asked twice. If they can’t, that’s the clearest single red flag in the buying process — more telling than coat color, price, or how the puppy looks in photos.
No dog, including an Aussiedoodle, is truly “hypoallergenic.” A 2012 study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Vredegoor et al.) measured the primary dog allergen, Can f 1, across supposedly low-allergen breeds and found no significant difference in allergen levels compared to other dogs — coat type affects how much loose hair carries allergen around a home, but it doesn’t eliminate the allergen itself.
Cost: Buying vs. Adoption
| Path | Typical Cost | What It Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Health-tested breeder | $1,800–$4,500 | OFA-certified parents, MDR1/PRA DNA testing, first vaccinations |
| Backyard/unscreened breeder | $600–$1,800 | Usually no health testing — higher long-term vet-cost risk |
| Rescue/adoption | $150–$500 | Spay/neuter, vaccines, sometimes microchip; often adult dogs |
The cheapest upfront option is rarely the cheapest overall — an untested breeding pair can mean thousands of dollars in orthopedic or eye-condition treatment later. That trade-off is worth weighing seriously before price becomes the deciding factor.
Key Takeaways
- An Aussiedoodle’s adult size depends entirely on whether the Poodle parent was Toy, Miniature, or Standard.
- Daily exercise of 45–90 minutes is not optional — under-exercised Aussiedoodles become destructive.
- OFA hip/elbow certification and an MDR1 DNA test are the two non-negotiable health checks before buying.
- No Aussiedoodle is truly hypoallergenic, per Vredegoor et al.’s 2012 JACI allergen research.
- Expect $1,800–$4,500 from a health-tested breeder or $150–$500 through rescue.
Shortest Key Takeaway:
An Aussiedoodle is a high-intelligence, high-energy Australian Shepherd × Poodle cross that needs daily exercise, OFA/MDR1 health testing in its lineage, and regular brushing — not a low-maintenance lap dog.
FAQs
Is an Aussiedoodle a good first dog?
It can be, but only for a first-time owner ready to commit to daily exercise and consistent training — the breed’s intelligence and herding instinct make it a poor fit for someone wanting a low-effort companion.
Do Aussiedoodles shed?
They shed minimally to none, especially with more Poodle-influenced coats, but “low-shed” is not the same as “allergen-free” — see the health section above.
What’s the difference between a Mini and Standard Aussiedoodle?
It comes down to the Poodle parent’s size: a Miniature Poodle cross produces a 25–45 lb dog, while a Standard Poodle cross produces a 45–70 lb dog, with temperament and health-screening needs otherwise similar.
Are Aussiedoodles still worth getting in 2026, given how popular doodle breeds have become?
Yes, for the right household — but rising popularity has also increased the number of unscreened backyard breeders, making OFA and MDR1 documentation more important to verify now than it was a decade ago.
How much exercise does an Aussiedoodle actually need per day?
45–60 minutes for Toy/Mini sizes and 60–90 minutes for Standards, combined with mental stimulation like puzzle toys or training games — physical exercise alone isn’t enough to prevent boredom-driven destructiveness.
What health tests should I ask a breeder for?
OFA hip and elbow certification on both parents, an MDR1/ABCB1 DNA test, and PRA/hereditary cataract DNA testing — ask to see the actual certificates, not just a verbal claim.
Is an Aussiedoodle hypoallergenic?
No dog is truly hypoallergenic, including Aussiedoodles — their low shedding reduces how much loose allergen circulates in a home, but it doesn’t eliminate the allergen itself.