24/03/2026
My doodle musings ๐ค
๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐โฆ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ (๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐๐ปโ๐)
This week, a new study from the Royal Veterinary College has been released looking at the behaviour of popular โDoodleโ crossbreeds, and as youโd probably expect, there has been quite a lot of discussion around it already.
You may well have seen some of the headlines doing the rounds.
โDoodles are more problematic.โ
โDesigner dogs worse behaved than purebreds.โ
โThink twice before getting a Cockapooโฆโ
And whilst I completely understand why those headlines catch peopleโs attention, they also risk reducing something quite complex into something that feels a lot more black and white than it actually is.
So I thought it might be helpful to slow things down a little and properly unpick what this study shows, and just as importantly, what it doesnโt.
Because it is a good study.
But it needs interpreting carefully.
โธป
At its core, this is a large UK-based study using a validated behavioural assessment tool (C-BARQ), with data collected from over 9,000 dogs.
That in itself gives it a decent level of weight.
However, the data is based on owner-reported behaviour, which means what is being measured here is not behaviour observed directly under controlled conditions, but rather how guardians are perceiving and experiencing their dogโs behaviour within their own environment.
That distinction is subtle, but important.
Because perception is influenced by expectation, experience, knowledge, and context, all of which vary considerably between households.
โธป
The key finding that has been picked up in the media is that, in a number of behavioural comparisons, Doodle crossbreeds scored higher for traits such as excitability, separation-related behaviours, and non-social fear when compared to their purebred parent breeds.
And from there, it has very quickly been interpreted as:
โDoodles have more behavioural problems.โ
But that interpretation moves beyond what the data can actually support.
Because this study identifies associations, not causation.
It tells us that certain behaviours are reported more frequently within this population.
It does not tell us why those behaviours are occurring, or whether they are inherent to the cross itself.
โธป
And this is where a more holistic lens becomes really important.
Behaviour is not a single-variable outcome.
It is shaped by the interaction between genetics, epigenetic influences, early developmental experiences, ongoing environment, learning history, and the behaviour and expectations of the humans living alongside the dog.
Most of these variables sit outside the scope of this study.
โธป
If we take early development as an example, Doodle crossbreeds have increased significantly in popularity over the last decade, particularly following the pandemic.
With that level of demand often comes a wide spectrum of breeding practices, ranging from highly knowledgeable, welfare-focused breeders through to more commercial or less regulated environments.
We know from a substantial body of research that early life experiences, including maternal care, early handling, and exposure during sensitive developmental periods, have a profound impact on later emotional regulation, stress responsiveness, and behavioural resilience (Scott and Fuller, 1965; Overall, 2013).
So when we see increased reporting of fear-related or separation-related behaviours, it is reasonable to consider how much of that may be influenced by early developmental conditions rather than the genetic cross per se.
โธป
Expectation is another important layer here.
Doodles are often marketed, both formally and informally, as being particularly easy, family-friendly, or โthe best of both breedsโ.
These narratives shape the types of homes these dogs are placed into, and the expectations that guardians hold when they bring them home.
However, many of these dogs are the product of combining breeds that are themselves highly social, cognitively engaged, and, in some cases, quite sensitive or environmentally responsive.
The result can be a dog who is quick to notice, quick to react, and highly connected to their social environment.
Without appropriate support, that can present as:
โข heightened arousal
โข difficulty with separation
โข increased vocalisation or reactivity
Not because the dog is inherently problematic, but because their behavioural needs and their environment are not fully aligned.
โธป
The study also highlights that owners of these crossbreeds were more likely to rely on non-professional sources of advice.
This is an interesting finding, because there is good evidence to suggest that owner behaviour, experience, and training approach significantly influence canine behavioural outcomes (Jagoe and Serpell, 1996).
This again raises the question of whether we are observing differences in the dogs themselves, or differences in the systems surrounding them.
โธป
From a genetic perspective, it is also worth gently challenging the common assumption that crossbreeding will reliably produce a more behaviourally balanced dog.
Whilst hybrid vigour can apply to certain physical health traits, behavioural traits are polygenic and complex, and inheritance is not selective.
Crosses can just as easily amplify sensitivity, arousal, or reactivity, particularly when both parent breeds carry similar underlying traits.
This can result in dogs who experience the world in a more intense or heightened way, which, depending on context, may be labelled as โundesirable behaviourโ.
โธป
And this brings us to the question of how โundesirableโ is being defined.
Many of the behaviours identified in this study, such as excitability or strong attachment behaviours, are not inherently pathological.
They are often normal expressions of a dog who is socially motivated, environmentally aware, and responsive.
However, when those behaviours occur in environments that are busy, unpredictable, or misaligned with the dogโs needs, they are more likely to be perceived as problematic.
โธป
One of the more nuanced findings within the study, which has received less attention, is the variation between the different crossbreeds themselves.
Cockapoos, Labradoodles, and Cavapoos did not present identically, which reinforces the point that these dogs cannot be meaningfully grouped as a single behavioural category.
Each cross represents a different genetic combination, and therefore a different behavioural profile.
โธป
When viewed in its entirety, the study does not tell us that Doodles are โworseโ dogs.
What it highlights, more usefully, is that behavioural outcomes cannot be predicted or simplified based on breed label or appearance alone.
It also reflects the impact of popularity, expectation, and variability in breeding and upbringing on how behaviour is expressed and experienced.
โธป
So before you throw the baby out with the bathwater or start side-eyeing your oodle-doodle thinking โoh noโฆโ
just take a breath and come back to the dog in front of you.
Not the breed label.
Not the headline.
Not the expectation.
The actual individual.
Because thatโs where the answers are. And it always has been.
Scott, J.P. and Fuller, J.L., 1965. Genetics and the Social Behavior of the Dog. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Overall, K.L., 2013. Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Jagoe, A. and Serpell, J., 1996. Owner characteristics and interactions and the prevalence of canine behaviour problems. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 47(1-2), pp.31-42.
Bryson, G.T., OโNeill, D.G., Belshaw, Z., Brand, C.L. and Packer, R.M.A., 2026. Comparing undesirable behaviours between โdesignerโ Poodle-cross dogs and their purebred progenitor breeds. PLOS ONE, 21(2), e0342847.
https://www.rvc.ac.uk/research/facilities-and-resources/animal-welfare-science-and-ethics/news/new-rvc-study-challenges-common-beliefs-on-desirable-behaviours-in-designer-doodle-crossbreeds?fbclid=IwY2xjawQpShtleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE3U3RkRURNM0xwcWlSSTkzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHtzSzGiyLTZb4zsoz2AMRnQlWOUDgxHqz3MA3i5LO3TvW4mqoPNH8gtdXW58_aem_XGnUtSPmBO_H2WiHLJGdLA
