You might be looking for a Whoodle or a Schnoodle puppy because they are hypoallergenic, great family dogs, and absolutely adorable.
But you might be wondering, are doodles smart?
Yes! Doodles are brilliant dogs with loads of other remarkable traits.
Doodles are a mix between a poodle and another breed of dog. Breeders use Poodles for many reasons, including their hypoallergenic coats, high activity level, and intelligence.
The best of the Poodle traits carry through when breeding Doodles, making them highly intelligent as well.
Why are doodles smart?
According to Dr. Stanley Coren and his extensive research on intelligent dogs, Poodles rank number two on his top ten most intelligent dog lists.
Poodles, and therefore Whoodles, have the mental abilities close to a child aged 2-2.5 years. The topmost of the intelligent dog list can learn up to 250 words and have a basic understanding of arithmetic.
Dr. Coren defines three aspects of a dog’s intelligence: instinctive, adaptive, and training intelligence.
Instinctive Intelligence
Instinctive intelligence refers to a dog’s ability to perform tasks it was bred for.
For example, a herding dog such as an Old English Sheepdog is explicitly bred for herding abilities. A dog is considered more intelligent if they are good at the skill they were born for.
Poodles were originally bred for water retrieving and are praised for being highly active. While not all Doodles are highly playful, they are still great at retrieving and doing tasks.
Adaptive Intelligence
Adaptive intelligence refers to a dog’s ability to adapt and learn from its environment.
This skill refers to what a dog will learn by itself. For example, if a dog poops on one side of the yard to keep the other clear for playing.
Poodles thrive on interaction and love getting attention. They are very clever and sharp-minded, and they make excellent service dogs.
Working and Obedience Intelligence
Working and obedience intelligence refers to a dog’s trainability.
This is the most sought-after skill when most people think of purchasing a dog. You want a dog that is easy to train and follows commands well. This leads to more trust in the dog and a stronger dog/owner relationship.
Poodles are one of the easiest dogs to train as they are incredibly obedient and loyal.
Which Doodles Are Smart?
Whoodle Puppies
If you’re searching for a highly intelligent, fun-loving, and easy to train pup – look no further. You’ll find all those things with our Whoodles and Schnoodle puppies.
Whoodles are an adorable mix between a Poodle and a Wheaten Terrier. They are known as the Teddy Bear dog because of their luxurious and fluffy coats.
Whoodle pups get their elegant locks from their Terrier parent and their intelligence from their Poddle parent.
The pups are:
- Eager to Please
- Extremely Social
- Active and Playful
Schnoodle Puppies
Schnoodle Pups are a mix between a Poodle and a Schnauzer. They get their coat from the Schnauzer parent and have soft and wavy hair. They have this adorable hair their whole life, and they can grow quite an impressive beard.
Schnoodles, just like Whoodles, will get their Poodle parent’s intelligence and willingness to please.
The Miniature Schnauzer also ranks high on the intelligence list, coming in 12th place. So, both parent pups of the Schnoodle are bright, making quite the brainiac puppy.
Schnoodles are:
- Ready to Assist
- Working Dogs
- Love to Learn
Benefits of Smart Doodles
Easy Training
Training is a breeze when you have an intelligent pup on your hands and can be pretty enjoyable. Having a dog that is well trained and properly mannered is extremely rewarding.
Having an intelligent pup can be a double-edged sword, though. You’ll really want to train your smart puppy from early on and give the dog challenges to figure out along the way. If you don’t stimulate their brain, they’ll start finding things to do – such as opening their crate doors and getting into trouble!
Emotional Support Animals
Both Whoodles and Schnoodles make great Emotional Support Animals. Because they are so easy to train, they can serve many different roles as service dogs.
Schnoodles have done jobs such as assisting brain injury patients and peanut detection, among other things. Likewise, whoodles make great Emotional Support Animals and help decrease stress and anxiety.
Stronger Bond
When you have an intelligent and well-trained dog, the bond between you and your pup will be much stronger. You’ll be able to trust that your dog will listen, follow commands, and stay loyal to you, and your dog will feel more comfortable knowing you’re in control.
Ready to Get Your Own Smarty Pants Dog?
Check out our Schnoodles and our Whoodles, and start your application today!
For more information on Whoodles, see: Are Whoodles Hypoallergenic? A Non-Shedding Family Dog