The Sheepadoodle, also known as a Sheepoodle, Shepapoo, or Sheepadoo, is a designer dog breed widely loved and famous worldwide.
With so many dog breeds available in the modern world of designer dogs, it may be confusing to determine the differences between them, pull apart the research, and figure out the best dog for you.
What is F1 and F2 Sheepadoodle?
This article will break down the key concepts you need to apply to understand the differences between the two most popular Sheepadoodle generations: the F1 vs F1B Sheepadoodle.In short, the F1 Sheepadoodle is a mix between a 100% Old English
Sheepdog and a 100% Poodle which results in a Sheepadoodle that is 50% Poodle and 50% Old English Sheepadoodle. An F1B Sheepadoodle is a mix between an F1 Sheepadoodle and typically a 100% Poodle which results in a 75% Poodle and 25% Old English Sheepdog. We will explain the terms more in-depth below.
Key Sheepadoodle Terms for Generations
To understand the differences among these lovable companions, you will need a basic understanding of what goes into dog breeding and dog breeds.
Purebred
Purebred dogs are when humans breed the entire lineage of a dog to a puppy within the same breed.
Humans breed purebred dogs only within the same strain and try not to mix the blood of other dogs to maintain their distinctive breed features.
Sheepadoodle Generations Made Easy
Over time dogs that interbreed among other strains of dogs have a chance of losing distinctive features and advantages that humans seek after. When you mix two purebred dogs, you create mixed breed dogs that are labeled with the letter “F”.
Dog Breed
Dog breeds are particular strains or dogs that humans bred to serve a specific role.
Dogs have served as valuable companions to humans throughout history, using them to help hunt for food, herd livestock, and guard property. Humans would breed dogs to acquire certain physical traits that aid in these activities.
This relationship has been beneficial for dogs, too, since they are the most abundant carnivore spread out worldwide thanks to dog breeding. The dog breed we are talking about here is the Sheepadoodle.
First Generation (F1)
An F1 or first-generation dog is produced when two different purebred dogs have a puppy. The F1 label is essential for dog breeders to track when a crossbreed happens for the first time.
The “F” in the F1 also stands for “filial.” Typically an F1 dog would still firmly maintain traits from both of their purebred parents that will sometimes diminish among dogs of future generations.
First Generation dogs are highly sought after by collectors and owners alike.
F1 dogs are 50/50 ratio mixed breed dogs. So an F1 Sheepadoodle is 50% Old English Sheepdog and 50% Poodle.
First Generation Backcrossed (F1B)
An F1B or backcrossed first-generation dog is a mixture of a first-generation Sheepadoodle and a purebred dog.
As a result, F1B dogs are 75/25 mixed breed dogs. F1B breeding is done to capture or intensify one of their parent’s traits or diminish another purebred parent’s traits. The F1B Sheepadoodle is going to be backcrossed with either a Poodle or Old English Sheepadoodle. In most cases, they will be backcrossed with the Poodle due to their nonshedding coat, hypoallergenic coat, and superior intelligence.
What is an F1B Sheepadoodle?
An F1B Sheepadoodle occurs when an F1 Sheepadoodle (Old English + Standard Poodle) breeds a purebred Standard Poodle.
An F1B Sheepadoodle is 25% Old English Sheepdog and 75% Standard Poodle.
What is an F1 Sheepadoodle?
An F1 Sheepadoodle is when a dog breeder breeds an Old English Sheepdog with a Standard Poodle, and both of the breeding dogs are purebred.
An F1 Sheepadoodle is 50% Old English Sheepdog and 50% Standard Poodle.
The Sheepadoodle dog breed was designed in a US army experiment in the 1960s, though it might have existed before then.
They did not find popularity until the 1980s; however, they were excellent dogs for people with allergies when it was discovered.
F1 vs. F1B Sheepadoodle Differences
Although F1 Sheepadoodles and F1B Sheepadoodles can look very similar, they do not necessarily look alike. They also have some distinct differences that set them apart from each other.
Coat Types
Because the F1 Sheepadoodle is an even mixture between two different purebred dogs, it becomes a random chance of what kind of coat it can get. F1s can have flat coats, wavy coats, curly coats, or even a mixture between them somewhere in-between. Most people do not want a flat or straight coat Sheepadoodle because they are shedding and less hypoallergenic. Thus, people will normally choose an F1B Sheepadoodle puppy.
The F1B Sheepadoodle coats can vary a bit, but not as much. Since they mostly get their genetics from a Poodle, you can predict their coat to be wavy or curly like a Poodle’s coat.
Desirability
Because of the genetic variance of F1 Sheepadoodles, they aren’t sought after by people as much because their looks can be inconsistent.
Dog owners can sometimes care what others think of their dog, and if their dog doesn’t have a recognizable or standard look, that can affect the desirability of the dog.
Although, desirability can also affect your ability to get the particular breed you want because of supply and demand.
If F1s are more your speed, the desirability of F1bs could leave you with more adopting choices and make adopting them more affordable.
Non-shedding/Hypoallergenic
Both F1 and F1B Sheepadoodles can be non-shedding and great for people with allergies.
However, an F1B Sheepadoodle is nearly guaranteed to be those things, while an F1 Sheepadoodle’s genetics are left more to chance.
For these reasons, F1bs are a safer pick, especially for families. Shedding animal hair can be harmful even to those who don’t have bad allergies.
Animal hair carries bacteria with it, which has a chance to make humans sick, especially in a family situation where multiple people will be coming into contact with the dog daily.
Parasites can also be a concern for similar reasons.
Any respiratory condition, such as asthma, can also be inflamed by the shedding of dog hair.
Hybrid Vigor
One area where F1 Sheepadoodles triumph over F1Bs is in the area of a characteristic called Hybrid Vigor. Since F1s have an even variance in genetics, they reserve a boost to their overall healthiness and longevity known as Hybrid Vigor.
When two purebreds mate, their offspring will have the most excellent chance of reducing genetic defects, whereas dogs’ inbred increases the rate that congenital disabilities can occur.
F1bs get a bit of Hybrid Vigor boost compared to their parents, but it is greatly diminished since to produce an F1B, you must rebreed an F1 with their purebred kind.
Temperament
Because F1B Sheepadoodles are likely to have the temperament of a poodle, they will typically be higher maintenance dogs.
Poodles often have long legs and a crazy amount of energy, a combination that leads to them needing more physical exercise and also mental stimulation.
F1s, by comparison, require less maintenance.
Final Thoughts
The F1 Sheepadoodle is 50% Poodle and 50% Old English Sheepdog. The F1B Sheepadoodle is 75% Poodle and 25% Old English Sheepdog. Most people will prefer an F1B Sheepadoodle because they are more hypoallergenic and nonshedding when compared to F1 Sheepadoodles. We hope that you learned something today about the different first-generation Sheepadoodles!
