Dr Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist on the pros and cons of designer dogs

Walk through almost any neighbourhood today and you’ll see an oodle - Goldendoodles. Labradoodles. Cavapoos. Cockapoos. These 'designer dogs' have exploded in popularity, often chosen for a simple reason - they’re supposed to be easier.  Easier to train. Better with kids. A perfect blend of the 'best' traits from two breeds.  But a new scientific study suggests the reality might be a lot messier.  Crossbreeding isn’t new, but “doodles” are a modern phenomenon.  The logic seems straightforward. combine two desirable breeds (like a poodle and a Labrador), and you’ll get a dog that inherits the best of both.  It’s a concept rooted in something called hybrid vigour, the idea that mixing genetic lines can reduce inherited health problems and improve traits.  But behaviour isn’t that simple. In a study published in PLOS One, researchers set out to test whether these popular beliefs hold up.  They focused on three common poodle crossbreeds:  Cockapoos (cocker spaniel × poodle) Labradoodles (Labrador × poodle) Cavapoos (Cavalier King Charles spaniel × poodle)  And compared them to their purebred parent breeds. Instead of relying on anecdote, they collected large-scale behavioural data from over 9,400 dogs, one-third of which were crossbreeds. Their owners completed detailed surveys covering 12 behavioural traits, including:  Trainability  Aggression Attachment to owners Fear responses Excitability Interaction with other dogs  Across the dataset, the results challenged the popular narrative.  Crossbreeds showed more behavioural problems in 44 percent of comparisons and they showed fewer problems in only 10 percent. In other words, doodles were more likely to have behavioural challenges than their purebred parents, not less.  The differences weren’t trivial.  Across all three crossbreeds, researchers found higher levels of:  Non-social fear (e.g. loud noises, unfamiliar objects) Separation-related behaviours (distress when left alone) Excitability and over-arousal  Cockapoos stood out the most, showing the highest levels of undesirable behaviours compared to their parent breeds. Cavapoos also showed elevated issues, but Labradoodles were more nuanced - better behaved than poodles, but worse than Labrador retrievers.  Behaviour is what scientists call a complex trait, it emerges from the interaction of genetics, environment, training and early life experiences.  The data showed that owners of crossbred dogs were more likely to be first-time dog owners and rely on non-professional training advice  This is important information as a dog’s behaviour isn’t just what it is, it’s what it experiences.  As demand for designer dogs has surged, so has poor breeding practice.  High demand can lead to:  Less controlled breeding Reduced focus on temperament Stress on breeding dogs Early-life environments that aren’t ideal  All of these factors can shape behaviour long before a puppy ever reaches a home.  This study isn’t really about whether doodles are “good” or “bad” dogs. It’s about how mixing two breeds doesn’t guarantee a specific behaviour and what matters most is:  Early socialisation Consistent training Environment Informed expectations  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.