Meet the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix — a hybrid dog with a lot of character and pawesome looks. This remarkable designer dog is very well known for its striking appearance and size.
This is a relatively new mixed breed dog that is a mix of the Irish Wolfhound and a standard Poodle. Irish Wolfhound Poodles mix puppies a little smaller than Wolfhounds and most of them inherit shorter hair than Poodles.
However, this hybrid is a very big dog, but despite its size, the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is very well mannered and friendly.
Irish Wolfadoodle is a designer dog that has not been extremely popular in the Doodle breeding world. However, in the past few years, the Irish Wolfadoodle is slowly, but surely gaining popularity.
You are about to read about the best-looking hybrid pooch in the world — the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix, a cross between two of the world’s most majestic breeds.
What Is An Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Called?
Also known by the name Irish Wolfadoodle and Woodle, they are a popular choice of dog for those who wish to have the characteristics of each parent breed, without having to choose between them.
The “Irish” is taken from the Irish Wolfhound’s name because this purebred dog comes from Ireland, of course! The “-oodle” comes from the Poodle’s name and it is frequently used to give names to different Poodle mixes.
Taking into consideration that the Irish Wolfadoodle is a mix of two large dogs, there is no way that it is going to be one of the mini Doodle breeds.
But, it is one of the best, if not one of the only giant doodle breeds you have got to see!
Do Irish Wolfhounds And Poodles Mix?
Yes they do!
While both parent pups are highly intelligent and simple to teach, they both have the calm and patient temperament that the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is known for.
Due to its large size, the Irish Wolfhound is always crossed with a standard Poodle, because miniature and toy Poodles are too small to breed with this large dog.
Irish Wolfhound Parent Breed
If you thought that the Great Dane was the largest and tallest dog breed in the world, take a second guess! The Irish Wolfhound steals the spotlight on the tallest dog breed list for being 34 to 35 inches tall!
All Irish Wolfhounds inherit wiry and coarse coats that aren’t so soft to touch. Despite that, they make wonderful cuddle buddies that you can snuggle next to!
The Irish Wolfhound is truly a gentle giant that is known for its calm demeanor and fun personality.
Standard Poodle Parent Breed
You can’t make a proper Doodle breed without a Poodle in the mix! Poodles undoubtedly make the best doodle breeds out there. And, that’s the case with the Irish Wolfadoodle as well!
Not only are Poodles visually appealing and extremely soft, but they are also one of the smartest dog breeds in the world! So, combining intelligence with fabulous looks makes the Poodle an amazing canine.
Moreover, Poodle’s curly coat is hypoallergenic which makes this purebred dog the perfect choice for allergy sufferers.
Is The Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Recognized By The AKC?
Nope. The Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) nor any other major kennel club because it is not a purebred dog.
Only purebred dogs can become recognized by the American Kennel Club, which makes it impossible for the Irish Wolfoodle to tag along.
But, this doesn’t play a role for a dog owner that wants a loving canine companion and a new best friend.
How Big Does An Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Get?
Before I say anything else, let me just tell you that the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is going to be a medium to large dog. In fact, it may even be a giant dog!
Its size will depend on the size of its parents, and it will be quite difficult to determine the size of a mixed breed pup such as the Irish Wolfoodle.
The Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is going to be a giant designer dog with a heart that is even greater than their frame!
Read Also: Does The Giant Poodle Qualify As A Breed?
Height
Most Irish Wolfhound mixes, including the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix, grow very big. I mean, modern Irish Wolfhounds have Tibetan Mastiff genes in their big bodies!
Male Irish Wolfhounds grow up to 35 inches tall and females grow a few inches shorter, while standard Poodles’ height ranges between 18 to 24 inches.
When measured up to withers, a male Irish Wolfoodle’s height ranges from 16 to 33 inches. Female Irish Wolfoodle’s grow from 16 to 30 inches, but may be a few inches shorter.
The reason behind such a huge height range is because Irish Wolfoodles may inherit more Irish Wolfhound genes, thus become taller. If an Irish Wolfoodle grows a bit shorter, then it has most likely inherited the Poodle’s genes.
Weight
Alrighty, time to talk about the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix weight. But first, we got to check how much its parents weigh.
The purebred Irish Wolfhound male dog weighs between 140 and 180 pounds. On the other hand, female Irish Wolfhounds are shown 115 to 140 pounds on scale.
When it comes to the purebred Poodle parent side, males grow to 45 to 70 pounds and females between 45 and 60 pounds.
Combine those two and you will get that an average male Irish Wolfoodle weighs between 70 and 120 pounds, whereas an average female Irish Wolfoodle weighs between 70 and 105 pounds.
Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Eye Colors
The Irish Wolfoodle inherits a deep set of brown to light brown eyes. But, the majority of Irish Wolfoodles inherit dark brown to black colored eyes.
In rare cases, an Irish Wolfoodle can be a blue-eyed dog. Although blue eyed dogs are typically Siberian Huskies, French Bulldogs, and Australian Shepherds, a mixed breed dog such as the Irish Wolfoodle may inherit a recessive gene that colors its eyes in crystal blue.
Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Coat Colors
Due to the fact that the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix puppy is a crossbreed, it will inherit a variety of its parent breed’s colors.
Purebred Irish Wolfhounds come in more than 22 interesting colors and shades, while Poodles show more than 35 funky coat colors.
Just imagine how many varieties of coat colors an Irish Wolfoodle can inherit!
That being said, an Irish Wolfoodle can have any of the beautiful Poodle colors such as apricot and brown, but it may also take on some brindle and wheaten shades of its Irish Wolfhound parent.
If there is a black Poodle in the mix, chances are that the Irish Wolfoodle offspring will inherit this dominant coat color gene.
Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Coat Type
The Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix will inherit its coat type from both parent breeds.
Irish Wolfhounds have a double coat (soft undercoat and wiry top coat) that sheds periodically throughout the year, but not excessively.
Poodles have a single coat of curly hair that can grow to be longer than the Irish Wolfhound. The purebred standard Poodle proudly shows its curly coat that is dense throughout its whole body. Its coat is very unique when compared to other double-coated dogs like Golden Retrievers and Siberian Huskies.
In some cases, the Irish Wolfoodle puppy may lean more towards a coarse double-coat of an Irish Wolfhound, and in others, it may lean more towards the single coated Poodle. However, in most cases, the Irish Wolfoodle inherits a double coat that is a bit coarse.
Does The Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Shed?
Yes it does! But, not as much as you might think.
When we look at the parent breeds, we have an almost non-shedding standard Poodle and a moderate shedder that is the Irish Wolfhound. But, despite having an undercoat, Irish Wolfhounds don’t shed as much as most double-coated breeds do on a seasonal basis.
Why people think that Poodles don’t shed at all is because their hairs frequently fall back into the coat after falling out. This means that the shedding in Poodles is present, but the amount of hair that has fallen out is minimal when compared to other dog breeds.
So, the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is going to shed just as much as its parent breeds. If it inherits a curlier coat, it will absorb the loose hairs. But, if it inherits a more straight coat like its Irish Wolfhound parent, then there will be some loose hairs here and there.
Is The Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Hypoallergenic?
Due to the sort of coat that standard Poodles have, I like to say that Irish Wolfoodles are potentially hypoallergenic.
Standard Poodles come with a single coat that sheds minimally and this is why they are known as hypoallergenic dogs. On the other hand, due to the seasonal coat changing, double-coated dogs such as the Irish Wolfhound are a bit tricky to be around people with dog allergies.
The Irish Wolfadoodle can be hypoallergenic to some extent, similar to other Doodle breeds like the Bernedoodles and Goldendoodles. Famous Doodle breeds like the Labradoodles and Sheepadoodle share similar hypoallergenic traits.
Depending on the parent breeds (whether two purebred or mixed breeds are bred) the hypoallergenic coat properties and shedding of an Irish Wolfoodle can vary greatly.
This leads me to explain a little more about the Irish Wolfoodle generations and how they work.
Different Generations Of The Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix
Before we explain what’s going on with many generations of the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix, let’s learn what each letter and number means.
First, we have the letter “F“ which means “filial hybrid”, in other words, a crossbreed dog. Then we have the numbers (1, 2, or 3) that mark Irish Wolfadoodle generations.
The letter “B” refers to “backcross”, while “BB” means double backcross Irish Wolfadoodle puppy. If you’re like me and find this confusing, backcrossing basically means breeding a hybrid dog (Irish Wolfadoodle) with a dog that is genetically similar to it.
F1 Irish Wolfadoodles
Let’s start with the first generation of the Irish Wolfadoodle also known as the F1 Irish Wolfadoodle.
This is the first Irish Wolfadoodle that comes from two purebred parent breeds – the Irish Wolfhound and the Poodle.
What this means is that the F1 Irish Wolfadoodle inherits both parent breeds’ traits in a ratio of 50:50.
Having said that, the F1 Irish Wolfadoodle may inherit either a curly or coarse, moderately shedding coat, depending on which gene it picks up from its parents.
Popular F1 Doodle breeds include the F1 Goldendoodle and the F1 Labradoodle.
F1B Irish Wolfadoodles
The F1B Irish Wolfadoodle is a backcross bred puppy. What it means is that it was bred again with the purebred Poodle.
The F1B Irish Wolfadoodle is more likely to inherit coat characteristics of the purebred Poodle. For people that are searching for a more Poodle-ish giant dog, the F1B Irish Wolfadoodle is a more popular choice than the F1 Irish Wolfadoodles.
Just like F1B Bernedoodles and F1B Labradoodles, the F1B Irish Wolfadoodles inherit low-shedding coats with short and curly hair. This makes them great canine candidates for allergy sufferers.
Reverse F1B Irish Wolfadoodles
Reverse F1B Irish Wolfadoodle results from breeding an F1 Irish Wolfadoodle and a purebred Irish Wolfhound. Similar to mixing an F1 Irish Wolfadoodle with a purebred Poodle, except that the reverse F1B puppy is going to look more like its Irish Wolfhound parent.
In this case, it’s going to be 75% of the Irish Wolfhound parent and 25% of the purebred Poodle.
Expect a reverse F1B Irish Wolfadoodle to inherit a coarser coat that sheds moderately. It will also come with more wolf-like facial features and deep-set almond eyes.
F1BB Irish Wolfadoodles
Hypoallergenic bingo!
The F1BB Irish Wolfadoodle is an interesting combination of an F1B Irish Wolfadoodle and a purebred Poodle. Now, this is getting more and more complicated.
We can see two B letters, which indicated that this Irish Wolfadoodle puppy was backcross-bred two times with a Poodle. This combination almost always results in Poodle appearance and personality traits.
An interesting fact about the F1BB Irish Wolfadoodle is that it has the highest success rate for non-shedding and is suitable for living with dog lovers that are suffering from severe allergies.
You can check out the mesmerizing F1BB Goldendoodle to compare it to the F1BB Irish Wolfadoodle.
F2 Irish Wolfadoodles
F2 Irish Wolfadoodles result from breeding two F1 Irish Wolfadoodles. But, there are other ways to develop the F2 Irish Wolfadoodles.
Breeders often mix F1 and F2 Irish Wolfadoodles, but they can also choose F1 and F1B Irish Wolfadoodles to introduce into the breeding program.
I like to describe this as a canine lottery, because you can’t really predict whether or not the F2 Irish Wolfadoodle will have hypoallergenic traits or which parent side it will take more over.
F2B Irish Wolfadoodles
I have some good news for allergy sufferers!
Although F2B Irish Wolfadoodles are not much different than the standard F2 Irish Wolfadoodles, they have higher chances of inheriting hypoallergenic coats.
The F2B Irish Wolfadoodle comes from backcrossing the F2B Irish Wolfadoodle and the purebred Poodle. Which means, more Poodle genes!
F2BB Irish Wolfadoodles
The F2BB are the rarest of all second-generation Woodle pups.
As the letters and numbers imply, F2BB Irish Wolfadoodles were backcross-bred twice. Their parent breeds are F2 Irish Wolfadoodle and purebred Poodles.
F2BB Irish Wolfadoodles are very similar to the standard Poodle dog breed, which means that they are considered hypoallergenic.
F3 Irish Wolfadoodles
The F3 Irish Wolfadoodle has a wide gene pool because it derives from breeding two F2 Irish Wolfadoodles.
The F3 Irish Wolfadoodle pooches are very rare and there is no telling if they will inherit more Irish Wolfhound or Poodle’s genes.
Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Temperament
Let’s begin by saying that both the Poodle and the Irish Wolfhound parent breeds are known for their intelligence, loyalty, and trainability.
The Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is a big dog that is known for its courage and its ability to hunt large and small prey. Its intimidating size makes it one of the best big guard dog breeds, but also one of the biggest cuddlers!
This designer dog is among the medium-energy dogs that will love to be around their family members!
The Irish Wolfoodle inherits a very gentle and kind nature that makes everyone fall in love with it! It is also a very loyal designer dog that will never leave its owner’s side.
Is The Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix A Good Family Dog?
The Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix makes a great canine companion to have around the house and it makes a wonderful family dog.
It is very gentle towards smaller children, but it may not be as gentle towards smaller pets. This is because the Irish Wolfoodle inherits a strong prey drive from both parent breeds.
The Irish Wolfhound parent was originally bred as a sighthound and a fearless hunting dog. These particular traits make it closely related to the Scottish Deerhound, the Greyhound, as well as the Great Dane.
The standard Poodle parent was bred as a water retriever, and was even used as a working dog during the war!
Therefore, Irish Wolfoodles even though they are usually fairly calm, they may pursue after small, and fast animals like cats. But with the right training and early socialization, this shouldn’t be a problem.
This dog forms strong bonds with its human pack, and while the Irish Wolfoodle is protective, it isn’t among the aggressive dog breeds. However, its large size alone makes the Irish Wolfadoodle a formidable watchdog.
Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Trainability
Both Irish Wolfhound and Poodles are highly trainable dogs and it’s relatively easy to teach them new tricks. Having said that, the Irish Wolfoodle is quick to recognize training patterns and doesn’t need much encouragement or rewards. Of course, you will want to add some tasty treats into positive reinforcement training to reward your Irish Wolfoodle when it’s behaving nicely!
Generally speaking, Irish Wolfoodles are great students, making training sessions rewarding for both the dogs and their owners.
It might inherit a bit of a sluggish side from its Irish Wolfhound parent side. Without proper training, the Irish Wolfoodle can become stubborn, and even hostile toward other animals and humans.
Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Health Problems
All purebred dogs, including the Irish Wolfhound and the standard Poodle come with some inherited health conditions. Naturally, these health issues can be passed onto the litter of Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix puppies.
Due to their large size, Irish Wolfoodles often suffer from health issues that are linked to large breeds.
These health conditions include:
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Bone Cancer
Taking into consideration a wider gene pool in the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix, this designer dog might not be as susceptible to certain congenital health conditions as its purebred parent breeds.
Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix Lifespan
Besides estimating a mixed puppy’s size and coat type, the most frequent question I get asked is “What is the life expectancy of an Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix?”
Well, no one can answer this question for sure. But, we can take into consideration the Irish Wolfoodle’s parent breed’s lifespan.
For example, the Irish Wolfhound life expectancy is shorter than the Poodle’s, ranging between 6 and 10 years. On the other hand, Poodles may live between 12 and 15 years.
The lifespan of an Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix will depend on the parent breed’s genetics and health conditions.
If kept healthy and happy, the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix puppy can live up to 13 years.
What Is The Cost Of An Irish Wolfhound Poodle Mix?
Just like its health and appearance depends on the parent breeds, the cost of an Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix will also depend on the cost of both parent breeds. It will also depend on reputable breeders, quality of their breeding program, and the doodle generation that they develop.
Due to the fact that this is a crossbreed, the Irish Wolfoodle will cost less than a purebred dog. The price of an Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix ranges between $300 and $2,000.
The price range is quite wide because the cost of a purebred Irish Wolfhound reaches up to $2,000, while the cost of a standard Poodle is usually between $500 and $1,500.
We’re only talking about the initial cost of an Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix puppy. There are a lot of additional expenses such as dog food, dog toys, crates, leashes, collars, and so on.
Conclusion
Photo from: @jobey_breck_macklin
The affectionate, perceptive Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is a gentle giant with moderate activity levels that makes it an excellent companion for both active and lazy people! This large designer dog doesn’t require much exercise.
To avoid developmental issues, Irish Wolfoodle’s activity levels should be kept at a minimum during the first year of its life.
The Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix puppy loves to hang around in a house or garden. Due to its size, this designer dog may not like to live in a small apartment.
If you want a tall, obedient, and laid-back family dog who will like living with you and your family, then the Irish Wolfhound Poodle mix is a good choice.
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