In Part 1, we talked about labels—and how the word “doodle” has become a catch-all that doesn’t really tell you what you’re getting.
So naturally, the next question is:
What about the research?
Because if you spend any time looking into doodles, you’ll quickly come across studies suggesting that doodles are less predictable than purebred dogs.
Let’s take a closer look at that.
What the studies actually say
Several recent studies have looked at behaviour and temperament across different types of dogs, including doodles.
The general findings are fairly consistent:
Doodles tend to show more variation in behaviour than purebred dogs
Traits like trainability, excitability, and sociability can be less predictable
Outcomes can vary more from one dog to the next
On the surface, that can sound concerning.
And to be fair, these studies aren’t wrong.
But they are incomplete.
What’s missing from the conversation
Here’s where things start to matter.
Most of these studies group all “doodles” into a single category.
That means they are analyzing, together:
First-generation crosses bred without long-term goals
Backyard-bred mixes with no selection for temperament
Multi-generational breeding programs with varying levels of intention
Programs intentionally selecting for therapy-level temperaments
All of that—lumped into one label.
So when a study says “doodles are unpredictable,” what it’s really describing is a very broad and inconsistent group.
Not a single, unified type of dog.
What gets grouped together as “doodles” in research
Most studies group all of the following into one category: “doodles.”
But as you can see, these are not the same.
| Category | How They’re Bred | Level of Predictability | What This Means |
| First-Generation (F1) Crosses | One purebred parent of each breed (e.g. Labrador x Poodle) | Low to Moderate | Wide variation in coat, temperament and traits |
| Backyard Bred Mixes | No structured breeding plan or long-term goals | Low | Unpredictable outcomes in behaviour and health |
| Multi-generational Doodles | Bred over several generations with some consistency goals | Moderate | More consistency but varies depending on breeder quality |
| Purpose Bred Australian labradoodles | Multi-generational, selective breeding focused on temperament and structure | High (within a range) | Greater consistency in temperament, coat and suitability for family life |
When everything is grouped together like this, it’s not surprising that the conclusion is “unpredictable.”
The question we should be asking
This is where the conversation shifts.
Because the real issue isn’t whether doodles are predictable.
It’s this:
Are we asking the right question?
Instead of asking:
Are doodles predictable?
A far more useful question would be:
Which doodles—and how are they being bred?
Because those two things change everything.
What I see in real life
In a carefully developed, multi-generational program, the goal is the opposite of unpredictability.
It’s consistency.
Temperament is not left to chance. It’s selected for, generation after generation.
Puppies are raised with structure, observation, and intention. They are matched to families based on personality, not just appearance.
And over time, patterns emerge:
Certain lines consistently produce calm, intuitive dogs
Others bring more energy and drive
Some are naturally more social, others more thoughtful
That doesn’t mean every puppy is identical.
But it does mean they are not random.
Why this matters for families
If you’re trying to choose the right dog for your home, broad statements like “doodles are unpredictable” don’t actually help you make a decision.
They create confusion instead of clarity.
Because they don’t tell you:
How the dog was bred
What traits were selected for
How much thought went into the program behind the puppy
And those are the things that shape the dog you bring home.
A more useful way to look at it
The studies are valuable—but only if we interpret them properly.
They highlight what happens when you group together dogs with vastly different origins and breeding practices.
They don’t tell the whole story about purpose-bred, multi-generational programs.
So rather than dismissing the studies, or accepting them at face value, it’s more helpful to see them for what they are:
A broad overview of a very mixed category.
Where this leads us next
If the label “doodle” isn’t enough—and the research doesn’t tell the full story—then the next question becomes even more important:
How do you actually choose the right breeder?
That’s what we’ll look at in Part 3.
A quieter conversation happening alongside this one
If you’re interested in a more personal and behind-the-scenes perspective on dogs, breeding, and the experiences that shape how we think about all of this, I’ve started sharing those stories over on Substack.
It’s a different kind of conversation—less structured, more reflective—but very much connected to everything we’re talking about here.
You can find it under “Gone to the Dogs.”