Sheepadoodle puppies are lovable little dogs that want to spend all of their time with their owners. Many dogs have strong attachments to their owners, but breeds like the Sheepadoodle can have a much stronger dependency on their owners, making them prone to separation anxiety. These little dogs also have high amounts of energy and might suffer from symptoms of stress and anxiety if they don't get enough exercise or mental stimulation. Thankfully there are plenty of ways owners can help care for their anxious Sheepadoodle puppies.

Sheepadoodle Breed Overview

 Sheepadoodle puppies are the product of an Old English Sheepdog and a Poodle mixed. It's become prevalent today to mix any breed with a Poodle to make a breed more allergen friendly. Mixed breed dogs with the Poodle can come in many different shapes and sizes. A Sheepadoodle dog can be a large dog or a small dog depending on whether their Poodle parent is a Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle, or Toy Poodle. No matter their size, this companion animal is typically great at any social interaction, and it can become a furry friend to older adults and young children alike.

Sheepadoodle dogs are intelligent, loyal, and playful. They have the attitude of a puppy and will happily fit in many different kinds of families. Their excellent companion animals and they love having a job to do. Some people refer to the Sheepadoodle dog as a Sheep-a-poo, Sheeppoo, Sheepdoodle, or a Sheepdogpoo.

This hybrid breed emerged in the 1980s whenever allergy sufferers wanted to start adopting Old English sheepdogs but couldn't because of how much hair they have. An Old English Sheepdog has a lot of fur and a lot of allergens that they release, and although no dog is 100% hypoallergenic, mixing them with a Poodle puppy helps to control this mixed breed's shedding habits.

These dogs are great family pets, and they would love nothing more than to spend time with their owners day long. Their exercise and mental stimulation needs might be too much for some owners, which is why it's so important to understand specific breed characteristics before adopting your pets.

Sheepadoodle Size

 Sheepadoodle puppies might be great family dogs, but they might not be best in a home with younger, smaller children. Even though these dogs will get along with all sorts of people and children, their large size means they might accidentally injure tiny humans.

Sheepadoodle puppies can weigh anywhere from 60 to 80 pounds, and these dogs can stand between 16 and 22 inches tall at their shoulders. Their significant size variation is deceivingly bold because many Poodle mix breeds can come in three different size options corresponding to the Poodle parent. These multiple size variations mean this hybrid breed can come as a Toy Sheepadoodle, Mini Sheepadoodle, or Standard Sheepadoodle.

Sheepadoodle Dog Temperament

 These pets are some of the sweetest and softest puppies around. Sheepadoodles are known for being brilliant dogs and also very emotionally intelligent animals. These dogs have become great therapy dogs, service dogs, and other working dogs.

You can efficiently train these dogs, and you should give them plenty of positive encouragement. Verbal praise and treats are more than enough to help these dogs feel safe during training sessions, promoting more activity and creating a stronger bond between you and your pet.

Sheepadoodle Puppy Health Overview

 Overall, this hybrid is a generally healthy mixed breed, and Sheepadoodle puppies have an average life span of 12 to 15 years. Even though these dogs are pretty healthy, every dog breed is at risk of its own predisposed genetic health conditions. For example, Sheepadoodle puppies are at risk of developing bloat, hip dysplasia, sebaceous adenitis, and some eye disorders.

Some of these conditions are minor, and some, like bloat, are life-threatening. However, most of these dogs will live their entire lives without experiencing any of these physical health concerns.

Even though many dogs in this breed will not experience physical health concerns, many of these pets will suffer from psychological issues such as stress and anxiety. Stress is a normal response to external factors globally, and owners shouldn't fret too much about their dog struggling with these issues. Instead, owners can become more prepared about what they can do to help relieve stress and anxiety in their puppy.

Causes of Anxiety In Sheepadoodle Puppies

 Though there can be many different causes of anxiety, some of the most common stress causes are separation anxiety or a lack of exercise.

Separation anxiety occurs when dogs are left alone for too long and don't handle it well, but another common kind of anxiety is anxiety stemming from loud noises. Typically things like police sirens, fireworks, or thunderstorms can ignite this type of anxiety in your dog. Another common type of anxiety is improper socialization anxiety. It isn't an actual term, but whenever dogs aren't socialized properly, they're more likely to get anxious in new environments or around people or pets. Socialization is crucial in keeping your dog mentally and physically healthy if they can become fearful of the world around them.

Anxiety Symptoms

 There are many different symptoms Sheepadoodle puppies with anxiety might show. If your dog has separation anxiety, they might show you by destroying your home in your absence. Dogs have less severe anxiety might shake, bark, or cry. Sometimes dogs with anxiety will try to escape the house, or they might try to prevent their owners from leaving the house.

If your Sheepadoodle is suffering from more severe cases of anxiety, they might urinate, defecate, vomit, or eat their poop. Whenever dogs are anxious, they might hold their ears back and tuck their tail between their legs.

Over time, as you spend more time with your dog, you begin to understand their body language. Sheepadoodle puppies will express more than one symptom of anxiety when they're struggling, and all owners have to do to help us understand what these signs are in their Sheepadoodle puppy. Then, after you know when your pet has stress, you'll be able to provide treatment methods to reduce their symptoms.

Anxiety Treatment Methods

 There are plenty of different ways to treat anxiety and stress. Some of the best ways to help your dog are to distract your dog with something else or get their body moving to release some pent-up energy healthily.

If you noticed your dog is more likely to experience stress and anxiety, it's good to start planning what to do whenever they have these moments. There are many different treatment methods to help your Sheepadoodle overcome its symptoms.

5 Ways to Reduce Your Sheepadoodle Puppy's Stress

1 Exercise

 Often, dogs are overly stressed out because they're not receiving the proper amount of exercise or mental stimulation they need. Taking your dog on a short walk or run is the perfect distraction to help them get this excess energy out of their body. Walks also offer your dog a chance to explore the world around them while taking in all their smells, which can be great mental stimulation.

2 Puzzle Toys

 Often, dogs get the right amount of physical exercise, but they don't get enough mental stimulation. People often forget that intelligent dogs such as Sheepadoodle puppies need a lot of mental stimulation to keep up with their needs. Purchasing puzzle toys for your dog to keep them entertained is a great way to help them destress. Toys allow your dog to distract themselves and use the mental energy they have stored until they also get a sweet little tree at the end of their struggle. The more your dog does this, the better they'll get at destressing through this method. A bonus is that many owners can put calming treats in these puzzle toys, so your dog gets to tire themselves out with playtime, and they'll begin feeling the calming effects of the treats within thirty minutes of eating them.

3 Pet Your Pup

 Sometimes when dogs are stressed out, it can be hard to tell what causes their stress. Something traumatic from their past might scare them, or maybe they have a little stomach bug. The best thing you can do for your dog is to be there for them whenever this happens.

It's important to bond and pet your dog to help comfort them whenever they're nervous. Some people think petting them when they're nervous will make them believe that whatever they're worried about deserves fear, but this isn't true. Whenever your dog is stressed out or scared, you're being there and comforting them will help them feel safer and calmer altogether. It will also strengthen your dog's trust in you and make your bond closer.

4 Make Them A Safe Space

 Many owners make safe spaces for their dogs, where they can retreat to a place that separates them from the rest of the house, any loud noises, or foot traffic. Owners then fill these places with many comfortable items to help calm their dogs down. The most common items in a dog's safe space are a dog bed, cage, bowl of water, and some snacks. Some owners make these rooms extra special by adding calming aromatherapy for their dog's space or allowing a stereo to play classical music softly. The only limits when creating your Sheepadoodle puppy's safe space are the limits you set for yourself.

5 Calming Supplements

 Another popular method to help dogs destress is to give them calming supplements or CBD. There are plenty of products you can get at the dog stores approved to give your dog for stress-related illnesses. Dog CBD is known to do a lot for your dogs' overall health, including aiding any pain or inflammation and any symptoms of stress or anxiety. There are plenty of other calming treats and supplements you can purchase if you're not comfortable giving your dog CBD and you can do research to figure out what the best supplement for your pet would be. If you try one of the methods and find that it doesn't work, you can always try another.

If you've tried plenty of calming supplements but find your pet has too many severe symptoms of anxiety to be treated with calming treats, you can talk to your vet about anti-anxiety meds. These dog medications are helpful, but you should reserve these methods for the most severe cases of anxiety. Anti-anxiety medication has to be prescribed by a veterinarian and often has many side effects that come with it. But if you find your dog isn't responding well to anything else to help them get rid of their symptoms of stress, then anti-anxiety medication might be the most efficient way to reduce your dog's symptoms. It's all up to you to decide what is best for your dog's specific situation.

What Works Best for Different Levels of Severity

 There are many different kinds of treatments you can give your dog, and you should base these choices on the severity of stress symptoms they show. If your pet doesn't like to be left alone and defecates in your house when you're away, your dog is suffering from a more severe symptom than a dog who only paces around when stressed out.

It's also important not to do anything that might make your dog even more stressed, like yelling at them or hugging them. Many owners want to hug their dogs to comfort them, but some dogs don't like hugs. Hugs can be a hostile feeling for an animal whenever you wrap your arms around them. Even if you think your dog likes it, you should still avoid this whenever they're already suffering from stress symptoms.

It's always best to start small when treating stress symptoms. Dogs with symptoms of vomiting, defecating, or animals that refuse to eat when they're stressed exhibit more intense symptoms. Therefore, they likely have a more severe issue with stress. Exercise should always be one of the go-to methods to help your dog destress, especially if you know your dog doesn't get the required amount of daily exercise or mental stimulation. Owners should always attempt to use puzzle toys, calming supplements, or CBD to calm their pets before putting them on medication with as many adverse side effects as anti-anxiety medications.

Conclusion

 There are many ways owners can help their Sheepadoodle puppies calm down from stress. One of the best ways is to identify what causes your dog's stress and then treat it. After you have your dog for a while, you'll begin to understand its body language and emotions. It is the way you be able to help them best and benefit them because you will also come to understand what they enjoy the most.

If your pet loves exercising and playtime but doesn't like puzzle toys, you can always try to partake in training sessions to relieve their stress. Some pets strongly dislike being pet when they're facing a lot of anxiety, and providing your pet with a safe space to retreat to is an excellent way to give them the space they need.

There are a few other ways dog owners can help their Sheepadoodle puppies cope with stress. These different methods aren't as readily available to everybody because of how expensive they can be. For example, counter conditioning treatment is a great way to help your dog take their stressed-out reaction and change it into a positive one. However, counter conditioning treatment takes a lot of time, and you have to hire a dog behaviorist or animal trainer to complete this. Owners can't complete the training on their own because it's so complex, and they won't be able to help their dog with this as efficiently as a professional.

There are plenty of ways to aid your Sheepadoodle puppy with their symptoms of stress, and if you don't like the five on this list, you can find plenty of other options doing research. Some owners give their pets specific specialty treats to calm them down, such as cottage cheese or some peanut butter.

All dog owners want to take the best care of their pets possible and while helping them with stress is essential, you shouldn't let them experiencing stress cause you stress. In the same way, you'll be able to read your dog's body language naturally, and your dog will be able to read yours. If you have stress, then your dog will be able to see this effect on you which makes them even more nervous. Instead, dog owners should remember that stress is a natural part of life for all animals and that even the most severe symptoms of stress will pass with time. The more you try to help relieve your dog of its signs of stress, the easier it will be to reduce its symptoms altogether.