Double Doodle

You may be pleased to hear that the Double Doodle is not a double handful. This is a fairly low-maintenance breed in the hair, nails, and teeth department. Experts recommend brushing the dog’s hair once a week and bathing them once every few weeks. Dogs often have sensitive skin, so remember to use a kinder dog shampoo, as opposed to human shampoo, to avoid drying out your pet’s skin. 

Unlike humans, dogs don’t need to brush their teeth twice a day but every week you should brush your furry friend’s to help them ward off gum disease and tartar. Once a month is about as often as you’ll need to clip your Double Doodle’s nails, unless you have cause to do otherwise. And their floppy ears shouldn’t be neglected: dry them when they get wet and check and clean them every week. 

Do Double Doodles shed? Yes, but not much, so you don’t need to worry too much about it. If you want professionals to take care of some or most of this care, look at the range of wellness plans on offer — grooming costs tend to be included in these as standard.

Double Doodle health risks

No breed of dog is immune to health problems from time to time. The Double Doodle is particularly vulnerable to the following conditions:

• Patellar Luxation
• Mitral Valve Dysplasia
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Retinal Dysplasia
• Von Willebrand’s Disease
• Hip Dysplasia

Patellar Luxation

The Double Doodle is one of the breeds most commonly affected by this condition, which is when the kneecap is dislocated or displaced. A dog can be born with this condition, or develop it in later life. If you notice your Double Doodle limping or refusing to exercise, it would be a good idea to contact your vet.

Mitral Valve Dysplasia

A congenital cardiac condition that may not show up until your dog is a full grown Double Doodle, mitral valve dysplasia (MVD) affects dogs like Mastiffs, Boston Terriers, and Great Danes. In some cases it can affect Double Doodles. Symptoms of this problem can include a hacking cough, dyspnea, or gagging. 

Generally the condition will be revealed at a wellness check in which a vet will check the dog’s heart. A vet will want to treat MVD — with beta blockers or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors to lower blood pressure — because if left alone, it can be fatal. Dogs that aren’t displaying symptoms, however, tend not to need medical intervention but will have X-rays every 6-12 months.

Elbow Dysplasia

You might not immediately think of dogs as having elbows, but elbow dysplasia affects some breeds including the Double Doodle. It refers to arthritis of the elbow joint and will reveal itself in swollen joints, soreness after resting, or lameness in the front legs. 

While this is considered to be a largely genetic problem, things like trauma, bad nutrition and no exercise can contribute to elbow dysplasia. Often, surgery will be required on the affected bone and cartilage.

Retinal Dysplasia

Usually inherited, retinal dysplasia won’t cause your furry friend any pain, fortunately, but the condition means that your dog has a malformation within the retina, which won’t be good news for their eyesight. You may notice your dog hesitating before jumps, or bumping into things, and feel that a trip to the vet is sensible. There’s no treatment for retinal dysplasia but your vet may prescribe anti-oxidants to prolong the health of the eyes.

Von Willebrand’s Disease

Another inherited disorder, Von Willebrand’s Disease most commonly affects Doberman Pinschers but can sometimes affect other breeds like the Double Doodle as well. It’s a strange condition characterized by bleeding. A dog may hemorrhage from somewhere like the nose, vagina or bladder, perhaps exacerbated by stress. 

The most common point at which the condition is spotted by professionals is when the dog bleeds excessively after surgery. If the animal loses too much blood, this can sometimes lead to death, making Von Willebrand’s Disease a very serious condition. If you’re aware that your dog has the disease, there will be various things — rough play that may cause bruises; nail trimming; sharp objects in the mouth — that are no longer as safe. 

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is an issue that’s often diagnosed more frequently in larger dogs. It’s a term that means the ball and socket of both hip joints are malformed in some way, causing the head of the dog’s femur to grind in the socket of the joint, not glide smoothly. It can be caused by malnutrition, injury or weight gain and will be noticeable as a result of your dog not moving smoothly, not jumping, or having lameness in the hind legs.

To be prepared if these conditions ever do come up in your Double Doodle, make sure you have compared the best insurance plans out there.

Feeding a Double Doodle: what’s the best diet?

Like a lot of dogs, the Double Doodle has an impressive amount of energy to burn, which means it will need quite a bit of food. They’ll get through between two and three cups of food a day. It would be wise to avoid high-fat foods because the Poodle DNA in your Double Doodle may make it vulnerable to digestive problems like pancreatitis. 

Check out the guidance and reviews our friends at Dog Food Advisor have to offer, and look in particular for food that contains glucosamine if you’re in the market for some Double Doodle food.