How Big Do Irish Doodles Get?

Irish Doodles are a living example of why the dog is a man’s best friend. They are playful, intelligent, and eager to please. This ideal companion is also affectionate and loves to spend time with its loved ones. 

how big do irish doodles get
How big do Irish Doodles get? Mini Irish Doodles are much smaller than the Standard size.

Irish Doodles inherit a set of traits from their parents: The Poodle and the Irish Setter. Because poodles do not shed their coats, Irish Doodles are hypoallergenic and do not shed.

If you consider adding an Irish Doodle to the family, you might want to know how big do Irish Doodles get? This article examines the typical sizes and weights for Standard and Miniature Irish Doodles. 

We also discuss the various genetic factors that influence the size of the Irish Doodle.

Mini Irish Doodles

Mini Irish Doodles are the tiniest form of this breed. When you breed an Irish Setter and Miniature Poodle, you produce the Mini Irish Doodle. The larger Irish Setter is up to 27 inches in height and 60-70 pounds in weight. The Mini Poodle only stands at 10-14 inches in height and 10-20 pounds.

So, how big do Mini Irish Doodles get? The average Mini Irish Doodle puppy will grow as big as 20-40 pounds in weight and 15-22 inches in height.

Think about the size of a Miniature Goldendoodle or Cavapoo.

mini irish doodle size
A Mini Irish Doodle is similar in size to Mini Goldendoodle

Standard Irish Doodles

Standard Irish Doodles come in a bigger size than the Miniature Irish Doodle. Much like the Miniature breed, the standard is the offspring of an Irish Setter and Miniature Poodle. 

The Standard Irish Doodle usually gets to be as big as 22-28 inches and 40-70 pounds.

These are not a small doodle breed. The standard Irish Doodle rates amongst the larger of the Poodle Mix dogs and will mimic the size of the Standard Poodle parent.

If breeders are looking to produce a bigger Irish Doodle, they will breed the Setter with a Standard Poodle instead of a Miniature Poodle. The Standard Poodle sits about 1.5-2 feet in height at the shoulders and weighs close to 40-70 pounds.

Genetic Factors That Impact Irish Doodle Size

There are a variety of variables that influence the size of a fully matured Irish Doodle. It is impossible to guess the exact size of your Irish Doodle, but the factors below will give you an insightful estimate. 

These components include gender, parents’ sizes, and generation.

Gender

The gender provides critical insights into how big Irish Doodles will get. Historically, the male Irish Doodle’s height and weight are about 10% larger than the female. Male Standard Irish Doodle males will grow around 2-4 inches taller than the females. They will also weigh about 10 pounds more. When it comes to Mini Irish Doodles, the size difference between males and females is not as distinguishable.

Size of the Parents

Genetics plays a vital role in the size of all Irish Doodle types. Many of the traits from the mother and father will pass on to the offspring. If the mother or father is smaller, Irish Doodle will collect this trait of the parent dog breed. Although genetics is not a precise indicator, they deliver insightful details about what you can expect with the Irish Doodle.

irish doodle cross size

Generation

Lastly, the Irish Doodle’s generation plays a pivotal role in its full adult growth and size. This generation includes the genetic historical makeup of your furry friend. You can analyze the lineage and how closely it aligns with either the Irish Setter or Poodle. If the offspring gains a higher percentage of the traits from the bigger dog, the larger the puppy will grow to be.

Between the Irish Setter and Poodle, the Irish Setter is normally bigger. If the Irish Doodle has more Irish Setter than Poodle, it will come in a larger size. On the other hand, an Irish Doodle with more linkage to Poodle than Irish Setter will be a lot smaller in size. Typically, Poodles have a lower average size than the Irish Setter, which is what causes the imbalance.

Health and Wellness Factors That Impact Irish Doodle Size

Apart from the genetic factors that impact Irish Doodle dog size, there are several actions you can take to influence the development of your furry friend. As a dog owner, you can establish healthy dieting, exercise, and training habits to ensure that the Irish Doodle lives a happy life.

Food and Diet for Irish Doodles

Food and diet play another factor in the growth and development of the Irish Setter Poodle Mix. Mini Irish Doodles and Standard Irish Doodles have varying nutritional demands. 

Mini Irish Doodles will require food meant for small breeds, while Standard Irish Doodles should take dog food for large dog breeds.

As you decide on the best food for your Irish Doodle, focus on products that accommodate your dog’s age, metabolism, activity level, and other various factors and diet restrictions.

Many of the dog food products will list out standard guidelines based on the dog’s size and weight. It would also be insightful to check with the veterinarian on how much food you should feed your dog.

Portioning meals for your Irish Doodle is also essential in its growth. It is best to separate the food portions into two separate meals: one in the evening and one in the morning. When you spread out meals like this, it reduces the likelihood of obesity. It also decreases the chances of a Standard Doodle developing bloat.

Irish Doodles who have more Irish Setter genetics may also demand a different type of dog food. Because puppies have a smaller stomach, they will not be able to digest large food quantities at a single time. 

Before your Irish Doodle puppies reach the age of six months, provide them three or four miniature meals instead of the two. Once they turn six months, you can transition to the two-meal schedule.

Training for Irish Doodles

Training Irish Doodles is relatively simple and straightforward. But as with most active dogs, this breed will need consistent practice and repetition to successfully learn commands and retain the information. 

An ethical breeder will have started with basic puppy training. Adoption centres and rescues also start with the extreme basics of training in many places. But the responsbility for a well trained adult dog lies with the pet parent, not the Doodle breeder.

The best time to start training is when your Irish Doodle is a puppy. Understanding and practicing commands at this age will help advance the training and development processes.

Familiarizing your Irish Poo Setter (they sometimes call Irish Doodles this “interesting” nick name) with grooming and being touched is as important as socialization with children and other dogs.

If you are unsure about the training process or do not have time, then you can always register the Irish Doodle for an advanced behavior class with a professional trainer. Irish Doodles are friendly, intelligent, and motivated to please, however.

irish doodle 101 - facts and images
The low down 101 on the Irish Doodle (Irish-poo)

When Do Irish Doodles Stop Growing in Size?

As your furry friend graduates from puppyhood, you may start wondering when it will stop growing. Now that you understand the question of how big do Irish Doodles get, we can review what age they will be when they reach the maximum size.

Both Standard Irish Doodle’s parents grow for about 18-24 months before the cycle stops. On the other hand, Miniature Poodles stop growing when they reach 7-8 months of age. Reflecting on this information, Standard Irish Doodles will stop growing later in life compared to Miniature Irish Doodles.

The bigger dogs endure a slower growth process compared to their smaller relatives. Although a Standard Irish Doodle will grow fast in the first year of its life, it will then steadily throughout the next 12 months. 

You may not notice the growth as much in the second year, however. Miniature Irish Doodles will quickly grow in the first six months, and then the process will stop when they reach 8-12 months.

irish doodle cost puppy price
How much would you expect to spend to buy an Irish Doodle puppy?

Irish Doodle Pros and Cons

Now that you understand everything about the growing tendencies of Irish Doodles, it is also important to understand both the pros and cons of this playful dog. Bringing an Irish Doodle into the family is a big decision, so here are some of the high-level things to consider.

Pros

  • Smart – Irish Doodles are intelligent dogs that gain a lot of knowledge from the Poodle parent, which makes them quick learners when it comes to training and commands
  • Friendly and playful – if you have a big family or small children, Irish Doodles will warm up to them very quickly
  • Hypoallergenic – because of the strong genetic influence of the Poodle parent, Irish Doodles are almost always hypoallergenic, which makes them resistant to allergies from the yard

Cons

  • Demanding Exercise Needs – because Irish Doodles have a lot of built-up energy, they will require daily exercise, attention, and care from the owner. Expect a regular trip to the dog park. Luckily they love running, playing, and Irish Doodles even enjoy swimming to burn energy
  • Costly – the Irish Doodle is more expensive than other breeds, especially for the Miniature Irish Doodles, which is why it is essential to understand their growth cycle fully. A reputable breeder will set you back a singificant sum of money. 
  • Separation anxiety – since Irish Doodles are a companion mixed breed dog, they do not fare well when you leave them by themselves for long periods. They will most likely experience separation anxiety and other related issues
irish doodle vs golden doodle

Fun breed names that people call Irish Doodles..

People love to come up with creative names to describe Oodle mix dogs – for example in Australia we call the designer dog Cockapoo the “Spoodle”. But the Irish Doodle has a crazy number of name variants. Let’s all roll with Irish Doodle from now on!

  • Irish Poo Setter
  • Irish Setter poo
  • Irish Doodle (well of course this is my preferred)
  • Ireland Doodle (seriously)
  • Irish Doodle Setter
  • Setter Irishpoo (zzz)

Final Wrap Up

As you can see, Irish Doodles are a typically active, happy hybrid dog that grow at a healthy rate. They love their owners and are always excited about playtime. There are many factors to consider before buying an Irish Doodle, but now you know what to expect with the potential growth size based on genetics, parents, gender, and other life factors.