10 Mixed-Breed Dogs for Those Who Can't Decide on Just One Breed

From doodles to dog-wolf hybrids

Mixed-breed dogs are canines whose appearance, traits, and personality derive from two or more parent breeds. They aren't hard to find. You can head to your local animal shelter to find a myriad of mutts ready to join a loving home.

But some people want specific mixed-breed dogs, hybrids or "designer" dogs. The "doodle" dog breeds can—but not always—make lives easier for allergy sufferers because of their poodle ancestry. If you're looking for other mixed-breed dogs, you can find combinations of working or herding breeds with enough energy to match your active lifestyle.

Learn more about these 10 mixed-breed dogs.

Breed Characteristics

This is where things can get iffy. Mixed-breed dogs are usually bred to get the best of both parent breeds, but it doesn't always work out that way. Goldendoodles can still have straight fur. Bernedoodles can still shed. Each dog is an individual, so while breeders might try to breed for certain personalities and attributes, they only have limited control.

Tip

If you are looking to buy a designer dog breed, be smart about it. Know how to spot a puppy mill. Avoid backyard breeders. Consider asking your local animal shelter or rescue if they have any of the breeds you're looking for.

Bernedoodle

Bernedoodles are hybrid dogs with poodle and Bernese mountain dog parents. The Berners are usually bred with standard poodles, resulting in a large, friendly dog who, ideally, doesn't shed much. Breeders can introduce more poodle into the bloodline to create Bernedoodles who shed even less. They can be trainable, but that depends how much of the stubborn Berner is in your Bernedoodle.

Breed Overview

Height: 23–29 inches

Weight: 50–90 pounds

Temperament: Smart, active, affectionate

Energy Level: Medium

Coat and Color: Shaggy, wavy coat; black, black and white, black and brown, or tri-color

Life Span: 12–17 years

Cavapoo

Another doodle hybrid, this one crossing a poodle with a Cavalier King Charles spaniel to create a small, friendly dog who's easy on their owner's allergies. You don't want the sniffles because cavapoos want to spend all the time they can with their owners, whether that's rambunctious playtime or evening snuggles.

Breed Overview

Height: 9–14 inches

Weight: 9–20 pounds

Temperament: Playful, calm, affectionate, gentle

Energy Level: Medium

Coat and Color: Curly or wavy; cream, fawn, chocolate, gold, chestnut, tri-color

Life Span: 12–15 years

Chiweenie

The Chiweenie is a mix of the Chihuahua and dachshund, bred to eliminate the back problems dachshunds sometimes experience. They're fun, alert dogs, but they might need an obedience class or two. They're also prone to bonding strongly to one person—so much so they'll even become a little jealous or protective.

Breed Overview

Height: 6–10 inches

Weight: 5–12 pounds

Temperament: Active, alert, loud

Energy Level: High

Coat and Color: Short, long, or wiry; fawn, chocolate, black, white, blue, or dapple

Life Span: 12–16 years

Chug

This cross between a pug and a Chihuahua is a popular choice for anyone looking for a small best friend. With the Chihuahua ancestry, they sport longer snouts than purebred pugs, making it easier for them to breathe. Because they're so small, they don't need much exercise.

Breed Overview

Height: 10–14 inches

Weight: 10–20 pounds

Temperament: Alert, active, playful, friendly

Energy Level: High

Coat and Color: Short; brown, black, fawn, cream, and white

Life Span: 10–13 years

Czechoslovakian Vlca

Here's an ultra-rare breed; the Czechoslovakian Vlca originated as a mix between German shepherds and actual wolves. (These days, wolves are no longer included in the breeding.) This primitive breed is not for most dog owners because they need so much exercise and socialization. That requires an experienced dog owner—if you can even find one of these scarce, expensive dogs.

Breed Overview

Height: Up to 25.5 inches

Weight: Around 57 pounds

Temperament: Fearless, active, smart, friendly

Energy Level: Medium

Coat and Color: Short double coat; yellowish-gray, silver-gray

Life Span: 10–15 years

Goldendoodle

This hybrid is a favorite among allergy sufferers, combining the smarts and low-shedding of the poodle with the lovable antics of the golden retriever. Goldendoodles are typically sweet, happy family dogs who vary in size depending on their parents. The lack of shedding might keep you from sneezing, but you'll need to invest in a good pair of clippers or find a local groomer.

Breed Overview

Height: 13–26 inches

Weight: 35–100 pounds

Temperament: Trainable, smart, playful

Energy Level: High

Coat and Color: Curly or shaggy coat; gold, cream, red, brown, or white coloring

Life Span: 10–15 years

King Shepherd

A German shepherd crossed with a Shiloh shepherd, a king shepherd is a gigantic dog weighing up to 150 pounds. They're as trainable as they are big, but they'll still need plenty of room to roam. They even get along well with kids, but you'll want your kids to grow up a little bit just so your king shepherd won't knock them over.

Breed Overview

Height: 25–31 inches

Weight: 75–150 pounds

Temperament: Protective, smart, loyal, friendly

Energy Level: High

Coat and Color: Long, wavy; black, white, tan, brown, or gray

Life Span: 10–11 years

Poochon

The poochon is a mix of the bichon frise and poodle, another breed designed to shed minimally. The bichons are bred with toy and miniature poodles, so they're usually pretty small and lively. That's why they can make excellent apartment dogs who will love spending time with you.

Breed Overview

Height: 9–15 inches

Weight: 6–20 pounds

Temperament: Trainable, intelligent, outgoing, affectionate

Energy Level: Medium

Coat and Color: Curly, dense; white, black, cream, apricot, red, brown, or silver

Life Span: 10–18 years

Shih Tzu-Poodle

The shih tzu-poodle, more commonly called the shih-poo, is another dog designed for people who suffer from allergies and live in apartments because they're small dogs who don't shed much. They can be frequent barkers, however, so you want to put in the work to keep your pup busy (and your neighbors happy). When looking for a shih-poo puppy, make sure you visit a reputable breeder rather than a puppy mill.

Breed Overview

Height: 8–15 inches

Weight: 7–20 pounds

Temperament: Sweet, playful, friendly

Energy Level: Medium

Coat and Color: Curly or straight; white, black, cream, apricot, red, blue, or gold

Life Span: 10–17 years

Texas Heeler

The Texas heeler is actually a mix of two Australian dog breeds: the Australian cattle dog and the Australian shepherd. With two uber-active parent breeds, this dog has a ton of energy and needs a daily job, whether that's herding on a Texas ranch or competing in canine sports. Just make sure you can keep up.

Breed Overview

Height: 17–22 inches

Weight: 25–50 pounds

Temperament: Energetic, athletic, brave, affectionate

Energy Level: High

Coat and Color: Short coat; black, blue merle, or blue ticked coloring

Life Span: 12–15 years

Each of these breeds—OK, maybe not the Czech wolfdog—can make great pets. But remember, so can the mutts at your local shelter. Many of them might possess pit bull terrier or Labrador retriever DNA, but they'll love you just as much as any other dog.