Irish Doodles vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison

Irish Doodles vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed ComparisonIrish Doodles is originated from United States but Greek Sheepdog is originated from Greece. Irish Doodles may grow 37 cm / 14 inches shorter than Greek Sheepdog. Irish Doodles may weigh 19 kg / 41 pounds lesser than Greek Sheepdog. Both Irish Doodles and Greek Sheepdog has almost same life span. Irish Doodles may have more litter size than Greek Sheepdog. Irish Doodles requires Low maintenance. But Greek Sheepdog requires Moderate maintenance

History

irish doodles - historyKnown also as the Irish Doodle Setter or the Irish Setterdoodle, the Irish Doodle is a crossbreed – a mix of Irish Setter and Poodle.

This designer crossbreed comes from the United States. There isn't much of a history with the Irish Doodle, though both breeds used to create this dog breed have their own long histories.

Because the Irish Doodle is a hybrid breed, it isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club. It is however recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club.

greek sheepdog - historyKnown as the Olympus Dog or even simply as the Greek Shepherd, the Greek Sheepdog is a large to giant molosser dog from Greece. His purpose has always been to guard flocks and livestock from predators and he has been around for hundreds of years, looking much like the Great Pyrenees.

It is believed that the dog was likely bred with a number of breeds – both local and non-local dogs.

Unfortunately there were no records kept of the development of the breed but today the Greek Sheepdog remains a rare and fairly unknown breed outside of Greece.

It's numbers are dwindling in Greece too and since 1998 the Greek ARCTUROS has made attempts to save the breed, starting the Greek Shepherd Dog Breeding Program.

Basic Information

Group:
Companion dog
Working dog
Origin:
United States
Greece
Height Male:
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
65 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
Height Female:
33 - 38 cm
12 - 15 inches
65 - 75 cm
25 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
18 - 31 kg
39 - 69 pounds
32 - 50 kg
70 - 111 pounds
Weight Female:
18 - 31 kg
39 - 69 pounds
32 - 50 kg
70 - 111 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 14 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 12
4 - 6
Size:
Medium dog
Large dog
Other Names:
Irish Doodle Setter, Irish Setterdoodle
Greek Shepherd, Olympus Dog
Colors Available:
cream, white, Apricot, brown and black
White with red, black or brown markings
Coat:
Long and wavy
Thick, double-coat, long hair
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Low maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
Yes
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

irish doodles puppy - descriptionThe Irish Doodle is a medium sized dog, standing at roughly 33cm to 38cm and weighing roughly 18kg to 31kg.

Pet owners appreciate that a dog like this is considered to be hypoallergenic and this attractive aspect of this dog comes from the Poodle side. The Irish Doodle's coat is long, soft and fairly wavy with apricot being the most common coat color but other colors include white, cream, brown and black. The head and muzzle is longish, the eyes brown, the ears floppy and the tail long.

Temperament:

The Poodle and the Irish Setter combine to ensure that the Irish Doodle is an intelligent dog and that he has an amicable disposition so that he is good with kids and pets in the home.

He has a host of excellent characteristics that make him a superb family pet and these are friendliness, intelligence, devotion and loyalty. He is easy to train and training and socialization will make him obedient so that he responds well to simple instructions such as come, stay, lie down, sit etc.

greek sheepdog puppy - descriptionThe Greek Sheepdog is a large dog, standing at 65 – 75cm and weighing roughly between 32 to 50kg. He is a dog that displays physical strength. He has a large head with brown eyes and a serious expression on his face. He has a thick double coat which is essentially white with red, black or brown markings.

You will also see tri-color dogs. He has floppy ears today but there was a time when the right ear of the male dog was cut off or cropped. The tail is long and bushy and it can be held low but also held up so that it curls over the back.

Temperament:

Maybe because of his size and him being a strong-willed, independent thinker, the Greek Shepherd may not be the best choice for a first time dog owner. Having said that, if you're a strong, firm, patient, kind person, then you'll be able to raise any kind of dog, first time or not.

The Greek Shepherd is a brave, loyal, calm, protective dog and with socialization and training, can make an awesome pet. They are dogs who are a bit suspicious with strangers, not making friends too easily. He loves his human family and wants to be part of their activities. He can't be left on his own day after day as this can lead to excessive barking and destructive behavior.

They've been dogs used to working with livestock and they will certainly need to be taken on daily walks and involved in rough and tumble games as they thrive on activity. The dog won't fit easily into city life where there is just a handkerchief-sized garden as he needs space and activity.

Characteristics

irish doodles dog - characteristicsThe Irish Doodle is guaranteed to make you a great pet. Every dog becomes better when they have been trained and socialized as they require having interactions with other dogs and people to know how to behave around them later on.

The Irish Doodle is a playful, active, attractive, loyal, fun loving pet who will learn easily.

The most important thing to remember with your Irish Doodle is to get involved in his life. He didn’t ask to come to you, but if you do your part and treat him like a much loved family member, you’ll soon see that your life isn’t complete without a wonderful 4-legged friend like the Irish Doodle.

greek sheepdog dog - characteristicsYour Greek Shepherd is an intelligent, independent dog who likes to show his loyalty and devotion to his owner.

He is a protective dog too and when trained and socialized makes an excellent family pet. These Molosser type dogs are formidable dogs known for their bravery and courage.

They're the type of dogs who like a strong leader-type of owner and when he gets someone who he can look up to as his leader, he becomes a loyal, devoted pet.

Health Problems

irish doodles puppies - health problemsIrish Doodles are a robust, resilient breed, and with good care they can live to be 11, 12, 13 or 14 years. Nonetheless you need to know about the more common dog illnesses that any dog can develop.

These are hip dysplasia, eye problems, ear infections, bloat and Von Willebrand's Disease.You can improve your dog’s health by making sure he gets the very best food there is to eat, a warm, dry place to sleep and that he is treated with lots of love and care.

Von Willebrand's Disease:

Von Willebrand's disease is an inherited bleeding disorder. The disorder comes about because of a deficiency of von Willebrand Factor. This is an adhesive glyco-protein in the blood which is necessary for platelet binding or clotting. The condition can lead to excessive bleeding after an injury because the blood can’t clot.

greek sheepdog puppies - health problemsWith good care and lots of love, this dog can live to be between 10 to 12 years of age. He is unlikely to get sick very often, but still it it wise to know of some of the health issues than can occur with large breed dogs like this.

Some diseases to look out for include -

Dilated cardiomyopathy:

This is a disease of the heart muscle. The heart is enlarged and unable to have the right heart rhythm. The distended muscle isn't able to push the blood through the heart chambers to where it is needed. Cause for this dilated heart can be genetic, nutritional, infectious or metabolic.

Because taurine and carnitine are involved in good heart function, and low levels of these amino acids can cause symptoms of dilated cardiomyopathy, supplementation is useful, especially if you feel your dog isn't getting in the right kind of food.

Lyme Disease:

Borreliosis, a bacterial infection, causes Lyme disease, transmitted by the Ixodes tick. The tick bites the dog and the toxins gets into the dog's bloodstream, with the bacteria travelling to different parts of the body.

Typical symptoms in a dog includes loss of appetite, fever, no energy, swelling of joints and lameness, but symptoms can progress to kidney failure too or cardiac problems. Treatment will include antibiotics.

Caring The Pet

irish doodles dogs - caringEven though the Irish Doodle's coat is long, this is a dog with just about no shedding, so a brush once a week will ensure his coat stays in tip-top condition. Some Irish Doodle owners like to take their pet to have the coat professionally trimmed.

Exercise:

The Irish Doodle isn’t one of these dogs where you need to ensure a good dose of exercise every day. He doesn’t particularly need a lot of exercise, so include him in your daily walks and give him a ball game now and then to keep him happy and fit.

Diet:

As a medium sized dog, your Irish Doodle will require a high quality diet that will ensure he is getting all the right minerals and vitamins he needs for his activities.

If you choose one of the wet or dry commercially manufactured foods, make sure it is one of the best quality ones free from fillers, colorants and preservatives. It is to your pet’s benefit to add in some homemade food to his kibble such as cooked chicken, brown rice, pasta and vegetables.

Raw meat is expensive, but if you can, give him some raw meat occasionally too as this promotes bright eyes, a wet nose and a healthy skin and fur.

Fresh, cool water must be provided every day non-stop.

Grooming:

greek sheepdog dogs - caringThe coat of the Greek Shepherd is fairly long so it will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it free from matting and tangling. He is an average shedder and the brushing will remove all loose hairs, keeping the coat sleek and shiny.

Diet:

Feeding your Greek Sheepdog requires giving him top quality food as this will ensure he is healthy and can ward off common dog illnesses. If you're going to be feeding him kibble, make sure to go for the top quality brands, and as a treat for your pet you can add in some brown rice, pasta, brown bread, cooked chicken and vegetables.

Dogs are essentially carnivores and he will need to have some raw meat such as beef added into his kibble from time to time. He should never ever be without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Samoyed vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  2. Presa Canario vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  3. Labrador Husky vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  4. Mackenzie River Husky vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  5. Pyredoodle vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  6. Lurcher vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  7. Maremma Sheepdog vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  8. Sarplaninac vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  9. Himalayan Mastiff vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  10. Mountain View Cur vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  11. Native American Indian Dog vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  12. Greenland Dog vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  13. Komondor vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  14. Polish Tatra Sheepdog vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  15. Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Greek Sheepdog - Breed Comparison
  16. Greek Sheepdog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  17. Greek Sheepdog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  18. Greek Sheepdog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  19. Greek Sheepdog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  20. Greek Sheepdog vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  21. Greek Sheepdog vs Alaskan Malamute - Breed Comparison
  22. Greek Sheepdog vs Bullmastiff - Breed Comparison
  23. Greek Sheepdog vs Great Pyrenees - Breed Comparison
  24. Greek Sheepdog vs Boerboel - Breed Comparison
  25. Greek Sheepdog vs Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  26. Pomsky vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  27. Old English Bulldog vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  28. Puggle vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  29. Schnoodle vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  30. Irish Doodles vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  31. Irish Doodles vs Golden Doodle - Breed Comparison
  32. Irish Doodles vs Aussie Poo - Breed Comparison
  33. Irish Doodles vs Eurasier - Breed Comparison
  34. Irish Doodles vs German Spitz (Mittel) - Breed Comparison
  35. Irish Doodles vs Bordoodle - Breed Comparison
  36. Irish Doodles vs Dalmador - Breed Comparison
  37. Irish Doodles vs Hairless Khala - Breed Comparison
  38. Irish Doodles vs Elo - Breed Comparison
  39. Irish Doodles vs Dutch Smoushond - Breed Comparison
  40. Sanshu vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  41. Pandikona vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  42. Renascence Bulldogge vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  43. Jindo vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  44. Hermes Bulldogge vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  45. Serbian Tricolour Hound vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  46. Kromfohrlander vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  47. Valley Bulldog vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  48. Whoodles vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  49. Mini Sheepadoodles vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison
  50. Beabull vs Irish Doodles - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds