Labradoodle

A cross breed between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle gives you the Labradoodle.  These cross breeds are like a taking a piece of chocolate out of a beautiful package, you just never know exactly what you are going to get.  As a mixed breed you can get personality traits from either type of dog and some mix better than others.  You just never know what those traits are until you raise them.  this cross breed was designed to be a hypoallergenic guide dog.  Breeding started in Australia and the Labradoodle was born, they are highly intelligent, social dogs with a low shedding coat.

 

Did You Know?

  • The Labradoodle does have more than one coat type.  Originally it was bred to retain the Poodles non-shedding coat, but that is not always the case.  Some coats are more like the Poodles but all coat types shed, some more than others.  That being said none of them are fully hypoallergenic.
  • Labradoodles are very friendly and love children.  Most Labradoodles love to play and can knock children over when they get larger. 
  • They are highly intelligent dogs, as their parentage comes from two intelligent breeds.  They learn quickly and are capable of doing many tricks and tasks asked of them by their owners.  They can be well trained if their owner is proactive in training them from a young age.
  • Labradoodles are a very social breed that loves to be around people and need to live inside with his family.  They should never be left to live outside. 
  • The person accredited for being the first to deliberately breed a Poodle and Labrador Retriever was Wally Conron, head breeder of the Australian Guide Dog Association, in 1989.
  • The health conditions common to Labrador Retrievers and Poodles may decrease in this mixed breed due to the genetic diversity that occurs.  That being said, they also may still be predisposed to genetic conditions from both breeds.  It is important to get a full disclosure of their health and parents health form a responsible breeder.

Breed Characteristics

Adaptability: 4.7/5

Adapts Well to Apartment Living: 5/5
Good for Novice Owners: 4/5
Tolerates Being Alone: 4/5

All-Around Friendliness: 5/5

Affectionate with Family: 5/5
Dog-Friendly: 5/5
Friendly Toward Strangers: 5/5

Health & Grooming: 3/5

Amount of Shedding: 4.7/5
Easy to Groom: 4/5
General Health: 4/5

Trainability: 3.7/5

Easy to Train: 4/5
Intelligence: 4/5
Tendency to Bark or Howl: 3/5

Exercise Needs: 5/5

Energy Level: 5/5
Exercise Needs: 5/5
Potential for Playfulness: 5/5

History

The Labradoodle came about when a head breeder for the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia cross bred a Poodle and a Labrador Retriever in hopes to develop a guide dog that had a hypoallergenic coat.  The first dog of this cross breed did have a hypoallergenic coat, Sultan was trained and became an excellent guide dog.  Other breeders and trainers of guide dogs saw Sultan and became increasingly interested in this cross breed.  As more dogs were bred it became apparent that not all Labradoodles would have the hypoallergenic coat, in fact there became 3 types of coats they could have. 

As the popularity of this cross breed has risen there has been greater demand for them and have become the most sought-after “Doodle” crossbreed.  Though they are not officially recognized as their own breed they are gaining recognition and organizations such as the Australian Labradoodle Association are making efforts to make the cross breed a recognized breed of its own one day.  It will take generations of breeding Labradoodles to achieve the desired set traits and characteristics required to make it a recognized breed but those steps are currently being taken.  Until then, Labradoodle owners are loving their cross breed dogs with their intelligent, lovable personalities.

Size

The Labradoodle comes in three size variations, miniature, medium, and standard. 

  • Miniature Labradoodles can stand between 14 and 16 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 15 to 25 pounds.
  • Medium Labradoodles can stand between 17 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 30 to 45 pounds.  Males are typically on the larger size of this spectrum than females.
  • Standard Labradoodles can stand between 21 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 50 to 65 pounds.  Males are typically on the larger size on this spectrum than females.

 

Appearance

Generational Labradoodles have a more established set of traits and characteristics than first generation Labradoodles do. They are attractive, fluffy dogs ranging in size from small to moderately large. They should appear graceful, square and athletic, but not bulky or delicate.  Labradoodles have mid-to-long muzzles and welcoming, sometimes even mischievous eyes covered in soft curls. They have long, furry dropped ears that are well set back on the top of their head.

A distinctive feature of the multi-generation Labradoodle is their super-soft, ringlet coat, which shed minimally and be fairly easy to manage.  Generational Labradoodles can have three different types of coats, fleece, wool or hair.  The fleece coat is a long and wavy or loose curls that is very soft and silky and very minimal shedding.  The wool coat has tight ringlets like a Poodle and is very thick like wool, this coat nearly never sheds and is better for those with allergies. The third coat type is more typical in earlier Labradoodle generations, the hair coat.  This coat is much like the Labrador Retruever’s coat and does shed regularly. Their coats come in many different colors including parti (patched) colored and phantom (two-toned).  There are however some coat colors that have become recognized as standard: Red, Black, Silver, Blue, Caramel, Chocolate, Cafe, Parchment, Lavender, Cream, Apricot/Gold, and Apricot/Cream.

Behavior

Personality

Given the temperaments of the Poodle and Labrador, they are highly intelligent and love to be around people.  A well bred Labradoodle will be very social and happy to meet strangers, other dogs, and play with children.  He is eager to work for his people and play any other time.  When trained and socialized properly Labradoodles are friendly, energetic balls of fluff.  They should never be aggressive, quite the opposite, they are a joyful dog that simply loves to love people and be loved.

Children and Other Pets

The Labradoodle is an all around friendly dog, even with other dogs and children.  Most Labradoodles get along very well with any other pets, dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.  They love children of all ages.  The main concern is their size and excitement when playing with children.  They are known to jump up on children and knock them over when they get excited.  As with any dog it is important to teach children how to properly play with them and supervise interactions to be sure children are paying kindly and that the Labradoodle is playing well too. 

Health

Labradoodles are generally a fairly healthy cross breed but as with all cross breeds, there are some health conditions they are more prone to inheriting.  They do not have any major health problems but can be born with medical conditions or acquire conditions as they age. It is important to note that not all Labradoodles will have any or all of these conditions but it is good to be aware of possible health conditions they may have. If you have access to your dog’s parental health records that would be a great place to do some research and see what he may be prone to having.  You can obtain health clearances for both of the parents of your dog to make sure they’ve been tested and cleared from the following conditions. Health clearances can be confirmed by checking the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) website.  Be sure to purchase from a responsible breeder that tests for health conditions in all the dogs they breed and provide vaccines and deworming prior to taking him home. 

Hip Dysplasia: This is a genetic condition passed down from parents in which the femur does not fit snugly into the pelvic socket of the hip joint.  This condition can exist without clinical signs so it is important to have X-ray screenings done.  Dogs with this condition can be in pain and exhibit lameness in one or both rear legs. Ask the breeder for proof that the parents were tested and cleared for hip dysplasia. 

Epilepsy: Another hereditary disorder, this one causes seizures.  It cannot be cured but it can be controlled with medication.  Labradoodles that suffer from Epilepsy can live long, healthy lives with proper management.

Allergies: This is a common ailment in all dogs, they can have food allergies or contact allergies.  Each is treated by eliminating whatever is causing the allergy from the dog’s diet or removing the contact item giving the dog the allergy.  Inhalant allergies can also affect dogs, some can be alleviated by medications.  Ear infections are a common side effect of inhalant allergies.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): This is a degenerative eye disorder that eventually causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eye. PRA is detectable years before the dog shows any signs of blindness. Fortunately, dogs can use their other senses to compensate for blindness, and a blind dog can live a full and happy life. Just don’t make it a habit to move the furniture around. Reputable Labradoodle breeders have their dogs’ eyes certified annually by a veterinary ophthalmologist and do not breed dogs with this disease.

Elbow Dysplasia: This is another condition that is common to large-breed dogs. A possible cause for this is due to the different growth rates of the three bones that make up the dog’s elbow, causing joint laxity. This can cause pain or even lameness in the affected leg. Options to control this are either surgery or pain medication to control the pain level.

Hypothyroidism: Hypothyroidism is an abnormally low level of the hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Some signs of this condition can be as mild as infertility or as severe as obesity, mental dullness, lethargy, drooping of the eyelids, and irregular heat cycles. The dog’s fur becomes coarse and brittle and begins to fall out, while the skin becomes tough and dark. Luckily this is easily treated with daily medication.  Dogs on thyroid medication can live long and healthy lives. 

Diabetes Mellitus: Even dogs can contract diabetes.  This condition occurs when their body cannot regulate blood sugar levels due to his body not producing enough insulin.  Dogs with this condition typically eat more food in an attempt to get more energy as the glucose from their food isn’t getting into their cells for energy.  He will lose weight rather than gain weight due to his body’s inability to properly use the food he is eating.  Symptoms are increased thirst, excessive eating, and weight loss.  Like humans this condition can be controlled with insulin injections. 

Gastric Dilation Volvulus: Otherwise known as bloat. This condition occurs in larger deep-chested breeds such as Golden Retrievers and can be life-threatening. This can occur when a dog quickly eats one large meal during the day, drinks a lot of water then exercises vigorously. If the stomach becomes distended with gas or air and then twists, bloat happens. If the dog is unable to burp or vomit to release the air, blood flow to the heart can be impeded. The dog’s blood pressure will then drop causing the dog to go into shock. If medical attention is not sought quickly enough, the dog could die from this.

Care

Labradoodles are fairly adaptable dogs and can live in a variety of places, due to their exercise needs apartment living probably is not suited to them.  They do require between 30 to 60 minutes of exercise daily.  This can be done by taking them walking, running, hiking, agility courses, frisbee, and other games that require them to exercise.  Remember they are highly intelligent as well and will need to be mentally stimulated and challenged.  They do well with obedience training and are always up for learning new tricks and being given new tasks to perform.  He will need 10 to 20 minutes a day of mental exercises to help keep his mind sharp and prevent him from finding his own tasks to perform.  You may not like the tasks he creates for himself.  If a fenced in backyard is available he will love running around on his own for an hour or so, if not you can teach him to run off leash and take him to a dog park. 

Labradoodles are eager to please and intelligent so luckily that makes training fairly easy.  Be sure to use positive praise and rewards (small treats) and he will train quite easily.  The hard part is to continue training and teaching him new things as he will remain eager to learn and the please you.  Be consistent with a training schedule and it is advised to put him in a puppy kindergarten as soon as you are able to. 

Crate training is recommended so he has a safe place to rest and sleep as well as this makes house training that much easier. 

Feeding

As with any dog, purchase high quality, nutrient dense dog food.  Ask your veterinarian what food blend would be best suited for your dog.  Factors such as age, size, activity level will make a difference on what kind of food he needs and how much.  Because it is not yet a standardized breed there is not a hard set guideline for how much to feed Labradoodles.  It is recommended that you ask your vet what the right amount of food would be for your dog based on his size and activity level.  It is recommended that that amount is divided into two separate meals, one in the morning and one at night.  Generally, you will be feeding him 1 to 2.5 cups of dry food per day.  If he is miniature it will be closer to 1 cup, if he is standard size you will be looking at closer to 2.5 cups per day.

Grooming

The amount and type of grooming will depend on what coat type your Labradoodle has.  The Fleece and Wool coats can be brushed once to twice a week to keep them clean and prevent matting.  These coats can be trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks to keep them clean and easy to maintain. Other than these routine grooming visits they should only be bathed when necessary which shouldn’t be too often.  The Fleece and Wool coats don’t usually have the dog odor.  The other coat type, the hair, is most like a Labrador Retriever and will shed regularly.  This coat type needs more brushing and bathing than the other two. 

As a crossbreed with a parentage of Labradors, they can develop ear infections more easily than other dogs.  When grooming, be sure to check inside his ears and look for redness or odors.  Clean them out weekly with a cotton ball dampened with a pH balanced ear cleaner from the vet.

His nails will need to be trimmed if he doesn’t wear them down on his own.  Typically, they will need trimming once or twice a month.  If you can hear them clack on the floor when he walks then they are too long.  You can trim them or have a groomer trim them.  Be aware that they do have blood vessels in their nails so if you trim them too short they will bleed and he won’t be so keen on getting them trimmed again. 

Labradoodles also need to have their teeth brushed regularly.  Ask your vet for the recommended toothpaste for your dog.  Brushing regularly will help prevent gum disease.

Common Questions

How much does a Labradoodle cost?

This really depends on where and who you purchase from.  As breeders are now breeding generational Labradoodles the price is going up for those puppies that are multi-generational with a better likelihood of the puppies having the temperament and coats desired for the breed.  Dogs form those breeders can cost $1,500 to $2,500.  If you purchase a first generation Labradoodle or adopt one form a shelter he can sots as little as $250. 

Do Labradoodles make good pets?

Labradoodles can be fabulous family pets if they are properly trained, it is in their temperament to be friendly and affecntionate towards people.  They are energetic and highly intelligent which makes them fun family pets if you enjoy getting outside for a run or hike. 

Do all Labradoodles have a curly coat?

No, there are three coat types that Labradoodles can have.  They can have a fleece coat, wool coat, or hair like a Labrador.  Their coat can be long and straight or wavy.  The curly coat is the most popular and therefore the most seen on Labradoodles. 

Do Labradoodles bark very much?

Like most dogs, he can develop obnoxious habits of barking.  Also like most dogs this habit is usually developed because his needs are not being met.  A Labradoodle that is receiving the physical and mental stimulation he needs and living in an affectionate home will not usually develop the habit of barking for no reason. 

Resources

Unfortunately, not everyone that purchases a Labradoodle fully understands everything that goes into raising and training a well behaved, healthy Labradoodle.  There are many Labradoodles in need of a loving home whether that be through adoption or fostering.  Below is a list of rescue agencies that have Labradoodles as well as breeders.

Rescue

Breeders

Adult Labradoodles For Purchase

Puppy Labradoodles For Purchase