Labradoodle

Labradoodles are a fairly new breed of dog, which was started in Australia in 1988/89 by Wally Cochran. He found that there was a need for companion/assistance dogs that were hypo-allergenic. So by taking a Standard Poodle and breeding it to a Labrador (F1), he was able to get puppies that were close to achieving this. Not all of the puppies in a litter of Labradoodles are hypo-allergenic, about a third are. The rest will range from being low shedding and slightly hypo-allergenic, to being more like the Labrador, and shedding on a regular basis. By taking a Doodle and breeding it back to a Poodle (F1B), there are more consistent results of hypo-allergenic dogs. This was a logical and planned cross breeding to create a new “breed” with the best of the original breeds.

Labradoodle guide dogs have been successfully trained and placed in Hawaii and Australia.

There are three main sizes of Labradoodles:

• Standards are about 23-26 inches tall and weigh between 55 and 80 pounds.
• Mediums are about 19-22 inches tall and weigh between 40 and 55 pounds.
• Minis are about 15-19 inches tall and weigh between 25 and 40 pounds.

Labradoodles are intelligent, highly trainable and have a low to non-shedding coat. They also lack the typical doggie odor. They are more of a blocky dog, than the Standard Poodle, tending toward the Labrador shape. Their coats are usually wavy or curly, and come in seven colors: Silver, Chalk, Black, Cream, Apricot, Chocolate, and Café au Lait. Labradoodles need regular grooming to keep their coats free from tangles, and occasionally need a trim to keep their coat looking neat. Their life expectancy is 12-15 years.

Labradoodles should receive early socialization and training. They are very playful and enjoy being with their families, especially children. They also get along well with other pets. Due to high energy levels, they need to receive daily exercise, but that also makes them suitable for agility training. They have a friendly personality and have great success in therapy, companion/assistance, obedience, and agility.

There are some health problems that are related to these dogs, they are: HD, PRA, VonWilabrands, Elbow and Patella disorders. Because of these problems, it is important that breeding stock is chosen carefully. Also, proper testing needs to be done to minimize the chances of having a genetic issue. With careful screening, and good breeding ethics, most genetic problems can be made almost non-existant.

Labradoodles are currently recognized by CKC and many other hybrid associations.