Labradoodle

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Labradoodle
The appearance of Labradoodles varies.
Country of origin
Australia
Classification and breed standards
Not recognized by any major kennel club

A Labradoodle is a crossbred dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard Poodle.

The impetus behind experiments with this type of cross was the desire to achieve an assistance dog that would not shed and so produce a hypoallergenic dog that is suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander. This has not yet been reliably achieved in the lower generations of crosses, as Labradoodles have varying coat lengths and textures, and one needs to breed beyond the first generation to begin to have reliable coat type. However, the coat usually remains freer from dog odors than that of some Labradors.

The man who first crossed the Labrador Retriever and Poodle for Guide Dogs Australia [1], Wally Conran, has expressed reservations beyond the look of the coat to confusion (or misrepresentation) about how few Labradoodles are actually hypoallergenic. There is a commonly held belief that all poodle-labrador crosses are safe for people with allergies, and this is not the case. Conran also stated that "This is not the case and their coats and saliva have to be specially tested. At the Royal Guide Dogs, for instance, we had one litter where there were ten puppies and out of those only two were non-allergenic."^[1]^[2] The litters Conran refers to were early generation crosses. Non-allergenic refers to more than non-shedding, as many people have allergies to saliva, hair and/or dander. In general, later generations of labradoodles such as the Australian Labradoodles are more consistently tolerated than earlier generations.

The Labradoodle is still under development. Strictly speaking, the Labradoodle cannot yet be described as a dog breed because it does not breed true. In breeders' terms, breeding true means that, when two specimens of the same breed are mated, the puppies will have consistently predictable characteristics, and will resemble their parents, rather than exhibiting random characteristics of the dog breeds in their parents' ancestries. Further, the breed standards of breeds-under-development are invariably freer, more open to interpretation, and cover more observable types than those of established or kennel club-recognized breeds.

As such, early generation Labradoodles' hair can be anywhere from wiry to soft, relatively straight, wavy, or curly. Their color range includes white, gold, brown and black. They are generally friendly, energetic, and good with families and children, though like any dog, their temperament will vary between individuals. This may be magnified due to differences between the parents' breeding. Labradoodles often have an affinity for water and are strong swimmers.

Australian Labradoodles differ from others in that they may have more than just Labrador Retriever and Poodle in their ancestry. English and American Cocker Spaniel/Poodle crosses, Two Irish Water Spaniels, Wheaton Terriers and a Curly Coated Retriever were used in all Australian Labradoodle lines. Some people think this is acceptable and others believe that a true Labradoodle should only have Labrador and Poodle lines. By adding these different breeds into Australian Labradoodles they have added all the different genetic problems of each breed into the lines of Australian Labradoodles.

There are two coat types accepted in the Australian Labradoodles, a wool coat and a fleece coat. The wool coat does not shed at all, while a few of the fleece coated dogs may exhibit slight shedding. There are three sizes of Australian Labradoodles: miniatures (14" - 17" tall and weigh less than 30lbs), mediums (18" - 21" tall and generally 35 - 48lbs) and standards (over 21 inches).

The Labrador Retriever Club and the Poodle Club of America have both published statements against the Labradoodle. ^[3] ^[4] The fact that various pure breed clubs decry these hybrid crosses is a moot point. All pure breeds trace their ancestry to various combinations of existing breeds and hybrids. As there is a demand by the public for labradoodles, responsible breeding practices should be encouraged. There are currently three breed clubs for Labradoodles, the International Labradoodle Association, the Australian Labradoodle Protection Society and the Labradoodle Association of America.

Another variation of an F1 (first generation) Labradoodle.

Typical look of an Australian Labradoodle puppy.

Some breeders want to avoid making the Labradoodle into a recognized breed to maximise genetic diversity, as studies have shown that crossbreds live longer and healthier lives. By restricting breeding to F1 dogs (bred from a Poodle and Labrador rather than from two Labradoodles), it is hoped to maintain a wide gene pool. Other breeders are working to develop the Australian Labradoodle into a recognized breed and hope that by only choosing to include health tested parents and discouraging linebreeding or inbreeding that it will maintain the genetic health of the emerging Labradoodle breed.

1 List of notable Labradoodle owners
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] List of notable Labradoodle owners

A Labradoodle called 'Top Gear Dog' that is owned by Richard Hammond is featured on the BBC show Top Gear.
Tiger Woods has an Australian Labradoodle named Yogi.
Barbara Eden has an Australian Labradoodle named Djin Djin.
The actor Jeremy Irons has two black Labradoodles