Labradoodle Information

The Labradoodle - Another Designer Dog

You hear the terms all the time these days:  Designer Dog, Hybrids, and Labradoodles.  What are they and what do they have to do with dogs?  Why would you want one?  Let’s take first things first. Readon for some more Labradoodle information.

What is a Designer Dog?

A designer dog or a “hybrid” is a dog that is a deliberate cross between two purebred dogs of different breeds.  It’s different from a mutt that may be a mix of unknown parentage.  Designer dogs have parents that are usually carefully chosen.  In the case of Labradoodle dogs the parents are a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle.  You may ask what’s so special about that.  Your Aunt Sadie had a crossbred dog when you were a kid.  Well, the difference is about $2,000 (give or take).  And, hopefully, a breeder who has done some health testing on the parents to try to breed a healthy litter.

Mix a Poodle with a Labrador and what do you get?

Labradoodles dogs are one of the most popular hybrid dogs.  Both Labrador Retrievers and Poodles are very popular breeds.  They are both intelligent breeds who strive to please people.  That makes a Labradoodle a dog that usually has these same shared traits.  Breeders also breed Labradoodles with the aim of trying to breed a more hypoallergenic dog because of the Poodle’s contribution.  Poodles shed less than some other breeds and when crossed with a breed like the Labrador (a notorious shedder), breeders are trying to produce a friendly, intelligent, active dog that will have a curlier coat -- like the Poodle -- and so shed less.  Labradoodles are often claimed to be “hypoallergenic” but this depends largely on the individual dog.  They were first bred in 1989 and have since been used as guide dogs and assistance dogs because of their gentleness and trainability.

When Labrador Retrievers are crossed with Poodles (Standard or Mini) to produce Labradoodle dogs there is often more uniformity in the first generation.  Some puppies may have curly hair and others will resemble Labradors.  Some will even have a wiry coat.  Some puppies will have more of a Poodle temperament and others will act more like Labs.  Your breeder should be able to advise you on how the puppies will develop.  Coat colors may be white, cream, gold, apricot, red, brown and black and other colors seen in Poodles.

Breeders are trying to produce “hybrid vigor” (hence the term “hybrid”) when breeding Labradoodles and other designer dogs.  This is something that can occur when purebred strains are crossed with new strains.  The resulting first generation often appears free of some of the genetic problems known to exist in the purebred lines.  This first generation of Labradoodles may be relatively healthy -- or not.  The problem with this approach comes when there are specific problems in the parents.  If, for example, the mother and father have problems with hip dysplasia (and hip dysplasia is a common problem in Labradors), then it doesn’t matter that they are different breeds.  They are enough alike that the puppies will probably inherit a tendency toward the same problems with hip dysplasia.  That’s why it’s vitally important to find out from any breeder what, if any, health testing they have had done on the parents of any puppy you are considering, whether it’s a purebred puppy or a hybrid.  Progressive retinal atrophy can also be a problem in Labradoodles since it’s found in Poodles. As you can see, there is plenty of Labradoodle information you need to find out before getting your first puppy.

If your breeder is breeding beyond the first generation of hybrid dogs (breeding two hybrid dogs together), then the benefits of hybrid vigor begin to disappear.  Puppies will also begin to resemble either their Labrador or Poodle families more.  It’s hard to get these hybrid dogs to “breed true” while keeping the original qualities sought from the purebred parents.

Hybrid dogs are very popular right now and they can make wonderful pets.  But if you are interested in getting one you should do your homework and be aware of all the potential health problems in the parent dogs.  It’s possible that those genetic problems can show up in the puppies in some cases, if they are present in both parents.  Make sure you talk about health concerns with your breeder.  All designer dogs are different, depending on the dogs used in the cross to produce them.  You should be certain you like the characteristics of both breeds because your puppy may very well have traits from both parents, whether in his appearance, temperament and so on.