A labradoodle () is a

crossbreed dog Dog crossbreeds (sometimes called designer dogs) are dogs which have been intentionally bred from two or more recognized dog breeds. They are not dogs with no purebred ancestors, but are not otherwise recognised as breeds in their own right, ...

created by crossing a

Labrador Retriever The Labrador Retriever or simply Labrador or Lab is a British list of dog breeds, breed of water dog retriever gun dog. It was developed in the United Kingdom from St. John's water dogs imported from the Newfoundland Colony, colony of Newfoun ...

and a Standard or Miniature

Poodle The Poodle, called the in German () and the in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle is no ...

. Labradoodles were intended to be a good choice for people allergic to canine dander. The Australian Labradoodle Association, an organization run by labradoodle breeders, says they are "generally considered healthy dogs". However, they also state that hip and elbow

dysplasia Dysplasia is any of various types of abnormal growth or development of cells (microscopic scale) or organs (macroscopic scale), and the abnormal histology or anatomical structure(s) resulting from such growth. Dysplasias on a mainly microscopic ...

are common problems affecting labradoodles. Other ailments include eye diseases and

Addison's disease Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is a rare long-term endocrine disorder characterized by inadequate production of the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone by the two outer layers of the cells of the adr ...

. Wally Conron of Australia, who is credited with inventing the breed, has commented that healthy labradoodles are "few and far between" and most are "crazy or have a hereditary problem".

Breeding history

Origins

Australian breeder Wally Conron introduced the cross-breed to the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia in Victoria. Conron hoped that the combination of the low-shedding coat of the poodle, along with the gentleness and trainability of a Labrador retriever, would provide a

guide dog Guide dogs (colloquially known in the US as seeing-eye dogs) are assistance dogs trained to lead people who are blind or visually impaired around obstacles. Although dogs can be trained to navigate various obstacles, they are red–green c ...

suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander. He hoped the catchy name and claims regarding allergies would offset the stigma associated with mixed breeds and thus help him sell his litter. Sultan, a dog from this litter, displayed all the qualities Conron was seeking and worked as a guide dog for a woman in Hawaii for ten years. Conron has since repeatedly stated that he regrets initiating the trend for this type of crossbreed and maintains it caused "a lot of damage" and "a lot of problems", largely stemming from the genetic unpredictability of combining breeds. He felt he was to blame both for the spate of unethical breeders producing labradoodle puppy mills and for creating a "

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...

", adding that problems were being bred into the dogs rather than selectively breeding away from problems and towards a recognizable standard. Conron is further quoted as claiming that "for every perfect one, you're going to find a lot of crazy ones."

Follow-on guide-dog breeding programmes

Currently, as with other mixed breeds, labradoodles are not considered a purebred or

breed A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...

by the AKC and other major kennel club associations in North America and across the world. Technically, they are a hybrid of two pure breeds rather than a new breed. In 2010 the AKC began allowing owners of mixed breeds to register their dogs through an alternative listing programme to receive an AKC ID number. Guide Dogs Victoria no longer breeds labradoodles, although they are bred by other guide and assistance dog organizations in Australia and elsewhere. The Association for the Blind of Western Australia has introduced labradoodles into their training programme. Their first, Jonnie, graduated in November 2010. Labradoodles are now widely used around the world as

guide A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportspeople, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as knowledge or wisdom. Travel and recreation Exp ...

, assistance, and

therapy dog A therapy dog is a dog that is trained to provide affection, comfort and support to people, often in settings such as hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, libraries, hospices, or disaster areas. In contrast to assistance dogs, ...

s. They are also popular family dogs.

Appearance and temperament

Because the labradoodle is a cross between two dog breeds and not a

itself, puppies in the early mixed generations do not have consistently predictable characteristics. The first crossing of a poodle with a labrador results in variations in appearance, size, coat, and temperament. So while most labradoodles share some common traits, their appearance and behavioural characteristics are widely variable. Labradoodles' hair can be anywhere from wiry to soft, and may be straight, wavy, or curly. Labradoodles often display an affinity for water and strong swimming ability from their parent breeds. Like most Labrador retrievers and poodles, labradoodles are generally friendly, energetic, and good with families and children. However, since this mix is a mix of two very smart dogs, they themselves are highly intelligent and likely to destroy or chew if not properly mentally and physically fulfilled.

Types

Breeding line issues

Others are breeding labradoodle to labradoodle over successive generations, and trying to establish a new dog breed. These dogs are usually referred to as ''multigenerational'' (multigen) labradoodles or multigeneration Australian labradoodles.

Australian labradoodle breeding programme

Australian labradoodles also differ from labradoodles in general, in that they may also have other breeds in their ancestry. English and American cocker spaniel ×

poodle The Poodle, called the in German () and the in French, is a breed of water dog. The breed is divided into four varieties based on size, the Standard Poodle, Medium Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, although the Medium Poodle is no ...

crosses (i.e. cockapoos). Two Irish water spaniels and soft-coated Wheaten Terriers were used in some Australian labradoodle lines.

Curly Coated Retriever The Curly-coated Retriever (not always hyphenated, and often called the Curly for short) is a breed of dog originally bred in England for upland bird and waterfowl hunting. It is the tallest of the retrievers and is easily distinguishable by ...

s were used too, but these lines were unsatisfactory and are no longer used for breeding. Disagreements within the programme have led to some groups continuing with different lines as in the case of the Australian Cobberdog.

Coat texture and color

Labradoodle coats are divided into three categories: wool, fleece, or hair. Labradoodles' coat colors include chocolate, cafe, parchment, cream, gold, apricot, red, black, silver, chalk, lavender, and blue-ish gray. Coat patterns can be solid, white abstract markings, parti, phantom, or tri-coloured. Labradoodle Flowers

Size

Labradoodles can be different sizes, depending on the size of sire and dam used, and their size-names generally follow the names used for poodles: miniature, medium, and standard. Miniature labradoodles typically weigh around 18-28 lbs, medium around 26-45 pounds and standard can be from 45-75 lbs.

Health

Labradoodles can have problems common to their parent breeds. Poodles and Labrador retrievers can have hip dysplasia. The parent breeds can also have a number of eye disorders. There have also been cases of neurological disorders, including epilepsy.

Joint dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia Elbow dysplasia is a condition involving multiple developmental abnormalities of the elbow-joint in the dog, specifically the growth of cartilage or the structures surrounding it. These abnormalities, known as 'primary lesions', give rise to oste ...

is a known common issue in the parent breeds, similar to hip dysplasia. This issue becomes more prevalent as a result of rapid growth during the puppy stage.

Congenital eye diseases

One study has found that UK labradoodles have a higher incidence (4.6%) of multifocal

retinal dysplasia Retinal dysplasia is an eye disease affecting the retina of animals and, less commonly, humans. It is usually a nonprogressive disease and can be caused by viral infections, drugs, vitamin A deficiency, or genetic defects. Retinal dysplasia is ...

(MRA) compared to Labrador retrievers.

Cataract A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens (anatomy), lens of the eye that leads to a visual impairment, decrease in vision of the eye. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry or ...

s are common as well (3.7%) but prevalence is comparable to that of Labradors.

Addison's disease

There is evidence of some occurrence of

in the Australian labradoodle.

Ear infections

Labradoodles are very prone to

ear infections Otitis is a general term for inflammation in ear or ear infection, inner ear infection, middle ear infection of the ear, in both humans and other animals. When infection is present, it may be viral or bacterial. When inflammation is present due to ...

due to their long floppy ears.

Footnotes

References

External links

* * {{cite web , title= Worldwide Australian Labradoodle Association (WALA) , url=https://www.wala-labradoodles.org/copy-of-home-1 Companion dogs Dog crossbreeds