Creating the Dog

Creating the Dog
Katie Walsh

I. Labradoodles, like all purebreds, were created for a reason.

The first Labradoodle was intentionally bred in 1988, by Wally Conron, after he received a call from a visually blind woman in Hawaii, who needed a hypoallergenic service dog. Intrigued by the idea, Conron crossed one of his Labrador Retrievers with a Standard Poodle, and successfully created Sultan, the world’s first allergy friendly “Doodle."

Instantly, Labradoodles became an overnight sensation. Energetic, willing to please, and incredibly smart, the dogs have become popular family additions. They’re versatile in size, ranging from Standard to Miniature, and come in two specific types: the Australian Labradoodle and the American Labradoodle.

Australian Labradoodles are the dogs continuing the work begun by Conron, and are a mix of Poodle, Irish Water Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, and Labrador Retriever. They aren’t seen as frequently as the American Labradoodle, because these dogs are bred specifically with the hopes of eventually becoming an AKC registered breed. In 2007, the Australian Labradoodle Association of American (ALAA) created a breed standard, which determines that Australian Labradoodles should be between 14 and 24 inches tall (no taller than 25 inches) and weigh between 15 and 65 pounds. Each dog should have a proportionate head, a square, compact body, round eyes, flat ears, and large, square, fleshy nose.*

The American Labradoodle, which is the most common and therefore referred to as just the “Labradoodle,” is a combination of Labrador Retriever and Poodle. They adhere to the same breed standards as the Australian Labradoodle, but are differentiated by a pedigree descriptor scheme. Any Labradoodle puppy that is fifty percent Labrador and fifty percent Poodle is called a First Generation Labradoodle. A Labradoodle who is seventy-five percent poodle and twenty-five percent Labrador (achieved by breeding a First Generation Labradoodle back to a Poodle) is called a Second Generation Labradoodle, and so on, and so forth.

There are few differences between the two types of Doodles—Australian Labradoodles are a mix of more breeds, and thus have a tendency to be smaller than the Labradoodle—but the most noticeable is their coat. All Doodles, Labradoodle or otherwise, can sport three different coat types: Flat (also known as Hair), Fleece, or Wool. In Australian Labradoodles, Fleece coats, distinguishable by its loose, wavy appearance and incredibly soft texture, and Wool coats, which look exactly like the tight curls common to Poodles, are the most common and desirable. Both are allergy and asthma friendly, and are part of the ALAA breed standard. 

Flat coats are less frequent in Australian Labradoodles—in fact, any coat besides Fleece or Wool is considered a fault—but are the most common coat in First Generation Labradoodles. These coats are more wiry in appearance, are not allergy friendly and, unlike the Fleece and Wool coats, do shed.

It’s common for Labradoodles to come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Breed standards state that both types of Labradoodle can be solid, such as black, chocolate, or gold, as well as any diluted solid color, such as silver, café, or caramel. ALAA permits the dogs to appear like their Poodle ancestors, whose coats often come in a handful of patterns. Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles can be Parti, or white with patches of solid colors, Phantom, which appears similar to the markings on a Doberman Pinscher or Rottweiler, Brindle, Sable, or Multi.

Besides their coats, Labradoodles are known for their personable, happy temperaments. Both types should exhibit a keen intelligence, an intuition of an individual's emotional state, and display an eagerness to learn and perform for their family or handler.

II. Labradoodles, like most purebreds, come with their fair share of controversy.

They’ve been labeled “Designer Dogs” by the purebred community and are seen as the latest trend; a hot commodity; the newest fad. Many claim that Labradoodles are in high demand due, in part, to a phenomenon known as “hybrid vigor,” or the idea that puppies will be healthier and less prone to purebred diseases than their Labrador and Poodle parents. While it’s true that some dogs, like the First Generation Labradoodles, are sometimes healthier than their purebred parents, hybrid vigor doesn’t always occur in the crossbred offspring. Labradoodles suffer from the same hip dysplasia common in both Labs and Poodles, as well as eye disorders such as Progressive retinal atrophy. Australian Labradoodle can suffer from the occasionally fatal Addison’s disease, which affects the dog’s adrenal glands.

Of course hybrid vigor is only a small part of the Labradoodle controversies. Others include: the belief that Labradoodles don't shed; they're nothing more than popular mutts; they’re too expensive; they perpetuate backyard breeding; and buying a Labradoodle—any Designer Dog—means condemning a dog in a shelter to death.

All of it’s true. Labradoodles, Poodle-mixes, and other “hybrid breeds,” are currently crowding shelters all over the United States. Most often, the Doodles’ initial popularity and good looks are forgotten once an owner realizes the extent of their dog’s training and grooming. Labrador Retrievers are a high-energy breed, who need frequent and continual exercise, and Poodles are one of the most intelligent breeds of dog, second only to the to the Border Collie. The combination results in an extremely smart, happily energetic dog, who may or may not shed. Coupled with grooming expenses (Doodles require regular grooming every six weeks or so), most Labradoodle puppies are too much for their owner or family to handle, and end up suddenly abandoned. Many never find homes and must be humanely euthanized.

In an effort to dissuade the continuation of these glorified "hybrids," AKC clubs, such as the Labrador Retriever Club or the Poodle Club of America, don’t recognize the Labradoodle and don’t want to see it turn into an official purebred breed. Breeders and dog lovers alike are fervently protesting the mix of genes, and instead directing potential adopters towards shelters, rescues, or their own purebred breed. It’s done little to stop the Doodle craze, however, and backyard breeders are popping up everywhere, eager to cash in on the latest dog trend.

The best thing you can do is research the crossbreed before adding it to your home. Ask about reputable breeders who are working towards establishing the Labradoodle breed, or check out rescues, such as the International Doodle Owners Group, Inc. (IDOG), Poo-Mix Rescue, and Petfinder. Currently, there are hundreds of abandoned or surrendered Doodles still waiting patiently for a loving forever home.


*Australian Labradoodle and Labradoodle breed standards, as of 2007.


Images courtesy of: 
Doodle Rescue Collective, Inc. 
Wikipedia
Sunset Hills Australian Labradoodles