Labradoodle facts for kids
A brown Labradoodle with a fleece type coat. The appearance of Labradoodles may vary.
|
|||||||||
| Origin | Australia | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation stock | Labrador Retriever, poodle | ||||||||
| Variety status | Not recognized as a standardized breed by any major kennel club. | ||||||||
|
|||||||||
| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |||||||||
A Labradoodle is a popular crossbreed dog. It's made by mixing a Labrador Retriever with a Standard, Miniature, or Toy Poodle. The name "Labradoodle" first appeared in 1955. However, it became well-known in 1988 when these dogs started being used as hypoallergenic guide dogs. Many people like Labradoodles because some of them shed very little hair, which is good for people with allergies.
Contents
History of the Labradoodle
The Labradoodle became famous in 1988. This happened when an Australian breeder named Wally Conron crossed a Labrador Retriever with a Standard Poodle. He did this at the Royal Guide Dogs Associations of Australia in Victoria.
Conron wanted to create a guide dog for people who were allergic to dog fur. He hoped to combine the Poodle's low-shedding coat with the Labrador's gentle and easy-to-train nature. One dog from his first litter, named Sultan, was perfect. Sultan worked as a guide dog in Hawaii for ten years.
Even though Guide Dogs Victoria no longer breeds Labradoodles, other organizations still do. These dogs are used as guide, assistance, and therapy dogs around the world. They are also very popular family pets. For example, the Norwegian crown prince and princess own Labradoodles.
Later, Wally Conron said he regretted starting the trend for this crossbreed. He felt it caused "a lot of problems." He worried that some breeders were not careful enough, leading to dogs with health or behavior issues. He said that for every great Labradoodle, there might be others with difficulties.
What Labradoodles Look Like and Act Like
Since the Labradoodle is a crossbreed, not a specific breed, puppies can look quite different from each other. Their appearance and behavior are not always easy to predict.
Labradoodles can have different types of coats. Some have "hair" coats, which can be wiry or soft, and straight, wavy, or curly. Dogs with "fleece" coats have soft, wavy hair. Those with "wool" coats have tight curls, similar to a Poodle. While some Labradoodles do shed, they usually shed less than a Labrador Retriever. They also tend to have less "dog odor".
Most Labradors and Poodles are friendly and energetic. Labradoodles often share these traits. They are generally good with families and children. They also love water and are strong swimmers, just like their parent breeds. Both Labradors and Poodles are very smart dogs. Poodles are thought to be one of the smartest breeds, after the Border Collie.
Different Types of Labradoodles
There are different ideas about how Labradoodles should be bred. Some breeders prefer to create "F1 hybrids." This means they breed a Poodle with a Labrador. This helps keep the dogs' genetics similar while also making sure they have a wide range of genes. This can help avoid health problems that sometimes happen in dog breeds that are bred too closely.
Other breeders try to create a new dog breed by breeding Labradoodle to Labradoodle over many generations. These are often called "multigenerational" or "Australian Labradoodles." Australian Labradoodles can also have other breeds in their family tree. For example, some lines have included cockapoos (a mix of English or American Cocker Spaniel and Poodle), Irish Water Spaniels, and Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers.
Labradoodle coats come in three main types:
- Wool: This coat has tight curls and feels soft, like a Poodle's coat.
- Fleece: This coat is soft and wavy or kinked.
- Hair: This coat can be curly, straight, or wavy, but its texture is more like a Labrador's coat.
Labradoodles come in many colors, including chocolate, cafe, parchment, cream, gold, apricot, red, black, silver, and chalk. They can also be "parti colors," which means they have patches of different colors. Their size can vary a lot too, depending on whether a Toy, Miniature, or Standard Poodle was used in the breeding.
Images for kids
-
Black Labradoodle
-
Small Labradoodle
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Labradoodle para niños
