Labradoodle

Breed Type: Hunting Dog
Weight: 25 to 90 lbs
Height: 13 to 22 inches
Coat type: First-gen Labradoodle has curly or wavy coat with a shaggy look and about 2 inches long hair but multigen Labradoodles have longer fur and a finer look that grow up to 4 to 6 inches in length. Their coat does not shed much, does not have doggie odor and is low allergic.

A Labradoodle is a crossbred or hybrid dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard or Miniature Poodle. Labradoodle puppies are mostly available in seven colors and their shades that include black, chalk, cream, apricot, chocolate, cafe au lait and silver. A dog with problem-solving capabilities, Labradoodle makes great companion dog as well as makes a great service animal when given the right kind of training. When socialized properly, they have the ability to be friends with humans, especially children, and other pets. To know more about the history, appearance and personality of Labradoodle, browse through the following lines.

History
Inspired by a blind woman who was allergic to dogs, Wally Cochran was the first one to produce three low-allergy pups known as Labradoodles by crossbreeding a Standard Poodle and a Labrador Retriever in Australia in 1989. His main aim was to create a low-shedding coat of the Poodle with the gentleness and trainability of the Labrador. The dog was especially created for people allergic to fur and dander. Soon, the trend caught up with the Australian breeders as they turned out to be quiet intelligent, sociable, very clever and well tempered and could learn various tricks easily. Very energetic and agile, they could be obedience-trained as puppies while playing. Labradoodle served as a guide dog and is still used today as a guide, assistance and therapy dogs. Today, the dogs are used as popular family dogs.

Appearance
Slightly heavier than Standard Poodles, Labradoodles have strong front limbs and are mostly available in three sizes - standard, medium and miniature. Their build is balanced, slightly longer than square. Labradoodles have a broad head and large, slightly round eyes that are set apart. Their tails should be low-set and are shaped like sabers while their nose is square and large. The coat hair of a Labradoodle ranges from being wiry to soft. It can also be straight, wavy, or curly. Though some of the canines in this breed do shed hair, the amount of shedding is quite less and they have less dog odor than that of a Labrador Retriever.

Personality
Since the breed is only in the developing stages, Labradoodles do not display predictable, consistent or standard characteristics. Though there are certain traits that remain standard, mostly Labradoodles display unpredictable characteristics. A Labradoodle dog is moderately active inside the homes, friendly to children and other dogs and can easily be trained as therapy dogs, obedience and agility competitors. The canines in this breed have a strong affinity for water and also exhibit strong swimming ability, like both the parents breeds.

Labradoodle has acquired the intelligence from its parents, Standard Poodle and Labrador Retriever, both being amongst the world's most intelligent dog breeds. A distinctive personality trait of Labradoodles is that they can be taught to obey verbal or sign language commands. This unique capability makes them one of the most frequently used guide dogs for the disabled and the handicapped people around the world. Another quality of Labradoodles is that they make good watchdogs.