Labradoodle
| Labradoodle | |
|---|---|
 A brown Labradoodle with a fleece type coat. The appearance of Labradoodles may vary. | |
| Origin | Australia |
| Breed status | Not recognized as a breed by any major kennel club. |
| Dog (domestic dog) | |
A Labradoodle is a crossbred (hybrid) dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard or Miniature Poodle.
History
The Labradoodle was first bred deliberately in 1989, when Australian breeder Wally Conron[1] crossed the Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle at Guide Dogs Victoria.[2] His aim was to combine the low-shedding coat of the Poodle with the gentleness and trainability of the Labrador, and to provide a guide dog suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander.[3]Although Guide Dogs Victoria no longer breed Labradoodles, they are bred by other guide and assistance dog organizations in Australia and elsewhere [4][5]. Labradoodles are used as guide, assistance, and therapy dogs[6][7][8] as well as being popular family dogs.
Appearance and temperament
The Labradoodle as a dog breed is still developing, and does not yet "breed true": that is puppies do not have consistently predictable characteristics. While many Labradoodles display desired traits, their appearance and behavioral characteristics remain, from an overall breed standpoint, unpredictable.
As such, Labradoodles' hair can be anywhere from wiry to soft, and may be straight, wavy, or curly. Many Labradoodles do shed, although the coat usually sheds less and has less dog odor than that of a Labrador Retriever.
Like most Labrador Retrievers and Poodles, Labradoodles are generally friendly, energetic and good with families and children (although as with any dog the temperament may vary between individuals). Labradoodles often display an affinity for water and strong swimming ability from their parent breeds.
Like their parent breeds, both of which are amongst the world's most intelligent dog breeds,[9] Labradoodles are very intelligent and quite trainable, often seeking commands and finding pleasure in learning. Labradoodles can be taught to obey verbal or sign language commands, or both.
Types of Labradoodles
There is no consensus as to whether breeders should aim to have Labradoodles recognized as a breed. Some breeders prefer to restrict breeding to early generation dogs (i.e. bred from a Poodle and Labrador rather than from two Labradoodles) to maximise genetic diversity, to avoid the inherited health problems that have plagued some dog breeds.
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) or Australian Labradoodles.[10] Australian Labradoodles also differ from early generation and Multigenerational Labradoodles in that they may also have other breeds in their ancestry. English and American Cocker Spaniel/Poodle crosses (ie Cockapoos), Two Irish Water Spaniels and Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers were used in some Australian Labradoodle lines. The Curly Coated Retriever were used too, but these lines did not work out and they were discontinued.[11]
Labradoodle coats are divided into three categories: wool (with tight curls, and similar in appearance to that of a Poodle, but with a softer texture); fleece (soft and free-flowing, with a kinked or wavy appearance); or hair (which can be curly, straight or wavy, but is more similar in texture to a Labrador's coat).[12] Labradoodles coat colors include chocolate, cafe, parchment, cream, gold, apricot, red, black, silver, chalk, parti colours,[13] — generally, any color a Poodle can have. They can be different sizes, depending on the size of poodle used (toy, miniature or standard).
Health
Although most Labradoodles are healthy, they can suffer from problems common to their parent breeds. Poodles and Labrador Retrievers can suffer from hip dysplasia, and should have specialist radiography to check for this problem before breeding. The parent breeds can also suffer from a number of eye disorders, and an examination by a qualified veterinary eye specialist should be performed.
Australian Labradoodles have been known to suffer from Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), an inherited disease causing blindness, which occurs in both Miniature Poodles and Cocker Spaniels. It is recommended that Australian Labradoodles be DNA tested for PRA before being bred.
A limited number of Mutigenerational and Australian Labradoodles have also been found to suffer from Addison's Disease.[14]
The labradoodle in popular culture
- The Oxford English Dictionary now lists "Labradoodle" [15]
- Australian actor Bryan Brown plays a Labradoodle in the 2008 movie, "Dean Spanley".[16]
- Top Gear Dog on the BBC's Top Gear programme is a Labradoodle.
Labradoodles are referenced in the film 'Marley and Me.'
References
 |
- ^ Conron, Wally. "My Story: I Designed a Dog", Reader's Digest, 10 July 2007.
- ^ http://www.laa.org.au/ala-lab/history.htm.
- ^ Staff (2008-01-01). "Labradoodle". Labradoodles. Animal World. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
- ^ http://fernamber.com/pdf/summer_2006.pdf
- ^ http://aloha-labradoodles.com/fido-labradoodles.html
- ^ http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/index.php?id=5669
- ^ Colchester: More than puppy love! (From Gazette)
- ^ http://starbulletin.com/2004/06/28/news/story6.html Honolulu Star-Bulletin Hawaii News]
- ^ Coren, John (1994). New York Free Press (ed.). The Intelligence of Dogs. New York, NY: New York Free Press. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
- ^ The Australian Labradoodle
- ^ http://www.goldendoodles.com/faqs/australian_labradoodle.htm
- ^ Coat Types
- ^ http://www.ilainc.com/IALA/ALabradoodleBreedStandard.html
- ^ http://www.goldendoodles.com/health_hereditary/addisons_disease.htm
- ^ Oxford Dictionary hoovers lush new words. 11/08/2005. ABC News Online
- ^ http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4861404a1870.html
- Rubin, Alex. "Dogs: I'm A 'Labradoodle' Dandy: The Appeal Of Mix-And-Match Pups", Newsweek, 8 July 2002.
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