The History Of The Labradoodle

Labradoodles are a relatively new breed of dog. It is said that the Labradoodle has its intentional origins in a special guide dog named Sultan who was specifically bred in Australia for a vision impaired lady, in Hawaii, whose husband had a problem with allergies in 1989, This litter was the official beginning of the Labradoodle. The combination of Poodle and Labrador Retriever has produced great puppies that have been extremely intelligent and easy to train; many which have displayed very low to non-shedding, allergy friendly coats! Many breeders are now breeding Labradoodles into a new breed. Along the way in breeding Labradoodles, some breeders have continued to infuse Poodle genes to fix color, coat, shedding and an allergy friendly nature. They breed first generation Labradoodles as they did in the beginning by crossing the Labrador with a Poodle, some will shed, some will not. By breeding the First Cross Labradoodle back to a Poodle, breeders attempt to lock in those allergy friendly, non to low shedding coats. They continue to produce Labradoodles that are more likely not to shed by carefully selecting the best from their litters and breeding them on to other selected Labradoodles. There are F1, F1B, F2 and multi-gen Labradoodles. Some breeders of Labradoodles even include a few other breeds infused in their lines to bring in other desirable traits. Those other breeds infused are: American and English Cocker Spaniels, the Irish Water Spaniel, the Curly Coated Retriever. The “Labradoodle” breed/hybrid and a generally agreed upon standard are still in development. There are now efforts to establish rigorous standards, breed clubs an d registries to protect the health and development of these great dogs. While there are many reasons to breed, using different sizes, coats, colors and generations the most important thing is the health and temperament of the breeding dogs selected in a breeders program!!! Health and temperament should always be a priority for breeders and for those seeking to make the wonderful Doodle their loving companions!

Generations

There are several generations of Labradoodles being bred. Below are the basic generations. I have attempted to make it simple to understand.

• F1 (1st generation) - Labrador Retriever bred to a Poodle.
• F1B (2nd generation) - 1st generation Doodle bred back to a Poodle to fix the coat qualities.
• F2 (2nd generation) - 1st generation bred to another 1st generation or 1st generation bred to a multi-gen.
• Multi-Gen (3rd generation) - 3rd generation or higher.

Sizes

Labradoodles are available in three different sizes. Measurement is from floor to top of shoulders (not the top of the head).

• Miniatures - Height 13"-17" tall and weight between 15 and 30 lbs.
• Mediums - Height 18"-21" tall and weight between 30 and 45 lbs.
• Standards - Height 22" and taller and weight from 45 to well over 90 lbs.

Coats

The Labradoodle is still in its developing stages. You will see some variations even within the three coat types and therefore the grooming required for each is different. The coat changes numerous times as they go from puppy to adult... most go thru this change between 9 to 18 months. They may need daily grooming while they go thru this transition as they do not shed out the old coat…it must be stripped out or brushed out. Many owners choose to give them a shorter cut during this transition (don't use electric clippers...it's best to scissor cut). Labradoodles have been bred for their Allergy friendly or Asthma friendly coats. They are bred to be non to low shedding but no breeder can guarantee this 100%.

Keep in mind that the coat type is also determined by the feel and the texture.

• Fleece - hangs straight or in loose spiraling waves and feels soft to the touch. It is usually Non-Shedding/Allergy Friendly but can be slight shedding. Brushing usually once a week (more during the transition stage) and grooming 2 -3 times a year.
• Wool - has a more dense coat with tighter curls…some wools can have looser curls. The wool coat can be higher in maintenance when left longer in length…brushing every one to two weeks. The wool coat is the best for any family/person who suffers from dog related allergies or asthma issues.
• Hair - a coat that is short or more straight, flat or slightly wavy…sort of a cute scruffy or shaggy look. It is very low maintenance requiring brushing about once a month and light grooming with scissors occasionally (mostly around the face and feet). The Hair Coat sheds in varying degrees from very little to somewhat heavy.

Colors

Labradoodles come in numerous colors…CHALK, CREAM, GOLD, CARAMEL, APRICOT, RED, BLACK, SILVER, BLUE, CHOCOLATE CAFÉ, PARCHMENT, PARTI, PHANTOM, BRINDLE AND SABLE.

Important Info about color:
With reds, apricots and browns…colors may change as the dog matures just as in the human world. Sometimes the color will darken, stay the same or lighten…most will lighten over time. Puppies are sold by their color as a puppy. Although these pups will be absolutely beautiful when they grow up, the color may not be the exact color they were as a puppy. 

Below are color examples of dogs or puppies that we have produced here at Tuscan Ridge Labradoodles or plan to in the near future.

Red - solid red and not lighter at the roots….no apricot or gold in the coat. (Black Nose) Below is an example of a typical Red:

Apricot - like the inside of a peach. Many breeders mistake this for a red. (Black Nose). Below is an example of a typical Apricot:

Caramel - gold to deep red…like that of a caramel. (ROSE/LIVER NOSE) Below is an example of a typical Caramel:

Gold - light apricot (BLACK NOSE)  Below is an example of a typical Gold:

Cream - cream in color but may have a hint of gold or light apricot highlights. (BLACK NOSE) Below is an example of a typical Cream:

Black - solid black and not fade to a silver or blue. (BLACK NOSE) Below is an example of a typical Black:

Chocolate - born Chocolate and should retrain most the chocolate coloring. (ROSE/LIVER NOSE) Below is an example of a typical Chocolate:

Cafe - Born chocolate but lightens with shades of silver. (ROSE/LIVER NOSE) Below is an example of a typical Cafe:

Parchment - born milk chocolate and will turn creamish over a period of (1-3yrs)…like coffee with lots of milk. (ROSE/LIVER NOSE) Below is an example of a typical Parchment:

Parti - Two colors with white being at least half the coloring. Below is an example of a typical Parti:

Phantom - phantoms are bi-colored.  Their base color is black, silver, brown or red and a lighter color appearing on the legs/feet, under tail, eyebrows, muzzle, undersides of ears and generally on chest. Below is an example of a typical Phantom: