Australian
labradoodles are characterized by their gentle good humour and
easy-going nature. Some will have a playful personality, some
will be more sedate, but all of them should be gentle and sweet
natured. However, a labradoodle puppy is a PUPPY,
after all, and will definitely require training if it is to be a
pleasure to be around! Even the best natured dog can be ruined by
abuse or lack of training. Australian Labradoodles are a breed
that thrive with people contact and they are not suited to families
that spend most of the day away from home, unless other alternatives
such as doggy daycare are looked into.
How big do Australian Labradoodles get?top
Australian Labradoodles come in three sizes. To
the right is a photo of three labradoodles, showing the size difference
between miniature, medium and standard. Click on the photo to see a
larger image.
Miniatures: 15 to 17 inches, 20 to 30 pounds
Mediums: 18 to 21 inches, 30 to 45 pounds
Standards: over 21 inches, generally over 50 pounds
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Early spay/neuter is
one of the medical advances in the veterinary field that has had a huge
impact on the number of unplanned puppies and kittens filling the
animal shelters and SPCA's. Unless a person is showing a dog in
the conformation ring and/or breeding the dog, there is really no
reason not to spay or neuter pet puppies. Most dogs are altered
at or before six months of age, while they are still juvenile and have
not had onset of adult hormones (testosterone and progesterone).
Thus, whether your puppy has been altered at seven weeks or six
months of age, really makes little difference to the dog's development.
But it does reduce the risk of certain cancers and it does reduce
the risk of unwanted or unplanned puppies of uncertain parentage,
and it guarantees that none of our puppies will ever end up in puppy
mills! Here is a link to a site with more information about early
spay/neuter, for those who wish more specific info on it... click here
What is the difference between a fleece and a wool coat? back to the top
The main difference
between the two is the texture of the hair, not the amount of curl in
the coat. While a wool coat is never straight, many curly fleece
dogs can look as curly as a loose-textured wool coat, but the feel of
the coat is different. Wool coats are always curly and are warmer
to the touch and often slightly coarser feeling where fleece coats are
soft to the touch.
When testing the feel of a coat, always 'sample' the coat on the side
rather than along the back, as the presence of kemp fibres down the
spine can trick one into thinking that a fleece coat is really a wool
coat!
Both coats should be
non-shedding and suitable for most people with allergies, but as some
people have differing degrees of allergies, it is always recommended to
meet a few labradoodles in person or to work with an allergist.
We are happy to provide hair and saliva samples if severe
allergies are a problem, and wool coats are often recommended for
severe allergies. Click on the gray wording to refer to our page with photos of various coats as puppy and adult for visuals!
Which makes a better pet, a girl or a boy? back to the top
As our Australian
Labradoodles are spayed or neutered while they are still very young,
the differences between the sexes is minimal. The girls do not
experience hormonal cycles and the boys never develop the
testosterone-driven behaviours such as marking territory, lifting legs
to pee or wandering in search of girlfriends. Because these
differences are eliminated with spay/neutering before sexual
maturation, we recommend that families base
their preference on personality and activity level rather than sex.
It is more important that you have a dog that suits your
lifestyle, which is why we ask about your activity level (mellow,
moderate, active) when you inquire about purchasing a labradoodle puppy
from us.
What is the difference between an Australian Labradoodle and other kinds of Labradoodles? back to the top
There are many
different kinds of labradoodles being bred to meet the demand generated
by the tremendous popularity of this new breed. The
Austrralian Labradoodle has had a lot of media attention, and has
many wonderful qualities. In order to meet this demand, there are many
breeders raising various types of crosses. There are two main
differences between the various types of poodle/lab crosses (sometimes
called American Labradoodles) and the Australian Labradoodles:
predictability
of coat/ body type/ temperament
parent breeds infused to create the
Australian Labradoodle as we know it today.
Australian
Labradoodles have English and American cocker spaniel, Irish water
spaniel and curly coated retreiver infused into the original parent
stock of lab/poodle. These other breeds have conributed towards
the coat, personality and conformation of the Australian Labradoodle.
The cocker spaniel contributes a beautiful domed head, stocky
body and appealing face with a shorter muzzle, while the water spaniel
contributed a softer, more easily trained personality to the mix.
The curly coated retriever is not found a lot in the background
as this infusion was not a common one, but some of the chocolate lines
hark back to the curly. American Labradoodles do not have other
breeds infused into them and are various percentages of lab/poodle.
Many American Labradoodle breeders do not develop the breed past
the first or second generations while others are working to develop
beyond early generations.
F1's
are a first generation cross between a lab and poodle. F1's will
have a fair bit of variability for coat quality and energy level.
Many F1's will shed and look much like a 'Benji dog'. Some
will be easy to train, some will be boisterous and difficult to train.
The temperament of the poodle and lab parent is VERY important in
helping determine whether these will be nice dogs or not.
F1B's
have an F1 parent and a poodle parent; they are 3/4 poodle. They
will tend to have a better coat, although a few will shed very lightly,
and may have more of a poodle type build and nature. Once again,
so much depends on the breeder and how well trained their eye is
regarding which dogs to retain for a breeding program.
F2's
have TWO F1 parents and, while they are very valuable in a breeding
program aimed at increasing the gene pool, they will often show huge
variability in coat and body type. Some will have a poodle-type
body, some will be stockier like a lab, some will have an F1 benji coat
and some will have a curly non-shed coat.
F2B's, F3's, etc etc...
There are many variations, but in general, the farther along the
generations are, the more predictability there should be for coat type,
body type and temperament.
I have young children; is an Australian Labradoodle suitable for a young family?
Yes,
the Australian Labradoodle is a gentle breed that is well suited to
being a family pet... AND... very young children are often rough with
puppies/dogs and need constant supervision, for the safety of the puppy
as well as the child/children! You are welcome to discuss with us your
own family situation and we can help you decide if now is a good time
to bring a new family member home or not.
How should I train my Labradoodle? back to the top
With consistent loving
firmness! All labradoodles will want to know where their place is
in your family and they will be happiest if you teach them how to
please you. Your puppy is old enough to learn to sit, lay down,
come when called and to not jump up when you get him or her home at 8
weeks of age. Praise and give your puppy a treat when he does
what you are looking for, and correct naughty behavior with a growl or
gentle shake of the scruff. What works for the mother dog will
work for us too!
We have observed the
range of disciplines the mother uses with her puppies and use the same
methods with our puppies and dogs. There is a current trend of
"positive dog training" that only uses rewards or praise while ignoring undesirable behavior, and consistently, the
families that call us with puppy training problems have been trying to
raise their puppy without appropriate discipline. We believe that the
same methods the mother dog uses with her puppies are the most
successful and that is what we advocate. You want to reward good
behavior (make it easy for them to do the behaviors you want) and
discourage bad behavior (make it difficult or uncomfortable for them to
do behaviours you don't want). There is more detailed information
on our Puppy Training Tips page.
Do you recommend crate training? back to the top
Crate training is
optional, but we have crate trained all our dogs that live in our
house. Dogs should not spend their days in a crate, but they can
spend a couple hours in one while you are out doing errands!
Crates become like their 'den' and many dogs will seek out their
crate when they want quiet time or a secure place. Also, a dog
that is crated cannot chew shoes or furniture while you are out!
How long do Labradoodles live? back to the top
Labradoodles are
relatively long lived as a breed and an average life expectancy is
between 12 and 15 years. In general, smaller dogs live longer
than larger dogs, and there are many factors that affect lifespan, such
as diet, exercise, genetics, accidents and injury, etc.
How much exercise do Australian Labradoodles need? back to the top
Low to moderate.
Your labradoodle will need a walk once or twice a day and pee breaks at least three
times a day as an adult. They enjoy walking and being out and
about, but are not a high-energy dog that NEEDS
to have
a 3 mile run. A 30 or 40 minute stroll around the neighborhood will keep them
happy. While they are well able to keep up if you go on a hike,
they don't require it.
Tip:
walk your dog in the morning before you leave for work and he will
spend a lot of the day resting and will be calmer and less prone to
finding their own amusements! If you can't fit the time in to do
that, consider ltraining him to go for a walk on the treadmill while
you have your shower.
Some of the American Labradoodles may
require more exercise than the Australian Labradoodles; there will be
more variability for them with some being low to moderate and some
being quite active.
I live in a condo; is an Australian Labradoodle suited to that? back to the top
Yes, a miniature or a
smaller medium sized Labradoodle can do very well in a condo or
apartment lifestyle. Initial potty training will be a bit more
work, as you will have to make numerous trips a day to your designated
potty spot though, unless you choose to continue the litter box
training that we do with our Labradoodle puppies.
How should I groom our Labradoodle? back to the top
Labradoodles require
occasional brushing and infrequent baths. We use a slicker brush
with our dogs and it is important to brush the coat right from the
skin. Most mats are formed closer to the skin, so if you just
brush the surface of the hair, you will miss the parts that really need
attention. Also, some coat textures may require more brushing
than others, and you will get to know what your own dog needs. In
general, longer coats require more brushing than shorter coats.
Frequent bathing will
actually remove the natural oils from the coat, and so we most often
will bath our dogs just with water unless they are really filthy from
rolling in mud. Very often, if you brush them out after their
coat dries, the dirt will just fall out without bathing.
The doodle clip is
different than a terrier, poodle or bichon cut. The tail is left
long and flowing, the coat is clipped to one length on the body and the
head is trimmed tidily but not 'pouffed' like a poodle. We shave
the bum, inbetween the toes on the bottom of the feet, underneath the
ears and the bridge of the nose, extending to the inside corners of the
eyes. I generally use a half-inch blade on the cheeks and under
the chin, leaving the moustache area around the muzzle just a bit
longer. Usually I scissor the moustache area , ears and the
bangs/top of the head. Most people will trim them two to four
times a year, generally when the brushing becomes too much of a
nuisance as the coat becomes longer.
The one time you will
likely want to do a short clip is when your dog loses its' puppy coat
and grows in its' adult coat. It is the one time your pet
labradoodle will actually shed a coat and it happens between 9 and 14
months of age.
