Why Should You Choose an Australian Labradoodle?
Bringing a dog into your household can be a joyous occasion for both you and your new pet, once you know what kind of dog you’d like to get. The choices available to you are almost limitless.
Some owners prefer traditional dogs with ancient lineages like Siberian Huskies or Lhasa Apsos, while other pet parents have their hearts set on adding a designer dog like a Cocka-poo (Cocker Spaniel – Poodle hybrid) or a Shih-poo (Shih Tzu – Poodle hybrid). Every dog breed or hybrid offers characteristics you’re going to love, just as every breed may have some drawbacks, too. After all, the care, and especially the feeding, of a 180-pound canine may be too much for some owners.
If you’re looking, however, for a family-friendly, medium-sized dog that likely will be hypoallergenic, then consider the modern Australian Labradoodle for your next canine companion.
Lovingly referred to as Doodles, Australian Labradoodles are considered designer-dog hybrids. They are not yet an officially recognized dog breed, but you will recognize this dog as an affable and intelligent pet that adapts well to most households.
Working with an ethical and compassionate Labradoodle breeder, like Providence Hill Australian Labradoodles, can allay any doubts you may have about getting a healthy dog with good physical characteristics and a great personality. Because Labradoodles are hybrids, your dog’s characteristics may fluctuate from the standard expectations, yet overall, the Labradoodle is quickly becoming one of the most popular dogs to own.
Here are six reasons why the darling Labradoodle may be your next dog.
1. Great Personality and Even Temperament
It was originally bred as a guide dog, but the Labradoodle started just two decades ago. Australian trainer Wally Conran developed the canine breed when he crossed a Standard Poodle and Labrador Retriever. Conran was charged with a specific task: a guide dog trained for a woman. This simple specification included one other request – the woman wanted a dog that would not trigger her husband’s allergies. Her dog had to be hypoallergenic. Conran knew the dog would need the personality, nature and ability to train, so he worked with Standard Poodles.
After training nearly three-dozen Poodles before concluding that this particular breed did not fit the needed requirements of guide dogs, Conran then bred with one of his Labrador Retrievers with a Standard Poodle. One of the three puppies in the litter had all the features Conran had found in a guide dog.
He named the breed Labradoodles.
Like that first Labradoodle, your Doodle will be like a loving, friendly dog. This breed combines the qualities of the Labrador Retriever, known for its wit, learning ability, and gregarious nature with the Standard Poodle, which is also a cunning and outgoing dog with enough fidelity. Both of these species are good family choices. Put them together, and you have a pleasant dog with a great personality and even temperance. It helps that Doodles are smart too!
A dog has no more personality than that of a Labradoodle. These hybrid dogs seem to have collected the best character traits from both parents, whether they are first- or second-generation dogs.
The Doodle is for your pleasure, and everything else is taking a back seat in this dog’s life. Your Labradoodle will become familiar with your habits and features, just as you learn his. Some owners say their Labradoodles can accommodate their needs, especially if the person in need of warnings has a health condition, but in reality, there are over 200 million receptors located in the Labradoodle’s nose, giving a better sense of smell. It can smell chemical changes in its owner’s body.
A dog this perceptive makes it an excellent special needs companion.
2. Good Looks, Good Health
Some people say they want a dog that looks like a dog. What they really mean is that they want a pet that is not toy-sized nor over-oversized, the snout should be neither too long nor short, and the dog shouldn’t require constant maintenance.
They are describing a Labradoodle!
Doodles are not a one-size-fits-all dog, but they are available in different sizes, loosely categorized as small (25 pounds), medium (45 pounds) and large (more than 45 pounds). On the average, the male dog stands about two feet tall at the shoulders and weighs in at 60 pounds. The female will be slightly shorter and lighter, and of course, the size of each dog depends on its parents.
A medium-sized Labradoodle is big enough to be an active companion in the family, yet small enough not to be a physical burden. You’ll have a dog perfectly suited to playing outdoors and going on adventures with you, without getting under foot or bowling you over. Families find this to be a plus if they have children.
The Doodle is a healthy dog, generally speaking, that will rely on you to provide exercise and mental stimulation, as well as a safe environment. That means no feeding your dog chocolate or raisins, keeping hazardous items out of reach and helping your pup to avoid pests like fleas and ticks. In return, you will be rewarded with unflagging devotion and companionship.
3. No Dander, No Allergies
You’re going to love a dog that doesn’t make you sneeze and turn your eyes into a red, itchy and puffy mess, thanks to dog dander and loose fur.
The Labradoodle doesn’t release dander, or loose skin cells, into the air the way other dogs do. Many Doodles don’t shed. Of course, dogs can kick up allergens in plenty of other ways, too. The moment a dog runs outside, he’s a magnet for bits of dust and pollen, and when he comes inside, he brings those microscopic bits of the outdoors in with him for you to enjoy.
Add that dander to loose hairs, and it’s no wonder why hopeful pet owners want a hypoallergenic dog like the Labradoodle. Most fur coats on Labradoodles seem to wick away the dander, dust and pollen.
Do you dread the thought of having to sweep your floors two and three times a day just to pick up all the dog hair? Dogs with triple coats like Pyrenees or even double coats like German Shepherd Dogs are not likely going to be the right dog for you, but the Doodle will be!
If your idea of blowing out a coat means that your dog will get to enjoy a blow dryer after its bath, you may need a Labradoodle. These soft teddy-bear-like dogs shed less than most other dogs, including their shorthaired pals like Corgis and Beagles.
You need to know that some Labradoodles do shed, but you’ll be happy to learn that they shed far less than a purebred Labrador Retriever, too. They’ll be less smelly, too, which brings us to our next section.
Our multi-generational labradoodles make wonderful pets!
4. Wash n’ Wear Care
Most people don’t like the smell of wet dogs, and with good reason. Rainy days with a dog can be the worst. Moisture combines with the oils on the dog’s skin to release microorganisms like yeast and bacteria into the air. Even a day at the lake can bring out the worst in your canine’s body chemistry.
Not so with most Labradoodles. Their fleece-like coats don’t retain particles the way the coats on another dog breed might.
Designed as the ultimate wash’n wear dog, your Labradoodle won’t be as stinky as your neighbor’s Mastiff or even your best friend’s tiny Yorkshire Terrier. That’s because the coat on a Labradoodle is hair- or fleece-like. Water will seem to sheet off your dog’s fur, and when there’s no water to combine with the sebum on a dog’s skin, there’s not much smell, either.
The other nice thing about the Labradoodle’s coat is that it needs only a good brushing about once or twice a week. Some of the longer-haired or curly Doodles will also need occasional trimming, like their Poodle ancestors. Labradoodle coats come in three basic varieties:
- Borderline or fleece fur requires a good brushing several times a week, but if you want to eliminate the likelihood of tangles, consider keeping the coat trimmed short.
- Wavy or hair-like fur may shed more than the other coat types, but these coats will need less grooming and brushing
- Curly or wooly fur is the least likely coat to shed, but this fur requires the most grooming and maintenance to keep it tangle free.
5. Learning Comes Easy
Labradoodles are made for training. They love being a good student, and you’ll love the results.
Begin training your puppy with plenty of socialization. That means getting your dog used to a variety of people, places, situations and even other dogs. Dogs bark and lunge when they experience a fear of the unknown, but by socializing your Labradoodle, you’ll be providing her with plenty of experiences that build confidence.
You’ll also want to house train the new addition to your family by establishing a sleeping area, potty protocols and setting up a structure for feeding, playing and training. Labradoodles need consistency, repetition and patience in their training as much as any other dog.
Dog owners appreciate how quickly Labradoodles can learn basic commands such as sit, stay, come, and leave. Your Doodle, is an apt pupil who will be eager to learn not only the basic commands necessary for socialization and good behavior, but he’ll also enjoy learning clever tricks as well.
The more you are willing to train your Labradoodle, the more your dog will want to learn. The Doodle with plenty of mental stimulation will be the one less likely to create its own fun and games, especially while you’re not home.
Active dogs are well-behaved dogs.
Your Labradoodle will live 12 -14 years, which is a little more than the average lifespan of a dog. That’s a lot of time for developing a deep and lasting relationship, especially if you’re raising your Doodle and your kids at the same time. The time commitment you make for a Doodle will be one of the richest experiences of your life.
6. Cuteness Overload Begins Here
Okay, the Labradoodle is downright cute. With its curly coat and shaggy demeanor, what’s not to love about this cross between the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle?
Overall, the Labradoodle standard requires that the dogs are athletic yet graceful, with a deep-chested body and tail that that may be held up but not so that it is touching the back. You can expect your Doodle to have a smooth and confident gait rather than one that is unsure and lumbering.
Labradoodles come in gorgeous colors like caramel, chocolate (think dark chocolate), apricot, red, café, chalk, parchment, blue, lavender, silver and black. Their coats should be solid in color unless designated as Parti (50% white) or Phantom (peek-a-boo markings on the muzzle, throat, legs and under the tail).
With their round brown eyes, Doodles look like appealing little stuffed bears. These dogs are both adorable and irresistible.
Had you tried to dream up the perfect dog, you might have asked for a medium-sized canine with an even temperament, good health, a hypoallergenic and low-maintenance coat, high intelligence, an innate ability to learn, and a big measure of adorability. That’s the Australian Labradoodle.
The Labradoodle is the most sought-after family pet or companion dog for those needing a service animal. If you’re looking for an oversized pup with extraordinary characteristics, you’ve found the perfect dog in the Labradoodle.
