History
These fantastic dogs are an intended cross between a labrador and a poodle. They originated in the 1970s when a man called Wally Conran was prompted to breed a dog for a blind lady with allergies. The result was a success as some of the puppies inherited the gene of the poodle which provides the curly non shedding coat. This was the start of the dog that was soon to be known as the Labradoodle.
Labradoodles have been bred in Australia since that first litter, and have now been established there with the infusion of other breeds. The British Labradoodle has remained as it was all those years ago without the addition of other breeds. A lovable family dog foremost, but also a great assistance and working dog.
Labradoodles are very loyal companions, they love human company and other dogs - but be warned - they can get bored so need a lot of mind stimulation, and firm, fair handling at all times. You will find them very easy to train as they are always eager to please. Labradoodles have four main coat types:
- Curly
- Wavy/Fleece
- Smooth
- Scruffy
Please note some labradoodles will shed hair and are not all allergy friendly.
There are two main sizes of labradoodles:
- The smaller labradoodle being between 15 and 21 inches
- The larger labradoodle between 21 and 26 inches
Labradoodles have a life expectancy of 13-15 years.