LABRADOODLE.......have 1 Or Know Any1 Who Does?

You will basically be paying big bucks for a fancy mutt with a cutesy-poo name. Same thing with Schnoodles, Puggles, Yorki-Poos, and all the rest.

Check out your local shelter instead - keep going back until you find the right dog for you.

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You don't need to purchase a dog. Check out your local shelters or rescue groups to see what they have available. There are thousands upon thousands of dogs that need good homes. If you pay big bucks for a labradoodle, you are essentially paying for a mutt.

(My nephew has one -- he got her from a shelter/rescue -- and she's a great dog but she sheds. They're not "supposed" to, but they do.)

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Adopt and save a life!!!!!!!!!! Mixed breed dogs have the least amount of health problems. Out of the mouth of my vet!!!!

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Please consider a dog from a shelter or fostering organization. They may not have the designer dog status but make amazing pets.

My daughter found a little dog yesterday morning on the way to college being chased by a much larger dog. This little guy has been living on the streets but has an amazing personality. I am having him neutered today, tons of testing and vaccines and he will be ready for a forever home. We could tell this little guy is so happy to be off the streets.

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There is a lot you need to know and understand about Labradoodles. First off is what size of dog you want. Poodles come in 3 sizes. Toy, Mini, and Standard. Standard is as large as a lab or golden ret. Labradors can be med to very large. Depends on the type of Lab you want. Most breeders that breed strictly Poodle or Lab do NOT condone Hybrids. Therefore the dogs used in making Labradoodles are sometimes less than satisfactory in their breed standard. Adult Standard Poodles can be easily 60 or more pounds. Adult Labrador Retrievers can be up to 80, sometimes 100 lbs in the British types.
Then your going to want to know if you want a First Generation Labradoodle or a F1 or F2. There are differences. Labradoodles F1 and first Gen are Labs bred to Poodles (there are other titles as well for Labradoodles bred back to either a straight Poodle or straight lab, these are usually done for customized breedings that were requested, however you need to be on the ball when asking and looking at pups. You need to know exactly what your looking for and what you want before starting the search). The pups are the F1 or First Gen. They can RANGE in color, size, coat type, and temperament. They are mix breeds. Hybrids. With these about half in a litter, if not ALL will shed. Most first gens do not get the very curly coats. The probability of a shedding pup is high. Some pups will be born with curl, and lose the curl about 6 months old. The you get what looks like a shaggy benji. Most likely that coat will have dander. So if you are allergic, you may want to go with a multi-generational or F2 Labradoodle. Bear in MIND that Labradoodles and GOLDEN DOODLES are two DIFFERENT hybrids. GOLDEN DOODLES are Golden Retrievers and Poodles. About 80% of the F1's in this mix are straight haired and shed like crazy.
You daughter is speaking of INBRED animals. INBRED means two very close related animals. Like a mother bred to son, Father bred to daughter. In dogs its not a good idea, but it can be beneficial to bettering a breed. First Generation or F1 Labradoodles would not be INBRED because your taking 2 dogs of unrelated breeds and breeding them.
NOW there are also Labradoodles that are known as multi-generational or F2. These are Labradoodles bred to Labradoodles. They are breeding this way to get a more uniform type bred dog. These types can and sometimes are INBRED. In order to promote something the breeder likes. Such as better curl, less shed, or something the breeder likes. There are no regulations on these breeds, and so any breeder can say what they want to say when they breed a dog. GOOD breeders wouldn't do this, but money grubbing dog breeders of poor reputation and ethics dont care. Hard to distinguish the two when your dealing with a designer dog, such as a Labradoodle.
They can be great dogs, I dont doubt it, though I think you need to do much more in depth research on both breeds of dogs your looking at. As to be sure an animal is healthy, is to look at the breeder of the dogs. Looking at the parents and seeing first hand what the health of the dog are like, will determine in large, what the health of the puppy will be. Two sick dogs, no matter how UN-related they are, will not produce miraculously healthy puppies. Stay away from pet stores, shady dealers that do not show you the breeding facilities, or the parents. Anyone that say they have them registered... because if they are not AKC (they would never be, cause that is for purebred and not hybrid animals) Or any established registry then they are just selling you a bogus piece of paper that does nothing for your dog. Good, caring, concerned, and a little neurotic breeders who seem to care, and sell on a spay and neuter contract is a better choice.
I was a breeder, and shower of Welsh Cardigan Corgi's. I also worked in the humane field for about 7 years.

Cant tell you how many Labradoodles and Golden Doodles that were surrendered under the excuse of they were not hypo-allergenic, or we didnt know how active they were going to be, or they got to BIG, or they were not curly enough. :( We received one or 2 A MONTH. Check local rescues and shelters, there are lots in there now!

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I do not own a Labradoodle, but I have been working in animal rescue for over 10 years now. I have dealt with plenty of them. They are smart, extremely energetic dogs that need a lot of grooming, attention, and exercise. They can be wonderful family pets if their needs are met.

So that you know: half of all Labradoodles shed. This is the Lab in them, because the shedding gene is neither dominant nor recessive. Because puppies are born with puppy-coats, you will not know if you have a shedding dog or not until after the dog reaches adolescence. If you do a search for Labradoodles in rescues, you will find A LOT of them, because people think they are buying a non-shedding dog and then give it up when they discover it sheds. If you don't mind that, do a search on petfinder.com (there are absolutely lots of them in shelters). If you do mind, please don't purchase this dog. You have a 50/50 chance that it won't be what you want.

For help finding a good puppy, my biggest advice is: don't buy from a pet store. Pet stories use puppy mills (the dog farms your daughter was telling you about), and these can lead to terrible conditions for the dogs, as well as health problems. EVEN PET STORES THAT SAY THEY DO NOT USE PUPPY MILLS USE PUPPY MILLS. How do I know? No self-respecting breeder would sell their puppies to a pet store.

A good breeder will introduce you to the parents of the puppies, talk to you about the temperament to expect from the breed, and ask you to return the dog if you decide it isn't working out. Most good breeders will also insist that you spay or neuter your dog, to prevent future in-breeding or inexperienced backyard breeding.

Finally, keep in mind that you're shelling out big bucks for a mutt. A Designer Mutt, but still, a mutt. I'm sure your local shelter has many, and they won't charge you nearly as much (plus, you'll be saving a life).

Good luck.

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I can't say that we own a labradoodle (or a Goldendoodle, which is a Golden Retrieve/Poodle mix). However, I did research them a lot when we were looking into getting a dog (we ended up adopting 2 mutts from the pound, and are very glad we did).

Anyway, both Labs & Standard poodles (the largest size poodles), as well as Golden Retrievers, are considered to be good family dogs.

You are generally not going to have problems with inbreeding with a Labradoodle or a Goldendoodle. The reason is that they are 2 separate breeds, crossed to produce a new hybrid, and therefore there won't be inbreeding because Labradors and Poodles do not share immediate ancestors.

Also, generally, when you have a 1st generation cross (which is what a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle is--where one parent is a Lab or Retriever and the other is a Poodle, and the resulting offspring is a 1st generation cross)--there is a lot of "hybrid vigor" in the cross. Hybrid vigor means that the 1st generation generally is healthier, due to the greater genetic diversity in it, as compared with the parents. This is a good article on dog breed crosses: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_hybrid.

You want to go to a reputed breeder. You can google them, but I would suggest going to the registry for assistance in finding a breeder:
http://www.australianlabradoodleclub.us
Australian Labradoodle Club of America
829 Whisper Way
Bellingham, WA 98226
###-###-####
e-mail: ____@____.com

Please note, that while the above lists "Australian Labradoodle" this is the registry started in Australia and the cross of Labrador/Poodle was formalized there.

You should be expecting to pay $500 to $1,000 for a healthy puppy, I'm guessing. That & the fact that there are so many great dogs needing homes for a minimal adoption fee from the pound, led us to adopt our dogs instead.

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Nope, I have a Laberimer - but I hear Labradoodles are wonderful too.

I know my Lab/weimeriner mix is the PERFECT dog for my family - gently, loving, active, cuddly, playful, respectful, fairly easy to train and just plain awesome! Lean with no health issues to date, he is 5 we have had him from puppyhood! Either way you go you can not go wrong with a lab mix.

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The family I used to nanny for has 2. They are big dogs and to me, look like bathrugs :). But they are cute, gentle, sweet, and protective.

I grew up with Labs and love them. We can't do dogs right now, long story, but if we ever get to a point in our lives where we can, I'd go for something like a labordoodle or goldendoodle - no shedding.

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They can be great dogs. Whole lot of variation since they are mutts and depending on which generation, etc you do not necessarily know what you are going to get. Most are great dogs, just like most dogs of any breed or mix. Some get the best of both breeds and some get worst of both breeds. I have met some that are the worst shedding dog I have ever seen and others that do not shed much at all. Some need grooming and some mainly need brushing. I have met some very smart and easy to train ones and others that were much harder to train. Most are good family dogs, some are not. They can get any of the health problems that are genetic if either parent has them in their lines. The prices can be all over the map and so can their looks. They are going to be an energetic dog that needs lot of exercise.

If you do get one from a breeder ask what tests have been done on the parents for health (OFA or PennHip, CERF, etc) Look up both parent breeds websites to see what health checks are recommended before breeding. Of course this does not mean the dog will be cheap. Also find out is it a lab and a poodle being bred, two labradoodles from different lines, a labradoodle to a lab or a poodle. A good breeder should also know about temperament, matching one well to your family, not be breeding tons of dogs at once and not breed the same dog every heat cycle. You should be able to see a pedigree that shows the dog's lines.

This is not to discourage from a labradoodle. There are probably several at your local shelter or in rescue groups too. Have fun searching and finding the perfect new member of your family! No matter what kind of dog you end up getting I'm sure it will be a great addition.

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I know someone I see frequently who owns a labradoodle. He is the sweetest thing! He's soooo smart, protective yet loving, and DOES NOT shed. I highly reccommend them.

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Hi K.-

WOW! I had NO idea that labradoodles could be so pricey!

We had had a golden retriever for years while the kids were growing up...Maggie. She was GREAT! But she died in 2003. I could not bring myself to get another golden, but a friend of ours recommended a labradoodle.

So in 2004 I decided we were ready to look. I piled ALL kiddos in the van and drove out to a farm (a 'real' farm...not a puppy one...lol) based on a newspaper add. Our dog was last of the litter...about 4 months old. He had been kept all that time in a horse stall...and we just took him home. We just couldn't leave him there!!!

So, home we went. He did not know how to walk on stairs...he was 'afraid' of carpeting...lol We named him 'tybalt' (from romeo and juliet...'lord of the cats') as we had two cats.

He is perhaps the smartest dog we have ever had. He does shed...and his coat is sort of raggedy. To me he looks a bit like an irish wolfhound. He is not quite so big...but a lean muscular 75 plus pounds. This is awful to say, but one of the reasons I LOVE him is that during 04 - 05 I was going thru a divorce...and now ex was living in basement when he was not away on business. Tybalt (for whatever reason) kept eating my ex's remote control! lol. My ex was convinced I taught him to do that (I swear I didn't).

We now also have a lab/boarder collie mix (grommet). He is a sweety, but tybalt is 'pushier' I guess. I am without a doubt the 'alpha dog' in the house though...I have to be with 2 big dogs, cats and lots of kiddos!

He is very high energy...and wants to be in the middle of everything. He is smart, sweet...big and goofy! He will bark if someone approached the front door...and would protect I think if put to the test.

If all of this sounds like your cup of tea...go for it!

I would not have paid the kind of $$ people are talking about...but if he were ever held for ransom...I would pay it to get him back!

Best Luck!
michele/cat

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some of us who have been touting the great, amazing, wonderful qualities of mixed breed dogs for years, find it quite ironic that some enterprising swindler has caught on and started mixing "designer" breeds to charge hundreds of dollars for. it's a mix. mixed dogs ARE healthier and usually have more stable personalities (in general). so yes, they are a great new fad. people LOVE them. and other people are making a LOT of money, deliberately mixing breeds. duuuh. go to the local animal shelter. it's full of them and they don't charge you $500. the best way to pick a dog is to tell the shelter exactly what you want. most likely they'll have it, even several to choose from. breed (or mix) does not guarantee personality. talking to the people who know the dogs you're looking at does. and it sounds like you would be a first time dog owner, so i can tell you that shelters will have potty trained, neutered, great dogs. if you are a first time owner you don't need to handle raising a puppy, not knowing what you're doing.

mine even came with games already installed ;) (she already knew how to play fetch lol) GOOD LUCK! :)

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labradoodles are amazing dogs if you are looking for a friendly and energetic large dog (70-90lbs) They have the great friendly, fun-loving temperaments of labs and the well-behaved but sensitive natures of standard poodles. They also dont shed as much as pure labs do. They need a lot of exercise and room to run.

Breeders are really key in finding a healthy and well-adjusted dog so be sure to do your research and dont be shy to ask for references from other buyers and ask to meet their dogs. You may want to stay away from pet stores unless you have really done your research about how they obtain their pups.

Goldendoodles are another terrific dog, my sis has 2 and they're really fun. The larger of the 2 dogs is huge - Snickers is 29 inches at the shoulders and weighs in at 91lbs. Dodger is smaller - about 27 inches and around 75lbs. They were not cheap either - they are uncle/nephew and they both cost around $1100 as pups

I met someone at the park who had a golden/miniature poodle mix. The dog's size was nice - about like a spaniel - but my sis says that mixture has problems in general because they the leg proportions are often incorrect.

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I would make a plea for adopting a dog from a rescue organization. There are SO many nice dogs needing homes right now! The problem with the labradoodles is, because it is a combination of 2 breeds, and there are no breed standards, you never know what you are going to get. You can see 3 labradoodles and they will all look different and have different personalities. The benefit of buying a purebred dog is that you can have a good idea of what the personality of that dog is going to be like (within a certain range, of course), you can often meet the parents, and you will have a better picture of how that dog's personality will mesh with your family. Again, because it is a "made up" breed, you don't have that with a labradoodle. I would urge you to contact a rescue group and find a dog that is with a foster family. That family will be able to tell you all about the dog, it's personality, level of training, and that will give you a MUCH better picture of the dog and how it will fit into your family's life.

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I have a 6 yo labradoodle. When talking about doodles, the labradoodle is a cross between a lab & a standard poodle. Ours weighs in at 76-80lbs, depending on the season. He is simply the smartest dog we have ever owned. We know that we will never, ever own a dog to compare beyond him! & Be ready to walk a lot!

The other option is a goldendoodle. This is a cross btwn a golden retriever & a standard poodle. They come in at 65lbs usually. Occasionally, they top out at 75lbs.....but that's rare.

Through the years, we have had many lab mixes. 25 years worth! We have consistently found that lab mixes become needier as they age. We are now seeing this phenomenom with our CoCoa. He simply requires more emotional attention & has been known to knock our other dog out of the way. & if it's grooming time, then he's for sure....right there in our faces - even if we're working on the other dog! Too funny!

A properly-bred doodle will require regular grooming. We have ours shaved about twice a year. Ears require diligent attention to prevent infection. Ironically, our nonshedding/non-allergenic dog has allergies. He has to be bathed every 2 weeks or so....to prevent problems.

Personality-wise, as with all lab mixes, doodles are great with families & with kids. But I will admit our other dog (an Old English Sheepdog mix) is better with my daycare kids....it's all part of his herding instincts. :)

Anyway, CoCoa is highly-talented & can open most doors in our home. He's able to gear his temperament to the person he's with. For example, when he's with my older son, he's obnoxious & boisterous. He wrestles all over the floor, bed, etc with my 24yo son. They fight like 2 dogs! It's a riot to watch!

When he's with my 15yo son, it's a close version of the play with my older son....but not quite as rowdy. CoCoa remembers my younger son as a child & governs himself to some extent. My son has to really pester him to get him to play rough.

When CoCoa is with me or my mom (& even the daycare kids), he's as calm & gentle as can be. He's content to be a slug. I love that he can gear his personality to the human he's with. Oh, & when he's with my sister's mini doxie....he actually pets the little dog with his paw! OMG, it's amazing to see!

Discipline-wise, I am the leader of his pack. He treats my sons & my DH as his playmates. All it takes is one word from me....& he's under control! It is fascinating to see how he responds to me. I think it's because as a 18month old pup, he tried ruling over us & our vet told me to regularly flip him....which I did for the next couple of years. I truly believe that's "why" he accepts me as his boss! The flipping method really does work, & it's non-invasive!

When looking for a pup, make sure that it will allow you to flip it back into your arms....& become submissive to you. That's how the vet taught us to choose a pup.....& that's how he taught me to control CoCoa. It was a challenge to flip him at 18months, but I got the job done by sitting on the floor & doing it!

As for breeding & inbred, check with your local vet for a good breeder. Doodles can be expensive. The ones in our area run about $600-800. A few breeders charge more, depending on the bloodlines. Our CoCoa cost $25 at our local WalMart parking lot! I knew the family....they weren't having any luck selling their new breed line....& they basically gave him to me! I was soooo excited to get him.....& still rejoice in his joining our family.

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I want one too! But I am not anywhere close to spending $1000+ on a dog, so likely we will go with some other type of mutt when the time is right.

We are friends with two different families with labradoodles, one has a child that is now three, the other has a one year old baby. Both had the dog before the kids were born. OMG both of these dogs are the silliest, sweetest dogs.
Both are very well trained! My DD played with one of the dogs when we were there for a playdate. Even though she is a bit shy of large dogs (these dogs do get pretty large, the ones we know are standard poodle hybrids) it was NO problem at all. The dog would fetch the toy and drop it in front of my DD's feet, sit and wait for her to throw it. This dog had never met my DD before, he was not given any commands to sit or fetch... just played with DD how he had been taught to play with a small kid.

Yes, you have to be careful were you buy from. With puppies being quite expensive there are a lot of mills and backyard breeders out there looking to make a buck.
Good luck!

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We have a goldendoodle. She is now about 14 months old. She is great with our children (ages 3 and 5). She weighs about 45 lbs and does not shed at all. We did not purchase her from an expensive breeder. We found an ad in a newspaper and she was only $350. Our vet said that if we were just looking for a family dog there was no reason to pay top dollar because that does not guarantee good health. She is a beautiful dog. Everytime I take her for a walk, people stop me and ask what kind of dog she is, where we got her, etc.

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I have a labradoodle. His mother is a yellow lab (65lbs) and his dad is a poodle (45lbs). We got him from a breeder and he had health records and papers stating that his parents had no health problems. We got him in April last year and he was 25lbs and 4 months old. He is currently 15 months old and weighs 55lbs and he is full grown. He is very smart and very active. So be sure you are ready to commit time to train him/her and walk the dog daily and play with it. I have two kids, 5 year old and 7.5 year old. They are not always nice to him and play a little rough but he he never snapped back at them and will usually take it.

Here is a breeder in southwestern Virginia. The owner is also a vet and gives a 1-2 year written health guarantee. I got a cockapoo from her and she is a very sweet dog! Good luck!

http://laurelridgegoldendoodles.com/

They are wonderful family pets! Friends of ours have 3 children and a Labradoodle puppy- Daisy. Not only is she great with their kids (older), but she lets my little one pet/cuddle/play with her without so much as a bark. Another friend has a Labradoodle dog (3 yrs old) and he's great too. She has two young boys (9 & 5) and Paddington is sweet. They didn't do any obedience training, so he's a little nuts but never aggressive.

They are sweet and well-tempered dogs. Because of their size and enery level, though, I would suggest obedience training for your own sanity!

Hi K.,
We have had our Labradoodle for three years now and we love her dearly. We have a household full of people most days (babies to adults and everyone in between) and they all love her. Her nature is very loving and playfull. She loves to be outside but likes to be around us inside too. One of my friends claims she has "human" eyes and "listens" to our conversations. We got her from a breeder and she is healthy as ever. As far as teaching her we haven't done the school route and she is an super, well behaved animal.
I think this would be a great addition to your family!
Best Wishes!

They are great dogs and the reason people are paying a lot now is that they are in high demand. A lot of people are mixing with the poodle breed because poodles don't shed. We have a Cockapoo and absolutely love him. Very loving and just wants to be with the family. Neighbors have a goldendoodle and 4 kids and he is the same way. Labs can tend to be a little energetic but the poodle may calm it down. Like one person said, when you look for mixed breeds like this there are so many factors. There is first and second generation. First generation is breeding of a lab and a poodle, second generation I believe is the breeding of 2 other laboradoodles. First generation is typically what you want but again more expensive. You also have to note the size of the poodle they are breeding it with which could detrmine how big they will get. You also never know because yor dog could take more from one breed vs the other. They told us our dog was expected to be 15-20lbs but he's 25. I think he got more cocker than poodle in him. And ours isn't supposed to shed, but every now and then I find very fine hairs on things from him. Hope this helps!

My boss has a cocker spaniel/poodle.
She calls him a cock-a-doodle.
His name is Teddy and he's really sweet.
He's really great with kids.

My ex husband has a rotweiller that I was terrified of for a long time, but he is actually just a big old baby. He's HUGE which is intimidating. But he is so gentle.

I'm not really a dog person, so there are good ones of any breed I suppose if they are trained correctly and bred for a good temperament.

I hope you can find a dog that fits in well with your family.