Australian Labradoodle Dog Breed

The Australian Labradoodle was bred for the specific purpose of being a hypoallergenic guide dog for a couple in Hawaii; a woman with a vision impairment had a husband who was extremely allergic to dog hair. Properly bred and raised, this hybrid remains an excellent companion dog for such duties and for people and households where allergies to dog hair and animal dander is a significant issue. Their temperament makes them perfect for first-time dog owners, but they require extraordinary dedication to make sure they remain healthy. Below are many Australian Labradoodle facts to help you understand this very popular hybrid dog.

The reason there is a lot of Australian Labradoodle information available is simple: this dog was literally conceived in a laboratory. This dog was originally only meant for a single married couple who simply wanted a guide dog that wouldn't aggravate the husband's allergies. As such, a great many factors came together to produce this mixed breed. This wonderful dog has since been refined with other breeds.

When it comes to intelligence, it's known that the smartest dogs are those that are trained for police/military, guide work or both. The Labradoodle has one parent, the Poodle, that has a history stretching back thousands of years to Rome. Despite that breed's military applications from then to the 20th century, the Labradoodle is nonetheless not a dog meant for the more brutal aspects of police and military work. On the other hand, he is perfectly suited for search-and-rescue, bomb-sniffing, and civilian guide work.

This highly loyal, remarkably friendly, and very communicative dog makes him a blue ribbon "breed" that continues to be appreciated in many ways beyond the work mentioned above.

With the ability to reserve energy for when it is needed, the Labradoodle is still a fairly energetic breed when not called to duty. He is strong, prefers to be active during the day yet if so, will be happy to hang out and be mellow with the family once the sun sets.

Unlike most any other designer dog, Australian Labaradoodle history is very well documented. The man who produced this hybrid dog, Wally Conron, has even had his story published. Titled "My Story: I Designed a Dog," it was in the July 10, 2007 edition of Reader's Digest.

It was the early 1980s and Conron, the manager of puppy breeding for the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia, had received a request for a hypoallergenic seeing-eye dog. A woman with vision impairment wanted one, but her hubby's terrible allergies to dog hair was a problem. What seemed like a simple request turned out to breed a whole litter of problems.

It took two years and tens of trials to realize that Standard Poodles would not work. Conron then hit upon the idea of crossing one of those big Poodles with a Labrador Retriever, the latter breed being a top-notch guide dog. Unfortunately, Labs are also one of the worst shedders. There were further problems regarding finding a host family for the puppies while awaiting for one of the three pups to be ready for export to Hawaii: everyone wanted a purebred.

This issue was resolved when Conron hit on a brilliant marketing idea: stop using "crossbreed" and call the hybrid dogs "Labradoodle." The plan was an immediate hit, and long before the World Wide Web and YouTube was even imagined, the idea went viral.

That success, however, created another problem: finding reputable breeders of "problem-free poodles" regarding allergens. When Conron reached out to the Kennel Control Council of Australia for their assistance in finding such breeders, the response was brutal. He was told that any breeders who allowed their registered dogs to be used for cross-breeding would be black-listed.

The Labradoodle was born, and these days Conron has become conflicted whether he produced a "designer dog – or a disaster!"

The Australian Labradoodle looks like a sleek, long-legged, and somewhat alien sheepdog.

This dog is nearly square in proportion. The heavy, somewhat boxy, and certainly solid head may contribute to this off-kilter look that is nevertheless not out of balance. The head is just rounded enough to smooth the edges but not to deter from the strength. The eyes are distinct in that they are huge, typically round or oval, and remarkably full of expression. The scissor bite, slightly broad muzzle, and broad nose are part of what makes this dog's face so friendly looking despite the strong teeth that seem to suddenly appear out of the curly fur when they are moving. There is also much to be said for the long, flappy, hairy ears which bookend the face. His medium-length and sturdy neck leads down to a fair-sized body that is modest in depth and width of chest. The powerful rear legs also appear modest as the coat tends to hide the strong haunches. The tail is like a saber: medium in length, curved upward, and evenly distributed in thickness. The paws are also medium-sized.

There are two basic Australian Labradoodle coat types: wool and fleece. Both coats are discussed in detail in Variations.

There are two basic types of Australian Labradoodle variations: coat and size. Some people say that there may a third type and that it has to do with the difference between Aussie and American Labradoodles. As this page is only about the Aussie (i.e., the original hybrid), we'll stick to that. Also, while there are the typical variations of F1, F2, multigenerational Australian Labradoodles, etc., those tend to be less recognized, if they are at all appreciated, by breeders of this hybrid dog that is every day closer to being recognized as a possible purebred dog. If you are wondering about the Mini Australian Shepherd Lab mix, that too is a different hybrid altogether and has its own information elsewhere on this Web site.

The two coat types are very easy to understand: fleece and wool. Because either coat can occur, neither is more or less common. The fleece coat is silky, curly, and bouncy. It will have a wavy appearance that can vary from slightly so to very wavy. The wool will indeed be wooly, and will be in curls that hang loose and spirally not unlike a forest of little springs.

As for size, there are three: the Mini Australian Labradoodle, the Medium Australian Labradoodle, and the Standard Australian Labradoodle. Breeding the Standard and Miniature Australian Labradoodles tend to have more difficulties than the Medium variety. The Minis are about 14 to 16 inches and weigh 16 to 25 pounds. The Mediums are those that are 17 to 20 inches and weigh 30 to 40 pounds. The largest, the Standard, stands 21 to 24 inches and weighs 50 to 65 pounds. Some breeders are attempting to get ever-smaller Aussie Labradoodles and calling them Toy or Petite. Because this much smaller size is especially prone to problems including dwarfism, many breeders and dog owners don't recommend them.

If there is one thing certain about the Australian Labradoodle temperament, it is that these dogs are easy-going. This remarkable hybrid may have come from dog breeds that were historically bred for war and hunting, but the resultant mix is a family-friendly canine. Along with the other aspects that were scientifically calculated for this mixed breed, this dog was meant to be with people, working in difficult environments, and not being needlessly excited. These characteristics have been evolved the last few decades by adding other breeds to the mix so as to refine these already-pleasant traits. It's not difficult to train this dog, as he will be born with a personality that is ready to serve, to be around people, and to have a loving family. It doesn't matter if he is a Standard Poodle-type or one of the later-crossbred mini Australian Labradoodles, as the Miniature Australian Labradoodle temperament is no different than the full-sized dog.

Australian Labradoodles don't have as long a list of health problems as most dogs, purebred or otherwise, but the concerns are more serious in that hybrid vigor tends to not be in play. Both parent breeds are well-known for severe health issues. As such, these dogs are more susceptible to the few yet far more grave problems. The coat, whether wooly or fleece, can also quickly create complications if not properly groomed.

Here are the most common health issues that Aussie Labradoodles have:

• Epilepsy
• Coat concerns
• Elbow dysplasia
• Luxating patella
• Addison's Disease
• Sebaceous Adenitis
• Von Willebrand's Disease
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

Australian Labradoodles have a life expectancy of 12 to 16 years.