FAQ'S
All you need to know about Doodles, grooming, sizes, care, types so you can choose the perfect Doodle for you.
A Doodle
A doodle (Goldendoodle, labradoodle,cockerdoodle..) is a Hybrid that is created by breeding a purebred Poodle with either a Retriever, Labrador, Cocker Spaniel..
(An Australian Labradoodle originally resulted from the breeding of a Standard Poodle with a Labrador Retriever but was then infused with American Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel and Irish Water Spaniel).
Labradoodles
In Australia, in the 1980s they began as part of an attempt to create a low shedding guide dog for those people who were visually impaired and sensitive to the allergens in dog hair. Wally Conron was the breeding manager for the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia, and he set up a breeding programme to try and create a line of hypoallergenic or low shedding guide dogs.
Service dogs
A service dog is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.
Sizes
Depending on what waiting list you're on, sizes vary. They can be small,medium to large sized dogs. Labradors/Retrievers vary less in size than the Poodle which comes in various sizes.
The weight of a standard male Labra/Goldendoodle full grown can vary between 27 kilos - 36 kilos. The females tend to be 23 kilos - 30 kilos
Colours
Doodles are commonly solid coloured and range from white to red to black and many shades between, it depends on the dominant genes of that letter.
Standard Poodles are sometimes particoloured this means patches on a dark background, you can also get particoloured Labradors.
Dominant Labrador / Retriever genes may result in chocolate, black, yellow, white doodles.
Dominant Poodle genes may result in a Labradoodle with a solid or bicoloured coat in the following shades:
Apricot, Black, Blue (this is when the coat is dark but the root colour is a mix of colours, such as brown), Brown, Cream or Cafe au Lait, Red, Silver, Silver Beige and White.
Types
F1 - this is the first generation cross and results from the initial breeding of a Labrador Retriever to a Poodle.
The first generation is the least likely to have a fleece coat and most likely will still shed like a Labrador. The 1st generation is most likely to have a shaggy coat that requires grooming although minimal, due to the coarseness of the fur.
F1b Labradoodles - this is the second generation cross resulting from breeding a 1st generation Labra/Goldendoodle with a Poodle.
This combination seems to consistently produce puppies with the fleecy, low-shedding coat. They will need to be groomed like a Poodle.
F1bb or F2b - this is when a F1b Doodle is bred to a Poodle.
They require the same type of grooming as a Poodle.
Grooming
F1 Labra/Goldendoodles with a coarse "Lab-type" coat require at least weekly brushing.
Second and later generations of Labradoodle will need daily brushing if their curls are kept longer.
Any dog with a Poodle type coat needs to go to the groomer once per month for a clip. Not necessarily to be shaved down every time but to keep curls in check to avoid severe matting and needing to be completely shaved!
A healthy puppy
There are 2 main considerations when it comes to the health and temperament of any puppy:
Inherited problems from the gene pool (the parents of the puppy) and the conditions in which the puppy is raised. That's because the health of any puppy is dependent not only on the genes he/she inherits from its parents but also on the quality of his nutrition and healthcare when young.
Health Summary
A wider gene pool, therefore is healthier than parent breeds
Mixed breed dogs have a greater life expectancy than most pure breeds dogs. Doodles live longer than either of their parents.
Labradors live to around 12 years old
Poodles live between 10 - 18 years old
Labradoodles live between 12 - 15 years old
Choosing a doodle
Things to consider when choosing a dog. How much space, exercise and grooming the dog needs.
The Labra/Goldendoodle is an energetic breed that does best in an interactive home. Also due to their energy levels and large size, you will need room for this dog. They can be high maintenance when it comes to grooming depending on the cross.
The rewards from a Doodle are that they are good temperament, are highly intelligent and easy to train.
