It is an astonishing yet appreciable gift of nature that often a dog becomes a best friend of a person so much so that a heart is saved from the devastation of ruthless life. Dogs have been favorite pets for ages now and still continue to be hot favorites. The Labradoodle is a wildly popular crossbreed of the very smart and hard-working Labrador Retriever and sophisticated, beautiful Poodle. This intelligent and very social breed was developed by the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia. It is a very popular guide dog with an impressive intelligence and tenacity. The Labradoodle can be seen today all around the world as an allergy free, low shedding family companion, agility dog, assistance dog to the physically challenged and a seizure alert dog.
The Labradoodle comes in variety of colors and sizes. It generally comes in three sizes, the standard size, the medium size and the miniature size.
The standard Labradoodle has a height of around 22 to 24 inches for a male and 21 to 23 inches for a female. They weigh between 50lbs. and 65lbs. The medium Labradoodle has an average height of 18 to 20 inches for a male and 17 to 19 inches for females. This size weighs under 45 lbs. The miniature Labradoodle is between 14 to 16 inches and weighs between 15lbs. and 25lbs.
Here is the breed standard for the Labradoodle: The length of the body from sternum to point of buttock should appear square and compact. There should be a good tuck up and loins should be strong and muscular. Shoulders blades and upper arms should be of same length. Elbows are set close to the body and forelegs are straight from viewed from the front. Stifles should be moderately turned to propel forward movement. The hindquarters should be well muscled for power in movement. Feet are medium size, round having elastic and thick pads. The tail should follow the topline in repose. The head should be moderately broad and eyebrows well defined. The foreface should appear shorter than skull. The head is clean-cut and free from fleshy cheeks. Ears are large and slightly rounded. Upper teeth jaw should overlap the bottom teeth. In miniatures, crowding teeth is a fault.
Labradoodle are playful and very friendly with children. They are high-energy dogs and require regular exercise. However they may be over-exuberant and knock down young children and seniors unintentionally while playing. Regular physical and mental stimulation is a must for the well-being of the breed, without which they may become destructive and difficult to handle.
The Labradoodle comes in variety of colors. They can be cream, silver, caramel, apricot, gold, chocolate, black or chalky white. They can also be “parti” i.e. white with some other color such as brindles, phantom, patched or sable colors. They have single coats with hair ranging from straight to loose curls. The coat can be either a silky coat or a dense coat similar to that of a lamb or a Fleece coat which ranges from straight to wavy. The coat is easy to manage and very low shedding. The breed in general has a graceful and athletic appearance with a compact body.
Although the Labradoodle is not a recognized breed of dog, The International Australian Labradoodle Association and the Australian Labradoodle Association of America are working to create a breed standard. It is very important to find responsible breeders to get good Labradoodle puppies as pets.