Often when I tell somebody that I’m the proud owner of a Labradoodle, people look at me funny before asking what is a “labradoodle?”
A labradoodle is a mix of a Labrador retriever, and then either a mini, medium or standard Poodle and the breed really became public knowledge in 1988.
Let’s take a look at some of the different aspects of a labradoodle, like the size, weight, lifespan, temperament,
The Backstory
When trying to find a guide dog for a blind Australian woman, who had a husband with bad allergies, proved to be quite difficult, breeder Wally Conron decided to attempt to mix a Labrador retriever and a poodle.
The result was the Labradoodle.
He hoped to combine the trainability and proven track record as a service dog of the Labrador retriever, with the low-shedding coat of a poodle.
Conron managed to breed a litter, where one of the puppies eventually ended up working as a guide for more than 10 years.
Conron has since said several times that he regrets creating the breed, as he thinks it’s just problems being bred into dogs, rather than away from them.
But no matter the creators’ thoughts, Labradoodles quickly became popular due to their adorable looks, and good-spirited nature.
Size and Weight
The size and weight of a Labradoodle can vary quite a lot, as they are usually bred on different types of poodles.
And it is also not possible to distinguish a whole lot between a male and a female labradoodle when it comes to either size or weight.
A Labrador retriever pretty much only comes in one size, so the size of a Labradoodle will usually depend on that type of poodle that is used for the mix.
The choice is between a miniature, medium or standard poodle.
A miniature Labradoodle will typically reach around 12 to 16 inches. And their weight is near 15 to 25 pounds.
A medium Labradoodle will usually end up at around 16 to 20 inches, weighing in at 30 to 45 pounds.
And a standard Labradoodle could end up at 20 to 25 inches with a weight of 55 to 65 pounds.
There are records of a Labradoodle reaching over 110 pounds though, so if you don’t have a lot of history of your dogs’ parents, be prepared for anything.
That is of course extremely oversized and far from the norm, so don’t be afraid that you will end up with a giant like that if you thought you bought a miniature labradoodle.
Lifespan
The lifespan of a dog differs quite a bit. A rule of thumb is that a smaller dog generally lives longer than a larger dog.
Small Terriers and Chihuahuas can typically live to be around 14 or more.
While a massive dog like a Great Dane or a Mastiff will usually only live to be around 7 years old.
Seeing that a Labradoodle is a mix of two medium-sized dogs, the Labrador retriever, and a poodle.
These dogs usually live to be around 12, then it’s pretty straight forward that a Labradoodles lifespan in also around that.
Usually, a Poodle will live a bit longer than a Labrador retriever, so your Labradoodle not only gets’ its’ curly hair from a poodle but also a longer life expectancy.
The average lifespan of a Labradoodle is around 12 to 14 years.
Of course, there are many factors in deciding how old your dog will become, general health, frequent check-ups at the vet, and often it’s also down to basic luck.
One of the oldest dogs ever was actually a Labrador retriever named Bella.
So there is a good chance that you will be able to live with your dog for many years.
Personality
Seeing as we are dealing with a special mix of dogs, their personality can be somewhat hard to put into a box.
It depends on not only the parents of the dogs but just as much on the breeders.
And because Labradoodles are quite a popular breed of dog, many breeders have jumped on the bandwagon to hopefully make some easy money, with caring much about the dogs.
So if you do decide to get a labradoodle, make sure to really do your homework when it comes to the breeder you plan on buying it from.
But generally, Labradoodles are known to be intelligent, calm, affectionate and very sociable.
But Labradoodles are also full of energy, so make sure you are able to give them lots of frequent exercises.
Or else some of that energy might end up being used for destructive purposes.
Be sure to show them the world as soon as possible, as they have a natural thirst for exploring, and if you don’t feed that need early on, you might end up with a timid and introverted dog.
But if this is your first dog, a Labradoodle will almost always be a great choice.
Temperament
Because a Labradoodle still isn’t recognized as a standard breed due to many different principles, writing a direct description of temperament can be quite hard.
The labradoodle still varies quite a lot in everything from size, coat, and mind.
But usually, you will run into a Labradoodle that has some of the traits from both a Labrador retriever and a poodle.
And seeing as both are hunting water dogs, they will also typically love the water and love to retrieve items.
Often there are also clear signs of a Labrador retrievers friendliness and eagerness to learn.
So you will most likely end up with a Labradoodle that is both very playful and highly intelligent, and is very adaptable and loves the contact with both its’ owner and strangers.
Both the poodle and a Labrador retriever are amongst the most intelligent breed of dogs.
So you will also experience a dog that is not only very
Great with kids
Both breeds are also excellent around children, and especially a Labrador retriever has a playful and childlike mind, which you will often see repeated in a Labradoodle.
So a Labradoodle, by nature, has a lot of fantastic traits required to become the perfect family dog.
Both their playfulness, eager-to-please and a massive amount of energy, makes Labradoodles an extremely good fit for children.
But just remember to start training them as soon as possible, because if you end up with 70 pounds of untrained energy, a child will quickly be unable to handle such a dog.
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I hope this article has helped you just a bit in everyday life as a dog owner. Being a dog owner for more than 25 years, I’ve tried many different products with varying success, but these products below are some that I can highly recommend to every dog and their owner without hesitation!
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If you’re looking for the most up-to-date recommendations, check out my recommended products section that I’ve created to help every dog owner!
