What is a Labradoodle?
WHERE THE AUSTRALIAN LABRADOODLE BEGAN…
The life of the Australian Labradoodle we know today began in the late 1980’s. Wally Conran, the Puppy-Breeding Manager for the Royal Guide Dogs in Victoria, Australia received a plea for help from a vision impaired woman in Hawaii needing a Guide Dog; a guide dog that would not aggravate her husband’s allergies. The challenge for Wally was to create a breed that was allergy and asthma friendly and, with the temperament of a service dog. Two years and 33 disappointing trials later, Wally bred a standard poodle to one of his finest producing Labradors.
Thirty-one Labradoodles were bred at Royal Guide Dogs. Twenty-nine became Guide Dogs.
Shortly afterwards, Tegan Park and Rutland Manor continued in Wally Conran’s footsteps. They established a breeding and research center in Melbourne, Australia, developing the Australian Labradoodle as we know today. To improve the temperament, coat, conformation and size, they infused other breeds into the early generations of their Labrador/Poodle crosses (i.e. American and English Cocker Spaniel). These labradoodles successively infused with this third breed, were consequently bred to each other, and hence the conception of the multi-generational labradoodle tradition known today.
The Australian Labradoodles are delightful “love sponges”, insightful, extremely smart, funny, happy companions in life with fabulous coats that are predominantly non-shedding and allergy friendly.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
Labradoodle, F1 Labradoodle, F1B Labradoodle, Australian Labradoodle & Multi-Generational Australian Labradoodle
A Labradoodle is the breeding of a Labrador Retriever to a Poodle, Labradoodle to Poodle, or a Labradoodle to Labradoodle. The Labradoodle DNA is solely from the Labrador Retriever and Poodle. Coats vary from coarse wool to a softer fleece unlike the Australian Labradoodle fleece.
F1 Labradoodle: The “F” in scientific terms means “filial generation” and “F1” means “first generation. Within the Labradoodle breed, this is the language used for the first cross of a purebred poodle to a purebred Labrador Retriever. Typically, the coat is sparse hair with moderate-low shedding.
F1B Labradoodle: The addition of the “B” refers to the backcross, an F1 (as mentioned above), bred (or backcrossed) to a purebred Poodle. Coats are usually hair or fleece and low-to non-shedding.
Australian Labradoodle: The Australian Labradoodle’s parents are Australian Labradoodles with one parent being a Foundation Australian Labradoodle (i.e. said parent has an infusion parent of a Labrador Retriever, Poodle or Cocker Spaniel (English or American). Coats are typically non-shedding.
Multigenerational Australian Labradoodle: Multigenerational Australian Labradoodle’s parents are a combination of one of the following: a) both parents are Australian Labradoodles, b) one parent is an Australian Labradoodle and one parent a Multigenerational Australian Labradoodle or, c) both parents are Multigenerational Australian Labradoodles. Coats are typically non-shedding.
A Labradoodle
is the breeding of a Labrador Retriever to a Poodle, Labradoodle to Poodle, or a Labradoodle to Labradoodle. The Labradoodle DNA is solely from the Labrador Retriever and Poodle. Coats vary from coarse wool to a softer fleece unlike the Australian Labradoodle fleece.
F1 Labradoodle
The “F” in scientific terms means “filial generation” and “F1” means “first generation. Within the Labradoodle breed, this is the language used for the first cross of a purebred poodle to a purebred Labrador Retriever. Typically, the coat is sparse hair with moderate-low shedding.
F1B Labradoodle
The addition of the “B” refers to the backcross, an F1 (as mentioned above), bred (or backcrossed) to a purebred Poodle. Coats are usually hair or fleece and low-to non-shedding.
Australian Labradoodle
The Australian Labradoodle’s parents are Australian Labradoodles with one parent being a Foundation Australian Labradoodle (i.e. said parent has an infusion parent of a Labrador Retriever, Poodle or Cocker Spaniel (English or American). Coats are typically non-shedding.
Multigenerational Australian Labradoodle
Multigenerational Australian Labradoodle’s parents are a combination of one of the following: a) both parents are Australian Labradoodles, b) one parent is an Australian Labradoodle and one parent a Multigenerational Australian Labradoodle or, c) both parents are Multigenerational Australian Labradoodles. Coats are typically non-shedding.
APPEARANCE & TEMPERAMENTS
The Australian Labradoodle is athletic yet graceful, exceptionally intelligent, compact medium body and have incredible eye contact. They are endearing, full of life in the open air and laid-back when being by one’s side, They are laughable and always happy (their tails NEVER stop wagging!!!) They are sensitive to emotional needs or state of individuals and their “knowing” is what makes the Australian Labradoodles proven therapy and service dogs.
(SIZES - Height is to the top of the shoulder blades (withers) while standing squarely on a flat surface.)
Miniature
14 to 16 inches in height/Average maturity range 15-24 pounds
Medium
17 to 20 inches in height/Average Maturity range 25-49 pounds
Standard
Female 21 to 22 inches and Male 22 to 24 inches in height/Average Maturity range 50-65 pounds
COAT COLORS
The Australian Labradoodles coat patterns come in the following array of colors and, the colors come in the following patterns:
Caramel Ice, Caramel Cream, Caramel, and Caramel Red, Red, Gold, Apricot, Cream, Chalk, Chocolate, Café, Lavender, Parchment, Black, Blue, and Silver Solid,
PATTERNS
Solid with white mismarks, abstract, parti, phantom, sable, brindle and merle. (Merle is unacceptable and considered a fault.)
BLACK PIGMENT COLORS
Chalk, cream, apricot, gold, red, black, blue, silver and tr i-color will all have dark brown eyes; black noses, eye rims and lips; along with black or self-colored nails.
LIVER PIGMENT COLORS
Caramel, Caramel Ice,Caramel Cream, Caramel Red, Chocolate, Lavender, Cafe & Parchment
COLOR DESCRIPTIONS
Chalk
Appears white but when compared to a true white it is a chalky white. Pigment may be rose or black.
Apricot/Gold
The color of a ripe apricot on the inside. It can come in varying shades and may fade as the dog grows older.
Chocolate
Dark and rich, born almost black, they maintain a dark chocolate throughout their lifetime. Color should be even.
Parchment
Born Milk Chocolate, will pale to a smoky creamy beige. Paling usually begins at an early age often as early as 6 weeks.
Caramel
Gold/Apricot is the color of its namesake caramel through to a deep red with rose pigment.
Blue
A dark to medium smoky Blue. Blue also belongs to the Rare Color Group. Blue dogs are born Black but will have Blue skin and undertones at a young age. Any other color throughout the Blue is undesirable.
Cafe’
Born Milk Chocolate of varying shades, and often take up to 3 years to fully color out to multi shades of chocolate, silvery chocolate and silver throughout. Lot of sunshine..they will develop stunning highlights.
Red
A solid, even, rich red color which should have no sprinkling of other colored fibers throughout the coat.
Silver
Born Black but will have more of a grey skin and will develop individual silver fibers at a young age. Silver dogs can take up to 3 years to color out and becomes a beautiful smoky grey to a light iridescent platinum with varying shades to adulthood.
Lavender
A smoky lavender chocolate, giving almost pink/lilac appearance. Lavender dogs are born Chocolate.
PATTERNS & DESCRIPTIONS
It is normal for all colors to show bleaching and discoloration over the top coat. This is referred to as sunning and is expected.
Solid
Color is solid and preferably even with no white markings. A small white flash no larger than 2.5 centimeters in diameter is permissible and can appear on the chest, feet or tail. Even colors are preferred, but natural coloration of the coat is not considered a fault.
Abstract
Any solid color with the second color being white. Must be less than fifty percent white.
Phantom
The body color must be solid, with defined markings of a second color as follows: above each eye, on the sides of the muzzle, on the cheek, on the underside of the ears, on the throat to fore chest, or in a chin and fore chest pattern, with minimum second coloring on the feet preferably up the legs and below the tail. Second color in the inside of the leg and flank is acceptable as well and should not be penalized. Markings are preferred to be clear and defined. Face markings of the second color with the entire face colored is acceptable (though not preferred) if the other required body markings are present. Any of the solid colors in combination is acceptable.
Solid with white markings
Color is solid with small white spots or patches typically seen on the chest, toes, or tip of the tail.
Parti
Color is fifty percent white, with spots/patches of any other solid color. No set pattern is required but symmetrical markings on the head are preferred. Freckling of the solid color in the white of the coat is acceptable but not encouraged.
Sable
Black-tipped hairs on any solid color – preferably even, but an uneven ticking pattern will not be penalized.
Brindle
Should have an even and equal distribution of colors, with layering of black hairs in regions of lighter colors (usually chalk/cream/gold/red, cafe/lavender/parchment, or silver), producing a tiger-striped pattern.
Multi Colors/Patterns
Multiple colors or patterns, as in a phantom with large white abstract markings, or a parti pattern with sable ticking, etc.
COATS
Fleece: The fleece coat texture is light and silky soft. It can have a straight wavy appearance or a soft, spiraling, curly look. Fleece coats are non-shedding and easy to maintain. Length of coat is a personal choice, typically not more than 4 inches in length. Personally, I love the scruffy dog look, BUT, it does come with more maintenance. The fleece coat has been found to be allergy friendly. Heritage Manor Labradoodles breeds solely puppies with fleece coats.
Wool: The wool coat is more dense like that a of a lamb’s wool. The “Ideal” wool coat should “hang” in loose spirals parting at the skin. Most wool coats exhibit a good texture but take the appearance of a spring not a spiral. To keep the wool coat long and flowing will require more maintenance.