Labdoodle

[davehatfield]

I'm suprised that nobody has mentioned that the labradoodle was originally bred in South Aftrica for use as a guide dog for the blind.
At least that's what I have been told by a marvelous English dog trainer who spent a lot of time there. Lionel trained guide dogs, police & army dogs as well as just plain pets. He was truely wonderful with all sorts of dogs. He trained us to train our first standard poodle.
Anyway the idea was to combine the intelligence of the poodle with the personality of the labrador to make an ideal guide dog.

Seemed to work in South Africa.

[wolfsoul]

I believe you mean Australia and yes, some people did mention it. However, most people mentioned that you can get these traits from a curly-coated retriever. Although one would need more exersise than a labrador, a poodle needs alot of exersise too, and you can never tell which breed will dominate the pup when he is older -- maybe the lab, maybe the poodle. Personally I would like to see more curlies out there. They are very eager to please, but they know how to take control of a situation, being independant thinkers. If something were to happen, I have no doubt a curlie would know what to do.

If a labradoodle is only meant to be a guide dog, why are so many of them ending up in shelters? Because most of them are not guide dogs. They go to regular pet homes. If labradoodles were bred for guide dogs only, and the puppies immediatly given to a guide dog training facility, I wouldn't have that much of a problem with it. But the fact is, hardly any of these dogs turn out to be guide dogs.

[wolfsoul]

This is an unfortunate case. Labradoodles were made to combine the personality of the lab with the non-shedding trait of the poodle.

http://www.fpv.com/rescuedogs.html

Well, folks, we cannot stress it to you enough.....Labradoodles DO SHED - contrary to popular belief...... 10 months old...male.....very cute...GREAT with other dogs, will benefit from obedience training (as all dogs do) and very sweet. He was given up by his 1st family as they thought he wouldn't shed and his 2nd family was not told the entire truth about his exhuberant personality and they did not expect him to be so energetic (it would be the lab part!) Buffet is a typical labbie w/a perm and we think he is great for an experienced Lab family! Since the "Labradoodle" is not really a purebred dog, rather it is a mixed breed between a Labrador and a Standard Poodle, you get some that look like Labs and some that look like badly bred poodles. Then they breed the poodlish ones back to their parents so there is only 1/4 Lab in them, curly hair and a better chance of not shedding. No one can guarantee that a Labradoodle or any other doodle dog is not going to shed. The so called breeders of these mixes cannot predict which genetics they will get and therefore, many of these mixes are now being given up by their owners due to the so-called breeders telling buyers that they do not shed..... very sad. We took Buffet because he acts like a Labrador. He sheds and, quite frankly, we don't care. Labradors shed and that is part of the breed, and a little dog hair never hurt anyone! Eventually you pick their hair out of your own food like it's nothing. or, that after a quick look in the mirror with 20 hairs or so on you, that's good enough to go to work. or that when you go to restaurants and you see a black hair on your plate, you are afraid to complain b/c it most likely came from your own shirt. May we give you some exerpts from their own website, which we find comical: Our favorite part is in the "Temperament" section: good with children, easy to train, get along well with other dogs, non-aggressive FAULTS: Yappy, highly strung, dominance / aggression, fearful/timid, aggressive toward other animals So....are they are non-aggressively aggressive...or aggressive in a non-aggressive way?!?! They also state that NON SHEDDING is NOT a fixed tribute of this mixed breed dog. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/labradoodle.htm We will continue to assess Buffet to understand his total personality! We certainly hope he has a LABRADOR temperament instead of a Labradoodle one!!! If you are concerned about "allergies", may we suggest you get a poodle. If you are still interested in Buffet, then ....... For an application to adopt Buffet...www.rescuealab.com More info and photos on this shedding Labradoodle soon......

[Bonny]

Thanks for posting the Labadoodle web page. That is what I was looking for in the first place. It also said that most shed little to no hair & are POSSIBLY non-allergenic. So someone that needs a guide dog & they are allergic to dog dander need to beware of that fact. There should be some way to tell if the dog will be a shedder. There was a couple that were deaf & expecting a baby & the labadoodle was used to tell the parents when the baby was crying. I guess beware the buyer & do your homework. Any kind of dog needs to learn what is expected of them. That is probably why the rescues & dog pounds are full of dogs, because people don't realize it takes a lot of time to train a dog.

[Suki Wingy]

Originally posted by Bonny
tea cup dogs......
look like little rodents.

I agree!

[davehatfield]

I heard that they started in South Africa, but it doesn't really matter.
I do think that with GOOD CAREFUL KNOWLEDGABLE BREEDING the labradoodle COULD be an interesting hybrid breed. Unfortubately from the various posts it sounds as if that's not happening & that people are buying who don't know what they're getting in for. A pity.
We can tell you from personal experience that standard poodles are a handfull to raise. We havour 3rd now, Rupert. He's just 5 months old & weighs just over 50 lbs already. Very smart, loving, curious, likes every person & dof that he meets, so full of energy he can hardly contain it. Needs lots of exercise; Roop gets a long one hour walk most mornings & a shorter one late afternoon plus lots of very active play. (ball & frisbee chasing & the like) IF you have the time to do this kind of regime with your standard poodle your reward will be to have one of the most beautiful & wonderful dogs in existence.
They are, or at least ours have been, very intelligent. Easily trainable. Naughtly & questioning during the puppy & adolescence stages (2 years unfortunately) but super after that. They learn quickly, but question why. Why should I stay? I know perfectly well what you mean, but I'd really rather follow along. Great fun as they mature. Good hunters if you want that; our 1st mail caught all kinds of things including a skunk once. Dead skunk, smelly dog.

As you can tell I'm a lover of standard poodles. BUT, to own one you HAVE to be ready for the committment.

Picture of Roop at 4 months attached

[GraciesMommy]

Originally posted by Bonny
tea cup dogs......
look like little rodents.

Pretty sad remark imo

[Pit Chick]

Not if you think rodents are cute.

[Bonny]

I do think rodents are cute. We have deer mice with large brown eyes & they a really cute. I use to have pet squirrels & they are rodents with bushy tails. The baby squirrels would fall out of the trees & we would rescue them & feed them with baby bottles. I use to rescue striped gophers from cats. The tea cup dogs with their large eyes & ears do remind me of rodents. They are so small & can be so easily stepped or sat on. Didn't mean comment to sound rude though. Sorry, if I insulted anyone in any way.

[GraciesMommy]

Well when you put it like that, you are right..they are cute..lol..I thought you meant it derogatory..but yes, rodents are cute, too..Most anyway..I wouldnt call the sewer rats THAT cute..lol..

didn't mean to sound touchy..
I apologize as well~

[Pit Chick]

I rescued a baby rat. It was cold out and we had pulled up to the Bank and saw it laying on the ground, it must have fallen out of a tree or been dropped by it's mom. It was the size of a gerbal but it's eyes weren't open yet. So I cupped it in my hands and tried warming it by blowing warm breathes on it as we took it to the wildlife rescue. Since then, word has spread around the wildlife rehab community that I was kissing a baby rat to keep it warm.

[GraciesMommy]

Well I think that is commendable...I could kiss a baby rat to save its life too..gotta admit they are cute when they are babies...now the 2 ft rats they say are in the Texas sewers...hmmmmmmmmm
someone else would have to give the mouth to mouth, me thinks..