# australian labradoodle behavior



## ggdoodle (Nov 16, 2013)

My puppy is 7 months and is crazy. I have had labs and golden retrievers in the past and a wonderful poodle while growing up. Does anyone have these issues with their labradoodle. She is so hyper no matter how much exercise she gets. Thanks.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

How much exercise does your mixed breed dog get, and what kind of exercise? What kind of training are you doing with her?


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

Depending on how much exercise she gets, too much can have the opporsite effect and make her even more hyper. Try some basic training at home, general obedience things like sit, down, flat, stay etc, anything that you want her to do in the future. Also games like 'find it' where you hide a toy/treat after letting her sniff it and then tell her to find it. Make it easy at first, somewhere she can easily see it and once she gets the hang of it you can begin to hide it, then eventually make it more difficult for her to find. Games like this are very mentally tiring, as is training but don't overdo the sessions just fifteen mins or so at first in case she finds it too much and gets bored. 

Also what food is she having? Often additives in food can make them hyper, take into account the grain and other additives and find a food with less of these. I feed raw and no grain, my dogs are very laid back and I've never had a hyper problem regardless of their breed. Just a thought and hope with training and finding games your little one calms down some.


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

Labradoodles can be mad as a box of frogs. They are bouncy, enthusiastic and always up for a game and seem to be masters at jumping up at people. I sometimes think they are as bouncy as labradors without the weight to let gravity help keep them closer to the floor.

They were originally bred to Guide Dogs, but were rejected very quickly because they take so long to mature - Guide Dogs need to mature earlier than usual so this was a big problem.

Some dogs do need to learn to settle, but if you have been giving your dog excessive exercise to try to calm her down you might need to start back from the beginning. Start giving her shorter, calmer walks so the adrenalin can drain from her system, but she will probably be a loon for the next year or so, at least. I recommend you find a good training class that has experience of young labradoodles to help you work through it. They do grow up to be incredibly loving and sweet dogs once you get some maturity. I have found the older ones to be quite lazy around the house, although still bonkers out on walks.


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

What food are you feeding? It can have a HUGE effect on a dogs behaviour. My Lab is a nightmare on Wagg (he was on it when he came to us) but much much better on a higher quality food. Also, exercise, many people ramp their dogs up with highly exciting games like chase, tug etc in order to "wear them out" but in reality all it often does is ramp them up and leave them unable to settle. I wear my dog out with training and brain games rather than physical exercise. He also had to be taught that he could just lie quietly, when we got him he never stopped from the moment we got up until the moment we went to bed.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

I agree with the others that diet is very important. So many foods are full of such horrible junk, including sugar, these days. A proper diet really does make a difference in behavior.

It will still be helpful to those advising you though, to know what kind of work you have done with her so far.


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## kirksandallchins (Nov 3, 2007)

I have two Labradoodles and have found them no more harder to train than any of my other dogs. I do recall a new command when they were younger - "Four Feet", and they were not given a treat or a leap put on them until they stood sensibly

Lottie has always been calm, but until Ruby was well over a year old she was called Crazy Ruby - I don't think she was any worse than my Mini Schnauzers but
at over twice their size it had more of an impact

I found both Labradoodes were easily bribed with a treat - especially cheese


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## ozrex (Aug 30, 2011)

Tess is a fairly Bouncy Beast and she's a labradoodle.

She responds best to exercises that make her think. I suspect she could be walked all day, sleep for 10 minutes and be ready for more fun. After an hour's obedience work she's happy to chill between bouts of bouncing on the other dog.

Tess is VERY bright and needs to do "thinky" things. She's great at finding stuff (or people) using directions. All of her toys are called "sheepy" (don't ask...) and she loves to have a sheepy hidden and be sent to find it. She looks up at me when she wants a clue and understands "left" or "right" or "away" (meaning go forward). Finding a "sheepy" will entertain her for ages with minimal effort from me and it tires her.


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

can i ask what the difference is between a labradoodle and an australian labradoodle?


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

MrRustyRead said:


> can i ask what the difference is between a labradoodle and an australian labradoodle?


Probably not much considering there is no such breed, LOL. I'm sure they are lovely dogs, all dogs are, given half a chance, but the name is just something name someone tagged onto mixed breed dogs to make them expensive and desirable.


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

lorilu said:


> Probably not much considering there is no such breed, LOL. I'm sure they are lovely dogs, all dogs are, given half a chance, but the name is just something name someone tagged onto mixed breed dogs to make them expensive and desirable.


ooooooooo the can has fallen over and the worms are everywhere! 

I wasnt sure if there was an actual difference


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## Elmo the Bear (Oct 3, 2008)

lorilu said:


> Probably not much considering there is no such breed, LOL. I'm sure they are lovely dogs, all dogs are, given half a chance, but the name is just something name someone tagged onto mixed breed dogs to make them expensive and desirable.


FAQ: Australian Labradoodles


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

I think the Australian labradoodle is now called the Australian service dog in Australia. I might well be wrong but what is called an australian labradoodle in this country is not the same thing at all. Someone with a miniature australian labradoodle told me they have cocker spaniel in them!

We all think the designer names are stupid but for heavens sake the labradoodle has been around for about 40 years, it cannot be compared with pugaliers and other such daft crosses.

Labradoodles appear to have a reputation for being bonkers. If you have one you should have found out what they are like and be ready for a very energetic and nutty young dog.


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## Elmo the Bear (Oct 3, 2008)

It would be really interesting if, for a change, someone with a Labradoodle gave an opinion. It's a bit like saying all labs are fat and all staffies are aggressive... pack of old tripe! You'll probably find most doodle owners have abandoned this forum which is a shame... I just hang around to annoy you all (a job I seem to excel at  

Talking of tripe....reminds me... snack for the mad Labradoodle (sound asleep at the moment).


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## Kicksforkills (Mar 27, 2012)

I know one of these and agility does his energy the world of good. He's great at it, too.


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

BoredomBusters said:


> Labradoodles can be mad as a box of frogs. They are bouncy, enthusiastic and always up for a game and seem to be masters at jumping up at people. I sometimes think they are as bouncy as labradors without the weight to let gravity help keep them closer to the floor.
> 
> They were originally bred to Guide Dogs, but were rejected very quickly because they take so long to mature - Guide Dogs need to mature earlier than usual so this was a big problem.
> 
> Some dogs do need to learn to settle, but if you have been giving your dog excessive exercise to try to calm her down you might need to start back from the beginning. Start giving her shorter, calmer walks so the adrenalin can drain from her system, but she will probably be a loon for the next year or so, at least. I recommend you find a good training class that has experience of young labradoodles to help you work through it. They do grow up to be incredibly loving and sweet dogs once you get some maturity. I have found the older ones to be quite lazy around the house, although still bonkers out on walks.


That's not entirely correct, the orginal purpose was as a hypoallergenic guide dog, and there was more than just Labradors and poodles involved in the mix. Unfortunately, the original purpose wasn't ever achieved, but the name of the cross breed was grasped firmly by a few people, and the rest, as we say, is history.



MrRustyRead said:


> can i ask what the difference is between a labradoodle and an australian labradoodle?


The difference is that they are imported from Australia, at great cost, usually de-sexed prior to being shipped, and are more expensive than a Labradoodle bred in the UK.


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## bearcub (Jul 19, 2011)

Elmo the Bear said:


> It would be really interesting if, for a change, someone with a Labradoodle gave an opinion. It's a bit like saying all labs are fat and all staffies are aggressive... pack of old tripe! You'll probably find most doodle owners have abandoned this forum which is a shame... I just hang around to annoy you all (a job I seem to excel at
> 
> Talking of tripe....reminds me... snack for the mad Labradoodle (sound asleep at the moment).


To be fair I don't think anyone could say anything about Labradoodles on here without you immediately jumping on it and wildly misinterpreting it!


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> That's not entirely correct, the orginal purpose was as a hypoallergenic guide dog, and there was more than just Labradors and poodles involved in the mix. Unfortunately, the original purpose wasn't ever achieved, but the name of the cross breed was grasped firmly by a few people, and the rest, as we say, is history.
> 
> The difference is that they are imported from Australia, at great cost, usually de-sexed prior to being shipped, and are more expensive than a Labradoodle bred in the UK.


ARRRRRRR when someone said it to me before i thought they were messing around so i said does that mean i walk an East Anglian Samoyed? ooops


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## Elmo the Bear (Oct 3, 2008)

Blitz said:


> Labradoodles appear to have a reputation for being bonkers. .


You mean misinterpret this  . . .

I've not bothered with this place in ages due "wild misinterpretation" (commonly known as people just making stuff up) so haven't been "jumping" on anything...

.... but then there's no cricket on tonight :biggrin5:


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Elmo the Bear said:


> It would be really interesting if, for a change, someone with a Labradoodle gave an opinion. It's a bit like saying all labs are fat and all staffies are aggressive... pack of old tripe! You'll probably find most doodle owners have abandoned this forum which is a shame... I just hang around to annoy you all (a job I seem to excel at
> 
> Talking of tripe....reminds me... snack for the mad Labradoodle (sound asleep at the moment).


I like your posts, even if they do show a huge chip on the old shoulder.
Why dont you give an opinion as a labradoodle owner if you want to.

It would be pretty silly though to say that labradoodles do not have breed characteristics in the same way that any other breed does. They are often lively, energetic dogs and if they go to the wrong home and are not exercised and stimulated they will cause problems. The idea is supposed to be that you find out what a breed is like before you get one to see if it will suit. You might end up getting something that is completely different from what you expected as each dog is an individual but at least you have done your best to choose a breed that will suit you.


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## bella2013 (Aug 29, 2013)

a couple down h eroad from me have a 7 month male labradoodle, third generation or something like that (dont know about the ins and outs of the breed), and he is the nicest dog i have seen in a long time, he can happily sit on the drive while they wash the car and he doesnt jump up, he hasnt chewed and was housed trained pretty much straight away, yes granted they have done a lot with him and he is well socialised. plus he's never been trimmed yet, except private bits, feet and face and his fur is so snuggly, like a massive teddy bear.


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

Elmo the Bear said:


> It would be really interesting if, for a change, someone with a Labradoodle gave an opinion. It's a bit like saying all labs are fat and all staffies are aggressive... pack of old tripe! You'll probably find most doodle owners have abandoned this forum which is a shame... I just hang around to annoy you all (a job I seem to excel at
> 
> Talking of tripe....reminds me... snack for the mad Labradoodle (sound asleep at the moment).


Goodness, prickly!

Rather than be hugely defensive when an owner of your type of dog is asking for support, how about giving some opinions and helping? Maybe you've done it via pm, who knows, but doing it on a thread with labradoodle in the title might help other owners who search the forum.


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## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

bella2013 said:


> a couple down h eroad from me have a 7 month male labradoodle, third generation or something like that (dont know about the ins and outs of the breed), and he is the nicest dog i have seen in a long time, he can happily sit on the drive while they wash the car and he doesnt jump up, he hasnt chewed and was housed trained pretty much straight away,* yes granted they have done a lot with him* and he is well socialised. plus he's never been trimmed yet, except private bits, feet and face and his fur is so snuggly, like a massive teddy bear.


Well, that's the key, isn't it, with almost any dog. You can't just expect a dog to know how to behave. You have to put in the time and effort, and understand that it _will take time_, (and consistency). 

And diet, of course, is much more important than many people realize.


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## Sarah1983 (Nov 2, 2011)

Elmo the Bear said:


> It would be really interesting if, for a change, someone with a Labradoodle gave an opinion. It's a bit like saying all labs are fat and all staffies are aggressive... pack of old tripe! You'll probably find most doodle owners have abandoned this forum which is a shame... I just hang around to annoy you all (a job I seem to excel at
> 
> Talking of tripe....reminds me... snack for the mad Labradoodle (sound asleep at the moment).


Why on earth do we need to own a Labradoodle to advise the OP? And perhaps if you own one you could try offering advice instead of simply trying to turn this thread into a soapbox for some sort of bizarre argument.


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

cinnamontoast said:


> Goodness, prickly!
> 
> *Rather than be hugely defensive when an owner of your type of dog is asking for support, how about giving some opinions and helping*? Maybe you've done it via pm, who knows, but doing it on a thread with labradoodle in the title might help other owners who search the forum.


Because it's so much more fun to get a little bit of a dig in about pedigree dogs & their owners of course!


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## Elmo the Bear (Oct 3, 2008)

cinnamontoast said:


> how about giving some opinions and helping?


On this forum, give an opinion on Labradoodles ????


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

So by immediately jumping on the cross breed stereotype, you, as the owner of said crossbreed, are exacerbating the situation rather than helping someone? The only one making sure that this goes the wrong way is YOU. Odd. Why sabotage a thread about your type of dog?


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## Malmum (Aug 1, 2010)

There's a gorgeous labradoodle in the next street to us. He goes running with his owner and I've passed on the other side of the road when his owner has been cleaning his car with the dog outside, he stops dead at the kerb as if there's a fence there and is so well behaved. I don't buy the hyper thing with the breed, saw Richard Hammonds one on Top a Gear and it was a dream, mind you he got his from Kimberlenes and if I ever wanted one that's where I'd go, even have the link saved to bookmarks cos you never know.


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## rocco33 (Dec 27, 2009)

Elmo the Bear said:


> On this forum, give an opinion on Labradoodles ????


An opinion on how the OP can handle the problems she is encountering! 



Elmo the Bear said:


> It would be really interesting if, for a change, someone with a Labradoodle gave an opinion.....


So where's the opinion?


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## Linny Buffy & Spike (Feb 3, 2009)

She's only 7 months old, so still a puppy, and will settle down a bit as she matures. 

My Buffy is a Labradoodle, and is 10 years old now. She excelled in competitive obedience and agility, and is also a trained Therapy Dog, visiting patients in our local hospital. 

Labradoodles are smart and active, but they do need training, just like any other dog, so it would be great if you can get her into some obedience classes too.

Good luck!
Linny


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## Linny Buffy & Spike (Feb 3, 2009)

BoredomBusters said:


> They were originally bred to Guide Dogs, but were rejected very quickly because they take so long to mature - Guide Dogs need to mature earlier than usual so this was a big problem.


Although Labradors remain the most frequently used for Guide Dog work, Labradoodles are often used by Guide Dog Associations here in Australia.

I belong to a social group in which one of the members is a visually impaired woman who has a Labradoodle Guide Dog that was trained by the Association for the Blind of Western Australia, as does another member of her family. Labradoodles are also used by many other Guide Dog groups around the world, including Royal Australian Guide Dogs, Guide Dogs America, Guide Dogs of Texas, and Guide Dogs UK.

Here is a link to a story about Monika and her Labradoodle guide dog Jonnie, who was helping her to compete in an ocean swim:

Monika & Jonnie Cross the Finish Line - *Association for the Blind of Western Australia










There are many visually impaired and other people with disabilities around the world who would not have the quality of life that they enjoy today without their Labradoodle Guide and Assistance Dogs, and the hard work and dedication of the people involved with the Guide Dogs Associations who train them

Best wishes,
Linny


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

Linny said:


> Although Labradors remain the most frequently used for Guide Dog work, Labradoodles are often used by Guide Dog Associations here in Australia.
> 
> I belong to a social group in which one of the members is a visually impaired woman who has a Labradoodle Guide Dog that was trained by the Association for the Blind of Western Australia, as does another member of her family. Labradoodles are also used by many other Guide Dog groups around the world, including Royal Australian Guide Dogs, Guide Dogs America, Guide Dogs of Texas, and Guide Dogs UK.
> 
> ...


That's really interesting, perhaps it was only here in the UK that they were rejected? Guide Dogs here have been bred for 70 years to be calm and mature early so a labradoodle must have been a shock! The first labradoodle I worked with was very calm, really lovely, liked a game, but that was it. All the others have been very enthusiastic - what's interesting (to me anyway) was that Dilly was a black labradoodle, all the others I've looked after have been apricot (or yellow, not sure what the colour is for doodles!).

Not that I'm saying it's anything to do with coat colour, but I'd like to work with another black one.


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## Linny Buffy & Spike (Feb 3, 2009)

BoredomBusters said:


> That's really interesting, perhaps it was only here in the UK that they were rejected?


It must have been very recent if so. According to their website, Guide Dogs UK had Labradoodle puppies in training last year.

Best wishes
Linny


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

BoredomBusters said:


> That's really interesting, perhaps it was only here in the UK that they were rejected? Guide Dogs here have been bred for 70 years to be calm and mature early so a labradoodle must have been a shock! The first labradoodle I worked with was very calm, really lovely, liked a game, but that was it. All the others have been very enthusiastic - what's interesting (to me anyway) was that Dilly was a black labradoodle, all the others I've looked after have been apricot (or yellow, not sure what the colour is for doodles!).
> 
> Not that I'm saying it's anything to do with coat colour, but I'd like to work with another black one.


They weren't *rejected*, we had our own breeding programmes in place in hte UK with the GDBA, where they use their own cross breeds alongside pedigree breeds. The guy who actually developed the Labradoodle as an assistance dog, famously wrote an article denouncing his work pretty much, and regretting he'd ever coined the term Labradoodle, because the vast majority of these dogs are now simply churned out to demand for something more *unusual*, and that's why they have the reputation of being bonkers. In exactly the same way that chocolate Labs have a reputation for being nutty, ie they are churned out without any thought to temperament.


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## BoredomBusters (Dec 8, 2011)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> They weren't *rejected*, we had our own breeding programmes in place in hte UK with the GDBA, where they use their own cross breeds alongside pedigree breeds. The guy who actually developed the Labradoodle as an assistance dog, famously wrote an article denouncing his work pretty much, and regretting he'd ever coined the term Labradoodle, because the vast majority of these dogs are now simply churned out to demand for something more *unusual*, and that's why they have the reputation of being bonkers. In exactly the same way that chocolate Labs have a reputation for being nutty, ie they are churned out without any thought to temperament.


I was told by someone who worked with Assistance Dogs International doing the testing and very closely with Guide Dogs, but I admit my information is a few years old.


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## Linny Buffy & Spike (Feb 3, 2009)

Sleeping_Lion said:


> They weren't *rejected*, we had our own breeding programmes in place in hte UK with the GDBA, where they use their own cross breeds alongside pedigree breeds. The guy who actually developed the Labradoodle as an assistance dog, famously wrote an article denouncing his work pretty much, and regretting he'd ever coined the term Labradoodle, because the vast majority of these dogs are now simply churned out to demand for something more *unusual*, and that's why they have the reputation of being bonkers. In exactly the same way that chocolate Labs have a reputation for being nutty, ie they are churned out without any thought to temperament.


I quite agree. Here in Australia and in the US they are breeding Labradoodle Guide Dogs using Labradors from proven assistance/therapy lines. I imagine they would have done the same in the UK.

Best wishes
Linny


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

BoredomBusters said:


> I was told by someone who worked with Assistance Dogs International doing the testing and very closely with Guide Dogs, but I admit my information is a few years old.





Linny said:


> I quite agree. Here in Australia and in the US they are breeding Labradoodle Guide Dogs using Labradors from proven assistance/therapy lines. I imagine they would have done the same in the UK.
> 
> Best wishes
> Linny


This is the now famous article, or one form of it, quoting Wally Conran, and the reasoning behind the creation of the Labradoodle:

Whose bright idea was that? | Science | The Guardian

There has been no call for them in the UK, the reason behind the original creation was off the back of the request from a woman whose husband suffered severe allergies. Unless there's been any demand for this in the UK, there simply hasn't been the need to try and create a dog that *might* be more suitable. To be perfectly honest, given that poodles were originally a water retrieving dog, and highly biddable, I do wonder why on earth they haven't trained poodles since they are more likely to have the right type of coat than any poodle cross.


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## Linny Buffy & Spike (Feb 3, 2009)

As I mentioned earlier, Guide Dogs UK had Labradoodle puppies in training as recently as last year. You could perhaps check with them as to their rationale.

Best wishes
Linny


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## Sleeping_Lion (Mar 19, 2009)

Linny said:


> As I mentioned earlier, Guide Dogs UK had Labradoodle puppies in training as recently as last year. You could perhaps check with them as to their rationale.
> 
> Best wishes
> Linny


I would imagine they're following in the success that you've had in Australia, but the simple fact remains, not all Labradoodles are hypoallergenic, and that's the problem, because a lot of people have the perception that a poodle cross will *always* be hypoallergenic, because that's the reason behind developing this cross, in the first instance. I've heard of Labradoodles worked effectively on shoots, but I've also heard of standard poodles being worked, more so on the continent, but we definitely still have lines of working poodles.

To be quite honest, I'm not that hugely interested in contacting the GDBA, to start asking questions, I've got my fingers in enough pies as it is, but anyone else interested could I'm sure, ask the question why they've recently started trying to develop the Labradoodle for use as an assistance dog in the UK.


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## rocco33 (Dec 27, 2009)

Linny said:


> As I mentioned earlier, Guide Dogs UK had Labradoodle puppies in training as recently as last year. You could perhaps check with them as to their rationale.
> 
> Best wishes
> Linny


GDBA UK has the largest breeding program in Europe and because of the cost and time involved in training guide dogs require a high success rate so very carefully select the dogs included in their breeding program.

They use a number of crosses, so it doesn't surprise me that there are a few labradoodles being used as there will be a few that have non shedding coats which would be needed in a few cases.

However, the most popular breed is the Labrador and their most common cross is the Labrador/golden retriever which has been a huge success. Interestingly, they only use first crosses (lab/golden) as they found when breeding the crosses back the success rate lowered considerably. I wonder if this is the case with labradoodles which would then suggest that F2, F3 ect would not be successful.

My (limited) understanding is that 'Australian' Labradoodles have other breeds added and are not just Labrador/poodle crosses.


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

MrRustyRead said:


> can i ask what the difference is between a labradoodle and an australian labradoodle?


lots of money, I think.......


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## ClaireandDaisy (Jul 4, 2010)

First dog breeder of Labradoodle puppies regrets dog breed | Global Animal


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## Linny Buffy & Spike (Feb 3, 2009)

No worries. I was simply correcting the statement made that Labradoodles were rejected for use as guide dogs, when that is clearly not the case. They have been used with great success in Australia, in the US, as well as over here in the UK.

I think the Guide Dog Associations do amazing work, and the type of dog they choose is irrelevant. I'm all for them using whatever breed or crossbreed can best help them give people with visual impairment and another disabilities a better quality of life. JMO.

Cheers
Linny


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