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What’s a Doodle?
A Doodle is a planned mix between a Poodle and a Labrador
or Golden Retriever. It is not a “new breed” but a hybrid of the two pure
breeds. It is not recognized by the AKC, but dogs and breeders will soon be
registered through the North American Doodle Association NADA.
Why a Doodle?
Labradoodles were first bred in
Australia in 1989. The original idea was to develop a dog for people with allergies who needed service
dogs. Labrador retrievers have long been
used as service dogs. Their temperament blended nicely with the
hypoallergenic and non shedding qualities of the standard poodle. In North
America, the planned mix between golden retrievers and standard poodles became
another option. The results are well planned hybrid dogs that are low or
non-shedding, have lower or hypoallergenic qualities, and are good-natured,
intelligent, family pets, and service dogs.
A second important reason for creating a hybrid dog comes
from a wish to avoid some of the serious genetic disorders that plague many pure
bred dogs. The planned mix-breed dog, free from the genetic coding for these
disorders, is a stronger, healthier, and longer-lived dog. This is referred to
as “hybrid
vigor.”
What do Doodles Look Like?
Size
Doodles range in size from minis to large standards. That is, from 12 to
28 inches at the shoulder. Minis and mini-backcross, can be 20-45 lbs, while
standards tend to range between 50 and 100 lbs. Poodles have a lighter bone
structure than retrievers so it is possible to have a very tall dog, that is
lighter in weight than its more retriever-built littermate. Retrievers gain
their full height at about a year, and their full weight between 18 and 24 months.
Predicting the size of a doodle pup is a challenge, but a good breeder will be
able to help. Size is typically estimated from the range of sizes in the
parents and grand-parents. Another "rule of thumb" is to take their
weight at four months of age, double it, and then add 5-10 lbs.
Coat types
Coats can be flat, wavy, curly, borderline or fleece, or a combination of
these types. They can also be silky, wooly, or wiry. Some have found the
labradoodle coat to be somewhat courser than a goldendoodles. Both types
of hybrid can be non-shedding, minimal-shedding, or moderate shedding. Confused? There’s more
information on coat types on the Rutland
Manor web page. Some coats shed and others do not. A database about coat
types and shedding can be found at the
GoldenDoodles.Com website.
Colors
Doodles come in a wide array of colors. Cream, white, golden, brown,
chocolate, black, silver, and variations of each of those.
Why are some of their noses pink?
Labrador retrievers are occasionally born with pink or light brown noses,
also called “Dudley” noses. This doesn’t adversely effect the health of the
dog. There are also retrievers, of both breeds, that have “winter” or “snow”
nose. Their noses are black during most of the year, but lighten during the
winter. Like the “Dudley,” it has no ill-effects.
Is there a difference between
labradoodles and goldendoodles?
There are differences between Labs and Goldens but most owners
agree that these differences are outweighed by differences in the personality of
individual dogs.
Learning more about each of the breeds-of-origin will help you to understand
doodles better. Standard Poodles are known for their intelligence and
steady nature. Generally speaking Golden Retrievers are known for
their high performance in the Obedience Ring. Labradors perform
exceptionally well as service dogs. While intelligent
quick studies, Labs are more flexible in their thinking than anxious-to please
Goldens. The Lab's flexibility is perfect
for the demands of service dog work but it can be an obstacle in the obedience
ring. Both retriever breeds tend to retain their puppy exuberance for life
well into adulthood.
What About Intelligence,
Trainability, and Temperament
All three breeds-of-origin are ranked in the top 10 for
intelligence. What does that means for dog owners? It means that Doodles
will learn what you teach them quickly and easily. It also means that they will
learn what they learn on their own, or those things you don’t teach them, easily
too! Having an intelligent dog isn’t the same as having a trained dog. It does
mean that you’ll have fun and be richly reward for training them. But,
you’ll have to train them. An intelligent dog will seek out things to do to
occupy itself. If left to his/her own devices, those things “to do” may not
please you!
Doodles have an eager, pleasing, people-oriented personality. They love to
learn, they love to be with their people, and they love to have fun. They need
to be a part of the family and they will not be content crated all day every day
while the family is away from home. Without their clan, they’re made anxious,
hyperactive, and unhappy.
Are they Yappy? In general, no. Some dogs will
bark more or less depending upon their boredom level and their tolerance of
boredom. Solid training and exercise can prevent and “cure” problem barking.
Males or Females? Most owners agree, with doodles,
the difference between neutered males and females are overshadowed by the
personality of individual dogs.
What’s “F1,” “F2,” and “backcross” mean?
These are the terms used to describe the line breeding of the dog. The
following table illustrates this.
Poodle x Retriever =Doodle=F1
Doodle x Poodle=Backcross Doodle=F1B
Doodle x Doodle=Doodle=F2
Multigenerational doodles are those that have been bred through successive
generations of doodles and backcross doodles to what is close to a “pure” breed.
Links with more information about Doodles:
GoldenDoodles.Com
Kate’s Family Pets
Tegan Park
Rutland Manor
Dog Breed Info
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