History and Types of Labradoodles
Labradoodles, also known as "Labrapoodles," first occurred in 1955, but they did not gain popularity until 1988, when the mix began to be used as a hypoallergenic guide dog.
Labradoodles come in three distinct variations which are based on the ratio of lab to poodle mix. The first generation is an F1, which is a 50/50 mix of Lab & Poodle. These are NOT considered a non-shedding nor a hypoallergenic dog. Roughly 15% of F1s will have a thicker, dense fleece coat, which will generally be a lower shedding dog, & MAY be SOMEWHAT allergy friendly. I DO NOT recommend F1s to those with allergies. Why? When they are pups, they are much smaller, which means less overall mass & hair. Once they grow larger, more hair- & more of a chance for allergies to flair. In my opinion, it is not worth the risk in the long term.
F1B. This is an F1 bred back to a poodle- which gives you a 75% Poodle & 25% Labrador. These are generally allergy friendly, but can produce either a wavy or curly coat.
F2/F1BB- Different names- same ratio of Lab to Poodle- I call them F2's. This is an F1B bred back to a Poodle & you now have an 85% Poodle & 15% Labrador. These are allergy friendly & non shedding, although, technically, all dogs shed, even if it's ever so slightly.
Australian Labradoodle- Fancy name that simply means the dog is mixed with a small amount of Cocker Spaniel . It is a very small amount of 10% or less of Cocker. I'm not sure why they call this an Australian, as the "original" labradoodle- bred in Australia was just a Lab & Poodle.
Australian Cobberdog- This is a dog specifically bred in Australia & is considered a purebred dog in Australia. My guess is that it is still a mix of Lab & Poodle, but a DNA test would have to be done to determine this.
Multi Gen- This is when you have more than 3 generations into the breeding- F1- 1 generation, F1B- 2 generations, F2/F1BB- 3 generations, F2/F1BB bred together- Multi Gen. These may produce a thick wavy coat. Some breeders will claim these are the superior mix due to the multi gen mix- however, this is not true. The genetic diversity is found by doing a test called C.O.I or Coefficient of inbreeding. This test reveals the diversity of the dog's gene pool. I have F1's that have 0% & 2& C.O.I. Generally- the claim is that the more diverse the gene pool the lower the C.O.I. Lower C.O.I is said to produce a better overall quality dog. This should NOT be put above DNA. A clear DNA report is what matters. A lower C.O.I is the icing on the cake, while a clear DNA report is the cake. The average C.O.I of a purebred dog is 20% while the average C.O.I of a mixed breed is 10%. You can have a very high-quality dog with a high C.O.I. This will happen if a dog is line bred- meaning it is bred within the same bloodline but a few generations apart. A breeder will line breed if he has a very strong genetic/orthopedic bloodline & wants to maintain it. The same holds true for horses.
Why a Labrador Retriever?
The Labrador Retriever has been the most popular selling dog in the United States for over 25 years now, and rightfully so! Labradors are classified as "working dogs" and their history can be traced back to Newfoundland, where fishermen began using them.
Originally, the Labrador was called a "Lesser Newfoundland Dog" however, the Labrador Retriever should not be compared to the Newfoundland except the shared web feet design which allows for easy work of swimming situations.
The terrain conditions of Newfoundland are rugged, requiring dog of surefootedness, stamina, and "buoyancy." The Labrador was an ideal dog for this rough environment-able to bear the icy waters of the North Atlantic, with its broad chest which allowed it to "surf" on the strong waves, and its "waterproof" coat which can shed water quickly.
The Labrador made its way to the American shores in the early 1900's but its popularity did not catch on quickly. The breed was officially recognized but the AKC in 1932.
The Labrador has since gained continued popularity in America, known for their loving nature, intelligence, working capabilities and just all-around terrific personality. It's no surprise their popularity continues to grow.
