Breaking down the different types of labradoodles

Labradoodles are not dogs that are purebred. They were created by cross-breeding a Labrador retriever with a Poodle. The result is the labradoodle, the &ldquo-designer&rdquo- dog that many people want to own. This is a dog that hasn&rsquo-t been around for a very long time, and it&rsquo-s one that&rsquo-s a bit more difficult than others to pinpoint as far as temperament and other important factors to consider. In order to look at how this dog will behave, what to expect of it and what it&rsquo-s going to mean for you at home, you have to look at the characteristics of both the breeds from which the labradoodle derives. Additionally, you have to consider breeding. There are several ways in which breeders are creating labradoodles, and it&rsquo-s important to understand what they mean.

F1 – This type of labradoodle is 50 percent poodle and 50 percent lab. This is going to be the healthiest type of labradoodle because the breed results in healthier litters than others. Their fur can go either way, however. Some are more poodle-like than others, and others are a bit shaggier and more prone to shedding. There is no real &ldquo-way&rdquo- for these dogs to turn out. Some shed, some don&rsquo-t. Some are hypoallergenic and others are not. It all just depends on the breed and the individual dog. It&rsquo-s not a dog you want to consider if you have allergies.

F1-B – This type of labradoodle is 75 percent poodle and 25 percent lab. It&rsquo-s going to resemble a poodle with the same type of fur and the same body type, with very little hint of lab. If you&rsquo-re going to adopt or purchase a labradoodle and you have allergies, you&rsquo-re going to want to choose this one since it&rsquo-s the least likely to shed and cause allergy issues. They have the simplest coat to care for, and it&rsquo-s the least likely to cause issues for those who suffer from pet allergies.

F2 – This is a labradoodle that is bred using an F1 labradoodle and an F1 labradoodle cross. It&rsquo-s going to have some shedding issues and look more like an F1 labradoodle than anything else. Essentially, you get the same percentage of lab and poodle, which is why it&rsquo-s so similar to its parentage.

F3 – This labradoodle is a cross between a labradoodle and an F2 labradoodle cross. This is the last generation of labradoodle, and it&rsquo-s not amazing for people who have allergies. Any other labradoodles that are bred from an F3 or higher is considered an Australian labradoodle, which is an almost entirely different breed of dog.

Temperament

This designer dog is one with a very mellow temperament. It&rsquo-s a very happy dog that is happiest with a loving family that offers a great deal love and affection to the dog. It&rsquo-s a dog that also has a lot of strength and agility, loves to exercise and loves to play. It&rsquo-s very good around children and other animals, and it&rsquo-s a very good watchdog as it will bark when people or danger comes near. This dog is described as a job because it has the same energy and playfulness as a lab and the same work ethic and intelligence of a poodle. She&rsquo-s easily trainable and understands commands very well. This dog is one that will help you understand that life is more fun when you have an animal at home.
Information further than that is a bit foggy. There is no real knowledge about the kind of temperament a labradoodle has further than this thanks to the fact that it&rsquo-s a dog that&rsquo-s fairly new and improper breeding practices have made it next to impossible for anyone to decide what qualities that these dogs always possess. It&rsquo-s a work in progress, if you will.

Size

There are three different kinds of labradoodles in terms of size. The most common is a standard size of 22 to 24 inches tall and anywhere from 50 to 65 pounds. Females are a little shorter, and typically stand anywhere from 21 to 23 inches tall.

The medium labradoodle is more like 17-20 inches tall and around 30 to 45 pounds. The small labradoodle is considered a miniature and it&rsquo-s going to top out around 14 to 16 inches and 15 to 25 pounds.

Health Issues

These are designer dogs that are typically very healthy, though it&rsquo-s not impossible for an unhealthy labradoodle to exist. While they don&rsquo-t have an abnormal amount of health issues, they are dogs that are prone to some health issues such as ear infections, hip and elbow dysplasia and even epilepsy. Additionally, they might suffer more than other dogs from different allergies.

Exercise and Care

The labradoodle is very adaptable and finds home in any setting. However, they&rsquo-re better in larger homes with big yards. This is the type of dog that requires a great deal of exercise and activity, so it&rsquo-s better to spend about an hour working with the dog each day, or at least letting it run around outside to play. They&rsquo-re great jogging companions, but they&rsquo-re not fans of being on a leash for long periods of time, which is why it&rsquo-s recommended that owners of labradoodles have a big yard with a fence.

Life Expectancy

You can expect a typical labradoodle to live anywhere from 12 to 14 years if taken care of properly, and if the dog is relatively free of illness and disease.

Grooming

The way in which you groom your labradoodle depends entirely on the type of coat he has. Some require more brushing than others – typically the shaggier coats. They only need to be brushed around twice a week because they are minimal shedders. However, they will need to get to the groomer every six to eight weeks for a trim or their coat will start to look improper. Additionally, they should not be bathed too often. They don&rsquo-t smell the same as most dogs, so not bathing them regularly shouldn&rsquo-t become a problem.