Linda Whitwam - The Labradoodle Handbook

This book has been written to provide helpful information on Labradoodles. It is not meant to be used, nor should it be used, to diagnose or treat any medical condition. For diagnosis or treatment of any animal medical problem, consult a qualified veterinarian. The author is not responsible for any specific health or allergy conditions that may require medical supervision and is not liable for any damages or negative consequences from any treatment, action, application or preparation, to any person reading or following the information in this book. References are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any websites or other sources.

2013-2015 Linda Whitwam. All rights reserved. No part of this document, text, images, graphics or style may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author. For permission to reproduce any element of this book whatsoever, contact Linda Whitwam at

LINDA WHITWAM

This book is dedicated to Jean and Ken

My sincere thanks to all the Labradoodle owners, organisations and canine experts without whom this book would not have been possible. Special thanks to The Labradoodle Trust UK, Jo Cousins and International Doodle Owners Group (IDOG) and Doodle Rescue Collective Inc (DRC).

Authors Note: For ease of reading, the Labrador Retriever is referred to as the Labrador throughout this book, and the masculine pronoun he is intended to represent both male and female dogs.

Copyright

Copyright 2013-2015 Linda Whitwam

All rights reserved. No part of this document, text, images, graphics or style may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author. For permission to reproduce any element of this book whatsoever, contact Linda Whitwam at

ISBN-13: 978-1484008409

So, youve been bitten by the Doodle bug? Youre one of many thousands of dog lovers who have been captivated by this stunning crossbreed which has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame.

Since Australian Wally Conron first crossed a Standard Poodle with a Labrador in 1988 and coined the phrase Labradoodle, this honest, sociable and fun-loving canine has made his home at the centre of families across the globe.

Originating in Australia, the Labradoodle has become extremely popular elsewhere, particularly in the USA, Canada and the UK. The Labradoodle is a crossbreed, so there are no official statistics as to the number of them in individual countries, as these are based on the registration of pure breeds provided by the Kennel Clubs.

However, you wont go far without spotting some signs of a Labradoodle, everybody knows somebody whos got one, or they see them around their neighbourhood.

The media hype on TV and in the Press has been enormous. Unfortunately this and the fact that Labradoodles have been promoted by some as being perfectly suitable for all allergy sufferers has led to criticism of this wonderful crossbreed, as well as some unscrupulous breeding to cash in on the craze but none of this is the fault of the dog.

To set the record straight, as the Kennel Clubs will tell anyone who asks, there is no such thing as a totally non-shedding dog. There are however, certain breeds and in the case of the Labradoodle, a crossbreed which may be more suitable for allergy sufferers.

Some Labradoodles may be suitable for allergy sufferers, but by no means all. If you suffer from allergies you need to spend time with the individual dog Some Labradoodles shed, some shed a little and others, particularly many of the multigeneration Doodles, are minimal shedders.

Well, thats got that out of the way! Lets look at some of the reasons why the Labradooodle is so loved in countries all over the world.

Appearance

Labradoodles come in all shapes, sizes and colours and sport many different coats. But one thing is generally agreed an ugly Labradoodle has yet to be born.

In extremely general terms, an F1 (first generation) Labradoodle has a scruffy look and multigenerations and Australian Labradoodle look more like teddy bears.

Regardless of what type of Labradoodle you have or are thinking of getting, there is no denying that they are extremely appealing canines. This coupled with their sociable, often amusing personality, loyalty and suitability for family life has all contributed to the Labradoodles popularity.

Puppies are particularly attractive, so make sure you do your research. Decide exactly what type and size you want first and then pick a good breeder before you decide to view any puppies, as the sight of a litter of fluffy Labradoodle pups may well be too much to resist.

Labradoodles come in three different sizes with three different coat types -and variations within these types. Then you have to decide if you want a Labradoodle or an Australian Labradoodle. When youve finally figured all this out, you then have to decide what F number of dog you want or whether to go for a multigen.

Sound like a foreign language? Fear not, we will take you by the hand and gently guide you with straightforward words and pictures through the jargon and pitfalls to help you to pick and then care for a Labradoodle who will, with any luck, become a wonderful companion and major part of your life for the next decade or more.

Whats all this talk about F numbers? Well, it has nothing at all to do with Formula 1 racing or photography and everything to do with Labradoodles. Here, in a nutshell is F numbers demystified.

The Labradoodle is a crossbreed, not a purebred (North America) or pedigree (UK). It is the product of crossing two breeds of dog: the Labrador and the Poodle and a couple of other breeds in the case of the Australian Labradoodle, more on that later.

Because the Labradoodle is a crossbreed, you cannot get papers with your dog which are recognised by the Kennel Clubs. But despite this, you should always find out about your dogs parents and ancestry because provided you care for him well, his genes will be the major factor in deciding how healthy he will be.

F stands for filial when describing Labradoodles. It comes from the Latin filius (son) and means relating to a son or daughter.

An F1 Labradoodle is a first generation cross, so one parent was a Labrador and the other was a Poodle. An F1 Labradoodle is more likely to moult than higher generation Labradoodles, as half of its genes are coming from the Labrador, which sheds hair. According to an unofficial Doodle database involving 237 dogs, over half of F1 Labradoodles monitored shed hair to some degree although many were light shedders and some caused no problems with allergy sufferers.

Some canine experts believe that a first generation cross may benefit from hybrid vigour. This is the belief that the first cross between two unrelated purebred lines (like these Toy Poodles pictured) is healthier and grows better than either parent line.