If you are interested in Labradoodles you have come to the right place. As a matter of fact Labradoodles are very similar to Goldendoodles as well.
We will start with the breeder. No they are not all the same. You may want to read this blog to see questions you should ask. Take your time to do research and ask questions. If they don’t answer the phone or take forever to call you back that should be your first clue. Also if they don’t let you visit then how can you inspect the facilities? Some questions you may ask are as follows:
- How often are they fed or watered?
- How often are they cleaned up after?
- How young are they when they are left alone?
The last question tells you a lot. If they are left alone all day then the breeder has a full time job and breeding is just a hobby. What age do they start leaving them alone? It takes two weeks for puppies eyes to open. It takes about one week for them to start crawling. For the first four or five days there is a risk of the mother accidentally laying on a puppy and smothering it. Until they can crawl they could end up away from mom and get too cold or not enough milk. They use their nose to find mom before their eyes are open. Unless the breeder is cleaning with harsh products such as bleach. When their eyes open it is less dangerous for the puppy.
What Size Are Labradoodles?
Labradoodles can come in many sizes. Naturally though, a Labrador is full size. So if they come smaller than that they are breeding down. That’s fine if they do it over time. Think about this. If you have a miniature poodle female to a full size Labrador male you are going to have problems. The male is to big. If he gets her pregnant then the babies will be to big. Either there will be many puppies die in the birth canal or the mother could die. The best way would be to continue taking the runts of the litter to get smaller and smaller. The other way would be to have a full size female and small male and have her artificially inseminated.
Full size Labradoodles are as follows. Females are usually around 45 lbs. And Males around 75 lbs. They typically are smaller than full size Labradors because full size poodles are smaller. Again you can have smaller simply by having smaller breeding parents.
What Is The Personality of a Labradoodle?
This part is easy. They are great. They should be loving, friendly, love kids, loyal and of course intelligent. Not to bash poodles too much but they can be a little snippy. Sometimes they are moody and withdrawn to strangers or kids. If you are inspecting the parents keep an eye on this. Labrador are usually pretty friendly so its usually not them. If you find a puppy this way that should be a red flag. The mix is usually great.
Intelligence is great. Now that comes from the Poodle. Not that Labradors can’t be smart. But if you have ever gone to the circus and seen dog acts it is usually poodles. They are very easy to train and can learn just about anything. The Labradoodle is often used for service dogs. They do well. Sandpoint Doodles often uses Labradoodles for this. Prep Service Dogs.
Because of their intelligence they can learn all sorts of tasks. Because of the size they are also good for stability. Even if you are looking for a therapy dog or a dog for PTSD a Labradoodle would be a good fit.
How To Groom a Labradoodle?
So this is kind of your preference. We cut our Labradoodles about twice a year. A summer cut in the spring and one later in the summer. We don’t care for the poodle cut so we just try to do a happy teddy bear. Remember in the summer they need a little hair or else they can get sunburn. And in the winter they definitely need some hair to stay warm. A professional groomer should be able to give you some suggestions.
We own four Labradoodles and highly recommend them for just about anyone. They adapt easily to different situations. They are ideal for children as well. As mentioned they are great for service dogs and therapy dogs. Several of our Labradoodles can pick up on the mood and know when to come to you to snuggle. Great dog.
