Labradoodles - the good, the bad and the ugly!

[WonderIfThingsWillChange]

Hello! I'm about to look after a rescue labradoodle, I've not had much to do with them in the past, could anyone share their experienced of them please? I'm wondering about likes/dislikes, training etc. I realise all dogs are different but just wondered if there was a general consensus on them :-)

"It wasn't meant in an aggressive way - just to find out the background and therefore why the info was needed...."

But mistlethrush, it's exactly that attitude that helps give credence to the view that the Doghouse is a judgey place. I would never in a million years recommend anyone to come on here for advice nowadays. It seems that the only acceptable course of action for anyone wanting a dog (or even prepared to foster one, going by this thread), is to go to a rescue adopt a staffie or greyhound. Laudable sentiment, I'm sure, but not right for everyone.

Agreed clam.

And it's a daft question to ask, I think.
OP: "We want to get a dog/puppy - have always liked...."
MN Doghouse: That's irresponsible. There are 100s of staffies in rescues needing homes.
OP: I don't WANT a staffie, I want a .... whatever.
MNDH: Why? Lengthy ranty lecture.
OP: disappears.

By daft question, I mean those like mistlethrush's "Why a labradoodle?"

I adore mine. Ignore all the grumps who only like 'proper' breeds

I don't even think it's about people advocating pedigrees. There's a very vocal group who view anyone who gets a puppy as irresponsible, as they should be re-homing instead.
Problem is, even if you are willing to do so, the rescues are very fussy about who they'll let re-home. And when I was looking for a cockapoo, I searched the length and breadth of the UK for rescues and found precisely none. So I went for a puppy, and got massacred on here for doing so.

OMG Blackpuddingbertha. Your dog is the absolute spit our our Labradoodle. Even down the the darker ears and very curly fur. My DH wondered why someone was posting a photo of Nellie!!!

We have a labradoodle. I agree with much of what's been said on here about them. They are fabulous dogs. Ours also loves other dog's tennis balls. In fact, my sport mad DC chose her as a pup as she had her head resting on a tennis ball when she was asleep, which was a 'sign' she'd be good at joining in their games

Sassparilla here's another photo for you. She was much darker red as a puppy and it all lightened off except for her ears.

I know a few, and they are absolutely lovely but have a tendency if getting fat and have joint pain.

As an aside Whilst I agree with the endless 'adopt a staffie' is silly, encouraging anyone to buy a bred dog is too. The breeders have a lot to answer for and I would never recommend anyone buy one as it spurs on the bad breeders.

Mine is one of the most stupid yet most intelligent dogs I've ever met. He can't see a ball that's 2 feet in front of him due to his facial hair and goes bat shit crazy if he even smells a tennis ball. I luvs him.

Well I collected him today! He's very loveable snd completely bonkers! He has not stopped playing all day. Fingers crossed for some sleep tonight!

Awww...they're so cute. And I didn't know they came in black! I've only seen the yellow ones around here.

Wow, fluffycow, your 'doodle looks just like my 'poo!

Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd type.

maybe I need to change my username to fluffydog

Blackpuddingbertha I thought that was my DDog too! So much so that I wonder if you, me and Sassparilla might have doggy siblings!

Good luck Wonder. Mine is either bonkers or asleep, there is no inbetween!

We have a large male labradoodle.

I wanted to rehire a cross breed - like you - and they wouldn't let me as I hadn't owned a dog before and have young kids. Fair enough.... So chose a puppy Labrador/poodle cross as I wanted a large, energetic dog. (Flame me, I bought a puppy)!!

Anyway, I think a lot of these dogs are rehomed just for being very high energy and bouncy with a long puppy hood. I did my research and felt this was the right breed for us.

And by jove, he is. I have a medium energy, large, slightly shedding galumphing beast who I adore. He is ridiculously affectionate, highly intelligent and very sociable around people and other dogs. He can run with me, bike with me but won't trash the house on days he doesn't get such a long walk. Extremely tolerant with the kids. Very gentle. Fun loving, playful.

Based on my experience, I would say they do need a lot of socialising as they can be skittish with strangers (I had visitors give mine treats). They can get lonely if left too long. They eat socks!!! They will try to suffocate you with cuddles. They can be jumpy and that part is hard to train out of them. Lots of people assume you chose a labradoodle as it is a "designer dog" when actually you just wanted a lovely cross breed.

I hope you love your labradoodle like I love mine!!

I don't understand the "designer dog" accusation. Or the idea that anyone would seriously choose a dog "because of the name."

To be honest, I think it says more about the accuser than the crossbreed owner. And not in a good way.

MN Doghouse: That's irresponsible. There are 100s of staffies in rescues needing homes

I'd really like it if you would find me one instance of this.

I've never seen it and I'm in the DH daily. I've seen plenty of instances of posters being told they are irresponsible for paying a breeder for a puppy whilst dogs are dying in Rescue, which they are. But I have never seen a poster being told, specifically, that they should have a staffie.

Ah I like this lovely predominently non judgemental doodle thread! If I knew how to add photos then I'd add my doodle pic to the bunch, but I have no idea. He is very very lovely though!

Well, for the record, it wasn't a direct quote, but a slightly tongue-in-cheek remark. And I'm certainly not trawling through 1000s of posts looking for evidence, but I've been on the DH many, many times in the last3 years or so, and I've certainly seen it.
In fact, I think there's one in a very similar vein there today - a poster who is trying to persuade her sister not to get a lab puppy but to get a lurcher or staffie from a rescue instead.

Here you go

That poster mentioned it once, again tongue in cheek just like you, and then not again. She wants her sister to have a Rescue puppy, not pay £800 for one when the money could be better spent elsewhere. I'd say that was sensible.

Staffies get defended on DH a lot, because they have a reputation that needs to be addressed, and they are overrunning Rescues, especially in large cities. It isn't their fault that wankers bought and dumped them (ironically, sometimes because they were too 'soft'), but they are the ones being punished. I have seen it when OPs who want a Rescue have dismissed Staffies because they killers/dangerous/should be banned and posters have defended them, but I've have never seen an OP pushed towards a staffie over and above any other Rescue Dog.

Knowledgeable Rescue posters such as Scuttlebutter will of course push their own 'specialities' (ie Greys/Pointy Hounds) because that's where their love lies, I will push Many Tears, Ardley and Springer Rescues because I have the most to do with them. But not a single poster passionate about Rescue would denigrate an OP getting a Rescue Dog, no matter what breed it is, because that is the decent thing to do.

There is no need to make up angry exchanges about the DogHouse. Those of us who post here regularly know it's reputation well enough, and know what is true and what isn't

The lesson of the day with bonkers labradoodle....stair gates are futile!! He will run and jump anywhere he pleases! I definitely think he's going to keep us on our toes, we didn't know bounce before as our lurcher is pretty laid back at home and other foster dogs have either been other lurchers or quite old! Aim of the day is to try and tire him out somehow!! :-)

Hey Wonder. My friends poodle cross (don't think it's Lab, but cannot be sure) absolutely loved swimming. Do you have a lake or river anywhere near?