Labradoodle

[harajukubabe]

Anyone have experience with labradoodles? I have 2 DCs under 8, and will be a first time dog owner.

ARE a handful tch!

I have a 7 year old rescue labradoodle. The pros are he's clever, funny, lively, good natured with other animals and children and easy to train. The cons are his love of fox poo and swampy water - he's hard to keep clean, he's also 38kg so more expensive for vets, insurance, feeding etc. he also doesn't like being apart from me. He's very strong and can be difficult to control if he decided to pull on the lead (usually to try and say hello to another dog).

All those things aside, we absolutely adore him as do most people who meet him (even non dog lovers!) he's like a human inside a dog's body and I couldn't imagine life without him

harajukubabe

*I am willing to put in the hard work and training sessions.

I like the breed as it is intelligent and if from the right parents, docile and of course cute looking.

I am leaning towards the more smaller medium sized or miniature labradoodle.*

Hi,
I appreciate what you say, and if you have set your 💓 on labradooodle, than that is probably what you will end up with.
But, I like to make a case for a small, intelligent & fun breed dog, that really has the temperament one expects from a labradoodle without the un-predictability of cross breeding. (I know a few people who got one and they are more one breed than the other rather than the 50/50 as expected e.g. excessive shedding of a long soft coat).
A Tibetan Terrier is often overlooked & not widely know, but probably one of the top family dogs in terms of temperament, size and intelligence you can find. They are a medium to small dog, very loving and don't need endless hours of walking should you not have the time one day because your child is ill or you are out and about. They have a lovely long coat, that will require grooming and is also anti allergy! Best of all, they have a great sense of humour and will always make you smile!

What about a black miniature poodle? Either a rescue so you can see how calm the are or from a good breeder who breeds for sound temperament. With a "puppy clip" they look like a small labradoodle and they definitely will not shed.

Thank you. I have considered a miniature poodle too. But don't they have the same problems potentially as you describe for a labradoodle?!

Also, would a black poodle be any different to a white coloured one?

Won't they have the same issue on keeping the coat clean? I.e. A poodle vs labradoodle?

My top 3 breeds were:

1. Labradoodle ( now it seems this may not be no one on my list. I have to re evaluate)
2. Poodle (toy)
3. Schnauzer (miniature)

I just want to make it very clear to you that there is no such thing as a small, medium size or miniature labradoodle. It's quite an erratic genetic mix so even if the parents are a small Labrador and a miniature poodle you can still wind up with an absolutely enormous dog.

I really, really would advise against a huge, energetic and demanding dog as your first one - dog ownership should be a joy, and it is, with the right dog for you, but it is also bloody hard work and you risk making it much harder on yourself.

No no no don't get a tibetan terrier as a first dog! We have 3 and yes they are brilliant little clown like dogs but they are also stubborn, hard to train and suffer with separation anxiety! The grooming requirements are mental, and while they are intelligent and learn quickly, if they will actually do what you want when you want them to do it is anyone's guess.

Also have never met a calm labradoodle

We have a miniature labradoodle & she's fab. She maults dreadfully though, she is definitely more lab with her fur. She is energetic & needs a good run out but is extremely well (& was fairly easy to do so) trained so is a pleasure to take out. I was a first time dog owner & we did pay for a trainer to help which was invaluable to us.

I've heard good things about mini schnauzers, although I don't know any personally and there aren't any that go to the same dog park as us.

Pugs are good first-time dogs, in my opinion. They do come with some maintenance (need to clean skin folds, keep them on a good diet and exercise them to make sure they don't get chubby, and keep them out of extreme heat/cold). They're not high maintenance in terms of exercise, they're very good with kids and tend to get on well with other dogs, very people-oriented as well, small enough that they're easy to handle and travel with etc. They do lose their hair, but most dogs do and it's not even a guarantee with a poodle mix that they won't lose hair.

Cavalier King Charles' from a reputable breeder are generally great too. They can have genetic abnormalities, however, but you won't find many pure breeds without some predisposition to particular disorders/problems.

If you are interested in a retriever sized dog, I'd recommend a golden retriever over a labrador.

I have an 18 month old fifth generation Australian small/medium labradoodle and she is fab. Great size, amazing temperament and absolutely no shedding whatsoever-it's amazing! Downside to that is the grooming costs add up. I have a 6 year old son and she is brilliant with him. Exercise wise-no problems there. She would walk all day if we wanted, or she is fine with a shorter walk on horrible days.
We are first time dog owners and I've found training to be fine. I took her to puppy classes for around 6 months and she picked everything up really well. We don't have any problems with separation anxiety, perhaps because we left her for short periods of time from the day we got her, who knows?
The only con I can think of is she is quite excitable when people come to the house, but that is because she is so loving and friendly! She calms down after about 5 mins.
I didn't want a big dog so I think she is a perfect size and I also think she looks just as cute now as when she was a pup. They are lovely dogs!
PM me if you need any more info.

I have a lhasapoo who is great natured, fun, and also pretty lazy. He doesn't shed due to the lhasa apso part, and is 8.8kg fully grown. He has one long walk or two shorter walks a day and is an absolute joy to have.
Maybe look at different poodle mixes.

Oh forgot about this-My DH takes our dog to his office twice a week (he's a chartered accountant) and she is really chilled there with clients coming and going. So they can be really chilled

Miniature schnauzers are quite popular where we live & seem to be very sweet. They don't seem to suffer from separation anxiety and happily run around off the lead without getting obsessed with squirrels. Tibetans have coats which matt & can become very distressed when left alone.

Op having read your list it seems as though you are choosing based on looks. This really isn't the way to do it. I'm sure if you are prepared to put in the work you will come to love any dog, whatever he looks like. Choose a dog that will suit your family, not one that will look cute in photos.

Wellhellothere1, thank you. I will PM you once I get on my computer.

Other posters, what makes you think I like a dog because of looks alone? Then afghan hounds would be on my list.

"Other posters, what makes you think I like a dog because of looks alone?"

Because schnauzers are a very different breed and the only thing they have in common is being small and shaggy.

Thank you all.

It useful to read about all of these breeds. Yes, I have considered other poodle mixes but they don't appeal.

I have read a lot of good testimonials about Australian labradoodles. But thought they may have been biased. It's good to get your views on here to balance what I have read.

Dogs that look like rats don't appeal to me but my selection is based on

1. Child friendly was
2. Large enough to be a mans dog but small enough for me or DCs to handle

Yes, a Labrador would be great. I love them. But I thought they would be too large for a first time owner. That's why I thought labradoodle (if the small or medium sized) may work for us...

I think you need to go back to the drawing board about what you want from a dog TBH.

Child friendly is mostly to do with training and socialisation...size and handling, well what are the children going to be doing with a dog that size makes a difference? A well trained lab is much easier to manage than the tiniest of dogs who needs to be manhandled.

What you want to be thinking about is how much you're willing to do in terms of exercise and training, how much time you're willing to devote to grooming - whether you want a dog who is into every single little thing you do around the house or one that just lies about most of the time.

After that things like size come into consideration.

I had a lab for twelve years. She had a lovely temperament, but very bouncy and would escape any opportunity she had. Labs can be really hard work too.

We lost her early in the year and the house felt very empty. I decided I was too old for a pup and went for a rehome spaniel. I now have two working cocker spaniel boys who are 3 years old. Many people say they do not work well in a pet only home, but they are loving, friendly little chaps. Surprisingly they do not cast as much as my lab.

They can be very excitable and have chewed up several beds (their own, not mine!) They love children, love their walks and love people generally. They are not food driven so that can be an issue with training. One major problem is that if they get a scent they are hard wired to search undergrowth etc and forget all recall training.

I find them much lighter on the lead and I take them out together. One can be a bit funny with other dogs (not bitches) who run at him off the lead and hassle him, but the other is laid back beyond belief.

Sometimes dogs are rehomed through no fault of their own. Ours was due to the owners relationship breakdown and going back to work full time. This may be a good way forward for you to consider, without such a huge outlay for a labradoodle.

Forgot to say my dh's mum has a labradoodle. He is huge, very bouncy, nice natured, greedy and totally and completely unsuitable for an 80 year old lady. What the hell.

With young DCs I would imagine your first consideration is temperament and the second is health. You are unlikely to get these with a mongrel mix partly because you will get a lot of unscrupulous people breeding them for the money and partly because they are not a breed with more established lines that make it more likely for the breeder to produce what they want.

Go for an actual Poodle or a German Spitz or a King Charles from a decent breeder who has made it their life's work to produce healthy, even-tempered dogs. I wouldn't recommend the Tibetan Terrier, they suffer a lot from separation anxiety, can be incredibly destructive and they are extremely energetic to the point of hysterical.

I'd guess a labradoodle would be much bigger than a toy poodle or a miniature schnauzer - nearer standard schnauzer or miniature poodle, so you've picked a big difference in size there. Having said that, I can get where you are coming from, maybe.
I thought of a miniature schnauzer, then a wire-haired fox terrier - thinking smallish semi-house and small dog easier to handle, but with legs long enough for a decently long walk up in the hills, and bonus of minimal hair shedding.
A small dog with long legs seems ideal - but then you read the personality traits assigned (barking aloof schnauzers, snappy hectic terriers - allegedly). It's a minefield when you think about blending your lifestyle and personality of the dog- nobody has a bad thing to say about labs, and poodles are supposed to be intelligent, so how can you go wrong with a cross?
Well, I'll let you know, because I put my lot in for a miniature golden doodle :-). I realized from visiting the breeds that I prefer bigish dogs, and being friendly and loving is important. I'm hoping he won't shed much, but hey ho, if he does, he does. If he ends up more more retriever size than miniature poodle, so be it, more to love and hug. I'm pretty laid back and flexible, which you need to be with a cross I'd guess, because you can't always know what you will end up with, genetics not leading to an even mix.
I might, if I'm lucky, get a fun, active, loving, loyal, trainable, intelligent, cuddly bundle of fluff that doesn't shed - ha! I'm guessing that would be a stroke of luck. When it comes down to it, the adult dog that needs re-homing is more of a safe bet as you already know how it's turned out to be in life. I like a challenge though ;-)

I've had a labrador collie cross in the past but our first family dog is a labradoodle. She was the runt of the litter but pretty crazy. However now (6 months) she is great only weighs 9 kilos. Looks quite spanielly but with some curl in her coat. No moult. Easy to train but a bit stubborn. Has started pulling on her lead recently - seems to be starting a teenage rebellion. We chose her as we wanted smallish, intelligent, lively and people oriented. Dh wanted less moult than a lab. Will be training her as a therapy dog for ds but for now she just gives me therapy :). I think we were lucky as she is perfect for our family.

We have one - with 4 kids aged 2-13.

We've had him 7 months - from him being 8 weeks and he is perfect.

He has been easy to train and the perfect first dog.

He is great with the kids and a big softie.

He loves a run but happy with 2 half hour walks and also loves sleeping in his basket.

He is a full sized dog so quite big but we wouldn't be without him.

I know a lot of labs and a couple of poodles and prefer our crossbreed for so many reasons.