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Original poster

Buying a labradoodle advice

43 replies

Skinnyjeansandaloosetop · 14/11/2021 07:00

We are looking to get a pet dog. I work from home but don’t have huge amounts of spare time so have been researching breeds that only need approx one hour exercise a day. I had narrowed it down to a cocker spaniel or a labradoodle. However kids are keen for a labradoodle.
I am very wary of buying from an unscrupulous type… My inclination would be to buy from a kennel club breeder, however this won’t be possible for a labradoodle. Does anyone have any tips / advice re where to find reputable breeder for a labradoodle? I don’t want to fund a puppy farm/ be ripped off! Tia

OP posts:
FoamRoller · 14/11/2021 07:06

I think you may need to rethink your breeds, both Cocker spaniels and Labradoodles are high energy breeds that are likely to need multiple hours of exercise/mental stimulation a day.

You may even need to rethink getting a puppy/dog as the hour walk is the least of the time they take up! Between walking, playing, feeding, brain games, training classes you're looking at multiple hours a day. WFH is great but can you pop out every 20 minutes to take puppy for a wee or are you stuck in meetings? Expecting a young dog to occupy themselves/be content whilst you work takes time and practice.

I'd do a little bit more research and have a think if now is the best time for you and your family to get a dog as they are time vacuums.

wetotter · 14/11/2021 07:06

In the nicest possible way, where have you been doing your research?

One hour a day sounds unrealistically low for both those crosses

MrsTerryPratchett · 14/11/2021 07:09

Where said that either of those needed one hour a day? Because that's not what I thought? Both pretty energetic dogs.

And puppies take up a LOT of time.

My whippet cross needs one good run and done. You may need to rethink the 'breed'.

BiteyShark · 14/11/2021 07:12

My now 5 year old cocker spaniel is ok on an hours walk a day but that means an hour off lead in a forest where he can run around like an idiot. Then it is back home and in the shower because he is filthy so by the time he is clean and so am I it's pushing on for 2 hours.

An hours trot around a park or on lead would not cut it. When he was younger he needed more than he gets now.

And I work at home and you do need to give puppies a lot more time to train and supervise for many many months so if your work is not flexible you will struggle.

GrandmasCat · 14/11/2021 07:14

You are never going to find a labradoodle kennel club authorised breeder because a labradoodle isn’t not a breed.

Cockers, labradors abd poodles (and their mixes) are high activity breed that require more than an hour of exercise and a lot of stimulation so I would suggest to go for another breed that may not be as cutey as a doodle but fits your time requirements better.

tabulahrasa · 14/11/2021 07:16

Well firstly those suggestions are terrible - where did you find them? They’re both pretty high energy dogs.

Also, dogs take up much more time than just walking, if you don’t have a lot of spare time, a dog may not be the right pet for you.

And... finding a good labradoodles breeder is like finding hens teeth tbh.

CloverField · 14/11/2021 07:17

An hour a day isn't enough time for exercise for any dog to be honest. The breed you've picked will definitely need more exercise and time one on one than that and even with the lazier dog breeds you aren't guaranteed that they'll be satisfied with an hour depending on their own personality. Not only that but to train a puppy you need more than an hour a day regardless of dog breed. Maybe try fostering a dog from a dog rescue and see what happens before going out and purchasing a dog.

Goldentimes · 14/11/2021 07:17

You probably need to have a rethink on those breads. Both need quite a lot of exercise, training and stimulation.
Have you considered a smaller dog like a bichon or shihtzu?

Dancingsmile · 14/11/2021 07:18

Labradoodles are very emotionally needy dogs. Even the Australian guy who started breeding said he wished he hadn't made the cross.
Both breeds need a high level of walks and stimulation.

What you are describing is a Bichon frise or king Charles
This is written from experience

wetotter · 14/11/2021 07:20

Do you have experience with dogs?

If so, you might like to consider instead a soft-coated wheaten terrier, as the exercise needs are lower, and they tend to be bred only by breed enthusiasts, not in puppy farms. So meets the criteria in your post

wheaten.org.uk

But, they might not be suitable, unless you are really up, or the amount of training one needs - they are quite bouncy and usually have terrier stubbornness and selective deafness - and the amount of grooming (daily brushing)

Indoctro · 14/11/2021 07:25

You definitely need to rethink your breeds. Neither of those dogs are suited to low exercise

I would be looking at pug or something like that

A cocker spaniel is a working dog and needs a job, agility or such like and lots of exercise or it will be miserable

DobbyTheHouseElk · 14/11/2021 07:31

How much research did you do? You’ve chosen high energy, intelligent working breeds.

Believe me, an hour isn’t going to cut it.

All will make great family pets, but you will have a very unhappy dog if you think an hour is going to cut it. You will have a stressed and destructive puppy very quickly.

Maybe a cat might be better.

userxx · 14/11/2021 07:33

An older greyhound might suit, they sleep for about 22 hours a day.

nannybeach · 14/11/2021 07:43

Lots of good advice on here I don't need to repeat. Also apart from the excercise aspect,I also read the 2 page article by the bloke who bred the labradoodle,he said he wished he'd never done it because the dogs have the health issues of both dogs. Wouldn't advise a novice getting spaniels either. Why don't you try the "Walk my dog" site
I got ripped apart on here last year, someone said give me the truth about having a dog. I did, the poster then decided their family life,it wouldn't work, I got apologies. The mixed breeds come in all shapes and sizes. I meet a lady with 2 LDs both boys,same litter,she says one is lovely one nasty. Another interesting post on here about dogs and sleeping (potential new dog owner) I ve had dogs since I was a kid,got one with me here,border collie. Have a look round,chat to rescue centers

AuntyFungal · 14/11/2021 07:50

Agree with userxx - greys are fantastic. Not all have high prey drives.

What about rehoming an older dog? Plenty make it into shelters through no fault of their own.

cheeseisthebest · 14/11/2021 07:56

I have a nearly 6 month old shih tzu, I walk him every day but he still needs to be played with, mentally stimulated, taken to the toilet, I work from home and if I have meetings it can be tricky. And that's not a high energy breed! Cocker spaniels are beautiful but so much energy!
Puppies are so needy and hard work. It's been harder than I ever thought it would be.

User5632986 · 14/11/2021 07:57

Nothing to add but interested in these breeds as we are early retired and want the type of dog that wants long walks and will enjoy going on caravan holidays with us which involve lots of walking.

Alittlepotofrosie · 14/11/2021 07:59

An hour a day isn't enough time for exercise for any dog to be honest.

Bit of a generalisation. For a lot of dogs, an hour would be fine. It's all about choosing the right breed for your circumstances, even if on paper it's not the dog of your dreams. I would dearly love a Dalmatian but i can't offer it the time it needs so i don't have a Dalmatian.

Exercising and stimulating a dog is more than just walking it for hours every day. I use a mixture of walks, brain games, and training for my toy breed. I walk him for 20 minutes twice a day and a bit more at weekends. He's the healthiest dog i know. We give him plenty to think about in between walks so he's never been destructive. But then i knew I'm not into walking all day so i got a small breed who also isn't into walking all day.

I don't think the breeds you're looking at are a great choice op. Labs and poodles are large, high energy dogs which are bred to work all day long. Aside from the walking, have you got time to do a lot of basic training and brain games with the dog? Why not consider a small, low energy breed? Something from the toy group, or a small utility breed? Or an older, more settled rescue dog. Puppies take up A LOT of time in the first few weeks. They need constant supervision.

Ughmaybenot · 14/11/2021 08:01

As others have said, where have you been doing your research?! Neither of those breeds (albeit not exactly a breed in the case of the labradoodle, but that’s being pedantic) are low energy breeds…
I’d go back to the drawing board if I were you, look into rescue dogs, consider a traditional ‘companion’ breed but honestly an hour a day is pretty low, even for a more chilled dog.

whenwillthemadnessend · 14/11/2021 08:03

We have a standard model and he is super laid back. I guess we are lucky. He has 3 walks a day about 20
Mins but some days I take him
For a loooong afternoon walk depends on my day. I do only work very part time tho. And my kids are teens

We went to 3 breeders. One was awful a puppy farm. We left with a very sad son as he loved the pup
But I wasn't given them my money.

Trust your gut

In the end we got him
From a home of a lady that knew Labradors (mum) very well and it felt right. We choose the quieter pup from the litter. It paid off for us.

JammyRedRooo · 14/11/2021 08:05

Agree that none of those breeds are ideal for someone with little spare time. Mine is a spaniel and he gets 2 hours off lead minimum spread across 2-3 walks. He needed constant supervision as a pup, plus lots of continuous training for the first year or so. I'd imagine poodles and labradors are the same.

If you want something fluffy perhaps a shitzhu or bichon? My friend has a shitzhu and works from home and the dog just curls up on the chair next to her all day although she is a bit older. She's perfectly happy with a quick potter to the shops or stroll around the block.

poshme · 14/11/2021 08:08

We have a Labrador puppy. She's now 10 months old. We've always had labs so I'm
an experienced lab owner.

The first few months were really hard work. I wfh, but was really struggling to keep up with my hours due to the puppy needing so much time. She needed to go out constantly (every 10-15 minutes or she weed on the floor). We've done lots of training both 1:1 and in classes. Every day a little bit of training, as well as walks.

She has now calmed down- with regular twice a day walks, training in the garden and a lot of working from all of us. Yes, 1 hour of walking is ok, but it's not just the walking that takes the time.

crossstitchingnana · 14/11/2021 08:11

I have a labradoodle and she's walked at least 2 hours a day, plus about an hour or so a day of training and play. She follows me around too. They are 24/7 pets.

GoodnightGrandma · 14/11/2021 08:11

Poodles are very bright, clever dogs who need lots of stimulation. Don’t assume that any dog that has poodle in it will be happy with just a 60 minute walk a day.

GoodnightGrandma · 14/11/2021 08:13

And I’m talking about all 3 sizes of poodle.
Toy poodles do not sit on your lap all day, they are high energy balls of fun.

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