Buying a labradoodle advice

[Skinnyjeansandaloosetop]

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

I have a mini labradoodle.Extremely high energy.Needs a really good walk with a proper run every day and then she has a half hour walk round the block in the evening.We wanted a high energy dog as we do lots of walks and I wanted to run with her.Super smart.Hard to train due to this and because she isn't food driven at all.Thst said at 4 she is settling down and is a lovely,affectionate mostly obedient dog.I took the 1st year off work to have a puppy though.She was full on as a pup!Standard LDs might be different in energy.Also I was lucky as she was from a friend's one off litter so I knew the mum and how well she was being looked after from birth.

Didn’t expect so many replies on a Sunday morning 😂. Thanks for everyone for replying. I worded my OP very badly. I meant MIN one hours exercise a day (as opposed to some other breeds that require min 2 hours). I appreciate that’s a general guideline, I wouldn’t go out walking with a timer 🙂.
I’ve previously owned golden retrievers (mum and kept one of her pups) so am aware of need for exercise/ stimulation. I’m not chained to my desk and my hours are flexible. There are also others in the house to play with pup. I live on the downs and by the sea so potential dog would have lots of varied walks (not just walk round park on a lead).
However I do take on board the comments re temperament of a labradoodle and that’s a concern for me along with where I could buy a pup that was from someone reputable (which was my reason for posting!).
Like everyone says, back to the drawing board. I will do a little more research! I do appreciate the advice.

Would you not have a Goldie then as you know the breed ?
I always think they make great family dogs, and are good at settling down when you want them to.

DM had a Bichon Poodle cross years ago before doodles became fashionable and he just used to have about an hours walks a day, he was very needy though but that could have been because he was DMs companion type dog and was rarely left alone and may not have been if he had lived in different circumstances, he didn't even like DM to leave the room

I was up early as our dog has decided the day starts at 530...

Labdradoodles, cockapoos, cavachons etc are just overpriced mongrels with totally unpredictable temperaments because you don’t know how much dna they share with the 2 breeds.

@Skinnyjeansandaloosetop - How about a Toller? They are the smallest retriever breed, bred with spaniel, collie, red setter.

I walk ours off lead for about an hour in the morning and then dd takes her for about 1/2hr in the field in the afternoon and some little bits of training during the day when wfh. Weekends the walk is a bit longer or we may take her for a swim. We also do agility training once a week with a bit in the garden in between.

They aren't too big (ddog is the smallest of her litter), don't need daily brushing, are almost self cleaning as a water dog and are pretty affectionate albeit stubborn 😂. She is happy to snooze on the sofa whilst I'm working and is not destructive now we are past the puppy phase!

thetollerclub.co.uk

@skinnyjeansandaloosetop....are you set on a pup?
To me, from reading posts on here and other forums, pups are too much hard work and adopting an 2yr + dog where their temperament is known is what I plan/hope next time around. (Hopefully not for a few years yet)

Pups are very hard work!
Also think about how much grooming you could take on. Size of dog. (We meet labradoodles almost as big as my wolfhounds! And a bouncy one would take out even a largish child.) Plus what were they originally bred for. Look at breed traits. Eg. Barking and chasing small furry things. What could you live with and what couldn’t you?

Meant to add. Discover dogs is on this month.

I have cockers. I have had working and show and crosses of both.

An hour a day is often fine for cockers. But mental stimulation is far more important. So they are time consuming. Not just a bit of playing here or there.

If you walk a coxker for hours, but don't engage their brain, alor you end up with a superior dogs that needs lots of walking and still bored and misbehaves and is hard work.

People often insist shows are calmer. This can be true. But not always. I know people who work show type that come from lines of show types that have worked and have more energy than my working.

A poodle Cross, bought ethically and bred well, is like trying to find rocking horse shit. Also high energy and need the same as cockers. Potential for a lot of health problems.

Both my current dogs are rescues. One a working cocker and one is some sort of poodle mix that we were asked to Foster as she was only 10 weeks and very nervous. We ended up adopting her. She is actually very health. Calm in comparison to my cocker at the same age and a great dog. She isn't a labradorite. She is only 6kg at 7 months. But buying a poodle mix is such a gamble and not something I would recommend. The grooming alone is time consuming, the potential pit falls aren't worth it.

Even my CKCS needs more then an hour a day ….

I think a retired greyhound would be a good choice for you.

They are lovely dogs too and sleep lots. Plus loads need a loving home.

What else would we be doing on a Sunday morning, haha. Walking the dog
I also live opposite the Downs and 10 minutes from the sea. I like the beach in winter,2 long haired dogs,and open plan living,bit of sand preferred to thick mud. Course, the fact you've had dogs before puts a different slant .why not have what you are used to. (I wonder if you live near me!)

I agree with the others that neither of the breeds/crosses you mention sound suitable for your circumstances.

You say don't have much free time and only want to walk about an hour a day - that rules out most working breeds of dog and definitely rules out any dog that's part labrador or spaniel, lol.

IMO you need to look more towards companion breeds, or sighthounds like whippets who are content with shorter walks and bursts of running in an enclosed area rather than hours of exercise each day.

Your set up sounds lovely for a dog.

I have a labradoodle and mine is really driven to please me. That sounds sweet but it causes him a huge level of stress and anxiety.
I also don't know one person with one that doesn't say the same. Good idea you're rethinking that breed. I wish I hadn't bought in to the breed. Love him to bits but it's a bad mix of dogs.

I was you 4 years ago. I did loads of research and kept coming back (unfortunately, I thought at the time) to a retired greyhound. They fit with the amount of time we had. I didn’t like “the look” but did more research and decided if we wanted a dog that wasn’t from a puppy farm, wasn’t going to cost us thousands and was low maintenance then this was the way to go.

It is honestly the best thing we have ever done. She is amazing. Settled quickly, didn’t have to house train, walked beautifully on the lead from the off and we all utterly adore her. Yes she’s skinny, yes she’s the laziest bitch known to man and yes we lost a sofa but we would never go back and I’m not sure we’d ever get another breed now.