Australian Labradoodles
The Australian Labradoodle breed dates back to the 1980’s and was initiated with the intent to create a breed that had the temperament of a service dog and was allergy and ASTHMA-FRIENDLY. Currently, the Australian Labradoodle is considered to be a cross between the Poodle, Cocker Spaniel, and Labrador Retriever, while the Labradoodle is a cross between the Labrador Retriever and Poodle. This distinction of the breeds and the ALAA’s commitment to the BREED’S health was formally recognized with the creation of the separate breed code Australian Labradoodle by the OFA (the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals). The breed was originally created by a Royal Guide Dogs Association trainer in the 1980’s who wanted to create an allergy-friendly guide dog. When carefully bred for temperament, the Australian Labradoodle can make an ideal therapy dog as they are intuitive, intelligent, and love people. These characteristics make our doodles fantastic family members.
Australian Labradoodle
The Australian Labradoodle carries the DNA of the Labrador, Poodle and Cocker Spaniel (American or English). The resulting offspring share characteristics, though some pairings of parent dogs will produce a more mixed litter. An Australian Labradoodle can be created by crossing a Poodle to another Australian Labradoodle, a Cockapoo to a Labradoodle, a Labradoodle to a Cocker Spaniel and the like, resulting in the three-breed combination. Australian Labradoodles and Multigen Australian Labradoodles typically have a non-shedding coat (again, as much as any dog can be non-shedding) if both parents are non-shedding.
Multigen Australian Labradoodle (Multigenerational)
A Multigen Australian Labradoodle comes about from the breeding of one Australian Labradoodle to another. Multigen Australian Labradoodles typically have a non-shedding coat (as much as a dog can be non-shedding) if both parents are also non-shedding.
Purebred Australian Labradoodle
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary first defined “purebred” in 1852 as “bred from members of a recognized breed, strain, or kind without admixture of other blood over many generations.” The AKC, meanwhile, requires four generations of like-to-like matings in their foundation service.
Labradoodle (Not Australian Labradoodle)
F1
The “F” stands for “filial generation”. “F1” means “first generation” and is a common scientific term. This, in the Labradoodle breed, is the coding for first-cross, purebred Poodle to purebred Labrador Retriever. The results are mixed, as this is not the breeding of two “like” dogs, or dogs that resemble each other. F1 Labradoodles typically are moderate- to low- shedding and have a sparse-hair to fleece coat.
F1B
The additional “B” refers to backcross — an F1 Labradoodle, as defined above, bred (or backcrossed) to a purebred Poodle. Again, the results are mixed, as this is not the breeding of two “like” dogs. F1B Labradoodles typically are low- to non-shedding if both parents non-shedding (or as much as any dog can be non-shedding) and often have a hair or fleece coat.
Currently there are 3 size ranges of the breeds, defined by measuring from the ground to the wither, the highest point on the dog’s shoulder blades.
Miniature: Between 14 and 16 inches (35 to 42 centimeters).
Medium range: Between 17 and 20 inches (43 to 52 centimeters).
Standard range: Between 21 and 24 inches (53 to 63 centimeters).
Lake Bay Labradoodles currently focuses on breeding miniature and medium labradoodles.
Service Dog
The American with Disabilities act (ADA) defines a service animal as any dog specifically trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability in completing tasks of daily living. Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot perform for him/herself.
Emotional Support Animal (ESA)
The primary function of an ESA is to provide emotional support for an individual through companionship. Many state and local governments have laws that allow people to bring emotional support animals into public places that are not covered under the ADA.
Therapy Dog
The primary function of a therapy dog is to provide emotional support, comfort, companionship, or promote emotional well-being to many people in a therapeutic setting.
Coats, colors and patterns
The Australian Labradoodles can have either a fleece or wool coat type. Fleece coats may be wavy or curly while wool coats are curly.
Black pigmented dogs are:
Chalk
Cream
Apricot
Gold
Red
Black
Blue
Silver
Brown pigmented dogs are:
Caramel Ice
Caramel Cream
Caramel
Caramel Red
Chocolate
Lavender
Café
Parchment
The patterns are:
Parti
Tuxedo
Sable
Phantom
Tri-phantom
History of Australian Labradoodles
In 1989, Wally Conron of the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia, produced the first known litter of Labradoodle pups in response to a visually-impaired women’s need for an allergy-friendly guide dog, because of her husband’s allergies. In response to the request, 33 samples of poodle hair and saliva were sent to the couple to see if the poodles would cause an allergic reaction to the husband’s allergies; all of the poodle samples sent still bothered his allergies.
History of Australian LabradoodlesConran decided to cross a Standard Poodle with a Labrador. Coat and saliva samples from the three pups in the Poodle and Labrador litter were sent to the Hawaiian couple for trial. One of the three samples was allergy-friendly. The allergy-friendly dog, Sultan, was then trained to become the service dog for the blind woman. Sultan was not only a service dog, but also the beloved family companion of the couple.
After Conran’s initial efforts and to advance the breed farther, Tegan Park and Rutland Manor in Australia began breeding Labradoodles. These pioneers were determined to produce litters with consistent conformation, coat type, and temperament.
The Australian Labradoodle is now considered to be a cross between the Poodle, Cocker Spaniel and Labrador Retriever, while the Labradoodle is a cross between the Labrador Retriever and Poodle only. The Australian Labradodle consitently produces allergy friendly coat types as well as exceptional temperaments.
Information republished with permission from Australian Labradoodle Association of America.
To learn about the breed standard, please see the Australian Labradoodle Association’s official description here.
Please see this website for more information on Australian Labradoodles: www.ALAA-labradoodles.com.