WHAT IS THE LABRADOODLE LIKE?
The lack of a single standard for the breed makes it difficult to define
It's difficult to say what a dog is like when it doesn't have a single standard for the breed, and when each breeder has a line that is very different from the other breeders.
The lack of coherence surrounding the Labradoodle means that we do not know what to expect of it as a dog
THE LABRADOODLE TEMPERAMENT
The Labradoodle should be a dog with an even temperament and the just the right energy level to serve as an assistance or therapy dog. This was why Wally Conron should be a dog with an even temperament and the just the right energy level to serve as an assistance or therapy dog. This was why In favour of aesthetics, temperament was overlooked. This is why the Cocker Spaniel was introduced as an infusion to the breed, which then gave way to dogs with uneven temperaments and a lack of concentration.
APPEARANCE OF THE LABRADOODLE
Depending on the type of Labradoodle, the appearance can vary considerably. If it is a first generation Labradoodle, it is very complicated to foresee what it will be like as an adult, since, being a mixed breed, the possibilities are infinite. It could have long hair, short, straight, curly, rough or soft...On the other hand, Australian Labradoodles are usually dogs with an abundant coat that comes in many colours. In appearance, it may resemble an Australian Cobberdog, although it is not generally guaranteed to be hypoallergenic, since its breeding program tends to focus more on aesthetics.IMPOSSIBILITY OF DEFINING THE LABRADOODLE
Despite preconceived ideas about the Labradoodle, the truth is that the name generates much confusion, since it is not a breed. Not being a breed makes it difficult to speak about general characteristics regarding these dogs, since it truly depends on each breeder and the type of Labrador.
THERE ARE
SEVERAL TYPES
OF LABRADOODLES
Many different types of Labradoodles exist, each one very different from the other. This means that, when we talk about the Labradoodle, generalization is very difficult. Wally Conron's Labradoodles were bred to be hypoallergenic and good assistance dogs, the 1st generation Labradoodles are a cross whose characteristics are difficult ot determine, and the Australian Labradoodles are dogs whose breeding was more focused on aesthetics. This made their temperament and hypoallergenic hair not very predictable.
THERE IS
NO SINGLE
BREED STANDARD
The problem with the Labradoodle not being a purebreed dog, means that any club or association can determine its own breed standard. There is no unanimity about what a Labradoodle should be. Since there is no single guide about what a Labradoodle should be, anyone can call their dogs a Labradoodle, and families can't know exactly what to expect from their dog. The inconsistencies between the different breed standards mean that dogs called Labradoodles are very different from each other.
EACH BREEDER
DETERMINES THEIR
OWN CRITERIA
Since there was no single institution to accredit the pedigrees under a single breed standard, Labradoodle breeders soon began breeding programs under their own criteria, devoid of shared objectives with the other the breeders. With the Australian Cobberdog there is only one single standard for the breed, and the male and female dogs used for breeding are registered with the guarantee of being purebreds. Nothing similar occurs with Labradoodles, and this lack of homogenity among breeders makes it difficult to describe how a Labradoodle is.
THE LABRADOODLE CRISIS
The great problem with the Labradoodle is due to the popularity it enjoyed when it had yet to be established as a breed. Right away, unknowledgeable breeders started to make their own crosses, create clubs and write their own breed standards. The result was disastrous, as it led to the breed losing the very characteristics that made it famous: hypoallergenic dogs with an even temperament, apt to be assistance dogs. Favouring aesthetics, infusions were made with dogs that unbalanced the even temperament of the dog, with the idea that the Labradoodle would continue to be considered a good dog for therapy or assistance work. And this is how the need arose to develop the Australian Cobberdog breed, which is what the Labradoodle should have been: a hypoallergenic dog breed with great potential to be a therapy or assistance dog.
THE COBBERDOG IS THE DOG THAT THE LABRADOODLE SHOULD BE
The Labradoodle was created to be a hypoallergenic dog with the ideal characteristics to to be a good therapy or assistance dog, even though this objective was lost in its development. The Australian Cobberdog assumed this objective, and the breed was established to guarantee that all Australian Cobberdog are what they should be: a great family dog with enormous potential to carry out work as a therapy or assistance dog.
More information about the breed