Looking for a labradoodle and have tons of questions...

[Dougandbeth]

What a great forum and I am so glad we found this during our search for a labradoodle. We have so many questions and we appreciate all the feedback and look forward to bouncing ideas and questions off of all of you! Thanks!

1. We are looking for a labradoddle that DOES NOT shed and is not as big as a golden retriever but not as small as a schnauzer. The questions are: Is this considered a medium size?
2. As fas as shedding we would like a non shedding dog and have that boxey look (sorry we are not looking for the poodle look) so does that mean we should be looking at an F1, FB1, FB2 or Australian Multi-Gen? We are trying to understand the difference and their look?
3. It seems most of the breeders I am talking to are breeding Multi-Gen Australian Labradoodles is this what we should be looking for?
4. Does anyone have any recommended breeders in Connecticut?
5. I am speaking with two breeders and both have the same price but they do have differences: One of them will not allow us to call previous owners but have provided many letters of reference. The other will allow us to call anyone we want. The latter seems like they do not have the mom living with them and is only brought in to give birth and get pregnant (not sure thats the right term) and then once the pups are old enough the mom goes back to it's owner.
6. What else should we be looking for as they all give two year warranties, etc.

[deepnite10]

1. You ll be looking for a medium..

2. Toby s a F1b *3/4 poodle 1/4 lab..and a standard..he s got a coat much like a poodle cept. its more curely and wavy than being wooly..
despite the long curly hair..he looks more poodle like..yet when soaking wet you ll see the outline of a big lab..

3. If your looking for a compact looking doodle..look into the Aussies..Aussie parents say their doodle s don t shed..whereas, most F1bs don t shed or shed lightly..don t know much about the shedding characteristics of the Multi-gen s though..

4. Its not uncommon for breeders to publish reviews from previous owners..but, aware they must also protect the privacy of their customers..

To increase the breeding stock and gene pool its a accepted practice to breed their doodles with others from other breeders..

5. Check into the quality of the warranties..though both are 2yrs..there could be points that are not covered in the other..i would go with a warranty that is more comprehensive..

[Daisy'sMom]

Yes, you're looking for a medium size. We have Daisy who is 35 lbs and is full grown, perfect size for our family. Daisy is considered a multi-gen - she has curly hair, not as tight as a poodle, but close. And she sheds lightly. We don't see hair all over our furniture but I do find small hair balls in the corners of our hardwood floors. It's VERY managable though and nothing bad at all. And I truly mean that, we had a Golden Retriever before Daisy and now that was some serious hair and shedding!!! Daisy's light shedding doesn't even compare. It's wonderful. And if we brushed her more like we should I have to wonder if it would be almost non-existent.

Good luck with your search. This is a wonderful website, I truly think that just like with parenting children, the best info comes from parents/owners who are honest and can share their own personal experiences

[M&Tdoodles]

Welcome Doug & Beth,
You asked many questions..which is good to do...searching for a Labradoodle can be daunting with all the labels, and generations.

F1s shed 75% of the time F1B's usually do not fairly consistent non shedding Australian Labradoodles are very fleecey silky soft and def. do not shed ...
meet the parents, ..meet some pups from previous litters.
I think a definitiion of a good breeeder is the abilty to give references when asked. Its difficult to be searching the wonderful labradoodle breed as it is and to stumble upon walls makes it all the more difficult...
Meet the parents, do your homework...make sure the parents are tested..meet the breeders ....do your homework......

Once you have found the breeder you can trust ...work with them closely when the litter is growing...have fun , good luck & happy puppy

[happydoodles]

hello Doug and Beth,

if you want a non shedding labradoodle then you are looking for 3rd or higher generation multigen labradoodle, or a genuine australian labradoodle. don't bother with breeders that are using labradors and/or poodles or first or 2nd generations. These are not real labradoodles.

the complete laradoodle grading scheme

labradoodles come with 2 coats: curly and fleece, both can be australian labradoodles pure bred. We prefer also the fleece coated labradoodle because they have their own look. With a curly labradoodle you often get the question; what kind of Poodle is that ? Instead of: what a beautiful dog, what breed is that ?

[KingstonTodd]

I must respectfully disagree with the above post. There is no need to say don't bother with an early generation breeder and they are not true labradoodles. That statement just shows that they are promoting what they are sellling and not providing a balanced opinion.
May I offer a more balanced opinion? The term labradoodle was originally coined to describe a mix of a lab and poodle. Today it exists in two categories, an American type of an Australian type. The American type breeders prefer to keep the genetics from labs and poodles, and breed higher generations thereof. Australian breeders breed Australian to Australian, which has genetics from lab, poodle, cocker spaniel, wheaten terrier, and other breeds. Both are great dogs, and are both labradoodles, just different types, American or Australian. In recognition of both being great dogs, a lot of breeders are crossing Australian and American Labradoodles to increase the Labradoodle gene pool.

As for shedding, it is true that in general a higher generation is less likely to shed than a first generation American Labradoodle. F1s are great dogs but their coats are a mixed bag and a lot do shed. A carefully selected non shedding F1 bred back to a poodle does produce a majority of non shedding F1b generation puppies that are amazing, so I again disagree with the above statement of not bothering with a breeder that uses the original breeds. There can be throw back coats or open faces in higher generations too, or both American and Australian so that is not a guarantee. If the dam and sire have been bred together before look at what they produce to see if you like how their genetics mesh.

Back to the original poster. If shedding is a deal breaker, I always suggest looking at a standard poodle, which can have an undocked tail and be kept in a doodle type clip so it doesn't look too frue frue. If you really want a labradoodle, just decide what background you prefer, American or Australian, or both. I would suggest that a higher generation is better for your wants, but a well bred F1b would be great as well. Finally, meet the parent dogs if you can. Their temperament is very important. Also try to meet puppies from a previous litter from the parents you are considering. This will really help you see what you may be getting.

[Dougandbeth]

Thanks everyone for your input I truly appreciate it.

We did go and visit a breeder this weekend and can anyone on this forum honestly know and explain what a "reputable breeder" is? Can someone actually explain what that means?? I know it seems like common sense but how do you really know?

Here it goes on the breeder I met this weekend:

• Is their property spotless? yes
• Did they show me their retired dogs? yes
• Did we meet the dog that is carrying the litter? No and the reason for that is she is due any day and the breeder wanted her to rest indoors
• Is she a nice person and do I trust her? Yes and I do trust her but that's just a gut feel
• Are the dogs neutered? yes
• Are they health tested? yes

Every other breeder has said the exact same thing so who's reputable???

[Jac]

Hi Doug and Beth,
I agree with what Todd wrote and would advise you to use a critical point of view when you are speaking with any breeder. You will be able to tell if that breeder is trying to sell a dog or trying to help you find a perfect pet. There is a huge difference.
I wrote some e-book articles for this forum a few years back and the information may be helpful to answer your most recent question about how to know when a breeder is reputable:
Labradoodle Buyer E-Book
Basically, you need to research and decide what things are important to you and then find a breeder who's ethics and program comport with what you think is important.
Be aware that Happy Dogs is promoting the Australian Multigen because that seems to be what she is breeding. We tend to think that "our" program is the best and while I understand this mindset, I have been around long enough to realize that both types (Aust. MG and American lines) have good and bad breeders.
You are doing your homework and that is a big part of finding answers.
About shedding...there is no such thing as NON-shedding. Even humans shed hair sometimes...but Todd is right that the Poodle is what creates the best coat for low shedding. If you brush your dog often then that will also decrease on the shedding. But even when Doodles shed, the hair is far less than you see in most dog breeds. If a puppy is going to shed, you can usually pull hair out by gently tugging on their coat when they are 8 weeks old...but I say, generally...there is no reliable test for how much shed you will get. Plus, puppies always blow their puppy coats so your pup WILL go through a shedding period, no matter what breed.

[Jac]

Sorry, the link to my e-book is not working, you may want to contact the moderators if you want to read it...or feel free to contact me personally and I'll send you a copy: utahjac at yahoo dot com

[ghusfloen]

Originally Posted by Dougandbeth

What a great forum and I am so glad we found this during our search for a labradoodle. We have so many questions and we appreciate all the feedback and look forward to bouncing ideas and questions off of all of you! Thanks!

1. We are looking for a labradoddle that DOES NOT shed and is not as big as a golden retriever but not as small as a schnauzer. The questions are: Is this considered a medium size?
2. As fas as shedding we would like a non shedding dog and have that boxey look (sorry we are not looking for the poodle look) so does that mean we should be looking at an F1, FB1, FB2 or Australian Multi-Gen? We are trying to understand the difference and their look?
3. It seems most of the breeders I am talking to are breeding Multi-Gen Australian Labradoodles is this what we should be looking for?
4. Does anyone have any recommended breeders in Connecticut?
5. I am speaking with two breeders and both have the same price but they do have differences: One of them will not allow us to call previous owners but have provided many letters of reference. The other will allow us to call anyone we want. The latter seems like they do not have the mom living with them and is only brought in to give birth and get pregnant (not sure thats the right term) and then once the pups are old enough the mom goes back to it's owner.
6. What else should we be looking for as they all give two year warranties, etc.

Hi!
If you are looking for a guaranteed non-shedder and a more boxy look you definitely want an Australian Labradoodle. Registered breeders of Australian Labradoodles are the only breeders that will give you a written guarantee against shedding. They will also give you a health guarantee and a temperament guarantee.... this is so important if you have children. Also, it is common for Australian breeders to have "Guaradian" homes for their breeding dogs. Australian breeders have agreed to have all of their dogs raised in homes with families and not in kennels. If they are larger breeders they will have their breeding females over the normal two living in guardian homes so that they can ensure the "family living" situation and not a kennel set up. The puppies should all be raised in homes and exposed daily to many things, ie: vacuums, children, activity, etc...

Good luck in your search... you will not be sorry! Gayle

[deepnite10]

thats a pretty offensive statement coming from happydoodles..thats the same arrogant stand taken by the purebred puritans..

[M&Tdoodles]

Nice response Todd & Jacques Ebook is a wonderful guide for potential labradoodle puppy owners doing a search for a good breeder...its important for those doing a search to read posts carefully. ANYONE self promoting their breeding business and knocking down any other breeders is a "Red Flag" for you to stay away ..

There are many wonderful quality American labradoodles that do not shed and many that look identical to the Australian lines.

I know if a family were to visit us they would be able to meet the pregnant female having the pups.

[Dougandbeth]

Thanks everyone!

I think we have narrowed this down to two options:

Option 1 is we are really considering a breeder out of Kentucky based on numerous recommendations. We are in Connecticut so I am a little concerned everything will be done sight unseen but again the recommendations carry a lot of weight in my opinion. I would love to gain feedback from folks on this forum about this particular breeder.

Option 2 which literally just game up this weekend is to be a guardian for a new female puppy. I literally no nothing about it so I have my research work cut out for me.

Thanks!

[happydoodles]

Originally Posted by deepnite10

thats a pretty offensive statement coming from happydoodles..thats the same arrogant stand taken by the purebred puritans..

I appologise deepnite, I did not mean to be offensive or arrogant.

It's just that people regular visit us which have visited a F1 breeder and got allergic reactions, and with our australian labradoodles no reaction at all. My statement ''those are not labradoodles'' is wrong. It should say Those are not Australian Labradoodles.

I only wanted to say that if you are allergic then beware that there are different types of labradoodles. My advice is to visit the breeder and check if you get a reaction. All precautions must be taken to avoid that you have to re-home your doodle because you react to his/her coat.

About the curly/fleece coat:
That is a matter of taste . There are people who love curly and there are who love fleece. Both are fine labradoodles !