12 Fascinating Facts About Labradoodles

Did you know that some of the friendliest dogs in the world have only been around since the 1950s?

In this post, you’ll discover the ultimate list of facts about Labradoodles, one of the most popular crossbreed dogs in the world!

1. Labradoodles are crossbreeds between 2 popular dogs

As the name implies, this type of dog is a cross between the Labrador Retriever and various types of Poodles such as the Standard, Miniature, and Toy poodle.

The first time these dogs are bred, their appearance can vary a lot. It’s only after the 4th generation that they start to look similar to each other and easily recognized.

These digs can come in various colors and the life span of the Labradoodle is quite average and between 12 and 16 years.

Labradoodle fun facts

2. The term was first used in a book in the 1950s

The term Labradoodle was invented in the 1950s by a writer named Donald Campbell when he described the crossbreed in his book named “Into the Water Barrier.”

It didn’t really take off back then, even though a famous Labradoodle named “Fang” was a common guest at a game show on television named the “Get Smart Show.”

Fang, however, wasn’t the best in taking commands and had a bad temper (which is quite uncommon for Labradoodles) and was written out of the show in 1966.

3. An Australian dog breeder has taken credit for the dog’s creation

The start of the breeding program of Labradoodles, which inevitably made them more popular was in 1989 when Australian dog breeder Wally Conron took credit for creating this type of dog.

It is a fact though that a cross between Labrador Retrievers and Poodles had already been established a lot earlier, so this is quite controversial and has been contested.

Labradoodle running around

4. The reason why this crossbreed dog was bred was very noble

So why did Wally Conron started breeding this type of dog?

He had two main reasons:

  1. He wanted to create a pet that had the same hypoallergenic coat as Poodles, which means people with an allergy to dog fur would be immune to it.
  2. His ultimate goal was to create the perfect guide dog that would also be able to help visually impaired people with such an allergy.

It’s fair to conclude that the aim of Wally Conron has succeeded as numerous people are benefiting from Labradoodles right now!

5. The dog breeder is not exactly proud of his creation

One of the most peculiar facts about Labradoodles is that its unofficial creator isn’t too happy with his creation. He believes that most Labradoodles are genetically inferior and not too healthy.

He also assumes that many individuals are a bit crazy and suffer from hereditary problems, and even referred to Labradoodles as his “Frankenstein Monster.”

The Australian Labradoodle Association of America contests his accusations though and only agrees that some Labradoodles suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia but are otherwise perfectly healthy and amazing companions!

Labradoodle on the beach

6. They aren’t considered to be an official breed of dog

One of the most interesting facts about Labradoodles is that they aren’t actually considered to be a distinct breed of dog by any official dog kennel and the AKC (American Kennel Club).

That’s mainly because they are just considered to be a hybrid of two pure dog breeds, the Labrador Retriever and Poodle, rather than a pure breed themselves.

There are 3 main breeder organizations in the world tough, the ALAA, ALCA, and the Worldwide Australian Labradoodle Association (WALA), all of which adhere to strict breeding regulations.

7. Labradoodles are both guide dogs and popular pets

Regardless of the accusations made by its actual creator, the dog fulfills the goals set by Conron when he started crossbreeding Labrador Retrievers and Poodles.

This means that these dogs are perfect guide dogs and make some of the best pets in the world as well because of their gentle and playful nature!

Fun Labradoodle facts

8. This royal family actually owns a labradoodle

To emphasize that this type of dog makes the perfect pets, some very famous people in the world actually have one!

During a celebration of Constitution Day in Norway, the royal family of the country actually brought their favorite pet, a Labradoodle named Milly Kakao, to the occasion.

We’re pretty sure that Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway are fully enjoying the companionship of their lovely pet!

9. Labradoodles smell better than some of their ancestors

Another benefit of Labradoodles is that they don’t shed as much of their coat as Labrador Retrievers, and most importantly, it doesn’t suffer as much from dog odor as well!

Their hair can be anywhere from a little bit rough to extremely soft, and might as well be straight or extremely curly. Only after 4 generations, the pattern becomes more of a mix of the straight hair of Labrador Retrievers and the curly hair of Poodles.

Golden retriever and Labradoodle
Golden retriever and Labradoodle / Pixabay

10. It’s a very smart type of dog due to their genetic makeup

Did you know that Poodles are some of the smartest dogs on the planet?

The only dog that is considered to be smarter is the Border Collie, a popular herding dog breed. This in combination with the fact that Labrador Retrievers are also in the top 10 smartest dogs list means that Labradoodles are actually pretty smart dogs as well as they have inherited the intelligent genetic makeup of their ancestors.

Are labradoodles smart

11. Jonnie was the first Labradoodle to graduate as a guide dog

The Association for the Blind of Western Australia introduced Labradoodles into their training program. This clearly indicates that these are some of the best types of dogs to help people out who are visually impaired.

The first graduate was a Labradoodle named Jonnie, who was able to graduate from the program in November 2010!

Labradoodle facts

12. There are other types of doodles as well

One of the most fascinating facts about Labradoodles is that Poodles have been crossbred with other dogs as well, including Golden Retrievers and Cocker Spaniels.

This means that there are types of dogs running around named Goldendoodles and Cockapoos as well!

goldendoodle
Goldendoodle / Pixabay