Workign dog breeds of the world, Labradoodle |
Labradoodle |
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Alternative names |
Country of origin |
Australia |
Common nicknames |
Classification and breed standards |
Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of Dog is extinct |
Notes |
A Labradoodle is a crossbred Dog created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle. Their temperament makes them good service Dogs.
The impetus behind experiments with this type of cross was the desire to achieve a service Dog that would not shed and so produce a hypoallergenic Dog that is suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander. This has not yet been reliably achieved, as Labradoodles have varying coat lengths and textures, and crosses beyond the first generation do not yield a predictable coat type.
The Labradoodle is still under development. Strictly speaking, the labradoodle cannot yet be described as a Dog breed because it does not breed true. In breeders' terms, breeding true means that, when two specimens of the same breed are mated, the puppies will have consistently predictable characteristics, and will resemble their parents, rather than exhibiting random characteristics of the Dog breeds in their parents' ancestries. Further, the breed standards of breeds-under-development are invariably freer, more open to interpretation and cover more observable types than those of established or kennel club-recognized breeds.
Some breeders are anxious for the Labradoodle not to become a recognised breed in the belief that genetic problems, such as the Labrador's weak hips, will otherwise continue. By restricting breeding to F1 Dogs (bred from a poodle and labrador rather than two labradoodles)it is hoped to maintain a wide gene pool.
See also Dog hybrids and crossbreeds.