I choose Labradoodle because they are friendly, playful, sociable, intelligent, and more. Keep reading this article to learn more.
The Labradoodle is a crossbreed between a Poodle and a Labrador Retriever. The breed varies based on whether the Labrador Retriever was crossed with Toy, Miniature, or Standard Poodle.
The Labradoodle was designed to inherit the personalities and temperaments of their parents.
This article will discuss everything about a Labradoodle, including its personality and temperament!
Labradoodle History
The Labradoodle was initially bred to be a hypoallergenic guide dog. In 1989, the creator, Wally Canron, the head breeder for the Australian Royal Guide Dog Association.
He bred a Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle, hoping the crossbreed would be low-shedding.
Like their Labrador Retriever parent, the Labradoodlea have risen in popularity quickly over the year and have become the most sought-after “doodle-breeds.”
This is because of their hypoallergenic coat, intelligence, aptitude, personality, and temperament to be an effective guide dog.
While Labradoodles were originally produced by crossbreeding a Poodle and Labrador Retriever, multigeneration breeding has started to produce a recognized and viable breed.
Besides, the Australian Labradoodle Association hopes to move Labradoodles into registered dog breed status within the next few years.
Personality And Temperament Of The Labradoodle
Like any designer dog, the Labradoodle temperament and personality can vary depending on individual genetics and environmental factors.
Other factors, like training and socialization, also influence the temperament and personality of Labradoodle. However, Labradoodles are known for the following personalities and temperaments;
Friendly and Sociable
Labradoodles are naturally friendly, calm, and curious dogs around human beings. While some dog breeds are aloof and independent, even if raised right, this is not the same for Labradoodles.
For instance, Labradoodles tend to bond closely and socialize well with their family.
Although they are sturdier and bigger dog breeds, this does not change their perfect temperament concerning children.
Like their parents, Labradoodles are fine around other dogs. However, some Labradoodles can be aggressive or nervous around strangers dogs.
Therefore, we recommend socializing Labradoodle temperament with other dogs often and early in their training programs.
Playful
The Labradoodle is perfect if you imagine playing frisbee or fetch with your doodle. This dog breed loves to be near its owners and socialize.
Combine this with playfulness, and you have a four-legged friend to enjoy lots of time with.
Labradoodle loves playing with children, and a great playtime in your backyard is a perfect way to burn off some energy from your pet and your kids.
And since Labradoodle are intelligent breeds, they can easily learn basic commands, like come, stay, sit, and tricks like dance, shake, and rollover.
Affectionate
Being affectionate designer dogs, Labradoodles are popular for being devoted and loving to their owner and family members.
For instance, they love establishing and maintaining a strong affection and bond with their owner. They also enjoy being petted, cuddled, and involved in family fun activities.
Therefore, the affectionate nature of Labradoodle makes them perfect pets and family companions.
However, since Labradoodle are affectionate and thrive on human companions, you should never leave them at home alone for longer periods as they can easily suffer from separation anxiety.
Intelligent
Other than being friendly, playful, and affectionate, Labradoodle is highly intelligence. They inherit this trait from their parent breeds; the Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle.
Generally, Labradoodles are fast learners. For instance, they are easy to teach and train new skills.
Besides thriving on mental stimulation, Labradoodles are happiest when assigned activities and tasks that allow them to utilize their intelligence.
Moreover, their eagerness to please their owners makes them intelligent working doodles, excelling in various activities, such as rescue, search, therapy, etc.
Easy to Train
Labradoodles have excellent trainability. While most top dog breeders provide trained Labradoodles for adoption, these doodles can also continue their training and learning at home.
For instance, being smart doodles and open to learning new commands and behavior with positive reinforcement.
They are also known for their ability to process information fast. Therefore, with consistency, a Labradoodle owner will have no problem establishing basic obedience and training commands and boundaries with their favorite pet.
However, we do not recommend shooting at and hitting your Labradoodle as they can inconvenience the training process of your Labradoodle.
Furthermore, alone training and crate training are highly recommended. This is because Labradoodles can easily suffer from separation anxiety.
Aggressive
Labradoodles are known for being aggressive; there are instances where these four-legged buddies can display signs of discomfort and aggression around people and other dogs.
While they are friendly and well-behaved around their owner and family, they may act differently when you bring an unfamiliar dog into their environment.
One way to make Labradoodles non-aggressive is by rewarding them with treats whenever they react or behave positively to new dogs and people.
Your four-legged buddy will begin to learn that excellent behaviors are rewarded, and the excellent behavior will eventually become natural.
Adaptability
The Labradoodles are popular because they can seamlessly adjust to various living situations and living spaces, including houses with large yards, rural areas, and apartments.
However, mental stimulation and regular exercise are essential to avoiding boredom and other destructive traits.
While these buddies thrive on consistency and schedule, they can easily adapt to modifications in their daily routines.
Their flexibility enables them to adjust to changes in feeding times, exercise routines, and family activities. However, drastic or sudden changes can result in some temporary adjustment periods.
Labradoodle Care Guide
Like other dog breeds, Labradoodles require regular exercise and grooming, a high-quality diet, and regular vet care to ensure they live healthy lives and longer.
Diet and Nutrition
Labradoodles should be fed a commercial diet formulated for their size and age.
Your vet may recommend feeding a standard Labradoodle a diet formulated for active, large dog breeds to ensure it has all the nutrients and calories required for proper development and growth.
Therefore, you should look for feeds that meet AAFCO guidelines and are formulated for large breeds.
Exercise and Activity
Labradoodles are energetic and active dog breeds that require lots of regular physical activities and exercise to keep them healthy, well-behaved, and happy.
For instance, your Labradoodle will require 30-60 minutes of exercise or physical activities daily. These activities may include brisk walks, interactive play sessions, and playing fetch.
Engaging your Labradoodles in mental and physical exercises can assist in preventing boredom and behavioral issues.
They will also appreciate opportunities for off-leash exercise activities in secure and safe places, such as dog parks and fenced yards.
The off-leash exercise allows them to explore, run, and freely expend energy. Moreover, Labradoodles enjoy interactive playing activities with their handlers.
They can benefit from activities like puzzle toys and hide-and-seek, as this provides mental stimulation.
Grooming and Nail Care
The amount of grooming your Labradoodle needs depends on their type of coat. While most Labdadoodles are “wash-and-go,” those with wavy or curly coats require professional grooming.
This is essential as it prevents the curls from forming webs, which can be painful and lead to skill infections if left untreated.
Besides brushing curly coats regularly, professional grooming should be done after every 8-10 weeks.
Regular ear cleaning and nail trims, annual dental cleanings, and occasional baths will help keep your Labradoodle feeling and looking great.
Labradoodle Health Issues
Generally, Labradoodles are healthy dog breeds. However, Labradoodles are prone to certain health issues like all dog breeds.
While not all Labradoodles will get all or any of these health conditions, it is vital to be aware of them if you consider buying this crossbreed.
Concerning health issues
Hip dysplasia
This is an inherited Labradoodle health condition. It is diagnosed when the thighbone does not snugly fit into the hip joint.
Hypothyroidism
It refers to thyroid gland disorder. This condition is believed responsible for health issues like pyoderma, hyperpigmentation, lethargy, obesity, alopecia (hair loss), epilepsy, and other hair conditions.
Eye problems
According to research, Labradoodles are at higher risk of small folds in the retina tissues or multifocal retinal dysplasia that can cause blindness and vision loss. This health condition can be genetic.
Ear infection
Labradoodles are at high risk of contracting ear infections due to their floppy ears. For instance, their ears trap moisture, so you should check them regularly.
Elbow dysplasia
This health condition is thought to be caused by abnormal development and growth, which causes weakened and malformed joints.
Elbow dysplasia varies in severity: the Labradoodle could become lame or develop arthritis.
Conclusion
Labradoodles are intelligent, sociable, friendly dogs that form a solid attachment with their owner. This is why they make perfect service dogs.
Their personality and temperament make them great family dogs because they get along with animals and humans of all ages and sizes.
Labradoodles are also easy to train and great with people, making them great therapy dogs.