Australian Labradoodles: History and Development
The Labradoodle was the result of an intentional cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle in 1987, by a member of the Victorian Guide Dogs Association, Wally Conron. This was done in answer to a request for a Guide Dog that did not aggravate allergies to pet fur. Three puppies were born, one of which did not aggravate the client's allergies. All three puppies were trained to be Guide Dogs.
Wally Conron continued to breed Labradoodles, from pure-bred Labradors and Poodles and also from 2 Labradoodles, which he called 'Double Doodles'. In all, he bred 31 Labradoodles, of which 29 became Guide Dogs – an amazing percentage of success. The Guide Dogs Association doesn't breed Labradoodles now, but the breed has become popular in many countries. It is renowned for its wonderful temperament, intelligence and sociability, trainability and companionship.
Two breeding and research centres were established in the late 1990s, in Victoria, Australia, where they tested the health and DNA of pure-bred Labradors and Poodles as well as 3rd generation Australian Labradoodles. This testing aimed to ensure that the prospective parents were free from inherited diseases like hip dysplasia. The three sizes of Poodle were used in their breeding programs; giving rise to the three sizes of Labradoodle – standard, medium and miniature.
The research centres found that the litters had a diverse range of coat types and that the curlier coats were the most hypo-allergenic. Some Labradoodles looked like Labradors, others like Golden Retrievers and some like a Poodle with a blockier head. Due to the controlled breeding of these centres, with the aim of producing a low-allergy dog, the Australian Labradoodle is now found to generally have either the fleece or the curly wool coat.
The wool or curly coat is very similar to that of a Poodle, with tight curls that feel very soft. This coat type doesn't shed and is very hypo-allergenic. The fleece coat is longer and wavy, also soft, and sheds only minimally. The colors of the coat can vary from white, cream and apricot, through chocolate, coffee and red, to black, blue and grey.
The Australian Labradoodle has developed into a breed that allows many people, previously allergic to pet fur, to enjoy a companionable pet. 'Doodles' are sociable and friendly, intelligent and intuitive, trainable and fun. Your Labradoodle will love being part of the family and sharing your daily activities.
In 2004, the Australian Labradoodle was recognized as a dog breed in its own right; it was no longer just a cross-breed. A breed standard was developed in 1997 to standardize the breed with the ultimate aim of having it recognized by the Australian Kennel Club. At this time, it was recognized that six parent breeds had been used in the development of the Labradoodle breed. These are Poodle, in 3 sizes, Labrador Retriever, Curly Coat Retriever, American Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel and Irish Water Spaniel. These breeds produced the popular chocolate color, a softer coat and developed more 'retriever' characteristics into the breed.
The term "Australian Labradoodle" can be used in different
contexts. It is used to describe the Labradoodle breed in general, because
it originated from Australia. It might also be used to describe a particular
type of Labradoodle, one that has the six parent breeds in its ancestry.
Used this way, an Australian Labradoodle has 1 or more of the extra breeds
in its breed line, whereas a Labradoodle has just the Poodle and the Labrador.
Australian labradoodles are usually multi-generational. All Labradoodles
are the same in all other aspects – temperament, coat, colors and trainability.