Labradoodle

[ancientways]

I'm planning on getting my first dog which I'd like to train on deer and rabbits, so tracking and some retrieving. I've been generally recommended a Lab and I can certainly see the reasoning with their nature and as it will be my first pup... but I'm wondering if I can have my cake and eat it too! Ie, a dog that is trainable and somewhat forgiving as a new owner, patient, as well as loving and making a great house companion (as it would be 95% of the time)... but also does not shed, smell and potentially trigger my asthma and family members' allergies. Hence, Labradoodle?

Is anyone working them? On deer?

Do we know of anyone breeding from working line (trickier from the poodle side it would seem)?

Is there potentially an importance to go first or second generation (F1/F2) rather than a multi-generational?

Having researched the poodle and speaking to a couple of people who work them, it seems that the poodle line would bring a lot of good to the table to go in well with the lab. Having used the search function I couldn't find a thread on this seemingly increasingly popular cross!

Any input / thoughts gratefully received

 

[bullet chucker]

Years ago my wife had a Standard Poodle dog.He was bred through a line of show dogs.When, I read the breed was bred for hunting retrieving, I set about his basic obedience training, I took him out on pigeon crop protection trips on several occasions, in the hide, he used to alert me to in coming birds, by lifting his ears as he could hear the wing beats of an approaching bird. He liked to retrieve,although not to (trial standards) He was a great companion on these trips and enjoyed being involved.It would seem that the instinct was there, and in his case easy to resurrect.

BC.

 

[fallowfellow]

No experience of poodles or labradoodles but there is poodle in the wire haired pointer, I believe.

Seems to have worked for this breed but interesting to note they had to breed in more pointer to water down the poodle!

Pudelpointer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Wilbur]

I would think, why there are very few working poodles but lots of labs probably because poodles don’t have what is needed or there would be as many of them as there is labs,atb w

 

[dartmoordog]

I have only had experience of one, and I would not have one if it was free, vets bills and food paid for.

Sorry to be negative, it is probably more down to it’s owner, and is my only experience………But it is bloody useless!

 

[mallettn]

If you genuinely require a good working dog then you are best getting one from working parents and there is still no guarantee it will be good! If you go for labradoodle then IMO you reduce your chances of success, especially as a first time owner. I don't have lots of experience with labradoodles, but those I have encountered vary quite a bit as to how much poodle and lab characteristics they have so it are likely to be a lottery in this respect too. I find poodles a bit highly strung (even those I have liked as dogs) vs labradors so very much prefer the typical lab character. I think a lot of people get labradoodles for the shedding and allegy reason hoping to get the 'best of both worlds' but I wouldn't expect to get a natural gundog with labrador temperament albeit you may get a very lovely dog. Just my view.

 

[devon deer stalker]

@big ears this is one for your input!
Dougle was an awesome all round dog
Cheers
Richard

 

[big ears]

They are great dogs. Mine died in May at the age of 12. Due to my bad training he was reluctant to pick up off the ground but in water he was a legend. His hearing was exceptional and could hear ducks coming in to the pond a long time before me! As a deer dog he picked it up really quickly.
As a companion he was the best. His departure has left a hole and stalking alone is not so much fun.
as a family pet he was even better. We never had a cross word from him and he joined in with the children and I know they got so much out of him being there.
On a practical note he was an F2 and you need to go down that route if you don’t want them to shed, my daughter is asthmatic so this was important. F2s tend to be big dogs, Dougal was 40Kg, so you need to bear this in mind.
Would I have another definitely.

 

[G1J1B]

I'm planning on getting my first dog which I'd like to train on deer and rabbits, so tracking and some retrieving. I've been generally recommended a Lab and I can certainly see the reasoning with their nature and as it will be my first pup... but I'm wondering if I can have my cake and eat it too! Ie, a dog that is trainable and somewhat forgiving as a new owner, patient, as well as loving and making a great house companion (as it would be 95% of the time)... but also does not shed, smell and potentially trigger my asthma and family members' allergies. Hence, Labradoodle?

Is anyone working them? On deer?

Do we know of anyone breeding from working line (trickier from the poodle side it would seem)?

Is there potentially an importance to go first or second generation (F1/F2) rather than a multi-generational?

Having researched the poodle and speaking to a couple of people who work them, it seems that the poodle line would bring a lot of good to the table to go in well with the lab. Having used the search function I couldn't find a thread on this seemingly increasingly popular cross!

Any input / thoughts gratefully received

I own a F1 Labradoddle- dog a working German standard poodle and the bitch a working Lab.
He is twelve now but in his heyday he was the best dog I ever had. Highly intelligent, easily trainable and a good retriever. Very sharp and fast. Lots of energy- typical working dog.
However, I put a lot of work in as I had made the time. He would worked welll using a whistle.
Although he was fearless in the field he did have separation anxiety when he was young so he always had a piece of my clothing in his crate and the TV was left on.
He was and still is a good house dog very protective.
He does shed and he is about the size of a show lab and weighs 18kg.
He has two downsides- milks it a bit when he is injured and he constantly seeks attention.
We got ours in Co. Durham and I would look for an exacting replacement when he passes.

 

[Greenmist]

I looked after a friends while he was abroad for a few months, very clever dog and easy to train, I'd question the non shedding bit and suggest its down to the individual animal as this was shed so much I could have made another dog

 

[sportingspaniels]

Every dog, apart from a hairless breed, sheds hair. EVERY DOG.

 

[countrryboy]

As malletin says above and wll have been said many times by folk, and the same with any planned/trendy mongerals u never truely know wot mix of the parent dogs/breeds u'll get and wot phenotype will be dominant in the mix.
I can see why these breeds make sense on paper/in theory but in reality not so much.

Dog breeding is a lottery at the best of times, but with some knowledge and research u can put the odds more in ur favour when u dealing with known charateristics in pure breeds, with crosses its very hard to guesstimate wot will turn out.
And even if u have a brilliant mongral are all the pups in the litter as good?
Chances of extreme variation across litter will be higher.

Seen a couple of pure poodles work to a half decent standard on 1 shoot.
There used to be a lab x poodle go to 1 grouse moor i pick up on looked just like a GWP, never seen it work, think it was just for posing with, regular guns dog.
But i do know many will shed hair so no guarantee ur's wont, as no guarantee wot elements u get out the mix.

 

[Keith Edmunds]

I once asked an F1 Cockerpoo owner if the pup came with a pedigree...No, was the answer, she is not a pedigree!!...Hmmm If only these 'doodle and 'poo breeders supplied pedigrees so that you knew exactly what you were getting. Without a pedigree, I cannot give any advice to the OP as I would have no clue about the parents/lines etc.

I am a lifelong asthmatic and i think you become somewhat immune to your own pets...Get a Lab

 

[JTO]

I have only had experience of one, and I would not have one if it was free, vets bills and food paid for.

There is someone who stays on a neighbouring campsite and walks their Labradoodle on my place. Insurance costs £32 a month!
I also meet a dog walker with a solid liver-coloured springer X flatcoat (with a long tail)!

 

[countrryboy]

Just thinking while out with my mutts.

I wonder if anyone has looked into the genetics of labrodoodles and coat shedding?
As probably the only plus point for the breed

Dont know much about poodle breeding but in labs the black coat is the dominat gene so wether that either makes a futrure cross breed more likely to hold or shed it coat, or better breeding of a yellow/ chocolate dog?
Of coarse the colour of coat may not be related to wether it sheds or not.

The problem u'll have is most folk breeding cross breeds (lurcher, terrier men being the exception) wont really put very much thought into which actual lab or poodle and more often or not just be the closest or the 2 they own

I know some very experienced lab boys (been at it since 70s) in the next valley with a few well used stud dogs so know wether there black dogs throw yellow and just by looking at a bitches pedigree have a pretty good idea wot colour the litter will be

 

[berg]

I have a doddle cross English springer, have to say he is the best dog i have ever had, steady very obedient whilst out stalking there's no need for a leed at any point he stands on point when there is deer that he can smell on the wind, and of course he can most shot deer on blood trail, he dose shead hair,