Labradoodles

[Velvetee]

I mentioned a Labradoodle in an earlier post and started wondering how a Poodle and Labrador would mate, what with there being a size difference, or is the Poodle, one of those giant ones?

If not, then I would presume the mother would have to be the Labrador, would this be correct?

[Schutzengel]

To produce a Labradoodle, the poodle is a Standard Poodle, and the resulting puppies, normally grow to the size of the parents who are similar in body size, but the standard poodle has slightly longer legs.

[lankeela]

There are three sizes of poodle, Toy (up to 11 inches) Miniature (up to 15 inches) and Standard which are the big ones. There are smaller Labradoodles which are produced from Miniature Poodles and Labs, believe me a Miniature Poodle dog would easily mate a Lab, and if the Lab was smallish it could easily mate a Miniature Poodle bitch. The puppies would not be as big as the Labradoodles most people are used to seeing, although I have yet to see two that looked the same anyway. They are just a crossbreed with a designer name, and you cannot even be sure what the parents are because some people call them Labradoodles when one of the parents is something else, because some people are stupid enough to think that a Labradoodle is a pure breed and they can ask mega bucks for them.

[wolf63]

I saw a Labrdoodle puppy for sale the other day for �500. Whatever happened to "Crossbreed - free to a good home".

[CrazyCathy]

These are specially bred for guide dogs... lovely temperament - intelligence of lab and no fur moulting.

My friend has one she's puppy walking

[lankeela]

Thats how they started, but sadly people are now breeding them purely for profit, charging the earth and calling them a new breed. One breeder is demanding a �250 NON REFUNDABLE deposit before they are even born, you don't get to see them till they are 6 weeks old and they pick the dog for you. People must have more money than sense.

[craft1948]

A popular crossbreed now is a Chorkie (chihuahua crossed with a Yorkie) - these go for upward of �400!!

[wolf63]

Both my dogs were crossbreeds and they were great dogs.

The Labradoodle is a good cross - antiallergenic with a good temperament.

I have no problem with people selling the puppies for a reasonable amount - but not for silly money.

[CrazyCathy]

Once a breed becomes popular (or anything come to that) people do become greedy.Just hope people who buy are buying for teh right reason and because it is a must have dog.

Supply and demand - oldest law of economics.

[craft1948]

if you go on the epupz website I would think 50% of all the dogs are from breeders in Wales - it seems to be the main occupation there now.

[Robinia]

I'm sure they're lovely dogs, I had a standard poodle, he was amazing, but �950!! I don't think so!

labradiddle

[CrazyCathy]

I guess other than sheep what else is there? Loads of space for kennels etc and walking . Used to be lots of what I call puppy farmers there - have about 10 different breeds not actually breeders.

[pastafreak]

I have recently seen Labradoodles in my local paper for �850!!
It would be cheaper to go and buy a Lab and poodle ....and mate them......I guess the public is gullible to pay so much.

[agnes1]

They are mated with a large poodle. There are also golden doodles - I have one they are lovely

[terambulan]

The more people pay for pups the more likely people will care for them.

[fredpuli47]

Fashion in dogs ! The labradoodle was, supposedly, first bred in Australia as an assistance dog which wouldn't moult.

Like all fashions, it will pass.(I'm not saying all are bought as fashionable)Who has seen a Sealyham, Pomeranian or French bulldog recently?All were very popular or fashionable breeds many years ago .Toy poodles were all the rage in the late 1950s (they'd only just been 'invented'). Americans have their own fads and fancies. Golden retrievers, uncommon here, are popular there. The Weimaraner, the Viszla and the Rhodesian ridgeback are distinctly fashionable there (in Manhattan I saw almost as many of those three as you'd see at Cruft's )

At present the market is fuelled by those who want 'something different' which , ideally, a star has. President Obama hasn't helped by naming two he's choosing between. Either the labradoodle market will hit astronomic levels or we'll see a rash of rogue Portuguese water dog breeders appear, and there'll be a thriviing illicit trade in both as imports from the old Iron Curtain countries.Pity.It explains the prices though.

[wolf63]

They are beautiful dogs - but �950?

[lankeela]

I agree that fashions change, but wonder where you get the idea that Golden Retrievers are uncommon? There were 9,159 registered with the Kennel Club in 2008 and they are often the biggest entry at shows. Also Toy Poodles (1,721), French Bulldogs (1,025) and almost 700 Poms, but the poor old Sealyham which is one of the Vulnerable Native Breeds only managed 43 last year. Amazing since they have less coat/temperament problems than the Westie, but hardly anyone knows about them.

Problem is there are now 210 different breeds recognised by the Kennel Club, and lots more foreign breeds being imported, so the Native British and Irish Breeds are losing out in popularity because people want something 'different'.

[lankeela]

The Native Dog Breeds Trust was set up to protect and promote the dog breeds that are classed as vulnerable (i.e. having less than 300 dogs registered per annum).
Many breeds are similar to more popular ones, but many people don't realise they even exist. Some are in danger of actually becoming extinct.


http://www.nativebreeds.org.uk/