Imagine watching across a street near your town park and you catch the sight of a Chocolate Labradoodle coloured with expressive and sparkling eyes, all playful and bouncy! Don’t you think that would be the perfect sight for you?
Chocolate Labradoodles are as perfect as that sight would have been. This breed might be the perfect pet for you. It has so many fun and interesting things about it. Read on to know more about Chocolate Labradoodle!
Labradoodle is not a very old dog breed and came into existence in or around 1988 when an Australian breeder cross-bred Labrador with Poodles with the intention to create a breed which suited better to people who are allergic to dog hair or fur.
Poodles as you might know are usually known for their hypoallergenic fur, that is, their fur and skin don’t catch infections that fast (No breed is 100% hypoallergenic ).
Labradors on the other hand are very loyal and easy to train. So, Mini Chocolate Labradoodles make a perfect combination. It is a very famous breed in all places- cities, countryside, all kinds- service dogs, pet dogs.
Where Does the Name Come From?
We are sure, that the moment you read ‘Mini Chocolate Labradoodle’, you would have wondered ‘where does this name come from?’ And yes, it is a valid curiosity. So basically
Labrador Retriever + Standard Poodle = Labradoodle
It is a mixed breed of a Labrador Retriever and a basic poodle dog breed. And the word ‘Chocolate’ obviously comes from the colour of the fur of the breed.
How Big Is a Mini Chocolate Labradoodle?
The answer to ‘What is the size of the breed?’ largely affects your decision to bring home a dog from that breed. So, pet buyers usually tend to look for an answer to this question. Talking about the size of a Labradoodle, its size depends on the size of its Poodle Parent.
In other words, the size of the Labradoodle would vary from dog to dog depending upon the type of poodle their parent is. Poodles can be standard, miniature or toy. Clearly, a toy poodle would yield a labradoodle which is relatively little in size.
So, before buying a Chocolate doodle puppy , it is always advisable for people to visit or at least collect relevant information about the dog’s parents on the Labradoodle. This would help you to estimate the size of the dog you are buying or adopting among many other things that you sure would be interested to know about the dog.
Size of Labradoodles with Standard Size Poodle Parent
Estimated Weight- 50 to 65 lbs (Males are usually more in weight)
Estimated Height- 21 to 24 inches
Size of Labradoodles with Miniature Size Poodle Parent
Estimated Weight- 30 to 45 lbs
Estimated Height- 17 to 20 inches
Size of Labradoodles with Toy Size Poodle Parent
Estimated Weight- 15 to 25 lbs
Estimated Height- 14 to 16 inches
Since Labradoodles are not pure breeds, but mixed breeds or in other words designed dogs, the prediction of their size, weight or height is totally subject to variation. However, the dog parent size usually indicates the correct estimation because it is a first-generation cross-breed.
What Is the Color of Labradoodles?
As mentioned before Labradoodle is not a pure breed of dog. As a result of this, not just the size but also the colour of these dogs vary from dog to dog.
They don’t have a fixed colour. Instead, they come in colours ranging from cream to dark chocolate, Chocolate Labradoodle, black or silver-ish or even a mix of all these hues.
Even the style of their fur varies from wavy- which is the most common to straight, curly and many more.
How Is a Labradoodle’s Nature?
Labradoodles are usually very playful and active. You would spot them playing here and there all the time.
They mix up well with the family members and are very friendly in temperament. However, with strangers, they might not be as comfortable.
They might take some time to gel up with visitors or anyone who they don’t meet often. You might have a little problem with that. After a while, they start recognizing people and become friendly gradually.
Is Training Labradoodles Tough?
Poodles and Labradors are both very intelligent breeds of dogs. A combination of them both- Labradoodles is also a very intelligent dog breed and is very fun and easy to train.
They are fast learners and tend to learn tricks super easily and fast. In fact, training them helps to channelise their energies in the right direction.
Due to their highly energetic genes, they are super active and need training from very puppyhood. It is great to train your labradoodle yourself or hire a puppy trainer if that seems like a necessity to you.
Are Labradoodle Good Apartment Dogs?
Labradoodles would need a lot of walks and would keep you on your toes all the time. They need space to run around, like a backyard.
If they are kept within four walls, they tend to become destructive and channelise their energy in wrong mischiefs.
So, if you are someone who works from 9 to 9 and has no time for your pet, you should look for a pet sitter who would do the needful for your dog.
This is very much required because this is a dog breed which cannot do without company or attention. Due to this behaviour and the activeness of Labradoodles, they are not the best apartment dogs.
It’s not that they cannot reside in an apartment, of course, they can. But they might not be the best option for you since they need a lot of physical exercise on a regular basis to make good use of the energy that they possess.
Do Labradoodles Shed?
Labradoodles are a mixed breed of Chocolate Labradoodle and Poodles. Poodles, as we stated above, don’t shed a lot and are hypoallergenic.
However, there doesn’t exist anything like 100% Hypoallergenic, Labradoodles, fall close to that.
They have tightly curled hair. Yes, they obviously get them from poodles. It’s a fact that they shed less than most similar breeds.
Do Labradoodles Need Brushing?
Having said that Labradoodles are not ‘shedders’, you might wonder if they need brushing at all. As we have mentioned a lot of times, no dog breed is totally hypoallergenic.
Moreover, Labradoodles are a mixed breed due to which different dogs have different types of hair- straight, curled etc. As a result, these need regular brushing and grooming.
If we compare grooming an adult hair coat to a puppy hair coat, brushing a puppy hair coat is definitely easier. Adult hair coats need regular brushing. In Fact, they also need a regular haircut, that is once every six to seven weeks.
Having a shampoo, conditioner and detangling serum is a MUST for a labradoodle parent. Since Labradoodles are very active dogs, they usually mess up their hair coats. This is also one reason why they need constant and regular grooming.
How Long Do Labradoodle Live?
A labradoodle usually lives for around twelve to sixteen years. Any estimation of the life span is not accurate. If the dog catches some disease or disorder, the life span might become shorter. However, with proper exercise and nutrition, Labradoodles can even live longer.
What Are the Health Issues That Labradoodles Might Face?
Before bringing any dog breed home, a person should research the possible health problems that the dog might face.
The health problems that a breed faces during its life are largely dependent on the genetics of the parent breeds.
Labradoodle is a hybrid breed of Labrador and Poodle can inherit health issues from its parent breeds.
All of this totally depends on the genetic influence of the respective parent breed on the Labradoodle.
This is what determines possible health issues. One should ask the breeder about the health issues that the parent dogs faced.
Can We Test a Labradoodle’s Health Before Adopting?
People usually want to make sure they are adopting or buying a healthy dog before they bring it home. Is there a way in which we can know if the dog being bought or adopted is healthy? Or if it has some sort of health issue?
All of it begins with choosing the correct breeder when finding one to get a dog from. Good breeders usually tend to test and screen the dog’s health along with its parents’ health to get a hang of all the health issues the dog is facing at a moment, usually faces or something that has a chance of occurring in the future.
These breeders provide well-verified evidence for the health tests that they conduct. Having the testing done will ensure you are completely aware of the health of the puppy you are adopting.
Generations of Labradoodle
F1 LABRADOODLES
These are the earliest labradoodle litters.
They have one purebred labrador parent and one purebred poodle parent. As a result, it is very tough to determine the genetic influence of both parents. The number of traits and features passed on by both parents is not certain at all.
F1 B Chocolate Labradoodle
These puppies have one purebred labrador parent and one labradoodle parent. In this case, it is relatively easier to spot the genetic influence. As a result, it is also very easy to spot the lineage of the health issues.
Which Labradoodle Do I Pick?
Whenever you see a labradoodle, you will be like I WANT TO TAKE IT HOME. But, how do you know which one to take home?
Your search should not be for a perfect labradoodle, but a good breeder. As mentioned before, a breeder is the one who helps you find the perfect dog breed for you.
You must make sure that the Labrador Parent of the Labradoodle has good hip scores, and elbow scores are clear on a DNA test and have a clear test for WV.
And for the Poodle parent, it also must have an excellent hip score, PRA clear DNA test, and a clear and test.
Is Labradoodle the Right Breed for Me?
All the dog breeds are cute. Labradoodle in itself is such an adorable dog breed. We have provided a very elaborate description of what Labradoodles are, their life span, temperament, size, grooming etc.
What determines the ‘right’ breed for you, is if you will be able to give enough time and effort to the demands and requirements of the dog you bring home.
This is with respect to your lifestyle, work life, family life, health situation etc. If you are someone who barely stays home and travels a lot, Labradoodle may not be the perfect choice for you as this dog breed likes a lot of attention.
Also, if you are old or not very active, it might become difficult for you to handle a hyperactive dog breed like a Labradoodle.
However, if you are someone who stays often and is comfortable with dogs which are very active or require a lot of exercises, Labradoodle might be the perfect choice for you.
It all comes down to you trying to match your lifestyle with the dog’s lifestyle. If you are able to make a common ground or basis and you think that both you and the dog would be able to live comfortably with each other, you should definitely go ahead with getting a Labradoodle for yourself.
So what are you waiting for? Go research a lot and get yourself a Chocolate Labradoodle!! Happy Researching and Happy Pet Parenting!
