Australian Labradoodle: Everything You Should Know

Australian Labradoodles are funny, playful dogs with goofy personalities. Their long, shed-free curls make them one of the most elegant and allergy friendly breeds you can find.

This breed comes from Australia and was first bred as a hypoallergenic service dog. They are a great service dog for families and get along well with everyone they meet.

The Australian Labradoodle was the world’s first Labradoodle. It is still one of the most popular Poodle mixes of all time, and has become a lovable pet for almost any household.

They are sometimes mistaken for an Aussiedoodle or Mini Australian Shepherd. But, like any other Doodle, it is a cross between a Poodle and a Labrador Retriever. Want to know the difference between this hybrid and any other Poodle mix? Read on for a complete guide…

What Is An Australian Labradoodle?

The Australian Labradoodle was the first ever cross between the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle. It was first bred to be an all-purpose service dog for blind people with allergies.

He makes the perfect family pet and is well loved by children all over the world for being a loving and empathetic emotional support pet.

It is a mix between a sporting and a non-sporting dog so is classified as a hybrid. Unlike a typical Labradoodle, an Australian Labradoodle is always more Poodle than Lab.

The Poodle is one of the most intelligent breeds. So, just like every Poodle mix, this dog is extremely smart and is very easy to train. This makes the Australian Labradoodle one of the best pets for owners with special needs.

This dog has all of the personality of a “man’s best friend,” and plenty of energy and patience to spare. His adaptability and patience have made him one of the most popular mixed breeds in the United States.

Appearance, Size and Color

This mix can come in all of the possible colors of a Lab with a Poodle’s beautiful curls. His smiling face and soft fur make him look just like a great big teddy bear! Your Australian Labradoodle is the best reason to get out of bed in the morning. How could you resist waking up to that adorable little face?

The Australian Labradoodle Association has produced a breed standard for the ideal appearance, size and personality of this mix. It also says this breed can come in three different sizes:

1. Miniature
2. Medium
3. Standard

Australian Labradoodles of any size should have visible muscle definition under their curls. They have a surprising amount of power and grace.

This breed also has three different coat types:

1. Fleece
2. Wool
3. Hair

Fleece and wool coats have tight, dense curls. This makes them hypoallergenic and more desirable. A hair coat is straight and shaggy, and sheds much more often. Fleece and wool coats are low shed, but they still require brushing up to three times a week.

Haircuts are a must for any coat type, especially in the summer. You can try any of the traditional Poodle hair styles, but the ‘teddy bear’ cut is an especially popular look for the Australian Labradoodle.

The most popular fur colors include brown, black, yellow, red, white and grey. They can also come in any of the typical Labrador colors: chocolate, cream, and even silver.

Australian Labradoodle Temperament

Every day is an adventure with one of these dogs by your side. There is absolutely nothing that he will not do! He will be one of the very best friends that you will ever have. His small and furry body is absolutely packed with personality.

Australian Labradoodles are a breed that always want to play. When you come home, your dog will be jumping for joy and ready to play.

They are very energetic and cheerful, making them a particularly good friend for boisterous kids. Children will love its energy and its zest for life.

This dog was bred with families in mind. He thrives in any kind of family. He will get along with children of all ages and is even safe around toddlers. Of course, any small child should always be supervised around any pet.

As well as being playful, the Australian Labradoodle is very smart and sociable.

These social butterflies are always looking for new friends. When he greets everybody on your block, he may also help you to make some new friends too.

Above all, your dog will appreciate anything that the two of you can do together. You will want to spend a few minutes each day coming up with new adventures and new games to play.

A Labradoodle is an incredibly loving and affectionate dog. He looks like a teddy bear and he acts like one too. You can count on plenty of hugs, cuddles, and kisses from your little furry friend. At bedtime, he will curl up right beside you and rest his head against your pillow.

There is never a dull moment with this Doodle around. Once you bring one home, your family will never be the same.

Do Australian Labradoodles Bark A Lot?

It is very difficult to stop an excited Doodle from barking. Thankfully, your puppy will only get noisy when it is particularly excited or bored. Their most obnoxious behavior will occur when they are feeling bored. If left on their own for too long, they will likely try to amuse themselves at the expense of your house.

Barking and bad behavior can be prevented so long as you are sure to keep your dog busy. Never ignore their calls for attention, and do not leave them to play on their own.

As this mix is so people-oriented, it must also be socialized frequently.

The Australian Labradoodle loves puppy playdates, and will be the life of any dog party. It gets along just fine with other canines, and is perfectly welcoming to cats. Any breed, big or small, can be their friend.

Breed History

In the 1970s the Australian guide dog association received a request for a hypoallergenic guide dog. Dog breeder Wally Conron was assigned the case.

He started by mating the most popular service dog, the Labrador Retriever, with the smart and low shedding Poodle. However, this mix was not just a cross between a Poodle and a Lab. The Poodle used had descended from a line that included the Irish Water Spaniel and the English and American Cocker Spaniels.

The Irish Water Spaniel and the English and American Cocker Spaniels set the Australian Labradoodle apart from other Labradoodles, though many consider them to be the same breed.

They were eventually known to the public 10 years later in the 1980s and became an instant hit. Soon, everybody wanted a Labradoodle of their own.

Copycat and backyard breeders began to show up all over the world, creating the standard Labradoodle. This breed did not descend from the Australian Labradoodle’s unique bloodline. Instead they were just a mix of Poodle and Lab.

Unfortunately, the high demand has resulted in diminished quality over the years.

Labradoodles from poor bloodlines are often affected by severe health issues and behavior problems. For this reason, Wally Conron (the original breeder), views the creation of the breed as his biggest mistake.

Fun Facts

• The Australian Labradoodle was first bred in the 1980s. A blind woman requested a service dog that was also hypoallergenic, because her husband was allergic to dogs.
• As their name suggests, they were first bred in Australia. However, their original name was the ‘Labrapoodle.’ It was eventually changed to Labradoodle, which is a bit easier to say!
• Australian Labradoodles are the original Doodle. Its popularity inspired many breeders to mix other dogs to Poodles during the 1990s and early 21st century.
• As of 2013, the Labradoodle, mini Goldendoodle, and Cockapoo are among the most popular Doodle breeds. These mixes are all similar, but the Labrador Retriever is still the most popular dog breed in America, while the Poodle ranks seventh.
• This breed has more complicated ancestry than a typical Labradoodle. Its bloodline includes the Irish Water Spaniel, as well as the English and American Cocker Spaniels, American Labrador and Poodle.
• This dog is one of the few designer mixes that has its own breed club and breed standard. Most hybrids do not follow an official breed standard.
• Poodle mix breeds are among the most intelligent dogs in the world. This makes them very easy to train. They are used for many different kinds of work and perform well in canine competitions. They excel at challenges and brain games and absolutely hate to be bored.

Australian Labradoodle Care Guide

An Australian Labradoodle balances hard work with lots of fun. It is a great dog for a first-time owner, provided the owner is willing to put in all of the work required to keep them happy and stimulated. They do best with an owner that can provide plenty of exercise, and mental stimulation.

Their adaptability makes them great for owners with disabilities. It is a breed that can learn to work for you rather than the other way around.

A good home and continued training make all the difference when you have a Doodle. They know a good owner when they see one, and their behavior will be a reflection of yours.

Training

You will be pleased to know that this is one of the most trainable breeds you can adopt! His history as a service dog has given him a strong sense of duty.

The Australian Labradoodle follows and obeys commands readily. He is always eager to please his owner. It will not take much training to get this dog to figure something out. When he gets it right, reward him with a big pat and his favorite treat.

Puppy kindergarten is the best place for this puppy to learn to be a good dog. There, they can learn their manners while making plenty of new friends.

Take your dog on plenty of outings, road trips, and trips to the park. Organize lots of repeat visits to groomers, vets and puppy playdates. A smart dog must have something to keep its active mind occupied. A bored Doodle is a very unhappy and destructive pooch.

Mechanical toys, puzzles, and kongs can keep your dog busy for hours. You can even come up with your own fun challenges for you and your mix to do together.

Find a good, strong chewing rope or a stick and start a tug of war between you and your pup. Tug of war is a great interactive training game. This game is not just fun, but it strengthens the bond between you and your dog.

Labradoodles just love hands on games that their owners have an active role in. The game provides plenty of opportunities to practice commands and self-control. Leave, stop and sit are all great commands to use when playing tug of war.

Make sure they know when to settle down, and let them know if they play too rough.

Exercise

Australian Labradoodles can adapt to a lower activity owner, but, at a bare minimum, they need 45 minutes of exercise a day; most dogs need one to two hours.

Split 60 minutes of daily walk time into two shorter, quick romps around the neighborhood to a dog park. You should try to walk your dog once in the morning and once in the afternoon. They can easily be trained to heel off leash, but a more excitable puppy should always be kept on the leash.

These dogs are all about fun and games. Like any mix with Retriever in their blood, fetch is their number one favorite exercise. Surprisingly, this dog does not mind getting its curls wet to go for a swim either.

Grooming

How much your dog sheds will depend on its coat type. A dog with fleece or wool fur coats will shed a lot less than shaggy hair coats.

Regardless of how much it sheds, the Australian Labradoodle needs a lot of grooming. In addition to three weekly brushing sessions, they will need a professional haircut every six months. You should take your pet to the groomer for a haircut every summer and winter.

Trim his nails every two weeks, and make sure that you are keeping up with his dental care. Not all dogs love the toothbrush, but most will appreciate dental treats.

Feeding

Feeding a Labradoodle is just like feeding a Labrador. They love to eat and are never full! How much they eat should depend on their size, activity level and lifestyle.

A standard sized Australian Labradoodle needs about 1,000 calories of high quality kibble a day. This is around three cups of kibble a day. Miniature dogs only need two cups a day.

Labradoodles of any size should have two meals a day, one cup of kibble in the morning and one in the evening. Particularly active dogs or large dogs may need an extra cup in the morning.

Avoid any kibble where byproducts and fillers are the first ingredient, and keep the carbohydrates to a minimum. Protein should be the first ingredient in any kibble that you choose, followed by healthy fats and a very small amount of carbs.

Make sure to track the weight of your puppy so you can adjust their diet if necessary. At 12 weeks of age, they should weigh between 9 and 15 pounds. They should reach half of their adult weight at six months old. At one year old, your dog should be between 35 and 60 pounds. Its full adult weight of 50 to 65 pounds will be reached by 18 months.

Known Health Problems

Exercise induced collapse is one of the most common health problems for Australian Labradoodles. It is similar to ‘fainting goat syndrome,’ though it is not usually fatal provided exercise is immediately stopped.

A dog can experience exercise induced collapse from strenuous exercise or if it gets too excited while playing. Its rear legs will lock up giving the appearance they have collapsed.

You should stop playing and calm your dog down immediately if they collapse or faint. Take your dog to the vet the first time it happens, they will be able to test if you dog carries the gene associated with this illness.

Progressive retinal atrophy is an inherited disorder in Labradors that causes their retina to degrade over time. It is a severe eye disorder that eventually leads to total blindness.

Your dog will lose their night vision first, so they may be very uncoordinated in the dark. Eventually, they will lose their daytime vision as well. There is no treatment for progressive retinal atrophy and, unfortunately, no way to prevent total blindness.

How Much Does An Australian Labradoodle Cost?

The Australian Labradoodle is one of the best service and family dogs around. They are also one of the most expensive dog breeds, especially if they are already trained for service work.

Puppy prices start at about $2,500, and can go up to $3,000 or more. $2,500 is the typical minimum for a puppy from a good breeder.

High demand makes this breed very susceptible to faulty breeding and backyard breeders. Spending an extra $500 for your puppy’s paperwork, and parent’s health test results, can give you some peace of mind in knowing that your dog is from healthy breeding stock.

Make sure that your breeder is selling an Australian Labradoodle, and not just a typical Labradoodle. Though both breeds are very similar, they come from a different line and have different genetics.

Also, be sure to find a breeder as close to your home as possible. If you are in the United States, it is better not to rely on the official breed club in Australia. It is not safe for puppies under 16 weeks old to fly, and the import fees will increase the price by several thousand dollars.

If you are looking for a service dog, you will have to pay even more than $3,000.

A certified service dog can cost at least $5,000 and may even run up to $10,000. Service dogs and working dogs require special training courses and certifications that are very expensive.

Summary

While there are now many more Labradoodles, the Australian Labradoodle is the original and was first bred in the 1970s. This lovable dog was born to be a friend to absolutely everybody. There is no one in the world that this dog will not love.

Australian Labradoodles are happy, playful and make every day brighter. They provide years of service, fun and friendship for your whole family.

Once you let one into your home, they quickly find a permanent place in your heart.

These wonderful dogs are very well loved for good reason. Your Labradoodle will find new ways to amuse you every day. It is smart enough to learn many things, and will remember everything it learns.