History of Australian Labradoodles
The Australian Labradoodle breed dates back to the 1980’s and was initiated by Wally Conron of Royal Guide Dogs, located in Victoria Australia. The intent was to create a breed that was allergy and asthma friendly with the temperament of a service dog. This journey was inspired by a vision-impaired woman in Hawaii who needed a Guide Dog which wouldn’t aggravate her husband’s allergies. Of the 31 Labradoodles bred at Royal Guide Dogs, a staggering 29 made it through as guide dogs, an accolade of unparalleled proportion for this “new breed” of guide dog.
The general public became interested in these smart and easy to train dogs and their non-shedding, allergy friendly coats have played a huge part in their current success and popularity. The Australian Labradoodle breed was further developed with the infusion of other breeds into the line such as the American and English Cocker Spaniel to add other desirable traits. While originally developed in Australia, responsible American breeders are dedicated to the continued development of this wonderful and unique breed.
Protecting Australian Labradoodle Lines
Organizations have been formed to protect the continued development of the Australian Labradoodle lines, and guidelines for the continued introduction of English and American Cocker Spaniel are followed carefully. Infusion committees also discuss the merits of other possible dog breeds being allowed careful introduction into select lines. It is an exciting time to be involved in the development of this breed.
Labradoodle vs Australian Labradoodle
While Labradoodles are a cross between a purebred Labrador Retriever and a purebred Poodle, most people don’t realize the Australian Labradoodle has a lineage of several purebred breeds including the Labrador Retriever, the Poodle, and the English or American Cocker Spaniel. To be classified as an Australian Labradoodle the dog’s pedigree must include a combination of these three breeds and it’s helpful if it can be traced back to the kennels in Australia where the breed first originated. There are different classifications of Labradoodles based on how many generations they have been bred. The multiple generations of breeding, should produce the finest coats, qualities, and appearance. The Australian Labradoodle tends to be multigenerational while Labradoodles can be a variety of generations from early first crosses to multigenerational.
Australian Labradoodles are multigenerational, both parents who are Australian Labradoodles. These puppies are the result of generations of breeding time and investment. Low to no-shedding and allergy-friendly. Sugar Plum breeds Australian Labradoodles because of the consistent quality of the puppies’ coats, appearance, and temperaments.
Australian Labradoodles come in three basic sizes:
- Miniatures are 14-16″ and under
- Mediums are 17-20″
- Standards are 21-24″ and over
Australian Labradoodles have two types of coats:
- Fleece textured coat is a soft texture, similar to the Angora goat. It can have a straight wavy look or a soft spiraling curl look. It is easy to manage a textured coat.
- The wool textured coat is like a lamb’s wool in texture. It should have the appearance of looser spiraling wool which opens up easily to the skin. It should not appear thick and dense or tightly curled.
The Many Colors of Australian Labradoodles
Labradoodles come in many colors to suit just about anyone’s taste. There are solid colors, and patterns such as parti, phantom, abstract, sable, brindle, and multi. There are slight variations in every color and new colors being identified. Just to keep us guessing, puppies might fade or darken as they mature. You will find Labradoodles in variations of white, chalk, cream, gold, apricot, caramel, buff, parchment, red, café, chocolate, lavender, pewter, and black.
Fill out a puppy application to get your Australian Labradoodle today!