Breed Information

Not A Lab-Poodle Mix

While often thought of as a cross between a Labrador and a Poodle, The Australian Labradoodle is far more complex than a Labrador - Poodle mix and has a far richer history. First bred in the 1970s, a breeder crossed a Labrador and a Poodle to fulfill the request of a blind woman who needed a service dog and whose husband suffered from allergies to dog dander. While the breeding was successful, the breeder abandoned the project due to his inability to produce consistent results. Australian Breeders became fascinated with the idea of a mixed breed given the name "labradoodle”. 

The Australian breeders continued to develop the breed with varyng success. Life long breeders have now revealed their "secret recipe and identified other breeds used in foundation stock to produce the wonderful companion dog that we know today as the Australian Labradoodle. This includes English and American cocker spaniel, Irish water spaniel, curly coated retriever, as well as labrador and poodle.      Australian Breeders had mixed results with temperament and coats with early crosses. Various breeds were brought in to specifically correct certain aspects. As with most breeds, it takes far more parent breeds than two to create desirable and consistent results. The Australian Labradoodle has been bred by careful selection and research for health, coat and temperament for more than 40 years.

A Family Companion

The Australian Labradoodle is bred to be a family companion and a therapy assistant dog. Australian breeders have carefully avoided guarding, hunting, and herding lines. The result is very intelligent, easily trained, and low to non-shedding dog. These traits are perfect for families with young children to older owners wanting a companion. These dogs may go to a hospital, psychiatric unit, or children's unit and not leave the coat behind and will behave like a well -bred Labrador! A well-bred Australian Labradoodle should be quite athletic when out and about and settle well when in the home. They thrive on companionship, but do not always demand attention. They love intellectual stimulation, but are not hard driven for action. They should be amazingly easy to train and people will comment on your Australian Labradoodle and its training.
This is the breed that we have fallen in love with and it has captured our fantasy and imagination! We want to protect and develop this wonderful breed that is famous for its intelligence, sense of humor, easy to train attitude, and joyous nature. We hope to protect and care for this breed for many generations to enjoy. We hope to forever separate the Australian Labradoodle from the Labrador-Poodle mix, which has gained popularity and is often confused with the Australian Labradoodle. The ALCA and LAA grading scheme and pedigree history help to ensure that "multigenerational" means fully researched, documented, and conforms with the ALCA and LAA breeding standards.
We hope that you will do your research when looking for a qualified breeder. We support the ethics of ALCA and the LAA, which advocates responsible ownership and responsible breeding. We wish you a very happy doodling experience!

Is the Australian Labradoodle for You?: 

Where you live is an important aspect to think about when you are deciding what breed of puppy to get for your family. As one of the most playful breeds they will need somewhere to burn off some energy; wether it be at the dog park, or in your backyard.
Australian labradoodles can not be left at home by themselves all day. They need stimulation, and if left at home without supervision they are sure to find it. While crate training has its benefits, this breed is not a dog you can leave tied up or locked in a pen in your backyard for extended periods of time. They are a very fun-loving breed that love to socialize. They also require weekly brushing, regular trips to the groomer, baths, lots of love and quality time spent with you.
Another thing to consider about Australian Labradoodles are Allergies. At Parti Time Labrdoodles we strive for non shedding, hypo-allergenic coats. Does this mean you will never find a hair in your home? Certainly not. We like to think about their coats as similar to our hair. While we don't shed, we still do lose hairs. Regular brushing should keep this under control. People with pet allergies should not be affected by having Australian Labradoodles with a nice curly coat in their homes.

Australian Labradoodle Sizes 

There are three sizes of Australian Labradoodle. All sizes are measured from shoulder to ground. Weights vary and sometimes the actual size of the dog is better understood in terms of pounds vs. inches.

1. Miniature: 14 inches to 16 inches (20 - 30 lbs)
2. Medium: 17 to 20 inches  (30 - 45 lbs) 
3. Standard: 21 to 24 inches (45+ lbs)

If you take a look at Our Dogs section of our blog you may notice the difference between Phoebe and Deja or Ella. While all of these dogs are all classified as medium and weight around 35 lbs Phoebe's height from shoulder to ground is much greater than the other two. She has a slimmer build and is taller. That is why it is so hard to classify into medium, miniature, and standard. 

Australian Labradoodle Coat Types: 

1. Wool coat: Non-shedding, very coarse, yet different from a poodle-wool. Should be single coat and curly or spiraling. A definite course texture which may be felt. Desirable for breeding and allergies/asthma. Easily maintained by 3 to 4 puppy clippings per year. 
2. Fleece coat: Low to non-shedding, very silky in texture and easy to maintain, especially if wavy or lighter in curl. 
3. Hair: Least desirable because it is likely to shed. This is a "throw back" coat and should be bred away from. Easy to maintain, though shedding is possible. This coat is very much like that of a regular dog. 

At Parti Time Labradoodles we specifically breed for gorgeous fleece non-shedding coats. The best way to think about non shedding coats is to think about it like human hair. We don't shed, but we do occasionally lose dead hair, and new growth takes place. This can be taken care of by regular brushing. If you notice excessive shedding in your puppy this could be caused by food allergies. Talk to your vet about different food, or treat options.

At around 9- 12 months Australian Labradoodles will start to "blow their puppy coat". Basically they are changing from their puppy coat to their thicker adult coat. Blowing their coats should not affect your allergies as their coats are still considered hypo-allergenic.