Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS AN ORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN LABRADOODLE?

The Australian Labradoodle is different from all other Labradoodles.

In the early days, the Australian Labradoodle was simply a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle. Dogs from this cross typically were bred to each other over future generations, whereby the Australian dogs are also know as "Multi-generational" Labradoodles.

Then, in the late 1980's, Tegan Park and Rutland Manor, the two founders of the Australian Labradoodle as we know it today, began carefully infusing several other breeds into early generations of their Lab/Poodle crosses, to improve temperament, coat, confirmation, and size. The infused breeds include Irish Water Spaniel as well as the American and English Cocker Spaniel. The resulting Labradoodles subsequently have been bred to each other, continuing the multi-generational tradition.

Today, Australian Labradoodles are wonderful, intelligent dogs with lush coats that are more reliably low to non-shedding and allergy friendly than other types of Labradoodles such as first generation Lab/Poodle crosses, or first generation crosses bred back to Poodles. Even when the other types of Labradoodles are bred on for generations, the result is not an Australian Labradoodle, as the attributes of the infused breeds were not included in their ancestry.

The original Australian Labradoodle is cute, comical, yet highly intelligent and easily trained making it the ideal candidate for service, therapy or assistance dogs.

Used with the permission of www.australianlabradoodleclub.us

Does an Australian Labradoodle Need to be Infused with New Breeds for Genetic Diversity?

No, no, no! Beverley Manners, co-founder of the Australian Labradoodle, has stated: "The Australian Labradoodle is breeding consistantly true in the right hands, and there is no need of further infusions which can only destroy what has already been accomplished."

Today, many Labradoodle breeders tout "genetic diversity" as their reason for infusing cockapoos and spoodles into their lines. It's like having a perfect haircut and then going to a different stylist for diversity. Why mess with perfection? Why fiddle with excellent temperaments, coats and conformations just to be different? As Beverley Manors clearly points out, further infusions can only destroy what others have worked hard to accomplish.

So, whenever you see "new blood lines" or "new blood lines from Australia" associated with a Labradoodle, you have come upon an infused dog. The animal may be wonderfully healthy and happy but it is not an authentic Australian Labradoodle.

Breed Development of the Authentic Australian Labradoodle, courtesy of Beverley Manners, Breed Co-Founder

History of Breed Development

How The ASD Australian Labradoodle Was Created -

This article reprinted courtesy of Breed Co Founder Beverley Manners

You are welcome to link to this article, but you may not reproduce it via any media or means, either in whole or in part. © Beverley Manners 2006.

The original crossing of a Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle carried out by the Guide Dog Center in Melbourne Australia during the 1980's was a mixed blessing at best. From the first litter produced, only one of the three puppies had any degree of allergy friendliness and even Sultan the one who was selected for work as a Guide Dog, had a shedding coat.

The early strains of the Labrador x Poodle in Australia often produced huge powerful dogs who could be hard headed hyperactive individuals with minds of their own.

The intelligence was there, but when combined with a willful easily distracted nature, many of the early dogs did not make the best family pets.

As new breeders began to spring up, attracted by the popularity of the emerging Guide Dog breed, there was a flood of Lab x Poodles finding their way to shelters and euthanasia due to their families being unable to control them. A steady stream of Lab x Poodle Labradoodles were turned in to each of the Founding Breeding and Research Centers to be re-trained and/or re-homed. There was still such a lot of work to be done.

By the mid 1990’s although the two Australian breeding and research centers Tegan Park (Angela Cunningham, later known as Angela Rutland-Manners) and Rutland Manor (Beverley Manners) had begun to achieve a measure of consistency in the envisioned allergy friendly non shedding coat yet the willful over active temperament remained in too many of the offspring. This was a feature which needed more work if the breed was to reach its founders’ vision of a sound and healthy dog which would be suitable as a therapy and service dog as well as a superlative family dog for people who suffered from dog related allergies.

The Necessity for a Wide Genetic Base

The sharing of a number of hereditary diseases by Poodle and Labrador was already a major concern and it was obvious that continuing to develop the Labradoodle using only these two breeds would compromise health in the new breed , and would almost certainly lead to a genetic dead end .

It was during one of the many meetings that the Breed founders held to discuss the future direction of the Labradoodle, that it dawned on them that if another breed were introduced, it could serve a twofold and beneficial purpose. Firstly the genetic dead end could be avoided, and just as importantly, diversifying the gene pool with another breed which didn't share the common diseases of the Labrador and Poodle may result in diluting the troublesome recessive genes on which many of these diseases are carried.

It was important that progress already made must not be lost. Achievements such as -

♦ Improvement in Temperament - much more gentle and eager for training

♦ Consistently improving health testing results especially with regard to Hip Dysplasia and Ununited Anchineal Process (Elbow dysplasia) - two OCD's which had plagued earlier generations.

♦ Exciting and encouraging consistency in non shedding coats in every litter

♦ Modification of the huge size in the early Labrador x Standard Poodles.

To introduce an infusion too soon or too late, or into the wrong bloodlines could undo the years of work and destroy the progress gained. After lengthy and laborious research, the chosen breed for the first infusion was the Irish Water Spaniel.

It was particularly interesting to discover that the Irish Water Spaniel had only five congenital and genetic diseases that were found with greater than average frequency in the breed when compared to the 41 found in Labrador Retrievers, the 31 in the Standard Poodle and the 39 in the Miniature Poodle.

Complementing this choice of breed on health standards, was the fact that many of its attributes in character and temperament were aligned with the desired attributes of the Australian Labradoodle.

However not all was plain sailing. Some serious character flaws were discovered in one of the infused lines and the entire line was culled for breeding. The other line was a huge success and was the start of the Chocolate color in the Australian Labradoodles. Up until that point, all Labradoodles were Cream! When the first Black and the first Chocolate were born, oh what rejoicing there was!

Compare the Shared Diseases in Labrador and Poodle to Those in the Irish Water Spaniel

Reference: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/irishwaterspaniel.htm

Congenital and Genetic Conditions found with greater than average frequency in the Irish Water Spaniel

Reference: http://www.qualitydogs.com/Irish_Water_Spaniel/information.html

Congenital and Genetic Conditions found with greater than average frequency in the Labrador Retriever

Reference: http://www.qualitydogs.com/Labrador_Retriever/information.html

Congenital and Genetic Conditions found with greater than average frequency in the Poodle

Reference: http://www.qualitydogs.com/Poodle/information.html

Congenital and Genetic Conditions found with greater than average frequency in the Miniature Poodle

Reference: http://www.qualitydogs.com/Miniature_Poodle/information.html

When researching the hereditary diseases shared by Labrador, Poodle and Miniature Poodle, it is easy to see why both Breeding and Research Centers chose to strictly limit the use of Miniature Poodles in their downsizing breeding programs when the public demand for Miniature sizes became too great to dismiss.

When several generations of selective breeding of the smallest Australian Labradoodles to other smallest Australian Labradoodles failed time after time to produce consistency in sizes of puppies, it was decided that it was time to infuse another smaller breed.

This time, the Cocker Spaniel was chosen. The choice between American or English Cocker was a difficult one to make, as both have suffered at the hands of over popularity and the resulting flood of inexperienced or uncaring breeders who had bred the original merry temperament right out of both breeds. It was very difficult to find a line of Cockers which not only had retained the true cheerful child friendly nature originally a hallmark of both breeds, but which had also maintained good health status over generations.

Another challenge which faced the Founders was the very real possibility that introducing a Cocker could undo the progress that had already been made in mellowing the temperament of the Labradoodle. Many Cockers came from bloodlines in which an excitable and in some cases almost hysterical nature was pretty much parr for the course. After an exhaustive search they did manage to find a grand line of merry little Cockers and the next challenge was to select the Labradoodle individual/s who would be suitable in size, coat and temperament to be infusion recipients. One mistake could ruin future generations forever.

On the way down from 28 inches tall to a Miniature size, the trick now, was to keep the bloodlines carrying the Cocker infusion separate and still maintain a wide genetic base for the sake of health. If progeny from the new experiment were mixed in with other lines, and something went wrong along the way, then the whole adventure would be over.

Results were variable and a roller coaster ride for the two women who lived and breathed 'Labradoodle' between disappointment and joy.

Within three generations past the Cocker Spaniel infusion into selected lines, size was starting to stablize, poor temperament was weeded out (given away neutered or speyed and with no pedigrees) and only the best of the best were kept for breeding onwards.

References: THE PRICE OF FAME….COCKER SPANIEL

http://www.mycockerspaniel.com/history.htm

http://www.petpublishing.com/dogken/breeds/cocker.shtml

Then two years later in 2004 Beverley Manners stumbled completely by chance on the IRISH Soft Coated Wheaten (as developed in Ireland their country of origin) and found to her surprise that they were as chalk is to cheese when compared with their counterpart, which had been changed almost beyond recognition by American English Dutch and some Australian breeders who bred specifically for the show ring. To this day the Irish bloodlines are jealously guarded by the devotees of the authentic Irish line Soft Coated Wheaten.

Don't Let This Happen to our ASD Australian Labradoodle !

Here is the Soft Coated Wheaten as first bred in Ireland and what modern day breeders have done to them.


Soft Coated Wheaten typical Show Type as changed by breeders over time.	The IRISH line Soft Coated Wheatens as protected by the breeders in Ireland, the breed's country of origin.

Rutland Manor introduced two unrelated bloodlines through two imported sirelines, one over a Small Miniature Australian Labradoodle female and the other over a Standard sized Australian Labradoodle. The results were outstanding and the two separate Irish bloodlines have been kept separate so as to provide an even wider genetic base.

Back in the 1980's to 1990's computers were not as common place in households as they are today and neither Angela nor Beverley knew how to use one. Pedigrees were laboriously hand written, or typed out on the typewriter along with the sheets of carbon in between each page so that copies could be kept when the original was given with a puppy. In those days there wasn't even whiteout!

A good old fashioned rubber was used to rub out mistakes between each sheet with another sheet between so that the carbon markes wouldn't smudge on the other sheets of paper. Some of you may be old enough to remember! Nevertheless, records were kept as accurately as possible, and an impressive database began to take form.

Cocker infusions were limited to certain strains within the new breed as had been the Irish Water Spaniel, and some lines were kept 'pure' with the Lab x Poodle combination only. The Lab x Poodle lines were posing many problems.

Too strong a Labrador influence often produced patchy and shedding coats, and back breeding to the Poodle snipey faces spindly boning and high maintenance curly coats. Many were a halfway kind of dog with combination

The bloodlines which carried the Irish Water Spaniel infusion were producing throwbacks with a mutation of genes from the 'bald' face and rat tail of the Irish Water Spaniel. Rutland Manor decided that another infusion was required to scatter the gene pool but Tegan Park didn't agree.

Rutland Manor Breeding and Research Center considered the beautiful non shedding Portugese Water Dog, but after numerous discussions with fanciers and breeders, the 'self willed' streak common within that breed was the deciding factor against using it with the Australian Labradoodle whose temperament and nature had become so soft intuitive and pliable to training, that it was feared that any gains could be lost with other equally important losses.

Official Australian Labradoodle Breed Standard

More research led to the Soft Coated Wheaten but that idea was abonandoned due to temperament and health issues that were discovered to be prevalent within that breed

Does a Male or Female Adjust Better to Family Life?

Since Log Cabin puppies are spayed and neutered before going to their forever families, there are no hormones to affect behavior. Males and females are equally cuddly and mild natured. The slight difference we have noticed with some pups is that females like to bond with one family member while males bond with everybody. The males are just a tad less complicated.

Because we only breed males and females with sweet natures, our puppies’ dispositions mirror their parents.

What Products Should I Have on Hand for my New Puppy?

Puppy Supply List

•    Adjustable Nylon Collar (8” – 12 “ for miniatures)
                                         (10” – 14” for mediums)
•    6’ Leash
•    Stainless Steel Food & Water Bowls – ceramic can grow bacteria
•    Medium Size Wire Crate
•    Child’s toothbrush & dog toothpaste
•    Baby Wipes & Q-Tips for Ear Care
•    Puppy Shampoo
•    Stainless Comb with Handle
•    Grooming Brush
•    Nail Clipper (you can share yours!)
     Orange handled dog nail clipper for a puppy over 5 months
•    Styptic Powder or Gel
•    Nature’s Miracle Odor Neutralizer
•    Bitter Apple to Spray on Items to Stop Puppy Chewing
•    Nylabone Chew Toys
•    Kong Chew Toys
•    Soft Dog Bed You Can Wash (frequently!)
•    The Monks of New Skete, dog training book
•    Living with Kids and Dogs, by Colleen Pelar, CPDT
•    A Case of Paper Towels – No, Make that Two Cases
•    Plastic Spray Bottle – Fill with Water & Splash of White Vinegar. Use to Stop Unwanted Behaviors
•    Pooper Scooper and Bags
•    Keopectate for Minor Diarrhea
And highly recommended:
     DOGEASE, CD ($17.00) - helps fussy puppies fall asleep
                                        can be ordered at www.brookstone.com

Are There any Negatives Associated With the Australian Labradoodle?

There are two negatives I share with my puppy buyers: ear infections, coat management.

Because Labradoodles have ear flaps, moisture can get inside and cause yeast infections. Weekly cleansing with q-tips and ear cleaner helps to stay ahead of the problem.

If you experience frequent infections, this is the remedy we use and strongly recommend:

EAR WASH SOLUTION
16 oz. bottle isopropyl alcohol (91%) – if the ears are bleeding, use Witch Hazel
4 tablespoons Boric Acid Powder
16 drops Gentian Violet 1% Solution
Pour out & discard a bit of the alcohol
Mix all ingredients in the alcohol bottle & shake. (Make sure you shake before every application).
Treatment: Fill ear with solution & massage gently for 30 seconds and wipe with a tissue. Fill a second time and just wipe without massaging. The dog will shake the excess out. Be careful, the Gentian Violet can stain. I use an eye dropper to fill the ear.

Treatment:
2 times per day for the first 2 weeks
1 time per day for the next 2 weeks
Store mixture and use once a month

Coat care is found under “COAT” in the Breed Standard question which follows.

Yikes, my puppy has diarrhea! Help.
It is not unusual for a puppy to have diarrhea. This often results from introducing new kibble, tap water, or fatty foods. You can add a couple of teaspoons of canned pumpkin or a tablespoon of Keopectate to his next meal. If loose stools continue after that, call your Vet for advice.

What do I do if my new puppy won't eat when I bring him home?
Not to worry. A new puppy entering a new home often exhibits little appetite. Allow the pup to show you what it does and does not need regarding food. After not eating for 24 hours, I would sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of his kibble. If this doesn't tempt him, call your Vet. I believe that healthy puppies and dogs will eat when they are hungry.

What is the Breed Standard of the Australian Labradoodle?

As established by Tegan Park and Rutland Manor Breeding & Research Centers of Australia and adopted by the Australian Labradoodle Club of America 2005 revised 2007.

Temperament and Soundness are the two KEY elements in a good family companion; they must not be sacrificed for any reason.

General Appearance: The Australian Labradoodle should be athletic and graceful, yet compact with substance and medium boning--joyful and energetic when free, soft and quiet when handled. They should approach people in a happy friendly manner with eye to eye contact. He is keen to learn and easy to train. Australian Labradoodles have a free flowing wavy or curly coat that does not shed and is possibly non-allergenic.

Size: Sizes are still "somewhat inconsistent" with no definition between male and female at this time. Accurate prediction of size, even by an experienced breeder, is not expected at this time. Size is measured to the top of the shoulder blades (withers) while standing squarely on a level surface.

Much care is needed when breeding both the large and small dogs. Large dogs can suffer from rapid growth that can lead to structural problems. Soundness is of utmost importance. Over size is a major fault. Care must be taken to keep the miniature Australian Labradoodle a solid athletic robust dog. The dwarfing of dogs can lead to many genetic and temperament disorders. Minimum size attention is of the utmost importance to maintain a healthy little dog. Most Australian Labradoodles will weigh more than their height reflects.

STANDARD: 21" TO 24" The "Ideal" size for a standard female is 21 to 23 inches and for a male 22 to 24 inches. Weight range tends to be 50 to 65 pounds.

MEDIUM: 17" TO 20" The "Ideal" size for a medium female is 17 to 19 inches and for a male 19 to 20 inches. Weight range tends to be 30 to 40 pounds.

MINIATURE: 14"TO 16" The "Ideal" size for a miniature is 14 to 16 inches with no correlation between height and sex of the miniature Australian Labradoodle. Weight range tends to be 16 to 25 pounds.

Body: Height (to wither) to length (from sternum to point of buttock) should appear square and compact. Shoulders should have good angulations with firm elbows held close to the rib cage. Hindquarters should be of medium angulations with short strong hocks. Top line should remain level with strong loin and level croup. Flanks should rise up from a brisket set just below the elbows, but should not be excessively deep. Ribs should be well sprung but not barreled. Overall, the dog should appear square, be balanced, athletic and with good muscling.

Movement: When trotting should be purposeful, strong and elastic, with good reach and drive, giving the appearance of "going somewhere". When happy, relaxed or at play will prance and skim the ground lightly. Excessive tightness in the hips will produce a stilted action and is considered a fault.

Tail: Set relatively high and preferred to be carried in a saber, can be carried below the topline or "gaily" above. Curled possum type tails are undesirable.

Head: Sculptured, broad, well defined eyebrows, medium stop, eyes set well apart, nose to stop slightly longer than stop to occiput. Foreface shorter than skull. The head should be clean and chiseled and fully coated as on the body, legs and tail. The Muzzle is measured from the tip of the nose to the stop. The skull is measured from the occiput to the stop and does not include the muzzle.

Ears: Set moderately flat against the head, base should be level with the eye. Leather should be of medium thickness and when gently drawn forward should reach the top canine tooth. Ear leather reaching beyond the tip of nose is considered a severe fault. Ear canals should be free of excessive hair, and not thick and bulbous. When inquisitive and alert the ear set should rise to the top of the head. Thick/heavy ear leather is a fault.

Eyes: "Slightly" round, large and expressive, always offering eye to eye contact when engaged in activity with a human. Protruding or sunken eyes are a fault. Watery or tearful eyes are a fault. Wide round or narrow almond shaped eyes are considered a fault.

Eye Color: Eye color should complement and blend with the face color. Black, Blue, Red, Dark Chocolate and Silver dogs must have dark brown eyes. All shades of Cafe', Milk Chocolate, Gold/Apricot, Cream and Chalk should have dark hazel to brown eyes if they have black pigment. Caramel and dogs with rose pigment may have either dark eyes or "ghost" eyes. Ghost is a hazel color range much the same as it is in humans. Flecking with different shades of hazel with green and a blue/green make this eye color quite unique. Ghost eyes must always remain soft in appearance. Cold staring expressionless appearance in all eye colors is a severe fault.

Teeth: Scissor bite only is acceptable, being neither undershot nor overshot. Miniatures must not have crowding teeth.

Nose: Large square and fleshy. Pigment: Black or Rose. Pigment should be strong. Black pigment dogs must have dark brown eyes. Pink spots or patches on nose, lips, eye rims or pads are a fault. Dogs with rose pigment can have dark hazel, brown or ghost eyes. Eye rims should be rose as should nose, lips and pads. Pink spots or patches are a severe fault. Rose should be a rich liver color.

Neck: The firm, well muscled neck should be moderately long, slightly arched and flow into the well angled shoulders with no appearance of abruptness. The neck should not be coarse nor stumpy and should lend an air of elegance to the dog. A short thick neck is a fault.

Color: Any solid color including Cafe' and Silver is preferred. Minimal white on the chest and toes is acceptable. Light chalky coarse hairs (kemp) sprinkled through a dark coat is permissible but very undesirable. Parti (patched) and Phantoms, though undesirable, are considered an acceptable color. Parti can be any color (except Phantom) with white on face, head and/or body. Phantoms are any shading or two tone coloration such as a Black dog with lower legs showing a soft toning of silver or gold or a dog born dark with a golden shading at the roots or a slight brindling effect. True pure solid colors with the exception of Silver and Cafe' are highly prized and are the ideal for the Australian Labradoodle. It is normal that all colors may show bleaching and discoloration over the top coat. This is called sunning and is quite expected and acceptable, as the Australian Labradoodle is an active dog and often a service dog that enjoys the outdoors. Weather bleaching or sunning must not be penalized.

The Breed Standard of Excellence colors are:

Apricot/Gold, Red, Black, Silver and Blue - must have black pigment

Caramel, Chocolate, Cafe', Parchment and Lavender - must have rose pigment

Chalk (appears white but when compared to a true white it is a chalky white) - may have rose or black pigment

Cream and Apricot Cream (all shades and combinations of cream shades are acceptable) - may have rose or black pigment

Caramel: A rich Gold/Apricot very much the color of its namesake - caramel through to a deep red - must have rose pigment.

Red: A solid, even, rich red color which should have no sprinkling of other colored fibers throughout the coat. A true Red must not be lighter at the roots than at the tips of the coat. Red can fade somewhat with age, and senior dogs showing paling of coat should not be penalized.

Apricot/Gold: The color of a ripe apricot on the inside. A true Apricot must not be lighter at the roots than at the tips of the coat. It can come in varying shades and may fade as the dog grows older. Senior dogs should not be penalized for paling of coat color.

Blue: A dark to medium smoky Blue. Blue also belongs to the Rare Color Group. Blue dogs are born Black but will have Blue skin and undertonings at a young age. Any other color throughout the Blue is undesirable.

Silver: Born Black but will have more of a grey skin and will develop individual silver fibers at a young age. Silver dogs can take up to 3 years to color out and become a beautiful smoky grey through to a light iridescent platinum and varying shades in between at adulthood. Uneven layering of color in the silver is normal.

Chocolate: Dark and rich, born almost Black, they maintain a dark chocolate throughout their lifetime. Color should be even. Any other color throughout the Chocolate is highly undesirable. Chocolate belongs to the Rare Color Group.

Cafe': Born Milk Chocolate of varying shades, and have the same gene as the silver dogs, often taking up to 3 years to fully color out to multi shades of chocolate, silvery chocolate and silver throughout. When given plenty of time in the sunshine, they develop stunning highlights.

Lavender: A Definite, even smoky lavender chocolate, giving almost pink/lilac appearance. Lavender dogs are born Chocolate and can be difficult to distinguish at a young age. Any other color throughout the Lavender is highly undesirable. True Lavender belongs to the Rare Color Group.

Parchment: Born Milk Chocolate, will pale to a smoky creamy beige. Paling usually starts from an early age often as early as 6 weeks. As adults they can be mistaken for dark smoky Cream from a distance. Parchment belongs to the Rare Color Group.

COAT: Coat types are also still very sporadic with many dogs showing a combination of multiple types. As the genetic values stabilize, we hope the "Ideal" coats are as follows:

Fleece: Length is usually around 5 inches long. The Fleece coat texture should be light and silky quite similar to that of an Angora goat. Appearing "to contain a silky lanolin", the fleece coat can be from loosely waved giving an almost straight appearance to deeply waved. Kemp is often found around the eyes and topline. The absence of kemp is highly prized. Fleece coats rarely if ever shed. A slight shedding may occur and may be determined to the degree of wavy / curly. The less curly, the more chance of slight shedding. During the age of 8-12 months, during the adolescent/maturing time you will need to groom your fleece every week. After this "transition" period, the coat will settle down and maintenance will return to normal, requiring a comb out every 3-4 weeks. The fleece coat has been found to be allergy friendly.

Wool: Coats are more dense to the feel like a sheep's wool. The "Ideal" wool coat should "hang" in loose hollow spirals. Most wool coats are still exhibiting a good texture but take the appearance of a Spring not a Spiral. The sprung wool coat is not desirable. A thick (dense) coat is also not desirable. The Australian Labradoodle has a single coat. Both the Fleece and the Wool coat should naturally grow in "staples" and be of a soft texture. Both the "Ideal" Fleece and Wool coats spin successfully. Hair coats (Hair texture that shed) is a fault and are undesirable. It is extremely rare for a wool coat to shed, and is the preferred coat type for families with severe allergies. To keep the wool coat long and flowing will require more maintenance. The wool coat looks beautiful cut shorter and is very easy to maintain. Grooming and a trim or clip three or four times a year is all that is required to keep the short wool coat looking great.

Used with the permission of www.australianlabradoodleclub.us