The Pros and Cons of Owning a Labradoodle

Labradoodles are the offspring of a purebred Labrador retriever and a purebred Poodle. These fashionable dogs make great family pets, especially if you live an active, outdoor lifestyle.

Are Labradoodles, however, hypoallergenic? Are these dogs friendly to children? Do Labradoodles require a lot of physical activity? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of the Labradoodle?

Wally Conron of the Australian Guide Dog Association developed the Labradoodle in 1989 as an allergy-friendly Guide dog. 

A blind woman from Hawaii approached the organisation, requesting a guide dog that would not cause allergies.

After a number of hypoallergenic Poodles failed to produce suitable guide dogs, Wally Conron sought permission to cross-breed a Labrador, a highly successful guide dog breed, with a Poodle. Yet, Labradoodles turned out good Guide dogs and also friendly Family dogs.

Continue reading to find out!

Let’s Talk about the Pros of Owning a Labradoodle

Labradoodles are friendly.

Life as a Labradoodle pet parent is a lot of fun because these dogs are extremely social and thrive in family settings. Labradoodles are real people dogs who think nothing of spending every day with their owners.

Labradoodles can lose track of their boundaries and spacing, which can result in young children being knocked over if playtime becomes too boisterous. But it’s all in good fun and never done maliciously.

Excellent dogs in terms of temperament

Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are among the friendliest dogs around, making them ideal family pets.

These puppies enjoy spending time with their human family and are simple to train, making them an excellent choice for first-time dog owners.

Labradoodles Have the Potential to Be Light Shedders

Purebred Labrador retrievers shed a lot, which is a problem if you have allergy sufferers in the house. Brushing these dogs frequently is required to remove loose hair and keep your carpets and clothes from becoming upholstered in dog hair.

However, Labradoodles with a lot of Poodle genes, like most Poodle mix breeds, shed much less, depending on the coat type your dog has.

So, while you will still need to brush your dog every day to keep their coat from matting, you will not need to use the vacuum cleaner as frequently.

Most Doodle owners have their dogs clipped or shaved a few times a year to keep their dogs’ coats looking neat and to prevent matting.

More About Labradoodles

Labradoodles are extremely trainable.

The Labradoodle, like most Poodle mix breeds, is a highly intelligent breed that derives its trainability from its Labrador and Poodle parents, both of which are working dogs.

Labradoodles are motivated by playtime and food, both of which are excellent tools for changing undesirable behaviours.

Most Labradoodle owners find crate training, potty training, and obedience training to be simple, especially if they begin training their pet as a puppy.

Labradoodles Get Along Well With Children

Labradoodles are typically good with children. Learning to care for and exercise their beloved four-legged friend is a life experience that children will never forget.

Labradoodles Make Poor Guard Dogs

A Labradoodle is not the best choice for a guard dog.

However, Labradoodles are very loyal dogs who guard their human family and will bark if a stranger approaches your home. However, if you want a guard dog rather than a watchdog, a Doodle is not the best choice.

After getting to know the newcomer, the Labradoodle’s goal is to encourage newcomers to play fetch or frisbee rather than chase them off your property.

Labradoodles Get Along Well With Other Animals

Labradoodles are friendly, easygoing dogs who get along well with other pets. As a result, these puppies will fit in well in a multidog household and will not pose a threat to the family cat.

Some owners train their Labradoodles to protect their pet chickens from predators!

Labradoodles are good Guide dogs

Because they have the characteristics necessary to carry out the tasks that are expected of them, Labradoodles make excellent service dogs.

As a result of the wide range of impairments for which humans rely on service dogs, the roles that these dogs are expected to fulfil are also likely to be diverse.

People who suffer from blindness, multiple sclerosis, cardiac difficulties, seizures, and a variety of other conditions where they require support and routine in their lives may benefit from having a Labradoodle as a service dog.

One ability that all service dogs must possess in order to fulfil their purpose is the capacity to be taught to do specific tasks for their human companions.

Now the CONS of Owning a Labradoodle

Labradoodles Need Lots Of Exercises

Labradoodles of any size are an excellent selection for a companion animal for an active person. These dogs have a lot of excess energy and require a lot of daily activity in the form of long walks, lots of fun, and excursions to the dog park.

Your home should ideally have either a yard that is enclosed by fencing or some kind of outdoor place where your dog may run around and get rid of his extra energy.

On the other hand, you ought to be ready to set aside at the very least an hour, and preferably longer than that, for walking your Doodle.

Problems Associated with Inbreeding

It has required a lot of back-breeding, which has resulted in the production of multigenerational dogs, in order to achieve the goal of creating a dog with a coat that is considered to be hypoallergenic.

Labradoodles Shed Hair

As discussed previously, Labradoodles do shed. Although you can choose a Doodle with a wool or fleece coat that sheds less, these puppies will still shed.

So, are Labradoodles with minimal shedding truly hypoallergenic?

The term “hypoallergenic” merely denotes that the animal does not cause significant allergic reactions in allergy-prone individuals.

However, pet dander, not simply hair, causes allergies. Dander consists of discarded skin cells and dry saliva. The saliva contains a specific protein that causes allergic reactions in those who are susceptible to it.

As the dog moves, dander falls off and finally floats into the air, where the allergic person inhales it. The more frequently a dog sheds, the more dander is shed along with its fur.

Consequently, a dog with low shedding produces less dander, making it less of a risk for allergy sufferers.

The single coat on poodles is dense and curly, and they have very little shedding. Therefore, the more Poodle genes your dog possesses, the less hair your pet will lose.

The price you pay for that highly desirable hypoallergenic coat is a dog with less predictable behaviour and possibly one that is not as ideal for life in a family environment with children as a dog with more Labrador DNA would be.

Labradoodles Are Expensive!

While seated at the table, the payroll clerk counts money from the crop.
You might believe that a mixed-breed dog would be less expensive to purchase than a purebred puppy, but you’d be wrong about that!

The price of these puppies has skyrocketed due to the increasing demand for “designer dogs,” specifically Labradoodles and Goldendoodles. To spend upwards of $2,700 to over $6,000 on a healthy, well-bred Labradoodle that comes from a reputable breeder is going to break the bank.

Unfortunately, the surge in demand for these mixed-breed dogs has not only resulted in an increase in the price of these puppies, but it has also resulted in an increase in the number of puppy mills and backyard breeders.

The production of pups of whichever breed is currently the most in-demand and lucrative in as short a time and at as little of a cost as feasible is the only purpose of these companies. The end result is an oversupply of puppies that are frequently of poor breeding quality and are rife with health concerns.

Unsuspecting customers are duped into purchasing a product by a slick advertisement and a flashy website that are both replete with numerous fabricated endorsements from made-up clients.

The customer believes they are getting a good deal, yet in most cases, a low-cost puppy comes from a breeder that operates a puppy mill.

Labradoodles are associated with relatively high costs of maintenance.

The labradoodle’s primary motivations in life are play, exercise, and social interaction. When compared to the coats of other dogs, theirs unquestionably requires more grooming and care.

However, their need for physical activity and mental stimulation is only subjectively considered to be high maintenance.

For some dog owners, it’s too much, but for others, it’s exactly the kind of rewarding partnership they’ve been looking for with their canine companions.

Labradoodles have health problems

The hybrid robustness that Labradoodles have gives them the advantage of enjoying better health than their parent breeds did when they were alive. Despite this, Labradoodles are still susceptible to diseases that are widespread among other breeds of dogs.

What kinds of health problems do Labrador Retrievers have? Ear infections are one of the health issues that are common in Labradoodles.

However, these infections can be prevented with the right kind of ear care. Other illnesses that can afflict Labradoodles include the following:

• Problems with the joints, such as hip, knee, and elbow dysplasia are examples.
• Due to the fact that epilepsy is a neurological disorder, it will cause your dog to have seizures.
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a condition that leads to the degeneration of both sides of the retina, which ultimately results in a gradual loss of vision and, in extreme cases, total blindness.
• Allergic reactions are typically brought on by a person’s contact with foreign substances from an environment that they are not accustomed to.
• Sebaceous adenitis is a condition that, despite its rarity, affects the skin and hair follicles of dogs, ultimately resulting in hair loss. It primarily affects Labrador Retrievers of the standard variety.
• Von Willebrand disease is a genetic condition that prevents the blood from clotting frequently due to the presence of protein.
• The dangers to life and limb Von Willebrand’s disease
• Hypothyroidism causes a dog to lose their fur, gain weight, become lethargic, and be unable to tolerate cold temperatures.
• Diabetes mellitus causes an inadequate amount of insulin to be produced by the body of the dog.

About Content Reviewer & Vet Expert OnBoard:  Dr. Sara J at Hampton Vet Clinic. Dr. Sarah is passionate about pets and loves sharing her knowledge and research with you. At Pet Paws Hub, we strive to be the ultimate resource for learning everything about Owning & caring for your pet!