[kretzklan]

Hey there - Does anyone know much about this breed of dog? We have a chance to buy one that is 3 months old. He weighs about 12 pounds now. His mom is a purebred yellow lab - she looked big (90ish pounds) and his father is a mini-poodle (I didn't get to see him...but the lady said he is about 15 pounds) - geez, that breeding must have been fun.

Anyway - lady says this dog will be about 35ish pounds...does that sound right. His paws looked big to me...
Have to decide soon...he was SO well natured and got along with our other dog.

Had a bit of a car wreck on the way to meet him - so hopefully I wasn't so flustered that I totally didn't see him correctly!
Thanks!

[mmarshall79]

Hello,
I'm mostly a lurker here since we are still in the researching phase but I really felt compelled to respond to your post. I've trained/bred dogs for nearly 15 years and nothing sinks my heart further than designer breeds like Labradoodles and Puggles. Please know that the folks that breed these animals are in it for the money. They mostly do not do any genetic testing for things like hip dysplasia etc. They put any two purebred dogs together and produce puppies.

A good breeder researches the pedigree of both the mother and father and genetically tests both. Both should also be proven champions. This is not a beauty contest. It is an unbiased opinion of the quality of the dog including temperment. Any good breeder is a member of their national breed club. This assures you that should any issue arise with the pup you have recourse. A labradoodle is a mut that is not in anyway gaurenteed not to shed. If you would like mixed breed please please consider the shelter. There is no good reason to purposefully breed muts when millions are killed each year. If you need any help at all locating a good breeder please let me know and I would be more than happy to help you.

[MamaS]

Mmarshall is absolutely right. "Desighner breeds" are just mixed breeds where you know the mix. But you don't know which genetic traits will show up. Will it be mellow and laid back like most labs or will it be active, feisty, and frequently neurotic like many poodles? Will it shed like a lab or have the tight poodle hair? Will it have hip dysplasia, dry eye, or other traits of the breed?
If you want a purebred, research the breeds and find a reputable breeder (not at a flea market or on Craig's List). If you want a friendly, happy mutt check out your local Humane Society. There are many great dogs and puppies needing homes!
Signed: For twelve years a Shih Tzu Rescue Foster Home

[momraine]

I know a girl who has a labradoodle as her service dog. This one was from a shelter, saved by the group that does the service dog training. This dog is as big as any lab. He is black and his hair is slightly curly. He has a good temperment, but as tehy said, there are no garantees, and that dog does shed.

[kretzklan]

We have always adopted dogs from the shelter. They have had numerous health issues. We adopt the older (3+ years) dogs as we know they are harder to place. Always loved them so much - broke our hearts when they passed.
We have gone to the shelter three times since getting our new dog in January. The dogs are very sickly now - wouldn't even want our dog at home to be around them. One could leap 6+ foot fences. Anyway, not starting an argument...we have looked into a lot of animals and found one that we enjoyed and who got along with our other dog and the seller (I don't know if you can call her a breeder - she only has 2 puppies from the litter her dog birthed) has been very upfront and is not profitting off the dogs in any large way.
OK - no guarantees. Thanks!

[FullQuiverMamma]

I am a breeder too, and I would recommend sticking with a Standard Poodle from a reputable breeder. Find out the background, you'll have a health guarantee and a solid dog. Standard Poodle= your best loyal friend and if you like the Labradoodle look, let the hair go a bit longer. Feel free to pm me with questions... fqm

[momraine]

We have had wonderful luck with dogs from shelters, but you have to do what is best for your family.

[Babydollkc]

We have a Goldendoodle and it is the best dog I have ever owned. I have had numerous dogs and he is the best. The fact that he does not shed is a major plus, but he is just awesome. Has a great personality , great with my son, and he is soooo cute! He was also very easy to train.

Good Luck !

KC

[CarolinaWife]

My neighbor has a labradoodle, and she is VERY high energy. I have had poodles and I now have labs, and this combination seems to lead to an extremely smart, high-energy dog. That can be lots of fun and that can be lots of trouble!

Have you considered looking into adopting a pet from a rescue group? If you aren't having any luck with the shelters, this could be a good option. I am a foster 'mom' for rescued labs, and the nice thing is that you get to see the dog in a home situation. The dog has been fully vetted, socialized, and get a little training. Most rescue organizations are breed based - you can try a google search to find one in your area!

Good luck! Whatever you do, I'm glad you're getting another dog

[DianeS]

I second what everyone else said, but if you really might want this particular dog, here's some things to think about:

1 - To determine a puppy's eventual weight at one year of age, take the weight that the dog was at 16 weeks (4 months), and double it. The dog is most likely to weigh approximatly that much on its first birthday - of course, taking into consideration things like whether the pup was malnourished or sick berfore that 16th week, which can throw the whole estimate off.

And of course that doesn't tell you the full adult weight IF the dog is a breed that grows past its first birthday. But it gives you an estimate to work with. A puppy that is 13 lbs at 12 weeks... add a few pounds for the next month until it's 16 weeks, then double that. A 35 lb one year old is reasonable given the puppy's current weight, I think. But if you have to be exact about it - like if 35 lbs is the cutoff for your housing complex, then I wouldn't chance it. Depending on the puppy's health and nutrition level and growth rate, it may well reach 40-42 lbs at adulthood.

Keep in mind also that it's possible you don't know the puppy's true birthday. A breeder could well lie about that, to make the puppy either seem younger and more desirable, or to make the weight part work out to what the seller knows you want. (For example, if the puppy is actually 13 lbs at 9 weeks, it'll be WAY over 35 lbs at one year old.) If you know the person personally you have a better chance of knowing whether the pup's birthday is true or not.

2 - The next most important thing about a puppy besides its adult size is its adult temperment. You should not judge soley on what the puppy is like now, but on how the puppy's parents are like. Spend some time with the mother - does she want to please her owners? Is she too skittish about new sounds or sharp noises? Does she guard her food or toys more than you want your new puppy to guard? Mothers teach puppies a LOT, be sure this is the mother you want for your new dog. Evaluating the father's temperment is important if you can do it, but the father's influence is only genetics, while the mother's is genetics and early raising/teaching of the puppy.

3 - It's important to know that a Labradoodle is not a breed. A "breed" is defined as a type of dog that can mate with another dog of the same type, and 100% of the puppies will be that same type, and all their puppies will be the same type, and so on for every generation. And that's not true of Labradoodles. Since one parent is a Lab, and the other a Poodle, the resulting puppies could look and behave like Labs, they could look and behave like Poodles, or be somewhere in between.

If you're looking for a new puppy with a particular look, particular behavior, or particular trait (like not shedding), you're more likely to get what you want by buying a purebred dog than a mix like a labradoodle. Remember that when you look at a puppy, you're looking like a baby, and everything can change - coat length, coat texture, behavior, energy level, shedding, etc.

4 - To have the healthiest dog possible, it's important to know that the parents of the puppy have been tested for genetic diseases that could be passed down to the puppy. Things like tests for hip dysplasia and eye problems should have been done on both parents, and the results of those tests given to you. If both parents tests come out "excellent", then there is very little chance that your new puppy would have those problems.

It's also important to be sure that the puppy has had regular veterinarian examinations and vaccinations. Especially in an environment where others may be coming in to look at the puppy, and perhaps tracking in germs with them, it's important that the puppy have immunity to those diseases. Otherwise there is a chance the pup will get infected and become sick once in your posession. And nobody wants to fall in love wiht a puppy and pay lots of money for it only to have it get sick and possibly die a couple weeks later. So ask for the vet records.

So, now that we've overwhelmed you with information, go make the best decision for your family that you can, and then post pictures of whatever puppyn or dog you get!

[Bcelli]

You touched on the 'animal' button. :-) I also have been a breeder in the past - Louisiana Catahoulas - and any mixed breed dog can have any physical or mental characteristic from either breed and a few from neither brought on by cross-breeding. If you buy a mixed-breed puppy thinking you're going to get "X," you could be surprised when the pup grows into a dog and is nothing like what you expected. With that said, just ensure you have the lifestyle for what could come and make your decision based on that. If there are possibilities you cannot or would prefer not to deal with, make sure you know what those are before making a decision on any pet. Good luck. You'll find the right pet.

[kretzklan]

Thanks for all the info - I really have weighed it all. We did receive medical info on both mom and dad dogs and it was a clean bill of health. The mom was a very well behaved lab...came when called, obeyed commands, but still was a normal "dog", enjoyed licking my kids...
The weight isn't a big issue - we don't care how big he gets (OK, would rather not have a 100+ pound dog)...just trying to look ahead and get a picture. The one year rule seems like a nice predictor - understanding that things could be quite different.
I spoke with my vet today - also was able to call the owner of the dad dog. Got info that made me feel good about things - even called another breeder of labradoodles to get her opinion on them as a dog - not being one of hers. So, did all the research that my family and I feel comfortable with...
We are picking him up Friday (going to be gone all day tomorrow and don't want him alone for the first day). I will post pics of my new baby and him with my old baby (ha, she's a whopping 9 months old).
It just feels right - and hey, I took that approach for our adoption and my gut was right...what great children I have (who are SUPER excited about being the caretakers for a new pet...we'll see how long that lasts - I am prepared to be the main caregiver!)
Thanks again!

[momraine]

Sounds like you did your homework. Enjoy your new family members, puppies are so cute.

[Bcelli]

I was going to make the people adoption anaology too, but thought some folks might take offense. You just never know - with people or animals. Congrats on the new pup! What's his name? We just got a new kitten here about 3 weeks ago for our youngest to have as his 'own." I, too, am prepared to be the main caregiver, but so far he's doing it all without having to be told. Now, if I could just get him to quit carrying her around all the time...

[GCS]

Congrats on your new addition! We have a lab-spaniel mix built like a lab with black and white spaniel coloring and longer hair like a spaniel.

He's full grown now at 18 months and is about 60 lbs. Our vet said mixs usually don't get as large as full breeds.

Good luck! Post a picture!