<p>We are looking into getting a dog and Labradoodles/Goldendoodles have been recommended to us. Would anyone be willing to share their thoughts and/or experiences? Are there reasons to prefer “F1”, “F1B”, or “multigen”?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>My good friend and neighbor got a labradoodle last year. I nearly fainted when I saw it’s puppy paws but she swore it would be smaller than my dog. Hah! That dog is the size of a small pony. He is huge!</p>
<p>And quirky. He barks at bees but not at strangers or other dogs. He loves loves loves the water. When he was little he couldn’t walk too far without a lie down in between. Literally, he would lie down in the grass for fiftenn minutes in the middle of walks.</p>
<p>Now, when she looks for him to take walks, he tries to hid–by putting his head under the pillow on the sofa. He thinks she can’t see his big curly body behind the pillow.</p>
<p>He has the eating habits of a country goat–plastic bags–everything that isn’t nailed down.</p>
<p>As soon as she takes her eyes off of him, he jumps on her bed for a little nap–as though he were the size of a Bishon.</p>
<p>He is a great family dog–plays with the boys for hours on end.</p>
<p>^^ Sounds like a funny dog.</p>
<p>There was a long thread fairly recently on various dog breeds and the current mutt craze of crossing anything and everything on a poodle in hopes of having a non-shedding coat.</p>
<p>My personal opinion is – the standard poodle is a very nice dog. A golden or a lab is a very nice dog. Work with a reputable breeder of either/any breed (not a backyard breeder) and you’ll have a pretty good idea what you are getting from that adorable ball of fluffy puppy in terms of health, size, coat quality, temperment etc. Look for a breeder that provides long term support and information.</p>
<p>Picking up an adorable ball of fluffy puppy with an unknown genetic background … i.e. no genetic testing, no hip x-rays, no bloodwork, … from a one-shot-wonder backyard breeder and it’s luck of the draw.</p>
<p>Just MHO of course. Your mileage may vary.</p>
<p>I have two standard poodles and I would describe the various “doodles” as poodle mixes. As in “oh, is that a poodle-lab mix?” I try to avoid saying “mutt” but that is what it is. </p>
<p>The various doodles are not necessarily non-shedding, and they’re not necessarily low maintenance. If they’re non-shedding, they may well require just as much grooming as a poodle (who needs its feet trimmed regularly AND the hair removed from its ear canals, at a minimum); if they shed, well, you might as well get a golden or a lab.</p>
<p>The problem with the vast majority of the poodle mixes is that the parentage is iffy. There are MANY genetic diseases that poodles can have (<a href=“http://www.poodleclubofamerica.org/health.htm[/url]”>About the PCA - The Poodle Club of America) and a breeder of poodle mixes is generally NOT going to be testing the parents for all of them, or even worried about all of them. They will tell you that “hybrid vigor” will solve the problem. Nope. Some of those diseases are ALSO found in the other breeds. And the magic of recessive genes is that you really DON’T know what you’re going to get. </p>
<p>I meet poodle crosses all the time, and the most common thing I hear is “I wish I’d just gotten a poodle… but my husband thought they were too froofy.” (My nephew describes poodles as “Barbie dogs.”) Poodles are not wimpy dogs. Really. And you can clip them any way you want. Mine are clipped very short and it’s quite easy to keep them groomed.</p>
<p>As a totally different aspect, if you have any interest at all in competing in any of the various dog sports–obedience, agility, rally–the AKC does not currently allow mixed breeds to compete. Other organizations do allow mixed breeds, however, do that’s not an unsurmountable problem. Still, the AKC is the biggest organization. (Around here, I can compete in an AKC agility competition every weekend of the year.)</p>
<p>You’ve hit a hot button issue. :)</p>
<p>Check out this thread - this topic has already been beat to death. (For my 2 cents, they are mutts. If you want a mutt, go to the pound instead.)</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=362535&highlight=doodles[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=362535&highlight=doodles</a></p>
<p>Not to continue beating a dead topic, but my sister-in-law has a labradoodle.</p>
<p>In my view, the dog is not too bright and way too jumpy.</p>
<p>I’d stick with a poodle – they are very smart dogs.</p>
<p>Go find a dog at a local animal rescue. If you don’t want to go to the pound, go to your nearest golden retriever rescue, lab rescue, poodle rescue, or whatever breed interests you. There are too many wonderful dogs out there who need homes and loving families, and who will make fine companions, instead of spending money for a “boutique” breed.</p>
<p>My brother has had two poodles. They are wonderful dogs. Just don’t give them those dopey haircuts.</p>
<p>We rescued a 4 month old golden doodle pup due to the death of the pup’s owner. She is now nearly two. She has a very sweet disposition but very high energy level - many walks and romps in the yard which we finally had fenced in to accomodate her. She does not shed but she does bark! Even when she wants to go out, instead of going to the door, she barks! We keep her clipped because her fur can become quite a mess unless brushed every day. She is playful, loving, and more than a bit goofy! Her favorite toy is a rock that she dug up in the yard! She loves the water which was a surprise. Our Boykin Spaniel who we got because he was a water dog, hates the water!</p>
<p>Try a Wheaten Terrier – not a mix of anything, and doesn’t shed. Ours is energietic, loving, about 40 lbs., and incredibly CUTE. I’ve never, ever cleaned up dog hair.</p>
<p>I’ve got to agree with weenie. There are many mixed breeds at shelters that are wonderful, suitable companion animals, all awaiting euthanasia except those fortunate to be at no-kill shelters.</p>
<p>There are many reasons to own a pure bred. Deliberate cross-breeding to fill or create a consumer “need” is irresponsible and serves only to fill the coffers of the indiscriminate breeders and puppy mill owners.</p>
<p>They may well be wonderful dogs.</p>
<p>So are many of the ones I describe in my opening line.</p>
<p>Adad, Our family has two labradoodles. We decided on doodles after a great deal of research about the right breed for our family.</p>
<p>Before getting our labradoodles, we owned several different purebred dogs and rescues. Our last dog was a rescue that had major personality issues (aggressive behavior). He never did assimilate with our family. After a great deal of searching, I finally found him a home with no other pets or children. He fit in perfectly and hes now doing great. Still, it was very hard for me to let him go because I get so attached to my pets. </p>
<p>Before that, we had a wonderful purebred cocker spaniel for 14 years. She was plagued with health problems from the outset, even though we got her from a reputable breeder. By the end of her life, she had suffered two strokes, four bouts of cancer, chronic ear infections that required three surgeries and resulted in complete deafness, a chronic skin condition, allergies, and cataracts that left her totally blind. I loved her to pieces and it broke my heart to see her suffer. We had a similar experience with a previous purebred dog.</p>
<p>Why did we choose labradoodles for our latest pets? Well, many reasons. First of all, most shed lightly or not at all (my F1s dont shed.) You asked why to choose an F1b or multigen – one of the reasons is because theyre more likely than F1s to be completely shed-free. They also have a more consistent, curlier look than F1s.</p>
<p>Secondly, we love the lab temperament, but we cant have a dog that sheds because our son is highly allergic to dogs. Doodles sounded perfect to us. I walk 5-8 miles every day, and I needed dogs that could keep up with me. I also wanted dogs that would enjoy the outdoors, and, boy, do the doodles ever know how to have fun! My female doodle will swim until she drops, and the male will fetch until he literally cant stand up any more. They run joyously through the fields with tongues flapping, smiles on their faces, and it makes me happy just to watch them!</p>
<p>We originally thought about getting a standard poodle, but I was concerned we would end up with one that had an aloof personality (according to my research, a known poodle trait.) We never considered wheatens because my SIL has one that is totally neurotic and is scared of his own shadow. </p>
<p>Our labradoodles are perfect for our family. Theyre gentle, goofy, loving, active, and loyal. Theyre also very intelligent and easily trainable. It took me one day to housebreak them and no more than five minutes to teach them their many tricks. Maybe Im lucky, but they dont chew things they arent supposed to or countersurf. I do provide lots of chew toys and bully sticks.</p>
<p>That being said, doodles arent for everyone. I would NEVER recommend doodles to a family with young children. Doodles love to play and could easily knock a child down. They also need lots of exercise, much like labs. They have to be groomed regularly, although some labradoodles have a straighter hair coat that doesnt require much grooming. One of my doodles has a hair coat. I get her groomed every 4-6 months, although it really isnt necessary. She never matts. My male has a curlier fleece coat that matts occasionally. He needs grooming every 3 months or so. We decided against goldendoodles because they have curlier, fleecier coats than labradoodles and generally require more grooming.</p>
<p>There are many reputable labradoodle and goldendoodle breeders who perform genetic testing. Breeders also breed doodles of different sizes, from minis to standards. My female doodle is a small standard at 45 pounds, while my male is a large standard at 80 pounds. By the way, my vet (who owns three standard poodles) loves doodles. She says shes seeing more and more of them, and, as a rule, theyre much healthier than purebred dogs.</p>
<p>We love, love, love our doodles. Getting doodles was absolutely the right decision for our family at this time in our lives.</p>