labradoodle puppies

[Erin]

A friend of mine bred her f1b doodle to a standard Labrador retriever. I've never heard of this pairing? What would the end result be for the puppies?!

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Many of the puppies will be in the "where is the poodle in my doodle group".  I do not understand this type of breeding either, but there are others who prefer the flat coated retriever side of the equation.  It seems strange to me to go through the trouble breeding out shedding, and then turn around and reintroduce it!  That is one of the reasons when I started researching doodles 8 years ago, that I decided my chances for non-shedding was choosing an ALD (but then again that is just my personal preference).

[Erin]

Yes.. I'm wondering why she did this?! I wondered if maybe someone knew the probability of coat types?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

It isn't considered the ideal  pairing for doodles since most people consider a doodle to be a "fluffy type dog including a fluffy face" and that is what they are paying the high fees for.  You have less chance of getting that fluffy dog when the dog is technically 3/4 lab or golden.  Reputable breeders do a myriad of things when they breed their dogs - health testing, pairing the dogs for temperament, coat, etc.  IMO your friend would be considered a back yard breeder - mated two dogs, labeling them doodles, hoping to make some money. Back yard breeding, while the parent dogs may be well-treated and beloved members of a family, is pretty much as bad as a puppy mill because  the resulting puppies are no different than any other 'my dog accidentally got pregnant because the neighbor dog climbed the fence' situation.  In the old days, this was just fine - but no one paid a dime.  Even in the old days the majority of people neutered/spayed their dogs because they realized that there were too many unwanted dogs that ended up in shelters. 

My advice to people who want to breed their doodle because they are so cute, or think they will make an easy several thousand dollars, is to go to a county kill shelter and look at all the pathetic dogs hoping for a home but looking at a scary death. 

This is not a slam on people who choose a more retriever looking doodle.  That genetic make up happens naturally  when the genes combine in that way  (not only a 3/4 retriever pairing).  These families should still be choosing from a reputable breeder who does health testing and pairs the dogs for temperament, health, coat etc.  They are simply choosing the more retriever-looking puppy.  That is an aesthetic choice and not a compromise on quality.

[Wendy and Myla]

Perfect reply!!!

[Erin]

So I'm thinking there might likely be flat coated even though one parent is f1b. I'm. It close enough to ask her why she did all this that's why I've come here to inquire!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Erin - it boils down to two reasons. 

She could be naive and think her doodle is so cute she would make good puppies

OR

she is ignorant and thinks she can make some money from selling puppies she calls doodles.  

She didn't have access to a poodle or doodle dad but had access to a lab. 

There you go.

We were involved in a puppy mill raid rescue recently.  One of the rescues was a labradoodle mom who had just given birth.  Dad was unknown but most likely another F1 doodle.   Mom had 7 puppies.    3 were doodly looking, 2 had some waive to the coat, but the grown up look  is questionable,  2 looked like labs with a slight bit of wave on their backs.   It was very difficult to find homes for the lab looking pups labeled as doodles and took a lot longer.  Owners were found who wanted a smaller lab so there were  happy endings, but the rescue has an entire network to 'advertise' on to find owners.  Even as rescues with volunteers sucking up the general care costs, the rescue fees didn't cover the puppies' vet check-up fees, vaccine costs.  If they hadn't been with a rescue but with  the mill, they would have been dumped in a shelter.  That's why I suggested the visit to a shelter for a reality check.