labradoodle sizes

[peggy]

i am thinking of getting a labradoodle even though others suggest a goldendoodle. i think either one is a good choice. ...does anyone know the answer?  if the female lab is 52lbs. and the sire is 11 lbs. what will be the weight of the puppies. the vet says 30 / 35lbs. we have always had small dogs(jack russels) . thanks for your help.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I am no expert but unless you know the lineage generations back, you won't know until they stop growing. You would have to know the sizes of litters past that have the same parents. I hope breeders comment here, I would love to see what they have found out over the generations.

Excuse my ignorance, but an 11 lb male and a 52 lb female?!? insemination?

I have 3 LDs in my family - I can't tell the difference between LD and GD even when they stand side by side with their doodle friends. That's just me.

[peggy]

insemination!
no past breeding.
these, i guess, are referred to as F1. the owners aren't breeders. they had a lab and their friend, a vet tech, had a poodle so they are doing this one time for their daughters. how many shots and deworming should they have by 8 weeks...do you know?

[Dan, Judi, & Timbow]

Have both doggie parents been tested for genetic health issues? You should read Adina's "What to look for in a breeder" before you going forward. :)
http://www.doodlekisses.com/notes/What_To_Look_for_In_a_Breeder
Also, F1 labradoodles normally shed a good bit. Just a fyi in case you were hoping for a less-non shedding dog.

[peggy]

Can you tell from the litter if some are smaller does that indicate they will be a smaller adult? everything i have read the f1 puppies are healthier but their coats are not as curly. Is that true? I will meet both parents and how they act. I asked them to do some health testing and they said they would. i will talk to their vet.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Just to be sure you are clear, that is health testing on the parent dogs (not the puppies) prior to breeding to make sure there are no genetic issues that could be passed along to the puppies. The one thing that you must completely understand BEFORE you go any further, is that there are no guarantees with Doodles. I have 2 F1 Golden Doodles from the same Liter. One is apricot/cream and the other is black/silver. One is 50 lbs and the other is 65 lbs. One has a more Golden Retriever type coat and the other has a more poodle type coat. One sheds, the other not so much. By getting a puppy from 2 people breeding their pet dogs, who have no experience with breeding, you are taking a very large chance. Unless you truly do not care how the dogs ends up looking, and have unlimited funds to cover any health issues that come from this, please please please move on to an experienced breeder where you can end up with the puppy of your dreams.

[peggy]

i am not doubting what you say but we never thought about all the problems when they were considered mutts and not designer dogs. they are just what i was looking for. a water dog. i would get a poodle but ...i dont know.i am confused now. i had my heart set on one of their pups. this is their site...http://sites.google.com/site/sclabradoodle/home. they are such nice people.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

They may be nice people, but they have no business breeding dogs. These people are what they call "Backyard breeders" and that is not a good thing. There are more than enough dogs and puppies in shelters, and if people are going to deliberately bring more of them into this world, they have a responsibility to do it right.
Mixed breed dogs can and do have just as many health problems as purebred dogs, and labradoodles have more than their share. All you have to do is read through some of the blogs on this site to see what some of us are dealing with. There is a blog here right now called Sadie's Story that you should definitely look at.
These people are selling their puppies at ridiculously low (puppy mill) prices because they have done no health testing and put no investment into their puppies. I have a very strong feeling that if you actually saw the conditions under which these dogs are kept, you would be appalled.
Please read through the link Judi posted above on what to look for in a breeder. Please do not support irresponsible breeding with your hard earned dollars.

[Adina P]

I don't even think the 'conditions' are relevant and prove anything (well unless they are deplorable). Some backyard breeders take good care of their pets and puppies...doesn't mean their choice to breed them was a responsible one and doesn't mean their pups will be structurally sound or healthy.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

True.

[peggy]

you know this b/c you are a breeder?

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I have had two English Springer Spaniels from backyard breeders. Both owners were nice, took good care of their homes and their animals, and had papers on their dogs. Neither one knew a thing and neither did I. Our first one was the runt and did grow to be a big Springer. She also had droopy eyes ( a springer problem), developed cataracts, and arthritis, and had hearing loss at a young age. She was the sweetest dog who ever lived, but she did have health problems. Our second Springer - again papered parents, beautiful home, well-cared for pups - has had orthopedic problems from the get-go as well as anxiety problems. He also is a wonderful but anxious dog and just had $4,000 worth of surgery on his leg - chance of needing it on the other leg - 70%! Both of these dogs came from lines with champions, but their parents shouldn't have been bred together and an experienced breeder would have known that.

[Melissa & Porter]

Check out the pictures in my album. You'll see two dogs who look the same size--one considered the beast of his med ald litter and one a mini gd--with the price to match.

My med/standard labradoodle is 63 lbs and from 40 lbs parents. My neighbor's mini goldendoodle is maybe 40 lbs and taller than my dog. His parents were a mini poodle and a small f1 goldendoodle. When his fur is in he looks the same size or bigger than my dog. Crazy, right? My dog is tall enough to steal food though, while hers is not interested. Her dog pulls 10x harder on the leash even though mine is heavier.

This is a bit rambly--sorry. My point is that I agree other posters, you can't really know what you are going to get in a litter, especially when the parents are so drastically different. I think the legs of my neighbor's mini would be a problem if they were even a cm longer. And on a hike this weekend we came across a labradoodle with a thick lab body and verrrry short legs. Beautiful in his own way, don't get me wrong, but I worry that such anatomy mismatches can lead to injury and health problems.