THINK POODLES ARE TOO "FROO-FROO"?-THESE DOGS ARE NOT LABRADOODLES!-BUT YOU COULD HAVE FOOLED ME!-ALL OF YOU SHOULD READ THIS

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Think Poodles are too "froo froo"?

These dogs are STANDARD POODLES

This is an example of a poodle breeder who cares about the health, welfare and lines of their dogs. All puppies are health tested and raised IN THE HOME. All puppies have at least a 10 GENERATION PEDIGREE.


Read what this breeder says about Doodle Breeding Programs

QUESTION: Why are we not breeding our Poodles to Labs or Golden Retrievers?

"As owners of Standard Poodles we at one time considered breeding Labradoodles. We had heard some pretty fantastic claims about the Labradoodles. Fortunately we found out the truth. Here are six common misconceptions:"

1. They don't shed and are allergy friendly.

Fact: Most Lab X Standard Poodles will shed (about 1 in every litter will not shed).Most will aggravate allergies. It takes multi-generational breeding to breeding that reduce the allergy. This means most Lab X Poodle will shed and aggravate allergies and asthma like any other dog may.

A note about shedding:
There is no way to know for sure if a cross-bred pup will not shed until it gets its adult coat (between 12-18 months old). Some pups appear not to shed until the adult coat comes in.

2. They are easier to train than a Lab.

Fact: Due to the crossing of two different breeds there can be absolutely no guarantee a cross-bred pup will inherit the easy to train Standard Poodle personality.
It could inherit the Lab train ability.... which is not a bad thing... Labs are not stupid! But it typically takes more repetitions to train a Lab.

3. Lower maintenance breed! I will not have to cut the non-shedding coat!

Fact: The non-shedding coat needs to be cut 3-4 times a year. (Same as a Poodle) Regular brushing is a must or the dog will get matts and matts can be a breeding ground for parasites! (same as a Poodle) As well all ear hair must be plucked so the ears won't get infected - (same as a Poodle.)

4. They are the latest fad! A new breed!

Fact: YES they are the latest fad! Unfortunately that means once they are no longer a fad there will be many homeless pups in animal shelters. This has already begun in the USA and Australia. Many of these new 'designer dogs' are available at a
discount prices at animal shelters. They are not a new breed yet! The Labradoodle (or Goldendoodle) will not be considered a new breed genetically speaking until breeding two Labradoodles together will produce off spring which all look and act similar to all Labradoodles. A breeding must produce the same type (phenotype) and only that type
generation after generation. This is also called breeding true or having a stabilized breed.

5. They are cute!

Fact: The curly haired Labradoodle looks as he does because his hair is cut into the 'Labradoodle' cut. (Anyone with a quality pair of clippers and a bit of time can learn to clip ANY curly dog into the same cut! This is not rocket science!) The thing to remember is ALL puppies are cute. No one can tell what a cross-breed will look like when it is an adult! Remember most of the dogs life will be spent as an adult. That cute puppy stage only lasts for a few MONTHS

6. They will be healthier because they are not inbred like purebred dogs.

Fact: Not all Pure-Bred dogs are inbred. Our Poodles are not inbred! Pure Bred Standard Poodles are statistically the healthiest and longest lived breed of dog.
There is a misconception that by breeding two different breeds together you will produce a healthier dog. Unfortunately this is not true. A Labradoodle can get the genetic problems common in BOTH breeds instead of just one.

One mis-informed Labradoodle breeder wrote:

"90% of all dog genetic health problems are recessive. This means that in order for a puppy to have the health problem, both parents must carry it. By breeding two dogs of different breeds, without similar health problems, we are breeding puppies with far less health problems! Crossbred dogs have far less health problems, (hybrid vigor)."

Using this theory the Lab should hot be bred to the Standard Poodle because they share most of the same health issues! Obviously this breeder did not do their genetic research.

The bottom line is both purebred and cross-bred dogs are susceptible to potential health problems. The best way to reduce the risk of health problems is to not inbreed, health test breeding stock and MOST importantly make sure your breeder does extensive 10 generation pedigree research."

[Adina P]

I think poodles are GRRRREAT! And I agree that they probably fit the bill much better for those that want a guaranteed non-shedder. I would like one in the future. But as far as doodles go I'm an F1 fan--shedding doesn't matter and matting does =) Both of mine shed, both of mine are 99% matt free =)

So for me, as far as looks go, I prefer the 50/50 mix to either pure breed. But some day, when I get sick of shedding...I'm gonna get a standard poodle! But for some reason I always like the non-breed standard ones: loose curls, taller than average. Same with labs...I like the tallest, lankiest labs rather than the more common short-and-stocky show ones I've seen locally.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

I love poodles too!....but before I became educated, I never would have considered adopting a poodle! I think that many people are misinformed about poodles and have this idea in their heads that they are prissy, delicate and all have those crazy show coat cuts......Truth is that if you leave a poodle with it's tail intact and allow them to grow in and clip them with a "puppy cut" or "teddy bear cut"(the doodle cut) it's almost impossible to tell a poodle from an F1B or multi-gen doodle.....I just wanted to try to educate a bit by starting this discussion here on DK...I think that poodles get a "bad wrap".....

[Adina P]

It is pretty strange how froo froo the show cuts can be on a dog that was bred to work...LOL

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Actually in the beginning there is a valid reason for that froo froo cut. This is from the AKC website discribing the Poodle standard.

The breed originated in Germany as a water retriever. The stylish "Poodle clip" was designed by hunters to help the dogs move through the water more efficiently. The patches of hair left on the body are meant to protect vital organs and joints which are susceptible to cold. The Standard variety is the oldest of the three varieties.

[1xar0x2rcx0li]

I love poodles too, and I would welcome a "pro-poodle" article explaining their benefits. That article is a typical anti-doodle bashing that we see from poodle breeders. I disagree with most of their explainations about the "myths". They dont really know much about labradoodles.

[Tricia, Shiloh, Fenway & Tessie]

I was raised with a poodle, my mom never wanted a shedding dog. Our family pet from the time I was 3 until he died when I was 17....was our poodle, Dino (yes, I named him from the flintstones....I was THREE) He was the best dog ever....my dad was military and everywhere we went, so did Dino....even to Germany for 3 years! I think my memories of him are part of the reason I wanted a doodle....and Shiloh looks ALOT like he did. =) Ahhhhhh, memories!

[Nancy Sunderland]

OMG, I had a dog named Dino too as a child! (born in '77)

[Stella]

Don't they look awesome! I love to see them with their tails intact and a regular haircut! It is such a shame that most people think of toy poodles when you say 'poodle'. People can't understand why our LD is so large, and when I explain his dad was a standard poodle, most of the time they don't know what I am talking about.

Looks wise I love the F1, our older dog is an F1 and IMHO he is so handsome! He pretty much ended up exactly halfway between a poodle and a lab, in structure and coat.

[April Cliber]

Ugh, I really don't like it that I feel the need to defend breeding doodles on a website created for doodle lovers.

Has this breeder ever owned and raised a doodle? If not, her "research" is what other people think or have told her and not what she knows from experience.

1) Many, many doodles are allergy friendly and are better then a lab or a golden retriever for allergies and asthma. Some are not, that's why no doodle breeder should promise a shed free or 100% allergy friendly dog.

2) Can't really comment on training a lab, but do know that many doodle owners rave about how smart their pups are and how fast they trained. Poodles are also smart! No denying that, but IMO, doodles are more friendly and out going.

3) Doodles ARE lower maintenance then a poodle. My poodle MUST be groomed every 6 weeks, and his ears need to be cleaned thoroughly at least twice a week. My doodles get groomed about every 12-14 weeks and their ears only need to be cleaned every few weeks.

4) They absolutely are not a fad. I don't think a fad lasts more then 15 years. Yes, I know poodles have been around much longer, but ALL breeds started at some point. No, they don't breed true, but the uniqueness is what many people like about them. Yes, you can find them in shelters, but many breeders are doing their part to help. ESN and re-homing are a couple of ways.

5) We all know doodles are cute, as are poodles, and deeper generation doodles do look similar to poodles. Most doodles still have thicker boning. If it is a repeat litter, you do have a good idea of what a doodle will look like as an adult.

6) All doodle breeders as well a poodle breeders should be health testing! Hybrid vigor does occur when you cross breed and they do tend to be healthier. Parents still need to be health tested because it is true that retrievers and poodles can have some similar genetic problems.

Bottom line, IMO. Poodles are beautiful, wonderful dogs. So are doodles, but they are different. Doodles do have a specific look to them. Poodles are finer boned and do have a longer nose. There are also temperament differences as well.

I expect to find this type of post on other forums, but really tire of reading about it on DK.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Thank you for contributing to this discussion April.....Personally, I don't like the "fad" comment either nor do I agree with it.....I just wanted to take an opportunity to educate people about the breed that is genetically responsible for the majority of wonderful qualities that their doodles happen to possess...It wasn't meant as a dig towards responsible, reputable breeders so please don't take any offense or feel the need to defend your breeding program....You pointed out some wonderful facts in what you posted which I was hoping would happen....Thank you again for posting!...and thank you for being a responsible, reputable breeder and a supporter of rescue..

[Rose]

I love poodles and doodles! Here is a photo of my double doodle Blaze. He looks just like the third poodle in this post.

[Lorraine Bromley]

Can I ask what is meant by Double doodle. I love the name Blaze too