The History of the Australian Labradoodle About 40 years ago, a trainer for the Royal Guide Dogs Association crossed a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle in an attempt to create an allergy friendly guide dog for an allergic client. One of the three pups produced by this mating proved to be allergy friendly. This trainer, Wally Conran, called his creation the Labradoodle. He went on to breed Labradoodles to Labradoodles which he called DoubleDoodles and DoubleDoodles to DoubleDoodles which he called TriDoodles. The majority of these dogs did not prove to be allergy friendly and his program was abandoned. But, of the 31 puppies Wally bred, 29 proved to have the intelligence and trainability to become guide dogs. The dream of creating a highly intelligent and trainable human companion with an allergy friendly, non shedding coat is being continued by a number of highly qualified, conscientious U.S. and Canadian Breeders. These breeders continue the dream and add the extensive health testing as well as the important element of socialization of the puppies in a home environment that had been lacking in the dogs from Australia. Over the years, other breeds have been infused into some of the lines of the Multi-generation Australian Labradoodle. These breeds were carefully chosen to enhance specific characteristics in the Labradoodle. The infused breeds include : Lab Poodle (toy, mini, and standard) Irish Water Spaniel Curley Coated Retriever 5. American Cocker Spaniel 6. English Cocker Spaniel The Irish Water Spaniel was the first non-Poodle/Labrador used in the development of the Australian Labradoodle. The main goal of this Parent breed infusion was to produce the rich chocolate color in the Australian Labradoodle that you now see today without loosing the Allergy and Asthma friendly coat. The Curly Coat Retriever followed bringing back some of the “Retriever” qualities into the Australian Labradoodle. The English and American Cocker Spaniel are the last recognized Parent Breeds of the Australian Labradoodle. Their use with that of the miniature poodle was to develop the miniature size (13-17 inches) in the Australian Labradoodle. The Cocker gave the miniature size the boning/stockiness that was being lost by managing the size purely with miniature poodles. The name Labradoodle was retained because the foundation is and always will be the Labrador and Poodle. The name Australian Labradoodle has come to represent the multi-generation dogs that have all the original Parent Breeds in their lineage. Just as a Pitbull Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier are very different dogs, but share the name “Terrier”, Australian Labradoodles are very different dogs than a Labradoodle - they just share the name Labradoodle. Australian Labradoodles have been bred to be human companions and helpers and just plain wonderful family pets. Though careful selective breeding they are consistently low to non-shedding and most have allergy friendly coats. They are very intelligent, non-aggressive and easily trainable. For more information about this wonderful breed, please visit the web sites of the organizations formed to support the development of the breed: The Australian Labradoode Association of America Return to Doodle Info

Seaspray Australian Labradoodles

The History of the Australian Labradoodle

About 40 years ago, a trainer for the Royal Guide Dogs Association crossed a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle in an attempt to create an allergy friendly guide dog for an allergic client. One of the three pups produced by this mating proved to be allergy friendly. This trainer, Wally Conran, called his creation the Labradoodle. He went on to breed Labradoodles to Labradoodles which he called DoubleDoodles and DoubleDoodles to DoubleDoodles which he called TriDoodles. The majority of these dogs did not prove to be allergy friendly and his program was abandoned. But, of the 31 puppies Wally bred, 29 proved to have the intelligence and trainability to become guide dogs.

The dream of creating a highly intelligent and trainable human companion with an allergy friendly, non shedding coat is being continued by a number of highly qualified, conscientious U.S. and Canadian Breeders. These breeders continue the dream and add the extensive health testing as well as the important element of socialization of the puppies in a home environment that had been lacking in the dogs from Australia.

Over the years, other breeds have been infused into some of the lines of the Multi-generation Australian Labradoodle. These breeds were carefully chosen to enhance specific characteristics in the Labradoodle. The infused breeds include :

1. Lab
2. Poodle (toy, mini, and standard)
3. Irish Water Spaniel
4. Curley Coated Retriever

5. American Cocker Spaniel

6. English Cocker Spaniel

The Irish Water Spaniel was the first non-Poodle/Labrador used in the development of the Australian Labradoodle. The main goal of this Parent breed infusion was to produce the rich chocolate color in the Australian Labradoodle that you now see today without loosing the Allergy and Asthma friendly coat. The Curly Coat Retriever followed bringing back some of the “Retriever” qualities into the Australian Labradoodle.

The English and American Cocker Spaniel are the last recognized Parent Breeds of the Australian Labradoodle. Their use with that of the miniature poodle was to develop the miniature size (13-17 inches) in the Australian Labradoodle. The Cocker gave the miniature size the boning/stockiness that was being lost by managing the size purely with miniature poodles.

The name Labradoodle was retained because the foundation is and always will be the Labrador and Poodle. The name Australian Labradoodle has come to represent the multi-generation dogs that have all the original Parent Breeds in their lineage. Just as a Pitbull Terrier and Yorkshire Terrier are very different dogs, but share the name “Terrier”, Australian Labradoodles are very different dogs than a Labradoodle - they just share the name Labradoodle. Australian Labradoodles have been bred to be human companions and helpers and just plain wonderful family pets.

Though careful selective breeding they are consistently low to non-shedding and most have allergy friendly coats. They are very intelligent, non-aggressive and easily trainable.

For more information about this wonderful breed, please visit the web sites of the organizations formed to support the development of the breed:

The Australian Labradoode Association of America

Return to Doodle Info