The Vet’s Guide to Labradoodles: Facts, Care, and Training Tips

A playful Oodle breed, Labradoodles are a Labrador and Poodle mix who have lovable and energetic personalities. Labradoodles were originally bred to be guide dogs for those with allergies, making them highly intelligent and friendly. Being a mix between the loveable Labrador and intelligent Poodle, Labradoodles are a cross-breed rather than a standalone dog breed.

• Labradoodles are very high energy dogs! To help avoid destructive behaviours that result from boredom, be sure to give your pup lots of exercise throughout the day, by walks, activities or play sessions.

• This breed is also very lovable! Labradoodles are great for families as they are generally very friendly and loving dogs to have in a home with children.

• Labradoodles are a highly intelligent breed that needs a lot of mental stimulation to keep their mind sharp. Be sure to keep them occupied through interactive games, and get them into obedience training early to benefit off their intellect.

Appearance: Labradoodles can vary in sizes, from miniatures at 6.5 to 12 kilograms, to standard sizes at 23 to 45 kilograms, meaning that you can find the perfect pup for your family. This Oodle’s appearance also varies from each dog, as they can have high resemblance to their Labrador heritage and have a larger body, or a higher resemblance to their Poodle heritage and have a curlier coat.

Temperament: Labradoodles are a very high energy breed that require frequent love and attention from their families. Whilst Labradoodles are very energetic, they are also known for being highly trainable and gentle with children, making them perfect family dogs.

Activity Level: Labradoodles need a lot of exercise to keep up with their very energetic nature. It is recommended that you give your dog regular opportunities to exercise, making sure they get anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours of exercise a day (depending on their size). This will help maintain a healthy lifestyle, along with preventing them from becoming bored and possibly destructive.

Health: This dog breed is considered to be a relatively healthy breed, with notable health conditions stemming from genetic and inherited diseases. Check with your breeder, or with your Labradoodle’s medical history for conditions such as Joint Dysplasia that affect the dog’s elbows and hips. This can be treated with physical therapy, or surgery for more extreme cases.

Also look out for Progressive Retinal Atrophy, which is a disease found in Labradoodle that degenerates eye health and can lead to blindness. By taking your Labradoodle in for genetic testing, you can begin treating these conditions early. 

Lifespan: The average lifespan of a Labradoodle is 12 to 16 years, with smaller sized Labradoodles often living longer than larger ones. Both Poodles and Labradors have average lifespans of around 12 years, so you can spend many years with your furry friend!

Due to their Oodle family, Labradoodles are well known for being great dogs for people with allergies. This breed sheds minimally, especially if they have a more wool-look coat, meaning that there is less day-to-day maintenance required to  keep up with loose hairs. However, Labradoodles with higher genetic influence from their Poodle parents will require grooming upkeep to ensure their coat stays knot-free and healthy.

Shedding patterns: Whilst Labradoodles were bred to originally create a non-shedding breed, this factor is highly influenced by the genetic makeup of your Labradoodle. If your dog has a wiry coat or fur that more closely resembles that of their Labrador parent, they are more likely to shed, compared to a Labradoodle with a woollen coat that looks more like their Poodle parent.

However, no matter the type of coat your Labradoodle has, they are still known for their hypoallergenic nature. Brushing them at least once per week with a slicker brush will help keep any loose hairs at bay, and keep your Labradoodle’s coat looking fresh.

Bathing tips: Your Labradoodle may get into some messy situations, especially when they are a puppy, where they will need to be bathed afterward. Generally, we recommend bathing your Labradoodle once a month to keep their coat clean, but this can vary depending on activities and specific situations.

To help make your bathing experience a good one, we recommend introducing baths to your Labradoodle at a young age to get them used to the water. Be sure to brush through your Labradoodle’s coat before their bath, as this makes detangling their fur much easier, and more comfortable for the dog. We then recommend using a gentle shampoo to freshen up their fur, followed by a gentle conditioner to keep their fur smooth and healthy. 

When drying your Labradoodle, be sure to do it thoroughly to prevent any knotting or detangling. We recommend patting them dry with a towel, or using a blowdryer to avoid rubbing their coat and causing knots.

Nails: Be sure to monitor the growth of your Labradoodle’s nails, as long nails can begin to cause discomfort for your dog. You can wear down your Labradoodle’s nails naturally through activities such as frequent walks to avoid the discomfort of overgrown nails.

If your dog’s nails are becoming too long, we recommend using dog nail clippers to trim them carefully. Try to introduce nail trimming early on with your Labradoodle to best avoid any difficulties with this.

Professional grooming: Whilst you can successfully maintain your Labradoodle’s grooming at home, taking them to a professional groomer for a haircut can make your life much easier, and ensure your Labradoodle is comfortable. Labradoodles benefit from making a trip to the groomer every six weeks to get a cut. With a professional groomer, you can also have their ears cleaned and their nails trimmed!

Like many dog breeds, Labradoodles use their bark to communicate. This doesn’t mean that Labradoodles are excessive barkers, as they are friendly and kind dogs, but it does mean that they will bark from time to time. There are an array of reasons your Labradoodle may bark, but there are also great ways to train them to minimise their barking.

Attention: With their high energy personality and loving nature, you need to make sure your Labradoodle is getting the proper amount of attention throughout the day. If not, they may begin to bark for your attention, as they will feel ignored.

To help prevent this, we recommend providing your Labradoodle frequent attention throughout the day. When this isn’t possible, be sure to provide your Labradoodle with mentally stimulating activities such as puzzle toys or help settle them in a cosy area with their favourite toy.

Anxiety: Labradoodles are very social and lovable dogs, so they might experience some separation anxiety. This can then lead to excessive barking and even destructive behaviours.

We recommend spending time with your Labradoodle to try and assure them of their safety whilst you're away. It is also helpful to provide your dog with activities, such as lick mats or long lasting chews to keep them occupied.

Protection: As loyal dogs, Labradoodles can bark as a sign of protection of their owners. If they see passersby out the window, or believe they are in danger, they may begin barking to alert you. To help minimise this barking, we recommend reassuring your pup that they aren’t in danger.

Our training tips: When trying to train out unwanted barking behaviours, we recommend using the positive reinforcement model. This means ignoring unwanted behaviours, as to not give attention to them, and rewarding wanted ones. You can reward your Labradoodle with high value treats, positive talk or affection - whatever they love most!

Refrain from yelling at your Labradoodle, even in moments of frustration, as this will scare them and may lead to anxiety, more barking or destructive behaviours.

Labradoodles are very intelligent dog breeds, originally designed to become guide dogs for people with allergies. This means that they are highly trainable, making them a great family pet. We recommend starting training with your Labradoodle from an early age to make learning new commands easier as they get older

Intelligence: Labradoodles are highly intelligent dogs, meaning that they are often quite easy to train. Getting them into obedience and basic training as soon as possible is always recommended, and it is likely that you’ll see them excel in this.

A positive of your Labradoodle’s intelligence is that it also extends to potty training! Responding well to positive reinforcement methods, your pup will be easily toilet trained due to their eagerness to please in tandem with their intelligent nature.

Socialisation: To give your Labradoodle the best chance at being friendly around other dogs and people, as well as taking well to training, we recommend socialising them as early as possible. You can do this safely in secure settings such as a local puppy school or with controlled meets with known people during their puppy-hood.

Benefits of puppy school: Introducing your Labradoodle to puppy school will not only aid in their socialisation, but is also a great way to start basic obedience training. Puppy school is an accessible way to familiarise your Labradoodle with other dogs, helping them with social based skills as they grow older. Your pup can also start learning some basic commands that will become the foundation of obedience training.

A lot of veterinary practices put on puppy school classes to ensure a safe environment for puppies that are a bit more vulnerable. You can rest assured that your puppy is getting training and care from professionals in a controlled environment.

Obedience: By being an extremely intelligent breed, Labradoodles are known to excel in obedience. To further your pup’s obedience skills, you can enrol them in obedience training classes. Through enrolling your Labradoodle in obedience classes, you can keep their mind sharp whilst also providing them mental stimulation and physical exercise.

Common training issues: As Labradoodles are generally a very smart breed, it is unlikely that you will experience excessive training issues. However, you might encounter some difficulty in settling your Labradoodle down, especially during walk time when they are prone to pull on the leash. We recommend introducing your pup to leash training at an early age to get them used to walking by your side.

If you encounter any training issues, such as stubbornness or uncontrollable barking, be sure to continue using positive reinforcement for wanted behaviours.

As a highly energetic and active breed, Labradoodles require not only daily physical exercise, but also mental stimulation. Be sure to make time in your daily and weekly schedule to take your pup out for a walk, play session or fun activity to keep their bodies and minds healthy.

Regular walks: An easy way to give your Labradoodle some exercise is through frequent walks. We recommend taking your pup on a 30 to 60 minute walk a day to make sure that they stay happy and healthy. To help make walks with your Labradoodle a breeze, we also recommend introducing leashed walking to your dog at a young age. This will help prevent excessive pulling and unwanted leash behaviour in the future.

Play sessions: Along with frequent walks with your Labradoodle, having play sessions throughout the day counts as great exercise for them. By keeping them active in a fun and creative way through tug of war toys and durable toys can prove to be very effective with exercising your Labradoodle whilst bonding with them. 

This breed is often known for being well behaved, calm and great around other people. However, some behavioural issues may arise due to a number of reasons. Be sure to find the root of the issue instead of labelling them as a “bad dog”, as unwanted behaviours can be trained out with some patience and persistence.

Chewing: With their highly energetic personality and intelligence, Labradoodles need daily exercise. If your pup goes long periods without a walk, playtime or activity, it may lead to boredom and even destructive behaviours such as chewing.

If left with a lack of activity, your Labradoodle can resort to chewing on your furniture, shoes or other items in your home. To avoid returning to a chewed up mess when you get home from work, we recommend taking your pup on daily walks, along with providing them with activities such as chew toys and puzzle toys to keep them occupied.

Separation Anxiety: As described earlier, your Labradoodle may experience separation anxiety. Whilst this can result in excessive barking, it can also cause destructive behaviours such as chewing.

To help soothe your pup and keep them occupied when you’re gone, we recommend providing them with long-lasting activities such as puzzle games, lick mats, treat toys or long lasting chews. To avoid your Labradoodle associating these activities with you leaving the home, be sure to also provide this activity for them when you are in the room.

Jumping: Labradoodles are a high energy breed, and this can often lead to jumping. Either on furniture or people, it is an unwanted behaviour that should be addressed. Excessive jumping can be a result of excitement of a new face, or pent up energy from not being exercised enough.

It is essential that you train this behaviour out of your Labradoodle, as you don’t want them bowling over children or people alike. Be sure to reward your pup when all four paws are on the ground; it can be helpful to use the “sit” command when someone is entering your home to make sure they stay on the ground. It is also very important that you and your visitors keep a calm demeanour, so as to not over-excite your Labradoodle.

It is very important that you are meeting the nutritional requirements of your Labradoodle, especially given their active lifestyle. Be sure to find a Labradoodle or Oodle specific dog food to make sure that their needs are being met. The type and quantity of food you feed your Labradoodle will also depend on their size, so be sure to consult package directions or specific instructions from your vet.

High quality dry food: We recommend feeding your Labradoodle a high quality dry food for their daily meals. This is to help prevent excessive tartar build up on their teeth, which this breed is prone to. 

The dry food you choose for your Labradoodle should consist of quality ingredients that are high in fat and protein. This nutrients they receive from their meals helps to keep them healthy with their energetic personality. We recommend finding dog food with quality ingredients, such as real chicken, and avoid filling  your pup’s diet with artificial fillers that won’t provide them with the adequate calories or nutrients.

Hydration: Like all dog breeds, Labradoodles need adequate amounts of fresh water every day to ensure they stay happy and healthy. To help encourage your pup to stay hydrated throughout the day, we recommend providing them constant access to water throughout the day. A well-hydrated Labradoodle will have a healthy coat, and will also help you avoid dehydration-related ailments such as breathing trouble and loss of appetite. 

Meal frequency: Whilst portion sizes of each meal for your Labradoodle will depend on their size, the frequency of meals throughout the day should stay the same. We recommend feeding your Labradoodle twice a day to discourage overeating, which can lead to indigestion in your pup. This will also help them develop a healthy appetite for their food, helping fuel their high energy personality.

Whether you have an Labradoodle or you're thinking about getting one, we hope you learnt something by reading our article. Whilst this guide is great start to learning about Labradoodle ownership, never stop seeking out new information from reputable sources. Share your experiences with other Labradoodle owners, and always continue to learn more about your dogs breed, temperament and how best to care for and love them.

This article was written by Dr. Jack Ayerbe