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Labradoodles vs. Poodles

Labradoodles and Poodles are great breeds for dog owners who want indoor dogs that don’t make a huge mess. For years, Poodles have been popular amongst dog lover with allergies. They don’t cause a terrible allergic response in allergy sufferers and don’t leave a lot of fur on the furniture. That’s why Poodles are often bred with other breeds, to make hypoallergenic versions of other popular pups. Labradoodles combine the sweet disposition of the Labrador Retriever with the cleanliness of the Poodle. Both breeds are intelligent, friendly, and good with children, making them good family dogs. They are easy to care for, so they are fine for first time dog owners. Due to their similar bloodlines, they share many characteristics. However, the Labrador part of the Labradoodle makes them a unique cross breed.

Background

While they aren’t typically used as working dogs today, Poodles were once bred to retrieve waterfowl for hunters. It’s possible that the way groomers typically cut their hair is a result of the fact that hunters often shaved their poodles so their fur wouldn’t get caught on branches in the water, but left it longer in some places for insulation and protection. They are obedient and their intelligence helps them be a dog that can be trained easily. Labradoodles were first bred in Australia to be hypoallergenic service dogs. They used the Labrador Retriever for the cross because Labs are good workers. Their obedient, gentle disposition makes them a good breed for guiding and comforting people.

General Appearance

Because of the popularity of Miniature and Toy Poodles, many people forget that the Standard Poodle is a good sized dog. Poodles grow up to 16-22 inches and weigh around 45-70 pounds. Labradoodles grow up to be 21-24 inches and weigh about 50-65 pounds. Labradoodles are tall dogs, but they don’t weigh as much as other dogs of their height. Both breeds have floppy ears and tails that are not docked. If these breeds are too big for you, both have smaller versions of the standard breeds. Female Poodles tend to be smaller than male Poodles, but the male and female Labradoodles are comparable in size.

Coat Type

Poodles have a very recognizable coat. It is thick, curly, and wiry. This breed can be white, silver, black, black and tan, brown, red, or blue. They don’t shed very much, so you never have to worry about them leaving you with a handful of fur when you pet them. This also helps keep your drains clean if you bathe them yourself. Since the Labradoodle is a cross between a straight haired dog and a curly haired dog, this gives them their signature wavy coat. The most common coats for this breed are silky and wiry. Their coat can also be medium length or long. They shed slightly more than the Poodle, but compared to other dogs, they hardly shed at all. They come in a wide variety of colors including black, blue, brindle, red, golden, white, and silver, among others.



Grooming is necessary with both of these breeds. The Labradoodle may need an occasional trip to the groomer to keep their faces nice and trimmed. Poodles, on the other hand, require a lot of work. Even if you’re not planning on preparing your pup for any dog shows, they will still need fairly frequent trips to the groomer. Even though their coat takes a lot of work, it can be fun giving your Poodle different hairstyles. However, if you want a hypoallergenic dog and you don’t have the time or resources to groom a Poodle, a Labradoodle is a good option.



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Categories: Poodle
Sharon Becker: