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Why Breed a Labradoodle With a Poodle
Of course, to get a Labradoodle, you have to breed a Labrador with a Poodle. However, the first-generation Labradoodle will exhibit certain traits from each breed. In some cases, a first-generation mix will have all of the traits that you want from the dog.
But if you’re breeding a Labradoodle so that the dog won’t shed, breeding a Poodle and Labrador might not be enough. Luckily, you can breed a Labradoodle with a Poodle. Breeding the two will still mean that the dog has some Labrador qualities.
After breeding a mix with a pure Poodle, the new litter will have a better chance of having the coat of a poodle. The litter can still have the personality of a Labrador, and they can make good service dogs. However, you won’t have to worry about the excess shedding that’s common among pure Labradors.
Mixing breeds can be hard since you won’t have control over the outcome. However, if your goal is to get a dog that won’t shed much or trigger allergies, you should breed a Labradoodle with a Poodle. But make sure that you know the different terms so that you can breed the right generations to get the results you want.
Through the Generations
Even though a Labradoodle can be a great combination of a Lab’s personality and a Poodle’s coat, the dogs aren’t perfect. The first generation mix will be, of course, 50 percent Labrador and 50 percent poodle. While that mix is better for someone with allergies than a pure Labrador, you can do better.
- F1 is the term for a first-generation Labradoodle, who has one Labrador parent and one Poodle parent. These dogs can often shed since they’re so close to a pure Labrador.
- Breeding an F1 Labradoodle with a Poodle will give you a dog with the label F1b. These dogs usually have a fleece coat, which won’t shed.
- You can also cross future generations of Labradoodles with Poodles. Each subsequent generation will have more Poodle genes and a better chance of not shedding.
Breeding a Labradoodle with a Poodle is an excellent way to get a Labradoodle with a more Poodle-like coat. You can breed multiple generations of Labradoodles to still have a mix but have more Poodle genes involved. Then, you won’t have to worry as much about allergies or shedding.
Related article: Is F1 or F2 Labradoodle Better?
Potential Problems
When breeding a Labradoodle with a Poodle, you need to be careful. Especially if you don’t have a ton of dogs, you should make sure that you don’t breed dogs who are closely related. Inbreeding can be a huge issue for many dogs, and it can be harder to avoid when breeding multiple generations of dogs.
The first generation of Labradoodle is the easiest since it combines a pure Labrador with a pure Poodle. However, If you use Labradoodles for breeding more generations, you may not have a very large gene pool.
Luckily, breeding a Labradoodle with a Poodle can also help avoid these problems, but you still need to be careful. You don’t want to breed a Labradoodle with a Poodle from the same lineage.
Labradoodles can also have other health problems, even if you breed them with Poodles. Eye problems and hormonal issues aren’t uncommon in Labradoodles. And while you can’t avoid these issues, you should be aware of them when breeding Labradoodles and Poodles.
Common Diseases in Labradoodles
One common disease that affects about 8.6 percent of Labradoodles is Addison’s Disease. It causes the pituitary gland to produce an excessive amount of adrenocorticotropic hormone. The disease can cause symptoms like weakness, weight loss, excessive thirst, and lack of appetite.
Another problem to watch for is joint dysplasia, which can affect a dog’s activity levels. Some cases may go away with physical therapy, but other dogs may require surgery.
Other diseases include Progressive Retinal Atrophy and Multifocal Retinal Dysplasia. Both diseases can lead to blindness, but you can test dogs for the diseases before breeding them. Then, you can reduce the risk of a new litter developing these conditions.
While you may not be able to prevent a dog from developing health problems, you should do your best to reduce the risk. By doing genetic testing and choosing dogs who aren’t closely related, you can increase the chances of breeding a Labradoodle and Poodle to produce healthy offspring.
Best Breeding Practices
If you want to breed a Labradoodle and a Poodle, you should know some best practices. Some breeders will only breed F1 Labradoodles, and they won’t breed multiple generations. Doing so can limit the gene pool, which can lead to inbreeding and health problems.
You don’t have to limit yourself to F1 Labradoodles, and breeding Labradoodles with Poodles can bring more genes into the mix. If you also breed two Labradoodles, you should breed one with a Poodle every so often.
Since breeding an F1 Labradoodle with a Poodle will result in a litter of F1b Labradoodles, that litter can also be a good option for breeding. However, you want to make sure the Poodle that you breed the F1b with is healthy and unrelated to the Labradoodle.
Also, before breeding any dog, you should get genetic testing done to make sure the dog won’t pass on genetic diseases. If you plan to work as a breeder, testing is well worth the cost. Even when you’re starting, you should plan to test for common genetic issues like Addison’s Disease.
What to Ask Your Breeder
If you are working with a breeder to breed a Labradoodle and a Poodle, you need to make sure they follow the best practices.
To do so, you should ask your breeder which generation the Labradoodle is.
You should also inquire about its lineage. Have your breeder select a Poodle outside of that lineage to make sure the litter will be healthy.
And of course, don’t be afraid to check out a couple of breeders to find the right one. After all, you want to make sure you get the best dog for you.
Multiple Generations
The further into breeding Labradoodles that you get, the more you should breed Labradoodles with Poodles. While you can breed Labradoodles together, you want to make sure you don’t limit the genetic diversity.
You don’t have to breed every generation of Labradoodle with a Poodle. However, you should bring in a Poodle every couple of generations, which is a process called backcrossing. Breeding multigenerational Labradoodles may reduce the risk of shedding and allergies, but a Poodle can help even more.
Conclusion
Breeding a Labradoodle with a Poodle is a fantastic way to reduce the chance that future generations will shed. However, you should consider a few things, like the health of the parents, before you breed. Then, you can make sure you have a happy, healthy litter of Labradoodles.
