Super popular labradoodles are so adorable, loyal, smart and friendly, but they are expensive to adopt and understanding their traits will help a smooth transition. Labradoodles are often brought home without any clear understanding of what goes into owning one. Many end up in the care of shelters or rescues because of this. Here are our top 7 things to watch for
1. Energy
Other Labradoodles are more like Labs: rowdy, slow to mature, and prone to shed as often as they breathe.The Labradoodle can be a high-energy dog. They require about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise per day.
Your new Labradoodle will love lots of opportunities to exercise right from the start. They like to have long walks, even as a puppy. Adult dogs may need to go more than a mile before they even get warmed up to the experience. It helps to have a fenced-in yard where they can play without a leash, but you’ll be doing 2-3 long walks a day when your labradoodle is young.
If that puppy energy is not exercised out, then destructive behaviors tend to develop with this designer hybrid. Chewing furniture, shoes, and anything else they can find is a common trait. There tends to be more barking from them as well, especially if they want to go outside and you’re not obliging the request. Labradoodles need exercise for their mental and physical health, so you might want a different option dog if your family is more laid back.
2. Smart
Labradoodles automatically assume that they are at the head of the pack. They picture themselves as being the alpha in their pack. Since humans get counted in those numbers, you’ll find that older dogs can be stubborn sometimes when you try to train them. You may see a lot of resistance to verbal commands, demands on food, or efforts to take your favorite chair or bed spot during the early days of your relationship. That’s why you must remain consistent with your training. You will get on the same page eventually with most pups.
Labradoodles are intelligent and need to be mentally and physically stimulated. If they aren’t, they can become destructive and hard to handle. In addition, they need to be intellectually stimulated; they’re smart and energetic, so if they become bored, they can become a destruction machine.
3. Destruction
Most destructive behavior is born out of boredom. Abundant attention from you–plus ample mental and physical stimulation–will keep her content, fulfilled, and less inclined to dig or chew.Like many undesirable canine behaviors, destructive habits usually develop because a dog is bored, lonely, or both. It’s not fair or realistic to expect your dog–especially a working breed –to spend long hours quietly sitting and waiting for your return. By nature dogs are curious and sentient beings; see that she has enough mental and physical stimulation to minimize the impulse to dig and chew.Like every dog, the Labradoodle needs early socialization–exposure to many different people, sights, sounds, and experiences–when they’re young. Socialization helps ensure that your Labradoodle puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.
4. Barking
Barking is one of the largest deciding factors for many people when discussing which dog they should get. Having a barking dog isn’t something that most families would want as a pet. Labradoodles are considered to be moderate barkers. They normally do not bark without reason. But with different triggers, a Labradoodle may bark fairly often. Thankfully, Labradoodles are extremely intelligent and can easily be trained not to bark. Labradoodles can bark quite often. If there hasn’t been done any training to prevent barking, you will most likely hear your Doodle speaking rather often.There is almost always something that has triggered a Labradoodle into barking.Some of the most typical reasons for Labradoodles barking are:
- Being left alone
- Boredom
- Excitement
- Guests coming over
- People walking by
- Thunderstorms (loud noises)
- To protect themselves
- To protect you
And these reasons all seem like very reasonable reasons to start barking. Labradoodles are highly emotional and sensitive dogs’. Each bark is most likely a reaction to one of these things. But most people still aren’t interested in a dog that barks constantly.
5. Health Issues
Ear Infections: These can plague Labradoodles because of their floppy ears. The ears trap moisture and should be regularly checked.
Hip Dysplasia: This is an inherited condition in which the thigh bone does not fit snugly into the hip joint. Some dogs show pain and lameness on one or both rear legs, but others do not display outward signs of discomfort. X-ray screening is the most certain way to diagnose the problem. Either way, arthritis can develop as the dog ages. Dogs with hip dysplasia should not be bred.
Elbow Dysplasia: Similar to hip dysplasia, this is also a degenerative disease. It’s believed to be caused by abnormal growth and development, which results in a malformed and weakened joint. The disease varies in severity: the dog could simply develop arthritis, or they could become lame. Treatment includes surgery, weight management, medical management, and anti-inflammatory medication.
Epilepsy: This is a neurological condition that’s often, but not always, inherited. It can cause mild or severe seizures that may show themselves as unusual behavior–such as running frantically as if being chased, staggering, or hiding–or even by falling down, limbs rigid, and losing consciousness. Seizures are frightening to watch, but the long-term prognosis for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy is generally very good. It’s important to take your dog to the vet for proper diagnosis–especially since seizures can have other causes–and treatment.
Allergies: Allergies are a common ailment in dogs, and the Labradoodle is no exception. There are three main types of allergies: food allergies, which are treated by eliminating certain foods from the dog’s diet; contact allergies, which are caused by a reaction to a topical substance such as bedding, flea powders, dog shampoos, and other chemicals; and inhalant allergies, which are caused by airborne allergens such as pollen, dust, and mildew. Treatment varies according to the cause and may include dietary restrictions, medications, and environmental changes.
Diabetes Mellitus: This is a disorder in which the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels. A diabetic dog will eat more food to try to compensate for the fact that glucose (sugar) isn’t getting into the cells to burn for energy because of improper levels of insulin in the body. The dog will lose weight because food is not being used efficiently. Symptoms of diabetes are excessive urination and thirst, increased appetite, and weight loss. Diabetes can be controlled by diet and the administration of insulin.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): This is a family of eye diseases that involves the gradual deterioration of the retina. Early in the disease, affected dogs become night-blind; they lose sight during the day as the disease progresses. Many affected dogs adapt well to their limited or lost vision, as long as their surroundings remain the same.
Hypothyroidism: This is a disorder of the thyroid gland. It’s thought to be responsible for conditions such as epilepsy, alopecia (hair loss), obesity, lethargy, hyperpigmentation, pyoderma, and other skin conditions. It is treated with medication and diet.
6. Guard Dog
You might have a watchdog, but not a guard dog.
Labradoodles are very protective of their pack. If you try to mess with one of them, then you are going to receive a negative response from the labradoodle. If you want a pup who will guard your premises while you are away, then a different option is usually necessary.
The Labradoodle’s eventual goal is to meet new people to encourage a game of fetch or chase. You are more likely to hear the thumping of a tail when strangers come by instead of a bark of warning. Not a protection
They are good with children–but they can be exuberant and may unintentionally injure a young child through sheer boisterousness.They might knock down smaller children, but they will love them with all their heart.
7. The cost of a Labradoodle
Although a hybrid dog between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, Labradoodles are high in price because of their popularity. The cost of a Labradoodle ranges from $500 to $4000 depending upon whether you buy, adopt, or rescue a Labradoodle.
The typical cost of a Labradoodle puppy from a reputable breeder is going to be roughly $1,500 to $2,000. If you want a more exotic colored Labradoodle or a toy / micro Labradoodle then you will pay more money ($3,000+). In general, the smaller sized Labradoodles that are toy or micro sizes (less than 20 pounds) will cost more money because they are harder to reproduce. Teacup and toy-sized Labradoodles do have considerable health concerns due to their small sizing.
Popular Labradoodles are dogs who are affectionate, loyal,smart and love a good adventure. Your new best friend is high energy! If you live in a small home, condo, or apartment, then you’ll need to be taking frequent walks with your pup to ensure that their health and mental stimulation needs are met. If you are unable to do so, then you will eventually see unwanted behaviors develop, like chewing or barking or separation anxiety.