If you’ve been looking for a doodle dog breed and stumble across the Australian Labradoodle, you may wonder, what is an Australian Labradoodle? What makes them different from the other Labradoodles? Look no further, I have the answers you are looking for regarding how the Australian Labradoodle is different from the others, grooming tips and more! Keep reading to find out this interesting mixed breeds history and their overall personalities.
So, What Is An Australian Labradoodle?
Well, this adorable and energetic mixed breed is not exactly a Labradoodle, but is very similar. This unique hybrid shares a very close genetic link to the original breed but has English or American Cocker Spaniel mixed in as well. Typically, there is also Curly Coated Retriever and Irish Water Spaniel genetics involved too.
Because of this integration with the Cocker Spaniel and other breeds, the Australian Labradoodle tends to be smaller than the average standard Labradoodle.
This mixed breed is full of fun and is intelligent and ready to work. The Australian Labradoodle does require some maintenance with grooming and can be a handful when they haven’t had their exercise for the day. They are very amenable to training and make excellent service dogs. Afterall, that is what they were originally thought of and bred for!
The story of this breed is the same as the original Labradoodle. They were created by Wally Conran in the hopes of bringing a breed that is easy to train and sheds less than the average dog, making them great service companions for people with pet allergies! The idea was a great one and out of his original batch of 31 Australian Labradoodles, he had 29 that became successful service dogs. Impressive, right?
Australian Labradoodle Vs Labradoodle
Both the Australian Labradoodle and the Labradoodle are mixed breed dogs. Neither of them are recognized by any Kennel Club as a pure breed yet. Australia has been working to make their Labradoodle considered a pure breed but they have not yet accomplished this. However, they have achieved some breed standards.
What is the difference between the Australian Labradoodle and the Labradoodle then?
- The Australian Labradoodle is mixed with the Poodle, Labrador Retriever, Curly Coated Retriever, Irish Water Spaniel and the American or English Cocker Spaniel. These are the only approved 6 parent breeds that can be used to make an Australian Labradoodle.
- The Labradoodle is mixed with a Poodle and a Labrador only.
Some breeding circuits of Australian Labradoodles claim that if the dog is a fifth generation, meaning that their parents, grandparents and so on were also Labradoodles, then they could be considered Australian Labradoodle. They are trying to call this a “pure breed”, but it stirs controversy among some doodle communities.
A lot of Labradoodle enthusiasts are truly pushing for kennel clubs to recognize them as purebred dogs.
Australian Labradoodle’s Size And Appearance
Because of this breeds mixed parental background, sometimes their looks and size can be a little unpredictable. In most breeding situations, there are three different options as far as size, miniature, medium and large (standard). Many people looking to purchase or adopt an Australian Labradoodle are often pleased by their options in size and overall appearance.
Here is about how big all three sizes can get:
- Miniature: 13 – 16 inches tall, and weigh around 15 – 30 lbs
- Medium: 17 – 21 inches tall, and weigh around 30 – 50 lbs
- Large (standard): 21 – 24 inches tall, and weigh around 45 – 80+ lbs
Most small apartments or homes will be suitable for the medium or mini Aussie Labradoodles. Also, most of the time the females will be smaller than the males. While this is pretty standard, it is not always the case. I always suggest seeing the parents in order to get an idea of how big your doodle may be when full grown.
Many Australian Labradoodles look pretty similar with varying degrees of coat texture and color. As puppies, they almost take on a stuffed animal appearance that makes most people squeal with excitement. This mixed breed typically has a medium to stocky build, with a square black or brown nose. They have sweet, round, brown eyes that can sometimes range from a hazel color to almost yellow.
How Will My Australian Labradoodle Be When Full Grown?
Many people wonder how the temperament of the Australian Labradoodle will be once they are adults. A lot of the time it is a pleasant one! This mixed breed is an easy pleaser, as they often want to make their owners happy and spend time with family. They make excellent pets for households with children as they are non-aggressive, playful and get along well with lots of other animals.
This breed is not shy and they are often one that doesn’t take long to warm up to a stranger. They are loyal, easy to train and devoted to their jobs and their owners, making them fabulous service, guide or therapy dogs.
Their tendency towards activity and training also makes them excellent working dogs who have a blast doing tricks and performing agility as well!
How Much Grooming Does An Australian Labradoodle Require?
What is an Australian Labradoodle and how much grooming do they need? Well, they do actually require a fair amount of grooming and routine hair appointments. It is important to understand that before coming to this breed, as caring for their coat and regular appointments with a groomer is an added responsibility and expense.
There are two different types of coats that Australian Labradoodles can have:
- Fleece Coat: This type of coat texture should be soft and fleecy. There are two kinds of fleece coats as well, wavy fleece and curly fleece.
- Wool Coat: As you can imagine, this coat type is much curlier and has a distinct wool-like density and feel to it.
Both of these hair coats are allergy friendly. Please know that there is no such thing as a “hypoallergenic dog”. It is about whether or not they shed often and typically if someone has an allergy to animals, it is a reaction they have to the pet’s saliva and urine proteins that are on the hair. Because of the poodle genetics, the doodle breeds tend to shed less often than the average dog, making them more ideal for those with pet allergies.
Besides scheduling regular grooming appointments, daily to weekly brushings should be a part of a routine for your Aussie Labradoodle. Oh, and make sure that your groomer is plucking their ears! Keeping the forest of hair out of their ear canals will help prevent or minimize ear infections.
What Coat Colors Do Australian Labradoodles Come In?
Because of their mixed breeding lineage, there can be several coat colors and other variations available when it comes to Australian Labradoodles. They are often seen in black, red, caramel, white, apricot or parti (multiple colors).
If there is a specific color you are looking for it shouldn’t be too difficult to find! Australian Labradoodles have no shortage or variety when it comes to their coat colors and appearance!
How Much Does An Australian Labradoodle Cost?
While this answer may be a little subjective to the area that you live in and how much these trendy pups are going for at the moment, there is some consistency with the average cost.
Please try to do your research when looking into purchasing an Australian Labradoodle from a breeder. There are many great breeders out there, but there are even more breeders who don’t care or adhere to breed standards. Not to mention, you wouldn’t want to accidentally support someone who runs a puppy mill or is not a responsible breeder.
You can also look into different Labradoodle rescue organizations. There are always going to be people out there that run specific rescues for specific breeds. Doing some quick google searching should lead you in the right direction. Especially if you are not wanting to spend thousands of dollars and don’t want to go through the puppy stages of raising a dog.
So, how much does an Australian Labradoodle cost? Usually somewhere between $2700 – $4200 dollars. The cost variation depends a lot on the dog’s parental lineage. If you are purchasing from someone who does more responsible breeding and they run more tests and have a health guarantee with the litter and parents then you will certainly pay more for your puppy.
Even though this may still be considered a mixed breed, they are an excellent one. Their lack of excessive inbreeding and design for quality instead of quantity is one that makes this adorable and energetic dog a desirable one!
So what is an Australian Labradoodle, you ask? Well, they are an easy to train, sweet tempered family dog that has taken the world by storm!