Description
The Labradoodle is an emerging breed, originally from Australia, which is not yet officially recognized by the international cynological organization FCI.
The idea behind its creation was to breed an ideal assistance dog for people with disabilities. For this purpose, two breeds were selected: the intelligent and people-oriented Labrador Retriever and the clever, low-shedding Poodle.
These founding breeds are both known for their high intelligence, trainability, non-aggressive nature, and love for people. A key advantage of the Poodle is that it is often suitable for individuals with allergies.
The combination of these traits, refined through ongoing and careful breeding, has resulted in a dog that is typically lovable, obedient, and a pleasure to handle.
Worldwide, the training and placement of these dogs for assistance work and canine-assisted therapy are often dedicated to the mission of non-profit organizations.
FCI Standard
Labradoodle Breed Standards
General Appearance
Must appear athletic and graceful with a compact body displaying substance with medium boning. Should not appear cloddy or heavy nor overly fine. A distinctive feature of this breed is their coat, which is non-shedding and easy to manage.
Temperament
Extremely clever, sociable, comical, joyful, energetic when free and soft and quiet when handled. They should approach people in a happy friendly manner, keen and easy to train. They should display an intuition about their family members or handler’s current emotional state or needs. This ability to “know” is what has made the Australian Labradoodle an excellent dog for individuals with special needs.
Size
Standard
Height at wither: 21 to 24 inches.(not over 25) 53cm to 63cm
Weight: 23kg to 30kg. (50-65lbs)
The ideal size for the female is 21 to 23 inches and the male is 22 to 24 inches.
Medium
Height at wither: 17 to 20 inches. (not over 21) 43cm to 52cm
Weight: 13kg to 20kg. (30-645lbs)
The ideal size for the female is 17 to 19 inches and the male is 18 to 20 inches.
Miniature
Height at wither: 14 to 16 inches. (not over 17) 35cm to 42cm
Weight: 7kg to 13kg. (15-25lbs)
Body
(to wither) as to length (from sternum to point of buttock) should appear square and compact. Deep chest and well sprung. There should be a good tuck up. Loins should be strong and muscular.
Head
Moderately broad with well-defined eyebrows. Stop should be moderate with eyes set well apart. The head should be of moderate width; developed but without exaggeration. Foreface to appear shorter than skull. The head should be clean-cut and free from fleshy cheeks. The whole head must be in proportion to the size of the dog.
Ears
Large, expressive and slightly rounded.
Mouth
Must be a scissor bite. Upper teeth to just overlap the bottom teeth.
Nose
Should be large, of square appearance and fleshy.
Teeth
Scissor bite. Undershot or overshot bite is a major fault. Crowding teeth in miniatures is a fault.
ForeQuarters
Shoulders blades and upperarms to be the same length, and shoulders should be well laid back. Elbows are set close to the body. Forelegs to be straight when viewed from the front. Toeing in our out is a fault.
Hindquarters
In profile the croup is nearly flat, slight sloping of the croup is acceptable. Stifles should be moderately turned to propel forward movement, and hindquarters well muscled for power in movement. Hock to heel should be strong and short being perpendicular to the ground. View from the rear should be parallel to each other, must not be cow-hocked.
Feet
The feet are of medium size, round with well-arched toes having elastic and thick pads. The feet should not turn in or out.
Tail
The tail should follow the topline in repose or when in motion. It may be carried gaily, but should not curl completely over the back. Tip of tail should not touch the back nor curl upon itself.
Movement
Trotting gait is effortless, smooth, powerful and coordinated in mature dogs. Should have a good reach in front and drive from behind for forward motion. Sound free movement and a light gait are essential.