Many dogs can be what I call “breed brained.” Check out my introductory post on this term here to find out why I use this term! The main point is that different breeds have different behavioral tendencies that can impact the way they think and learn. This can be an issue for many owners, or it can be a major factor in the process of choosing a dog. As a result, I thought it would be a good idea to start “breed brain” posts to help people get more information on different breeds and the behaviors with which they often come. In this post I will be discussing Labradoodles!
Labradoodle Breeds and Sizes
There are actually two kinds of Labradoodles. There are Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles (these are both different from doodle mixes such as goldendoodles). Labradoodles are a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. Australian Labradoodles are actually a breed that can contain over four different breeds. According to some sites, the Australian Labradoodle can include the Labrador Retriever, Poodle, English Cocker Spaniel, American Cocker Spaniel, Curly Coated Retriever, and the Irish Water Spaniel (https://www.thelabradorsite.com/australian-labradoodle/). However, according to the Australian Labradoodle Association of America, most Australian Labradoodles contain simply the Labrador Retriever, the Poodle, and the English or American Cocker Spaniel (https://alaa-labradoodles.com/about-alaa.html). In both Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles, there are mainly three size, Standard (50 to 65 pounds), Medium (30 to 45 pounds), and Small (or miniature) (15 to 25 pounds.) (https://puppytoob.com/breaking-different-types-labradoodles/#:~:text=There%20are%20three%20different%20kinds%20of%20labradoodles%20in,inches%20tall%20and%20around%2030%20to%2045%20pounds.).
Breed Behaviors
Because Labradoodles come with a notoriously wide range of shapes, sizes, coats, temperaments, and personalities, finding what behaviors they deal with as a breed can be hard. However, that in and of itself can be a breed specific behavior “issue” as, behaviorally, they can be a tad unpredictable from individual to individual (though it has been noted that Australian Labradoodles are more predictable - https://www.thelabradorsite.com/australian-labradoodle/). However, having worked for an Australian Labradoodles Breeder for almost five years as my first dog training job, and having worked with many Labradoodles since, I can tell you that two behaviors that are quite common are jumping and generally getting into things (including the garden). There are actually many more, but we will stick with these two for now.
Jumping is not normally a breed specific behavior; however, doodles do seem to do it more often than other breeds. As best I can tell, this is because of how social and active the dog breeds are. They are very people oriented, as this is a commonly selectively bred in trait due to Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles being a common family or service dog. When it comes to getting into things, both the Labradoodle and the Australian Labradoodle are made up of a collection of hunting and water dogs, including the Poodle, Water Spaniel, and Cocker Spaniel. These dogs are all used for getting birds from water or fields and tend to have an active mind. Though they can be quite calm, they are action dogs who are constantly paying attention to something (if not their handler, then their environment). This can result in a breed who seems to always be on the move, at least on a mental level. This can result in digging behaviors, higher prey drive (leaf chasing is common in these breeds) and anxiety. All of these tendencies can interrupt training if owners are not educated because , due to these behavioral tendencies, the Labradoodle and Australian Labradoodle breeds can seem to be easily distracted during training and have a one track mind once they find something that holds their attention.
Combatting Labradoodle “Breed Brain”
Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles are very smart breeds. However, sometimes it takes an experienced trainer to bring out those smarts simply because the dogs can be so easily distracted. However, there are always things any owner can do to help. To combat these behaviors, it is important to start training your Labradoodle or Australian Labradoodle as soon as it gets home. No matter how cute it is, avoid rewarding jumping and make sure your puppy has things to do and places to go. Because the breeds are a collection of bird dogs, they tend to have one track minds and can become obsessive. To help your dog, and your garden, make sure your dog has some easy outlets for behaviors such as chewing, digging, and chasing along with some more challenging outlets for these behaviors as well. Make sure to work your way up from easy to hard over a gradual process, as Labradoodles can tend to abandon a task quickly if they don’t understand what it is supposed to accomplish.
Closing Thoughts
Though all these behaviors are quite common on dogs in general, I have noticed that they tend to be a bit amplified in Labradoodles and Australian Labradoodles. But stay patient and have fun with your Labradoodle and if you are thinking about getting one, I encourage you to do even more research as there is so much information on them I could not possibly include it all in a short blog post. Enjoy, and if you need help with obedience training with your Labradoodle or Australian Labradoodle breed, email me at happyats@outlook.com so we can connect!
References:
Australian Labradoodle Association of America - https://alaa-labradoodles.com/about-alaa.html
Australian Labradoodle – What You Need To Know About This Breed by Rebecca Bayuk -https://www.thelabradorsite.com/australian-labradoodle/
Breaking Down the Different Types of Labradoodles by Tiffany Raiford- https://puppytoob.com/breaking-different-types-labradoodles/#:~:text=There%20are%20three%20different%20kinds%20of%20labradoodles%20in,inches%20tall%20and%20around%2030%20to%2045%20pounds.
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