Labradoodle E-Book

Miriam Fields-Babineau

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: Designer Dog
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 123

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

A Designer Dog book dedicated to the world's most popular crossbred, Labradoodle celebrates the "breed" created from the pairing of a Poodle and a Labrador Retriever. Professional animal trainer and author Miriam Fields-Babineau presents a look at the origins of both parent breeds as well as a glance at the unique nature of a Doodle—the special characteristics of the Labradoodle that combine the best traits of both parent breeds. The book includes the International Labradoodle Association's standard for the Labradoodle as well as chapters on feeding, grooming, house-training and obedience. The final chapter of the book "Experience Labradoodle Fun" talks about all of the fun activities for owners and their Doodles, including agility, flyball, dancing with dogs, and more.

Leseprobe

Kennel Club Books®, the country’s only major publisher of exclusively dog books, proudly presents its Designer Dog® Series to celebrate the Labradoodle’s coming-out party. Continuing in its bold effort to produce a unique line of dog books, Kennel Club Books® releases the first ever book on the specific designer dog crossbreeds. The company has also released many Special Limited Editions and Special Rare-Breed Editions on various unusual breeds.

Visit the publisher’s website at www.kennelclubbooks.com to read more about the unique library of books available to dog lovers around the world.

KENNEL CLUB BOOKS®Designer Dog®SERIES

LABRADOODLEISBN 13: 978-159378670-0eISBN 13: 978-159378715-8

Copyright © 2006Kennel Club Books® • A Division of BowTie, Inc.40 Broad Street, Freehold, NJ 07728 USAPrinted in South Korea

Photography by:Mary Bloom

with additional photos byCallea Photo, Isabelle Françaisand Carol Ann Johnson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

13 12 11 10 09          6 7 8 9 10

Making a splash in every state in the Union (and every province above), here’s the newest Yankee Doodle!

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to all of the fabulous Doodle owners who shared their dogs with our photographer Mary Bloom. These include Hally Birnbaum, the Chesterman family, Mort and Susan Goldstein, Laura Harker, Doug Heimbigner, the Lawler family, Steve and Jane Lifrak, Liz Patterson, the Rist family and Donn Tobin. Special thanks to Mark Daims, DVM.

And here’s a shout-out to thoughtful owners who sent in their photos, including Malinda DeVincenzi, Kathleen Rally and Nancy Smallwood.

Contents

CHAPTER 1

WHAT IS A LABRADOODLE?

CHAPTER 2

DOODLE NATURE OF THE LABRADOODLE

CHAPTER 3

DEVELOPING THE LABRADOODLE

CHAPTER 4

THE LABRADOODLE BREED STANDARD

CHAPTER 5

SELECTING A LABRADOODLE PUPPY

CHAPTER 6

CARING FOR & REARING THE LABRADOODLE PUP

CHAPTER 7

HOUSE-TRAINING THE LABRADOODLE

CHAPTER 8

OBEDIENCE-TRAINING THE LABRADOODLE

CHAPTER 9

EXPERIENCE LABRADOODLE FUN

Labrador Retriever, yellow.

Miniature Poodle, black.

What do you get when you cross the world’s two smartest breeds?

What Is a Labradoodle?

Dogs have been domesticated for over 14,000 years. They came into our lives as alarms to warn us of intruders, progressing from there to hunting partners and finally to companions. As canines became domesticated, humans also became more diverse, needing canines to aid them in everything from gathering flocks, pulling carts, fetching meals and aiding the disabled. Each breed was developed to fill specific niches in our cultures and lifestyles. There are currently well over 400 breeds of dog in existence, many recognized by the various kennel clubs around the world. Many breeds are still in their infancy as breeders try to standardize their dogs to fit specific physical and behavioral guidelines.

Labradoodles were first developed in the 1970s by Wally Cochran of Guide Dogs Victoria in Kew, Victoria, Australia as assistance dogs for the physically challenged. Guide Dogs Victoria had been contacted by a blind woman who resided in Hawaii and who suffered from severe allergies. She really wanted a dog to aid her in everyday activities but was leery of obtaining one because of her physical reactions to dander and dog fur. A benefit to obtaining a dog from Australia was that the dog would not have to spend time in quarantine upon landing in Hawaii. As Australia is considered an island with strict quarantine laws, Hawaii allows pets imported from Australia to go directly to their owners’ homes with no holding period.

Looking back at the origins of many breeds, we see that they were developed to fill some sort of need or niche for which no breed yet existed. Guide Dogs Victoria filled the need for a non-allergenic guide dog by pairing one of their proven Labrador Retrievers, which had been bred specifically for use as an assistance dog, with a Standard Poodle, a breed known for intelligence, sensitivity and low shedding. Imported from Sweden, the Poodle used in the mating was a white dog from working bloodlines. This mating resulted in three allergen-reduced puppies that fit the requirements of assistance dogs that could be matched with people suffering from allergies. Wally Cochran dubbed this first litter “Labradoodles.”

A few years later a man who supplies puppies to pet shops started breeding Labradoodles. He bred back in more Poodle and continued further by breeding Labradoodle to Labradoodle. His aim was to breed great family pets, but he didn’t recognize that a main asset was the low- or non-shedding coat. He continued breeding these first- and second-generation Labradoodles for a few years but did not keep records.

Guide Dogs Victoria had limited success with their Labradoodles but never achieved consistency in order to turn them into a recognized breed. Other kennels in Australia fell in love with the idea of the Labradoodle and tried to recreate Mr. Cochran’s results. However, most breedings resulted in inconsistencies, causing many of the puppies to have either the double coat of the Labrador Retriever or the mostly curly single coat of the Poodle. Today, although some standardization has been achieved over the decades, there are still few “breed specifications” for the Labradoodle and, as such, it cannot be considered a registerable breed by the American Kennel Club (AKC).

In the 1980s two breeding and research centers were created to try to generate a consistent outcome for the Labradoodle: Rutland Manor Labradoodle Breeding and Research Center Australia, owned by Beverley Manners, and Tegan Park Labradoodle Breeding and Research Center Australia, owned by Beverley’s daughter, Angela Cunningham. These centers started keeping track of parentage and maintaining strict breeding standards of health and physical specifications, attributes necessary for any successful breeding program. Both breeding centers, still in operation, have the desire to create what they see as the perfect pet: a dog that has the sturdiness of a Labrador Retriever and a non-shedding coat, is intelligent, has a great temperament and has a teddy-bear appearance that holds him dear to many hearts.

Cute and curly well describes the Labradoodle of today.

Parent Possibilities

The Labradoodle Association of Australia, Inc. (LAA) has named the following six breeds as the only approved parent breeds to be used in Labradoodle breeding: Labrador Retriever, Poodle, Irish Water Spaniel, Curly-Coated Retriever, (American) Cocker Spaniel and English Cocker Spaniel. Those wishing to cross to one of the parent breeds must submit documentation and meet certain specifications as set forth by the LAA.

Irish Water Spaniel.

Beverley Manners of Rutland Manor has bred up to 8 generations of Labradoodles in the past 15 years. However, there are still problems of unpredictability due to gene dominance issues. As both research centers continue to develop and export Labradoodles around the world, the Labradoodle Association of Australia, Inc. (LAA) was formed to provide breeding guidelines as well as to provide support to those who purchase and produce Labradoodles.

Newfoundland.

Early in the development of Labradoodles, Tegan Park added Irish Water Spaniel blood into the mix to create the dark chocolate coat seen today in many dogs. This addition is called a “parent breeding.” There are many Labradoodles that carry the name “Irish” in their registrations. One such example is Tegan Park’s Irish Night, who has a direct trace back to the Irish Water Spaniel.

Also added to the Labradoodle mixture was the Curly-Coated Retriever. This crossing produced the more open face, meaning shorter hair on the face than on the body. The only drawback was the aloofness common to the Curly-Coated Retriever breed. Since this crossing, the aloofness has been successfully bred out of the Labradoodle.

Between seven and ten years ago, Tegan Park and Rutland Manor decided to add miniatures to their lines. They originally used Miniature Poodles, which made the resulting Labradoodles lighter in frame. This was not a desired quality, so they brought in both American and English Cocker Spaniels. This produced a dog of soft, silky hair and a stockier body type. It also brought in a domed head and long ears, both of which were not desired. Currently, breeders are selecting dogs without these qualities as breeding stock.

MEET THE PARENTS

You may be thinking, “Why would anyone take two purebred dogs, these in particular, perfectly suited for their occupations, and breed them together?” To answer this question, you should first consider the origins of these pure breeds. What’s really interesting is that Labrador Retrievers were originally developed from crosses between Newfoundlands, French Poodles and water spaniels. Poodles are already in their background. Is the Labradoodle a step back in the history of the Labrador Retriever?

Curly-Coated Retriever.

The first retriever-type dog, known specifically for his abilities to retrieve downed fowl in both the field and water, was the small Newfoundland. This breed didn’t actually begin in Newfoundland, a place that had first been inhabited by the Dorset Eskimos, who incidentally had no dogs. After Newfoundland was discovered by Bristol traders in 1494, the area became a huge exporter of salted fish. European fishermen brought their own dogs and utilized them for fetching fish that escaped the nets. Through generations of selective breeding, the Newfoundland breed was developed as the perfect dog for this job.

Early in the breed’s development, the soft mouths (“soft” meaning having the ability to carry things, like game, in their mouths without damaging them) of these canines proved invaluable, as they were also utilized to supplement their owners’ food sources. As English gentry became embroiled in the organized shooting of pheasant, grouse and partridge, they gained interest in the retrieving dog of Newfoundland. They preferred the short, water-resistant coat, otter-shaped tail and ability to withstand cool temperatures. The retrieving dog soon replaced pointers and setters as the dog of choice for this sport. Another great attribute was the retrieving dog’s disposition. He was easily trained, amiable and intelligent. He not only performed well in the field but also fit in well with the family.

As the English gentry utilized their retrieving dogs, many began to cross-breed them with French Poodles and water spaniels to increase specific characteristics. These crossings made the retriever a better swimmer, gave him the ability to flush birds as well as retrieve them and increased both his intelligence and stamina. Through the years, specific characteristics were stabilized, and the retrievers developed into the most sought-after hunting companions.

The first retriever ever to be recognized by the American Kennel Club was the Curly-Coated Retriever. This breed was totally suited as a hunting dog, offering keen sensitivity and the desire to perform. The breed’s coat was close to waterproof, hardly shed at all and required little grooming attention. However, this breed also carried the occasional over-sensitivity of its ancestor, the Poodle. This could occasionally exhibit itself as fear of new people and situations. The trainer of such a dog could not be heavy-handed or overly stern. Moreover, fear of loud noises was also often an issue with these dogs. This was not a desirable trait in a gundog.

A colorful beginning: the three acceptable colors of the Labrador Retriever, black, yellow and chocolate.

The next retriever recognized by the AKC was the Flat-Coated Retriever. This breed had all of the attributes required to be a good hunting companion, but it still had the long coat that could get caught up in briers or build up ice when hunting in the snow or cold weather, thus hampering the dog’s performance.

The Labrador Retriever was the next retriever recognized. It had been recognized by The Kennel Club of England in July of 1903 and has since become the favored breed for hunting waterfowl. With its short water-resistant coat, strong otter-shaped tail that aids in speedy water retrieval, high prey drive and pleasant nature as a pet, the Labrador Retriever has become the number-one breed in popularity, both as a pet and as a hunting companion. At present, the Labrador is ranked first in popularity according to American Kennel Club registration statistics.

The breed characteristics of the Labrador Retriever are as follows: the height at the shoulder for males is 22.5 to 24.5 inches; females are 21.5 to 23.5 inches. The average weight is 55 to 80 pounds, from the smaller females to the larger males, and the coat is straight, thick and close. The head is broad and well domed, leaving a wide brainpan. The ears are set rather far back and fairly high, folded over. The muzzle should tend to be square, not sharp, which aids in the necessary soft mouth. With a broad chest, laid-back shoulders, well-sprung ribs and a straight back, the Labrador Retriever is athletic and strong. The breed is seen in three colors: black, which is all-black, yellow and chocolate, the latter two permitting some range in the shade.

The Poodle is also a very popular breed and in this age of designer dogs is being mixed with everything from retrievers to schnauzers to spaniels to toy breeds. The intended outcome is a dog that doesn’t shed or aggravate people’s allergies. These breedings can also provide a dog that is intelligent, social and family-oriented. While the Labradoodle is currently the most popular Poodle mix, the Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel/Poodle) has been around for decades, as has the Schnoodle (schnauzer/Poodle), Yorkipoo (Yorkshire Terrier/Poodle) and Peekapoo (Pekingese/Poodle). Adding the Poodle to the mix enhances specific attributes that phase out terrier-like tenacity and other assertive qualities while reducing the incidence of dander and shedding.

Why is the Poodle the dog of choice? Why not the Portuguese Water Dog? These two breeds have similar coats that offer anti-allergic reactions and virtually no shedding. The Bichon Frise is another dog with a curly non-shedding coat. However, it is not just the Poodle’s coat that offers enhanced attributes in its progeny: it is also the breed’s temperament and behavioral tendencies. Poodles are intelligent, work-driven and loyal. They are eager to learn. They are one of the oldest breeds known to modern man, having been used as hunting partners to retrieve waterfowl, as they are spectacular swimmers.

Poodles first appeared on Greek and Roman coins as well as on Roman tombs as early as 30 AD. In the 16th century the breed as we know it today appeared in Germany and western Russia. It was known as the “Pudel,” or “Puddeln,” meaning “puddle dog,” a dog that likes splashing in water. It was during this time that the Poodle was used primarily as a hunting dog, especially for waterfowl.

The Labrador Retriever is the most popular companion dog in America, and for many good reasons. This Labradoodle pup knows that it’s fun to have a famous mom.