The Labradoodle: Temperament, Health and Care

A Labradoodle is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, usually a Standard Poodle, and is typically a large, energetic and sociable dog whose coat needs far more grooming than a Labrador’s. It is a crossbreed rather than a breed recognised by The Royal Kennel Club, so temperament, size and coat vary a lot between dogs, and its health depends on how carefully both parents were screened.

Photos can make every puppy look much the same, so meet the parents where you can, ask how the litter has been raised and be honest about the time you have for exercise, grooming and training.

What a Labradoodle is

The first Labradoodles were bred in Australia in 1989 by Wally Conron, then at the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia, who was trying to produce a guide dog for a woman whose husband was allergic to dogs. He has since said he regrets it, because the cross’s popularity led to many puppies being bred carelessly for profit.

Labradoodles with a Standard Poodle parent usually grow into large dogs, close to a Labrador in size. Some breeders use a Miniature Poodle to produce smaller dogs, often sold as miniature or medium Labradoodles. Labels such as F1 (a first cross between a Labrador and a Poodle) or multigenerational (Labradoodle bred to Labradoodle) describe ancestry, but they can’t tell you how a puppy will look, shed or behave as an adult. Ask which Poodle variety is in the background and see the adult dogs if you can.

Both parent breeds were developed as working retrievers, and many Labradoodles have plenty of energy. The Royal Kennel Club suggests more than two hours of exercise a day for an adult Labrador and up to an hour for a Standard Poodle, so plan for daily walks, play and mental work, with shorter outings for puppies while they grow.

An adult Labradoodle from a good rescue can be a sensible choice if you want to know what you are taking on. You can see its full-grown size and coat, and the rescue may know how it copes with children, other dogs and time alone.

Temperament and home life

Don’t buy a Labradoodle on the assumption that it will be easy to train or naturally good with children. A 2026 Royal Veterinary College study of 9,402 UK dogs compared Labradoodles, Cockapoos and Cavapoos with their parent breeds. Where the Doodle crosses differed from their parents, they usually showed more undesirable behaviour, such as fear of traffic and loud noises, separation-related problems like barking or destructiveness when left, and excitability around walks and visitors. Results varied between the three crosses, and Labradoodles scored lower than Poodles for conflict with other dogs in the home.

The parents’ behaviour is one of the best guides you have. When you meet them, notice whether they seem relaxed with the breeder and with visitors, and ask plain questions about their usual behaviour and any problems they have had.

Many young Labradoodles are big, bouncy and excitable. Calm, reward-based training from the start, with a focus on settling, loose-lead walking and not jumping up, will make a big difference by the time your dog is fully grown. Plan for a puppy that can’t be left alone for long, and build up time apart gradually. If your dog is distressed when left, speak to your vet, who can check for health problems and refer you to a qualified behaviourist.

Children need close adult supervision around any dog. Give your Labradoodle a quiet place to rest where it won’t be disturbed, and teach children to leave a dog alone when it is eating, sleeping or moving away.

Coat care and grooming

A Labradoodle’s coat may be anything from a straight, Labrador-like coat that sheds to a dense curly one. PDSA says Poodle crosses do shed less, but their curled coats are prone to knotting and tangling, especially when wet, and need brushing a few times a week at least. Curlier, more Poodle-like coats may need brushing most days, as Poodles do, plus regular professional clipping. A less-shedding coat isn’t the same as an easy-care coat.

Don’t rely on a promise that a Labradoodle is hypoallergenic. PDSA describes the idea of hypoallergenic breeds as a myth, because people react to proteins in a dog’s dander and saliva, not just to shed hair. If anyone in your home has a dog allergy, spend time with adult Labradoodles, ideally the puppy’s parents, before you decide.

Start gentle grooming early, with short sessions and rewards, and stop if your puppy becomes worried. Check the coat after muddy or wet walks, particularly behind the ears, in the armpits and on the legs, where mats form first. PDSA advises using a reputable groomer for mats rather than tackling them at home, as they pull on the skin and are easy to cut through by mistake.

Check the ears weekly too. Hairy, floppy ears trap moisture, and the Royal Veterinary College found that Labradoodles had a higher chance of ear infections than Labradors. Call your vet if the ears become smelly, red, itchy or sore, rather than trying to clean or treat them yourself.

Health and screening questions

Being a crossbreed doesn’t make a Labradoodle healthier. In a 2024 Royal Veterinary College study, also of 9,402 UK dogs, the risk of the 57 most common disorders in Labradoodles, Cockapoos and Cavapoos was no different from their parent breeds in 86.6 per cent of comparisons. Where there was a difference, the crosses were about as likely to have a higher risk as a lower one.

Labradors and Standard Poodles share some inherited problems, so screening both parents matters. The Royal Kennel Club lists these tests:

• Labrador: hip and elbow scoring under the BVA/RKC schemes, eye testing under the BVA/RKC/ISDS Eye Scheme, and DNA tests including progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA), centronuclear myopathy and exercise-induced collapse
• Standard Poodle: hip scoring, eye testing and DNA tests for two forms of progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA and rcd4) and for von Willebrand disease, a bleeding disorder

Progressive retinal atrophy is an inherited cause of blindness. Because the prcd-PRA gene occurs in both Labradors and Poodles, a Labradoodle puppy can inherit it from both sides, so ask to see DNA results for both parents rather than just one. Hip dysplasia is a concern in both breeds too. Under the BVA/Kennel Club hip scheme, lower scores are better, and a breeder should be able to tell you how the parents’ scores compare with the median score for their breed.

Ask to see the original certificates, not just a statement that the parents are “health tested”. Screening reduces some known risks but can’t guarantee a healthy puppy, so if the results are hard to follow, take them to your own vet before paying a deposit.

Choosing a breeder or rescue

Take your time, particularly if a seller pushes you to pay quickly. The Royal Veterinary College warns that the popularity of Poodle crosses increases the risk of buying from puppy farms and illegal importers. It advises buying only from a breeder who lets you visit in person before you buy and sells the puppy from the place it was bred, with its mother present.

Take a short checklist with you:

• See the puppy with its mother at the place where it was bred.
• Read the hip, elbow, eye and DNA test results for both parents.
• Ask about the parents’ behaviour and how the puppies have been handled and socialised.
• Ask what support the breeder offers after the puppy goes home, and whether they will take the dog back if things don’t work out.
• Take time to think before agreeing to buy.

A rescue can also help you find a dog that suits your home. Be open about your household, how long the dog would be left and how much grooming you can manage. Labradoodles tend to suit active homes with time for long walks, training and regular coat care. They are harder to live with if you are out for long days, want a low-maintenance coat or need a calm dog from the start.