About Labradoodles

Happy Labor Day weekend!  Hopefully you have plans to have a great time and take your Labradoodle with you.  Here are a few tips to keep that darling doodle happy and safe over the holiday.  A common Labor Day outing is a picnic—who doesn’t love a picnic?  Be careful that your dog doesn’t follow her nose too enthusiastically and ingest chicken bones or pieces of aluminum foil used to wrap picnic foods.  Summer is the season for insects, so protect your dog against fleas, ticks and heartworm.  The warm weather also promotes allergies to pollen and plants.  If your dog is chewing on himself, seek veterinary attention.


The hot sun can dehydrate a dog or even result in heatstroke—be sure she has a source of fresh drinking water (consider a spill-proof water bowl), ventilated moving air, and shade.    A dog with a fresh water source is less likely to drink sea water, contaminated or chemically lake or pool water, or automobile chemicals on the ground, which can make him ill.  If your dog is in a pen, consider purchasing a fan or a dog cooling mat to keep her comfortable.  Some dog grooming sprays include a sunscreen, and you can apply hypoallergenic sunscreen suitable for babies (30 SPF or higher) on exposed skin areas.  Dog noses are especially prone to sunburn.    If your dog is not a swimmer, supervise him closely—even strong swimmers drown when exhausted.  Never leave your dog in a parked car, where temperatures can reach over 150 degrees Fahrenheit even with a window cracked. (It is a common misconception that this is sufficient prevention of heatstroke or even death in dogs.)  Limit exercise periods to the coolest parts of the day, avoiding surfaces such as sidewalks, asphalt or sand, which may absorb the heat and burn your dog’s paws.  The most common signs of heatstroke in a dog are rapid panting, twitching muscles, skin that feels hot to the touch, and a dazed look.  If any of these symptoms occur, contact a vet immediately and attempt to cool the dog by using towels soaked in cool (not cold) water, hosing her down, or giving him a cool bath. Allow her to lick ice cubes or sip cool water.  In the event of heatstroke, a trip to the vet may save your dog’s life.


 

Researchers have recently discovered a reason why dogs have the largest variation in size of any land animal species.  As it turns out, more petite dogs, such as the miniature Labradoodle, have a strand of DNA that regulates their growth gene, blocking its effects altogether.  This DNA was probably inherited from a miniature wolf about 15,000 years ago, although it is no longer present in the wolf population.  Human intervention has aided the spread of this DNA throughout the domestic dog world.

“All dogs under 20 pounds have this—all of them,” said one researcher, University of Utah biologist K. Gordon Lark.  Learning how canine growth is controlled could potentially improve understanding of 200 to 300 diseases dogs have in common with humans, including high blood pressure, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.  Since dogs and humans also share the same environment, influences of an environmental nature that trigger disease in either species can also be noted.  This will add to data from past studies and possibly leading to cures and treatment of these diseases in both dogs and people.

Information compiled from Seattle Times, AP, LA Times and Baltimore Sun

In a previous blog addressing the popularity of the Labradoodle, I mentioned a few celebrity owners of this wonderful breed.   In the past few days, I have learned of many more celebrity owners and some of their doodles’ names as well.  The dog’s names are in parentheses after the owner’s:  golfer Tiger Woods (Yogi and Riley), model Christie Brinkley (Maple Sugar), actor Barbara Eden (Djinn Djinn, named after the invisible dog from her TV show “I Dream of Jeannie”), actor and director Henry Winkler (Charlotte), celebrity blogger Perez Hilton (Teddy Hilton), actresses and sisters Courtney and Ashley Peldon (Odysseus, Calypso).  

Fans of the BBC America TV Channel will recognize comedian and talk show host Graham Norton’s name; he has a Labradoodle named Bailey.  “Top Gear” presenters Jeremy Clarkson (Dodger) and Richard Hammond (TG, for “Top Gear” dog) are proud Labradoodle owners, and TG has appeared on the show.
 

Source:  Marin Independent-Journal (CA)
August 8, 2008
Adapted from the original story by Jennifer Upshaw

10-year-old Isabella Scott sat on the floor in the children’s room at San Rafael, California, Public Library, reading aloud to a captive audience.  Snuggled between Isabella and reading specialist Leslie Park, Bumps takes in each word.  Bumps is a Labradoodle, a specially trained assistance dog who helps young readers feel at ease.

“Reading to a dog is a little goofy,” says Hollie Stanaland, the San Rafaelchildren’s librarian. “Because it’s goofy, because it’s silly, because it’s ridiculous, these kids are in a relaxed state.  

“The heart of children is the heart of a dog,” Stanaland continues. “They’re one and the same.”

The program that sponsors Bumps is part of Reading Education Assistance Dogs, a national organization based in Salt Lake City that improves literacy skills using therapy assistance animals.  “He is excited about every kid that comes in,” says Park.

Seated on a quilt surrounded by books starring dogs, with titles such as Dogzilla, Dog Breath: The Horrible Troubles with Hally Tosis, and One Nosy Pup, Isabella considers the difference between reading to people and reading to dogs.  “It’s strange, but it made you feel good,” she says. “He doesn’t say ‘you didn’t say this right, say this again’ - he just listens.”

Myth #1—A yard is an absolute requirement for every Labradoodle. Dogs are pack animals who want to be with you.  The majority of the time a dog spends in the yard is hanging around the door, waiting to come back where you are.  Even in a huge house, the dog tends to be right under your feet.  A yard is not going to make a dog get his cardio!  His people need to be walking him, running with him, taking him to the beach or the dog park.  Activities like this make you both healthier, encourage socialization, and improve your bond, whether or not you share a yard. 

Myth #2—Avoid playing tug-of-war or your Labradoodle becomes overly aggressive.  As long as you have rules and boundaries when you play this game, the wild side of your dog has a healthy outlet.  This game represents the final stage of the hunt, when the pack leader ends up with the food and cements his position as leader.  As long as you end up with the toy, rope, or sock, tug-of-war is a fun way to establish yourself as the pack leader.

Myth #3—Never disturb a Labradoodle who is eating.  One of the most common situations that results in dog bites are when her food is disturbed, but that is because the dog sees people, even her own, as a threat.  Dogs should look forward to being interrupted while eating in the expectation of a treat.  To accomplish this, shift his bowl or food in some way, starting from above and working down until sticking your hand in her bowl.  That way, the dog will learn when the bowl is inadvertently bumped or reached into, she won’t respond as if her meal is threatened.

Myth #4—A wagging tail always means a friendly Labradoodle.   Dog tail wagging is actually a complicated system of communication, with three levels of height.  90 degrees high with small wags means the dog should be avoided, as he is trying to establish dominance and appear threatening.  If the tail is very low between the dog’s legs, the dog is afraid and feels defensive and should be given a wide berth.  A friendly dog’s tail is somewhere in the middle wagging loosely with a “smiling” face.  There are other canine body language cues to watch when meeting a dog—position of ears and head, hackles, and expression to name a few.  The safest thing to do is ask the dog’s person if it is okay before getting any closer than you have to!

Do you have to spell out “R-I-D-E” in front of your dog?   Many dogs love to take a car ride with their people—after all, a lot of drive-through places have dog biscuits these days.  Most people know that their Labradoodle can’t be left inside a parked car on a baking summer day, but many don’t know how high or how fast the temperature rises inside the vehicle.  Parking in the shade or cracking a window does little to alleviate this process, since the windows will absorb light.  For example, on an 85-degree day, the temperature inside a car with cracked windows can reach 102 degrees within a ten-minute period of time.    After thirty minutes, that possibility rises to 120 degrees.  Pets are at danger of heatstroke at 100 degrees.  The temperature in a car parked in direct sunlight may elevate more than 30 degrees per minute.  Dogs can suffer organ and brain damage after about 15 minutes in this situation, and it can prove lethal not long after.

A dog’s natural design conserves heat.  The sweat glands on their noses and foot pads do not provide adequate cooling for a hot summer day inside a vehicle.  Panting and drinking water does help them, but not if they are only breathing overheated air in a confined space.   Short-nosed breeds such as pugs and bulldogs, puppies, senior pets, and pets with health problems are particularly vulnerable in hot weather.

There are three varieties of Labradoodles being produced today.  The first variety is the American Labradoodle. Considered a hybrid dog, the American is also called a first generation or standard Labradoodle and is the result of crossing a Labrador Retriever and a poodle.   The Australian Labradoodle that is often bred in the United States is a second variety, using the Labrador, poodle, Labradoodle and sometimes cocker spaniel to create a multi-generational cross.

The third variety is the Australian Labradoodle, bred and recognized in Australia with the express goal of creating a quality purebred dog without undue health issues.  Cascade Mountain Labradoodles has the third variety of the third Labradoodle variety, but in miniature.  Breeding stock has been thoroughly tested (and loved, and nurtured).  These are adorable, active, occasionally comical dogs, quick to learn special tricks and tasks.

Many Labradoodle enthusiasts feel that the biggest obstacle to working with this breed is prospective understanding of the difference between the generations of Labradoodles, the difference between an Australian Labradoodle and Labradoodle, and what makes for a healthy coat and desirable temperament and what does not. 

Unique families will need to be matched with different generations or varieties within the Labradoodle breed due to differences in traits, temperament and appearance.   However, inexperienced breeders do not always completely understand what they are producing in their litters, and puppies are sold and more are produced before essential knowledge is gained.  When this occurs, the consumer loses and so does the breed.  A worst-case scenario that happens all too frequently is that dogs end up in shelters because a family purchased a first-generation, high-energy, low-shedding Labradoodle, but had instead wanted a fleece-coated, non-shedding Australian Labradoodle.  Please research the breed and the breeder before committing to that adorable little fluffball—not only for the dog’s sake, but for your own.
 

Many people are dead-set against ever giving their dogs people food.  At minimum, foods that are fatty or high in sugar or salt content should be avoided.  Grapes, raisins, chocolate, coffee and coffee grounds, tea and tea bags, macadamia nuts, walnuts, animal fat, fried foods, bones, tomatoes, avocadoes, nutmeg, raw eggs, mushrooms, sugar and corn syrups are all food dogs should never be given under any circumstances.

You should always consult a veterinarian before introducing your Labradoodle to any new food item.  There is also always a chance that any change in your dog’s diet can cause a negative reaction and upset her stomach.   Once you introduce a new food to your dog, he will probably always want some of yours whenever he smells it the next time.  Foods that I have known people to use to give a dog that needs to take pills or has a stomach ailment (such as diarrhea) are: rice, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, and organic peanut butter.

One of the first questions people ask who are learning about labradoodle dogs is what colors their coats can be, and there are quite a few possibilities.  Black, chocolate, café, silver, cream, chalk, gold, apricot cream, apricot, and red are generally the solid colors seen in the labradoodle breed.

Red and apricot variations are the rarest shades at the present time, and the red will often become a more muted shade, but remain striking in appearance.  There are also parti-color variations of the labradoodle coat.  “Parti-color” (or “parti”) is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as showing different colors or tints, but more specifically, having a predominant color pattern broken by patches of one or more other colors.