Labradoodle Colors, Sizes & More

 The F1 Generation Labradoodle

A first generation hybrid Labradoodle is the product of a Labrador retriever and a Poodle – 50/50 genetic makeup, this is the first generation of the Labradoodle breed. In this particular Labradoodle cross hair type can be smooth like a Lab or wiry look like an Irish wolfhound or Wavy/shaggy, they usually shed some or a lot, pups in the same litter can vary in coat and physical traits. This is not the best cross for people with severe allergies.

As first generation hybrids, these dogs have the added health benefits associated to Hybrid Vigor.  This is a phenomenon in animal breeding referring to the first cross between two unrelated purebred lines is healthier and grows better than either parent line.

• Coat Maintenance: Low care
• Coat Description: Coat grows to about 2-3 inches in length and requires occasional combing.  Coats are often hair coats, and others can have wavy or curly coats.
• Shedding: light to non-shed
• Allergy Friendliness: usually successful in families with mild allergies.  When a family has moderate to severe allergies, a backcross Doodle is recommended.

The F1B Labradoodle

F1b results when you take the above referenced F1 Labradoodle and breed with a Standard poodle. Since the F1 dogs do shed and have a course wiry type coat, the poodle is bred with the F1 Labradoodle to “correct the coat”. The F1b generation can favor more of a poodle type coat with the wavy/curly fleece and sometimes wool coats but still retains the unique Labradoodle look.

Many F1b’s have thick, soft hair that is wavy to curly. They’re often frosted or highlighted in color. Their size often varies between 55-65lbs. They do not shed* and are the closest it comes to being a “hypo allergenic” dog.  They’re highly intelligent and friendly. They’re often used as seeing-eye dogs and service dogs because of their incredible intelligence and their size and strength. F1b’s are the most sought after generation.

The F1B generation is still close enough in the breeding tree to benefit from hybrid vigor.  With each successive generation vigour is lost.

• Coat Maintenance: moderate to high care
• Coat Description: Coat continues to grow in length and requires combing and occasional grooming.  It is usually thicker and curlier than a first generation Labradoodle with a wavy or curly coat.
• Shedding: no shed
• Allergy Friendliness: Back cross Labradoodles are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.

The F2B Labradoodle

A second generation backcross pup (F2B) is the result of a Labradoodle (F1) bred to a Labradoodle backcross (F1b).  Although three generations in the making, F2b’s are technically second generation dogs. These Labradoodles are most often non-shedding and allergy friendly. This is also the first generation of the multi-generation Labradoodles.

• 1st generation pup – Lab x Poodle  – F1
• 1st generation pup – Labradoodle x Poodle  – F1b
• 2nd generation pup – Labradoodle backcross x Labradoodle – F2B

Although there is less vigor in this generation than in the first, the second generation backcross still is close enough in the breeding tree to the original hybrid to still benefit from hybrid vigor.  With each successive generation vigor is lost.

• Coat Maintenance: moderate to high care
• Coat Description: Coat continues to grow in length although similar in appearance to a first generation Labradoodle.  Coats are wavy or curly.
• Shedding: mostly noshed
• Allergy Friendliness: recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.

F3 Generation Labradoodle:  An F3 Labradoodle is a mating between a F2 and another F2 or higher gen dog (3rd Gen)

Multigenerational Labradoodle

Multigenerational Labradoodles or Multi-gen – When a Labradoodle is 3 or more generations in to the breed they are considered Multigenerational Labradoodles. This allows knowledgeable breeders to refine the personality, physical attributes, and coat types. The Multigenerational Labradoodles are usually allergy friendly and have a more desirable coat in texture and quality…

Coat Maintenance: moderate to high care
Coat Description: Coat continues to grow in length and requires combing and occasional grooming.  It is thicker than a first generation Labradoodle and can have a curly, fleece or wavy coat type.
Shedding: almost all are completely non-shedding

Allergy Friendliness: Multigenerational Labradoodles are recommended for families with moderate to severe allergies.

Coats

The Wooly Coat: Somewhat poodle like which requires regular grooming is non-shedding and allergy and asthma friendly.

The Fleece Coat: The ultimate coat that is easily maintained, non-shedding, allergy and asthma friendly and somewhat like that of an Angora goat.

The Hair Coat: Anything from flat and straight to curls down the back and possibly wavy and minimally to profusely shedding, that is less likely to be allergy and asthma friendly.

Coat in general: Labradoodles usually have no body odor, require minimal bathing and brushing and rarely, if ever, attract fleas. They seldom shed hair but will need to be groomed.

Colors We Breed

• Chocolate
• Red
• Apricot
• Cream
• Golden/Apricot
• Parti

Have you ever wondered how Labradoodle coat colors are determined? They get their coat colors from their parent. Whatever coat color they end up with is the result of either a dominant or a recessive gene. Sound confusing? It’s not as complicated as it sounds because they get their coat color in much the same way as humans get their eye colors.

Every Labradoodle puppy has two coat-color genes. They get one from each parent. The pup’s coat color is determined by how the two genes interact with each other. Dominant genes are stronger than recessive genes. In order to have a recessive gene stronger, you would need two recessive genes – one from each parent. The actual genes are more important than the color. For instance, you may think that a black male and a black female would have a black puppy, but that may not be the case.

The puppy can be brown if both of the black parents had a brown recessive gene. Since their coats were black, their second gene, the dominant gene, would have been black.

Some colors, like black and red are dominant genes while brown and silver tend to be recessive genes. Although it sounds complicated, it’s not complicated to experienced breeders who study and research genetics and breeding.

HAIR COAT GROOMING

The Labradoodle with a hair coat will shed even if it’s brushed regularly. Owners may want to brush/comb them more frequently to decrease the amount of hair all over their house.

Hair coat may be Wavy, Curly, or straight, which can also determine the combing/brushing regimen. What type of brush should you use? All Doodle dogs, regardless of coat type, will benefit from a slicker brush. Best of all, it’s practically self-cleaning. Simply push a button, and hair trapped in the brush just falls out.

As far as combs are concerned, a dual-purpose steel comb, like this one, is ideal. One side has thin, closely spaced teeth for detail work around the face and legs, and the other side has thicker, more widely spaced teeth for whole-body combing.

FLEECE COAT GROOMING

The fleece-coated Labradoodle may have a coat of normal fleece or micro fine fleece. It’s considered an asthma and allergy-friendly dog that should be combed/brushed thoroughly and regularly to keep it that way.

The normal fleece should be brushed 2-3 times per week and trimmed a 3-4 times a year (possibly more depending on the desired look).

The super-soft micro fine fleeced dog should be brushed regularly to prevent it from matting and to keep its asthma and allergy-friendly attributes. A coat that gets longer than 3 inches becomes more difficult to properly maintain.

WOOL COAT GROOMING

The wool coat comes in original wool and a cotton wool version. The original wool, which is soft like a lamb, needs to be brushed or combed thoroughly at least once a week and trimmed three or four times a year.

The cotton wool coat has a softer texture than the original and is super dense. It’s the most successful in terms of being allergy friendly. It requires a thorough brushing at least once a week and a haircut four times a year.

You can bathe all Labradoodles as often as every week or as seldom as once every three months depending on how much time the dog spends outside.

Be sure to use a high-quality shampoo so their coat stays healthy.

The hair-coated Labradoodle generally needs the most frequent bathing to avoid odors.

SIZES WE CARRY

• Our Standard Labradoodles reach maturity at  approximately 21 to 24 inches in height for a Male and 21 to 23 inches in height for a Female, while both can range in weight from 50 to 70 pounds.
• Our Medium Labradoodle will Mature at approximately  19 to 21 inches high for a male and 18 to 19 inches high for a female, with both weighing from 45 to 50 pounds.
  

That being said, there is a lot of variation in Labradoodle sizes. Some can be smaller and some larger and it all depends on Genetics.