A brown Labradoodle lying down in a park

Labradoodle Insurance, Care and Health Advice

These adorable little helpers came from crossing a poodle’s curled coats with the loveable softness of a Labrador Retriever. But did you know the Labradoodle was originally bred to be a guide dog?

If you’re looking for a helpful and loyal friend who craves the attention of a loving family, a Labradoodle will provide that in abundance – on top of plenty of fun and laughs. It can be a challenge to keep their curls clean when the bath comes calling. However, Labradoodles don’t tend to shed much compared to other dog breeds. 

Labradoodle Facts

Dog breed type icon
Type
Crossbreed
Dog breed lifespan icon
Lifespan
12 - 15 years
Dog breed size icon
Size
Medium - Large
Dog breed weight icon
Weight
23 - 27 kg
Dog breed height icon
Height
36 - 61 cm
Dog breed temperament icon
Temperament
Affectionate, lively, intelligent
Dog breed exercise icon
Exercise
30 - 60 mins per day
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Grooming
Low maintenance

Is a Labradoodle Right for Me?

Attentive, intelligent and kind, the Labradoodle was bred to serve. If you require a service dog or emotional support animal, Labradoodles are prime candidates.

They make great family pets too. This breed isn’t overly demanding or afraid to be left alone for an afternoon. That said, your Labradoodle will be just as happy as any to see you come home.

Playtime is always the highlight of their day. As people pleasers, they’re happy to let off steam whenever you are. Labradoodles are known to get a little over-excited, so you’ll need to supervise them around smaller children. On the whole though, they’re a great family breed.

A brown Labradoodle puppy in a basket

What Are Labradoodle Puppies Like?

Labradoodle puppies are a lively bunch, keen to explore their home and meet new people. They’re confident and social which makes introducing them to other dogs easy. They have the intelligence of both their parent breeds, making training a breeze – ideal when toilet training.

A Labradoodle puppy will surprise you with the energy it has, so make sure you have plenty of toys available. When they do eventually tire themselves out, they will prefer to cuddle up with you for their nap.

A tan Labradoodle dog lying on a path

Life with a Labradoodle

The Labradoodle’s heritage means they’re a smart cookie. They’ll need lots of attention when it comes to training. Keep them active and stimulated – both mentally and physically – or they may get restless and frustrated.

This dog breed’s friendly and trusting nature is exactly why they don’t make good guard dogs. While Labradoodles may alert you to a stranger approaching, they’re not generally confrontational.

Caring for Your Labradoodle

The size of your Labradoodle will depend on what size poodle it was crossbred with. A large Labradoodle will need more food than a small one. Feeding guidelines are printed on the back of food packaging, or you can check with your vet.

A puppy will need feeding 3-4 times a day, which will gradually need changing to 1-2 times a day as they become an adult dog. Small dogs prefer to be fed smaller portions more often, whereas larger dogs are happy to eat a big meal at once. However, two meals are better for their health as this will help to prevent stomach issues such as their stomach twisting.

Whether your Labradoodle has straight, wavy or curly hair, be sure to keep up with a regular grooming regime. Brush them at least once a week – or more if they have a long coat – and make sure they have a trim when their hairs grow to 15cm.

Give them a haircut every month or so . Unless you’re an expert, it’s best to call in a professional. The job can be tricky enough with any dog breed – let alone one as spirited as your Labradoodle. They don’t tend to shed a lot, so at least there’s less cleaning up of hair and allergy issues to worry about.

Labradoodles don’t generally need washing too often. Once a month should do the trick, unless your vet advises otherwise. Do regularly check their teeth and ears though, to ensure they’re in good dental health and there’s no build-up of dirt or redness in the ears, which could be an early sign of infection.

Labrador Retrievers aren’t afraid to get stuck into exercise or training, while Poodles love the attention. Labradoodles provide the best of both, and love a good game of fetch, so they’re always up for playing around and learning tricks.

It’s recommended to walk them for 30 minutes per day. Labradoodles can keep up with you – or overtake you – so they’re ideal for bringing along on a light morning jog. It’s important to keep their minds active with plenty of mental exercises combined with agility training.

Labradoodle Insurance

Before you’re ready to bring home your Labradoodle puppy, you should think about puppy insurance. And to help get your Labradoodle on the right paw, Labradoodle insurance is definitely something to consider. They’re lively pups after all, you don’t want that energy to end up with a bump and a costly visit to the vets.

Here at Everypaw we want your Labradoodle to live a happy and healthy life. Our Lifetime Dog Insurance is available from 8 weeks of age, with several levels of cover to choose from, and all coming with a range of extra benefits. You’ll find the cover that works best for you and your Labradoodle.

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Common Labradoodle Health Problems by Vetstream

There are not many health problems that affect this crossbreed. But there is a chance that they will develop any issue that is linked to either parent breed – Poodle or Labrador. They are also susceptible to conditions that affect all dog breeds, such as dental disease.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a group of inherited eye disease that eventually leads to blindness. Affected dogs will gradually lose their sight between 3-8 years old. Early signs include poor vision at night and in dimly lit areas, as well as showing signs of nervousness. It can take months to years for full vision loss to happen.

Unfortunately, there is no cure but most dogs adapt well to being blind and continue to live long happy lives. This condition is common in miniature and toy poodles, as well as Labradors.

Hip Dysplasia is an instability of the hip where the ball-and-socket joint does not fit together properly, causing it to rub and damage the surface of the joint. It is an inherited condition that typically affects medium and large dog breeds like Labradors.

Diet, growth rate and level of exercise can all affect the severity of the condition; therefore these areas should be managed. Pain medication can be given to your dog to control the pain during cage rest, but in severe cases, surgery is needed to treat the problem.
 

Dental disease is caused by a build-up of plaque (yellowish-white deposits formed by debris and bacteria) on the teeth, which over time hardens and forms tartar. This leads to infection and inflammation of the gums that gradually wear away. The receding gum tissue loosens the teeth, some of which will fall out.

Gum infections can be treated with antibiotics, and to prevent recurrence, infected teeth will need removing and the remaining teeth need cleaning by a vet. To prevent dental disease, you will need to brush your dog’s teeth on a daily basis with dog-friendly toothpaste. Do not use human toothpaste, as it is toxic to dogs. 

Epilepsy is caused by abnormal brain activity, which causes repeated fits (seizures or convulsions). A fit often involves your dog falling on to its side and moving in a rapid and rigid motion. Your dog may also empty its bladder and/or bowels.

Most fits do not cause any harm to the dog, but brain damage is possible if the fit lasts for more than a few minutes. Epilepsy is not treatable, but fits can be controlled with medication that will need to be given for the remaining of your dog’s life. Epileptic dogs on medication can lead relatively normal lives. 

Quick Labradoodle Q&A

A Labradoodle is a cross between a Miniature, Toy or Standard Poodle and a Labrador Retriever. It shares characteristics of both breeds, and was originally bred to serve as a guide dog. The Labradoodle has the boundless energy of a Retriever and the playfulness of a Poodle.

A Poodle generally takes 8-12 months to finish growing, while a larger breed – like the Labrador Retriever – could take as long as 18 months. The Labradoodle’s lifespan falls towards the shorter end of this scale, but ask your vet if you’d like a better estimate based on your pet.

The typical lifespan of a Labradoodle is 12-15 years. Provided you keep your dog in a positive routine involving a steady diet and plenty of exercise, there shouldn’t be a reason why your dog wouldn’t live at least that long.

Labradoodles are among the lowest-shedding dog breeds. It doesn’t mean they’ll never shed a single hair – as all dogs do – but the amount overall will be quite low, especially if your dog has a fleece or wool coat.

Specially bred as a hypoallergenic guide dog, the Labradoodle is one of the easiest breeds for allergy sufferers to live with. Though while they were bred for that reason, no single breed is completely risk-free.

That’s All You Need to Know About Labradoodles

Labradoodles are a mixed breed which shares the qualities of both Poodles and Labradors. This loyal and loveable breed makes for an ideal companion. No matter what you are doing, Labradoodles love doing it with you. Whether that’s going for a long walk or curling up on the sofa – they’ll be right by your side. 

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

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