History of Labradoodles
An Intriguing History _ How did the Labradoodle get its Name?
The Labradoodle first originated in Australia when the first intentional purpose-bred
mating of a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle was initiated by Wally Conran of the Royal Guide Dogs
in Victoria Australia. A vision impaired woman in Hawaii needed a Guide Dog which wouldn't aggravate her husband's allergies.
Over a period of two years, they had sent hair and saliva samples from 33 different
Poodles across to Hawaii to test for allergic reaction with the lady's husband, but without success. Eventually Wally
Conran approached the Manager of Royal Guide Dogs with suggestion that they try crossing one their Labrador Retrievers with
a Standard Poodle. He agreed.
The first litter had only three puppies. Hair and saliva samples were
sent to Hawaii from all three, but only Sultan's, the white dog, were successful. The other two also went on to
lead useful lives, one as a Remedial Dog and the other as a Guide Dog.
There was always a long waiting list of families waiting to puppy walk Guide Dogs, but when
these new cross breeds needed homes, no one was prepared to take them on. Wally knew that it was vital that the puppies
got the right socialization in a family unit, and once again his ingeniuty came to the rescue. He went to
the manager with the suggestion that they approach Channel 9 television station in Melbourne with a story about "the new breed
of Guide Dog" and realizing it needed to have a name, he coined the word "Labradoodle". After the show aired on
television, the phones rang hot with people wanting to puppy walk this amazing "new breed" of Guide Dog!
Wally Conran bred Labradoodles to other Labradoodles and called the offspring
'Double Doodles'. He then mated Double Doodles to other Double Doodles and th progeny of these matings
he called 'Tri Doodles'.
Of the 31 Labradoodles bred at Royal Guide Dogs, a staggering 29 made it through
as Guide Dogs....an allocade of unparalled proportion for this new 'breed' of Guide Dog.
When the Guide Dogs had Open Days, people fell in love with the Labradoodles they
saw there and The Guide Dog Center was besieged with inquiries as to where they could get one. It wasn't long before
there was a huge demand, which was not being met. There was an obvious need for breeders to establish themselves and
develop this fascination dog, with the joyful intuitive personality, and the non shedding and allergy friendly coat.
When Wally Conran retired, a country vet in Condoblin New South Wales, Australia
was in constant touch with him and started her own breeding program mating Miniature Poodles with Labrador Retrievers.
She was very successful and as of 2004 is still breeding her Miniature first generation Labradoodles.
Two Breedings and Research Centers for the Labradoodle were established, both
located in the state of Victoria and they continued on from where the Guide Dogs left off, with the intention of breeding
through successive generations of Labradoodle bred to Labradoodle. Both of these Centers acquired their breeding stock
from a gentleman named Don Evans in Northern Victoria, when he scaled sown his activities pending retirement.
Don had also begun breeding through the generations, following the lead of Wally
and he also called his bird dog crossed between Labrador and Poodle, Labradoodles.
The Labradoodle has experienced a meteoric explosion of popularity in countries
across the world and their high profile and media exposure soon led to a rapid increase in the number of new breeders.
(Reprinted from the International Labradoodle Association, Inc.)
