At a glance the quick version
Miniature about 18-28 lb (8-13 kg), medium 26-45 lb (12-20 kg), standard 45-75 lb (20-34 kg). Another source gives 50-75 lb for standards and about 30 lb for minis. Females tend to be a little smaller.
Coat and looks how to spot one
wool, fleece or hair; wavy to curly
Three coat types turn up: a tightly curled wool coat much like a Poodle's but softer, a soft and flowing fleece coat with a wave or kink, and a straighter hair coat. Coats with more Poodle in the mix tend to be curlier and shed less.234
Personality what they are like
A cheerful, affectionate people-lover that wants to be part of whatever the family is doing. Labradoodles are bright and keen to please, which helps with training, and they tend to be playful with a big personality while barking fairly little.432
Daily activity how busy a day looks
High. Plan on at least an hour a day, split into several walks plus games such as fetch. Many love swimming and hiking. Dogs with more Labrador in them are often the most energetic.432
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Brush at least twice a week (daily is better for curly coats) to stop mats forming, and book a professional trim roughly every six weeks to three months. Keep ears clean, trim nails and brush teeth regularly.43
Home where they are happiest
Suits an active household with room to move and daily outdoor time; the miniature size copes better with smaller homes.43
Food basics what goes in the bowl
A complete, good-quality dog food suited to the dog's life stage, usually given as two meals a day for adults. Young puppies need more frequent meals.4
Company who they like around
Very people-focused and a good family dog. With slow, careful introductions they usually get along well with children and other animals.43
The story where it all began
The first planned Labradoodle litter was born in 1989 in Victoria, Australia, bred by Wally Conron to find a guide dog suitable for a home with allergies. Of the three puppies, one called Sultan went on to work as a guide dog in Hawaii. The cross soon became hugely popular as a family pet and is also used as a guide, assistance and therapy dog.123
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The very first planned litter had just three puppies, named Sultan, Simon and Sheik, from a Labrador mother called Brandy and a Standard Poodle father called Harley.1
- 2
Sultan, the first Labradoodle guide dog, was flown from Australia to Hawaii to guide a woman there, partly because both places had similar quarantine rules.1
- 3
Labradoodles often love water and tend to be strong swimmers.2
- 4
Labradoodles work as guide dogs, assistance dogs and therapy dogs as well as family pets.2
Recognised by the official bits
- Major kennel clubs
- Not recognised as a breed by any major kennel club. The AKC lets mixed-breed dogs join some activities through a separate programme but does not treat the Labradoodle as a purebred.2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Labradoodle. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
- Ear checkevery 2 weeks
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upevery year
Parents and lookalikes
Labrador Retriever
Goldendoodle
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- ABC News (Australia): The first ever labradoodle wasn't a designer dog, he was a guide dog abc.net.auused for origin, history, fun facts
- Wikipedia: Labradoodle en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, recognition, weights by size, coat types, colours, uses, fun facts
- Daily Paws: Labradoodle dailypaws.comused for size, lifespan, coat, colours, temperament, exercise, grooming, history
- PetMD: Labradoodle petmd.comused for size, lifespan, temperament, exercise, grooming, diet, social needs
Checked 2026-10-01. Text is written in our own words from these sources.