The Labradoodle Bites the Dust

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130 – November/December 2019

By Amy Fernandez

It’s been a long time comin’ but if last week is any indication, those long bleak years of anti-purebred propaganda are over. Mind you, none of it was fair–or true, nonetheless, it grabbed media attention and the dog-loving public bought into it for decades.
But it’s a new day dawning judging by the incredible reaction to a recent New York Times interview with Wally Conron who, you may or may not know, invented the infamous Labradoodle back in 1988.
The thrust of the article is summed up in one quote, “I opened a Pandora’s box and released a Frankenstein monster.” Within moments, this Australian Broadcasting Corporation podcast triggered a global shockwave (and my unbridled delight). Its impact can be gauged by the fact that during a news packed week this interview managed to rank as the paper’s hottest story.
Conron’s candid remarks not only laid out his observations on the Labradoodle, but it also condemned the entire crossbreeding industry that followed in its wake.
In the interests of dispassionate journalism, I note that a preponderance of our modern purebreds resulted from creative experimentation during the late nineteenth century. And most of it happened over the span of a few decades. It was incentivized by high prices, celebrity endorsements and outlandish claims- which pretty much sums up the designer dog fad.
Since the 1980s the Labradoodle has reigned as the mascot of this lucrative genetic horror show. And Conron’s regret is understandable when you realize that he masterminded this project for purely altruistic reasons.
Then working with Australia’s Royal Guide Dog Association, he was asked to assist a blind woman in Hawaii who desperately wanted a guide dog but was hampered by her husband’s severe dog allergies. Conron subsequently discovered that hypoallergenic is a variable term applied to many breeds without much empirical basis. Conron tried, and as he emphasized his Times bombshell, “the labradoodle was originally intended as a guide dog, not a fashion accessory.” Elaborating, he explained, “I bred the labradoodle for a blind lady whose husband was allergic to dog hair. Why people are breeding them today, I haven’t got a clue.”
The frenzied backlash from the Doodle fraternity was what you would expect. Every format and platform was instantly inundated with an avalanche of what my beloved dog breeding mentor fondly referred to as “little red ball” pictures. Doodles of every shape and make decked out in sartorial splendor, looking all cute and charming. Of course, Conron’s criticism had nothing to do with eye candy.
And that’s precisely why his comments rankled them. But perhaps the line that cut the most was this: “I find that the biggest majority are either crazy or have a hereditary problem.”
Since Canine Chronicle readers are hardcore dog people, I don’t need to explain why this comment hit a nerve. However, the response that stopped me in my tracks came from Amy Murphy, current president of the Australian Labradoodle Club of America. In defense of Doodle’s mental stability, she said, “All dogs are crazy.”
What? I musta missed school that day. Getting a dog is a commitment and, regardless of the circumstances, we invariably jump in with high hopes and good intentions- and I speak from the perspective of someone who has spent a lifetime with dogs.
Just like people, they rarely match our preconceived ideas. Mostly, the reality is a fun journey, but not always. Some dogs fall into the “bad boyfriend” category. In retrospect, the relationship can only be called a learning experience. And Murphy’s clarification certainly hints that Doodle ownership is not push button business. It’s also pretty ironic when you consider that a major plank of the entire crossbreeding craze was supposedly to counteract the inherent mental volatility of purebreds. Murphy described Labradoodles as, “quirky and fun-loving…But they don’t like to be left alone…If they are not challenged and don’t have people around, then they act out.” Continuous supervision is the ideal arrangement to ensure Labradoodle contentment.
Not to change the subject, but let’s talk Puggles for a minute.
In 2005, the Puggle (Beagle x Pug) became the hottest version of mix and match dog breeding. Puggles graced the front pages of major newspapers and escorted celebrities around trendy neighborhoods. Selling upwards of $2000, pet shops could not keep them in stock. Not surprising considering that they were branded as totally non-shedding, docile, intelligent, healthy, hearty, and jeezzz… perfect in every respect.
No one questioned how two notoriously energetic, high shedding, allergy provoking breeds could be combined into this marvelous result. Then on May 7, 2006, the pesky old New York Times announced that “Puggle fatigue has set in” chronicling the boom and bust fate of 2005 Christmas Puggles. Disenchanted owners described them as hyperactive, impossible to train, plagued by health problems ranging from neurological to respiratory, and definitely not hypoallergenic.
Now, from our perspective, wholesale disappointment seems inevitable. Digitized pedigree data, health screenings, and DNA testing have definitely improved the odds, but no methodology guarantees the complete predictability or success of any form of dog breeding. (I don’t include cloning in this assessment.)
But getting back to the one that started it all. The money, publicity, and bizarre guarantees attached to designer dogs obscured the truly important question of why random breeding became a major selling point in the first place. Whether they are buying life rafts or ant poison consumers seldom seek surprises. They want to know exactly what they are getting, along with assurances that it will do the job. Not to belabor the point, but that’s why purebreds caught on a couple of thousand years back.
As human reliance on dogs increased, the predictable aspects of canine form and function became indispensable to survival. The nature of this arrangement has changed over the last millennium but never disappeared. If dog buyers really wanted a canine surprise package shelters would be empty. Even though it amounts to the same genetic mash-up, mixed breed dogs didn’t have the same cachet as a “designer doodle.” And that’s just the beginning of the flawed logic that fueled this trend.
Poodles and Labradors, although both technically water retrievers, have a long history of versatility. The list is endless, so I’ll just mention the Iditarod Poodle team as a sterling example of their unexpected talents. My point is that the enduring popularity of both breeds has resulted from secondary traits that probably never entered the minds of breeders who sought to create the ideal water retriever. Even so, their responsiveness, athleticism, trainability, and appealing looks have bred true long enough to attract generations of diehard fans; and plenty of successful efforts to harness these myriad skills.
Since the 1930s, guide dog organizations throughout the world have relied on in-house breeding programs to ensure a steady supply of puppies suited to their specialized, rigorous training programs. Even then, a percentage of candidates regularly fail to make the grade. So, consistency is paramount to success which, needless to say, is the underlying principle of all purebred selection.
All things considered, it’s fair to say the Labradoodle was conceived as a stable, purpose-bred type meant for a very specific job. But as this dramatic article revealed, rather than the intended result, Conron eventually realized that his experiment created more problems than it resolved.
As we know, unintended consequences are an inevitable side theme of dog breeding. No amount of testing and planning can circumvent every possible unpredicted result. From a historical perspective, creating a successful breed demands extensive tinkering with the formula. Simply mixing breed A and breed B never gets you to the finish line, as Conron’s team discovered.
To enhance the virtues and reduce the undesirable factors of the Lab Poodle mix they experimented with backcrosses, additional crossbreeding and infusions of other breeds including Miniature Poodle, American and English Cocker, Irish Water Spaniel, and Wheaten Terrier. They also implemented progressively stricter selection criteria, maintained meticulous breeding records, and conducted rigorous health screenings. Essentially, the team followed all of the accepted standards and practices of purebred refinement.
But inconsistency plagued the project. Despite several generations of genuine effort, stabilizing predictable adult traits proved to be nearly impossible. Many dogs topped out far larger than either parent breed, and a wide range of coat types continued to appear despite careful selection. But the biggest concern was temperament. And remember, this project was run by pros. Hyperactivity, reactivity, and dominance became more pronounced in subsequent generations, which presented a serious concern when attempting to create a service dog breed.
Conron’s concept of perfecting a dedicated strain of service dog certainly wasn’t delusional. It was tried and true. Possibly, the most famous example was Fortunate Fields, founded in the early 1930s. The program focused on German Shepherds, but its approach embraced selective breeding, innovative training techniques, and intensive exploration of new ways to utilize service dogs – in addition to their traditional roles as guide dogs and military K-9s. The rationale was well established. More importantly, so were the challenges.
Variations of size, structure, and temperament are inevitable when any breed begins taking shape and it often requires ten or twenty generations before unusual surprises and problems slow to a manageable trickle. (That’s another nasty bit of reality that is routinely downplayed in designer dog propaganda.)
Crossbreeding hybridization cannot prevent unwanted genetic combinations. No matter what you call it, it’s still mating two related strains of the same species, another point rarely mentioned in designer dog endorsements. In general, every dog–purebred, random-bred or hybrid–carries at least five defective genes. Labradors and Poodles share at least 49 documented genetic disorders. In other words, this experiment was full of potential pitfalls. And Conron decided to scrap the program because the success rate was just too low to justify its continuation.
By then, unfortunately, the proverbial horse was out of the barn. Labradoodle breeding had been well established throughout North America for over a decade. We don’t need to recap the Bulldoodle, Dachawahwah, Puggle nightmare that ensued. But here’s a quick rundown for masochists.
Conron obviously feels responsible. This wasn’t his first regretful interview. Back in 2014, the AP quoted him saying, “I’ve done a lot of damage. I’ve created a lot of problems.” In a later interview for Psychology Today, he characterized the Doodle as “a gimmick that went global” adding “I’ve done so much harm to pure breeding and made many charlatans quite rich.” He said plenty more along those lines, but we lived through that dismal story.
The Labradoodle’s arrival in America dovetailed perfectly with animal rights, anti-purebred hysteria and a good segment of the general public accepted their presentation of selective breeding as faulty, irresponsible and morally indefensible. The less-publicized aspect of that crowdsourced response was their unwillingness to forego dog ownership or the luxury of predictable pets (or canine status symbols).
And so the Doodle marketing philosophy was born. It offered the promise of predictable expectations and practically no ownership responsibilities. And believable or not, that tagline made Doodles a hot commodity.
What began as a well-intentioned experiment morphed into decades of exploitative breeding. Doodles supposedly embodied all the merits of purebreds but required virtually no training, no grooming, and were mysteriously programmed beyond the reach of genetic disease. That unsupportable concept spawned the ultimate seller’s market. Founding a breeding program required no formalities such as documented lineage, performance testing, health guarantees, or any kind of quality control. Some purchasers acquired Doodles to fulfill misplaced expectations. For most buyers, the reasons remain a mystery.
Yes, there are Labradoodle breeders adhering to normal ethical practices and striving to produce quality dogs. That is suggested by the distinctions they draw between designer Labradoodles, Lab-Poodle crossbred Labradoodles, ASD cross designer Labradoodles, and a pure ASD Labradoodles. However, at this point, their dedication or success has no bearing on the genetic train wreck now threatening the course of canine evolution.
I’m just happy that the world is finally waking up and paying attention.

A casual internet search revealed some of the wonderful designer concoctions available…
Bernedoodle · Bernese Mountain Dog x Poodle
Bagel Hound · Beagle x Basset Hound
Bugg · Boston Terrier x Pug
Beaglier · Beagle x Cavalier
Bull Weiner · Staffordshire Bull Terrier x Smooth Dachshund
Chiweenie · Chihuahua x Dachshund
Cavachon · Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x Bichon Frise
Cavapoo · Cavalier King Charles Spaniel x Miniature Poodle
Chug · Chihuahua x Pug
Cocabichon · Cocker Spaniel x Bichon
Cockalier · Cocker Spaniel x Cavalier
Cockapoo · Cocker Spaniel x Poodle
Danoodle or Great Danoodle · Great Dane x Poodle
Goldendoodle · Golden Retriever x Poodle
Goldador · Golden Retriever x Labrador
Irish Troodle · Irish Terrier x Poodle
Labradoodle · Labrador Retriever x Poodle
Lhasapoo · Lhasa Apso x Poodle
Maltipoo · Maltese x Toy Poodle
MaltiPom · Maltese x Pomeranian
Pekapoo · Pekingese x Poodle
Pitsky · Pit Bull x Siberian
Poochon · Bichon Frise x Poodle
Pomsky · Siberian Husky x Pomeranian
Puggle · Beagle x Pug
Sheepadoodle · Old English Sheepdog x Poodle
Saint Berndoodle · St. Bernard x Poodle
ShiPoo · Shih Tzu x Poodle
Scoodle · Scottish Terrier x Poodle
Shepadoodle · GSD x Poodle
Sheltidoodle or Sheltipoo · Shetland Sheepdog x Poodle
Schnoodle · Miniature Schnauzer x Poodle
Wapoo · Chihuahua x Toy Poodle
Weimardoodle · Weimeraner x Poodle
Woodle · Wheaten Terrier x Poodle
Westiepoo · Wesh Highland White Terrier x Poodle
Yorki Apso · Yorkshire Terrier x Lhasa Apso
Yorkipoo · Yorkshire Terrier x Toy Poodle
In contrast, check out wholesale prices for commercially produced designer breeds that generally retail for $1,200 and up. (They go for way more than that around NYC.)
Bichon Poo $145 – $150
Cock-A-Poo $165 – $175
Lhasa–Poo $145
Malti-Poo $145
Peke-A–Poo $165 – $170
Schnoodle $160 – $170
Shi-Poo $145
Woodle $160 – $170
Yorki Poo $145

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130 – November/December 2019

Short URL: http://caninechronicle.com/?p=174352

Posted by AnthonyA on Nov 11 2019. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.