What is a straight hair labradoodle puppy?

The prototypical labradoodle is a designer dog with the friendly therapy dog temperament and service dog work ethic of a labrador retriever with the
low-shedding curly coat of a poodle. However, it is not always possible to predict what characteristics a designer dog puppy will inherit from their two parent breeds.

First generation labradoodle puppies, also known as F1 labradoodles, are just as likely to have the coat of a Lab as a Poodle. A straight hair labradoodle puppy is simply a mixed lab-poodle dog that has inherited the straight coat of their Lab parent. They are also sometimes known as a flat coat Labradoodle.

What a straight hair labradoodle is like

A flat coat labradoodle puppy has inherited the coat of his labrador parent. This means they have a higher-shedding coat that can be brushed and clipped rather than the more-hypoallergenic coat of Labradoodles with curly hair that needs groomed. Aside from their coat, however, they have the same overall personality and temperament profile as other Labradoodle puppies.

Standard Size Labradoodle Vital Statistics

Breed: Designer dog breed combination of Labrador retriever and poodle
Height: 21 to 24 inches for a standard Labradoodle (smaller variations like mini labradoodles also exist)
Weight: 50 to 70 pounds (lighter variations like mini labradoodles also exist)
Coat: Medium to long wavy coat that is shedding
Color: Chocolate, cafe, parchment, cream, gold, apricot, red, black, silver, chalk, lavender, and blue coats are possible
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Potential Health Issues: Hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, eye issues
Temperament: Intelligent and friendly
Energy Levels: Medium
Attachment: High–Labradoodles do not thrive when left alone

Labradoodle Puppy Breed History

Labrador Retrievers were initially bred in Labrador Canada. They were imported to England in the 19th century from Canada. They were bred to retrieve game from land and water. They were also undoubtedly these fishermen’s best friends. The result is a breed with intelligence, friendly temperament, and strong work ethic that loves the water.

The poodle is an older dog breed that originates from either France or Germany. Nobody knows for sure. Poodles have been around since at least the 16th century (1500s). Poodles were a popular lap dog pet during the 18th century. The poodle is highly intelligent and sensitive, making it an excellent companion.

The Labradoodle were intentionally crossbred in the 1950s by combing these two breeds to try and reduce the shedding of Labradors while maintaining
their characteristic intelligence and friendly personality. They remained rare until in 1989 when service dog breeder Wally Conron popularized them as a new service dog breed with his work for the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia.

Labradoodle Puppy Breeding Genetics

One of the primary reasons why two different breeds of any domesticated animal are crossed is that their offspring have what’s called hybrid vigor. Hybrid vigor means that genetically the labradoodle children of an AKC Lab and an AKC Poodle have healthier more vigorous genes than either of their parents. These labradoodle children are known as F1 labradoodle puppies. They are 50% Labrador Retriever and 50% Poodle.

F1 labradoodles have a 50% chance of having a curly coat. That curly coat derives genetically from Cu Locus, or curly hair genetic trait, which comes from the poodle. A labradoodle breeder can increase the likelihood of a puppy possessing that curly coat gene by breeding an F1 labradoodle puppy to a poodle. This is known as backcrossing.

This would be an F1B labradoodle, which is 25% Lab and 75% Poodle. At this stage, the coats of these labradoodle puppies is much more likely to be curly. This, however, comes at the expense of the Lab temperament and social intelligence.

That is the fundamental tradeoff in my and other service dog trainers’ opinions–curly coat for temperament. That is not, however, the only genetic downside of an F1B labradoodle. In addition to a reduction of the service dog trainability from the Lab, these labradoodle pups also have reduced hybrid vigor. Genetically, as 75% poodle they now have less hybrid vigor than F1 labradoodles. Wally Conron’s critique of labradoodles is essentially this–clients wanted dogs who acted like Labs but shed like poodles but what has too often been bred are dogs who look and act like poodles while also inheriting their genetic weaknesses.

This backcrossing process can, and often does with doodles, continue by breeding an F1B doodle with a poodle. These labradoodle puppies are now only 12.5% Labrador Retriever and 87.5% Poodle. These F1BB doodle pups are now much more likely to possess the poodle’s curly coat gene.

F2 labradoodles come from breeding a pair of F1 labradoodles together. Usually the parents are both F1BB labradoodles. So at this point, there is very little of the Lab legacy left in these doodle puppies and very little hybrid vigor. Temperamentally, these F2BB puppies are also a lot more like poodles than they are like Labs.

Australian Labradoodle Breeding Genetics

Breeders who wanted their labradoodle to really have that cute curly haired puppy look then bred their F2BB labradoodles with English Cocker Spaniels, American Cocker Spaniels, Curly Coated Retrievers and Irish Water Spaniels. These dogs are known as Australian Labradoodles. At this point, we are no longer talking about the same breed. That is why some now refer to the original Lab-Poodle cross as an American Labradoodle as distinct from this Australian Labradoodle.

Standard Labradoodle Height and Weight

The size and weight of a Labradoodle depends principally on whether
the poodle parentage is that of a standard poodle, or of one of the
smaller types of poodle like a toy poodle. Labrador Retrievers will measure between 21.5 and 22.5 inches and weigh 55 to 80 pounds, with males being bigger than females.

Poodles come in standard, medium, miniature, and toy sizes. Standard poodles are quite large. They measure 18 to 24 inches in height and weigh 44 to 70 pounds. Mixing a Lab with a standard poodle will get you a standard Labradoodle, which measures 21 to 24 inches and can weigh 50 to 70 pounds. Medium poodles measure 14 to 18 inches tall and weigh 33 to 42 pounds. Miniature poodles are 11 to 14 inches tall and weigh 26 to 31 pounds.
Toy poodles are 9.4 to 11 inches tall and weigh 14 to 17 pounds.

Introducing one of these poodles into the Labradoodle mix results in much
smaller dogs. The smaller poodle will always be the father and the Lab the mother to ensure a safe birth.

Labradoodle Coat and Color

A Labradoodle puppy can inherit the tightly curled and low-shedding coat of their poodle parent or the straight double coat of their higher-shedding Labrador parent. Most of the Labradoodles you come across online with the tight curls will have the poodle coat because this is a trait breeders specifically control for in F1BB labradoodle puppies.

The labradoodle design is to create intelligent and friendly dogs that are also
low-shedding and even considered “hypoallergenic.” Regarding a straight-haired Labradoodle, we are specifically talking about dogs that have inherited the straight hair of their Labrador parent. A flat coated labradoodle is most likely to be an F1 Labradoodle, since there is a 50 percent chance of them inheriting this coat from their Lab parent.

It is possible the coat may still show up further down the breeding line, but that is less common. Labradoodles with straight hair will more or less look like they have a medium-length scruffy coat, which makes them look a little like a teddy bear.

What exactly the coat will look like can vary. It may look a consistent length over their face and body, or it may sprout in longer tufts in some areas or feather along the tail, legs, and face. The coat might be slick and glossy or have a more matte and flat finish to their coat.

It is worth noting that while their coat is straight, they will probably not have the double coat of a Labrador. This means that a flat coat labradoodle will have less seasonal change and less shedding than a Labrador. But straight hair Labradoodles will still shed and need to be brushed regularly.

Even with regular brushing, dog hair will be a part of life. On the positive side, they do not need to be taken to a dog groomer for a professional cut as their curly-haired siblings must do. Additionally, their coat can be a variety of different colors. While black, chocolate, and yellow are most common, they might also be cafe,parchment, apricot, red, silver, chalk, or blue.

Labradoodle Intelligence

Labradoodles are known for their intelligence, since both Labrador Retrievers and poodles are considered among the most intelligent dog breeds. Labradors are premier service dogs. Labs are eager to please and thrive when they have work to do and receive rewards. This makes them highly trainable.

Poodles are more independent in their thinking and therefore less cooperative by nature, but they are still sensitive to humans. This means that your poodle knows what you want, even if they aren’t willing to deliver! First generation labradoodles tend to be about as easy to train and control as Labradors. This makes Labradoodles great service dogs for disability assistance and emotional support. It also means they are excellent and obedient pets, even for first-time owners.

Labradoodle Temperament

Both Labradors and poodles have a friendly temperament and never tend
to be aggressive. They bond quickly with their people. For poodles, this bond can be quite exclusive, and they may be a little bit wary of strangers. Labs, on the other hand, tend to like or at least tolerate everyone.

This means Labs and labradoodle puppies make terrible guard
dogs, even if they inherit a little poodle wariness. Neither parent breed tends to be mouthy, and they won’t bark at the slightest thing. This means if a Labradoodle is barking, it is usually for a good reason, and you should pay attention.

Labradoodles are friendly with children, and they also get on well
with other animals. They are more likely to form a close bond with the house cat than chase them around the yard. Socializing your Labradoodle from a young age can foster this behavior. Just like their parent breeds, Labradoodles bond with their humans intensely. This means they don’t do as well when left alone for extended periods of time.

This also means they won’t like to be outside-only dogs, as they
will want to be close to all of their humans. So, while they benefit from outdoor space, they will need to be inside the house. This is something to bear in mind with a straight-hair Labradoodle, since they will shed.

Labradoodle Diet and Exercise

Labradoodles, like all dogs (and people) need daily exercise of some sort. Labradoodles are adventurous and will enjoy accompanying the family of
hikes and day trips. They also love to swim! Their straight coats are
actually made to repel water.

It’s also worth noting that many labradoodle puppies aren’t born with the gene that lets them know when they are full. This means it is easy for them to overeat and put on excess weight. This is not good for their heart and other organs and can also put unnecessary strain on their joints, leading to mobility issues.

It will be up to you to keep an eye on your Labradoodle puppy’s calorie intake. Remember that all the treats you give them during training or just
because you love them also contain calories!

Common Labradoodle Questions

What is a flat coat labradoodle?

A flat coat labradoodle is a Lab-poodle designer breed dog that has
inherited the straight hair coat of their Labrador parent rather than
the curly coat of their poodle parent.

Is an F1 or an F2 labradoodle better?

F1 Labradoodles often tend to be healthier than F2 variations of the
dog. But breeders are better able to control for certain characteristics with F2 dogs, so their appearance and temperament can
be more predictable.

Are straight or curly haired labradoodles better?

It is very difficult to tell whether a Labradoodle puppy will grow up
to have the curly coat of a poodle or a straight coat of a Labrador.
So, you may be expecting one and end up with the other.

Regardless of their coat, labradoodle puppies have the same wonderful
personalities. They are friendly and will want to spend as much time
as possible at your side. They are easy to train and will very quickly feel like members of the family. Just remember, if your Labradoodle has straight hair they will shed. Brush them regularly to keep their shedding under control.

Labradoodle Breed Traits

To recap, here are the breed’s key traits at a glance once more:
Breed: Mixed breed of Labrador retriever and poodle
Size: 21 to 24 inches for a standard Labradoodle (smaller variations
also exist)
Weight: 50 to 70 pounds
Coat: Medium to long scruffy coat that is high-shedding
Color: Chocolate, cafe, parchment, cream, gold, apricot, red, black,
silver, chalk, lavender, blue
Life Expectancy: 10 to 15 years
Potential Health Issues: Hip and elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation,
eye issues
Temperament: Intelligent and friendly
Energy Levels: High; at least one hour of exercise a day
Attachment: High–Does not thrive when left always alone