YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post

fasteddie · 11-23-2004, 04:01 PM

Anyone seen a YorkiPoo in person before? :P
That's a Labradoodle pictured below.
---
http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/images/labradoodle.jpg
Angie Daugherty was so eager to take possession of her new-breed Labradoodle pup that she drove up to Lapel to see it at two weeks of age. She wouldn't be able to take the dog home with her for at least another six weeks.

"I like the look of the dog, the size and the non-shedding," said Daugherty, a 39-year-old Carmel accountant.

Millions of people a year buy a pup. What makes this scene special is a dog whose breed name you won't find in the American Kennel Club registry, or in any printed matter from decades past.

The Labradoodle is a made-up name for a Labrador and poodle cross-breed. The mix supposedly was "invented" in Australia in the late 1980s by breeders intent on coming up with a dog that combined the perceived hypoallergenic qualities of a poodle with the family-friendly nature of a Labrador.

Since then, other specialty hybrid dogs such as the Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever and poodle), Yorkipoo (Yorkshire terrier and toy poodle) and puggle (pug and beagle) have caught the attention of dog fanciers looking for something out of the ordinary.

Jane Stanger, a former nurse, has been breeding Labradoodles in her Anderson home the past couple of years. She paid $34,000 for Velvet and Koby, two stud Australian Labradoodles.

"It's mostly Lab and poodle with some Irish water spaniel and then a couple of other breeds, but (the Australian breeder) won't tell us which," said Stanger. "It's a secret recipe."

Like a Disney dog

Stanger's adult Labradoodles look a bit like the shaggy dog in the old Walt Disney movie of the same name, and a little like a cross between a Lab and poodle, as advertised. The wiry hair seems as if it was transplanted from '60s political activist and hippie Abbie Hoffman.

Size can vary considerably. Breeding a standard poodle with a Lab will give offspring that may be any size between the two. Some breeders use a toy poodle as a stud, which results in an adult dog about the size of a cocker spaniel.

Brian Brodette drove all the way down from suburban Chicago to southern Indiana to pick up his Labradoodle from breeder Julie Neukam in rural DuBois County. Brodette paid $800 for the dog.

"I would say it's much smarter than the typical Lab, because of the poodle," said Brodette, 47, who is married with three children. "But it has the same temperament as a Lab. It's a great family dog."

The hypoallergenic reputation of poodles also helped, said Brodette. Poodles have an undercoat, which results in less shedding.

Michael Wagenbach, who breeds Weimardoodles (Weimaraner/poodles) and Labradoodles in Wolcott, Ind., calls poodles "the standard for non-shedding and hypoallergenic" dogs.

Yet most breeders, Wagenbach included, as well as a Purdue University veterinarian, note there are no guarantees when cross-breeding dogs. You won't know which parent's genes a puppy will inherit until it's born.

And hair and hair loss may not be issues anyway.

"Most people are not allergic to the hair," said Saralyn Sharp, a registered veterinary technician in Small Animal Community Practice at Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine.

"They're allergic to the dander -- the dead skin, and every animal has dander," said Sharp.

Puggles are popular

The puggle is a more recent crossbreed also said to provide some health benefit -- this time, to the dog itself. If the match works, a puggle will have a face somewhat similar to that of a pug, but a body closer to that of a beagle. Color is often a shade of fawn.

"The beagle has the good personality, the happy-go-lucky personality," said Phil Knepp, a part-time breeder in Odon, Ind. "You still get the pug look . . . "

Puggle pups sell for about $400, but prices can vary widely.

Like most puggle breeders, Knepp uses a beagle female and pug stud because beagles are seen as better mothers than pugs.

Puggles may also breathe easier than purebred pugs.

"One of the issues with pugs is their soft palate, which is elongated and stretches into their throat," said Cara Gardner, a veterinarian at Broad Ripple Animal Clinic.

The breed's stubby muzzle and long soft palate lead to breathing problems, and snoring, as well.

Whether a puggle will lack the unwelcome characteristics of both breeds (beagles can bark a lot), or incorporate problems from both, is a question that will be answered only when the dog is full-grown, experts say.

The same goes for general appearance.

Yet Sharon Turner, owner of the Tinytykes kennel in Caledonia, Wis., says breeders can control for outcomes if they're careful. The trick is to stick with the same stud and mother, she says.

"Then you can pretty much predict what you're going to get in the future," Turner said.

Local radio personality Tom Griswold (WFBQ 94.7) imported two Labradoodles from Australia a couple of years ago. Griswold already had two Golden retrievers, but his youngest son wanted smaller animals, and a friend recommended the Labradoodle.

"It's almost like buying a car," Griswold said. "They literally come in five colors and five hair types. They have small, medium and large."

Tazzie is a light golden female Labradoodle, and Daxie is a tan-white male. Griswold says he paid several thousand dollars for the pair, including shipping.

Some people believe cross-breeds such as the Labradoodle and puggle are healthier overall, just because they're not purebred. That's why some breeders will usually go back to the original disparate breeds for a litter of Labradoodles or puggles, rather than mating previously crossbred dogs to each other.

The evidence for such "hybrid vigor," as it's called, is mixed. Gardner points out that purebred dogs often have been bred for recessive genes, with less regard for health issues than is wise.

"There are reasons why dominant genes are dominant," Gardner said.

Ancestors' health matters

Yet Purdue's Sharp says it's largely a myth that mixed-breed dogs are healthier than purebreds because all dogs have such closely related genes, irrespective of outward appearance.

Sharp recommends that owners who are really concerned about the health of their dogs go to an established breeder and demand proof of health of the dog's ancestors, as far back as possible.

They also should be prepared to pay for a veterinary exam to look for signs of maladies known to afflict specific breeds. For example, Sharp says, Labs should be checked for hip dysplasia and receive a heart, eye and thyroid check-up, as well.

"If they've done this kind of testing, then to me it's worth paying $1,000, because then I know the stock behind my dog is mostly free of genetic defects," Sharp said.

http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/196769-7271-047.html

11-23-2004, 04:01 PM	#1
fasteddie *YT 6000 Club Member* Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,238	[News] Just What Kind of Breed Is That? Anyone seen a YorkiPoo in person before? :P That's a Labradoodle pictured below. --- http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/images/labradoodle.jpg Angie Daugherty was so eager to take possession of her new-breed Labradoodle pup that she drove up to Lapel to see it at two weeks of age. She wouldn't be able to take the dog home with her for at least another six weeks. "I like the look of the dog, the size and the non-shedding," said Daugherty, a 39-year-old Carmel accountant. Millions of people a year buy a pup. What makes this scene special is a dog whose breed name you won't find in the American Kennel Club registry, or in any printed matter from decades past. The Labradoodle is a made-up name for a Labrador and poodle cross-breed. The mix supposedly was "invented" in Australia in the late 1980s by breeders intent on coming up with a dog that combined the perceived hypoallergenic qualities of a poodle with the family-friendly nature of a Labrador. Since then, other specialty hybrid dogs such as the Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever and poodle), Yorkipoo (Yorkshire terrier and toy poodle) and puggle (pug and beagle) have caught the attention of dog fanciers looking for something out of the ordinary. Jane Stanger, a former nurse, has been breeding Labradoodles in her Anderson home the past couple of years. She paid $34,000 for Velvet and Koby, two stud Australian Labradoodles. "It's mostly Lab and poodle with some Irish water spaniel and then a couple of other breeds, but (the Australian breeder) won't tell us which," said Stanger. "It's a secret recipe." Like a Disney dog Stanger's adult Labradoodles look a bit like the shaggy dog in the old Walt Disney movie of the same name, and a little like a cross between a Lab and poodle, as advertised. The wiry hair seems as if it was transplanted from '60s political activist and hippie Abbie Hoffman. Size can vary considerably. Breeding a standard poodle with a Lab will give offspring that may be any size between the two. Some breeders use a toy poodle as a stud, which results in an adult dog about the size of a cocker spaniel. Brian Brodette drove all the way down from suburban Chicago to southern Indiana to pick up his Labradoodle from breeder Julie Neukam in rural DuBois County. Brodette paid $800 for the dog. "I would say it's much smarter than the typical Lab, because of the poodle," said Brodette, 47, who is married with three children. "But it has the same temperament as a Lab. It's a great family dog." The hypoallergenic reputation of poodles also helped, said Brodette. Poodles have an undercoat, which results in less shedding. Michael Wagenbach, who breeds Weimardoodles (Weimaraner/poodles) and Labradoodles in Wolcott, Ind., calls poodles "the standard for non-shedding and hypoallergenic" dogs. Yet most breeders, Wagenbach included, as well as a Purdue University veterinarian, note there are no guarantees when cross-breeding dogs. You won't know which parent's genes a puppy will inherit until it's born. And hair and hair loss may not be issues anyway. "Most people are not allergic to the hair," said Saralyn Sharp, a registered veterinary technician in Small Animal Community Practice at Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine. "They're allergic to the dander -- the dead skin, and every animal has dander," said Sharp. Puggles are popular The puggle is a more recent crossbreed also said to provide some health benefit -- this time, to the dog itself. If the match works, a puggle will have a face somewhat similar to that of a pug, but a body closer to that of a beagle. Color is often a shade of fawn. "The beagle has the good personality, the happy-go-lucky personality," said Phil Knepp, a part-time breeder in Odon, Ind. "You still get the pug look . . . " Puggle pups sell for about $400, but prices can vary widely. Like most puggle breeders, Knepp uses a beagle female and pug stud because beagles are seen as better mothers than pugs. Puggles may also breathe easier than purebred pugs. "One of the issues with pugs is their soft palate, which is elongated and stretches into their throat," said Cara Gardner, a veterinarian at Broad Ripple Animal Clinic. The breed's stubby muzzle and long soft palate lead to breathing problems, and snoring, as well. Whether a puggle will lack the unwelcome characteristics of both breeds (beagles can bark a lot), or incorporate problems from both, is a question that will be answered only when the dog is full-grown, experts say. The same goes for general appearance. Yet Sharon Turner, owner of the Tinytykes kennel in Caledonia, Wis., says breeders can control for outcomes if they're careful. The trick is to stick with the same stud and mother, she says. "Then you can pretty much predict what you're going to get in the future," Turner said. Local radio personality Tom Griswold (WFBQ 94.7) imported two Labradoodles from Australia a couple of years ago. Griswold already had two Golden retrievers, but his youngest son wanted smaller animals, and a friend recommended the Labradoodle. "It's almost like buying a car," Griswold said. "They literally come in five colors and five hair types. They have small, medium and large." Tazzie is a light golden female Labradoodle, and Daxie is a tan-white male. Griswold says he paid several thousand dollars for the pair, including shipping. Some people believe cross-breeds such as the Labradoodle and puggle are healthier overall, just because they're not purebred. That's why some breeders will usually go back to the original disparate breeds for a litter of Labradoodles or puggles, rather than mating previously crossbred dogs to each other. The evidence for such "hybrid vigor," as it's called, is mixed. Gardner points out that purebred dogs often have been bred for recessive genes, with less regard for health issues than is wise. "There are reasons why dominant genes are dominant," Gardner said. Ancestors' health matters Yet Purdue's Sharp says it's largely a myth that mixed-breed dogs are healthier than purebreds because all dogs have such closely related genes, irrespective of outward appearance. Sharp recommends that owners who are really concerned about the health of their dogs go to an established breeder and demand proof of health of the dog's ancestors, as far back as possible. They also should be prepared to pay for a veterinary exam to look for signs of maladies known to afflict specific breeds. For example, Sharp says, Labs should be checked for hip dysplasia and receive a heart, eye and thyroid check-up, as well. "If they've done this kind of testing, then to me it's worth paying $1,000, because then I know the stock behind my dog is mostly free of genetic defects," Sharp said. http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/196769-7271-047.html Last edited by fasteddie; 11-23-2004 at 04:03 PM.