What's a good estimate for exercise requirements for the labradoodle breed?

March 4, 2005 7:00 AM

My husband and I are considering getting a lab/poodle ("labradoodle") mix. I'm a little concerned about how much exercise the dog would realistically need. We have talked to a breeder about this and are pursuing referrals from her to current owners, but I'd like all the advice on this subject I can get since this will be a 15-year commitment. Any labradoodle owners out there?

I have googled for this, but I get a very broad range of information--everything from "not much--they'd work well in an apartment" to "they need tons of exercise." I assume it varies somewhat based on the parents: in this case the father would be a standard poodle and the mother a labrador retriever. The breeder told us that the puppies fall toward the poodle end of the exercise spectrum--she says that her standard poodle is happy indoors (and spends most of the winter inside) but will take a good amount of exercise if given the opportunity. I know that every dog will be different, but does anyone have experience that supports or contradicts this?

A little about us: we've had a small breed dog (mini dachshund), but we've decided that we'd like to have a larger dog this time around. We live in the city and have a good sized fenced-in yard. We can take turns coming home at noon for a half-hour or so to let the puppy out, though ideally we'd like to transition away from that after a year or two. We will be crate training, at least until the dog is trustworthy enough not to get into trouble. We will be obedience training. We can definitely do a nice walk in the evening and romping in the backyard, and most weeks will be able to squeeze in a trip to a dog park. Realistically, is this enough for a lab mix breed?

posted by handful of rain to pets & animals (18 comments total)

My sweet lord, I thought you had made the name up until I looked it up. That's a handsome beast!

I don't have any personal experience with the labradoodle (snicker), but my experience from being around the two components says that odds are pretty good they'll need a fair bit of exercise. Both labs and poodles were at one time considered working dogs, though through the years some of this has been bred out. If they don't have a "job" to do, they can get bored and destructive, especially if confined to a small area without supervision for long periods. In particular, some of the labs I've known have needed to get a good daily run, which might be tough in the city.
posted by SteveInMaine at 9:01 AM on March 4, 2005

I tried to resist, but have you considered a mutt? Paying a lot of money for a specialized half&half mutt makes no sense to me when they have all the free mixed dogs you could ever want at the pound.

I have seen more than one person pick a breed based on "fad" and end up with a dog that was more than they were prepared to take on.

I would suggest considering temprament and lifestyle as primary criteria, then seeing what breeds or mixes fit in that pigeonhole. That way you don't end up with a "border Collie alone all day in a studio apartment" type situation.

I do hope you find a great companion.
posted by jester69 at 9:07 AM on March 4, 2005

Thanks both of you for responding... Steve, I agree that the name makes it sound a bit like a candy bar! jester69, that's a good thought, and in fact my original suggestion was to adopt a mixed dog from a shelter, but my husband feels strongly about getting a puppy that's been properly socialized. His family had a couple of rescued dogs while he was growing up, and he said that they had serious issues that couldn't be overcome by training, and presumably were caused by treatment earlier in life.

I understand that point is highly arguable, but the fact is that he ruled out adopting a dog from a shelter (though we did get our cat that way). We don't care about the dog being purebred or part of a fad, but we want to find a puppy that's been under the care of one person who has properly treated it and socialized it. We were attracted to the labradoodle specifically because of the typical lab and poodle personalities, the poodle coat (which means it sheds a lot less than a lab), and the possiblity that it required less exercise than a full-on lab.

To throw out a tangential question: can anyone recommend a medium-sized bred that would work well with the criteria I gave above? The added issue is that we have a cat, so we're concerned about a breed with strong hunting instincts.
posted by handful of rain at 9:31 AM on March 4, 2005

Oh yes, Steve, and if you're looking for funny dog names, you've only scratched the surface of the poodle mixes:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/poodlemix.htm
posted by handful of rain at 9:42 AM on March 4, 2005

It will be very hard to predict. Neither breed are couch potatoes, but neither are terriers either.

The problem is that you have no idea what you're going to get. Maybe you'll get a dog that's behaviorally basically a lab, or basically a poodle, or anything in between, or something that combines the best or worst behavioral traits of both. Labradoodles are mutts, and mutts don't breed true; their traits aren't easily predictable from their parents. There's some chance you're going to end up with a dog that requires more exercise and stimulation than either a lab or poodle would.

In other words, I'd avoid a labradoodle if you're going to go with a breeder. If you're going to buy from a breeder, get an actual purebred whose traits are more predictable, not a mutt from a breeder.

Lots of dogs would be okay with the amount of exercise you've described. I wouldn't get a terrier, or a border collie, or any breed known for being particularly high-energy. Go to some dog shows, see what dogs seem nice to you, talk to the owners, and then check the breed out on the web.

Is there a reason you only want a medium-sized dog? Exercise requirements don't scale with the dog -- big dogs are often far more mellow than little ones.

Having the cat probably rules out most sighthounds / gazehounds (greyhounds, Afghans, Borzoi, etc); plenty are cat-safe, but plenty aren't, and AFAIK you won't know from a 9-week-old puppy which you have.

biscotti has wisdom in these matters. wait for her to answer. she also has written how-to-find-a-breeder stuff before that you can google up.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:46 AM on March 4, 2005

I got nothing when it come to the labradoodle question. As for the other breeds, I'm a sucker for a boxer. They're awfully cute, very into their people, and not the least bit barky. They have very expressive faces, they're pretty smart, they wiggle their whole bodies when they're happy to see you (which is pretty much every time you come home), and they use their front paws sort of like hands when playing or just being affectionate (allegedly, this is why they're called boxers).
Just a wonderful, wonderful breed. I've been a dog lover my whole life, but my in-laws' boxer is my favorite dog ever. Bar none.
posted by willpie at 9:54 AM on March 4, 2005

I have a siberian husky (and I've worked a lot with siberian rescue), and 20 minutes of hard exercise a day works for us. In other words, that's enough to keep her calm and quiet the rest of the day. Of course it's a pleasure to give her as much additional play time as I can, but 20 minutes of hard exercise works.

Sibes are a pretty high energy breed. I suspect the same amount of exercise will work with your lab mix.
posted by Wolfdog at 10:16 AM on March 4, 2005

Well, pretty much what ROU_Xenophobe said. I would keep in mind that a breeder who purposefully breeds a mixed breed is already doing something generally considered unethical, and that anyone who allows two dogs to get it on can call themselves a "breeder". This does not mean that the puppies are being properly handled and socialized, it does not mean that health testing was done on the parents, and it does not mean that temperament testing was done on the parents. Even if you've found a "designer dog" breeder who follows a code of ethics (health testing of parents, appropriate ages of parents, temperament testing of parents, health and temperament guarantees on puppies, etc.), because these are mixed-breed dogs you have no way of knowing what you will end up with in terms of appearance (some "labradoodles" have Poodle coats on Lab bodies, some have Lab coats on Poodle bodies, some are somewhere in between, some are only vaguely like either, etc.), temperament OR exercise needs (although I'd bet you ten dollars that you'll be looking at a high-energy dog who will need more exercise than you're proposing - every "labradoodle" I've met has been a high-energy dog). Your odds of getting a nice dog are in all likelihood no higher with someone who purposefully breeds mutts than with a dog from a shelter, and a dog from a reputable rescue (one with a written mission statement and a take-back guarantee) will have had extensive testing done to determine its temperament (and puppies born and raised in rescue will have all the socialization and handling you could want, with the added benefit of not having been bred solely so someone can profit off the current fad for designer mutts) - your husband's experience with rescue is not typical of people adopting from a reputable rescue - reputable rescues do not accept dogs which are unlikely to be successfully placed.

Basically, I think that if you want a mutt, get an adult, because then you will know what you're getting. Regardless of what this breeder says, mutts do not breed true, and you have no guarantees about the exercise needs of a puppy from her. I also have a big issue with encouraging irresponsible dog breeding, which is what this is, and I suggest you might want to do some research into what makes a breeder ethical (I gave some links in a previous post abour dog breeders). For what you're proposing to spend on a designer mutt, you could have a purebred dog from an ethical breeder with a generally predictable set of traits (plus a temperament and health guarantee and the support of the breeder for any issues you may have), or for far less money than you're proposing to spend you could have a tested adult rescue dog whose temperament and energy level are known quantities, or a properly-raised puppy from a pregnant rescue dog, which will have all the benefits of a purposefully-bred "labradoodle". And, as long as you get a puppy at around 8-10 weeks (no earlier than 7 weeks - if someone offers you a pup younger than 7 weeks, run away), you have plenty of time to socialize the dog, the time when the dog is most open to new experiences doesn't start to close until 16 weeks, I would not decide to get a purpose-bred mix from someone simply because of the birth-to-8 weeks handling you describe above.
posted by biscotti at 10:20 AM on March 4, 2005

I would not purchase a Lab/Poodle mix (I can't say it. Can't.) from a breeder. You may not be buying the animal as part of a fad, but that's likely why they're breeding it. They probably won't be doing any health testing on the parents, either. Labs are prone to hip dysplasia, so you'd want your dog to come from parents who'd been OFA or PennHip certified. It's really not enough to meet friendly, healthy parent dogs and have a clean vet record for your pup. I learned this the hard way; my Boxer has seizures. Her sire and dam did not, but their parents may have. The breeder I got her from only knew her dogs, not their parents.

I'll second ROU_Xenophobe's suggestion to stay away from sighthounds, and throw in recommendations for Corgis, Australian Shepherds, Viszlas, and Flat-Coated Retrievers (instead of the more popular and overbred Golden). All of these are mid-size, well-built animals.

Pay attention to what the breed was designed for. A Border Collie, for example, was built to run after sheep all day and all night. It would need to burn all of that energy off, and if it doesn't have a constructive outlet, you'll both learn that it's just as tiring to eat a couch as it is to herd sheep.

Boxers, Dalmations, and Rhodesian Ridgebacks are definitely out... unless you want an animal that will gleefully bounce off the walls all day.

On preview: willpie, glad you like my breed of choice! They're definitely not for everyone, though, and most Boxer owners I know will say that. Boxers are sweet, friendly, cheerful dogs; they love kids and will do anything for a cookie. They're also stubborn, thick-headed, selectively deaf louts who will go gallivanting around the back yard waving your favorite underpants at the neighbors. I sometimes think her main purpose in life is to find out how much mayhem she can get away with.
posted by cmyk at 10:21 AM on March 4, 2005

I really appreciate the advice, and certainly the comments above are why I'm seeking information prior to making this decision.

For what it's worth, we visited the breeder and talked to her for quite a while, and she does operate along the lines of the "code of ethics" biscotti mentions above, including health testing of parents and a commitment to take the dog back at any time during its life. We got our last dog from a purebred breeder so I know how it's supposed to work, and I certainly felt very confident after talking to her. I also see that we would be taking part in a larger fad, even though we're not choosing the breed because of a fad. However, I'm a little unclear as to why it's strictly unethical to crossbreed, and would appreciate a little more information.

We moved on to looking at crossbreeds because we were having trouble identifying a breed that felt right for our situation (especially given the cat--it seemed to rule out a lot of hounds, like vizslas, which otherwise would be good options for us). I think, though, that we probably need to take a step back and reexamine some purebreeds. And maybe if I can find a good shelter or rescue operation (Madison, Wisconsin area) I can try to get my husband to take another look at that option.

Again, thank you very much.
posted by handful of rain at 11:09 AM on March 4, 2005

You don't have to get a rescue from the pound or a breeder crossbreed to get a mutt. Ask your vet if they've got any clients with puppies.

That's how we got our dog (english shepherd/lab/dalmation mix, as far as we can tell). Her mom and dad were both well cared for, well adjusted dogs that we were able to meet. Her people were good people, and took good care of the puppies. They were also not in it for the money, and made sure that the people getting their pups were ready for a dog.
posted by jlkr at 11:13 AM on March 4, 2005

Corgis, Australian Shepherds, Viszlas, and Flat-Coated Retrievers

If you don't want to be chasing and playing with and training your dog 40 hours a day, don't get an Aussie. They might not be border collies, but they still only have two speeds: hypomanic and manic.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:15 AM on March 4, 2005

To answer the original question: there's one next door. Absolutely adorable, but very high strung and active, even at 1+ years old. Which makes sense, given the two breeds involved are "sporting" breeds (standard-sized poodles are hunting dogs, believe it or not), and poodles tend to have a slightly nervous temperment, depending on the skill of the breeder. I second (or third) the vote for a sweet old good natured mutt.
posted by availablelight at 12:05 PM on March 4, 2005

My g/f was working in Chicago recently, and the couple she stayed with had a labrapoodle (longish poodle hair and face, lab build). God, that dog was sweet. He loved to run around the yard and be taken to the park, but he handled living inside their place (a largeish 2BR) just fine.
posted by mkultra at 12:05 PM on March 4, 2005

If you are patient, you may be able to find a dog that needs a new home due to the owner moving, divorcing, etc. Puppies and young dogs really need a lot of attention. Once past adolescence, dogs mellow out a lot. Pets.com is a great resource.
posted by theora55 at 1:13 PM on March 4, 2005

I'm a little unclear as to why it's strictly unethical to crossbreed, and would appreciate a little more information.

Well, I guess it depends on your point of view. Ethical breeders research their breedings very carefully, and part of doing that is dealing with documented, known quantities - this tells you which lines cross well with which lines and that sort of thing. Purebred dogs are as predictable as living creatures can be - you know what you will get out of a mating within certain parameters. This is not true of mixed breeds, since they do not breed with predictable results. Not only does this address physical and temperamental issues, it also addresses health issues. We understand the genetics involved with many of the major health issues in purebred dogs, and ethical breeders who do the appropriate health checks can research their matings to determine the best ways to minimize health issues in the dogs they breed. You cannot do this with mixed breeds. Contrary to popular belief, mutts aren't intrinsically healthier than purebreds, and health problems are less predictable since you a) don't have documentation about both their ancestors and their contemporaries (both of which are important in terms of health genetics) and b) cannot accurately predict how things will get passed on, since crossbreeds do not breed true.

Ethical breeders also don't breed dogs which end up in pounds (because they research their potential buyers carefully, place their puppies according to personality and suitability for a given home and have take-back policies written into their contracts), whereas unethical breeders breed with making money as an objective. There is no shortage of homeless dogs in the world, and many of them come from unethical breeders and ignorant pet owners (who just want their kids to see the miracle of birth or whose pets were just so cute they had to breed them and that sort of thing).

There is one way that purposefully crossbreeding is ethical, and that is with the creation of a new purebreed as the goal. But people who do this have a written plan which they adhere to, and follow all the principles of ethical breeding along the way (health testing, temperament testing, puppy placement, guarantees, etc.). Ethical breeding costs a lot of money and time, there is no shortage of dogs out there, so there is really no good reason to purposefully breed mutts for the "pet market". Most ethical breeders have waiting lists, and do not undertake a breeding without knowing there are suitable homes for any puppies they do not intend to keep (or if they breed without a waiting list, they have the time and space to keep the entire litter if need be). A well-bred dog from an ethical breeder (who has researched you and decided that you and their dog are a good match) gives you a predictable pet in terms of size, coat, instincts and energy levels, as well as the added benefit of always having someone to turn to if you have a problem. You cannot get this from someone who breeds mutts. If you want a mutt (and there is nothing wrong with them whatsoever), there is no shortage of available dogs in need of a home without rewarding someone for breeding mutts on purpose. I'll also point out that unethical breeding isn't limited to breeding mutts, there are all too many unethical breeders of purebreds out there too, which is why doing your homework is vital.

It also sounds like the breeder in question breeds the same dogs over and over again, this is also contrary to generally accepted breeder ethics - no cross is so good as to warrant more than two or three repeats, and no one dog is so good that it needs more than fifty or so offspring out there. This is the very definition of a backyard breeder.

he handled living inside their place (a largeish 2BR) just fine.

The amount of exercise a dog needs should not affect where the dog lives, I think dogs should live inside with their families, regardless of how big and/or energetic they are (I'd be leery of any breeder who would happily place a dog with a home which intended to have it live outside, without having visited the home to see the living conditions, and being certain the dog would receive enough daily human contact). Dogs do not exercise themselves very well (especially single dogs), and an underexercised outdoor dog will simply wreck your yard instead of your living room, in addition to probably being undersocialized and anxious about not being near you, it won't be any less underexercised, it will just be less in your face about it.

handful of rain, you sound like you can offer a really great home to a dog, and you are doing your homework, which is the hallmark of a responsible owner, I certainly don't mean to be discouraging. I suggest you attend some dog shows, meet some different breeds and breeders, and get a feel for what's out there that might be exactly what you want. Good breeders will tell you the bad things about their breed before the good things much of the time, to be sure that you really are suited to their breed. Remember that most things with most breeds are modifiable to some extent, but you cannot change what the dog's exercise needs are, and you cannot change what it has been bred for (the benefit of a purebred or adult mixed breed is that you will know what both these things are ahead of time). Good luck to you, I hope you find your perfect dog.
posted by biscotti at 3:24 PM on March 4, 2005 [1 favorite has favorites]

Why a Labradoodle? The Standard Poodle is such a great dog, why would you want to dilute it? Seriously, a mix like this is very unpredictable. A lot of folks get these kinds of dogs because they want a lab that does not shed, but sometimes they get the opposite result... a dog with the hair of a poodle that sheds.

I have a 70 pound standard poodle, male, and he is very mellow. Sure he likes to run when we go out, but most of the day he is content to hang out with me in my home office and chill. He is the best dog I have ever had. I do not give him a poodle cut, so he ends up looking like a big curly haired sheep dog. I would advise that you just get a Standard poodle, and if you want something a little unusual, see if you can get a red one. you can see some nice reds here
posted by alball at 3:25 PM on March 4, 2005

Again, I'm very grateful for all of the advice--especially Biscotti's thoughtful, thorough answers. To be honest, I hadn't fully considered the fad breed aspect of the labradoodle (mostly because I like to think my husband and I are interested in the breed for reasons beyond fad influence), and it gives me a lot to think about.

I think we'll probably take another look at some purebred options, but I'm also going to try to reintroduce the idea of a rescue dog or a mutt from a shelter.

Again, thanks for all the feedback!
posted by handful of rain at 7:09 PM on March 4, 2005