PUPPIES DOWNUNDER AUSTRALIA
The Labradoodle
What is a Labradoodle?
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A Labradoodle is a mixed breed consisting of a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle.
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Breeding the Labrador Retriever and Poodle together creates a larger sized dog that has the temperament and trainability of a Labrador Retriever and the coat, intelligence and trainability of a Poodle.
Labradoodles are perfect for families, couples and individuals.
The Labradoodle's Temperament
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Labradoodles are calm, laidback, friendly, intelligent and easily trainable. They love a cuddle and are very loyal to their family/companions.
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Their beautiful temperament and high intelligence makes them suitable to be trained as therapy pets or service dogs for those with conditions such as autism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
They also suitable to be trained as Diabetic Alert dogs and Assistance dogs for people living with a wide range of disabilities.
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Labradoodles love to play and can socialise well with other animals and people of all age groups.
Labradoodles and Health
Labradoodles have diverse genetics due to being a mixed breed.
This makes them less likely to develop genetic disease when bred by a responsible breeder who genetically tests the parents.
The main genetic diseases that can appear in Labradoodles are:
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PRA – Progressive Rod Cone degeneration of the eyes, this comes from the genes of the Poodle.
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Von Willebrand’s Disease – A bleeding disorder caused by low levels of clotting protein in the blood.
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Degenerative Myelopathy – This disease causes a progressive degeneration of the spinal cord in older dogs, this occurs in both Poodles and Labrador Retrievers.
Puppies Downunder conduct full breed profile genetic testing on all our sires and dams. We carefully select which dogs we breed together and only breed from Clear to Carrier or from Clear to Clear.
Ears
Labradoodles have long ears and can sometimes have fur growth inside which comes from the poodle making them more prone to dirty ears and ear infections.
Always check your Labradoodle’s ears for any foul smells or buildup of debris as well plucking out any fur that is growing inside the ear and clean them when needed.
If you suspect your Labradoodle has an ear infection take them to the Veterinarian for advice on treatment.
Eyes
Labradoodles can develop cataracts or Progressive Rod Cone degeneration (PRA). Check your Labradoodle’s eyes on a regular basis and if you notice anything of concern, take them to your Veterinarian.
Hips and Elbows
Labradoodles can develop Hip Dysplasia, this is most likely to happen due to improper nutrition (being overweight), not enough exercise or too much exercise.
Slippery floors can also make your Labradoodle more predisposed to developing Hip Dysplasia.
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Elbow Dysplasia is a developmental disorder of the elbow joint and is more common in large breed dogs. This can be very painful and can be identified if your Labradoodle doesn’t want to walk anywhere or shows signs of being in pain whilst walking.
Seek veterinarian advice if you suspect your Labradoodle has either of these conditions.
What size do Labradoodles grow to?
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Labradoodles are a mixed breed so they don’t have a set breed standard of size; the size can vary due to the generation and the parents of the dog. If you’re unsure what size your puppy will grow to ask to see the parents to get an idea of the size.
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Miniatures
Height: 30 - 45cms
Weight: 10-15kg
Mediums
Height: 45 - 55cms
Weight: 15-20kg
Do Labradoodles Shed?
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This varies depending on which breed/parent they take after as well as the individual puppy’s coat.
There are 3 coat variations as well as single and double coats.
Wool
A single coat of densely packed curls
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Fleece
A single or double coat with waves
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Hair
.A double coat with a wiry top coat on top of a fuzzy undercoat.
Single Coat
No undercoat
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Double Coat
Top coat and Undercoat
All dogs shed their old fur so new fur can grow in, and all dogs produce dander (dead skin cells). Depending on the kind of the coat the dog has deems it less or more likely to trigger allergies.
What is the Best Coat for Allergy Sufferers?
Dogs with a wool (curly) single coat are more suitable for those suffering with allergies. These coats have the lowest allergens due to curls that catch dander and are low shedding. Dogs with wool single coats shed slowly and their curls help trap hairs as they fall out.
These coats are high maintenance requiring daily brushing. This should be done with a high-quality slicker brush which helps detangle surface hair and remove dander, dirt and debris.
Low Maintenance Coats
If allergies are not an issue and a low maintenance coat, is preferred, a fleece or hair coat would be most suitable.
This type of coat is average to low shedding due to undercoat hairs falling out and new ones coming in.
How Active are Labradoodles?
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Labradoodles have a moderate activity level. They require daily 30 to 60 minute walks per day as well as playtime and mental enrichment.
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Most Labradoodles love to be in the water. Whether it is the beach, the river, a lake or your own swimming pool, this type of breed will definitely enjoy splashing around when temperatures are high.
Please note: Exercise should be kept to a minimum for Labradoodle puppies as over-exercise can cause skeletal damage and long-term health issues.
Labradoodle Breeder
How To Spot An Ethical, High-Quality Labradoodle Breeder
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Anyone who’s spent five minutes searching for labradoodle puppies for sale in Australia will know that there’s no shortage of dodgy breeders out there. But, unfortunately, there are so many organisations only in it for the money, charging exorbitant prices and neglecting the health and wellbeing of their puppies and dogs. At Puppies Downunder, we believe buyers should be 100% informed about breeders, especially if they’re looking to source a puppy from an ethical labradoodle breeder. That’s why we’ve created this resource to help you identify genuinely ethical breeders and weed out the breeders who don’t have great intentions.
How Are They Treating The Dogs And Puppies?
One of the most obvious signs of an unethical breeder is the poor or neglectful treatment of their puppies and breeding dogs. An ethical labradoodle breeder in Australia will;
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Strive to find the right home for their puppies. An ethical breeder won’t give their puppies to the person with the most money who Googled ‘labradoodle for sale’. Instead, they go above and beyond to make sure they find the perfect home for each puppy. Usually, the search involves asking potential buyers a range of questions about their home and lifestyle, so they can pair families with a puppy that has a temperament right for them.
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Provide the highest quality care and living conditions. Ethical breeders ensure that both the puppies and breeding dogs have premium quality care, including comprehensive health checks, socialisation, and training. At Puppies Downunder, we always do what’s best for the puppy. For example, we’d love nothing more than to snuggle at night with a puppy in the bed, but crate training is the best thing for a puppy’s training and development, so we act in their best interests by keeping them in a clean, spacious pen.
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Rehome adult dogs. Puppies Downunder takes good care of our breeding dogs, and we retire females after they’ve had five litters or earlier if there is advice to do so from our veterinarian. Once the female is retired, she is de-sexed and either adopted by our internal staff or a loving family.
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Never separate the puppies early. A puppy shouldn’t be separated from the mother until at least eight weeks of age at the very minimum. Not only is the puppy not ready to leave its mother prior to eight weeks, but it’ll also miss valuable socialisation time with its siblings. Puppies Downunder waits until the puppy is ten weeks old before we allow them to join their new family.
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Meet and exceed all the necessary requirements. It’s absolutely essential that an ethical breeder is recognised and registered with all the appropriate bodies. At Puppies Downunder, we’re registered as full members of the Australian Association of Pet Dog Breeders and the Latrobe City shire as a domestic animal business. We comply with all codes and requirements set by the Domestic Animal Act, actively assist with inspections of our facilities, and have received approval from the Chief Veterinary Officer of Victoria to operate as a Commercial Breeder and the Minister for Agriculture.
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How Are They Treating Their Clients (AKA You)?
Many people are so focused on the breeder’s treatment of the animals that they don’t stop to think about how an ethical puppy breeder should be treating their clients.
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The breeder should be asking plenty of questions. A puppy is a long-term commitment, so ethical breeders ask plenty of questions to make sure the buyer is the right fit for the puppy. Here are a few examples of questions you can expect to hear;
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How much space do you have?
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Will you be home often?
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How often will you exercise the dog?
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Do you have kids?
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Do you have other animals?
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Where will the puppy sleep?
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They should encourage you to visit the breeding facility. When looking for Australian labradoodle puppies for sale, you need to make sure the breeder will allow you to inspect the facility and meet the parents. By meeting the sire and dam, you’ll get confirmation that your dog is, in fact, a genuine labradoodle, and you’ll get an idea of how big the puppy will grow. You can also ensure the dogs and puppies are raised in clean, high-quality conditions by visiting the facility. If the breeder isn’t allowing you to visit or wants to drop the puppy off to you, that’s a big red flag. The Puppies Downunder team understands that not everyone can come and visit our facility, so we have plenty of photos of both the breeding facility, puppies, and dogs online.
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They should collect information to monitor the puppy’s progress. The breeder should try and find out the address the puppy will be living, the details of the new veterinarian, and any other relevant information needed to ensure the puppy is being well looked after. Typically, an ethical breeder will try to keep an open line of communication between the customers and themselves to check in on the puppy’s development and allow the customer to ask questions and seek support.
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Are They Willing To Answer Questions?
If your breeder is unable or unwilling to answer any of the following questions, that’s a major red flag that they aren’t an ethical breeder.
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Can you provide the puppy’s medical history? Your breeder should have organised the first two vaccinations, microchipping and worming and parasite prevention, before going home with their new family. If there is no medical history or the breeder is reluctant to share that information, they’re likely not running an ethical breeding facility. At Puppies Downunder, we go above and beyond, providing a complete medical history. We also provide you with information about their individual dietary requirements, socialisation, registration, medications, and required vaccinations.
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What is the puppy’s temperament? An excellent ethical breeder should be vetting potential buyers to find the right family for that specific puppy. They can’t do that if they don’t know that specific puppy’s overall temperament. Is the puppy cheeky? Playful? Shy? Nervous? It’s so important to understand a puppy’s personality.
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How much exercise does the dog need? Unfortunately, a lot of unethical breeders will understate or flat out lie when telling buyers how much exercise their new puppy will need. For example, people looking for a labradoodle for sale in Australia might be told they have a moderate activity level, which is accurate. However, they may be given the same advice for bordoodle, which is wildly inaccurate for this high-energy, restless dog. An ethical breeder ensures the buyers know how to take the very best care of their puppy, so they’re 100% transparent about the dog’s needs.
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Can you provide references? When you’re looking for labradoodle puppies for sale, you should always ask for references. The breeder should be able to provide you with references from a veterinarian and previous customers.
Do They Keep Supporting Their Buyers After Selling The Puppies?
Buying a puppy is arguably the easiest part of raising a dog, so ethical breeders make sure their clients know they’re there to support them every step of the way.
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We offer lifelong support. At Puppies Downunder, we continue to provide support for our customers throughout the lifetime of their puppy. In addition, we actively encourage people to contact us if they have any questions about their puppy’s health, well-being, or care.
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Do they offer a guarantee? An unethical breeder will sell a puppy, and in the unfortunate event things don’t work out, they do nothing to support their customers. At Puppies Downunder, we provide a health guarantee for the first 21 days of sale. When a puppy is returned to us for health reasons, we will refund 100% of the buyer’s money. Additionally, if the dog is diagnosed with a disease that can trace back to the point of sale within three years of purchase, we’ll refund 100% of the purchase price. If the new puppy and their family aren’t compatible, we will work to find a solution or a new home for the puppy.
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Do they provide the essentials to give the puppy the best start to life? The Puppies Downunder team provides our customers with biscuits, a collar, lead, bowl, and toy, and six weeks of free pet insurance to ensure you’re completely prepared to take your new family member home.
If You’re Looking For A Labradoodle For Sale In Australia, Choose The Ethical Option With Puppies Downunder
At Puppies Downunder, the health and wellbeing of our animals is our highest priority. Dogs are our passion, and we dedicate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to their care. We’re the experts in our field, and with over 45 years of experience in breeding, raising, and training dogs, you can rest assured that your puppy is coming from a place dedicated to its enrichment and care.
We’re proud to say that Puppies Downunder is one of the only commercial dog breeders approved by the Minister for Agriculture due to our immensely high professionalism and ethical behaviour standards. In fact, we have the highest ethical standards of any dog breeder globally. We offer lifetime support for families adopting puppies from our facility, so you can always feel confident knowing we’re here for you. If you’re looking for an ethical labradoodle breeder, get in touch with the team at Puppies Downunder today.
Mini Labradoodle Breeder
Frequently Asked Questions About Mini Labradoodles
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As a leading Australian mini labradoodle breeder, the team at Puppies Downunder hear quite a few questions about our puppies and the breed in general. We absolutely adore mini labradoodles, and we take advantage of any opportunity to share our love of them with others. That’s why we’ve put together some answers to a few of the most frequently asked questions about mini labradoodles, so you can learn everything there is to know about this cuddly, adorable breed.
What Is A Mini Labradoodle?
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A mini labradoodle is a mix between a labrador retriever and a miniature poodle, and it creates a small-medium sized dog with the trainability and temperament of a labrador retriever and the coat, intelligence, and trainability of a poodle. Their beautiful, calm temperament and high intelligence make mini labradoodles ideal candidates for therapy pets and service dogs for individuals with autism, PTSD, diabetes, and other disabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mini Labradoodles
If you have any questions about our mini labradoodle puppies for sale, check to see if we’ve answered them for you right here.
How big do they grow?
A mini labradoodle will typically grow to 30-45cm in height and around 10-15kg in weight, so they stay relatively small.
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What kind of person is best suited to a mini labradoodle?
Labradoodles love to play, and they can socialise well with other animals and people of all age groups, so they’re an ideal breed for a range of people and families. From elderly couples to families with small children, the mini labradoodle will fit right in.
Do mini labradoodles shed?
That all depends on their coat. If a mini labradoodle has a wool coat, the tight curls will catch any dander, fur, and dirt, thereby minimising shedding and reducing allergies. However, wool coats are high-maintenance and require brushing every day.
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Do mini labradoodles have a low-maintenance coat?
It all depends on the type of coat your mini labradoodle has. Fleece and hair coats are very low maintenance, but wool coats are pretty high-maintenance.
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​How active are mini labradoodles?
They have a pretty moderate level of activity, and they enjoy 30-60 minutes of exercise per day as well as playtime and mental enrichment. You’ll also find that mini labradoodles love the water, so if you take your puppy to the beach, lake, or pool, they’ll love splashing around.
Are there any health concerns we should keep an eye out for?
Mini labradoodles are a crossbreed, so they have very diverse genetics making them less likely to develop genetic diseases. However, progressive rod-cone degeneration, Von Willebrand’s disease, and degenerative myelopathy are the primary genetic diseases in labradoodles. They may also develop hip or elbow dysplasia if over-exercised or overfed. Labradoodles have adorable long ears, but this means they are prone to dirty ears and ear infections, do their ears need to be checked regularly.
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Why do I have to wait until ten weeks to take my puppy home?
From birth to 8 weeks, puppies benefit from valuable socialisation time with their siblings and mother. They aren’t ready to leave the mother before eight weeks, and removing them earlier can create behavioural issues such as anti-social behaviour, separation anxiety, and nervousness. Anyone advertising a mini labradoodle for sale before eight weeks old isn’t an ethical breeder, so be wary.
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How should I go about crate training?
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We get it; you want to cuddle your puppy every second of the day including at night. However, not crate training your puppy may be doing more harm than good. Puppies that aren’t crate trained don’t learn independence and may develop unhealthy attachments. We suggest introducing your puppy to their crate throughout their first day, enticing them with treats and making sure they associate the space with positivity. Open the crate door throughout the day, so your puppy can retreat to their safe space whenever they feel the need. Make sure your puppy has a separate area to go to the bathroom at night. Dogs don’t like sleeping in their own waste (and honestly, we don’t either!), so make sure their crate is large enough for a sleeping area and a toilet area. The first few nights, your puppy might cry a little bit, but they will gradually get used to sleeping on their own, and it’s far better for them in the long term.
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Where can I find a mini labradoodle for sale?
If you’re looking for an Australian mini labradoodle for sale, you’ve come to the right place! Puppies Downunder are an ethical mini labradoodle breeder, and we take great pride in our high-quality breeding facilities and our commitment to providing a safe, comfortable home for our dogs.
A Few Ideas To Help You Provide Mental Enrichment For Your Mini Labradoodle Puppy
Some of the most frequently asked questions we receive pertain to keeping mini labradoodles entertained. They have incredibly high intelligence and need to be kept mentally stimulated; otherwise, they can become bored, stubborn, and destructive. So we’ve put together a few ideas to help you create mentally enriching activities for your mini labradoodle.
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Make them work for their food. Dogs with high intelligence love a challenge, and they love working for their food. You can either purchase puzzle or interactive feeders such as snuffle mats or Kong toys, or you can create your own DIY slow feeder bowl. We suggest having a few different puzzles in varying difficulty levels, so your puppy is always mentally stimulated at dinner time.
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Think of a retrieving game. The labrador retriever in your labradoodle will have an instinct to retrieve, and the poodle side will have an instinct to hunt, so try to incorporate these traits into games.
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Play a hide and seek game with toys and treats to let them use their natural instincts.
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Licking mats. Silicone licking mats are a fantastic way to keep your dog entertained. Smear some peanut butter, wet food, or baby food on the mat and pop it into the freezer. Once frozen, get it out and give it to your puppy to lick for a refreshing summer treat.
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Problem-solving toys. You can buy or make plenty of toys that encourage your puppy to solve a problem before receiving treats as a reward. For example, grab a muffin tray, some treats, and some tennis balls. Put treats in a couple of the openings and block them all with tennis balls. Your dog will need to snuffle and work out which balls have treats underneath.
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Another great DIY idea is to tie a milk carton to a string. Cut a slot in the bottle and fill it with food or treats, and let your dog bat it around to get the treats out. It’ll keep them busy for quite some time.
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Let your dog explore on your walks. Dogs who are allowed to sniff and explore on their walk are far more stimulated than dogs that just walk.
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If you’re trying to teach your puppy control and discipline, try creating a command for sniff time so they can explore for a little while and tire themselves out.
If You’re Looking For A Mini Labradoodle For Sale In Australia, Choose Ethical Mini Labradoodle Breeder Puppies Downunder
At Puppies Downunder, the health and wellbeing of our animals is our highest priority. Dogs are our passion, and we dedicate 24 hours a day, seven days a week to their care. We’re the experts in our field, and with over 45 years of experience in breeding, raising, and training dogs, you can rest assured that your puppy is coming from a place dedicated to its enrichment and care. We’re proud to say that Puppies Downunder is one of the only commercial dog breeders approved by the Minister for Agriculture due to our immensely high professionalism and ethical behaviour standards. In fact, we have the highest ethical standards of any dog breeder globally. We offer lifetime support for families adopting puppies from our facility, so you can always feel confident knowing we’re here for you. If you’re looking for an ethical mini labradoodle breeder, get in touch with the team at Puppies Downunder today.