In the early days, the Australian Labradoodle was simply a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle. Dogs from this cross typically were bred to each other over future generations, whereby the Australian dogs are also known as "Multi-generational" Labradoodles.
Then, in the late 1980s, Tegan Park and Rutland Manor, the two founders of the Australian Labradoodle as we know it today, began carefully infusing several other breeds into early generations of their Lab/Poodle crosses to improve temperament, coat, confirmation, and size. The infused breeds include Irish Water Spaniel as well as the American and English Cocker Spaniel. The resulting Labradoodles subsequently have been bred to each other, continuing the multi-generational tradition.
Today, Australian Labradoodles are wonderful, intelligent dogs with lush coats that are more reliably low to non-shedding and allergy-friendly than other types of Labradoodles such as first-generation Lab/Poodle crosses or first-generation crosses bred back to Poodles. Even when the other types of Labradoodles are bred on for generations, the result is not an Australian Labradoodle. The attributes of the infused breeds were not included in their ancestry.
The original Australian Labradoodle is cute, comical, yet highly intelligent and easily trained, making it the ideal candidate for service, therapy, or assistance dogs.
Used with the permission of www.AustralianLabradoodleClub.us