Labradoodle Size – How Big Do Labradoodles Get? (All About The Labrador-Poodle Cross)

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Labradors make fantastic pets as they are loving and friendly, and they also make great working dogs, because they are intelligent, focused, and driven. But what about the Labradoodle Size and other key characteristics?

The big problem with labradors is that they shed a lot. So, they can be a nightmare when it comes to keeping your home clean or taking them into public spaces.

Enter the labradoodle. This breed mixes a Labrador with an equally intelligent and loving poodle to give you a dog with all the charisma and temperament of a labrador with the low-shedding coat of a poodle.

But what exactly can you expect when you mix a labrador and a poodle?

How big will your labradoodle be?

What will their temperament be like?

How long will they live?

What kind of medical issues are they likely to develop?

Read on as we jump into all of these questions, starting with exactly how big your Labradoodle is likely to get, and what to expect from a Labradoodle created with a miniature or toy poodle.

What Is A Labradoodle?

A labradoodle is what you get when you mix a labrador retriever and a poodle. But there are different classifications of labradoodle depending on how they were bred.

A 50-50 mix of labrador and poodle is called an F1. The mother should always be the largest of the two breeding partners for safety purposes, so the puppies aren’t too large for her to safely birth. For this reason, the mother will almost always be the labrador and the father the poodle.

An F1B labradoodle is known as a doodle mix and is what you get when you mate an F1 labradoodle with a full-breed dog, either a labrador or a poodle.

You get F2 labradoodles, which is when you mate two F1 labradoodles. You also get F2b labradoodles when you breed and F1 and a F1b labradoodle

A labradoodle is considered an F3 when their closest pure-bred poodle and labrador relatives are their grandparents or older. These are also called multi-generational labradoodles.

As well as your standard labradoodles, you also get miniature or toy labradoodles, which is what happens when you mate a labrador with a miniature or toy poodle.

Labradoodles are often compared with goldendoodles, which is what you get when you mix a poodle and a golden retriever. You can learn more about labradoodles, goldendoodles, and the differences between them here.

Why Were Labradoodles Bred?

Labradoodles were initially bred in order to give labrador service dogs the non-shedding coat of a poodle.

While labradors have the temperament and intelligence to be excellent service dogs, they are prolific shedders, which can make grooming them and cleaning up after them a headache.

The tight coats of poodles require quite a bit of grooming but are non-shedding, meaning they don’t leave hair lying around the house or in public spaces and restaurants they might enter in their role as a service dog.

Poodles were also selected so as not to undermine the characteristics that make a labrador an excellent service dog. Poodles are also very intelligent dogs, and in fact, are considered more intelligent than labradors, and they were also bred to be companion dogs, so they match labradors in their friendly nature.

Labradoodles have been around since the 1950s, but only became a popular dog breed in the late 1980s when dog breeder Wally Conron introduced them to the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia as a viable breed for service dog work.

Labradoodle Size

As with all dogs, the size of an individual labradoodle depends on the size of their parents. Breed a big labrador with a big poodle, and you will get a big dog; choose smaller examples of the breed, and you will end up with a smaller labradoodle.

A standard labrador retriever male dog will measure 22 to 22.5 inches tall and weigh between 65 to 80 pounds. Females of the breed are a bit smaller and measure 21.5 to 22 inches tall and weigh 55 to 70 pounds.

Standard poodles are a little bit smaller. Both males and females will be at least 15 inches tall, but can be as large as 22 inches tall, so almost as tall as a labrador. They weigh a bit less as well. You can expect a male poodle to weigh 60 to 70 pounds and a female poodle to weigh 40 to 50 pounds.

When breeding labradoodles, you will almost always see a female labrador matched with a male poodle, as the female needs to be the larger of the two to ensure the birthing process is safe.

As a result, labradoodles tend to be almost the same size as standard labrador. Male labradoodles should be somewhere between 22 and 24 inches tall. Female labradoodles will be around 21 to 23 inches tall, and both weigh somewhere between 50 and 65 pounds.

Labradoodles that are the result of mixing with a miniature or toy poodle will, of course, be smaller.

Miniature poodles measure between 9 and 15 inches tall and typically weigh between 15 and 17 pounds. Toy poodles are less than 10 inches tall and weigh just four to six pounds.

Medium labradoodles, which is what you get when you mix a miniature poodle and a labrador, weigh between 30 and 45 pounds. Male medium labradors will be 18 to 20 inches tall and females will be 17 to 19 inches tall.

Miniature labradoodles are much smaller than their standard cousins measuring just 14 to 16 inches tall and weighing 15 to 25 pounds. 

What About Labradoodle Puppies?

Labradoodle puppies will typically weigh between seven and twelve pounds by the time they reach two months of age. Miniature labradoodles will be much smaller, weighing just four to seven pounds by the time they reach two months. This is estimated to be one-quarter of their full adult weight.

It will then take them around another year to reach their full size, which they hit between 12 and 18 months.

They will keep putting in weight for about a year after this time to fill out.

It is very important to watch their diet during this time as these dogs love to eat. It is easy for loving parents to overfeed their pooch and then end up with an overweight dog. Their love for food means it can also be very difficult to put them on a diet once they have gained too much weight.

Other Labradoodle Characteristics

What else can you expect from your labradoodle? While what you get with cross-breed dogs is always unpredictable, years of breeding these dogs give us a good understanding of what you are likely to get with a labradoodle.

Most labradoodles have the curly, low-shedding coat of a poodle that is short wavy and wiry. This kind of coat requires regular grooming and will need to be brushed through at least twice a week, but they shouldn’t be leaving hair behind them wherever they go.

However, while most labradoodles have a low-shedding coat, you do get outliers, and you can end up with a pup that sheds just as profusely as a standard labrador.

Never shave a labradoodle down like you might a poodle. They need this hair for insulation, and shaving them down can cause them to overheat.

Labradoodles can come in a huge range of colors, including chocolate, cafe, parchment, cream, gold, apricot, red, black, silver, chalk, lavender, and blue. As Labradoodles are not a pure-bred dog, they are not limited to the same three colors as pure-bred labradors.

Labradoodles have an average life expectancy of 10-15 years. But they also suffer from many of the same common health issues as both labradors and poodles. These include hip dysplasia and other joint issues such as patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, and other eye issues, hyperthyroidism, and Addison’s disease.

Labradoodles tend to be very intelligent; this is a characteristic both of their parent breeds possess. The poodle is ranked as the second most intelligent dog breed in the world, behind the border collie, and the labrador is within the top five.

Labradors were originally bred to retrieve game from wetlands, which means they have a good retrieval instinct and love to swim. These are both characteristics commonly found in the labradoodle, which is also eager to please and easy to train. 

Poodles were bred as companion dogs from as early as the 15th century. They are attentive and affectionate but also tend to be protective of their humans. Some labradoodles will share these more reserved traits of a poodle.

While the coat of a labradoodle is quite predictable because the wire hair of the poodle is a dominant gene, where the dog will fall on the personality scale is less predictable. Luckily both labrador retrievers and poodles have lover personalities and make great family pets, though in quite different ways.

A standard labradoodle will need to eat around 1,200 calories per day, depending on their size and energy levels. They also need a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise a day to keep them fit, healthy, and stimulated.

While miniature and toy labradoodles might look like they are less work in the exercise department than their larger cousins, they need almost as much exercise each day. If they don’t get it, they are intelligent enough to use that pent up energy to get into trouble.

Neither poodles nor labradors like to be left alone for hours on end, and the same goes for labradoodles. They can develop anxiety and depression if they are left alone for hours on end, so they do best in households where there are lots of people to play with them and love them all day long.

FAQs

How Big Will My Labradoodle Get?

A standard labradoodle will grow to be a little bit smaller than your standard labrador. Labradoodles should be somewhere between 21 and 24 inches tall and weigh 50 to 65 pounds.

You can also get smaller labradoodles by breeding a labrador with a miniature poodle or a toy poodle. 

Medium labradoodles, which is what you get when you mix a miniature poodle and a labrador, weigh between 30 and 45 pounds. Male medium labradors will be 18 to 20 inches tall and females will be 17 to 19 inches tall.

Miniature labradoodles are much smaller than their standard cousins, measuring just 14 to 16 inches tall and weighing 15 to 25 pounds. 

Is A Labradoodle Considered A Large Breed?

Labradoodles are considered large breed dogs, as this includes all dogs that weigh more than 50 pounds. A standard labradoodle will weigh around 50 to 65 pounds, making them a large breed.

The labradoodles that you get when breeding with miniature or toy poodles are significantly smaller.

At What Age Is A Labradoodle Full Grown?

Labradoodles tend to reach their full height at between 12 and 18 months, but they will continue to fill out and gain weight for about a year after that.

It is important to be wary about overfeeding labradoodles. They love food and have little control over their own appetite, so it is not uncommon for excessive treats and generous meals to result in overweight pups.

Are Labradoodles Good Pets?

Yes, labradoodles tend to make great family pets. While it can be unpredictable as to whether they will inherit the stranger-loving friendly nature of labradors or the more reserved but attentive and loving nature of poodles, both of these temperaments make for excellent pets.

Labradoodles are always intelligent, as both labradors and poodles are intelligent dogs. For this reason, they tend to be easy to train. This makes them a good breed for first-time pet owners.

However, be warned, labradoodles require a lot of love and care. Their coats need to be thoroughly groomed at least twice a week, and they need a minimum of 60 minutes of exercise each day. They also don’t do well when they are left alone for long periods of time. They do best in households where there are lots of people around.

How Much Do Labradoodle Puppies Cost?

While labradoodle puppies tend not to be as expensive as pure-bred labrador pups, they are still a highly desirable breed so they aren’t cheap. You should expect to pay anywhere between $500 and $3,000 for a labradoodle puppy depending on where you are, the breeder, and the quality of the parentage.

Should I Shave My Labradoodle?

Unlike with poodles, you should never shave a labradoodle’s coat right down. Counterintuitively, this will contribute to overheating as they lose their essential insulation. You can also expose their sensitive skin to sunburn and other problems.

Which Is Better, Labradoodles Or Goldendoodles?

Labradoodles and goldendoodles both make excellent pets, and which is better depends on your personal preference. Labradoodles tend to be a little stronger, bigger, and have more energy. They also tend to be slightly more reserved than playful goldendoodles.

But both breeds are highly intelligent, loving, and usually have the low shedding coat of a Poodle.

For a detailed comparison of the two, read our article: Labradoodle vs Goldendoodle: Which Breed Is Right For You?

Why Are Pure-Bred Dogs Better Than Mixed Breeds?

While it is not accurate to say that pure-bred dogs are better than mixed breeds, purebred dogs have more predictable physical appearances and character traits, so you have a better idea of what you are getting when you get a pure-bred dog. With mixed breeds, traits can combine in unpredictable, and not always desirable ways.

The Verdict

There are few dogs out there better than a labrador, which is why they are one of the most popular pet breeds in the United States and also very often used as service dogs. However, there is no escaping the fact that labradors shed a lot! 

This is why the labradoodle was developed. Labradors were crossed with poodles to create pups with the temperaments of labradors but the low-shedding coats of poodles.

Standard labradoodles tend to be a little bit smaller than your average labrador and have the burly, wiry coat of a poodle. But, if you are looking for a smaller dog, you can also get labradoodles that are created by breeding with a miniature poodle or a toy poodle. This means you can have this amazing labrador cousin at home, even if you live in a relatively small space.

Have you ever had a labradoodle? What do you think of them? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments section below or via our social media.

Related Article

• What Is A Red Labradoodle?
• What Is A Straight Hair Labradoodle?

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