What is your opinion on Labradoodles and hybrids in general?

I agree! Though I think they are cute, I don't usually swoon over Labradoodles. But Wilbur...you handsome devil!

 

Here is Yoro today, he’s grown into those lovely ears! He’s seven and a half months old.

 

So handsome

 

Where I live a doodle is literally twice the cost of a pure bred Labrador---and so for a mutt. Few doodle breeders have records of both parents going back 4 generations like many Labrador breeders do. With a quality Kennel Club Breeder you know exactly what you are getting. With a Doodle, who know? Ask God.

 

Just for the record, not all doodle breeders are cowboys. Our local one has robust records of previous generations as well as hip, elbow, PRA, EIC testing among other genetic breed specific tests.
Yes they are probably double the price of your average lab. And not KC registered as not a recognised "breed".
I don't agree with early spay/neuter that is often a practice though can understand the reasoning behind it.

I am quite convinced however that just because your lab is KC registered it is not "better" than a mixed origin dog nor is it more likely to be healthy and problem free sadly.

Whether labradoodle, or another breed I think there is a lot going for mixing up the gene pools a bit in the longer term.
Totally against the hype of "designer" dogs for people who buy one as a fashion accessory

 

I completely agree. My auntie bought a bulldog from a Kennel Club breeder - really great pedigree. She paid nearly £3000 for it and poor Betty had to be put to sleep a few weeks ago due to all the health problems she had - including joint problems, breathing problems and epilepsy. She was only 3

 

One of the first things a vet friend said to me when I said that I was on the prowl for a puppy was "papers don't necessarily mean anything". Proving your dog's pedigree doesn't prove your pup's healthy.

What has been done to English Bulldogs is just obscene. I have many strong thoughts about that, but they don't belong here. I'm very sorry that poor Betty had to suffer because of the greed and stupidity of people

 

This is absolutely true, but the flip side is that most people who are breeding from non-pedigree parents won't be getting any health tests done. I'm sure the ethical breeders of the mixes, as the one Jac is talking about, are exceptions to this. The other thing is that the Kennel Club restrict the age for the dam and the number of litters she can have, which is very important, so I would question why an otherwise "pedigree" puppy from papered parents isn't registered.

I think pedigrees have their place and shouldn't be dismissed as meaningless, but they're certainly no guarantee of health or that the dogs have been bred ethically. You have to do your research to ensure you're happy with any single litter.

 

Lots of interesting and very valid points being made here. For all I said earlier - we now also have a 'hybrid' in the family, Sam. He's apparently a lab/cocker cross though the spaniel bit seems far more springer to me. Anyway, he's a cracking little dog, very healthy (so far), totally bonkers in true spaniel fashion and Molly adores him. That's all that matters