LABRADOODLE GENERATIONS
Read also about:
MULTI-GENERATION VS EARLY GENERATION LABRADOODLES
SHEDDING VS NON SHEDDING
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Labradoodle?
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Multi-Generation?
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Early Generation?
AL vs ALF vs LO Australian Labradoodle
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Breed Associations.
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What is the Difference?
First generation
labradoodles are the offspring of
a Poodle crossed with a Labrador. We use the ALA grading system,
where this offspring is represented as an LO1, which stands for Labradooodle
Origin 1st generation.
Around 90%
of these LO1 first generation labradoodles shed. The LO1 is usually crossed
back to a poodle (sometimes referred to as backcrosses) and these resulting
labradoodles are represented as LO2p (still only lab x poodle). The genetic
match between the parents of this labradoodle determines whether the
puppies will be shedding. There are usually
one or two throwbacks in LO2p litters that shed to some degree. Multi-Generation
means the dog is more than a first generation labradoodle, but
does not mean that the dog is an Australian Labradoodle Foundation (ALF)
or Australian Labradoodle (AL).
The LO2p
is usually bred to an ALF dog of a the same or higher generation or
an approved parent breed infusion, in order to advance from LO (Labradoodle
Foundation Lab x Poodle) to ALF (Australian Labradoodle Foundation which
has more than just the origin Poodle and Labardor Parent Breeds). For
a new breed of dog such as the Australian Labradoodle to become recognized
by the International Breed Clubs, it must be a cross of more than just
2 breeds of dogs, thus the reason for the 3rd required approved parent
breed infusion or crossing with an ALF dog (which already has the 3rd
required approved parent breed infusion).
Parent Breed
Infusions in the past are known to have been American/English Cocker
Spaniel, Golden Retriever, Curly Coated Retriever and Irish
Water Spaniel. An LO2 crossed with an approved parent
breed infusion or ALF2 or higher dog, then advances to ALF with the generation
number increasing one number/generation above their parent with the lowest
generation number. For example an LO2 mated with an ALF3 produces a ALF3
or an ALF3 mated with an ALF6 produces a ALF4.
When an ALF
Labradoodle has 4 successive generations of Labradoodle X Labradoodle,
it becomes an (AL) Australian Labradoodle (Foundation
and all numbers are dropped as the dog has advanced to a pure
bred Australian Labradoodle which would be register-able as a pure bred
dog with the International Breed Associations, once the breed is recognized).
Only (AL
pure 4 generations of labradoodle to labradoodle) Australian Labradoodles
will be recognized by the ANKC in Australia and other
requirements are that there must be 500 entire dogs registered by an
association which has been incorporated for 15 years. The Australian
Labradoodle Assoc has now been acting as an incorporated registering
body of Laradoodles for almost 10 years. There are several other
Labradoodle Breeders Clubs that have recently sprung up in what I see
as effort to provide these breeders prospective puppy purchasers,
with a level of legitimacy.
Only one
Association, the ALA will have the required credentials to submit the
Australian Labradoodle for Breed Recognitons with the ANKC.
By
supporting the ALA and purchasing your Labradoodle from an ALA Breeder;
you are supporting the protection and future recognition
of the Australian Labradoodle. Purchasing your dog from a non-ALA
breeder will only serve to further delay the acceptance, recognition
and registration of the Australian Labradoodle with the ANKC.
Do not get
hung up on the idea that the higher the number of generations of your
Labradoodle, that this somehow makes it a better dog. There
are very few dogs in the world that yet qualify as (AL) Pure Australian
Labradoodles. Lots of dogs may be registered as ALF6p, (p means
a poodle was used in the last generation) but are 4 generations from
being a AL pure Australian Labradoodle, compared with a ALF3 labradoodle that
may only be 2 generations away from AL, if mated successively with labradoodle
to labradoodle. Crossing a Poodle or approved parent
breed infusion with a labradoodle means the resulting offspring will require
4 more generations of labradoodle X labradoodle, before they reach
AL pure Australain Labradoodle.
There is
nothing wrong with mating to a poodle to correct coat or to achieve rare
colors, but it means the resulting offsping are required to have another
4 generations of labardoodle to labradoodle to become an (AL pure) Australian
Labradoodle.
The health
of your labraoodle, improved via genetic diversity, is much more important
than its generation number. A Non-Shedding healthy
new line ALF3 Labradoodle is just as good as an ALF6p Labradoodle. Be
more concerned that the breeder you choose is breeding for the health
and genetic diversity of labradoodles, not jut to produce as many puppies
as possible from the same old lines.
If they are
not making new lines, they are just making puppies. We
need new breeders but new breeders who are willing to take risks, by
producing new lines. It takes 14 dogs just to make one new ALF3
line.
Breeding
new bloodlines is very rewarding when all goes according to plan, but
things do not always go according to plan and not every dog is cut out
to be a suitable mother or stud, some don’t pass their
health tests and others just don’t have appropriate temperaments,
so in reality it probably takes at least 18 dogs to produce that one new
bloodline.
Please be
aware and appreciate; all the work that goes into producing new lines
of Australian Labradoodles.