Are Labradoodles Good Hunting Dogs?

samlloyd

June 9th

Dog 101

Looking for a Labradoodle for hunting?

Today, breeds are used less and less for their original purpose—herding, hunting, et cetera—and more for looks than anything else. But are you dreaming of taking a Labradoodle duck hunting? The question remains…are Labradoodles good hunting dogs?

It depends.

While some puppy breeders can and do breed Labradoodles specifically for hunting, that isn’t the breed’s strong suit. Let’s take a look at why—and what exactly Labradoodles are great at.

Labradoodle Lineage

When talking about Labradoodles, we have to differentiate between early-generation Labradoodles of mixed poodle/Labrador ancestry, and Australian Labradoodles, whose lineage includes poodles, Labradors, Cocker spaniels (both American and English), Irish water spaniels, and curly coat retrievers.

With a mixed lineage of breeds purposefully bred for water fowl, hunting and retrieval, it makes sense that Labradoodles—Australian and otherwise—would make perfect hunting dogs.

And this is true, if your breeder is known specifically for hunting Labradoodle dogs.

However, the origin of the Australian Labradoodle isn’t that of the ultimate hunting dog, but rather the ultimate hypoallergenic service dog.

After generations of breeding, Australian Labradoodles are designed to do a few things exceptionally well:

• They don’t shed. While some Labradoodles and Golden Doodles do shed, the vast majority of Australian Labradoodles are totally hypoallergenic, meaning they’re fantastic dogs for allergy sufferers.
• They love people. Australian Labradoodles were bred to help the disabled. Even if you aren’t yourself disabled, that helpful behavior carries over into everything your Labradoodle does. Labradoodles love spending time with their owners.
• They love the outdoors. Australian Labradoodles inherit the boundless energy and love of exercise from 6 parent breeds, and love a physical challenge.

Labradoodle Job Fair

Your Labradoodle might not be specifically bred for hunting (despite coming from elite hunting stock), so what can it do?

Labradoodles are perfect for people with allergies, or families who just don’t want to deal with hair shedding everywhere.

Australian Labradoodles are also very healthy compared to purebred dogs, and suffer serious health problems less frequently.

These dogs are excellent with kids, and extremely loyal. They’re the perfect jogging, swimming, or running companions, and their energy’s only limit is your imagination.

While Australian Labradoodles will bark at anyone approaching your house unexpectedly, they are NOT guard dogs—Labradoodles are just as likely to lick unfamiliar strangers as they are trusted family members.

If you need a hunting dog, one of the Labradoodle’s parent breeds might be a better choice—or track down one of the top Labradoodle hunting dog breeders near you.

But if you’re looking for an incredibly smart, goofy, happy-go-lucky companion with more fuel in the tank than the Energizer Bunny, a Labradoodle might be perfect for you.

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