The Labradoodle, a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, was the most popular “designer dog” breed in the United States until the Puggle burst onto the hybrid dog scene in 2005. The goal of this breed mix is to retain the intelligence and non-shedding coat of the Poodle, along with the loyalty, lovability, and cheerful high energy of the Labrador.

Labradoodles were originally developed in Australia in the 1970s when the Guide Dogs Victoria tried to breed a low-allergy guide dog. Their breeding program produced inconsistent results, and the project was largely abandoned. Don Evans, who experimented with cross-breeding dogs on his Northern Victoria dog farm, is credited with continuing the experiment and producing several second and third generation Labradoodles from which other breeders continued to develop the breed.

Today’s Australian Labradoodle is different from the early crosses in that it doesn’t limit parentage to strictly the Labrador Retrieve and Poodle. Australian Labradoodles may also have Irish Water Spaniels, English and American Cocker Spaniels, and Curly Coated Retrievers among their ancestors. An ancestral mix of temperament, easy trainability, non-shedding coat, and sturdy body type is the common goal of breeders. Australian Labradoodles can have one of two coat types; wool and fleece. The wool coat is completely free of shedding, while some fleece-coated dogs may exhibit very slight shedding.

There is a movement among some breeders to block the Labradoodle from becoming a recognized breed. Labradors are genetically prone to weak hips, and it is believed these types of problems will continue to manifest in the Labradoodle. Neither the Labrador Retriever Club nor the Poodle Club of America recognize the Labradoodle, and both have issued statements against the breeding.

Share This

The Puggle is a dog that is a cross between Pug and Beagle parents. Thanks to a major U.S. media frenzy in late 2005, the Puggle is currently one of the most popular breeds of “designer dogs” in the United States. The frenzy was fueled by the dogs’ appearances on popular morning TV shows, a front page article in the New York Post, and celebrity owners such as James Gandofini and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Puggles generally weigh 20-25 pounds and measure 13-15 inches at the shoulder. Most Puggles are fawn in color with black wrinkled masks (like Pugs), but some are multi-colored or even completely black. Puggles usually have the longer body and muzzle of the Beagle, as well as floppy ears.

While Pugs are prone to eye, joint and skin problems (due to the wrinkles), Puggles enjoy relative freedom from these issues as a result of the Beagle parentage. Puggles are also more tolerant of the heat than Pugs are due to their longer nasal cavity. however, they are still prone to cherry eye, which is a common eye infection among Beagles.

Puggle owners praise the personality of the breed as its most valuable pet trait. They are playful animals and clown-like in disposition. They tend to have short bursts of energy, then quickly tire. As soon as they take a short nap, then want to play again. These playful tendencies can make them slow to train, and may also manifest in hyperactivity (a trait common to both Beagles and Pugs).

Puggles do not generally snore or make snorting noises as do Pugs. However, some do inherit the nasal houndlike bay of the Beagle. That being said, many Puggles barely vocalize at all.

Share This

Even if you aren’t planning to breed or show your dog, knowing the names of his or her ancestors can still be important for health reasons. Of course, it can also just be plain fun (although a bit embarrassing) to know Spot’s great-granddad was named Prince Doggie Dumpling. If you have an AKC registered dog, you can go to the AKC website and find the dog pedigree online. However, it does cost and dogs that aren’t registered will not be listed. Luckily, there are a few few resources that can help you fill in at least part of your registered dog’s pedigree online. In fact, if one of your dog’s parents were registered, you may be able to find pedigree information for your unregistered pup, as well.

Here are a few resources I’ve used to find dog pedigrees online:

Australian Shepherd Database

Belgian Shepherd Database

Paw Village Dog Pedigree Database

Share This

If you are interested in breeding your dog, don’t forget to consider hereditary health defects. Even if your dog looks healthy, he or she could be carrying genes that could be passed on to the puppies. You should begin by asking your vet to test your dog for common problems in that breed. For example, German Shepherds should be checked for hip dysplasia. Once your dog passes the tests, check to see if his or her ancesters are clear of the disease. One great resource for researching genetic problems is the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals database.

Share This

Barking is my problem. I have two Australian Shepard’s, one 13 weeks and the other
3yrs. The pup will bark repeatedly when you are playing with the older dog and not
him (out of jealousy). I have told him enough, no, gave him a toy, got up and walked
away. His bark is so high pitched it hurts your ears, any suggestions? Someone
mentioned a squirt bottle.
Thank you, S

Hi S,
That high pitched barking can really be hard to handle, although your puppy is not actually barking from jealousy. Behaviorists say dogs do not feel jealousy, even though they certainly sometimes seem to act jealous. He is probably just really excited and a bit anxious that he will be overlooked during the playtime.

We tried clicker training - we rewarded our puppy every time he was quiet while we played. We went through a lot of treats at first, but eventually it took. He still will bark if he gets overly excited, but we will say “enough” to remind him to be quiet and he will stop. (Of course, when he stops, he immediately gets rewarded with a click and a treat.)

When he barks, stopping the playtime is an excellent negative response. In fact, you may want to take it a bit further and stop playing immediately without handing over the toy. He may consider the toy to be positive reinforcement of some form.

Squirting a dog isn’t really recommended anymore, although I have heard of a trainer who squirted her dog once with a scented spray and then sprayed the scent on things she wanted her dog to stay out of. Let us know how he does.

Share This

Almost everyone has seen one of those depressing movies where the dog dies in the end. There are movies where the dog doesn’t buy it, though. The next time you want to veg out in front of your vcr, try one of our favorite happy dog movies.

* Incredible Journey - This movie is filled with peril and excitement, but in the end, all of the animals make it home safely. I enjoy the original version, but the little guy loves Sassy, the cat with an attitude, in the newer version, (Homeward Bound) so we usually watch the remake.

* Shaggy Dog - This movie is a classic romp. We definitely prefer the classic, but the little guy watched the new version about 20 times last week. Time to introduce him to the original!

* Murder She Purred - Cute, campy murder mystery. The pets totally steal the scene every time. The Corgi is adorable.

* The Truth About Cats and Dogs - This romantic comedy would be fun without a dog, but the big Mastiff/Great Dane mix really makes this movie.

* Air Bud - A family film that will appeal to sports enthusiasts and Golden Retriever lovers.

Share This

Free Dog Tips gets so many requests for dog aggression help that we have been looking for some additional resources for handling aggression in dogs. The best resource we’ve found is Sit, Stay, Fetch, a training course for dog owners packaged in a handy e-book format.

Just a few things covered in this e-book course for people with aggressive dogs:
* how to solve over 25 dog behavior problems
* real-life case studies
* the best dog training techniques
* an email consultation with the SitStayFetch team
* piles of photos that will boost your learning
* step-by-step instructions

If you’re having problems with your dog, check out Sit, Stay, Fetch. (Even if you decide you don’t want to buy the e-book course, they have a free newsletter packed with tips on training your dog.)

Share This