Daily Bulletin

  • Written by Frank Nicholas, Emeritus Professor of Animal Genetics, University of Sydney

It all started in the late 1980s. Wally Conron, a breeding manager for Guide Dogs Victoria, noticed that some people needing a guide dog appeared to be allergic to the shedding hairs of Labrador Retrievers.

Aware of the perception that Poodles shed little hair and so shouldn’t create such a reaction, Wally crossed a Labrador Retriever with a Standard Poodle. The result proved to be successful, and breeding “Labradoodles” took off around the world, with Wally left standing on the sidelines.

The profile of a fluffy white dog This is Sultan, the very first Labradoodle. Guide Dogs Victoria

In a new study, an international research team has documented the molecular basis of the Australian Labradoodle. Their main conclusion is that animals in the Australian Labradoodle breed registry are mostly poodle, and not a 50-50 split as might have been expected. It’s also important to mention the Australian Labradoodle is a budding breed, not yet an official one.

These results aren’t surprising to animal geneticists. They provide scientific evidence for the common understanding of how breeders choose dogs to mate for their desirable traits, such as a poodle-like coat. And over generations, this preference leads to a strong genetic predominance in the new breed.

What the research found

The researchers from USA, Pakistan and South Korea analysed genetic data from individual Australian Labradoodle dogs and a variety of other breeds, including Labrador Retrievers and Poodles of different varieties. They included dogs from the two distinct types of Labradoodles:

  1. Labradoodles: the offspring of a Labrador and a Poodle

  2. Australian Labradoodles: dogs resulting from generations of breeding and selection among the descendants of early crosses between Labrador Retrievers and Standard Poodles and (as it turns out) the occasional other breed.

A sleeping Labradoodle pup Australian Labradoodles often include other breeds such as Spaniels to, for example, make them smaller. Shutterstock

So, what did the researchers discover?

Not surprisingly, the actual offspring of a cross between a Labrador and a Poodle have an equal share of genetic material from each breed. We expect this because each pup will have one Labrador chromosome and one Poodle chromosome for each chromosome pair.

Also not surprisingly, individual dogs of the Australian Labradoodle breed have a range of proportions of Labrador and Poodle ancestry, strongly tending towards the Poodle.

Read more: Is your dog happy? Ten common misconceptions about dog behaviour

When first generation Labradoodles are bred together, their resulting descendants have a range of genetic contributions from the Labrador or Poodle grandparents.

Any pup can have 100% Labrador DNA, 50% Poodle DNA or 100% Poodle DNA at any particular gene. If a pup accidentally inherits no poodle DNA at the relevant coat genes, then it will have a Labrador coat.

New research finds Australian Labradoodles are more 'Poodle' than 'Lab'. Here's what that tells us about breeds This time-honoured illustration shows how the first-generation offspring of two breeds is similar (all having exactly one-half of chromosomes from each parental breed), in contrast to the substantial variation in subsequent generations. M. Burns and M.N. Fraser (1966) , Author provided

Given the main initial aim of creating Labradoodles was to make use of the perceived low-allergenic properties of Poodles, the higher proportion of Poodle ancestry in Australian Labradoodles is expected after generations of selection for a Poodle-like coat. This is the main conclusion of the paper just published.

Interestingly, the researchers make the important point that even though a Poodle-like coat is widely regarded as being lowly allergenic, there seems to have been no research study that has investigated this. This is an important knowledge-gap that needs to be filled.

The study also found other breeds have made small contributions to Australian Labradoodles, including Poodles of different size varieties. There’s even a touch of Spaniel.

Read more: 8 things we do that really confuse our dogs

This is a common occurrence. As soon as breeders decide to mix two breeds in the hope of combining some desirable traits, it makes sense to introduce other breeds if it’s thought they could make a useful contribution. For example, a Cockerpoo (Cocker Spaniel crossed with a Poodle) might have been mixed in to make the breed smaller.

What does this tell us about the concept of dog breeds?

This study reinforces the common understanding that, from a biological point of view, a breed is an amalgam of genetic variation derived from various sources. It shows Australian Labradoodles have considerable genetic diversity, most of it derived from Poodles.

A white labradoodle puppy looks up at owner Australian Labradoodles aren’t officially recognised as a breed. Shutterstock

As a breed becomes more recognised and more formalised, the only animals that can be registered as members of that breed are the offspring of other registered members. At present, Australian Labradoodles are commonly regarded as a breed but are not, so far as we can determine, officially recognised as such by relevant national authorities.

Importantly, there are no scientific criteria for when a breed should become closed and when it should be formally recognised: these are decisions that are made solely by interested breeders and the registering authorities.

Read more: Managing mutations of a species: the evolution of dog breeding

What this means for breeders

The Australian Labradoodle Association lists 32 accredited breeders which suggests the breed is a moderately-sized population in Australia. It likely produces 150 to 300 pups per year. This is a population size comparable with many other registered dog breeds in Australia.

As in any population of most animal species, problems can arise in any breed from the mating of close relatives. The more closely related the parents, the greater is the chance valuable genetic variation will be lost from a breed, and the greater the chance of offspring having inherited diseases.

Read more: Chocolate Labradors die earlier than yellow or black, and have more disease

Two examples of problems like this are progressive retinal atrophy (a disorder that causes blindness) and degenerative myelopathy (a disorder that causes paralysis in aged dogs).

A light brown labradoodle looks at the camera Breeders should use scientific tools to avoid inbreeding. Shutterstock

Fortunately, pedigree tools are available to enable breeders to consider a wide range of possible matings. DNA tests, which are becoming increasingly available for inherited diseases, can also be very helpful.

The International Partnership for Dogs provides information on resources available for breeders to improve dog genetic health.

In any case, the new research results have provided an important, solid scientific underpinning of the common understanding of how breeds are formed. By combining the desirable aspects of both Labradors and Poodles in one breed, the Australian Labradoodle is a welcome addition to the dog-breed pantheon.

It is to be hoped breeders of Australian Labradoodles, indeed breeders of all breeds, use the available powerful scientific tools to maintain genetic variation within their breed and reduce substantially the chance of inherited diseases.

Read more: Routine and learning games: how to make sure your dog doesn't get canine cabin fever

Authors: Frank Nicholas, Emeritus Professor of Animal Genetics, University of Sydney

Read more https://theconversation.com/new-research-finds-australian-labradoodles-are-more-poodle-than-lab-heres-what-that-tells-us-about-breeds-145757

Business News

Top Tips for Cost-effective Storefront Signage

The retail industry is highly competitive and if you are in the process of setting up a retail store, you have come to the right place, as we offer a few tips to help you create a stunning storefront...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

How Freight Forwarding Simplifies Global Trade Operations

Global trade operations are becoming increasingly complex due to international regulations, customs procedures, and the sheer scale of global logistics. For businesses looking to expand internation...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

How Car Accident Lawyers Protect Your Rights?

In the aftermath of a car accident, the steps you take can significantly impact your financial and legal future. This is where car accident lawyers step into the frame, equipped with expertise to sa...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin