Did you know that the first Labradoodle was a mistake?
The first Labradoodle was bred by Wally Conron around 30 years ago in 1989. Now, Labradoodles and Goldendoodles are some of the most popular and most beloved dog breeds in the United States—but Conron says that inventing this dog breed is his “life’s regret.”
Conron wasn’t expecting to breed this dog, but did so due to a special request from a blind woman who was in dire need of a guide dog. She couldn’t get a Labrador retriever though, which are commonly used as guide dogs because her husband was very allergic, and so she asked Conron for his help.
Conron tested out 30 dog breeds, carrying out tests on all types of poodles to try to breed the best guide dog—but had little luck. Many of the breeds he created either had physical or behavioral problems, meaning that they were completely out of the question to be guide dogs.
But finally, Conron had an epiphany. He decided to try crossbreeding a Labrador retriever with a poodle—and the Labradoodle was born. Three, actually—and one of them tested to be non-allergenic and was sent to the blind woman and her husband in Hawaii.
Conron then came up with the name of the Labradoodle as a PR gimmick as he soon discovered that no one wanted to buy crossbred dogs. People fell in love with the name, and the dog breed immediately skyrocketed in demand by dog lovers everywhere.
However, when asked about breeding the first Labradoodle, Conron says that he regrets it. Conron spoke about his regret in an interview in 2019 in a podcast broadcasted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, going as far as to say this: “I opened Pandora’s box and released a Frankenstein’s monster back in the ‘80s.”
When asked about his regret, Conron explained that many people now do not breed these dogs properly, leading to hereditary problems in many Labradoodles and even Goldendoodles. He does make clear, however, that not all Labradoodles have these hereditary issues—it just depends on how they were bred.
However, many people and dog lovers alike do not share Conron’s concerns. Labradoodles still remain to be incredibly popular and beloved dog breeds around the globe and especially in the United States. A veterinarian told the BBC that labradoodles are usually “happy, healthy dogs,” and that they continue to top the charts in top favorite dog breed lists. For these reasons and more, it seems like Labradoodles won’t diminish in popularity anytime soon. Labradoodles hardly shed, making them perfect companions for those with asthma and allergies. They also make great family dogs and are super easy to train—oh, and of course, they’re super cute!
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