I need some advice on which sort of Doodle to get.

I am a stay at home mum who would like the company of a dog happy to hang out at home with me, join me on the school run and enjoy walks in the park. Its a city life Monday-Friday.
The children (aged 6and8) would like a dog that likes to play but which also loves being cuddled.
My husband (having grown up on a farm with collies and labs) would like a dog that looks like a dog, sounds like a dog (not yaps) and which is intelligent.

At the weekend, we're lucky enough to get out of the city, so its all about space and big walks in the countryside.

Would you go for a ASD or Multi-Gen Labradoodle if you were me?

They both look like they'd be fabulous. But I'm interested in anyone who knows both breeds and could tell me the difference in their temperament and intelligence.

Thanks so much!

Imo almost all labradoodles - ASD or UK Origins are intelligent, friendly lively dogs. It's what you do with them that determines the rest. They all need a lot of training, and time and effort. The ASD's I've met (and I don't have one so people who do may say otherwise) are very intelligent, and imo that means that unless they are trained carefully they will be up to mischief. To me that is a positive, but to a lot of people it may not be.

I have three standard UK doodles, and tbh I can't imagine coping with them in a city, but as long as you have a good sized garden it should be possible. They get two long walks every day and still have energy to spare for romping in the garden.

Mine are F1b, F2 and F1 so not what you are looking for, but they would definitely satisfy your husband's criteria!

I have had both English and Australian Labradoodles and for me a busy mum the Australian Labradoodle is the best.

I found the UK labradoodle to unpredictable and to lively and when my youngest was born if I couldn't take my UK ones out for a good long walk they were almost climbing the walls and they also used to knock my older children over all of the above which my Australians didn't therefore I stopped breeding UK labradoodles!!

I have first hand indepth knowledge of miniatures and standards from F1 to UK multigen and ASD Australians and the Aussies do it for me every time

I can't comment on which is best, British Labradoodles are being trained as service dogs more and more though, so they must have similar qualities.

I feel very lucky in the fact that I have a very laid back dog for 7months old. Jessie is great with the kids and will play with them all day if you want, but she is quite happy to find a corner and sleep most of the school day while they are not here.

I have a UK multigen doodle. I've never had a problem with him being too lively or unpredictable, he's great with young children and has a fantastic laid back temperament.

I agree with Bid I think most doodles (UK or ASD) are smart, loving, friendly and happy to always be on the go but how they behave depends on training, socialisation etc

I couldn't decide between UK multigen or ASD when I was looking for pups but in the end chose Buddy (UK 4th gen) as I personally found the price of ASD pups way too high and wasn't 100% sure I agreed with the early neutering. But that was my personal choice

They are all lovely but I don't really see how temperament is too different between the breed types I think its more to do with temperament of individual pup and training.

I live in the city with my 3 young children and have a UK 2nd gen doodle who is a big "proper" dog! He is great with the children, very gentle and loves cuddling up to them or playing games of ball, tug etc

As long as he has 2 good walks a day (1hr morning and afternoon) he is calm and quiet in the house. We have lots of nice parks with loads of other dogs for him to meet and run with so being in the city isn't a problem.

I have 2 friends with ASDs and I find them to be more nervous-natured than Monty, slightly overwhelmed by my 3 boys and also more vocal, a lot more yapping at the door etc (but it could be just their natures, and Monty is particularly laid-back!)

Good luck with whatever you choose!

Leah

Thanks everyone for replying to my question!

Its such a hard choice - because of course, they are both great choices.

I guess my concern with the UK Doodles is that they might just be a little too lively during the week when I'm mostly in town.

That said, we do love long walks at the weekend and spend the holidays at the in laws farm so need something that will keep up with that lifestyle.

Would a medium sized ASD be just the ticket? Or are they too laid back for when the rest of the family are around?

Love to hear some more thoughts!

I have a medium ASD called Candy, 2 miniature half English/half ASD's and a puppy who is a standard F2. I find that Candy is so bouncy and clumsy (often walks into things!) and energy wise they're all the same although Candy does need more exercise but that could be because she's bigger. She gets the most excited around people and is the one who has to jump up at everyone to say hello and gets the most excited to see other dogs. During the day mine all just sleep (even the 15 week old puppy) but when my children are at home they liven up because of the children's energy. Candy is the most easy going of my doodles and rarely barks whereas the others are often barking. She's the only one who doesn't bark at things like the door bell!
The one thing I would warn you about with the ASD's is that maintenance of their coats is higher. Candy goes to a groomer about every 6 weeks because her coat is so thick and curly it just matts constantly! She loses a tiny amount of hair from her tail and ears so you do have to brush them most days to get rid of the dead hair (that's why it matts).

As an owner of an F1 and an Aussie, I would honestly say that the Aussie is the easier and better dog. He can also cover 10mile walks and still have energy left over, whilst the heavier set F1 is buggered after 5miles!

Why don't you call an ASD breeder and talk to them about the differences. The liklihood is they changed from breeding LO to ASD's for a reason. They would be happy to guide you to the right decision.

You do need to be prepared to spend every day, every other day brushing an ASD, and if you don't buy your own grooming table, scissors and clippers, then you will need to see the groomer every 3months or so.

We have a mini Aussie and she's great.

She did take training - they all do. She is a jumper upper, but it isn't so bad as she is only 14 inches high. She looks more like a dog when she is clipped shorter, and also she doesn't need much coat maintenance. You need to go for a fleece one for the coat to be easier to look after - wool ones are harder.

OH wasn't sure about a dog - she has won him over hook line and sinker, he is obsessed.

She will stay at home with me all day if I've been ill, but will have an hour walk happily too. The longest walk she has done was nearly 3 hours and she was still full of energy!

She has a very endearing loving nature.

But yes, she was neutered early (I didn't know about this when we got her). Although I am very happy with her breeder, I would go for one that hasn't had that done so early next time.

Just my opinion but I don't think the differences in the breeds ASD or LO can account for the differences that you are enquiring about. I think that this is much more likely to be down to the individual qualiites of the dog and the way it is trained.

Jacob is a 50/50 medium mum 1st generation labradoodle and dad an ASD. As a pup he was the fatest, heaviest built puppy but now he is much more poodle shaped. He has most in common looks wise with the poodles we see on the park. He will bounce up to people although we do lots of work on this. He can be too much for children who are not confident with dogs. He has a lot of energy and enjoys three walks a day about an hour each time. He also settles down and enjoys his cuddles. He has been quick to learn all the commands we have taught him and no doubt he could learn lots more if we had the skills to teach him.

I am not sure which bits of his breeding can account for which trait! I think that Aussies have more predictable coats if that is important.

Breeders are likely to advise you to go with what they have chosen themselves it is a business after all. I would be surprised if a breeder of LO would tell you that an Aussie was better for you or vice versa.

Doodles are great dogs and can have all the qualities that you want -they can also be mad, bouncey, loons. Some of it is nature but I think alot is nurture.

Good Luck

I so agree with Lynne. Training and the atmosphere in the home are so important. Lottie is a free spirit but extremely gentle in nature. We are working hard on the training which has been difficult sometimes because she can be willful but she is great with children and other dogs and good in the house. She will run for ages so needs exercise.

I know nothing about the differences between ASD and UK but I do know that the dog walker we use when on holiday walks several 'doodles' and an Australian one and one of the UKs are wilder but she believes it is the training rather than anything innate! The others (mostly UK) are all bidable and fun.

Good luck with whatever you choose.!

Fiona

Thanks for all your fab replies; you're a knowledgeable bunch.

If anyone has a breeder they especially recommend within a couple of hours from London, please shout out. A visit to see some ASDs and LOs might seal the decision.

Thanks!

THese are within a couple of hours of London - I would definitely recommend Debbie - I am determined that one day shall have one of her pups!

http://www.creamofbritish-australianlabradoodles.com/

Hi,

We like you live in London and wanted a dog that could cope in the city, but also keep up with our parents dogs and visits out to the countryside. We have the top two floors of a victorian house and therefore a roof terrace rather than a garden.

We settled on a miniature ASD as there was much more certainty with size and in the end it wouldn't have been fair to keep a larger dog in our apartment, or mores the point I would not have coped with carrying a large dog up and down the stairs while they were young.

Zooey is only 14 inches high and 6.5 kg now, she is smaller than most cockapoos that we meet (and than we expected). She is incredibly high energy, she has two walks a day both of an hour, the first one being a traditional walk and the second we meet up with other local dogs and they all have a massive romp around together for however long as we have free. Zooey also loves to run and I run 5k with her 2 or 3 times a week. She can do this and then still play with the other dogs. We spend a lot of time in Kent and Chichester and Zooey can cope with 3 hour long trecks through woods, along beaches etc.

What I would say is that a dog will become as fit as you let it become. Zooey is used to this much exercise and without it is incredibly wound up and desperate to get out. I know many dogs that have half of what Zooey has and are completely fine with it too. Most dogs will adapt to your lifestyle and routine. We did pick the brightest and most energetic pup out of the litter, so some of it is definitely her personality and asking the breeder for help picking out the pup with certain traits is helpful.

If I can't get her out for all the walks, then we do lots of training and mental stimulation and this certainly tires her out just as much as the exercise. We don't have children and so I cant comment on that aspect but once through her puppy teething stage and with some training Zooey is incredibly gentle when she plays with us and we only have to say 'ah' quietly if she gets wound up and starts being too mouthy and she will back right off.

I've rambled on a lot - but if you could arrange to go out and meet some dogs and see the differences you will get a much better idea. Try the labradoodle mess section on the forum here or try posting to see if there are any doods local to you you could meet up with. We are N1 if it's any help to you!