About the Breed
You want the perfect dog. For us, that means no dog hair in our house. Labradoodles are soft-coated with little or no shedding.
You want a dog that fits your lifestyle. For us that means a dog that can go anywhere and be good with people, especially children. Not to mention smart, and friendly.
We wanted it all — a modern, urban dog. After three years of research the Australian Labradoodle checked all the boxes. It may sound like a silly name, but the more we looked at them, the more we realized that Labradoodles are the perfect dog. With low or non-shedding coats, they have adorable puppy faces, pleasing personalities, and come in three sizes that fit any household. We wanted a dog that was big enough to be athletic, but small enough to pick up. We chose the medium size that ranges from 17-20 inches at the withers (shoulder blades). Weight is usually 30-42 lbs.
Labradoodles have a certain look that makes them easy to fall in love with. After learning about the breed through the Worldwide Australian Labradoodle Association and talking with reputable breeders, we realized the look we liked was the breed standard.
Understanding that a “hybrid” dog will take time to be recognized as a breed, we still wanted to ensure we were following the breed standard. We chose to be a member of the Worldwide Australian Labradoodle Association which is dedicated to ensuring sound breeding practices to protect the welfare of the Australian Labradoodle with its strong code of ethics that requires a high level of health screening.
Knowing that a first-rate breeding program starts with excellent breeding stock, we chose to work with Gail from Prairie Doodles – a reputable breeder, and friend.
Since bringing our first puppy home from Prairie Doodles, our dogs have fit perfectly into our family, and our work office. They are people dogs, who want to be with you and interact with you.
About the Breeder
Living in central Edmonton, I wanted an urban dog. I am active in city-life and the dogs are fully integrated into my home and work, which means they go to work with me. I previously bred golden retrievers (a program started nearly 25 years ago) that was paused for a number of years to take on other pursuits. Golden retrievers, and Labrador retrievers, for that matter, still hold a special place for me. I often turn and look when one is walking by, but now Labradoodles have captured my heart. With the human kids launched, I’m back to raising dogs. I often refer to our Labradoodles as my ‘children of fur,’ because they are such an important part of my family.
Currently, the breeding program is small so I can focus on building good foundational lines. I’m learning a lot about all the new methods of health testing that are required because I am so committed to upholding the breed standard. Like their Poodle and Labrador predecessors, Labradoodles may one day be recognized as a breed with national canine associations. In the meantime, Modern Doodles is committed to upholding higher testing standards than most pure-breed associations.
The puppies are hand-whelped and home-raised. The adult girls are house-dogs who go everywhere with me, provided they are allowed to be there and it’s a safe environment for them. I choose to find suitable studs that are owned by other reputable breeders, rather than having the boys live with us. I carefully select guardian homes for some up and coming breeding stock. If you would like to know more about either program, please contact me.
