Last Updated on September 22, 2023 by Linda Richard
The Labradoodle crossbreed is rapidly growing in popularity but what exactly is it? For example, what is the average size of a Labradoodle? Why are there multiple types of Labradoodles and what makes them different from each other? Is this even a purebred dog? We’ll go over these and a few other questions below.
Table of Contents
What Is The Average Size Of A Labradoodle?
The Labradoodle standard size you can expect to see depends on the sub-breed you’ve got – Standard, Medium, or Miniature Labradoodle. All three are crosses between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle but, as the size of the Poodle can vary, so does the size of the Labradoodle. Poodles can come in Standard, Miniature, and Toy varieties, and crossing them with the larger Labrador Retriever can therefore lead to the three different sizes of Labradoodles.
It’s technically possible that you find a Miniature Labradoodle with a Mini Labrador Retriever parent but the latter are rare and not recognized as a purebred breed so that’s far from common. So, what’s the average size of a Labradoodle depending on its sub-type?
Standard Labradoodle Size
The average size of a Labradoodle with Standard Poodle and Lab parents is 21 to 24 inches in height at the shoulder (53 to 61 cm) and about 50 to 65 pounds in weight (23 to 30 kg). Female Labradoodles will be about an inch shorter and a couple of pounds lighter but nothing too major.
On average, a Labradoodle will be slightly leaner and more athletic than its Labrador Retriever parent while being just as tall. Then again, this is offset by the usually much fluffier coat which will make the Labradoodle look bulkier than it actually is.
Learn more about: How Big Do Labradoodles Get?
Medium Labradoodle Size
You may have noticed that there is no Medium Poodle – only Standard, Miniature, and Toy ones. So, how come there is a Medium Labradoodle?
Simple – the Medium Labradoodle is a cross between a standard Labrador Retriever and a Miniature Poodle. When these two dogs are crossed, the resulting crossbreed can either be almost as big as the lab, almost as small as the Mini Poodle, or – most of the time – somewhere in between. This latter case is when you get a Medium Labradoodle.
These dogs will get as tall as 17 to 20 inches (43 to 51 cm) and 35 to 45 pounds of weight (16 to 20.5 kg). Anything bigger ought to be classified as a Standard Labradoodle and anything smaller – as a Miniature Labradoodle.
Miniature Labradoodle Size
These dogs are the offspring of a Labrador Retriever and a Miniature Poodle that are closer to their Poodle parent in size. Crosses between a lab and a Toy Poodle are ill-advised for obvious reasons – crossing two dogs that are that different in size is just impractical. Even the cross of a lab with a mini Poodle is complicated and can lead to health complications which is why the bigger dog must always be the female in the pairing.
Still, how big are Miniature Labradoodles? Typically, these dogs are somewhere between 14 and 16 inches tall (35.5 to 38.5 cm) and 15 to 25 pounds heavy (7 to 11 kg).
Other Types Of Labradoodles
We’ve talked about the difference between Australian and American Labradoodle before. The gist of it is that all the Labradoodles we mentioned above are American Labradoodles – these are 50/50 crosses between a Labrador retriever and a Poodle.
Australian Labradoodles are a separate breed/crossbreed that includes various other dogs in its mix such as Curly Coat Retrievers, American Cocker Spaniels, English Cocker Spaniels, Irish Water Spaniels, and others. As such, the Australian Labradoodle is more of a separate breed rather than a crossbreed. They also tend to come only in a Standard large size that’s close to that of the Standard American Labradoodle.
Read more about: Is An Australian Shepherd Mixed With Black Lab The Perfect Pet?
So, Which Labradoodle Size Is Right For You?
This is entirely up to you and whether you want a smaller or a larger dog. Standard Labradoodles are as large, energetic, and physically demanding as a Labrador Retriever so this may not be to your liking if you live in an apartment and/or want a more indoorsy pet. Medium and Miniature Labradoodles are also very energetic but their smaller sizes make them better suited for apartment-dwellers.
Health-wise all three sub-breeds should have the same risks with Addison’s Disease, Epilepsy, Allergies, Hip, and Elbow Dysplasia deserving a special mention. Medium and Miniature Labradoodles should be checked extra carefully for potential health issues as crosses between larger and smaller dogs can be tricky in terms of health. If the dogs have been bred properly, however, and you’re given reputable health certificates for the pup and its parents, everything should be all right.
FAQs
Is a Labradoodle a large or medium breed?
The Standard Labradoodle is very much a large breed by any metric. These dogs grow as tall as 21 to 24 inches at the shoulder (53 to 61 cm) and as heavy as 50 and 65 pounds (23 to 30 kg). Considering that the weight standard for “large dog breeds” is anything between 50 and 70 pounds, the Standard Labradoodle fits neatly in this category. Medium and Miniature Labradoodles are smaller, of course.
What size Labradoodle is best?
Our impulse might be to say that all Labradoodles are perfect just the way they are but the Standard Labradoodle ought to be considered ahead of Medium and Miniature ones. The reason being that Standard Poodles are close to the size of a Labrador Retriever so a cross between the two results in a more consistent size, look, and health.
Smaller Labradoodle crosses are made by mixing a Labrador with a much smaller breed and this is usually frowned upon. Still, there’s nothing wrong with getting a Medium or Miniature Labradoodle as long as they are healthy.
How big are Labradoodles?
Standard Labradoodles can grow up to 21 to 24 inches tall (53 to 61 cm) and up to 50 to 65 pounds in weight (23 to 30 kg).
Medium Labradoodles are smaller as their Labrador parent has been bred with a smaller Poodle. These dogs usually grow up to 17 to 20 inches tall (43 to 51 cm) and 35 to 45 pounds of weight (16 to 20.5 kg).
Miniature Labradoodles are even smaller at 14 to 16 inches at the shoulder (35.5 to 38.5 cm) and 15 to 25 pounds weight (7 to 11 kg).
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