Some of the terms you’ll hear thrown around in the Labradoodle community include the following:
- F1 Labradoodle
- F1B Labradoodle
- F2 Labradoodle
- F3 Labradoodle
- Multi Generation
- Australian Labradoodle
A lot of people who are new to the breed are unsure what these terms mean, and why they are important. If you’re thinking about buying a Labradoodle, it’s a good idea to have some idea of what these terms mean. They’re not as complicated as they sound.
F1 Labradoodle
This is a First Generation Labradoodle. They’re half Labrador Retriever, and half poodle. Momma was one breed, and poppa was another. Coats can vary, but generally these dogs have longer hair, sometimes ‘wiry’ in appearance (although soft) or a fleece coat with a unique texture. Coats tend to shed, but not very much, and sometimes they don’t shed at all. They tend to have a little more of a ‘Lab’ personality, have great dispositions, and tend to be very healthy due to ‘hybird vigor’. It’s important that both parents are very healthy, however, or you can get genetic health problems even with F1′s.
F1B Labradoodle
Second generation labradoodles are the offspring of a F1 which has been bread back with a Standard Poodle to produce puppies which are a 75/25 Poodle/Lab combination. This is done to bring in more of the poodle coat characteristics (remember that the non-shed traits come from the poodle). While still retaining a great personality, these tend to be non-shedding most of the time. There are many different coats that can come out with these dogs, so it’s important to recognize that physical appearance can differ from one dog to another. These tend to be more allergy-friendly than the first generation.
F2 Labradoodles
F2 Labradoodles are ‘second generation’ Labradoodles where both parents are a Labradoodle (usually both F1′s). Good breeders will carefully pair parents to produce puppies with the most desirable Labradoodle characteristics.
F3 Labradoodles
(I bet you can guess this one…) are third generation Labradoodles where both parents are F2 (second generation).
Multi-Generation
Are generally considered to be F3′s or Higher.
Australian Labradoodles
Are usually multi-gen, however some breeders will also have mixed in other breeds (such as a cocker spaniel) into the mix in small percentages.