F1 Labradoodle Puppies: Which Coat Type is Best for your Family

If you are looking for a totally unique looking dog, an F1 Labradoodle may be the puppy you are looking for! After breeding almost ten litters of first generation Labradoodles, I have been amazed at how much diversity there is in coat type. In general, I would say that there are 3 basic coat types:

• Fleece

• Wire Haired

• Straight

Your family will have a different coat preferences than a different family. Let's take a look at the different pros and cons of each coat type to see which one will be the best fit for your family.

The Most Important Question: Do You or Someone in Your Family Have Allergies?

The first consideration shoululd be what kind of allergies you may have in your family. First of all, while this does not relate to coat type specifically, if you have someone with moderate to severe allergies in your family, I would highly advise you to meet any puppies that you are considering first. Every allergy is unique and you may not have an allergy to one Labradoodle, but you may to another. We do not have dog allergies in our family, but after dealing with an egg white allergy in my content for years, I have a tremendous amount of empathy for people with allergies. With our breeding program, I allow families to visit 1-2 times to ensure that they do not have an allergic reaction to a particular puppy. I encourage them to make sure to get locked and get their face right into the puppies fur. We want this to be as close a real life experience as possible.

Allergy wise, the fleece coat is the most "hypoallergenic". As a note, no dog is actually hypoallergenic, but some are more allergy friendly than others. This cost is the curlier - the most similar to a poodles and thus, the most allergy friendly. This cost type also has the least amount of shedding! While no dog is "no shed" many families report that they do not notice any shedding.

Wire Haired Labradoodles also tend to have a lower shedding coat. They have a wavy/coarser hair type. In my experience, families with mild dog allergies are okay with a Wire Haired Labradoodle puppy.

Straight Coated Labradoodles look the most like a Labrador Retriever. How allergy friendly they are entirely depends on the severity and the particular person's allergies. I have some families with moderate allergies who do just fine with a straight coated Labradoodle - other families react. Back to the first point - this is why if you have allergies it is important to find a First Generation Labradoodle breeder who will let you visit first.

What Kind of Grooming Needs Do You Want?

The curlier the coat on your Labradoodle, the more maintenance their first requires. A fleece coated Labradoodle needs frequent brushing and haircuts to stay mat free. Wire-haired and Straight Coated Labradoodles require a much lighter grooming routine.

Some Practical Questions about Grooming

Are you someone who enjoys bonding with your dog by frequently brushing out their coat?

Are you willing to gain dog grooming skills or pay a professional to groom your dog every few months?

Then a fleece coat will work for you?

Do you prefer a lower maintenance coat with less brushing required?

Do you want to save money on grooming and have no desire to learn to do it yourself?

Do you plan to swim with your dog or engage in my other water sports?

If this sounds more like you, then I would recommend either a wire coat or straight coated Labradoodle.

Last but Not Least - What Coat Look do You Prefer?

If allergies and grooming do not pull you strongly towards one coat type, then I definitely think deciding on what you like the most is a great reason to pick one coat type over another. I love all three coat types and I hope that this guide has helped your family decide which Labradoodle coat type works best for your family.