The Australian Labradoodle Breed Standard is maintained and occasionally updated by the Australian Labradoodle Association of America (ALAA). It covers characteristics such as the general appearance of the breed, temperament, size range, physical characteristics, and characteristics to be avoided (faults).

General Appearance

• athletic and graceful
• compact body
• medium boning
• neither cloddy nor overly fine

Temperament

• extremely clever, keen and easy to train
• sociable, comical, joyful
• energetic when free, and soft and quiet when handled
• should approach people n a happy, friendly manner
• intuitive about family members or handler’s current emotional state or needs

Size

• Miniature: 35cm to 42cm (14” to <17”) at wither
• Medium: 43cm to 52cm (17” to <21”) at wither
• Standard: 53cm to 63cm (21” to <25”)

Physical characteristics

• Head: moderately broad; well-defined eyebrows; eyes set well apart; foreface to appear shorter than skull; clean-cut and free from fleshy cheeks
• Eyes: large, expressive and slightly rounded.
• Ears: slightly above eye level; flat against head; medium thickness; leather should not hang below lower lip line; not too much hair in the ear canal
• Mouth: scissor bite; upper teeth just overlap bottom teeth
• Nose: large, square and fleshy
• Neck: of good strength; lending an air of elegance; slightly arched; flowing into shoulders
• Forequarters: shoulder blades and upper arms the same length; shoulders well laid back; elbows set close to the body; forelegs straight when viewed from front.
• Body: height to wither equivalent to length from sternum to point of buttock; deep chest and well sprung; good tuck up; strong and muscular loins
• Hindquarters: croup nearly flat in profile; stifles moderately turned; hindquarters well muscled; hock to heel strong and short, perpendicular to the ground; parallel when viewed from the rear
• Feet: of medium size; round with well-arched toes; thick elastic pads; turning neither in nor out
• Tail: follow the topline in repose or when in motion; may be carried gaily, but should not curl completely over the back; tip of tail should not touch the back nor curl upon itself.

Movement

• trotting gait is effortless, smooth, powerful and coordinated in mature dogs
• a good reach in front and drive from behind
• light gait

Coat

• non-shedding and easily maintained
• any length acceptable but preferable not over 4 inches
• even over the entire body
• straight, wavy or forming spirals
• neither too thick and dense, nor fluffy or fuzzy
• no undercoat
• ranging from fleece (soft like an Angora goat) to wool (like a lamb’s wool) in texture
• should not appear overly groomed

Colours

(see our Colours page for more descriptions and photos)

• Caramel: dark amber to pale hazel-green eyes. liver noses, eye rims and lips, and self coloured to dark nails.
• Gold and Red: very dark eyes, black noses, eye rims and lips, and black or self-coloured nails.
• Chalk and Cream:
• either: dark amber to pale hazel-green eyes, liver noses, eye rims and lips, and self coloured to dark nails
• or: very dark eyes, black noses, eye rims and lips, and black or self-coloured nsild
• Chocolate: dark amber eyes, liver noses, eye rims and lips, and dark nails.
• Parchment, Lavender and Café are faded forms of Chocolate
• Black: very dark eyes, black noses, eye rims and lips, and black or self-coloured nails.
• Blue and Silver are faded forms of Black

caramel gold cream chocolate black

Patterns

• Solid: even colour, preferably with no white markings. A small white flash no larger than 2.5cm in diameter can appear on the chest, feet or tail and is permissible.
• Parti: at least 50% white, with spots/patches of any other solid colour. No set pattern is required but symmetrical markings on the head are preferred.
• Abstract: any solid colour with less than 50% white as a second colour
• Phantom: (the rarest colouration) a solid-coloured body with clear, well-defined markings of a second colour as follows:
• above each eye
• on the sides of the muzzle
• on the cheek
• on the underside of the ears
• entire face coloured is acceptable, though not preferred, if the other required body markings are present)
• on the throat to forechest, or in a chin and forechest pattern
• a minimum second colouring on the feet, preferably up the legs, and below the tail.
• Sable: black-tipped hairs on any solid colour, preferably even ticking.
• Brindle: even and equal distribution of the colours with layering of black hairs in regions of lighter colours producing a tiger-striped pattern.
• Multi: multiple colours or patterns, as in a Phantom with large white Abstract markings, or a Parti pattern with Sable ticking, etc.

NOTE: It is normal for any colour to show bleaching and discolouration over the top coat, referred to as sunning. The Australian Labradoodle is an active dog that enjoys the outdoors.

Faults

• any sign of aggression or dominance
• fearful, timid, yappy or highly-strung temperaments
• harsh hair, or any sign of undercoat
• short or overly thick neck
• shedding (note: some coat instability during hormonal changes with fertile bitches, and also during change from puppy coat to adult coat around 10-12 months of age)
• possum type or teapot handle tails (minor fault)
• long, narrow or block head
• long back
• protruding or sunken eyes
• watery or tearful eyes
• over or undershot or pincer mouth
• crowding teeth
• bad carriage or heavy gait
• monorchid or inverted vulva
• cow-hock
• toeing in or out
• over- or under-sized
• albinism is a disqualification
• any sign of lameness is a disqualification