Hybrid Vigour

"Hybrid Vigour" is thought to occur because the occurance of many genetic diseases are dramatically reduced in the first generation.  This is because both parents have to have  the disease or carry the gene for that disease in order for their puppies to be affected by it.  It's vitally important to recognise that an F1 (Labrador x Poodle) puppy may still be a carrier for a disease, but not outwardly show it.

However, if there is a shared gene for a genetic disease, which present in both parent breeds, even an F1 puppy can be affected. 

Where we know that a disease-causing gene is present in both parent breeds we have coloured the disease in red text in the following table.  These tests are vital and those dogs that fail them should be castrated or spayed - certainly never used as breeding stock!

In the second and subsequent generations, all the offspring can show any of the diseases that their ancestors were susceptable to ... It is therefore vital that any F2 or higher (multigen) breeding stock is fully health checked.

As you all know, Labradoodles are the intentional cross between a Labrador and a Poodle.  What you may not have realised is that in an F1 cross either the Standard Poodle or the Miniature Poodle may be used. In the F2 generation all three breeds could be present!

The Miniature Poodle has different health-testing requirements to its larger cousin, the Standard.

Health Tests By Breed

Breed	Minimum tests performed by every The UK Doodle Club Breeders	Here are some of the additional tests applicable to all the parent breeds
Labrador	Annual Eye Exam	Titre Test (Proof of immunity)
	DNA Optigen prcd-PRA *	DNA Colour Testing (Vetgen)
	BVA Hip Score	Pre-Breeding Blood Work
Miniature Poodle	Annual Eye Exam	Thyroid Function Test
	DNA Optigen prcd-PRA *
Miniature Labradoodles	Annual Eye Exam
	DNA Optigen prcd-PRA *
	BVA Hip Score
Standard Poodles	BVA Hip Score
	DNA Von Willebrands Disease
	Annual Eye Exam
	Bi-Annual SA Test
Standard Labradoodle  F1 - First Generation	BVA Hip Score
	BVA Elbow Score
	Annual Eye Exam
	DNA Von Willebrands Disease
Standard Labradoodle  F2 and above	As for F1's PLUS Bi-Annual SA Test

* At least one parent must be Optigen tested as being an A = Normal/Clear so that he or she can be bred to any dog without producing the PRCD form of PRA

Please note that the red text indicates a shared genetic fault on both sides and therefore it is vitally important that these tests are done!