Labradoodle nutrition: weight, joints and food allergy

A Labradoodle's health risks come from its parent breeds, the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle, and crossing them does not reliably cancel those risks out. In a UK owner survey covering more than 9,000 Labradoodles, Cockapoos, Cavapoos and their parent breeds, the odds of common disorders did not differ significantly between the crosses and their parent breeds in 87 percent of comparisons (Bryson and colleagues, 2024). The crosses were neither clearly healthier nor clearly less healthy. Feeding a Labradoodle well therefore means knowing what each side of the family can pass on. Adult size varies widely, mostly with the size of the Poodle parent.

Joints and body weight

Hip and elbow dysplasia are recognized problems in Labradors, and hip dysplasia also occurs in Standard Poodles. Diet cannot change a dog's genes. It can change how much weight those joints carry, and that has measurable effects.

The best evidence comes from a lifetime study of 48 Labrador Retrievers paired as littermates. One dog in each pair was fed 25 percent less than its partner, which ate freely, from 8 weeks of age for life. Hip osteoarthritis showed up on X-rays at a median age of 12 years in the restricted-fed dogs and 6 years in the dogs fed more, and the leaner dogs had less of it overall (Smith and colleagues, JAVMA 2006). The comparison was between lean dogs and dogs allowed to eat as much as they wanted, not between lean and slightly overweight dogs. The direction is still clear.

For supplements, a 2022 meta-analysis of 72 trials in dogs and cats with osteoarthritis found clear evidence of pain relief from omega-3-enriched diets and omega-3 supplements, and no meaningful effect from glucosamine and chondroitin products. A dog with stiffness or lameness needs a vet examination first. If omega-3s are used, the vet can set a dose for the dog's weight.

Exercise-induced collapse

Exercise-induced collapse (EIC) is caused by a recessive mutation in the DNM1 gene, so a dog must inherit two copies to be affected. A genetic survey found carriers in 17.9 to 38.0 percent of Labradors, depending on the line they came from, and 83.6 percent of Labradors with two copies had collapsed by 4 years of age. The mutation and collapsing dogs were also found in mixed-breed dogs thought to be Labrador crosses (Minor and colleagues, 2011).

Affected dogs look normal at rest and during ordinary exercise. Intense, exciting activity such as repeated retrieving can bring on weak, wobbly hind legs and then collapse. Stop the exercise at the first sign of wobbling and keep the dog cool. Any collapse needs a vet assessment, because heatstroke, heart disease and other conditions can look similar. No diet is known to prevent episodes. A DNA test can show whether a Labradoodle is affected or a carrier, and affected dogs are managed by avoiding the kind of exercise that triggers collapse.

Addison's disease

Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism) is a failure of the adrenal glands to produce enough of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone. It is uncommon overall but strongly linked to the Standard Poodle. In UK primary-care records the condition affected 0.06 percent of all dogs, Standard Poodles had 51 times the odds of crossbreeds, and Labradoodles also had increased odds (VetCompass study, 2021).

The signs are vague. Lethargy, poor appetite and vomiting were the most common in confirmed cases, and most had high blood potassium and low sodium. A Labradoodle with repeated bouts of these signs, especially if they come and go, should be checked for Addison's. Treatment is lifelong hormone replacement. Diet does not treat the disease, and salt or potassium intake should only be changed on a vet's advice.

Food allergies, itchy skin and ears

Itchy skin and ear infections that keep coming back call for a structured approach rather than repeated rounds of ear drops. Floppy, hairy ears hold moisture, and allergy is a frequent underlying cause when infections recur after treatment. Food allergy is one possibility; environmental allergy is another, and the two look alike. Signs that point toward allergy include:

• Repeated ear infections
• Licking or chewing the paws
• Red, itchy skin on the belly, armpits or between the toes
• Recurring hot spots
• Loose stools or occasional vomiting alongside skin signs

A review of published food trials found that beef, dairy products, chicken and wheat were the allergens most often behind skin reactions to food in dogs (Mueller and colleagues, 2016). Food allergy is diagnosed with an elimination diet: a veterinary hydrolyzed diet, or a diet built on a protein and carbohydrate the dog has never eaten, fed with nothing else. A companion review found that more than 90 percent of dogs with food allergy were in complete remission by 8 weeks, so trials should last at least that long. Old foods are then reintroduced one at a time to find the trigger.

Coat type and grooming

Labradoodle coats range from tight Poodle-like wool, through wavy fleece, to a straighter Labrador-like hair coat. Wool and fleece coats shed less but mat easily and usually need a professional clip every 4 to 6 weeks and brushing several times a week. Hair coats shed more and mat less.

No coat type needs a special diet. A complete, balanced food supplies the protein and fatty acids skin and hair need. A dull, thin or patchy coat on a complete diet can point to skin disease, allergy or a hormonal problem, so it is a reason for a vet check before a change of food.

Appetite and portion control

Some Labradoodles are intensely food-motivated, and there is a genetic explanation on the Labrador side. A 14-base-pair deletion in the POMC gene was found in Labradors at an allele frequency of 12 percent. It was associated with higher body weight, more body fat and greater food motivation, and among other breeds it turned up only in the closely related Flat-coated Retriever (Raffan and colleagues, 2016). The mutation was also more common in Labradors selected as assistance dogs. A Labradoodle with a Labrador parent can inherit it.

• Measured meals. Two a day for adults, never free-fed.
• Weigh the food. A kitchen scale is more accurate than a measuring cup.
• Count treats. Take training treats out of the daily ration, or use part of the meal's kibble as rewards.
• Slow the eating. Slow feeders and food puzzles make a meal last longer for a dog that bolts its food.
• Check body condition monthly. Ribs should be easy to feel with light pressure, with a visible waist from above.

Sources

1. The doodle dilemma: How the physical health of 'Designer-crossbreed' Cockapoo, Labradoodle and Cavapoo dogs' compares to their purebred progenitor breeds. PLOS ONE, 2024.
2. Lifelong diet restriction and radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis of the hip joint in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 2006.
3. A 2022 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Enriched Therapeutic Diets and Nutraceuticals in Canine and Feline Osteoarthritis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022.
4. Presence and impact of the exercise-induced collapse associated DNM1 mutation in Labrador retrievers and other breeds. The Veterinary Journal, 2011.
5. Hypoadrenocorticism in dogs under UK primary veterinary care: frequency, clinical approaches and risk factors. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2021.
6. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Veterinary Research, 2016.
7. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (1): duration of elimination diets. BMC Veterinary Research, 2015.
8. A Deletion in the Canine POMC Gene Is Associated with Weight and Appetite in Obesity-Prone Labrador Retriever Dogs. Cell Metabolism, 2016.