How Smart Is A Labradoodle? [The Real Truth]

Labradoodles come from well-loved and smart breeds, the Labrador and the Poodle. But how smart is a Labradoodle, really?

In this post, we will talk about a measure of dog’s intelligence, what makes a dog smart, and how to nurture your dog’s intelligence.

Dog Intelligence Ranking

Labradoodles have not been included in concrete intelligence studies yet. But one thing is for sure. The Labradoodle, which is a cross between and Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, has roots that are among the top ten most intelligent dogs in the world. 

Labradoodle Parents Ranked Among The Top 10 Smartest Dogs

Labradors have been the go-to dogs for many owners to serve as guide dogs, narcotics detection dogs, farm herding dogs, or simply family pets. Poodles are also favorites due to their hypoallergenic and highly trainable qualities. 

By combining these two smart dogs into a Labradoodle, you would get the best of both worlds. So you are probably wondering, how do we measure a dog’s intelligence? Let us tackle what dog psychologists have to say. 

There are many criteria that the dog breeds had to pass to be included in the intelligent dog list.

One criteria measured how many repetitions trainers have to teach the dogs for them to be able to learn a new command. The more intelligent the dog breed, the lesser repetitions it would take for the dog to completely absorb the command.

The next criteria include measuring the success rate in which different breeds will be able to follow a known command but only on the first attempt. 

The higher the success rate for the test for any given breed, the smarter that breed would be. 

In each dog breed that was studied, they needed to rate three different aspects: instinctive intelligence, adaptive intelligence, and obedience intelligence. 

Instinctive intelligence refers to their performance of any given task, while adaptive intelligence refers to the breed’s ability to resolve problematic situations on their own. 

How Obedience Is A Measure Of Intelligence

Obedience intelligence refers to the dog’s ability to learn what their owners tell them to do. As a result, not all breeds made it to the study’s list of intelligent dogs. The study was also limited to purebred dogs, thus leaving the Labradoodle out. 

The Labrador Retriever was at 7th place, while the Poodle made it near to the top at 2nd place. The other dog breeds that made it to the top are the Border Collie, Rottweiler, Doberman Pincher, German Shepherd, and the Golden Retriever. 

But based on surveys given to Labradoodle owners all around the globe, they do vouch that their dog is really smart. Researchers assume that their intelligence is a trait that was inherited from their parents who are at the top of the intelligence ranking. 

What It Means To Be A Smart Dog

So what does it mean to be one of the smartest dogs in the world? Being part of the top 10 means that these dogs are capable of learning a new command within five command repetitions. 

They are also capable of learning a new trick within 30 minutes and their ability to absorb and follow new commands is just amazing. 

But technically, there is nothing wrong with having average dogs. It is just that smart dogs are gifted in a way that they tend to absorb new things faster than average dogs. 

Breeds with average intelligence can absorb and perform a new command within twenty to forty command repetitions. Smarter dogs can just do it faster which means that they are also more obedient when compared to other dog breeds. 

How Smart Is A Labradoodle?

Although there has been no official scientific research regarding the intelligence of Labradoodles, studies have been made through surveys and observing the hybrid dog since the beginning of their existence. 

Three Aspects Of Dog Intelligence

Let us look at the adaptive intelligence capabilities of your Labradoodle. When we talk about adaptive intelligence, these questions can be asked: Do Labradoodles redo mistakes over and over again? Do they solve problems on their own?

Adaptive intelligence can vary from one dog to another in the same dog breed. But, in general, Labradoodles excel in this intelligence aspect. 

Labradoodles are also said to have high instinctive intelligence. They tend to be good working dogs if they are trained to do so like Labrador Retrievers. In the same way, their adaptive intelligence is also off the charts. 

These hybrid dogs love to learn from their human owners. They are very keen at observing and tend to relate to their owners very well.

Because of this aspect, Labradoodles tend to be very good family dogs. They are friendly and very gentle, making them perfect companions for kids.  

This is what makes this hybrid dog breed great. It was able to inherit the best of what their parents were bred to do. 

What makes Labradoodles smart in terms of their innate abilities? Here is a quick history of how this dog breed came to be. 

Dogs And Their Innate Characteristics

Labrador Retrievers were generally bred to become good farm dogs. The breed was trained to herd farm animals and to retrieve objects. 

That is also the reason why this dog breed is good and adaptive when you play frisbee with them.

In the same sense, Poodles were also made to be retrievers. They were bred to engage and retrieve waterfowls. And according to an organization called Ducks Unlimited, both the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle are two of the best retrievers amongst all dog breeds. 

Where did the Labradoodle come from? Back in 1989 in Australia, the Labradoodle was first developed to help with the needs of a blind woman. She needed a guide dog but this is hard to do so with a Labrador since her husband was very prone to allergies. 

That is why breeders opt to develop a Labrador that is hypoallergenic. Thus, the Labrador was bred with the hypoallergenic Poodle, giving birth to the Labradoodle. 

Other Ways Labradoodles Can Show Intelligence

You can provide your dog with smart toys or assign them different tasks to show how smart they are. But if you want to gauge how smart your Labradoodle is, here are some ways you can evaluate their performance. 

One way to see if your dog is brilliant is if he can remember a certain command that hasn’t been used for a very long time.

All pups can be taught to obey different commands. They just need to be taught the right way for it to be effective. But if these commands have not been used in quite a large timeframe like, let’s say in over a year, many dogs tend to forget these commands. 

But you must also make sure that you are giving the right command to your dog. There are times when dog owners tend to mix up different commands. This confuses the dog. 

How You Can Nurture Your Labradoodle’s Intelligence

Solving puzzles is also one way that your Labradoodle can show their intelligence. So to gauge your Larbadoodle’s problem-solving ability, you can introduce them to a food puzzle. 

A food puzzle is a toy that your dog can manipulate in a specific way so that they can acquire a treat. If your Doodle can solve this puzzle without you trying to coach them, then they can be considered smart. 

If you do not have any means to acquire a food puzzle, you can always create one as an alternative. You can try hiding a treat somewhere within the vicinity of your house or try to create a puzzle using a box and a treat inside. 

Another example if your Doodle is smart, is that they can be escape artists. This means that they are capable of finding open doors. 

I know, these can be quite frustrating to dog owners but guess what, this is one sign that your Doodle is highly intelligent. You can try this by letting them out one door and then closing it then you open another door on the other side of the house. 

Smart dogs will always find their way back even if their normal entry and exit points are closed. Another way that your Doodle shows their intelligence is when they start a specific game with you. 

Many dogs can easily initiate a tug-of-war but smart pups tend to communicate to their human. They will bring you a toy and try to communicate with you in ways other than barking. 

Smart dogs tend to show their desires and are known to be emphatic as well. Yes, a smart dog would know when you are feeling sad. 

Emotions And A Dog’s Intelligence

Smart dogs are quite sensitive to their owner’s emotions. Thus, it is important to be careful with your actions around them, especially when you are angry. 

In this regard, smart dogs tend to cuddle with you or would try to comfort you when you are sad. They can also sense if a change is bound to happen. For example, when you take out your suitcase to pack, they would know that you would be gone for a few days. 

Smart Labradoodles also tend to get what they want. If they want to be scratched or patted on the back, they would tell you to do so. 

There are many things that Labradoodles do that show their intelligence. But their ability to communicate is one of the most important aspects that show how intelligent these dogs are. 

Toys That Can Mentally Stimulate Your Labradoodle

Many toys can be used to stimulate the minds of your Doodles, like food puzzles. One common characteristic among smart dogs is their need to constantly stimulate their minds. 

These kinds of dogs, regardless of breed, are always curious. They tend to absorb and learn what goes on around them. Puzzle toys are effective in stimulating your dog’s mental capability.

Smart dogs tend to become bored with their toys easily and quickly move on to other activities. Other great toys for mental exercise are IQ treat balls and interactive treat toys. 

Unlike other toys that they only tug around with, these types of toys are more interactive. They stimulate action from your dog which would keep them occupied. 

Some of these toys can be used simultaneously by several Labradoodle puppies at once. This makes it more fun for your dogs since each of them can do everything together all at once. 

There are also feeder toys that you can purchase for your dog. This makes the feeding process a bit more interesting rather than just shoving everything inside a bowl. 

How To Cycle Your Labradoodle’s Toys

To sum it all up, the best toys for your Labradoodle are treat toys. Do not give all their toys all at once.

You can have days that would focus on physically stimulating activities and other days for mentally stimulating activities. You can also schedule days for activities that would cater to both aspects.

One thing is for sure, your labradoodle is a smart, very playful, and engaging dog.

Interactive Toy For Your Dog

Starmark Interactive Dog Toy

The Best thing about this product from StarMark is that it does not only stimulate your Labradoodle mentally but your dog’s physicality plays a big role as well. It has a dual chamber that can pretty much house whole meals.

Pros

This product is highly interactive. Dogs would definitely have to work on this toy to achieve their goal.

Cons

Since this toy can house large meals, the dog’s feeding cycle might change if the owners would use the toy as the main feeding apparatus. 

Why We Like This Product

This product is highly rated on Amazon and is one of the best toys for smart activities out there. It can also provide your dog with hours of entertainment before they get bored. 

Purchase your dog’s new favorite toy from Amazon now.

Hope you enjoyed this post: “How Smart is a Labradoodle?”

If you enjoyed this post, then you will love these posts:

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• Do Labradoodles Make Good Family Pets [The Real Truth]
• What Does A Full Grown Labradoodle Look Like? [25 Examples]
• Top 10 Best Collar For Labradoodle [Ultimate Guide]

Thanks for reading! You can get many more tips and tricks for your Labradoodle here.