That's kind of weird that Jet's coat is like that.... the curly/harsh Poodle coat should be dominant over other genes, so a doodle to another doodle should have even curlier/wirey hair - more Lab/Golden/whatever needs to be added to future generations to get anything near a consistent coat texture... meaning the ratio of each breed can't stay the same, meaning they can never be recognized as purebred. This seems to be true for any/all of the Poodle mixes.
The guide dog people in Australia who originally decided to cross the breeds realized that what they were getting wasn't better than either breed by itself, and there was too much inconsistency in looks (and therefore maintenance), and temperaments. They decided the idea didn't work, and stopped doing it so heavily... but not before backyard breeders and puppy mills heard that Labradoodles were the perfect guide dog, and therfore the perfect pet dog, and they became a designer breed
What also strikes me as weird is that guide dogs and service dogs need to have a very different temperament... guide dogs generally have higher drive, initiative, intelligent disobedience - they are in charge. Service dogs should be soft and mellow, fading into the background until they are working... having a dog that takes initiative or has any strong drives can become fatal to someone who is paralyzed or has weak balance, or can only whisper commands.
Since I love Poodles so much as they are, I am certainly biased, lol. I also really like Labs, Goldens, Cockers, etc even though they aren't breeds that I feel would be right for me to own long term. I have met a couple of nice doodles, but most of them have been off the wall hyper and some have been aggressive (granted many of the ones I've met were impulse purchases by people who wanted in on this new fad, so obviously the dogs were not raised in ways that may have helped bring out a nicer temperament). But the ones I've met are nothing like Poodles, and nothing like Labs/Goldens/etc --- so who doesn't like the temperaments of the purebreds enough to get a Poodle or Golden, but instead decides to get a mix of both breeds? :msniwonder:
Obviously Jet's coat isn't as high maintenance as a Poodle's but he seems to be an exception rather than the norm... a Poodle with a correct coat doesn't mat quickly, and some lines the hair grows very slowly (I know a Standard who's owner has been trying to grow a show coat for over 3 years and the longest part is only about 5"... this is using supplements, lot's of banding/wrapping, keeping it clean, and tipping the ends!). Most of the doodles I've met require more grooming up-keep than Poodles, and they look strange if you shave their face and feet, so food and mud is always getting stuck, making them really stink...
On top of all of that, their risk for inherited diseases expands to include both breeds. The recessive traits won't show up in the first generation, but they can appear in the second, third, fourth. Unfortunately, many of the doodles are bred for money, so $$$ isn't spent on testing the parents, and often the parents are from breeders who also don't really care, otherwise they'd have screened buyers more thoroughly.
'Hybrid vigor' is something that occurs when parents are from different species - all dogs are the same species, just different breeds. Dog to wolf/coyote/jackal, or lion/tiger, or horse/donkey are hybrids. There is also usually a price to pay... some hybrids may be stronger and bigger, but have much shorter lives. Others live longer but may be very hard to train/control. Most are infertile...
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/NoPuppyMillsVA/Poo-dogs___Designer_Mutts/Hybrid_Vigor/hybrid_vigor.html
Ultimately, I have nothing against the dogs themselves (unless they have individually earned it through displaying an inappropriate temperament), but rather the people who breed them for money or just because "they are such nice dogs"... enough shelter dogs (including many doodles! :msncry: ) are put to sleep every week that I have trouble appreciating any breedings that aren't done with a specific purpose intended for each litter. IMO, 'bettering the breed' isn't good enough by itself.
Love it love it love it ! 