You would assume that respected dog breeders would be some of the most devoted dog lovers around, not least when it comes to their own lovable pooches. Well, when it comes to the labradoodle, you would assume wrong.
Wally Conron, the man who created the cuddly breed that is a cross between a labrador and a poodle, has said that the creation is his "life's regret" and that he hasn't "a clue" why people are still breeding them.
In an illuminating interview with the ABC podcast Sum Of All Parts, Conron explained how he came to create the breed, which was initially meant to be a guide dog but which he now compares to "Frankenstein's monster".
He says that the creation has spawned a trend of copycat creations and incorrect breedings, leading to dogs that are "crazy" or have health problems, as well as a host of other trendy breeds like "jackapoo", "cavoodle" and "schnoodle".
"I opened a Pandora's box and released a Frankenstein's monster," he says.
How did we get the labradoodle?
Conron, the breeding manager for the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia, now known as Guide Dogs Victoria, created the breed in 1989 after receiving a request from a blind woman in Hawaii who wanted a guide dog that wouldn't shed, as her husband was allergic to long-haired dogs.
Having initially trialed a standard poodle, Conron found they didn't make good guide dogs. After three years of experimenting, he decided upon "a dog with the working ability of the Labrador and the coat of the poodle".
Great idea, right? Two cute dogs in one and non-shedding, to boot.
It was, Conron says, a mistake.
Very shortly after sending the woman in Hawaii her new guide dog Sultan and putting word out that there was a new breed of non-shedding guide dogs, Conron says a "bandwagon" was created, with many copycat breeds trying to capitalise on the new trend.
He saw how there were "unethical, ruthless people" who only wanted to "breed these dogs and sell them for big bucks", whereas his focus was always on creating healthy dogs.
Thirty years on, Conron is still haunted by his creation, and sees many negative consequences that stem from the surge in popularity of what people think of as trendy or fashionable dogs.
"I find that the biggest majority are either crazy or have a hereditary problem. I do see some damn nice labradoodles but they're few and far between."
