Dogs for Adoption in Connecticut, USA,
Page 1 (10 per page)

Labradoodle

The Labradoodle is a mix between the Labrador Retriever and the Poodle. Both breeds are excellent for children and families. The Labradoodle became known in 1988, when Australian breeder Wally Conron crossed the Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle at the Royal Guide Dogs Associations of Australia in Victoria. Conron's aim was to combine the low-shedding coat of the Poodle with the gentleness and trainability of the Labrador, and to provide a guide dog suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander. Sultan, a dog from this litter, displayed all the qualities Conron was seeking and worked as a guide dog for a woman in Hawaii for ten years. Although Guide Dogs Victoria no longer breed Labradoodles, they are bred by other guide and assistance dog organizations in Australia and other places. The Association for the Blind of Western Australia has introduced Labradoodles into their training program, and their first, Jonnie, graduated in November 2010. Labradoodles are now widely used around the world as guide, assistance, and therapy dogs as well as being popular family dogs. The Norwegian Royal Crown Prince and Princess own a Labradoodle.

Mutt

A mongrel, mixed-breed dog

A mongrel, mutt, or mixed-breed dog, is a dog that is not the result of breeding within an existing breed or to modify or create a breed and belongs to no breed. In the United States, the term "mixed-breed" is a favored synonym over "mongrel" among many who wish to avoid negative connotations associated with the latter term. The implication that such dogs must be a mix of defined breeds may stem from an inverted understanding of the origins of dog breeds. Pure breeds have been, for the most part, artificially created from random-bred populations by human selective breeding with the purpose of enhancing desired physical, behavioral, or temperamental characteristics. Dogs that are not purebred are not necessarily a mix of such defined breeds. Therefore, among experts and fans of such dogs, "Mongrel" is still the preferred term.