A buddy has two Labradoodles from Australia. They are pretty much 50 lb. lap dogs and are great housedogs, but in fairness to him and the dogs, that's all he wants. He has not tried to field train them although Billy has had a lifetime of duck dogs. One feature of them is no shedding and they are hypoallergenic.
Lily is larger than either parent and at 84#'s is at the top of the range in weight for a standard Doodle and 'lap dog' pretty much describes her except she won't fit in your lap!
My wife and I both independently saw the same PBS program on these dogs that was about a families need for a hypoallergenic breed.
The reason they don't shed is because like a poodle, the hair stays in the coat and must be removed periodically by brushing or it will mat over time requiring shaving the the dog. I have a complete set of professional dog grooming tools to handle Lily and its a chore. Usually by the time winter is over she is trimmed in May with another trimming in July for the hot weather. Brushing is constant.
The breed is not completely hypoallergenic as the saliva can be irritating as with any dog if you are sensitive. I think that she has been conditioned to not lick people, strange behavior in a dog. But it is the closest one can find to a hypoallergenic dog. I really don't think the breed or a cross is a hunting dog, for that I would agree that a recognized breed or dog from a breeder that has already demonstrated hunting traits would be much better choice.-Dick
