Coat Types

Different Coat Types

Labradoodle coats are categorised as “hair”, “fleece” or “wool” depending on the amount of curl and the texture of the coat.

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The Differences –

WOOL COAT

A wool coat is curly and the strands are long. Wool coats can be dense (like cotton wool) or fine. Wool does not drop out but continues to grow. People have found that labradoodles with wool coats are best suited for those suffering from allergies. Choosing a Labradoodle with a wool coat does not guarantee that the person with allergies will not have an allergic reaction. People can be also be allergic to the sweat, urine, saliva and skin cells so may still suffer an allergic reaction.

Wool- Best for Allergies

FLEECE COAT

A fleece coat is made up of hair and wool finely intertwined. This coat is highly desirable as it is thought to require slightly less maintenance. Fleece coats are very low shedding and resemble the appearance of the angora goat or that classic 80’s spiral perm. A fleece coat usually has a very soft texture to touch.

CLEAR FACE

Puppies with an open face

Occasionally labradoodle genetics combine to create individual puppies that have an open face. In this variation, puppies will not develop the long hair around the face and muzzle that is normally associated with a labradoodle’s appearance Labradoodles with an open face variant are sometimes mistaken for a Curly Coated Retriever. Puppies with an open face are appealing to the heart as one can clearly view those soulful puppy dog eyes without the obstruction of facial floof.

HAIR COAT

A hair coat consists of straight, short strands of hair. This is the coat of a Labrador. It feels a little wiry to touch and it does shed.  A hair coat is the easiest to maintain and requires minimal brushing.

MIXED COATS

Another possible coat type is a “mixed” coat type. A mixed coat consists of mostly hair but also some wiry strands and a small amount of fleece.  This coat type is also referred to as a ‘flat’ coat. Puppies with a flat coat will shed but to a lesser extent compared to a hair coat.  Puppies that are the offspring of  Early Generation Labradoodles are much more likely to be born with a flat coat. 

A flat coated Labradoodle has inherited most genes from the labrador side but may still have fuzzy tufts of hair and a short wavy undercoat. They can have medium-long hair growing around the face and feathering along the tail and legs.

It is generally difficult to determine a flat coat from a fleece coat when the puppies are newborn.  This becomes more evident by the time a puppy is six weeks of age.