My Labradoodle puppy has straight hair! All Labradoodle puppies have fine, soft, straight hair at first. But, as they grow, a curlier adult coat may replace this.
Adult Labradoodles with straight hair are known to have a ‘hair’ type coat, rather than fleece or wool types.
A Labradoodle with straight hair may be more likely to trigger allergy symptoms, since shedding dander won’t be caught in their fur. But, they have easier grooming requirements.
My Labradoodle Puppy Has Straight Hair
All Labradoodle puppies will have a different coat in puppyhood than they do in adulthood.
A Labradoodle puppy coat will be softer, finer, and straighter than their adult coat.
But, just because your Doodle has a straight puppy coat, doesn’t mean their coat type will stay that way when they grow up.
In fact, many knowledgeable Doodle breeders can do a pretty good job of predicting which type of adult coat type a Labradoodle puppy will inherit.
The Three Labradoodle Coat Types
First generation Labradoodles are the result of mixing a Labrador Retriever with a Standard Poodle.
Depending on the traits that a Labradoodle puppy inherits, they could have one of three coat types:
- Hair type
- Fleece type
- Wool type
It’s impossible to know which coat type first generation Labradoodle puppies will inherit before they arrive, so it’s a good idea to learn about all of them.
Labradoodle adults with straight fur have the hair type coat.
Hair Coat Type
The Labradoodle hair coat type is not silky straight, it is often thick and slightly wavy. This coat type is most similar to the Labrador Retriever parent.
Some hair-coated Labradoodles will have the Labrador’s double layer coat, but some may have a single layer, like their Poodle parent.
Either way, like the Lab parent, hair coated Labradoodles will shed year-round and may blow their coat during shedding seasons.
Despite this, the hair coat is fairly wash-and-wear. A weekly brushing and occasional bath is all the maintenance it generally needs, unless your Doodle rolls in something stinky.
The hair coat type is most likely to trigger allergy symptoms in owners that are allergic to the protein allergen in pet hair.
Fleece Coat Type
Overall, this coat type takes greater influence from the Poodle parent. It is soft and wavy – think angora wool and you are on the right track.
If bred to the Australian Labradoodle breed standard, Labradoodles with a fleece coat will have one layer. But, there’s a chance puppies could inherit the double layer coat from the Lab parent.
This coat type is much less likely to shed out visibly than the hair type, but it does shed. The hairs are just more likely to get trapped in the surrounding coat.
So, fleece coats may trigger fewer allergy symptoms. But, there’s no guarantee.
Of course, with less shedding, there is more potential for tangles and mats as the shed-out hair gets trapped in the surrounding coat.
So, owners will have more brushing and grooming duties.
Wool Type Coat
The Labradoodle wool coat type is the main coat type that is considered allergy friendly.
But, this coat type still sheds. Like the fleece coat, the hairs just get trapped in the surrounding fur rather than falling to the ground.
Because of this, it can be truly time-consuming to brush and groom the true wool Labradoodle coat type.
If you don’t keep on top of grooming, your Doodle will experience tangles and mats in the coat that may require a full shave to fix.
Do All Labradoodle Puppies Have Straight Hair?
Earlier we mentioned how the puppy coat has a softer, finer, thinner texture than the adult Labradoodle coat – no matter which adult type they have.
But how can you know if your Labradoodle puppy will keep their straight hair or grow up to have a wavy, fleece coat or a curly, wool coat? Don’t all puppies look alike?
Depending on which generation the Labradoodle breeder is working with and the genetics of the parent dogs, your Doodle’s adult coat may start to grow in as early as six months or as late as 10 months.
By 14 months old, your puppy should have their full adult coat.
Do I Need to Wait This Long?
Experienced Labradoodle breeders can often see signs of a puppy’s adult coat type as early as eight or nine weeks old. So, the sort of time that a puppy will go to their forever home.
This is more likely when you are working with a later generation breeder.
Many later generation breeders will work specifically with fleece or wool coat Labradoodles as breeding stock. This means a hair coat Labradoodle puppy is less likely.
Choosing an Older Dog
Another option if you really need or want a Doodle with a wool or fleece coat is to consider rescuing an older Labradoodle.
This way, you can spend time with the dog before bringing them home.
You can see if your chosen Labradoodle triggers allergy symptoms, if this is a potential issue for you.
Of course you will miss out on the puppy stages. But, you’ll know exactly what type of coat your Doodle has, and your dog may already have some basic training!
Is My Labradoodle With Straight Hair Hypoallergenic?
The Labradoodle breed was first created in an attempt to get a hypoallergenic guide dog. However, studies have shown that there is really no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog.
This is because dog allergens are found in dander, saliva, and even urine – not in fur.
So, even wool and fleece type Labradoodles are not hypoallergenic.
The main reason they may trigger fewer allergy symptoms is that their curly fur catches shedding dander.
This won’t happen in Doodles with straight hair, so they may be more likely to cause allergy symptoms.
But, none of the three hair types are hypoallergenic. They could all trigger allergy symptoms.
My Labradoodle Puppy Has Straight Hair – A Summary
There’s no need to panic if your Labradoodle puppy has straight hair but your breeder told you they would be a wool or fleece type.
You dog may yet grow up to have that lovable curly fur!
Even if not, Labradoodles with straight hair have all the same popular traits, and they require less grooming!
Does your Labradoodle puppy have straight hair?
References and Resources
- Lauderdale, M. ‘Labradoodle Coat Styles’, Lauderdoodles (2017)
- Byrnell, J. ‘Labradoodle Grooming and Coat Types’, Over the Moon Labradoodles (2021)
- McEwing, A. ‘Grading Scheme’, Australian Labradoodle Association of America (2020)
- Ugland, C. ‘Grooming Guidelines for Your Australian Labradoodle’, Legendary Labradoodles (2021)
- Butt, A. (et al), ‘Do Hypoallergenic Cats and Dogs Exist?’, Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (2012)
- Vredegoor, D. (et al), ‘Can F 1 Levels in Hair and Homes of Different Dog Breeds: Lack of Evidence to Describe Any Dog Breed as Hypoallergenic’, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2012)