Adorable and cuddly-looking, the labradoodle is the choice of many when it comes to choosing a family pet.
The labradoodle (a cross between a poodle and a Labrador retriever) is in fact the 13th most popular breed in the UK, according to research by ITV, announced on TV show Britain's Favourite Dogs.
Yet, the original creator of the breed, Wally Conron, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in a podcast, that designing the dog is his "life's regret".
He is concerned because now that everyone is crossing breeds, it has created so many health problems for pooches, so he "hasn't got a clue" why people would still breed them today.
Advert
Wally created the first labradoodle, Sultan, in 1989, after a blind woman from Hawaii asked if he could breed a non-shedding guide dog, as her husband was allergic to long-haired dogs.
"She wanted to know if we could come up with a dog that she could use as a guide dog and her husband wouldn't be allergic to," Wally said.
So he determined that the poodle's hypoallergenic coat, crossed with the temperament of a Labrador would be the perfect combination.
Despite successfully helping the couple, he's concerned that everyone has jumped on the cross-breeding bandwagon and as a result it has caused so many health issues, where breeders are mixing all sorts of dog combinations, just so they can say they invented it, rather than creating healthy pups.
Advert
"I opened a Pandora's box" Wally told ABC. "I released a Frankenstein".
"I find that the biggest majority [of labradoodles] are either crazy or have a hereditary problem.
"People are just breeding for the money ... unscrupulous breeders are crossing poodles with inappropriate dogs simply so they can say they were the first to do it."
But not everyone agrees with Wally.
Advert
Elliot Rose, who owns labradoodle Juno said: "My family and I love our labradoodle."
He added: "She's great, very mild mannered and wouldn't hurt a soul. She's a bit barky on walks when we meet strangers but that's a minor complaint.
"She's a really friendly, happy, healthy doggy."
She looks it too.
Featured Image Credit: PixabayTopics: Life News, Pets, Real, Dogs, Health