[Jac]

Hi Lisa,
I don't believe this is normal...I have never seen clumps of hair off of my dogs...they shed and at times shed heavily (blowing their coat) but I think that what you are describing would warrant a visit to the vet.
Sorry...wish I could reassure you. It could be nothing, but I am just not aware of this happening.

 

[Jac]

Angie, in the US we talk about the time when a pup sheds it's puppy coat and it is replaced with an adult coat. Generally this happens between 8 and 12 months of age.

Lisa, it is possible that the coat can be different (shorter) but I would say that it isn't likely. In my experience, the adult coat has come in longer, thicker and curlier. Lexie lost her coat because of nursing and it is now rather short, but thick and shiny...and I think it will grow in to be lush like her coat before.

 

[Jac]

Hi Jannie,
I think that what happens is that some people get dogs that shed...period. And they like to think that the dog is blowing its puppy coat...while in reality, I think that if the pup is shedding much before 7 months, it is likely going to be a light shedder.
Dogs do lose their puppy coats around one year, give or take a few months.
Labradoodle breeding is not an exact science...which is why so many people have a problem with it...but until the breed standards are adopted and accepted, you will see a huge variety of coat quality and consistency. This is not to say that it is a bad thing...I have F1s, as do many others, and they have some of the most wonderful traits of Labradoodles...but most often they do shed. Next is the F1B (which I breed) where the Poodle is brought back into the mix again to produce a more consistent coat...still not precice though (I had one puppy that looked exactly like a Lab...and he did shed.) The multigen is a best choice for coat consistency...but you pay quite a bit more for that quality too...
That's why you see so many price differences, so many different breeders, so many different looks, and such a wide variety of coats...including the shedding and "blowing" of the puppy coat.