The other thing to keep in mind with the "non-shedders" with the need-to-be-groomed coats is that the hair in their ears grows and grows just like that of their coat. It must be pulled out regularly and the ears cleaned. The groomer does this, but it must also be done at home. These dogs are prone to ear infections, and recurring ones at that. It can be very expensive to treat them, although many have found home remedies that work pretty well.
Our labradoodle is a backcross, meaning that his mother was a first generation labradoodle and his father was a poodle. His lab traits are very strong, so he is a very curly lab. We went with the backcross because most breeders were very honest with us about the shedding. The first generation usually does shed, but not nearly to the extend that a lab does. The backcross has more poodle, so they have the curly coat that doesn't shed.
If you have ever owned a lab, then you know that the shedding is aWeFul!!! And the greasy dog stuff is just as bad. Our labradoodle really doesn't shed, he is low-allergenic, and he does not smell or get greasy.
True, even non-shedders do lose some hair, and so do humans. I find dust bunnies of his fur in corners when I vacuum, but when we pet him, even vigorously, and hug him, there is not one hair on your clothing. We find more of my hair around the house than his.
I did meet a labradoodle owner the other day whose doodle looked like a lab. You couldn't tell at all that he was a doodle except for the little whispy beard and a few whisps of long hair on his ears and around his neck. The owner said that he does shed, but it is about half of what a purebred lab does. That is not bad!!
