Wally Conron is an Australian breeder who is best known as the creator of the labradoodle. ^{[1] [4] [5]}

Conron has worked with dogs for 25 years, in addition to work with horses, therapy dogs in prison, and with "remedial dogs," which is what he calls dogs that visit hospitals. ^[6]

The labradoodle became known in 1988, when Conron crossed the Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle for the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia in Victoria. ^[1]

Conron's intent was to combine the low-shedding coat of the poodle with the gentleness and trainability of a Labrador retriever, and to provide a guide dog suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander.

Sultan, a dog from this litter, displayed all the qualities Conron was seeking and worked as a guide dog for a woman in Hawaii for ten years.

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Conron has since repeatedly stated he regrets initiating the fashion for this type of crossbreed and maintains it caused "a lot of damage" together with "a lot of problems".

He also felt he was to blame for "creating a Frankenstein", adding that problems were being bred into the dogs rather than breeding away from problems. He is further quoted as claiming: "For every perfect one, you're going to find a lot of crazy ones." Mr. Conron was referring to the craze he initiated of multiple types of "designer" dogs being developed as copy-cats to the Labradoodle. There was a flurry of activity to breed virtually every breed to a poodle to create a new type of "-doodle" almost monthly in the beginning. ^[1]