Move over, Rover: Hybrid labradoodle replaces Scottish terrier token
USA TODAY
The labradoodle makes a token appearance in Monopoly’s new version.
By Julie Ward, USA TODAY
The Scottish terrier has always been among the most popular Monopoly game tokens, according to Matt Collins, vice president of marketing for Hasbro Games. So there was no doubt a dog would be among the icons for the special edition Monopoly: Here & Now.
“In research over the years, the dog was one of the most heartfelt tokens,†Collins says.
A labradoodle got the nod as representative of the growing number of hybrid dogs. A cross between a Labrador retriever and poodle, the labradoodle has recently become popular in the USA after first being bred in Australia as a guide dog.
Tiger Woods is among those owning a labradoodle. Woods got a puppy after winning the PGA Championship last month. The puppy, named Yogi, joined Taz, a border collie, in the Woods’ household in Florida.
Writing about the dogs in his website newsletter, Woods said, “They’ll definitely keep us on our toes.â€
Labradoodles are very intelligent, easy to train and are very sociable, says Ken Fischer, general manager of the Australian Labradoodle Association of America.
“They can open doors, even sliding doors, pop open baby gates … having that poodle in them means they use their front paws like hands,†Fischer says.
The cost of a labradoodle ranges from $ 2,000 to $ 3,000. Part of the dog’s popularity stems from its appeal to allergy sufferers because its curly coat is less prone to shedding.
Says Fischer: “We bought the dogs because they weren’t well known. For whatever reason, they’ve become extremely popular and are everywhere, and I’m not sure that is always a good thing.â€
Fischer, who lives in Cincinnati, has four labradoodles and also runs a dog rescue website.
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