To not understand the obsession with ‘doodle’ breeds

We are probably on the front end of a hundreds (thousands?) year process of a new breed that isn't a breed yet.

Standing at this point in time, to some it might look like a silly poo craze, very daft etc etc

But others of us are not arrogant enough to think that we are at the final point of all dog breed evolution. We understand that in the 40,000 years of breeding dogs many surprising new things happened since dogs were wolves... and in the next 40k, and the next 40k more surprising new things will happen and we aren't arrogant enough to know exactly how things will pan out.

The world evolves with new things...and the first pass at something usually is not as great as the "end product". It's what humans and their activity is all about. Maybe the cockerpoo will emerge as a breed in thousands of years while the other poo crosses fade out. Maybe the other way round...Who knows.

I think the obsession with doodle breeds has come about because they don't shed, look gorgeous and are friendly, wonderful family dogs.

I'm sure a percentage have feckless owners and are poorly trained, just like with every other breed.

If they are not for you, that's ok. Luckily they are not compulsory. But I will never understand the mindset behind some of the mean spirited comments on here, essentially sneering at people merely for their choice of dog. Who cares why other people make the choices they do?

I wonder if some of the backlash is led by breeders of pedigree breeds who are no longer as popular. But no need to feel superior when your breed has almost certainly also been cross-bred to establish wanted characteristics at some point in the past.

How lovely
I feel hugely sorry for the dogs owned by the sneering, heartless bullies on this post
It's a dog
It harms nobody
You love the dog
Nothing else matters

Yes they are. What aren't people getting?

I have a non-typical 'doodle' breed specifically chosen in the hope of me and DH not being allergic to it, and we are not.
He was bought from a reputable breeder. I have his family history and indepth health testing that breeder had checked out.
Not every doodle is bred by an unethical backstreet/puppy mill breeder.

I’m not even bothered about dogs or know the different names. However, I’m fascinated by the batshit levels of passion the purest warriors have.

No animal on Earth today looks and acts like it earliest ancestor. It’s called evolution. In more recent times, this evolution is the result of human interference. Nevertheless, none of the pure breeds today were around thousands of years ago, and none of them will exist in the same way in another thousand years.

Without me using the word 'cross', i still strongly suspect you knew exactly what I meant though..

I have a rescue sheepadoodle

Not a dog I would ever have considered but she found us kind of

I absolutely adore her, the kindest, craziest, sweetest, most loving giant of a dog

You’ve just described every single one of these dogs I have met. I have a few relatives with these kind of dogs and I’ve looked after them when they’ve gone on holiday. Their lack of understanding commands and general manic behaviour is a sight to behold. My dog while having a fabulous personality is a wee bit simple, but he looks like Einstein next to his cousins.

Almost all the breeds you can name have only existed for about 400 years and are a result of crossbreeding to create something new, usually for a specific purpose. I personally hate the backlash against doodles. Why do you care what ‘mongrel’ someone else has?
I work with dogs and behavioural issues are just as common in many other established breeds. Take the working cocker - resource guarding and separation anxiety is rife. I would save your dislike for breeds terrible health issues and/or aggression (frenchies and XL bullies, for example).

This is why, when asked, I state lab mixed with a poodle - I refuse to doodle my dog.

Or Luna 😂

Nothing against them at all.. it is just the insane pricing (and names) for what is basically a mongrel, and crossbreed at best.
Any mix of a working dog and a sighthound is a lurcher. No stupid names. Why is it different for all the doodle/poos? And why are the brown ones always called Teddy?

@FiddleSticks00 It's not a breed.

I have 2 labradoodles. Both are healthy, sociable normal dogs. They are older dogs now but still enjoy a decent walk.
And neither of them shed

I would 100% get another doodle

I got mine 2 years ago. 2 years before lockdown, I came out of the most horrendous relationship imaginable. I went through battling with suicidal thoughts for a long time. Had PTSD from both the relationship and a separate harrowing event. Spent two years battling with near agoraphobia, depression and being almost completely alone. Then lockdown happened, and so my complete solitude was cemented. Cue another couple of horrendous years.

My doodle has brought me on so much. Agoraphobia is a distant memory, and I've even got some semblance of happiness again, even a social life. I chose him because i researched the best breeds to fit my situation. And in return I'm a pretty good doodle owner too. He's attended training classes once a week since 16 weeks old. I trained him not to jump up or yap in the garden. We walk for miles and play every day. He sleeps well and has a cosy bed to sleep in.

What's it to you, OP if I own a doodle? There are of course cruel, heinous acts in the world - but 'owning a doodle' isn't up there.

I guess my AIBU would be - AIBU to wonder what the obsession is with coming online just to be a bitch?

I doubt anyone buys a dog because they're just following the herd.

But they probably know several people with those dogs, think they're cute, like what they hear about them and so on.

I wanted one but smaller, and so got a cross between a 'doodle' and a 'pug' - a Doodlepug.

Unfortunately it exploded over London causing rather a lot of damage...

I won't do that again.

Most of the time, a well-bred pedigree puppy, from well-bred, extensively health-tested parents, with proven show success, proven temperaments and with a contract that spans for the life of the dog, is quite a bit cheaper than a mutt from Freeads.

Wake up.

When my golden doodle was a pup, a woman had a go at me saying how heartbreaking it is that people like me fund this industry for designer dogs. This was all said while she stood there with two purebreds that looked like something out of the fucking magic roundabout, WHICH she would have paid for and which do not exist in the wild so are designer breeds, and yes I know some were bred to be working dogs, but the majority are just kept as pets as the landed gentry and their hunting parties have diminished now.

My doodle is old now, and slowing down, but he’s been loving and gentle and the best boy, he came with certificates concerning his parents eye and hip health and was born on a working farm in Staffordshire. The husband was a farmer and his wife a vet. The kennel club and it’s members are a bit like the royal academy of art, it’s only themselves that want to hold all the cards and be able to charge extortionate prices for their original creations, which often have plenty of problems if you scratch the surface. Before my doodle I only ever had unknown crossbreeds, I don’t regret paying for him 10 years ago even if he is a mongrel, I’d do anything for him, including defending him from some off you stuck up bellends!

@lemonmeringueno3 and some people just follow the herd (of alpacas) and buy dogs as a fashion item.

Surely not dafter than bulldogs, dachshunds, sharpeis?

I think we just need to agree that people prioritise different things, value different characteristics and have different opinions on what makes an attractive dog.

I don't have a doodle/poo but know several gorgeous ones and think it's absolutely batshit to question why someone chose their dog. Like choosing anything else, it's subjective.

I don't think the negative comments about doodles and poos are fair really.

There are rubbish owners of all breeds.

Doodles/poos are popular at the moment so there are lots of them around, and a small percentage of a big number will lead to a misconception that 'all doodle owners are awful.'

Imagine if we were describing different people in the way different types of dogs are being described here (I'm going to avoid the word breed as it's clearly a trigger) Some dogs bark. Some dogs misbehave. Some look like teddy bears some don't. They're all our much-loved pets.

My parents have a labradoodle, he is a fantastic dog. Great recall, obedient, happy, friendly with other dogs & joy to be with. I always joke I'd swap my dog to have him 😅