Dog breeds are now a Middle Class indicator?

[Brightonbabe5]

Or at least in my dcs school (private). We thought it was bad in September with all the new puppies on the school run... Mostly the same breeds poodle crosses (cockapoos, labradoodles) bichon friese crosses (cavachons, cavapoos etc)... Insta tells me Christmas has brought a whole new pack of fluffy things.
I said this during the lockdown that these particular breeds are now a status symbol & the new MC accessory. Although DH claims a land-rover is also needed to transport the fluffy dog. Friends agree they are also as these breeds tend to be non shed & hypoallergenic...
DC also want one in the worst way😢 We're refusing based on the fact that we don't want a dog type that's considered a status symbol in our area & they cost a bloody fortune.... They are irrestible though with gorgeous temperaments but out of our range unfortunately

In the real world, no. On MN, absolutely. I've not RTFT but I'm sure its 13 pages of wannabe upper class posters bashing poodle mixes and then shoehorning in that they have a muddy black lab.

Dogs, like cars and baby names transcend social status. You're not suddenly posh if you buy a corgi and if the queen had a cavapoo she wouldn't suddenly slide down into the middle classes. What rubbish!

I’m so confused about my place in society.

I live rurally but don’t own a Range Rover. My dog is a (relatively rare) pedigree breed; not a gun dog or terrier. Do I need to move house or get a new dog?

To whoever said ignore the haters OP - really? She started a thread slagging off the choices of the people in her social circle, saying it’s “horrible and wanky” that they’ve got puppies, assuming they’ve done so just to keep up appearances. It’s mean spirited and unkind, as well as making the OP sound bitter and jealous. What if her children repeat what their parents have been saying to their friends? No one is going to appreciate being made to feel bad about their pet.

I used to work for a yacht company in a dog friendly office. General rule was old money/titled had poodles or spaniels. People who got rich by starting their own business etc had poodle crosses - loads of cavapoos and labradoodles. People who worked on the marina had mongrels or labs. The visiting dogs are the only thing I miss about that job

@SpornStar

I’m so confused about my place in society.

I live rurally but don’t own a Range Rover. My dog is a (relatively rare) pedigree breed; not a gun dog or terrier. Do I need to move house or get a new dog?

Sadly @SpornStar I think you probably need to do both

sporn wait a bit for further views. You may actually need to leave the U.K., obviously.

@SpornStar

I’m so confused about my place in society.

I live rurally but don’t own a Range Rover. My dog is a (relatively rare) pedigree breed; not a gun dog or terrier. Do I need to move house or get a new dog?

Neither. Buy a Rover instead. Presume you already have a Barbour and wellies? Good to go!

Well now I'm having an identity crisis, I have a black lab, a mongrel and a landrover. But both dogs where free (rescues) and the landrover is so old its probably worth 50p. I'm thinking this puts me somewhere in the cash poor asset rich landed gentry right? Better tell DP we need a new house, clearly one sitting room isn't going to cut it for me anymore

@NoSquirrels

No Barbour and my only Wellies are striped ones from George at Asda. Clearly I’m not cut out to be a landowner 🙈

I don't care what you all say because my dogs are the best in the world.

Jrt x sausage (mongrel , but researched and chosen specifically) and a full sausage. Both have amazing temperaments and both will walk all day long. Or, be happy with a smaller walk.

We looked into rescue and were not suitable due to our youngest child and both working full time. Despite that we would've used doggy daycare or dog walking services. The rules were very prescriptive and had little leeway. Shame as my my dogs are very well cared for.

Poodle crosses are so popular round here that they transcend class, really.
Labs also transcend class barriers as they're so popular, but they are a traditional posh-ish and above country person's dog. Which is fine. Working cockers and liver springers are also evergreen favourites with the country sporting set. I've noticed German short-haired pointers and vizslas becoming increasingly popular with gundog-owning types in recent years.

The latest vogue dog round here is a beagle. You never used to see them and now there's loads.

DH has a Landrover but our dogs are all Staffs so I don't know where that puts us.

My dog rocks. And so did my last one. Current is a GR, and previous (officially The Best Dog in the World) was a mutt, comically labelled a Springador. We bought him for £125 from a local farmer, the happy result of a coupling between the farm lab and the farm springer. I notice Springadors now sell for up to £2500! Gorgeous dogs, huge fun. But high energy with flushing and retrieving instincts. Also greedy and bouncy. Phew! Our Golden Retriever is far more sedate

I have to say that when we go to "naice" places to walk, there are hundreds of bloody cockapoos.

Do most people realise this thread is generally a bit tongue in cheek?

When I was young the joke was that people had a Labrador to match their Volvo estate. When my friend announced she was thinking of getting a Labrador, she seemed quite confused when I asked her where she would get a burgundy Labrador.

It’s lockdown puppies galore where I live just now (working class area). It’s all

Cockerpoos
Cavapoos
Labradoodles
French Bulldogs
Miniature Dachshunds
American Bulldog (proper hard dog innit)
Cane Corsos (saw two down the park today on extendi leads dragging their owners about

I think all the doodle/poos are people wanting dogs but not the shedding hair. A friend has a rescue poodle and no one believes her they all think he’s a labradoodle

The latest vogue dog round here is a beagle.

Just realised how true this is! I never used to see beagles very often and know of at least 10 in the village (approx. 1500 residents), all quite young/new. They must be on the increase...

I don't think it's just the type of dog you have, as much as the number.
Anyone can have a black Labrador. But if you have three labradors, a couple of hounds and two spaniels, then you have to be posh

A) to house the bloody things in your massive stately home

B) have a home so huge, antique and grand that the dog hairs get lost among the Chippendale seating and Persian carpets

C) to employ people to hoover said stately home.

That's what I think, anyway.

I think all the doodle/poos are people wanting dogs but not the shedding hair. A friend has a rescue poodle and no one believes her they all think he’s a labradoodle

Yeah friend of mine in a particularly lentilist part of london has had giant poodles all her life. With the latest one you’d think no one had ever heard of a poodle, it’s always “is he a labradoodle”. Then get quite shirty that he’s only a common poodle and there isn’t actually any difference between it and their ££££££ designer dog....(except often the poodle is much calmer 😂)

Anyone can have a black Labrador. But if you have three labradors, a couple of hounds and two spaniels, then you have to be posh Or prefer dogs to humans - we all know a few people like this. See also Mad Cat Lady.

Most dogs don't work - even of they are a working breed, most of the day they sit on their fat arses doing nothing, enjoying a pampered life - and why not!

I have a landcover and an XC90
A gun (but don't shoot any more)
Have had gun dogs in the past (see above)

Now I have a 3/4 poodle and a 1/2 poodle (both rehomed).

I have antique carpets with moth holes.

What does that say about me?

To be fair, the Queen had Dorgies and she's about as posh as possible!

@TheSmallClangerWhistlesAgain

Poodle crosses are so popular round here that they transcend class, really. Labs also transcend class barriers as they're so popular, but they are a traditional posh-ish and above country person's dog. Which is fine. Working cockers and liver springers are also evergreen favourites with the country sporting set. I've noticed German short-haired pointers and vizslas becoming increasingly popular with gundog-owning types in recent years.

The latest vogue dog round here is a beagle. You never used to see them and now there's loads.

DH has a Landrover but our dogs are all Staffs so I don't know where that puts us.

Oh I'm so vogue. Then again Beagles always get called on here even though mine is adorable.

The ancient Land Rover is worth a mint now!

Yes, to whoever above, one dog is ordinary middle class, four or more is (slightly insane) gentry, or childless. A friend, who's moved away, used to socialise fox hound puppies for the local hunt in their near stately home over the summers. They were lovely but it's done because fox hounds and beagles need to spend time with people, or they remain pack dogs forever. I looked after my sister's beagle for eight weeks one year, and it got into more trouble in that time than three labs have managed in 30 years.

I think gun dogs make good family pets in the country because they have been bred to be friendly, easy going temperamentally, and biddable - they want to please you and work with you to become nicely trained. So labs and spanners are always popular because they are happy to be pets and working animals simultaneously. Colllies are clever, but unless they work, they tend to become either bossy or neurotic. But even their greatest fans would have to concede that gun dogs like to get wet and think that fox shit or fish entrails smell much nicer than anything from Chanel. Hence the invention of the outdoor tap.

@XingMing my dog lives for mud. Fortunately he also loves the hose