To not understand the obsession with ‘doodle’ breeds

[CherryValley5]

Eg: labradoodles, cockapoos etc.

They are absolutely everywhere! Why are people actively seeking out and paying pedigree prices for dogs that are effectively mongrels? Behavioural problems are all too common, not to mention hereditary health issues due to poor and unethical breeding - I am a dog owner and the vast majority of doodles, ‘poo’ breeds etc that I meet are incredibly hyperactive, with owners who have no clue how to deal with them. Obviously there are exceptions, some are lovely but as a rule of thumb they’re dogs that I tend to cross the street to get mine away from.

The breeder who created the labradoodle calls it his ‘life’s regret’ - that speaks volumes in my opinion!

We have 2 toy poodles and they are the sweetest wee dogs. Easy to train, playful and love everyone. One can be a bit of a pest barking if anyone walks past the fence if he is outside, but we are working on that. I don’t understand why people don’t just consider getting a poodle if it is the poodle coat that they want. You don’t have to get them cut in a prissy way and can keep the teddy look if you prefer.

What a load of cobblers! I know plenty of cockapoo etc and they’re all fab dogs. Friendly, well trained, healthy.

Mine isn’t annoying -she gets loads of exercise and stimulation so why would she be? I love her intelligence, affection, size, ease…all round loveliness.Fits our family perfectly.

One has to worry about the welfare of dogs whose owners think pedigree decides whether a breeder is following good breeding practices or not.

But why? I did consider a toy poodle too (ours is half toy, half cockapoo). Why would I care whether she's fully poodle or not? I like the genetic mix (just like my kids 🤣).

There seems to be an unwritten rule in our (MC) town that when your youngest child is approx 8 you need to get a dog (90% seem to be maltipoo/cockerpoo or similar)
I thought their popularity because they were meant to be better for allergies

They've been a popular breed here for 10 years +, I'm sure well before covid, but I can't comment on whether they are well behaved or bonkers etc as I don't know any especially well.

Some pedigree breeds have well documented health problems as well, but I'm not a dog expert so I don't know all the pros and cons.

I have 2
needed non shedding hypoallergenic dogs

you do you
were doing just fine thanks

We have a doodle. 3/4 miniature poodle 1/4 soft haired wheaten terrier. She’s gorgeous. Very happy and well behaved ( currently being trained as a reading assistant dog). We have always had rescues who have been mixed breeds before and still have a rescue as well so no designer dog snobbery here. We know the breeder and he’s great. We got her because our 16+ year old rescue died and she has been the best dog ever. I guess it’s like every dog, you’ll get different personalities and different owners with therefore different levels of training.
This is her while we were out in a group of 5 having breakfast in a busy cafe on a Sunday morning. Not exactly hyperactive 😂😂

I have a 9 year old girl cockapoo who has always been sweet and gentle natured. Just rolls over for tummy rubs for everyone . She is adorable and affectionate and you are just making snobby generic comments. I couldnt give a toss about registered breeds. Similarly I find moggies much more attractive than official cat breeds.
I can't tell you the amount of times when I have been out walking a Labrador or visla has bounded up to me and stuck its great muddy paws all over my trousers and their size and weight sometimes nearly knocks me over if I am not ready for it.

Ours is delightful as are most of the ones we meet out on walks. There are badly behaved dogs out there with awful owners....but they seem evenly distributed across breeds.

Ours has allergies but so do other dogs we meet.

They don't shed.

Just like many, many other actual breeds.

I have two cockapoos, both very well behaved, very smart, no shedding, incredibly friendly and very loving. Oh and no health issues.

I didn't pay very much either, certainly nothing like what a pedigree would cost.

Before these I had an Akita and then a Frenchie - now they are two breeds that I would not be defending, as much as I loved them.

Quite, but if what was the only thing putting you off from having, say, a Labrador was the shedding, it makes sense then to have a Labrador adjacent dog, that comes minus the hair.
To some people obviously. Not me. I've got two Jack Russell's so deal with the most annoying wiry dog hair of all on a constant basis.

It baffles me how people can't see the difference between selective breeding for a purpose, hundreds of years ago, with constant dedication to improving the development of breed standards and dogs that fit those characteristics, and the current culture of breeding anything and everything together, with no purpose whatsoever, no concern for the health of the dogs, making up silly names, fake statements about them being hypoallergenic or healthier, selling them without endorsements so the next person breeds them to something random... The list goes on. And on.

Again, the ONLY reason to deliberately breed a mutt in this day and age, is to make money. There is no other reason.

Many do. Because they're crossed with breeds that DO shed. So some retain the shedding. Do you see how that works?

My labradoodle came with a breeder contract, and both dam and sire were fully health tested. The breeder bred for temperament and I'm very happy with my lovely dog. I'm still in contact years later with the breeder and other people who have a pup from the same litter. He is very chilled and everyone in our neighbourhood comments that he is a great dog. He also does not shed.
I understand there are terrible breeders out there, but that applies to mixed breeds and KC registered.

I honestly think that the face shape has so much to do with it. The spaniel/Labrador ‘squared’ face softened by the fine features of the poodle. Add a curly coat these dogs look exactly how you’d draw a ‘cute’ cartoon puppy. It’s like someone finally worked out how to create a cartoon bear-cub cuteness level dog, and anyone who knows nothing about what you should be basing a choice of dog in has simply gone ‘AWWW!’ and chosen that one. They’re now the quintessential first dog because that’s now what a fluffy dog should look like. And you can buy the small size or the big size, amazing!

It’s like someone created a custom dog for the Instagram world, what AI would create if you asked for ‘cute pup’. Look at the classic face of a poodle now that you have the poo breeds to compare - it looks too long, too pointy a nose.

And the same for pedigree. It’s for money. And the fact is rescue dogs aren’t suitable for everybody so money will need to exchange.

Baffles me that you can’t see that many cockapoo breeders don’t breed anything and everything. Our breeder uses the same two breeds and uses Kennel Club, well documented as regards lineage and health parents in excellent and lovely facilities.

I have a friend who bred her pedigree dog. As lovely as she is and her home it wasn’t a patch on the breeder we used as regards documentation, health, facilities, knowledge and setting.

But what is the obsession with "actual breeds"? I get it if you are showing dogs or want an actual working farm dog or gun dog but surely if it's a family pet you want then any friendly, happy healthy dog of a suitable size is the ideal. Surely rejecting crossbreeds, wither intentional or accidental, is as much snobbery as wanting a "designer breed"

@Twodogsonthecouch , it's because the mix is of two breeds bred selectively for a long time. You're potentially getting two sets of problems.
A mutt is less likely to have such issues.

You really can't understand why sensible people who care about dogs would want a puppy that is well bred, health tested, from health tested and DNA tested parents, with excellent, proven temperament, lineage that can be traced back decades, as close to the breed standard they can get, and with a contract that has endorsements and a return to breeder at any time clause? Really?

My friend has some sort of poodle mix- can’t remember which one. He is very sweet but a total nightmare with separation anxiety. He barks a lot and sticks to my friend like glue- quite hard work for her.

I’ve got a rescue mongrel but he hasn’t got a fancy name because he’s got at least 4 or 5 breeds in his DNA. If anyone can think of a catchy name for a dog who is comprised of Border Collie/Corgi/Jack Russell/Bichon Frise, let me know 😂 He was cheap and is very healthy. I always recommend rescues.

(People always say that it’s difficult to rescue especially if you’ve got kids, but we got him when our kids were 10 and 8 so it’s clearly not impossible).

@PedantScorner Yes I get that and I expressed myself badly. I guess what I mean is that health problems are notorious in popular actual breeds too, even well bred ones in some breeds that have been historically bred for particular physical characteristics so the implication that we would all be better off with an actual breed seems disingenuous in this context. If you see my original comment I am a big fan of mutts and have one as well as my doodle. If you pick any actual breed you choose it for perceived benefits such as temperament, looks, health etc which may or may not pan out on an individual basis

Yang
I have a poodle / King Charles cavalier cross. He is now 11 and very healthy. Only ever been to the vet for his annual jab and check up.
I got him as my daughter is asthmatic and gets wheezy around many breeds. My parents have a border collie who makes her wheeze as does my sisters English bulldog. My dog does not shed hair. He is adorable. I see so many now but I got mine 11 years ago and travelled from London to Somerset to get him (from a reputable breeder) .
Also I took mine to behavioural classes so he is very well trained!

To be fair my friend, a dog trainer, who shows dogs has decided to have no more German shepherd's as she doesn't agree with the breed standards. She says the show dogs now are not such a nice temperament compared to 40 years ago. Despite all the dNA testing and lineage, they just aren't the same.

She's moved to a different pure breed now (not a poo cross)