How to respond to negative reaction to "doodles"

[Cooper's Mommy]

I recently posted a question to a Pets message board on a parenting site. I got my virtual hand slapped when I referred to Cooper as a Labradoodle, because well, he is.

 

Lots of people wrote back saying;

 

-there's no such thing as a Labradoodle it's a LAB-POODLE

-there are NO reputable breeders

-our decision to go this route helps with dog overpopulation

 

I actually could care less about getting into a virtual debate with the other people but just curious how you would address...

 

It's frustrating that the decision to bring a puppy into your home, from a reputable breeder, is somehow less legitimate then adopting a shelter puppy.

 

I now also know all doggie related questions are coming here :)

 

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

Heather  -How rude!  I can't believe someone would say that to your face!  You handled it well.  BTW - How are things going with the neighbor's dog?

[Heather & Brinkley]

Oh, the neighbor's dog.  UGH!!  I was holding a baby shower at my house yesterday when we saw a dog run buy outside.  It wasn't the pit but it was the neighbors OTHER dog... an eight month old husky that spends way too much outside in the Virginia heat (it's been well over 100 degrees this week with a heat index of 110).  The dog had broken the chain and escaped the fence.  I went to knock on the door and NOBODY was home.  Keep in mind, I was doing all of this while I was hosting a party.  So frustrating!  I flipped Cora (the husky) on her belly only to find that she was crawling with fleas... so I couldn't bring her inside. I hooked her up to Brinkley's old leash outside and gave her some water as we called animal control.  Well, they told us they wouldn't come out unless the dog was a threat, viscous or hurt.  Well, then five minutes later, the pit bull came around the corner (I was inside by then.)  So my friend called again to let them know we had two pregnant girls that wouldn't leave b/c of the loose pit bull.  In the meantime, my husband had arrived home with Brinkley (Brinkley was at swim camp/doggy daycare). Brandon opened their gate and sent the dogs to their yard... and then went and knocked on the door.  They had come home by then but hadn't even realized that their dogs were missing!! After they opened the door, around the corner came the pit.  Brandon quickly said "how in the heck do they keep getting out.  I just put them back in the yard."  They said "oh, there's a hole in the fence."  Don't you think you should fix that!  They didn't apologize.  They were so laid back about it all... and all they could say is. "Oh they got out again." A cop came and talked to them but I don't know what was said. 

Oh and I found out they just added kittens to their pet collection. 

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Sorry to hear about that rude person Heather... I can't believe someone would be like that in person.  There are some ridiculous breed purists out there who think that anything but a purebred dog (many of which were originally mixes btw) are abominations.

 

People ask what Luna is all the time, since she looks like a mini golden retriever.. or a duck tolling retriever with weird colouring.

 

I just tell them she's a golden/mini poodle mix.. and they usually say "mini poodle? really?" and occasionally "oh she's a goldendoodle"

 

I agree that wording it by saying the two breeds instead of the shortened "doodle" version usually makes people less likely to say something negative.

[Barbie]

If it makes you feel any better, "The Encyclopedia of the Dog" published in 1995 includes the Labradoodle and even explains that Wally Conron of Australia began crossing the Lab & Poodle breeds as a guide dog for allergy sufferers. Here it is 2011, and some people are still clueless and refuse to be educated on the matter. Their loss.

What surprises me is that I cannot find any information on the Chowdoodle (my dog's breed). A Google search reveals nothing but various unrelated Singapore links. Go figure.

Oh, well, what matters is that we love our hairy kids and they love us.