Visit to the local dog park has me questioning if I belong here

[Riley girl]

Hello everyone!

I am sorry for the length of this post. Thank you very much if you make it to the end and actually have the energy to comment afterwards ;)

Riley is now 4 months old with all of the proper shots needed to visit the local off-leash dog park. For our first visit I made sure it was at a time that the park was completely empty so she could get used to all of the different smells. Well, we had our second visit last night when the park was filled with all sorts of different dog breeds.

One of the owners we met had her three bearded collies there. (They were HUGE but really sweet to Riley) The lady introduced herself and said she either worked for, or runs, a bearded collie rescue, I was barely listening at this point because her 3 dogs were surrounding Riley. After asking me what breed Riley was mixed with I told her that she was an F2b doodle. She insisted that I was wrong about Riley having any relation to a poodle, lab, or golden. I kind of laughed it off and told her that since I found her on Craigslist anything was possible, but that the couple I got her from insisted that they purchased her from a Labradoodle breeder.

Of course they were complete strangers getting rid of a young puppy (after only having her less than a month) on Craigslist and may have lied or been lied to. I wasn't even looking for a dog at the time because we had lost our 13 year old lab/pit in January and the ache was still there. I was looking for another kitten to keep my daughter's cat company!  But when I saw her face I couldn't resist! I only reimbursed them for the first vet visit ($100) so it's not like I spent near the amount a doodle would have cost, though I was wanting a Labradoodle when the time felt right.

So I've been doing research on bearded collies and Riley does fit the bearded family, but she also fits into the doodle family. The fact that she is greying is common in both bearded and poodle breeds. The big nose, small eyes, and high ears also seem to be a trait of both doodle and bearded. The one thing that almost convinces me that Riley may be a beardie instead of a doodle, I can find examples of her coat and coloring online for beardie mixes, but not Doodles.

So, I'm going to have her DNA tested just so I can know what health problems may arise in the future.

Either way my family loves her more than I ever thought possible, so she is stuck with us =)

If it turns out that I do not in fact own a doodle, I will suspend my account until I give Riley a doodle sibling LOL

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

LOL, Christine. JD has been mistaken for an Otterhound once and a Spinone Italiano twice, once by a native Italian. I think I'm going to start saying he's a Spinone. Or a Slovakian Slobhound. 

[Christine & Camus]

LOL back at you - Thanks for a good laugh, love the Slovakian Slobhound!

[Lynda Kamrath]

Okay, gotta post this great column in our local paper a couple of months ago.  Hope you can turn it on your computer.  It is so funny.  I want an Icelantic  Penzum.  Sounds like a great dog to me.  Our "mutts" and the best dogs around, as we all know.

[Becka]

Sadie has also twice been mistaken for a Spinone. I'm also often asked if she's a "miniature wolfhound." Maybe I'll start calling her a teacup wolfhound :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

PS I just googles images of Bearded Collies and I don't think Riley looks like one at all.

[Gail and Bailey]

Riley is gorgeous!  I would love to feel her beautiful fur!  She sure looks like a doodle to me!  Sit...stay...don't leave us!

[DJ & Chance]

He is a beautiful dog, and if he is a doodle at heart, I say stay with us on the wonderful DK site!

[Deborah Brown]

I just saw this picture of a husky doodle mix which reminds me of Riley.  Another interesting black/white combo.  I do like "beardoodle" and would go with that.  :)

[Riley girl]

WOW! That puppy looks like it could be Riley's sibling! My girl's ears are longer, but they both have that little tuft of hair that makes them look like they are sporting Mohawks =)

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

This is Sheba. Mike and Ann Kendig's dog.  Sheba is a Goldendoodle.   Look Familiar?  I have met Sheba in person many times.  She is stunning, gentle, wonderful girl. Check out her photos.  Funny, Sheba, in all those grey areas was mostly brown for the first year.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

She is beautiful!

[Debb, Lucy & Oscar]

Well, Riley certainly looks doodly to me, regardless of the mix. Very unique coloring too, like she got splattered with white paint! I haven't had too many 'expert' comments while out and about with my doodles, but Lucy was/is forever being called a 'poodle'. I don't even bother correcting them anymore it happens so often. These days, with Oscar along, and him not looking like poodle, I get asked what kind of dogs they are, and if they're related. Invariably, they also add that they're beautiful! Gotta love that! Please don't leave DK!