We Do A Disservice To Our Dogs

[Brittney & Cally]

We truly do a disservice to this doodle breed when we say we have the perfect dogs and this is the perfect breed. I know this topic is discussed a lot but we truly need to think before we tell an inexperienced dog owner about our dogs. We need to start off with all their bad qualities, how much research we did, how training is for life and so on. Instead a lot of people say we have the perfect dog. That may be true, you may have a dog that suits your family well but do not use the word perfect! This is why so many dogs are dumped and what has kept all those involves with DRC so busy!


http://www.alternet.org/culture/heartbreaking-truth-about-those-cut...


Just think about this the next time someone asks about that puppy that suits your family so well!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Amen, Diane. 

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

Personally I think I have the perfect dogs - for me. But then, I knew exactly what I was getting into. I knew that those fluffy, adorable Goldendoodles could be considered chocolate-box dogs (and that's what I call them): Their temperaments would end up somewhere on the spectrum between Golden Retriever and Standard Poodle (and I love both breeds), their coats ditto. I knew that they'd likely be quite intelligent, like both breeds are, and have some level of sensitivity, again like both breeds. I also knew that there would be a tremendous amount of grooming required if they were non-shedding. I didn't really care whether they shed or not.

When we're out in public and people approach all "Ohhhhhh, cuuuuuute! They're Labradoodles, right? I heard they don't shed! I want one!" cue my soapbox. <slightly nasty little grin> The conversation is predictable:

This is Lachlan. He doesn't shed. His coat is a grooming nightmare. "Ohhh, you have to groom them? Is it hard?"

Nah, not really. But it takes hours out of my week. "Oh!"

This is Declan. He's a light shedder, but easier to groom. The trade-off is fine, wispy hair floating around my van and bunnying up under my furniture. "Oh! He sheds?!"

Yep, some doodles do. It's basic genetics. You're crossing a high-shedding breed with a (more or less) non-shedding breed. "Oh!" <light-bulb moment>  "But ... but they're really smart and sweet, aren't they?"

Yes, yes they are, at least these two are, but in very different ways. I call them my chocolate-box dogs because you don't really know what you've got until they're grown. These two are brothers and verrrry different. Lachlan would lay about on the sofa with a beer and the remote all day if he could, while Declan's looking for walls he hasn't dented with his head yet. Lachlan's really laid-back and relaxed most of the time; Declan plays "the floor is lava" through the house multiple times per day.

And they're retrievers. Do you know what that means? "Ummm, no .... " <thinking "but I've got a feeling you're about to tell me">

They explore the world with their mouths. Or, to put it in plainer terms, they tend to eat the world when they're young. Everything that fits goes into their mouths. Lachlan's food of choice is rocks. Declan's is drywall. Having foreign objects surgically removed from their intestines is expensive. These two taught me the value of pet insurance. "Oh!" <backing away slowly>

I met a woman in one of Lachlan's classes who fortunately had a reality attack and stuck with her big rowdy Goldendoodle - she'd been told by the breeder that these dogs train themselves! Eesh. As Karen said so well, they're dogs. Just dogs, not magical little furry angels sent down from above for our entertainment. And if you believe for a moment that they don't smell, feel free to come sit on the couch with these guys!

/rant off

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I personally could listen to that rant all day, lol. 

[Brittney & Cally]

What a wonderful rant! I am going to use this! BTW, lol to the backing away slowly!

[Jarka, Monty & Auggie]

Love it! My conversations with strangers drooling over my boys are very similar.

As I wrote somewhere before, I was one of those naive people. And yes, my first doodle was non shedding and very smart. So I did not know they can be any different. Auggie sheds and his personality is completely different. Yes, he is still very friendly and sweet, just totally different.

So when I have strangers asking about doodles, I give them the whole spiel like you do. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Cause I don't want no innocent doodle to be dumped because it's new owners thought they were getting a miracle dog.

[denise rumbaugh]

totally agree! 2 of my friends have them and i loved them. plus my husband wanted a standard poodle and i didn't so we agreed on a doodle.  they are different that's for sure.  :)

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

Love it! "Looking for walls he hasn't dented with his head yet" ROTFL We need video of your next encounter  with a person looking for a stuffed animal doodle!

[Rose Coward]

Funny!!  ...and so realistic  

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

"the floor is lava" cracked me right up!  You're hilarious!  I pictured Declan jumping from one piece of furniture to the next. 

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

I'll have to catch some video of that one of these days - whatever you're picturing, Deb, is probably pretty accurate!

[denise rumbaugh]

amen!  They do take training...a lot in some cases. You never know what traits your doodle will pick up. Some are calm others are non stop, they need more attention and training in my opinion. But once you get them trained and they feel secure they are wonderful additions!!

[Julie and Max]

I never tell people I have te perfect dog for this reason. I always lists Max's faults, and while he doesn't shed, when people ask me about the shedding, I always say he doesn't shed right now but he might when he goes through the coat change, and many doodles do shed. I always always say that I love him dearly but he is a dog like any other dog and he does dog things, that he's not some kind of god of dogs lol.