Doodle Mob

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

DH left yesterday for China and as it is too cold to play golf today I took Rooney and we went new car shopping.  I'd like to get rid of the big sedan and go to a mid sized, dog friendly SUV.  We stopped at a couple of dealers and then I decided to drive down to Naples to a very up scale, shopping center, we live in Ft. Myers - not as ritzy which I like because I am a more casual type of gal.  Anywho, I wanted to pick up something for my daughter's birthday and I had something to return so away we went.  Now I've taken Rooney to our Ft. Myers mall plenty of times and yes he does get some attention but what went down in Naples - it blew me away.  I am not stretching it to say that 40+ people stopped to ask me what kind of dog he was, tell me how cute he was, ask to touch, pet or hold him.  I felt like the Pied Piper.  At one point in the lululemon store, I had a crowd of 20 people gathered round.  Then one lady was actually in tears - she wanted my puppy that bad - kinda creepy (took me about 20 minutes to get away from her and her family).  I handed out every business card I had for Rooney breeder and just ran out.  I finally just had to leave the mall, it was impossible for me to shop as no matter where I went, I was mobbed.  I love telling folks about Doodles but this was waaaaay over the top.  Roo slept all the way home and I am pooped out as well.  I guess next time I'll take him to puppy day care so that I can get some shopping done - lol.  This was too much even for me, I have to say that Doodles are not very common down here, so I understand and love people's interest but wow - totally unexpected.    What the dog?  Anyone else have this happen?

[Adina P]

Wow that is QUITE the doodle mobbing!   I'm not entirely surprised as he's my next dream puppy!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Adina - I am serious when I say it got a little bit scary.  Does this really happen often?  I am serious when I say that I may not take him with me next time, it got a little bit out of control in 2 different stores.  We all love it when people think our doodles are cute but I was not prepared for anything like this. 

[cheryl & oliver]

Jane I completely understand, wherever we go with Oliver, people just gravitate to him.  It is amazing.  I can not take him into the mall by myself, I take my husband with me, and I do my shopping and he entertains the people with Oliver.  Oliver is such a ham, he loves it when people come to see him, he either sits and gives them his paw, or he lies down and wants a belly rub, and these people do this, lol...Even at Petsmart, he is surrounded, and when I leave we get stopped in the parking lots...amazing, but then if we think our doodles are special, and strangers think they are too, then they are definately special, lol....

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

My husband isn't here most of the time so I have to handle it myself, and I love that people find Rooney cute, etc. but this got crazy, that one lady was like a stalker.  I'm ashamed to admit it but we were in the Louis Vuitton store trying on collars and people walking past the store would see Roo and come it.  There were kids grabbing and clawing, speaking German to him, people asking me questions, the salesperson trying to sell and me seeing it all go out of control.  Nuts I tell you.  LOL good thing for my wallet - they were out of the medium sized collar!  I will now have an idea of what might go down and be better prepared although doggie day care sounds good at this point.  I've told my breeder what happened and she has a friend who lives in Naples and told me that when she takes an ADL down that way - the same thing happens.  Good to know.  We NEED more Doodles in southern Florida!!!!!

[Donna K & Quincy]

Doodles do attract lots of attention and sometimes it can get very tiring. I love that people are interested in Quincy and he is quite well behaved. Have you noticed when you walk him that you see people pointing and smiling, that took a little getting used to. When we want to walk without answering a lot of questions we have to go on the woods trails near our house. The comment most often heard, usually from children 'look at that big white fluffy dog'. I briefly considered telling people when they ask what kind of dog he is that he is a BWFD and let them try and figure it out. Rooney is even more unique so I have a feeling you'll have to get used to it. :>)

[Leslie, Dexter & Kirby]

When we take both doodles out together we often get a lot of attention but not as much as you got :)  We've had people (who we don't know) stop us at least 3x and ask if they could take photos of Dex and/or Kirby.  Doodles are pretty common in NJ so they aren't that uncommon.   

Last time I took Dex to Petsmart I felt like was with a celebrity.  I had people yelling through the store to each other to "check out the large white labradoodle".

[Camilla and Darwin]

Wow! We usually have between 10 and 15 people stop us when we go to the mall, but it's nicely spaced out, no mobs! And definitely not as many as you and Rooney saw! How could those people resist though, Rooney is just so cute. Doodles are just people magnets aren't they?  Darwin loves the attention of course, but we always leave him home when we want to get things done quickly.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

OMG Jane!! That must have been horrible-especially not finding a medium collar!! LOL!!

Tara attracts quite a bit of attention and more so when she was a puppy. It has been close to the overwhelming point but nothing like you just described!! Oh man!! But Rooney, besides being adorable as all doodles are, has such unique charactistics that I can see why he is a person magnet!!

 

I guess you got a taste of what it is like to be famous!!

 

[Lisa {Zoe's Mom]]

Wow a doodle mobbing for sure!  That must've been a bit scary and very overwhelming to boot!  Rooney is adorable, it's a wonder you escaped with him in tow! 

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

I'm reminded of that old song "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, get an ugly girl to be your wife".  If you want to go to the mall with a pet and not be mobbed, get some kind of ugly dog.  DON"T TAKE A DOODLE, especially one as incredibly cute as Rooney!!!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Ha!

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

And Jane, You want another????  Ha Ha!! Whenever we go downtown we are mobbed too, first they notice Rosey because she is so striking with her color, then somewhere along the way people look a little further down and it's "ooohhh there is another one!!!"  And it's eewing and ahhing and 100 questions, their names, their breed, their age,  the temperament, the grooming, yada yada yada.  Both are pretty good but Bandit tires of it faster.  I think cuz he's smaller he likes me to pick him up so he can see people eye to eye...or he's a boy and doesn't need his ego stroked like my pretentious little Rosey!! LOL!  

 

But yes if you need serious shopping done then doggie daycare is the way to go.  Welcome to the Land of Dood!!