Vassar Doodles: What’s Not To Like?

Although the purists in the American Kennel Club rant and rave against doodles and other so-called “designer dogs,” to know a doodle is to love it. Originally bred in Australia as hypoallergenic guide dogs, Labradoodles appeared on the U.S. scene in the late 1990s where their popularity unleashed a breeding frenzy. Take America’s favorite family pet – the Golden Retriever – and cross it with a non-shedding Standard Poodle, and what do you get? A Goldendoodle. But to label Schnoodles, Cockapoos, Goldendoodles, et al. “designer dogs” is misleading. The true “designer dogs” are the “purebred dogs,” whose genetic makeup is highly controlled and monitored. With the exception of the Labradoodles bred from Australian Tegan Park stock, doodles are quintessential mutts – shaggy, happy-go-lucky, non-shedding, people-pleasing, and fun-loving. Meet the Vassar doodles:

Goldendoodles Simone Beatrice Harriford and Luna are half-sisters and best friends who work together to keep the Sociology Department on its toes. Simone was born in June 2004 at Brewer’s Goldendoodles, near Cincinnati, Ohio, to a Golden Retriever dad and a Standard Poodle mom. Luna was born about eight months later – same dad, different mom. Luna is highly educated, having completed preschool, kindergarten, high school, and college at Candice Cunningham’s Positive Paws, earning the degree of Canine Good Citizen. Simone has some formal education and aspires to continue to higher ed. To doodle critics, Simone says, “They are just jealous of my beauty!” And Luna barks,“Doodles of the world: Embrace your mutty selves!”

Labradoodles Ozzie and Little Bear Van Develder are adopted brothers. Ozzie, born in 2003, hails from Bonnie’s Camelot Kennels in Illinois, while Bear was born in 2005 at the Lakeside Dog House in Upstate New York. Both home-schooled, Ozzie is a self-taught public relations professional who is occasionally called upon to lend a paw in the Office of College Relations. Little Bear has a more reserved temperament, although he, too, occasionally assists in College Relations. A highly skilled acrobat, Ozzie lives for the chase and confounds his opponents with spectacular jumps and whirlygigs. His most astounding trick is to jump into a car through the driver’s seat window, without damaging the driver.

Mecushla (aka Koosh) Lichtenberg is the only Vassar doodle with a bonafide Tegan Park lineage. Born in Australia in 2005, she immigrated to the U.S. at the age of eight weeks, sponsored by Hudson Labradoodles in Claverack, New York. After some rudimentary training, she arrived in Poughkeepsie to organize the Lichtenberg household and undertake her responsibilities at AAVC where she works as the Alumnae House greeter. At home, her favorite pastime is chewing expensive things, like cell phones and shoes. According to her human, she has a decided preference for Prada, clear evidence of her “designer dog” status.

In order of appearance, the doodles’ people are Diane Harriford, Light Carruyo, Julia Van Develder, and Pat Lichtenberg

Photos by Light Carruyo, Tamar Thibodeau, and Beth Trickett