Canine-lovers, beware! A widely-adored breed of dog has been slammed by a vet who believes it is an 'abomination' that so many others are often cross-bred with them.
If you're a pet owner already, or you're interested in bringing home a furry friend one day, you'll already be aware that there are a plethora of breeds to choose from.
And a lot of the time, certain dogs are recommended to owners who enjoy particular lifestyles.
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Labradors and Golden Retrieves are best known for their family-friendly nature, while German Shepherds and Huskies are ideal for those who enjoy a particularly active, outdoorsy life.
That said, however, one vet has a particular bee in their bonnet about a particular breed of dog, and claims that they'd never recommend owning one.
But which formidable four-legged friend could they possibly be referencing? The notorious Pitbull, perhaps? Or how about the controversial Pug?
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No. Apparently, the breed this vet is warning people to avoid altogether, is the fashionably posh pooch - the poodle.
Taking to storytelling platform Reddit, the anonymous animal medic began their appeal with a flabbergasted question: "What in the world is happening!?!?"
They went on: "I swear every other dog that comes into the clinic is a Labradoodle, Golden doodle, Aussiedoodle or some other poodle abomination. Can we stop this mayhem."
The vet then insisted they're aware of the need for hypoallergenic dogs sometimes - with poodles being famously sneeze-friendly - but claims that the mass-breeding of these mutts is simply 'too much'.
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"I actually love just a normal standard poodle but the crosses are nuts," they added.
"My current theory is that the breed attracts a certain type of owner who has no concept of how to training a dog, let alone an extremely neurotic one like a poodle.
"People have been led to believe these are good family dogs, I couldn't agree less. The amount of times clients complains about their Labradoodle not being controllable or have extreme separation anxiety that causes them to destroy the house is way too high."
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The vet went on to insist that, though their job means they naturally adore all animals, they'd 'never own one of these' without the 'formal training' that poodles require.
They continued: "Not to mention, all these backyard breeders pumping them out like a factory, who know what genetic mess your inheriting but people keep buying them.
"I don't want to shame clients for their choice of dog but I really wish I could stop this trend or at least warn them before they get one that it's not what they expect."
And apparently, the online medic isn't the only professional with this verdict on poodles, after one reader also hit out: "I think the issue is that in the animal world there is absolutely no regulation over who can breed, what breeders can say, who can buy animals for what.
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"And no standardisation of education pertaining to animal ownership and use. It's literally free for all and obviously when people can just make s**t up to sell a 'product' then random s**t will happen."
Rhianna Benson