Teddi Mellencamp Claps Back at Criticism of Her Fostering a Dog and Dating amid Stage 4 Cancer Journey

Teddi Mellencamp is living on her own terms, and that means not letting her haters get her down. 

During an episode of iHeartRadio’s Two T’s in a Pod podcast, published on Wednesday, June 11, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, 43, opened up to her co-host Tamra Judge, 57, about fostering a dog, whom she deemed “the best puppy in the world. 

“He is amazing, and his name is Maverick,” she said. “He’s so beautiful. I love him so much.” 

She also took the opportunity to respond to the online criticism she’s received on taking care of an animal and dating while she’s currently battling stage 4 cancer. 

“People have been coming for me for fostering a dog and dating,” Mellencamp said. “Like, ‘The only thing she should be worrying about right now are her kids and staying alive. How in the world could she be dating?’ ”

Judge also had words for Mellencamp’s naysayers, starting with telling them to “f— off.”

“There’s not a day that you’re not worried about your health, getting better, doing everything that you can do, and spending time constantly with your children,” added Judge. “Like, shut the f— up, honestly. If you want to date, life doesn’t stop because you have cancer.” 

Mellencamp, who shares children Slate, 12, Cruz, 10, and Dove, 5, with her estranged husband Edwin Arroyave, went on to explain that taking care of Maverick and meeting new people keeps her “busy” and distracts her mind from her darker moments while undergoing treatment and keeps her depression at bay. 

“I would like to say that [the criticism] doesn’t bother me, but it does, like — when people wrote, ‘Doesn’t she know she has terminal cancer? Why the f— would she even be dating anyone?’ ” she recalled. However, she went on to explain that even her doctors aren’t too keen on considering her “terminal.”

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“My doctor said, ‘Now that I follow you on Instagram, I see some of the stuff that people write,’ ” said Mellencamp, recalling the conversation. “’Just because that happened to somebody’s friend, aunt, brother or cousin doesn’t mean that’s what’s happening to you. You should be having fun and trying to laugh.’ ”

It seems Mellencamp is taking her doctor’s advice, as the proud mom of three has been seen out snuggled up with a new man. 

“Yes, I’m dating a guy and yesterday we went on a walk and we went to Gelson’s and then we went to the mall to pick up Slate’s graduation dress,” Mellencamp said on the June 3 episode of Two Ts In A Pod. “He doesn’t stay at the house with the kids, but we go to workouts together. We’ve gone on dates. He’s been really nice, he’s very kind to me.”