Who Fans Believe Leaked RHOBH Season 9's Puppygate Story (& Why)

Summary Some Puppygate participants have been re-accused of wrongdoing, including Lisa Rinna and Erika Girardi. However, the drama could have originated elsewhere.

Teddy Mellencamp Arrovaye stirred the pot in Puppygate by spreading gossip and ramping up the scandal.

Dorit Kemsley didn't keep her hands clean and may have tried to frame Lisa Vanderpump.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 12 may be wrapping up, but one former storyline that fans can't let go of is the Puppygate controversy from season 9. The major scandal of RHOBH season 9 starred Lisa Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, and Denise Richards (who is open to returning to the series). It centered around a Vanderpump Dogs pooch that was given away by Dorit during a hiatus from filming. The story made headlines, and the housewives tried to find the "leaker."

The culprit wasn't found by the time that RHOBH season 9 ended, and the drama led LVP, who was accused by her co-stars, to quit the series. After Lisa and Erika were similarly accused of leaking information about Kathy Hilton before RHOBH season 12 aired in May, Reddit user u/wisewatson1986 revisited Puppygate and suggested that two of the RHOBH Fox Force Five members were the real masterminds of RHOBH season 9. However, there were other theories as to who was behind the leak. Here are the suspects re-accused of leaking RHOBH season 9's Puppygate story, and why.

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RHOBH Icon Lisa Rinna

Lisa Rinna's No Stranger To Feuds

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Lisa hit the ground running when she joined the series during RHOBH season 5 alongside Eileen Davidson, and has feuded with a different housewife almost every season. With so many players involved in Puppygate, Lisa generally faded into the background whenever the matter was discussed on RHOBH season 9. However, she vehemently criticized LVP over her treatment of Teddi and Dorit.

At the time, Lisa's position against LVP made sense, since the duo's relationship never healed after Yolanda Hadid was accused of having Munchausen syndrome on RHOBH season 6. However, after the events of RHOBH season 12, several Real Housewives fans think that Lisa may have secretly had a hand in Puppygate, for two reasons. Firstly, Lisa clearly wanted to protect Dorit. Secondly, Lisa undeniably wanted LVP off the show. The whole Puppygate situation had nothing to do with Lisa, but if she wanted to stir the pot in any way, then she had something to gain by leaking the scandal.

RHOBH Celeb Erika Girardi

Is Erika Girardi Shady?

Erika was introduced as the wife of now-disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi on RHOBH season 6, and although Erika originally had issues with Lisa and Dorit, the trio eventually became good friends. Erika and LVP were never terribly close on their first RHOBH seasons together, but they weren't enemies. By RHOBH season 9, however, it was apparent that Erika and LVP didn't really get along. Erika has been described as mean-spirited and her reputation doesn't do her any favors, so if she was the one who leaked Puppygate, the misdeed might not have much impact on her image.

Like Lisa, Erika took Teddi and Dorit's side during Puppygate. Although Erika later blasted Teddi for implying that she was a liar during season 10, most viewers agree that Erika has lied (or, at least, didn't tell the entire truth) about several things. They believe this because she and Tom were first accused of embezzling funds in 2020. Now that Erika is currently a prime suspect in leaking installment 12 information to the press, many people think that Erika's first secret interaction with the media could have easily been Puppygate-related.

RHOBH Alum Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave

Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave Has Stirred The Pot

Teddi continuously preached about taking accountability while she was a housewife for RHOBH seasons 8 through 10 but never took full responsibility for unnecessarily inserting herself into the Puppygate drama. LVP and Dorit were semi-close to putting Puppygate behind them in early RHOBH season 9 episodes. Then, Teddi, who was friends with Vanderpump Dogs employee John Blizzard, brought the situation up again while talking to Kyle.

Teddi accused LVP of setting her up to discuss Puppygate, and although LVP produced texts between Teddi and Blizzard that stated otherwise, the other housewives believed Teddi's version of events.

Years later, several RHOBH fans still think that Teddi helped to craft Puppygate because she didn't like LVP, although the former housewives recently made up.

Since Teddi perpetuated the drama and made it a bigger deal than it needed to be by spreading the gossip, it's not far-fetched to think she could have been the one to leak it too.

RHOBH Legend Dorit Kemsley

Dorit Kemsley Tried To Keep Her Hands Clean

Dorit's hands remained surprisingly clean throughout Puppygate, although she was the one who gave Lucy away. According to Dorit, she gave Lucy to another owner, after the canine nipped at her husband, PK Kemsley, and their children.

Unbeknownst to Dorit, however, was the fact that Lucy's second owner surrendered her to a shelter.

The secondary owner was experiencing the same aggressive behavior from Lucy Lucy Apple Juice.

LVP was mainly disappointed that Dorit didn't contact Vanderpump Dogs about Lucy's behavior, but as Puppygate continued to be discussed throughout RHOBH season 9, Dorit believed that she was being "punished" for giving Lucy away (via Bravo.) As one of the main players in Puppygate, some fans think that Dorit talked to the press to frame LVP and enhance her reputation. Dorit stated that LVP knew she gave away the dog, a fact that LVP hasn't denied. Moreover, in Vanderpump Dogs' pet adoption contract, there's a $1000 fine attached for creating situations like a dog ending up in the shelter.

RHOBH OG Lisa Vanderpump

Lisa Vanderpump May Be A Master Manipulator

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LVP's involvement in Puppygate has always been polarizing, with most RHOBH fans split between blaming her and defending her. Shortly before RHOBH season 9 began filming, LVP lost her brother Mark Vanderpump to suicide. This clearly affected LVP throughout the season, and many thought that LVP was too wrapped up in her personal life and businesses to talk to Radar Online.

LVP quickly ended her close friendship with Kyle, when Kyle accused LVP of lying, which further helped to solidify LVP's innocence. On the other hand, some think that LVP could have been the one to leak Puppygate for two major reasons: She was previously accused of selling stories by Adrienne Maloof during RHOBH season 2, and as the owner of Vanderpump Dogs, LVP would be the one with the most information.

It came to light via RHOBH executive producer Chris Cullen that he told Dave Quinn in his Housewives Tell All book “Not All Diamonds and Rosé," that it was in fact Lisa behind the Puppygate scandal being leaked to Radar Online.

He claimed that her narrative on the show was dwindling and she needed drama to spice things up without getting her hands dirty directly.

LVP left the show halfway through season 9, after the cast eventually turned on her over the incident. LVP has never taken responsibility for the leaked Puppygate information.

RHOBH Season 9 Producers

RHOBH Management Could Be To Blame

The Real Housewives producers aren't afraid to throw shade. Whether the editors insert past scenes to emphasize (or reject) a housewife's point, or show moments like Lisa Barlow's hot mic rant on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, there's no doubt that longtime host Andy Cohen and RHOBH producers know more about the cast members than what is shown on-camera. Although Bravo's production team would never admit it, to avoid breaking the fourth wall (like Denise did on RHOBH season 10), it's possible that someone on RHOBH season 9's crew could have talked to Radar Online about Puppygate.

If so, they may have wanted to create drama for the season. Unfortunately for invested fans of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, however, Radar Online has never confirmed who told them about Puppygate. As of 2024, the mystery continues, with no clear answer in sight, only speculation and a heavy finger pointed at LVP.

Many Real Housewives of Beverly Hills players had something to gain by leaking Puppygate. Many of the season 9 women could have leaked the information to stir the pot, show loyalty to certain people, or to set up situations for their own personal benefit. Either way, Puppygate was a nasty and notorious RHOBH scandal that took on a life of its own.

The base situation of Puppygate itself was not very noteworthy. Dorit giving away the dog to someone who then gave the dog to a shelter can be seen as unfortunate. Lucy Lucy Apple Juice didn't suit either home well because of her aggression and while Dorit should have given her back to Vanderpump Dogs, she took another route. But the situation was exacerbated when Lucy Lucy Apple Juice was given back to Vanderpump Dogs after her chip was discovered. The situation was a bad look for LVP, but it also didn't make Dorit and her decision-making look good either.

Since Puppygate, there are bigger issues at play for The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Many of the cast members from season 9 have bowed out of the show and are no longer even relevant. However, Puppygate remains one of the more larger than life situations that have kept RHOBH relevant and with entertaining drama for fans to talk about.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.

Sources: u/wisewatson1986/Reddit, Bravo/YouTube