Aggressive Goldendoodles??

[Dawn]

My Aunt is a dog trainer and when my mother told her we were getting a Goldendoodle, she told her to tell me not to! That every Goldendoodle that she has had in her puppy classes (I don't know how many that is) has been aggressive towards the other dogs. Has anyone else had issues with that or heard of that before? I'm sure you can understand that as someone who has already chosen my puppy and is going to pick her up on Saturday, this may be disturbing to hear!!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Hi Dawn,
What does your Aunt, the dog trainer, think about GD now?? Just wondering if she has changed her mind.

[FAITH HODGES]

Sorry to bust your bubbles but my godlendoodle is dominant agggressive!  He is 17 weeks and already neutered and still tries to dominate especially in the back yard.  He growls barks , lunges and bites at us!  I started training the very next day after getting him and I am with him all the time and I am not mean.  He is feed and loved and played with but still he is being aggressive!!!!  Not my first dog!!  I have been reading very similar stories on the net from other owners who are being put down simply because you lucky ones who don't have a problem can't understand how this can be happening.  So you feel you need to say it is a people problem.  Be kinder to those who aren't the lucky ones!!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

This is a very old discussion. You would be better off posting this in a new discussion in the Puppy Group or in the main forum. 17 weeks is still just a puppy and they all go through this stage you are describing. He is a puppy. I thought Fudge was a shark and she has grown into a wonderful, loving dog. Vern came later and he did all his puppy biting on Fudge. Please post this is a discussion so others can respond with suggestions. Many times when they are the naughtiest, they are tired and need a time out in their crate. Is he getting enough real exercise? Puppy classes?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I would be thrilled to take this little guy off your hands. He is adorable.

[Adina P]

Faith at 17 weeks I'd hardly call a dog 'dominant aggressive' -- he MIGHT be, but some puppies are just really awful at the biting thing.  My Rosco left bruises on me, he would also bark, growl, etc.  He turned out fine with serious training and he became a therapy dog at 19 months. 

I think when people say it's a 'people problem' I don't think they mean that people are MAKING their dog aggressive or turning their dog aggressive.  I just mean that they may need more help from a trainer.  If you have had easier dogs in the past you may not have needed a trainer, but perhaps this dog just requires someone more experienced to teach YOU how to handle him.

I'm not kidding when I say that my therapy dog was like yours.  I haven't seen yours in action, but he was huge and did all the growling and barking and sudden-out-of-nowhere attacks as a pup.  And he bit hard and he even got my husband worried when he saw him in action as a larger puppy.  It took very strict, firm (not harsh, but firm as in not movable in my attempts), concerted training and by the time he was a year old he quit and is a mellow LOVE bug with people including me.

[FAITH HODGES]

Thank you for the kind and helpful and  hope full words.  He is responding well to training and has done a very big turnaround.  Love my doodlebug!!!

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Dawn, I was in classes with Golden and Labradoodles and they were the best of the bunch.  They were quiet, calm and caught on faster then any of the other dogs.  

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

My dog (F1 goldendoodle) is SUPER submissive.  She rolls on her back for any dog, even 2-pound yorkies (always has, ever since her first obedience class!).  One of her best friends in obedience school at 6 months was a little yorkie - Luna was easily 10x her weight/size and Luna would just scrunch herself down onto the floor and let the yorkie attack her face.

She also lets other dogs take her toys and politely waits for them to drop them - she won't even play tug with another dog because she won't try to "steal" their stuff.

She has also "shared" her toys with toddlers who have taken Luna's toys from her mouth... Luna won't take her toys back from them either.  She just quietly waits for them to be done.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm wondering how this old discussion from 2008 got started back up again, lol.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I didn't even notice it was that old!  

I think maybe when some people join the site they do as they're told and do searches... then respond to really old discussions.  Then people like me just merrily reply because they land up back on top of the heap!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I agree. We tell them to search, they do, and respond to old discussions :)  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Makes sense. :)