How about cats?

[Belinda Stevens]

Now I know that most all of our doodles love other dogs. Stella does, but she is partial to Doodles. But what about cats? Does your doodle love cats? What about kids? I have notice that when Stella comes across cats or children she gets very excited to see and or play with them.

[Tamara & Giada]

Yes! Giada is around children all the time, so she is used to them and loves them. As far as cats she has only been around them at the vet and groomer, but she gets very excited to see them also.............ans is sursprised when they are not so excited to see her:(

Also, when we are out and about the town with our dogs children are always excited and ask to pet opur cute puppy, but Giada becomes sad when she discovers they want to pet my older dog (she is small and puppy like), and not her:(

[Belinda Stevens]

Ahh yes that happens to Stella too. People love my little old man Bailey. I can almost see Stella saying "Hey...I'm Stella the goldendoodle! Don't you know who I am?"

[Kate]

I got my two miniature Labradoodles when they were adults (age 1.5); they had never met a cat. They moved in with my two 3-year-old Maine Coon cats, who were used to dogs. At first the dogs were pretty sure they should chase the cats. One cat ignored them, and they got over chasing her right away. The other was spooked by them for several months, but got over it. Oddly, the cat who allowed herself to be chased is quite a bit larger than the dogs. As far as I know, neither cat ever swiped at or hurt a dog. The dogs still occasionally try to interest the cats in playing--the cats could care less. They all are good friends, sniff and lick each other, and one cat likes to sleep with the dogs in their small pen, and will also sleep in one of the dogs' crates. I'm posting a picture of one of the cats "helping" me groom one of the dogs.

[Belinda Stevens]

Cute picture. It looks like your cat is giving him a rub down.

[Tante & Jordan & now Annie!]

Jordan loves our cats, we have 3. This X-mas I had 2 more because I was kitty sitting. She loved them also.
Kids are a little different. She loves babies, and children over 3. It is the crazy walking, grabbing, hair pulling toddlers she is weary of. Brian Nephew mostly. He is one of those kids who did all those things to her. Now he is older (almost 3) Jordan is stand offish but she does not hide from him anymore. Brian's Niece is still in the baby phase (1) so she is OK in Jordan's mind. Jordan will lick her and what not.
Our other dog Payton is a Pointer/Dalmation mix he loves kids, all kids any age.
Loves them. They can do anything to him.My Nephews used to ride him as if he were a horse. Or the funny one, putting his leash on him and they would sit in a rolling office chair and have Payton drag them around the house. It was cute. Payton looks at kids as a food source. Kids have yummy treats and he helps himself to them. Payton the ultimate food snatcher.

[Marcia Stevens]

I have a 14 year old cat....and, my Kodie and the cat DO NOT get along. Kodie always gets so excited to see the cat, and the cat takes it as being aggressive.....then, there are the paws flinging at eachother....it's hopeless....I wish they could be friends...!

[Belinda Stevens]

"Why can't we all just get along?"

[Adina P]

FIRST CATS:
I think there was once hope of Rosco playing with a cat. Back when he was about 4 months old we took him to Portland and my in-laws had a cat Rosco tried to play with. The cat wasn't interested and showed him with his claws. I don't think that Rosco was hurt but his interest did not diminish one bit. Now he'd do almost anything to chase a cat.

Once I had parked my car in a friend's driveway...windows down. Rosco attached to the seat by a leash. He spotted her cat but I didn't think anything would happen...after all he was in the car and he's not much for heights.

But what did he do? He leaped onto the front seat of my Beetle, and hopped out the window! Luckily his leash was just long enough to allow him to be on the outside of the car comfortably. I just stood there...in disbelief...no response or reaction or correction. Just "woah...he DID that?"

His next close encounter was around Christmas time at my mom's. All three dogs traveled with us to California. She has one cat. It stayed upstairs the whole time. The dogs were down stairs. For 3 days we were able to keep them downstairs (except for bed time) without a problem. Either an expen around the stairwell entrance or just supervision.

The second to last day there I suddenly noticed I hadn't seen Rosco in a while. I looked in the garage, called him around the house. Then FLEW upstairs to find he had cornered the cat into her crate! I was very nervous and pulled him away (which took some strength!) and the cat rushed to the stairs where she was met halfway down by Thule. Thule just stood there, wagging and sniffing happily and was easily called off by Clark. Rosco, on the other hand, was in a huge state of arousal.

Clark thinks he would have been fine...I was less confident about his gentleness. I think he has too high a prey drive to be okay with a cat. But who knows. If I could find the right cat (without a need to run away) to train him with...that would be fabulous!

[Adina P]

KIDS:
Both Rosco and Thule are good with kids. I wouldn't trust them alone with a child as Rosco has no idea of his size, but he doesn't jump on people and Thule only jumps vertically...for kisses =) Last year or so we had a couple young girls come by and one of them practically rode Thule like a horse (she did not SIT on her but was tall enough to walk above her) the whole time and Thule tolerated it. Rosco let the girls lie on him and fall over him and tolerated that.

One of the things we've worked a ton on is sitting for greetings. A few weeks ago, Clark and I were walking the dogs through a park and a boy started to approach and asked to pet the dogs. I stopped and as soon as the boy came near us I told Rosco "okay" so that he knew he could go visit. Well...he SAT. He sat all on his own without even my telling him to. He sat and sat as the boy smooshed his head fur back and forth and was a doll!

Later after a swim, we were getting ready to get in the car and little girl ran over and asked to pet him. He was already sitting and he didn't get up for her (again without command), he just sat and let her pet him =) I was sooo proud of his maturity!

They have not been exposed to many babies. Only a friend's baby once last year--both Thule and Rosco were insanely enthusiastic. Gentle for the few moments they got to meet her, but it looked like they just wanted to lick her to pieces so we kept that short.

Sorry so long!

[Belinda Stevens]

No not at all, I enjoyed the stories and got several chuckles. I know that is one of the things I need to work more with Stella that is the “sit to greet”. She does it but not consistently! Especially with children because of her excitement to see them. Unfortunately, most kids don’t see it as pure enthusiasm and wanting a kiss, rather a big dog coming to eat them for lunch.

[Adina P]

Very true! Last Sept at the ocean we let all three run around off leash (we had heard it was within legal limits) and Rosco and Thule dashed off to greet a family sitting on a log. We thought nothing of it (except woah my out of control, not yet trained dogs are embarrassing!) until a man came up to us telling us our big dogs just scared the living daylights out of his daughter. All they did was come up close to her and Thule probably licked her compulsively...but it was enough to frighten the child. I felt bad.

[2sforeqbpo84w]

Ditto here. Cayenne has finally learned to not charge at the kitties. She now stands very, very still for as long as she can then she springs into action and the cat usually scampers away. There is one tabby in the neighborhood that will come right up to us though. And kids, or people, she can hear them a block or so away and can't wait to get to them.

We have a neighbor that now feeds her treats. She insist on going into their driveway, even if they don't appear to be home. She also always wants to walk up to the front door of the house where her dog walkers live. She loves her dog walking girls.