Calling all Naughty Doodles!

[Sandy]

Okay - I seriously need to see that Toby is not the only non-perfect doodle out there! So many times people write about how wonderful their dogs are, how well behaved, etc. I need to know that there are other dogs Toby's age (14 months) that a) jump up on people, even though they know full well they are not supposed to, b) pull on their leash when they really, really want to go see something, even though they have passed obedience school demonstrating that they DON'T do this, and c) completely ignore my commands when in public if their is something more interesting going on.

Toby is truly a work in progress, and I love him dearly. We work hard at being consistent in our commands and expectations. But....today has not been a good day. We're bringing him to my Mom's for Thanksgiving dinner tonight, but we're only 7 minutes from home, so if we have a repeat performance, he'll be coming home to spend Thanksgiving evening in his crate....

[Sandy]

Actually, if Toby gets too rambunctious in the house, I put him on an in-house lead (basically just a nylon rope thing) and tether him to me. He calms down immediately. Every dog is different, I guess.

[Lorraine]

Today is the first day Annie,(4 months) hasn’t had moments of Zombie Girl. She’s been wearing her harness all day for the first time and we can’t believe the change. Very weird.

[Brenda F]

Yesterday, Pepsi (5 months) and I went for our daily walk. Right in front of our house, I accidentally dropped the leash (because of the mittens I was wearing -- it is very cold here in Canada right now!). Pepsi realized I dropped it, so before I could react, he grabbed the end of the leash and took off! Aaahhh! Never before has this happened! I didn't have a treat in my pocket to entice him back, he thought it was a big game to run away from me; meanwhile I was absolutely terrified he was going to run out into the street and get hit by a car! I had to run back into the house and grab a toy to get him back -- thank goodness he didn't get too far...

Then tonight we were out for a walk again and he grabbed something in his mouth. I couldn't tell what it was and he wouldn't drop it. He is so bad for picking up absolutely anything these days - rocks, pinecones, leaves, garbage, you name it. He wouldn't sit so I could take a look, so finally I had to get him down so I could get his mouth open. I am sure I looked like I was sitting on him. Just as we were getting up, a neighbour came upon us and I am sure she was wondering, "what in the world is going on!..." I never did find the whatever it was he had, I think he must have swallowed it. I will find out tomorrow, I guess! And I was so embarassed!

So yes he is a handful. We are doing obedience training and at home he is an angel; sits, stays, drops, leaves it, takes it, he is so good. Then he gets a whiff of "the outside" and he becomes an animal, for pete's sake! Oh, yeah, I guess he is an animal! Right now when he is only 40 lbs he is easy to handle, but what will happen in a couple months when he is 70 lbs?! I am having some anxiety about that!

[Cocco's Mom]

I know this sounds mean but I use a prong collar on Cocco just for walks. I am handicapped with a bad leg and if she were to pull me down I wouldn't be able to get up. She walks like an angel with the collar. There are also harness that prevent dogs from pulling however this did not work so well for us. Caesar Milan's collar works my neighbor has one.

[F, Calla & Luca]

It doesn't sound mean to me at all. I use prong collars on both my dos. They work very well and the dogs seem fine with them. go for it. My trainer did teach us a "Brace " command. in theory at least, the do stands still and you are able to help yourself get up my placing your hands on the dogs back. Of course, your dog has to be large enough to make this feasible.

[Sarah]

I know all about naughty doodles...

After Puppy Preschool a few weeks ago, At 9pm, Rocco (my doodle)was asleep in the car and i needed to go to the ATM (it was only 1 meter away in a deserted area) so instead of waking him i left him in the car with the radio and air con on, and the car running. As i was returning to the car, he saw me and jumped over to the drivers seat, where he placed his paws on the door trim and pushed down the drivers door lock. I have central locking, so all the doors locked. He then proceeded to put on the hazzard lights, and the windscreen wipers. I was stuck, outside the car, at 9pm at night, with no phone, no wallet, in a deserted shopping arcade.

LUCKILY a man was walking by and i ran up to him (probably looking like a crazed woman)and asked if he knew how to break into a car. He said no, why, and i explained that my dog had locked me out of the car. He wasnt from the state in Australia i live in so he didnt know road side assist number, and neither did i, and i dont know anyones phone numbers off the top of my head, i thought i knew my BF's mums number so called her and she called roadside assist. By the time they arrived, Rocco was curled up on the backseat alseep like nothing had happened. The man from road side assist had a nice little chuckle at my situation!

Now THATS a naughty doodle... And i have learnt my lesson BIG TIME!

[Missi]

OH wow!!! That is the funniest story ever. Sorry it happened, but I'll have to tell my BF about this one!!!!

[shelly]

Wow! Funny - I actually did that to my 2 year old son! NOW THAT'S a bad mother!!! The delivery man pulled up to my house as i was getting out of my car. I had to sign for a package so I put my son back in the car to "keep him safe". He too proceeded to lock the car doors laughing (keys inside). Luckily a neighbor was home and I called the police. He too had a story to tell.... UGH!

[Missi]

Lizzie is the PERFECT 10 month old doodle, never have any problems and she is amazing. Okay, except for these behaviors, she is perfect:
1- Chews on the cats because they too squeak when squeezed.
2- Behaves perfectly in class, but as soon as the door opens, she forgets everything.
3- Sniffs crotches and butts- even while on the toilet (to guests too...should probably fix the door)
4- As soon as a guest sits down, she jumps in their lap, even though she weighs 50 lbs.
5- Finds any dead animal out in the country and rolls in it- Last week: Dead rat and 2 birds.
5- Rolls in the thistle weeds in the backyard that I can't seem to find...everyday.
6- Fishes "tootsie rolls" out of the cat box and brings them upstairs as presents.

But she'll downstay for 30 minutes without a problem and generally walks well on a leash. And she LOVES everybody, human, feline, or canine. Her un-perfection is what I love and I wouldn't trade her for the world!!!!

[2qnpolyp1871h]

this was a few months back, she got up there when i was in the bathroom.

[Sandy]

Ha, ha!! Doodles just have an inate curiousity, don't they? But they are SO cute.

[Elizabeth]

Freaking awesome!! That is exactly like somethign Sophie would do... I bet she was trying to answer the phone or surf the net but realized that she doesn't have thumbs...