Can a Doodle Be Too Smart?

[Phoebe's Mom]

I have a dilemma. I am calling my vet again this morning but she and I have discussed this problem already, so I have some idea about what she will say. I take Phoebe out at 5:30am and then put her back in her crate so that I can help my children get ready for school and so that I can shower and get ready as well. I am down to feed her by 6:30am like clockwork. Since getting her three weeks ago, she starts to bark and whine once I put her back in her crate after the first walk and she has thrown up three times in three weeks. The vet thinks that there is nothing wrong as Phoebe is fabulous and energetic throughout the day and never throws up after any meals or any other time except first thing in the morning. Could she be that hungry? I am trying to firgure out how to handle this and I am concerned that she is conditioning me to race down to be with her--which I am doing and totally reinforcing her behavior right now! Any ideas?

[Phoebe's Mom]

I could not agree with you more. I am just not happy with it! Yuck

[Yvonne, Riley, Murphy and Luca]

Could you possibly take her in the bathroom with you when you shower and get ready? I do this with Riley everyday. I take some toys with us and he lays on the floor and plays or sleeps while I get showered and dressed. Then I put him in his crate and go off to work. Off topic but; I also take the time to use the blow dryer on him for a minute or so. That way he is not scared of it when he is bathed here or at the groomer. It really has worked too.

[Phoebe's Mom]

Too many children and too much commotion upstairs to bring Phoebe up--for the children as well as the dog--we would never get out of the house. I am thinking that I might have to feed her earlier which is going to really mess up my schedule but it will be better than having her get so upset I suppose.

[The Berry Oaks Doodle Ranch]

Jane,I agree this is what we do...different problem though.We, do this at times we are going out for the day.Our Guinness follows me around and knows something is going on but,not sure what.He gets So....anxious he knows we are maybe leaving him he will make himself sick.SO,I started just putting him in his crate and giving him a Kong...with something good in it.He just relaxes and is so involved with his Kong he doesn't know what we are doing.

[Adina P]

Sometimes pups/dogs vomit simply due to an empty stomach. Toss in a medium sized dog treat while you're getting the kids ready and see if that helps. I don't think it is behavioral at all...physical due to empty stomach.

[Phoebe's Mom]

Thanks, Adina. It seems I may have missed the obvious as my vet agrees with you. I will definitely try the treat tomorrow as she is totally fine when we leave her during the day in her crate. That leads me to believe that it is not anxiety but hunger. My son timed her on his iTouch the other day...she ate her dinner in 1 min. 27 secs....quite the little chow hound so she must be starving in the morning.

[LeAnn, Lucy & Rusty!!]

I agree with Adina... as the saying goes.. throw the dog a bone.... ;-)

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

sounds like anxiety to me... she wants to be with the family so bad and works herself up into a tizzy and whammy VOMIT... children do this too.

Others have mentioned feeding her while you get ready and if it were me I wouldnt unless you want to continue your current routine of getting her out so early. You might retrain her to stay in her crate until you are done with your morning routine by not attending to her first thing.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

From pet sitting and now owning two doodles it seems like they are very attention seeking dogs, they always want to be with the ones they love. Hannah use to poop all over her crate and play in it, she would do this every afternoon and no matter how many times I had her out, she still would leave me the nasty chore of bathing her and cleaning her crate. Hannah finally outgrew this, but now with Honey, she is my barker and works herself up I wonder sometimes if I didn't get back so soon would she have thrown up. Every time I have to put her back in her crate she carries on. At night I have an open crate policy cause both of their crates are in my bedroom, but I always find her in it... till morning when I don't want to get up...lol. I will take her out first and then put her back in so I can take Hannah out, and she would bark to the cows came home if she was left to. I think the kong trick is a great way to work with this and also heard to freeze peanut butter in it, last them a long time and good for them also.

[Phoebe's Mom]

I just got off the phone with our vet and it seems she agrees with Adina--it is hunger. The vet feels that, since Phoebe is calm in the crate throughout the day and is still calm (sometimes still laying down!) upon our arrival home, Phoebe might just get too hungry. The vet suggested giving her a nice treat in her crate when I put her back in her crate for the hour in the morning. I am going to try this for a while to see if it helps. If not, the vet wants me to call her and we will do some bloodwork and possible x-ray to see if there might be a physical problem. The great thing is Phoebe has a wildly high energy level and has never thrown up any food throughout the day. Thanks for all your input.

[Michelle]

Maybe filling a kong with peanut butter would occupy her while you are taking care of the children. You could even prepare the kong filled with peanut butter the night before and have it ready in the morning. Our doodles are 5 months old and this week I have been doing that for a variation on our snack routine and they love it. Another idea would include leaving the tv or radio on in the same room where she is crated. Good luck!