Do You Think We Form Our Doodles' Personalities?

[shelly]

I often wonder if I did something along the way to form Tori's personality.  Of course, as you may know, I blame myself (as all moms do) for Tori's 'fear' of visitors because I feared her being exposed to something instead of socializing her more when she was young.  She loves being outside, but in the summer I am worried about her frolicking in the grass for MY fear of ticks, and most recently, she had a difficult few minutes in her crate.  It was the night before Christmas Eve, and we were setting up the tables for our Christmas Day guests.  We have a desk next to her crate which had to be moved to fit the tables.  After we put her in and went up to go to bed, we heard her actually crying, not barking, but whining... she didn't like the desk moved, so I went back down pushed the desk back and off to sleep she went.  Guess she too is a creature of habit!  But - on a positive note... she is so lovable and VERY smart - I guess I was responsible for that TOO! LOL

   Is there anything YOU did to make your doodle the way he/she is today?

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I don't think I've formed Rooney's personality - he came to me at 11.5 weeks with all his little quirks already in there.  He doesn't like to get wet and actually hops into the grass to do his business so that his feet don't get wet.  He sleeps really well on our bed, wakes us with doodle kisses but isn't a snuggler.  Doesn't run up to people, hangs back a bit till he is sure.  Unlike any other dog we have ever had, doesn't wake up hungrey, has to have plently of play time before he'll even consider eating which is fine unless you are trying to get out the door.  He watches Animal Planet with me and last night watched a good part of Sound of Music.  He is a strange little doodle to be sure but I think that is just "him". 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I'm not at all sure that I've done anything to "form" Guinness's and Murph's personalities.  I do think that there are things that I do that sort of "influence" how their personalities are developing.  I would describe Guinness's personality as outgoing.  He absolutely loves humans and other dogs...he's happiest when he's around lots of people and loves to get affection from everyone.  I think I've strengthened what was already there through all of his therapy training which exposed him to just what he loved most "lots of different people".  That has made him even more social.  I would describe Murphy's personality as "confident".  He's a dog who is larger than life and very full of himself.  He wants "what he wants and when he wants it"....and he feels like he DESERVES that.  I definitely don't want to change "who he is", but a lot of how I treat him is to try to "tone this down", because I know in the extreme this can lead to a dominant (and sometimes aggressive) dog.  So, I put Murph is his place often...he has to wait for everything (going out the door, coming in the house, food, treats, affection).  I'm constantly trying to send a message of...."You may be a pretty cool Dood" but I'm still running the show around here".  None of this has decreased his innate sense of confidence, but it does keep it under control.  So, more simply put, I think dogs usually come with their own "personalities", but often how we relate to them can determine how their personalities will develop and manifest in actual behavior.  Who really knows...but this is how I've thought of it.

[Frannie & Callie]

I got Callie as an adult dog, so I don't really get to know what part is nature and what is nurture. I know that she DOES live up to what I expect of her...she's sweet and goes with the flow. BUT - there's every chance that I make the "flow" pretty easy for her without really intending to. She generally a happy, confident doodle girl, with a few funny quirks that make her "her".

[BG and Gavin]

We are blessed to have a very adaptable dog.  So, I am not sure that we formed his personality, but he certainly has adapted to our lifestyle.  He has learned (from us shift workers) to sleep in.  He has learned to go on long car rides with no fuss every weekend.  He is as comfortable at the cottage as he is at home or any other place he goes for that matter.  Walks in the day, night, snow, rain, cold, heat, no problem.  Our household is fairly quiet and easy-going, but often fun and so is Gavin. Even through the routine can be different on any given day, there is always routine.  And even though he is adaptable, he is very routined (especially around eating, eliminating and pre-bedtime).  So I guess he was born adaptable (nature) and we provided him with the security and routine he needed as well as exposing him to all sorts of different situations (nurture).

[Shelby and Kev]

Ya know, I believe that personalities are shaped by your attitude, voice, interaction and the love you share.  Shelby is alot like us and we love it!!  We live together so yes, we do shape the way they are.  My wife and I know we are the same way to one another.  Do whats in your heart and you will have love 360 degrees around you!!!

[Adina P]

Shelly, don't blame yourself.  YOU did not create Tori's fear due to fear of exposure to disease.  I don't think WE have much say in our dog's personalities.  I think we can influence behavior greatly (via training or lack thereof) and we can influence some expressions of personalities (enhancing or suppressing certain traits), but ultimately if we had that much say in their personalities then those of us with multiple dogs would all have dogs with similar personalities and that is NOT the case.  

[Belinda Stevens]

I am of the belief that nature is stronger than nurture. I see in myself that I am more like my birth mother than I am my mother that raised me. For the good and for the bad.
I also see in my two doodles. Both have the same father but different mothers and also in their siblings that we know. Their personalities are born to them. Not necessarily breed into them (even though it's part of it). The same way we are all different from our own siblings. But my two doodles are sooo different and we raised them exactly the same. And they are very different from their other litter-mates. Of course they have some similarity and I think that’s due to training them the same but as far as “forming” their personalities I believe they had they way before you came along.
The key is just understanding them and working with what they are. One of the best training exercises I’ve ever done is just simple eye contact. I know it’s made me much closer to them than anything I have done before.    

[Adina P]

I agree!  Nature provides the potential and nurture can help use that potential.  Think of Lance Armstrong.  He has a superior lung capacity and superior athletic ability--nature.  But if he grew up in an environment that didn't value cycling/sports...we may never have known it...HE may not have known it.  Same with some of the basketball greats--they have something by NATURE that can't be trained...not to THEIR level.  Whereas as MY unathletic self could have been adopted by Michael Jordan and trained since age 3 to be a basketball player and I still probably would not have ever amounted to much athletically.  But my personality wouldn't have been tremendously different either way. (I never have aspired to be a BBall player, just an example).

[2m42srv7vi6sq]

I think that our dogs are born with their individual personalities.  How those personalities develop has a lot to do with their surroundings.

Our dogs have never had a schedule, have traveled everywhere with us and change is the norm.  yet, Seamus still hates to get into the car (enjoys trips once you get him into the car).  Caeleach came to us rambunctious and full of "piss n vinegar". 

 

She has continued to develop that "I love everyone" personality because we have taken her to many place where she could socilize.

CJ, though she is the daughter of Seamus and Caeleach and grew up in the same surroundings, is a law unto herself.  She is gentle, loving and sweet.  She does not have the boisterous personlity that her mother has, but isn't as standoffish as her Dad.

[April Cliber]

I think you have influence but I believe the socialization, attention and experiences a pup has between 4 and 8 weeks is HUGE!  I completely agree with Belinda as well.  Nature plays a big factor and it's not just the parents that need to be considered.  The grandparents and other relations play a part as well.  

[shelly]

Thanks April.. coming from you,a breeder, I feel better that Tori was not with me yet during those critical weeks...that said, we unfortunately were 'doodle novices' when we looked for a puppy and never met the parents or visited the breeder, but... we will keep working on training and her barking and behavior with guests... she is the most wonderful, sweetest, smartest dog I could have ever asked for.  She is, as we call her - a work in progress....  that we just adore!

[Camilla and Darwin]

I often wonder this. I know his daily activities and energy level are definitely habits learned from our lifestyle. As far as his personality, I don't know. Very interesting question, I'll be reading all of these responses.