Doodle or other Doggy Personalities

[Jennifer Tramell]

I'd love to hear about some of your doodle/doggy personalities.  My newest doodle, Tessa, has a completely different personality than my other two doodles.  I'm wondering if she has an unusual personality for a doodle or if there are others who share her characteristics.  Here are my 3 personalities:

Webster: giant (88lb), mellow, laid-back guy.  Web believes that there is little reason to hurry through life, he rarely moves faster than a slow lope.  Webster is an extremely happy dog and he will start thumping his tail if you smile at him; sometimes he thumps his tail for no reason - his life is that good.  Webster is not food motivated, not toy motivated, he just wants people to talk nice to him.  He loves attention.  Webster welcomes new people and new dogs to his home, visiting puppies literally hide between his legs for protection.  If a burglar breaks into our house, Webster might thump his tail as the TV is carried out - IF he woke up and noticed someone in the house.  My husband came home late one night and Web never woke up to greet him.  Nicknames include Snuffalufagus, Big Brown, Sasquatch, Buddy.

Charlotte:  the princess of the family.  Charlotte is a devoted, affectionate, smart, sneaky dog.  She's the one who gets the food off the counter and opens the trash cans.  Charlotte is the teacher's pet, the goody two shoes.  It drives her crazy if we are practicing obedience commands and she can't "come".  "What ARE those other dogs doing?  Someone said Come, I'll come! I'll Come!"  Charlotte wants to please but also will ignore the kids if she thinks they are wrong.  She loves attention even more than she loves food.  Nicknames include Princess, Sweet Charlotte, Charlotte Baby.

Then there's Tessa.  Tessa is loyal yet reserved.  She seems scared to respond directly to a "come" and prefers to take a circular route and stop several feet away.  She wants to be with me yet doesn't want a lot of petting.  Tessa loves to be outside and loves to play ball.  She doesn't seem as happy and carefree as the Webster and Charlotte.  Tessa shows affection be sitting at our feet but if you pet her too much she'll leave.  If I'm in a room with a door closed, Tessa will be laying outside waiting for me but she doesn't want much petting  - she walks off (but keeps looking back to make sure I'm coming). Tessa is timid and reserved, almost skittish.  She's the best guard dog of the bunch, yet the lowest position in the pack.  I'm planning some summer training to boost her confidence and increase our bond.  Tessa is just one year old.

I'd love to hear of other personalities to see how mine compare, especially Tessa :-)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I don't think there is a certain "doodle" personality; I think they are all individuals and their temperaments vary widely. That's true of all dogs, but i think it's even more true of mixed breeds like doodles, because you have more than one breed there and the temperaments of the parent breeds are more dissimilar than they would be if both parents are the same breed. In your case, you also have pack dynamics at work. Any one of your dogs might show a different personality if they were your only dog.

That said, of the three personalities you described, JD's is most like Tessa's. Not so much any more, he's gained a LOT of confidence in the 8.5 years I've had him. Of course, being born in a puppy mill, sold in a pet store, and then dumped in a shelter by the time you are 14 months old might have something to do with it, lol. Training and time are what helped. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Mine are very different from one another and both share some characteristics with yours. I guess they are all unique. Luca loves to play loves people of all kinds. He will run after a bowl and is obsessed with them. He will grab the rare one Calla has. His food is a take it or leave it kind of thing. He is very vocal. Yes different barks or whines for a variety of situations and often I can interpret them. When he is in the mood he likes to be scratched and petted. He is scared of certain things like going out as the garage door is going up. He attacks animals on TV. People love his interactions.
Calla is still a bit shy around new people but much less so than when she was younger. She startles easily but will run out as the garage door is rising. She rarely plays with balls or toys. Calla barks a lot to protect her yard but she rarely vocalizes to express needs, she just gives "the look". She loves getting petted and scratched and she will paw and nudge you to do this. She adores eating and will steal food. She is a girl of routine. She will listen to me more readily than Luca.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

They are so adorable!  Is Webster the one in the middle in the first picture? 

  

[Jennifer Tramell]

Thanks!  Yes, Webster's the curly brown in the middle, Charlotte is the blond, Tessa is the wavy coated brown.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Oh, yes, it is totally amazing at the differences in our doodles.  Right now, I have three.  The third dog is a labradoodle who stays with us frequently and is currently with us for six weeks while his person is working in Paris.  He also came and stayed with Harpo for two weeks after Groucho Too passed away.  He is what we call the perfect dog.  Huge, quiet and calm (except for when one of the other dogs is out for a walk and he is at home).  He is over 80 pounds and beautiful copper-colored hair that does not mat.  Very easy-going dog.  Loves to run on the beach chasing bird shadows until he is exhausted.

My medium-sized dog is Harpo and he wrestles and plays all day long with the newest recruit, Zeppo, who was a rescue dog that we got as a companion for Harpo.  We thought Harpo would make a good only dog, but he did not.  He was so depressed when Groucho Too died.  Laila (another friend who stays with us frequently)
came and stayed with him for a couple weeks and then Copper.  He really needs his pack.  He is very cat and squirrel motivated and plays with toys but mostly just carries one around so you can see he has a toy.  He has learned to open doors using the door levers, so we also need to keep doors locked.  We have levers on all outside doors and gates, and sliding pocket doors in the house.  Knobs only on the front door and the coat closet.

Zeppo is the little guy (just 25 pounds) and a ball of energy.  He was a rescue from the streets and had to be shaved down.  We think he is a Jackapoo because he has many characteristics of a Jack Russell.  He can jump up on anything and will snag food, pillows, clothes, whatever is within reach.  We have learned to keep everything put away and behind closed doors.  Counters and tables are very clean here.  He also climbs trees (yes, really) and will go behind the fountain, onto the burl and up the oak tree for the easiest entry into the back yard.  But he can easily jump the 3-foot fence also.  I have him licensed, ID tags, and chipped.  My neighbors all know him and so far he has not been out when we are away from home, but it is definitely a concern.  We do have a 6-foot fence around the property, but he can climb fences also.

So, it is a challenge around here.  Copper - no problem at all, Harpo - a follower, and Zeppo - capable of anything.  These are recent photos on the beach.

[Jennifer Tramell]

Copper sounds like Webster.  Web's hair is full of thick curls but he doesn't mat at all.  They do come close to the "perfect dog" ;-)

[Lynda Kamrath]

Yep, that is our opinion.  Perfect personality and perfect coat.

[Sally S Miles]

Love the photos - this a fun topic.

I have to agree with Karen, again - my previous experiences have been with purebreds and mutts, (a lifetime with dogs and many years of being a foster mom to rescues) there is always something in there to identify each as individuals.   Even the best of the best purebred dogs,  meeting standards is one thing, but individual characteristics are - individual.  Having chosen pups from large litters, in the past it has been easy to see the differences, but having only one limits the experience. I love that they are not 'robot dogs' or clones.

My doodle girl is a party girl, she's all about the fun. I've known Poodles and had Lab's, never a Golden except for a foster many years ago - but she fits the Sporting bill alright - our Vet agrees with me that she is more Poodle than anything.  Capable of being elegant or simply goofy.  Ball obsessed, frisbee lover, cat washer, and constant companion. She is happy to be in another room if she is napping, but she is happy at our feet. She is tall enough to investigate the counter, no-no, and she is what I call a bit of a flibbertigibbet - in a blink she can go from being a spastic goofball to the perfect responses, but she can also be one to have to 'think' about a command - she has things on her mind, (often sending me to return to Turid Rugas or Pat McConnell for backup as I learned her ways).  She loves to be petted, groomed, food is an absolute 'oh yeah'. She is the best alarm/watchdog that we have had in years - sounds like a huge beast and she means business - but a body behind a noise would be greeted with tail wags.  She is eager, lazy, silly, goofy, attentive, and stubborn as a mule. Nosy, curious, confident as all get out (except for elevators and power store doors)  If she wants to be petted, she stands next to me and happily nuzzles, loves to be scratched, stroked, talked to, kissed, hugged, and she loves everybody and everything.  She can and has spent hours cuddled in my lap.  She is exactly who she was the day I picked her up,  she has a mind of her own,  she watches bunnies and birds - she studies things. She's a hoot and often she has the 'princess' mindset.   She's a comedian, a thief, a sneak, a tender heart, and a true 'whatever' kind of gal. She can also be bossy and yet, she can easily be perfection.  I am the Leader of the Pack around here, but she is Daddy's girl - period, oh it's ridiculous how she adores my hubby (it's mutual). She will be 2 in August, so has entered her adulthood with aplomb, but she's a beautiful goofball.

My little guy is not a doodle, he's a Miniature American Shepherd   Top notch breeder fulfilled my request- chosen because he has his own temperament and we are a perfect match. He is exactly what I wanted - he's like glue, he is attached to my every move. I've never seen a dog with a faster response to commands and must confess that most of his training has been on a basis of 'as needed'.  He learned from Journey and he deduces his own ideas.  He's quick and sharp, but he is a big coward - if Journey barks he hauls butt to the porch until he feels the coast is clear, then he investigates.  His lead training was a joke, he does not need one - took two minutes -  If I'm going, he's going.   He has absolutely no sense of humor, but is a loverboy extraordinaire.  He is absolutely the most affectionate dog I have ever known.   He can also be incredibly dignified,  seriously - whoever heard of a dignified puppy? Well, he is and he is also a bit of a Felix Unger - very tidy and very much on top of the placement of things around here. As a herding breed, well he has to keep track of his flock, but attention to detail can be amazing.

Frankly they seem to take turns with their idea of who is top dog, that's a good thing in my book - she is bigger and he holds his own. He is better at one thing, she another - it works.   I like their differences, prefer it that way.  I take turns with who gets what first - who goes here, or who does what and playing nicely together is required.  Most of the time they share things, but I guarantee that if I buy something of the same and buy two - say a small and a large, or a light and a dark, they will switch it out and choose their own.

As with people, I think having more than one is good, we all gain confidence by having friends. We expand our world and we learn, feel love and with other dogs around then it permits other portions to stretch and develop.  That does not mean that a solitary dog is unhappy,  but they do learn from each other and often tend to bring out the best and worst of each other.

[Jenny Williams]

Meet Princess Leia... She is 10 weeks old :) She is a rotten mess and the love of our lives! Without even seeing her picture, my son had already named her, and it turned out to be an appropriate name. When we brought her home and she started coming out of her shell, my husband's response was, "Oh great! Another princess in the house!" HAHA.... She is full of spunk and a sassy pants for sure! She tries to run the show and challenges me on a daily basis. We've had quite a few "come to Jesus" moments lately. She wears her emotions on her sleeve... you never have to guess what mood Leia is in, and she does have many moods. She is not a morning dog... I thought this was weird, but she is very moody in the morning. She struggles with basic obedience... right now, we are working on "sit". She knows the command, gets it right every time, but it takes her FOREVER to obey and actually sit. She will "talk" to me as if to say, "Do I HAVE to?!", she will wag her bottom back and forth trying to make up her mind if she is going to obey me or not, and FINALLY she will sit as if it was the hardest thing she's ever had to do. LOL. She truly cracks me up. She can make me laugh and cry at the same time, usually out of sheer frustration, but we always end on a happy note somehow. She loves to play ball, she will choose a stick over a chew toy any day, and she has started her own rock collection and treats them as treasures. Here is Miss Leia/Sassypants/Doodlebug... Edited to add: She has a very sweet disposition. She listens to my son better than anyone else in the house and obeys him immediately. They have an amazing bond that began when he first held her. Once fully exhausted and exercised, she is a sweet, calm soul, and I can't wait to get her know her as she gets older!

[F, Calla & Luca]

What a cute pup and son : )

[Valarie]

 Your doodles are so awesome.  They look like an oreo in the third picture!!   In our almost 30 years of marriage, we have had 2 dogs.  Clay, our first, came from a friend.  He was a border collie/chow mix.  He was quite aloof.  He loved to play, was toy and food motivated, very smart and easily trained.  But he did not like a lot of petting from me.  He would frequently snub me.  When I called him he would go to my husband.  Even so, I loved him and he was a wonderful dog.  Sophie, our goldendoodle, is laid back and very calm.  She loves attention.  She leans into me and wants to be petted at any time.  She is not toy motivated but does respond well to treats.  She has spurts of energy but mostly lounges about.  I love that she loves me.  She is so different than Clay but I think they would have been great pals.