doodle temperament: questions about gender and size

[NewEnglandSara]

Hi All,

I know that each doodle is unique. However, it's hard to ignore frequent comments about how gender and size can affect doodle dispositions. :-) We have a child on the autism spectrum in our house, and we are hoping to maximize our chances that our new dog will show equal interest in all three of our kids (vs. just attaching to one.) We are also (of course!) looking for a friendly and easy-going disposition. A few things I have heard:

1) Male dogs might attach more evenly to family members while female dogs sometimes pick a favorite. 

2) Smaller dogs (especially with regards to mini Goldendoodles) can be slightly more temperamental than larger dogs. 

I would love input on this topic. It is hard to sort through information and to figure out where to pay attention. 

Thanks so much!

Sara

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Regarding sex, I don;t think you can make any generalizations about that. It's simply not true that males will bond with all family members while females will pick a favorite. Dogs of either sex will have a favorite person, and that's going to be you. Beyond that, most dogs of both sexes are going to gravitate to people who pay attention to them, play with them, give them treats, etc. I do think males tend to be more affectionate than females, but I am sure others will comment here with the opposite opinion.

Regarding size, Standard Poodles are generally calmer and have mellower temperaments than Miniature Poodles. Big dogs in general are less yappy and hyper than little dogs, regardless of breed. But a lot of this depends on the temperaments of the parents. I've met a lot of hyper, out-of-control Labs and Goldens, too.

[NewEnglandSara]

Thanks, so much, Karen! It does seem that so much is case-by-case, but it is helpful to hear if people have noticed any trends or things to watch for. As always, your input is wonderful! :-) 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree with Karen that it's very difficult to generalize.  I have two males...one standard and one mini.  My large standard has lots of issues so it's not fair to even comment on him.  My mini is smart, sweet, loves the grandkids and seems to bond with everyone....he just loves people.  He came from a breeder (who sadly is no longer breeding ALDs) who focused on temperament and she socialized him well with her own children.  We got him when he was a little older than 10 weeks and he had lived in the house with the family.  I truly think that finding the right Breeder is the most important thing.

[Joyce (Casey & Cody's mom)]

My only experience with doodles is with my boys - both male goldendoodles that each weight close to 60 pounds. They both seem to love everyone. We do have problems with them becoming overexcited when company comes and they want to jump up and put their paws on visitors shoulders so they can get up close and personal. We are working on this. I think if push-came-to-shove though, I would admit that Cody is more mine, while Casey is more my hubby's.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I think more important than size, color, sex etc. is purchasing from an experienced breeder who breeds for temperament and does temperament testing on the pups and that they have some socializing experiences, especially to children, before you take it home.   One of the things you need to do (and you probably have) prior to getting a dog, is to make sure that your special needs child is not over-stimulated or frightened by puppy energy.  My son has four children ages 4 - 7 (one mildly on the spectrum) and recently got a poodle puppy. I was concerned that this was a recipe for disaster, but it has been wonderful.   They sought out a breeder who bred for temperament, did testing and helped them select a puppy.  I would steel this pup in a New York Minute.  She is a puppy and does puppy things, but she is calm, not fearful, mellow, smart etc.  I am so impressed with her.  My son is one of those people who is really good with dogs and he has worked with the kids and the dog to make this great thing happen.  Now, if only he would 'borrow' my doodles and train them. . .

[Lynda Kamrath]

I agree totally, Nancy.  A pup from a good breeder is the most important thing.

[Lynda Kamrath]

Regarding size, I think that the larger dogs are better for disposition.  That has been my experience, and we have had all sizes of poodles and doodles.  The larger are more mellow, and I think rather more intelligent.  Smaller can be hyper, but it depends a lot on the environment.  Training is essential, especially if you have a special needs child.

[NewEnglandSara]

Thanks so much for the great feedback! If you have recommendations for breeders who breed for temperament, I would love some info via PM. I think a great take-away is to really focus on the breeder more than the size and to make sure that mini doodles (if that is what we consider) are bred with carefully chosen small poodles. Feel free to add other thoughts to the discussion: really appreciate it! 

[Kaitee and Orwell]

I have a large Labradoodle and he is content to lay on my bed all day while I'm on the computer as long as he has his daily exercise. He is very calm, but has a couple of 5 minute bursts of energy everyday where he wants to play tug of war or squeak his ball at me so I will chase him. He gets anxious in new situations and cannot stop checking everything out with his nose. 

I agree with Karen on the sex issue. My pup is very much a one person dog and is not very outgoing with new people like my female lab was. He has never shown aggression and is very even-tempered, but I sometimes feel bad because people want to pet him when they come over and he just walks away from them. 

Like others, I've been much more impressed with larger dogs dispositions (in general) as opposed to smaller dogs. Once you pick a reputable breeder, the breeder should be able to help you out as far as picking a puppy that will fit your needs.