Sulley the overexcited doodle!

[Carrie Terry]

Hi everyone! Meet Sulley, our newest family member. Sulley is a 1 yr old f1 doodle. I recieved him via someone looking to rehome him. He is super sweet, but incredibly entergetic', with terrible manners. She clearly allowed him to do what ever he felt like so I am starting with a puppy attitude on a sixty pound boy. He is going to need a lot of work, but I'm feeling confident.

In the three days he's been with us we have mastered sit via hand command. The main issue we are having as of now is he is extremely mouthy. His retriever personality is showing loud and clear! He will fetch any little toy of my kids and bring it for fetch. Does anyone have any advice on guiding him to only play with his toys? The only commands he consistently responds to is the hand command for sit, and down, and he is 100% house trained. I consider myself a pro on training small dogs, but his size is proving a bit of a challenge as he is so mouthy he has cut me several times unintentionally with his teeth. What is the most effective way you have broken your doodle of putting your hands in their mouth? It is concerning with my small children because his teeth do hurt.

I have been walking him 2 1/2 hours a day with a hour walk in the morning, and 1 1/2 in the evening, with 10 minutes on his runner every hour, but his energy is astounding! I wish I had that much energy! When he gets out if control I put him in the garage with a bone to chew on for 10 minutes.

I am super proud if his behavior towards my tiny chihuahua, we had a Mexican stand off between the two for about an hour last night with Sulley finally backing down. I told him if we can effectively break him of play biting he will be perfect for us. He is only my third dog I've ever had, and my first large pet, so any guidance will be appreciated!

Love and big sloppy kisses from Sulley and family!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thank you for giving this sweet boy a home. :)

Most standard sized doodles need to run off-leash for a period of time every day; walking is great, but it just won't burn off enough energy for a large year old sporting dog. Many of our dogs need 30-60 minutes of hard running a day. A tired doodle is a good doodle. Do you have a fenced yard where you could throw a ball for him? 

Can I ask why he has to be isolated to the garage with a bone? Do you have a crate for him? That might help for time outs when he gets too rambunctious, and would also be a good place for his 10 minutes with the bone.

Is he neutered? That can also help to calm them down.  

[Carrie Terry]

Thanks for your response! I do not have a fenced in yard, as we are moving in a month to 75 fenced in acres where he can run to his hearts desire. Until then I have put up a 100 foot running line and play fetch with him on this. We have a small area in our garage set up as a "crate", I have never been fond of crating as punishment, and the garage is isolating as we are out if sight. It is enough room for him to turn around and lay. The advice I got from a local dog trainer was to set up his area where he could not see us, to encourage the idea of "time out". The bone is because he is so mouthy I assume he is still feeling the urge to chew, and I am trying to encourage the idea of "this is what you may chew on, not my hand". He was neutered about a month ago, which I know normally makes a dog a bit more entergetic until the hormones level out. He is so sweet, and you can tell he would never intentionally hurt someone, but his puppy attitude does not match his enormous size!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Crates are not intended to be used as punishment; they are used as a safe place to confine a dog without isolating him, and when used correctly, the dog usually comes to think of it as his "den". I disagree very strongly with the trainer who advised you to isolate him; dogs need to be near their people, even when they are in time out. I would strongly urge you to consider relocating the crate to somewhere inside your home, even if it's a location where he can't see you. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

My dogs readily go in their crates when I leave even though they sometimes get confined to their crates, rarely, for forbidden behaviors.

[Carrie Terry]

Thanks for the advice. Once we get moved he will be inside. For now that will have to be his spot, our house is too small for a doodle sized crate, I was trying to wait until we moved to get a large dog, but his picture was calling my name.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Welcome to DK and grats on your new family member! He has a great smile!

Tara was also a hand biter. Even after I trained her not to chew on inanimate objects she still went after hands, especially mine. Probably because they were always in front of her face and they were soft on the outside and crunchy in the middle like a candy bar! LOL  Anyhow, finally, out of desperation, and after trying every other suggestion I'd been given,  I sprayed my hands with Bitter Apple which she absolutely hates and offered them to her to bite.  That put and end to it quite quickly. I think it took two attempts and she was done. So there might be a way to make the taste of your hands unattractive to him. Some dogs like Bitter Apple but there are probably other tastes that would act as a deterrent as well.

I'm not sure how to teach a dog to differentiate between his toys and children's toys. A toy is a toy is a toy... It might be easier to teach the children to keep their toys out of his reach when not in use.  Or if your children don't chew on their toys you might try something like the Bitter Apple on them too.

Good luck! It sounds like you're moving to a wonderful place for a doodle! Thanks for giving Sully a loving home.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Your pup will mature with good training. I really have never known a playful 6 year old dog who nipped at hands. It even sounds like your pup may be younger than you think.  Take a 6 week training course-NOW, Start this new life out on the right foot.  If you establish boundaries now it is so much easier than trying to fix a month of behaviors you have allowed.   Training is our lifesaver 

As for the Crate vs Garage. I back up everything Karen said.  Crates were created to be a safe den. Dogs den in a confined small area by nature.  Not punishment.  This is why it has worked for so many of us and our dogs. 

My thoughts are you get a crate and start using one instead of a lonely isolated garage. For two reasons:

1. Dogs are not solitary animals.  Right now, especially now, he needs to be bonding with you. He can chew on a bone ( good idea) and still be with you, not alone in a garage. 

2. When you move, once again, you will be shaking up his world.  In less than a month he will have lived in three homes.  This is very frightening and confusing for dogs. If he already has a crate; something  he already knows, feels safe,  and can call his own the less adjustment you are going to have to make all over again in his move.  Many of us have taken in dogs and we ask that a crate or their beds come with them. Sure enough, this is the area they seek out in unknown places. Their own space. Their crates

Right now, if he finally establishes a garage as a .... well den, than he will once again loose a home  unless of course, you bring that garage with you  :)   

Look, we all have jammed crates into your living rooms, sometimes two, next to our beds, and in our kitchens. We get the space issue.   But we did it because it has been proven that many dogs  find it safe place to be

[Carrie Terry]

I wish I could fit a crate in here, I have one for my small dog and when it's not in use I have to store it in the garage, I couldn't imagine dragging a xl crate in every time I needed it, I am going to purchase one for the garage when I get into civilization (1 hr from home),I had no plans to get a large dog until I moved but Sulley had to be mine. I don't even know how to explain why I knew he was the one. I also hate the fact I am going to be moving him again, but luckly it is attached to my in laws property so the outside will be incredibly familier to him. Thanks for the bitter apple suggestion I am going to try that. A gentle squeeze around the mouth with a firm no seems to help if he isn't in play mode. He did much better today than the past few days, perhaps since the oldest was at school and the husband was at work. Until he learns some manners, we will be doing lots of one on one training with hand commands which I am finding much more effective than voice with him.

[Carrie Terry]

Also he is 1 year old not 6 :)

[Carrie Terry]

I have never crated much. My chihuahua was only crated until house broken when no one was home. His safe place is a corner of my living room no one can reach him in. With him I used a baby gate often to confine to the kitchen until he was well trained. It is something I am open to but always starting from puppyhood I have been lucky to train them to acceptable behavior quickly and not require crates. For Sully he has been with us four days, and you can tell he is smart. I broke jumping day 1, so I think he will figure it out quickly. I do think due to his size he will require confining when we aren't home.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

If he has only been with you four days, it sounds like you've made great progress.  My experience is that the mouthing often comes with over excitement, so trying to avoid that state of mind will help a lot.  I do think you can do a "time out" without a crate if you need to.  I crated for housebreaking, but after that when my guys needed a time out I gated them in the bedroom and left that area.  They would lie down....and calm down.  I think in time you will also be able to differentiate the toys that are his....but you will need to be patient and consistent.  Whenever he picks up one of the children's toys I would verbally correct, take it away, and give him one of his.  If you do this often enough he will "get it".  Good luck....he sounds like a great dog.

[Carrie Terry]

Thanks for the advice! I am excited for when he is matured, and is able to have a little stimulation without going over the top with excitement!