What are your labradoodles and goldendoodles really like?

[ang]

hi everyone,

just joined 2day!

I have been looking to get a labradoodle or a goldendoodle and everytime i  metionn it on the net it is met with mass negativity about how i shouldnt even consider getting one of these breeds ( or non breeds as i have been told a million times lol )and why dont i just get a poodle. how they are aggresive and not good with kids, i could go on forever!

So i thought i would ask ppl who actually have one and not the ppl who have never had one but seem to have very strong opinions on doodles!

 

I love the shaggy bear like look, we are a family of me,my parter and have 2 kids jordan 4 1/2 and ella 8months, and i want to make sure they are good with kids, i know it has alot to do with how they are brought up ect aswell i guess im just after your honest opinions.

thanks

 

So what are the traits of you golden or labra temperment, shedding, ect?

[April Cliber]

Our love for doodles started with a F1 labradoodle. We wanted a family dog that would be great with our very young kids. "Gracie" was everything we had hoped for and more! She does shed some but we don't have allergies so it's not a big deal.

Over the years I have been incredibly impressed with the temperament of doodles. Choose a breeder very carefully who has experience placing pups, evaluating temperaments and coats. (Make sure to read Adina's article.) I have found the key is that the parents, especially the mother has an exceptional temperament. If the mom has a great disposition, feels safe and secure in her environment and has a great relationship with the breeder, the pups are off to a great start! In addition, the breeder needs to gently handle the pups several times a day. This will lay the foundation for a good relationship with humans. As the pups grow, interaction is more and more important.

Some doodles DO shed, some are more active then others and some have temperaments that don't work with every family. Use your breeder!! Rely on him/her to answer your questions and help you choose the right pup for your family! If he/she is too busy or unwilling to help, move on. You are paying a lot of money for a pup and customer service should be a priority. A good breeder will want you to be happy with your pup and won't just sell you any pup. They will make sure you are getting a good match for your needs/wants.

Having said all that..... Doodles are fantastic pets!!! I am head over heals in love with them and think they are amazing. I talk to people all the time who feel the same way I do. Someday when I'm old and grey, no doubt, I'll still have a doodle by my side!

[susan kaput]

Hi. I have a 3 yr. old mini goldendoodle (about 34 lbs.). He is absolutely wonderful. I have a 9 month old granddaughter, whom he is very curious about and likes to watch her play on the floor. Her parents have a large goldendoodle who is also very good with her. Both dogs have been around other children and are very tolerant of them also. Goldendoodles are bred to be family dogs. They are smart, like to please and don't shed like most other breeds. My little guy has the nicest disposition and is my little buddy. So glad I got him. Got him from the Paw Pad in Deer Creek, Ill. He was flown from Chicago to Providence. I recommend this breeder highly.

[Deanna & Desi & Cori]

Aggressive and not good with kids???? I'm not sure where that's coming from - sounds a bit like "labra-slander" to me!! I'm a first-time dog owner, so I'll admit that I'm no expert. I will also acknowledge that each dog is different, that a lot depends on the breeder's careful attention to parents' temperaments, and that it's important to education oneself regarding early training, etc. However, as a novice, I've found my labradoodle to be a wonderful first dog. Sedona (currently 10 months old) is smart, eager to please, and compared to my daughter's 11 month old white lab, quite gentle and mellow. I haven't yet had the opportunity to see Sedona interact with kids on a long-term basis, but I'm guessing with proper observation and careful introduction, she'd be fine.

Good luck with your effort to find a dog that will fit your family!

[Adina P]

Since both labs/goldens and poodles generally make great family dogs you are likely to find doodles to be as well. I have one F1 standard labradoodle and had 2 up until early this year. They were both good with my new baby and Rosco (a huge, 4 y.o. Labradoodle) is still very good with my 6 month old baby. Something to keep in mind, though, is that young pups can be very unaware of their size and could knock down a baby or toddler...they might also like to nip the baby in play (as well as nip you!). And every now and then someone has a doodle who is food possessive or has a resource guarding issue which could be a problem if you have kids since they have little inhibition about approaching a dog at any time. But overall, I'd say because the parent breeds are typically OK around kids (when used to them) then doodles are too. Just pick a good breeder and meet the parent dogs and carefully choose your pup.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Peri is a 14 month old mini goldendoodle - 25 pounds. She has always been good with kids and even little babies. She licks their feet ever so gently! I love the breed, just love it, but as others said, you must do your research on breeders to ensure you are getting a healthy, socialized dog.
http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/what-to-look-for-in-a (good discussion about this)
One thing I will add is that doodles require training, especially when they are puppies. They can be quite wild and need lots of "work" as young pups. The poodle and retriever breeds are both top ranking as far as their smarts go. That being said, a smarter dog does not always mean an "easy" dog! I have found that with Peri, her mind is going a mile a minute. If she has not been adequately exercised, she cannot sit still. Looking for things to get into, etc... When that happens, I go into training mode. Like last night she was losing it...I put her in a down-stay for 5 minutes, off and on and offered her great treats. That actually calmed her. I know this is a lot of detail, but I would say as long as you pick a pup that has been well-socialized, you don't have much to worry about with a doodle and your kids (as long as you train them). I emphasize the need for training when I talk to potential doodle owners. That is essential in having them turn out to be the companion you need and love! Good luck!!!
Oh and no breeder can tell you with 100% certainty a doodle won't shed. We got lucky with Peri and she does not shed, but many other Doodle Kisses members have shedding doodles. Generally they shed less than a retriever, but I will tell you my inlaws have a goldendoodle who sheds as badly as a golden retriever.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

In addition to the link Allyson posted on what to look for in a breeder, this discussion is a must-read for anyone who is considering getting a doodle.
http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/are-you-ready-for-a-doodle

With two children under the age of 5 in your home, I would also recommend that you read through the discussions in the Puppy Madness Group. I personally would not recommend bringing any new puppy into a home with a 4.5 year old and an 8 month old, unless you are a very experienced dog owner.
And to answer your question about shedding, my labradoodle sheds more than any dog I have ever seen, including Golden Retrievers, Labs, and German Shepherds.

[Leslie J]

My labradoodle Cocoa is the sweetest dog I have ever met. There is not an aggressive bone in her. She is lovely around children and dogs. I must warn you though that any puppy will be quite a handful around small children. When we got Cocoa (at 8 weeks old) my twin boys were almost 5. She was never aggressive, but like any puppy was jumpy and nippy. I had to be there all the time to teach my boys and puppy how to act around each other.

Now Cocoa is 10 months and all the training (of both boys and puppy!) is paying off. The only annoying thing she still does is steal small plastic toys (like legos and playmobil) and chew them up. It certainly has helped teach my boys to clean up after themselves!!! Personally, I don't think I would get a puppy until all my children were over 4 years old- I think an adult dog would be preferable.

As far as negative talk about labradoodles... I think that once they became labeled "designer dogs" by the media, people started to feel uncomfortable about them- much like the idea of "designer babies" being selectively created. The truth is that most dogs are designer dogs- the mom and dad were put together for the purpose of breeding. I don't think that many dogs spontaneously reproduce nowadays. Adina is right- if you want good temperament look at the parents of the puppy- no matter what breed you are looking at. Then raise the puppy well and train it properly.

[Amanda and Quinn]

I second some of the concerns about getting a puppy with two small kids. Quinn is the sweetest dog in the world, but it took him a LONG time to understand that small children were not puppies. He nipped like crazy as a pup - it was the biggest issue we dealt with - and children were not exempt from this. One of my most mortifying moments was when a good friend brought her small toddler over to visit: every time the baby would run, Quinn would try to dive on him and knock him down. It was all in play, but still. He was big by that point. :) Embarrassing.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Not to mention that small kids have been responsible for many dogs running up big bills at the emergency vets office. Unless you are able to keep your children from ever opening a door without you being right there, and from leaving toys, socks, and food anywhere the dog can reach it, you're looking at a potentially lethal situation for the dog. Grapes and chocolate are poisonous to dogs, and there have been many instances of children leaving these items within a dog's reach. Toys, socks and other items left around by kids have been swallowed, requiring expensive and life-threatening surgeries. Kids have held doors open, allowing dogs to run out into the street. So there is some danger to small kids from even the best-natured doodle, but there is also danger to the doodle from the kids.

[Melissa & Porter]

That reminds me of um last week when I got down on my hands and knees to race cars with my youngest, who is four. Porter got so excited that we were all pretending to be dogs, he grabbed my butt...with his teeth. Nothing to do with aggression, yet not something you want happening, especially to someone else's kids.

Also, the friend-kid who purposefully clocked Porter's nose with a wood block and then stepped on him... The dog is non-aggressive and around kids all day, but he is not a saint. He growled and snapped.

[Linda Karell]

No kids here--but I do have an absent-minded partner who has required some "training" to anticipate how to make life safe for my Chervil (picking up and putting away oil paints, not leaving pointy scrap lumber around the yard, etc.). But that would be the case for any dog and isn't doodle-specific.

My girl has the sweetest, gentlest temperament I could hope for. No biting, growling, food guarding, aggression--just a playful, happy dog--who loves other dogs, greets the mailman like a long-lost friend, and generally just likes to hang with us. No one could believe how young she was during the first year because she was so mellow. I attribute that to her breeder's hard work (April Cliber), and then to considerable training over the last year and a half to develop a well mannered dog who can comfortably go into virtually any situation. Now that she's got her training down cold, she's far less time-intensive. Chervil is my first dog, and she's probably ruining me for other dogs!

The one thing I wasn't prepared for was the amount of time it takes to groom her. She doesn't shed, but she needs to be brushed and combed every night, and professionally groomed every six weeks or so, for me to be able to keep up with her thick coat, lest it mat. It's good bonding time, and I could learn to do the grooming myself if I wanted (there's a group here on DK about that), but it was an adjustment. Not every doodle requires this, however, so that might be something to talk to your breeder about.

Not every doodle is the same, but a good breeder will help you pick the right personality for your family. Good luck, whatever you choose to do!

[cheryl & oliver]

First of all, welcome to Doodlekisses...this is a wonderful site with great people, that will be here for you when you have questions, to laugh with you, or cry with you. There are wonderful discussions with the best advice for you and your pup. Now about the fact that doodles are not good with kids and are aggressive....I have a wonderful standard (14 mo. old) sized goldendoodle, that doesn't have a mean bone in his body...He was a wonderful puppy, and he is a wonderful dog. He is the hit of the neighborhood, every one loves Oliver...Young and old alike...Would I ever leave a dog un attended with small children? NEVER not ever, but if your dog is socialized well, has good training, and likes people and kids, there really isn't a problem with any dog. I do think I would think twice about getting a puppy with such young chlidren, especially if you have never gone thru the "puppy trials & tribulations". But I have had many different dogs over the years and none has stolen my heart the way Oliver has...He is just the most wonderful animal...He is my heart dog. We have a 14 yr old Aussie that we adore, and Oliver has made him young again...They play and adore each other...Would I get another doodle? You can bet on that...But like everyone else has said, deal with a good breeder, tell her what you are looking for, and meet the parents...Just read Adina's article about what to ask the breeder..It will tell you all you need to know when looking for a good breeder. And the most important thing is training of course...This is an ongoing process around here, lol...Not sure if it will ever end, but it certainly has given us the dog we adore...He stilll will do some silly things, but nothing terrible, and we know how he is still young, even though he now eighs 72 lbs...Anyway, I have rambled enough, what it comes down to is that doodles are very special dogs...I wish I could have another one, lol....