When did your Dood's "Personality" become consistent? Or did it?

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Rooney is now a year and a half. Overall, he's a great boy who is a wonderful family dog. He is responsive to training (although it's still a work in progress), gentle with family members, doesn't jump on people. walks beautifully on a leash and is otherwise a funny, fluffy, loveable guy to have around.

However, I do think his personality has changed a lot since he passed the one year mark and I wonder if that is typical? I also wonder when owners of older Doodles felt their dog's personality really set in and remained consistent?

For example, as a puppy Rooney was one of the most easy going, happy go lucky guys in puppy class. He played well with all the other pups and greeted people well and happily. Nothing really seemed to phase him as a puppy. However, now as a juvenile dog, he's much jumpier and more easily startled. If he is startled enough (like a person steps out from behind a bush right in front of him) he might even jump back and growl (however he will generally stop as soon as I give his leash a tug, tell him "No" and make him sit). When we go on walks, he doesn't bark at other dogs or people but he is always "on alert". He frequently looks behind him to see if anyone is walking behind us and if there is someone he will check back often to see what's up and appears a little bit anxious about it.

I would say the biggest change I've seen in him is the loss of his more easy-going, all is right with the world attitude he seemed to possess as a puppy. Now, even though he is easy going around us he is definitely a more alert, protective, slightly nervous dog when you bring him into new situations or introduce him to new people. 90% of the time he comes around quickly and that new person soon becomes his new best friend but initially he is a bit on guard.

I realize there is no way to know how he might continue to change but I guess I just wondered if other owners noticed their Dood continuing to go through phases and personality changes through the first two years or so, or did it remain pretty consistent after about a year?

[a.k.a. Rodney]

That's a great question! As a new doodle person I'm eager to read the responses.

[Pat and Traveler]

Trav went through a similar change at about a year old.  He suddenly realized that the yard was "his," and began to patrol the perimeter, barking at the neighbor at the back side of the lawn, and at people on the sidewalk a few dozen feet from the fence.  Like Rooney, he became more alert on walks, and developed a prey drive toward cats.  As a puppy, he was also more easy-going and wanted to play with all other dogs.  Now he's just not that interested in playing with dogs.  If one wants to chase him while he carries a ball or stick, game on!  If the other dog doesn't want to do that, then aside from a quick sniff or maybe a quick run, he's just not too interested and would much rather have any available human throw a ball for him.  It's funny to see him with puppies now--he's patient with that constant jumping at his face or tail, but when he's had enough, he'll give the pup a show of teeth and growl.  Seems like just yesterday he was the annoying puppy! 

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

thats a really good question. at first I thought, cooper has always been the same, but then i read about Rooney being more "on alert" and I remembered that Cooper became more like that, though she was older - probably around 3 years old. it coincided with us moving into an apartment though, we had always been in a house before, though we had moved 3 times before that (4 houses) - yeah crazy right!

[Willow and J]

That was exactly how Willow was before and after around one year mark. But after that change, which was gradual but noticeable, she seems to have settled into her personality. Willow turned 3 in April, and she's been consistently sweet, cautious, and friendly dog. I can't say she's mellowed down much - she's still CRAZY when she sees her friend dogs on walks, and she jumps up and down when we come home. But we love the bubbly energy when it comes out too.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Great question.  Quincy just turned a year.  the only thing I have noticed is that he does no longer follow me everywhere, at least not immediately.  Used to be he would jump on my bed when I would enter my bedroom and jump right off and follow me when I would leave, even if a second later.  Now he waits to see if I am coming right back.  I tease that he is getting lazy.  

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

I suppose probably some of it is not unlike human children who often undergo a surge in awareness/caution/fear at around four or five when their brains have matured enough that they realize there really ARE things to be afraid of in the world. Unfortunately, in their immaturity they generally pick things that they shouldn't really be too worried about (like being sucked down the drain).

I think part of it for me is just getting used to a very different type of dog not only then what I thought we had, but what we have had before in our other dogs. Both our old Golden Retriever and our Lab we had before him have scarcely ever had a care in the world. Reagan doesn't react to much of anything and never has. Doesn't bark and until Rooney came along and convinced him he should get excited when people come into the house, Reagan rarely gave a nod to any new person coming into our house. He's always been friendly, just not the slightest bit anxious. 

I think Rooney has a more "sensitive" temperament and so I am having to figure out how best to help him navigate the world. I want to be aware of his potential for nervousness but also not feed it unnecessarily.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Yes--you are right and it is natural to see this change--as others have said, the pup becomes more aware as he matures and more protective of you, too. Puppies, like babies, are totally unaware of the fact that a stranger might want to harm them or that another dog may be dangerous--they just plunge right in! I have also seen more sensitivity and shyness at the age of 2--so getting them out and about and exposed to everything as much as possible will help. Not all dogs get this way, but it sounds like Rooney will.

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Ginny, that is exactly about the time Libby started to get a little shy and sensitive about her surroundings and people.  Don't get me wrong, she loves people and children but she was a little more cautious about meeting them.  It is also about the time she got very protective over our "front door"!  That is still an issue we are working on:)  LOL

[Lori, Rooney & Zuzu]

Thanks, Ginny.

Yes, I make sure he gets out everyday and try to vary our surroundings. We don't walk the same route everyday and I give him lots of reinforcement for passing people and dogs appropriately. He also does go to a well-run daycare occasionally so that helps keep him used to interacting with other dogs.

This summer he will be around lots of people and while I'm a little nervous about dealing with his initial reactions (barking at people etc..) I do think it will be good for him just to keep working on his socialization and comfort level with new people, places and things.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

Luna has been a clown from the day we picked her out :p  Her basic personality hasn't changed, only her level of excitability.  She mellowed out after about a year, then considerably more at about 2 years.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I saw a 'mature' personality emerge at around two.  Ned became much more aware of possible danger, territorial, barky, between two and three.