Gah! Winston, you are so infuriating!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Winston has been my #1 guy for two months now. It did not take Winston long to settle in and start showing me his real personality. You all know that I love every little bit of him, and it seems, each day I love him a little more ...

BUT, you can't look at that mischievous face and not admit that Winston has some serious character flaws ...

 

Mainly, he is STUBBORN!!

 

While Winston is as sweet as pie and so easy going 99% of the time... well ok, 90% of the time, there are moments when he makes up his mind about something and just. won't. budge. I mean that litterally. He plants his feet on the ground, confident in knowing he is stronger than me, and outright refuses to move until he gets his way.

It looks something like this:

For example, when we go out and about walking in the neighbourhood Winston has preferrances for what specific paths he wants to take and if I dare even think of taking a different route he will halt, ground all four paws down into the side walk, and won't move. On a few occassions this has scared me because he decides as we are crossing the street that he really doesn't want to and would rather keep walking in the other direction. There are cars coming so I really have to get my tough girl voice out and get him to move.

 

At first I found this endearing, intriguing even. He first did this when we were walking by the apartment building where his owners said he used to live for the first year of his life before they moved to the country. So I took him there on purpose to determine if he really remembered, and sure enough he did. He sniffed all over and led me around as if he was showing me his old patch of grass, the tree he peed on, and then pulled me toward the front door... I guess he wanted to show me his old apartment. As we continue to walk along the path near his old place and across a foot bridge there's an option to keep walking along the canal, or to cross the street, go under another bridge, and come up on the university campus. Well, I have no reason to cross the road and go under the bridge to the campus, I never go that way, but Winston always tries to make me go there. He won't move an inch forward. I find myself dragging him to get him to move in my direction. I really can't explain why other than the fact that he must remember walking that way with his previous owners. It is like pulling teeth to get him to keep walking along the path, he absolutely insists we cross the street and head to campus. So one day I indulged him and let him lead the way as I was curious about where we wanted to go...

He was so happy as he led us through the campus, and down a particular street. We came to an intersection and I tied to cross and he refused. I tried to go right, he refused. Yep, Winston wanted us to make a left. So left we went. I tried to make another turn, and nope, he wanted to keep going.  Eventually I had to give up as we were getting far from home, so I insisted we turn around and after a five minute battle of the wills he gave up and followed me. But to this day I can't help but wonder where he was going. I thought about asking his previous owners out of curiosity, but I really don't want to keep in touch with them. I be they had a friend who lived that way that they used to visit.

Anyway, all this to say, it is getting cold outside and when a doodle mom wants to go home and warm up, it is really frustrating when a big ol' 75lbs doodle insists that it is not time to go home yet. I have been very patient with this behaviour as I have a soft spot in my heart for this sweet guy. If it were Sophie Bear, mom would be laying down the law. But now I've spoiled him, indulged him one too many times, and now I have to play battle of the wills everytime I want to turn around and go home.

Oh Winston, I love you so much, but mom's don't have fur coats to keep us warm. I can't wait to get a house with a backyard for the doodles. Winter will be so much easier then...

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Train the "let's go" command.  Work on that - you CAN teach an old dog new tricks you now!

Winston's a cutie pie.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

Does he respond to rewards? Maybe a little treat reward when he goes your direction? No bribery though! LOL!  He may learn your direction is more interesting after all!!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I just love that top photo - pure joy!  I have experienced the dreaded "leg lock" with Rooney.  Always at night, after dark when he hates to be out because he is afraid of what might eat him.  This is the only time that I let him dictate where he wants to walk because I'm trying to get a potty going.  He has tried it a time or two during the day but I can easily force the 21.5 lbs of him to keep moving.  The visual of Winston doing this is funny but could cause some problems down the road.  I'd stop taking him in the direction of his old home, could he be "looking" for his old pack?  I'm with you girl on the house with a fence!!!!!!!

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

Winston has reminded me of Knox in LOOKS -- and now in personality!! Knox can be very stubborn at times!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

What's the super's number, I'm calling him now!

[Pat and Traveler]

Oh, yeah--Winston is adorable!  I'd want to know where he was trying to take you too.  Sometime, when conditions are right, you'll have to see if you can find the final destination.  Trav used to try the total stop, but I found if I could get a foot around behind him and nudge his rear he'd get going again. 

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

oh, and Hank isn't visible in the picture, but he was definitely back there somewhere. So no, She wasn't doing her business. Although when she was smaller she peed on one of the chair cushions in this room...it is the common room of my apartment building. I never told the super...[don't tell on me].

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

LOL Karen, We were actually haviing a play date with Sophie's boy friend Hank. An adorable goldendoodle a couple months younger than her. I met Hank and his mom at the park and we hit it off instantly over our doodles and have been friends ever since. Here he is:

I think I might give in the curiosity and take him there tomorrow if I can find the time.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jackdoodle will stop dead in his tracks and refuse to move, too, although that's gotten better with training. He does that same thing where I try going forward, no, try turning left, no, okay he must want to go right, then.He also likes to choose our route most of the time, but every street in my neighborhood is winding and eventually takes you back to where you started, so we never get too far from home.  It makes even less sense than Winston's doing it, because there can't possbily be anything JD wants to show me, lol, he didn't live around here in his past life.

Training will help this, especially the stopping in the middle of the street. I am pretty lax with JD, but not about crossing streets. He must stop every single time and wait for my okay to step into the street. I'd start with working on that.

I would give in to that face, too!

And I just had to ask what Sophie is doing in that first photo. I know she can't possibly be doing what it looks like she's doing, lol!

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I'm with Donna, I want to know where it is he wants to go! Come on Mom, it's just a little indulgence. :o) woof!