How Can Doodles Be So Different?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

The Doodle "breed" has always fascinated me for many reasons. I think what has intrigued me most is how different they all look and how varied their personalities are. With my past dogs there were some basic "breed specific" traits, although they each had their distinctive personalities. Now that I have two Doodles...both ALD's, I'm completely amazed by how different they are in just about every way. I really see nothing that I would consider "breed specific" traits. Most of you already know Guinness. He's joined at the hip with me, and follows me everywhere. If I don't let him into the bathroom, he'll just wait by the door until I come out. When I'm working, he's by my feet every minute, preferably touching me. His favorite time of day is evening when we get into bed and he cuddles right next to me. He would stay there forever. I swear he knows what I'm thinking even before I think it. He's excitable and "dances around" whenever we have any guests. He doesn't really need much sleep....he's too busy watching and following me. He's incredibly graceful and loves agility. So, now we have our new Dood, and he is a polar opposite. He is a "big lug" of a guy. There isn't a graceful bone in his body. He trips and falls over his own feet all the time. He likes to be on the same "floor" in the house as me, but could care less if he's in the same room. He can't cuddle for more than a few minutes without getting hot and panting, which limits his cuddle time completely (Guinness is so happy about that). He jumps off the bed and heads for the cool bathroom floor. Murphy will greet guests calmly and then goes somewhere to take a nap. Guinness would walk with me forever...Murphy gets exhausted after half a block and "is done with it" ( I know he's only a puppy). Training the two requires completely different strategies. Guinness wanted to please me and so he would do well to get my praise and "hugs". Murphy just wants treats...the more the better. He'll do anything for that treat. Oh, and if I let Murph smell it first, before giving the command, it's a sure thing. To look at them you could never imagine they were both the same breed, even recognizing that Guinness is a mini and Murphy is a Medium/Large. Their faces are totally different, their body types are totally different, their coats are totally different. As I said, so intriguing. I can't wait to watch Murphy grow up, but I already know that he will be a completely different dog than his brother. The awesome thing is that they compliment each other, and I love their individuality. Have others seen such drastic differences in their Doodles? I'm thinking that what makes Doodles unique is that they are all so different.

[Frannie & Callie]

Callie and Wilbur are complete opposites. Callie is peppy, frenetically energetic, but very easy-going and Wilbur is sedate, calm/mellow, but can be stubborn about odd things (like giving me any space in the the bed). Like most doods, their commonality is SWEETNESS - they just approch it in different ways. Wilbur is also a lot more vocal than Callie - he makes noises in his throat when he wants attention (it's pretty cute) and he barks sometimes (not that much considering I share walls). In the year that I've had Callie, I've only heard her bark a couple of times, and the only sound she makes for attention is dropping a tennis ball, over and over, until I throw it! When we walk outside, Callie, despite loose-leash training and the pinch collar, strains at the end of her tether, trying to investigate every smell on earth. Wilbur on the other hand (who has had no leash training and no kind of special collar) lopes calmly at my side, veering off only to do his business. The leash is SO loose that i have to take care so he doesn't get tangled in all the slack!

[Denise & Hunter!!!]

Haha Joanne! Hunter? Dainty? LOL LOL LOL LOL The weekend is supposed to be nice - Sat after 3 we are free and Sunday morning/afternoon..........

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Ned and Clancy. Polar opposites. Clancy craves attention anywhere, anytime = Ned enjoys a bit of a cuddle on his suggestion. Clancy is so calm especially with noises = Ned is constantly in alert mode and growls at things I can't even hear. Clancy will eat whatever and however much you will give him and Ned will nibble when he wants. And on and on....

[DeeDee and Sheila]

Jane, I have thought about this alot because Sheila is so different from my previous labs. I am thinking of getting a poodle book to read, although I am fascinated to see each new behavior and don't want it spoiled. I am really thinking that the F1's or those bred closer to the original lab or golden and poodle seem to be much more retrieversish (but mine were cuddly and not as laid back as ole Murph). Sheila seems to be more poodlish. I love her to death but I think most of the lab traits got sized out of her (mini) although she was bred doodle to doodle for generations. I think your guys will complement each other well. I am thinking of a shorter haircute for SheShe. I'll hate it, but she is getting hot w/ 2inches of puppy fleece all over her. I don't want her to be hot on our walks.

[Kelli, Fenway, & Dustin Pedroia]

My two are pretty opposite. It's funny that you say Murpy could care less about cuddling for long times and doesn't need to be in the room. Like Allyson mentioned about Peri, my Dustin (the second doodle) could have cared less about us/me until he got to be around 7-8 months and now he is attached to me and my former shadow, Fenway (she was our fist doodle), has become more independent. It's really crazy how different they are though. Fen is prissy and graceful, but too smart for her own good. Dustin is lazy, clumsy, huge, and loves to please us, which has made him so much easier to train. They are as different as they can get, but they get along so well and I just love them both to pieces. They are so fun and so precious!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Murphy sounds JUST like Peri was around 4-8 months! Something happened to Peri around 9ish on up to make her extremely attached to me. It happened over night. She can be dead asleep, but if I leave the room, she is at my heel. You will have to keep us posted on the changes as Murph grows!!!!! It sounds like both doods are awesome and doing well =)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Love that picture of Charli, Adrianne! I can't believe she just stood there with the curtains on her head posing...

[Adrianne Matzkin]

It's the same here with my girls. Samantha is the steadfast, 'serious' one (until a ball appears, then all bets are off) and Charli is just a goof ball. If she was a 2 legged kids, she would be the class clown and in trouble all the time! She has us laughing at her antics all the time.
Tonight we brought in dinner and ate in the apartment. After dinner we sat outside, having coffee and this silly girl walks through the shears and just stood there looking at me. Had to be a good 4 minutes with her head just sticking out like this - posing for pictures! In a million years, Samantha would never do this! So different but so wonderful!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm laughing at your description of Murphy, and also thinking how different he is from the sweet, timid little sister you envisoned for Guinness! LOL! Unflappable Murphy! I think he is going to be one heck of a service dog some day!
Surprisingly, Jack is a little like Murphy, although nowhere near as confident. He likes to be near me, but not on top of me. He is not a cuddler, and he is certainly not graceful! I do miss having a dog who follows you around, sleeps beside you and kisses you as soon as you open your eyes. I think I might have to borrow Guinness for awhile!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Denise,
I'm going to tell her what you said. Hunter is dainty not clumsy!