It's NOT magic people! (a rant)

[BG and Gavin]

Please forgive me for this rant but I am so sick of hearing some version of this story (as I did yet again today) that I could scream.  No, I could cry.  I almost did.

Lady on the street: “Your dog is beautiful, how old is he?”

Me: “Thank you, he just turned two.”

Lady: “Was he hyper as a puppy and has settled down as he aged?”

Me: “He has never been hyper, but was quite active and liked to put his mouth on everything as a pup.”

Lady: “I have a one year old labradoodle and she is sooo hyper.  I am hoping she will grow out of it.”

Me: “Have you done any training classes with her?”

Lady: “We went to one, but I don’t think it did any good. Your dog walks so nicely how do you do it?”

Me: “Lots of practice.  He gets at least two 45 min walks per day.  Which by the way really helps keep him calm.”

Lady: “We have kids, so really don’t have time to walk her.”

Me: “Oh.”

Now I am mad at myself that I did not say more (not that it would help) and again I feel worried that this will be a dog that is given up shortly.  That is the part that makes me want to cry.  No dog is perfect.  Some in fact arrive with issues that are extremely difficult to deal with.  I understand that.  But part of the joy and responsibility of having a dog is spending time with it.  Walking. Training.  Along the way they learn and so do we.  Okay, thanks for listening. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Since Jack does shed, I usually get "He can't be a labradoodle, they don't shed."

[Michael Gurley]

I usually tell people that Sunny does shed (she doesn't really) just so they'll put that thought out of their minds.

[Adina P]

Those interactions are so frustrating.  When they assume your dog is 'good' just because he/she is and don't even consider that you've put in real hard work into it. Like last time I took Boca out downtown and ran into a group of people, two of which had their goldendoodle with them (who was well behaved).  Boca was in a down stay and held beautifully the whole time.  They were amazed at how 'calm' Boca was.  But Boca is NOT a calm dog by any means. She doesn't stop moving in the house, whirls around and spins and jumps ... and can drive me batty.  But as much as we've trained on leash she obeys very well on leash and appears calm.  LOL.  But I certainly did not just get 'lucky' with a calm doodle.

[BG and Gavin]

If they only knew what a dedicated trainer you are Adina;  far above and beyond anything I have ever done.

[Stella]

What you all said!!

[Michael Gurley]

There is a HUGE difference in Sunny between how she is when she's had enough exercise and how she is when she hasn't had enough. When she exercises, she's a perfect dog. She obeys commands, doesn't jump, and is generally content to be wherever I am. When it's rainy or I'm sick and can't take her rollerblading, she runs around the house, squeaks all her toys, bugs my other dog, and jumps on anyone who walks in the door.

 

It's the same with any dog!

[Carol Brand]

It may be true for Doodles and other high engery dogs, but it is not true for all breeds.    In fact, for a variety of reasons, I haven't walked or exercised my Poodles in over a week and they are just fine.  

 

Really, you have to lay some of the blame for some of this at the door step of the full court press Doodle marketing effort.  Pretty much EVERY Doodle web site makes them out to be the perfect family pet.  There is never mention of the necessity for focused training or their extensive exercise or grooming needs.  Buyers are left to believe that they are the living incarnation of a stuffed animal.

 

[BG and Gavin]

When I have my friends doodle here for the week, I generally cut out one of the walks. Their outdoor play together tends to wear them out nicely.

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

Cooper as a puppy was high energy. She never stopped. She couldnt lay down and nap unless she was in her crate (she graduated to her pen as she got a little older). 

 

it took us alot of effort to teach her to lay down and rest..... now its her favourite indoor past time! Outdoors she still runs like crazy til shes exhausted. When I take her to work (pet store) everyone comments on how she never stays still - and they cant believe shes so calm at home.

 

If we dont give her her morning and evening exercise, she gets into something - digs up plants, chews paper, destroys anything she can find, but give her her exercise and she naps most of the day when we are at work (or so the kitties tell me, but to be honest I think they nap all day too so how do they know????).

 

It took us a good year and a half to get her to walk nicely, and shes still far from perfect! 

 

Is she hyper? No... shes a high energy DOG!

[BG and Gavin]

Michael and Caitlyn - you are both so right!  I heard a US Naval officer on TV last night speaking about how great his ship and crew are and he said "You can't just wish it, its hard work.."  It reminded me of this discussion.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I was doing some training with Luna in a neighbourhood park yesterday and a few people walked nearby with dogs.  They started at us like we were some sort of side show.   I was doing sit/stays and down/stays with her in the middle of a grassy field... while their dogs walked them (if you know what I mean). 

 

Some people just don't understand that having a well-behaved dog is a commitment you have to make - like you said it's not magic.  I'm hopeful that she will keep her dog - some people vent their frustrations about their dog with few manners, but still love them like crazy and take good care of them otherwise.

 

I don't understand how anyone could put up with a goldendoodle who hasn't been exercised properly... Luna drives us nuts if she hasn't had at least 2 walks a day ;)  She's also a very high energy dog though, which we knew when we picked her out.  We picked the fiesty pup who was digging, running and cuddling feet instead of the one that was content to sit in my lap getting ear rubs.

[Leslie and Halas]

Adina's comment about Boca being calm when she's out reminded me of something. People don't seem to distinguish between calm and obedient or between hyper and disobedient. Boca is very obedient, but Adina said she's not calm at home. Regarding flyball dogs, we hear a lot of this. "Flyball dogs are hyper! Out of control!" People then sometimes assume that this means the dogs are also disobedient.  Nothing can be further from the truth. A flyball dog runs away from it's owner, right by another dog, goes over 4 jumps, hits the box, catches the ball flying at his face, makes his turn on the box, and runs back over the same 4 jumps, right by another dog again, and to his owner, where he can finally drop the ball and get his reward. All of this while another team does the same thing a few feet away, and dozens of people and other dogs are in or around the racing area. Flyball dogs have to be very obedient, but a lot of them are very hyper or at least wound up right before a race. So there is a difference between hyper and disobedient. Just because this woman thinks her dog is hyper doesn't mean he can't be obedient. Take him to obedience classes and then find some activity for him to channel his energy. He may still be hyper at times, but with even a little obedience training, he could learn when it's OK to use that energy.