Doodle behavior or just Mindy being Mindy?

[Jen St. Louis]

Our sweet, insane, recently-turned-one Goldendoodle, Mindy, has always been a funny pup. Funny ha-ha, not funny odd. Well, maybe funny odd, but I'm not sure... That's kinda my question.

 

Mindy spends an inordinate amount of time on her back, and she's done this since she was just a baby. She sleeps on her back with her back legs splayed and her front feet tucked up to her chest. She rolls over for tummy rubs at the slightest indication a tummy rub is a possibility - from anyone, doesn't matter if she knows them or not. She lies on her back to wrestle with other dogs. And she lies on her back (and sometimes side), limp, when she doesn't want to do something. Have you ever tried to wrestle a prone, 50+-pound furball off the floor? Or the couch, for that matter? It's not easy. She goes completely limp so it's as hard as possible for us to move her.

 

So what I'm wondering is, do any of you see similar behavior in your Doods? Or is Mindy just weird? (Well, we know she's weird, and that's part of the reason we love her so much.)

 

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

Remington, our 80 doodle is on his back all the time... I don't know if this is just a doodle "thing" or what but I love seeing his big belly :)

[Jen St. Louis]

It really is cute to see them like that, isn't it? :)

 

[Jaime and Barley Barker]

Barley is almost 90 pounds and continues to do this. I was recently told by my trainer that he is the "laziest dog" she's ever met. His default position is to lie down and as someone approaches, or if he even thinks someone might be approaching, he'll roll over on his back. I call it "paying the toll with a roll and a rub", as if he thinks, "Don't even think of walking past me without rubbing my belly!" He also rolls over when he doesn't want to do something. He'll go limp, so I can't lift him or upright him. When I used to crate him, he would quickly drop and roll. Finally, I started dragging him by the front legs from the family room to his crate. So, Mindy is definitely not weird for a doodle. In fact, I think I even saw a slideshow on Doodlekisses showing doodles on their backs and calling it the "classic doodle pose."

[Jen St. Louis]

I have to drag her across the floor by her front legs, too! And she just lies there. It's hilarious!

[Becka]

Ah, passive resistance--Sadie knows about this too!

[Kristine and Charlie]

Oh yeah...my Charlie, who is a 1 year old 60lb Goldendoodle, has slept like this from day 1.  I catch him in this position a couple of times a day...it's definitely a 'doodle' thing.  :)

[Jen St. Louis]

So happy to know it's an overall Doodle thing. Thanks so much! :)

[Carol and Banjo]

That's so cute!    Show us some pics!

[Merrie Lynn & Buddy]

Ionly WISH our doodle would do that.  He is so high energy that he is always ready to get up and go!   That has to be so cute.  Just love those bellies!

[Becka]

Sadie often sleeps on her back and has since she was a little puppy.

[Sheri and Curly]

Curly, my puppy who is 4 months, does all of those things! He does it in the car, when we get somewhere and he doesnt want to get out, he rolls onto his back! Haha... and I have to drag him out, I am going to be in trouble when he gets any bigger!

My friend has his sister and she dominates him when they play because he is constantly rolling on his back! :)

 

[Melody & Bruin]

I have an extremely lazy baby 4 month old doodle too, who loves to lay on his back (I think it's a 'doodle" thing).  He will also lay on his back in Petsmart when other big dogs approach him...it's sort of embarrassing and funny.  I think he is afraid of big dogs, especially if they come with big barks!