Who Knew: Molly The Herding Doodle

[Discussing Labradoodles & Goldendoodles]

Well it was quite the scene at 4 AM Wednesday morning. Let me set the picture. We live in a small village in rural Ontario. Our property is about 1 acre in size and backs onto what I refer to as the 100 acre wood. It's actually 185 acres of bush, scrub and trees. It's a great place to trek with the doodle and Mr. Jake goes out there to bark at the moon. Oh and it's full of all kinds of wild life including rabbits, deer, wild turkey, coyotoes and even wolves. Some pretty scary things actually.

Anyway, DH often wakes up at ungodly hours and sits at his laptop for a while reading the news and then heads back to bed. He usually lets all three out for a very early morning pee. Because it's winter, they normally only stay out for a short while and then are at the patio doors wanting back in.

Well this particular morning, Riley came back and even Mr. Jake cut short his barking session, but Molly she was out there for about 1/2 hour making all kinds of noise. DH finally plucked up the courage to go out with a flashlight to see what was up. Courage is needed to walk over the backyard as it is a sheet of ice, either courage or a pair of ice skates.

So what does he discover when he finally gets close to Molly? She is patiently herding a rather large raccoon to the back porch. She was keeping her distance but moving back and forth behind this fellow and barking and then moving him forward. I have no idea what she thought she was going to do with the creature. "Hey dad look what followed me home!!! Can I keep him?"

DH just about died of laughter and finally managed to grab Molly's collar and get her back to the house at which point the raccoon very quickly scurried away. Molly was very put out I can tell you.

So do your doodles like to herd things?

[Bonnie and Kona]

OMD (That's DK talk for Oh My Doodle!) The fact that Beasley is 8 and still full of shenanigans has us shaking in our boots! Our Owen is full of really bad ideas. He's 1 year 5 months, and we are hoping, hoping, hoping he gets with the program one of these days. ;o) He does make us laugh every day though!

[jen w.]

LOL I like the "really bad ideas" part! Your Owen may have a few more years to go before he abandons those "bad ideas", I'm afraid!

I hate to tell you this but when Beasley was 1, everyone told me to wait until he was 4. My dog friends assured me that he'd settle down. By the time he was 4, people were telling me to wait until he was 6. Now, he's approaching 8. The only difference I can see is that he settles down sooner than he used to! That means that if someone comes to visit, he "circles and wags and circles" for about 45 minutes before he "settles down". By then, the guests are usually exhausted from grabbing their drinks, food, etc.! I tie him to me like a puppy but that doesn't work too well when you're tending to guests! If you use a baby gate, he stands at the gate and barks and whines -- the old herding thing again. When I have people over, I have to get them to agree, verbally, not to sue me!! LOL

[shelly]

JEN ~ Beasley sounds a LOT like Tori when it comes to guests.  Whenever we have company - she's all excited - LOVES them, but they must sit down and NEVER get up... as soon as they get up to walk - she's all over them, barking at their legs. But - weird thing is - it's only with SOME people - not all.... would love to find out the reasons behind her 'choices'!  As far as specific herding - she constantly herds my youngest nephew from the time he was a baby... my nephew gets a kick out of it and delights in making Tori walk all over the house.  She totally guards him - though - not too much now, but more so when he was a toddler - it almost was scary... no one was allowed to pick him up

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

What a great story! Beasley's a hero!!!

[Pat and Traveler]

LOL about...."Can I keep him?"   Not sure what Trav would do about herding large animals, but you gotta love a dog that tries to herd a slug.  He's not playing with the red bone...  lol

[shelly]

so cute!  does he know one pounce would squish his new playmate like a mac truck would squash a watermelon???? LOL

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

A picture of the perfect Oregon Doodle...one who enjoys herding slugs!

[Pat and Traveler]

He had a wonderful time trying to get that slug to play with him--barked at it, danced around it--unfortunately, I think he did pounce on his little playmate.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

That's so sad! :(  It would have been a wonderful addition to your family. :)

[Pat and Traveler]

Uh, thanks, Ricki.  Trav will have to keep his little buddies outside.  lol

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

That is too funny - good thing it was a raccoon and not a skunk!  Our cat herds Jake all of the time along with whatever foster doodle is around.  Kitty Kramer loves his doodles but only on his terms.

I also love that commercial about the raccoon coming into the house.  As a matter of fact I am waiting for it to happen to my mother :o)  She loves to feed the wild life at her back door, does not wear her glasses as much as she should and has a big old kitty with rings around his tail ......you get the picture...LOL.