Question About "Play Style"...

[Robin & Josie]

I take Josie to a puppy playgroup on Monday evenings. She's been at least four times (so she started at about 13 weeks and is now 17 weeks). There are all different breeds and sizes of puppies - between 5 and 7 usually show up. She's been one of the smaller ones there, but she's grown a bit, of course (she's probably about 9 lbs. now).

Almost all the other dogs are a bit cautious. They approach the other puppies "politely" and slowly.

Josie, on the other hand, starts this high pitch barking as soon as she sees where we are. She just can't wait to get into this closed off area. Once she gets in, she continues this high pitched barking (which is, by the way, extremely annoying to me and I'm sure, everyone else)...She races around the space like a little rocket and then jumps all over all the other dogs. Occasionally, there will be a dog that will join in, but mostly, it seems like they just tolerate her :(

The trainer says that she's not aggressive and that it's normal playing, but I'm beginning to wonder.

Then, this morning, we met a mini Goldendoodle on our walk, and she exhibited the exact same behavior. They rolled all over each other and had a great time. Then a Cockapoo showed up and she joined in as well (the other two dogs are both about a year old - both also minis).

So my question is: Do you see this style of play with your Doodles? Is this just Dood-ly type behavior or do I need to be concerned. I'm bringing her to an interview at a Doggie Day Care nearby next week, because I think she could use some more socialization with other dogs (she's getting plenty with all kinds of people). I wonder if being around older dogs will help her to be more polite (by them correcting her rambunctiousness like her mom might). I'm afraid they might not accept her because of her craziness.

Ordinarily, I bring her to work with me, where I hope to have her be a therapy dog with my older adult residents. They all love her and she doesn't bark at them. She does, however, bark at the other dogs in the building, wanting to play, I think. They don't usually want to play with her, though.

So what do you all think? Does this sound at all familiar? Otherwise, she's a normal puppy...active, sleeps, active, sleeps. Very affectionate and playful.

Thanks in advance!

[Emily Lau]

Hello! :)

Josie seems like such a darling!!!

Earnest is 9 months now, and he is still that excited when he sees other dogs. He is very friendly, but he just LOVES dogs... so instead of do this high pitch barking, he starts almost every encounter with a play bow and a PLAY WITH ME bark.... if the other party is not interested, he'd run around that dog and bark and bark and bark.... if the other dog shows any interests, it would be "play play play...french kiss... play play play... french kiss.."...... LOL.

He does that all day at daycare too, and all the other dogs adore him.

Otherwise, perfect, perfect boy. Loved by everyone. Never barked at anybody. He is even sweet with infants.

So...I guess my answer in short is... YES it sounds familiar....  I hope my Earnest will be a therapy dog one day too!

:)

So, hugs to you, and congrats on having a lovely doodle! It is a GOOD thing she loves other dogs! I hope the franticness will get better over time :) x

[Lindsay n Archie]

Archie is like 60 lbs now and 7 months, and definatly not "polite". He always plays very rough and tumble.  Its not just a breed thing.  He wrestles and goes crazy, running until he crashes into something, with other dogs.  If another dog doesnt like him, they let him know. Im not sure if Archie just knows who is also a crazy puppy so he can play, or if they can talk in dog talk or soemthing, but he does tend to stay clear of dogs he knows probably wont like him!!!  Teh more socilization, NOT just with nice and friendly dogs (obvioulsy dont put her in harms way) but maybe a nice older dog- my sisters dog like a 80 lbs lab mix is 10 ish, and pretty much hates his cousin Archie. He tolarates him, but will let him know quickly if he is coming to close.  Just bring her around different dogs and she will  learn.  Plus shes so young!

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

Sounds like typical puppyness that she will outgrow eventually.  My two were really rambuncious early on and now as they mature (two and almost two) they are settling down "some" except when they play with each other, LOOK OUT!  Ü  We hit the dog park/beach at least 3-4 times a week and with consistancy that craziness softens.  Enjoy this time, like kids they grow up so fast!

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

Oh yeah, this sounds familiar. *grin* I call Lachlan my "engineer dog" because of his complete lack of canine social skills - not that he's not a total social butterfly (OMD he so is!) but that he completely misses the social cues from other dogs. His way of saying hello is to dive right into another dog's face, which to many dogs is actually quite rude. He went through two full puppy-social-class series in hopes that he'd start to pay more attention to those sorts of social conventions but nope, he still does it as an adult despite having been on the receiving end of many a HOW RUDE! snarl and snap.

Another trainer floated a hypothesis that I find fascinating (and had never occurred to me) - that different types of breeds (retriever vs. herding, say) actually speak somewhat different languages and have different social norms. She feels that Lachlan's way of greeting is perfectly normal and appropriate for a highly social retriever.

Curiously, and supporting that theory, my boyz have had play-dates with other doodles and they have all, without exception, greeted each other in exactly the same in-your-face manner. Food for thought, huh?

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

Oh Jen you message had me giggling aloud.  My two girls are similiar and yet slightly difference (with the difference in breeds; Josie seems to have greyhound mixed with labradoodle according to a recent dna test)  Sassparilla, my true doodle, is in peoples faces all the time with a toy or ball, we call it "presenting the toy".  She won't let us have it but wants to get it as close to our face as possible to ensure we see it! lol  I find it absolutely adorable but most of my guests don't, go figure?  Josie on the other hand wants to kiss everyone in a sort of wash your face fashion.  They are different when meeting dogs but the real humor with them is with people.  Sassy seems to plow into dogs when she wants to meet them?  My sister has a golden retriever who can clear a dog park because he is so excited to meet every dog up close and personal and wants to play but is a really big boy!

[Jen, Lachlan, and Declan]

Laughing out loud here, Jolene! Too funny! Declan does the toy presenting thing too, especially every afternoon when I come home from work - he scrambles to find a toy, any toy, and then leaps up onto the grooming table so he can get that sucker right into my face ... and then puts one front paw on my shoulder while I tell him what an amazing toy it is! Lachlan's like Josie with people - he wants hugs and kisses and isn't gonna let up until he gets both.

When we're out in public Lachlan's the same - I kiss you! But Declan's a little different - he's still learning the whole canine/human communication thing and now he wants to rear up on his hind legs and put one front paw ever-so-gently on the stranger's shoulder while he looks at their face like it's the most fascinating thing he's ever seen.

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

Jen, now we are all laughing hysterically, we can totally picture Declan's face to face met and greet.