Anyone here have 3 doodles?

[jenn D]

If you have 3 doodles can you tell me your story about how you got them and what their personalities and ages are? We still have Jake here and my hubby is falling for him but I was planning on getting a red girl from my breeder as a friend for brisby.

Both boys are pretty good albeit puppyish still.
Thanks.
Jenn

[Deborah Brown]

I have three because we also wanted a red girl.  LOL!

Our first doodle was Charlie.  He is a black Australian labradoodle.  He is 6 now and very sweet and laid back.  He was a manic puppy, however, and a very busy chewer.  When he was young, it seemed he always wanted a friend to play with.  I arranged play dates and searched out other dogs at the park.  We got involved with IDOG and had quite a few fosters stay with us.  Charlie loved them all.

Eventually Wayne came to us.  He is a cream goldendoodle.  He was 10 months old and severely fear aggressive.  He spent three hours in our backyard looking sad before I could approach him.  I discovered he loved tennis balls and then we were friends. Although a troubled dog, Wayne was the most affectionate dog we'd ever had.  He needed months of therapy and I was terrified of him getting in the "system" and being put down.  It wasn't long before I knew he was our dog.

Wayne is 9 months younger than Charlie and for years we were a small but happy pack.  The dogs are really good together and Wayne has turned into a real gem.  He still doesn't like strangers to touch him but otherwise does well.

I always had that red doodle fantasy and we were talking about it last fall.  DH said we should go ahead and do it.  I did some research and it seemed that it would be easier for the boys to accept a new dog while they were still fairly young.  (They are 6 and 5 now.)  DH also wanted a puppy thinking the pup wouldn't come with all the baggage that Wayne did.  

We brought Penelope home last November.  Immediately the boys were wary of her.  I guess they could tell from the start that she was trouble.  ;)  It was a really difficult time.  She wasn't reliable about potty training until she was about 6 months so I was constantly on guard with her.  

Penelope is an Irish Goldendoodle, 1/4 irish setter, 1/4 golden, 1/4 poodle.  She is absolutely beautiful and full of energy.  She is head strong and determined and rules the pack.  She just turned one a couple weeks ago.  We think she will grow into a wonderful companion.  

I will NEVER get a puppy again.

[Cyndi, The Boys & Callie]

We have three (cream, red and black) and all were from the same breeder.  We always intended to have two close in age (that was Tank and Sully).  Beau (the black) was about a year later and the chocolate girl that I wanted turned into a black boy:).  Tank and Sully were two this summer and Beau was one in July.

In our experience, going from one to two was a piece of cake.  Going from two to three was very different. Tank and Sully were very bonded and I assumed it would just extent to Beau.  Wrong. Tank especially had a tough time with accepting Beau.   We all got some on-site training and it's worked out very well within a week or two from the start of training.  Now,   they all get along very well and interact great as everyone has their own "place".  

Tank (who is Alpha) and Beau are high energy and love to play fight, play chase and I've never seen either get totally tired. Tank loves to irritate Beau and see him get mad (think older brother irritating younger brother by rubbing the top of his head. ) Sully on the other hand is a couch potato and loves nothing better than to snuggle and watch Tank & Beau. They are all very different and I liken them to well known personalities.  Tank is the JR Ewing of the doodle world.  He's very smart, stubborn and if he does not meet your expectations, he feels you should just your expectations.  Sully is Woody Allen (before the whole Soon-Yi thing), worries about everything and can be timid with new people.   Beau is Matthew Broderick in Risky Business. He is a sweetheart and tries to do the right thing but if he misses the mark, doesn't really worry about it and runs off to play with a ball.     It is work and was tough at the start but now we would not have it any other way.  If one is gone to the groomer, the other two mope and wait by the door.  Oddly enough, if one is gone, it seems too quiet.  Good luck

[Deborah Brown]

Love your descriptions.  We also call Charlie the Oscar Wilde of the doodle world. :)

[Nancy - Opal, Meadow & Tariki]

Well written! I agree that the progression from 2 to 3 as far as the people are concerned is much more difficult. My husband is good with one... fine with 2, but I don't see him travelling alone with 3. To be honest... I do it... but its a TON of work. you can walk 2 dogs on leash for a potty break... three? Forget it.

but like you... I would not change a thing, Love my kidz.

[Nancy - Opal, Meadow & Tariki]

I have 3 ALD's... all from the same breeder. Cream, Parchment and Black.

I have 2 girls that are litter mates and 6.5 years old now. Last year the breeder was looking for a home for another dog that might have been difficult to place. We offered to take that dog... and instead ended up being guardian to another... which, as it happens, is the son of one of my girls. He is 2.5. We weren't actually looking for a third dog... funny how that happens.

Opal (my cream girl) is the ultimate in a confident dog... doesn't care what another dogs needs.. just does it and moves on.... knows when to do what. Meadow (my parchment girl) is a bit fearful... and will also make the moves necessary with another dog but it costs her to roll over etc. She is a little bigger and more aggressive in her play. She was going to be our problem with a new dog.

We made a plan for integration.... I took one of my girls for a walk up our street in the country and the breeder was walking up the street too (wink wink), so we just strolled up the street and back with the 2 dogs and they were buds there after. I knew his mother wouldn't have an issue with him... she doesn't have an issue with anyone. So I left the other 2 alone together as often as possible... maybe too much as Tariki (my black boy - is that PC?) sometimes has problems separating when I call Meadow and when I call him.

He was 11 months old when we got him... very polite (no eye contact), and you could only approach him from the side and not reach for him at all. CHASE ME was his favourite game. He knew how to stir up trouble with the girls right away and also how to diffuse it. He is a breath of fresh air here and you can see that he is grateful to be in a home. He has come a long way in a year and a half, his nickname is Squeaky, Sneaky Tariki Pee Pants. He loves to steal toys, loves the squeaker, is silent when he wants to sneak around... and well... hey... his pee pose looks more like a double jointed yoga move.... thus he sprays himself.

I try to separate them all regularly so that the pack does not become stronger than any bond with me. Needless to say the young boy knows how to get what he wants from me... he's such a little mush... and I love him dearly. He is VERY smart and so I enrolled him in agility lessons right away. It made me step up my training of the other girls and now we are addicts. The dogs love to go to 'work'. It has strengthened my bond with the other dogs in the process.

We love to travel with the dogs both motelling and RVing. The motels/hotels love us and they can't believe there is no dog hair. RVing has become a bit more difficult as most parks have a 2 dog rule. We are lucky to have a kennel that will offer us a break in price... but its still expensive. THAT'S the only down side to 3 dogs. Ha ha ha... and so really if 3 makes that difference... what does it matter if you have 4? J/K

So that is our story.... in the short form?

They are great together. I consider myself very lucky.

[Lynda Kamrath]

We sometimes have three doodles, but not all the time.  We have two doodles, but take care of some other dogs when their families are away for extended times (Germany, India, China, Russia).  Our large goldendoodle is 30 inches tall and weighs 85 pounds but is very loving and sweet.  We also have a 50-lb. ALD and our guest dogs are somewhere in between the sizes of our two dogs.  So, these were our problems:

     1) transportation - we have a large Ford Freestyle that has the back secured for the dogs (two crates were taken apart and installed in the back of the car).  It fits three dogs comfortably for short trips (the beach and local area parks).

     2) walking - always a problem with three dogs.  We have started keeping one dog on leash and leaving the other(s) free.  They will not roam far if one dog is with us.  Harpo is on leash in the natural areas around here because of the possibility of poison oak under the oak trees.  He actually gets poison oak and has had it several times this year.  Groucho Too is on leash at the beach areas because if he is with me then Harpo will not go in the water.  If I want them to go in the water, I leave them both off leash but then I have to give them baths when we get home. (Another consideration - hot to bathe three dogs.)  We also have a special leash made by my husband that is a retractable leash with a split leash on the end (for walking two dogs).  They each have about 18 inches on their side of the leash and the center attaches to the retractable leash.  That way they cannot get crossed and it is easier to handle.  They can stay right with you or explore a little bit if it is safe.

     3) BTL - we also have bike tow leashes for the dogs and sometimes take them out with us when we are biking in a natural area.  The BTL is attached to the back wheel and they cannot pull your bike over.  We have used them on the pavement, but you have to be really careful about their paws.  Pavement can be hot and can wear on their pads.  We stop and check pads frequently.  It is really better on dirt trails than on pavement or gravel.

So, check out my photos on my page.  It is doable, but there are some considerations, especially if you are out and about with your dogs.  We also have  a  great area behind our house for their dog run and a back deck where we can leave the dogs if we will be away for a while (like today).  They are comfortable and have beds on the deck and in the laundry area where they can rest.

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

We also have three GD's (all blonde).

Their picture is the "Group Picture".

Boomer - our first, now 7 came from a breeder in NC.  One of our SIL's neighbors had a doodle from the breeder and there was only one left in the current litter.  He has the sweetest personality. (Boomer is 27 inches and about 85 pounds)

About a year later -Shayna - our daughter wanted a small dog, so we found someone breeding "mini" doodles.  Shayna's father was an 8 pound poodle and her mother was a 40 pound F1 GD.  Shayna is about 42 pounds and 24 inches - not a "mini".  She is the protector of everyone.

 

Well another year goes by and we hear of a doodle (one of Boomer's brothers from a later litter) that had an accident, leaving him blind and with other neurological problems, that needed a home.  Mariner came to us when he was about 5 months old.  A little blind scared guy.  Within a couple weeks he was navigating around the house.  Both Boomer and Shayna "watch out" for him.  Happily Mariner has regained functional eyesight and we have his seizures under control.

Mariner is 24 inches and about 95 pounds.  We are working on trying to get his weight down.

 

Each of them is special in their own way.  Just like with children you love all of them - no matter what.

 

By the way Boomer and Mariner are biological brothers to Sully - the doodle that used to do agility and beat cancer.

Mariner was the inspiration behind setting up the "Seizure Group" .

[Sandi Ebert]

I recently became the owner of a 3rd doodle.  Our story begins with the loss of our much loved sheltie, Austin.  He crossed the rainbow bridge at just 8 yrs old.  My husband, my autistic adult son and I were just devastated.  I knew the end was coming near and I was researching what kind of dog that had the traits I desired in another dog.  The same day that I sent my sweet Austin over the rainbow bridge, was the same day we brought home our first doodle, Fred, at 8 weeks old.  He came from an ad in our local paper and was with an Amish family.  Fred helped us all out of our grief and mourning.  We miss and will always love our Austin, but Fred was a wonderful pup to have when he came to us.  He was a rambunctious little spirit. When he was 14 weeks old, I looked at the paper again, and found that his brother was still out there for sale.  We went and got him. Of course, you cannot have a Fred without a Barney.  So Fred and Barney came to live in the spring of 2012.  They are brothers from the same litter.  I always look on rescue sites and craigslist to try to get doodles adopted.  Last month I just happened to look on our local craigslist. There was a female doodle, 4 1/2 months old.  Of course I had to go get her.  I was surprised how easy my husband was about letting me get one more doodle. Hence, last month, little Wilma came to live with us. She was not in a good situation and when I actually got the paperwork from the boy who had her, she came from the same Amish family as Fred and Barney.  They even have the same father!  Wilma was meant to come to us!

I had forgotten how active puppies are!  She is keeping Fred and Barney on their toes for sure.  We had Wilma spayed last Friday and it is challenging to keep her apart from her brothers.  They have all blended well and are a joy to come home to at the end of the work day.  My husband is retired and my autistic adult son are both home all day, so it is rare that Fred, Barney and Wilma are ever alone.

When my kids were young I always wanted a pup for them, but never felt it fair because we were all gone during the day and busy with activities at night.  Once my youngest (who is at home with us) graduated high school, only then did I indulge in a dog.....and we have now grown to 3 and I would not change a thing!  However, Wilma will be our last puppy and there will not be a Betty in our future!