Some people drive our doodle crazy - what to do?

[Trevor]

Hi everyone,

Our ALD Sepp is 8.5 months old. We have had him since he was 10 weeks old, and he is generally doing great - no behavioral problems, super friendly with people and dogs alike, calm around the house...

We could not ask for more - except in certain situations with certain people. There are a few people that drive him CRAZY. He gets so uncontrollably excited that he won't listen to commands (which he usually does - at least for a short moment), squirms when picked up to put him in a time-out to calm him down (usually works) and goes from a reasonably well-behaved puppy to a complete maniac. Unfortunately, one of these people is his new dog walker. It's pretty embarrassing how little control we have over him whenever she comes by the house to pick him up ;) She is a trainer that follows the "positive reinforcement only" approach, and he pretty much behaves the way he wants around her (jumps up non-stop which he never does to anyone else, barks brattily for attention etc.)! I cannot imagine that he behaves better on the actual walks.

There are one or two other people that make him explode like this. What do we do in these situations? Tougher corrections? Finding a new walker (would be a shame because she seems like a great and caring person)? Waiting for these issues to resolve themselves? Avoiding situations that get him so worked up altogether?

Any advice would be appreciated!

P.S.: I love this site. Such a big help since we got Sepp.

[Rosemary (Ro) and Enzo]

Yikes....Sepp sounds very much like Enzo and about the same age. We have a neighbor who effects Enzo this way. And we have encountered people , out and about, that have the same effect. For us, it is those with high pitch voices and who get all excited over seeing her Enzo loses it! I use to be very polite and correct Enz. Now, I tell people ( even when they say, it's ok if she jumps on me) they can not pet her until she is sitting and keeping all 4 on the floor!
Not sure what I would do with the dog walker. Surprised she allows this.
Anxious to hear others thoughts.

[BG and Gavin]

There were/are certain neighbours who had this effect on Gavin.  He mellowed on them with age, but it is still noticeable.  I would enlist the help of the dog walker in his "new training program."  Ask her to completely ignore him until he settles down and holds his commands.  If she is a positive only trainer she should understand this logic.

[jenn D]

My mom illicits this behavior from our doodles. Is all due to her high pitched excited voice that she has with them and her body language frantically reaching down to hug and pet them. I've told her to talk lower and slower and be like a tree.when she does this they calm but she has a hard time controlling her own behavior around them. Sorry,no help but I understand.

[Trevor]

Ah yes, the people with the high-pitched voices...throw in some hectic body movements and you have one crazy doodle. I also run into this problem with our neighbors' kid.

The interesing thing about our dog walker is that she is a rather calm person with a deeper voice ;) Yet, our guy gets completely crazy. The things that usually work - if just for a moment - don't work. I wonder if it is because she keeps interacting with him to calm him down, bending down and saying "hey" and so on. Completely ignoring him and "being a tree" sounds like great advice. I am wondering how to tell her though - after all, she's the licensed trainer ;)

It's nice to hear that we are not alone though...

[Lynda Kamrath]

I think he is just excited when he sees the dog walker and is looking forward to an outing.  My ALD is the same way with many people.  And he is almost four years old.  I think it is just something with this breed.  My other doodles were never like that.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Roo is a complete maniac when my children visit, although at six is getting better - it is a relative thing.  Drives me nuts

Tigger is generally calm with everyone.  They both ALDs and brothers.  Just the genetic lottery at work!

It helped Roo to put his crate right by the front door and put him in before opening the door.  Waiting awhile and then letting him out to greet.

[Julie and Max]

I think that would bother me, because if he thinks he can do this, you may end up having more trouble with him over time if he tries to get away with it with you. It sounds like with her actions she is reinforcing his bad behavior and as a trainer she should really know better. I don't have trouble with high pitched voices, but Max goes nuts for teenage boys or anyone with a dog. Haven't started working on the dog thing too much yet, but I walk by the school and I am sure some of those boys think I'm the crazy doodle lady cause I'll say "are you afraid of dogs? if they're not I'll ask them to stop and pet Max but not until he's in a sit, the kids are really good about waiting too, and he will sit. He cries and shivers and just about comes out of his skin but he will sit and let them pet him. I do what Ro does, nobody is allowed to pet him till he has all fours on the floor. It's much harder training the people that come to visit than it is training him!

[Deborah Brown]

I think it's odd that a trainer would encourage this behavior.  But I also understand what it's like to have excited doodles.  We do two things.  

The first is easiest.  Before answering the door, the doodles are gated a few feet from the door.  For us this is the entrance to the next room.  Once the person is in the house and the dogs settle down, they can great the guest.  They are ignored until they are quiet.  I find it's a lot easier to ignore a doodle who isn't jumping in your face.

The second is when there is no gate or it's too late.  Then I hold Penny's collar forcing her on two feet and pet, hug, love her up.

I wish I could say that I've trained my doods to welcome guests without the craziness but it hasn't happened yet.