Perfect Puppy-calm before the storm?

[Lovemydoodle]

Hi,  

So I'v lived with my pup for 2 months now and he's been perfect.  He has lost and grown out most of his puppy teeth and he hasn't chewed anything of mine. He just hoards everything and puts it on his bed.  He leaves my shoes alone and just seems to know what is a toy and what is mine.

He has been sleeping out of his crate for the past month with no problems with 0 accidents.  He's completely potty trained and even gets his leash when he wants to go outside and rings the bell. (video on my page)

He is super well socialized , doesn't jump up on people or even try to bite my hands or ankles and is super obedient..

The problem?  It's eerie and weird. I'm expecting him to go throughout his rebellion stage, he's been so good that I feel like this is the calm before the storm.  

My Dad's doodle ate thousands of dollars worth of stuff and I'v talked to other puppy owners who lament on how their puppies are a menace and wondering if mine will go throughout this as well?

Has anyone else experienced the perfect puppy , does it pretty much stay this way it is or is this the calm before the storm?

It just seems too easy , and i'm def. not used to easy so i'm suspicious.... 

I'v never had a big dog before , 

Thanks in advance for reading,

Background:

5 month old puppy

not neutered(yet)/ male 

[Bonnie and Kona]

I think the longer time with the Mom and litter mates can be very beneficial. That being said, we got our perfect puppy at 7 1/2 weeks. Kona just was a dream pup and is a dream dog at 7 years...our heart dog for sure. And Owen is our clown. 

[Kate, Mel, Tenley & Harper]

My Tenley is just like that. Everything you said is true for him, too. He did start testing me a little more around 7.5 months, but that only lasted for a week. He has been such a breath of fresh air. Love him!

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Ragley is exactly like Tenley and your puppy. She is absolutely perfect, but did begin to have a little phase of "you're not the boss of me" attitude when we are outside playing in the yard. Even with that, though, she is still amazing. I just try to enjoy every  minute!

[Lovemydoodle]

I'm expecting a little stubbornness and pushing the boundaries when he does go through his teenage years.  I scheduled his neuter for next month so that his budding hormones don't get the best of him and change his disposition. 

[Nancy and Georgia Brown]

Enjoy your perfect dog. I have heard that pups sometimes have a rebellious teenage stage, but if your dog is great at this point it's probably not going to be too dramatic if at all.

Georgia was ridiculously calm as a puppy. Everyone thought I had her drugged she was that calm. The dog trainer that led our puppy classes told me about a rescue dog she adopted that was a super calm dog. She learned that it wasn't calm but really sick and once it got better it wasn't calm at all. So my natural paranoid personality thought "my dog must be sick!" But that wasn't the case.

She's 8.5 months old now. She has had free reign of the house since about 3 months and left alone for up to 5 hours with no issues. No accidents in the house since 9 weeks even when at 3 months she had about 3 weeks of serious diarrhea issues. Her dog toys are all in tact. She does have a few issues but what dog doesn't. I love her to death.

[Lovemydoodle]

OMG thaaaaaank you !  It's exactly how I'v been feeling , like there is something wrong with him for being so calm and mellow.... and people have asked me if he's on benedryl because he IS so calm.

I feel more comfortable letting him loose for longer in the house after reading your experiences... thank you for sharing this!

I'v been reading so many bad experiences that I was starting to think there was something wrong with mine , I guess he's  just an old soul and I am grateful I got lucky .  

Again thank you so much for sharing and putting my mind at ease.

[Bonnie and Kona]

Kona, our first Goldendoodle was scary good too. People could not believe him. He has always had an "old soul". He is sensitive to our desires and is eager to please. Goldendoodle number 2, Owen, was hell-on-paws. He has been the most challenging dog we've ever owned and we've had many dogs (4 at a time for years!). So we are learning that Owen really thrives with structure in his life. Kona is best left to figure out how to please us on his own. He is highly offended by scolding and it's hard for him when Owen is in trouble. He has to check to be sure he's still the "good dog". We love them both and are very grateful that at almost four years we are getting a handle on how to manage Owen. ;o)

Enjoy your good boy. He might get into trouble as he hits adolescence but it still won't be like your dad's doodle. Each one is unique.

[Lovemydoodle]

Such a great perspective.  I'm amazed every time I read and experience how they all have their own personality and the philosophical nature vs. nurture  debate . 

I love the Hell on paws reference, and commend you on your patience :)

Thanks for sharing :) I'm super happy I'm not alone and got lucky . 

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

I saw that your fave thing to do with him is train him. I would think that is why! He probably really respects you! Keep up the great work and give the rest of us some tips ;)

[Lovemydoodle]

I'm 100lbs and people keep telling me that his paws are big and he'll weigh almost 50 when he grows up. Since only one of us is going to be doing the growing,  it's IMPERATIVE that he respects me because I don't think I'll be able to control him when he gets full grown.  They say that raising a child/pet is only hard if you care, but I care and it's been easy... 

I've subscribed to Dr. Sophia's Yien's book "The perfect puppy in 7 days" but have never had to put him on a leash like she suggests.  

I do have him sit for everything and because we live in an apartment , we train (I like the  "training positive" guy on youtube) to keep him stimulated and I walk him ALOT to compensate for not having a yard.  I also eat before him and make him wait before being released to eat his food.  

I reward him every time he makes eye contact with either a treat or a loving acknowledgment because apparently making eye contact in a positive way  is not natural to them.

I don't allow him on the furniture or sleep with him (as much as I want to) because the research I'v done suggests that mimicking the Alpha dogs behavior of always being the one at the higher more comfortable place in the house/den reinforces the dogs submissiveness and lets them know who is "boss".  The literature suggests I wait until he's 1 before letting him up on furniture.  

I didn't think these types of interactions would contribute so much to his low maintenance disposition ... It's just been too easy 

But then again, I DO have a toilet trained Devon Rex... 

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Aha! I knew you had to be a great leader. I will check out Sophia Yien. Am desperately trying to learn how to be a good leader here, myself as good leader equals good puppy, imho. Thx for the info!

[Lovemydoodle]

I think you'll really enjoy her book, I got it for my kindle and it's been super useful.  I particularly like her because she's a veterinarian and a behaviorist who outlines the difficulties she had raising her own Jack Russell from hell .  

I'm just so scared of being a bad mama.  I don't have kids of my own and trying so hard not to unintentionally develop bad habits with him...so i'v been swimming in information and research trying to do things right.