Calling all Naughty Doodles!

[Sandy]

Okay - I seriously need to see that Toby is not the only non-perfect doodle out there! So many times people write about how wonderful their dogs are, how well behaved, etc. I need to know that there are other dogs Toby's age (14 months) that a) jump up on people, even though they know full well they are not supposed to, b) pull on their leash when they really, really want to go see something, even though they have passed obedience school demonstrating that they DON'T do this, and c) completely ignore my commands when in public if their is something more interesting going on.

Toby is truly a work in progress, and I love him dearly. We work hard at being consistent in our commands and expectations. But....today has not been a good day. We're bringing him to my Mom's for Thanksgiving dinner tonight, but we're only 7 minutes from home, so if we have a repeat performance, he'll be coming home to spend Thanksgiving evening in his crate....

[Wendy and Eddie]

Here's a picture that might help you feel better!

[Sandy]

Ha, ha. :)

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

I had the perfect dog but not anymore. Yankee was an angel from the first day that we got him at 8 weeks. He never chewed anything but toys and only his toys. He was out of his crate at 3 months old. He went to puppy class and still obeys those commands. (most of the time). He didn't jump on anyone etc etc. BUT NOW, he is doing these things because Finn is doing these things.

I was told that puppies learn from the older dog but it is the reverse in my house. Yankee now jumps on people because Finn does. Yankee actually walked through a mud puddle this weekend for the first time because Finn does it. I usually say "go around" and he does. He has turned into a real brat. It is driving me crazy.

[Stella]

I totally agree with this. Hartley (almost two) has definitely regressed lately. I think that because Chase (10 months) is such a brat and is taking so much of our attention as we try to train him, that Hartley is taking advantage of the situation and returning to his own bad puppy habits that we thought had been cured - jumping up on people, yanking and chasing after boys on skateboards etc etc!! Chase barks at everything that moves - very embarassing when on last nights walk he was barking and lunging at a 4 month old puppy that sat like a rock at his owners feet. Whatever we do, we can't get a handle on his on leash greetings with other dogs. I love my boys dearly, but there are some days when I feel I don't have as much time as I should to spend with each pf them individully for training,

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Thanks for this post. My dogs just like my children, my MIL's children(7), etc. all seem to improve with age. That is my age! The further back their puppyhood, childhood the better they were! Isn't it great to remember mostly the best parts. Even as I write this my DH is saying to the two doods "What have you got". Just last week it cost me $252 at the vet to make them vomit after they counter surfed and helped themselves to a visiting nephew's seizure meds. But if you ask me I will tell they are really good - except they do jump up, ( but they are gettting better - I have been saying this ever since I got them). Oh yeah - and there was the incident 10 days or so ago with the loose pit bulls and Roo hit the end of his leash like a runaway railroad car, barking. But he walks great on a loose leash. Don't really count when they sneak out the back door to the pool even though they always (almost) wait to be invited. YEP! My dogs are just about perfect - almost.

[Sandy]

Toby really is good on a leash - but not yesterday. I guess I just want him to be good ALWAYS on a leash, not just in "normal" situations. He is curled up beside me on the couch (yes, I let him on the furniture), and I am thinking "How could I have been angry with him yesterday?" And we met my Mom's neighbours 12 week old puppy yesterday, who totally stared him down into submission. So funny.

[Elizabeth]

I don't know what u guys are talking about... Sophie is PERFECT...
Perfectly un- perfect! A picture is worth a thousand words lol...
I'm telling you, all you have to do is take a mild mannered, submissive dog that is friendly to all dogs and people... and give her her sight back! Boy do things change.. I tell you, every day I am thankfull for all of the people that have helped Sophie, but some days I have to remind myself of that when she jumps up onto the window to "get that squirrel" out in the yard, and the window pane falls off. At least it didn't shatter and my husband could fix it! Oh boy could I tell you stories!!

[Sandy]

Ha, ha! I guess she needed to see out the window. :)

[Corinna and Krimmi]

Thank you for starting this post. It does sound like so many people have the "perfect" doodle but alas there seem to be just as many of us who don't, including me. Our Aussiedoodle is now 12 month old, did 2 obedience classes (he was a superstar) but behaves like a total brat when we walk him and meet up with other dogs. He picks up everything he can get in his mouth on our walks and I am getting tired of scanning the road ahead of him calling out repeatedly "leave it, leave it, leave it" lol
I don't know how much gum I have pulled from the back of his throat on our walks (disgusting) We too had thanksgiving at the inlaws cottage and he was wired for sound, just uncontrollable. Thank God we brought his crate. Yesterday we went for another Thanksgiving dinner and he was the PERFECT family dog. Believe me, this is the first time I have said that. There was kids and adults playing football in the back field (my other inlaws 10 acre property) He ran around with 2 other dogs the whole time and didn't cause any trouble. During dinner we crated him and he slept. I guess you never know what you're going to get day to day with these doodles. Today may be a totally different story. You're not alone!!!!!

[Sandy]

Yes - yesterday morning - brat and a half at the football game - so much so that we took him home. Gave me looks that told me he was incredibly sorry all afternoon, and then at my Mom's with 9 people and a visit with a puppy to meet, he was an angel. Go figure. I love him, that's all I know.

[shelly]

YAY for you KRIMMI!!! AND Corinna - lol. See he's growing up! Just takes these "Burkharters" a bit (well.. MUCH) longer! Hope you had a good Thanksgiving! Did you get any snow yet?! It's mighty chilly down here for October! Glad to hear Krimmi's doing well. I think they just have so much energy that the running around is just what the doctor ordered. Just not feasible most of the time! ~Shelly

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

O.K. this is the 3rd time I have tried to write this, it keeps disappearing from my laptop, don't know what I am doing wrong. Anyhow, I might suggest keeping a body harness on your pup while he is in the house and see if it helps. I know it should not be left on all the time, but when Ditzy Mitzi (her name fits her personality) misbehaves the harness calms her down immediately. It is best to leave it on only when he can be watched so he doesn't get caught on anything. We see an immediate change in Mitzi with her harness and/or leash on, she actually is well behaved while wearing it. We use the gentle leader type body harness as neither the face leader nor the collar worked. We never let her wear it for long periods of time, maybe she feels "dressed up" when she is in it, and behaves like a lady.