Might be getting a Labradoodle and need info

[jefrisk]

Hi Everyone,
I currently have an 11 month old Golden Retriever and have been looking to get him a playmate about his age. My husband and I were looking to either get another golden or a lab. But about half an hour ago I was informed that a friend knew of someone who was wanting to find a home for their Labradoodle that is about 10 months old. I really know nothing about the breed, and I know my husband will be skeptical. I have heard their temperments are more like labs and are non aggressive. So I need some feedback on the breed to share with my husband. Are they good with kids (we're having a baby in August)? How are they training wise? Apparently the current owners never trained him so he has some bad manners. Do they get along good with other animals? I'm supposed to be getting a piture of him sometime today, so I don't know what he looks like, though my friend said he is a light golden color. What should I look for when I go to see this dog and what questions should I ask? Thanks for all of your imput.

[Doodlesville]

Doodles are in my opinion easier to train then a retriver, with a older dog it depends on each individual dog that goes for any breed ,each are differnt and depends on how they were raised, in any case any older dog will require training no matter what you get in order to fit well with your family, and your lifestyle
It would tottally depend on how much you are willing to commit to the new dog, and what degree of training and socalization he has had to this point There is really no answer to your question with the minimal info we have

[annabelles mom]

I have had 4 labs in the past and loved them, I got a labradoodle (F1B) as I didnt want a shedder (F1B's are least likely to shed) anyhow, I love Annabelle, I've never had a poodle so I cannot compare her to a poodle, but she is very loving like my labs were.

Can you take your dog over to where this labradoodle is to see how the 2 get along?
10 months is still young so he is trainable, you would just have to work with him like you would with any puppy

I dont have any children around so can't say on that, but I know there are a lot of people here who have young children and their dogs are fine with the, again it's a training thing

Good luck and keep us posted

[jefrisk]

What is that you all love about your doodles?

[SadieFern]

They have the loyalty of a lab and the intelligence of a poodle (and lab). Their coats are so cool! They're total goof balls a lot of the time. Of course, you can't make a blanket statement about any breed but if you do some research, and reading on this site, you'll get an idea of why we love them.

[lmtoth2]

What is that you all love about your doodles?

I love that our doodles are playful and silly but also loving. I never had another dog so I have nothing to compare it to, but both of ours (especially Dexter) have us laughing everyday.

Most other labra and goldendoodles I've met have been incredibly smart and also quite goofy and playful. Ours have only been around small children a few times, but Dexter was running through the ocean with a 4 and 5 yr old a few weeks ago and was very gentle with them.

There are many good qualities about labradoodles...just remember they are smart and do need to be trained or they may outsmart you

Good luck with your decision - I would find out more about the dog's history to make sure he didn't have a bad background (especially since you have children).

[MaxandMe]

What's not to love

I have both goldendoodle and labradoodle.

The labradoodle has the friendliness, playfulness, sweet disposition, loves to play fetch and be with the family just like a golden retriever.
They're very smart and a wee bit of training goes a long ways into having a better mannered and happeir doodle. BIG PLUS they either don't shed or are very LOW shedding with fuzz balls lying around the baseboards.

if not read the last two blog articles I wrote and maybe you'll see why once you get a doodle, why we think they as special as they dog you already have

[blueteal]

I love Denver's temperment, he is the most kind
loving dog you can imagine. He is very gentle and smart
and easy to train.................
He lives with 9 cats and he gets along very well with other
animals, I have no little ones but the neighbour kids all love him
and he is very tender with children.
Like any dog they need obedience training as he may have come with this
wonderful temperment but I have done a lot of training with him.
Excercise is also key as too little and you have one big energized bunny
on your hands but keep him properly excercised and you will be fine.

[BSCK]

I've had Golden Retrievers, and my experience was that the first 24 months of their lives was just insane! I loved them both dearly, but they were really a handful and had to be watched every single second or else they were destroying the house. One ate our deck... literally. They also shed like crazy things - not their fault, but it made for a lot of work both in grooming and in house cleaning.

So when we adopted Daisy as a 1-year-old, I was braced for another endless puppyhood kind of experience like we had with the Goldens. It didn't happen! She is infinitely calmer than either Golden was at that age. She has never ONCE chewed anything that doesn't "belong" to her, and somehow even knows the difference between her stuffed toys and my daughter's stuffed animals. She is playful and exuberant and energetic, but she seems to get that there are times when she just has to calm down and snooze at our feet. She is, without a doubt, the smartest dog I've ever had and wants nothing so much as to please us.

Her coat is also wonderful. Very low-shedding, even when it's long, and when it gets hard to groom, I just take her and have it clipped. I think she looks adorable either way, but it is easier when it's short.

I think if you're looking for a companion for a young Golden, you could hardly do better than a Doodle. You'll get the size and the energy that are a good match for a Golden Retriever, but you likely won't be doubling your shedding, and - at least in my experience - the doodles mature and calm down a little sooner, which will be good for everyone. Of course, every dog is different, and doodles are no exception!

As for the baby, I didn't have my doodle when my kids were babies, but I had a Golden and a lab mix, and even though they were wonderfully sweet and accepting of my babies, they did spend more time outside when the kids started crawling and toddling. My kids were taught from the beginning to respect the dogs - not to pull their hair or treat them roughly - and we never really had any problems in that regard. And only once did one of the dogs hurt the baby: Once, the Golden was galumphing around - as she was apt to do - and knocked my 1-year-old daughter down some steps. She had a huge bump on her head that scared me to death, and we wound up rushing her to the doctor. She was fine, but it reminded me that it's MY job to be vigilant when babies are around big dogs. In many ways, however, I think it's better to have two dogs than one when you are also raising babies. Babies necessarily take a lot of time and attention, and my dogs were good companions for one another during those years when I had two little people who commanded most of my time and energy. They still do, but now, at 9 and 10, my kids are old enough to participate in pet care and training, and they're wonderful with our dogs.

Sheesh - didn't mean to write a book! Hope something here was helpful, and congratulations on your new baby .

Best,

S.

Maya is a great dog. I can't really answer how she is with kids. The one time she was around a baby the baby fell and sat on Maya's head and Maya laid there calmly until the baby was removed. It just wasn't in her nature to bite or become aggressive. That being said I would definately do a lot of training with the dog as soon as you get her. As I might have kids one day I pull on Maya's ears and tail. I sneak up behind her and grab her back etc. All the things kids would do to desensitize her now just in case. (I don't do any of this meanly). As far as why I love them.....Maya is just a big goof ball that wants to please and love her family. Training has been good. We have had some issues with walking on a leash without pulling and jumping on counters but with those being her two worst habits I'll take it. I am not sure when you are planning on getting a dog but they have doodle romps where a whole bunch of doodle owners get together and bring their doodles for a playdate. Maybe there will be one in your area and you can go meet these wonderful dogs and see for yourself why we all love them!

[MaxandMe]

jesfrisk....I have fosterd many dogs over the past 30yrs and have found much of the time
1. The dog just needs more attention and training
2. at 1st they don't know what buttons they can push yet so starting training after a few days usually does well
3. giving tons of praise and having a sense of humor with patience mixed in helps the dog adjust better.


Peanut is awesome with infants and small kids, just sits there and lets them pet, hug , kiss whatever and she doesn't lick them or jump at all
she has been this way as a puppy even though she was the most energetic and exploratory goldendoodle on earth. hhhahhaa
at 11mos she started to calm right down

Max via more training now has learned to sit and wait for children to approach him while he sits and waits
doodles really are good with kids....so with some daily short training sessions this 11mo doodle and lots of love and praise should start to mature into a well mannered, happy lovable comical and intelligent doodle

So you can look at this way, you don't go thru early puppyhood stages and just have to retrain a 11mos doodle in his prime for training as they start to mature a litte at this age.

[L's Mom]

I have 2 labradoodles. 10 months and 4 months. We were so impressed with the first we HAD to get a second.

Lucas (10month) is very athletic, can fetch for days. Is very people oriented, but is not needy.

Della (4months) is also very athletic, but not as much as Lucas. Would rather sit with you than have you throw a ball that she is expected to retrieve. Is VERY cuddly both with her humans as well as with Lucas, but not pushy.

Both doodles:
extremely funny (comical) and don't take things too seriously
very smart
eager to learn
don't shed
don't smell
don't eat the house
adjust quickly to new things
are AWESOME

[lieverdmom]

Like many have said, the doodle combines the high intelligence of the poodle with the Labrador, "I Love You!" Their tails are frequently wagging.

The breed standard notes an active, fun-loving dog, who quiets immediately around humans, and really savors the contact.

In additions to the F1Bs previously noted, the multigens are also known as very low to non shedding. Also tend to be the most allergy friendly.

One interesting note from an article from an experienced trainer is that the dog will take a couple of weeks to learn the ropes in his new place, so the time to set the rules is the Moment the dog walks into his new home!!!

First take him to his outdoor potty and give him about ten minutes to void. If he doesn't go then, either crate him in the house with a "delectable" (Kong or other toy stuffed with edibles) or leash him to you for the same period of time, to allow urine and feces to continue to accumulate in his system. Repeat until he voids outdoors, then bring him back in the house and enjoy some play time.

Many re-homes aren't well socialized either, so a good obedience club's class would be an Excellent place for a good start. My experience with the clubs as compared to private trainers or pet store classes is that the clubs offer a lot more for a lower price than the private services, so I'm a great proponent of going in that direction first.

Best wishes in the new doodle search, and do let us know what you decide. We'll look forward to welcoming you to the doodle family!

[mtd885]

Labradoodles were created for service and therapy. If you do some internet searching you will find that these animals are more sensitive, responsive and aware of their humans than other breeds. Since both Poodles and Labs are sporting dogs they have soft mouths and personalities--RARELY are they aggressive at all. Your Golden will thank you for providing such a great playmate Here's Abby and Boyfriend Bucko[img][/img]

[sdrudge]

Ditto with what everyone else said. You can't get a better dog. I have a Goldendoodle and a Labradoodle. They are so much fun. I have three boys and Beau is our all boy dog. He is right with the boys outside ready for one of them to throw a ball. Cacao is my little girl. She will play with the boys but is all my girl. I guess i don't have anything to add but good luck.