An intuitive dog figures things out very quickly. Often, you just need as few as two repetitions to achieve understanding of a concept. This can occur either purposefully, such as during a training session, or inadvertently, in everyday routine. Here are a few examples:
Learning which door to go to when going outside to potty
Learning the feeding schedule
Learning what time of day one of the family members returns home from work or school
Learning who will allow him to jump on them
Learning who takes them for walks
Because Doodles are so intuitive, obedience training can be very enjoyable, because you may not have to break down exercises into as many small increments as you might with many purebred dogs. They naturally follow your body language and quickly understand your vocal tones and words. Because they’re also highly sensitive, they can read your emotions, too, which is part of their being so intuitive.
Because of their intuitiveness, owners of Doodles sometimes believe they don’t need to do anything to educate their dogs — the dogs seem to quickly pick up on the daily routines, housetraining rules, and which couch is theirs. But all dogs need an education — there’s more to life than lounging around the house. And Doodles are rarely couch potatoes — at least not until they’re seniors.
As a professional trainer, I find that many Doodles have the right temperament, intelligence, and intuition to be excellent performance dogs. These three traits are required to remain motivated to perform under somewhat stressful and distraction-filled situations. Their intuition helps them remain one step ahead, because they know the pattern, the subliminal communication signals of their human teammates, and how to keep everybody entertained. Doodles spread joy everywhere they go!
Hyperactive
If you’ve got a Doodle, you’re sure to experience their high energy levels. This is especially true if you’ve got a Double Doodle (the offspring of a Doodle and a Poodle, or the offspring of two Doodles). The Poodle genes are very strong, and a curlier coat isn’t the only trait you’ll experience. A Standard-size Doodle will have super-high energy levels, be more reactive to their environment, and be more mischievous. All the more reason to keep them occupied!
The Doodle tendency to be hyperactive also makes some common behavior problems — such as jumping up on people or other dogs — more challenging to stop. No doubt about it, Doodles love to jump. Jumping up is one of the more difficult issues that you’ll face when you have a Doodle. So, as intelligent, intuitive, and motivated as Doodles are to learn, you may need to be very consistent and persistent to teach your Doodle not to jump on you. Do not offer any means of reward for the behavior (see Chapter 12).
Young Doodles have tons of energy. You need to commit to ensuring that your dog has plenty of exercise and brain stimulation. Training daily is helpful, but it’s not enough. Your Doodle needs to run and play. Only other young dogs will fulfill this need. Or, if you’re a runner and you’re willing to gradually build up your Doodle’s stamina to your level, you’ve got a great running partner!
Doodle Health
Because Doodles are actually mixed breeds (though intentionally mixed), many are healthier and have a longer life span. But you never know where the genes will fall, so there are no guarantees.
There are two ways to have an idea of what lies ahead: Rely on your dog breeder’s experience with their litters, or contact the owners of other Doodles who were purchased from the same breeder. One or two pups may have different health experiences from the majority, but an average assumption can be made over time (see Chapter 4).
Life span
Poodles enjoy a longer than average life span. Standard Poodles typically live 12 to 14 years, some as long as 16 years. Miniature Poodles and Toy Poodles typically live 13 to 18 years. Compare this to the average life span of most large dogs, who typically live 8 to 12 years, and most medium dogs, who typically live 12 to 14 years. Few Toy breeds live longer than 10 to 14 years. Add these longer-lived Poodle breeds to the mix, and you’ve got a good chance of getting a few more great years with your Doodle.
Potential health issues
Doodles are a mix of two different breeds, so there’s always a chance of your dog being affected by any of the numerous illnesses or other afflictions common in the parent breeds. Because one parent is consistent in all Doodles — the Poodle — you can only assume that the following list of breed-specific issues are ones to be aware of (more on specific purebred dog health concerns in Chapter 3).
Standard Poodle health issues: The Standard Poodle has a few more health problems than the other varieties of Poodle. These includeIdiopathic epilepsy: A condition in which a dog is prone to seizures without a known causeAddison’s disease: A condition in which the adrenal glands don’t produce hormones necessary for physical functionCushing disease: A condition in which the adrenal glands produce abnormally high levels of cortisolSebaceous adenitis: A destructive inflammatory disease in the sebaceous glands, which are located around hair follicles on the skin
Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle health issues: These Poodle variations may experience the same health issues as the Standard Poodle, they’re less likely to do so. They do, however, have some leg bone abnormalities not common in larger dogs, such asLuxating patella: A condition in which the dog’s kneecap moves out of position, causing lamenessLegg-Calve-Perthes disease: Degeneration of the femoral head (the ball portion of the hip joint)
To minimize the chances of your having to deal with these issues with your Doodle, buy only from a reputable breeder who has done appropriate health clearances on their parent dogs. These include checking for orthopedic problems, as well as heart and eye problems (see Chapter 4). You may luck out with a healthy dog from other sources, but chances are, you’ll end up spending a lot of money for veterinary care and professional training.
Doodle Training
Every dog needs training. And, due to the high energy level and intelligence of your Doodle, education will be the key to a great relationship. Doodles need direction, consistency, and patience. They may be easy to train, but without training, your Doodle will drive you crazy.
Puppies: Up to 4 months old
Training