Help Me Get Inside This Dog's Head - Page 1

Okay, this is not GSD related. The dog in question is a frickin' golden doodle.

The owner works really long hours in Toronto, and commutes via GO train. He drops the dog off for daycare at 6:45 am and picks it up at 6:45 pm. The wife has a new baby at home, and doesn't like the dog. The idea is that being at daycare will help the dog work off some energy, so it won't be so demanding when at home.

First day the dog was here, all it did was bark its fool head off. We tried to get it to play with our youngest, most playful dog. Nothin' doing. The dog just sits at the gate, waiting for its master to return. Okay, not unexpected for the dog's first day.

However, it's been 4 or 5 times now the dog has been here, and NOTHING has changed, except the amount of barking had decreased a lot. Thank God for that...it nearly drove me insane the first day. The only time the dog stopped was when I was with it, or in sight of it. And unfortunately, this place doesn't run itself. I DID have other things to do than hold its paw!

The dog will not play with me, either. The only way I was able to get it to exercise, was to put a prong collar on it (its leash mannners are pretty horrible, and it must weigh about 100 lbs.) tie it to my waist, and have it trek back and forth with me as I moved firewood from one side of the property to the other.

I leave it turned out with my 3 dogs, but all it does is lie there and stare mournfully at the door, while my own dogs romp and play. The only time it lights up or shows interest in anything is when its owner returns to pick it up.

He does know some basic obedience: sit, down, give a paw. However, when giving a paw, he bares his teeth and growls at me. He has not tried to bite (YET!) but I get the feeling he could be a fear biter if cornered. (Great family dog for a small child, eh?)  He also bares his teeth and growls at me if he's in his cage, and I come to the cage door and command him to stop barking.

When I had the prong on him, and he bared his teeth while I was holding his paw, I forced him into a down, then rolled him onto his side and kept him there until he relaxed. I didn't put my weight on him...I just used the leash to control him. However, he still is baring his teeth at me.

I have to confess I've never liked golden doodles or labradoodles. The ones I've met so far have all been oversized, untrained idiots. (Yeah, likely the owner's fault, I know...) And, of course, I hate the philosophy behind this sort of breeding. They are NOT hypoallergenic, unless they have the special gene for it, so most of the breeders are scamming the public, and ripping them off for $1,500 for a dog that's essentially just a mutt! Then there's the fact that not all doodle pups have the non-shedding coat. They generally wind up being euthanized or dropped at the pound shortly after birth!   I am trying hard to put my feelings aside, but it's quite likely the dog can sense my feelings.

Any suggestions? Anyone else ever had a dog that won't play?

I am thinking it's time to break out the treats, and try to win the dog's affection that way. He's obviously not the sort of happy-go-lucky dog that adjusts easily to new situations. I've been reluctant to do that up until now, as I want to get his focus OFF of humans, so he will play with the other dogs.

I just saw a show called Pitbull's & Parole's with dog that had a super owner- bond & the rescuer was dumbfounded at the change in the dog when reunited with its person. No offense to you but you and wife are probably on the same page. Owner needs to fix this,he is trying but this set up is not working. Time for a new approach. Good luck

Yes, but HOW to change it, Beetree? Get the dog to bond to me instead? I know I can do that with some work.

The dog does like to go for walks, and perks up when he sees me reach for the leash, so that's why I leashed him to me while I was moving the firewood.

The owner is not going to accomplish anything with the wife unless he has her co-operation, and as SHE doesn't like the dog, either, I'm not sure that's going to happen. Me, being a professional dog person, I know I have to make more of an effort to get him to bond to me. And I'm going to have to work harder at overcoming my dislike of the 'breed'!

You have a very valid point: he's probably down on me already because the other female in his life isn't fond of him!

SHE doesn't like the dog, either, I'm not sure that's going to happen. Me, being a professional dog person, I know I have to make more of an effort to get him to bond to me. And I'm going to have to work harder at overcoming my dislike of the 'breed'!


And there is your answer, treat the dog like a dog and not an annoyance. Everything runs down the leash, the dog knows you do not like him.
 
You cannot expect a dog to "bond with you" in a facility/house where he spends a few days a week with you.

The challenge is more for you than the dog, and so far from what you have written, you have not been fair or given the dog a chance.


Good luck


Kim

I am with you Sunsilver, I hate both doodle breeds; there are two in our neighborhood and all they do is bark and lunge at you when you go by; owner does nothing.  Dogs, know nothing;  hair flopping, baring teeth at you.  Pieces of shit they are.  Well, is the dog food motivated?  If so try that, a favorite toy, ball anything?  Lots of walks will help the bonding process but why should you care?  Are we talking indefinite care for him/her;  I mean will he be with you for a while?  Daily or whatever?  Maybe a piece of string cheese.  Hell just work on his obedience while you have him, at least if they decide NOT to keep him as the wife does not like the dog; he has been started well in obedience and that might help save him.  Long sits and downs, focus, continue wherever the owner left off.  Pretend like you are going to show the dog or something obnoxious like that and teach him/her everything you know or would teach your dogs, minus the protection of course.    too funny a Sch 3 doodle dog.  Best of luck  Nan

I am with you Sunsilver, I hate both doodle breeds;

Lots of walks will help the bonding process but why should you care?


Really? This is your response to somone who runs a doggy day care business, and by their own admission  " The dog in question is a frickin' golden doodle".

Did, or has Sunsilver informed the dogs owner of her feelings for his dog which he has entrusted to her care?

Or has she just taken, and continues to take his money to care for a breed of dog she hates?

Really? Please enlighten me as to how Professional & Moral it is to do that.

Whether you like the breed of dog or not, as a "the Professional Dog Person" that Sunsilver states she is, she is operating a business to care for peoples pets, what does it matter what the breed of the dog is? 


My advice- Provide a Refund to the frickin' golden doodles owner, and advise them of a Professional Doggy Day Service in their area.


Kim

Pirates Liar... we all have breeds we dislike... However,  I do agree if you don't like the dog, don't take the dog...
BUT... The world of the new designer breeds is a difficult one.  I have a lot of this breed that I care for and the key is bonding.  I have a similar business at my home, and I HAVE TO MAKE THE TIME TO BOND... if I don't I may as well tell the owner I can't care for them.  You have to do this or the two of you will continue this battle. 

Sally- with all due respect, you are mistaking a Bond with a Relationship. A real Bond only exists between the owner(s) and the dog, not a caregiver, baby sitter etc.
 
JMO- It can take several months or more before a Bond exist between the dog and its owner(s).



Kim

Kim, I totally agree with what you said in your first post. The whole reason the dog is here is they are having trouble coping with it at home. They want it to run and play and get tired out, which isn't happening because it won't play with me or with the other dogs. It is my job to motivate it to play, and in order to do that, I have to work at getting it to want to be with me. I've avoided this up until now, as a) I don't like the breed, and b) I hoped ignoring it would encourage it to play with the other dogs.

I'm not going to take this guy's money for doing nothing, so I have to pull up my socks and start figuring out what makes this dog tick. I did offer him treats today, but he turned up his nose at them. He also ignores the toys I've offered him so far. I'll have to try to find something he likes. In the meantime, he can get exercise by being leashed to me as I do chores around the property, and I'll give him lots of praise when he heels nicely or sits/downs on command.

Funny thing: we got another golden doodle in today, and though this dog didn't actually play with him, he did show more interest in it than the other dogs he's been with so far. THIS doodle is his exact opposite in nature: very rambunctious and friendly. Too bad the problem doodle had to go home just 2 hours after the other doodle arrived. Maybe some of the other dog's nature would have rubbed off on him! 

And as for telling the guy to take the dog somewhere else, because I don't like the breed...to me, that's like a WL trainer tellling someone he won't work with your dog because it's a showline!

I would turn away a dog I though posed a danger to myself or other dogs, though.

Sunsilver- I sincerely hope that you can work things out with this dog.

Good luck



Kim