[aprhj]

Last week we had the first class and it was without the dogs. The instructor was going over what type of training collar she preferes and a couple asked if they could bring a harness designed to stop dogs from pulling to class. The instructor did not want the dog in a harness and asked about the dog's pulling. The couple stated that she always has done it and its really bad. The instructor asked what kind of dog and they said they had a Goldendoodle. The instructor then said somthing to the like of well that doesn't suprise me that you have problems with it. I think the couple was a little put off by the comment, especially the wife. I really was not sure they would show up tonight. The husband and dog showed up tonight.

Back to tonight- We were warming up with the dogs walking around the ring and the instructor said "That's a really behaved dog"
I said "thank you"
she said "I really expeced to see it climbing the walls."
Me- "really, why???"
Instructor "Its just the most behaved one I've seen."
Me- "For a Standard??????"
Instructor with an inquisitive look on face
Me- "For a Standard Poodle????"
Instructor- "Oh, I thought yours was the doodle."
Me- No the doodle is back there
Instructor- Wow she's striking, I've never seen a poodle with that coloring"
To the instructor's defense she had just walked into class and had not yet seen the doodle. I just thought it was funny once I knew what she was getting at.

The instructor made a few more comments in class as to how well Poppy was doing. One to the extent of how well she was sitting an focusing on me, this was after Poppy had been in the position for around 5 minutes while the instructor was explaining things. I'm so proud of her!!!!!!!!

Just in case your curious the class consists of:
Poppy
Goldendoodle
Yorkie, very, very small
Rodesian Ridgeback
Cocker Spaniel
Boxer, may be a boxer mix
Malamute

The Ridgeback is the oldest at 2 and there are about half under a year. Class is offered by the local AKC Club

 

[Locket]

That's great that Poppy is doing so well, but I would be a little put off by the Instructor being so biased against doodles. I think that's really rude of her. It's okay to have those opinions and I'm sure she has more experience with wild doodles than I do, but expecting all the doodles in her class to be wild is not good practise.
It's like the dog version of racial profiling.

 

[aprhj]

I agree, I really suprised me that she made that comment. I hope she ends up being a good instructor, tonight was good.

 

[BFF]

Sounds like you will have a lot of fun and Poppy is going to steal the show. Such a proud Mom!

I do have to say it's disappointing the instructor would be so rude. The reason you take your dog to obedience is to learn and allow the dog to learn with you. Some people will need more help than others. I think a really good instructor would be up to the challenge and be excited to help those who have the most need.

 

[Birdie]

Awesome job Poppy!! I LOVE when poodles go into training classes and are super well behaved already. It's setting such a good example for the breed. Des' trainer loves him as well, and was very pleasantly surprised at how well behaved he was the first two classes. It makes us moms so proud!

On the doodle comment: IDK, maybe she should have thought of saying it out loud twice, but honestly... most doodles, especially puppies ARE really wild. They are wild and energetic- it comes with the breed. It really ISN'T a surprise that a doodle in for a training class pulls, is it? Like, it's no surprise if a terrier yaps or if a lab is destructive or if a border collie barks excessively. It's to be expected, and she probably deals with lots of problem children who have the same problems within breeds as a trainer. I bet she's heard "my doodle pulls on the leash" a whooooole lotta times lol, otherwise she wouldn't have thought it was common, especially how she'd said "it's the most well behaved [doodle] I've seen". Sounds like she's seen a lot of bad doodles, huh?
It was a little thoughtless of her to say that, but it is in no way "racial profiling" lol. People aren't born with specific behaviors based on their skin color, dogs ARE behaviorally inclined based on breed (to an extent).

 

[Marian]

Go, Poppy! You show that doodle how it's done. LOL

 

[Harley_chik]

It is an AKC class and I suspect the "doodle" owners would've gotten a different reaction if they said they had a mix, instead of calling a "Goldendoodle." The AKC is about promoting the sport of purebred dogs. (not made up breeds) Add to it the fact that they want to bring their own special harness, for their special new breed of dog. I would be upset about her thinking Poppy was a Doodle though, she is obviously a pretty Poodle!

 

[Locket]

Add to it the fact that they want to bring their own special harness, for their special new breed of dog.

The fact that it's an AKC class does make sense that the teacher would be so biased, but..they just wanted to use a training tool that they already have that works for them. I don't see it as they were asking for special treatment.

The thing is, these doodle owners need help with training, and they're doing the right thing by attending classes. If this teacher runs them off because she hates doodles so much, what does that accomplish? They'll either end up with an untrained dog and add to the negative view of doodles, or they'll keep their heads up and find a better place where they are treated with respect. Training a puppy is frustrating to begin with, and it's a lot easier to just give up than find a new help, especially with their previous treatment at a training facility.

Also, LOTS of puppies pull, regardless of breed or mix. Sure, doodles are wild as puppies but so are dobermans, whippets, terriers....Matrix was no angel either. I don't see how being a doodle makes it any different.

*i do not support doodle breeding, but I do support uneducated people who get doodles that want a well behaved dog*

 

[*heather*]

There is a big huge black doodle in our obedience class and (on the recommendation of our trainer, whom I highly respect) it wears a prong collar; works wonders! I'm sure this is a touchy subject, but personally, I have no problem with prong collars (if used properly), I think they mimic what the mother dog would do to correct a pup who was getting out of line. Anyway, this doodle behaves wonderfully with it on, and I didn't really see the owner making any corrections with it, just having it on was enough to let the dog know now's the time to behave. ... anyway, just thought I would share that. kinda curious to know your opinions I guess.

 

[Marian]

Locket makes a very good point.

 

[Reesmom]

Way to go Poppy!!! I hope my little does as well in his first class when it's time.

Speaking as someone who has been in and taught obedience classes, it doesn't really surprise me at all that the instructor spoke aloud. We have had numerous doodles thru our classes and very few ever succeed. A lot of it is because the owners are overwhelmed with the behavior of the dog. Perhaps it was uncouth to speak aloud in front of the class.

We recommend prong collars, but allow any kind of collar you choose. No harnesses, because harnesses are made for pulling not training. If they insist we tell them that they can not expect the same results as the other students. Don't get me wrong, I'm not discrediting harnesses for walking dogs. I use one on my toy. But when people are paying you for results, you need to use tools that work. It may not matter with a mild mannered dog, but it does with a doodle. Or at least the ones I've seen.

 

[kuriooo]

Kind of OT, but in the past year when I was checking petfinder every single day for a rescue, I saw more doodle mixes than I could count, mostly labs and goldens. Many of them stay for quite a while before the ad disappears, and many look like they are the 50/50 mixes, not the crosses that are mostly poodle genes.

Purebred Standard Poodles didn't last more than a day, if they made it to petfinder at all.

Just a comment...

 

[aprhj]

The Doodle owners did say she had not improved on the pulling with the harness they had been using. The instructor recommended a prong collar but they did not like the look of it. I had already decided I was going to get a prong collar for Poppy as she does try to pull when we are walking, so the instructor recommending it was no suprise to me. The Doodle did show up in a prong and although she was a jumpy, it was not near as bad as I thought based on the owner comments and she did ok. She is a pup also, so I'm sure she will improve as the class goes along.

We will not get to go next week, son's spring break and we are going to CT to see my hubby's family. So it will be very interesting to see how the dogs have improved and what we need to work on to get Poppy up to speed.

 

[Harley_chik]

Kind of OT, but in the past year when I was checking petfinder every single day for a rescue, I saw more doodle mixes than I could count, mostly labs and goldens. Many of them stay for quite a while before the ad disappears, and many look like they are the 50/50 mixes, not the crosses that are mostly poodle genes.

Purebred Standard Poodles didn't last more than a day, if they made it to petfinder at all.

Just a comment...

I've had the very same experience. I have no problem w/ getting a mix breed, but I don't want anything Retriever. (No offense to retriever owners but they just aren't compatible for me.) If I were looking for another Rottie, I would avoid Rottie mixes w/ retriever in them just the same.

 

[Locket]

I've had the very same experience. I have no problem w/ getting a mix breed, but I don't want anything Retriever. (No offense to retriever owners but they just aren't compatible for me.) If I were looking for another Rottie, I would avoid Rottie mixes w/ retriever in them just the same.

I know you know this, but ... poodles are retrievers...you might want to retract that statement

 

[Harley_chik]

True, lol. I think most people would assume I was talking about Labs and Goldens, plus they have "retriever" in their name.

 

[Marian]

When I was growing up down south, our next door neighbor had a black lab who lived mostly outdoors. She was a hunting dog. So naturally, in my mind, labs were not house dogs, which is why I still don't get the attraction to them by people who don't hunt. Ditto for beagles. I think the poodle has adapted very well to living a non hunting life, especially if they are given lots of play time to retrieve to their little hearts content, and because they don't shed, they have adapted well to being indoor dogs. I know someone who has a beagle in an apartment. She works full time and when she sees me with Teddy, she's always talking about how well behaved he is compared to her dog, etc., etc. They're cute, but they're not great city dogs.

Every time I see someone walking a beagle (or a puggle, for that matter), they are always being pulled. It's almost comical.

 

[Leooonie]

I agree with the trainer saying what she did, to be honest someone who buys a 'labradoodle' and not a 'poodle lab x' or whatever it is obviously hasn't done their research. Its a bit like people buying the dog food that is 'breed specific' especially for pugs, or labs or GSD's(basically a load of rubbish) instead of something more holistic. They're taking it totally on the marketing ploys and not doing background research.

When it comes to the harness, and prong collars, I think trainers, and owners rely on tools too much nowadays. If you prevent the behaviour, or stop it at the roots, then there is no need for prongs etc.Of course you can start off using these devices so that a dog learns positions, but if it comes to the dog being conditioned to only learning to behave whilst under the implimentation of such a device, then it is useless to use it and to say it works, the dog is still going to take advantage without the collar etc.

The same however, isnt for things such as spray collars which should be used infrequently to instill instant conditioning...

but I always laugh when i hear someone say 'o my dog is a puggle'.