It’s possible that any dog could display behavior problems, and many of these behavior problems are simple to correct if you work with your dog on a regular basis. Some of these behavior problems include things like barking, whining, separation anxiety, begging, biting, and aggression.
Do mini Goldendoodles display any of these behavior problems?
Mini Goldendoodles tend to have separation anxiety and some may show excessive barking and whining behavior. Since they are loyal companions to their owners, some may also show aggressive behavior towards strangers or when people get too close.
Since Goldendoodles are bred from two loyal dog breeds who aim to please, it’s likely that they will inherit a few behavior problems. Although, this cross breed makes a great dog, these types of behavior problems could become an issue if not handled in the correct way.
Having owned a mini Goldendoodle for 13 years, I have witnessed my share of behavior problems, many of which have been corrected. However, there are some behavior issues that are more difficult to correct unless you seek professional help.
It is your job as the pack leader to put your foot down and stop bad behaviors before they start. However, some behaviors tend to run in the breed and may be a bit of extra work to contend with.
Barking / Whining
The worst behavior problem that we have with our mini Goldendoodle is her incessant barking. She barks at everything that moves and sometimes can be overly mouthy at certain situations.
An example is when we take her walking. When we encounter strangers on our walk, she will sometimes bark or growl and we have to contain her and make her stop such behavior. She is very protective and has always been loyal and wants to please us in every way that she can.
However, as you can imagine barking is no way to please an owner. In fact, barking is commonly seen as an annoyance to others as well as myself.
Dogs that bark often can make life difficult and can be annoying to others around them.
When family or friends come to our house to visit, our dog will bark upon their arrival. This can make it difficult to even say hello and exchange normal pleasantries.
However, she’ll settle down after a little while and be a good, loving girl while they are visiting. Once they are ready to leave and the hugging begins, her barking starts back up.
It has been a challenge over the years to stop this behavior although we do our best.
It’s important to note that this isn’t just a problem with mini Goldendoodles. Many dogs display this same type of behavior and I see it often when visiting friends and family. The dog will take over and bark so loud as to make it difficult to even have a conversation.
Separation Anxiety
When you have a loyal companion, it’s hard to leave them alone without them feeling like you have abandoned them. Goldendoodles are highly affectionate and want to be with their pack at all times. It’s often difficult for them to be left alone because they experience separation anxiety.
Goldendoodles will often show signs of distress when left alone. They may cry, bark or even howl in an attempt to attract your attention. They may think you have left them and are never coming back.
This is especially true in younger dogs that haven’t yet learned the ways of the world. They simply don’t know and it may be difficult at first when you begin leaving them on their own.
Our mini Goldendoodle cried a lot and paced the house in her younger years but has gotten much better with age. She knows the routine now and knows what to expect.
Our day to day routine is somewhat the same and we feel that this is important to helping battle the anxiety she feels from being separated from us.
Establishing a daily routine may be the best thing you can do for your Goldendoodle or any other dog if they are showing signs of separation anxiety.
It can be difficult to overcome at first but a routine will help in the long term and once they understand that you are coming back, they will settle into the routine.
Begging
Most all dogs are good at begging and Goldendoodles are certainly no different in this regard. They are pros at begging and showing the cute face that makes you want to give in to their demands.
Begging is a behavior problem that is taught from an early age when treats and foods are given when they shouldn’t be or when a dog is comforted when they shouldn’t be. Some examples might be:
- Slipping a piece of food from the dinner table to the puppy and now she thinks she gets this every time.
- Giving your puppy treats during the day for no particular reason other than feeling guilty for not doing so.
- Picking your puppy up and comforting him while a thunderstorm is moving through and now he begs for comfort any time he feels uneasy.
These types of scenarios can cause unwanted behavior problems and we have seen this first hand. Our dog is a begging machine when we are eating but we have always allowed this so it’s not an issue with us.
We always set aside some healthy food on our plate that will be given to her. We only feed her things that she can eat such as some broccoli, cooked carrots, cucumbers or other low calorie foods that want overfill her between her normal meals.
Biting
Our Goldendoodle is not a biter and we have never had any fear that she would do such a thing. She is more of a barker than a biter and likes to make noise instead of actually doing anything.
Many dogs are like this but it is possible for any dog that is as loyal as a mini Goldendoodle to potentially bite or nip at others. This is especially true when people are playing or roughhousing.
It’s unlikely that you’ll have issues with biting from a mini Goldendoodle but just keep in mind that any dog is capable of becoming overly protective. It’s important to train against this when they are young to avoid problems as they grow older.
Aggression
Expanding on biting above, aggression is also a common bad behavior that can lead to many problems if not controlled. Our Goldendoodle is not aggressive and has never showed signs of it.
I’ve also never been around a Goldnedoodle that has shown this type of behavior so it isn’t common.
Our dog will show a bit of lip lifting and teeth showing (smiling) when we are playing but it has always been a part of her playful personality.
She will also growl at us while playing but it’s nothing aggressive. She will growl and we will stop playing with her and then she’ll come nudge our arm as if she still wants to play. This is innocent behavior that is just something she does while playing.
She has never been this way around strangers or other family members and is generally loving and sweet around others.
Bottom Line
mini Goldendoodles make great, loving pets and are not known to have many behavior problems. Speaking from experience from being the parent of one, barking and separation anxiety are at the top of the list.
These two problems tend to be the worst and are nothing any different that what you would experience with nearly any other breed of dog.
Related Questions
What age does a Goldendoodle calm down?
This depends on the specific dog since not every dog will display the same rate of development. In general, Goldendoodles begin to calm down from their energetic puppyhood around a year old. However, since this cross breed is usually very healthy and athletic, they can display high energy spurts well into adulthood and even senior age.
Do mini goldendoodles have health problems?
Mini Goldendoodles are generally healthy and can live a long life free from major health issues. However, they are also at risk of inheriting possible health problems from their parent breeds. These may include Von Willebrand’s Disease, Patellar Luxation and Progressive retinal atrophy to name a few.
How big do mini goldendoodles get?
Mini Goldendoodles can range between 15 – 50 pounds depending on their specific generation. The F1b is typically the smallest size ranging from about 15 – 30 pounds. Size will be determined by the size of both parents from which they were born.