Genetics Or Something More?

[PoppyDog]

Today I took Poppy (our 8 month CKCS X Cavoodle) to two of our local pet supply stores today.

She needed a new bed and some sentinal spectrum.

Anyway, she was her typical excited, waggy tail jumpy self. All excited to be out and about.

The second store we went to (the better one) had a lovely lady working who came out and tried to feed Poppy treats. She was all shy and timid but at the same time the gutsy side of her wanted the treats so she eventually warmed up and had some! ;)

The lady asked about her cross breed and commented that her timidness/shyness was the Poodle in her???

Is this true? Or is it more the fact we were out and about in a new and exciting environment with new people? Or is it a combination of the both?

I found the comment really interesting!

[sas]

No idea about Poodles however when you cross breed a dog you don't end up with predictable natures.

Perhaps the Dam or the Sire or even one of the Granparents were timid, who knows.

Your puppy could also just be reacting to a developemental stage it is in as well.

[Dory the Doted One]

Well, Dory doesn't act like a Staffy nor does she act like a Cairn Terrier.

She has Terrier like attributes in some situations.

She is who she is, and I don't try to analyse it as being one cross or another and I just deal with the dog she is at the time she is doing things.

We jokingly refer to her little feet stomping on our laps as the 'staffy stomp' as coined by one of our Staffy lovin' friends.

And we also jokingly refer to her intense love of the couch as her Staffy self. But I don't think you can pigeon hole these traits as a

breed thing....cos I have owned plenty of non-staffy dogs that also did the same things. It just might be because we allow her to

hog the couch and sit on our laps. ;)

[frufru]

Poodles should not be shy or timid - person obviously knew nothing about poodles. However, since most people who produce crossbreds have their parent stock from dubious sources - the parents of your puppy were probably not good examples of either breed which probably has more to do with any timidity or shyness. My 10 week old poodle puppy thinks people are absolutley fabulous - if she wagged her tail any harder it would fall off LOL

Edited August 3, 2010 by frufru

[poodlefan]

The lady asked about her cross breed and commented that her timidness/shyness was the Poodle in her???

A well bred poodle is neither of these things. However it certainly exists in the breed as it does in many others.

[poodlefan]

The lady asked about her cross breed and commented that her timidness/shyness was the Poodle in her???

A well bred poodle is neither of these things. However it certainly exists in the breed as it does in many others. However if Poppy was bred in a commercial situation, it could also be lack of exposure to people in the important early weeks of her life that you are seeing.

Edited August 3, 2010 by poodlefan

[Guest Clover]

Impossible to tell with cross breeds, it could have been many number of things. I agree with SAS it could be an age thing that she is going through.

[Nekhbet]

I agree most poodles I know mob you the moment they meet you. Crossbreeds can have any personality, the only way you can whittle down what they could be like if the breeds are very similar. It could also just be the fact this person was new and smelled different and her body language.

[shmoo]

Nature vs Nurture debate... nobody wins ;)

[lanabanana]

OP, it's obviously just your dog - or a phase she is going through at the moment.

IMO, you can get timid dogs in any breed regardless of cross or purebred.

My big boy went through a timid phase when he was about 9 months old and was very wary of strangers. Even now as a 5 year old, while being an extremely loving and friendly dog he is never anywhere near as freindly with people he doesnt know as people he does. I liek this trait to be honest. He isn't timid but is very watchful if he doesn't know them and he is also a fantastic guard dog.

My wee girl on the other hand...she is ridiculous. Ever since I have had her, if we go for a walk and she sees someone, she will pull and pull to get there. Her little body wriggling so much it bends in half and her tail whacking her own face. She is so embarrassing she them jumps all over them (or should I say ankles) and will also automaticlly roll over expecting belly rubs. She is like a squirmy pup and she is 1 now. Luckily, because she is such a cutey and does all that "cute" stuff to strangers they pretty much always oblige with a belly rub and lots of cuddles. She never ever had a timid phase at all.

[poodlemum]

Can I just say - there is no such thing as a "Cavoodle" - it's a Cavalier/Poodle cross!!

[mackiemad]

also, maybe this woman just approached your dog in a way that startled or made your dog back off a bit- as in she might have been a bit full on and got in your dog's personal space before your dog was comfortable with them and the surroundings.

poodles really shouldn't be 'timid' from my experience but there are variations on personality between all breeds and litters. it could just be that your dog likes to get to know someone a bit before the person gets all in their face?-nothing wrong with that!

[whiskedaway]

It really depends on the dog. My 5 month old pure Siberian Husky is shy and timid around new people - I think it was the way she was raised, as she only came into contact with the family in the first ten weeks of her life. She was nervous around us when we first got her and now she's a bit timid around many new people, most of them men. Kids she'll go up to straight away with no problems, though and once she knows someone she has no problem going up to them to say hi. The exception to that rule is the head trainer at obedience, who she still refuses to go up to at times. I think she knows he's going to make her get up on that table.