Aussie Labradoodle Martina can do no right.
Her two “brothers” – Lab mixes, ages 8 and 10 – nap most of the day, rising only to follow the movement of the sun across the floor. Both boys greet family and friends with dignified tail wags. They suppress their bathroom needs even on the longest workdays of their owners. They will fetch if a ball is tossed, but frankly, they could just as easily do without such trivial diversions. They live contented lives consisting of two meals a day, the occasional potty break, and sprawling on the carpet.
Sister 9-month-old Martina is NOT buying into her brothers’ ho hum doggie existence. Life to her is an adventure and she intends to grab every minute of it, as well as any kitchen towel, used tissue or dirty sock that is within her reach.
Her owners seriously thought Martina would learn good manners and appropriate behavior from the two older dogs. Martina did not receive that memo. To her, the household has counters to scale, tables to stand on, garbage cans ripe for the picking, and two lumbering, testy creatures that refuse to play even when barked at.
Martina’s owners are stymied by this yappy, squirmy, relentlessly active, uncivilized, destructive animal that has upset their once peaceful world.
“Our other dogs are no trouble at all,” Martina’s owners declare. “We didn’t need to train them. They just knew what to do. This one is driving us crazy!”
It’s unlikely that the older dogs managed to get through puppyhood without a single housebreaking mistake, error in chewing judgement, or instance of selectively not hearing the word Come.
All dogs, regardless of temperament or energy level, need to have a daily routine and need to know the rules of the house, applied equally to all dogs. With consistent training , even the most exuberant dog will thrive in a household with - sigh - less than energetic siblings.
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