Poodle Mixes – You Only Live Once Pooch!

A Goldendoodle is a mixed breed dog that has a poodle and golden retriever parents or grandparents. They are popular pets because they have the best of both worlds, with the intelligence and temperament of a golden retriever combined with the soft, curly coat of a poodle. However, no matter how intelligent these dogs may be, training them can still be difficult for some people. This blog post will provide you with 15 easy-to-follow tips on how to train your Goldendoodle! How To Train a Goldendoodle To train your Goldendoodle: pick a training method to use and be consistent. Training your Goldendoodle should begin the moment you bring him/her home. They should have their own place to sleep, and the home should be puppy-proofed before training begins. Tip #1 Prepare a Sleeping Area The first thing you should do is make sure your Goldendoodle has a safe place to sleep. This can be accomplished by providing them with their own bed. I recommend crate training, but you can also use a baby gate to keep them in one room. The sleeping area should be just for your Goldendoodle and not shared with other pets or children who may disturb him/her. Make sure it is out of the way from foot traffic but still easily accessible by you when needed! To start out, I recommend putting down newspaper inside his designated sleep spot until he gets used to being in there. Tip #2 Crate Train Crate training is a great way to train your Goldendoodle. It will teach them that their sleeping and living space are a safe place, which can help with separation anxiety when you leave home. It also teaches him/her where he should be going for bathroom breaks, so fewer accidents around the house while learning. Dogs are wired not to go to the bathroom in the same area they sleep. If you're crate training, make sure to give them a few minutes to pee after waking up and before they eat or drink anything. The best time is right when he wakes from his nap in the morning! This will help him learn that going potty outside means getting rewarded with breakfast inside (or vice versa). Crate-training takes time, but soon enough, all of those hours of teaching pay off. Tip #3 Use Paper Potty Pads If your dog is not yet trained to go outside, you can use a paper potty pad. The pads will absorb your puppies' pee and prevent it from leaking onto the open floor. They can be placed in a specific area of their room. Make sure it's easy for your Goldendoodle to access. They should be placed away from his/her sleep area. Teach them to use it by placing them on the pads when they seem like they may have to pee. You want to teach them that it is their bathroom area. If your Goldendoodle starts peeing on the floor, pick him up and place him on the puppy pad. You want him/her to associate the paper pad with the area they are supposed to go to the bathroom in. Tip #4 Begin Training Early The younger you start training your Goldendoodle, the better the chance they will carry good habits into their adult life. Training should begin as soon as you bring your delightful pup home. Your Goldendoodle puppy needs to learn what it means to live inside an environment where humans set boundaries. They will absorb up things like a sponge. They need to learn that they can't chew on your furniture or shoes. They also have a natural instinct of digging in the dirt and grass, so you'll want them trained not only when it comes time for potty-training but as well with any other behaviors which might be destructive such as chewing up things around their home environment — Especially those belonging to humans! It will take some patience, but if done correctly, this process should go smoothly. Tip #5: Use Positive Reinforcement Positive reinforcement is one-way trainers use rewards, like treats, during training sessions instead of punishment methods where negative consequences are used when the dog makes a mistake/ Positive conditioning can be seen in the experiment that Pavlov conducted with his dog. The experiment consisted of ringing a bell every time the food was given to Pavlova's dogs. Soon enough, the dogs would start salivating when hearing that sound. You want to reward your Goldendoodle each time he does something right. This will help him learn faster and make the process more enjoyable for both of you. Tip #6 Begin with the Basics You need to begin by training your Goldendoodle pup on the basics. The basics include teaching him to come when called, sit on command and stay in one place until you release him. If you are using positive reinforcement, then make sure to have plenty of treats available. The best way to teach your Goldendoodle pup these commands is through repetition. You will need a lot of patience and time for this process, but it's worth the effort in order not only to make training easier on you both now -but also later when he becomes an adult dog with more energy! Tip #7 Socialize Them Early The first thing your pup needs is socialization training to learn how to behave around other people/animals without being aggressive. As I mentioned, pups absorb everything they see and hear. The more people he sees, the better! Ideally, he should be socialized with dogs his age as well as older mature dogs. Older dogs that are already trained can teach your Goldendoodle puppy when crossing a boundary and putting him/her in check. This will help your pup learn how to behave around other dogs and people. Socialization is a must! It's important for Goldendoodle puppies because they are so impressionable. Still, it also helps with their training later on when he becomes an adult dog. You'll need him/her to behave properly at dog parks, kennels, and other places. The more dogs he sees, the better! Tip #8 Establish a Routine A good way to ensure that your furry loved ones are well cared for is by establishing a routine. This includes meal times, bathroom breaks, and playtime for dogs, while naps and bedtimes make up the end of the day. Goldendoodles are known to have a strong personality, so it's important to establish an order for your new puppy. A consistent routine will also help with house training a Goldendoodle. All family members should follow the same schedule on feeding times and potty trips. Tip #9 Don't Tolerate Nipping/Biting The insatiable desire to chew that puppies have is very common. You can't stop them from chewing, but you CAN direct your puppy to chew on acceptable items until this phase passes at about a year of age. When pups don't have littermates, they tend to play rough - and when it comes time for family members (i.e., YOU), the pup may not know how gentle one needs to be with human hands or clothes! But fear not- every time your pooch sinks their teeth into something inappropriate, you need only to remove the offending object. AND firmly close any mouths in contact before moving away quickly enough so as no more bites are taken. Tell them "NO," and give them something appropriate for them to chew on. If you see your pup chewing on something inappropriate, remove the object and give them a toy or chew that is appropriate. You want to redirect thier attention to something appropriate. If they continue to bite after being corrected, then it's time for some serious "time-outs." This means removing him from whatever he was doing and putting him in an area he can't reach anything to chew. Tip #10 Enroll in Puppy Kindergarten Puppy classes are popular for a reason. They are an excellent way to socialize your pup and teach them the basics of obedience, such as "sit," stay," or even how not to jump up on people when greeting! This is great for first-time dog owners, especially. Who aren't familiar with how training dogs works. Puppy Kindergarten is typically offered at pet stores like Petco (or other local retailers) and some veterinary offices for about $100. The classes are typically held once a week for six weeks, and you can sign up at any time of the year (although it's best to start early in order not to miss out). Tip #11 Don't Overfeed Goldendoodle puppies are so cute and cuddly, it's hard not to want to give them treats all of the time. But don't let their cuteness cause you to overfeed them. They can't handle a lot of food because their digestive system is still developing, which means that they can get sick if you feed them too much at once. Make sure to give them three small meals throughout the day every few hours or so and keep the treats to a minimum. Tip #12 Use Healthy Dog Food Goldendoodles are prone to food allergies and digestive problems, so you must feed them high-quality dog food. Feed them food with all the nutrients they need for their growing bodies and minds (not just kibble). I recommended Ollie dog food. It's fresh, healthy, and delivered right to your door. It's the perfect food for a Goldendoodle! Tip #13 Praise Them When They Obey A little praise and admonition can go a long way with a Goldendoodle. They're very sensitive to your tone of voice, so be sure you praise them when they do something right and admonish with a stern "no" if needed. A little bit goes a long way! Be careful not to use too much praise, or it can backfire. hehe :P Just ask one of the spoiled Goldendoodles out there. Tip #14 Decide On Rules You will need to decide on the house rules and ensure that all family members are on board. This can include feeding schedules, potty schedules, and handling unwanted behavior like biting or jumping on guests. It's important to have a set of rules in place to be on the same page. Tip #15 Be Patient Thankfully, Goldendoodles are a mix of two of the most intelligent dog breeds. Even so, they are still dogs and will need time to learn. They may not always get it right the first few times, but you can teach them what is expected of a family dog with patience. How long does it take to train a Goldendoodle? It can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on your Goldendoodle's age and how often you train. The younger they are when training starts, the better. It's best if their first experience with obedience is in puppyhood to become second nature for them as an adult dog. How long it takes to train them will depend on how consistent you are with following your own rules. If you're not consistent, they'll learn that it's okay to break the rules. The more often and consistently your Goldendoodle is trained in obedience from a young age through adulthood faster they will learn how you want them to behave. Final Thoughts So know you know how to train a Goldendoodle! Do you have experience training Goldendoodles?? Let us know in the comments below and offer some of your suggestions for first-time Goldendoodle owners. :)