What is sweeter than a Golden Retriever or a Poodle? A Goldendoodle! As a mix of two independent breeds, Goldendoodle puppy training sounds like quite a daunting task. But is it, really?
Training a Goldendoodle or a Labradoodle isn’t as difficult as it seems. However, there are some tips and tricks if you want to have a well-behaved pup.
This guide will give you insight into appropriate Goldendoodle puppy training and some essential understanding of the breed’s characteristics. Let’s get started!
What Is A Goldendoodle?
Before you get to know the secrets behind Goldendoodle puppy training, you should know a little bit more about this breed.
A Goldendoodle is one of the designer dog breeds, just like a Labradoodle. This means that it’s a hybrid breed – in this case, it results from mixing the Golden Retriever with the Poodle. Similarly, a Labradoodle is a mix of a poodle and a Labrador retriever.
The idea behind this mixture was to create a healthier canine than the parent breeds, making a dog who is intelligent, beautiful, and hypoallergenic.
There is also a mini-Goldendoodle, which is a cross-breed of a Golden Retriever and a mini-pudle.
Goldendoodles make great family pets. At the same time, they are excellent working dogs. Many people use them as therapy dogs due to their friendly and intelligent nature.
However, this also resulted in a very independent dog, next to being one of the smartest dog breeds out there.
This may prove to be quite a headache for many dog owners who didn’t expect to spend so much time on kennel or potty training.
Luckily, training your Goldendoodle puppy doesn’t have to be as difficult as one may make it seem. Further in this article, we’ll let you in on a few secrets about how you can have an obedient and mentally healthy puppy.
Goldendoodle Puppy Training – Step By Step
An untrained Goldendoodle puppy will surely exhibit some form of bad behavior over time.
How you’ll train your puppy depends on many factors, but most of it is based on a dog’s age. You should divide training phases according to this timeline:
• The first month
• 1–3 months
• Three months to a year
The First Month
Like all other puppies, Goldendoodles are born entirely blind and deaf, but their sense of smell and temperature is strong. They’ll remain this way for up to 20 days.
When they are just a few weeks of age, you shouldn’t do any training as puppies are too young. Their mother will do all the necessary training. The only time you should interfere is if the mother isn’t there.
This training is nothing like typical Goldendoodle puppy training. Everything you do should consist of Bio Sensor training, training done by skin stimulation with gentle objects such as Q-tips. This imitates licking or cleaning that mother dogs should do.
Also, you may try to expose your puppies to minor temperature changes. This will keep their brains active, and it can even help them to deal with stress.
This is also the period when you should introduce your puppies to various scents. Dogs have a much better sense of smell than we do.
To avoid stress later on, introduce them to different soothing scents, such as the smell of the grass, rain, and various outdoor things.
After the 20th day, their hearing will improve, so you should introduce them to sounds, as well. Keep in mind that dogs mostly learn by association. Stick to the soothing sounds to avoid creating fear.
Finally, as their eyes open, you should start introducing them to colors. While dogs can’t see many shades, you should introduce them to as many colorful toys as you can find.
1–3 Months
As your Goldendoodle puppy grows older, he’ll be more active and ready to play all the time. However, you shouldn’t forget that they are still just a baby with short attention spans.
While you have to be careful, you also need to stick to positive reinforcement instead of punishing your pup.
Also, this is the time when your pup learns basic commands, which hold a high value when taking your pup for a walk.
Pick a single marker – a sound or a word – that will let your puppy understand they’ve done something right. A good choice is to use clicker training.
It would help if you always gave your dog treats or affection when he behaves in a way you want him to.
This is also the time when your pup will start teething. If you notice him nipping and munching on things he shouldn’t, give him some chew toys for relief.
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Never punish your Goldendoodle or a Labradoodle when they do something wrong! This will only make your pup afraid and cause stress.
A stressed-out puppy will chew on things or pee where he shouldn’t. This is very counterproductive and will do more harm than good.
This is also the time when you should socialize your four-legged friend. Make socialization a part of his daily routine. Just make sure that he has had all the vaccines necessary before introducing him to a new friend.
• Introduce him to babies, toddlers, and children.
• Let him meet dogs of different sizes and temperaments – just ensure this is done safely.
• If you plan on having a cat one day, introduce your Goldendoodle to a kitty, just make sure you are there to monitor everything.
3 Months To A Year
When your puppy is older than a few months, he’ll start developing preferences for certain things. However, you still have to ensure he feels safe, no matter the environment. This way, he’ll grow up to become a confident dog.
It’s essential you stick to positive reinforcements during this stage of Goldendoodle puppy training. Once again, never harshly punish your dog, even if he did something bad.
Don’t force your puppy to interact with other canines or people. While socialization is an essential part of this stage of development, you shouldn’t risk hurting the bond between the two of you. Allow him to go at his own pace.
Also, now is the time to introduce your pup to water. While Labradoodles are fonder of swimming, this activity can be fun for Goldendoodles, as well.
If you start exposing him to pools and beaches early on, you won’t have any issues swimming with your dog later in life.
Potty Training Your Goldendoodle
Potty training is the most daunting part of Goldendoodle puppy training sessions. A pup needs to know where he can do his business. However, house training doesn’t always go according to plan.
Pet owners should start potty training when their Goldendoodle is around four months of age. Anything before that will stress your pup out and perhaps even damage his bladder by forcing him to hold.
The key to all potty training methods is having a consistent routine. Take him outdoors every day at the same time, and make sure you visit the same spot. It would be best to do this on these occasions:
• Right after they wake up
• Straight before they go to sleep
• After meals
• When you come back home from work or any other outside activity
Photo from: @goldendoodlewally
Choose a word you’ll use whenever you take him to the potty spot. This will give him an association. Repeat the command over and over whenever you want your dog to pee or poop.
When he finally does that, praise him and give him treats.
Prepare for setbacks, as you will have them. However, you have to be patient. It takes time before you teach them how to do everything the right way.
If they mess up, take them back to the spot they should relieve themselves on. Remember, praise is the key for a dog to understand that he did something right.
Crate Training Your Goldendoodle
While crate training isn’t necessary, it’s something dog owners should do, just in case. A crate isn’t a cage to keep your dog trapped in.
Quite the opposite, it’s a safe place for your pup. However, to make it this way, you have to crate train your puppy as soon as possible.
You have to make sure your dog connects the crate with good memories. Also, never leave them in for too long.
The right amount of time a dog should spend in a crate is how many months they have, plus one. For example, you shouldn’t leave a four-month-old puppy in their crate for more than five hours.
Goldendoodle Puppy Training Tips
Dog training is never easy, especially if this is your first time taking a new Goldendoodle puppy home. However, some tips can make things such as crate training or learning tricks more manageable. Here are some of the essential ones:
• Do your research. It’s vital to understand how dogs think and what drives them to action. Goldendoodle puppies are stubborn, and they’ll do whatever they want to.
Search for ways to stay on top of the game. Contact a professional trainer for advice, if needed.
• Prepare your home for a new puppy. Goldendoodle pups love to chew on everything. Ensure anything potentially hazardous is away from his reach. Seal the backyard, as well, so he can’t run away.
• Take enough time to train your Goldendoodle. They grow up very fast, and the more time you lose, the harder it’ll be to make up for it. It isn’t easy to teach them how to behave when they’re older.
• Form a bond with your pooch. The closer they feel to you, the more they’ll be eager to learn. A dog who trusts you is more likely to stay calm when near you, making training much more straightforward.
• Don’t wait until they’re adults. Begin obedience training as soon as possible. It would be best if you don’t wait until they settle in, or they’ll get confused. Teach them what they can and can’t do immediately.
• Never use intimidation tactics! If you scare your dog or cause him pain, they’ll stop trusting you. Not to mention they can’t understand what they’re doing wrong.
Conclusion
Getting a new puppy is a tremendous joy, but one that comes with some hardships. Goldendoodle training may not seem easy, but it is very straightforward once you know the basics.
All dogs should be considered as our family members, and you should treat them as such.
The key to training young puppies is patience and love. If your pooch trusts you, he’s more likely to learn. And don’t forget to always reward good behavior while trying to look past the bad.
If things get rough, you can always hire a professional to help you!
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