One of the most exciting aspects of dog ownership is taking on the task of training your canine companion. But some dog breeds are easier to train than others, and that can be a major consideration when deciding what breed to buy.
Doodles are hugely popular as family pets at the moment, but are Goldendoodles easy to train?
Read this Goldendoodle training guide for some useful training tips.
Table of Contents
Are Goldendoodles Easy To Train?
Absolutely! Goldendoodles are generally regarded as being one of the easiest breeds to train.
Whatever size Goldendoodle you have, from a Standard to a Mini or Toy Doodle pup, these dogs are highly trainable.
What Makes Goldendoodles So Trainable?
The Goldendoodle’s trainability is down to a few factors.
Super-bright Parents
The Doodle’s Poodle parent is super-bright and Golden retrievers are no dunces either! So, Goldendoodle puppies usually inherit their parents’ intelligence, making them easy to train.
Bred To Serve
Both Poodles and Golden retrievers were originally bred to work, accompanying hunters in the field as bird dogs. Those early working breeds had to be trainable and obedient to be of any use to man in the hunting field.
So, it’s logical that a Goldendoodle will be easy to train.
Pay Attention!
Goldendoodles love people, and these dogs crave attention. Doodles are very sensitive, too, which is one of the qualities that makes them such excellent service dogs.
That human attachment and the dog’s sensitivity means that a Doodle in training will have all his attention on his human instructor. The more attention during training that your dog pays, the quicker and easier it will be to teach him.
Eager To Please
Goldendoodles love people and are always keen to please their owners. That’s an excellent quality that makes a training session such fun.
One important thing to note is that Goldendoodles do not respond well to negative training methods. When working with a Goldendoodle, always be positive and reward your dog with lots of praise when he responds as you want him to. Golden retrievers are very food-oriented, so offering treats to your Doodle as a reward for good behavior also works very well.
Bottom line: When training your Goldendoodle, use positive reinforcement training techniques for the best results.
Are All Goldendoodles Easy To Train?
As with everything in life, there are always a few exceptions to the rule, and some Goldendoodles are less cooperative than others when it comes to training.
How so?
If you think about it, when you first welcome your Goldendoodle into your life, you have to earn your puppy’s trust and build a bond with each other. The more confident your puppy is in you, the easier the training process will be. That’s why it’s crucial that you’re always patient with your puppy and you never lose your temper with him.
Older Goldendoodles, perhaps one from a rescue or a shelter, can be more difficult to train. A rescue dog might have been abused, could have lived as a stray, and might have been living at the shelter for months without any real training. So, an intensive socialization program will be necessary before you can make any real headway in training your dog.
When it comes to training older dogs, be patient, consistent, and persistent, and you will eventually get the results you want.
Six Essential Commands That Your Goldendoodle Should Know
Here are six basic obedience training commands that every Goldendoodle should be taught as soon as possible.
Come!
This recall command is absolutely essential! You must be able to call your dog to come to you wherever you want him to.
“Come” could be the command that you use when it’s time to leave the dog park or when you want to gather your dog up, ready to go out in the car for a day trip. But one day, you might need your dog to come to you without hesitation for safety reasons. For example, if your dog chases after a squirrel and is in danger of dashing out into the road.
Leave It!
Goldendoodles are intelligent dogs, and they love to explore unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells. Also, these dogs are bred to work in the hunting field, so they have a fairly strong prey drive. Both those characteristics can get your Doodle into trouble sometimes, especially if they get their noses into things they shouldn’t.
So, it’s crucial that your dog comes to you when you call him and leaves things alone when told to.
Stay
Goldendoodles are lively dogs that have a habit of charging after things, which can sometimes cause problems. Teaching your dog to stay can help to keep a potentially tricky situation under control.
Heel
There’s nothing worse than a dog that constantly pulls on the leash while you’re out walking with him; that’s so tiring!
Every dog should learn to walk politely by your side, not forge ahead or drag you all over the sidewalk. Teach your dog to “heel” and walk nicely beside you so that walkies are fun for both parties.
Sit
Teaching your dog to sit is an important command that tells your dog who is in control. “Sit” effectively puts your dog in a neutral position, where he waits calmly for your next instruction.
Down!
The “down” command tells your dog a few different things, including:
- Don’t leap up at guests!
- Lie down and relax; it’s not time to play
- Get off the furniture!
Once your Doodle is basically obedient, you can move on to more advanced training. But first, he must learn the basics.
Potty Training
One thing that all puppy owners want to know is, how long does it take to potty train a Goldendoodle?
Although many pet parents manage to housetrain their Goldendoodles in around four months, the average time for potty training is six months, depending on the training tactics that you use.
Here are a few useful tips to help your Goldendoodle get the gist of house training.
Patience, Repetition, Consistency
Every puppy will simply relieve itself wherever and whenever it needs to. But by adopting a proper training policy of patience, repetition, and consistency, you can teach your Goldendoodle how to behave when he needs to relieve himself.
Positive Reinforcement
Although it can be very frustrating when your puppy pees on the carpet, you must never lose your temper with him. If you yell at your puppy, you’ll frighten him, and you risk destroying your pet’s trust in you, which is catastrophic when it comes to training. In fact, if your puppy is anxious around you, he’s more likely to pee out of fear.
Instead, try to keep an eye on your puppy so that he doesn’t have an accident before you have a chance to put him out in the garden to go potty. When your furry friend gets it right and asks to go outside or does the deed where you want him to, make a huge fuss of your puppy and reward him.
Treats
If you reward your puppy with one of his favorite treats each time he relieves himself in the appropriate place, the little guy will quickly learn to associate the treat with the behavior.
Choose A Command
Pick a command word that you use when you want your puppy to relieve himself. You can use any short, clear word that’s easy for the puppy to learn.
Only ever use the word when you want your dog to go potty so that there’s no confusion.
Pick A Designated Place
Dogs use scent marking as a kind of messaging system. So, if your puppy learns to relieve himself only in one dedicated spot in your backyard or on an interior potty tray, he will always head to that place when he needs to go.
Also, if your pet has his own toilet area, you’ll find that much easier to clean up than if your Goldendoodle treats the whole garden as his personal convenience!
Umbilical Cord Training
It’s much easier to avoid accidents when you first begin potty training if you can keep your puppy in sight at all times. That’s where the umbilical cord alternative house training method comes in!
Umbilical training involves having your puppy permanently attached to you by his leash. Basically, you clip the puppy’s harness to a leash of a suitable length, attach the leash to a belt around your waist, and take the little guy with you wherever you go around the house.
This form of training has several benefits.
- You can watch your puppy constantly and avert accidents.
- You learn to recognize the signs when your puppy needs to go.
- The bond between you and your Goldendoodle puppy will strengthen more quickly than if you leave him contained in a crate.
Remember to be consistent, sympathetic, and positive when potty training your Goldendoodle puppy.
Are Male Or Female Goldendoodles Easier To Train?
Just like people, all Goldendoodles have slightly different personalities, and that can make a difference to training.
For example, some owners reckon that their male Goldendoodle is easier to train because the dog is talented in dog agility classes. However, obedience classes are just as challenging but in a different way. If you have a particularly lively Goldendoodle that has tons of energy to burn, then he or she might be happier in agility training. However, a quieter, less exuberant dog might excel more in obedience.
Since both male and female Goldendoodles are very similar in stature, it’s really down to the individual dog’s attitude and personality as to how easy to train the dog is.
It’s generally accepted that female unspayed Goldendoodles can be moodier than males. However, both male and female hormones can make a dog less receptive to training at particular times.
So, essentially, there’s no real difference between male and female Goldendoodles when it comes to training.
Are Goldendoodles Smarter Than Labradoodles?
A Labradoodle is a cross between a Poodle and a Labrador retriever. Just like Golden retrievers, Labradors were originally bred to be bird dogs. So, Labradoodles are just as intelligent as Goldendoodles.
Both these breeds are smart, which makes them easy and fun to train. These dogs are bright and constantly taking in their surroundings. Again, both breeds love to play, run, swim, and interact with their owners, making Labradoodles and Goldendoodles a dream to train.
Can You Train A Goldendoodle To Stop Barking?
Barking is a natural but annoying behavior trait that all dogs indulge in, to one degree or another. Goldendoodles don’t generally bark more than other dogs. However, a dog can start barking excessively out of habit, which can create a nuisance to you and to your neighbors. Luckily, with patience and positive reinforcement methods, you can train your Goldendoodle not to be a nuisance barker.
Read our barking article at this link to learn more about why Goldendoodles bark, find out how to remove those barking triggers that can cause the behavior, and learn some alternative training methods to cure barking.
Are Some Goldendoodles Lazy?
Goldendoodles tend to be very lively dogs with outgoing personalities. However, sometimes you do get a dog that simply can’t be bothered with certain types of training.
If you have a lazy Goldendoodle that prefers to sleep than learn, try using food to motivate your reluctant training partner. If you don’t get a response to your pet’s favorite snack or a special food item, a trip to your veterinarian is in order to get your Doodle checked out.
Although Goldendoodles are pretty robust dogs, there are a few common health conditions that they can suffer from. A lazy Goldendoodle could be sickening for something, so always ask professional advice as a first step.
Conclusion
Did you enjoy our guide and training tips? If you did, please share.
A well-trained dog is a pleasure to have around you. Teach your dog basic obedience, and you will have a happy hound and hassle-free experience. Goldendoodles respond best to positive praise and positive reinforcement methods can reduce training time dramatically.
What tricks did you teach your Goldendoodle? Tell us in the comments box below.
