How to Train a Goldendoodle

Posted: March 24, 2023   |   Author: Connor Peters, Poodle 2 Doodles' Website Developer

Goldendoodle puppies make a great addition to any family! These cuddly little balls of fluff are adorable and sweet and will easily capture your heart. They’re also extremely smart, which means that they respond well to training. But if you want more details on how to train a goldendoodle puppy, you’re in the right place! We’ll teach you everything you need to know to have a well-behaved doodle.

Establish a Schedule

Schedules are a vital first step if you’re wondering how to train a goldendoodle puppy. Like kids, dogs respond best when they’re given a regular routine. Tasks like taking them potty, feeding them, going on walks, playing fetch, or other outdoor activities, should all be done at the same time each day. This will help your goldendoodle learn what is expected of them. By offering them consistency, they will learn and adapt to this pattern.

Socialize Your Puppy

Dogs are pack animals. In general, they love people and other pups, and they want to interact with strangers and make new friends. But etiquette isn’t instinctive, so puppies need to be taught how to approach and play with strangers and other dogs.

It’s important to start developing your goldendoodle puppy’s good manners as early as possible. You can begin by setting up puppy playdates and introducing your new dog to friends in a safe environment. This shouldn’t be put off because if you wait to socialize your pet, they might start to develop bad habits. It’s easier to teach a puppy good behavior than it is to correct any goldendoodle behavior problems once they’re grown up.

Obedience Training Methods

Of course, if you’re curious about how to train a goldendoodle puppy, it’s essential that you practice some techniques to reinforce good behavior. Also, you should be sure to research the best options when it comes to supplies like crates, clickers, and treats.

Clicker Training

If you’ve ever heard of Pavlov’s dog, then you understand the basics of clicker training. This method is widely used because it’s proven to work well with puppies and prevent goldendoodle behavior problems from taking root.

In the early stages of clicker training, if your dog follows your command and does something right, you will make a noise with a clicker and also reward your pup with a snack. Over time, your goldendoodle will begin to associate their treat with the sound that the clicker makes, and it will understand that the clicker gets pressed when they behave. So, eventually, if you press the clicker, they should immediately do as they are told because they will want to be rewarded.

Food Rewards

Many goldendoodles are highly food motivated! So a really easy way to teach them tricks is to just offer them something tasty each time that they successfully follow your instructions. Just be sure that you use small treats or pieces of kibble if you’re practicing training throughout the day because you don’t want to overfeed your pup.

Scented Items Praise Training

If your goldendoodle is already well-behaved, you may be interested in a more advanced training activity. Nose work training will teach your dog to retrieve items based on their scent. Dogs have powerful senses of smell, and it can be a very enriching and stimulating activity for them to use their nose to seek out hidden toys and treasures.

Praise Training Crate Training

Just like people, goldendoodles like to be told that they’re doing a good job. Dogs can pick up on tone and body language really well, and they like it when their owners are clearly happy with them. So, a great way to prevent goldendoodle behavior problems is to just shower them with praise and pets when they do something right.

Crate Training

Crate training can’t teach your goldendoodle obedience across the board, but it is very useful in a few ways. For one, crate training can help establish a routine. If you crate your dog at night, they will know that it is time to go to bed every time they go into the crate, it’s also going to be useful when it comes to housebreaking a puppy since dogs will be reluctant to go potty in the same place that they sleep.