Congratulations on your new family member! Now that you’re welcoming a puppy, let the early Goldendoodle training commence. Goldendoodles are such amazing, friendly, cute, and cuddly companions. But if you want your new pup to grow into a well-behaved Goldendoodle, early training and socialization is an absolute must.
Goldendoodle training is no different from training any other dog. However, thanks to their Poodle and Golden Retriever parents, Goldendoodles are almost always very easy to train. They’re intelligent and pick up on commands very quickly. So, let’s discuss everything you should keep in mind about Goldendoodle training!
Table of Contents
- Best Age To Start Training Your Goldendoodle Puppy and a Sample Routine
- 4 Obedience Training Methods For Your Goldendoodle
- 8 Common Issues With Goldendoodle Training & How to Tackle Them
- When to Get Professional Help
- Goldendoodle Training FAQs
Best Age To Start Training Your Goldendoodle Puppy and a Sample Routine
How to train a Goldendoodle puppy? And when is the best time to start training them?
Naturally, the sooner your start with training, the easier it will be. We absolutely recommend that you start training your Doodle pup as soon as you’ve taken them home with you.
Moreover, you have to remember that you are responsible for your pup. You need to show consistency in your own behavior. Your Doodle will have an easier time adjusting to his new home and family if you start from day one.
Establish a Proper Routine
Firstly, you should establish a proper routine for your Doodle. This includes meal times, bathroom breaks, playtime, naps, and bedtime. Keep in mind that consistency is key in Goldendoodle training. A structured routine gives dogs a sense of security. It will also help your new Goldendoodle puppy understand how you want them to behave.
Routine is also an important part of housetraining, as consistent feeding times will also beget consistent potty times.
If you have other family members living with you, make sure you all follow the exact same routine.
A great tip is to schedule your pup’s mealtimes around your own breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is usually recommended that puppies younger than six months of age eat three meals per day. (Here’s our puppy feeding chart that you can use to plan your Goldendoodle puppy’s daily schedule depending on their age.)
Socialize Your Puppy
Secondly, all dogs, and especially Goldendoodles, are social creatures. They enjoy spending time with their families and meet other dogs at the dog park. Early socialization is important for your Goldendoodle pup to get used to new people, pets and situations.
Not only will you both benefit from a good routine, you’ll also be able to remember your pup’s mealtimes better. In addition, it’s a great way for your pup to socialize with the whole family.
Goldendoodle Training Sample Routine
Goldendoodle puppy behavior is very much your responsibility. Luckily, structuring your pup’s routine is actually not that difficult. Here are the key things you should keep in mind when scheduling your pup’s routine:
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Tip #1:
Potty time right after waking up. Puppies usually need to use the bathroom first thing in the morning.
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Tip #2:
Feed your pup at the same time every day. If possible, schedule your pup’s mealtimes at the same time as you have breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is a great way for your puppy to socialize with you and your family.
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Tip #3:
Potty time around 30 to 60 minutes after each meal. If you’re still house training your puppy, you can even take them out every hour to avoid possible accidents around the house.
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Tip #4:
Playtime or exercise after potty time. Keep in mind that your puppy is still growing, so don’t go crazy with the exercise. Playing with toys and shorter walks are perfect for baby Doodles. And again, it’s a great way to bond and socialize.
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Tip #5:
Puppies usually need to relieve themselves after exercise, as well. After playtime or walks, it’s time for another potty break.
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Tip #6:
Once your Goldendoodle pup has gone potty, it’s time for a nap. Puppies can sleep up to 16-18 hours every day! Make sure no one distracts their sleep, as they need to rest.
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Tip #7:
After naptime or being in their crate, take your pup for a bathroom break.
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Tip #8:
Bedtime every day around the same time is also very useful to enforce a consistent routine. But don’t forget to take your pup out for potty before going to sleep for the night!
Remember that puppies around 8-12 weeks of age need smaller portions and more frequent meals. Therefore, they will also need to go potty more frequently. And as we already said, all dogs and puppies are unique. This is a rough guideline that most Doodle owners find useful.
Here’s our sample Goldendoodle training schedule that you can follow:
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4 Obedience Training Methods For Your Goldendoodle
So, what is the best Goldendoodle obedience training method? Well, all dogs are unique, so there is no one size fits all approach in Goldendoodle training. However, there are a few main training methods that most dog owners find useful when training a Goldendoodle puppy.
Of course, the younger your puppy is, the shorter their attention span. Keep in mind that your 8-12 week old Goldendoodle puppy is still just a baby and won’t be able to understand much more. Start with easy commands like “sit” and “stay”. Usually, the general guideline is to start formal training at four to six months of age.
However, keep in mind that first you should build a relationship and bond with your pup. It’s easier for them to understand what you want and expect. Stay calm and positive; intimidation and scolding won’t do any good.
So, let’s have a look at the four most common Goldendoodle training methods.
1. Clicker Training
Clicker training is one of the most popular Goldendoodle training methods that professional dog trainers use. It combines reward training with a small hand-held clicker that you will click every time you reward your pup for good behavior or when following a command. Your puppy will soon start associating the clicking sound with a reward. Therefore, your pup will also associate it with good behavior.
Best for Clicker Training
2. Positive Reinforcement
Your behavior and attitude has a huge impact on your Goldendoodle pup. Always use positive reinforcement and do not scold or punish your pup for accidents. Remember, your puppy is still learning and growing. Therefore, they won’t understand punishing. Instead, it will just make them fearful of you. That’s definitely not a good way to bond!
Whenever you want your Goldendoodle puppy to do something, always keep a positive and enthusiastic attitude. If your pup has completed the task, always give plenty of praise and a nice little treat or a toy.
Some dogs respond better to reward with food and others respond better to toys. However, always use these rewards together with lots of praise and enthusiasm.
3. Crate Training
Crate training is another very popular Goldendoodle training method. Not only will this give your Doodle a safe, secure place to relax, it’s also great for preventing destructive behavior around the house like chewing on your stuff or going potty in places they’re not supposed to. Crate training can take a few days or a few weeks, but the results are worth it.
Likewise, don’t use the crate for punishment. It’s supposed to be a safe, secure and quiet place for your Doodle pup to relax.
Keep in mind that you should only leave your pup in the crate in hours equal to the age in months that they are. Younger puppies need to relieve themselves more frequently, so don’t leave your Doodle in the crate for too long and be sure to provide them the opportunity to go outside.
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4. Mirror Training
Mirror training method uses positive reinforcement and a clicker to teach a dog how to follow your lead. This method has three parts that include building a relationship and establishing that you’re their parent (a.k.a. the leader). With the help of positive reinforcement and the clicker, you will teach your dog to mirror what you’re doing. As your pup is looking up to you, they will naturally want to mimic your behavior and attitude.
8 Common Issues With Goldendoodle Training & How to Tackle Them
1. Counter Surfing/Stealing Food
Like all dogs, Goldendoodles love to eat whatever comes their way. A great way to keep this from happening is to keep your kitchen counters clean and tidy at all times. Do not store food on counters longer than you prepare your meals. Also, wipe the counter tops when you’re done. Surely you enjoy a clean kitchen, as well!
Another tip is to put your pup in a crate or away from the kitchen while you prepare your meals. And of course, you should train them to understand the commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘off’ and ‘leave it’.
2. Jumping
One of the very first things that you can start teaching your Goldendoodle puppy is to sit to be greeted. This will teach your puppy that they will only get attention once they sit. The main goal is to change your puppy’s motivation from the person…to the reward that’s coming.
As with any other issue, do not reward your Doodle’s bad behavior and manners! If you reward them, they will continue doing it. A reward in your puppy’s eyes includes any kind of attention – whether good or bad.
3. Barking
With every common behavioral problem, the key is to think about what you want your puppy to do instead. How would you like them to react when someone is knocking on the door, or how should your pup act when you have guests over?
For instance, you can train your dog to sit still in a designated place when the doorbell rings. You can use treats to keep them down until you’ve told them they’re released.
4. Leash Pulling
When your puppy starts to pull the leash, immediately stop walking. Once your puppy has stopped pulling, you can start walking again. Doing this continuously will teach your puppy good leash manners. And don’t forget to reward good behavior!
No-pull harnesses and headcollars can also be great tools for training your pup not to pull on the leash.
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5. Digging
Most commonly, dogs start digging if they’re bored and need an outlet for their energy. Make sure your pup has enough interesting toys and provide them plenty of playtime and exercise.
Funnily enough, a great way to prevent digging is to place some of their poop into holes they’ve already started digging.
6. Biting and Mouthing
Biting is a completely natural behavior for dogs. As with any other behavioral problem, biting also can stem from your pup wanting your attention. You should have some chew toys at hand, so you can quickly redirect your puppy’s attention. Also, biting and mouthing might indicate that your pup needs more playtime.
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7. Eating Socks/Non-food Items
Some puppies have found eating socks and other non-food items a useful way to get attention from their human parents.
Just like with counter surfing, the easiest way to make sure your Doodle won’t eat anything they shouldn’t is to keep those items out of reach and out of sight. You can also use anti-chew spray on the items you don’t want your pup to eat.
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Your Doodle should understand the basic commands. So, if you tell them to stop eating socks, they should be able to do it. Of course, always reward them if they behave well.
8. Potty Training
Potty training a Goldendoodle puppy goes hand-in-hand with crate training and a proper routine. However, it’s only natural that accidents happen!
You should always pay attention to your pup’s behavior. Puppies usually start displaying particular behaviors when they want to go to the bathroom. If you’re not paying enough attention, you won’t be able to detect those behaviors. Your dog might start circling, whining, barking, or scratching at the door. You should spend as much time with your puppy as possible anyway, so noticing behavioral patterns should not be very difficult for you.
Make sure to read our potty training article. We wrote down some great tips and tricks for potty training that you might find useful.
When to Get Professional Help
If your pup starts or continues to display behavior issues such as aggression, food aggression, excessive barking, destructive chewing, mounting, or separation anxiety, it is likely that he will need special attention to address them. The best way to deal with Doodle behavior issues is to hire a trainer, or a behaviorist to come to your home for a one-on-one consult.
BAXTER & Bella’s Online Puppy School teaches you how to train and interact with your new puppy to get the best possible results. Not only will you learn the skills you need to be successful, but your puppy will learn incredible manners and behaviors as well!
Amy helps you set up your home, get your family all on the same page and teaches you exactly what to do the second your puppy arrives for optimal training success. You can also schedule LIVE! Office Hours for one-on-one help with Amy and participate in weekly online puppy classes right in your living room!
Need help with training?
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(By the way, the skills they teach works for any dog at any age.)
Goldendoodle Training FAQs
Goldendoodles are usually very easy to train. They’re very intelligent and pick up new commands easily. Have a look at our Goldendoodle temperament survey results – most Goldendoodle owners who have taken part in our Goldendoodle temperament survey report them excellent to train!
If you’re especially lucky and have been able to spend most of the time with your Goldendoodle puppy, your pup may be potty trained even in just a few weeks. However, usually potty training does take a few months. You can expect your Goldendoodle to be fully potty trained around 6 months of age. However, for some dogs, it can take up to a year.
As soon as you take them home, you should start training and socializing your Goldendoodle puppy. The best way to start is with a good routine that everyone in your family follows.
If you’ve got a Goldendoodle that’s a bit too excitable, you can teach them to be calmer in certain situations. We recommend you start training and desensitizing your puppy as soon as you bring them home. The sooner you start, the easier those desired behaviors and habits will stick. Also, keep in mind that it’s completely normal for a young Goldendoodle puppy to have endless amounts of energy. They’ll likely grow out of it and become calmer as they become an adult (or a few years into adulthood). What’s more, excessive energy and overly excitable behavior can also indicate that your Dood needs more exercise and mental stimulation.
In conclusion, Goldendoodles are very intelligent and generally super easy to train. They’re great with people and pick things up easily.
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Attributions:
Image by William Warby, used under CC BY 2.0 / Enhanced from original
Image by BuzzFarmers, used under CC BY 2.0 / Enhanced from original
Image by William Warby, used under CC BY 2.0 / Enhanced from original
Image by BuzzFarmers, used under CC BY 2.0 / Enhanced from original
What tips and tricks do you have for Goldendoodle training? Join the discussion by leaving a comment below.