Goldendoodle Training (Four Popular Methods)
A Goldendoodle is a mixture of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Their attributes position them as an excellent family pet which would account for why everyone loves them. They shed less and are also hypoallergenic, while their intelligence makes them qualify as therapy dogs.
The Goldendoodle also comes in a variety of sizes to fit all types of households. Despite their adorability, an untrained Goldendoodle might make for a bad pet when they are fully grown. However, a trained Goldendoodle makes for a fantastic companion even around kids.
According to the Veterinary Center of America (VCA), the best age for a dog to start training is six months. However, due to the inherent intelligence found in Goldendoodles, you should still consider the age of your dog before training begins.
Goldendoodle training requires no particular procedure or different technique from teaching any other dog breed. But once you decide it’s time to train your Goldendoodle, the following are what you need to consider.
Before Training Your Goldendoodle
Do Your Research
Before you begin your dog training, you need to research or study which method would be easy for you to see through. The reason for this is for you to be able to see yourself through any training regimen you want to design for your pup, as it can be quite time demanding and requires a whole lot of patience.
Bond With Your Dog
Most expert dog trainers would tell you that forming an emotional bond with your pet is pertinent to achieving a successful outcome whenever you are trying to train them. You need to spend time together to know your dog, especially if you got them as a puppy.
Dogs are emotionally sensitive creatures, and Goldendoodles are super-sensitive to emotions. Hence, building an emotional understanding through time spent together can foster and ease the stress associated with Goldendoodle training.
Initiate Training for Simple Commands
There are many basic training commands that your canine needs to understand and comply with to enjoy your time together. Asides from the nominal “sit down” command, you need to teach your pupster manners (like biting when they are teething as puppies) that could become dangerous as adults, temperament around kids, amongst others.
You should also note that your pet’s training should be routine-like as this helps them feel assured and eases their settling into your home. There are many approaches or methods at your disposal for you to choose from when it comes to training.
Remember, creating a routine-like structure is essential to ease your pet through the training phase. Some of the methods available for you to train your Goldendoodle are listed below.
4 Popular Goldendoodle Training Methods
1. Reward/Treat Training
Training your Goldendoodle is no different from training your regular dog, and guess what they all have in common? They all love treats and rewards.
Subject to the training command you want your pet to execute, rewarding them can aid the speed at which they grasp the command. For instance, after showing your dog what the command “Sit” looks like, subsequently, whenever you give the order sit, and your pet obeys, you should reward them or treat them as the case may be.
Reward training is positive reinforcement of good behavior. With time, your canine will associate the command with getting a reward which would further entice it to obey the requested direction.
When you see that your dog has a full grasp of the order, you can carefully fade out rewarding obedience with treats and replace it with praising them.
2. Clicker Training Your Doodle
This method uses a handheld device that produces a “click” sound whenever you press the clicker. Clicker training is quite popular among dog trainers. This method works hand in hand with the reward method.
When you give your Goldendoodle a command, and your pup successfully performs the order, you give your dog a treat while pressing the clicker device.
With time, your pup will come to associate the click sound with a reward that would further entice it to obey. An alternative method to using a clicker is trying a training collar.
3. Item Training Your Dog
This method is beneficial if you train your Doodle on obeying commands like “fetch” or sniffing out items. This training ensures that your dog can identify items.
To achieve this, it requires you to train your canine with a toy and occasionally hiding this item for your dog to sniff out. You can lace the object or toy with a food item for your dog to sniff out and identify at the earliest stages.
With time, your Doodle will come to identify the article without the food items.
4. Crate Training
Crate training is one the hardest on Goldendoodles, as they are big attention seekers. Hence, crate training comes with lots of resistance and tears (for both dog and owner).
However, with time they can improve and come to recognize the crate as their bed. The crate should be large enough for your dog to stand and walk around. You should also place some toys in the container, so your pet is never bored and doesn’t start crying when you are away.
The crate training’s importance is for occasions when you have to leave your Goldendoodle home alone. Another benefit is that it teaches your dog once you are asleep, it cannot go to the bathroom as dogs don’t like soiling up where they sleep.
A rule of thumb is that you do not place your pet in the crate for more hours than its age in months. That way, you can ensure that your pet gets the message clearly while maximizing its comfort.
Final Thoughts
Remember, Goldendoodle training is essential to get the best from your dog and remember to stay consistent whenever training, regardless of the method.
For more information about Goldendoodles, feel free to visit We Love Doodles.
