Labradoodle puppies are pure bundles of fluffy joy – they’re adorable, cuddly, and sure to bring a whole lot of happiness into your home.
But, just like with all young puppies, Labradoodles need the proper training in the early stages of their lives to avoid unwanted behaviour like nipping, chewing, excess barking, and potty accidents.
In this guide, you can find everything you need to know about training these clever pups, including Labradoodle training tips, crate training, potty training, and more!
Yes! All dogs can benefit immensely from puppy training, and the Labradoodle certainly is no exception.
If you want a well-mannered furry friend that you can take with you wherever you go, it’s essential that you start training your puppy immediately to prevent any bad habits from developing.
Training a Labradoodle is relatively easy as these dogs are very intelligent, happy-go-lucky, and have strong desires to please their human companions.
Their curious little minds thrive off the mental stimulation that comes with learning new tricks and skills.
The Labradoodle makes for a great guide or therapy dog since they can be trained professionally to a very high standard.
Labradoodles require obedience training, house training and making sure they are properly socialised with other canines when it comes to dog parks, pets, human family members, as well as strangers.
Your adorable little Labradoodle puppy will be around 8 weeks old when he arrives home, and you’ll want to begin toilet training straight away. The sooner, the better!
From the get-go, you need to be conscious of when your pup looks like they need to go. Before they are trained, they will merely squat wherever they are to go. You’ll need to take him outside frequently if you want to avoid your house quickly becoming a (smelly) mess. Taking them to a specific place to use the toilet is one way to build a habit.
Make it a habit to take your puppy to the same spot in your backyard or house every time so that he learns this is the ‘doggy toilet area’.
Just like humans, dogs like routines, too, so sticking to the same toilet routine will make it a whole lot easier for you to train your little one.
Here’s when you’ll need to take your pup out for a potty break:
For the first few weeks, you’ll likely be taking your doggo outside regularly until they build the habit of going outside to use the toilet.
If you notice your puppy using your kitchen floor as his toilet, you’ll need to make a short, sharp negative sound, like: Oh! No! Eh! – as long as you’re loud enough that it makes him stop. Next, run towards the outside door and call your pup enthusiastically into the chosen spot in the garden and let him finish his business there.
Teaching your dog how to behave and enjoy being in a crate is known as “crate training.” This should be one of your first priorities when getting a new dog, along with housetraining.
Crate training allows your dog to have his own special spot – a safe space where only he can go to sleep or relax.
When it comes to travelling with your doggo, a crate is essential to keep him safe. Besides that, the crate will aid in the potty training process, as your four-legged friend won’t want to use the toilet in his crate.
However old your dog is, crate training can be very beneficial, but as they always say, the sooner, the better.
As a rule of thumb, never leave your pup in the crate for more hours than its age plus one. For instance, a 4-month-old puppy shouldn’t be kept in there for longer than 5 hours.
Here’s how to crate train your puppy in the best way so that he will love spending time in his crate as an adult dog:
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of having a crate for your pup.
Absolutely! Your Labradoodle will love learning new tricks. You can start by teaching them some basic dog tricks like shaking hands, playing fetching, ringing a bell (ding- I’m hungry!), playing dead, and more.
Treat your little puppy like an adult when it comes to boundaries and training to let them know you are the pack leader.
Make sure he follows the same guidelines that you want him to follow as a grownup.
For example, allowing him to sleep in your bed and jump on your couch may be cute while he’s still small – but will you still want him doing that when he’s fully grown?
Your doggo will be very confused if you have different house rules for puppies and mature dogs.
Positive reinforcement training has been shown to be miles more effective than other Labradoodle training methods (in fact, the same goes for all other dogs).
Focus on praising and rewarding your pooch for successfully performing tasks, and totally avoid punishing them for unwanted behaviour.
While it may seem like a good idea to reward your pup with a doggy treat every time they perform well, over-rewarding is a thing – and you need to be cautious about being too generous with the treats.
The last thing you want is for your Labradoodle to pack on a few kilograms or for the treats to lose their special appeal.
Clicker training has proven to be very effective for training Labradoodles.
The distinct sound of the clicker will signal to your precious pooch that he’s doing a good job, and a reward is to follow – whether that reward is affection, playtime, or a treat!
Being a Labradoodle dog owner is pure happiness!
Raising your furry companion from a tiny puppy certainly comes with plenty of hard work, discipline, and challenges – but with the right dog training methods, consistency, a bit of love, and a whole lot of patience, your Labradoodle training is bound to be successful.
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