Goldendoodle Training Tips – 11 Important Ground Rules

Goldendoodle Training Tip no 1: Start Basic Obedience Training as Soon as Possible

Most puppy owners ask about the best age when they can start training their Goldendoodle. Basic Dog Obedience Training can happen at any age – but the earlier, the better. Your Goldendoodle dog’s personality will depend on the way you trained it when it was a puppy. You can even train a four months old puppy or change the behavior of a five-year-old dog. In both cases, you will need commitment.

With rigorous training, your golden doodles can turn out to become guide dogs, therapy dogs, service dogs, and sniffer dogs, thanks to their extraordinary alertness and agility. They inherit these traits from their parent ‘Golden Retrievers.’ We have seen their parent breed, the ‘Golden Retrievers’ serving as detectives, sniffing drugs or explosives. Some can even perform more challenging tasks, such as helping the disabled and taking part in complex rescue missions, thanks to how they are trained.

Therefore we see no reason that a dog owner should leave flaws in basic obedience training. The high level of intelligence they inherit does not mean that they will start acting smartly as soon as you bring them home. No doubt, they have a strong genetic makeover for intelligence and sharp wits, which they take from both the golden retriever and the Poodle. Extensive training is required to polish their intelligence and make them brilliant.

Goldendoodle Training Tip no 2: Keep the Golden Doodle Under Your Control

The biggest concern while training a Goldendoodle is maintaining a leader-follower relationship. When you fail to establish your leadership over your Goldendoodle, it concludes itself as a superior or equal to you. When you allow your golden doodle to sleep on your bed or run on your sofa, or you let it sit on your dining table to feed, you are giving indirect permission to become your leader.

Like most other dogs, they have a nature to live in packs, following a leader. Now assume that your family is their pack and you are their leader. When around a golden doodle, you should behave as a firm leader and never show nervousness or uneasiness in controlling your golden doodle.

Goldendoodles are perfect observers. Your behavior influences their behavior. To reinforce your supremacy, you can adopt a few techniques. Hold its gaze until it looks away, or rub its belly when it’s on its back are a few of them, which put them in a submissive position.

In case the Goldendoodle is creating a nuisance and is not listening to you, don’t give in. just leaving the dog alone for a while may help in this situation. Giving in to what your dog wants will give them a signal that they can do whatever and whenever they want. In any case, it is essential to establish your authority over your Goldendoodle.

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 3: Consistency Is the Key

Training a pup is not a matter of two or three lessons. Every dog owner must bear in mind that keeping a dog at home requires plenty of time that you can dedicate to training. Here are some basic principles that you must be aware of before you start training your Goldendoodle.

• Word commands are enough. Dogs are animals, and their brains do not process long sentences as human brains do.
• They will make mistakes. There will be times when they won’t follow your commands. But with consistency and patience, you can make them learn everything you want them to learn.
• They learn what they see. Therefore it is necessary to demonstrate only acceptable behavior.
• Praise immediately when the Goldendoodle does something good, acceptable, and appreciable. They start associating praise and good behavior with each other.
• Do not get frustrated or angry with your Goldendoodle when they do something wrong while training. Keep your calm to make them comfortable with the training process.

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 4: Express Yourself With the Tone of Your Voice, Not Your Anger

The dog will judge your expressions according to the tone of your voice rather than the words. When your tone is affirmative yet firm, the dog takes it as a command. Praise is identified by a happy, affectionate tone which gives a hint of excitement. It is a positive approach and helps the Goldendoodle in learning things faster.

A frustrated and angry tone will cause them to perform poorly and have difficulty in learning. Your positive and negative reactions serve as a guide for them during their behavior training.

As a rule of thumb, training a Goldendoodle should base on constructive reinforcement and a positive attitude. Yelling, hitting, scolding, or screaming never produce the desired training outcomes in Goldendoodles.

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 5: Physical Punishment Is Not an Option

The body of a Goldendoodle sends signals to its brain about the type of touch you are giving it while training. For example, when you pat the head often, the dogs get a lot of appreciation. On the other hand, you cannot teach anything by hitting or kicking the Goldendoodle. The only way to reinforce your rules is to say ‘No’ in a sharp tone while slightly prolonging the ‘o’. This action is enough to let the Goldendoodle know that you aren’t happy with what they are doing.

A Goldendoodle can easily recognize your rewarding and scolding behaviors by just listening to your voice. Physical punishment will do more harm than good.

Dogs that are trained through physical punishments develop two types of undesirable behaviors.

1. They develop a fear of admonishing, and this makes them timid.
2. Dogs may also develop the habit of biting to take out their fear and frustration.

Goldendoodles are very non-aggressive, loving canines, but if they develop aggression, it means they are not treated in the way they should have been.

Whether or not you can hold the Goldendoodle by scruff if the dog misbehaves is still a debate among dog trainers. This type of touch is only beneficial if practiced immediately after the undesirable behavior. Using this method even minutes after the action loses its effectiveness.

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 6: Teach Simple Commands Right From the Beginning

Training a Goldendoodle requires consistency. They cannot comprehend why one action is acceptable at one time and why not at the other. Here is how you can teach them how to listen to your commands.

• SIT

If your dog is trained to follow the command ‘sit’, you are primarily done with the training. Now you can control the Goldendoodle whenever it becomes hyperactive. When the puppy follows the ‘sit’ command, do not forget to praise it. ‘Stay’ in the other command that will tell your Goldendoodle that it needs to remain sitting.

• STAY

For training to stay in a sitting position, stand in front of your sitting Goldendoodle, and show your palm to his face while ordering ‘Stay.’ If the dog moves, say ‘NO’ and force it to sit again. Now you can gradually increase the time and distance for this ‘sit and stay exercise.’ Don’t forget to appreciate it!

• COME

Now you have to work on the following command ‘come.’ The method is simple, just put on a long leash and tug it on and off gently. Keep calling the name of your Goldendoodle and ask him to ‘come.’ During this training, your dog will require constant encouragement. Your Goldendoodle will learn to respond without even the trigger of the leash.

Now while training your Goldendoodle to obey ‘come,’ you must never rebuke her. If you do so, they will associate the word ‘come’ with ‘something wrong resulting in disobedience and fear. They must learn to associate a pleasurable outcome when they respond to your command ‘come.’ Then praise them with a soft appreciating tone, a gentle pat, or one of their favorite treat.

• HEEL

Walking by your side without going ahead or lagging is yet another lesson your Goldendoodle has to learn. For this training, you will require a short leash and a link-chain training collar. Keep the Goldendoodle on the left side, and say ‘Heel.’ Now, take a step with your left foot.

Here the dog is likely to lag or go ahead. In both cases, you have to hold the leash and give a strong jerk while uttering ‘Heel.’ Remember! A little bit of learning deserves Praise.

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 7: Remain, Patient, When You Are Training a Goldendoodle

While training your dog for obeying commands, you need to exercise great patience. If you lose your temper during command practice, your dog will start hating the commands. This unpleasant training experience makes the dogs disobey your commands.

 Remember that obedience is a gradual process that takes a lot of time and effort from both the owner and the Goldendoodle, and there is no shortcut to it. The success of training a Goldendoodle lies in making the process more and more pleasurable for both of you. None of you should be avoiding or hating it.

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 8: Consider Taking Professional Assistance

If you feel that you lack the temperament or your dog is not learning well, consider taking help from professional dog trainers. They are experts and use various methods for training dogs. More often, you will meet trainers who make use of their hands for training dogs. It means that your Goldendoodle will become accustomed to watching your hand signs for taking instructions.

It is essential to seek professional dog trainers’ help if your Goldendoodle puppy exhibits behavioral problems such as destructive chewing, excessive biting, food aggression, or separation anxiety. Doodle behavior specialists may come to your home or call you in your office for further consultation.

Blaming oneself for a failed dog training further elevates frustration in the doodle owner, which results in more undesirable dog behavior.

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 9: Use the Most Common Training Methods

The training methods most commonly used by dog trainers include the following:

• Clicker Training

Professional dog trainers use the clicker training method for Goldendoodle. Often the dog trainers use it in combination with reward training. They click the clicker to encourage and appreciate the dogs. Within a few days, your Goldendoodle will start associating the click sound with acceptable behavior. 

• Positive Reinforcement:

Dogs are sensitive to pleasant and unpleasant emotions. If you feel that you are getting angry with your fur baby, immediately seek help from dog training professionals. Dogs do not understand why they are getting punished. Instead of learning positive behavior, they may develop aggressive behavior. They learn fast when they receive praise, rewards, and positive encouragement.

• Crate Training

Another popular method for training Goldendoodle is the ‘crate training.’ In a crate, your doodle will find a safe, secure place where it can lie comfortably. It will also prevent the doodle from running all around the house and causing annoyance to the family members. 

You must never use the crate as a form of punishment. Otherwise, the puppy will develop a negative association with it. Goldendoodles shouldn’t be restricted in their crate for a very long time. 

• Mirror Training

The mirror training procedure involves positive reinforcement and a clicker to make the dog accept you as a leader. The mirror method symbolizes how the Goldendoodle will start following your actions. 

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 10: Focus On Eliminating Most Common Undesirable Behaviors

Here is a list of some habits that sometimes seem cute on a puppy, but if not controlled right from the beginning, they become a nightmare for the dog owner. 

• Counter Surfing/ Stealing Food

Like any other dog, your Goldendoodle also loves to eat different things. The best way to prevent your dog from licking around the house, especially in the kitchen, is to maintain cleanliness. Secondly, it is essential to develop a habit of staying in their crate while preparing and eating your meals. Additionally, you have to use the commands such as ‘sit, ‘off,’ ‘stay,’ and ‘leave it’ when they encounter your food.

• Jumping

Golden doodles often get excited when you come home from the office. In this excitement, it will try to jump into your lap. This is because they love cuddling and seeking your attention. They may also jump on your guests, which is undesirable behavior. You need to train your puppy to understand that they will get attention and reward if they keep sitting calmly. 

• Barking

Barking is their way to express their excitement or fear when someone comes to your home. Training is necessary to teach them the right way of welcoming the guests. Goldendoodle must know how to sit at a place quietly unless they are allowed to roam around or interact with guests. Only rigorous training can help them in staying calm.

• Leash Pulling

Sometimes Goldendoodle pup will pull the leash. In such a scenario, it is better to stop walking. When this occurs repeatedly, they will learn appropriate leash manners. Reward them even when they learn a little. 

• Digging

Goldendoodles take out their extra energy by digging. Providing them an ample amount of exercise or playtime consumes their extra energy and distracts them from digging.

• Biting and Mouthing

Like any other dog, biting is an instinct in Goldendoodles. Right from the beginning, they should know where they can bite and where they aren’t. Whenever they take your finger or cloth in their mouth, take it out instantly and say ‘No’ in a very firm voice.

Alternatively, you should provide them with good quality chew toys to satisfy their teeth and gums in a healthy way.

• Chewing Socks and other non-food items

Puppies love to bite anything that comes in their access. When you don’t allow them to bite, they start chewing things lying all around the house. To stop this in the first place, you shouldn’t have such things lying around the house. 

You may spray them with anti-chew spray or take them out from the dog’s mouth immediately while uttering ‘NO’ in a very firm tone. When the Goldendoodle learns to follow your commands, only saying ‘NO’ is enough to make them leave an object. You can reward them with chewable toys. 

• Potty Training

Potty training a puppy requires vigilance. You need to check for the signs when your puppy has the urge to go the bathroom. They often start barking, whining, circling, or scratching the door at that time. So with a little bit of attention, they quickly learn appropriate bathroom manners.

Goldendoodle Training Tip No 11: Socialize Your Goldendoodle

Goldendoodles are social animals, and they are delighted when they are around people. However, like every other aspect of training, socialization also requires time and effort from a pet parent’s side.

To ensure that your Goldendoodle develops a social personality, expose them to several other dogs and humans. A regular walk routine ensures optimum exposure to noises, sounds, and sights necessary to build up confidence in your dog.

Arranging playdates with neighbors’ and friends’ dogs is a positive socialization activity. Make sure that their dogs are well-behaved and calm.

Final Words

Training a puppy is a great responsibility. However, it may turn out a pleasant experience with a little bit of effort and patience. The bond that develops between you and your Goldendoodle lasts for a lifetime.