Are Goldendoodles Easy to Train? 5 Ways To Make Training Easy
“No, Chewy – stop… chewing that!” – A misbehaving Goldendoodle is super cute but can be super frustrating. Luckily, Goldendoodles are easy to train. Learn the best methods and approaches to train your puppy healthily.
Are you thinking about getting a hypoallergenic puppy? Picture a dog that’s part Golden Retriever and part Poodle if you’ve never heard of a Goldendoodle.
If you love both of those breeds, why not have a dog that combines the two? Discover the answer to the question: Are Goldendoodles easy to train?
Are Goldendoodles Easy to Train?
Yes, Goldendoodles are easy to train. This is just one of the advantages of choosing this Oodle Mix for your family. All sizes, from teacup Goldendoodles through to the large standard Goldendoodles, are trainable.
These dogs are sensitive and intelligent. This makes it easy to keep their attention during a training session.
Keeping your dog’s attention during training is essential to pick up on your facial expressions and other cues. Sometimes, just a quick gesture from you can enhance a training lesson for a puppy.
Using a lot of repetition in your dog’s training sessions and rewards in the form of treats allows your Goldendoodle to figure out what you want it to do.
Why Are Goldendoodles Easy to Train?
This dog breed is a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. Both Golden retrievers and poodles are easy to train! Combining these two dog breeds practically guaranteed a new dog breed that would be easy to prepare.
Also, Golden retrievers are loyal dogs that want to please their owners. Poodles are energetic and highly intelligent. One of the biggest reasons for the popularity of Goldendoodles is they can claim the best qualities and characteristics of both these breeds of dog.
Why Are Some Goldendoodles Difficult to Train?
Of course, there are always exceptions. Some Goldendoodles can be a little challenging regarding obedience lessons or housetraining. (So are Bernedoodles). The reason for this has to do with the temperament of a Goldendoodle.
When you first bring your Goldendoodle puppy home, you must earn its trust. You have to take some time to get to know one another. The more confidence you establish with your Goldendoodle puppy, the easier it will be to train it.
An older, shy Goldendoodle who hasn’t been socialized to get along with people and other dogs will be challenging to train. Socialization is a key foundation element of training a Goldendoodle.
Socializing these dogs early helps them to feel at ease in their environment. They are more open to being trained if they’re at ease in their environment.
Though it may take longer to housebreak an older adopted Goldendoodle, it can still be done with patience and persistence. As an owner, you must be determined to convey the lesson to your pup in such a situation.
How Long Does It Take to Housetrain a Goldendoodle?
It takes about 6 months to housetrain a Goldendoodle completely. This is an average amount of time. Many Goldendoodles will pick up the majority of housetraining by 4 months.
Of course, different factors can affect how long it takes to housetrain any puppy. Every puppy is different.
One major influencing factor is the consistency of the housetraining. Dogs learn lessons when they’re repeated in the same way regularly.
Once a Goldendoodle learns the housetraining routine, it absorbs the lesson of where it needs to relieve itself. Though repeating these lessons daily may be a little tedious for you, consistency is necessary.
You’ll be surprised at how practical this simple approach can be in training your pup.
Another factor is how well the puppy focuses on your instruction. If your Goldendoodle puppy is not looking at you or running around not paying attention, you have to find an incentive. Dog treats are great for getting your puppy’s attention and keeping it as you show it where to relieve itself.
Female and Male Goldendoodles: Which is Easier to Train?
There is some controversy about the answer to this question. Some people claim that male Goldendoodles are more comfortable to train because they’re very successful at working through agility courses.
Agility courses are full of jumps, bridges, tunnels, and other obstacles that a dog must navigate. However, female and male Goldendoodles are very similar in terms of physical structure. It probably comes down to the attention a Goldendoodle has to give during training.
Owners have reported an unspayed female Goldendoodle to have a varying temperament. A familiar trend that owners notice is that their unsprayed females can be moody and may not give you the required attention during advanced training. Nature varying the levels of hormones present can affect the behavior of a female Goldendoodle.
Female Goldendoodles are equally as smart (and often smarter) than male Goldendoodles.
Although some trainers claim that males are easier to train – I find that in my experience owners of female and male Goldendoodles can expect almost identical outcomes.
Are Goldendoodles Smart?
Yes, Goldendoodles are smart. This trait is one of the most significant advantages when trying to train them.
They are alert and take in all of their surroundings. These energetic dogs like to run, play, swim and interact with their owner once they feel at ease in the household.
How to stop a Goldendoodle from barking?
Although all dogs will bark, having a dog that barks at EVERYTHING all the time is super annoying. Excessive Goldendoodle barking is a behavior trait that needs to be stopped using positive reinforcement training and measures specifically designed to reduce barking triggers.
Stopping a Goldendoodle from having problem barking is a common challenge. Goldendoodles respond to positive and preventative training – they do not respond well to corporal punishment.
Strategies to reduce barking for Goldendoodles are outlined in this detailed article about training Goldendoodles to bark less.
Essentially the approach boils down to
- Identify barking triggers
- Remove barking triggers
- Deal with social and separation anxiety that dog might be experiencing
- Positive reinforcement using appropriate motivating factors (treats and verbal praise)
If you have implanted the training and changes in the Goldendoodle barking article and are still having problems barking – you may need to seek a 1-on-1 professional trainer. Other Poodle mix breeds can also have problem barking (like the Cockapoo)- it is not exclusive to the Goldendoodle.
Are some Goldendoodles just Lazy?
Some owners get very frustrated when their Goldendoodle does not respond to the types of training discussed in this article.
Jenny commented on our YouTube video about Goldendoodle Coats about her struggle to train her young Goldendoodle.
“My girl is SOO lazy; she sleeps all the time. Even food doesn’t motivate her – finding it tricky to teach her to come.”
Jenny – it is relatively rare to find a Goldendoodle that doesn’t have food as its number 1 priority! A sluggish or lazy Goldendoodle is uncommon. They are active and healthy dogs with a lengthy lifespan! In fact, lethargy in Goldendoodles is often a sign you might need to have a chat with your Veterinarian.
If they are happy with the overall health of your Goldendoodle – then you may have a chillaxed puppy! Persevere with the training tactics, but consider engaging a professional dog trainer for additional help to get your couch potato up to scratch.
Goldendoodle Potty Training Tips
An abundant supply of patience will work to your advantage when it comes to housetraining your Goldendoodle puppy.
All puppies, not just Goldendoodles, are used to relieving themselves whenever and wherever they want. They must be taught through repetition and consistency what to do when they need to relieve themselves.
Keeping your voice even is vital. Persist with the training also if you get frustrated. The dedicated approach is going to pay off in the end.
If your Goldendoodles does make a mess, you will need to clean the floor with an enzymatic cleaner so that the proteins and urine smell is gone even for the dogs super strong smelling ability. You can see what cleaner is best in this article (even though it is written for Bernedoodle potty training the same budget products will work effectively).
A second tip is to choose treats that your Goldendoodle loves and use them as a reward when your puppy goes outside to relieve itself. Consider an extra special food item that will get your puppy’s attention and keep it. Your puppy will soon connect the treat with the behavior, and the lesson will be learned. As a note, use one particular treat when housetraining your Goldendoodle. If you use it only during training time, your puppy will pick up the lesson even quicker.
Create a command to use when you want your puppy to relieve itself outdoors. For instance, you can say the word potty. This word helps your puppy to know what you want to do. Don’t use this word at any other time except when you’re housetraining your pup. Be sure to give your dog lots of verbal praise and a treat when doing what you want it to do.
Don’t punish your puppy for having an accident on the floor in your home. Consider it a part of the housetraining process. You can show your puppy what you want it to do and not focus on what you don’t want it to do.
Rewarding the behavior you want is what you need to keep in mind at all times. Punishing or shouting at your Goldendoodle will make it jumpy, and you risk losing trust. If this happens, you’ll have an even tougher time with housetraining lessons.
Choose a space in your yard where you want your puppy to relieve itself. If you take it to the same place every time during training, then your puppy will know what is expected. Plus, it makes clean up easier for you if you train your Goldendoodle to go in just one area of your property.
You can even consider a porch potty or DIY dog toilet to allow your dog to control when it goes to the toilet. It can save a whole lotta mess! Check out our video of a luxury self-draining porch potty I made for our Labradoodle Max.
Is a Labradoodle or Goldendoodle Easier to Train?
People often compare the Goldendoodle vs. the Labradoodle. They are both such popular breeds with many similar brilliant traits.
In general, a Goldendoodle will be slightly easier to train than a similar sized Labradoodle.
Both breeds are food-motivated and eager to please. Owners say the Labradoodle can inherit a mildly stubborn streak from its excellent Labrador parent. (Just like the Bernedoodle can inherit a strong-willed side from the Bernese Mountain Dog parent!)
The Goldendoodle and Labradoodle will be similarly easy to train in the grand scheme of things. Both are dynamite Poodle Mix breeds that are willing and keen to be trained.
