Are Poodle Puppies Easy to Train? What You Need To Know

We all agree that a well-trained dog is a blessing to have. A poodle is no exception. That’s why you need to train your poodle as soon as you bring him home.

Poodle puppies are cute, and it is tempting not to bother them with training until they “become big enough to understand what you’re saying”.

But are Poodle puppies easy to train?

Most dog experts will tell you that training a Poodle Puppy is a lot easier than training most dog breeds. That’s because these puppies are intelligent, playful, and eager to learn.

Traits That Make Poodle Puppies Easy to Train

As seen, Poodle puppies’ training becomes easy because of the important traits these little ones have. Below are some of the useful traits that make Puppy training more smooth;

#1 Playful;

Poodles are considered by many to be one of the most playful dog breeds around. If a Poodle puppy is not inclined towards playing, then it isn’t a Poodle. Since training is all about having fun and spending time with your puppy, this particular trait makes training easier. A playmate is always more enjoyable to train with than a cranky and moody partner.

#2 Intelligent;

As mentioned above, Poodles are amongst the most intelligent dog breeds in existence. This means that they will learn new commands very quickly, and even pick up on the tricks you teach them without much difficulty.

#3 Eager to Please;

Poodle puppies are eager to please their trainers. They love nothing more than making you happy, and will eagerly accept anything you do to make this happen. This makes training a Poodle Puppy much easier for the trainer as well.

#4 Great family dogs;

The Poodle is one of the most adaptable dog breeds in existence. As such, it makes a great family dog and will do everything it can to keep your family happy. Training your puppy to get along with your kids and avoid trouble with other pets becomes easy when you have such an intelligent and loving Pet at home.

#5 Poodle puppies are clean;

Poodles are considered to be one of the cleanest dog breeds in existence, and this means that it will be very easy to train your Poodle Puppy not to make a mess inside your home. With few exceptions, Poodles are very easy to housebreak.

#6 They are social dogs;

Poodles are generally social dogs by nature. This means that they will be very eager to meet and greet other people and that makes training sessions their best moments.

Why Training Is Good For Your Puppy

Before you even begin to think about training your Poodle puppy, you need to understand why it is a necessary and important part of his life.

• Well-mannered Dog: Training helps your dog to mature into the breed you bought him for as he will be able to perform all the duties expected of him in a safe manner.
• Strengthens the bond: Training helps strengthen the bond between you and your dog, as both of you are working towards a common goal.
• It builds trust: A well-trained Poodle will understand that he can always rely on you for guidance in unfamiliar situations, this further enhances the trust between the two of you.
• Form of Exercise: Training, especially of advanced level will help your dog to stay fit and healthy as it helps him burn off excess energy.
• Knowledgeable Owner: The more you know about training, the better the owner you can be for your Poodle. That way, he will always look to you when in doubt because he knows that you’re his best bet!

When Should The Training Begin?

You can begin the training when the puppy is as young as eight weeks, but it is preferable to wait until he is about 12 weeks old.

A poodle puppy younger than 12 weeks is very likely to get confused and lose motivation quickly. Additionally, it will be much harder for you to firm up the training until your pup is at least 3 months old.

By starting the training early, you can be sure that your Poodle Puppy will grow up into a well-behaved and confident dog. This also means that you can spend more time enjoying your new pet and less time worrying about his behavior.

A Poodle puppy between 12 and 16 weeks is considered young, but mature enough for most basic training techniques. This is also the age range where your Poodle puppy will begin understanding and responding to commands with greater ease.

Basic Training Techniques to Get You Started

Begin With The Name: The first thing you need to get out of the way before you start any serious training is to teach your poodle puppy his name.

Spend 5 minutes in a room with him, and then say his name repeatedly until he responds. Once he does, give him a treat and praise him profusely. This will make it easier for you to call him later on in life.

A Sit Command: This is essential for basic Poodle training. If your dog is able to sit while you are standing, then he will be much more manageable and under control.

You can teach this command by using a treat or simply by holding a treat over your pup’s head while he is sitting. After a few days, you will be able to dispense with the treat and only use your voice command to get him to sit up.

A Stay: As useful as the “stay” command may seem, only teach your pup when you know he is ready for it. For example, if you have taught him how to sit, then he can certainly learn the stay command.

You should keep his meal in mind while teaching this command as a hungry dog may not be able to concentrate on following the order after all.

The Come Command: Once you have taught your pup to sit and stay on command, begin teaching him how to come. It can be taught by luring him towards you with a treat in hand while saying “come” repeatedly until he comes towards you of his own accord. You need only give him the treat and praise when he comes over to you.

A Down Command: If your pup is able to follow any of the previously mentioned commands, he can certainly learn how to lie down on command as well. The best way of teaching this would be by first making him lie down while giving him a treat.

After several training sessions, you can then begin using the command without giving him any treats in between.

Barking Commands: Teaching your Poodle puppy to stop barking and to remain silent when needed is also an important aspect of his training. There are few things that frustrate dog owners more than their pets barking in the middle of the night.

Begin this training by teaching your Poodle puppy to bark on command. Once he has been taught, teach him to stop barking after you tell him so and then reward him with a treat.

Safety Training Commands For Your Poodle Puppy

After you teach your young lad the basic obedience commands, the next is to train him how to behave in a safe manner. This will help keep the puppy safe both at home and in public.

The Wait Command: Teaching your pup how to wait is very important as it will help him to learn patience when needed. You can teach this by simply adding the words “wait” or “stay” If you make it clear that these 3 words mean stay still, then he will learn with ease.

Leave It: You can teach your dog to leave items alone by using the word “leave it”. Do this by getting his attention and then showing him something he is not allowed to have. Once he looks away from that thing, give him a treat and praise him profusely.

Drop It: This is another useful command that you can teach him. When he has something in his mouth, give the “Drop it” command and show him a treat. Once he drops the item, praise him profusely and give him the treat.

No Jumping: If you are teaching your Poodle puppy not to jump on people, the best way to teach him is by physically getting down low on your knees and preventing him from jumping. If he does jump at you, then simply stand up or move away.

Advanced Training For Your Poodle Puppy

Your Poodle now understands basic obedience training and safety commands, next is to take him through advanced training. This kind of training entails;

Agility Training: Agility training is a fun and useful way of teaching your dog to work with you. You can easily teach him how to jump over obstacles, climb them or simply crawl under them by rewarding him for doing it right.

Flyball: Flyball is a team effort wherein the owner has to carry the key in his mouth while the Poodle puppy runs the course and gets the ball. This teaches him to run fast and think quickly in order to get his reward.

Therapy work training: Any Poodle that has been trained in therapy work can make excellent company for the elderly or the disabled. These dogs also help their owners maintain a healthy state of mind through their gentle and constant companionship.

Puppy Poodle Vs Adult Poodle- Who’s Easier To Train?

Most dog trainers will tell you that training a puppy is way easier for them than an adult poodle. Why? Because the young lads are always willing to learn and want to please their owners, unlike the adults who have habits you will need to break before you can establish the proper behavior.

Another reason why it’s easier and more fun to train Poodle puppies is that they will soak up all the information you give them and quickly learn how to do what you want. This is unlike older dogs who can be set in their ways by the time you get them.

However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot train older Poodles. You only have to use a different approach as most of them are already used to their owners’ habits and it will take you time to break those patterns.

The procedure of training an older Poodle is similar to that of training a puppy. The only difference is that you have an older, more stubborn dog. So be prepared to be on your toes and have some patience as they can make you question if it’s all worth it at the end of the day because they are really difficult to train.

Golden Rules When Training Your Poodle

Here are some golden tips that will ensure you and your dog have the most fun when training:

• Be patient with the dog and yourself.
• Observe consistency of commands.
• Keep the sessions short and engaging.
• Make the training more frequent.
• Avoid many “trainers” at earlier stages.
• Remember to use positive reinforcement.
• Never raise your voice when training your dog.
• Do training from different places.

Final Verdict:

Both types of Poodles are trainable, but it’s always easier to train and handle a young pup than an older adult. However, they are all Poodles, and as we all know, this breed is known for its intelligence and excellent ability to train. Only be patient, firm, and consistent when training your dog.