Doodle Training
Your Doodle will need training. It cannot be stressed enough that no breed – Doodles included – will train itself.
I get interviewed about dog questions by different news outlets every now and then, and a question that always comes up is “What is a low maintenance dog breed?” It always ticks me off a little bit – at the end of the day all dogs want nothing more than to connect with us, have fun, explore, play and live life to the fullest. If the very first question that is asked is “Which dog breed needs the least amount of time?” then maybe a dog is not the right addition.
(The rule “If you wouldn’t do it in a friendship or relationship, don’t do it with a dog” applies. Would you ask someone on a first date “What is the minimum time I need to spend with you to maintain the relationship? Because you see, I have plenty of other things going on so want to make sure to get a low-maintenance partner with low time requirements”?)
With that said, Doodles definitely are not a low-maintenance breed. They will require training, and maybe quite a lot of it. They will need you to show them how to channel all that energy and put it to good use instead of mischief.
Doodles are prone to barking quite a bit, being mouthy, humping, counter-surfing, jumping up on everybody and everything when not shown how you want them to behave. Some can be prone to barrier frustration or reactivity. They will need positively enforced but consistent boundaries. Remember, they are a high-drive cross of working breeds, as as such:
They will not train themselves.
They are not the right addition for a busy lifestyle in which you don’t have time to dedicate to working with them patiently and consistently.
(Need ideas for training? Check out our classes!)