No, Aussiedoodles are not known to bark much at all. Both parent breeds are low-barkers, and so there is little chance that an Aussiedoodle will inherit any barking tendencies, genetically anyway.
There are, however, things to be aware of as you raise your puppy if you want him to continue to be a low-barker.
While an Aussiedoodle will not be prone to barking, if a puppy is not socialized well or suffers from boredom too often, or isn’t trained to become over-excited by new people, barking can become a problem as they get older.
Why an Aussiedoodle Might Take to Barking
There are many reasons an otherwise quiet breed of dog may start to bark regularly. Knowing ahead of time will help you understand how to prepare to handle these situations if and when they come up.
Aussiedoodles are smart dogs who love to learn, so training barking out of them can be done and quite quickly usually. However, you must understand why your dog or puppy is barking in the first place.
Barking is their way of communicating, and when a low-barker takes up barking excessively, there probably is a good reason.
Excitement
Aussiedoodles will sometimes bark because of excitement, especially when people come to the house or get back from work. While there is an element about it that is cute as a puppy, you don’t want a grown dog jumping and barking, even in joy, at your guests.
This trigger can be trained out of them, thankfully, so that you have a dog who can greet people calmly.
Playing
Some puppies get so caught up in playing and romping about, and they may bark in excitement. To some degree, this is acceptable and normal, but if it becomes excessive, you may want to consider training your dog to play more quietly.
Seeking Attention
Often Aussiedoodles will bark to get your attention if they feel neglected. While this is not desirable behavior, it makes perfect sense.
It will be vital that you shower your puppy with attention and cuddles as often as you can, but that he also knows how to lie down and be quiet when you can’t.
Hunger
Sometimes an Aussiedoodle will bark if it is hungry, either to remind you to feed him or to beg for food that you are eating. While the reminder is useful if you have forgotten to feed your dog, you may want to find an alternative way of teaching your dog to let you know it’s dinnertime.
Fear
If a dog is startled by loud sounds or stressful situations, he may begin to bark. Frequently aggression can accompany fear. So figuring out the cause of anxiety and calming your dog, or acclimating him to a situation, will be very important so that he learns there is nothing to be afraid of.
Separation Anxiety
This can be difficult to catch on since you aren’t there to see it becoming a habit. You will have to be proactive and plan ahead so that your dog never feels the need to start.
Dogs, especially companionable dogs who love their people, can suffer great anxiety from separation and deal with it by barking and destructive behavior.
It’s best to plan for this before it ever has a chance to start since separation anxiety barking can be more challenging to train out since, by its very nature of the issue, you aren’t there to train him.
Boredom
Aussiedoodles are highly intelligent dogs and need a lot of stimulation to keep from being bored. Bored dogs take to barking to soothe themselves. You will need to have a plan for regular exercise and indoor activities if you prevent boredom barking.
Sickness
Lastly, some dogs will begin barking, howling, even snarling, and growling if they are sick or in some pain. If your dog is barking and you can see no apparent reason why consider that there may be an underlying cause and that a trip to the vet might very well be a good idea.
How to Ensure Your Aussiedoodle Doesn’t Bark
Much
It comes down to two or three main points when it comes to barking issues or potential issues. You need to properly socialize your dog so that it has fewer triggers to bark about.
You need to be committed to training your dog not to bark in situations where it is undesirable, and you need to be sure you are meeting all his needs so that he does not need to bark.
Socialization
The first and the best thing you can do to prevent future barking problems is to socialize your puppy as early as possible. The more people and places your puppy comes into contact with, the better.
Introduce him to other animals and lots of kinds of people. In this way, you desensitize him to many things that could be triggered later on. Your dog will be calmer, more confident, and quieter in all situations moving forward if he has already been exposed to new things early in life with you.
Socialize, socialize, socialize. I cannot stress it enough.
Training
From the first days, you need to be training your puppy to be a respectful and calm member of your family. This means that the basic commands of sit, stay, come, and lie down must be taught early.
Once your puppy has these down, helping him calm down in other situations can be a bit easier.
The rule of thumb when your puppy (or dog) becomes overly excited about guests or you returning home is not to give your puppy any attention until he has calmed down, all four paws are on the floor, and he isn’t barking.
This way, he learns he only gets rewarded with attention when he is calm and quiet.
Aussiedoodles will pick up on this very quickly, but you have to be consistent every time and with every person so that the puppy doesn’t become confused about what is permissible.
The same can go for barking for attention or food. If the barking is about something non-essential, ignore him until he is quiet and then reward him with attention.
There may also be times when you have to command him to lie down and be quiet if you cannot attend to him immediately. He will learn to accept this. Still, as much as you can, reward a calm, quiet dog with attention and praise.
Meeting Needs
Ensure you are not blaming your dog for barking when it could be about legitimate needs your dog has that you aren’t meeting. Feed him on a schedule.
Make sure he always has water. Get him puzzle toys and tough chews to keep his mind busy and active so that he doesn’t suffer whenever you leave him for work.
Ask or pay someone to come by and walk him or play with him during the afternoon. When you are home, exercise him sufficiently every single day. Make a plan to get him out and running for at least an hour every day.
If you can’t plan to commit that kind of time and attention to a dog, don’t get an Aussiedoodle at all. It isn’t fair to him. If a situation stresses a dog with reason and you have the ability, remove him from it.
Don’t make him come to firework shows if they scare him. In situations like that, you need to be kind and understanding. A dog will bark when it is afraid, so be thoughtful of that.
Lastly, be alert and sensitive to your dog’s health, and if something seems off, don’t gamble on it. Take him in and have him looked at by a vet.
Summing Up
Aussiedoodles aren’t known to be barking dogs. However, you have a part to play if you want to keep it that way. With socialization, training, committed time to exercise, and overall understanding and respect, your Aussiedoodle won’t bark much, if at all.
They are smart dogs and aim to please. They need their people, so make sure you are there for them. You couldn’t ask for a more loyal or lovable companion.