If you’ve decided to get an Aussiedoodle puppy, you’ve made a great choice! These dogs are extremely intelligent, loyal, and quick to learn. However, just like any other dog, you will need to housetrain your Aussiedoodle pup correctly.
Aussiedoodles are house trained easily with consistent crate training and command strategies based on positive reinforcement. They are smart dogs who pick up new tasks quickly and will quickly adapt to his or her new home.
Training any dog does, however, needs time and dedication on your part. Your new puppy will learn how to behave around the house and where to potty, depending on how consistent and effective your training is.
Is It Difficult to House Train an Aussiedoodle?
The good thing with Aussiedoodles is that if you are putting in effort on your side, the dog will definitely respond well. There are several reasons for this.
Naturally smart breed – The Aussiedoodle is a cross between the intelligent Australian Shepherd and the Poodle. Both of these parent breeds are quick to learn and love to collaborate with humans. Your new Aussie puppy will therefore be eager to learn as long as you are using positive reinforcement. Find out about how smart these dogs are in my article, Are Aussiedoodles Intelligent? An Owners Perspective.
Companion dogs – Aussiedoodles are companion dogs. This means that they love humans, and they usually pick one or two as their favorite. If you can establish yourself as the puppy’s new go-to person, they will respond to everything you teach them!
Active and playful personality – This is a very high-energy breed, which means your new puppy will be incredibly busy and playful! You can easily engage him/her in interactive learning games where they get treats at the end. If you are giving them playtime, you will have their full attention!
What Do You Need to Train Your Aussiedoodle Puppy?
Before we get to training techniques, here is a list of all the things you need to have ready when your new puppy comes home. All of these will make the training process easier for you and your dog.
- A size-appropriate crate. Crate training is the most effective and the easiest way to housetrain a puppy. Buy a crate large enough for the puppy to stand and move around in. Check out my favorite crates in my article Top 10 Dog Crates.
- A bed/blanket and toys. Note that the crate is meant to be their happy place, not a timeout. Make it warm, cozy and fun, so that they look forward to spending time in it. See which dog beds I recommend in my article The 10 Best Dog Beds.
- A bag of puppy training treats (Amazon). Alternatively, you can use small pieces of grilled chicken.
- Biodegradable potty bags (Amazon). You will need these to pick up after your dog.
- Pee pads (Amazon). These can come in handy in letting your dog know where to go.
- Cleaning supplies. While your new Aussiedoodle learns where to go, you are also bound to face some accidents. Get yourself an odor remover and a carpet/floor cleaner. Rocco and Roxie (Amazon) is a well known cleaner for pet messes.
- A long leash (Amazon). At least 6ft long will do the job.
- Decide on a spot. Even if you have a big yard, it would be wise to pick a location where you want your dog to go.
- Write down a schedule. Based on your schedule, you should be prepared for exactly when your new dog’s waking, feeding, and sleeping times will be.
Steps and Strategies to Train Your New Puppy
If you are doing your training right, your puppy should be housebroken within a week. Here are some tips to keep in mind before and during the training process.
- Positive reinforcement. Your puppy will be at their best behavior when they know there is a reward at the end. Negative punishment is never effective in the long run. Avoid yelling at your Aussiedoodle and know that they are bound to make mistakes for the first few days.
- Positive name association. If your puppy has an accident, don’t yell out their name. Remember that you want their name to be a positive association so that they always respond to it and not something that they are scolded by.
- Be Regular. A young puppy has a small bladder and needs to pee almost every 3-4 hours. This can get hectic in the middle of the night, but it will pay off.
- Don’t skip a day. If you miss a single day of training, you might fail to housebreak your puppy.
Keeping these basics in mind, you can now start training your Aussiedoodle pup.
Introduce Your Aussiedoodle to his New Home
When you bring your puppy home, the first thing you need to do is put them on a comfortable leash and take them outside. If they have been in a car for a while, they probably need to go. It is not advised to pick up your dog to take them to the potty spot; simply walk them to it. Let them sniff around and wait for them to go.
You will have to be patient at this point. If your puppy starts to pee or potty, use a cue word like ‘Go Potty’ and repeat it while they do it. When they are done, give them a small treat and lots of praise and cuddles. The puppy will instantly know they have done something right!
Crate Training Your Aussiedoodle
When the puppy is done, take them inside the house and reward them with playtime for 10-15 minutes. Place them in the crate. This should be a warm and exciting place with a few toys, so they understand that this is their spot.
You may be tempted to let the new puppy explore the house, but they need to be introduced to the space slowly once they are potty trained.
Puppies’ bathroom breaks are predictable. They always go after they wake up, when they’re excited, before they sleep, and 10-30 minutes after they eat. After each of these, take the puppy outside to the same spot, let them go, and repeat your cue word as they do. Again, reward them with a treat. You can sometimes skip the treat and give them a toy instead, or just lots of cuddles.
When they are back inside, make sure they are in their crate unless you can constantly monitor them. If there is an accident on a carpet, clean it thoroughly because the pup will keep going back there if they can smell their pheromones.
Also, remember not to feed 2-3 hours before bedtime, so they sleep on an empty bladder and stomach, and make sure they sleep in the crate, no matter how tempted you are to cuddle up in bed!
Get to Know Your Aussiedoodle Puppy
As you begin your new life with your Aussiedoodle, you will start to notice the signs they display before they relieve themselves. Some sniff the floor, others circle around a few times. Start picking up on these signs and immediately take them out to their potty spot. If you find that your pup is having trouble, you can place a pee pad to let them know where they have to pee, and gradually start moving the pad into the yard and then to the exact spot you want them to go.
Final Thoughts
Training your pup can be frustrating but remember that Aussiedoodles are brilliant dogs! They will learn fast if you try hard enough. Remember to be assertive but never angry so they know they can trust you and want to listen to you – and always associate treats and cuddles and love with you!
