Doodle Puppy Training Tips for First-Time Owners: The Australian Guide

Your doodle puppy just came home, and between the cuddles and the chaos, you’re wondering where to even start with training. Good news: doodles are brilliant dogs who genuinely want to please you. The not-so-good news: that intelligence means they’ll outsmart you if you’re not prepared.

After working with hundreds of doodle owners through our salon, we’ve seen what separates the well-trained pups from the ones dragging their owners down the street. It comes down to starting right, staying consistent, and understanding what makes doodles tick.

This guide covers everything you need for successful doodle puppy training in Australia—from the first commands to teach, through potty training, socialisation in our unique climate, and the mistakes that trip up most first-time owners.

Why Doodles Make Excellent Dogs for First-Time Owners

Before we get into training specifics, let’s talk about why you made a smart choice. Doodles—whether you’ve got a Cavoodle, Groodle, Labradoodle, or another poodle cross—share traits that make them particularly trainable.

The Poodle Intelligence Advantage

Poodles rank as the second most intelligent dog breed (behind Border Collies). That poodle parent passed on serious brainpower to your doodle. What this means for training:

• Faster learning — Most doodles pick up new commands in 5-15 repetitions, compared to 25-40 for average breeds
• Problem-solving ability — They understand cause and effect quickly
• Memory retention — Once learned, commands stick

The flipside: a bored doodle finds entertainment elsewhere. Usually by redesigning your furniture or landscaping your garden without permission.

People-Focused Temperament

Doodles form strong bonds with their humans. They’re not independent thinkers who’d rather do their own thing—they genuinely care about making you happy. This makes reward-based training incredibly effective.

Adaptable Energy Levels

Unlike some high-drive breeds that need hours of exercise before they can focus, most doodles adapt to your lifestyle. Morning walk, training session, afternoon nap. They’re not climbing the walls waiting for their next adventure (though regular exercise still matters).

Essential Commands to Teach First

With a new doodle puppy, focus matters more than variety. Master these five commands before adding anything else to your training.

1. Name Recognition

Before teaching commands, your puppy needs to know their name. This sounds basic, but it’s the foundation everything else builds on.

How to teach it:

1. Wait until your puppy isn’t looking at you
2. Say their name once (just once) in a happy tone
3. The moment they look at you—healthy dog treats and praise
4. Repeat 10-15 times per session, 3 sessions daily

Within a week, your puppy should snap their head around when they hear their name. That’s your attention cue locked in.

2. Sit

The gateway command. Once a puppy knows sit, everything else becomes easier.

How to teach it:

1. Hold a treat at your puppy’s nose level
2. Slowly move it up and slightly back over their head
3. Their bottom naturally drops as they follow the treat with their eyes
4. The moment their bottom touches the floor, say “sit,” give the treat, praise enthusiastically

Pro tip: Don’t push their bottom down. You want them to choose the behaviour, not be forced into it.

3. Come (Recall)

Arguably the most important command for safety. A reliable recall can save your dog’s life.

How to teach it:

1. Start indoors with minimal distractions
2. Get a few metres away, crouch down, and call their name followed by “come” in an excited voice
3. When they reach you, throw a party—treats, praise, the works
4. Gradually increase distance and distractions over weeks

Critical rule: Never call your puppy to you for something unpleasant (dog shampoos time, leaving the park, nail trims). You’ll poison the command. Go get them instead.

4. Stay

Teaches impulse control and patience—skills doodles need to develop.

How to teach it:

1. Ask for a sit
2. Hold your palm up (stop signal) and say “stay”
3. Take one step back
4. If they stay, immediately return and reward
5. If they move, no punishment—just reset and try again with less distance

Build duration slowly. Start with 2 seconds, then 5, then 10. Distance comes after duration is solid.

5. Leave It

Stops your puppy from grabbing things they shouldn’t—chicken bones on footpaths, dropped medications, other dogs’ food.

How to teach it:

1. Hold a treat in your closed fist
2. Let your puppy sniff and paw at it
3. Say “leave it” and wait
4. The moment they pull away or look at you, say “yes” and give a different treat from your other hand

The lesson: leaving something alone gets them something better. Doodles figure this out quickly.

Potty Training Your Doodle Puppy

Doodles are generally quick to house train, but it requires consistency on your end. Most doodle puppies are reliably toilet trained by 4-6 months with proper management.

The Schedule Approach

Puppies have predictable toilet needs. Take them outside:

• First thing in the morning (immediately—carry them if needed)
• After every meal (within 5-15 minutes)
• After naps
• After play sessions
• Every 1-2 hours during active periods
• Last thing before bed

The maths: A puppy can “hold it” for roughly their age in months plus one hour. A 3-month-old can manage about 4 hours maximum—but don’t push it.

Choose One Toilet Spot

Take your puppy to the same area every time. The scent reinforces the behaviour. Stay boring while you wait—no play, no chat. Once they go, celebrate like they’ve won the lottery.

Watch for Warning Signs

Puppies telegraph when they need to go:

• Circling and sniffing
• Suddenly stopping play
• Heading toward doors or corners
• Squatting (you’re too late, but get them outside anyway)

Managing Accidents

Accidents happen. They’re not failures—they’re information that you need to supervise more closely or increase outdoor trips.

When you catch them in the act: Interrupt calmly (not with anger), scoop them up, take them outside, praise if they finish there.

When you find an old accident: Clean it thoroughly with enzymatic cleaner (regular cleaners don’t eliminate the scent dogs can detect). That’s it. Punishment after the fact teaches nothing—your puppy won’t connect the scolding to the earlier accident.

Australian Climate Considerations

Training in Australian summers means adjusting your approach:

• Hot concrete burns paws — Check surfaces with the back of your hand before toilet trips
• Early morning and evening — Schedule longer outdoor training sessions for cooler parts of the day
• Hydration — More water intake means more frequent toilet needs
• Shade access — Ensure your designated toilet area has shade options

Socialisation: Setting Your Doodle Up for Life

The socialisation window—roughly 3 to 14 weeks—is your most critical training period. What your puppy experiences (positively) during this time shapes their adult temperament.

What Socialisation Actually Means

Socialisation isn’t just about meeting other dogs. It’s exposing your puppy to the full range of experiences they’ll encounter in life, creating positive associations with each.

Sounds to introduce:

• Vacuum cleaners and hairdryers
• Traffic noise
• Thunder (recordings work—start low)
• Children playing
• Power tools

Surfaces to walk on:

• Grass, gravel, sand, tiles, wooden floors
• Metal grates (common in Australian shopping centres)
• Wobbly surfaces (strengthens confidence)

People to meet:

• Different ages (especially children if you have or expect to have kids)
• People in hats, sunglasses, uniforms
• People with walking aids, wheelchairs
• Men with beards (surprisingly common fear trigger)

Australian Socialisation Opportunities

Puppy Schools

Australia has excellent puppy preschool programs, often run through vet clinics or dedicated training centres. These provide controlled exposure to other puppies and teach basic skills. Look for programs that:

• Require vaccination records from all attendees
• Keep class sizes small (under 8 puppies)
• Use positive reinforcement only
• Include owner education components

Off-Leash Dog Parks

Wait until your puppy has completed their vaccination series before off-leash parks (usually around 16 weeks). When you do start:

• Visit during quiet times first
• Don’t force interactions—let your puppy approach at their pace
• Leave immediately if an aggressive dog appears
• Keep initial visits short (10-15 minutes)

Beaches and Swimming

Many Australian councils have dog beaches—brilliant socialisation opportunities. For water introduction:

• Start in calm, shallow water
• Never throw or force a puppy into water
• Rinse salt water from their coat afterward (important for skin and coat health)

Pet-Friendly Cafes and Shops

Australia’s cafe culture extends to dogs in many areas. Bunnings, certain cafes, and farmers’ markets offer socialisation with different environments, sounds, and people.

The Quality vs Quantity Rule

One traumatic experience undoes ten positive ones. Better to have five calm, positive exposures than fifty overwhelming ones. Watch your puppy’s body language—ears back, tail tucked, trying to retreat means they’re over threshold. End the session and try again another day with more distance or less intensity.

Common Doodle Training Mistakes to Avoid

After seeing thousands of doodles, patterns emerge. These mistakes trip up even well-intentioned owners.

1. Inconsistent Rules

Doodles learn rules quickly—including loopholes. If they’re allowed on the couch “just this once” or “only when Mum’s not home,” they learn that rules are negotiable. Everyone in the household needs to enforce the same boundaries.

2. Too Much Freedom Too Soon

A 12-week-old puppy doesn’t need access to your entire house. Start with one room. Expand access as they prove reliable. Every accident in the house, every chewed shoe, is a management failure, not a puppy failure.

3. Relying on Punishment

Doodles are sensitive dogs. Harsh corrections damage the bond and create anxiety without teaching what you actually want. Shouting “no” tells them something’s wrong but not what’s right. Redirect to the desired behaviour and reward that instead.

4. Treating Training as a Chore

Doodles pick up on your energy. If training feels like a task you’re grinding through, they’ll disengage. Keep sessions short (5-10 minutes), fun, and frequent rather than long slogs.

5. Skipping Mental Stimulation

Physical exercise matters, but doodles need mental work too. Puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, training games, hide and seek—these tire out your puppy as much as a walk. A mentally tired doodle is a well-behaved doodle.

6. Waiting Too Long for Professional Help

If you’re struggling with biting, reactivity, separation anxiety, or any behaviour that’s escalating, don’t wait months hoping it’ll resolve. Puppy behaviours become adult behaviours. A few sessions with a qualified trainer early saves months of problems later.

Positive Reinforcement: The How and Why

Positive reinforcement isn’t just “being nice to your dog.” It’s the most effective training approach, backed by decades of behavioural science. For doodles specifically, it works brilliantly because of their desire to please.

The Science in Simple Terms

Behaviours that get rewarded get repeated. Behaviours that don’t get rewarded fade. That’s it. Your job is to reward what you want and ensure unwanted behaviours don’t accidentally get rewarded.

Finding Your Puppy’s Currency

Not all rewards are equal. Find what your doodle values most:

High-value rewards (for new learning):

• Small pieces of chicken, cheese, or liver treats
• Commercial high-value training treats
• Whatever makes your specific puppy lose their mind

Medium-value rewards (for reinforcing known behaviours):

• Regular kibble
• Standard commercial treats
• Praise and pats

Life rewards (free!):

• Access to something they want (going outside, greeting visitors)
• Games and play
• Off-leash time

Timing Matters

You have about 1-2 seconds to reward a behaviour before the connection fades. This is why clicker training works—the click marks the exact moment of the correct behaviour, and the treat can follow slightly later.

No clicker? A verbal marker (“yes!” or “good!”) works fine. Just be consistent.

Fading Treats Properly

Once a behaviour is learned, you don’t need to treat every time forever. Move to variable reinforcement—sometimes a treat, sometimes just praise, sometimes a life reward. Think poker machine psychology: unpredictable rewards actually strengthen behaviour more than predictable ones.

What About Discipline?

You still need to communicate when something’s wrong. But there’s a difference between punishment (causing fear or pain) and consequences (removing something good).

Effective, non-damaging consequences:

• Removal of attention — Turn away, cross arms, ignore briefly
• Timeout — Brief removal to a boring space (30 seconds to 1 minute)
• Loss of privilege — Play stops, walk ends, attention withdrawn

These work because doodles value your attention. Withdrawing it is meaningful without damaging trust.

Your First Month Training Schedule

Here’s a realistic training timeline for your doodle’s first month home:

Week 1: Foundation

• Focus on house training schedule
• Introduce crate or sleeping area
• Work on name recognition
• Let puppy settle and bond with family
• Limit visitors initially

Week 2: Basic Commands Begin

• Start “sit” training (short sessions, 3x daily)
• Continue toilet training consistency
• Begin handling exercises (touching paws, ears, mouth)
• Introduce collar and lead indoors

Week 3: Building Skills

• Add “come” to the rotation
• Proof “sit” in different locations
• Start short lead walks (after vet clearance)
• Enrol in puppy school if not already
• Increase socialisation experiences

Week 4: Expanding and Refining

• Introduce “stay” basics
• Work on “leave it”
• Begin bite inhibition training (if needed)
• Practice commands with mild distractions
• Review what’s working, adjust what isn’t

When to Get Professional Help

Group puppy classes suit most doodle puppies. Consider private training if you’re dealing with:

• Aggression toward people or dogs
• Extreme fear or anxiety
• Biting that’s drawing blood or escalating
• No progress after several weeks of consistent effort
• Behaviours you don’t know how to address

Look for trainers who:

• Use reward-based methods
• Hold recognised certifications (Delta, IMDT, KPA, or equivalent)
• Have experience with doodles or poodle crosses
• Explain their methods clearly
• Welcome you to observe a class before enrolling

The Bottom Line

Doodle puppy training isn’t complicated—it’s just consistent. Show up every day with patience, keep sessions short and fun, reward what you want, and set your puppy up to succeed. That intelligent, eager-to-please doodle will meet you more than halfway.

The work you put in during these first months pays dividends for the next 12-15 years. You’re not just teaching commands—you’re building a relationship with a dog who’ll be your companion through everything ahead.

Start today. Start small. And enjoy the journey with your doodle.