Sit. Roll over. Play dead. We’ve heard these commands. Hopefully, most of them are used in conjunction with a dog. Some dogs are blessed with even fancier commands like dance, salute or ride a skateboard.
But let’s be honest. Not every dog will be able to do what Spuds MacKenzie did back in the day.
There’s scientific evidence out there that shows how certain personality traits are hard-wired into a dog’s genetic makeup, some of which make them easier to take care of.
Much of the guesswork can be taken out of the equation by choosing a dog breed that has a history of taking commands more readily than others. Let’s take a look into the puppies that’ll be easier to handle and those that might be a handful.
First, what makes a puppy easy to train?
Puppies have personalities. Plain and simple. Just like humans, they have emotions and cognitive reasoning. Do they understand specific words and are they able to recite actual verbal responses back?
No. But… they do recognize and respond to physical and verbal commands, which demonstrates their intelligence. It’s a specific dog's understanding and reaction to specific commands that will meld to form their personalities for the years they're in your home.
How long should you expect to train a puppy?
You wouldn’t rush an artist to complete their work,, would you? The same should be understood while your dog is discovering who they are.
First and foremost, your new puppy will need time to acclimate to its new surroundings. You wouldn’t know your way around a new house in a matter of hours. Why would you expect a newborn pup to be any different?
Make sure that you’re calculating the next steps for your four-legged friend. While sniffing around the floorboards and doing their best to sleep through the night in their beds, assess their needs.
Yes, there are general things that every dog must have – i.e. food, water, restroom use, etc. – but how much and how often will differ from dog to dog. The same goes for the attention given so that they’re not ripping up your couch whenever you don’t have an eye.
Set loose objectives for you and your puppy. John Lennon once said, “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”
When training a dog, you’ll want to map out not only what the regimen should be, but also how long each item should take. Set loose timelines for what you and your canine companion are looking to accomplish.
Certain objectives will overlap and others will take longer than you expect or want them to. Just as we said above: be patient. But in this case, couple that with consistency.
Then, rinse and repeat. Walk your dog through each and every item until it’s clear that they’re not only being obedient but comfortable too in their understanding of what’s being required of them.
Every dog is different and that’s what’s beautiful about dog ownership. Your relationship with yours is different from any other relationship in the world.
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What’s the easiest type of puppy to train?
Talking through training puts us in the mindset of what to expect. But it doesn’t answer which breeds are going to be the easiest to play "Red Rover" with. Let’s look at five dogs that should be on your “don’t sweat it” list!
Poodles
Literally social animals, poodles take direction well. Keep in mind that due to their high energy, you’ll need to engage them regularly. Since they are so clever, second only to Border Collies, your job while training them will be to make sure they don’t outsmart you.
One of the best things about a poodle, as long as you maintain their fur, they won’t shed a great deal.
German Shepherd
Think of the German Shepherd as a loyal co-worker who’s motivated to make you happy. And they do that day in and day out, making them among the most friendly dogs to own.
We don’t think a breed that regularly works with the military would be hard to train and they aren’t, in fact. Selflessly dedicated, this breed will do everything in its power to protect you and your family. Our recommendation? Make sure that you have the space and yardage to properly care for and train these majestic creatures.
Golden Retriever
They’re eager to please. They’re one of the most popular breeds in America. They’re the Golden Retriever. They’re also great with the youngest and oldest members of your family.
Note that since this breed has never met a friend it didn’t like, Golden Retrievers can be quite difficult to train as a guard dog, unlike their furry German Shepherd buddies.
Labrador Retriever
Just like the straw-colored companion breed above, labs love to love you and your family. And, like their German Shepherd counterparts, they possess a Prussian work ethic.
The range of skills and depth of ease in which they train is only matched by other dogs on this list. The Labrador Retriever can roll with the proverbial punches. They are known to overindulge, so make sure to monitor what and when they’re eating so that you can keep them in tip-top shape.
Papillon
We’ve talked mostly about mid to larger-sized dogs. How about a tinier pup without a Napoleon Complex? (We’re looking at you, Dachshunds!)
While many tinier dogs might ignore you or be threatened by your comparable size, these pooches are ready to learn and listen. Papillons are in it to win it and try new things, but could require more time for exercise than you have in your busy workday.
What about doodles? Are they easy to train?
Doodles come in a rainbow of different colors, personalities and sizes. Poodles are crossbred with an infinite number of other breeds and so, just like any other number of dog breeds, there is no clear-cut response to that questions. But, when you start talking about specific doodle breeds, the answer becomes much more concise.
Which doodles are the easiest to train?
Doodles are a mixed breed and so they have all the pluses and minuses of their parent breed. On one-half of each of these breeds is the aforementioned poodle. This comes with so many positives.
Their intelligence aligned with their playful demeanor make them great companions. This, mixed with other productive and comparable traits, makes doodle breeds incredibly attractive dogs for owners of any experience level. While the number of types of doodles is legion, let’s highlight a few of these majestic animals.
Bernedoodles are a cross between the amazing poodle and the gorgeous Bernese Mountain dog. When they meet in the Bernedoodle, the breed can be a tad bit stubborn. These adorable dogs can be trained so much easier than other breeds, however.
Just be patient and ready to repeat yourself early on and you definitely won’t regret choosing this goofy pup for your home.
You recall then we discussed puppies and their personalities? That definitely comes into play when training Sheepadoodles. Sheepies can be a sensitive lot. Just like their poodle counterparts, the Old English Sheepdog is highly intelligent.
Shepadoodles inherit these same traits, but their overall boisterous nature could become a problem if they're not disciplined and taught what they need to do and not do at a young age.
We believe the gold (pun intended) standard of doodle dogs that's the easiest to train is the Goldendoodle. Half Golden Retriever, it’s this half of eagerness that makes it one of the best choices for a first-time owner.
If you’re new to having a furry friend being part of your family and you need a pup that will pay attention to their training, you should definitely consider a Goldendoodle.
Do you need to train your doodle?
Trick question! The best way to take the guesswork out of training your doodle it to let us do it for you.
We offer several different programs in our Puppy Preschool. We have a 4 week, 8 week and 12 week program. Whatever your needs are, we can find the right duration for you.
Our philosophy is stated as such:
“Nobody knows our puppies better than we do! We sit in the whelping rooms with all of our dogs as they are having their puppies, and help deliver them. We are the first people to see and touch them, the first ones to give them their first meal, and are solely responsible for their health for the first couple of months of their lives.
We watch their ears and eyes open, and their personalities emerge. We know their parents and their quirks, and have them living in the house with us. Other training programs cannot offer the personalized knowledge of your puppy that we can.”
Training a puppy could definitely be compared to raising a child. The earlier you start the process the better. But you wouldn’t constantly turn your back on your child and leave them to their own devices, would you?
You also wouldn’t simply repeat instructions once when they're babies and expect them to understand. Each of them is an individual with their own set of wants and needs.
Train your puppy early. Be consistent. Most importantly, be patient. You should end up with a canine best friend that’s happy as well as healthy.
Thinking about adding a puppy to your family?
Jenna and the JLDD Team