Training and education of a poodle

Raising a dog is about developing correct behavior. This is the basis for successful training. Training is a set of activities aimed at training specific teams. It is necessary to start raising a puppy from the very first days of his appearance in the house. If you work with your pets from a very early age, then you are on the right track.

Poodles are considered one of the smartest breeds in the world. They are highly trainable. Bored poodles can become destructive if left untrained. But active owners who can meet the needs of Poodles will find a lively, intelligent, trainable and the best companion for the whole family.

Country of origin : France
Height at the withers : large 45 – 60 cm, small 35 – 45 cm, dwarf 28 – 35 cm, toy 24 – 28 cm
Weight : large 20 – 30 kg, small 8 – 14 kg, dwarf 6 – 8 kg, toy ~2.5 kg
Lifespan : 12-15 years
Use : companion dog, hunting
Other names : royal poodle (large poodle)

When to start training a dog

As soon as a poodle puppy appears in your home, immediately begin to build a relationship with him. From the first day it is necessary to provide him with everything he needs: bowls for water and food, collar, leash, bed, suitable food, toys and of course treats. You need to give him a lot of attention so that he feels safe and begins to trust you. From a very early age, a poodle puppy needs to be introduced to commands. In addition, in the first months it is necessary to study commands both at home and on the street. First, the puppy must remember its name. We wrote how to choose a suitable nickname in one of our articles. The name should be short, easy to remember and the dog should be called only by it. When the pet has already mastered its name and finally begins to respond, then we move on to commands. By the 3rd month he should master the following commands: “Ugh!”, “Come to me!”, “Place!”, “Nearby!” and “Fetch!” (optional). Then you can move on to the rest, of course, if you need them.

Training at 2 months. Upbringing

At 2 months old, your poodle puppy is still at home, in quarantine after the first vaccinations, and he is not yet allowed to go for walks. Therefore, it’s time to start raising a puppy in the home conditions that are already familiar to him.

Toilet training

The first step is teaching the puppy to go to the toilet in a diaper . You should not rush to teach going to the toilet directly outside, bypassing this stage, because puppies are not physiologically ready for walking twice a day. This ability is developed in poodle puppies no earlier than 6 months, and in some up to 1 year.

It should be remembered that any learning is a rather complex thing and, seeing the first positive results, you should not think that your puppy has already understood everything, but you should continue training according to the method, so that after a while you do not have to start all over again.

Collar and leash training

The second important point will be to accustom the puppy to a collar and leash . Yes, yes, this should be done at home, so that by the time the puppy goes outside for the first time, wearing a collar will not be additional stress for him, but is already a familiar thing, and he can start exploring the world around him, rather than trying to get rid of an unknown object.

What to allow a puppy and what not

The third point, which causes the greatest difficulty for new puppy owners, will be determining the puppy’s boundaries of what is permitted. Often, many novice dog owners think that the unwanted behavior of a poodle puppy will “go away on its own, outgrow it.” But, unfortunately, the behavior that is allowed for a puppy will be taken for granted later by an adult dog.

Any unwanted behavior in a puppy WILL NOT go away on its own, but will only become stronger over time.

Therefore, it is necessary to start defining the puppy’s boundaries of what is permitted now. You will need:

Teach to play only with your toys, and not with your things;
Explain that you cannot bite your hands even in a game;
Establish the correct daily routine, establishing the rule that in the morning you need to sleep and not wake you up;
Stop chewing furniture, clothes, walls and baseboards;
Teach to stay home alone, knowing that your absence is not a reason to bark or howl.

IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO KNOW: constant and excessive punishments that follow almost every action of a puppy have a detrimental effect on its fragile psyche and can lead to a poodle puppy growing up cowardly and embittered. For normal natural development, a puppy must have the opportunity to explore the world around him, which is currently limited to your apartment or house.

Introduction to Basic Commands

Already now you should begin to familiarize yourself with the initial obedience commands in a light playful form, while focusing on rewards for execution, because the puppy’s psyche is still quite plastic and excessive severity and exactingness can lead to the puppy being intimidated and cowardly. Therefore, it is necessary, first of all, to try to interest the puppy by offering him a toy or treat, and sometimes just praise.

How to raise a poodle puppy

If you train your pet correctly, then over time you will get an obedient dog that will follow all commands and delight you every day. Experts believe that several factors may influence a poodle’s susceptibility to following various commands:

pet's temperament - the speed of the pet's reaction to stimuli, both positive and negative;
character - how exactly the dog resists various unpleasant influences;
obedience - the dog’s ability to accept human leadership;
vigilance - the speed with which the dog notices potential danger, both in relation to itself and in relation to the owner;
aggressiveness - the pet’s ability to react hostilely to potential danger;
curiosity - interest that is developed when a dog feels, hears and sees something;
sociability - the ability to interact with people;
possessiveness is the interest shown by animals in certain objects, for example toys.

How quickly your dog will learn commands depends on which traits predominate in the character of a poodle puppy. By paying attention to the character traits of your animal, you can find an approach to it and adjust its behavior in certain situations.

Eagerness will get you nowhere . You should not try to teach your poodle puppy all the commands at the same time; you need to learn the commands one by one. You need to have patience and act methodically. You should not scold your pet at the moment when he makes mistakes, and when he succeeds in something, then the pet should be encouraged.
Don't hit . It is prohibited to use physical punishment against a pet. You should limit yourself to variable intonation, but avoid shouting. Once a poodle puppy is three months old, it is acceptable to use a light spank while saying the phrase “Ew” as punishment. It is necessary to punish immediately when the animal commits an offense, and not after it, since the animal simply will not understand what exactly it was punished for.
Subsequence . The main goal is to ensure that the pet follows the command the first time. Commands should be pronounced clearly and in an even voice so that the dog understands and obeys you. All family members should be involved in raising the dog, but they must act together. It is forbidden to allow situations in which you scold the puppy, and another family member praises him or simply does not pay attention.
Pamper . Remember to reward your poodle puppy with a variety of treats and praise when he has done what is asked of him.

Features of Poodles

The Poodle is an extremely intelligent, easy to train and fun-loving dog. This breed has an inexhaustible supply of energy, at the same time, they are affectionate and flexible when properly trained. The poodle will appreciate any time spent together; he is surprisingly affectionate and friendly, always wanting to be in the company of his owner and family. It is worth noting that representatives of this breed not only need special care, but you also need to realize their active and playful potential, otherwise disobedience and even aggression may become inevitable. This cheerful pet will brighten up any dull everyday life. The poodle is a very smart dog, so mastering the training course will not be difficult, but due to his stubbornness, the owner cannot always achieve complete obedience, carry out commands in any conditions and the first time, this issue can only be resolved by an experienced specialist who will help build correct and trusting the relationship between you and your four-legged companion.

Basic commands

You will use some commands more often, others less often. But they will still come in handy to easily interact with your poodle and even keep him safe in various situations.

Aport. One of the most difficult teams. Many people perceive it as very easy and simple, but with many dogs you will have to work hard. This skill is used for other exercises: searching, searching, selecting an item and many others. Usually they are all used in service. When working out a command, “Aport” and “Give” are used, and a gesture is also used.
Give. On the command “Give” the dog must give up the object.
Lie. A connecting command that needs to be learned for other commands. In addition, it will not interfere at home or on the street.
To me. You will need to use this command quite often. So start with this as soon as your poodle puppy learns his name. Never call the dog to punish, and do not scold if it comes on its own, even after mischievousness before it. This behavior on your part may alienate the animal.
Place. A puppy or an adult dog must clearly know where his place is located. He can sleep anywhere, if you allow it, of course, but he must know this command. You can use it outside the home, marking the place with a leash or your favorite toy.
Near. It is possible to teach your pet the “Near” command at any age, be it an adult dog or a small puppy. When you move to a new home, you should immediately think about training your puppy.
Sit. One of the very first commands that a poodle puppy should learn.
Stand. The command is useful in everyday life, for example, for combing a dog.
. The prohibiting command is one of the most mandatory and taming it begins from the first day the puppy appears in the house. Requiring the command “Fu!”, “No!”, “No!” - immediately stop the unwanted action.

How much does it cost to train a poodle?

Cost of classes on the territory of the dog handler:

Subscription 10 lessons
1,500 ₽ Cost of one individual lesson on the territory of the dog handler.

When purchasing a course of 10 lessons.

Subscription 5 lessons

1,600 ₽ Cost of one individual lesson on the territory of the dog handler.

When purchasing a course of 5 lessons.

1 lesson

1,800 ₽ Cost of one individual lesson on the territory of the dog handler.

When paid for each lesson.

Raising a dog

Education is the process of shaping the behavior of a poodle acceptable to the owner, when this behavior is not regulated by commands.
During upbringing, a dog develops relationships with its owner, family members, passers-by, behavior in the house, on the street, and relationships with other dogs. The training process begins immediately when the dog first appears in the house and continues throughout the dog’s life. Regardless of the dog's breed, it must be trained. Just as people do not like ill-mannered people, dogs should also know what is allowed and what is not allowed. Raising a dog is a rather complex process, which is not limited to learning just a few commands. The main goal of education is that the dog should become pleasant to talk to. In addition, it must be manageable at some points, otherwise it will be very difficult for the dog owner. In the broadest sense of the word, dog training is about teaching the dog commands such as “Bad” and “No”. But besides this, the dog must know what is good and what is bad, even in those moments when the owner is not around. Some believe that the poodle only understands commands, but cannot generalize. Only those who, as a rule, never had dogs, and studied them only in laboratory conditions, in which dogs were not able to show their full potential, are convinced of this, as well as those who, due to their personal qualities, were unable to establish a relationship with pet. In real life, the poodle is a pack animal and therefore, like any other pack animal, needs to communicate with members of its family. In this situation, the dog’s family members are people. It is quite stupid to think that if a dog caresses you, this means that his skin is itching. In order for a dog’s nervous system to function normally, it needs affection, love, communication, and praise. In addition, so-called “inhibiting factors” are required, because if the dog is allowed everything, then this will not lead to anything good. When raising a poodle puppy, you should pay attention to the genetic characteristics of the breed. A family is a pack in which there must be a leader, in this case the leader is a person. The leader punishes, plays, feeds, caresses, praises and scolds. All other members of the owner's family are ranked by rank. At that moment, while the puppy is small, all other family members are senior to him. However, in the process of growing up, around the age of one year, the dog begins to look for its place in the hierarchical pyramid. Naturally, she will try to take the step that is as high as possible. She can do this with the help of force, in the case of large dogs, or with the help of cunning, as small dogs do. The more ill-mannered the dog is, the more difficult this process will be. If the owner from the first days shows his pet that the one who has the power is right, then he will turn out to be a frail neurotic or an evil beast with whom you will hardly communicate with joy. A poodle puppy must understand that he must obey people, since they love him, feed him, and raise him. Understand that prohibitions are not the whim of the owner, but a way to protect everyone from trouble. The main influence on the dog should be the voice. From the first days of being in your home, the puppy must realize that you love him, and if you raise your voice, then this means that he is doing something wrong. One of the best incentives for a pet is considered to be a treat, which should be given out for good behavior and listening to commands. Training and education of a poodle

Dog trainer for poodle

The most correct solution would be to train a poodle under the guidance of a professional dog handler.

Training a poodle is, first of all, proper interaction with your dog, gaining its trust and respect, and only then explaining commands to it. In this case, your poodle, knowing perfectly well the various commands, will carry them out not only when he wants to, but when you need it, in the presence of other dogs and other distractions.

Our specialists will teach you how to behave in a given situation when communicating with your dog, what to allow, what to prohibit, how to praise and how to express your disapproval in case of unwanted actions on the part of your dog.

When studying obedience commands, our dog trainers will teach you all stages of practicing commands, and your dog will clearly follow commands even with strong distractions.

Dwarf, royal and others

There are no special features in training dwarf and royal breeds as such. Just like simple poodle breeds, they are easy to train.

During training, the dog's purpose should be taken into account. If this is a simple pet, then it is trained according to the usual scheme. Royal Poodles can be used as service dogs or as hunting aids.

Poodles are often exhibited in competitions. In this case, the dog must be raised according to certain requirements. She should react normally to dental examination, and also take the correct position when given a certain command.

Show poodles are trained to walk and run correctly. Their gait should be graceful, light and proud. In this case, the animal should keep its head straight on its outstretched neck.

Should I start at 2-3 months or earlier?

Some new owners of poodle puppies believe that raising, and even more so, training their pet is a matter of a rather distant future and that for the first time after the baby arrives in the house, you just need to leave him to his own devices so that he can take a closer look at the new environment and get used to it. To her.

Poodles are cunning and smart dogs, and if you miss the time favorable for starting their upbringing, the pet can grow up willful and disobedient.

What age is most suitable for starting to teach a small poodle to order and is it necessary to postpone training until a later time?
There can be only one answer to this: you need to start raising a pet as early as possible. Important! You should start teaching your puppy to maintain order and learn the first of the basic commands from the very first day of his appearance in the house.

How to care

A toy poodle should not be kept outdoors. Care is the same as for other breeds - take care of the ears, eyes, teeth, inspect them as often as possible, clean them. The diet is natural or premium factory food, taking into account the age of the dog.

The main difficulty is grooming:

regular haircuts from a professional groomer or yourself;
bathing 2-3 times a month with dog shampoos and conditioners;
daily combing (5-10 minutes a day);

The peculiarity of wool is that it does not smell and does not cause allergies in humans.

Owner reviews

“Many people believe that royal poodles are only decorative dogs that belong only on the sofa or in an exhibition. But our two dogs are great at hunting duck or, for example, pheasant. We taught them this without difficulty, since the hunting instinct is in their blood.

The younger dog, by the way, just as easily mastered both OKD and even ZKS, gaining the highest scores and leaving many of the dogs of pure working breeds far behind.”

“Our small poodle masters all commands instantly. He is so smart that he understands everything and can do everything he was taught.

At the same time, it’s not that we didn’t do any training at all, but, it seems to me, we didn’t devote too much time to it due to being busy at work. I think that if we had seriously started training him, he would have easily mastered any of the circus tricks, since he himself loves to learn something and is always happy to play with us.”

“Very friendly and intelligent dogs. In order to teach a dwarf poodle commands, you do not need to contact a trainer: our favorite, for example, learns everything through play. Moreover, what’s interesting is that they even obey a child: her daughter, who is 7 years old, independently taught the dog the commands “Give me a paw” and “Lie down,” which, you see, would hardly be possible with a shepherd dog or even a bulldog.”

“Our toy poodle is an incredibly smart and quick-witted dog. He only needs to say something once for him to understand what is required of him.

We educate him exclusively with words, games and treats: there has never been a case where we had to spank him for any offense. Of course, sometimes it’s mischievous, but what could we do without it? But as soon as you strictly tell him “You can’t!”, he immediately stops acting up and again behaves just perfectly.”

At what age should you train a puppy?

During the first 12 weeks of a puppy's life, attention must be paid to its socialization. If an animal grows in a confined space without human contact, its psyche will be damaged. This is the most important period in his life; maximum attention should be paid to him.

You can start raising a poodle puppy as early as 2 months. This should be home training, since at this time the first vaccinations are carried out and the animal must be in quarantine.