The Cavoodle is one of Australia’s most popular dog breeds for both first-time owners and veterans. This hybrid of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Miniature Poodle has quickly become a favourite among dog owners because of all its desirable qualities. Cavoodles are intended to blend together the best traits of both its parent breeds. In doing so, the idea is to create a sweet, intelligent family dog that is hardier and healthier than a purebred dog.
Most Cavoodles live up to this expectation, inheriting the easygoing nature of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the intelligence and agility of the Miniature Poodle. Grooming seems to be easier as well, with many Cavoodle puppies inheriting the coat types of both parent breeds. This results in a wavy, medium-length coat that doesn’t shed much and requires only moderate maintenance.
But Are Cavoodle Puppies Easy to Train?
The short answer is yes, Cavoodle puppies are easy to train! Their Poodle lineage means most of them are smart and very trainable. They also tend to be energetic, another trait that can be traced back to their Poodle side. Cavoodles puppies tend to be very eager for mental stimulation that results in them getting rewarded.
Cavoodles tend to want to please their owners, so they’ll do their best to follow your commands if you adopt a positive reinforcement approach to training. The more praise and treats they get for doing the right thing, the more likely they are to repeat it in the future.
Another trait that reinforces this ease of training is the gentle and easygoing nature of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. When Cavoodles puppies inherit this type of temperament, training them is very forgiving because they aren’t affected as much by an inconsistent training routine. They’ll respond well even if you aren’t an expert trainer.
Overall, Cavoodle puppies are a good option if you’re looking for an intelligent, affectionate dog that does well in most families.
Best Practices for Training Cavoodle Puppies
Many Cavoodles pick up cues from their owners very quickly, so it’s important that you reinforce good behaviour as much as possible, as early as possible. This will help prevent bad habits from forming. The tendencies puppies develop within the first 6 months of life become more difficult to unlearn when they’re older.
When training your Cavoodle puppies, try to follow these core principles:
- Positive reinforcement only
- Consistency is key
- Rewards don’t have to be treats
- Stay positive and patient
- Have short and focused training sessions
If you follow these principles, you can be sure that training your Cavoodle puppy will be a fulfilling, fun experience for both you and your dog.
