How to train a Cavapoo puppy – the ultimate guide

 

So you’ve chosen a Cavapoo as the dog for you, good choice! One of the more established designer breeds, they are spritely little dogs with tonnes of energy. They may look super cute and fluffy but don’t let that fool you, they are very busy little dogs who will find plenty of mischief if they have to. 

 

Don’t panic though because here it is, our ultimate guide on how to train your Cavapoo puppy! 

 

A mix of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Toy or Miniature Poodle they retain the Cavalier cuddliness with the Poodle brains but as with any hybrid you can never be too sure what mixture of each breed you will get, so be prepared for the odd bit of guesswork. 

 

Every dog is an individual, but there are some things you can be generally sure of within the Cavapoo breed. We’ve given you a step-by-step overview in this article, so that Cavapoo puppy training is literally, a walk in the park.

 

Prerequisites for training my Cavapoo puppy?

 

What age can I start to train my Cavapoo puppy?

 

You should start training your Cavapoo puppy, as soon as you bring them home from the breeder.  You will need to teach them their name straight away and of course make a start on the notorious house training. Luckily for you though Cavapoos are pretty smart so it shouldn’t take too long. Even if you think you’re not actively training, Cavapoos are clever and will always be learning. 

 

For more information on what to do before you bring them home check out the Pre-Puppy section in the Zigzag app. You can also access our Expert Support team to answer any questions you have before you bring your puppy home.

What do I need to train my Cavapoo puppy?

 

Good news it’s not a huge list of training equipment, but it’s a good idea to be prepared so that training is easy to start straight away. 

 

• Treat Pouch – You’ll need to have plenty of treats available,  you can also use some of their regular dry food to train with. In our article on rewards and treats, you can learn more about how we use them to train.
• A soft collar – something which won’t pull on that beautiful coat will be best for your Cavapoo puppy. Because ‘they’re worth it’, right? 
• A harness: One that doesn’t pull or tighten when it’s on your puppy when they walk. Cavapoos are quite lithe, so make sure it’s soft and gentle on them. Nothing too heavy please! 
• A 2 metre training lead – this will give your Cavapoo puppy enough room to sniff and is useful for teaching the settle exercise later on. Not sure which lead? Here’s our faves.
• A piece of non-slip vet bed or a soft mat.
• Treats: The smellier and stinkier, the better. We’ve written more about the best puppy treats here.  
• Two identical toys: Great for swaps – your Cavapoo puppy will be very playful, and is sure to love the retrieving games inside the Zigzag app. 
• A soft grooming brush as well as a flexible slicker– not gonna lie, that coat is going to need a bit of work, so best to start early, gently and with PLENTY of patience and treats.
• A crate and playpen: These are optional, but pretty handy if you ask us.

 

Good to know about training Cavapoo puppies

 

What are Cavapoos bred for?

 

Cavapoos are a crossbreed of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle. Back in the day, they were designed to have the loving and friendly qualities of a Cavalier, while being as non-shedding as a Poodle. 

 

Looks like they got the best of both worlds, it’s no surprise they’re one of the most popular designer dogs worldwide! They also look like teddy bears – especially when their owners make them Instagram accounts…oh, the outfits!

 

So here’s how the mix works:

 

Modern Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were originally bred as a copy of toy spaniels. Cool history fact, they were Charles II’s favourites – this is where they get their name from. Although they’re still considered to be a toy breed, they’re still quite active from their Spaniel and Poodle inherited traits.

The Miniature Poodle is probably the other part of your Cavapoo. Miniature Poodles were bred as hunting companions, and are incredibly intelligent – they are also the original circus dogs! Gotta say we don’t love animals being used in circus performances. Anyway, that’s for another time.

 

When these traits get brought together, they turn out to form the most brilliant dog in all kinds of ways, especially when talking in terms of skills – whether it’s agility, flyball, trick training or nose work (or all at the same time!) your Cavapoo will always manage to show them off some way or another. While they’re active, they will also generally adore being on your sofa, having cuddles when they’re not out doing dog things. 

 

Here’s other special qualities and talents you can be proud about as a Cavapoo owner:

 

• They’re hardy little dogs and will be able to cope with most weather conditions. Don’t underestimate their size!
• Cavapoos are intelligent and love to train. They do well at agility and tricks, but you’ll see that they’ll be up for most dog sports.
• They build strong bonds with their owner and are sensitive and affectionate.
• They are great family dogs – they’re very good with children.
• They can adapt for life in the city or country. A good all rounder, I’d say.

 

What does this have to do with how I train my Cavapoo?

 

It’s a fair question actually. But there is a logic as to why knowing the context might help you train your Cavapoo puppy better:

 

• With those Spaniel brains and Poodle good looks, you’ll quickly find that Cavapoo puppies will be more than happy to work with you to do anything. 
• Despite their dainty teddy bear looks, they have high energy needs and need to exercise every day – they will love going on long walks with you at the weekend. 
• Given the right training and mental stimulation, they’ll be happy with living in the city or in the country. If they’re really lucky they’ll have both!
• Again – don’t let the teddy bear look fool you. Many of them like water and getting filthy in mud! It’s a great idea to join in the fun as well. Just look out for your carpets….
• They have a strong sense of smell, so playing scent or retrieving games tend to be received with open…paws. 
• They require a lot of grooming. Their coats range from being very curly, to wavy, to straight. This also means you’ll need to take care that they’re not aren’t handled roughly or over handled – they’re busy dogs, not babies!
• Cavapoos often love to retrieve, which means they’ll like to carry things around in their mouths. That being said, make sure you also teach them the wonders of giving things up. It can lead to great things! Like treats 😉  
• Given their affection and sensitivity making sure they feel comfortable being left alone is a must.

 

PRO TIP: If your Cavapoo puppy switches off or starts acting silly or clowning around it means it’s time for a break, since it’s often a sign of stress. Shift to some play, and revisit training later – we want training to be associated with fun, and not something they begin to dread. 

 

 

Overview of the training programme and topics we’ll cover

 

Just to make sure we’re on the same page, you were looking for the ultimate guide on training a Cavapoo puppy, right?

 

Good, then you won’t be surprised by the long list of topics we’ll be touching on: 

 

• Sitting
• Lying down
• Learning their name
• Coming when you call them
• Walking nicely on a lead
• Playing fetch
• Sleeping in their crate
• Coping with being left alone
• Going to the toilet in the right place 

 

Yep, you’ll most likely be using it all. But nothing to worry about – we’ve made it nice and simple to follow!

 

We told you that Cavapoos are clever, didn’t we? That also means they can also get bored easily. At Zigzag we’re all about busting boredom and having happy dogs with a lust for life, so it makes sense that we’d recommend training in the same way doesn’t it? 

By using the ‘Push Drop Stick’ method to increase difficulty gradually we can get better and faster results and don’t get that boredom or frustration.

Essentially you do the same thing 5 times, get all 5 right, push on to the next level of difficulty, get 3 or 4 right then you should stick where you are, get only 1 or 2 right, then drop back to a slightly easier level of difficulty.

 

Week 1 – Training your Cavapoo puppy

 

Congratulations! It’s your first week of training your new Cavapoo puppy. How does it feel to be a new puppy parent? You must be chuffed to bits.

 

The first week though is all about fun and getting to know your Cavapoo puppy, (and them you!) so don’t put too much pressure on yourselves. They need to learn to trust you, and that you’re the best. thing. ever. Plus you’ll likely be busy cleaning up wee and gazing at them adoringly. 

 

Here’s just a few exercises to get your pup’s mind going and set you off on the right path: 

 

Socialisation exercises to do this week	Training to do this week	Husbandry Tasks to do this week
– Let your puppy explore the garden – Teach your puppy about surfaces	– Name – Sit – Recall – Retrieve – Crate Training – Toilet Training – Alone Training	– Brushing – Hand Touch

 

These first few weeks are really all about the basics; they’re all about toilet training, crate training and alone time training. All the ingredients you need for a happy pup and a happy home.

 

• Some Cavapoo owners will find sleeping at night a challenge, it’s natural that your Cavapoo will want to sleep near to you, so have them in a bed or crate beside you in your bedroom at least for the first few weeks while they’re settling in. It’s likely they will wake in the night for a toilet break so be prepared to be a bit sleep deprived for the first week or so.

Oh and our number 1 piece of advice… don’t let them cry it out, a few barks and whimpers are fine. But being left alone to cry is stressful for them and you not to mention your neighbours. Your cavapoo needs loads of cuddles and reassurance in those first few weeks. We have a full article on how to get a puppy to sleep through the night as well as a Puppy night-time routine for you on that.

 

The Cavalier part of your Cavapoo was literally bred to be a companion so it will come as no surprise to learn they can find it hard being on their own.

You will therefore want to start training your Cavapoo puppy to cope with being alone; it’s crucial for their well-being to teach them some home alone coping skills, but the most common mistake people make is doing too much too soon. They rush the process and cause their puppy to be stressed, this will undo all the good work you may have done already. You do need to start somewhere though, so have a read through of our alone training article to get you on your way. We also have a step by step alone training programme in our Zigzag puppy training app.

 

Toilet training a Cavapoo, can sometimes be a challenge, although smart dogs, they also have quite small bladders so need the toilet frequently… it’s not their fault and no they aren’t doing it just to annoy you. Make sure you give them lots of opportunities to go out for a wee so they don’t have any accidents, you can find more info in our puppy toilet training article.

 

Socialisation and habituation are important topics to start on straight away with your Cavapoo puppy. In our experience, they can be a little more sensitive than other breeds, so we want to make these experiences fun for them. 

• Letting your Cavapoo puppy explore the garden
• Teach your puppy about surfaces 

We also have a good read on socialising your puppy, grab a cuppa and spend a bit of time checking it out.

 

Let’s get started with training –  we don’t want to do too much and overwhelm your pup, but this week you can:

• Teach your Cavapoo their name
• Teach your Cavapoo puppy to sit
• Recall – How to teach your Cavapoo puppy to come back when called

Retrieve/fetch: If Cavapoos were born to do anything, it’s to fetch (ok also look cute and cuddle….). They love playing retrieving games – you’ll find that they have a natural talent for them. 

 

It’s important that your Cavapoo puppy learns how to give up items willingly as this will help prevent resource guarding.

Resource guarding occurs when we force puppies to give up items or snatch things out of their mouths. It can end up looking like an awkward game of tug of war – especially at the park when they steal someone else’s frisbee. We’ve talked about how playful Cavapoos are, and indeed this can turn into a bit of a game, so don’t play chase, as they’ll find it fun! Have a read of our guide on resource guarding and it’ll be easy as pie.

 

• Handling your puppy: Mostly, Cavapoos love to be touched and petted, so you probably won’t have many problems for this one. Do keep it up, and use lots of rewards. 
• Check inside their ears, their gums and paws so they get used to being handled this way – comes in really handy when they ever have to go to the vet.

 

Week 2 – Training your Cavapoo puppy

 

Week 2 already, how are you getting on with training your Cavapoo puppy? This week we’ll do more work on

 

• Socialisation and habituation – with a focus on novelty and sounds
• Training – Lots of new things to learn and teach your Cavapoo puppy, they will lap it up.
• Husbandry – Yes that coat is probably needing some attention by now, so we’ll start grooming those lustrous locks. 

 

Socialisation exercises to do this week	Training to do this week	Husbandry Tasks to do this week
– Fireworks – Watch the world go by outside your house – Play dress up – Sit in the car – Invite friends over	– Alone Training – Crate Training – Toilet Training – Name – in garden – Recall – cue word – Fetch – Drop -Sit – add a cue word – Leadwalking	– Grooming

 

Here’s a list of socialisation and habituation exercises you can do with your Cavapoo puppy this week:

• Fireworks – Cavapoos can be quite sensitive to noises, be sure to start these off on a low volume and build positive associations by using treats. 
• Watch the world go by – teaching Cavapoos there’s a big wide world out there is important so it’s not such a shock later on. Remember to carry them though if they haven’t had their 2nd jab yet.
• Play dress up – That’s for the humans to do, not to dress your Cavapoo puppy! Things like wearing hats, scarves, using walking sticks, all provide a visual of a ‘strange’ looking human, that your Cavapoo puppy will learn to realise isn’t so scary if you introduce it in the correct way.

Sit in the car – no need to go on a huge road trip just yet, just teach them that the car is a fun place to be. Feed them some meals and just sit and have a play for now.

 

• Alone training – keep building on this week by week, so it isn’t an issue once your Cavapoo is older.
• Crate training
• Teach them their name in the garden: The garden will provide a lot of distractions for your Cavapoo puppy – all the things to sniff, and butterflies to chase!
• Recall training: add a cue word so that your Cavapoo puppy comes when you ask them to. This will be useful when they try to be social butterflies in the park.
• Fetch and drop: Your Cavapoo puppy is going to love getting things for you – it’s kinda in their job description!  It’s also pretty adorable how they love to please…would make anyone’s heart thud hard.
• Sit – add a cue word
• Introduce lead walking training: Cavapoos may be dainty but you still don’t want them pulling on the lead, you’ll want to put some work into walking nicely on the lead. 

 

• Brushing your puppy: There’s nothing better than a good scratch for Cavapoos. If you introduce them to brushing in the right way, brushing will feel like an upgrade from your own scratches. That coat is going to need a lot of attention, by you as well as at the groomers, so make sure you teach them that grooming is fun and nice!

 

Week 3 – Training your Cavapoo puppy

 

Week 3, already. In week 3, we’ll cover the following topics

 

• Writing out a socialisation checklist that’s personal for you and your situation
• Teaching your Cavapoo puppy not to jump up
• Fitting a harness on your Cavapoo puppy ready for ‘walkies’!

 

Socialisation exercises to do this week	Training Exercises to do this week	Husbandry Tasks to do this week
– Scent Trails – Go for a drive – Invite Friends Over – Write a puppy socialisation checklist	– Recall – outside in the garden – Four Paws on the floor – Not Jumping up – Down – Generalisation – Alone Training	– Harness fitting

 

• Scent trails – get that Cavapoo nose and brain working, with a fun game. 
• Invite friends over – Cavapoos are generally not so shy and will love the attention from people. Maybe you can teach them that sitting (rather than jumping up) = treats and affection? Read how in our guide on puppy jumping.
• Go for a drive with your Cavapoo puppy – why not pop by the groomers to say hello too?
• Write a puppy socialisation checklist for your Cavapoo puppy: Think about the things you’ll want to do with your adult Cavapoo and put them on your list, might be ‘going on train journeys or equally ‘sunday lunches in pubs’ no judgement here.

 

• Recall: teaching your puppy to come when called, outside. This is essential to teach your Cavapoo puppy because, while we think of them as teddy bears, not everyone does, so calling them back from people when your puppy  ‘just wants to say hello’ is important.

• Stop your puppy jumping up: Not everyone reacts kindly to a puppy bouncing off them, teaching your Cavapoo puppy to have ‘four paws on the floor’ is a great skill and is just polite really. 
• Generalisation – different locations: Practice skills your Cavapoo puppy knows in different places, so that they don’t only ‘do it when they’re at home’ they can do it anywhere you ask them to. 

• Teach your Cavapoo puppy to lie down: So those pub visits become comfortable for everyone!
• Alone training: Keep on building on this one, little by little they’ll learn that you can go out and everything’s just fine.

 

This week you’ll be fitting a harness on your Cavapoo puppy. Choosing a puppy harness can be tricky but these are our top tips:

• A Y shape so that any pressure is spread over the body and not up on the neck or too much across the chest as movement is restricted
• One with no moving points – they shouldn’t tighten or pinch at all!
• Lightweight – Cavapoo puppies are sensitive so the harness shouldn’t be too heavy or with clunky buckles
• Soft material – fleece lined is perfect for them!

 

Week 4 – Training your Cavapoo puppy

 

Week 4… wow time really does fly when you’re having fun. Now your Cavapoo has their paws firmly under the table it’s time to keep practising our recall games, so that your Cavapoo puppy really does come when called. We’ll also introduce some new concepts such as: 

 

• Push/Drop/Stick to keep training interesting
• Walking on a lead
• Settling
• Meeting another dog
• Grooming sensitive areas – this will be an important one to get the hang of as your Cavapoo will never stop needing grooming, sorry not sorry! 
• Looking for a Puppy Class – Yippee!

 

Socialisation exercises to do this week	Training to do this week	Husbandry Tasks to do this week
– Meet another dog – Find a puppy class	– Settle on a mat – Lead walking – Recall games – Push/drop/stick on known exercises	– Grooming sensitive areas

 

Ok so this week it’s time to take the plunge..  we suggest you meet another dog, and find a good puppy class. If you’re meeting another dog then a calm older dog can be a good place to start.

Meeting another dog is not all about your puppy playing like a crazy thing, but actually learning to focus on you when another dog is around, as well as just being comfortable in another dog’s company. 

Finding a puppy class or a good trainer for your puppy can feel as difficult as trying to find a school for your children. We suggest you look at Association of Pet Dog Trainers, COAPE Association of Applied Pet Behaviourists and Trainers or one of the members of the UK Dog Charter

 

• Settle on a mat – Cavapoos are extremely inquisitive, yet this can lead to issues with them being able to relax while out and about. Do a lot of settle training and teach them to calm down so they’re as cool as a cucumber when you’re out and about.
• Lead walking – this process can take a while, so be patient. Here’s our review of our favourite leads too.
• Recall games – Play tennis with your puppy! We have this and a bunch of other recall games in our article 50+ training games.

 

• Grooming a puppy – focusing on sensitive areas. For a Cavapoo, this is often the face, legs and ears, which get tangled the most and might hurt when brushed. Remember to go gently, do a small amount of brushing of a sensitive portion, all the while feeding them treats or having them enjoy a lickimat, then brush a part that is easier to brush.

 

Week 5 – Training your Cavapoo puppy

 

By week 5 you’ll have gotten to know your Cavapoo puppy quite well, so you can build on some of the training you’ve already taught them and make things a bit more difficult using the Push/Drop/Stick system.

 

We’re also taking the leadwalking and recall training outside – you’ll be thankful for the harness you trained your Cavapoo puppy to like wearing when it comes to this bit. If you think walking a dog is an opportunity to ‘zone out’ think again, that takes time. With a puppy it’s all about training for now, so they learn how to walk nicely and how to react to things going on around them.

 

Start working on things this week that are important to your lifestyle, maybe you have a horse and want them to be ok with horses, or you like boating. Getting your pup used to life’s novelties early on will help them easily accept them. Who doesn’t love a Cavapoo in a sailor suit?

 

Socialisation exercises to do this week	Training to do this week	Husbandry Tasks to do this week
– Go to the pub – you deserve it! – Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist	– Alone Training – Recall – outside using a lead – Lead walking – outside – Push/drop/stick on known exercises	– Pretend nail clips – Grooming

 

• Go to the pub/dog friendly café – you deserve it! It’s the dream isn’t it? Sunday afternoons snuggled up in a nice pub with an open fire, or in a cafe with a warming coffee or hot chocolate AND YOUR CAVAPOO! The good thing about this is, the more your Cavapoo practises something the better they get at it, so rewarding calm behaviour when you’re at these places will be the way to go. Oh, and going more often, what a shame…! 

• Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist – perhaps you need your puppy to like days out at the beach, or to be ok around horses? Now is the time to train for it.

 

• Alone training: increasing time alone gradually so that your Cavapoo puppy learns to cope with it and doesn’t get stressed.
• Recall – You can start training your Cavapoo puppy to come back when you call them outside. Start off by just doing it on the lead in a safe area, then progress to dropping the lead, then doing it totally off lead. *gulp* it will be fine if you’ve been training for it, if you’re not quite there yet then feel free to use a long line (this is a 5 or 10m long lead that your puppy can drag behind them) so that your puppy is kept safe.

It’s an idea to think about how you might deal with distractions too, if your puppy is particularly susceptible to the cooing of other dog walkers, or they’re very interested in other dogs then you’ll need to make yourself the BEST thing in the park, and probably use a long line until you’ve done a bit more training.

• Lead walking – Loose lead walking takes a bit of time to get right, but with practice and patience, you’ll get there. Make sure you get a good pace going on, and reward frequently so that your puppy stays engaged.
• Push/drop/stick on known exercises – don’t do the same all the time, increase the difficulty, and do it systematically so you know how you’re progressing.

 

• Start pretending to clip your dog’s nails – just holding a nail, pretending to clip and giving a treat is fine. Don’t rush this as we’ll want to do it for real soon enough. 

 

Week 6 – Training your Cavapoo puppy

 

Time to start really polishing those skills, you’ve come so far in just 6 weeks!

 

Socialisation exercises to do this week	Training to do this week	Husbandry Tasks to do this week
– Tick 3 things off your personal checklist	– Following on walks – Push/drop/stick on known exercises	– Check puppy’s mouth

 

• Tick 3 more items off your socialisation checklist – yep, your Cavapoo puppy is getting a well rounded education in all of those sights and sounds.

 

• Following on walks – make sure your Cavapoo likes hanging out with you on walks by bringing along special toys such as the Tug-E-Nuff Pocket tugger and playing with them will make you irresistible!
• Push/drop/stick to keep them interested in the training.

 

• Start checking your puppy’s mouth and their teeth. This can be a bit strange for your cavapoo puppy but their teeth will be going soon and it’s important to check on what’s going on in there in case they have retained any baby teeth.

 

Week 7 – Training your Cavapoo puppy

 

I bet your Cavapoo puppy is getting big now! It’s important to remember that while they might be physically growing up quite quickly, mentally they are still babies for a long time, so be gentle and don’t expect too much too soon. 

 

In week 7 we’ll cover:

 

• Puppy parkour – this is great fun for adventurous puppies like Cavapoos!
• Starting you off on lovely walks with friends and their dogs
• Letting your Cavapoo puppy off the lead – yeh, really!
• Checking their ears, and starting to teach them to have ear drops, well, you never know…

 

Socialisation exercises to do this week	Training to do this week	Husbandry Tasks to do this week
– Puppy Parkour – Tick 3 things off your personal checklist	– Wait – Walk with a friend’s dog – Recall – off the lead – Push/drop/stick on known exercises	– Pretend ear drops

 

• Have a go at Puppy Parkour

Did you know that Cavapoo puppies love to climb? Not trees or anything crazy, but it is something that most puppies do, and is actually an important part of their development.

Since we’ve already been playing around with surfaces and obstacles indoors, it’s time to take it outside.

Besides all the looks in admiration, puppy parkour is brilliant for:

1. Engaging with your puppy when outside.
2. Giving them confidence to try new things.
3. Physical development – getting all those puppy muscles toned.
4. For helping their vestibular system (fancy term for balance) and coordination.
   • Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist: How about booking your Cavapoo puppy in for a swimming lesson? Most of them love to swim!

 

• Teach your Cavapoo puppy to stay
• Go for a walk with a friend’s dog – We know you can’t wait to ‘do the dog parent’ thing and have those lovely weekend walks with friends. So, first, go on a stroll with a dog your Cavapoo puppy has already met. Your puppy might find it hard not to be distracted at first, so keep the treats coming and try to keep them interested in you.

• Recall – off the lead. GULP we know the first time is SUPER scary! Make sure you do it somewhere safe and enclosed and that you come prepared with lots of stinky treats, a good toy to play with and your happiest voice so that you can call your Cavapoo puppy back frequently.

• Push/drop/stick on known exercises – gotta keep it interesting, puppy brains are like sponges so don’t make it too easy for them. Remember, Cavapoos love to learn!

 

• Pretend ear drops – Cavapoo ears are hairy and really love to collect dirt, I’m sorry but it’s the truth. Bugs love warm, moist, hairy places and ear mites and infections may be something your puppy gets. Just being realistic here! For this reason it’s worth teaching them that things coming toward their ears predict nice things, and that ear drops are nothing to be worried about. Do use lots of treats and make the experience fun for them.

 

Week 8 – Training your Cavapoo puppy

 

Your Cavapoo puppy is doing really well, so let’s teach them some new things. In week 8 we’ll cover teaching your Cavapoo all about:

 

• Joggers and cyclists and no, they shouldn’t be chasing them 
• Generalising so they do things in different places
• All about using their nose and how fun it is to search 
• That nail trims aren’t so scary after all

 

Socialisation exercises to do this week	Training to do this week	Husbandry Tasks to do this week
– Joggers and Cyclists – Tick 3 things off your personal checklist	– Practice exercises in different locations – Teach a hand target – Introduce nose work – Push/drop/stick on known exercises	– Nail trims

 

• Joggers and Cyclists – They will bring a whole new level of distraction for your Cavapoo puppy! Those neon running shoes could blind almost anyone to be fair. Use treats and teach your Cavapoo puppy that ignoring them and looking at you predicts fabulous rewards.
• Tick 3 things off your personal socialisation checklist – what will it be this week?

 

• Practice exercises in different locations – Practice makes perfect! Choose 5 different places to practise exercises with your pup this week to improve generalisation.
• Teach a hand target  – This exercise is a firm favourite for puppies and their owners. Hand Targeting or touching is the basis for more trick behaviours such as leg weaves and closing doors – it kind of feels like you’re using ‘The Force’. 
• Introducing nose work to your puppy – Your Cavapoo puppy has a better nose than you, no really we mean it! Play a game of hide and seek with their favourite toy to make their nosy talents truly sparkle.

 

Trim your Cavapoo puppy’s claws – The day has come to trim their claws – use a pair specifically made for claws as they are quite tough! Make sure you use plenty of treats, and just nick the ends off, no need to go too low and risk snagging the quick (that’s the vein that runs through a dog’s claw, if you cut it it hurts quite a bit, and seems to bleed a lot!)

 

So what’s next for your Cavapoo puppy?

 

Why not have a look at some of the other training you can do with your Cavapoo puppy in the Zigzag puppy training app? 

 

You’ll find a lot more in depth training, games and socialisation advice tailored for your puppy and their breed. If you run into some training hiccups, you’ll also have access to a team of puppy training experts to help you every step of the way. Don’t hesitate to reach out and ask them any questions you might have, they’d love to hear from you! They also have great personalities.

 

Looking for more useful puppy training tips? Check out our article about the ideal puppy routine for all the things your new pup will get up to during day and night.