Training a poodle puppy should be the easiest thing in the world, right? They’re the original circus dogs, picking up tricks to wow and entertain, but all that quick learning can also land them in trouble when they’re bored too!
In this Poodle training guide, we’ll get into the basics you need to train your puppy, things to know about when training a poodle puppy, like what are poodles bred for, and also learn about crate training a poodle puppy and successfully house training a poodle puppy.
For a full poodle training program download the Zigzag app, we have lessons tailored to your poodle puppy’s age, so you’ll get the right lessons based on their stage of development, as well giving you the right lessons depending on your Poodles type – Toy Poodle, Mini Poodle or Standard Poodle they each have their own program.
As if that wasn’t enough, there’s a whole team of professional dog trainers ready and waiting to help you with your puppy via our in app chat – they’re available 24/7 to talk you through any worries you might have. There’s also our new feature ZiggyAi – professionally trained and Zigzag approved, for those quick and easy answers..
Getting started with training your Poodle puppy
What age can I start training my Poodle puppy?
No time like the present! As soon as you bring them home, you can start training your poodle puppy. They are like little sponges at this age and are learning all the time, so work on building your bond and building your life together.
What do I need to train my Poodle?
Yourself, keen and happy to train, some good quality training treats, a treat pouch, and a training lead is also useful. That’s all you’ll need to begin with training with positive reinforcement.
The main thing is to give yourself the time to do it, and try not to put too much pressure on yourself or your pup. Puppies need many repetitions to learn things effectively, so be patient!
Things you need to know about Poodles?
It’s worth knowing that Poodles are bright, athletic, spunky dogs that love to learn, but they also require quite a lot of grooming unless you keep them clipped short.
The grooming and eagerness to learn are things to keep in mind when you’re thinking about getting a poodle. Check out our puppy grooming guide to learn more!
Toy poodles vs poodles?
Poodles come in 3 sizes each with slightly different quirks. Unlike other breeds which come in different sizes such as Schnauzers, but are actually a mix of different breeds to achieve the same look in a few sizes, the Toy and Miniature Poodles are bred down shrunken versions of the Standard Poodle.
Are poodles easy to train?
Yes! All three sizes of Poodle are easy to train, and are very keen to work! They’re used as working dogs on shoots, and clicker trained for tricks, they will really keep on training if they can.
Are toy poodles easy to train?
Yes, Toy Poodles are easy to train and excel in being taught tricks. Poodles after all are the original circus dogs, they are super bright and intelligent.
Try teaching your Toy Poodle to spin or play dead, they’re always crowd pleasers.
What is the lifespan of a poodle?
Poodles have different lifespans depending on their size
- Standard poodle lifespan is about 12 years on average, with a range of 10-14 years
- Miniature poodle lifespan is around 15 years, ranging from 14-17 years .
- Toy poodles live the longest, averaging 16 years with a range of 14-18 years
What are poodles bred for?
The original Standard Poodle was bred to be a water retriever and working gundog, and is still used for this today, as well as excelling in dog sports. The smaller sized miniature and toy poodles were bred as companion dogs, and commonly owned by Royalty.
Overview of your poodles training programme
Your poodles training programme will involve teaching them the skills they need to live as a well-behaved dog in a modern society. Whether you live in the country or the city, will affect what type of training your poodle will need, and experiences.
Learn how we use positive reinforcement training in the Zigzag app, and get a step by step poodle training program today.
Our 8 week training programme for your Poodle puppy
Week 1
The first week we’ll focus on socialization and habituation, to help with your dog’s confidence levels, as well as the following:
Potty Training – whether you are potty training in an apartment, or you have a yard or garden, you’ll want to check out our guide on how to toilet train a puppy in as little as 7 days.
Grooming and handling – poodles require a fair amount of brushing so you need to teach them from the off that this is a nice experience, using plenty of treats of course!
Name – the first step is getting your poodle to pay attention and listen to you. Read our guide how to teach a puppy their name.
Sit – sit is useful in helping puppies not to jump up, but it’s also just one of the early things we teach dogs, as it’s pretty easy for them to learn. Read how to teach your puppy to sit.
Crate Training – teaching your puppy to be happy in a confined area such as a crate or playpen, is going to help with sleeping, getting them into a regular nap time routine, and later on preventing separation anxiety.
Poodles are curious, so it’s probably worth you reading up on puppy proofing your house sooner rather than later, too.
Puppy nutrition is always a hot topic, and Poodle owners are no different. We will say that the smaller Poodles can be a bit discerning with food, so whether you choose to raw feed your puppy, or have your private chef home cook for your pup, just be sure you feed them a balanced diet as it’s important for their nutrition.
Week 2
In week 2 we’ll get on with more training, all focusing on keeping it fun and rewarding for your Poodle puppy, as that’s how dogs learn best!
Biting – let us tell you, your Poodle puppy WILL turn into a baby shark so it’s good to be prepared, with lots of frozen toys, toys to redirect them, and a tonne of patience.
Read our full guide to puppy biting and puppy teething to learn more.
Management – so many problem behaviours can be prevented if we just apply an often forgotten part of puppy raising – management. Management is all about setting your puppy up for success, by managing the environment and situations, so your puppy has more chances to get it right.
Learn more in our article all about management in dog training.
Down – teach your puppy to lie down, your Poodle will just love any tricks you want to teach them. A mat or blanket can be useful here, as the smaller Poodles might not want to lie on a hard floor.
Alone time training – start off by building a safe and secure attachment, never leave a puppy to cry it out, and read our guide to preventing separation anxiety in puppies.
Introduce the collar and harness – it’s worth starting this early, so that your puppy gets used to wearing both, we tend to use a collar for ID tags, and a harness to walk on.
Bathing – Poodles don’t shed, so that means the dirt clings to their coat and as a result they need regular bathing, or else they get sore skin. Read our article, how to bathe your puppy to learn how to keep it fun for your pup.
Week 3
Poodles are intelligent and along with positive reinforcement training, you’ll also want to give them plenty of enrichment, and mental stimulation. Use puzzle feeders to feed meals, and also look at how you can incorporate natural behaviours that Poodles like to do, such as swimming or retrieving in your day-to-day life.
Let’s get on with some training
Recall – teaching your puppy to come back when you call them should start early, so they don’t chase after birds or other small furries!
Settle – this will be important when you want to take your Poodle along with you for Brunch. Teach them to target a mat or bed, and relax while you could be sipping on a Mimosa!
Lead walking – loose leash walking can take a while to perfect, the world is just such an exciting place for a poodle puppy! Teaching your puppy not to pull will be all about creating a reinforcement zone so they learn to walk nicely next to you.
Retrieve – Poodles are retrieving dogs so will enjoy playing fetch with you! This game also teaches them to give up items willingly, so will help to prevent resource guarding too. Yippee!
Nail clips – it can be tricky to clip a dog’s nails, they often aren’t keen on their feet being touched, but clipping your Poodles tippy-toes will need to be something you keep practising.
Week 4
Generalisation – Practising in different environments will be important, so your Poodle puppy learns what cues mean wherever they are. Start off trying different parts of your home and yard, and then try out on walks in different places. Up the value of treats when you move to a new place, there could be lots of distractions for your poodle puppy!
Build on basic cues – Sits, downs, lead walking, and recall all need many many repetitions and plenty of practise to perfect.
Leave it – a great one for teaching a Poodle puppy to disengage and leave something you don’t want them to have. To begin with, just use some plain old kibble that’s easy for them to leave, and then we can up the difficulty to more enticing treats.
Ear hair plucking – this can be a controversial one, but your Poodle will have hairy ears, so likely to need their ears trimmed or plucked. It’s not something they’re going to like as default so need plenty of training to be OK with it.
How’s your schedule going? If you feel a bit out of control with things, then check out our schedule for puppy training.
Week 5 – 8
Build on the behaviours above and download the Zigzag app, our app is bespoke to your Poodles age and caters for all of those breed quirks!
Alright, one more freebie, check out our guide to 50+ training games to learn how to train your Poodle puppy and play games at the same time!
With the Zigzag puppy training app you’ll have the best education around to train your Poodle puppy. Not just that, but you’ll be able to talk to our team of professional dog trainers about your Poodle puppy any time of day!
Poodle Puppy Training FAQs
How do I crate train a poodle puppy
Gradually, over time, by building up positive associations. Read our full guide to crate training.
How do I house train a poodle puppy
Keep taking them outside every hour to begin with and as soon as they wake up, after playing, training, eating or drinking. Crate or playpen training can also help to create a safe zone and prevent accidents in other areas of your home.
Are poodles stubborn?
Not at all! At Zigzag, we don’t believe dogs are stubborn, you just need to work out how to motivate them! Some dogs are more food motivated and some are more toy motivated.
How long do poodles grow?
Toy poodles will be fully grown by a year old, and the miniature won’t take much longer. Standard Poodles are slower to mature so won’t reach physical maturity until around 2 years old
Are poodles good off lead?
Yes, provided they are trained, Poodles are good off lead dogs.
Do poodles bark a lot?
They can do yes!! You can teach them to be quiet, but we won’t lie, Poodles can be quite vocal dogs.
