Our doodles are the loveliest of breeds. They dote on their owners, are playful and gentle with our families and they long for our affection. So then, what do we do when they misbehave? When they break the ‘pack’ rules. How do we discipline them, and importantly do so without being unkind? In this article we explore the harder part of being a Doodle owner – showing discipline – but while doing this we explain how you can be kind while also being firm.
Remember the following seven golden rules when disciplining your Doodle:
- Start early – applying discipline should start from when your Doodle is a puppy
- Reward good behaviors
- Well-disciplined Doodles require well-disciplined owners
- Be immediate with any reprimand
- Learn the “no command”
- Use treats to reinforce positive behavior
- Be consistent
It is important we set about applying these golden rules in a way which is effective. Disciplining your doodle requires patience and there are a few subtleties which will improve the success of your discipline efforts, so over the course of this article we’ll explore these rules in more detail so you know exactly how to apply them.
Why Discipline at All?
So why are we even talking about disciplining your Doodle in the first place? While most Doodles are great characters most of the time, they are not mind readers and sometimes will not understand what rules you specifically have in your home which you want them to abide by. You will also allow different behaviors to other Doodle owners; some may be happy for their Doodle to jump on their sofa or bed, while others may have a rule against that.
We need to explain our household rules to our Doodles but do so in a way they understand. Discipline is part of this, and while discipline may be viewed by some as a negative thing, in practice it is an essential tool in the tool get to build a happy home.
Start Early
Imagine what would happen if you never taught a child to say “thank you” or “please” until they reach adulthood. Changing the course of that learned behavior at 18 would be very hard; your child would have grown up without some key gaps in their manners, and change would be far more challenging than had you started early. And so it is the same with Doodles! Your Doodle needs to be taught what is acceptable from day one, every day is an opportunity to educate your dog and help them become the adult dog you ideally want.
The longer you leave it before starting to discipline your Doodle, the harder you will find it for those lessons to stick. So, for example, if you do not want your Doodle to climb on your bed, start from when they are a puppy and put them on the floor every time they manage to jump up. Do not wait.
Reward Good Behaviors
Your Doodle does not have a built in ‘moral compass’ that will tell them when something is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. But what they do have is a keen interest in pleasing you and making you happy. They will feel sad when you are not happy, and similarly they will feel happy when you are.
One of the key discipline techniques is to reinforce good behaviors with a reward system. Most Doodles (all Doodles?!) respond very positively to food rewards, so consider using food treats in response to behavior from your Doodle that you particularly like.
For example, if your Doodle puppy is having difficulties with toilet training, taking your Doodle puppy outside on to grass and waiting patiently for them to urinate and then immediately giving them a treat and a “good girl!” will positively reinforce what they have just done. But you must do this immediately and consistently for it to stick.
Have you got the Discipline?
It is said that dog behavior is a reflection of owner behavior. We don’t really train our Doodles, we train ourselves to act a certain way around them and this in turn teaches our Doodles how to behave.
To be effective with your discipline you must exercise discipline yourself. Make sure the rules you apply are done so consistently by you and your other family members. It is no good you consistently punishing your Doodle for jumping up to the table for food, if the rest of your family encourage the behavior at all other times!
It can help to establish some ‘doodle rules’ for your household. If you have children, involve them in developing them so they understand the importance and can happy apply. Pin them on the refrigerator if it helps. You should not need many, but establishing some basic do’s and don’ts will help speed up the learning curve for your Doodle.
Be Immediate!
If your Doodle breaks one of the rules you have established, be swift in your response. If you leave a gap between the rule breach and your response, your Doodle will likely loose the connection and be confused as to why you are punishing them.
Unlike humans, dogs live ‘in the moment’ so have less understanding of events which happened in the past and those which may happen in the future. You could say dogs are more mindful than humans generally are. So, make sure they see the connection between their rule break and your response so they understand the connection.
The same also goes for good behavior. Reward it quickly and help them understand the link.
Just Say No
The ‘no’ command is one of the most important ones to learn to help your discipline efforts. A short and firm ‘no’ said immediately when your Doodle breaks one of your household rules can help them realise their mistake. You should use a tone of voice which shows clearly you are upset. Louder and deeper tones will help your Doodle know they have broken a rule they should not have.
Treat Often
As anyone who has trained a Doodle will confirm, Doodles are highly food motivated. Want to teach a Doodle new tricks? Then small morsels of carefully delivered food will give you the powers of a maestro conducting an orchestra.
When it comes to discipline and positive reinforcement, food is a key component to making your messages stick. When you are actively trying to combat a negative behavior, focusing on the opposite – good – behavior and rewarding it with food treats will be a road to success.
It’s important to use treats often, particularly at the beginning. Doodles will pick up the pattern soon enough but until they are absolutely committed to ‘doing the right thing’ treats will be the continual nudge they need along the way.
Consistency is Key
The final component to discipline is being consistent. It is all very well giving out firm words of disapproval at the wrong time, and treats at the right time, but if you don’t make your own behavior consistent at these moments then your Doodle will struggle to learn and commit to habit the techniques you are teaching.
If you are looking to positively reinforce a particular behavior – say sitting quietly while you prepare your Doodle’s food rather than pestering you in the kitchen while you do – then reward the good behavior every time they sit in the right spot, and similarly say ‘no’ every time they sit in the wrong spot. You can even combine these, for example:
- Doodle pesters you in kitchen while you prepare food
- You say “no!” firmly
- You get a small treat and lead Doodle to their sitting place
- You say “Sit”
- After your Doodle sits you reward them with a treat
- The next few times they sit automatically in the right spot you reward them straight away until eventually they don’t need the treat
Remember, Doodles are smart dogs and generally very well adapted to behaving in family homes. Use discipline to nudge them along and make sure they understand and comply with your family’s rules to make theirs and your homelife that much better.