Are Aussiedoodles Hard to Potty Train?
Are Aussiedoodles hard to potty train? This is a tricky question. The answer is really yes and no. The answer is “yes” in that it will take a lot of patience on the part of you as the owner, but the answer is “no” in that Aussie Doodles are very smart animals. Let’s explore both the yes and the no.
No, Aussiedoodles are not hard to potty train.
Aussiedoodles are smart canines and that’s because of the breeds of dog that make up Aussiedoodles.
Breeding
Aussiedoodles are made by breeding a purebred Poodle with a purebred Australian Shepherd. The Poodle is a very intelligent dog, second only to the Border Collie. Poodles are capable of being trained to perform complex tricks and can learn hundreds of words/commands. They’re also emotionally intelligent, and therefore respond well to human voice tone and body language. Because of these attributes, they make great service dogs.
Australian Shepherds are also very intelligent dogs, although they aren’t ranked quite as high as the Poodle. That said, what they lack in pure intelligence, they make up for in instinct and loyalty. Australian Shepherds, as the name suggests, are phenomenal herding dogs and enjoy learning on their own.
So when you breed these two types of dogs, the Aussiedoodle will naturally be an intelligent breed as well. Their intelligence and desire to please their owner makes potty training an easy, straightforward process.
If Aussiedoodles are intelligent, then what makes them difficult to train? Well as mentioned before, potty training an Aussiedoodle requires patience and a willingness to forgo some sleep. Like any puppy, the first 3 to 4 months will require a rather strict schedule for both you and your puppy.
Rule of Thumb
The general rule of thumb for how long a puppy can go without using the bathroom is to add one to your puppy’s age in months and equate that to hours. So if your puppy is 2 months old, 2+1=3. Your dog can wait 3 hours between going potty.
This might not seem too bad during the day, but at night it will take its toll, especially during the first week when you’ll need to take your puppy out every two hours. Make sure to set an alarm and promptly get up to take your puppy outside. Missing a time will make the potty training process slower so do your best to get up when the alarm sounds.
If you can power through that first week, it gets easier from them. Both you and your puppy will be better off for it since your puppy will be less prone to accidents and you’ll have confidence in your dog’s ability to only go outside.
Bottom Line
So, are Aussiedoodles hard to potty train? Not at all, comparatively speaking. The intelligence that comes from their parent breeds make potty training a cinch. The only X factor is you. Use an alarm to help you keep to a schedule and most of all make sure to have patience with your puppy. Even a smart dog on a strict schedule can have accidents. But as long as you stick with it, your puppy will be potty trained in no time.
For more details on how to best potty train your Aussiedoodle, check out our complete guide here.
