Cockapoo Training

Training Your Cockapoo: Help & Advice

Regardless of which dog breed you have, you’ll likely want to consider training. Even if your cockapoo is on the smaller side for the breed, there is certain basic training that it is essential for all dogs, regardless of their size.

Depending on what age your dog is when they join your family, your cockapoo training may look slightly different. If you’ve adopted an older dog then they may know the basics and just need to brush up on certain skills. However, if you have your cockapoo from a puppy then you’re likely going to be starting from scratch.

So, are cockapoos easy to train?

This is the main question that many would-be cockapoo owners ask. While it can be difficult to predict the characteristics of crossbreeds, the answer is generally regarded to be yes. The reason that cockapoo training is thought to be fairly easy and enjoyable is due to both parent breeds – cocker spaniels and poodles – being renowned for their intelligence and aptitude to training.

In their own rights, cockapoos are also thought to be easy to train thanks to their eagerness to please and their friendly nature. Training can be more difficult with aloof breeds, or dogs that don’t easily make eye contact – however, cockapoos are such human-focused dogs that maintaining their attention is relatively easy.

Essential training for your cockapoo.

The level of training that you choose to undertake with your cockapoo will vary from owner to owner. Not everyone will want or need to complete full obedience training, but there are some basics that we would recommend most dogs having. These include:

Toilet training – unless your dog exclusively lives outside, it’s recommended that you toilet train your puppy from a young age
Basic behavioural training – even if your dog is small, it’s important to train them to sit, walk well on a lead and not to jump up at people. This can often be for their own safety, as pulling on the lead could result in injury
Recall – whether you plan to walk your dog off-lead or not, it’s vital that you dog learns the sound of your voice, its own name, and to come back on command

Additional cockapoo training.

Once you’ve mastered the basics with your cockapoo, you may decide to take their obedience training a step further. Due to their intelligence, most cockapoos will thrive under the additional training and will learn to lie down, roll over and fetch with ease.

On a more practical level, many owners also find crate training very effective. Cockapoos, like all dog breeds, are considered to be ‘den’ animals, and as such many find comfort having their own den-like structure in the home. Top tip: if you have a first-generation cockapoo and are unsure how big they may grow to, consider buying a crate where you can adjust the size.