About Labradoodles

Miniature dogs are special in many ways—they’re cute, portable, and they usually live longer than their larger counterparts.  Some experts have pointed out that small dogs seem to be especially hard to housetrain.  That difficulty can be compounded by their humans, who don’t seem to expect as much of them as they would a Rottweiler or Golden Retriever.   Some owners allow small dogs to remain perpetual “babies”.  Since mini Australian Labradoodles don’t leave as much waste behind as one of the bigger dogs, that may be a factor as well—until company is coming, the house stinks, and there are land mines everywhere.  Consistency is the most important part of training any dog, but lack of consistency is not the only problem facing small dog owners.  Breeders that are less than reputable don’t always take the time to build the foundations of early training, and the pups they sell sometimes learn to do everything on the paper—eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom—without understanding different locations are appropriate for different functions. 

It is important to choose an outdoor spot for your mini’s elimination where she will not feel vulnerable to attack.  It is preferable if the lawn is short in the chosen spot so the dog can navigate easily through it.  No one likes to go out in the cold and cop a squat, so consider investing in a sweater for the little guy—it can actually help with housebreaking.  Feeding on a schedule helps, as does taking the puppy to the chosen potty spot after she plays or has any kind of excitement.  Crate training is also thought to aid in successful housetraining of a small dog. Every dog makes mistakes, so don’t punish her if she has an accident—run her to her spot and show her where she is supposed to go.  When your mini is successful, following consistently with praise and a treat should do the trick in the long run.