Are Goldendoodles Stubborn? (Solved!)
If you have been wondering whether or not Goldendoodles are innately stubborn dogs, then you have come to the right place. Goldendoodles have many desirable personality traits, such as high amounts of energy and playfulness, cute and cuddly faces, and the inborn desire to please their owners. However, these dogs do have one undesirable attribute, and that is they are frequently very stubborn.
Goldendoodles are stubborn because of their high intelligence. A Goldendoodle is a mix of a golden retriever and a poodle, each of which are smart breeds. Their intelligence can cause them to misbehave and become headstrong. Goldendoodles will remain stubborn unless they receive proper training.
There is no question that their intelligence can make them prone to being obstinant and strong-willed, given their breeding background. However, there are ways to combat their stubbornness such as extensive training and changing the way you give in to them. To learn more about Goldendoodles being stubborn, continue to read below and you will discover everything you could ever want to know about the subject.
Why Goldendoodles Are Stubborn
Goldendoodles are a product of a golden retriever and a poodle being bred together. That means the Goldendoodle receives all of the best attributes from each of the breeds. Golden retrievers have high intelligence, are outgoing and friendly to anyone they pass by, and are loyal companions. Poodles are the second most intelligent breeds right behind the border collie, and they are easy to train due to their willingness to comply with demands.
Unfortunately, because Goldendoodles receive the best attributes from both the golden retriever and the poodle, they receive their worst ones as well. Most golden retrievers are not considerably headstrong, so their stubbornness is likely to come from the poodle. Poodles have been known to be stubborn, despite how easy they are to train. Oftentimes, a poodle will demonstrate unwanted willfullness if it is not trained appropriately, and they are typically smart enough to get their way.
While poodles are arguably one of the easiest breeds to train, the Goldendoodle does not always follow in their footsteps. The combination of the retriever and poodle makes a highly intelligent breed, which does not always result in effortless training. this is surprising to many owners, as they assume that the poodle in the Goldendoodle will be evident and make an appearance in terms of compliance.
Oftentimes, the smartest dogs make the most stubborn ones. The mix of a golden retriever and a poodle practically did not give the Goldendoodle a chance, they were bred to be stubborn and headstrong.
Reducing Stubborness in a Goldendoodle
Many Goldendoodle owners wish to reduce the amount of stubbornness their Goldendoodle has. Stubbornness can make training the dog difficult and seemingly impossible to do. In addition, it can cause the Goldendoodle to act out and behave in undesirable ways. Many wish to curve this stubborn behavior and in some cases, get rid of it altogether. Unfortunately, this is not always a plausible option.
According to The Power of Wagging Tails: A Doctor’s Guide to Dog Therapy and Healing, a book by Dawn A. Marcus, some dogs are innately stubborn. It is a part of their temperament, which the Goldendoodle was born with and it therefore cannot be changed.
As you can see, you may not be able to rid your Goldendoodle of its stubborn nature entirely. While sometimes being strong-willed is a product of nurture and psychological training, it is largely influenced by biology as well. While the owner can change the way they act to reduce the stubbornness of the dog as much as possible, it may not always be as effective as the individual wants.
The good news is, however, not all Goldendoodles are stubborn. While it is a common trait, many of this breed do not demonstrate the difficult quality. In the Goldendoodle book by Kathryn Lee, she mentions how she has never seen a stubborn Goldendoodle. Her expertise in the subject makes this news pleasing to hear, regardless of how much truth is behind her statement.
One of the most important parts of having a dog is knowing how to train it. In order to train your Goldendoodle effectively, you must know its temperament.
How to Train a Stubborn Goldendoodle
Many fear that training a Goldendoodle is impossible, given how stubborn they are. However, this could not be further from the truth. While they are strong-willed dogs and so they require more patience and perseverance on the owners’ part, they are not past the ability for training.
In fact, Goldendoodles are actually quite easy to train. Given how intelligent they are, they pick up on cues and demands quite quickly. Once you know how to work with your Goldendoodle based on its temperament, you will have a well-trained dog in no time.
The three best ways to train a stubborn Goldendoodle will be listed below:
The first step to training a stubborn Goldendoodle is starting off young. The younger the dog, the easier it will be able to control its behavior.
You will not want to let your Goldendoodle get away with bad behavior for too long, so you will want to start training as soon as possible. Do not worry, however, if your dog is older and just starting training. A dog is never too old to learn new tricks!
The second step to training a stubborn Goldendoodle is using positive reinforcement. If your dog does a desirable behavior, then you will want to reward them for it. Whether it be treats or a back scratch, you will want to give your Goldendoodle some sort of visible recognition for the behavior you wish for them to repeat.
The third step to training a stubborn Goldendoodle is being consistent. While this step may be last, it is definitely not the least. Consistency is key in order to reduce confusion for your dog.
Persistent training allows your Goldendoodle to understand what is expected of them, and they will quickly pick up given their innate desire to be obedient.