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Positive training · From eight weeks

Poodle Puppy Training Manual

From 8 Weeks

Poodle: reward calm standing on a secure grooming surface, one handling step at a time.

29 chapters · English / 中文

Watercolour illustration of an apricot Poodle standing calmly in a finished groom on a raised grooming stool indoors
Poodle: reward calm standing on a secure grooming surface, one handling step at a time.

Breed profile

Training group
Gundogs and retrievers
Origin
The Poodle originated in Europe as a water-hunting dog.
Standard — shoulder height
45–60 cm
Standard — weight
20–32 kg
Miniature — shoulder height
28–38 cm
Miniature — weight
7–8 kg
Coat
Curly coat that does not shed seasonally and requires regular clipping
Coat care
Lifetime grooming makes cooperative handling a primary training requirement: condition brushing and combing, standing on a grooming surface, dryer sound and airflow, and clipper sound and touch in separate voluntary steps.
Drive keywords
Problem-solving · Cooperation with people · Retrieving
Handling practice
Make the grooming surface itself a trained station: approach, step on, stand voluntarily, accept a brief body touch and step off before restraint is needed. · Condition brushing and combing, dryer sound and airflow, and clipper sound and body contact separately; use tools safely and coordinate the progression with a cooperative groomer.

General Australian reference ranges only; Standard and Miniature Poodles differ greatly in size, and individual dogs vary.

Attention is the first cue

Name response & focus

Your puppy’s name has one meaning: “Look at me.” It does not mean “come,” it does not mean “stop,” and it must never become a reprimand.

The name game

  1. Say the name once Choose a random calm moment when the puppy is near you but looking elsewhere.
  2. Mark the turn The instant the puppy turns towards you, mark. Do not wait for a sit or a full approach.
  3. Reward and move on Deliver the reward, then return to normal life. Complete 20 repetitions each day, spread across the whole day.
Watercolour three-step eye-contact exercise using a food lure, marker word and reward
TREAT TO EYES = bring the reward beside your eyes; YES = mark the instant the dog looks; REWARD = deliver the food promptly.

Build voluntary attention

Engage–Disengage

Reward the look you did not ask for

Voluntary attention is more valuable than attention that appears only after a cue. Mark whenever the puppy chooses to glance at you, then gradually practise around a view through the window, another dog or children.

Look at that

Looking is allowed; returning attention pays

Let the puppy look at the trigger. When it finishes looking and turns back, mark and reward. This foundation later helps the puppy disengage from movement, unfamiliar people and social excitement.

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