Puppies are very similar to toddlers. They need you to be consistent, proactive, patient, and positive to set them up for success going forward. Poodles are very in tune with their people. If you are frustrated, they will sense it and be frustrated. Poodles are very intelligent and eager to please when they consistently know what you want. Poodles are fun loving. So, make learning fun.

Introducing a new pup

Introducing a new pup with an older pup can be easy as pie or can take extra finesse to set the whole household up for success. All dogs have individual personalities and 2 or more dogs just don't always mesh; this can especially be a challenge with more dominant or more insecure personalities.

To take every precaution for a pleasant intro that will start a relationship off on the right track, I would say your best bet would be to have a new & older dog meet at a neutral location, like a park, so that an older dog is not threatened in the least. Instead of walking right into each other's space face-to-face, I would also have them casually walk past each other on leashes.....maybe even back and forth, passing each other a little closer every time and when they pass in a friendly way give them a treat and praise and keep walking, until they pass each other very closely and meet face to face. At that point, I would continue to praise and treat them and have them each focus on you for treats and positive, calm and confident attention. This sends the message that they are both equals there for you, not to compete for you..... Continue this way until they show a comfort level with each other.

Crate Training

If you are planning to use the crate for bedtime, naptime, home alone time or anything else, the crate should NEVER be used as a punishment. If it becomes the naughty spot then it will be negative for anything and everything else....and you will get resistance. It's like putting a kid in the corner with a dunce cap on & then trying to reuse the dunce cap for his party favor.

Make the crate a fun and safe place to be. Put a blanket on the floor, food and water dish down (the ones that secure to the door or side of the crate are very helpful to prevent spilling and are easily accessible), toys with different textures to satisfy teething urges, and sprinkle some dog training treats in there. The more you sprinkle them around and your puppy has to explore his crate to find them the more positive time he is associating with his crate. Then, happily say, "Kennel up," (or whatever consistent word association you prefer) and let him see you throw a couple of treats toward the back of the crate. When he jumps into the crate to search out his treats say, "yes" & "good boy" (your praise word). Repeat this regularly.

If you are using the crate for bedtime, simply and happily say, "Kennel up," with a treat in your hand. Put the puppy in his crate and say, "Yes," and hand him his treat. We leave the door open during the day and find that some puppies will gravitate toward their crate for naptime & downtime. We had one puppy that we were training to go into service work, who would go into his crate and sit just so he could get a treat. When it was bedtime, he would nose his own crate open to go in and lay down.

Even if your puppy whines, do not coddle him. If you coddle him and give him sympathy or show regret, he will think the crate is something to be dreaded and will resist even more. Be confident, matter-of-fact, and upbeat. Then ignore any whining, barking or protesting. He will eventually realize that he needs to adapt. This unemotional process with teach him to be more adaptable in general. The crate size should be just big enough for him to stand up, lay down, and turn completely around.

It goes against a dog's natural instincts to go potty where he eats. This will teach him to hold it in his confined area. However, puppies bladders are not completely formed until around 4 months old. So, he may have accidents in his crate until up to 4-6 months old, until he is expected to be full proof. Do not assume that your pup is not capable of getting the crate training concept. Just clean out his crate thoroughly to get any potty smells out and set him up for success for the next night. As your pup ages, you will have less and less accidents. Some pups will never go potty in their crates; some never have accidents in the house (with a great set up and schedule). Regardless, don't get frustrated and give up. Think of this process as potty training a baby. It takes time, persistence, and patience.

Potty Training

We always recommend having a designated "potty spot" outside that will serve as your pup's constant reminder of what task is at hand. Take him, on his leash, to the potty spot and say, "go potty" (or whatever cue word works best for you), with urgency in your voice. Do not look at him, engage with him, or play with him until he goes potty. As soon as he goes potty say, "Yes" (or use a clicker or your own "marker" word for well done). Some people also use treats at this point. Then allow for playtime.

Puppies typically need to go outside to go potty around 10 minutes after eating/drinking, after playtime, after snuggle time, and always directly after naps.

Keep a very close eye on your puppy to get him into an effective routine and to learn what his natural schedule is. When you cannot watch him, confine him in a small area, where he cannot cause any damage. It goes against a dog's natural instincts to go potty where he eats. So, confine his area to just enough space for him to lay down and turn around. But, remember, puppies bladders are not completely formed until around 4 months old. So, he may have accidents until up to 4-6 months of age, until he is expected to be full proof. If your puppy has an accident, just clean the spot thoroughly to get any potty smells out. As your pup ages, you will have less and less accidents. Some puppies will never have accidents in the house (with a great set up and schedule), others take a little more time, especially if they have setbacks along the way.

If your pup has an accident, try to catch him in the act; this can be the best opportunity to correct him and possibly prevent future accidents. If you see him hunkering down, just say sharply, "ah ah," then, more positively, "outside," and take him directly to his potty spot and follow through on your regular routine. Do not berate your puppy or be harsh. This will only serve to make your puppy insecure or oversensitive. Poodles are very smart and want to please their people. They just need time and patience to learn the process and mature.