Training Tips for Poodle Bichons

Training a bichon-poo is challenging at first, yet extremely rewarding, as these dogs make wonderful companions. A cross between two well-known AKC breeds, the poodle and the bichon frise, a bich-poo̵7;s temperament and appearance may vary, depending on how much poodle and how much bichon is in the dog. Both breeds are hypoallergenic and highly intelligent, and they take very well to training. Both breeds also require daily walks for exercise and to relieve excess energy; however, they prefer to spend more of their time indoors.

  1. Crate Training

    • Bich-poos are easily housebroken, if their training starts when they are young puppies. Crate training is a popular method, wherein the dog learns to control his bladder and bowl by spending his free, unattended time in a small crate. The crate functions as the dog̵7;s bed. As a dog will not go to the bathroom where he sleeps, he will learn how to wait until he is taken outside to go to relieve himself.

    Small Dog Syndrome

    • Both poodles and bichon frise can suffer from ̶0;small dog syndrome,̶1; wherein the dog tries to assume dominance over the people in the family. Growling, jumping and excessive barking are all signs of dominance issues common to bich-poos. This behavior must be nipped in the bud at an early age for a happy, well-balanced animal. Positive reinforcement and strong boundaries can be very effective when asserting your position as pack leader to your dog.

    Basic Training

    • Since bich-poos are highly intelligent, they can be trained to obey basic commands rather easily with positive reinforcement. Small, healthy dog snacks can be used to train your dog, as well as plenty of verbal praise and petting.

    Teaching Tricks

    • Once basic skills such as coming when called and sitting are learned, you can move on to teach your bich-poo more elaborate tricks, like rolling over, dancing in a circle and "speaking." Bich-poos are playful and enjoy active games like fetch and playing ball.