The Labradoodle is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, originally bred in Australia in the late 1980s as a low-shedding guide dog candidate. That origin tells you everything about the dog you are getting: two of the most intelligent, trainable, work-oriented breeds in the world, combined into one enthusiastic, athletic, people-loving package. A Labradoodle is brilliant and biddable, which means it is a joy to train, and it is also high-energy and high-drive, which means it absolutely must have an outlet or that brilliance turns into trouble.
This is the breed's central truth: a Labradoodle is as smart and energetic as the parents that built it, and people consistently underestimate both. Owners expect a mellow fluffy companion and get a powerful retriever-poodle athlete that needs real exercise, real mental work, and real structure. Give it those things and you have one of the most rewarding, capable dogs you can own. Skip them and you get a mouthy, jumpy, barking, sometimes anxious dog that has decided to entertain itself.
This guide covers what works with a Labradoodle, week by week, built around how this high-energy, highly intelligent cross actually learns.
What Makes Training a Labradoodle Different
Four traits shape your approach.
1. Exceptionally intelligent and trainable. With two of the smartest breeds behind it, the Labradoodle learns fast and loves to work. This is a gift, but a clever dog that is not given jobs invents its own, so this breed needs daily mental work as much as physical exercise.
2. Very high energy. The Labrador and the working Poodle are both athletes, and the cross often has more energy than either. Most Labradoodles need a solid hour or more of real exercise a day plus enrichment. Under-exercised, they become hyperactive, destructive, and hard to settle.
3. Mouthy and jumpy as youngsters. The retriever side brings a strong urge to carry things in the mouth and to greet everyone with enthusiasm. Without early management, mouthing and jumping become entrenched. Both are very trainable if you start in puppyhood.
4. A real risk of separation anxiety. Like both parents, the Labradoodle bonds closely and wants to be with its people. Independence training from day one prevents the clinginess and distress that can otherwise develop in such a social, attached dog.
Week-by-Week Training Plan for Your Labradoodle
Below is the framework we use at TailorPup for a Labradoodle-specific 12-week plan. Run it at home; the order and emphasis are the point.
Weeks 1 and 2 : Foundation, Socialization, and Independence
Engagement is easy with this eager cross, so use it. Run three to four five-minute sessions a day with high-value rewards, socialize broadly, and begin independence training immediately with short calm absences and a settle spot. Start redirecting mouthing onto toys from day one. Our puppy basics guide covers the foundations.
Weeks 3 and 4 : Core Commands and Tricks
Labradoodles learn quickly. Lure sit, down, and stay, mark, and reward, adding cues once reliable. Pile on trick training and name games, because this clever breed needs the mental work and thrives on it. The more its brain is busy, the calmer its body.
Weeks 5 and 6 : Loose Leash Walking
A strong, enthusiastic Labradoodle pulls hard toward everything interesting. Use stop-and-stand: stop the instant the leash tightens, advance only when it loosens, stay quiet. A front-clip harness helps with the power. Expect early walks to be slow, and reward checking in heavily.
Weeks 7 and 8 : Recall, Greetings, and Independence
Build recall on a long line, paying every success generously, and never call the dog for anything it dislikes. Work on the jumping with the statue method: reward four-on-the-floor, and remove all attention the instant paws leave the ground. Deepen independence work in parallel; if distress is appearing, see our separation anxiety guide.
Weeks 9 and 10 : Channeling Energy
Give the breed's drive and brains serious outlets: fetch, swimming, scent work, agility, and puzzle feeders all suit it. A Labradoodle that retrieves, runs, and problem-solves daily is a calm, satisfied dog. This is the phase where exercise and enrichment really take the edge off.
Weeks 11 and 12 : Generalization
Prove the skills in the real world: loose-leash walking past distractions, recall in a fenced area with temptation present, calm greetings with visitors, and settling in busier places. A Labradoodle that listens at home but not outside is only partly trained, and these last two weeks finish the job.
Common Labradoodle Training Mistakes
Three mistakes show up over and over with this cross.
Mistake 1 : Underestimating the energy and intelligence. This is the big one. People buy a fluffy companion and get a working athlete, then are overwhelmed by the hyperactivity, mouthing, and mischief that result from too little exercise and mental work. Treat the Labradoodle as the high-drive dog it is.
Mistake 2 : Letting jumping and mouthing become habits. The retriever enthusiasm is charming in an eight-pound puppy and a problem in a sixty-pound adult. Manage both from day one with redirection and consistent rules across the whole household.
Mistake 3 : Skipping independence training. A breed this social and attached can develop separation anxiety without early, deliberate alone-time practice. Build it from the first week. The full list is in our Labradoodle training mistakes guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Labradoodles easy to train ? Yes, very. With two of the most intelligent breeds behind them, they learn fast and love to work. The challenge is not the learning but meeting their high energy and mental needs, and managing the retriever mouthing and jumping early.
How much exercise does a Labradoodle need ? Most need a solid hour or more of real activity daily plus mental work. Fetch, swimming, running, and scent work all suit the breed. Under-exercised Labradoodles become hyperactive and destructive.
Do Labradoodles get separation anxiety ? They can, because both parent breeds bond closely. Early, consistent independence training prevents most cases, and the breed does best when its considerable exercise and companionship needs are met.
Are Labradoodles hypoallergenic ? The Poodle influence can reduce shedding, and many allergy sufferers tolerate them, but it varies widely by coat type and no dog is truly hypoallergenic. The coat needs regular grooming to prevent matting.
Why does my Labradoodle jump and mouth so much ? Both come from the Labrador retriever heritage: an urge to greet enthusiastically and to carry things in the mouth. Redirect mouthing to toys, reward four-on-the-floor for greetings, and stay consistent, and both fade with maturity and training.
Is positive reinforcement effective for Labradoodles ? It is ideal. The breed is sensitive and highly food- and praise-motivated, so reward-based training is fast and reliable, while harsh handling is unnecessary and counterproductive.
Are Labradoodles good family dogs ? Excellent ones, for active families. They are friendly, smart, and devoted, and great with children, provided their high exercise and mental needs are met. They are a poor fit for a sedentary household.
Why TailorPup Was Built for Labradoodles
A generic plan treats your Labradoodle like a low-effort companion and ignores the very high energy, sharp intelligence, retriever habits, and attachment that define the cross. That mismatch is why standard advice leaves owners overwhelmed.
TailorPup builds a 12-week plan around your specific dog: its parentage, its age, and the behaviors you are seeing. For a Labradoodle that means plenty of exercise and mental work, early management of jumping and mouthing, front-loaded independence training, and reward-based methods that match its brains.
Daily 12-minute sessions plus weekly adjustments based on your dog's progress. Free for 7 days, no card required.
Start your Labradoodle's plan free at tailorpup.com →
Related: Labradoodle Training Mistakes · Recall Training · Leash Pulling · Puppy Training Basics