Top Activities For Double Doodles

Introduction

The Double Doodle is two scoops of cute, thanks to their adorably curly parent breeds, the Labradoodle (Lab x Poodle) and the Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever x Poodle). The Double Doodle can have several different coat types, with some pups sporting tight curls courtesy of their Poodle grandparents, and others going for the wavy look. Coarse hair protects the Doodle's skin from abrasions and other injuries that might occur in watersports and hiking through densely forested areas, making this an excellent breed for people who like to spend time in nature.

The people-pleasing nature of the Lab and Golden breeds and the intelligence of the Poodle makes this an extremely trainable dog who is eager to make their owner happy. Keeping the Double Doodle entertained might be tricky, since their brains can sometimes get them into mischief. Read on to find creative and inexpensive activities to keep your curly pooch busy on both sunny and rainy days.

Learn a New Trick

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Free

Normal

30 min

Items needed

Clicker (optional)

Treats

Activity description

Double Doodles are extremely receptive to learning new commands since they are descended from three very trainable breeds. The Poodle, for instance, used to be the top breed for circus dogs and are praised for their trainability and eagerness to please. The Double Doodle descends from two retriever breeds as well who are extremely focused and hardworking.

Not only is command training a fun activity, but it also can save your pet's life! Having a dog who comes when they are called and obeys other simple commands can decrease risks associated with traffic and the likelihood of interactions with other animals who aren't as friendly as your Fido.

Step

1

Start with the basics

Most dog tricks build off basic obedience commands such as come, sit, stay, lay down, heel, fetch, and drop it. “Roll over” for example is an extension of “lay down.” Teaching your dog to fetch a bottle of water from the fridge will require a good understanding of “fetch” and “drop it.” Practice, patience, and reward are the foundation for mastering any trick. Practice for 10 to 15 minutes every day and always offer gentle praise in reward for positive behavior. Treats also work well to encourage food-oriented pups too. Sometimes dogs grow disinterested in training; if your dog shows disinterest, then stop the session for the day and pick back up at a better time (paw-ferably when they aren't too hungry or sleepy).

Step

2

Increase the difficulty

Once your dog has a general understanding of the basic commands, you should begin to practice with distractions. Take a moment while the kids are playing or the TV is turned up to go over Fido's newly learned tricks -- this will help your dog to be more reliable while the two of you are out and about. Once your dog is consistently responding to commands with and without distraction, then it is time to up the difficulty a little more by either asking your dog to do a series of tricks or adding on to previously learned tricks to create a new challenge. The internet has no shortage of fun and creative dog tricks to be discovered. You can even use hand signals to teach your dog without ever saying a word!

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Go to the Beach

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0 Votes

Hot Day

Cheap

Easy

20 - 30 min

Items needed

Towel

Activity description

All three breeds that make up the Double Doodle have webbed toes to help them swim. Poodles have also been used in the past to hunt waterfowl since their thick coats prevented injury by sticks, shells, and animals that tend to lurk in fresh water. Many breeders of these breeds recommend you introduce your Poodles and Doodles to different bodies of water at an early age so they can build their confidence around water from puppyhood. Having an older four-legged beach bum around can also bring comfort to young puppies who haven't yet figured out what beach life is about.

Step

1

Plan ahead

Try to pick a day when the beach isn't too busy if you have a fairly shy Double Doodle. Alternatively, really friendly pups may paw-fer going on a day where there are a lot of other playmates they can hang out with. You should also make sure that the beach you are going to is dog-friendly. Some beaches are only pet-friendly at certain times of the year (usually the off-season). No luck finding a seaside paw-adise for you and your pooch? Look up dog-friendly state parks that are on a lake!

Step

2

Pack the doggy bag

You’ll need a few things to ensure your beach trip goes smoothly. The top must-have items include a six-foot or shorter leash, plenty of towels, doggy bags, fresh water, and a collapsible bowl. Some beaches have shower stations on dry land for people and their pets to wash off before they head off to the car. Keep the beach nice by picking up any "presents" your pup leaves behind during your oceanic adventure. Only let your dog off-leash if the beach allows it and your dog has consistent recall.

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Egg Hunt

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0 Votes

Sunny Day

Cheap

Easy

30 min

Items needed

Food coloring (optional)

Hard-boiled eggs

Activity description

What's more fun than regular hide and seek? Hide and seek involving one of the cheapest and yummiest forms of protein around -- that's right, we're talking about egg hunts! Now, we know what you're probably thinking -- that's just an Easter thing, right? Wrong! Egg hunts are a fun activity for the whole family that can be done any day of the year, provided that you have a carton of eggs in the fridge! Kids also love getting creative with different coloring techniques. While fun, dyeing the eggs isn't mandatory but makes a fun additional activity if you're into that sort of thing! Be sure to use a dog-safe dye that's non-toxic.

Also, be careful not to feed your dog too many eggs. This high-calorie food, while nutritious, can cause weight gain. Let your dog sniff out one hard-boiled egg and send the two-legged kids after the rest! Using plastic eggs is a good way to include your dog in the fun without overfeeding them.

Step

1

Prepare the eggs

You can't have an egg hunt without eggs! Both hard-boiled and plastic eggs with dog-friendly treats inside can be used for a doggy egg hunt, though we recommend real eggs for heavy duty chewers. Eggs (with or without food coloring agents) are safe for dogs and pack an impressive amount of calcium to boot! To boil your eggs, carefully sit six or so raw eggs on the bottom of an empty pot. Once placed, fill the pot with tap water until the eggs are completely submerged. Bring the water to a boil and then take the pot off the eye and cover with a lid for 12 minutes. Let your eggs chillax until they come to room temp and they're ready to be dyed!

Step

2

Hide the eggs

Once you've gotten your eggs assembled, it's time for the fun part. Remember that your dog is shorter than you so try to hide the eggs near the ground or in areas that they can easily climb to reach the eggs. Your dog will be primarily using their nose to locate the eggs. If you really want to get your Doodle going, then smear a little peanut butter on the shell for an extra tasty treat. Make sure you put your eager pooch away before you hide the eggs, you don't want Fido to know where you are stashing the goods!

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More Fun Ideas...

Make a Vegetable Garden

Are you the proud owner of a digger? If so, then you might as well put them to work in the garden! Channel those energetic paws in a paws-itive way by allowing Fido to help "till" the garden. Try to pick sturdy veggies that both humans and canines can enjoy, such as potatoes and carrots.

Frisbee

This may seem like a simple activity, but it ranks high as one of the OG Doodle's favorite activities. Maybe it's because of their Retriever heritage, or it could be because of the poodle's eagerness to master tricks -- one thing is for sure though, this breed is great at this game. There are all kinds of frisbees available nowadays, from glow-in-the-dark discs to ones with flashing lights and even cameras on them! Make it fun and get creative! Just don't forget to treat your beloved Doodle when they bring it back!

Conclusion

Double Doodles are an especially intelligent breed with a desire to please their owners like few others. No matter how you choose to spend your days with your curly pup, their very favorite activity will surely be any activity that involves you. This breed tends to be energetic, so make sure at least a few of your regular activities together involve cardio!