Training is an essential part of owning a dog. We teamed up with professional dog trainers at Cornerstone Dog Training to talk about all things dog training!

why is it important to train your dog?

Dog training is so vital to a dog and owner relationship. Boundaries make relationships thrive, and also help meet expectations. Dog training helps families and dogs live in a harmonious home.

What is your experience with training doodles?

“Doodle” breeds are on the rise, and we train a lot of them. In fact, a lot of our trainers are doodle owners themselves. It is no secret that certain breeds have been bred to do certain tasks. Golden retrievers, for example, were bred to hunt and retrieve. Poodles, were bred to be water wicking sport dogs. Both have amazing qualities, when bred together we see a variety of traits pull from both. One common trait we see pulling from the doodle gene pool is their eagerness to please. Sometimes, when a dog is eager to please, and they don’t understand the expectations, that’s where we see the anxiety because the rules aren’t clear. If your dog does have that anxiety, have no fear, dogs are survivors and once the boundaries are set, that anxiety fades.

What age should you start training?

The moment you get your dog home! Training is a lifestyle. There are many things you can do when your dog or puppy joins the family. We designed a program that helps you from day one get a dog of any age get through the first two weeks. As for professional training for puppies we recommend starting at 12 weeks old, there is a lot of patience and practice that goes into puppy training.

Dogs, at about 5 months (22 weeks) start to really grasp concepts. This is where the training gets really good. They are able to hold commands longer, with more distractions at greater distances.

online training program options

Kennel & Potty Training

Designed to train your dog from the moment they come home. This challenge trains them to be potty and crate trained in just 14 days!

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Puppy Training Course

Designed for puppies 8-22 Weeks. This 8 week course comes with step-by-step instructional videos, training book, and puppy package. This gives you and your puppy a foundation to build on. Use code MLF20 for 20% off.

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Chaos to Calm Course

At 5 months your puppy is ready for advanced training. This Online Program is 8 weeks and will help you navigate as your puppy is older. $700 off will be applied at checkout.

Learn more

in-person training programs

One-on-one

Meet with a personal dog trainer every week for a personal training session. This is a 10 week program that will take you through all of the commands, on a field trip, and through to puppy graduation.

Mention MLF in person for $200 off

801-837-6524

Board and Train

Don’t have time to do the initial work of training? This option is for you! Let the professionals take over.

Mention MLF in person for $200 off

801-837-6524

What types of things will a puppy learn from your program? 

The biggest thing that we teach is Focus. Focus kills chaos. We put that focus to work! Focus allows us to teach place (sitting on a pillow), sit, lay down, socialization, heel, and to wait at the door. By teaching these things with focus, that means we can ask the dogs to do these things for long periods of time, no matter what the distraction. Puppies have a lower mental celling than older dogs, so we really push learning to focus and adding in the distractions, distances and durations during our advanced course.

Why should people choose cornerstone as their dog trainer?

At Cornerstone Dog Training, we are here to serve you. We have put countless hours of effort, thought and heart into our program. We recognize that there are a lot of trainers out there, what we offer is guaranteed results and satisfaction. Nothing makes us happier than an “underdog” story, a good dog that seemed unmanageable, but in the end, both owner and dog were in harmony. We encourage you to consider training and hope you can see how it can bless your life.

MLF puppy families + followers get a discount!

So excited that Cornerstone is giving all of our families a special discount!!
For online puppy training use code MLF20 for 20% off. For puppies over the age of 5 months we reccomend the Chaos to Calm Course a $700 discount will be applied at checkoutf!

For in-person training: Mention MLF for $200 OFF!

Having a well socialized puppy has been considered the responsibility of a new puppy owner. Breeders encourage them to take the puppy to training classes and make sure they are exposed to a variety of dogs, people, and other situations. As important as that is, more research shows that socializing and character development can start right when the puppy is born. Breeders can do a lot to make sure their puppies have an excellent start. Here at Matthews Legacy Farm (MLF) we have spent years researching to ensure our Goldendoodles are off to a great start and ready to adapt to new situations they will encounter with their forever families.

Did you know that the first three weeks of a puppy’s life are critical?

Puppies are very helpless from the moment they are born until they are 3 weeks of age. The mama does most of the work (feeds, cleans, and provides warmth and comfort). We start very early interacting with our puppies by holding them countless times a day so they know that human touch is a positive and safe experience.

Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) 

Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) is a process we do that introduces mild stimulations to very young puppies in a controlled way. These stimlulations help encourage the neurological system which improves the growth and development of the pup’s immune system, cardiovascular system, and stress tolerance. ENS is started on days 3-16 since that is when rapid neurological growth and development occur.

This process consists of 5 simple and harmless exercises. Each exercise is done for 3-5 seconds.

1. Tactile stimulation - holding the pup in one hand, the handler gently stimulates (tickles) the pup between the toes on any of the feet using a Q-tip.

2. Head held erect - using both hands, the pup is held perpendicular to the ground, (straight up), so that its head is directly above its tail. This is an upwards position. Do this for 3 - 5 seconds.

3. Head pointed down - holding the pup firmly with both hands the head is reversed and is pointed downward so that it is pointing towards the ground. Do this for 3 - 5 seconds.

4. Supine position - hold the pup so that its back is resting in the palm of both hands with its muzzle facing the ceiling. The pup while on its back is allowed to sleep. Do this for 3-5 seconds.

5. Thermal stimulation—use a damp towel that has been cooled in a refrigerator for at least five minutes. Place the pup on the towel, feet down. Do not restrain it from moving. Do this for 3-5 seconds.

These 5 simple exercises are done to prepare our goldendoodles for their life’s journey with their new owners. Only 30 seconds a day for 2 weeks and we see a great improvement in their immune systems and stress tolerances. To learn more about ENS and Puppy Culture visit here.

We’ve got the first 8 weeks covered, now the next steps are preparing for your puppy!

Congratulations on your new puppy!! With all the excitement there also comes new roles and responsibilities as a puppy parent. Your puppy is going to want to explore every nook and cranny and will want to chew on everything in sight. One of the things that will help with that is crate training. Crate training is very beneficial to you and your dog— Crates aren’t just comforting and protective for your pup, they also provide you with peace of mind and moments to relax. This method is extremely effective for when you house train your dog.

Benefits of Crate Training

There are several benefits to crate training a puppy. Some of the benefits include:

1. Potty training your puppy. A crate that is sized properly will make it less likely that your puppy will not go to the bathroom in their crate. You can use this to help train them when and where to go.

2. Creating boundaries for your puppy. The crate can limit access to the rest of the house while your pup learns other house rules.

3. Down time for your puppy. Crate training is a good way to train your dog to enjoy time alone.

4. Transportating your puppy. It is a great way to transport your puppy to and from the vet, groomer, and road trips.

Selecting a Crate

Evolv Crate— The celling can be removed and it can double as a play pen! Comes with adjustable divider, removable tray, and 2 doors. Easy to setup!

The Revol comes with an adjustable divider, removable tray for easy cleaning, garage door, and a ceiling hatch for easy access to soothe your puppy.

Purchase a crate that gives your puppy enough room to comfortably stand up, turn around, and lie down with their legs stretched. Always get a bigger crate that your puppy can grow into. These crates come with a divider panel that lets you adjust the size while they grow. All MLF Families receive a discount from DIGGS. Discount will automatically apply at checkout.

Crate sizing:

Small is designed for dogs up to 30 lbs. This size works great for our Petite and Mini Goldendoodles.
Medium is designed for dogs up to 50 lbs. This size works great for our Mini and Medium Goldendoodles.
Intermediate is designed for larger dogs up to 70 lbs. This size works great for our Standard Goldendoodles.

HOW TO CRATE TRAIN YOUR PUPPY

Keep the crate close: Introduce the crate by opening up the door and allow your puppy to explore its new surroundings. Once you do that you can start by putting them in there for short periods at a time. Starting with 5 minutes, then 10, 20, 30, etc. Keep the crate close to you while you are doing the dishes, watching tv, or reading. This will help acclimate your puppy to soon realize that the crate isn’t a bad place. Don’t place the crate in direct sunlight, or on top of heating or cooling vents.

Reward and Praise: Every time your puppy goes in, reward it with a training aid, treat, toy, or praise. Make the kennel a fun and exciting place so the puppy will want to go in. Soon it will associate the crate with positive experiences and see it as a place to enjoy toys, treats, and a nice nap.

Make it snug: Add a blanket or dog bed to make it more comfortable. You could also try draping a blanket over the top of the crate to make it easier for your puppy to sleep. A blanket can also help your puppy feel more secure in a tighter space so it can relax if it had troubles otherwise. Some people like to leave their favorite toy in the crate to keep them company. If so, make sure it is big enough that the puppy can’t chew and choke on it. 

Crate at night or when you leave: When your dog can spend 30 minutes in the crate without becoming anxious, you can begin leaving him/her crated for short periods when you leave the house. At night, put your dog in the crate using your regular command and a treat. They may cry the first night or two—remember they are adjusting to their new home. Every time you take the puppy out of the crate, take it outside so it can go to the bathroom. The puppy will get used to the idea that potty time comes after crate time.

Remember to be patient as your puppy is learning and getting used to its new environment. Crate training a puppy is so worth it!  

Monkey Toy | Training Aid | Dog Treats | Kong Balls | Chew Toy