Whether you’re training recall, loose lead walking, ‘sit’ or ‘paw’, there are a few simple ways that you can set your dog up for success.
Make sure they’re ready to learn
Before you start a training session with your dog, consider if they are ready to learn. Are they:
- Healthy and pain-free?
- Comfortable in their collar/harness? If you’re unsure about what harness or collar is best for your dog, have a read through our blog all about dog wear for guidance.
- Well rested?
- Relaxed and happy?
If the answer to all these questions is ‘yes’, then you’re good to go!
Find a reward that works
It’s essential to use rewards that are motivating for your dog and suit the skill you are trying to train.
Some rewards are ‘high value’ because they are very motivating for the dog (think cheese, ham or their favourite toy). Others are ‘low value’ – nice to have, but not too special, like dry kibble.
Consider the skill you are training and the reward that will be the best fit. A fun game of tug may be an excellent reward for good recall but won’t be as suitable if you are trying to train a calm behaviour like ‘settle’. Lower value rewards will be more effective for this, as we don’t want the dog to be too excited by the treats we’re offering.
Start somewhere quiet and familiar
If you’re training a new skill, make sure that your first training sessions take place somewhere quiet, familiar and non-distracting. This will help your dog to focus. As your dog becomes more confident and is consistently succeeding in this environment, try levelling up to somewhere a little more distracting.
Once they are consistently achieving in slightly more distracting settings, you can gradually increase the level of distraction all the way up to somewhere exciting like your local dog park. Remember, you can always go back a step if you need to.
Keep training sessions short and sweet
Try to keep training sessions short. Depending on your dog’s concentration span, around 10-15 minutes is usually ideal. Lots of brain breaks that involve fun, calming activities like sniffing and licking are also helpful, as they keep your dog happy and engaged while also giving them a rest.
Set achievable goals
Keep your expectations realistic and achievable – you may need to break certain behaviours down into smaller parts and build up to your end goal gradually. For example, when training a ‘sit’, the first step may be your dog lowering their bottom towards the floor.
If you need to train your dog basic skills like recall and loose lead walking but aren’t sure where to start, take a look at our training tips page. You will find a variety of easy to follow, step-by-step training guides for skills you will use in day-to-day life.
