Dog Obedience Training

Obedience training for dogs isn’t always a walk in the park, but if you’re going to be welcoming pet sitters soon, there’s no time like the present when it comes to making sure your new pup responds to your every command. And if you’ve pet parented before, you’ll know better than anyone that puppies are just as eager to please as they are to piddling on the floor and doing zoomies around your kitchen. So, to harness that (never-ending) zest for life and supply of energy, embark on your dog obedience training journey to help raise the happiest, most well-behaved pooch possible. To get you started, we’re here exploring our top tips for dog obedience training that’ll have your pup pupil shipshape in no time.

Tips for starting dog obedience training

DIY, private or group training sessions?
Do you need a puppy trainer or dog behaviorist?
Choose the technique
Observe the class
Get equipped
Arm yourself with treats
Grooming and handling: start them young
Socialization is key
Practice makes perfect (almost)
Consistency is key

DIY, private or group training sessions?

Whether you’re a well-seasoned pet parent or you’re completely new to the game (welcome!), the way you choose to go about dog obedience training is down to you and your pooch. Choosing whether to go DIY, opting for private sessions or group dog training classes depends on a variety of factors, not least the cost of dog training. If you’re super new to pet parenting and you’ve got a pup on your hands, maybe classes or private lessons with a trained professional will be a good way to get your foot in the door. Otherwise, if you’re super experienced when it comes to dog obedience training or you’re particularly well-read on the topic, you might choose to go about your dog obedience training at home (time permitting, of course!).

There are of course benefits to all three options, with consistency (and of course TLC) being at the center of your practice. DIY dog training at home gives you full control over the commands your pooch learns, while private training sessions allow you the full attention of a dog training professional. Group sessions on the other hand, while sometimes more generalized to suit the group, are a great way to make sure your pup is getting exposed to people and pets outside of your home.

Do you need a puppy trainer or dog behaviorist?

When you’re first getting into obedience training for dogs, you’ll need to decide whether an obedience dog trainer or a dog behaviorist is what you’re looking for. Typically if you’ve recently welcomed a new puppy into your home, you’ve broken them into your house rules and you’re now looking to train them up, a dog trainer will be what you’re after. They’ll be able to give you a specific method along with tips and tricks to get your pooch to do what you tell them! In other words, a dog trainer is appropriate if your pup doesn’t seem to have any serious underlying behavioral issues, and instead just needs training up (note - obedience training for aggressive dogs may need a behaviorist or trainer who specializes in these cases). On the other hand, a dog behaviorist will be what you’re after if your pooch has a specific behavioral issue that you’d like to address. These issues can include excessive barking, separation anxiety, destructive behaviors, and so much more.

Choose a training technique

While there will be many different forms of dog obedience training out there, it’s widely agreed that a positive reinforcement-based training approach is one of the best (if not the best). If you’re new to the world of obedience training for dogs, no worries, we’ll give you a quick run-down here to get you started…

So, what is positive reinforcement dog training? Well it’s pretty simple (and super effective) - positive reinforcement training involves providing a reward for your pooch (like a treat, praise or their favorite toy) when they perform desired behaviors. Dogs then begin to associate their good behavior with the treat, and are therefore more likely to perform it in the future. Eventually, the association between the behavior and the treat becomes so strong that the treat is no longer needed, just the command.

Observe the class

Even if you’re only embarking on basic obedience dog training, feeling comfortable with the class and the instructor’s approach is super important. Why? Well you’ll probably know that our furry friends are pretty equipped at picking up on human emotions, so if you’re happy and relaxed, so are they! Simply ask if the instructor is happy for you to observe part or all of a session, and consider whether the pups are engaged and happy, how helpful the instructor is towards pups and their humans, and whether you feel comfortable there. A relaxed pet parent is a relaxed, ready-to-learn pup pupil, afterall.

Get equipped

If you’ve opted for a private dog trainer or group sessions, you’ll most likely receive advice on the equipment you’ll need for your sessions. And of course if you’re going DIY, you’ve got the freedom to choose your approach. Just to give you an idea of what you might need to shop around for, we’ll list a few typical puppy training items below:

Treat pouch
Dog harness
Leash
Collar
Whistle
Clicker
Toys
Mat
Cones

Whether you choose a private trainer, a group training session, or opt to DIY it, it never hurts to do some extra swotting up - here are some of the best books on dog training to check out.

Arm yourself with treats

If you’re wondering how do I train my dog for obedience, one of the most important weapons in your arsenal has to be a pouch brimming with treats! As we’ve mentioned, positive reinforcement-based training is one of the most common and effective approaches to dog obedience training, so making sure you’ve got enough small treats to last your training session (and beyond) is important.

Puppy training treats are not only fab for obedience training, but also potty training, teaching your dog to walk on a leash, crate training, learning your house rules, and so much more. Having your treat pouch to hand at all times (even when you’re not training) is a great way to enforce positive behavior, as let’s face it, the point of teaching your pooch to ‘wait’, ‘sit’ and ‘lay down’ might be basic, but boy are they handy in everyday life!

Grooming and handling: start them young

While as we’ve said, teaching your pooch to respond to basic commands is invaluable for any pet parent, there are a whole host of other important things your new pup will need to learn before your training period is complete. As they get older and grow out of their furbaby hair and into those luscious adult puffs of fluff, trips to the groomer will become more frequent. And even if your adult pooch is almost fluff-free, trips to the vets, at some point, are inevitable. So to best prepare your pooch for being handled, ruffled, combed and even cuddled by humans they don’t know, it’s vital you start them young. All the way from puppyhood, be sure to introduce your pooch to new people and get them used to the grooming equipment (and even processes, if you’re comfortable with it) from home. That way, haircuts and vet check-ups don’t have to be a source for dread and despair, and your pup can get used to carrying all they’ve learnt in dog obedience training to new situations.

Socialization is key

We can’t stress the importance of a well-socialized dog enough. Your dog obedience training journey goes hand-in-hand with socialization as afterall, a well-socialized dog is a happy dog! So, alongside your training sessions, daily rewards and mental stimulation, make sure they’re exposed to other dogs, humans and situations while they’re young. Along with allowing your pooch to be the social butterfly of the dog park, invite as many members of your family and friends round as possible (as let’s face it, they won’t take much convincing - puppy cuddles are unrivaled!), and take your pooch to new towns, walkies spots and friends’ houses. While you should avoid overwhelming them with too much too soon, slowly introducing your new cutie to new contexts is key for ensuring they have a happy, behavior issue-free transition to adulthood.

Practice makes perfect

If you’ve been swatting away on how to obedience train a dog, you’ll be an expert in positive reinforcement training and making sure your pooch responds to your every command! But what about outside of class? Well even if you’re focussing on basic obedience training for dogs, the saying practice makes perfect has never been more key. Much like their humans, dogs are creatures of habit, so will need their new skills reinforced time and time again outside of their training sessions to really get the hang of them. And it makes sense, if we think about it. Your dog obedience training sessions probably account for only a couple of hours per week, so it’s vital that you’re reinforcing those important command responses inbetween to make sure your pup makes the progress they’re capable of.

Consistency is key

While you might be the main caregiver for your new pooch, the one taking charge of their training journey and the all-round ‘top dog’ of your household, it’s vital that everyone you live with is on board with your training methods. Why? Well consistency is key when it comes to obedience training for dogs, and the last thing you want to do is confuse your eager-to-learn and eager-to-please pup pupil. So to avoid crossed wires and mixed messages, communicate your commands and training methods with those who have lots of contact with your pooch. That way, any encounter will reinforce all those great skills they’ve picked up in training.