All dogs need training, regardless of what type of home they’re in or what their purpose might be. Not all dogs require the same level of training, but any dog living with or working with humans needs training to help communicate to them what the expectations are.

Dog training is “not for the weak”. It takes time, patience and endless repetitions. My husband gets annoyed with me training the dog around him because it is annoying to listen to if you’re not involved in it. It is repetition, repetition, repetition. People tend to look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them that to have a reliable recall you need to go get your dog EVERY time they’re not listening. Rain or shine. Shoes or no shoes. GO GET THEM. Consistent training requires dedication. If you don’t go get them every time they’re going to think “this time I don’t have to listen right away” or even “I don’t have to come back, they’re not coming to get me”. You let them get away with it before, so why not this time? No, you go get them every time and every time they’re going to think they’d better listen or you’re going to come get them anyway.

BE CONSISTENT

Another great example of how dog training is not for the weak is when you teach your dog a place command during your meal times. It’s very important to be consistent and reinforce the behavior whenever your dog moves from her place. This means that you will have to get up multiple times during your meals until your dog learns to stay in her place. You may end up with some cold meals for a few days, but in the long-run you will have hot meals you can enjoy without your dog begging or surfing for crumbs under the table.

Consistency is the key to dog training. Once you decide what behavior you don’t want (or do want) from you dog then you need to follow through every time to show them what they need to be doing. Every time you let it slide because you’re tired, don’t care, or have had enough then you’re making it harder for yourself next time you do have the energy and desire to follow through. It also makes it confusing for your dog when you’re not consistent. Follow through every time and it will get easier. You won’t need to correct the behavior as often and eventually you’ll find you don’t need to correct it at all. It takes a lot of self discipline to have a well-trained dog.

BE MORE SUBORN THAN YOUR DOG

Just like people, not all dogs are the same. You may have one dog that is so easy to train and another that is more difficult. One of these dogs is not better than the other, they each may require different approaches to training. As the trainer, you need to figure out what it is that will work for you and your dog. This is why I do a consultation before a training session with my clients. I need more information before our session so that I have time to figure out what will most likely work for that dog. Even with that information and planning I still sometimes find myself thinking on the fly trying to figure a dog out. My plan doesn’t always work. They are unique individuals who can’t speak our language to us. Training often takes a little bit of detective work.

Once you find what works, you then have to be incredibly consistent to communicate to your dog exactly what your boundaries and expectations are. Every single time your dog is surfing for crumbs under the table when you’re eating dinner you will put him back to his bed. Every single time she is barking at the fence and won’t come to you then you will go get her and bring her back to the spot you called her from. Every time they jump on a house guest you will correct the behavior with a sit. If your dog thinks you won’t always enforce the rules they will think they’re free to push those boundaries to figure out just how lax you will be. They start making up their own boundaries and expectations. You have to follow through every time to let your dog know you mean it. You will not play any silly games about it.

The only time you shouldn’t follow through on correcting your dogs unwanted behavior is when it is unsafe to do so. For example, when he runs into a busy highway it’s not wise to blindly chase after him. Maybe you have children with you and you can’t leave them or take them with you safely to pursue the dog. Things happen, sticky situations occur. The best way to avoid those is to be preventative. Leash your dog with a well functioning collar and leash. Work on their obedience often and add in distractions as they get better at it. Proof their training when they’re ready for it and add more and more levels of challenge.

BE DEDICATED TO TRAINING YOUR DOG

If you want a well-trained dog you have to dedicate your time and effort into training your dog. You need to prioritize your dogs training. When you schedule a training event with your dog then you need to make sure it is marked on your calendar. You don’t wait to see what you’re doing because this is what you’re doing. You are training your dog.

Having a well-trained dog takes dedication. It takes time, patience, persistence, consistency and time to creating a strong bond with your dog. Every dog should have training. Think about these two truths together: training a dog takes all of this work and dedication and every dog needs to be trained. This means that if you want to own a dog you need to be ready to dedicate the time and energy it takes to train them. If you’re not ready for that you shouldn’t have a dog. This may be a controversial opinion for some, but if you can’t provide the care an animal deserves then you don’t deserve to have the animal. I understand that things happen. People lose their jobs, their homes or illness/injury may happen that prevents them from providing proper care (which includes training). I totally get that life is not black and white and I make room for “shit happens”… but if you are thinking of getting a dog right now and you know you can’t dedicate this level of training then you should reconsider if a dog is the right pet for you. In the very least, make sure you heavily consider the type of dog you get. Some breeds of dog require way more time and energy than others. Some dogs are more difficult to train, some need constant physical and mental stimulation. Do your homework before getting a dog and make sure that the type of dog you choose is suitable to you and your lifestyle.

BOARD AND TRAIN

Some trainers offer “board and train” which is where the dog is boarded with the trainer for an amount of time and the trainer works with the dog every day in a home environment. This may be a great arrangement for some dogs with certain problem behaviors, but when it comes to the average dog I strongly believe the best person to put the work in is the dogs owner.

Training is a way to communicate to your dog what you want from them. It’s also a good way to teach your dog to communicate with you so that their needs are met. Teaching a dog to ring a bell or bark to be let outside is way to train them to communicate with you. Some people go as far as to train their dogs to push buttons to actually talk to their humans (seriously, check it out; it is cool to watch). You don’t have to go that far with training your dog, but you should at least train the 5 basic commands: sit, down, stay, heel and recall (come). With those basic commands you can help your dog navigate your world in a way that is safe and acceptable.

The good news is that you won’t have to dedicate this level of training into your dog for their entire life. Once they understand the rules you set and once they learn that you will always follow through, they will test those boundaries less and less and respond desirable, more often. You will have a well responding dog eventually. You will still need to follow through should they forget the rules or decide one day to test you, but it won’t be as often as when you first started training. You won’t be running bare foot through the snow for the rest of your dogs life (and hey, throw some shoes by the back door if you’re really worried about that one). Training is a commitment for your dogs entire life, but the most important is the foundation you will set early in your training.

You should want to train your dog yourself. Training your dog builds a deep bond with your dog. Dogs are “mans best friend” because of their devotion to us. You will never find a human who loves as unconditionally and as forgiving as a dog. You owe it to them to teach them how to live in our world in a way that is respectful and kind. You owe it to them to socialize, raise, and train them in a way that they will understand.

ARM YOURSELF WITH KNOWLEDGE

You also owe it to your dog to take the time to learn their language too. You are different species living in cohabitation. If you expect your dog to learn the rules of the house then you’d better also learn your dog’s basic language. It is an art in subtlety; the way dogs communicate; and it will take time to learn and time to submit it to practice.

Hiring a dog trainer to help you is a great place to start. You can also start looking online, as there is a wealth of information there (although I do have a word of caution: you have to learn to tell what is right from wrong). You can start with my blog post about teaching kids warning signs from dogs.

I always try to be open to different training methods because I never know when that knowledge will come in handy. Dogs are individuals with individual personalities, breed traits, and thoughts. Dogs are emotional beings which will often shape their perception of the world. Understanding all of this, it’s no surprise that there are so many different training methods. As long as the method is not harmful, it should be considered as part of the “training tool inventory”.

Hiring a dog trainer can help you navigate this big world and find what will work best for your dog. Once your trainer has helped you get started it’s up to you to maintain that training and apply it to your every day life.