Training your dog is simple, but simple does not mean easy. You will have to patiently stick to the plan and keep your cool. You will have to develop skills, habits and the mindset of a confident and competent dog handler. You will have to apply what you learn throughout your dog’s life to build and maintain your dog’s obedience. It takes time, and your dog’s progress will not be linear. It will sometimes feel like you’re getting nowhere but if you stick with it, have fun and focus on your dog’s progress from one month to the next, you will succeed.
Create habits
If you want to train your dog to a high standard, make a habit of training your dog several times each day. Make it as easy as possible at the beginning – two minutes in the morning, two minutes after work, and two minutes in the evening. Once you’ve built a strong habit of training your dog three times per day for just two minutes each time, it will be simple and easy to increase each training session to 15 minutes, which is plenty of time for training any dog to a very high standard.
Stay cool
Your dog’s training will not always go to plan. Sometimes your dog will be distracted, overexcited, or simply struggle to understand what you want from them. When your dog seems to be getting things wrong you will feel frustrated and annoyed, but your number one priority is to nurture a close bond with your dog through the ups and downs of training. If nothing seems to be going right, take a break and try again tomorrow.
Less is more
Giving your dog more than they can handle sets them up for failure, but we want your dog to experience success as often as possible. Ending a training session after five minutes so you can end on a high is better than an entire hour of dog training that ends with boredom and an unsuccessful recall. Your dog will remember the praise and rewards they earn for getting something right, and they will be extra keen to pay attention to your commands next time.
Wyre Walkies 