Creating a Training Plan for Your Dog
Nicole Groshek Read Time: 3 minStart Sooner Than Later
Whether your dog was adopted as a puppy or a senior, you’ll want to begin training as soon as possible. The term “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” doesn’t apply when it comes to training because you’ll want your dog to be trained to your lifestyle, in your home, and by your voice. You can train your dog at any age, but it’s more likely that your pup will be able to pick up on what you're teaching if you start sooner than later. And, when the time comes to begin training your dog, keep it simple.
Rely on the Basics
Much like anything else in life, you’ll want to create a training plan for your dog that starts with the basics. Similar to how we learn how to walk, talk, read, and write in the early stages of life, you’ll want to teach your dog how to sit, stay, come, and more at the start of your relationship with it. When outlining the goals of your training plan for your dog, here are some simple commands to keep in mind:
Sit.
Teaching your dog to sit is vital in grabbing its attention. When your dog is sitting, it’s more likely to listen to what you have to say.
Stay.
When your dog knows how to stay, it’ll have a better understanding of where it should and shouldn’t be in your home. Additionally, your dog will also learn to control its behaviors and remain calm if it’s staying where you want it.
Come.
Your dog’s recall is vital and teaching it how to come can be a lifesaver. Not only does recalling your dog ensure that it’s hearing you when you call its name, but it can also keep your dog from approaching other dogs or people if you don’t want it to.
Heel.
For successful walks, teaching your dog to heel is invaluable. When your dog is directly beside you, you have a better chance of keeping their focus.
Down.
Although we all love a good hug from a dog, not everyone wants a dog jumping on them. Once your dog knows when you want it down from things, you can better control the people, places, and things that it’s allowed to jump on.
Wait.
Similar to stay, teaching your dog how to wait will be important for controlling their urges and behaviors. A patient dog means a happy pet parent.
Even though these commands are considered “basic”, they can be difficult to teach your dog. Therefore, if you become deep in your training plan and things aren’t working out, don’t be afraid to get help from a dog trainer!
Seek Guidance from Professionals
Seeking out help from a dog trainer can be a great thing if you’re becoming frustrated with training your dog yourself or if you aren’t seeing results. Professional dog trainers typically devise their own training plan that will cover basic commands, similar to what’s listed above, so it’s important that you share any of your personal requests for training with a dog trainer so that they can incorporate them into your dog’s specific plan. And, if your personal training and professional training don’t do the trick, there are a lot of online resources that you can look into!
Give Online Training a Try
There are many training videos available online to get you inspired for training your dog. From basic commands to manners and resolving behavioral concerns, there is a lot of helpful information on the internet to assist you in teaching your dog new things. However, much like any other website online, be sure that the training videos you seek out come from reputable sites that are safe to browse.
Learn More from Stella & Chewy’s
Speaking of browsing, Our Blog: For the Pet Obsessed is filled with insights, articles, recipes, and more to help you grow with your pet! At Stella & Chewy’s, we want to ensure that your dog lives the happiest and healthiest life.
