Understand dog psychology
Dogs are natural pack animals that require structure and leadership from their human owners. According to dog psychology experts, establishing yourself as the “pack leader” through consistent rules and routine is key to effective training. Using positive reinforcement, such as praise and treats for good behavior, is the most effective way to train dogs and strengthen your bond. It’s also important to learn how to read your dog’s body language and signals. Understanding your dog’s perspective and psychology leads to better communication and happier human-canine relationships.
Establish yourself as the pack leader
Dogs are pack animals and naturally look to a leader for guidance and direction. As the owner, you need to establish yourself as the pack leader so your dog respects you and follows your commands. Use calm, assertive energy when interacting with your dog. Avoid yelling, aggression, and frustration. Your dog will feed off your energy.
Set clear rules, boundaries, and limitations for your dog. Be consistent in enforcing these rules so your dog understands what’s expected. For example, decide where your dog can and can’t go in the house and stick to it. Limit access to furniture like beds and couches. Setting limitations shows your dog you are in charge and prevents problem behaviors before they start.
Leadership comes from within, so focus on your own mindset and actions. Project confidence in your body language and tone of voice. Use rewards to motivate your dog’s behavior rather than intimidation or punishment. As the Cesarsway article states, “Knowing your pack takes time, patience, and acceptance. Then formulating a plan, setting an intention, and following through is what creates calm, consistent leadership.” https://www.cesarsway.com/7-tips-for-establishing-leadership-with-your-dog/
Use positive reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is one of the most effective methods in dog training. The basic idea is to reward your dog when they display a desired behavior. The rewards act as positive reinforcement, making the dog more likely to repeat that behavior in the future.
Some of the most common rewards to use in positive reinforcement training are:
- Treats
- Verbal praise
- Petting
- Play time with toys
You should reward your dog immediately after they display the desired behavior. This helps them associate the reward with that specific action. Over time, rewarding good behaviors will make those behaviors become habit for your dog.
Punishment should be avoided in positive reinforcement training. Punishing a dog, like yelling or hitting, is ineffective and can harm your relationship with your dog. The goal is to set your dog up for success by rewarding actions you want them to repeat. As the Humane Society notes, positive reinforcement training creates a partnership built on trust and respect between you and your dog.
Ignore bad behavior
One of the most important techniques in dog training is to ignore bad behaviors and not give your dog attention when they misbehave. As the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior explains, “Attention can reward and reinforce both good and bad behaviors.”1 Giving attention, including eye contact, verbal corrections, or physical handling, will often inadvertently reinforce the bad behavior.
Instead, when your dog misbehaves, act neutrally by withdrawing all attention. Turn away, avoid eye contact, and don’t speak to them. Only give your dog attention for good behaviors, and they will learn that positive behaviors get rewarded while negative ones are ignored. However, as Dr. Jen explains, “Ignoring bad behavior does not work. Dogs repeat behaviors that have a payoff. If a behavior is self-rewarding, it will continue.”2
That’s why it’s essential to also redirect your dog to an appropriate, positive behavior when ignoring them. For example, if they’re jumping up, turn away and ask for a “sit” before giving affection. This redirects to a good behavior instead of just ignoring the bad one. With consistency, your dog will learn which behaviors earn rewards.
Be consistent
Consistency is key when training a dog. According to the American Kennel Club, dogs learn best through repetition and consistency. Set a schedule for feeding, walking, training sessions, and other routines, and stick to it every day. Dogs thrive on predictability and consistency helps reinforce the rules and commands you are teaching.
Be consistent with the verbal cues and hand signals you use for commands. For example, always use “sit” when you want your dog to sit down. Don’t sometimes say “sit” and other times say “down.” Consistent cues will help your dog learn faster. Similarly, be consistent with the treats, toys, and praise you use to reward your dog during training. Giving inconsistent rewards can confuse your dog and undermine the training.
Consistency also means reinforcing rules consistently. According to Advanced Canine Techniques, don’t let your dog get away with breaking rules sometimes but not others. If you don’t want them jumping on guests, don’t ever allow it. Consistent enforcement of rules will lead to better behavior.
Use proper equipment
When training a dog, it’s important to use proper equipment that fits them comfortably. As the ASPCA notes, Ill-fitting collars, harnesses, and leashes can injure dogs or make training difficult.
Ensuring proper collar, leash, and harness fit is crucial. The collar should fit snugly enough that it doesn’t slip over the dog’s head, with room for two fingers between the collar and dog’s neck. The leash should attach securely to the collar. For harnesses, adjust the straps so they don’t rub or restrict movement.
Consider using a head halter or no-pull harness for dogs that pull during walks. As the AKC discusses, head halters gently redirect the dog’s head towards the handler to discourage pulling. No-pull harnesses redistribute force across the dog’s chest and shoulder blades to reduce strain.
With properly fitted equipment, you can train dogs effectively and comfortably.
Train in short sessions
Dog training sessions should be kept short, ideally lasting 5-10 minutes according to experts. The American Kennel Club recommends keeping sessions under 10 minutes, noting that longer sessions can cause dogs to become bored or frustrated (source). Delaware K9 Academy also suggests keeping training sessions to 15 minutes or less due to dogs’ limited attention spans, especially for puppies and younger dogs (source).
It’s important to end each short training session on a positive note, with praise and rewards for good behavior. Short, frequent, positive training sessions are the most effective way to train dogs and set them up for success.
Practice daily
Frequent short sessions are best for dog training according to research studies. One study from How Training Frequency Impacts Learning found that dogs trained daily in short sessions learned new commands faster than dogs trained only once a week. The ideal frequency seems to be short 5-15 minute training sessions multiple times per day.
Make training part of your daily routine with your dog. Try to do at least 2-3 short training sessions every day, or break one longer session into smaller pieces. Training will become a fun regular activity you both look forward to.
Be patient
Changing behavior takes time and repetition. Dogs do not learn new commands instantly, so you need to be prepared to invest the time and effort required for training. As the American Kennel Club advises, “Be fair to her by giving her plenty of time to understand what you expect from her. Be persistently patient!” (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/dog-training-patience-important/).
Progress will often not be linear when training a dog. There may be setbacks or periods where your dog seems to forget what they have learned. This is normal and part of the process. As explained by Good Doggie, “Teaching patience can be used to combat excitable and reactive behaviour, which can quickly get out of control if left unchecked.” (https://www.gooddoggie.co.uk/learning-patience-for-dog-training-and-rehabilitation/). With persistence and patience, the training will stick.
As Argos Dog Training emphasizes, “The rewards of patience in dog training are good communication with the dog, a better relationship with the dog, happiness and success.” Staying patient throughout the training process will lead to more effective training and a stronger bond with your dog.
Get professional help if needed
Getting professional help from a dog trainer or behaviorist can be extremely beneficial for owners struggling to train their dog. Consider group classes or private sessions if you are having trouble making progress on your own. Trainers can provide expertise and tailored guidance to resolve persistent challenges.
Some common reasons to seek professional assistance include:
- Your dog is displaying aggressive or dangerous behaviors like biting, lunging, or growling at people or other animals.
- Your dog is extremely fearful or anxious in certain situations.
- Your dog continues having frequent accidents in the house despite attempts at housetraining.
- Your dog is ignoring commands and showing other signs of lack of obedience.
An experienced professional can observe your dog’s specific problems and design a customized training plan. They can also provide hands-on guidance as you practice techniques. Working one-on-one with an expert can help overcome roadblocks and solidify successful behaviors through consistent reinforcement (source). With professional support, many behavioral issues that seemed insurmountable can dramatically improve.