Happy New Year everyone! We kick off 2025 with ‘Train your dog month’. During this month we’ll dive deeper in dog training, what you can do with your dog when it comes to training and why it is important to train your dog and with your dog. Dog training is one of the most important investments you can make for your dog’s happiness and well-being. It’s not just about teaching commands like “sit” or “stay”, it’s about building a strong bond with your furry companion and ensuring they lead a safe, fulfilling life. This week’s blogpost will dive deeper in the importance of obedience training with our four-legged companions.
What is dog training?
First of all, we’re going to look at what dog training is exactly. It’s the process of teaching your dog specific skills and behaviors. We do this to improve their understanding of expectations, while also giving them the ability to interact with their environment. In a way we want to see it. Obedience training, and also other types of training, involves using techniques like repetition, positive reinforcement and consistency to shape behaviors and skills. Whether it’s basic obedience, addressing problem behaviors, or specialized skills, training helps dogs become well-adjusted members of the family and society.
The benefits of dog training
Going through dog training with your dog can give you a lot of benefits. These benefits are not only making it happen to have a pet, but also to keep each other safe. One of the benefits is the improved communication we establish. We create a common language between yourself and your companion. Clear communication reduces misunderstandings, making it easier to guide your dog’s behavior and strengthen your relationship. This can also create more safety for both of you. A well-trained dog is less likely to engage in dangerous behaviors, such as running into traffic or eating harmful objects. Commands like “come” and “leave it” can prevent accidents and keep your dog safe in unpredictable situations.
Other benefits give more socialization and a better overall behavior. Obedience training helps dogs learn how to behave around other animals, people, and in new environments. Proper socialization reduces anxiety and aggression, making your dog more comfortable in various situations. It also teaches the dog the appropriate behavior in different environments and with different animals and humans. And last but not least it can help with mental stimulation. Dogs thrive on mental challenges. Training exercises engage their minds, preventing boredom and reducing destructive behaviors like chewing or digging. A mentally stimulated dog is a happy dog, which can again help with behavior.
These are just a few of the many benefits you can get from dog training. We can always discuss more benefits if you'd like. Send us a message and we're more than happy to talk about it, without any commitments.
Different types of training possible
Obedience training comes in a lot of different versions. Some make us live with our dogs in peace and with the behaviors we want, other versions are more for specific tasks. There are also trainings that are specialized for behavior, sports and protections. It’s good to know the difference and to make sure you’re choosing the right training for you and your dog.
Basic and advanced obedience training
The first one is basic obedience training. This training is the foundation of having a dog and focuses on essential commands like sit, down, stay, come and heel. Most people refer to this type of training for the onleash training that makes the dog ready to behave in different environments. The training is suitable for all dogs, regardless of age and breeds. It also lays the groundwork for more advanced skills. When the dog is ready, you can go to advanced obedience. During this training you not only focus on training on leash, but also the off leash version. You have to make sure that the basic obedience is solid before moving on, or else you’re never going to have a reliable dog. And not all dogs are capable of walking offleash all the time either. We have to lower our expectations once in a while.
Behavioral training
We want our dogs to behave. But, dogs will still be dogs and show natural behavior that is unwanted for us. Behavioral training addresses specific issues that we don’t want to see in our four-legged companion, like jumping, excessive barking and separation anxiety. It’s often tailored to the individual dog’s needs. During these training you don’t only work on finding a solution and turning the unwanted behavior in something you want to see, but also look at underlying issues why a specific behavior occurs. Some behavior issues we’re already working on with clients, but there will be more in the future!
Training for dog sports
Dog training doesn’t only have to be for obedience. A lot of dogs do well in dog sports, because of their breeds. There are a lot of different sports you can think about, like agility, barn hunt, dock diving or IGP. Every dog sport needs specific skills and you have to train multiple times a week to compete against other dogs. During each training you start out with smaller steps, which eventually result in the skills you’ll need for a competition. With agility for example you can start out with a small obstacle course, which eventually turns into the agility courses. You also have to focus on fitness, strength and mental focus. Not only do you tailor the dog’s needs, you’ll also build a better bond with your dog if you meet those needs.
Training for specific tasks
Some dogs are needed to perform specific tasks. A good example is a service dog, that assists the owner with disabilities, such as guiding the visually impaired or alerting to medical conditions. Therapy dogs are trained to provide emotional support and comfort in settings like schools, nursing homes and hospitals. These specialized trainings require dedication and expertise and will focus on calmness, responsiveness and sociability. Another good example for dogs that are trained for a specific task are protection dogs. Protection training teaches dogs to guard and protect their owners or property. This advanced training requires professional guidance to ensure safety and control. Always find someone specialized before starting this training!
Tips for effective training
Now you know more about the benefits of dog training and the types of trainings that are possible, you can use some tips to make each training as effective as possible. First you have to make sure to stay consistent. Use the same commands and rewards to avoid confusing your dog. Begin training as soon as possible, but remember that older dogs can learn too. No matter the age, the dog is still capable of learning new tricks, skills and behaviors. So it’s never to late to contact us with problems or start your private training!
Even though you can train your dog yourself, it’s always good to seek professional help. Dog trainers can guide you during the process, while also helping you give the right commands. Sometimes we don’t notice that we’re giving conflicting signals, but someone else can make you aware of that. During training sessions you’ll also learn to be more patient with your four-legged friend. Training takes time, especially for more complex behaviors. We shouldn’t expect miracles of our dogs, but have to remember that everything we want them to do depends on the breed, age and consistency. And we have to keep in mind that dogs need the opportunity to stay and behave like dogs in a safe environment, so they can actually be pets and live in harmony with us.
Need help training your own dog? Send us a message or give us a call and we can discuss the options!
