Training
Dog Training at Home: Five Foundations to Start With
Useful dog training starts with communication your dog can understand and routines your household can repeat. Begin with a few foundations before asking for advanced behaviour.
Teach their name to mean something useful
Say your dog's name once and reward the moment they look toward you. This creates a gentle way to ask for attention before another cue.
Reward the behaviour you want repeated
Dogs repeat outcomes that work for them. Notice calm feet on the floor, a loose lead or a quiet settle instead of waiting only for mistakes.
Keep cues clear and consistent
Choose one word for each behaviour and make sure everyone at home uses it the same way. Repeating different cues usually adds noise rather than understanding.
Practise in easy places first
A skill learned in the living room may disappear on a busy road. Build success gradually by increasing distraction, distance or duration one at a time.
Know when to ask for help
Fear, aggression, sudden behaviour changes or problems involving safety deserve individual assessment. Health issues can affect behaviour, so veterinary input may also be important.
