Training

You’ll no doubt have heard the saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” well it simply isn’t true, you can and not just one trick but many!

There are lots of ways to train your dog, one of the best being through classes, but there are also excellent resources around in the form of books, websites and dvds. The Dogs Trust have recently created a series of free dog training videos, the first one is shown below and you can see the others at the Dogs Trust YouTube channel. The videos guide you through important topics such as handling your dog, sitting, walking on the lead without pulling, commands such as sit, stay, and retrieve, and much more.

There are many commands you can teach, and each one will add to your ability to communicate with your canine companion. You’ll find that by following methods similar to those shown in the video, the process is rewarding and brings great pleasure to both you and your dog. For example, a dog that has pulled on a lead all his life can be taught to walk nicely, it may take a little longer than teaching a young dog, but with the right techniques, patience, and consistency it is possible. Few things are nicer than being able to go for a walk with your dog, with him walking on a loose lead by your side as companions rather than pulling against each other.

Training also provides excellent mental stimulation for your dog. Just as physical exercise is important to a dog, so is engaging their brain especially with working breeds.  Once you’ve mastered the standard obedience commands, sit, stay, come, etc. you can move on to tricks, games, and all sorts. So go on, give it a go