5 Best Places To Train Your Dog
Hello and welcome back to the Lead & Collar Blog, where our goal is to provide high value education and resources for beginner dog owners.
We’ve spent the last few blog posts deep diving into the specifics of dog training, and how to set you and your dog up for success. We’ve talked about several different topics, including:
Types of reinforcement
Importance of consistency
Relationship between exercise and anxiety
Using a journal to track progress
Now, we’re going to close this series by rounding it out with one more important consideration: choosing the right training location. As you can imagine, this decision plays a crucial role in the success of your sessions.
Today we’ll rank the best places to train your dog based on distraction levels, outline the benefits of starting in a low distraction environment, and explain the importance of progressing to higher levels of distraction to teach reliability.
Let's dive in!
#1: In Your House
Yep, you got it! Starting your training journey at home is like hitting the jackpot. It's a familiar and controlled environment where you and your dog can focus on learning fundamental commands, good manners, and reinforcing behavior.
Your home is the perfect starting point because you have full control over distractions, which paves the way for better communication and understanding between you and your furry companion. Plus, if you’re a person with a social life outside of work (like most of us aspire to have), incorporating training into your home environment is a quick, reliable way to maintain consistency without much effort.
You can train while you’re cooking dinner, going through the night routine with your kids, or even getting ready for a date night.
#2: Backyard
Now let's step it up a (tiny) notch - moving outside to your backyard. It's a little more distracting than indoors (e.g., dogs barking, kids jumping on the trampoline next door), but still within the comfort of your safe space. This spot is great for practicing commands and leash walking in a more open area. It helps your dog get used to outdoor behaviors and reinforces the training foundations.
#3: Quiet Streets or Sidewalks
Time to venture out into the world a bit! Quiet streets or sidewalks are our next stop.
These places offer a controlled level of distractions, like passing pedestrians or distant noises. It's the perfect opportunity to train your dog to pay attention to you amidst real-life scenarios. This way, they can use their training skills beyond the boundaries of home. Remember, new environments are going to be super exciting for your dog, so it can be tough for them to stay focused.
That's why we need to gradually increase distractions. And - more importantly - adjust our expectations when we move from one level of distraction to the next. Your dog isn’t going to immediately sit as well on a sidewalk as they do in your kitchen, and that’s okay.
As dog owners, we have definitely caught ourselves becoming frustrated at times when our pup doesn’t listen to our instructions when we’re out in the community. So it’s a good reminder, even for us!
#4: Your Local Park
Coming in at #4 is the public park! Here, distractions go from mild to wild. Which means it’s an excellent training ground to boost your dog's reliability.
Parks provide a chance for socialization, practicing commands among other people, dogs, and new environments. Your dog will learn to concentrate and respond even when faced with stimulating surroundings.
Pro tip: Consider using a long line to maintain control during park adventures and maintain a positive training experience for everyone.
#5: Busy Areas and Public Spaces
This is of course coming in 5th place, as it is really the ultimate challenge.
These places are packed with distractions for both you and your dog. Training in these environments really puts your dog's focus to the test. Gradually reaching this level of training teaches your dog to be reliable and responsive, even in the most distracting situations.
Pro tip: We suggest incorporating short obedience sessions just outside your local farmer’s market. Increase the duration each time (starting with a couple minutes!), and then gradually move closer and closer to the populated area. This is a great way to see how your dog handles increased distractions. Of course, keep an eye on them if it's too much - you can always reduce the distraction and come back to it once they are ready.
Conclusion:
Choosing the right training location is another important key to your dog’s success. Starting with low distractions at home or in the backyard sets a solid foundation. As you progress to higher distraction levels, your dog becomes better equipped to face real-world challenges, and this repetition will foster a stronger bond between you two.
Remember, the 4 golden rules to effective dog training are clear communication, reinforcing desired behaviors, addressing unwanted actions with appropriate consequences, and using a consistent method.
As always, if you have any questions about the ins and outs of owning a dog, feel free to reach out to us via our contact page. We can’t wait to hear from you - happy training!