January is National Train Your Dog Month. It serves as a great reminder to focus on keeping your dog entertained and active. Training doesn’t have to be overwhelming and can be easily incorporated into your everyday routine.
Basic training refresh
Refreshing your pup's basic training every so often is very important. Practice sit, stay, come, and down often so your dog remembers their basic training. Loose leash training can ease your walks and help overall safety. You should also test your dog's name recognition skills. Every pet has nicknames, but ensuring that your pet is able to recognize their name and come when called is important---it will come in handy during an emergency. Finally, working on impulse control can make both your and your pet’s lives easier. Whether that's waiting before eating, having proper door manners, or being patient when seeing a squirrel, practicing impulse control can help with many other tasks.
Mental stimulation = training
You can also train your dog through mental stimulation. Whether through puzzle toys, scent work, or simple indoor games, these activities can be easy, accessible tasks that support their brains. Just like humans receive mental stimulation every day, it’s important to make sure our dogs do too. Mental exercise can sometimes be more tiring than physical exercise, and they also build bonds between dogs and humans
Simple training tricks
One way to keep your dog's attention strong and focused? Keep those training sessions under 10 minutes. When training extends past those 10 minutes, it can become tiring and detrimental. Additionally, dogs are usually motivated right before meals so spend 10 minutes on training right before you dish them up.
It’s also important to reward the behavior you want, event when it’s done perfectly. Your dog is still learning and practice makes perfect. By reminding them that they're doing things correctly, you help guide them in the right direction. Use high-value treats sparingly and end on a high note to help keep both you and your pet feeling positive and accomplished.
Advanced fun commands
Once the basic commands are learned , it's time to move on to fun and advanced commands---even better. Keep these light and engaging. Start with common ones like shake, high five, or spin, and then move on to commands like drop it and leave it. These commands add an element of fun, and some are also key skills to have and practice regularly. These tasks can start simple, then you can work them into more challenging situations.
Training your pup doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective, and even quick practice sessions can make a big difference. Train Your Dog Month reminds us that consistency, patience, and engagement go a long way for both you and your dog.
