Editor's Pick Training Videos

The precise methods you use will depend on the dog you have, and every dog is different.  The activities which are challenging for your pup are the ones you want to work on as soon and as much as possible.

All-or-None reward training is perfect for distracted dogs.  Without luring, it’s up to the dog to figure out how to get their reward.

Good dogs are fun to be around.  A dog that’s well-behaved and always under control will get to go out into the world and meet lots of people.  They’ll be happier and you’ll be happier.

A dog’s brain is very context-dependent.  You have to teach them Sit From Down as well as Sit From Stand.  In the dog’s mind, they’re entirely different.  Use at least three positions to keep them listening.

True off–leash control means that your dog will listen to you even when they’re in the middle of another fun activity.  Until you have this control, be very careful of where you let them fun free.

If you want your dog’s stays to be reliable, you need to practice them.  Slowly introduce distance and distractions to test your dog’s stays.  Pay constant attention and use lots of feedback to keep them in position.

Pass the Puppy teaches your pup to enjoy being handled by strangers.  If you are the only person who handles your dog, they may not be comfortable being touched by anyone else, including your vet.

Proper lure-reward training will progress through four quantum leaps: 1. Phasing out Food Lures, 2. Reducing the Number of Food Rewards, 3. Phasing Out Food Rewards, 4. Phasing Out External Rewards.

Playing with one other dog will not be sufficient for your pup’s socialization.  Instead, they should meet, and play with as many other puppies and dogs as possible.

By turning around after rewarding the dog for looking at us, we can easily train it to actively make eye contact with us.

Good dogs are fun to be around.  A dog that’s well-behaved and always under control will get to go out into the world and meet lots of people.  They’ll be happier and you’ll be happier.

Attention is vital for training.  With it, everything is exponentially easier.  Build your “Watch Me” command a little at a time, until you can practice it at the park.

Smaller dogs can be harder to lure.  It may take longer to get going, and you’ll probably want to start by rewarding even small steps in the right direction.

A chewtoy cannot be consumed or destroyed.  Toys which can be eaten pose a very serious safety concern for your dog.

Lures are very useful to show your dog what to do.  But make sure you start phasing them out ASAP, or else you’ll end up with a dog that only behaves when you have a treat.

Socialization is a never ending process, just because you socialized your puppy well doesn't mean you can neglect them when they get older. Take your dog on walk and trips to the park.

Every time your dog performs an unacceptable behavior, it self-reinforces a bad habit.  The use of confinement training in puppyhood is going to result in greater freedom for the rest of their life.  Confinement allows you to supervise them anyime they’re free, and redirect bad behaviors into good ones.

It’s easy to lure a dog to stop barking: simply present a treat for them to sniff.  They can’t bark and sniff at the same time.  You needn’t always reward them with the treat, but you should praise them as soon as they stop barking.

A dog that doesn’t settle down on command is going to be a pain to live with.  It can be very useful to train several  down positions, depending on how long you want them to stay down.

Dr. Ian Dunbar shows how to teach your dog to lie down using lure/reward training.