Dog Training is an essential part of ensuring a great balanced life with your dog, but choosing where you train can make a huge difference on how effective your training is. From parks to pet friendly stores, the right environment can make a huge difference for every dog’s growth. Here is a great guide for the best places to work with your dog!
1. Local Parks
Local parks are a great option to train your dog, especially for socialization and practicing obedience in a more natural setting. This space is a great place for long line recall and other long distance commands in a loosely controlled environment, giving you many opportunities to further teach and help your dog’s obedience continue to grow. Start with a less busy park to build up your dog’s threshold and training skills overtime.
Benefits:
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Real-world distractions: helps grow your dog’s obedience even through distracting environments.
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Varied terrain: Opportunities for many different surfaces and obstacles to distract and desensitize any dog.
Tips:
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Choose off-peak times at busier parks to avoid going too far over your dogs threshold with too many distractions for your first few visits.
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Bring a long line E-collar and treats to help keep better control of your dog in this type of environment.
2. Dog Training Facilities
Dog Training Facilities are specialized facilities designed for all types of dog training. These businesses offer controlled environments, experienced trainers and multiple structured classes to help a younger or less obedient dog build their skills in a more structured environment. Whether you are a beginner or doing advanced skills with your dog most facilities will have the space and tools to help you and your dog be a successful team.
Benefits:
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Professional guidance: access to structured classes and environments, as well as an experienced trainer with the knowledge you and your pup may need for the best success.
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Controlled environment: Reduced outside distractions during training sessions.
Tips:
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Check credentials of trainers and their facility to see if your goals align and if they are offering or able to offer a service that fits your needs.
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Attend a meet and greet or workshop to get to know the facility and trainer.
3. Pet-Friendly Stores
Pet stores that allow dogs can be a great place to practice training. These stores have a variety of sights, smells, and sounds that provide excellent distractions for working on impulse control and neutrality in a distracting environment. Lots of stores may host training events or other services to benefit you and your pup.
Benefits:
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Distraction training: Helps further your dogs training to remain focused even in highly distracting environments.
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Real-life scenarios: Puts your dogs training to the test in a real life environment.
Tips:
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Keep the first few visits short to keep your dog engaged and to not overwhelm them too much.
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Balanced training will keep a dog under more control in an environment like this by correcting the things you don’t like and praising what you do.
4. Dog-Friendly Beaches
If you’re near the coast or a lake, dog-friendly beaches can be an excellent place for training. The open space and freedom can be really beneficial for recall training and teaching your dog to stay close and pay attention to you. Beaches or lakes also create many opportunities for your dog to experience new sights and sounds, enhancing their socialization to many new things.
Benefits:
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Wide-open space: Ideal for off-leash training and recall practice.
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Environmental enrichment: New sights and smells can be stimulating and engaging for your dog.
Tips:
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Ensure the beach or lake is truly dog-friendly and follow local regulations.
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Bring plenty of fresh water and check the tide schedule to ensure safety.
7. Dog-Friendly Cafes and Restaurants
As cafes and restaurants are becoming more dog-friendly, offering a relaxed environment where you can train your dog while enjoying a meal is a great way to further a well behaved dog’s obedience, especially duration work in many different commands. These places provide real-world distractions, such as other people and food smells, which is great for reinforcing and furthering the duration and distraction of your dog’s current obedience skills.
Benefits:
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Real-life practice: Teaches your dog to behave well in heavily populated areas.
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Socialization: Exposes your dog to many different people and scenarios.
Tips:
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Ensure your dog has a good understanding of their basic obedience commands to ensure success in an environment that isn’t going to allow for too much movement.
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Double check that the establishment is genuinely dog-friendly and check their policies.
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Bring your dog’s chew and treats to make the experience enjoyable.
Training your dog in many different environments helps create a well rounded mindset and lifestyle for you and your dog. Whether it’s the local park, outdoor restaurant, beach, or training facility each location offers many specialized environments and opportunities to grow your dog’s obedience as well as create a stronger bond for you and your dog. The key for great success is consistency, patience and knowledge on what best suits you and your dog’s needs.