Training

Canicross—the name comes from the words “canine” and “cross-country”—is, essentially, the sport of long distance trail running with your dog.

Can dogs learn everything they need to know in one eight-week puppy kindergarten or basic obedience class? No. That’s just a small part of your dog’s education.

Most dogs will figure out their names eventually even without being specifically taught because it is repeated and reinforced so often. Call your dog’s name when it’s time for dinner or a walk and she will quickly learn that her name means it’s time to check in.

The goal with a recall is for the dog to respond to the “come” cue automatically, enthusiastically, and without hesitation. This is safety-critical behavior. If your dog is heading toward a busy road coming to you when you call her could save her life.

No matter what you want to teach your dog at home, the first thing to figure out is what your dog wants for a reward.

The list of possible tricks to teach your dog is endless. Here are five simple ones that can help get you started.

It’s your skill at communicating with your dog will help you live happily with your dog for the rest of the dog’s life, not the trainer's.

Scent work for dogs makes use of olfaction (the sense of smell), a dog’s primary sense for interacting with the world. Scent training for dogs is just building on what they already do by instinct from a young age.

Many trainers use a platform or a box, also called a “place board,” to help a dog understand the concept of remaining in a designated spot. It is is a low, stable surface that is used to help a dog learn to stay in the same spot while changing positions or to learn a formal “stay.”

Does your dog respond reliably to you at home, but starts ignoring you and focusing on distractions the moment you step out the door? Getting your dog to listen when distracted starts with training in a distraction free environment and slowly adding distractions.

A dog training clicker is a small low-tech device that makes a distinct and consistent clicking noise. If you consistently follow its use with a food treat (or other salient reward), the dog will quickly learn that the noise predicts a treat, and that he can make the noise and treat return by repeating whatever he was doing at the moment he heard the click.

If your dog will exhibit calm relaxed behavior when needed, it can help reduce stress and make everyone’s day smoother. When our dogs act calm, they will actually become calmer. Gradually, this state of relaxation will develop to match the outward behavior.