6 Things All Dogs Need To Know to Live Their Best Lives

Bringing a new dog home, whether it’s a puppy from a reputable breeder or a rescue in need of a forever home, is a joyous occasion. It’s a fresh start for both the dog and your family, and the process of integration can be a delightful journey of discovery and bonding as you teach your dog.

Introducing a new pet to your family is a significant responsibility, and one of the most crucial aspects of this is training your dog. Training, along with other important factors such as socializing, feeding, exercising, and meeting their daily needs, is a tangible demonstration of your commitment to your new family member.

With few exceptions, all dog breeds have the potential to thrive on training and are generally receptive to it. Even breeds like the Siberian Husky, beagle, and Chow Chows, which are more independent and may be perceived as difficult to train, can still learn and adapt with the right approach.

Teaching your new dog tricks like sit and paw is great for building bonds, and fancy tricks such as crossing paws, rolling over, or even dancing with you can be pretty impressive to roll out. But when it comes to teaching your dog valuable skills, you can do many important things to help them live their best lives and give them the tools to be the best family pet they can be and live a happy, healthy life.

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Noise Desensitization

Dogs can be especially sensitive to noise, especially sudden loud ones, during fireworks seasons. As a responsible pet owner, preparing your dog for such situations is not just a task; it’s a demonstration of your care and consideration for their well-being.

Start off by playing loud noises or fireworks via YouTube, for example, on low in the house, to get your dog used to the noises. Pair the low sounds with some high-value treats to start off a positive association. As your dog gets used to the noise, you can slowly increase the sound levels and the intensity in stages so they are used to it before you move forward. 

Once you are happy they are okay with fireworks; you can proof this throughout the year to ensure they are ready and prepared for unexpected noises. This training can reduce the risk of your dog becoming scared every time fireworks are set off or running off if they are accidentally shocked when you’re out.

It’s important to remember that dogs’ reactions can change with time and age. Your once-younger pup, who wasn’t bothered by loud noises, could be scared of them as it gets older. This is why ongoing training is vital. Regular training sessions can help your dog adapt to changes in their environment and behavior, ensuring they remain well-behaved and safe.

Thresholds

Teaching your dog the boundaries of your home and instilling in them the importance of not crossing them without permission can drastically increase their safety and stop them from bolting whenever the door is open. You cannot secure all exits 24/7, and from time to time, there may be opportunities for your dog to escape. It’s estimated that 1 in 3 pets will go missing in their lifetimes, and working on threshold training can help you to reduce that risk.

Sit with your dog by the main front door to your home and start by opening it slightly. If your dog doesn’t move, reward them with their favorite treats. If your dog moves, reset and start again, only rewarding when you get the behavior you want.  From here, increase the amount of time the door is open and the duration it’s open, and ensure you’re rewarding them for not moving.

You can introduce a word that allows them to move, breaking their place cue if you have one; a break cue such as “yes,” “go,” or “break” can signal the end of their training and enable them to move. But they shouldn’t be moving without that word.

Once your dog is staying in place with open doors, try moving outside to see if they follow you. Again, start slow and increase as their tolerance builds up, reinforcing they can only go when they are given the right command word.

Grooming

All dogs will need some grooming throughout their lives, from baths to cleaning, brushing teeth, cutting nails, trimming, and brushing at the very least. Some dog breeds require more intensive levels of grooming and regular visits to an experienced groomer, while others do not even need anything more than a few baths per year and a good brush come molting season.

Working with your pup to get them used to different grooming tools and equipment can facilitate less stressful grooming. It’s not just about making the grooming process easier for you but also about ensuring your dog is happy and relaxed during grooming. If you will be using a groomer multiple times, booking visits without anything being done might be a good idea. As can just spending time in the groomers around the tools and equipment they use.

When undertaking at-home grooming, you need to follow the same type of structure for your training. Let’s say you’re investing in high-tech grooming equipment like the Uproot Clean dog grooming vacuum. Let your dog spend time around it without it being on or used first. 

Again, keep those treats handy.

Then, work up their exposure slowly by having it on but not used, then on and close to them. Then on and moving it around before using it on them. Use this method for things like brushing, washing, bathing, ear cleaning, and brushing teeth. This way, there’s no struggle or stress involved when you need to groom them at home or visit a grooming salon for them.

Focus on You

The focus cue for your dog on you can be a great way of keeping them safe or recalling them from a dangerous situation. If you’re ever in a scenario where you need them to stay with you, the focus command can bring them back to you and help you keep them safe.

One way to start this is to get your dog to look at you when you say their name. Then, make sure to reward each instance they do this. Then, you need to repeat this randomly throughout the day until you’re happy they’ve got it.

From here, you can introduce distractions to work with so you can prove the behavior: busy environments, around other dogs, as part of our recall training, randomly on walks, etc., and keep practicing so that you know what you need to use if your dog’s focus will be bulletproof in any situation.

 

Recall

Your dog should never be off-lead in public spaces without exceptional recall. Many people struggle with recall training, but it is vital for all dogs to return to their owners without hesitation when called.

You can start to recall training at home or in your yard using long lines. Mark and reward each instance they return to you. Have a clear marker word you don’t use for anything else that signals them it came to you. You can use a whistle or a clicker if you wish, but a recall word will work just as well. “Come,” “Here,” and “insert dog name” can all be used as recall markers, and the aim is simply to use the word, and they return upon command, no messing about. The long line ensures you can keep them under your control while they’re learning.

Your recall training needs to be completed in many different environments, not just with you putting your dog in a sit and calling them to you, although this is still a good skill to teach them. Let them walk off on a dropped line within reach of you, and then as they are moving away, sniffing, etc., you call them back randomly.

Again, you need to work your dog in distracting environments as much as possible as this will ensure that the dog understands that not only in certain circumstances do they need to come back but at any time at all they call you.

Settle

The settle cue simply gives your dog the chance to stop and rest. It is ideal for training puppies to switch off or for providing high-energy dogs with downtime. Dogs need plenty of sleep. If they’re on the go all the time, this can cause huge behavioral problems that can impact your life.

Again, much like the points before, you need a settle cue. “Settle,” “rest,” and “bed” all work well in this instance. Then you need the location of the settle, which could be a mat, their bed crate, etc.

Pick your spot, then lure your dog to the space, and reward when they get onto the chosen settle placement. Marking and rewarding are crucial to reinforcing that this is their settled place. Once they’ve got it, increase the settle time, move away from them, leave the room, and add distractions over time as you get more experienced with teaching this cue.

Settle can help your dog switch off, retreat to a safe space if they are worried, give them a place to stop and sit if you’re out or in new environments, or simply give them a timeout. It’s a useful training tip for any scenario, and it is one of the best things you can teach your dog.

Your dog has the capacity to learn many things throughout its life, and training is an excellent way to build a bond with your pet, help them develop behaviors that will give them the best life, and keep them safe.