Dogs are amazingly intelligent animals. They learn through experience and by association, then use their experiences and associations to form habits. Here is an example: A dog hears a click from a clicker and experiences eating a treat. The dog hears 74-149 more clicks and experiences eating 74-149 more treats. Then the dog hears a click, which is now associated with eating treats, and expects to eat a treat. If this continues, the dog will develop a habit of eating treats after hearing a click.

Here is one more example. A dog experiences being calm while on the leash on the sidewalk. We repeat the experience 75-150 times, and the dog starts to associate calmness with the leash and the sidewalk, making it easier for the dog to be calm on the sidewalk. When we continue repeat the experience, the dog forms a habit of calmness while on leash on the sidewalk. Dogs learn everything that way, including manners, commands, routines, and schedules. 

Our Core Dog Training Tips

Below are tips to get the most out of your training time. 

1. Start training sessions with a starting phrase and end training sessions with an ending phrase. This will help your dog pay more attention to you. The dog will know what to expect when you start your training. 
2. Play, train, cuddle, and give your dog attention on your schedule. Do not allow your dog to demand your attention or affection.
3. Keep training sessions short and fun. Set a timer for 3 minutes. This makes it easier to train every day because training is a small event, and large chunks of time do not need to be cleared for it. It okay to have multiple sessions a day.
4. Break big training goals into manageable chunks. This will help to keep your training session short and fun. 
5. Train everyday. It is better to train for 3 minutes every day of the week than to train for 30 minutes only on Saturday. 
6. Record and rewatch your training sessions. By recording your session, you will learn a lot about your behavior and how your dog responds to you. You will notice your bad habits and have a better chance of fixing them. 
7. Be flexible in your mind. Be ready to make things easier if the dog fails, adjust goals, break tasks into smaller chunks, and expect improvement to be incremental but consistent. You should see improvement in some areas you practice after every session. 

Contact Argos Dog Training for Quality Dog & Puppy Training Services!

Now you know how dogs learn and form habits, and you have tips to improve your training time. As you incorporate this new knowledge into your training, you will see significant improvements. Feel free to reach out if you need more help or have any questions. 

Thank you for reading, and Enjoy Your Dog!!!