How education works in a playful way
Dusseldorf. Practicing with the puppy at dog school for months? That doesn't necessarily have to be the case. It is certainly a sensible idea to learn the basics at a dog school, especially if you are a dog owner for the first time. But it is just as important to integrate what you have learned into your new everyday life with four-legged friends. It is often the small, regularly repeated exercises that make a decisive contribution to ensuring that a dog remains calm and attentive.
Whether on a walk, in the house or while driving – every moment of living with a dog can be part of the training. “Education works best when it is naturally integrated into everyday life,” explains Verena Helfrich, long-time dog trainer and author. “Short, recurring exercises promote the dog’s attention and can at the same time strengthen the bond with the owner.”
Everyday situations offer learning opportunities and security
Dogs learn best in their familiar environment. Anyone who uses everyday situations creates clarity and helps the four-legged friend to connect what they have learned with everyday life. Structured processes also offer security and orientation. But the training also requires consistency: what you have learned only becomes solidified when identical exercises with the same content are repeated. The dog soon knows what is expected of him in which situation and what recurring commands mean.
Just a few minutes on walks or on the go are enough to train important basic skills:
- Sit and stay: In everyday life, it is helpful in many situations if a dog stays calmly in one place and sits or lies down. Be it while waiting at a traffic light, while visiting a café or as a passenger in a car or train. Basic signal words such as “sit” or “stay” are best taught to him in peace at home or at the dog school – as well as a signal that he can move again. In actual everyday situations, the behavior becomes consolidated and one should praise when the four-legged companion stays seated as desired and waits until the signal to move on comes.
- Recall: Another important element in controlling a dog is a recall signal to which he reacts immediately and comes running. This can be a signal word, but also a consistent and clear sound such as a whistle from the mouth or a dog whistle. At the beginning, many animals need quiet, low-stimulation places to concentrate on the sound. Through positive reinforcement such as praise or treats, the behavior is linked to the signal. But even if your four-legged friend seems to have mastered the exercise perfectly, it should be repeated regularly and rewarded accordingly – so that the recall works, especially in noisy environments or when the dog is distracted.
- Leash walking: Being on a leash means that a dog on a loose leash walks relaxed next to its human and orients itself towards the person instead of pulling in one direction itself. In order to train this, regular exercise sessions are recommended, during which the four-legged friend must always remain attentive. If he follows as desired, he should be praised.
- Getting used to touch: Both when caring for it at home and when visiting the vet or groomer, it is important that the pet is used to being touched in sensitive areas such as the ears or paws. A routine is established through regular repetition.
- Common game: Playing doesn't sound like training at first. In fact, many commands can be practiced naturally and integrated into everyday life. During the so-called nose work, when the dog has to sniff an object with a certain smell, it is mentally challenged. Tea bags are suitable for this. Many dogs also enjoy retrieving and can easily be incorporated into their walk.
The more playful and carefree the training is, the better the dog learns. “It's important to practice regularly instead of setting up long sessions. Five minutes a day is often more effective than an hour on the weekend,” says expert Helfrich. “The nice thing is: training in everyday life rarely requires a lot of extra time – you just have to recognize the opportunities and take advantage of them.”