Training a new puppy can be an incredibly difficult process. Between house training and behavior training, a new puppy is a lot like a full-time job. When you combine that job with your actual job, you may find yourself in dire need of some short cuts. Not to mention how much more difficult the process can be if your new dog has any kind of past trauma that makes him atypical – even something as seemingly simple as a particularly stubborn personality can complicate matters.
If you’re struggling to train your puppy to fit into your home and your lifestyle, then you’re in the right place. We’ve compiled a list of 101 tips and tricks for training your puppy, covering everything from housebreaking to obedience training, crate training, and puppy training pads, as well as links to top training videos, guides, products, and everything you need to get your new puppy settled well into your lifestyle and routine.
Potty Training Puppy
1. It’s natural. “In theory, it shouldn’t be so difficult. In the wild, puppies naturally learn how not to do their business where they sleep or eat. They learn this because their mother keeps the den cleaned up, immediately getting rid of any messes her puppies make. Without that scent around, the puppies don’t associate the area with relieving themselves.” – Potty Training a Puppy, Cesar’s Way; Twitter: @cesarmillan
2. Make a schedule. “This is vital to housetraining success. Puppies have tiny bladders, and water just runs right through them. The same holds true for solid matter. Goes in. Goes out. You have to make sure you are giving your puppy ample opportunity to do the right thing.” – Mara Bovsun, How to Potty Train a Puppy: A Comprehensive Guide for Success, American Kennel Club; Twitter: @akcdoglovers
3. Don’t expect the impossible.“The first thing to understand is that a puppy doesn’t have control over muscles of elimination before four months of age, and all puppies vary in the developmental time of these muscles. Smaller dogs have smaller bladders and will need to urinate more frequently.” – Estelle W., Puppy Training: What You Need to Know for Successful Housebreaking, Found Animals; Twitter: @FoundAnimalsOrg
4. Out they go after every… “Take them outside immediately after waking up, during and after playing, and after eating and drinking.” – How to House Train a Puppy, Safer Place for Pups; Twitter: @SaferPups
5. Factor in their previous arrangements. “Your puppy’s previous living conditions are another predictor. You may find that you need to help your puppy break old habits in order to establish more desirable ones.” – House Training Your Puppy, WebMD; Twitter: @WebMD
6. The first week is the hardest. “The first week of potty training a puppy is tiring, but it does get easier I promise. You might find yourself questioning why you decided on a puppy to begin with – trust me, we’ve all been there. But after that first week it’s going to get easier.” – Jen Gabbard, 5 Simple Tips For Potty Training Your Puppy, Puppy Leaks; Twitter: @puppyleak
7. Remember dogs aren’t humans. “In my experience, one of the main reasons housetraining fails is because dog parents have a tendency to look at their canine companions as four-legged humans. They view pet accidents on the floor the same way they would view a person who relieved him- or herself on the floor. While your dog is a member of your family, he’s not a person, and if you mishandle potty mistakes in the house, you’ll very often get the opposite outcome of the one you want, and make the situation worse.” – Dr. Karen Becker, Avoid This Mistake – Thwarts Nearly Every Attempt to House Train Your Pup, Healthy Pets; Twitter: @drkarenbecker
8. Use puppy pads for ‘just in case.’ “While puppy pads are very useful for containing those inevitable little messes in the first few months of your puppy’s life, you don’t want your dog to develop a habit of using them to go to the toilet instead of waiting until they’re let outside. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that someone can pop in on your dog every few hours or so to take them outside. This way, the puppy pads are simply a back-up to their regular toilet training.” – James Shore, How to Raise a Puppy if You Work a Full Time Job – It’s not Impossible!, Labrador Training; Twitter: @LabTrainingHQ
9. Ask for help. “If you have any trusted friends or family members who own dogs or are good with animals, think about asking them for help. Try to think how you can make the arrangement convenient for them, like bringing your puppy and its necessities to their house before work. Consider ways that you can offer incentives and perks for your dog-sitting friend, especially if you’re not paying them. Try to do something you know they’d appreciate, like taking them out to dinner or some other activity every week or so.” – How to Care for a Puppy when You Work Full Time, WikiHow; Twitter: @wikiHow
10. You get more bees with honey. “There is only one acceptable methodology for potty training a dog of any age: positive reinforcement. Traditional advice suggests swatting a dog or rubbing his face in his waste for mistakes in the house, but those techniques do nothing to make the potty training process more understandable for your dog and can actually damage your relationship with him. Keep in mind, dogs don’t view their waste the way we do – to them, pee and poo is pretty interesting! Punishing your dog for going in the house won’t help him understand what he should do instead and might make him afraid to go near you at all, inside or out. Successful potty training requires patience, kindness, and remembering that your new puppy is just learning the rules.” – Victoria Schade, How to Potty Train Your Dog, PetMD; Twitter: @petMD
11. Before you leave your puppy, prepare him. “Before you leave the house for work, take your pup for a walk, and when you return after you feed him, take him out again.” – How to House Train a Puppy When You Work All Day, DogAppy
12. Accidents happen. “Mistakes happen. Expect your puppy to have a few accidents in the house—it’s a normal part of housetraining […] Don’t punish your puppy for eliminating in the house. If you find a soiled area, it’s too late to administer a correction. Just clean it up. Rubbing your puppy’s nose in it, taking them to the spot and scolding them or any other punishment will only make them afraid of you or afraid to eliminate in your presence. Punishment will often do more harm than good.” – How to Housetrain Your Dog or Puppy, The Humane Society of the United States of America; Twitter: @HumaneSociety
13. Plan for said accidents. “When you are out buying cute little toys and treats, don’t forget the urine remover. Do not think you can use just any old cleaner. Even if you can not smell it any longer, your dog can. You need a cleaner specific for cleaning up his mess, it will remove the smell for him as well. A dog will continue to go where he can smell it. Ever see a dog sniffing the ground when looking for a place to go? This is why, typically he is looking for a place he has gone before, or a place another dog has.” – Tabatha H, 5 Tips to Housebreaking Your Puppy When You Work Full Time, Dogvills; Twitter: @DogVills
14. Keep an eye on him. “Watch your puppy closely when you are home with him for any sign that he needs to go outside; this could include pacing, scratching at the door or whining. Immediately take him outside and praise him when he uses the proper bathroom spot.” – Lori Lapierre, How to Housebreak a Puppy If You Work All Day, The Nest; Twitter: @TheNest
15. If you work, it can take a village to raise a puppy. “I’d recommend bringing on one or more […] people to help you, but your puppy should also get used to spending sometime alone during the day. I’d make it a goal to try and not crate your puppy more than 1-2 hours twice a day. Even if you do not work full time, I highly recommend getting others to help you when raising a puppy. I often hear in the guide and service dog community: ‘It takes a village to raise a puppy.’ By the way, you won’t need help from friends and family forever. Although I’m sure your puppy will always enjoy the company of people over being left alone, most people cannot spend time with their pups 24×7.” – Colby, What Do You Do With Your Puppy When You Work Full Time?, Puppy in Training; Twitter: @PuppyInTraining
16. Celebrate his victories. “With the added challenge of getting your puppy outside of your apartment before she goes potty, it’s all the more important to celebrate each victory. Dogs respond amazingly well to positive reinforcement. Just the sound of your joyous voice can do more to aid in potty training than treats could ever do. Never punish or yell at your pup for having an accident indoors. Punishments will only train your puppy you cannot be trusted and can lead to anxiety related behavior problems.” – Dina Fantegrossi, The Potty Game: How to Train Your Puppy in an Apartment, AMLI Residential; Twitter: @AMLIapts
17. Don’t forget this is also bonding time. You need to train him, yes. But building trust will only serve to ease his training, so don’t skip it. “As you use these strategies, remember to enjoy this bonding time with your new pet so that they will continue to work toward learning this important part of their training.” – 7 Tips for Potty Training A Puppy In An Apartment, Artificial Grass Recyclers; Twitter: @agrecyclers
18. Take notes. “For several weeks, I wrote everything down. Soon, I was able to see patterns and that allowed me to get ahead of Emily. For example, every night at around 2 a.m. she’d start to cry and scratch. By the time she started fussing, it was too late. So, I set an alarm for 1:45 and got her to the street in plenty of time. Writing everything down, including when she had an excitement squirt after people squealed at her (which was often), made all the difference.” – Mara Bovsum, Big Dog, Big City: How to Make House Training Work, American Kennel Club; Twitter: @akcdoglovers
19. Reward him the way he wants to be rewarded. “Offer praise and/or rewards for desired behavior. Whether your dog responds best to verbal praise, a favorite toy or a special treat, be sure to lavish him with a positive stimulus every time he successfully goes in the proper location.” – Stacy Painter, Potty Training Your Puppy When You Live In An Apartment, Preventative Vet; Twitter: @PreventiveVet
20. Towards the end of the training, introduce the bell. “A great and fun way to house train your dog is to train her to communicate to you when she needs to go out to potty is by teaching her to ring a potty train bell. This is best taught after your dog seems to prefer to go outside to potty and you would like to give her a good way to communicate that to you. The dog bell works especially well for dogs who only have only a few accidents or have accidents by the door. Teaching your dog to ring a bell prevents her from needing to resort to such ‘uncivilized’ behavior as scratching on the door or barking to tell you to let her out.” – Jess Rollins, Dog Bell Training: Training Your Dog to Ring a Bell to Go Out to Potty, Pet Expertise; Twitter: @PetExpertise
Check Out These Resources and Products for Potty Training Your Puppy:
- How to Housebreak Your Dog in 7 Days (Revised)
- House-training Your Dog
- Ultimate guide to house training your puppy
- Caldwell’s Pet Supply Co. Potty Bells Housetraining Dog Doorbells
- Puppy Training: How to Housebreak Your Puppy in Just 7 Days!
- PUPPYPRO Puppy Dog Potty Toilet Training Tray
- POTTY TRAINING FOR PUPPIES Complete Guide
- Zacro Dog Doorbells for Dog Training and 1 Training Clicker
- Learning to Listen
Crate Training a Puppy
21. Understand the purpose of a dog crate. “Dogs are naturally den animals. In the wild, a dog’s den is their home, a safe space where he can sleep, retreat, and raise pups without fear of danger, without outside threat. For a domesticated dog, a crate fulfills this natural need for a safe haven. If introduced and used correctly, the crate will be where your dog willingly chooses to sleep, hide when it storms, and quite possibly, lay around in for no other reason other than it’s their very own space.” – Sara Logan Wilson, Crate Training Your Puppy: The Key To A Pee-Free Home, Canine Journal; Twitter: @CanineJournal
22. Don’t misuse the crate. “A crate is not a magical solution to common canine behavior. If not used correctly, a dog can feel trapped and frustrated. Never use the crate as a punishment. Your dog will come to fear it and refuse to enter.” – Crate Training 101, Humane Society of the United States of America; Twitter: @HumaneSociety
23. There are some big benefits to crate training. “A crate works well as a bed. Because it’s enclosed, the puppy crate also serves as a safe retreat to get away from other pets or pestering children. Don’t you want a private place of your own where you won’t be bothered? Puppies are no different. A crate also can be a safe place to confine that rambunctious puppy. That keeps him out of trouble when you aren’t able to watch him. Besides, most dogs must be confined from time to time, when they travel by car or stay at the veterinarian, for example. So already knowing about and accepting a crate should be part of your puppy’s training. It is one of the best tools available for helping to potty train your puppy.” – Amy Shojai, Puppy Crate Training, The Spruce Pets; Twitter: @amyshojai
24. Understand the crate-training process. “Crate training can take days or weeks, depending on your dog’s age, temperament and past experiences. It’s important to keep two things in mind while crate training. The crate should always be associated with something pleasant, and training should take place in a series of small steps – don’t go too fast.” – How To Crate Train Your Dog, Paws; Twitter: @PAWStweets
25. Pick the right crate. “Your dog’s crate should be just large enough for him to stand up and turn around in. If your dog is still growing, choose a crate size that will accommodate his adult size. Block off the excess crate space so your dog can’t eliminate at one end and retreat to the other. Your local animal shelter may rent out crates. By renting, you can trade up to the appropriate size for your puppy until he’s reached his adult size, when you can invest in a permanent crate.” – Crates 101: A Guide to Crate Training, The Barking Lot; Twitter: @TBLTweets
Check out our lists of the Best Small Dog Crates and the Best Large Dog Crates to find the perfect crate for your puppy.
26. Make a proper introduction to the crate. “Put the crate in a familiar area of your house and leave the crate door open. Leave treats or toys in and around the crate, which will encouraging your dog to explore inside the crate. This step could last a few days, depending on how comfortable your pooch is upon first encountering the crate. Remember that giving a puppy ample time to adjust to each stage of crate training will help the entire training process go smoothly.” – Erica Jorgensen, Tips for Crate Training a Puppy: No Whimpering Necessary, Daily Treat; Twitter: @RoverDotCom
27. Don’t force your puppy. “Encourage her to go into the crate by throwing a favorite treat or chew inside. If your puppy decides to settle, allow her to do so without closing the door so she can make her own decision about whether to stay or leave. Once she is comfortable going into the crate, begin closing the door for a few seconds at a time, gradually building up the duration as long she is relaxed.” – Victoria Stilwell, Crate Training, Positively; Twitter: @VictoriaS
28. Start with short times with the door closed. “You haven’t even tried to close the door with him inside. Right? This is important as you want to get him to absolutely love going inside the crate and not be scared or worried about the door. Once he’s got that, you should be ready to start closing the door. Start the session as you left off but this time close the crate door for a few seconds while he is still eating the last treats you threw in. Open the crate door and let him out before he is done eating. Repeat about three or four times. The next step is to start gradually increasing the time the door is shut, with your pup inside of course. We are talking seconds and not minutes so it is really slow. Drop some treats into the crate while the door is shut to get him to happily stay put. Do not walk away and leave him at this point. Adding a favorite toy or a stuffed Kong will keep him occupied. It will also help speed up the process of crate training your puppy if you feed meals in the crate.” – Sharon, Crate Training a Puppy, Dog Care Knowledge; Twitter: @Dogcareknow
29. Gradually introduce crated bedtimes. “Soon the dog should happily use the crate voluntarily. When you reach this stage, (NOT BEFORE) wait until he goes in for a sleep, then close the door. Stay in the room, and let him out as he starts to wake up. When your dog is used to this routine, leave him for a minute after he wakes up, (with you still in the room). Gradually (over about a week) increase the time you can do this.” – Stan Rawlinson, Crate Training Puppies The Easy Way, DogListener
30. You’ll still have to get up in the middle of the night. “Let a puppy out of his crate every two hours when you start training, particularly between 8 weeks and 12 weeks. The Humane Society of the United States website says puppies younger than 6 months old can be in a crate for three to four hours at a time, maximum. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to get up in the middle of the night every night for six months or more; but you won’t be able to go all night for a period. On his own, the dog will sleep through the night when his bladder will let him. If he’s sound asleep, he’s not desperate to pee. One he awakens, though, he will be.” – Melodie Anne, Can My Puppy Sleep in Another Room in His Crate at Night?, The Nest; Twitter: @TheNest
31. Cut off water before bed. “To make this process easier on both of you, I suggest taking water up 2 hours prior to bedtime and going out with your pup last thing before you go to bed at night. Stay on a schedule! Dogs adapt more readily to situations that are predicable and they like being on a normalized schedule.” – Chet Womach, Crate Training Puppies, The Dog Training Secret; Twitter: @DogTrainer411
32. Adhere to guidelines. “A good rule of thumb is that a dog can be crated overnight and for up to half the day, provided his social and physical needs are being met while not in the crate. Young puppies need more frequent naps and much more frequent opportunities to “do their business” than adults. A good estimate of how long a pup can wait before needing to relieve himself is as many hours as he is months old, plus one. So a three-month-old pup can manage for about four hours. Overnight he can usually hold a bit longer, usually about 1.5 times the daytime maximum—about six hours for a three-month-old. But don’t forget that puppies need to be thoroughly socialized before they are five months old—so those hours awake and out of the crate are very precious for socialization!” – Jennifer Messer, A Trainer’s Truth About Crates, Modern Dog Magazine; Twitter: @ModernDogMag
33. Too much time in a crate can be harmful for your puppy. “[Some] believe that prolonged confinement can be damaging – and they say some people lock pet dogs in tiny crates for up to 18–22 hours total per day. Over-crated dogs, they say, can suffer complications from ‘cage-rage’, to anxiety, fearfulness and depression.” – Sofija Stefanovic, In the Dog House: When Does Crating Your Canine Become Pet Abuse?, The Guardian; Twitter: @guardian
34. Don’t set him up for feelings of betrayal. “Always vary the length of time that your dog will spend in its crate, especially during training. This will prevent your dog from ‘expecting’ to be let out at a particular time and reduce any issues such as whining or scratching at the crate door.” – Crate Training Your Dog, RSPCA Victoria; Twitter: @RSPCAVIC
35. Crates serve many purposes. “A kennel crate also serves as a travel cabin for you dog when travelling by car or plane. Additionally, most hotels which accept dogs on their premises require them to be crated while in the room to prevent damage to hotel furniture and rugs.” – Robin Kovary, Crate Training, INCH: Internet Channel
36. Make your puppy comfortable in his crate. “You’ll also need to outfit their crate with some bedding. If the dog does not chew fabric or soil bedding, you can use a towel or light blanket inside the crate. Newspaper is not a good idea, as it may send the message of ‘potty here,’ especially if the dog was previously trained to go on paper. A few dogs will urinate in a crate if bedding is provided. If your dog does this, remove the bedding until the pup starts to understand that bedding is for sleeping–not for a potty pad!” – Crate Training and Housebreaking Made Easy: House Training a Puppy, Dogtime; Twitter: @dogtimedotcom
37. Sometimes crates are just necessary. And won’t your pup be a step ahead if these ever come up? “If your puppy ever has to go to the vet for a procedure or surgery, she will be crated in a dog cage before and afterwards. If she is used to being confined in this way, she will be much less stressed before and after her surgery. Sometimes, due to illness or post-surgery, exercise has to be restricted for some dogs.” – Jo Laurens, Crate Training A Puppy – The Ultimate Expert Guide, The Happy Puppy Site
38. Crating may help during chaotic times. “Crating can even be a good idea for adult dogs at mealtimes or when you have guests; that’s when even the most delightful dogs can make themselves a nuisance.” – Crate Expectations: Crate Training Your Dog, Petsmart; Twitter: @PetSmart
39. Never drag your dog out of his crate. “If you are planning on a task that you expect your dog to find unpleasant, such as a bath, close the door to the crate before he realizes your intentions, so that he cannot hide in it. You want to avoid turning his safe haven into a battle ground with you trying to drag him out of his den.” – Barbara Fitzgerald, 5 Tips On Crate Training: The Nice Way To Crate A Puppy, Pet Helpful; Twitter: @PetHelpful
40. Never ignore a fear of or around the crate. “[T]ry to find what scares your pup and eliminate it. Sometimes it’s the crate itself; try switching crates to alleviate her stress. Another possible problem might be that you’re trying to take her out of her den when she doesn’t want to leave it. Never try to force your puppy out. Teach her to leave the crate at your verbal command instead.” – Alexandra, 8 Steps To Crate Train a Puppy Fast (Complete Guide), Animalso
Check Out These Resources and Products for Crate Training Your Puppy:
- Puppy Crate Training: Iams® Puppy Training
- Crate Training
- How to Crate Train A Puppy
- Karen Pryor Academy’s Positive Crate Training Guide
- Crate Training Cesar Milan Dog Whisper
- How To Crate Train Your PUPPY!
- Crate training your dog or puppy
- Crate Training eBook
- Crate Training: An A-Z Handbook On How To Crate Train A Puppy, Crate Training Dogs, Crate Training Schedule and Much More
- How to Crate Train Your Puppy
- Dog Training: A Step-by-Step Guide to Leash Training, Crate Training, Potty Training, Obedience and Behavior Training (Dog Training Books) (Volume 1)
Puppy Obedience Training
41. Keep it short. “Your puppy will see everything as a game, so keep him stimulated by changing what he’s learning. Do each command for about five minutes and come back to it whenever you can.” – Teaching Your Puppy: Obedience Training Basics, Hills Pet; Twitter: @HillsPet
42. Start early and create a bond. “To establish a positive rapport with your puppy and prevent many future problems, start training a few days after your puppy settles in. A relationship based on friendship and trust will ensure that he tries hard to win you praise and approval.” – Kathy Santo, Puppy training basics, IAMS; Twitter: @IAMS
43. No, really early. “You will be training your puppy from the moment you bring it home and start to house train. Puppies start learning from birth and good breeders begin handling and socialization right away. Some training can begin as soon as the puppy can open its eyes and walk. Young puppies have short attention spans but you can expect them to begin to learn simple obedience commands such as ‘sit,’ ‘down,’ and ‘stay,’ as young as 7 to 8 weeks of age.” – Debra Horwitz, Puppy Behavior and Training – Training Basics, VCA Hospitals; Twitter: @VCAPetHealth
44. Training them will mitigate future behavior problems. “Dogs have their own set of behavioral problems. Lack of discipline may badly affect your dog’s behavior and turn your beloved pet into a disobedient, aggressive or unruly dog. As a dog owner you should be aware of these problems and train your dog accordingly.” – How To Train Your Dog, Train Pet Dog; Twitter: @trainpetdog
45. His name matters. “Of course you’ll want to pick a name for your new puppy or dog that you love, but for the purposes of training it also helps to consider a short name ending with a strong consonant. This allows you to say his name so that he can always hear it clearly. A strong ending (i.e., Jasper, Jack, Ginger) perks up puppy ears—especially when you place a strong emphasize at the end.” – 10 Best Training Tips, Pedigree; Twitter: @PedigreeUS
46. Proper training will make your dog a better community participant. “Dog Training for Obedience lays down a set of rules or boundaries which educates your dog to become a responsible member of society. Including how to relate to other dogs, animals and people, basic manners and how to behave in any situation.” – Dog Training For Obedience – The Key To Raising A Well Behaved Dog, Dog Training Central; Twitter: @ThePaw_com
47. Work on his vocabulary. “The most important words are ‘No,’ which means, ‘Stop whatever you’re doing,’ and ‘Good,’ which means ‘I like what you’re doing.’ These praise and correction words should be started at 2-3 months of age. You must teach these words properly, with the right tone of voice and the right body language, or they won’t be of any help in teaching other words. If your puppy is older than 2-3 months and hasn’t learned ‘No’ and ‘Good’ flawlessly, you must start with those words before you can expect success with other word training.” – Ralph and Michele Welton, Puppy Training Schedule: What To Teach Puppies, and When, Your Purebred Puppy; Twitter: @yourpurebredpup
Check out our list of the Best Dog Training Collars to find the perfect training collar for your puppy.
48. Give plenty of affection. “Most people don’t have a problem being very clear about when they are unhappy with their dogs, but, they often ignore the good stuff. Big mistake! Make sure you give your dog lots of attention when he’s doing the right thing. Let him know when he’s been a good boy. That’s the time to be extra generous with your attention and praise. It’s even okay to be a little over the top.” – Traci Theis and Kellyann Conway, Top Ten Dog Training Tips, Pet Finder; Twitter: @petfinder
49. But don’t overwhelm the puppy. “Your new puppy has just been taken away from her mom and littermates. She is vulnerable and impressionable. What she needs now is security and routine. Play with her quietly and gently. Don’t flood her with attention and activity. If she looks like she wants to sleep, leave her alone. Puppies need lots of sleep.” – Training Puppy the First Week, Perfect Paws
50. Know your dog’s personality. “Intuitively, we all know that our dogs are like no others. They react hilariously to the most benign and everyday of sounds, or they sleep on their backs trying to copy the humans they watch daily. But, it’s not uncommon to totally forget how unique our dogs are when it comes time to do some training. Fittingly, despite some opinions to the contrary, there is no one holy grail method of training. Get to know your dog’s personality and you’ll have the keys to effective training sessions.” – Rosalee Kaschel, How Your Dog’s Personality Affects Training, PetSafe; Twitter: @PetSafe
51. Factor in you, too. “Your dog is not the only factor to take in to consideration when you are training in basic obedience; you also play a huge part of your dogs training process. If you are considerably impatient or easily frustrated then you are going to want to approach teaching your dog obedience in short lessons that focus on one command at a time. You can also benefit from enrolling in a small obedience class that will allow you a reprieve if you are feeling overwhelmed.” – Amy Brannan, Dog Obedience Tips: Patience Is Key, Canine Journal; Twitter: @CanineJournal
52. Train yourself. “Most owners mistakenly believed they need to have their dogs trained when in fact the owners need the education more than the dog do. The most important component in any successful relationship between dog and owner is that the owner understands the dog and that the dog understands the owner.” – Matthew Kinneman, Puppy Obedience Training Tips The Top Ten Mistakes Owners Make, Vitamins For Pitbulls; Twitter: @bullymax
53. Start at home. “The best place to start puppy obedience training is at your home, where you don’t have distractions and where your puppy is familiar, so we can avoid the environmental stress factor that happens when a dog is in a new and unfamiliar place. Remember your puppy is in the learning phase, later on during our next steps we will add different stress factors and distractions.” – Mario Ancic, Puppy Obedience Training…Where It All Begins, Training Your Dog and You
54. Remember your dog wants to please you. “Understanding more about how a dog thinks and what is ‘normal’ for your dog will help you. It is important to remember that, for the most part, our dogs are keen to please – so if they are not doing as you ask, it may be because you are not being clear about what you want or are not using rewards, commands and body language in a way your dog understands.” – Dog Obedience Training, Purina; Twitter: @Purina
55. Socialize your puppy early. “Socialization means training your puppy or adult dog to accept new people, animals, and various places by exposing him to these things. Socialized dogs are less likely to develop behavior problems and are generally more welcomed by others. Socialization can also help prevent the development of fears and phobias. The bottom line is that socializing your dog or puppy will make him a happier, more well-behaved dog.” – Jenna Stregowski, 10 Steps To Train Your Dog, The Spruce Pets; Twitter: @JennaDogs
56. Start with basic commands. “To start, force yourself to slow down and focus on one command at a time with the plan to work through all of the basics, which include: sit, stay, heel, down, kennel and place.” – Tom Dokken, 4 Tips for Dog Obedience Training, Gun Dog; Twitter: @GunDogMag
57. Stay firm. “This is where you learn how to show your dog that you are the one in charge, that you are the alpha leader and that you are the person they need to listen to you. This will make training your puppy a lot easier. As your puppy grows, so will his need to assert himself. Be sure that you don’t cave into your puppy’s every whim.” – Richard Sprawson, Beagle Puppy Obedience Training Tips And Methods, Beagles In My Kitchen; Twitter: @rgs112
58. There are no shortcuts. “Be careful of advertisements for 10 minute puppy obedience training programs and the like. There are no miracle cures in puppy training.” – Puppy Obedience Training – How to Care for a Puppy, Shiba Shake
59.Consider enrolling in a good obedience class. “A class environment provides for some of the socialization your dog needs and teaches him to respond to you even with exciting distractions all around. A good instructor will help you become a more effective trainer and will point out mistakes that you don’t even know you’re making.” – Sheila Webster Boneham, How to Find a Good Dog Trainer and Obedience Class, Nylabone; Twitter: @nylabone
60. Mentally prepare for the bad days. “Not every training day is going to be perfect, but don’t get frustrated and don’t take it out on your dog. Adjust your own behavior and attitude to encourage your dog’s ability and confidence to learn. If you have a calm mood, generally your dog will, too. If the dog becomes afraid of your bad mood, he will not learn anything new. He’ll only learn to be wary and not trust you.” – How to Train a Dog, WikiHow; Twitter: @wikiHow
Check Out These Resources and Products for Puppy Obedience Training:
- Obedience Training for Dogs
- Dog Obedience: Getting Your Pooch Off the Couch and Other Dog Training Tips
- How to teach ANY dog to Come when called!
- Obedience Schools Near Me
- Introduction to Dog Training
- How To Teach Any Dog PERFECT Obedience! (Sit,Down,Stand)
- How to Stop the 10 Most Common Dog Obedience Problems
- The Power of Positive Reinforcement: The Key to Unleashing Your Dog’s True Potential
- Dog Training Academy: Obedience Training For Dogs
- What’s Good About Dog Training EBooks?
- Puppy training: Train your puppy in obedience, potty training and leash training in record time
- Zak George’s Dog Training Revolution: The Complete Guide to Raising the Perfect Pet with Love
- BKLN Manners: Positive Training Solutions for Your Unruly Urban Dog
- Pet Botanics Training Reward
- Dog Treat Bag –Training Pouch for Small and Large Dogs with Clicker and Collapsible Food Bowl
Leash Training a Puppy
61. Make a connection first. “If we had just met and you wanted to take a walk with me, how comfortable would we be together at first? We most likely would be a bit guarded with one another until we knew each other better. The same is true for a relationship between a dog and their human. […] Get to know your dog and let him get to know you, too. Work on reinforcing eye contact every time you say his name – which is most likely a brand new name for your dog. Say the name or make a noise to get his attention, and when he looks at you, say YES! and toss him a good treat. Eye contact and acknowledgement that you are seeking his attention is the first step of all training, so you really can’t do too much of this.” – Annie Phenix, How to Train Your Dog to Walk Nicely On Leash, Lucky Puppy Magazine; Twitter: @myluckypuppy
62. Leash training is a critical part of maintaining your dog’s safety and promoting your bond. “Learning how to walk properly on leash makes it safer for your pet and more enjoyable for both of you (ever seen someone fighting to keep their leashed dog under control, while it drags them relentlessly down the street? Doesn’t look like much fun…). Remember that cute little balls of fluff are still very young and their attention span can be short, so patience is a must when it comes to leash training your puppy. Positive reinforcement is important – reward your puppy for every little thing he does right during your puppy training sessions.” – Puppy Leash Training Tips, Scampering Paws
63. Give it a few trial runs before going outside. “Pulling on leash is a very natural thing for a pup to do. They feel the restraint so they start pulling against it. Let’s start the puppy leash training indoors with no distractions. Accustom the puppy to walking on a loose leash at your side. It’s important that you teach your puppy to walk on one side only. The standard is your left hand side. It really doesn’t matter which side, but choose only one and stick with it – this way your puppy won’t be tripping you up by changing sides.” – Puppy Pulling On Leash, Perfect Paws
64. Make sure your dog associates fun things with the leash. “Fill an – Fanna Easter, What to Do When Your Puppy Won’t Walk on Leash, Dog Training Nation; Twitter: @DogTrainNation
65. Your dog may be extra stubborn. “A lot of dogs pull forward on leash, but some dogs and many puppies pull backward or refuse to walk. This happens to French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs all the time! Pulling harder or luring with a treat only makes the problem worse.” – Grisha Stewart, What to Do When a Dog Refuses to Walk, Ahimsa Dog Training; Twitter: @grishastewart
66. For dogs who pull back or away, stay away from retractable leashes. “When Sunshine [the dog] pulls on the leash it doesn’t make the walk enjoyable for her guardians or the dog. The guardians had used a retractable leash, which allows Sunshine a lot of freedom. But if you have a dog that is not well behaved on the leash this additional amount of freedom can contribute to the problem. If your child is not the best driver, you wouldn’t to give it more unsupervised driving privileges; you would go back to basics and have the child practice more in a structured environment to build up the skills necessary to be a good driver. This same principal applies to your dog walking on the leash.” – Sam Kanouse, Great Leash Training Tips to Stop a Golden Retriever Puppy from Pulling on the Leash, Dog Gone Problems; Twitter: @DogGoneProblems
67. You must teach your puppy he can’t meet everyone. “Teach your puppy that they don’t get to meet every person or dog they see on a walk. I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough. Leash reactivity (barking, lunging, growling on leash) is the most common behavior problem I work with. In the majority of cases, it results from the dog’s frustration with being unable to get to the other dog.If we teach puppies from a very young age that walks are structured, require focus on the owner, and aren’t a social hour, it can help your puppy grow up to have reasonable expectations when seeing another dog on leash. Even with ‘social butterfly’ puppies, we don’t greet every dog we pass. When we do greet a dog or person, I teach them to sit and make eye contact with the person walking them before they are released for a brief greeting. This type of structure is critically important in order to have a dog that’s friendly and social – but also has self-control.” – Alex Andes, 5 Little-Known Puppy Training Tips You’ll Be Glad You Found, Peach on a Leash
68. Remain Calm. “Try to start all walks in a relaxed state. Often dogs get very excited to see a leash. They know it possibly means they’ll be allowed to go out and explore. Introduce the leash when your dog is calm and keep a relaxed attitude yourself throughout the entirety of your walk” – Napa ‘ze Dog, Tips for Leash Training a Puppy, Napa’s Daily Growl; Twitter: @NapatheDog
69. Use the proper gear. “Practice with a 6-foot regular leash that is long enough to create some slack. Always use a flat buckle collar or harness. No choke chains, prong collars, and definitely no shock collars.” – Sharon Dianora, Leash Training a Puppy To Walk Calmly, Dog Care Knowledge; Twitter: @Dogcareknow
70. Let him hit the jackpot! “Remain calm at all times, and utilize jackpots (more treats or better treats) when your dog accomplishes something that was difficult for him; i.e., not pulling you toward the neighbor dog! Jackpot for any eye contact or focus on you! Keep leash training sessions short and FUN! You can train several times a day, but you don’t want to push you or your dog past the point of fun! Puppies, especially, have short little attention spans, and if you insist on puppy training past the point of fun – usually around five minutes – your pup may start to dislike, and dread training!” – Leash Training Tips To Stop The Pulling And Enjoy Your Walks Again, The Dog Training Secret; Twitter: @DogTrainer411
71. If he’s chewing on his leash, he may be over stimulated or desperate for attention. “Some dogs chew on the leash as a way to get attention. When your dog is walking calmly on a loose leash, no one pays attention to him, but when he acts out, the focus shifts directly to him. For many dogs, negative attention is better than no attention at all. Other dogs are over-aroused, and the easiest way to release tension is to bite on the leash. In the shelter situation, dogs frequently grab and chew on the leash, often when first taken out of the kennel and led with other dogs. The more intense the situation and the more wound up a dog is, the more likely that leash biting will occur.” – Mikkel Becker, Put a Stop to Leash Chewing and Tugging, Vet Street; Twitter: @Vetstreet
72. Not all dogs get the same gear. “A front-attachment harness is a safe and easy to use no-pull device that is great for all dogs. Choose a head collar for dogs with aggressive tendencies or for those that need the maximum amount of control such as a small owner with giant-breed dog. The front-attachment harness and head collar should only be used with leashes that are a maximum of six feet long. If the leash is too long, it is possible that he could get going fast enough to hurt himself if he were to hit the end of the leash abruptly.” – Jessica Rollins, Leash Training: How to Walk a Dog That Pulls, Pet Expertise; Twitter: @PetExpertise
73. Even if it’s worked in the past; that doesn’t mean that’s the method you should stick with. Some puppies are more resilient than others and can learn to walk on a leash despite the method. “My general rule of thumb is that we should use methods that focus on rewarding the correct behavior, starting with steps the dog can easily perform and quickly moving on to steps that are closer and closer to our goal behavior; rather than methods that rely on sheer luck that the type of dog you selected can endure it mentally unscathed. And if we choose methods that are as crude as dental care in the 16th century, we should realize that some dogs learn no matter what we do to mess them up.” – Dr. Sophia Yin, My Puppy Won’t Walk on Leash! 3 Ways to Train Your Puppy to Love Her Leash, Cattledog Publishing, the Legacy of Dr. Sophia Lin; Twitter: @SophiaYin
74. Treat well and treat frequently. “Keep your dog’s leash short enough that he cannot easily leave your side, thereby modeling the position you want him to be in. Don’t keep it so short that you’re dragging him, though. Simultaneously lure him into the correct area by your side with tiny treats. You can mark the behavior with a word or clicker if you like. When he starts to get the idea, stop luring but do reward him for staying by your side. Give a treat every few steps at first, increasing the distance you walk between treats until he forms the habit of walking at your side without treats. You can also give him a bit more leash as long as he doesn’t weave or circle.” – Teaching Your Dog to Walk on a Leash, Nylabone; Twitter: @nylabone
75. Rewards are more than just treats. “You can also try using ‘breaks’ as rewards. For instance, if (or, more likely, when!) he wants to sniff around, ‘Ask for a sit or eye contact first, then let him sniff and ‘be free’ for a bit, before walking nicely again,’ advises Mayer.” – How to Leash Train a Dog, Chewy; Twitter: @Chewy
76. Don’t start to early and don’t skip the home training. “I recommend waiting until they’re 10 weeks old. This is because until 12 weeks old, they’ve no need for ID tags as they’re just too young to take outside further than your back yard while they complete their vaccination program. And during house training you don’t need to lead them outside, they’re so small at this age that you can simply scoop them up and carry them. But by getting them used to a collar and leash at 10 weeks old, they will be comfortable wearing them by 12 weeks when you can start to walk them outside.” – LTHQ, How To Get Your Puppy Used To A Collar And Leash, Labrador Training HQ; Twitter: @LabTrainingHQ
77. Get down to his level. “If your dog naturally walks at heel, that’s great – but don’t expect it – and don’t try to get him to. Yanking on the leash won’t help the situation, so think of getting him to walk as a gradual process. You may need to stand still or kneel down while he figures out what’s going on – that way your pup realizes that he won’t be able to go anywhere unless it is by your side. Some dogs may decide to sit down and not move. If this happens, call to your pup and offer him a reward when he comes over. Never yank him toward you. Once he comes over of his own will, offer him a treat and continue walking with him by your side.” – Jodi Westrick, How to Leash Train Your Active Puppy, Animal Planet; Twitter: @AnimalPlanet
78. Imposing penalties. “Here’s a terrific exercise. Set up a goal for your dog – it could be a biscuit on the ground, or a person she adores. With your dog on leash, take a step toward her goal. The instant she draws forward and tightens the leash, say, ‘Oops!’ and go right back to the starting point. Repeat, repeat, repeat, imposing penalty yards whenever your dog draws the leash tight. I did mention you’d need patience, didn’t I? Help your dog succeed by delivering treats as she keeps the leash loose on the way to the goal.” – Jolanta Benal, Teach Your Dog to Stop Pulling the Leash, Quick and Dirty Tips; Twitter: @quickdirtytips
79. Don’t forget to teach him to sit at your side when you stop. “The procedure for teaching your dog to automatically sit when you stop walking is a simple one. Put him on alert by slowing down before you stop. When you come to a full stop, give the command ‘sit.’ If necessary, slowly pull us on the leash and push down on his haunches. […] When he does sit, praise him for obeying. Eventually, it will not be necessary to use the ‘sit’ command.” – Tips from Matty, Teaching your Dog to Heel and Sit, PBS; Twitter: @PBS
80. Repeat, repeat, repeat – and you’ll get it. “To make sure that your canine has the leash and collar routine down pat, you need to repeat this training in many different settings, and at many different places. Fortunately, leash training isn’t the most difficult dog training trick you’ll have to teach your dog, and it’s fairly easy to get ahold of this. You can even combine leash training with ‘stranger’ training. Just make sure you do them separately in the your home first.” – Samantha Randall, 3 Tips to Effectively Leash Train Your Dog, Daily Treat; Twitter: @RoverDotCom
Check Out These Resources and Products for Leash Training Your Puppy:
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- How to Leash Train a Puppy: Iams® Puppy Training
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Puppy Clicker Training
81. Know the proper clicker training procedure. “Push and release the springy end of the clicker, making a two-toned click. Then treat. Keep the treats small. Use a delicious treat at first: for a dog or cat, little cubes of roast chicken, not a lump of kibble.” – Karen Pryor, Fifteen Tips for Getting Started with the Clicker, Karen Pryor Clicker Training; Twitter: @karen_pryor
Check out our list of the Best Dog Training Treats for the perfect treats to use for clicker training.
82. A clicker isn’t a remote. “Do not point it at your dog. Instead put your hand behind you back or keep it to your side and click whenever your pet is doing the right thing. Dogs are visually oriented animals, this means that they will use any body cue you give them. You want them to respond to the ‘sound’, not your arm movement!” – 23 Free Dog Clicker Training Tips for Best Results, Dog Training Excellence; Twitter: @DogExcellence
83. If the clicker scares your dog, find a way to soften it. “Hold the clicker behind your back. This will muffle the sound a bit, and prevent you from inadvertently pointing it at your dog. (Remember, it’s not a remote control!) If that’s not enough, you can wrap the clicker in layers of soft fabric to muffle the sound even more. One of my clever clients wrapped her clicker in baby socks. Every few days, she could take one sock off, so the sound gradually became a bit louder. It worked perfectly! After a couple of weeks, they were able to take the socks off the clicker and click ‘normally.’ You can also try these techniques with a ‘clicky pen‘ (one with a button on the end that you have to ‘click’ to start writing and ‘click’ to stop) and see if your dog is more tolerant of that. If she is, use that for the first couple of weeks and then reintroduce the clicker.” – Katherine Ostiguy, Fear of the Clicker: How to Train Your Dog Through It, Spring Forth Dog Academy; Twitter: @springforthdog
84. Start by charging up the charger with you dog. “Click the clicker once (in-out) and give your dog a treat (press on the end of the metal tab that does not have the dimple). Hint: Use something your dog really likes at first. Small pieces of yummy food (dog cookies, hot dogs, cheese) are best because the dog can enjoy it and be ready for the next thing quickly. Repeat this until your dog reacts to the clicker (by startling, pricking her ears, or suddenly looking for the treat). If she does, you’re ready for the next step… Hint: Try to keep your timing random (1-5 seconds between one click-and-treat time and the next). Technical Note: This is called ‘establishing a secondary reinforcer’ but most people call it ‘charging up the clicker’! Remember, click first, then treat.” – Stacy Braslau-Schneck, Get Started With Clicker Training, Wag’n’Train
85. Treats mean reinforcements. “Every time you click, deliver a reinforcer, ideally within 1-2 seconds of the click, especially for beginner dogs. Think of the clicker like your dog’s paycheck – clicking without treating is like having your paycheck bounce at work…would you go back to work on Monday?” – Dogster HQ, Dog Clicker Training Basics, Dogster; Twitter: @dogster
86. Work on your timing. “Much of clicker training is mechanical skills, such as food delivery and clicker timing. You can work on improving your timing and accuracy without your animal. For example, watch the news and try to click whenever anyone says the word ‘today.'” – Mary Hunter, 10 Tips to Improve Your Clicker Training, Stale Cheerios; Twitter: @cheeriotrainer
87. Every click is a treat. “Once you’ve charged the clicker, never click without giving your dog a reward. Clicker training depends on your dog trusting that a reward will come when he hears the marker. If you’re inconsistent, your dog won’t make an effort to remember the behavior that prompted the click.” – Tips for Successful Clicker Training, Raising Spot
88. The clicker is an audible alert letting your puppy know what’s coming. “So the clicker just lets your dog know that they did what you wanted them to do and it also lets them know that a treat is coming, because we’re going to be doing positive reinforcement training today.” – Clicker Training for Dogs: Wag! 2-minute Training Treats, The Daily Wagger; Twitter: @WagWalking
89. In the beginning, click for everything. “At first, you will be ‘clicking and treating‘ for any desirable behavior you see – such as when your puppy sits down, lays down quietly, comes to you when you call his name, etc.” – All About Puppy Clicker Training, Fido Savvy
90. Use clicker training consistently and your dog will be able to learn more. “Clicker training at the beginning is an example of classical conditioning. If used consistently it can become operational conditioning, where the dog intentionally repeats an action to gain a reward. The difference might seem minor but it has big implications on the behavior of your dog. If your dog is performing actions with a purpose rather than by habit he’s going to retain much more information.” – Jen Gabbard, How to Get Started With Clicker Training Your Dog, Puppy Leaks; Twitter: @puppyleak
91. Practice makes perfect. “Stand next to a table. Place a clicker on the table where your right or left hand can reach it comfortably without your looking. Now, in your right or left hand (the one away from the clicker side), hold a bunch of keys, a ball, or some other fairly dense object. When ready, hold the object straight out from the shoulder, drop the object, reach for and grasp the clicker, click AS THE OBJECT STRIKES THE GROUND. Don’t click before or after. If you can, have someone else watch and judge your timing, or videotape. As a variation, when you get good (10 out of 10), begin to lower the dropping hand to shorten the time between release and hitting the floor. That is just a start. When you get that down pat, switch the hand that drops the object to the CLICKING HAND. Thus, if you click with the right hand, hold out the right hand with the object, drop it, reach with that same hand to get the clicker and click just as the object hits the ground. When you can do that 8 out of 10 times you are pretty good.” – Bob Bailey, Improving Timing, Clicker Solutions
92. Don’t speak. They know just what you’re saying. “One of the easiest things to start with is to teach them to touch an obvious target, like a mat on the floor, a ball on a stick or your hand. As your pet approaches the target, click and treat. You don’t have to wait until they touch it because you’re shaping their behavior and rewarding small steps towards the end goal. At this stage let the clicker speak for itself – if you say anything it could be distracting.” – Clicker Training Your Pet, Blue Cross for Pets; Twitter: @The_Blue_Cross
93. Keep charging your clicker during training. “One of the biggest problems with clicker training is the lack of understanding of why and how to use the clicker. I recently met a novice trainer who didn’t know that the clicker needed to be ‘charged,’ that is, before any training can begin, the dog must learn an association of something good when he hears a click. After all, the sound of the click by itself is meaningless. ‘Charging’ the clicker involves simply clicking and immediately giving the dog a high value treat. Click and treat, click and treat. Do this about 20-30 times. The dog is sure to learn that whenever he hears the click, it’s a good thing!” – Christine Palm Shaughness, Clicker Training for Dogs, Capers for Canines (and Other Animals)
94. Clicker training is so much faster. “An advantage to using the clicker is that the reward is instantaneous. You can press the clicker much more quickly than you can give the dog a treat or even say ‘good boy.’ As soon as the dog starts the good behavior, immediately click. That way, it’s completely clear to the dog what you are rewarding.” – Megan Smith, Clicker Training Pros & Cons, Daily Puppy; Twitter: @DailyPuppy
95. The more advanced the technique, the more skilled your clicking will need to be. “Clicker training (or marker training) does require a lot of knowledge and practice. It mostly depends what you are up to. With basic exercises you can get away with not such great timing, however with more advanced exercises it is important that you have a good eye-hand coordination.” – Mario Ancic, Pros and Cons of Clicker Training, Training Your Dog and You
96. Don’t ignore any bad behaviors during clicker training. “How to eliminate behaviors you don’t like: Establish a ‘no reward’ signal, like ‘oops’ or ‘too bad.’ Positively reinforce an incompatible behavior (a reliable ‘sit’ will prevent your puppy from jumping up). Time-outs: Immediately after a misbehavior, turn away and ignore the puppy for 30 seconds to a minute.” – Clicker Training – First Steps, Animal Hospital of North Asheville; Twitter: @AHNApets
97. Click even for small progress. “Click when the animal offers small steps in the right direction. Animals learn most behaviors in small steps; they do not have to perform the behavior perfectly at first. Be patient and upbeat when teaching your pet.” – Clicker Training, Amazing Animal Tricks
98. Transitioning away from food rewards. “What many people do not realize about dog clicker training is that the ultimate goal is to be able to get certain behaviors from your dog reliably without having to have a clicker and a treat bag in your hand. It is important to learn how to transition away from dependence on the clicker system once a behavior is learned and you have added distance, duration and distraction. […] Return to a food reward refresher from time to time: This helps keep your dog sharp on behaviors that you have trained. There is no harm in practicing well known behaviors with a rapid reward in the context of a training session. This will only help your dog stay confident in a training session as well as keep them sure about commands they learned long ago.” – Mat, Clicker Training Basics 7 Insanely Actionable Steps, Wiley Pup; Twitter: @wileypupwebsite
99. End on a high note. “Training should be fun for you and your dog, so whenever you complete a training session, always end on a positive note. If you are both getting frustrated, ask your dog to do something he knows how to do and reward him for that. Never end on a failure. The following video has some great training advice and features the clicker and how to shape behaviors.” – Cool Dog Tricks To Teach Your Furry Friend, Vet Babble; Twitter: @VetBabble
100. Worst case scenario is it won’t work if not done properly. “Clicker training is recommended by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior as well as the Humane Society of the United States. There are no negative side effects. The worst that can happen is training will be ineffective if applied incorrectly.” – Clicker Training Basics, Fortunate Fido
101. It’s all tricks! “Positive trainers have a saying that I love. We like to remind our clients that, ‘It’s all tricks!’ Teaching Buddy to sit when we ask him to is just as much a ‘trick’ as teaching him to crawl on his belly across the living room rug. They are both simply behaviors that Buddy is physically capable of doing, that we teach him to offer us in response to a verbal cue or hand signal. If we can change our attitude and remember to have fun teaching the basics as well as the tricks, we can have a dog who performs the serious behaviors with just as much enthusiasm as he does when he rolls over or catches a treat off the end of his nose.” – Pat Miller, Clicker Training and Trick Training Your Dog, Whole Dog Journal; Twitter: @WholeDogJournal
Need more training advice? Make sure to check out our helpful pet training articles.
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- The Wonder of Clicker Training: The Complete Guide to a Nonviolent, Positive, Compassionate, & Effective Way of Dog Training with Clickers
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- EcoCity 2018 Pet Training Clicker Set (4 Pack)
Featured Image Credit: Ivanova N, Shutterstock