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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

I wish I’d trained my dog to…..

72 replies

PaddingtonsHat · 10/10/2023 14:50

Tell me what things you wish you had trained your dog to do. Puppy coming after Xmas and besides the obvious sit, lie, stand etc, I’m keen to consider the practically useful.
Im thinking doorbell ringing as a signal for going to their bed, for example.
We will be doing puppy classes but obviously quite restricted until pup can go out.
Thanks

OP posts:

FastFood · 10/10/2023 15:52

In hindsight, I wouldn't have taken my dog to puppy class. He didn't like it and started to be lead reactive there. Now 6-7 months later, I'm still fixing his reactivity.

Ariela · 10/10/2023 16:05

See also not jumping up at me to grab his ball because he’s too excited to wait until I throw it.

We've taught the command to 'Back' - so when trying to grab 'BACK' means go back and wait till I throw, It isn't thrown till back a few feet in situ where I want.

Chasingsquirrels · 10/10/2023 16:22

To not to be such an absolute & utter dickhead (but I love him).

Azaeleasinbloom · 10/10/2023 17:28

Lots of good tips . Wish I had spent more time on things like trimming nails, grooming, ear cleaning,tooth cleaning etc Perhaps more foot touching in a positive way. . DDog2 is very calm during all of these things, but DDog1 was the practice dog and he wriggles around a lot while I am doing this.

KathieFerrars · 10/10/2023 22:22

Wish wish wish we had done more with trains and going on trains. It was lockdown though. She's terrified of them. Wasn't but around eighteen months developed a huge fear. Bangs. Terrified of fireworks and bangs. We got her in Feb so of course she was in her peak fear period at bonfire season. Also when a pup get them used to all sorts of people coming into the house.

Switchingoff · 10/10/2023 22:31

Similar to others…

Drop and swap – absolutely crucial to prevent resource guarding
Staying at home alone
Settling in public
Not door dashing /reacting to the doorbell or people arriving
cooperative care

Goldenphoenix · 11/10/2023 05:45

To be alone! Struggling with separation anxiety now at 5 months old. Should have left him for short periods much sooner than we did.

Lossoffaith · 11/10/2023 08:28

CMOTDibbler · 10/10/2023 15:29

Mine are pretty good, but I wish I'd trained a 'go to your bed' when the doorbell rings/ knocked on and a 'emergency stop' for a lie down at a distance.

I am most glad I trained settle (anywhere he is told), nice walking by my side with a loose lead, to ignore other dogs/children/traffic and focus on me, leave it, and ignoring food until invited.

With puppies (lots of foster pups) I focus on recall, sit, walking nicely on a lead, and ringing the bells to be let out first and foremost.

These are both really useful. Mine goes to her bed on command and we have never had craziness by the door. The emergency stop (we have halt and down, verbally or a hand signal) also saved her from the attention of an aggressive dog. The latter is easy to train with a herding dog, but I have had some others over the years who would be very tough to train for this.

stopping at roads is something I am glad I trained for and makes the dog safer with DC. Also stopping when the lead is dropped.

SirChenjins · 11/10/2023 08:42

Settle in a cafe/restaurant
Not bark at the doorbell
Stop at a distance

Tisfortired · 11/10/2023 08:44

Drop
Not to jump on the sofa

wetotter · 11/10/2023 08:50

I wish I'd taught mine to

cooperate more willingly with teeth cleaning
to have a rock solid leave/drop even around the most tempting pavement food
to use a doggy doorbell to say when she wants to go out

Woollymonster · 11/10/2023 09:55

I don’t understand the doggy doorbell thing. What happens if you are away from your own home?
My dogs have always barked to alert me when they want to go out, I don’t think I’d hear a bell if I was asleep.

wetotter · 11/10/2023 09:58

Woollymonster · 11/10/2023 09:55

Either you take it with you (if you have the dangly, literal bells type that you can hang anywhere) or you clock the body language when the dog goes off to look for it in a strange place

I didn't think about overnight, as my dog has slept through since a few months old. It probably wouldn't work well for dogs that can't do that

Robotalkingrubbish · 11/10/2023 10:01

Toilet on command is so useful.

Enko · 11/10/2023 10:05

We did teach our dog this but I see so many dogs who have not been taught this and I dislike it immensely.

Teach the dog when we are eating he is in is crate/bed/elsewhere. I cant abide dogs begging at the table.

Ours gets a treat as we get dinner he eats this then goes off to his bed or sometimes he comes and lies on the floor next to the dinner table. He never begs for food as he knows he will be sent off.

Hellohah · 11/10/2023 10:08

One thing I'm glad I taught is boundaries.
Dog isn't allowed past the gate in the garden without permission.
Window cleaner left back gate to the ginnel open one day and he got out.
I was a bit frantic until DS went out and dog was sat on the other side of the fence to the gate, just waiting. He came straight back as he won't cross the boundary, he could have done a runner to anywhere.

bunnygeek · 11/10/2023 10:08

I've only had my girl since December and she's already 8 years old, so she comes with baggage

I wish the previous owners had worked more on separation anxiety and dog/noise reactivity. We're working hard on the latter and she's doing really well, the former is a far trickier one to break her out of, especially as she's a velcro PomChi who is happiest when all four paws are touching a human.

stayathomer · 11/10/2023 10:09

We learned a fab ‘trick’ in training- ‘watch me’ - you build up the amount of time a dog sits and watches you even though you’re holding a treat in the other hand, then reward with a better’ treat. Have done it when strange things were going by for example and he’d just sit and watch me, then get a treat when the dodgy thing was gone (eg a skittish horse going by and owner having problems, dog never got involved!)

stayathomer · 11/10/2023 10:11

Ps another thing is purposely leaving him on his own inside or outside for a while- out dog is a cocker, known for separation anxiety and he’s good now to wander about, eat while we’re out of the room whereas before he’d just wait for a human to be there!! We are horrible with recall though, and I know it’s all me but he does not listen!

bunnygeek · 11/10/2023 10:11

Someone mentioned settling in public places, I wish the former owner of mine had done more of this too. My girl is wired and alert at all times when she's out and about, we're trying to learn to just sit in the park sometimes but it's a long road.

FrancesInWonderland · 11/10/2023 10:12

At home grooming I would say is also really important. Whilst it’s not a direct command, our first dog will not be brushed, wiped etc without making a huge fuss. We have a puppy now and as I knew I got it wrong the first time round, we are making a point to actively do a ten minute groom session a day so she is used to being handled, and it will also give the groomer an easier job. As a result the older dog is now also getting better.. good luck!

stayathomer · 11/10/2023 10:13

Pps(sorry!) go to bed is another great one, lead dog by pointing to bed, when he lies down say’yes’ and reward. It’s literally life saving at night and now we just say it and he (mostly) goes to bed

DogDaysAreOverr · 11/10/2023 10:34

I saw a video where someone had taught their dog to stay with their poop or 'find it' for their poop. I have tried but failed with mine to do this but I so wish they could! I spend maddening amounts of time zigzagging where I think they've been trying to spot it whilst they merrily bugger off! Worse in autumn too with all the leaves 🍂!

Secondaryschoolstress · 11/10/2023 10:37

Not to jump out the car as soon as you open the boot. Mine have to sit and stay and it means I can leave them there and no worry about them jumping out or being run over etc

CallMeMousie · 11/10/2023 11:38

We just picked up our new puppy and it's been ages since we last trained a puppy! This is all so useful. Any good recommendations for YouTube or Instagram accounts which help on getting some of this good stuff ingrained?

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