Spring-Time Dog Training: Tips for Success

Photo Credit: Tadeusz Lakota at Unsplash

Towering snowbanks all around London, Ontario have finally melted as warmer weather has greeted us for the first time in months. With spring finally having sprung, it is only a matter of time before people start to spend most of their free time outdoors, enjoying sunshine and bright blue skies. And this includes dog owners wanting to jump start their dog's training journey by heading outside to teach brand new skills for the first time.

However, as tempting as it is to enjoy the warm weather while teaching Fido how to walk on leash or come when called, many professional dog trainers, including myself, encourage dog owners to wait a little while before doing so. Here are three reasons why.

#1. Too Many Distractions = Too Hard To Focus!

Think back to a time that you started a new job, or were learning a new skill for the first time. Were you overwhelmed trying to learn all the details pertaining to your new tasks? Were you distracted by your co-workers coming into the office with boxes of donuts and sweet treats? If your co-workers talked too loudly by your desk, did you wish you had a pair of headphones to drone out the background noise? Did you find your eyes drifting from the computer screen and had to try extra hard to focus? If you answered yes, there is a strong likelihood that you were exhausted and overwhelmed being in a new environment trying to remember everyone's name and all the new processes. It's hard work! And it's stressful work.

Dogs, just like us, struggle to focus and pay attention when learning new skills if there are too many distractions in their environment. And the outdoors is bustling with distractions, from people walking, mammals running, cars zooming and flowers blooming. This is why the outdoors is not the best place to start training new skills. Think about it this way: Squirrels, chipmunks, and bunny rabbits are like the dog version of running, prancing, hopping donuts. It's overwhelming!

This is why we recommend training indoors first in an environment that we can properly control. By doing this, we can make the learning process much easier on our dogs, so that they can attentively focus on the task at hand and process all the information much more efficiently and properly.

Of course, we eventually take training outdoors, but training outdoors should not be our first step.

Typically, the recommended best practice when teaching a new skill is to train indoors, with limited or no distractions, for seven to 10 days. Distractions typically include noises (like from the TV or computer), other people, toys on the ground, food on tables, air fresheners, etc. Once your dog can successfully do the skill that they are learning indoors, without distractions, you can then add distractions while training indoors for another seven to 10 days. Each day, you add a new distraction while training that skill. Practising by a window that looks out onto your backyard is one way to up the challenge!

Tip #2: Selecting the Right Outdoor Training Space

So, your dog is a rock star at recall in the house. They come running to you when called. And, when they come to you, they sit down right in front of you. You can even touch their collar and they don't run off again. They even come to you when your friend is waving yummy food in their hands, or they are about to throw a beloved ball.

Well, now it's time to train outdoors!

We want to be mindful, however, of the training location. Ideally, we want to choose a location that is not too distracting. This means low foot and car traffic. No children running around playing. No squirrels trying to eat food from bird feeders.

If your dog comes to you when called, eight out of ten times, in these quieter outdoor environments you can start to add more distractions. This could look like asking a friend to stand across the street. When your dog wants to visit your friend, you call your dog to you instead. If your dog comes to you eight of ten times, you can add even more challenge.

Tip #3: Choosing the Right Leash

First and foremost, throw the extendable (flexi-leash) out. There are rare scenarios were a flexi-leash could be a good option, but for most dog training scenarios, flexi-leashes can cause more harm than good. They have been known to cause injuries to people and dogs. They also make it incredibly difficult to train a dog how to walk properly on a leash and they can lead to poor leash manners.

If you are working on loose leash walking and recall, use a durable six-foot leash. I personally recommend leather leashes, as they are soft and feel nice in the hand. While nylon leashes are durable, they can cause significant burn and damage to a hand if your dog is a strong puller and he or she tries to lunge after a squirrel, bunny or other animal.

With recall, practice with a six-foot leash first. If your dog can successfully come to you from six feet away, even when outside, for a couple of sessions, switch to a long line. Long lines are super long leashes, typically anywhere between 15 and 30 feet. Some are even longer.

Now, in Canada, it is easy to find long lines that are 20 to 30 feet made out of nylon. Finding high-quality rope long lines are more difficult to source, but high-quality rope long lines are durable and easier to handle. This is because they are thicker, and if high-quality, like Mendota leashes, they are soft and supple and easy to control. Nylon leashes are thin and slippery, which means they are much harder to hold onto. If you have a dog that pulls and runs after all manners of prey, nylon could potentially burn and cut open your hands as it slips through your hands.

Training with a long line is necessary because it gives you more control when working on recall. You don't want Fido running off to chase the bunnies when you're working on calling them to you! It'd be counter productive! With long lines, keep in mind of your city's bylaws. In London, Ontario, long lines are only permitted on secure, fenced private property, with permission from the property owner.

Conclusion

While dog training outdoors is tempting, it is not the first step. To get the most success out of your dog training this spring-time, follow these three tips: practice indoors first, then choose the right outdoor location, and use the right equipment. Following these tips will help set you and your pup up for the most success.

About the Author

Kate Hendriks is a certified dog trainer and certified family dog mediator who lives in London, Ontario with her former rez dog, Millie. Kate is passionate about animal welfare and force-free training methods and focuses mainly on reactivity, essential life skills and managing prey drives in gun dog breeds. She is also a strong advocate of canine body language awareness and bite prevention.