Training your dog isn't just about teaching them to sit or stay. Good training helps your dog understand what's expected of them, builds confidence and strengthens the relationship between you and your best mate.
Whether you've just brought home a puppy or want to brush up on an older dog's manners, the best dog training tips are often the simplest: be consistent, reward the behaviours you want to see and keep training enjoyable.
From choosing the right training treats to mastering basic commands, here's how to make dog training a positive experience for both you and your pup.
1. Start with Positive Reinforcement Dog Training
Positive reinforcement means rewarding your dog when they perform a behaviour you want to encourage.
For example, ask your dog to sit. The moment their bottom touches the ground, mark the behaviour with praise such as "yes!" and immediately give them a small reward.
Over time, your dog begins to associate the behaviour with a positive outcome.
Rewards can include food, praise, toys or play, depending on what motivates your dog most.
The key is rewarding the desired behaviour quickly so your dog can understand exactly what earned the reward.
2. Choose High-Value Dog Training Treats
One of the most useful dog training tips is finding a reward your dog genuinely wants to work for.
For many dogs, that's food.
Training treats should ideally be:
-
Small and easy to eat
-
Highly appealing
-
Convenient to carry
-
Easy to give repeatedly during training
-
Appropriate for your dog's diet
Large treats can interrupt the flow of training and add unnecessary calories, especially when you're practising a behaviour repeatedly.
Try BOBs Freeze-Dried Meatballs for Training
Bowlsome BOBs Freeze-Dried Meatballs make a convenient high-value reward for training.
They're bite-sized, single-protein and hypoallergenic, making them particularly handy when you want a simple, tasty reward without juggling complicated ingredient lists.
BOBs can also be broken into smaller pieces, so one meatball can provide multiple rewards throughout a training session.
Keep the pieces tiny. During training, it's the immediate reward that matters — your dog doesn't need a full-sized treat every time they get something right.
3. Keep Dog Training Sessions Short
Dogs don't need hour-long training sessions to learn.
In fact, several short sessions throughout the day can be more effective than one long session where your dog becomes distracted or tired.
Try starting with around 5–10 minutes at a time.
You can even incorporate training into everyday activities. Ask for a sit before dinner, practise waiting before going through the front door or work on recall during play.
Short, frequent practice makes training part of everyday life.
4. Start with Basic Dog Commands
If you're wondering how to train a dog, begin with a few foundational skills.
Sit
Hold a treat near your dog's nose and slowly move it upwards and slightly backwards. As their head follows the treat, their bottom will often naturally move towards the floor.
The moment they sit, mark the behaviour and reward them.
Stay
Once your dog understands "sit", introduce "stay" for very short periods.
Start with only a second or two before rewarding them. Gradually increase the duration and distance as they improve.
Come
Recall is one of the most important skills you can teach.
Begin somewhere quiet and safe. Call your dog's name followed by your chosen recall cue and reward generously when they come to you.
You want coming back to you to feel like one of the best decisions your dog can make.
Leave It
Teaching "leave it" can help your dog learn impulse control and avoid potentially dangerous objects or foods.
Start with something low-value and reward your dog when they disengage from it and focus on you instead.
5. Reward at the Right Moment
Timing matters in dog training.
If your dog sits and receives their reward several seconds later, they may not understand exactly which behaviour earned it.
Mark the correct behaviour immediately with a consistent word such as "yes" or with a clicker, followed by the reward.
The clearer your communication, the easier it becomes for your dog to learn.
6. Be Consistent with Commands
Imagine one family member says "down", another says "lie down" and someone else says "floor".
Your dog has to work much harder to understand that all three phrases are supposed to mean the same thing.
Choose simple commands and make sure everyone in the household uses them consistently.
Consistency also applies to household rules. If jumping onto the couch is allowed one day but discouraged the next, your dog may struggle to understand what you expect.
7. Train in a Quiet Environment First
Your living room and a busy dog park are completely different learning environments.
Begin teaching new behaviours somewhere with minimal distractions. Once your dog understands the behaviour, gradually practise it in more challenging locations.
You might progress from:
Home → Backyard → Quiet street → Park → Busier environment
This helps your dog learn that "sit" still means sit, even when there are other dogs, people and interesting smells nearby.
8. Use Your Dog's Name Positively
Your dog's name should ideally mean one thing:
Pay attention — something good is about to happen.
Practise saying their name once. When they look at you, immediately reward them.
Avoid repeatedly saying their name when they're ignoring you, as this can teach them that responding isn't particularly important.
9. Don't Punish Your Dog for Coming Back
This is particularly important when teaching recall.
Imagine your dog ignores you at the park for several minutes. Eventually, they return and you immediately tell them off.
From your dog's perspective, coming back to you resulted in something unpleasant.
Instead, reward them when they return. You can work separately on improving the speed and reliability of their recall.
Coming back to you should always be worthwhile.
10. Understand What Motivates Your Dog
Not every dog is equally motivated by food.
Some dogs will do almost anything for a tasty BOB. Others might prefer:
-
Their favourite toy
-
A game of tug
-
A ball
-
Verbal praise
-
Access to something they enjoy
Learning what your dog values allows you to choose stronger rewards when you're teaching more difficult behaviours.
11. Make Training More Difficult Gradually
Once your dog can reliably perform a behaviour at home, don't immediately expect perfect performance in a crowded park.
Increase difficulty gradually by changing one factor at a time.
Dog trainers often think about the three Ds:
Distance: How far away are you?
Duration: How long must your dog maintain the behaviour?
Distraction: What's happening around them?
Build these gradually rather than increasing everything at once.
12. Don't Overdo the Training Treats
Treats are extremely useful during positive reinforcement training, but they still contribute to your dog's daily food intake.
Keep individual rewards small and consider the total amount of treats your dog receives throughout the day.
As your dog becomes confident with a behaviour, you can gradually vary the rewards. They don't necessarily need food every single time forever.
Praise, play and everyday rewards can also become part of the reinforcement.
Dog Training Tips for Puppies
If you've recently welcomed a puppy home, training can begin straight away.
Early puppy training can focus on simple foundations such as:
-
Responding to their name
-
Toilet training
-
Sit and stay
-
Gentle handling
-
Recall
-
Walking comfortably on a lead
-
Settling calmly
-
Appropriate socialisation
Keep expectations realistic. Puppies are learning about an entirely new world and have short attention spans.
Make training simple, positive and rewarding.
What If My Dog Isn't Listening?
A dog that isn't responding isn't necessarily being "stubborn".
Ask yourself:
Is the environment too distracting?
Move somewhere quieter.
Does my dog understand what I'm asking?
Go back to an easier version of the exercise.
Is the reward valuable enough?
Try something your dog finds more exciting.
Has the session gone on too long?
Finish on an achievable behaviour and try again later.
Could my dog be stressed, tired or uncomfortable?
Training is much harder when a dog's physical or emotional needs aren't being met.
Breaking the problem down is usually more productive than simply repeating the command louder.
When Should You Get Help from a Dog Trainer?
Some behaviours are more complicated than teaching basic commands at home.
Consider working with a qualified, reward-based dog trainer or veterinary behaviour professional if your dog shows behaviours such as significant fear, anxiety, aggression or reactivity.
Professional guidance can help identify why the behaviour is occurring and create an appropriate training plan for your individual dog.
Final Thoughts: Good Dog Training Takes Time
The best dog training tips aren't about achieving perfection overnight.
Successful training comes from consistency, clear communication, appropriate rewards and plenty of repetition.
Start somewhere quiet, keep sessions short, reward the behaviours you want and gradually introduce more challenging situations as your dog improves.
And don't forget to make it fun.
Having a high-value reward ready can make training much easier, which is why Bowlsome BOBs Freeze-Dried Meatballs are a handy addition to your training kit. They're bite-sized, single-protein and hypoallergenic, and can be broken into smaller pieces for quick rewards.
After all, training isn't just about having a well-behaved dog. It's another opportunity to communicate, learn about each other and build a stronger bond.
