Pet Training Options for Dogs & Cats.

Having a socially responsible pet is one of the most rewarding aspects of owning a dog, or cat. Regardless of whether you’re at home with family members and visitors, taking a walk around your neighbourhood streets or park, or at a pet friendly cafe, your pet dog should be comfortable, behave and respond to your commands in all situations, while being calm to distractions such as other dogs.

Large dog owners will tell you, and many small dog owners admit, smaller dogs are the most unruly and vocal to encounters with new people and pets.
There are a number of reasons for this. Larger breed dogs typically are more intelligent and receptive to training and large breed dog owners are more likely to become involved in training their dog. Small ‘lap dogs’ seldom get the same level of training because their owners are more at ease or blase with their naughty behaviour. A boisterous King Charles Cocker Spaniel for example is still thought of as being cute, as opposed to what people think when confronted with a Doberman, Rottweiler or German Shepherd that’s overly exuberant with their welcome.

Large breed dogs are often chosen and trained to perform specific tasks because of their capabilities. Working dogs such as Australian Shepherds and Kelpies herding stock animals on a farm, and German Shepherd Dogs used to perform security or tracking duties are stereotypical examples. Apart from Beagles using their noses to great effect, sniffing out unwanted items in bags at airports, you don’t often see a small dog exhibiting the same level of obedience training.

This article will look at different pet training options, focusing on dog training while not ignoring the cat training possible for feline pet owners.
At this point I should point out that while there are a number of methods adopted by some trainers, PetsBook only endorses ‘positive training methods’, for the love of cats and dogs.

Home Training Dogs & Cats

While it is possible to ‘teach an old dog new tricks’, it’s ideal and much easier to start training pets when they’re puppies or kittens.

Basic dog command training can start at home. Every day is an opportunity to train your dog or cat to obey some basic, but extremely important commands such as ‘sit’, ‘stay’ and ‘come’. Once these are mastered, each can be extended. ‘Sit’ can extend from sitting in an upright position into ‘drop’, with the dog lowering into their ‘sphinx like’ position. Having a dog walk calmly beside you using commands like ‘heel’ for example makes for an enjoyable walk. ‘Leave’ is an important command to learn and can be used to avoid your pooch sniffing unwanted scents as well as to ignore people and other dogs walking by.

Pet training sessions at home will work best when kept to periods of 10-15 minutes. Patience with rewards of encouragement and treats will make training your pet an enjoyable activity and results will come, often surprisingly quicker than you might expect.

Professional Training of Dogs & Cats & Owners

Learning in person from experienced pet trainers, especially if your four-legged friend is not picking up on what you’re trying to teach is going to give you the best results.
Any professional pet trainer will tell you, they’re not training the pet, they’re training the owner. Pet Directory has listed, across all states of Australia, many dog training clubs near you offering different levels of training classes, plus many more local dog trainers available to book one-on-one training sessions.

Yes, there are many more trainers of dogs than cat trainers. This is because cats are not often taken outside for a walk, or taken to pet friendly cafes, so whether they have good social skills or not isn’t as important.
Cats are typically independent by nature, so aren’t looking for the same rewarding pat that dogs thrive on. Generally speaking, cats are also more timid and much more wary of their surroundings compared to their canine cousins and would be very uncomfortable approached by, even the friendliest of Golden Retrievers or happy Dachshund just wanting to say hello, not to mention an adult Rottweiler coming in for a closer inspection.

Puppy Pre School-Classes

Your local vet often has classes for both cats and dogs where you can learn all about not only training but how to care for your new fur baby too. I have attended many of these classes over the years, run through different vets and have always found them informative and a great introduction for dogs and cats to be socially well behaved.

As I mentioned above, training is more for humans to learn, so to listen to veterinarians and vet nurses talk about how to look after your dog or cat is well worth the hour investment for 6 weeks at about $100-$150 for the full course.

Small Group Classes

Many pet training clubs across Australia for dogs’ work on a yearly membership fee basis, covering you for a one-hour training session, once a week. There are typically a number of levels, starting from basic, leading through to advanced and you move up as you and your dog show mastery of the skills learnt at each level.

There are also many dog training businesses across all states listed on Pet Directory that offer a training program, taking you through basic commands, once a week over a 6–8-week period. These are great for many who are seeking the skills they can replicate at home and also help reinforce good social behaviour skills.

For those who, even just for fun who would like to keep going and compete with their pooch, there are many dog training clubs that offer advanced ‘agility’ and ‘track and trace’ training courses, leading to state, national and even international competition level.

It’s also worth noting, all breeds are welcome to participate in all classes, with some of the world’s best ‘agility’ winners coming from breeds you would not typically expect. For some, it may not be about competing, but the enjoyment of working closely with your four-legged companion to achieve personal goals.

Private One on One Training

For some dogs, and pet owners, private sessions at home can work better. Timid, or over excited pooches, and first-time dog owners sometimes need additional help before they can get the most out of group environment training.
Working with a trainer one-on-one will enable you to work through your goals without additional distractions.

Private pet training is also ideal for those who can’t make the times available with clubs or classes. Sometimes too, you may like to have other family members involved in the training of your furry friend, which is often not possible with formal group training classes.

Training with Pet Behaviourists

Behavioural training can be what you’re looking for first to overcome a specific issue your pet has, before formal obedience and command training can commence.
Ranging from being overprotective or excited to overly timid and withdrawn, a pet behaviourist can narrow in on the cause and then help with corrective training to allow your fur baby to overcome their issues, gaining the confidence they need to participate socially out in the world.

Summary of Pet Training

As you can see there’s a training solution for all, whether your goal is to have an angel walk beside you on a walk, or sitting obediently beside you at a cafe, or whether you are after taking out ‘Best in Show’ competitions.

Starting young is ideal, but remember, it’s never too late to begin training your pet and enjoy the benefits that come with spending time together, learning new skills or tricks.

Bear

Hi, I’m Bear, the Training Manager at PetsBook. With over 20 years experience using positive reinforcement dog training techniques, I’m proud to have the opportunity to help you develop a stronger bond with your fur baby, by teaching you useful commands with obedience training.