Create a Personalized Training Plan for your Dog

When should I start potty training my puppy?

The best time to start dog house training is between 7,5 and 8,5 weeks. At this stage, puppies have sufficiently developed their senses of smell and coordination and will choose a preferred substrate. Do not delay your puppy's house training for longer than 10 weeks of age. After the puppy is 10 weeks of age, fear starts to develop, and they can be uncomfortable eliminating in a new environment, e.g., outside.

What is positive training?
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Positive dog training is based on the principle that if you reward and praise a dog for behavior the dog is more likely to repeat it and offer it to you. Be patient and ignore unwanted behaviours, or redirect your dog's attention to other things like a toy or a treat, or change your walking direction. Remember to praise your dog for not reacting to distractions like a passing cyclist or a ball bouncing nearby. 

What is a clicker?
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A clicker is a sound signal marking behaviour and a specific moment when the dog is rewarded. Science has proven that praise or a reward should be given within 0.8 seconds after the correct behaviour. If you choose not to use a clicker and instead use a food reward, you are unlikely to always deliver the treat in less than a second. This is because the dog will refocus their attention on you and the treat and not on the behaviour they were performing.

How can I reduce treats during training?
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A treat is a motivator for your dog to learn and train. But if your dog is highly motivated by petting or a toy, use that accordingly. You do not always have to offer an edible snack. A treat should follow immediately after clicking and while your dog is still in the training position, e.g. “down”. Once your dog masters a command, treat it every second or third time. Slowly fade out treats so your dog does not become solely dependent on them.

My dog is old. Can we still train?
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Older dogs can still learn most of the tricks. In fact, older dogs need training to keep them active and free of boredom. Daily training can also delay the development of cognitive dysfunction. Of course, for dogs with impaired vision and hearing, things become more difficult. But if your dog is a healthy senior, there should be no problem.

Should I train my dogs together or separately?
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At first, it is important to train the dogs separately, so they don’t get distracted by each other and don’t compete for your attention. Once they are well-trained, it's possible to do some group tricks. You can bring the second dog in if one of your dogs has mastered a trick. When they see the other perform well, they might be more likely to copy.

My dog is deaf. How can I use Dogo?
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Yes, training a hearing-impaired dog is more challenging, but the core training method remains the same. Deaf dogs are easily startled, so make “Gotcha” and “Bite inhibition” training your priority. That way, even if your dog is suddenly scared, they will react gently. Instead of clicker training, you can use our built-in flash. Instead of verbal cues, use hand gestures. You will find more directions in our app.

How fast should I progress in training?
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Do not introduce multiple commands at once. It is usually more difficult to teach a few commands at a time. It’s better to refresh the old skills that your dog already knows. We at Dogo believe that repetition is the key. It is important that you start and finish the training with something that your dog knows very well, so they get excited about the learning process and finish exercising on a good note. 

What motivates dogs more - food or play?
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When puppies are 7 months old, food is more motivating than play, but after this growth stage, play wins. So get into the habit of playing with your dog. Be challenging but also allow your pup to win against you. Show your dog that you are more than just obedience training. Later in life, your dog will often need to make a decision “abandon my cool, energetic, playful dog friends or come to my owner and go to a boring home”. Prove to your dog you can be more fun!