Episode 8: Building Better Dog Training Habits

Hello and welcome back to another installment of Let’s Go for a Walk. Today we are going to discuss how you can build better habits around dog training.

It is now 2026. It is the new year, and many of us have New Year’s resolutions. If you are a dog owner, maybe your resolution is to build better training habits for you and your dog. Maybe there is something specific you want to teach. Maybe there are a lot of things you want to teach. Or maybe you simply want to provide more enrichment and try new activities.

This video will show you how to do that without having to make major changes to your current schedule.

We are all busy. These days there are many expectations placed on us. We work, we come home, and the last thing we often want to do is get out the high-energy dog who has been under-enriched all day and start training. The reality is that this is probably the most important thing you can do for them. If you have intentions of teaching your dog something new, or envision yourself competing in agility one day, you have to start somewhere. Getting to that point takes time and work, but it does not need to happen in a year or six months. It is something you build over time.

So let’s talk about how to cultivate better dog training habits.

The first thing you can do is avoid planning marathon training sessions. If you wait to train until you have two hours of free time, how often is that realistically going to happen? Instead, remember that little and often creates the best results.

If you do marathon sessions, your dog will burn out. Going from doing whatever they want all day to suddenly being asked for impulse control or physical effort for long periods can create negative associations with training. You do not want that. Instead, try five-minute sessions, or take your dog’s meals in the morning and evening and use them for training. If you are teaching a trick, scent work, or a new obedience cue, use their food to do a handful of repetitions and then stop. Ending while your dog still wants more is ideal.

Training enthusiasm has a peak. After that peak, performance and engagement drop quickly. Quit while you are ahead. Keep sessions short. This benefits both your dog and your schedule.

The next point is to make training as convenient as possible. The book Atomic Habits discusses this concept, and it applies well to dog training. The fewer obstacles between you and starting a session, the more likely you are to do it.

Make it easy to access the things you need. If you plan to train in your living room, store the leash and collar there. Have treats in a sealed container on a shelf your dog cannot access. If you are doing mat or place training, keep the mat in the same spot. If you are using cones for directionals or scent work kits, keep them nearby. If you keep odor kits in the fridge, consider using a small refrigerator near your training area. The goal is to make it effortless to begin a three-to-five-minute session.

Another helpful strategy is to change your mindset about dog training. Many people have high expectations for themselves and for their dogs. They see their dog as a reflection of themselves. If their dog lacks obedience, it can feel overwhelming to imagine the long journey toward having a calm, well-mannered companion.

Do not focus on the end goal. Focus on the tiny steps in between. If you enjoy tracking progress, keep a training journal. I recommend this to many people. It does not need to be formal. It can be a notebook, a Google Doc, or a notes app. Record what you worked on and what progress was made. If your dog with separation issues can now remain calm for two more seconds than before, that is still progress. Small, consistent progress accumulates over time and leads to meaningful results.

Celebrate these small victories as well. For example, if you are teaching obedience and your dog finally performs a down-stay from fifteen feet away, celebrate. Take your dog on a fun hike. Have a play session afterward. Play after training has been shown in research to help dogs remember what they learned. You can also celebrate for yourself. Treat yourself to something enjoyable. You put in the work, so acknowledge the win.

I will stop there for today, because if you implement even these few ideas, it will make a massive difference.

The last thing I will say is that training sessions can be frustrating. Sometimes you make a lot of progress and suddenly it feels like your dog has regressed dramatically. That is extremely frustrating, and the instinct is to push through, which often makes things worse. If you start a session and you are not feeling it, or your dog is not feeling it, that is okay. Take a break that day.

If this happens frequently, you may need to adjust how you train. You may need different reinforcement or a different structure. But if you are doing most things well and your dog is making progress, it is normal to have off days. Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and that is especially true for dog training.

Thank you so much for tuning in today. If you have any questions, please comment below. If you enjoyed this video, please like and subscribe to the channel, and leave a comment telling us what helps you stay motivated to train your dog. Thanks for listening.