Can I Train My Dog? Expert Answers for New Pet Parents

Can I Train My Dog? Expert Answers for New Pet Parents

By: Taylor Heid

Google Search bar image with commonly asked questions about training a dog listed below. 

Whether you are bringing home a new pup or looking to train a current pet, these are some of the most frequently asked questions that might be running through your mind (and Google’s search bar!). While you may find some answers you are looking for on the internet, they may not always be the most accurate. There is no perfect answer AI can generate in 30 seconds for you, and the experts’ answer might not be the one you are expecting… 

Let’s take a look at the most general question: “Can I train my dog?” You might have different variations of this question such as “How hard is it to train a dog?” or “How long will it take to train my dog?” and so on.

Well, it depends! Each training plan, session, and progress is going to depend on the dog themselves. Factors like the dog’s personality, their genetic breed, and their environment are all going to play a part in what their training looks like. 

Your silly and goofy teenage dog might be eager to learn, happy to eat treats, and could thrive with a more structured training plan. Whereas a shy or nervous pup might need some time to open up and gain confidence to start building a stronger bond with their human first. 

A border collie who was bred for herding and lives on the farm is going to need a significantly different training approach than your family’s toy poodle lap dog. Each of their humans are also going to have different goals for these pups. 

Some dogs might do great in a group class and enjoy the socialization aspect of it, while others might need to utilize private lessons for more one-on-one time with less stimulation and distractions. 

Not all humans learn the same and neither do dogs! While this isn’t the quickest and easiest answer to grasp, once you take the time to understand your dog’s needs I promise you will have more success in the long run. 

All this to say - there is no one size fits all answer when it comes to training your dog. That’s why turning to the experts is a no brainer. At Summit® Dog Training, we always take a customized approach when creating our training programs. While the group class curriculum might be decided ahead of time, our trainers are always modifying the material and methods to best suit the needs of students in the class. In our private lessons program, we consider each owner’s input and goals, and our trainers bring their expertise in dog knowledge to find the best route to achieve the desired results. 

It might not be the most satisfying answer, but when asking the right questions to get started on your dog training journey, it truly does depend! 

Summit® Dog Training offers group dog training classes & private lessons in Fort Collins, Colorado, as well as online self-study courses & online private lessons for education on how to live the best life with your dog! If you are looking for more training support, please don’t hesitate to contact us! We’d love to help you and your dog get ready for any adventure.

Puzzle Me, Please! - Part 4

Puzzle Me, Please! - Part 4

By Taylor Heid

We get asked all the time what toys we would recommend to keep dogs busy at home! Our last blog post about different enrichment toys for pups was back in 2019 on DIY projects at home. Previously, we also posted Part 1 and Part 2 blogs on our store-bought suggestions. However, store-bought enrichment toys have taken off in the last 5 years with more creativity and a focus on dog behavior. Did you know sniffing and licking is a calming behavior for our dogs? So not only can we keep them busy, but now we can help them in facilitating self-regulation through encouraging these natural behaviors. 

There are so many options that it can be overwhelming to know how to choose which type of toy will be best for your dog! We recommend first looking at what your dog seems to enjoy, both with their current toys and in their natural self-soothing behaviors.  If your dog had their choice of activities, do you think they would most like licking, working at an interesting food puzzle, sniffing, or chewing? 

For example, I observed that my dog, Riley, had been licking frequently in the evenings. She was displacing this need onto inappropriate items (her fur/paws or furniture!). Once I realized licking can be a self-soothing behavior I jumped on the internet to find some licking toys to help transfer this behavior to more appropriate items that would serve the self-soothing purpose even better!

It can take a little trial and error to discover what toys serve your dog’s needs best and which they enjoy the most. Don’t get discouraged! The most important thing to consider is what gives your dog the most benefit on top of some fun.

Here is our updated list of enrichment toys that get the thumbs up:

These are affiliate links. Summit does receive a small “kickback” if you purchase via the links below, at no additional cost to you.

Lickables

Licking is a natural calming behavior. Toys that encourage licking can be great to cure boredom and simultaneously help your dog regulate their many emotions! Here are two different toys that promote calming licking behaviors.

LickiMats - There are so many to choose from! They can serve many different purposes, such as adding a suction cup for baths. Collect them all! Here are one and two examples.

Pupsicles -  These can be more of an upfront investment, but I think worth it for the long run. I am enjoying how easy it is to make the pupsicle treats at home. You can buy pre-made ones for ease, but you can also create your own with the treat tray to accommodate allergies and make low calorie treats for everyday use. Here is the most popular pupsicle on the market by Woof. 

Feeders

New designs of feeder bowls are coming out constantly. I think it is fun to have different designs so when your dog has mastered one, you can switch it up to keep them stimulated. Here is one from Outward Hound I am excited about. It is definitely on my wish list for Riley, as she could use a new challenge. 

We have always been a big fan of SodaPup’s durable treat dispensing toys (we even keep them in stock in our training room)! Recently, SodaPup has come out with a whole new collection of feeder bowls. They have created many new intricate designs, but the cool thing is these bowls can also be used for other activities, similar to the lick mats. Make sure to check out their instagram for so many ideas! And a bonus: they are from Boulder, Colorado! Here are some of my favorite new designs: Honeycomb & Great Outdoors 

Tip: If you aren’t sure what to fill your food-based enrichment toys with, there are many store bought options. Check out your local pet store for squeeze pouches or other pre-made dog treats made specifically for filling enrichment toys. You can also look for dog-friendly recipes online, or keep it simple with just some kibble in a layer of water and freeze it! Freezing all your treats is a great way to up the difficulty of a toy and make it last longer!

Sniffing Toys:

You may remember when snuffle mats started taking off around the pandemic. These were crafty DIY options for stuck at home play. If you aren’t familiar, a snuffle mat is anything that encourages sniffing behaviors (another naturally calming behavior). At first, this was commonly done through fabric in fun designs to hide the treats in. They were such a big hit that they have become more commonly manufactured. Here are a few examples of how snuffle mats are being taken to the next level: Themed Mat & Roll-Up Snuffle

Chewing toys:

Lastly, we have the classic chewing toys. Benebone has taken the lead for me when it comes to chewing toy brands. Just when you thought there couldn’t be any more designs, they consistently come out with new shapes and flavors to keep it interesting for dogs. I personally really appreciate that Benebone provides unique flavors, which helps my allergy dog who can’t have the typical dog flavors; like chicken, beef, and pork. Here is Riley’s current favorite from Benebone, but make sure to browse all their new bones: Fishbone

It is important to evaluate the difficulty of toys your dog needs. Some toys come with varying difficulty levels, like puzzles. Start with level 1 and work your way up to prevent frustration. Even if your dog masters level 1 immediately, it will still give them the confidence to keep at it when the difficulty is raised. Always observe your dog with a new toy to ensure they are playing with it appropriately and safely. 

The point of all these toys is to enrich your dog in different ways (encourage being calm or using brain power as a form of exercise), and it is a bonus that your dog stays occupied and distracted. We also recommend sitting with your dog while they are playing and having fun for a great bonding opportunity too! 

Did we miss any of your favorites on the list? Tell us in the comments! 

Happy puzzling!

Puzzle Me, Please - Part 2

Last December we blogged about food puzzles: why they are so great and our list of favorites!  But because this sector of the toy store is SO important and so useful to our dogs, it's worth a second mention.  We've recently created a more exhaustive list of food puzzles, as well as some tips on how to utilize them in the best way for your dog!  All in a convenient downloadable handout for you to save for future reference.  Puzzle away!

You can download this handout (with links) here!

This lovely handout assembled by Charissa!