Does online dog training really work?

15/01/2021 - Online puppy and dog training

In this article we’re asking “does online dog training really work?” and looking at how easy it is to train your dog at home without meeting the trainer face to face. If you want the very best for your puppy or dog and are not sure how it all works, this will answer your questions.

Having the resources from Best Behaviour Dog Training online has provided us with so much reassurance. It has meant that we can take our 5 month old puppy Dudley on long walks during lockdown, safe in the knowledge he will behave around other dogs and people, because of the training techniques we have been using from the online videos and live chats with Zoe, thank you!

Social distancing has meant that we’ve all learned to do things in a different way.

Dog training classes are no exception to the rule. There’s no doubt whatsoever that no matter what is happening in the world, puppies and dogs will still need training. However, during periods of lockdown it simply isn’t possible to work with a trainer on a face to face basis, whether part of a group or for a 1-2-1 session. But there are some very good alternatives, which, believe it or not, really do work. Here’s how.

Online puppy training
Puppy training is crucial if you want your new pet to grow into a gentle, loving and trustworthy family member. Puppy training teaches your pup how to live alongside humans and includes things like

Toilet training
Response to name
Playing nicely with people (no nipping, scratching or jumping up)
Learning to settle
Impulse control
Coping with puppy fear periods read more here
Greeting other dogs politely
Manners and good behaviour

All of these things are about creating good habits that will last a lifetime and are best taught when puppy is very young.

Puppy’s learn by association. Just as a parent would remind a toddler 20,000 times to say please and thankyou, puppies need kind, consistent handling to help them learn their manners. It’s crucial that this training happens at home as well as in class, which is why online puppy training classes are just as effective as face to face groups.

Before lockdown, a puppy parents would bring their youngster along to classes where a dog trainer talks through and demonstrate the best way to teach your pup basic lifeskills. BUT most of the work is done by the puppy parent at home.
With online puppy training from Best Behaviour Dog Training, the principal is exactly the same.

Zoe has professionally produced video demonstrations of how (and why) you can show your puppy what’s expected of him or her. Puppy Parents can then watch the video at a time and place that best suits them. Afterwards, use phone and Facebook groups to chat with Zoe online about their progress and about specific challenges that they are finding with their little one. Having a closed Facebook group means that there are also plenty of opportunity to share your
successes with other pet parents. Plus, when puppy training feels frustrating, (which it does from time to time) you can look back at your celebratory messages to remind yourself that things will get better.

The joy of online dog training is that video demonstrations can be watched more than once – with face to face training, it’s pretty difficult to turn back time and repeat the class, and you have far more access to a trainer by training online.

That’s why out of lockdown most people do online as well as physical classes. Dog parents love the results they see and want every bit of training available.

We urge puppy owners not to delay their pups training. After lockdown 1.0 we were proud and delighted by the progress of our online trained pups vs those that delayed their training. Not only were the online trained pups impeccably behaved, but they also showed no behavioural problems, unlike those pups who’s training was delayed. Sadly, we saw all too many pups that had their training delayed because owners weren’t aware of online training being a ‘thing’. Their pups reached 5-9 months and were pulling on the lead, not recalling and generally had behaviours that needed to be resolved. We feel so passionately that no puppy should be left without training even during a pandemic.

My office moved to working from home from March last year which my 2 year old cocker spaniel, Roma, thought was absolutely brilliant! We now dip into the online training sessions every day to watch a session. We then practice it and the previous things we’ve learnt, throughout the day at the times that are convenient to me. I thought I had a good relationship with Roma before, but now we really have a much greater connection. Having something new to try everyday is so much fun for both of us. Roma is quite a timid dog, so learning in our own home, away from other distractions, has been fantastic.

Online training for adolescent dogs
Arguably, for most pet parents, a dog’s most challenging life stage is adolescence. Just like some human teenagers, adolescent dogs seem to have a personality transplant. The once confident pup who shows oodles of promise, seems to lose the ability to listen and forgets their training. It’s little wonder that adolescent dogs are more likely to be rehomed than any other age group. Pet parents who don’t have the support of an experienced dog trainer can feel frustrated, bewildered, depressed and afraid that they won’t be able to cope with their pet in the long term.

There is hope on the horizon, with good training and management, your pup will come through this lifestage and become, once again, a great companion.

Online dog training with Best Behaviour Dog Training offers a wealth of support for pet parents who are coping with adolescent dogs. You don’t need to attend a face to face class with your bundle of energy – but you do need to keep up the training. Video tutorials backed up with Facebook Live sessions, phone calls with your dog trainer and lots of individual support will motivate you to find activities that you can enjoy with your dog without either of you feeling stressed.

Being part of the Facebook group is very much like meeting for dog training classes – you can share experiences with other pet owners and know that you are definitely not alone and that your pooch will “grow out of it”

Check out our Surviving Adolescence course with Dogversity https://www.bestbehaviourdogtraining.co.uk/dogversity/surviving-adolescence/

Online training for dogs with busy brains

Having the Best Behaviour Dog Training resources on-line is sooo helpful! When I run out of new ideas I can quickly look for something different - refreshing the basics, learning tricks, doing a challenge or having a go at a more in- depth subject. There’s so much to do! When things go wrong, Zoe always provides help to put us back on track. All of this is definitely needed with our Ferrari of a Labrador

Dog training, as you know, is not just about obedience training. It’s about your dog’s mental health and welfare. A bored dog is more likely to start exhibiting unwanted behaviours such as barking, jumping up, toileting indoors, chasing the neighbour’s cat. And of course, lockdown means that we all of us have fewer opportunities for exciting activities like pub walks and sociable strolls
.
Dogversity and online dog training groups afford you and your dog some top quality mental stimulation. They’re definitely a great way to cope with the stress and boredom of lockdown. Suitable for dogs of all ages, breeds, sizes and training levels, online dog training is great – and it DOES work.

What our customers are saying about online dog training

When my dream finally became a reality and we brought home our Great Dane puppy at 8 weeks old I knew straight away that training had to be in the forefront of my mind, I knew I needed to start as early as possible but how could I train before his second vaccination?

Having a fully grown dog the size of a small pony living in your house is not always going to be easy and there needs to be an understanding between dog and family of what is classed as socially acceptable and what is not! I found Zoe and Best Behaviour Dog Training online and immediately set up a dialogue with her, she was so friendly and approachable and discussed through the best options to suit me and my family, there was such a variety to choose from – in person training including 1 to 1’s and group classes, workshops,

Dogversity online training or combinations of online and in person! WOW what an offering! Literally something there for everyone! I decided that the best way forward for me was a bit of both in person and online. Online I could start immediately and not have to wait for his second vaccination, fantastic! It would also fit flexibly around mine and my family’s schedule with us all being able to join in, learn and enjoy the experience! COVID-19 put an abrupt halt to any in person training and rightly so for the safety of not only myself and my family but Zoe and her team. The transition to solely online training was so easy and quick, Zoe made it very simple and provided a detailed how to guide on accessing all our online learning and at the click of a button our videos were there to begin watching to train and learn together with my puppy.

The Facebook group has been an extra special added feature too where you can go to seek guidance from not only Zoe and her team but other owners too, from just checking in if you are feeling something isn’t going well (chances are someone else is experiencing the same thing!) or if something you have been working on for what feels like an eternity finally clicks and you want to shout it from the rooftops, the people in the group are so supportive and love celebrating your successes along with you!

The Facebook lives have been very valuable, such a diverse range of questions being answered by a dog behaviour expert has truly made me realise how my dog feels, learns and communicates so that in return our bond and relationship can always be amazing! I know that now I am going through the adolescence stage with Duke he will definitely have learnt valuable skills from early on that will help us through this unpredictable and unruly stage keeping his well mannered, well rounded and model doggy citizen badge firmly in place with only the occasional slip as we continue in our online training journey! Not training online yet? Why on earth not!

Learn more about online dog training
Visit the Best Behaviour Website to find out what online dog training classes are available right now
View Dogversity online dog training courses
Why dog training is more important during lockdown