10/28/2026
How is your pet doing with training? Struggling with a stubborn dog? Here are some easy tips to make sure your dog understands the basics, and responds better when in public settings.
Ideally, training starting at a young age is best, but even old dogs can learn - Just with a bit of patience. Start with positive interactions with other dogs - a calm, relaxed pet will let your dog respond better to socialization. The more positive interactions they get with a calm pet will teach them to not respond aggressively. Dog parks are not the ideal destination for a pet that is still hesitant or shy around other dogs - it may overwhelm them and potentially cause them to become aggressive and attack.
Your pets have heightened senses - whether it be sound, smells, or bright lights, these things can potentially bother your pets and ultimately make them feel like they need to defend themselves. Early training with desensitization to loud noises, like vacuums, hair dryers, or even construction work and fireworks can expose them to loud, sudden noises.
Avoid punishing bad behavior, instead reward positive behavior to solidify the behavior in their head. Giving treats after tricks, good behavior around other dogs and other people, or not reacting to stressful events. This will reinforce a positive emotional bond with the treats or praise, and will motivate them to repeat the behavior for more rewards. Punishing them for bad behavior will make them fearful and hesitant to learn.
Learn to read your dog's emotions. Being able to differentiate between them being stressed, angry, nervous, or happy can be vital for training. Keeping training sessions short and brief on one lesson will keep them focused and excited to learn without losing their attention. Socializing in public is an easy way to read their emotions, whether it be ears pinned back due to stress, growling, lip curling, or side-eying other pets - these tiny signals can mean a lot, especially in a case where your pet can quickly get aggressive.
training is a tricky subject for dogs, but with plenty of patience (and treats), any dog can learn!
