How to Track a Dog's Training

Tracking you dog's training is essential to ensure your pet is progressing toward domestication. Training is commonly divided into three main stages: learning, correction and proofing. The names of these stages may vary, depending on which program you follow, but the outcomes are broadly similar and relate to what your dog should be taught at each stage of its development. By following a training regime you can track and adapt your dog's training during the early years.

Instructions

    • 1

      Train your dog in private initially, with no distractions. Basic housetraining and crate-training should begin when your puppy is around 5 weeks old. The first thing to get right is toilet training. Take your puppy to the toilet first thing in the morning and last thing at night, as well as after each meal. Always take your puppy to the toilet in the same place and wait until it goes. Start to teach your puppy basic commands such as "Come," "Sit," "Stand," and "No." Reward your puppy with a treat each time it obeys a command.

    • 2

      Correct your dog's behavior once it is familiar with basic commands and housetraining. This should take place between 8 and 12 weeks. Desensitize your dog to surroundings by training it outside, while on walks around other animals and people. Being young and playful, your dog will inevitably be distracted. Correct behavior by tugging on the leash and reprimanding your dog when it does not obey a command. By the end of the 12th week your dog should be obeying commands when out in public.

    • 3

      Enroll your dog in group training classes. These will form an integral part of the proofing stage, which takes place from 12 to 20 weeks. Spending concerted periods of time around other unfamiliar dogs is essential for your puppy's training. Through this period your dog will learn to obey the commands you have taught him without being distracted or intimidated by other dogs.

    • 4

      Continue with training techniques from 6 to 18 months. This is your dog's adolescent period and, just as with humans, it can be the most difficult. You dog will display territorial behavior and sexual behavior. The most important thing is not to try anything new but to reinforce what has been taught already. Also, maintain your status as "alpha dog" or "pack leader"; in other words, your dog must respect you. Make sure to reprimand your dog when it does not obey a command, and never show nerves or intimidation, which dogs can misinterpret as a reward and can encourage further disobedience.