Skill Building

Training can strengthen the dog-human relationship, while improving behavior and increasing confidence. To be effective, training sessions can be brief, but should happen regularly.

Training can focus on “good” behaviors such as sit, down, and loose leash walking. You may enjoy teaching your dog tricks like shake or fetch. You can use training to help your dog accept basic care such as grooming. You can also use training to reduce undesirable behavior such as barking or jumping.

Experts such as the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior and the American Animal Hospital Association recommend the exclusive use of positive reinforcement training.  

Compared to other training methods, positive reinforcement training is:

• effective
• easy to do
• the most humane training method

Positive reinforcement training rewards good behavior with food, attention, toys, or play. Training can be used to either increase or decrease the frequency of a behavior. With positive reinforcement training, we avoid using pain, startle, or force to change behavior.

Training kenneled dogs can help dogs feel good about people. It teaches skills that helps them be good companions. Training provides both mental and physical exercise and enrichment, and promotes wellbeing.