Training Tips & Advice

Teaching your dog their name can help set them up to responding to you and/or having good recall. Start by using a handful of their daily food. For example: dish out your dog's evening meal and put half of that to one side for training. Feed your dog the rest of their food, and once she has finished, you can use the other half for training the name game.

When your dog has finished eating her meal, call her name. If she looks at you, give her a few titbits of her food and praise her.

Wait till she looks away and say her name again; if she looks at you again, reward her with more tidbits and praise.

Repeat the process 3 more times. Whatever food is left, just pop it in her bowl.

Repeat this 3 times a day for the next 7 days to help your dog really understand their name.

Tip: When training, reward timing is key. Too early or late, and you might reward the wrong behaviour.

Tip: Repetition is key—don't rush to the next step. Your dog's speed at the task will tell you when they understand. 

Teaching a puppy to "sit" is a useful skill, especially for situations like vets, groomers, crossing the road, or dog sports. Here are the fundamental steps:

Find a quiet, distraction-free area for training.

Use small, smelly treats your puppy loves.

Stand in front of your puppy with treats to get their attention.

Move the treat slowly back and above your puppy’s head—their bottom should lower.

Once their bottom touches the floor, say "sit" calmly and clearly.

Reward and praise immediately for correct response.

Practice several times in short, fun sessions (no more than 5 repetitions per session).

Gradually fade treats as they improve, but keep verbal praise.

Once mastered, practice in different settings with more distractions.

Be patient and consistent—every puppy learns at their own pace! Keep it positive. 

To teach a paw

Lure your dog into a sit.

Have a treat in hand, close hand,

Place treat hand right next to your dog's jaw line.

-tip: if treat is in right hand, pace hand next to their left cheek. And if treat is in left hand, place hand next to their right cheek.

You may need to wiggle your hand a little to find the right spot.

You'll notice that your dog will raise one of their paws. When they do, mark and reward.

Tip: mark just means saying something like 'yes' or 'good', or, if clicker training, 'click' as soon as they do a behaviour you 're after.

Repeat 3 more times then rest.

When they start to offer their paw more, then you can start adding a qué word to the trick, such as paw, give, other, potato, splat ect

Note: when teaching to give you both paws, it's important that each paw has its own qué word, for example.

To give a right paw, it's 'paw' to give a left paw it's ' other'. And keep it simple as well, so right hand out - left paw is given, left hand out, right paw is given. 

This training is just as important as teaching a puppy to sit! Here's how to make collar grabs a positive thing:

Get your dog comfortable with petting around the neck area.

Introduce the collar: place treats on the floor, and as your dog is eating, put their collar on. Repeat a few times with taking it off and putting it back on, always pairing with treats.

When your pup is used to the collar, gently grab the collar and immediately give a treat—let go. Repeat 5 more times, 3 times per day for 3 days, gradually increasing duration.

Eventually, try holding the collar for a few seconds before treating and build up the "grab time." Progress at your dog's pace.

Tip: Remember the 3 Ds: Distance (how far you are), Distractions (other things going on), and Duration (how long your dog holds the position). 

Some helpful tips:

Feed your pup’s meals in the car. Use an activity ball to make it more fun.

Play tug games in and around the car for nervous pups.

Keep training short, fun, and positive.

Always secure your dog when travelling. If your dog is loose, you could invalidate your insurance or be fined/penalized if in a crash.

Stage 1: Getting started

Use high-value, smelly treats (cheese, sausage, fish, etc) & something familiar (blanket).

Decide how you'll secure your dog (seat belt/harness, crate, dog guard, ramp/steps if needed).

Encourage your pup into the car with treats, placing some before and inside if needed.

Once in, place a treat on the floor/seat; repeat ~5 times and let your puppy out with lots of praise.

Repeat the previous step 5 more times – and again 3 times a day for 3 more days. Feed at least one meal a day in the car.

Stage 2: Building duration

With pup in the car, place a treat; after it's eaten, count to 3 before placing another. Repeat 5x.

Gradually increase time:

1...2...3... treat (repeat 5x)

1...2...3...4... treat (3x)

Up to 6 seconds/treat, repeating as needed before increasing.

If pup gets tired or stuck, back up a step and end on a win. After you’ve built up several minutes, switch on the engine but still don’t drive yet—follow the same reward pattern.

Stage 3: Driving short distances

With the engine on, reward as before. Gradually add short drives (around the block or to the park).

Reward every few seconds of movement, increase duration as confidence grows.

Celebrate arrivals; repeat short trips, gradually driving further.

If you need help, contact Sam at Small Mighty Pets for a session!

Step 1: play a game of tug with your dog.

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Step 2: when your dog has a good hold of the toy, hold the toy as still as you can.

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Step 3: patiently wait for your dog to let go. (You don't need to say or do anything at this point, just hold the toy still)

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Step 4: as soon as your dog lets go of the toy. Tuck the toy back into your chest, and at the same time say 'drop'.

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Step 5: after a few seconds, or when your dog is patiently waiting, give the toy straight back and repeat the steps again.

Tips: Repeat this another 3-5 times.

Once completed, let your dog 'win' the toy. Give lots of pats while playing and at the end of play, this helps the dog learn to be ok with hands coming in, and touching. while your dog has possession of something. Teaching this also helps avoid/reduce resource guarding.

Build confidence, trust, rules of play, reduce puppy biting, and you can even build on to using toys for training. 

How to introduce a kong to your dog

Fill half of it with dry food.

Gradually add more, so you get to the point where it's full of dry food.

Next you can start to add wet food at the top of the Kong.

Gradually adding wet food to the middle part,

Keep the bottom part of the Kong filled with dry food.

Middle part can be mixed,

Then a layer of dry

Then top part can be whatever, dry, wet, mixed.

Then in summer time, you can freeze the king, making this tasty puzzle treat lasting a little while longer, while also cooling your dog down.

Tip: Make sure you have the right size long for your dog, the Kong should go past your dogs nose.