Dog training
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Offer a special snack or plaything each time you exit the home.
This links your departure with rewards and may help shift their focus away from watching you go.
- Some dogs ignore the treat until the owner is gone.
- It may not stop crying or howling while away.
3 people, independently
Praise and reward your dog when it returns after running away; do not punish it.
Punishing the return teaches the dog that coming back leads to trouble, deterring future returns.
4 people, independently
- Ensure your dog never fears approaching you; never punish a dog after it has responded to a summons.1
Train your dog properly, specifically focusing on recall so it listens when called rather than running away.
If you have to chase a loose dog, it indicates poor training.
4 people, independently
- Train puppies to play 'chase the human' rather than 'chase the dog' to ensure recall works later.1
Play loud music with heavy bass or drums, or run a fan on high to mask fireworks and keep pets calm.
The noise drowns out the outside sounds, particularly when there is substantial bass. Drums make external noises much less noticeable.
4 people, independently
Reward the dog only when they are silent and calm, not while they are reacting.
Teaching that scared reactions lead to love and treats causes the dog to freak out; praising non-reaction helps the pet adjust faster.
3 people, independently
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Condition animals to link a distinct noise, like shaking a container, with getting snacks so they return when called.
If you have a young dog that pees inside, increase the frequency of outdoor trips beyond twice a day.
Young dogs may need to pee more often than twice a day.
one person who lived it
Use distinct whistle sounds for specific commands like 'come here', 'let's go', or 'look at me' to prevent confusion.
Distinct sounds are easy to pick out and do not resemble words.
one person who lived it
Ask your dog to 'show me what you want' and reward it when it leads you to the desired object or location.
This helps identify which bark corresponds to which need over time.
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Show the leash to an escaped dog, as it may associate the leash with walks and return voluntarily.
The dog associated seeing the leash with going for walks.
- This reflects one person's experience with their specific dog.
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Do not chase a loose dog that is doing zoomies or having fun.
The dog will think it is a game and run further away.
2 people, independently
Acknowledge alert barking with a calm statement like 'We get it' or 'Thank you,' then reward silence if no threat is found.
Acknowledging the warning validates the dog's alert role and often stops the barking.
- One person noted they investigate first; if nothing is seen, they say 'good girl that's enough'.
2 people, independently
Teach your dog hand signals for commands so they can obey even if they cannot hear you.
If the dog can see you but not hear you, visual cues allow them to still listen.
one person who lived it
Take longer walks that loop back home while touching trees and plants along the route.
This leaves a scent trail that can help your pet guide itself back to you.
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Run across the dog's field of view rather than directly away from it.
Dogs have terrible eyesight and this hedges your bets.
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Teach your dog to associate the phrase 'I love you' with giving kisses rather than using a command like 'give me kisses'.
It makes bad days much better.
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Ensure you have the discipline to control your dog off-leash near your house to prevent accidents.
Lack of control is a disservice that risks the dog getting hit by a car.
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Let your dog outside every single time they ring the bell initially to prevent them from using it for boredom or play.
If you ignore rings that seem like play, the dog learns quickly not to do it.
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- Ring the bell yourself every time you take the puppy out initially until the puppy starts ringing it independently.1
If a dog flees from you, drop to the floor or recline to halt the pursuit.
Pursuit activates the animal's urge to flee, whereas collapsing or appearing injured prompts it to investigate your condition.
3 people, independently
Use a safety collar with a breakaway limit that releases if caught on objects.
To prevent injury if the dog gets snagged on branches or objects.
- Make sure it is the correct limit.
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Be patient and allow your dog enough time to relieve themselves fully during walks instead of rushing them inside.
Rushing them back in 10-15 minutes was regretted by the owner who realized it was the highlight of the dog's day.
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Do not punish bad behavior caused by your failure to meet the pet's needs, such as insufficient bathroom breaks.
The behavior may be your fault.
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Ensure dogs wear collars with ID tags containing contact information.
ID tags allow anyone who finds the dog to contact the owner directly.
one person who lived it
Train your dog to bark on a silent hand signal so you can use it as a safety alert when walking alone at night if you feel unsafe.
One person uses this method because their dog's bark is loud enough to serve as an alert during late-night walks.
one person who lived it
Play action movies while cuddling with treats to help dogs accept random loud bangs as part of the movie sounds.
Cuddles, treats, and relaxed human body language kept the pups relaxed while they accepted the bangs as movie sounds.
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Be aware that one dog may ring a bell to displace another from a favorite resting spot by creating a distraction.
One person reported that Dog A would ring to go out; when the owner got up, Dog B left the bed, allowing Dog A to run back and take it.
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Hire a professional dog trainer to address complex behavioral issues.
They can teach both the dog and the owner effective management techniques.
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Use a specific phrase like 'go home' when nearing your house during walks.
Associating the command with returning home may allow you to direct a loose dog back.
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Show your empty hands to the dog after giving treats and saying 'Ok' to signal that no more treats are coming.
It tells the dog there are no more treats.
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Jingle car keys or act like you are preparing to go for a drive.
This signals to the dog that a ride is about to happen, prompting them to come to you.
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Turn on a hose in your backyard to lure a loose dog inside, then grab it while it is drinking water.
The dog may be easier to catch while distracted by drinking.
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Make loud, ridiculous noises while running away to make the situation seem like fun to the dog.
They will think that is great fun.
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Put on nature documentaries or dog shows on TV when leaving the house.
One dog was a fan of these programs.
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Remove your dog's collar after their last walk before bed.
It keeps the house quiet and signals to the dog that the day is done.
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Stop repeating commands if your dog does not obey the first time.
Repetition kills the command because the word is no longer tied to an action but becomes something the dog doesn't have to listen to.
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Do not rely on recall training if the dog is distracted by another dog nearby.
Nothing will get the dog's attention off the other dog in that situation.
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Walk slowly away from where you last saw the dog while whistling so it can hear you moving away.
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Use a specific hand gesture to signal your dog to leave the room so others can sleep.
It allows others to continue sleeping.
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- Use hand gestures to communicate with your dog if you need to keep noise levels low for someone else's rest.1
Recline or sit on the ground to spark the dog's interest or prompt it to check on you.
Its curiosity might override its flight response, or it may assume you desire close interaction.
3 people, independently
Keep the dog on a leash and allow only bathroom business outside, returning straight inside without play.
This reinforces that the bell is strictly for bathroom breaks.
one person who lived it
Use a long leash when teaching new commands to maintain control.
A long leash may be necessary for teaching.
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Eat your own dinner near the dog to stimulate their appetite through smell and social eating behavior.
Dogs are pack animals and social eaters; the smell of human food can boost their appetite.
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Start training dogs with hand signals from puppyhood rather than waiting until they are older.
Dogs learn hand signals faster than verbal commands and it allows for silent control.
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- Train dogs with hand signals from a young age to ensure reliability in noisy locations or busy environments like dog parks.1
Use a hand signal for 'Sit' to stop a dog across a busy street if they slip their collar.
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- Use physical gestures alongside vocal commands to regain control of a distracted or distant dog.1
Block off or gate off specific areas immediately when bringing a new dog home.
Prevents accidents if the dog uses the area as a bathroom before being fully house trained.
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Reward your dog immediately (within seconds) after it performs a desired behavior to ensure it makes the connection.
That's when they make the connection.
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- Reward your dog immediately when they come to you to reinforce the behavior.1
Avoid using treats to stop barking during visitors.
Giving treats can inadvertently drive and reinforce the barking behavior.
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Listen to audiobooks while letting your dog wander and sniff to make the time feel less tedious for you.
It makes a difference for both owner and dog; the dog explores while the owner listens to stories.
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Train your dog to respond to a unique non-verbal sound, such as snapping your tongue, for discreet attention-getting.
It works without others noticing.
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Carry treats in a convenient pouch or belt attachment.
Dogs get more reinforcement when treats are handy.
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Do not pet or treat a dog while it is barking; wait until it is calm before offering affection or rewards.
Petting or treating during barking incentivizes the behavior.
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Reward neutral reactions to noises instead of soothing fearful ones.
Soothing implies it is not okay, which reinforces fear.
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Avoid making a big fuss when leaving or returning home.
Excessive attention excites dogs, leading to built-up excitement with no release when you leave; keeping departures and arrivals low-key helps them relax.
2 people, independently
Condition animals to link a distinct noise, like shaking a container, with getting snacks so they return when called.
6 people, independently
Use a unique reward phrase for your dog instead of common terms like 'Good boy' to prevent strangers from accidentally triggering treat-seeking behavior.
Common phrases can trigger treat mode, leading to undesirable behavior towards strangers.
- One person believed it was the inflection of the voice that mattered, not the words.
one person who lived it
Use positive reinforcement (treats) consistently, phasing them out over time, rather than punitive methods.
Dogs don't understand punitive based behaviour modification.
- In my experience
one person who lived it
Actively build a positive relationship with scary stimuli like fireworks using high-value rewards, rather than ignoring or coddling the fear.
Ignoring does not prevent phobia; purposeful action builds a positive association.
- The idea that coddling reinforces fear is outdated.
one person who lived it
If your dog drops the toy too far away, say 'Too far' and wait for them to move it closer to your feet.
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Understand that dogs do not associate corrections with their behavior but with you, leading to poor behavior when you are absent.
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Maintain two separate recall commands: one for general use and a second 'password' command reserved exclusively for life-or-death situations or the absolute best rewards.
You cannot control whether others (like vets) use common commands like 'come here', potentially undermining trust in that specific word.
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Turn away to withdraw attention when a puppy seeks it through unwanted behaviors.
Taking away attention discourages the behavior.
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Order pizza or mimic a pizza delivery to lure the dog home.
Some dogs respond specifically to the arrival of a pizza delivery person.
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Teach commands in sign language to communicate silently during Zoom calls or when family members are sleeping.
It allows communication without making noise.
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Occasionally practice using only hand signals without verbal commands to verify the dog understands the visual cue independently.
To ensure they understand the signal on its own.
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Train your dog to wait for permission before crossing streets; one owner found this training prevented their dog from running into traffic even when unsupervised.
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Combine verbal commands and hand gestures simultaneously during training.
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Offer frozen green beans as a treat for overweight dogs.
A vet recommended them to help a dog shed pounds.
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Boil chicken, chop it into treat-sized pieces, and freeze it for homemade training treats.
It is cheaper than commercial treats and easier for training; one person reported mastering recall after switching to meat.
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Give Cheez-It crackers as treats.
They are small enough that they do not affect weight or diet.
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Boil rice, chicken, and bones with a little greens and mix it with kibble.
Pups love it.
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Add hot water to dog food to increase volume without the dog noticing.
A vet suggested this to help manage calories for an overweight dog.
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Cut carrots into small pieces to use as low-calorie, crunchy training treats.
They are sweet and crunchy, and a vet recommended them.
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Use whole regular carrots instead of baby carrots for dog treats.
Regular carrots are much cheaper.
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Note that a dog can be highly food-motivated yet still lazy.
One owner described their Beagle as highly food motivated but super lazy.
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Feed dogs canned green beans (low or no sodium) or frozen green beans; raw green beans are an alternative that preserves enzymes for better digestion.
Raw green beans preserve good enzymes removed by cooking, benefiting the digestive system.
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Use small clay cutters to make tiny homemade dog treats.
Small treats allow for frequent rewards during potty breaks without causing obesity.
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Use commercial pill pockets (such as Hickory Smoked flavor) to hide medication, and occasionally give empty ones as treats.
Giving empty ones occasionally maintains trust.
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Buy organs like liver, kidney, or lung from Asian markets and dehydrate them for treats.
They are super cheap.
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DIY sliced dehydrated yams instead of buying branded versions.
Branded bags are expensive for what is essentially just dried yams.
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Continue teaching and using sign language with dogs even if they are not currently deaf, as it prepares for potential future hearing loss.
Hearing may go in older age, but prior training allows for quick re-engagement with signs.
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If your dog waits for you to ring the bell for them, consider that they may not have grasped the concept of self-initiation.
One owner noted their dog walked up to the bell but waited for the human to ring it, suggesting a lack of understanding rather than intelligence.
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Recognize that some dogs, like Huskies or Jack Russells, may not respond to standard recall tricks due to their personality.
- This depends on the dog's personality and attitude; some breeds simply do not care.
3 people, independently
Train dogs to respond to specific hand gestures for basic commands like 'sit' and 'stop' to allow silent direction in sensitive situations.
This is useful in quiet settings where speaking would disturb others.
4 people, independently
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If your dog continues to paw at surfaces after removing bells, recognize they may have generalized the behavior to doors and furniture.
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