How often and long do you train your dog?

My friend thought that we would create a thread where we could discuss about how long and often one could train her/his dog. She thought that she would tell first about her dog's training. We have told in other threads that my friend's dog, Lotta, often acts silly when she's trying to train her. :lol-sign: That's why my friend isn't always sure what she could teach to her and how. She has tried many things with Lotta though. When my friend does have some ideas on what to teach to Lotta, she's not always sure how often she could train her. My friend trains her as often as she can.

So, my friend thought that you other users would tell how old your dogs are and that you could answer to the following questions:

How long and often do you normally train your dogs?
How many behaviors do you teach in a training session?
Do you teach something to your dogs also between actual training sessions?
Is there also something else you would like to tell about your dogs?

If you could tell those things about your dogs, maybe my friend might have some ideas on how long and often she herself could train her dog.

Dogs are 4 (this month), 5, 6, 12.

How long and often do you normally train your dogs?
At least a couple of minutes 1-2x per day.

How many behaviors do you teach in a training session?
If we're working on something new, just one with frequent breaks to do things they already know.

Do you teach something to your dogs also between actual training sessions?
I'm not sure what you mean.

Is there also something else you would like to tell about your dogs?
Copper is the worst dog ever. I adore it.

My friend thought that she would put an example about what she meant to ask: You may see your dog doing something that you want to reward. Do you start teaching that then?

I reinforce behaviors that I want, yes.

how old your dogs are: 7 years old and 3 years old

How long and often do you normally train your dogs? Pretty much every day. I work them for about 20 - 40 minutes depending on what we're working on. Agility training is probably about 20 minutes. Obedience is about 30 - 40 minutes. I go to training facilities and do drop in training classes for obedience once or twice a week.

How many behaviors do you teach in a training session? My older dog is in Utility level obedience....he knows everything he needs to know at this point. I'm more or less maintaining or proofing exercises with him. He and I usually will work on 4 - 5 "things" during our sessions. My younger dog is still learning the three levels of competitive obedience...so he's probably learning 2 or 3 different exercises and 2 or so exercises are things he knows. My younger dog is my primary agility dog now...so he is learning handling skills still and maintaining obstacle performance criteria.

Do you teach something to your dogs also between actual training sessions? No...when they aren't doing formal training sessions, they get to be dogs. They do have conditioning/exercise time...some of that is sort of taught behaviors. But I don't file that under training.

Is there also something else you would like to tell about your dogs? Both of my dogs compete in performance dog sports a lot. So, my training schedule may be more intense that what someone who has a dog as a pet only would be. My dogs love to work and train...so they really like to train as often as we do.

how old your dogs are: he is 2 years old

How long and often do you normally train your dogs?
It really varies. Before my job situation changed last May we were in 2-3 classes per week for obedience, agility, and/or nosework. Besides that, I tried to do 30min training/play sessions at least 2-3 other times during the week.

Now it's much less. We had to take a 5 month break from classes and I didn't even see my dog during week days for a couple months. We've really only picked back up with training in the past month or two. We don't have much space or equipment now, so training is generally a 15min affair, 3 times per week, plus one rally class per week.

How many behaviors do you teach in a training session?
I try to work on only one new thing that he's very unsure of, a couple behaviors that he's pretty comfortable with but are still in progress, and then things like heeling that he knows well but is working on duration or precision. And I throw in play and silly things he enjoys.

Do you teach something to your dogs also between actual training sessions?
In between training sessions I'm constantly reinforcing basic positions (sit/down), silly tricks he likes, and recall. I might do those randomly through the day when I feel like it, or when I'm cooking and have some extra cheese that he really wants. I also reward good behavior spontaneously. So I'm not teaching new things, just reinforcing good behavior and using tricks as a way to play with him.

Answering just for Gusto, because Meg's training sessions at this point tend to involve giving her a ton of cookies for cute tricks she knows, then cuddling on the floor.

How long and often do you normally train your dogs?

Pretty much daily. We may skip a day here or there if we do a ton of hiking or something that day. Regular home training is maybe 15/20 minutes most nights. We also do barn rentals with agility equipment (once a week for about 2 hours, although it is still probably 20 minutes of working for him) and lessons (1 - 2/month, 3 hours split with six dogs).

How many behaviors do you teach in a training session?

However many I feel like. Usually at least 3 during our evening sessions.

Do you teach something to your dogs also between actual training sessions?

I do reinforce stuff I like, and sometimes we'll play/train for a minute or two here and there. Do a few directionals while we are playing tug or something.

Is there also something else you would like to tell about your dogs?

They are the coolest, bestest, funnest dogs in the world.

Sam is five years old a new puppy is five months old (still not sure on a name)

How long and often do you normally train your dogs?
Sam is perfect and at this point we do a session two or three times a week just going through cute old tricks and lots of treats and fun time
New puppy I'm trying to do three or four sessions under five minutes every day

How many behaviors do you teach in a training session?
For Sam we go through between five and six behaviors we already know. I'm kind of in a rut of new things to teach him so we work on duration and consistency more than anything
New puppy I'm just doing one behavior at a time right now

Do you teach something to your dogs also between actual training sessions?
I tend to reward verbally for just listening to me in day to day situations for Sam with behaviors he already knows. If I see him doing something I like I might try and capture and reward that
New puppy is at the point where he is rewarded every time he is good. Also trying to reward him for being curious about things and not fearful

Is there also something else you would like to tell about your dogs?
Sam is perfect. New puppy is also perfect but kind of a scaredy cat right now so most of the "training" we do is just reward for not being scared (he's been here less than a week and flew in on a plane from a rural area to the suburbs so lots of changes for him)

Answers in there.

Rara, 4 years old!

How long and often do you normally train your dogs?
For new commands/tricks, only once every week or two to multiple times a week, depending on how much of a training mood I'm in. Rara has a short, but super intense attention span for learning new tricks that's about 10~15 minutes. And then she needs a half hour to a 1 hour break LOL. For reviewing old tricks/commands/behaviors, multiple times a day. She needs to review her commands to get her meals.

How many behaviors do you teach in a training session?
Since it's just 10 minutes each, I focus on one per session/per day. It's easier on the dog to not get confused alternating between two commands at once.

Do you teach something to your dogs also between actual training sessions?
A session is a session, and it's all casual. Any new training is a "session" for us haha.

Is there also something else you would like to tell about your dogs?
Rara can intensely learn new tricks just on getting high off PRAISE alone, because she is insane. She also learns 90% by hand gestures/body language... she has a very hard time learning vocal commands. So telling her to "sit" is just a slight down-point with my index finger. "Stay" is the peace sign. "Spin" is moving index finger in a circle. "Go get it" is flinging my wrist. LOL

How long and often do you normally train your dogs?
If I'm training at home, I usually rotate dogs and try to keep it to 2-3 minutes per session, and usually 2-3 sessions per dog. Right now I'm on a training kick and I've been doing that twice a day.
If I take them to work, I'm usually there for an hour with them, and the dogs do their own thing and I take turns doing sessions with them. Siri usually gets a lot more during this time because I have access to agility equipment.

How many behaviors do you teach in a training session?
With my at home stuff, I've been working on 2 per session. I try to keep it one stationary, one moving. So like, right now I'm working on independent pivots (moving) and holding a dumbbell while in a chin target (stationary) with Frodo.

How long and often do you normally train your dogs? Daily, for about 30 minute sessions
How many behaviors do you teach in a training session? If we're brushing up on behaviors, then I just run through everything he knows. If it's a new trick session then the entire session is dedicated to that trick with a few breaks to keep us both from getting frustrated.
Do you teach something to your dogs also between actual training sessions? Between training sessions we practice regular everyday necessary cue's, like sit or leave it.
Is there also something else you would like to tell about your dogs? My dog is heavily food motivated, however if we're doing training outside, I prefer to use toys when I can as it will encourage more movement and won't make him fat


Toby is a 2 year old Boston bulldog.