# How often do you train with your dog?



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I voted 3+ but it's actually about 8 or 9 times a day, 10 minute intervals because Bentley has the attention span of a gnat


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Bentleysmom said:


> I voted 3+ but it's actually about 8 or 9 times a day, 10 minute intervals because Bentley has the attention span of a gnat


Are you using his food for training or treats?


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## TMcCLOSKEY (Oct 13, 2012)

About 20 min intervals 2 times a day. All the rest of our time is puppy play time. We both like playing more 


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

vcm5 said:


> Are you using his food for training or treats?


No because I'm concerned about his weight I alternate between small pieces of unsalted green beans and small pieces of apple. He thinks they're the best treat EVER and for all training in one day it adds up to appox 20 calories.


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Bentleysmom said:


> No because I'm concerned about his weight I alternate between small pieces of unsalted green beans and small pieces of apple. He thinks they're the best treat EVER and for all training in one day it adds up to appox 20 calories.


Oh great idea! Plus treats get so expensive. I've been just using his daily allotment of kibble and breaking it up into different training sessions so it doesn't add any calories. Plus I save the really high value treats for going to class where there are a ton of distractions. I am definitely going to pick up some green beans!


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

For class we use canned unsalted carrots because he would learn to drive a car for a carrot LOL


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## vcm5 (Apr 20, 2011)

Bentleysmom said:


> For class we use canned unsalted carrots because he would learn to drive a car for a carrot LOL


Are canned carrots hard to handle? Like do they get gross and mushy?


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## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Everything I do with Tayla is some type of training. For example, when we play tug she can bring me the toy, but she must sit before play begins. Several times during play she must do "out" and "sit" to calm her down. She is SUPER MOUTHY and I'm trying in lots of things to bring her down from excitment to calm, thus working on impulse control and teaching her an off switch. She must sit before being fed, going out doors and when crossing streets. She is a work in progress.


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## eslucky (May 10, 2012)

Bentleysmom said:


> For class we use canned unsalted carrots because he would learn to drive a car for a carrot LOL


That's so funny! Thanks for the laugh.

Daisy loves carrots too and vegetables but I've been forgetting to use them for training. I've been using her kibble and the high value treats in classes. I train her throughout the day for 10 minutes or so each time, probably about 7 or 8 times a day.


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## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

vcm5 said:


> Are canned carrots hard to handle? Like do they get gross and mushy?


Yes they do get mushy but I don't mind it, I put them in a baggy inside my pouch, because they're mushy I can just stick my hand in and get a little on my finger and he thinks he got a great reward..he's so gullible LOL


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## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

I train Chester numerous times a day but each training session for about 5-8 minutes he really can't stay still for too long. I can't wait to start our puppy classes at petco next month


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

I train Tink about 3-4 times of day for 10 to 15 minutes but like someone said every experince is a training session. I use her food for most treating but use low fat string cheese cut up into itty bitty little pieces for the real focus work. We also go for walks in the back of our property we have a couple acres and it rough and tumble back there. Every so often I call her to either Front or to come. I will briefly ask for a heel or to go to heel from the front position. Just random interruptions of her play to teach her when I call its important and she is beyond food driven!

She has finally learned to wait or stay due to food. She goes nuts at feeding time and she has to sit back away from the door of the pantry and wait. If she gets up I put down the food back in the bag and put her back where I had her. We are learning to back at the same time lol. She does not get the food until she waits the entire time in place. It kills her! her jaw quivers by the time she gets the food.

My daughter works her for an hour a week at 4-H then while she works her own dog in the next class I will work/play with Tink during that hour. We work on socialization skills, meeting the other adults hanging out waiting for the kids. I try and turn everything into a chance to teach.


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

Oh for carrots run them over a cheese shredder the hard carrots to make bite size tid bit for training it works for hard apples too. I put those in a baggie and thru them in my pocket.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I'm somewhere in between, probably 4-5 times a week, so not sure where to vote. If I'm teaching totally new skills it would be much more often, but I'm mostly just reviewing things they already know to keep them in tip top form. I usually train outside of my house about twice a month, and those would be longer sessions, but around my house training is 5-15 minute sessions a few times a week.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Once a day... more or less.

One thing you need to keep in mind as a puppy mom, is that you need to train multiple times a day. And very short training sessions - but try to touch on everything every day to keep it fresh in their learning little brains. 

Jacks was being trained with something every 10-20 minutes that I was home in the evenings. Same thing on weekends. <- That seems like a lot, but we were working on painstaking minute foundation stuff. Which I imagine you are doing with your dog. The three sits, the three downs, the walk three steps, etc...

As they get older and excel at the various exercises, then you cut back on the training sessions or move on to teaching new.


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## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

I train with Lexx each time we go for our walks which is normally 3x per day. We do sits, stays, heeling, down, come arounds, swings, retrieves, etc. We also do short sessions in the house. He also goes to agility and rally classes 1 day per week.

I don't do any formal training sessions with Austin and Lincoln other than our weekly agility classes. They're already perfect.:uhoh:

As for Reno, Reno is the king of the house and does what he wants!!!!


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## desi.n.nutro (Mar 18, 2011)

Bentleysmom said:


> No because I'm concerned about his weight I alternate between small pieces of unsalted green beans and small pieces of apple. He thinks they're the best treat EVER and for all training in one day it adds up to appox 20 calories.


 Hmm. I would think the calories are low. The fat is low for sure. The fiber is good for them but I would worry about the sugar carbs. Most treats that have "Training" in the name are low calorie and low sugar. I feed my dogs a lot of apples too though and the Vet states their weight as ideal. Maybe I should increase my green beans and apples.


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## Marley96 (Oct 25, 2012)

I try to train my puppy ever day but sometimes it doesn't happen


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## Jige (Mar 17, 2011)

I voted 2x a day now that BaWaaJige is older and we can train longer at one time but when he was a pup like Winston I trained many many times during the day. We were always working on something even if it was only for a a couple of minutes at a time. Still during the summer monthes I train more often because of the heat I have to be careful (4 heat strokes has raised havoc on my body). If I am working on something new like rally or an obedience thing I break it up and work him 4-5x a day on it. We might only to the new exercise once or twice each time depending on how he is getting it. Plus I like to train in new areas so if we are going some place and I see something he has seen before I stop and do 10-15 of training with him.


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