I Don't Have Time To Train My Dog!

With lots of us having such busy lives, it's no wonder I often hear from dog owners that they simply don't have the time to train their dog. But is this really the case? How long do dogs really need to be able to learn new skills?

Of course, this will differ depending on the age of the dog and whether or not they are used to training with you. A puppy, for example, will have a much shorter attention span and training sessions should be kept very short followed by sleep in order to absorb what they have learned.

There have been studies that looked into the best training practices for dogs and how they learn best. One study by Meyer and Ladewig (2008) investigated the relationship between the number of training sessions per week and learning in dogs. 18 Beagles were trained to perform a task. Half of them had a training session once a week, and the other half had a training session five times a week. The dogs that were trained once a week learned the exercise in fewer training sessions than the dogs trained five times a week. This seems to suggest that you don't necessarily have to put aside a lot of time each week to train your dog. However, the dogs trained five times a week completed the exercise in significantly fewer days than the weekly trained dogs, meaning overall it took less time for them to learn the skill.

For essential training, such as recall and focus, it would be wise to teach the dog as often as possible so that they understand the behaviour quickly. For other fun training, such as trick training, you can afford to do this less frequently.

If you're still thinking "but I don't have time to dedicate to training once a week, let alone daily", here's why this may not be the case:

As mentioned earlier, training sessions don't have to be long. Unless you're going to be training for obedience or sports competitions, it is unwise to try to do an hour long session as your dog will get tired and bored. Short sessions can be incredibly effective! Just 5-10 minutes a few times a day is better than nothing. These can fit around any busy schedule. For example, whilst you're waiting for the kettle to boil for your cup of tea, do a few repetitions of recall practice in the kitchen with your dog. When you sit down to watch your favourite show on TV, practice what your dog is currently learning during the ad breaks.

If you regularly practice doing short training sessions with your dog at times of the day when you have a few spare minutes, it all adds up and is a lot easier than trying to carve out a significant amount of time from your schedule. It will become part of your routine and won't feel like you have to put in any extra effort to your usual day.

Try it today! The next time you make yourself a drink, or there is an advert on the TV, grab a handful of your dog's food and do some training. You will be surprised at the results!

References

Meyer, I. and Ladewig, J. (2008) 'The relationship between number of training sessions per week and learning in dogs', Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 111 (Issues 3-4) pp.311-320 [Online] doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2007.06.016