How to Write a Training Plan

Creating a training plan for training with your dog can seem like a daunting task, where do you start? Having a training plan can really help you reach your goals, in a time-efficient way, as well as fostering a great relationship with your dog. It helps you stay consistent, avoid frustration, and track progress over time. In this blog post, I’ll dive into why writing a training plan is essential, and how you can create one that works for both you and your dog.

Set a goal

What is it that you want to achieve? Would you look to work on basic obedience, recall, loose lead walking? Or tackle more complex behaviour issues like separation anxiety or resource guarding? Describe the behaviour in detail, to really get to the bottom of the cause.

This may sound really simple but often we look at our dogs as problematic when really, we just need to focus on one issues, or break an issue down into small, achievable goals.

My dog Louis can sometimes be reactive on walks to other dogs through frustration of wanting to greet them but not being able to. Out of my own frustration, I could rush to think 'oh he is so terrible on the lead' or 'he is awful around other dogs', when really we just need to work on frustration around other dogs and help him cope with that, whilst doing a bit of loose lead walking.

Break the Goal Down into Small Tasks

From here, me and Louis can break down these goals even more by then practicing specific exercises such as, heel, down stays with distractions, sitting and listening with dogs in the far distance, slowly getting closer to them.

Not expecting everything to happen at once is the most important factor of a successful plan. Think of them as stepping stones to the final goal. This way, both you and your dog can enjoy the process, without feeling overwhelmed.

Set a Manageable Schedule

Consistency is key, as I'm sure you've heard before. Whatever your work or life schedules, you must have at least a couple of minutes a day to spare for training with your dog. This could be all that's needed to see progress. Small, easy sessions are so much better for you and your dog as they are more fun, leave you excited for the next session, and save frustration.

Adjust the Plan if Needed

Over time, don't forget to track your progress. If you feel you're not making progress, maybe taking a look at the plan or even better, get a trainer to have a look over it, and make some tweaks where things aren't working.

For example, go back a step and make things less difficult. It sounds like the opposite of what you need, but trust me, you will see progress this way, and it will be much more pleasant for you and your dog. Adjusting your approach to fit your dog’s learning style and temperament will help you stay on track. Maybe your dog doesn't find the rewards you're using motivating anymore, which is okay! It is natural for any animal, including us, to change their tastes over time. Maybe your dog is finding the environment you're training in too overwhelming and needs somewhere quieter.

What’s next?

Now you feel like you're making progress, you can start to up the difficulty of the exercises and behaviours to help you move forward. From here, you can expand behaviour, keep records and trouble-shoot mistakes.

The 3Ds! Duration, Distance and Distraction

Add in one of these to your exercises (one at a time) to push your dog at their pace, this is where the progress will be seen. Don't forget to capture really good behaviour from your dog, even if you haven't asked for it, this will help your dog know that they can get rewards from you at any time, not just during training sessions.

When practicing Louis' recall, I would slowly practice at busier times of the day, so that there were more distractions around. However, I would not add huge distance from myself or expect recall over a long walk every time, having too high of duration for him. I would also keep his longline on, or in my hand, so that we had some training wheels should recall not work in that instance. We don't want to make things too difficult too soon for both of us.

Record your training

Recording your training, even on your phone, as a video or as a note, can help us to look back in 3, 6 or 12 months and think wow! I didn't realise at the time but we have actually come a really long way. This can also help us to identify new goals or things to work on.

This can also help you to see where you went wrong and might need to adjust your expectations, reinforcement rate, 3Ds or just your own patience.

I'm personally not really organised in this respect either, I prefer to take videos and look back them. This is a great way to see my timing and responses to Louis' behaviour.

Observe Your Dog and Avoid Labels

Whatever your dog's breed, age, type, personality, every dog is an individual and because your best friend's cousin's mum's Doberman acts and responds to training this way, doesn't mean yours will. Observing what your dog responds best to and enjoys the most can help you used this to your advantage to really get to where you want to be.

That being said, do take into account a holistic approach and take on tips for all of your dog's traits, but most importantly, if it works for your dog then great, if not then don't worry about it.

Your dog training plan isn't just about thinking of a goal and trying your best to get there, it is about breaking it down and having loads of fun along the way, so that you can look back and think wow we have done such a good job. This can also help you through any challenging times that you may have on your training journey. Remember, dog training is a journey, not a destination. Be patient with both yourself and your dog as you work toward your goals. Grab a pen, write down your training goals, the road to a well-trained dog starts with a plan, and you’ve just taken the first step!

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