Good behavior shows that your pet is happy and healthy. Training your pet helps reduce aggression, bad behaviors, and fears while improving communication between you. Training fosters trust, enhances playtime, and creates a great environment for everyone.
1. Educate Your Pet
Start early. Puppies and kittens do well when exposed to different people, animals, and places. Keep sessions short and fun, giving plenty of praise or treats. Use clicker training to teach positive behaviors, such as “sit,” “stay,” or using the litter box. Clicker training works well for both dogs and cats and relies solely on positive rewards.
2. Training with Love
Small dogs (like Chihuahuas): May get scared or nip. Reward them for staying calm around new things.
Large Dogs and Mixed Breeds: Teach commands like “heel” and “down” to help manage their strength.
Cats (like Persians, Maine Coon’s): Teach them to use scratching posts to protect your furniture. Provide high places for them to climb and feel secure.
3. Dealing with Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is common, especially in small dogs, but you can help with training:
Slow Training: Start by leaving for short periods and gradually increase the time. Provide fun toys for your dog to play with while you’re away.
Calm Departures: Don’t make a big fuss when leaving or returning. Try to act normally.
Calming Products: Use products like Adapt that help your dog stay calm when you leave.
4. Dealing with Fears and Phobias
Common fears can include thunder, fireworks, vet visits, or strangers. To help:Increase your pet’s exercise and playtime before stressful events.
- Play calming music (like classical music) to help soothe them.
Gradually desensitize your pet to low noises and reward them when they remain calm.
5. Crate Training and Safe Spaces
Crates, when introduced gradually, provide a secure haven—not punishment. They help with potty training and keeping pets calm during trips or vet visits. Be careful: don’t overuse them, and ensure pets never view them as isolation punishment.
6. Consistency and Boundaries
Have short daily sessions (5–10 minutes) teaching commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “leave it.” Reward calm behavior with praise or treats. Indoor cats do well with regular clicker training sessions, similar to dogs.
7. Care for Senior Pets
Older animals benefit from gentle training to maintain mental and emotional health. Adjust activities to accommodate mobility issues and use soft praise to reinforce routines.
Training Strategy Comparison
| Pet Type | Key Training Focus | Anxiety Technique |
|---|---|---|
| Small Dogs | Desensitization, calm greetings | Puzzle toys, DAP, gradual departures |
| Medium Dogs (Corgis) | Obedience + herding redirection | Mentally enriching walks, pheromones |
| Large Dogs | Structured commands, leash control | Regular exercise + safe space creation |
| Cats (all breeds) | Clicker training, vertical enrichment | Controlled alone time + puzzle toys |
Quick Tips
- Start training your pets within the first month of bringing them home.
- Speak to them in a calm voice, use consistent cues, and reward them when they do something right.
- Observe your pet’s anxiety through video recordings.
- Avoid punishments—negative approaches only increase their fear.
- Keep your pet engaged daily with puzzles, fun toys, or training games.
Training your pet fosters a calmer, happier home and aligns with their healthy development needs. Use age-appropriate strategies, implement gradual changes for anxious pets, and consistently reward calm behaviors with affection and structure.