Dogs are playful, happy animals that want to be with us at all times but if you work you’re likely wondering how to train your dog when you work.
You see dogs have been domesticated for centuries and can even be trained to follow commands. While dogs make excellent pets, they do not make good “outdoor” dogs because of their instincts. If a dog is left alone all day in a backyard or kennel, it may become destructive and bark excessively.
This is why you must take the time to train your dog so that they will stay calm while you’re away at work, school, or just living life.
An uneducated owner can quickly develop bad habits with their pup by simply neglecting their dogs during the first couple of months!
THE CHALLENGE OF HOW TO TRAIN A DOG WHEN YOU WORK
1)Time constraint.
The most challenging part of learning how to train your dog when you work is time.
Depending on how many hours you work, time will be your biggest challenge because to train your dog; you need time to dedicate solely to your dog.
Regardless of your time limitations, were going to cover specific ways to get the most out of training your dog no matter your time constraints!
2)Potty training.
A dog needs to be able to live in a normal household. The best time to train a dog is when they are still young before your dog develops any bad habits.
Remember that the longer you leave your pup to figure things out on their own, the harder it will be because they will develop habits that must be broken before learning new ones.
The most challenging aspect of potty training a dog while you work is that potty training is entirely dependent on the dog’s age because age will determine how long a dog can hold its bladder.
If you have an extremely young puppy, leaving your pup for more than 4 hours can be detrimental because your pup may not have the bladder control to hold it that long.
Potty training also depends on a consistent feeding schedule to determine how soon after your pup has eaten, they have to go potty.
3)Potential for destructive behavior due to boredom.
Dogs kept in an environment where nothing is interesting might feel bored and resort to chewing on shoes or furniture to relieve this boredom. Destructive behavior by your dog can be entirely avoided if you spend more time training your dog by playing with it regularly and teaching your dog what objects are appropriate to chew on and what objects are not.
How To Train Your Dog When You Work
Have you ever wondered how to train your dog when you work full-time? This article aims to provide you with some tools that will help immensely.
1)Create a consistent schedule and routine (before and after work)
Consistency is critical for training any dog or puppy, and even if you have a busy lifestyle, consistent routines can still be established.
If you’re just starting with a new dog, it can be difficult to train them without introducing inconsistency into the mix.
Introducing a bit more consistency during the week doesn’t have to be hard!
Make sure that you create a routine before and after work making sure that you stick to this routine no matter what.
Creating a consistent routine can do wonders in terms of creating an expectation in your dog’s life and having your dog behave more reliably!
A simple morning and after work routine can be something like this:
Morning
6:30 AM: Play Fetch
7 AM: Feed
7:30 AM: Walk
8 AM: Crate with a Puzzle toy – leave for work
After Work
5 PM: Walk
5:30 PM: Play
6 PM: Feed
This routine works so well because this short routine focuses on providing an outlet for your dogs’ innate needs so that your pup is fully satisfied before and after work.
2) Use your dog’s mealtime for training
In the morning, when you’re getting ready to head off to work, feed your puppy or dog a meal and use this time to train them with a command or a trick.
Your going to feed your dog anyway so might as well “kill two birds with one stone” and train your dog while you feed them.
Instead of just placing your dog’s food bowl down, use a portion of that food to train your dog to “sit,” “lay down,” “come,” etc.
By doing this you are using every opportunity you get to train your dog when you work.
3) Keep training sessions shorter than 15 mins
When learning how to train your dog when you work it’s important to keep your training sessions short and sweet!
Even if you have the time to train every day, don’t overdo it by spending 30 minutes or an hour on a session.
Fifteen minutes is perfect for a training session working on behaviors that your pup has already learned or teaching your pup new tricks!
Just make sure that they are happy and engaged the entire time!
If they refuse to participate during the session, even after some enticements, refrain from forcing them and call it a day.
Always remember you rather leave your dog wanting more than having a grueling long session.
4) Hire A dog trainer to train your dog while you work
If you don’t have the time to dedicate to training your pup daily or even a weekly one, hiring someone else for this purpose is always an option worth exploring!
Remember, you still want to be there on the other end when the dog trainer is done to continue the training process on your own with what your dog trainer taught your dog.
In most cases, especially if you haven’t been actively trying to teach them anything yet, trainers will teach basic manners, leash walking, potty training, tricks, and much more!
5) Crate train your dog to prevent bad habits from developing
Crate training is one of the most effective and practical methods for potty training and a way to keep your pets safe when you’re not around.
It will also help prevent your pup from developing some bad behaviors due to stress or boredom caused by having too much time on their hands.
When it comes down to it, crating should always be used as a management tool first and foremost, never as punishment.
If you’ve never tried crate training before, go slowly and work on building positive associations with the crate.
To learn more about crate training click here
6) Satisfy your dog’s innate needs
One of the most important things for you to do when learning how to train your dog when you work is to make sure that they are happy, well-fed, and exercised.
Some dogs will be satisfied if their owners provide them with basic attention throughout the day, but not all.
You must fully understand your dog and its breed. For instance, an English bulldog has drastically different needs and a german shepherd.
Ensuring you fully understand your dog and their innate needs is critical to prevent any behavioral problems from arising.
Conclusion
So there you have it: a few simple things that you can do to ensure that your pup continues to learn and how to train your dog when you work.
If you find yourself overwhelmed, don’t worry; hiring someone could be the best option. Just remember: consistency is critical, and training isn’t just something that should happen during the weekdays after work hours.
Training is a lifestyle and not just a chore: your dog will always look forward to interacting with you, its owner, and learning something new about themselves and its environment.
For more help on crate training a dog and to awaken your dog’s true potential contact us here or Give us a call!
Receive your free dog training consultation and set your pup up for success!
