5 Skills Every Dog Owner Should Master (If You Want a Life)

In the 7 years I've been running this business, I've looked after hundreds of dogs. All breeds, all temperaments, all shapes, and all sizes. And I see the same problems come up again and again.

When we get a puppy we're often so busy teaching them to wee outside and sit and have good manners that we don't always think about how they're going to fit into our lives. Before we know it we're stuck at home with a dog who can't be trusted in company or - even worse - won't let you leave the house.

Here are the 5 most important things to teach your dog if you want a life.

1. Recall

Recall is the single most important instruction you can teach your dog - it might actually save their life one day. It's not something you should only work on when they are small puppies and then file under 'done' - it's something to come back to again and again, in different situations and under differing levels of stress, until you are 100% confident that you have a dog you can stop in its tracks.

My tip: Don't wear out their name by constantly using it when you're teaching recall or they will tune you out. I have four different words I use to call Bandit, depending on the severity of the situation: "This way." "Bandit." "Come." "Stop!"

2. The Ability to Sleep Alone

So many of us co-sleep with our dogs. There's a difference between you inviting them into your bed when you want to and them believing that your bed is theirs. If you yearn for a life of freedom or if you simply want to go on holiday knowing that whoever's looking after your dog is getting their own sleep, you need to teach your dog to relax and sleep separately from you sometimes.

My tip: Crate training really helps. It may look like a cage to us, but to them it's their refuge. If you're worried you've missed the boat with crate training, your dog can still be trained to sleep independently.

3. Impulse Control

Do you have a dog that jumps up at people, counter surfs, steals food from your plate, barges out of the front door or feels compelled to say a boisterous hello to every dog and human they meet in the park? All these behavioural issues are related, and they all start with impulse control.

My tip: As with all training, start small. Hold a treat flat on the palm of your hand. When your dog goes for the treat close your hand quickly. Repeat until they stop lunging for the treat. As soon as they stop, reward them with a treat from the other hand.

4. Settle

Can you take your dog with you anywhere and know that it will be able to relax at your feet? Can it self-soothe at home, or is it constantly demanding your attention? Settle is often overlooked as a skill, but it will change your life. And the good news is, it's not a hard one to train - for either of you.

5. Trust

This is a hard one. Do you believe your dog fully trusts you? To keep them safe? To meet all their needs? Not just the basic ones like feeding them and exercising them, but the ones that they have been bred for and are hardwired to seek out? I urge you to be completely honest with yourself here. Because any issues you are seeing in their behaviour most likely boil down to this single thing.

My tip: If your answer is 'no', first of all, congratulations on your honesty. You've already taken a big step towards helping your dog. Your next step is to consult a behaviourist.

A Final Note

If you felt a bit uncomfortable reading this list, I want to let you in on something: you're in fabulous company. All of us as owners have room for improvement.

Some of these issues can be resolved with practice, others will need professional help from a trainer, and others will need professional help from a behaviourist. If you let me know what you're struggling with, I'd be happy to point you in the right direction.

Congratulations on taking your first step towards solving your dog's problems and getting your life back.

With love and woofs,

Steph xx

Follow us at @houseofdog.club on Instagram for more tips and if you'd like help with any of these issues, get in touch - I'd love to hear from you.