Dog breeds vary in size, learning skills, appearance, and personality. Some naturally love kids or have instinctive desires to herd and fetch. They also vary in temperament and how much time and effort it takes to train them. Here are the seven dog breeds that are the easiest to train.
Dog Breeds
Border Collies
Border collies are bright and easily trained dogs, whether you have a rough collie or smooth collie. They actually enjoy being taught to do new things since they like the praise and interaction with the owner or trainer. Note that these are hunting dogs and they’re very active by their very nature. This means that while you can get the dog to learn to fetch and retrieve prey, having the dog learn to sit still for a long time and crate training can be more difficult.
Golden Retrievers
Golden retrievers are a very bright as well and their intense loyalty is what makes them so eager to please. They want to engage with their owners and they’ll learn almost anything if you give them strong positive reinforcement. These dogs, too, are hunting dogs but easily trained as service dogs. They’re particularly notable for their forgiving nature; if you make mistakes or are inconsistent in training, they’ll still stay with you.
They are prone to distraction. This means that repetition of short lessons is the best way to train them. Also, give them a fun workout before you try to get them to “sit” in class.
Labrador Retrievers
Labrador retrievers, like golden retrievers, are great learners and playful. And they crave praise and engagement. They can be taught almost anything, but they’ll learn to fetch and retrieve items on command first and foremost because they enjoy it. They’re active puppies, so make sure you give them a good long workout before each formal lesson.
Poodles
Poodles are one of the easiest small breeds of dog to trains. This is why they are often used in show obedience classes. They’re intelligent, they have an even temperament, and they can learn many different tricks. An issue that owners frequently encounter is that the dog can become stubborn. You can overcome this with incentives for the dog and by staying emotionally engaged with the animal.
Papillon
Papillon dogs are a long-standing breed that we know were bred from toy spaniels, several centuries ago. While most toy dogs are both stubborn and difficult to train, the Papillon stands out as the exception. They are intelligent, eager to please and enjoy training. They glide through obedience training. They’re affectionate with family and somewhat kid friendly.
German Shepherds
German shepherds are great learners, loyal and reliable. This makes them very trainable. It is also why they’re so often used as police dogs. They pick up commands readily, especially pacing humans and spotting things. They’re also naturally protective of their owners; the hard part is training them to properly identify intruders and not act aggressively around strangers.
Contact a dog trainer to have German Shepherds properly trained as guard dogs. These dogs can also be destructive when left alone too long, though you can train them to have productive outlets for their energy and anxiety.
Other Notes about Training
A dog’s breed is only one factor in training the animal. In fact, the dog’s age makes the biggest difference in training an animal. You want to train a dog when it is a puppy. Training a three-month-old puppy is much easier than training a three-year old dog.
However, the area in which you are finding the training program matters, too. Obviously, not all dogs will be trained for the same things – in more rural areas, such as Derbyshire or Northumberland e.t.c, many dogs are trained to be very obedient for farm work and are given quite a lot of independence. This means you might need to find a more specific training program.
However, in cities such as Manchester or Liverpool, most puppy training services begin at 3 months and cover the basic commands for obedient pet behaviour. For example, the Liverpool dog trainers, Dog Harmony, are able to train a three-month-old puppy to obey the basic commands, such as to not bite or chew items, within 1.5 hour lessons. For more troublesome dogs, the Liverpool branch of this training service even offer two intensive lessons in order to teach dogs to sit, lie etc. from any age. In general, you want to work with a good training program before your dog hits adulthood.
You’ll want a program that has relatively short lessons that are repeated with the trainer and at home. Sorry, but you’re not going to be able to train a dog in one afternoon. And don’t undermine your training by having one set of rules at the park and another in your home.
The dog’s physical and mental health impacts training. For example, your dog isn’t going to pay attention or want to do much if they’re sick or suffering from an injury. You should never try to train a dog in a way that aggravates an injury.
Conclusion
Dog training is easier when you select a dog breed known for its learning skills and train-ability. However, the ability to successfully train a dog also depends on its age, the quality of the training, and your consistency in maintaining the rules. Don’t forget positive reinforcement to keep the dog on track.
What are your favourite dog breeds?
