Bellevue Dog Trainer’s 3 Tips for Training Your Dog in Spring

Hey guys, Marvin from Got Sit Dog Training here in Bellevue, WA. 

Spring is a great time of year to train a dog, as the milder weather allows for more outdoor activities and activities that can be done in the comfort of home. Training your dog can be an enjoyable process for both the human and canine, and these are some tips for training your dog during the spring season.

1. Utilize the Active Weather: 

The warmer weather of spring is the perfect opportunity to take your dog outside for some training. Whether you have a backyard or plan on utilizing your local park, find activities your dog enjoys and can thrive on. If your dog is a herding breed, incorporate herding exercises such as having them chase a ball or frisbee. If they enjoy more energetic activities, try engaging them in agility courses or search and rescue obstacles. Good outdoor activities during spring training can help strengthen not just the dog’s body, but their mental state as well.

Spring offers plenty of warm, sunny days for outdoor activities and this is the perfect time to begin working on your dog's training. Utilize your backyard or a nearby dog park to give your pup plenty of opportunities to practice obedience commands, leash manners, and recall. Make use of the good weather and beautify the space by teaching your pup to “Sit” and “Stay” while walking around flowers and trees, practice agility drills on a grassy area with an adjustable agility ladder, or play “fetch” with some of their favorite toys.

2. Teach New Tricks with Gentle Reinforcement: 

Spring is a great time to teach your dog some new tricks. Playing with one of your dog’s favorite toys is a great way to increase their focus, and setting easy goals for them is a fantastic way to develop their obedience. When your dog succeeds at a new trick, gently reinforce it with a treat. This way, your dog will be more encouraged to learn more tricks. Start off with basic tricks such as “sit” and “down”, before expanding to commands such as “heel” and “fetch”.

You can create a fun and engaging activity for your pup with scent games, which are also great for honing in your dog’s natural gifts to search for odors. Unlike in winter months, there’s warmer temperatures, longer days, and plenty of new scents to introduce to your pup. Take a walk through the woods or around the neighborhood and have them sniff for items like their kibble or treats, or a favorite toy. You may also try hide-and-seek treats in your backyard and play a game to see how long it takes your pup to find the treats.

3.Set Up Some Obstacle Courses: 

Spring weather is the perfect time to set up some obstacle courses for your pup at home. Landing pads or hula hoops are a great tool for training, as you can place them at various stations and ask the dog to run from one station to the other. Pair this with some target training, then incorporate commands like “sit”, “stay”, or “come” at various pans of the course. Depending on your level of schooling, you can even use agility tunnels, weave poles, and jumps as part of the course.

Even if you worked diligently on your pup’s training throughout the winter, the spring season is a great time to revisit any commands and behaviors. Building on your pup’s existing foundation is key to mastering things like longer stays or extended recalls, as well as incorporating any new tricks and commands you may have been eyeing. You may also look ahead and plan new activities such as swimming or water retrieving. Progressing their learning in small steps will help keep training fun and engaging, both for you and your pup.

These are just some of the ways you can keep your dog engaged in the lovingly warm spring weather. Keep in mind that training a pup requires patience and a positive mindset on your part - it is important to make the dog feel comfortable and to push them in a constructive way with clear rewards. Creating a supportive and happy atmosphere is key to training a pup. So, be sure to employ these tips when training in spring, and your pup will come out of spring training ready to tackle whatever comes next.