National Train Your Dog Month: Top Tips, Tricks, and Treats from Pet Market NYC

A commonly spoken mantra of many dog owners is, “No jumping!” At Pet Market NYC we, of course, adore dogs. Most who visit are well-behaved and have been trained. But there are a few dogs who drop by our stores whose manners might not impress Lassie or Toto! Have you ever considered seeking local dog training for your favorite furry friend? It’s a great option if you don’t have the time or have not been successful training your pet.

The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) organized National Train Your Dog Month, which occurs each January. It coincides with the many happy families who adopted dogs or puppies for the holidays. We encourage you to get started!

Begin With Simple Commands 

• Start your training with basic commands like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” “come,” and “heel.” 

• Even puppies eight weeks and older can learn, and they are enthusiastic learners at this stage.

Tricks Come Next 

• Tricks can add interest and excitement to their days, showcase their intelligence and abilities, are fun to teach, and are fun for dogs to learn!

• Tricks are mainly for entertainment and bonding and can include “shake,” “roll over,” “spin,” “play dead,” “high five,” “crawl,” “fetch” (for a specific object), and others. 

Positive Reinforcement and Treats 

• Positive Reinforcement and treats are the basis of training.

• Keep your tone playful and calm, and always encouraging, never punitive.

• Repeat the same hand signals and verbal cues for each trick.  

• Find out what treats your puppy or dog values most, and have plenty of options. Some trainers give treats every minute. Small treats are most beneficial so that you don’t overfeed and so that dogs don’t have to get distracted by chewing.

• Consider scheduling training before meal time, which may mean that your dog is extra motivated. 

• Keep a small bag of treats with you when you go out so that you can encourage good manners wherever you are.

Offer the Healthiest and Most Desirable Treats

• At Pet Market NYC, we carry “training treats” specifically made to be small, nutritional, and easy to chew/swallow. A few of our most popular training treats are “Polkadog Training Bits,” “Polkadog Wonder Nuggets, Training Size, with Peanut Butter,” “Bocce’s Training Bites,” “Plato Small Bites,” “Jiminy’s Good Grub Training Treats,” “Zuke’s Mini Naturals,” and so many others. Many are packed with antioxidants and other nutritional benefits, so offering a variety of training treats can be advantageous to health. Our staff can direct you to dogs’ favorites.

Keep Sessions Short

• Short lessons, maybe 20 minutes or less, are best. 

• Mix in some toy time to keep things interesting.

• End your training session if they feel any frustration. You never want training time to be something they fear, dislike, or dread.
  

Use Online Resources

• Go to trainyourdogmonth.com for great podcasts and videos brought to you by APDT. Search for other trusted and experienced dog training sites. There’s so much to learn and know about how to help your dog be a happy, well-balanced, and well-trained pup.

• If you don’t have the time or have not had success training your dog, consider a professional trainer or taking a class with your dog. Ask other dog owners for recommendations and read online reviews. AKC online is one resource with advice about finding a trainer.

Final Thoughts

Puppies and dogs can experience the world around them with far less stress and confusion when they know what you expect from them, and their good behavior will be met with positive interactions wherever they go. A well-trained dog is a happy dog! Get started on your training journey today!