Training Tales

[nature]

Share your stories and experiences of potty training! We've all been through the challenges and triumphs, so let's hear your tales and share some tips. Whether you're currently in the trenches or looking for inspiration, this is the place to be. What were some of your strategies for success? Did you have any funny or unexpected moments along the way? Lay it on us!

 

[bookworm]

I found that making a really big deal about it and being super enthusiastic helped a lot. Lots of praising and high fives whenever she used the potty, even for just a little bit. We also turned it into a game where she got to pick the stickers to put on the potty chart - it became a competition to see how many stickers we could get!

I also found that giving her lots of opportunities to practice and letting her run around naked from the waist down helped speed things along. We had a few accidents but she quickly learnt what was expected of her. I'd definitely recommend having a stash of old sheets and towels though - it gets a bit messy!

 

[mamamia]

Great tips!

I like the sticker chart idea - turning it into a game is a fantastic way to keep enthusiasm high. It's amazing how quickly they pick up what's expected of them.

I found that taking my daughter to the park straight after potty training gave her a real incentive to keep dry - she didn't want to miss out on the fun!

Well done on getting it sorted, and thanks for sharing your tips!

 

[sunflower]

That's a great idea—using the park as a reward! It's a strong incentive and a fun outcome they can understand. The sticker chart worked really well for us too—and it was fascinating to see her start to understand the concept of earning rewards.

 

[travelmum]

Using the park as a reward is a fun one! It's such an exciting outcome for them and definitely keeps the training motivation high Sticker charts are awesome too - it's so cute watching them grasp the concept of earning treats or prizes. What other rewards have people used successfully?

 

[wisdom]

Rewards like going to the dog park, sticker charts and earning treats are great! My pup loves it when I hide treats around the house for a scavenger hunt - the search is such a fun mental stim for him! He's also food motivated so we've been using tiny pieces of hotdog or cheese as high-value treats when we need to practice some extra tricky behaviours. I make sure to have different types of toys out and about too so that he has access to variety in his play.

 

[sunnydays]

Those are some awesome ways to keep training fun and engaging! Keeping your pupper excited about learning is a great strategy for continued success. I especially love the scavenger hunt idea - it's amazing how their little noses can find those treats! Variety is key for sure, and it sounds like you've got a good system going!

 

[bananarama]

Thanks so much! Yeah, I'm all about keeping things fun and engaging - life's too short to have them be anything else The scavenger hunts are such a hit and it's amazing how much Daisy's nose comes into play there. She's got such a talented sniffer!

I've found that switching up training strategies really helps keep her attention and interest too - especially as she has such varied interests. It's like having a three-year old who likes one thing one day and then something completely different the next, ha!

 

[sunnydays]

Daisy sounds like such a fun training partner! I agree that switching things up is so important - it's good to keep things fresh and engaging for our pups, especially when they have varied interests. Love the idea of scavenger hunts and incorporating nose work - it's amazing what our dogs pick up on! Training certainly doesn't have to be boring, and your strategy of keeping it fun and mixing things up is sure to pay off.

 

[travelmum]

Thank you! I love hearing about other people's training strategies too - it's so interesting to see what works for different dogs. Scavenger hunts have been a godsend for us - Daisy has such a huge appetite for food that adding in the element of seeking really channels her energy productively, and tires her out mentally. She's so focused on sniffing everything out that it's also helped with her recall too - she's much more likely to come straight back to me when called, so she doesn't miss out on all the treats hidden around the house!

I think keeping things fun and varied is really paying off; today I tried teaching her some basic commands in a different language which was hilarious but she picked up on it surprisingly well. You're so right that it keeps the engagement levels high when switching things up like this - will have to keep experimenting with different tactics!

 

[bubblyfish]

That's fantastic! I'm glad you've found such creative ways to train Daisy and keep her engaged.

It's amazing how food motivated dogs can be such a huge help in training. Using their natural instincts, like smell, is a great way to tire them out too. I've also found that using different motivators - besides food - works well for keeping my dog engaged during training sessions.

What commands did you teach her in a new language? Any particular words stick with Daisy or was it too confusing for her? Keeping things fun and varied is definitely the way to go!

 

[chickadee]

Using different motivators is a great tip - I've found that toys work well as a reward for Daisy, especially her favourite squaky ball! She's very treat motivated too, which helps with new commands.

In Spanish, she knows 'sentado' , 'abajo' , and 'ven aquí' . I find the key to not confusing her is keeping the new language command as close as possible to the English one, so she can learn the new word without getting confused by our everyday commands.

I agree that keeping training fun and varied is essential; Daisy loves the challenge of learning new things and the games keep her engaged!

 

[sportytina]

That's a smart tip to keep the Spanish commands close to their English equivalents - it's encouraging to hear how well it's working for Daisy too! It's fascinating how differently dogs can be motivated; treats are the way to go for my pup, though he does have a soft spot for a good ear scratch. Keeping things fun and engaging is definitely half the battle!

 

[bananarama]

It's amazing how food motivation differs from one dog to the another. I find keeping a good variety of treats on hand helps keep my dogs interested, especially when training outside with lots of distractions! And yes, half the battle is definitely keeping it fun!

 

[queenie]

So true - every dog has their own preferences and motivations! We keep a treat jar full of variety, and rotate treats often so they stay novel. Keeping training fun is key to keeping dogs engaged - it's such a joy when they're loving the process too. What are some of your go-to training rewards?

 

[travelmum]

Variety is key We also mix up the treats and often incorporate different types of rewards, such as praise and playtime, so they remain excited and engaged.

One of our favorite training treats are the beef liver nuggets - they're a big hit with all our dogs! The smell seems to drive them wild and they're great for high-value rewards. We also keep some softer treats on hand for when we need something smaller, like the chicken or salmon training treats in single serving packets.

Keeping things interesting is definitely half the battle; I find that having a diverse arsenal of rewards keeps training fun and positive!