Dog Training 101

Dog Training 101: Basic Obedience Training at Home

Training your dog—whether you just got a puppy or want to teach an old dog new tricks—can be a rewarding experience for both you and your pup. Dog training not only keeps dogs safer in unpredictable situations, but it’s also an excellent way to strengthen your bond and deepen your relationship.

However, it can be hard to know where to begin, which is why we called on two experts to inform this Dog Training 101 guide: certified professional dog trainers Nicole Ellis and Shoshi Parks, who you can learn more about below. Throughout this guide, you’ll find tips and information focused on positive reinforcement. This training philosophy aims to help your dog associate wanted behaviors with good things like treats and attention.

At Rover, we believe that all dogs can benefit from training. And as the world’s largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers, we know what a positive impact training can have on dogs and their people—both by keeping dogs safe and helping people bond with their furry family members. This guide will serve as your step-by-step resource for training your dog at home.

And, if you’re feeling stuck in your training journey, we’ve got you covered there, too. Working with a professional trainer on Rover means ongoing guidance, check-ins, and customized practice plans. Reach out to a local dog trainer for added support.

Chapter 1: Intro to At-Home Dog Training

Before diving in to tactical dog training advice, it's helpful to understand the basics. With many opinions about the best way to train a dog, we at Rover wanted to provide helpful context for each method. We turned to expert dog trainer Nicole Ellis to break them down. Once you've picked your preferred training method, learn about beginning to read your dog's body language. Finally, we've listed some helpful gear to make training easier.

Chapter 2: Welcoming a Dog Into Your Home

Whether you brought home a puppy or an adult dog, there are several things to consider to make it a smooth transition. Though they have some overlapping items, puppies in particular may have a few additional needs like potty training or learning how to sleep through the night. This section covers the basics of bringing a dog home and the suggested training to help it go smoothly.

Chapter 3: Necessities

In this next phase of training your dog, we'll walk you through potty training, leash training and crate training. These are necessary to putting both you and your pup at ease. It's important to establish what you expect from them, so they can move with ease both in your home and out in public spaces. Let's get to it.

Chapter 4: Cues

In this section, we cover the basic cues recommended by expert trainer Shoshi Parks. Nailing these obedience cues will help you and your dog understand each other. Shoshi practices positive reinforcement training, meaning she uses positive affirmation and treats to reward good behavior.

Chapter 5: Tricks

Ready for some tricks? Here are a few of our favorites from teaching your dog how to roll over to showing them how to high five. While these tricks aren't necessary for basic life with your dog, it can be a fun bonding exercise to take on more advanced dog training.

Chapter 6: Troubleshooting

Every dog behaves differently and responds to unique triggers. Puppies may want to chew on your hand, while other dogs like to jump on your guests when they walk through the door. These are some of the most common behaviors to work through with your dog.

About Our Experts

ShoshiShoshi Parks, Ph.D. is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-ka) and Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT). She owns Modern Hound Dog Training in San Francisco and teaches dog training classes at the San Francisco SPCA.

Nicole Ellis is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA), American Kennel Club CGC evaluator and APDT trainer. Using positive reinforcement methods Nicole has trained hundreds of animals from basic behavior and puppy manners, to trick training, therapy work, and service dog training. Nicole believes with love and positive reinforcement we can train any dog.

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