Reward-Based Training: The Basics That Carry Everything Else

Four skills worth real practice

Name response. Say the name once, mark and reward when the dog turns.

Recall. Train it on a long line before you ever rely on it off lead. For scent hounds, expect this to take months, not weeks.

Loose lead walking. Reward position rather than punishing pulling. Short, frequent sessions beat long frustrating walks.

Settle. Teaching a dog to switch off is as valuable as teaching them to work.

Make sessions short

Two or three minutes, several times a day, outperforms one long weekly session. Train before meals, use food the dog actually cares about, and end while it is still going well.