The “basic five” and beyond: how dogs learn, marker/clicker training, teaching sit, down, stay, a reliable recall, and proofing cues so they work in the real world — all reward-based, no aversives.
How dogs learn: the science behind marker training and reward-based basics
Before you teach a single cue, understanding how dogs form associations makes every training session more efficient. Here is the behaviour science behind marking, timing, and reward — without the jargon.
Teaching sit, down and stay: a step-by-step guide to the three foundation cues
Sit, down and stay are the building blocks of everything else you will ever teach your dog. Learn how to shape each one cleanly, add the cue word at the right time, and build duration without breaking the behaviour.
A recall you can trust: teaching "come" so your dog returns every single time
A reliable recall is the most important safety skill a dog can have — and one of the most commonly undertrained. Here is how to build it from scratch and protect it from the mistakes that erode it.
Proofing cues: making your dog's training hold up in the real world
A dog who sits perfectly in the kitchen but ignores you at the park has not learned the cue — they have learned the context. Proofing is the deliberate process of teaching a dog that a cue means the same thing everywhere, every time.