Dog training by Andrew Darov, dog trainer
New puppy? Start here.
Plain, step-by-step help for the three things that keep new owners up at night. Pick the one you need today.
Also: first night home · puppy schedule · potty training · reactivity · all puppy guides
Find a breed
Know the dog before you buy the week.
Original breed guides from Andrew Darov: temperament, training and the problems owners actually meet.
Popular breeds
Sporting
Labrador Retriever A friendly, food-loving retriever that needs daily exercise, training and a job for its nose and mouth.
Sporting
Golden Retriever A fetching, people-facing sporting dog whose gold coat does not lower the daily mileage.
Herding
German Shepherd Dog A versatile German working shepherd that needs daily training, real exercise and a calm settle taught on purpose.
Non-Sporting
French Bulldog A compact companion with a clown reputation and a respiratory system you do not get to ignore.
Non-Sporting
Poodle A water-retrieving athlete that people mistake for a decoration once the coat is clipped.
Herding
Border Collie A brilliant, intense sheepdog that needs real daily work, training and a taught off-switch.
Toy
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel A toy spaniel that wants your sofa and still has a nose that will follow a crumb into the garden.
Hound
Beagle A friendly scent hound that follows its nose and needs patient recall training, sniffing walks and a secure garden.Expert advice
Puppy · 9 min
12 week old puppy schedule: sample day with times At twelve weeks wake spells stretch toward an hour or more, naps drop to about four a day and many puppies move to three meals. A sample day with times, and what moved since week ten.
Behavior · 8 min
Dog wants to go in and out all the time: what to do Scratching to go out, then asking straight back in, ten times an evening. Rule out a toilet need first, then make door trips dull and give the dog better things to do than work the door.
Reactivity · 9 min
Frustrated greeter dog on leash: calm pass-bys Some dogs bark and lunge on lead because they want to say hello, not because they are scared. Take a break from on-lead greetings, work at a distance where your dog can still eat, and reward calm looks and easy pass-bys.
Expert Advice · 5 min
What Is Residential Dog Training? Meaning and How It Works Residential training means your dog lives with the trainer for a while, learns in daily short sessions, and comes home with a plan you can keep up.
Puppy · 8 min
Overtired vs overstimulated puppy: how to tell Both look like a wild, bitey puppy. An overtired puppy has been awake too long and needs sleep. An overstimulated puppy has had too much going on and needs a quieter room first. The clock and the last hour tell you which.
Behavior · 9 min
Dog growls when moved off couch: what to do A dog that growls on the sofa or bed is warning you. Keep everyone safe today: no collar grabs, a food trade to get the dog down, and a gate or closed door while you teach an off cue. Bites or snaps mean it is time for qualified help.
Skills · 8 min
How to teach a dog to get off the couch Off means all four paws back on the floor. Start by tossing food off the sofa, add the word once the dog jumps down every time, then swap the toss for a hand signal and a reward on the floor. No pulling by the collar at any step.
Puppy · 9 min
Puppy peeing in crate: why it happens and how to fix it Most crate accidents come from a crate that is too big, a stretch that is too long, bedding that soaks it up, or a stressed puppy. Fix the cause, clean well, and keep the next weeks easy to win.
Behavior · 9 min
German Shepherd puppy biting: why it is hard and what helps German Shepherd puppies mouth harder and for longer than many breeds. The fix is the same method as for any puppy, with more sleep, a tug game with clear rules and a few months of patience.
Expert Advice · 9 min
Questions to ask a dog breeder before you buy a puppy A good breeder expects questions and asks plenty back. Use this list on the first call and at the visit: health screening, the parents, how the puppies are raised, the contract and what happens if things go wrong.
Puppy · 9 min
10 week old puppy schedule: sample day and what changed At ten weeks the day is still mostly sleep. Wake spells stretch a little, toilet trips stay frequent and short outings begin. A sample day with times, and what moved since week eight.
Behavior · 9 min
Halloween trick or treat with a dog: a calm door plan Trick or treat means hours of knocks, masks and an open door. Set up the room, move the doorbell outside and keep the sweets high, and the evening gets much easier for your dog.
Byline
Andrew Darov
Andrew Darov is a professional dog trainer. He runs a boarding and holding business and takes dogs in for a month-plus residential correction, then publishes that method in these articles. He leads seminars and teaches other trainers and veterinarians. He writes this English site for owners in the US, the UK, and the EU. He is not a veterinarian.
Every page on Dogmindlab carries this byline. Read the veterinary disclaimer and the editorial policy before you treat a protocol as a diagnosis.
Paid work
Work with me
A $150 consultation with Andrew Darov, or $500 monthly curatorship (three sessions, homework review, one problem for the month). Message opens WhatsApp.