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 · 8 min
Puppy growling: play growl or warning growl? Most puppies growl in play, and a play growl comes with a loose, bouncy body. A warning growl comes with a still, stiff body, often over food, toys, a resting spot or handling. Here is how to tell them apart, what to do in the moment, and when to bring in your vet and a qualified trainer early.
Behavior · 8 min
Dog scared of stairs and slippery floors: what to do Many dogs avoid stairs and slide on shiny floors because they cannot grip. Give them grip first with rugs and runners, then build confidence one step at a time with food and a hand target. If the fear started suddenly, ask your vet before you practise.
Skills · 8 min
How to brush a dog that hates it: calm, short sessions Dogs that fight the brush usually find it too long, too rough or too sudden. Brush one small area for a few seconds while your dog licks food from a lick mat, stop before it wriggles, and build up over days. Leave mats and big coat jobs to a groomer.
Puppy · 9 min
4 month old puppy schedule: sample day with times At four months most puppies stay awake for up to two hours at a time, take three or four naps, eat three meals and start teething hard. A sample day with times at 16 weeks, and what changes from the younger puppy days.
Behavior · 8 min
Dog snaps when touched while sleeping: what to do Many dogs startle and snap when they are touched in deep sleep. It is a fast, scared reaction, and it can hurt a child. Make sleep safe first with bed spots, a wake-up routine and clear house rules, then ask your vet about pain, hearing and sight, and get qualified help if it keeps happening.
Behavior · 9 min
Husky escaping the yard: fences, doors and recall Siberian Huskies were bred to run long distances, and many are skilled at jumping, climbing and digging out. Stop escapes with a taller, dig-proof fence, a door routine, ID and a long line in open spaces, then give your husky daily running time so the urge to leave drops.
Puppy · 8 min
Puppy barking in playpen: why it happens and what to do Most pen barking has a simple cause: a tired puppy who needs a nap, a bladder that needs the garden or yard, or a puppy who has learned that noise opens the gate. Meet the need, then open the pen on a quiet moment.
Reactivity · 8 min
Dog lunging at cars on walks: a calm, safe plan A dog that lunges at passing cars is at real risk near a road. Make the walk safer first with route choice, distance and a short lead by the traffic, then teach the dog to turn away from a car and look back at you.
Expert Advice · 8 min
When to get a second dog: timing, space and a good match The best time for a second dog is when the first one is settled: house trained, calm when left, easy on walks, and usually past the first year or two. Then check your time, space and budget, and pick a dog whose energy and play style fit.
Puppy · 7 min
Puppy zoomies: why they happen and what to do Zoomies are short, wild laps of running that most puppies do every day. They are usually normal play and pass in a minute or two. Your job is a safe space, a calm wait, and a quiet way out when the zoomies tip into nipping, which usually means the puppy needs sleep.
Behavior · 8 min
Dogs in the same house fighting: what to do now When two dogs who live together start fighting, the first job is to stop more fights, not to make them friends again by tomorrow. Separate with gates and doors, rotate who gets which room, write down what happened before each fight, and bring in your vet and a qualified behavior professional if anyone was hurt.
Skills · 7 min
How to teach a dog paw (and use it for nail trims) Paw, or shake, is an easy first trick that also has a real use: a dog that offers its paw on cue is easier to towel dry, check for thorns and get used to nail trims. Teach it with food in a closed hand, mark the lift, then fade the food and add a word.
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.
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