Troubleshooting, articles and commands
Step-by-step guidance for building a reliable recall: from close range indoors to real-world distances. One of the most important things a dog can learn.
A step-by-step guide to teaching down using luring from a sit. Covers adding the verbal cue and building a calm, reliable down.
How to teach your dog to let go of what's in their mouth, starting with their own toys. Covers the trade, giving it back, adding the cue and what to do with stolen or dangerous items.
A step-by-step guide to teaching heel — the precise walking position where your dog's shoulder stays at your left leg, matching your pace and sitting when you stop.
How to teach your dog to disengage from food, objects, and hazards on cue. Covers the full progression from a closed fist to real-world practice on walks.
Teaching your dog that their name means 'look at me.' A short, focused exercise that builds the attentiveness everything else depends on.
How to teach your dog to go to a designated spot and stay there until released. Covers building duration, adding the verbal cue, and sending from a distance.
A step-by-step guide to teaching sit using luring. Covers how to add the verbal cue and fade the treat so your dog responds to the word alone.
How to teach your dog to hold a position until released.
A fun, low-stakes trick that teaches a full turn using a treat as a lure. A great first trick once your dog already knows the basics.
Building on a paw-touch behavior to teach a raised paw against your hand — a natural next step once your dog understands paw shaking.
A crowd-pleasing trick that builds on a solid down, best taught with patience since it asks your dog to be briefly vulnerable on their back.
An introduction to the human-dog relationship. Sets the foundation for understanding why training works and what Pawstrain is here to help with.
The common reasons behind digging in the yard or at furniture, and how to redirect it instead of just trying to stop it.
A step-by-step guide to building calm alone time from scratch. Covers how to set up a safe space, start with very short durations, and build gradually without rushing your dog into distress.
How the habits around leaving and coming home affect your dog's anxiety. Covers reading pre-departure signals, neutralizing your departure and arrival rituals, and breaking established patterns.
Covers the mistakes that keep attention barking going, a step-by-step fix, and how to handle the dinner table. It's one of the hardest situations for this behavior.