How Many Training Sessions Does A Dog Need?

One of the most common questions we receive from prospective clients relates to the length of time it will take for their dog to be trained. While dog training should be a lifelong activity, many dog owners are curious as to how long it will take for specific nuances of their dog’s behavior to change.

In reality, answering this question accurately can be very difficult, because there are so many factors that can influence the length of time it takes for a dog to learn and apply certain behaviors. An initial consultation can help dog trainers to assess the complexity of the task at hand, but it is only when the training program actually begins – and the trainer can see the speed of progress – that it is fair to estimate how many sessions a dog will actually require (of course, this doesn’t take into account that many behaviors need to be worked on continuously by dog owners, even after the formal training program is over).

Nevertheless, as this article will detail, there are certainly factors that can influence how many dog training sessions it may take to accomplish a training goal.

Breed/temperament

Not all dogs are created equal, and that’s definitely true when you consider the differences between the hundreds of dog breeds that exist. Many dogs were bred for specific reasons, and their breed characteristics have therefore developed accordingly. It can be challenging to teach new behaviors if it goes against the natural instinct of the dog; trying to stop breeds with high-prey drive from instinctively chasing squirrels and other small animals is a very difficult task.

Some breeds are notoriously stubborn (we’re looking at you, Poodles…), while others take to learning new behaviors like a duck to water. This can be breed-specific, but it can also reflect the temperament and personality of individual dogs, which can be influenced by everything from genetics to the environment they grew up in. Knowing if your dog is a quick learner – and if they are likely to be receptive to new training concepts – can help you to evaluate how long it may take to teach them new behaviors.

Prior learned history

Old habits die hard, and that adage is true in the dog training world. If your dog has experienced positive consequences or essentially been self-rewarded for performing a certain behavior – let’s say they counter-surf unchecked, and are able to help themselves to a range of tasty human snacks from the kitchen counter – breaking that habit is going to take time. It needs a systematic approach that breaks the cycle and teaches the dog the difference between a desirable and undesirable behavior.

This is also frequently seen in more complex behavioral cases. For example, if a dog is attacked by another dog, it can have huge repercussions for their confidence when interacting with other dogs in the future. This can lead to anything from extreme reactivity to timidness. It is therefore very important for dog owners to communicate any prior learned history or important events in the dog’s life prior to the start of training, as this can provide additional context that a trainer can build into their training plan.

Age

While it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks, it’s almost certainly easier to teach them when a dog is younger. As your dog grows up, they form routines in every aspect of their lives. Domestic dogs understand the difference between good behavior and bad behavior – if humans play their part by providing the requisite consequences for their actions. However, if a dog has never had any formal dog training and grows up without any structure to their day-to-day living, introducing them when the dog is older can cause training programs to take longer.

Programs like the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy initiative are designed to introduce puppies to dog training at an early age, when their brains are more malleable and good habits are easier to form. Puppy group classes are also a great way to build the foundations of good canine behavior, with the added benefits of socialization in a controlled setting.

Complexity of behaviors

It stands to reason that the more complex the behavior you are teaching, the longer it may take for a dog to fully comprehend and apply them. Teaching basic obedience commands to a younger dog with no negative behavioral history is going to be more straightforward than trying to manage a dog who has several years of aggression behind them. You can extend this to any other behavioral teaching where there is either a complex behavioral history to unravel, or the behaviors being taught are sufficiently challenging that it will naturally take several sessions to achieve success.

This isn’t just the case for pet dog training, either. Training service dogs and Police K9s is a lengthy, time-intensive process that takes several months to complete. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, the nature of the behaviors being taught are very complex; service dogs may be learning behaviors like switching on a light or retrieving a medical bag for their handler, which needs several sessions to build, shape and repeat the behavior. Additionally, in these examples, the consequence of inadequate training is too great. A service dog owner is sometimes entirely dependent on their service dog for assistance; a Police K9 is relied upon by law enforcement to protect and serve communities. Taking longer to train these dogs has benefits when they are required to spring into action – particularly when it can be a matter of life and death.

Trainer’s approach, knowledge and expertise

Every factor on this list has so far been dog-specific – in other words, the dog’s personality, prior history, and what you’re asking them to learn are the influential factors to consider. However, there is another variable to consider – the approach of the dog trainer.

While every dog is different, an experienced dog trainer is able to draw on years of experience – combined with an element of formal education to help them understand canine behavioral theory – to provide successful outcomes for their clients. This inevitably speeds up the training process.

Where obstacles can arise is when a dog trainer encounters a problem that they are unable to solve. Similarly, some trainers may take on cases outside of their frame of knowledge or comfort, such as a severe behavioral case. In these instances, this can actually set back the training process even further, or make the behavior worse. The key thing to consider as a dog owner is to ask the right questions of your trainer before you begin working with them on a formal program. Consider your own dog training goals, and what you are looking to achieve – and try to ensure that a prospective trainer has experience of dogs in a similar situation.

In conclusion

When trying to ascertain how many dog training sessions it takes for your dog to learn a behavior, it is important to remember that your dog is an individual. The answer will vary slightly, depending on the factors we have listed above.

Taking into account factors like breed, temperament and age, combined with a broad consideration of the complexity of the behaviors you are trying to teach, should help to give you an idea of how many sessions you might need. Finally, evaluating the expertise and experience of the dog trainer you intend to work with can help to ensure that your training actually moves your dog closer to their training goals – not further away.