Most of your dog’s training will happen in your living room, not in a gym or a classroom. Whole Dog Journal’s Stephanie Colman makes that point in a new guide to DIY dog training, and it is a freeing one. You do not need a professional standing over you to teach basic manners.
There is one thing a good trainer gets right that owners often miss. Even when you pay for a group class or a private session, you are still the one doing the training. A trainer’s real job is to train you, and then you go home and practice with your dog. The practice is yours either way, which is why handling the basics yourself is a reasonable plan.
The method that works is positive reinforcement, which simply means rewarding the behavior you want and letting the rest fade. A few of Colman’s tips are worth stealing. Deliver the reward within about two seconds of the behavior so your dog connects the treat to the action. Keep sessions short. And get the whole household on the same page, since a dog who is allowed to jump up on Saturday morning will happily keep trying on Monday.
What this means for your dog: sit, settle, come when called, and loose-leash walking are all well within reach at home, paid for with treats, praise, or a good game of tug. We have a starter list of the skills to teach before sit and stay, and if you are working on a specific habit, teaching a better behavior beats scolding every time. Save the professional for the hard cases, like serious anxiety or aggression. Everything else can start on your kitchen floor.