Have you recently bought or adopted a puppy? Training is something that’s easy to forget and before we know it, our pup has grown into a large, out-of-control dog!
Most dog owners make sure their dog has the right food, safe toys, soft and padded bedding, gets all their shots and is regularly groomed. But many people forget that training is also an important part of raising a dog.
An untrained dog can be out of control and cause problems in your home and neighborhood. Some common behaviors that untrained dogs exhibit include boisterous play, chewing your stuff, excessive barking, jumping up on visitors, and so on.
Training your dog can make your life easier, preserve your possessions, and make your dog much more pleasant to be around. But while sending your dog to a trainer can be extremely effective, it can also be expensive and inconvenient.
The right apps can offer a solution to both of those issues, so we’ll be reviewing the best dog training apps that can help get your pooch to a point where he’s happy, healthy and well-trained. Let’s take a look!
GoodPup
Best if you still want a real trainer
If you do want your dog to be trained by a professional but just don’t have the means to get to them, then this app is an excellent choice.
It’s free of charge and allows you to connect to the top trainers in the country. You will need to pay for whichever trainer you choose, but you’ll still end up saving money as you don’t have to spend on travel costs.
You’ll have a weekly training session with your chosen trainer, where they’ll teach you the commands and help you practice them with your dog. They’ll help you to reach small daily goals so your pup makes consistent progress.
The trainers all advocate positive reinforcement. Also, your pup gets to be trained by you (technically) and in the comfort of their own space, eliminating distractions.
Pupford
Best for DIY home schooling
If using a certified trainer isn’t an option for you (whether in-person or over an app), then you may benefit from an app like Pupford.
You’ll have access to a free 30-day course created by a popular YouTube dog trainer. It contains a wide variety of training videos, positive reinforcement techniques and progress tracking.
During or after the 30 days, you can also target specific behavioral issues by selecting a video that deals with your exact issue.
If you want to delve deeper into things, you can sign up for a paid membership to the Pupford Academy, where you’ll get premium content and access to a range of other courses developed by professionals.
iTrainer
Best for whistle/clicker training
Clicker training is a highly effective way of helping your dog to improve their behavior. This app offers a built-in clicker trainer with 5 different sounds. It also includes a whistle, which has a customizable frequency.
There are also more than 50 built-in sounds to help you train or entertain your pet. They include other dog sounds, cats, birds and a variety of other animals. You can even record your own if there’s something specific you want to work on with your dog.
Puppr
Best for teaching tricks
This free app contains more than 100 video tutorials by celeb dog trainer Sara Carson. They offer step-by-step guidance so you can follow and implement them easily.
They’re effective for things like potty training your dog, stopping jumping and biting, training your dog to deal with separation anxiety and learning to walk on a leash. You’ll also have access to a group of professional dog trainers via live chat so you can troubleshoot if necessary.
But if you want to teach your dog tricks, this app is excellent. Sarah Carson has trained dogs who became finalists on America’s Got Talent and performs with a dog stunt team. She also teaches dog trick workshops across the country.
You can also buy premium content if you’ve worked your way through all the free lessons.
TrainAway
Best for automated training
To get benefit out of this app, you’ll need to purchase a treat dispenser. The app creates an automated training system so your dog can keep learning even when you aren’t home.
As you can tell, it uses positive reinforcement in the form of treats. The treat dispenser acts on your behalf, using a speaker to give commands and delivering a treat when your dog does the associated action.
There are built-in “trigger” sounds like doorbells, thunder, and other dogs. You set your preferences in the app, and the speaker/dispenser system will go off at whatever time you choose. It will then dispense a treat when your dog does what they need to.
The aim is to desensitize your dog to trigger sounds and help them to associate them with positive things. It should be effective for reducing excessive barking, chewing, and hysteria.