When adopting a dog, most owners look at how trainable they are. Every dog parent wants obedience and unwavering commitment from their four-legged friends. They are human’s most dependable and loyal buddies by nature, but training is necessary throughout the puppy stage to instill good habits in them.
We look at the Boykin spaniel’s training requirements in this article.
Are They Easy To Train?
Born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the Boykin Spaniel is an American breed. These small brown dogs are one of the most recent dog breeds to be fully recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 2009.
They make wonderful pets and are highly adaptable working dogs; they may be hunting dogs, bird dogs, gun dogs, waterfowl retrievers, etc. The Boykin Spaniels are tenacious, active, and passionate hunters who are also kind and happy at home.
They are lovely family pets because of their caring and fiercely loyal personalities and are simple to train because they are clever and eager to please.
These all are characteristics that make a dog simple to train. Boykin spaniels are, therefore, very simple to teach.
When To Start Training Them?
According to vets and professional pet trainers, dog parents should start the training program when the Boykin pup is 7-8 weeks old. Your dog will be old enough at this point to learn what you teach them and say.
However, start slowly and be patient with some simple commands.
When they are four months old, introduce them to agility drills and advanced obedience classes. Your Boykin Spaniel should have mastered the fundamentals of house training at this point.
You can start teaching them at home- in your living area, garden, or kitchen. Once your dog is a little older and has become used to the training, you can take them to puppy kindergarten or dog parks.
Training a Boykin Spaniel To Fetch
Follow these instructions to train your dog to fetch:
Introduce the Toy
You can increase excitement over the toy by moving it around for your dog to chase or play tug with it. It all depends on what your dog thinks is amusing, so don’t be afraid to act a little crazy around the toy to get your dog to mimic you!
Start in a Small Space
During the early stages of teaching a dog to fetch, remain in a closed space. It can be a corridor, a fenced-in backyard, or a bedroom. Your dog will stay focused on you and your work because they have nowhere else to go.
Furthermore, they have fewer options for where to take the object they’ve found rather than returning it to you.
Move the Fetch Toy
Start moving the fetch toy around, so your dog has to move to get to it now that they are beginning to understand that touching it results in goodies.
Do not throw the toy or move it very far.
Encourage your dog to touch the toy by holding it at arm’s length in various positions. Every time they feel the toy, exclaim “yes!” happily. Make sure to praise them and give them treats.
Until the conduct has become habitual, keep performing this little dance.
Make Your Dog Chase the Fetch Toy
There are three ways to achieve this, depending on your dog’s motivation: you can show them affection, give them goodies, or engage them in play in exchange for retrieving the target object.
Regardless of the incentive, the process is essentially the same. Encourage your dog to retrieve the item you want them to. When they take it, give them their preferred motivator as a reward before taking it away. Then throw it a little far after repeating this a few times.
Repeat
Repeat these steps to allow your dog enough time to pick up on the cue. You want them to realize that returning their item will result in a reward. Continue to the following stage once your dog consistently returns the ball to you.
Teach Them the Drop-It Command
The idea is to slowly wean your dog off of requiring the treat to dump the toy. Hold your treat hand with an empty fist and order your dog to “drop it” after the toy is in its mouth.
Open your hand to reveal that there is no treat, but take a treat from your pocket to thank your dog. Your dog should eventually be able to drop the toy without requiring any treat.
If you want it to become accustomed to having the toy in its mouth for extended periods, gradually extend the duration between when it takes the item and when you want it to be dropped.
Tips To Train a Boykin Spaniel
Boykins and other dog breeds generally have access to a wide range of training programs. Depending on the program, the procedures may vary.
Nevertheless, regardless of the type of training being done, there are a few Boykin spaniel training guidelines that you should follow:
Start at an Early Age
As we just mentioned, teaching dogs, including Boykin spaniels, at a young age is critical. Many experts agree that seven to eight weeks old is the optimal age to begin socializing and training a dog.
However, as every dog is unique, you can begin training your Boykin before the suggested age. This is particularly true if the puppy has already been nursed and no longer relies on its mother for survival and protection.
Be Consistent
Maintain consistency in your instruction so they can learn discipline and establish a routine.
Avoid allowing the Boykin Spaniel puppies to do anything that will later be prohibited. We all agree that they are adorable and challenging to resist, but doing this will give the puppies the wrong impressions, and changing this in the future will be pretty tricky.
Positive Reinforcement
Every dog breed responds well to positive reinforcement as a method of dog training. In short, it promotes good conduct in the Boykin Spaniel and humans.
You should give your Boykin Spaniel a treat if they respond well to the training. The reward only fosters interest in and enthusiasm for the training session. But keep in mind not to reward any of their bad behavior.
Conclusion
Your Boykin spaniel will eventually learn to fetch if you follow the instructions above.
The most important guideline of all is to keep in mind that your dog won’t chase after an object unless it genuinely wants it. As such, feel free to try out different things until you find one that piques its interest.
