It can be exciting to take your new dog to a training academy or a local pet school. Your pet may benefit greatly by doing exercises as a pack. But there are just as many fails by puppies who want to play more than learn, or those who are easily distractible, and those who may still be experiencing shelter shock. Learning from home is another option.
Thankfully, now you can get mobile training apps to help you teach your puppy from home, the park or anywhere. These are just some examples of the types of apps that may be helpful to give your dog some basic training, teach advanced tricks, or even prepare your pet for service.
Even virtual calls for your pets are a thing now. You can get a mobile app that enables virtual home sessions with a dog trainer. GoodPup helps you match your puppy up with a professional trainer for 30-minute virtual sessions. This is especially great for indoor training, so your trainer can see how your dog behaves at home and how he interacts with family members. This app comes with 24/7 consultation. GoodPup has been featured by major magazines and Rover.com.
Puppr’s mobile app instructions make it easy to teach your dog simple lessons in manners and easy tricks, with video instructions for more advanced learning. Although you can’t book a trainer for a live session, you can get live chat access to certified trainers for advice, and a personally designed progress chart. This app was designed by a noted professional stunt trainer who has been approved by the American Kennel Club.
Made especially with shelter dogs in mind, the free Pupford mobile app is designed by an experienced trainer to help pets who have been left at shelters, often because of inadequate training. This app has free training courses, the 30 Day Perfect Pup class, videos, daily tips, a skills manual and access to the Pupford facebook community, with guidance regarding hundreds of behaviors, such as chewing or being unable to pay attention. Pupford has been featured by Animal Planet and mainstream TV talk shows.
If potty training and home basics with a more lighthearted approach are your style, Dogo may be for you. This mobile app is international, switching easily to different languages. It comes with an electronic command clicker, and colorful instructions and videos, 100 basic exercises and home training techniques, plus access to a group of trainers for advice. A short test helps trainers understand what your puppy needs, so they can design a program that’s just right for him, with a more gentle approach to build a stronger bond with your pet through games. Also, it includes a training program for service dogs. Send a video to trainers for next-day advice, read online blogs to learn more about dogs, and exchange training tips with the Dogo social media community. This app is also highly acclaimed by the Apple App store for several years running, and has been featured on the Today Show.
A simple app like PupTo Date is an easy mobile scheduler that uses cartoon icons to help you train your puppy to develop a routine to do his business outside, and reinforces a feeding and medications schedule. This is only available through the Apple App Store, but there may be an equivalent in Google Play.
“If I could teach my dog new tricks…” What would you teach your puppy with an at home, at the park, on vacation mobile training app?
Heron’s Crossing provides end-of-life care for pets in the Metro Atlanta area. In-home appointments with compassionate vets are available. If you’d prefer a home-like setting away from your home, our Decatur office is also available by appointment.