
Boots and Paws Dog Training is a comprehensive approach that helps you establish a strong foundation with your furry friend. This foundation is built on trust, clear communication, and positive reinforcement.
With a solid understanding of basic obedience commands, you'll be well on your way to a well-behaved dog. Basic obedience commands include "sit", "stay", and "come", which are essential for everyday life.
By mastering these commands, you'll be able to take your dog on outings and adventures with confidence. Whether it's a walk around the block or a hike in the woods, your dog will be by your side, ready to learn and grow.
As you progress from basics to more advanced training, you'll discover the joys of agility training and boot camp-style workouts. These fun and challenging activities will keep your dog physically and mentally stimulated.
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Training Basics
Start training your dog to wear boots early, before it's too cold or too hot, as recommended by Benjamin Bennink, board chair of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers. This kind of socialization is more important than basic commands like "sit" and "stay" at this point.
Begin by getting your dog used to having their feet handled. You can do this by touching their feet briefly, for only a few seconds, before rewarding them with a treat. Classic positive reinforcement.
Move at a pace your dog is comfortable with, as Bennink suggests. Maybe try one step per day or one step for every two days.
Here's a step-by-step guide to get you started:
- Touch your dog's feet briefly for a few seconds and reward them with a treat.
- Hold their feet for a more extended time and reward them with a treat.
- Introduce a boot to their foot and reward them with a treat.
- Put the boot on their foot for a moment or two and reward them with a treat.
Keep in mind that it might take a while for your dog to get comfortable wearing boots. It takes them a little while to get used to the feeling of something under their feet when they pick up their feet.
Building Positive Association
Building a positive association with your dog's boots is key to successful training. Start by laying the boots on the ground and letting your dog approach them at its own pace.
Encourage your dog to sniff the boots or come into contact with them without being forceful. Give your dog a treat and plenty of praise every time it interacts with the boots.
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Tap the boot lightly on top of your dog's paw and immediately reward it with a treat. This helps your dog associate the boots with a positive experience.
As your dog gets used to seeing the boots, it will start to anticipate a reward every time its paws touch the boot. This is a crucial step in building a positive association.
Keep repeating this process until your dog is completely comfortable being around the boots. With patience and consistency, your dog will learn to love its boots in no time.
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Gradual Boot Introduction
Start by getting your dog used to having its feet handled, which can be done by touching its feet briefly, for only a few seconds, before rewarding it with a treat.
You can begin this process as soon as your puppy comes home, and it's more important than teaching basic commands like "sit" and "stay" at this point.
Begin by touching your dog's feet briefly, for only a few seconds, before rewarding it with a treat.
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Then progress to holding your dog's feet for a more extended time and reward the pups with a treat again.
Here's a step-by-step guide to help you introduce boots to your dog gradually:
- Touch your dog's feet briefly, for only a few seconds, before rewarding it with a treat.
- Hold your dog's feet for a more extended time and reward the pups with a treat again.
- Introduce the footwear to your dog by holding a foot and a boot near each other, and reward with a treat again.
- Try putting the boot on the pup's foot for a moment or two and reward them with another treat.
Remember to move at a pace your dog is comfortable with, maybe trying one step per day or one step for every two days.
It might take a while for your dog to get comfortable with wearing boots, but with patience and positive reinforcement, they'll learn to love it.
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Indoor and Short Walks
Let your dog get used to wearing boots indoors by having it stand up and get accustomed to the boots. It can take several tries for your dog to feel comfortable in the boots.
Reward your dog for staying calm and don't react to any moments that your dog resists wearing the boots. This will help your dog associate the boots with positive experiences.
Once your dog is comfortable indoors, you can start taking short walks outside with the boots on. Start by walking around the front of your house and encourage your dog after walking several steps. Give it some treats to make the experience enjoyable.
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Indoor Walk

Let your dog stand up and get used to wearing boots indoors. This can help your dog feel more comfortable and confident in its new footwear.
Reward your dog for staying calm and don't react to any moments that your dog resists wearing the boots. It's essential to create a positive association with wearing boots.
It can take several tries for your dog to get used to the boots. You may need to backtrack and have your dog wear boots on just its front paws before wearing all the boots at once.
5. Short Walks
Short walks can be a great way to get your dog accustomed to wearing boots indoors. Start by walking around the front of your house, just a few steps at a time.
Encourage and praise your dog after each short walk, and give them some treats to associate the experience with positive reinforcement. This will help them feel more comfortable with the boots.
You can increase the distance of your walk as your dog becomes more confident in their boots. Some neighborhoods have indoor dog parks where your dog can let loose and get some exercise.
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Training for Boots
Start by getting your dog used to having its feet handled, even if it's just for a few seconds at a time. This will help your dog feel more comfortable with the process.
According to Benjamin Bennink, board chair of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers, you can begin by touching your dog's feet briefly before rewarding them with a treat.
Begin by getting your dog used to having its feet handled. This is a crucial step in the training process.
You can progress to holding your dog's feet for a more extended time and still reward them with a treat. This will help them associate the process with a positive outcome.
Then, hold a foot and a boot near each other, introducing the footwear to your dog. This will help them get used to the sight and smell of the boot.
If your dog seems ready, try putting the boot on the pup's foot for a moment or two and reward them with another treat. This will help them associate the boot with a positive outcome.
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Here's a step-by-step guide to help you train your dog to wear boots:
- Touch your dog's feet briefly and reward with a treat.
- Hold your dog's feet for a more extended time and reward with a treat.
- Hold a foot and a boot near each other and reward with a treat.
- Put the boot on the pup's foot for a moment or two and reward with a treat.
Remember to move at a pace your dog is comfortable with, and don't rush the process. You can start by doing one step per day or one step for every two days.
Troubleshooting
Training your dog to wear boots can be a long and challenging process, especially if you're working with an adult dog who's not fond of having their feet handled.
Don't force your dog to wear boots if they're objecting to it, as this can lead to a wrestling match and create a negative association with the training.
Hiring a dog trainer can be a good idea if you're struggling to train your dog on your own, as they can deploy a more specialized strategy.
If you live in an area with extreme temperatures, you may need to persevere with dog boots training to protect your dog's paws.
But if your dog has access to plenty of grass and shade, you might not need to bother with boots at all.
Sources
- https://ca.canadapooch.com/blogs/news/training-your-dog-to-wear-boots-step-by-step-instructions
- https://www.bark.com/en/gb/company/boots-and-paws/njBK3/
- https://www.dogster.com/dog-training/how-to-train-your-dog-to-wear-dog-boots
- https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-to-train-dog-to-wear-boots-7097218
- https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/reviews/boots-and-paws-dog-training-and-behaviour-79442
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