Training a dog is often considered an uphill task that demands endless patience, countless sessions, and months of sheer effort. Nonetheless, not all dogs make the training process challenging because of their ability to learn the commands easily and quickly.
Such breeds have a willingness to learn and master basic obedience. Ease of training does not solely depend on the intelligence of a dog; temperament plays an equal role in being a quick learner. Dogs that are attentive and responsive make training classes easier.
Moreover, such dog breeds often respond well to positive reinforcement, which makes learning enjoyable and less stressful. This article will explore different breeds that are highly trainable and make training sessions fruitful.
Dog Breeds That Are Surprisingly Easy to Train
There are certain easy dog breeds that can be trained easily without any chaos and mess. Let’s dive into the details of such dogs:
1. Golden Retriever
It is one of the most trainable breeds with a smiley face, medium to large-sized furry buddy with an athletic build. It was bred in Scotland as a gundog. It is a highly intelligent dog with a strong memory. It is people-oriented and likes to please them. It is also a big, fluffy dog breed with an amicable temperament.
It has a quite friendly and affectionate nature. Its calm temperament and less aggression make it a good family dog. Interestingly, it is easy to be trained as it is eager to please. It is highly responsive to training and commands.
Moreover, emotional intelligence can read human body language and tone quickly. It learns best when it is reward-based training. It has greater attention while learning, even as a puppy.
2. Border Collie
Border Collie is a medium-sized Scottish canine companion with a lean and athletic body. It was bred as a herding dog for livestock and sheep. It is bestowed with great intelligence and high problem-solving skills. It is also one of the friendliest dog breeds and a great companion.
It forms a strong bond with the owners and is quite energetic. It thrives on mental challenges and gets bored when not given activities. It outperforms in obedience trials and agility training due to good stamina. Due to its herding instincts, it has intense focus and eye control.
Besides, it is highly responsive to any kind of cues, e.g., hand signals and whistles. As it has excess energy, it should be given enough exercise for its physical and mental stimulation.
3. Rottweiler
Rottweiler is a large, powerful, and brawny dog with great physical strength. It originated in Germany as a guarding and working dog. But according to the American Kennel Club, its origin is not documented, and it is considered to be a descendant of herding dogs of ancient Rome. It has good memory and can retain the learned commands for life.
It is deeply devoted to the family and quite confident and self-assured. It thrives under a consistent and confident owner. It excels in obedience training and as a working dog. Further, it remains composed while training and has a high work ethic.
It is one of the few breeds that have both muscle and brain smartness. But it can have aggression issues, so early socialization is necessary.
4. Papillon
Papillon is an incredibly intelligent, widely recognized small dog breed with an athletic body, large, butterfly-like ears, and bright eyes. It was bred in France as a companion dog for royalty. Due to its quick reflexes and agility, it is a highly trainable dog.
Papillon is lively, confident, and curious. It also remains affectionate with the family and forms a gentle bond with them. It is a relatively easy-to-train dog because of its high cognitive sharpness. It grasps the new and basic commands quickly. Interestingly, it has natural enthusiasm for learning and is highly motivated to learn.
Moreover, it gives a strong response to positive reinforcement such as treats, praise, and game work. But its delicate frame requires careful handling while training.
5. German Shepherd
German Shepherd is a large dog with athletic, brawny body and a dense double coat. It originated from Germany for guarding and herding livestock particularly sheep. But now also being used as a service dog. On account of its problem-solving skills, it learns the advanced tricks easily. It is stated by Britannica that it is being used as a watch and guide dog for the blind and serves in police and military roles.
It is one of the favorite breeds due to its ability to be loyal and highly protective of its family. It always remains alert and observant during training sessions. It thrives in a well-structured routine so that it does not get bored. Additionally, it just not follows the commands but understands the sequence of complex instructions.
It is such a versatile dog among a certain breeds that can perform a wide range of roles. However, it can develop boredom if not given regular exercise. And sadly, it is also susceptible to hip dysplasia.
6. Labrador Retriever
Lab is a medium to large size canine friend with a powerful, athletic body and a water-resistant coat. It was bred in Newfoundland as a retrieving and working dog. It has remarkable breed characteristics such as intelligence and extraordinary memory. Amazingly, it is one of the most popular dog breeds which is obedient and adore humans.
Lab is friendly, outgoing, and an easy-going dog. Due to its calm temperament, it is a great family dog. It has an eager-to-please personality due to which it learns fast and makes it one of the easiest dogs to train. Its food motivation makes the training session productive and extremely effective.
Further, it handles corrections calmly without getting aggressive. Repetitive drills do not frustrate it. But it can become obese if food intake is not controlled.
7. Shetland Sheepdog
Sheltie is an intelligent breed of Scotland with a small to medium-sized, agile body, long, double, water-resistant coat. It was bred as a herding and farm dog. As stated by PetMD, due to its appearance, it is often confused with miniature Collie. It has sharp alertness and excellent hearing abilities.
Sheltie is gentle, loyal and highly responsive to its owners, but aloof of strangers. It learns verbal cues quickly and responds with great accuracy. Like other dogs, it also likes to be motivated or encouraged. Besides, once trained, it maintains the behaviour with minimal reinforcement.
It is a complete package of beauty, sharpness and responsiveness. Nevertheless, it requires regular grooming and can be prone to excessive barking if under-stimulated.
Conclusion
To cut a long story short, choosing a dog that is easy to train can make the journey of pet owner easier. Those dogs who learn the commands quickly are the sheer demonstration of intelligence and willingness to learn. But the breeds discussed earlier learn early but for quite different reasons.
Some like to please its owners, some thrive on mental stimulation, and some want to stay active. Moreover, easy training also depends on how well the dog cooperates with the owner or a handler. To make the learning successful, a confident leadership is imperative.
Alon with that, reward-based training always shows the best results as dogs need praise in any form be it pat on the back or treat. Ultimately, easy to train companions are ideal for families and for the first time owners.
