Knowing how fast dogs learn is essential to being a dog owner. The truth is that people often have unrealistic expectations of how fast their dogs should learn new tricks or commands, so much so that those expectations decrease their dogs’ ability to learn faster. So, knowing how fast your dog can learn something new and how quickly it takes to master a new command will help set expectations and solidify your training schedule!
It takes 10-minutes for dogs to learn something new and 40 repetitions to master it. So, your dog can grasp the essence of what you expect it to do when you say a specific command within 10 minutes from introducing the new command. However, your dog will only become a master at the said action when you repeat it 40 times successfully (Keep in mind that it might vary depending on your dog).
Understanding your dog’s learning ability will help improve your training sessions because you’ll set realistic expectations and put in enough work. Remember: not all dogs learn at the same pace, so yours might understand some commands or cues easier than other dogs or take a bit longer. So, read on to understand:
- How fast dogs learn new tricks
- When dogs are fully trained
- Whether older dogs can learn new tricks
- How long you should train your dog daily
- How many repetitions does it take for a dog to master a new cue or trick
- Tips to help your dog learn faster
How Fast Dogs Learn New Tricks or Commands
Usually, it takes a dog as quick as 10 minutes to learn something new! When you start training your dog something new, it takes 10 minutes of calm, persistent, and consistent training for your dog to connect the desired action to your chosen word. For instance, if you want to teach your dog to sit, you would calmly implement a training strategy and reward system for 10 minutes straight.
Within these 10 minutes, your dog should grasp the concept and start to perform it willingly and with understanding. The key to dog training is that your dog should understand what you expect it to do. The only way to ensure this is consistent with your chosen command, reward system, tone of voice, and body language.
When is a Dog Fully Trained?
When your dog mastered the commands and tricks, you trained it. To master a trick is to do the action associated with a command without fail repeatedly. A dog is never fully trained, just like people can’t learn everything about the universe. So, it all depends on how you classify training.
Most people want their dogs to be obedient, non-destructive, and fit into the household routine well. Then, fully trained would mean that the dog listens to the owner, doesn’t destroy objects in and around the house, and adapts to the daily routine without any persisting behavioral issues like separation anxiety or aggression.
Can Older Dogs Learn New Tricks?
Older dogs can learn new tricks or commands. It might just take a little longer than it takes puppies to learn. Here are the crucial differences between training a puppy and an adult dog that you’ve had for a while:
| PUPPIES | ADULT DOGS (Not including adopted adult dogs) |
| Learns quickly | It May take longer to learn |
| Blank canvas- didn’t learn bad habits yet | May need to un-learn bad habits first |
| Short attention span | Longer attention span |
| May have unknown behavioral issues that you still need to figure out, making training difficult. | You may already know your dog’s behavioral issues, making training easier. |
| You’re still forming a bond with your puppy. | You’ve already established a bond with your adult dog |
While the table only includes puppies and adult dogs that have been in your care for a while now, there is still the case of adopted adult dogs. Unfortunately, these dogs might prove more difficult because you won’t know what circumstances they came from.
Some rescued dogs came from abusive or neglecting homes, making it difficult to trust people again. However, your adopted adult dog can also learn new tricks with love, compassion, and patience. We will write another blog about this soon, so keep an eye out!
How Long Should You Train a Dog Each Day?
You should train your dog 2-3 times daily for 5-15 minute sessions if you want fast, consistent results. Your dog’s age will determine the length of the training sessions.
For puppies (8 weeks-1 years of age): train twice daily for 5 minutes. Puppies generally have shorter attention spans, so shorter, more condensed training sessions will more effectively focus on the tasks at hand.
For adult dogs (older than one year), train 2-3 times a day for 10-15 minutes. Older dogs can concentrate for longer periods but flourish when you shorten the training sessions to 10-15 minutes.
We tend to think that longer training sessions will bring better results, but your dog will only get bored if you repeatedly repeat the same commands or tricks. So, keep the sessions shorter to keep your dog’s interest and ensure good training performance.
How Many Repetitions Does it Take for a Dog to Master a New Trick?
It can take up to 40 repetitions for a dog to master a new trick or command. Now, you may think this is a significant number, and to be honest, it is! However, it doesn’t mean your dog will only understand the command after 40 repetitions. It only means that your dog will master it by then.
Mastering a command means that your dog performs the task perfectly every time, without fail. So, if you teach your dog to sit, but it only sits 80% of the time you’ve asked, your dog hasn’t mastered the sit yet.
It varies from dog to dog, so some might master a new command faster depending on their breed, age, or stimulation level. The key to success is consistently training your dog daily for the best possible results!
How Dogs Can Learn Faster
You can implement tips to improve your dog’s ability to absorb new information and learn faster. While the speed at which a dog learns varies, one thing is sure: the owner always directly impacts their dog’s ability to retain information. So, to improve how fast your dog learns, try these tips below:
- Positive reinforcement. Praising and rewarding your dog for every correct action instills confidence in your dog and improves its learning ability.
- Make it fun. The more fun your dog has, the more it will aim to repeat actions associated with fun
- Be calm. Your dog can sense agitation and irritation, which impedes its attention span. The more relaxed you are, the easier your dog will learn.
- Be patient. Your dog will learn at its own pace but will find it easier if you keep your frustration in check.
- Find out what reward your dog loves. Some dogs prefer toys and treats, and others are happy being told they are “good dogs” by their owners. The more you use the reward your dog likes, the better your dog’s performance in training will be.
- Consistency and persistence are key. Your dog needs time to understand what you expect it to do, but how can it do that if you don’t give consistent signals or commands? So, consistently stick to your training schedule, commands, and signals to improve your dog’s learning.
- End training sessions with a play session. Dogs strive to repeat actions that ensure fun and rewards. It’s a win-win! If you finish your training sessions off by playing your dog’s favorite game, your dog will look forward to performing better in the next training session.
Your dog’s brain is an excellent vessel for obtaining information, and the more you know about a dog’s brain, the more you can tweak your interactions with your dog to get the most out of each training session.
The Paws Perspective
The speed at which a dog retains new information varies depending on the dog’s age, breed, attention span, and most importantly, the owner’s consistency in training. The average dog learns new tricks within 10 minutes but needs about 40 repetitions to master a new action. Luckily, as the owner, you can implement various tips and techniques to help your dog learn faster and imprint information in their minds for extended periods.