Owning a dog is a serious commitment.
You get to welcome a new family member, care for another living being, provide proper nutrition and care, and invest your time, energy, and finance into keeping your furry friend healthy and happy.
Owning a dog may seem easy, but in reality, it’s hard work, and dog owners know it.
So, unless you are 100% sure that you really want and can afford to own a dog, wait some time, and in the meantime search what dog breeds are the perfect choice for a first time dog owner.
If you are sure that you want a dog and are 100% ready to own one, but you want a dog that’s easy to train, this article is for you.
Check the easiest dog breeds to train.
The Bernese Mountain Dog
This is one of the friendly dogs alive. The Bernese mountain dog is a friendly breed, with an easy-going attitude, who loves outdoor activities.
Although this breed loves spending time indoors with his family members, he still needs a minimum of 30-minutes of moderate exercise per day.
If you live in a cooler climate, you may expect to open the door to your Berner frequently, especially when it snows – they are originally from Switzerland, and they love snowy days and nights.
If left for too long alone and frequently, they might develop separation anxiety or show some destructive behavior signs.
Training the Bernese mountain dog is easy, as long as you have experience as a dog owner and know your way around a large dog breed.
They are eager to please, so any interactive training supported with treats should go by smoothly.
Always use positive training techniques and don’t use any harsh treatment on any dog.
Havanese
Small Havanese is always ready for a new adventure. This breed is eager to please and try the latest tricks, as long as you organize training the right way.
Havanese will always enjoy learning new tricks and commands. Some would even describe them as ‘natural clowns.’
This breed is an excellent choice if you are a first time dog owner.
Since small Havanese loves to be in the center of attention, they will hate being left alone for too long, or even for a short time.
Some dogs are prone to separation anxiety, while others suffer when there is no one around.
So, make sure that you provide and early socialization and, if needed, train your Havanese to stay alone inside the home.
Be careful when it comes to training because you want to avoid small dog syndrome, as it can bring a serious disturbance in your and your Havanese routine.
Border Collie
The Border Collie Society of America claims that there are three things that you should focus on when it comes to training your Border Collie. Those three things are – Obedience, obedience, obedience!
This is one of the most intelligent dog breeds. The world’s smartest dog, Chaser, was the Border Collie, and she knew more than 1,000 different commands.
It all comes down to you with this breed – how much time and energy you have on training this dog. This breed is highly energetic and isn’t the best choice for first time dog owners.
They are perfect for dog sports, which is why they are often seen in agility work. This dog is far from being a couch potato.
Do you hike? He will follow you. Do you swim? He will follow you. Do you run twice a day? Don’t worry – he will be there.
This energetic dog loves being busy, and you should provide enough activities to keep him busy and happy.
Focus on training sessions and mental stimulation, and this dog will love you forever. Plus, structure and activity plan can provide your Border Collie get the daily exercise he needs.
Miniature Schnauzer
Energetic dogs do come in all sizes. This miniature breed is energetic, eager to learn, and superb when it comes to learning new commands. Keeping this small size dog entertained isn’t always easy.
He will learn commands so fast that you won’t have enough time to develop new ones.
This is a high-energy dog, so knowing indoor games and having plenty of toys is a must. This breed tends to be very vocal, so you should train him to avoid barking.
Luckily, Miniature Schnauzer is easy to train.
This tiny dog can benefit tremendously from ongoing socialization and obedience training. They are affectionate, playful, and extremely devoted.
Doberman Pinscher
One can get a Doberman pinscher only after years and years of having a dog experience.
This breed isn’t the best choice for those without dog experience. Doberman pinscher is a physically strong dog with an independent mind, and as such, he needs consistent leadership and training.
When lonely or bored Doberman Pinscher, like many other breeds, can become destructive and aggressive.
When the Doberman is well-trained, loved, and socialized correctly, he is a loving pet and a world-class family guardian.
This breed is talented for many jobs, including obedience, and search and rescue. They are also great as therapy dogs.
German Shepherd
When people think about the ultimate dog to be trained, they usually think about the German Shepherd.
This breed is known for its high intelligence level, willingness to please, and need to be with people.
This is an active breed that needs regular physical and mental exercise. This breed can learn almost anything, which is why they are often used for many specialized jobs.
They were even used as war dogs when they almost disappear, but breed fanciers did their best to preserve the breed.
Just like with any other dog breed, training your German Shepherd should start from day one, as soon as your puppy arrives home.
Even if you are welcoming an adult or a senior dog there is still enough room for training. Even an old dog can learn new tricks.
Pro tip: a German Shepherd puppy can learn his name and basic commands such as ‘come‘ and ‘sit’ as early as 8 weeks old.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a small and sturdy dog with a playful personality. This is a working dog who is happiest when there is a job to be done. They are born for herding so that any small pet can be seen as a herding invitation.
Yet, if raised with other pets, there shouldn’t be any issues. They may try to herd anything small that moves around them.
This is why it’s crucial to educate children on how to behave around dogs when it’s ok to play with, and when they shouldn’t be disturbed. This small dog is great with children.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is bright and bossy, so it’s important to show them that you are in charge. Never use harsh training methods.
Always focus on positive reinforcement training. Even when completely adult, this breed will act like a puppy.
The Bottom Line
Some breeds are easier to train than the others, and it just goes like that. What a breed was bred to do plays a huge role in the training process.
For example, if the dog was bred to spend all day outside being independent, it will be harder to train him.
On the other hand, if the breed was bred to be a companion dog, or through history, became one like a Papillon dog, the training process will be easier and faster.
The second crucial factor that determines if a breed is easy to train or not is patience.
That’s right – at the end of the day, it all comes down to you. How much time you put into training your dog will affect your dog’s learning possibilities.
You don’t have to spend every day hours and hours training your dog, but you should have structured and organized training sessions.
Keep training sessions short, planned, and engaging. Don’t forget to arm yourself with extra treats. This way a training success is guaranteed.
