Two black-and-white spaniels splash in a river with their dog trainer.

Dog Training

Master the basics and move on to more advanced training techniques. We’ll take you through the steps you need to know, so you can help your dog reach their full potential.

A brown spotted dog laying on its Orvis Dog Bed inside a home.

Dog Safety

Tips for Leaving Your Dog Home Alone

Learn the best strategies for keeping your dog safe and happy when you must leave her home alone, whether for a few hours or for the entire day.
A man wearing buffalo check snuggling with a golden puppy.

Dog Training

How to Talk to Your Dog

Learn the best ways to talk to your dog to enjoy dog training success. We offer several strategies for commands, tone of voice, and avoiding common...
A family walks their dogs through the forest.

Dog Training

How to Socialize a Dog

Socializing a dog is crucial for his well-being and his family’s; patience and consistency are key, but the results are a confident and well-adjusted...
Large Saint Bernard dog sits while looking out glass door.

Dog Training

How to Teach a Dog or Puppy to Sit

Learn how to teach your dog to sit using either of these two effective methods. We discuss tone of voice, rewards, praise, and what to do if your dog...
A brown dog laying down in a dog crate in a living room.

Dog Training

How to Crate Train a Dog

Learn how to crate train your dog. These guidelines help you choose the right dog crate, and then explain step by step how to crate train your dog in...
A woman wearing a purple jacking walking a brown and white dog in the woods.

Dog Training

How To Leash Train Your Dog

Leash training your dog is essential for making walks more fun—all it takes is a little patience, a whole lot of dog treats, and the right technique.
A small brown and white dog walks through dry leaves.

Dog Training

How to Teach a Dog or Puppy to Come

The ‘Come’ command is arguably the single most important one to teach a puppy or dog. Learn how, so you can keep him safe and make him a joy to be...
A small yellow dog with its paw up inside a covered dog bed

Dog Training

How To Start Training Your Dog

Training your dog can seem overwhelming, but it’s pretty simple once you grasp a few concepts and apply them consistently. We explain three important...
A woman giving her puppy a command in a field.

Dog Training 101 With Melinda Benbow

Basic Dog Training Vocabulary

Professional dog trainer Melinda Benbow explains prompting, luring, capturing, and other important terms and essential concepts that lead to dog...
A smiling Melinda Benbow holding her white, black, and brown dog near her face.
Melinda Benbow
A woman teaching her dog to sit.

Dog Training 101 With Melinda Benbow

Teach Your Dog “Sit”

Professional dog trainer Melinda Benbow explains and demonstrates how to teach sit, one of the first and most basic commands every well-behaved dog...
A smiling Melinda Benbow holding her white, black, and brown dog near her face.
Melinda Benbow
A woman holding her hand up asking a dog to wait.

Dog Training 101 With Melinda Benbow

Teach Your Dog “Wait”

Learn how to teach your dog restraint at a door threshold using the wait command, as demonstrated by professional dog trainer Melinda Benbow.
A smiling Melinda Benbow holding her white, black, and brown dog near her face.
Melinda Benbow
A woman teaching her dog down in a dog bed.

Dog Training 101 With Melinda Benbow

Teach Your Dog “Down”

Professional dog trainer Melinda Benbow shows how to teach down, a body-to-the-floor behavior, distinguishing it from other similar, potentially...
A smiling Melinda Benbow holding her white, black, and brown dog near her face.
Melinda Benbow
A woman kneeling down next to her crated dog.

Dog Training 101 With Melinda Benbow

Crate Train Your Dog

Professional dog trainer Melinda Benbow explains how a dog naturally perceives her crate as a den, and then demonstrates the best crate training...
A smiling Melinda Benbow holding her white, black, and brown dog near her face.
Melinda Benbow
A woman crouches in the green grass teaching her dog to come.

Dog Training 101 With Melinda Benbow

Teach Your Dog Recall

Watch professional dog trainer Melinda Benbow demonstrate how to teach your dog to come reliably when you call, avoiding potentially dangerous...
A smiling Melinda Benbow holding her white, black, and brown dog near her face.
Melinda Benbow
Two golden retriever puppies sleep curled on a small fuzzy blanket on a wooden floor.

Dog Training

Guide For First-Time Dog Owners

Caring for a dog is a serious responsibility. Consult our guidelines for answers to questions and learn what dog ownership entails before making a...
A black lab playing outside with a large stuffed toy in its mouth.

Dog Training

Games to Play with Your Dog

Choose healthy, positive games to play with your dog from this list penned by the experts at Orvis. Discover the best dog games and the ones to...
A brown and white dog jumping for a frisbee while outside.

Dog Safety

How to Play Safely With Your Dog

We offer the best strategies for safe play with your dog, from establishing rules and boundaries to troubleshooting aggressive play habits.
The mottled, black and white coat of a Ryman-type English setter

Dog Safety

How Long Can You Leave a Dog Alone?

Consult our guidelines to determine whether—and for how long—you can reasonably leave your dog alone. Our questions are designed to help you make the...
A man at his desk in his home office next to his dog asleep in a dog bed.

Dog Training

How To Work From Home With Your Dog

Learn how to balance your work life at home and your dog’s needs to keep you both happy, from setting up an office and schedule, to keeping your pal...
A dog wearing a pack on a hike with a woman on a mountainside.

Dog Training

How to Train Your Dog to Wear a Pack

Learn how to train your dog to wear a backpack by practicing these simple, consistent steps. We also offer safety tips and buying advice.
A black dog mid-leap from a boulder into a lake.

Dog Training

10 Steps For Dog Swimming Success

Help your dog enjoy swimming success following these ten steps, from starting early and keeping your pup safe to making it fun and going swimming...
UKC Logo.
UKC
2 puppies being kept out of another room by an Orvis dog gate and some tennis ball toys.

Gun Dogs

How to Pick a Bird Dog Puppy

Choosing a bird dog puppy takes careful consideration. Learn how to identify a healthy pup with a good temperament before you pick your next best...

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