The Most Common Dog Training Questions (Answered by a Real-Life Trainer)

A dog and some treats during a training session.

Whether you’re raising a new puppy or living with a teenage dog who suddenly “forgets” their training, you’re not alone in wondering, “Why is this so hard?”

At Tri-Dog Solutions, we work with real dogs and real people. That means we hear the same questions all the time—and spoiler alert: if you're wondering something, you’re probably not the only one.

Let’s break down the most common dog training questions we get from clients, and give you practical, kind answers you can actually use.

1. Why does my dog listen at home but not in public?

Short answer? Distractions change everything.

Your dog might sit perfectly in your kitchen but totally forget their name at the park. That doesn’t mean they’re being stubborn—it means they haven’t learned how to perform that skill in harder environments yet.

Training is like a muscle. It needs to be built up in different places, with different levels of challenge. We call this “proofing.”

🐾 What to do: Start easy, add challenge slowly, and reward heavily when your dog makes good choices in harder environments.

2. How do I stop leash pulling?

This is the question. And honestly, it’s less about stopping a behavior and more about teaching a new one.

Dogs don’t come pre-installed with the knowledge that we expect them to walk beside us like a polite shadow. Most pull because it’s worked for them in the past—or because they’ve never been taught an alternative.

🐾 What to do: Teach your dog that staying near you = access to the environment. Reward often, turn when they pull, and stay consistent. Want help? Reach out to us—we work on this every day.

3. Is using treats “bribing” my dog?

Nope. Using treats is reinforcement. You’re paying your dog for doing the right thing.

Think of it like a paycheck. Over time, once behaviors are strong and reliable, you can phase out the food some of the time. But while your dog is learning? Reinforcement builds trust, motivation, and clarity.

🐾 Reinforcement = communication. Not bribery.

4. How long does dog training take?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on the dog, the environment, your goals, and your consistency. Some skills come fast, some take months to fully develop, and setbacks are normal.

The more realistic question is: Can I commit to helping my dog grow over time?

🐾 At Tri-Dog Solutions, we focus on lasting relationship-based training. We’re not here for shortcuts—we’re here for real-life change.

5. Can I train my adult dog—or is it too late?

It’s never too late. Adult dogs are highly capable learners. In fact, many adult dogs thrive in training once they’re given structure, consistency, and reinforcement that makes sense.

Whether you just adopted an adult dog, or your 5-year-old rescue still struggles with leash reactivity, training is absolutely possible.

6. Why won’t my dog come when called?

“Come” is one of the hardest skills to teach—especially if your dog has learned that ignoring you leads to more fun.

Dogs will always choose what’s most rewarding in the moment. If the park is more exciting than your voice, guess which one wins?

🐾 What to do: Practice recall at home first, then work your way into more distracting environments. Use high-value rewards. Celebrate wildly when they do come. And never call them to end the fun.

7. Why is my dog “good” one day and wild the next?

Dogs, like people, have good days and off days. Factors like sleep, hormones, diet, overstimulation, pain, or stress all affect behavior.

Training isn’t a straight line—it’s often two steps forward, one step back.

🐾 Normalize the messy middle. Progress is built in the repetition, not perfection.

Feeling Stuck? You Don’t Have to Do It Alone.

Whether you're dealing with big behaviors or just everyday confusion, we're here to help you sort through the noise.

📲 Follow us on Instagram for more real-life dog training tips: @tridog.solutions

📩 Email us anytime at TriDogSolutions@gmail.com with your questions—we’re happy to help you figure out your next step.

Dog training isn’t about perfection. It’s about connection, communication, and consistency. And we’ll help you build all three.