What Is Your Dog’s Learning Style?

Everybody learns differently. Some of us swear by hands-on practice, and others thrive on piles of color-coded flashcards. Just like humans, dogs have different learning styles. Understanding the way your dog’s brain works helps make training — and life in general — a lot easier. 

When you figure out your dog’s learning style and work with it rather than fight it, the road to happy training will be a lot smoother. After nearly 30 years of experience in dog training, I’ve gotten very good at identifying each learning “type.” Here are the five canine learning styles I see pop up again and again. You may not necessarily know what kind of learner your dog is right away — but it will happen!

The “let’s do it again!” learner 

This pup enjoys repetition, practice, and multiple opportunities to perform a behavior in a training session. Same cue, same behavior, same treat? No problem! If confused, these dogs benefit from an opportunity to perform something they know well (even a simple sit cue) to get a win before frustration sets in. 

It’s common for dogs to become overwhelmed and shut down if they aren’t having success. Those who love doing things over and over are likely to come back to life if given a cue to do something they have done successfully many times in the past. In my experience, more dogs are in this category of learners than in any other category.

The “once is enough” learner

This kind of dog is completely different from the former. Lots of repetition? Hard pass. To them, repeating a behavior they just nailed can be frustrating and confusing. (If I did it correctly, why am I being asked to do it again?)

Sometimes, they figure out that the only way to change what their person is asking them to do is to get it wrong. When that happens, trainers switch to a new behavior or end a training session. With dogs who learn in this way, ask them to do a skill once, and then move to a different skill completely.

The new cue can actually be a reinforcer, especially if the second behavior you ask for is one they really enjoy doing or have a strong reinforcement history for, such as a high-five or spin. Another way to ditch the repetition is to end a session after a single correct response for a cue you are working on. Then, go do something fun like take a walk or start a game of fetch. 

The “innovative learner”

This dog is excited about the process of learning and happy to keep trying until they get it right, remaining unfazed by their previous attempts. If they get confused, they may experiment by offering a series of behaviors in quick succession. I imagine them thinking, No worries, I’ll keep trying. Is this what you want? How about this? Or that? No. Hmm, what about doing it this way? Or that way? 

Sometimes, innovative learners enjoy creative problem. There are times they enjoy offering a series of behaviors in a rapid-fire guessing approach, but not always. Other times, they are most definitely not emotionally OK when trying a bunch of new things. A wise trainer pays attention to whether the dog is having fun or if they are stressed so they can step in with some helpful guidance if needed. 

The “sensitive learner” 

This is the kind of doggo who needs peace and personal space. Loud, busy, hectic situations like group classes? Nope. Full sensory overload is a deal breaker when it comes to training these dogs. They can learn fast and well unless they are battling distractions. They are often tuned in to everything in their environment, including their person’s emotions and body language. 

They tend to be especially responsive to praise but prone to absolutely wilting if they are treated at all harshly. Some sensitive learners may need time to process cues and respond to them, so patience is key. Put them in a calm, quiet environment. When you do, you might discover that beneath their sensitivity, they also show traits associated with another learning style that all those distractions were masking. 

The “just give me some time” learner

These pups often look, at first glance, like they are not getting it at all. While you are training them, progress may be minimal, but they have a hidden superpower. They process and consolidate information between sessions. By the time you pick up your training again, they’ve not only absorbed what you worked on last, they’ve progressed beyond that to a whole new level. 

This mirrors a well-documented human phenomenon: New learning is often consolidated into long-term memory after sleeping. (I found this so useful in organic chemistry because studying the subject put me to sleep anyway!) 

Dogs with this learning style need time, not extra reps or more practice. It can be confusing and frustrating to train dogs who appear to learn a lot when they are not actively engaged in training — unless you recognize the pattern and realize what is going on. But once you do? Their between-session glow-ups become beautiful, rewarding experiences for both of you.

Tapping into your dog’s learning style is a major key to successful training. These differences in the way dogs learn are just a part of who they are, much like their personality. When we accept that and respect who they are — not just as dogs, but as learners — training becomes easier, yields better results, and is way more fun for both of you.