Teach, Train, Proof! The Phases of Training
When it comes to dog training, many people lump everything into one basket. But if you want to set your dog up for success, it helps to understand the three key phases of learning: teaching, training, and proofing. Each phase has its own purpose, and knowing when to move on (or when to go back a step) can make a world of difference.
Let’s break it down -
1. Teaching: The Introduction Phase
What it looks like:
This is where it all begins. In the teaching phase, you're introducing your dog to a brand-new behaviour - examples might include "sit", "down", or "recall". Your dog has no idea what you're asking for yet, so you need to be clear, consistent, and generous with rewards.
You’ll be:
Using lures (e.g., food in your hand to guide the movement)
Rewarding frequently for even small successes
Keeping sessions short, fun, and easy
How you know you’re still teaching:
You still need to lure or heavily prompt the behaviour
Your dog is unsure or slow to respond
You’re working in a quiet, low-distraction environment
When to move on: Once your dog starts offering the behaviour reliably when prompted, without needing to be lured, you're ready to enter the training phase.
2. Training: Building Consistency
What it looks like:
Now that your dog understands what you’re asking, it’s time to build consistency and reliability. In this phase, you’ll start reducing prompts, add a verbal cue, and slowly increasing distractions and difficulty.
You’ll be:
Fading out lures and start pairing hand or voice signals
Asking for the behaviour in different spots (e.g., kitchen, backyard, front yard)
Rewarding for quicker, cleaner responses
Starting to build duration or distance (like staying in a sit for longer)
How you know you're training:
Your dog responds to cues more often than not
You no longer need to guide them through it
Mistakes still happen, especially in new settings or when they’re distracted
When to move on: Once your dog can respond reliably in multiple environments (still fairly low-distraction) and doesn’t need reminding or coaxing, it’s time for the final phase—proofing.
3. Proofing: The Real World Test
What it looks like:
Proofing is all about reliability no matter the environment. This is where you take the behaviour into the real world and teach your dog that the cue means the same thing whether you’re at home, at the park, or walking past a noisy construction site.
You’ll be:
Practising behaviours around bigger distractions (other dogs, people, noises)
Varying your position, location, and distance
Making sure the cue holds up under ‘pressure’ so to speak
How you know you're proofing:
You’re challenging your dog and testing what they know
Mistakes might creep in again, but you can spot what caused them and adjust accordingly
You're working on generalising the cue (it works everywhere, not just in your lounge room)
When to "move on": Truth is—proofing is ongoing. The world is full of surprises, and dogs don’t generalise like we do. But if your dog can respond to your cue reliably across a range of situations and distractions, you’ve built a rock-solid behaviour.
Understanding these phases helps you train smarter—not just harder. If your dog is struggling, it might not be disobedience—it could just mean they’re still learning. Take a step back, revisit the teaching phase if needed, and work up gradually.
Remember, progress isn’t always linear, and each dog learns at their own pace. Just because you’ve proofed a behaviour, remember that if you don’t use it you lose it! You can move in and out of this phases multiple times in a lifespace. Keep things positive, be patient, and enjoy the process.
Happy training!
