How to Train Your Chow Chow: The 7 Best Methods and Tips

Training a dog can seem like a daunting task. It can be a precious moment when you first get a puppy or bring home your new furry friend. You’ll likely quickly discover that they may need training in a few areas. 

If you have a chow chow, you’re in the right place. Chow chows occasionally require a distinct method of training. Whether you need to teach them how to sit or stop biting guests, this guide should help you and your pup!

Consider a Chow Chow’s Temperament

It is advised to socialize puppies early and enroll them in puppy training sessions to help them develop into polite, mature adults. The secret to effective training is tolerance and constant, positive reinforcement. 

Although incredibly bright, the chow chow can be rebellious. To establish a relationship based on trust, aggressive training techniques must be avoided. The most effective techniques to utilize with your Chow are compassion, praise, and consistent practice.

Tips for Training a Chow Chow

Here are some vital tips and factors to keep in mind when training your fluffy dog. 

1. Start With Greetings

If your chow chow is a puppy, it’s more likely to get away with jumping on people. This breed can easily weigh up to 75 pounds when fully grown. No one wants a dog that large to be jumping on them uncontrollably.  

In addition to training your large-breed dog in fundamental commands such as come and sit, it’s crucial to educate them on how to greet people with grace and serenity. Be sure to have a wide, non-retractable leash when practicing so you remain in control of your pooch and the situation as a whole. 

Using a retractable leash is never recommended. These allow the dogs to essentially pull and lead the way. It gives them control and power, which is never advised during training. 

2. Get Them Used to Human Touch

You can effortlessly pick up and carry your dog while he or she is a puppy. But very soon, the small puppy will grow into a sizable dog with a distinct personality. Teach your furry friend to be quiet while maintaining his composure when getting any grooming services performed on him. 

At home, give your pooch plenty of cuddles, touch their paws, and get them used to people.

3. Keep Training Sessions Short

Although your pet may be big, he has a short attention span. Training classes should go no longer than 15 minutes to prevent boredom. Additionally, brief breaks will assist him in avoiding becoming exhausted from all the repeating.  Remember to end the training session with an order your dog understands so that it ends on a positive note. 

4. Start as Young as Possible

If you can, start training your pooch as soon as possible. With larger dogs, you’ll want to do this before they’re a year old. If you’re in the planning stages of getting a dog, have the training sessions scheduled and sorted before bringing your new pal home. 

When training a puppy, you’ll need plenty of patience. Expect it to take a while, after all, this is an entirely new language for the dog. You can certainly teach an old dog new tricks, despite the popular myth. 

5. Use Plenty of Rewards

Use training techniques with rewards. Reward-based training generally yields greater results in dogs than punishment-based methods do. When your dog behaves exactly as you’d like them to, you might want to offer tasty treats as a reward. 

That being said, rewards don’t always have to be treats. Giving them their favorite toy, verbal appreciation, and tender touches are some options. Choose a food reward that your dog will like eating. 

Small chunks of chicken breast or hot dog work nicely as high-value snacks. You’ll also be surprised how far a good ear scratch will go! 

6. Try a Clicker 

Take into account clicker training. The goal of clicker training is to get the canine to learn that clicking equals getting a treat or praise. Every time you give the dog a treat, press the clicker. When your dog behaves well, you can quickly praise him with a click. 

Keep the clicker on you at all times, and if your dog behaves well, click it before rewarding him with a treat or reward. Again, repetition and consistency are necessary for this to work.  

6. How to Train the Basic Commands

Teaching a chow chow how to sit is a game-changer. This command can be used whenever you want your pet to settle down. Begin by displaying the treat to your dog. Present the treat at snout height before raising it higher. 

The treat should be followed by your dog’s head, which should encourage them to consume it. Say the word “sit” out loud and clearly. Once their butt touches the ground, reward them! Since “stay” is essentially a variant of “sit,” it should be taught after your dog knows how to sit. 

It’s crucial to teach a chow chow to remain so that they won’t approach people too aggressively. Start by asking your dog to sit and slowly move backward. Continue to say “stay” as you move back. Reward your pooch if they remain in one spot. 

As you continue to teach them this command, move further and further back. 

7. Teach Them to Stay Off of Furniture

We get it, not everyone wants their dog on their couch or pet. This is the perfect opportunity to get your canine their own bed. Believe it or not, it can actually help with training and keeping them off your furniture. 

Positive reward is far more effective than punishment when training dogs. When your dog jumps on your bed or couch, advise it to “go to bed” instead of reprimanding it. To keep your dog off the furniture, teach them how to get to a designated area, like their own bed. 

When this task is finished, give a reward. You can keep their bed next to the furniture you don’t want them on to make training go smoothly. 

Common Training Mistakes

Now that you know about some of the basic methods for training a chow chow, let’s talk about some avoidable training mistakes. 

Always Make Eye Contact

Make eye contact and give clear instructions. You don’t have to persuade your pet that you are the leader of the pack. Clearly demonstrate that your orders are firm and that you won’t budge. 

Give your orders in an authoritative, loud voice. As you do so, make sure to keep eye contact with your companion. Don’t be so loud that you’re yelling or shouting, as this could scare your pooch. 

Never Use Punishment

Use encouragement rather than punishment. Positive reinforcement works better with any breed than punishment, but it’s crucial with large dogs since you never want to encourage aggression. 

Focus on instilling positive behaviors instead of fighting harmful habits. Hitting your dog will not properly teach them how to listen to a command. Instead, they will fear you, which should always be avoided.

Refrain from striking or bellowing at your dog. Simply leave the situation if you find yourself getting upset. 

Keep Kids Away During Training Sessions

It’s understandable that your children may want to be present at all times when you bring home a new furry friend. You should train your pet in a peaceful and quiet setting. Try locking up other animals in another space and requesting kids to stay out of the training area.

This will help your dog concentrate and hopefully, they’ll learn commands quicker. Once your dog has mastered the fundamental commands, you can focus on training him when there are distractions around, such as other animals or kids.

Bottom Line

Chow chows are amazing dogs that love to spend time with their owners. Although they can be a bigger breed and may require a bit more attention, if you follow these tips, training them should be a breeze! 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/Ivan Marjanovic