What a Study of 47,444 Dogs Means for Your Training Routine

What the research actually measured

The underlying PLOS One study analyzed owner questionnaires for 47,444 U.S. dogs entering the Dog Aging Project between 2020 and 2023. Researchers examined behavior at enrollment, grouping questionnaire results into four broad areas: fear, attention/excitability, aggression, and trainability.

Size, life stage, breed type and other characteristics were associated with behavioral scores. For example, dogs weighing under 20 pounds had higher average fear scores than larger weight groups. Dogs enrolled after 2020 had lower average trainability scores than the 2020 group.

These were owner reports, with room for differences in interpretation and unmeasured circumstances. The analysis compared enrollment groups; it did not demonstrate that individual dogs became harder to train over those years. Nor did it establish that size or ancestry caused particular behavior. The authors discussed possible explanations, including differences in handling and training opportunities, without proving them. Read the original study.

For owners, the useful takeaway is to treat group averages as context while building expectations around the dog in front of you.

Turn a complaint into something you can observe

Start with one everyday situation. Replace a description such as “stubborn” with a concrete observation: “Responds to ‘sit’ in the kitchen but keeps watching people at the front door.” That gives you a specific skill and setting to work on.

For a week, keep a simple note of where the behavior happens, what happens immediately beforehand, and what your dog does afterward. Record successful moments too. You might discover that the same cue works well before visitors arrive, or that a favorite toy holds attention better than praise.

Use these notes to choose a manageable practice setup. The Dogs Trust reward-training guide explains that a behavior learned at home can become harder amid distractions, and that the reward may need to change with the setting. Dogs Trust’s training guidance.

Your notes are a planning tool. They do not need to explain your dog’s entire personality to help you choose a clearer next step.

Make the desired action worth repeating

Choose one action you want to see more often, such as keeping four paws on the floor during greetings. Arrange an easy practice opportunity and reward the action when it happens. Dogs Trust recommends using something the individual dog values, whether that is food, a toy, or attention, and rewarding each success when teaching a new behavior. How reward-based training works.

For a simple household exercise, ask a familiar person to help you practice a calm greeting. Agree beforehand on what earns the reward so everyone responds consistently. Keep your first goal modest: one successful greeting gives you something specific to repeat.

Compare similar situations when reviewing progress. A quiet practice session and a doorway crowded with guests are very different challenges. Write down the conditions alongside the result so you can judge what your dog has actually practiced.

Offer enjoyable challenges between lessons

Enrichment gives dogs opportunities to sniff, search, play and explore. Dogs Trust recommends matching activities to the individual, supervising them, and making tasks easier if the dog seems frustrated. Rest also belongs in the daily routine. Dogs Trust’s enrichment guide.

Try a small food search in a safe, clear area, an easy puzzle feeder, or extra sniffing time during a familiar walk. Use part of your dog’s regular food allowance for food games, and choose appropriately sized, dog-safe equipment.

Begin with one activity and watch how your dog responds. Do they return willingly? Can they find the reward? Would a simpler version help? Let those observations guide your next choice. You do not need a cupboard full of gadgets to start learning what your dog enjoys.