As the evenings get darker and the weather becomes less appealing, it can be tempting to put training on the back burner until spring.
But just because it's dark outside doesn't mean our dogs have to miss out on opportunities to learn.
In fact, your home can be a really useful training environment. It's somewhere familiar, with fewer environmental distractions, which makes it a great place to introduce new skills, refine existing behaviours and work on some of the foundations that will eventually support your dog's training outdoors.
You don't need a huge amount of space, expensive equipment or hours of spare time. A few minutes of focused training can be incredibly productive, particularly when you have a clear idea of what you're working towards.
Here are five exercises I'd recommend trying with your dog on those darker winter evenings.
1. Pivot box work: Improving body awareness and engagement
Pivot box work is one of my favourite foundation exercises because it teaches dogs to become more aware of how they're using their bodies.
It involves teaching your dog to place their front feet on a raised platform, such as a low, stable box or purpose-made training platform, and move their back feet around it while maintaining their front-foot position.
It might sound like a relatively simple exercise, but it can be incredibly useful.
Many dogs are naturally more aware of their front end than their back end. Pivot work encourages them to develop better rear-end awareness, improve coordination and learn how to move their bodies with more precision.
It's also a really useful foundation for heelwork, as it helps dogs understand how to adjust their position in relation to their handler.
How to get started:
Find a low, stable platform that is large enough for your dog to comfortably place both front feet on. Make sure it won't slide or wobble.
Encourage your dog to investigate the platform and reward them for placing their front feet on it.
Once they're comfortable, position yourself close to your dog and encourage them to follow your movement.
Reward small movements of their back feet while their front feet remain on the platform.
Gradually build towards a full pivot, with your dog moving their back end around while maintaining their front-foot position.
Take your time with this one. Don't rush to achieve a complete rotation. Rewarding small movements and building the behaviour gradually will help your dog understand what you're asking.
2. Free shaping: Let your dog work things out
Free shaping is a great way to develop problem-solving skills and encourage your dog to think independently.
Rather than physically guiding your dog into a position or repeatedly telling them what to do, you're allowing them to offer behaviours and rewarding the actions that move them closer to your goal.
For example, you could introduce a cardboard box and see what your dog offers.
Initially, you might reward them for looking at it, then moving towards it, investigating it or putting a paw inside.
From there, you can gradually shape a more specific behaviour, such as putting all four feet inside the box.
The important thing is to break the exercise down into manageable steps.
How to try free shaping:
Choose a simple object, such as a cardboard box, a low platform or a sturdy household item.
Give your dog the opportunity to investigate it without immediately telling them what to do.
Mark and reward behaviours you want to encourage.
Gradually become more selective about what you reward as your dog starts offering different behaviours.
Keep sessions short and finish while your dog is still engaged.
Free shaping can be particularly useful for building confidence, encouraging engagement and developing a dog's ability to work through a problem.
It's also a good reminder that training doesn't always have to involve giving instructions. Sometimes allowing our dogs to think and experiment is just as valuable.
3. Teaching a clear "off" command
An indoor exercise that can be particularly useful for everyday life is teaching your dog a clear "off" command.
This can be used to communicate that you'd like your dog to get off the sofa, bed or another piece of furniture.
Rather than physically pushing your dog off or repeatedly trying to move them, we can teach a clear verbal cue that tells them what we'd like them to do.
The important distinction is that "off" should have a consistent meaning. It means removing themselves from the surface they're currently on.
How to teach it:
Start in a calm environment where your dog is comfortable.
Encourage them onto a suitable low surface, or use a piece of furniture they already have access to.
Say "off" once in a clear, neutral voice.
Encourage them to move back onto the floor, using a food reward if needed.
As soon as all four feet are back on the floor, mark the behaviour and reward.
Repeat in short sessions until your dog begins to understand the cue.
Initially, you may need to use a food lure or guide them towards the floor to help them understand the exercise. Gradually reduce that assistance as they become more familiar with the command.
Once they've learned the behaviour, practise it in different situations so they understand that "off" applies to different surfaces.
It's also worth establishing your household rules around furniture access. If your dog is allowed on the sofa sometimes but not others, make sure the expectations are clear and consistent.
4. Place training: Teaching your dog to settle
Place training is another really useful exercise to work on indoors, particularly during the winter months when we might be spending more time at home.
The idea is to teach your dog to go to a designated bed, mat or platform and remain there until released.
It can be useful for developing calm behaviour, improving impulse control and giving your dog a clear place to settle while everyday activities are happening around them.
For example, you might use place while preparing food, eating dinner, answering the door or simply relaxing in the evening.
How to introduce place:
Choose a suitable bed or mat and position it somewhere with enough space for your dog to settle comfortably.
Encourage your dog onto the bed and mark and reward them for getting onto it.
Once they're comfortable going onto the bed, introduce your chosen command, such as "place".
Begin rewarding them for remaining on the bed, initially at very short intervals.
Gradually build duration, rewarding calm behaviour and helping your dog understand that they're expected to remain there until released.
Introduce small distractions as your dog becomes more reliable.
Avoid increasing duration, distance and distractions all at once. Build each element gradually so your dog can be successful.
It's important that place doesn't become a punishment or somewhere your dog is forced to remain when they're uncomfortable. We want to build a positive association with the area and develop a genuine ability to settle.
5. Proofing obedience positions indoors
If your dog already understands basic obedience positions such as sit, down and stand, winter evenings are a great opportunity to start proofing those behaviours.
Proofing means gradually introducing different levels of difficulty so your dog can perform a behaviour reliably in a range of situations, rather than only when everything is quiet and familiar.
A dog that can hold a down position in the kitchen with no distractions hasn't necessarily learned to do the same when you're moving around, sitting on the sofa or preparing dinner.
This is where we can start making things a little more challenging.
Ideas to try:
Ask for a sit, then take one step away before returning to reward.
Practise moving around your dog while they maintain a down position.
Introduce small distractions, such as picking up an object or moving a chair.
Practise changing between sit, down and stand positions.
Increase the distance between you and your dog gradually.
Work on duration, rewarding your dog for maintaining the requested position.
Practise giving commands from different positions within the room.
The key is to change one variable at a time.
If your dog struggles when you take a step away, reduce the difficulty and build back up. We want to strengthen their understanding, not repeatedly put them in situations where they're likely to get it wrong.
You can also use this opportunity to improve your own timing and handling, making sure you're rewarding the correct behaviour rather than simply delivering food at the end of an exercise.
A few things to remember when training indoors
Although these exercises are relatively simple to introduce, there are a few things I'd encourage owners to keep in mind.
Keep sessions short. You don't need to spend half an hour working on one exercise. A few focused minutes can be more productive, particularly when introducing something new.
Use your dog's normal food allowance. You don't need to rely on endless additional treats. Portions of your dog's usual daily food can be used for training, depending on what works for them.
Work at the right level. If your dog is struggling, make the exercise easier. Good training is about setting your dog up to succeed and gradually building difficulty.
Don't forget rest. Just because you have an opportunity to train doesn't mean you need to fill every evening with activities. Dogs need downtime just as much as they need physical and mental stimulation.
Build towards real-life application. Indoor training is a great starting point, but skills eventually need to be practised in different environments and around appropriate distractions if you want them to become reliable outside the home.
Make the most of those winter evenings
Training doesn't have to stop when the clocks change.
Some of the most useful foundations we can teach our dogs can be practised in the comfort of our own homes, without needing a large outdoor space or a complicated setup.
Whether you're improving body awareness through pivot work, encouraging independent thinking through free shaping or developing clearer obedience and household boundaries, these small exercises all contribute towards building a better understanding between you and your dog.
And remember, it's not about teaching your dog something new every single day. It's about creating consistent opportunities to learn, practise and develop skills that will be useful throughout everyday life!