The 17 easiest dog breeds to train

As captivating as these puppy eyes can be, parents of dogs can’t let their new puppies get away with everything – no matter how cute they are. Training puppies from a young age is crucial to ensure that they grow up to become well-mannered dogs, and a large part of that is, unfortunately, training to use the potty.

Training mischievous puppies will never be the easiest experience – as any dog parent will know. But some dog breeds are more obedient and easier to train than others, which will make it easier to dominate the home for new and inexperienced owners.

Potty training will never be a breeze, but it is natural for some breeds. The American Kennel Club (AKC) says that Shiba Inus are “practically domesticated” and that Jindos are “extremely clean and naturally domesticated from a very young age.” However, the case will not be the same for all races.

But if you’re looking for an easy time to dominate your puppy, consider an intelligent, eager to please dog that responds well to training and obedience.

The AKC says boxes are an important tool for home training and mat training can offer a temporary solution for home training. But no matter what training method you use, AKC says, “Consistency, attention, understanding and patience are key to training at home.”

According to AKC and Pet Worker, find out below which dogs are the most obedient and open to training, making domestic training a more enjoyable task for everyone involved.

Afghan Hound

Despite being independent and stubborn, Afghan Hounds are quite easy to train as they wish to please their owners.

Bernese Mountain Dog

Bernese Mountain Dogs are intelligent and eager to please their owners and, as such, are generally easy to train, including training to use the potty.

Collies

Collies are intelligent dogs that are not only easy to train, but love to learn and are eager to please.

Red and White Irish Setter

As long as the Irish Red and White Setters are taught in short, optimistic sessions involving much praise, the intelligent breed will grow to be an obedient dog that must remember its potty training.

Irish Water Spaniel

Irish Water Spaniels are intelligent dogs that respond well to reward-based training methods, so remember to use lots of praise when training this breed.

New land

As a breed, Newfoundlands are generally easy to train, as they are intelligent dogs who are eager to please.

Portuguese Water Dogs

Portuguese water dogs are very intelligent and, according to the AKC, the breed responds well to obedience training.

Welsh Springer Spaniel

If the Welsh Springer Spaniels are trained from an early age, the breed usually does well in obedience sports.

Maltese

Maltese dogs are intelligent and, although they can be stubborn, they respond well to positive training methods.

Miniature Schnauzer

Miniature Schnauzers are highly intelligent and eager to please, making them easily trainable and very obedient.

Icelandic Sheepdog

Icelandic sheepdogs are generally easy to train as they are intelligent and eager to please.

Jindo

As a breed, Jindos are extremely clean and “naturally domesticated” dogs at a very young age, according to the AKC.

Papillon

Papillons can be easier to train than other small breeds and they are eager to please the humans with whom they are connected.

Porcelain

Porcelains are great indoor dogs, as they are easily domesticated and trained in boxes.

Norwegian Elkhound

Norwegian elkhounds are very clean dogs and “will respond quickly to a properly managed home break-in”.

Shiba Inu

The Shiba Inu “was born practically domesticated”, according to the AKC. At four weeks of age, a Shiba Inu will try to go as far as possible from his sleeping area to eliminate and, at five weeks, they will hold out all night until they are taken outside. However, bladder control requires a little more time and depends on immediate access to the external environment.