How long does it take to train a dog

This sounds a simple question, but to my mind it actually requires three different answers.

The first answer I would give is one hour. That amount of time will be sufficient for someone who knows what they are doing to get to assess the dog; see him or her with their owner and identify a few problems. Take over the handling of the dog and get him to acknowledge his role in the pack; and ensure that maybe one or two of the problems are addressed to an extent; certainly enough for the owner to understand what they have to do over the next couple of weeks to resolve the problems on a permanent basis.

Now when I talk about problems I don’t mean hard-mouth, whining or other real faults; I mean dogs ignoring recalls or refusing to sit.

The second answer I would give is ten minutes; this is the daily time to be spent working with the dog to train rather than enjoying a walk and reflects the intense portion of the training. Spaniels and other hunting dogs can be trained for longer, because the hunting portion of their training is important and enjoyable; so they don’t even realise they are doing anything other than enjoying themselves.

The third and last answer is probably a cliche, but it would be a lifetime. You can always learn off of a dog, as they can learn off of you.