Dog Training Progress Log

Who this is for

A session-by-session record of what a dog is learning. Each line takes the command or skill, where you practised, what distractions were about, what the reward was and an honest rating of how it went, so progress shows up over weeks rather than being guessed at.

Owners working through basic obedience or a class homework list, people teaching a rescue dog from scratch, and anyone whose trainer has asked what was practised between sessions.

What this helps you track

• Which skills are reliable, which are getting there and which have not started
• Whether a command that works in the kitchen also works in the park
• What reward and what setting were used when a session went well
• A record to show a trainer or behaviourist instead of a memory

How to use it

1. Write the dog, its age and the trainer or class at the top, and the skill you are working towards.
2. After each session, add a line: the date, the command, the setting and what else was going on.
3. Rate the session honestly with the scale on the sheet — the point is to see the trend, not to look good.
4. Note the reward used and anything that helped or got in the way.
5. Online, filter or sort by command to see how each one has moved; on paper, scan the rating column.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How many sessions a day should we do, and how long?

That is between you and your trainer, and it depends on the dog. The log has no schedule in it; it records whatever you actually did.

What does the rating scale mean?

Not yet: the dog did not do it. With help: did it with a lure, lead or repeat cue. Mostly: did it most times on one cue. Reliable: did it every time, in that setting. A skill can be reliable at home and not yet at the park; that is what the setting column is for.

Is this a training plan?

No. It is a record of sessions. Methods and plans come from you or a trainer; the sheet stays neutral about how the dog is taught.

Can I use it for a puppy?

Yes, for commands and manners. For house-training there is a separate puppy training and toilet log.