If you’re like me, you love working with your dog. Teaching them new things can be particularly rewarding. Most times I go into training sessions with a plan. I know what I want to accomplish, I have a good idea what I’m looking for, and I’m prepared to reward it when I see it from my dog.
There’s just one problem. What if my dog isn’t giving me the behaviour I’m looking for in spite of my best efforts? Well, there is that old saying that “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!” Maybe it’s time to increase my efforts, double-down, and push a little harder to get what I need from my dog.
If I were working on my own skills at something or tuning up a machine of some kind, that approach might work. But this is my dog. How much can I reasonably expect from her in a given training session? And that’s the key. Learning to watch my dog to see why it isn’t working well.
Maybe the way I’m teaching this is not clear to my dog. Maybe she’s distracted by smells or sights in the environment. Maybe she’s not all that interested in the rewards I’m offering. Or maybe I’ve just frustrated her to the point where she’s just done for now. Whatever the reason, doing more of the same things won’t solve my training problem and will likely make things worse. There are just times when “less is more” and taking a break is better than pushing on.
But some trainers will tell you that there are just times when your dog has to do the behaviour whether they like it or not. They have all kinds of reasons why your dog must comply with your commands and that it is in everyone’s best interest to make them do it. It comes down to “Do it or else!”
I don’t think that’s true. Is there really anything you need from your dog so badly that you are willing to threaten them to get it? I certainly can’t think of anything. Teach your dog at the pace that they learn best and give them a rewarding and safe environment in which to learn. Trust me, things will go a lot faster and be a lot easier on both of you. Don’t WORK your dog, work WITH your dog!
Eric
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