Training Tip: Top Training Mistakes
Dog owners may believe that training a dog would be a natural process, but there are several training errors which may result in misbehaviors and strained relations. These misbehaviors may cause frustration during the training process which will leave you in a standstill. Below is a list of the common training mistakes that dog owners make and how you can learn from them.
- Training is not consistent. Basic behaviors and routines are taught to new dogs, but once the relationship stabilizes, the dog may “forget” the task at hand. You will need to keep your established behaviors sharp by working them randomly and regularly. Consistency is key!
- Sessions are too long or too short. We must keep in mind that teaching new behaviors to a dog is a process of evolution. It is important to determine the amount of time needed for each new behavior. As soon as you reach a level of success, it is time to move on to the next lesson.
- Relying too much on treats with a lack of praise. Treats are great as they reinforce behavior intermittently. However, if you use treats often then it will work against you. Once your dog learns the behavior with treats, then try to eliminate the treats and replace them with praise.
- Too much emotion is involved. If you have excessive emotion, this can put a damper on your dog’s ability to learn. We recommend that you adapt a laid-back, loving, and mentoring type of energy. You will see that this combination will yield confidence.
- Inconsistency. Dogs need to feel that their mentors and providers are consistent in behavior and in rule setting. Do not vary training techniques at the beginning. This will diminish your dog’s ability to learn.